Perspektives

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with Memphis rapper Don Trip for an unfiltered conversation about fatherhood, family, survival, and the realities of the rap business. Growing up without a father, Don Trip reflects on how his childhood shaped his commitment to being present for his eight children and why he refuses to sacrifice family for fame. He opens up about navigating life in Memphis, learning independence at an early age, his reluctance to give second chances, and using music as therapy to process anger, bitterness, and personal struggles. He also revisits his Interscope Records deal through Cool & Dre, revealing the pressure to adopt a manufactured image, alleged mishandling of recording budgets, and the business disputes that eventually led to his release from the label. The conversation takes a deeper turn as Don Trip explains how financial audits and studio footage helped him challenge recoupment issues and regain control of his career. He credits Memphis rap legend Juicy J with steering him away from retaliation, teaching him valuable lessons about business, and showing him how to build income beyond music. Don Trip also shares his perspective on the changing hip-hop industry, artificial intelligence in music, independent artistry, and his plans to release four projects in 2027.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @mrdontripSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank welcomes Oba Ogunlano for an eye-opening conversation about Ifa spirituality, Yoruba traditions, ancestral connections, and African cultural identity. Drawing from his family's spiritual lineage, Oba explains the origins of Ifa, the teachings of Orunmila, the 256 Odu, and how divination readings help practitioners seek guidance and align with their destiny. He breaks down the roles of the Orishas, Olodumare, ori (spiritual consciousness), ancestral reverence, initiation, and personal accountability while challenging misconceptions that reduce Ifa to magic or supernatural shortcuts. He also discusses spiritual discipline, taboos, and why individual choices remain essential to fulfilling one's purpose. The conversation takes a deeper turn as Oba addresses fraudulent spiritual practitioners, questionable pricing, and the dangers of anyone guaranteeing results through spiritual work. He explores the historical relationship between African spirituality and Christianity, how Ifa traditions survived through Cuba and communities like Oyotunji, and the distinctions between Ifa, Hoodoo, and Santería. Oba also shares his views on harmful spiritual practices, the importance of preserving African American cultural identity, and the mission behind the NAA Tribe. From ancestral wisdom to modern spirituality, Big Bank and Oba Ogunlano deliver a thought-provoking discussion about faith, cultural preservation, spiritual responsibility, and discovering your path.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @obaogunlanoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big Bank sits down with one of his most requested guests, Atlanta rapper Omaretta, for an unfiltered conversation about independence, industry politics, mental health, and finding peace at 30. Raised in Atlanta's Zone 3 after losing her father, Omaretta reflects on her upbringing, the importance of honesty, and why being "real" means standing on your truth. She opens up about walking away from Love & Hip Hop after feeling pressured to prioritize drama over music, navigating depression and public misconceptions, and the challenges of maintaining her integrity in an entertainment industry that often rewards controversy over authenticity. Omaretta also reveals the business struggles that slowed her music career, including a seven-year contract, management conflicts, and music releases being blocked or removed. Now fully independent, she discusses reclaiming creative control, protecting her earnings, and building a career on her own terms. The conversation also explores Atlanta's evolving hip-hop culture, her musical influences, dream collaboration with Rihanna, hands-on approach to business, and perspectives on love and relationships. With new music on the horizon following "What Else," Omaretta makes it clear she's entering a new chapter focused on ownership, happiness, and doing things her way.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @omerettaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with St. Petersburg, Florida rapper Nino Breeze for an unfiltered conversation about street loyalty, prison, hip-hop authenticity, and turning hard lessons into legitimate success. Nino explains his mission to "make the G code great again," challenging how social media, outsiders, and internet culture have blurred the lines between street politics and the music industry. He breaks down the importance of loyalty, keeping street conflicts off the internet, choosing your circle wisely, and understanding why money and visibility don't always equal respect. Nino also reflects on his journey through juvenile detention, state prison, and a five-year federal sentence following a betrayal, revealing how incarceration pushed him to study business, marketing, and credit while preparing for life beyond the streets. He discusses the difference between street credibility and real success, the importance of teamwork and boundaries, and why young people need to think twice before risking their freedom to prove themselves. With his upcoming EP Non-Fiction and larger project No Further Indictments on the way, Nino Breeze shares how he's channeling his experiences into music, entrepreneurship, and a new chapter built on discipline, growth, and purpose.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @therealninobreezeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with Memphis rapper Big 30 for an unfiltered conversation about sobriety, fatherhood, faith, and navigating federal legal troubles. Big 30 opens up about staying drug-free while out on bond, revealing how prescription pills and lean clouded his judgment, distracted him from business, and influenced those around him. He discusses the restrictions of house arrest, protecting his family while unable to carry a firearm, and the emotional toll of watching his children encounter his legal situation online. Maintaining his innocence, Big 30 also addresses misconceptions about federal bond and criticizes bloggers for spreading misleading narratives. The conversation takes a deeper turn as Big 30 reflects on losing loved ones, becoming emotionally numb, battling anxiety, and leaning on his grandmother's faith to keep moving forward. He examines how money changes relationships, the difference between genuine loyalty and performative street credibility, and why his definition of being "real" has evolved. From calling out the music industry's lack of authenticity to prioritizing his children, mental health, and personal growth, Big 30 offers a revealing look at life beyond the streets. He also teases an upcoming project, potentially titled Nothing Bigger, signaling a new chapter in his music and mindset.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @ceobig30See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After surviving 17 years in Michigan prisons, Dawgface says the streets he returned to play by an entirely different set of rules. In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with the self-described “ghetto spokesman” to unpack how street culture, prison, hip-hop, and social media have collided into what he calls an entertainment economy. Dawgface traces his journey from Pontiac to Detroit, entering the streets at 15, cycling through juvenile detention, and eventually serving a prison sentence from 1992 to 2009. He reflects on violence, carrying bullets in his back, Nation of Islam structure and self-policing behind the wall, and how fatherhood and a powerful letter from his grandmother helped change his mindset. His years studying history, religion, and politics would ultimately reshape how he viewed the world outside. Dawgface and Bank then debate what happened to traditional street codes in an era where rap lyrics, podcasts, gossip, and social media can shape reputations, fuel character-assassination campaigns, and potentially become evidence in RICO investigations. They tackle gossip versus accountability, Atlanta’s real “trenches” versus the version outsiders see, rap personas versus street reality, and Bank’s responsibility as a media figure. For Dawgface, the biggest difference between yesterday’s streets and today’s culture is simple: everybody has a platform, everybody has a narrative, and the streets have become content.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @themostdangerousvoiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with Detroit’s Mr. Beat The Odds, who shares his story of spending 14 years, two months, and 14 days in prison for a first-degree murder he maintains he did not commit. He details allegations of juror misconduct, guilt by association, withheld alternative-suspect evidence, and a recorded confession he says pointed elsewhere. Determined to prove his innocence, Mr. B taught himself the law behind bars, helped other incarcerated people pursue legal relief, filed 43 motions in his own case, and eventually represented himself before securing a dismissal that he says centered on Brady violations and interrogation evidence showing investigators had reason to believe he wasn’t responsible. Now home for roughly two and a half years, Mr. B has turned his experience with the criminal justice system into a new purpose. A certified paralegal with a full scholarship to law school, he plans to become an attorney while helping others fight wrongful convictions and mentoring young people to avoid the circumstances that changed his life. He also discusses preparing a wrongful-conviction lawsuit, building his “Mr. Beat the Odds” brand, and telling his full story in his upcoming book, The Real Suffer the Most—transforming more than 14 years behind bars into a mission centered on justice, education, and giving others a second chance.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @mrbeattheoddsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with relationship coach and motivational speaker Tony Gaskins for an honest conversation about mental health, spiritual warfare, marriage, and the pressure of living publicly in front of millions of followers. Gaskins opens up about being an introvert who often masks stress, struggles to rest, and carries the emotional weight of coaching people around the world largely without a team. He reflects on his transformation from a scholarship athlete who became involved in the streets and struggled with infidelity to a major turning point in 2007, when his wife left and a robbery forced him to reevaluate his life, relationships, discipline, and the man he wanted to become. Gaskins also breaks down his approach to discovering purpose through pain, overcoming adversity, identifying the lessons learned, and using those experiences to serve others. As he evolves beyond being known primarily for relationship advice, he discusses The Purpose Arc, his purpose seminar, and a new mission centered on helping people understand their calling. Big Bank and Gaskins also explore fatherhood and accountability, the power of disciplined language, skepticism surrounding online coaches and “scammers,” and the business behind Gaskins’ YouTube membership community and Destiny matchmaking app. The conversation ultimately reveals the personal growth, sacrifice, and responsibility behind building a life rooted in purpose rather than public perception. Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @tonygaskinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank sits down with Atlanta artist G5ive on the East Side for a candid conversation about growth, survival, and the experiences that transformed his outlook on life. G5ive reflects on growing up across Atlanta neighborhoods, early involvement in the streets, juvenile cases, and serving nearly five years of a six-year prison sentence, where gang politics, constant anxiety, and misplaced loyalty taught him difficult lessons about trust and survival. He also opens up about the car accident that left him in a wheelchair for five to six months, explaining how being forced to slow down gave him the time to reflect, mature, and reevaluate the direction of his life. G5ive also shares how traveling to Africa and the United Kingdom expanded his worldview, from observing different approaches to healthcare and homelessness to developing a deeper interest in spirituality, history, and the world beyond his immediate environment. He explains why he now prioritizes respect, protecting his peace, and doing “good business,” while viewing music as both an expression of love and a form of therapy. As he discusses his latest release and the next chapter of his career, G5ive reflects on learning to choose his battles, move with greater purpose, and embrace adversity as part of the journey, encouraging others to “go through the fire” rather than allow difficult experiences to define them.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @4l_g5ive See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Perspektives with Bank, Big Bank reconnects with Atlanta rapper Akbar V for a candid second take after their original conversation became more heated than intended. The two clear the air over past social media comments, a missed booking, and relationships within Atlanta’s entertainment scene before Akbar opens up about the different sides of her personality—Valerie, Akbar, and Joan. She reflects on growing up between Carver Homes and Cleveland Avenue, navigating her mother’s addiction, entering the streets at a young age, and cycling through jail, group homes, and survival mode. Akbar also addresses how being outspoken has fueled internet backlash and industry tension, while acknowledging that controversy can sometimes overshadow her talent and music career. The conversation becomes a deeper examination of healing, accountability, faith, and personal growth as Bank challenges Akbar to step away from online conflict, release music consistently, and consider therapy as another tool for moving forward. Akbar discusses forgiveness, fasting, spirituality, marriage struggles, loyalty, and her desire for counseling, while reflecting on public conflicts involving Cardi B and Latto and the realities of navigating relationships in the music industry. Closing on the future, Akbar shares plans for new music and Blueprint Atlanta, celebrates milestones in her children’s lives, and considers what it will take to move beyond survival, protect her peace, and allow her purpose and artistry to speak louder than the drama.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @iamakbarv_See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.