When Beauty in the Beast began, Kyle and Malik wanted to build a safe place where Black men could speak honestly about identity, relationships, fear, healing, purpose, and emotional health.

They did not expect the conversations to expose their own unfinished work.

In this candid season reflection, the hosts open up about imposter syndrome, self-doubt, therapy, faith, business, friendship, emotional growth, and the pressure of trying to pour into others while still navigating their own struggles.

They revisit the episodes that challenged them most, the audience reactions they never anticipated, and the realization that the podcast is becoming more than a collection of conversations.

It is becoming an archive.

A community.

And a record of Black men choosing honesty over silence.

In this episode:

• Why the growth of the podcast surprised both hosts
• Feeling like a fraud while encouraging other men to heal
• The emotional impact of audience criticism and support
• How therapy helped them become kinder to themselves
• What Stevie Baggs taught them about spirituality and conviction
• The lasting impact of the Al-Tariq Miller episode
• Why lived experience deepens empathy
• Asking for help without shame
• Learning to love yourself without achievement
• Why this platform matters during a divisive cultural moment

You do not have to have everything figured out before your story can help someone.

Sometimes the work that heals others begins healing you too.

Kevin James grew up in inner-city Wilmington, Delaware, searching for examples of what his future could become. He didn't see Black professors, Black executives, or Black leaders who reflected his own possibilities. Instead of accepting that limitation, he decided to become the person he wished he'd had.

In this powerful conversation with Kyle Gaul and Malik Baraka, Kevin shares how education became more than a career. It became a calling to return, teach, mentor, and help young Black men believe there is another path.

The conversation expands beyond education into fatherhood, entrepreneurship, representation, giving back to forgotten communities, and why success means little if the next generation cannot see themselves in it.

In this episode:

• Why representation changes lives

• The emotional cost of feeling invisible

• Why Kevin became a professor

• College versus real-world preparation

• Why students should think like owners, not employees

• Returning home without losing yourself

• Building scholarships for students who are often overlooked

If this conversation challenged you, subscribe and join us as we continue creating a safe place for honest conversations among Black men.

Behind a thriving career was a man quietly wrestling with imposter syndrome, fear, ego, and the pressure to always have the answers.

In one of the most emotionally transparent conversations of the season, Elliott shares how therapy, fatherhood, friendship, and humility transformed the way he leads at work and loves at home.

If you've ever struggled to separate confidence from ego, this conversation will stay with you.

Attorney, entrepreneur, and former magistrate judge Quinton Washington has spent his life helping people navigate some of the hardest moments they'll ever face.

Courtrooms.

Divorce.

Family disputes.

Business conflicts.

But behind every decision was another reality. Someone still had to carry the weight.

In this episode of Beauty in the Beast, Quinton opens up about practicing law, leading a business, raising twins, marriage, therapy, emotional resilience, and why many high-performing men quietly convince themselves they don't have time to care for their own emotional health.

This isn't a conversation about legal strategy.

It's a conversation about what responsibility costs.

In this episode:

-The emotional toll of practicing law

-What it's really like being a judge

-Why lawyers compartmentalize

-The hidden pressure of leadership

-Marriage, fatherhood, and emotional resilience

-Why therapy isn't weakness

-The expectations placed on Black men

-Learning to care for yourself without abandoning everyone else

Because sometimes...

the strongest people are the ones carrying the most.

Greg Kirkland has spent his life serving others.

As a pastor, choir director, entrepreneur, filmmaker, husband, and father, he's dedicated himself to lifting people up. But behind every title is a man wrestling with the same question many men quietly carry:

When does someone take care of me?

In one of the most vulnerable conversations ever on Beauty in the Beast, Greg opens up about balancing ministry, marriage, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, emotional exhaustion, and the guilt many men feel when they finally choose themselves.

This isn't just a conversation about faith.

It's about responsibility. It's about identity.

And it's about discovering that being present for yourself may be the greatest gift you can give everyone else.

In this episode:

• Why Greg says balance doesn't exist

• The hidden emotional cost of leadership

• Why pastors need grace too

• Blended families and second chances

• Living with constant responsibility

• The guilt men carry

• Why "doing nothing" is actually doing something

• How quiet moments changed his life

This conversation is about burnout, identity, fatherhood, leadership and why taking care of yourself isn't selfish.

It's survival.

Chapters:

03:15 Growing Up Between Gospel and R&B

09:00 When Music Became a Calling

14:00 Building the See-It Choir

18:30 The Pastor Who Ran From Pastoring

22:00 The Truth About Megachurches

29:30 The Genuine Article

39:30 My Dope Blend and Blended Family Life

42:00 Why Balance Doesn't Exist

46:00 The Guilt Men Carry

49:00 Who Takes Care of You?

52:00 Why He Won't Pause Being a Husband or Father

58:00 Learning to Be Alone

1:05:00 The Truth about Feeling Loved?

1:07:00 The Irony of the Worldview of Black Men

1:10:00 Give Your Pastor Grace

#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #GregKirkland #BlackMenHealing #Fatherhood #MasculinityRedefined #ExecutivePastor #WorkLifeBalance #MensMentalHealth #BlendedFamily #EmotionalIntelligenceForMen #VulnerabilityIsStrength #TheDopeBlend #Brotherhood #FaithAndFamily #megachurch

For most of his life...

Tony believed anger was strength.

Growing up in Miami taught him that kindness was dangerous.

Vulnerability was weakness.

Survival meant staying guarded.

So he did what so many men learn to do.

He buried his grief.

He buried depression.

He buried fear.

Until the day his daughter stopped wanting to be around him.

That moment forced him to ask a question he had spent years avoiding:

Who have I become?

What follows is one of the most honest conversations we've had on Beauty in the Beast.

Tony opens up about childhood loss, depression, divorce, therapy, fatherhood, emotional healing, and why learning to feel may have saved his life.

This isn't simply a conversation about mental health.

It's about becoming the man your children deserve before it's too late.

In this episode

• Losing his grandfather and falling into depression

• Why surviving isn't the same as healing

• The anger he mistook for strength

• Therapy and the stigma Black men carry

• Divorce, abandonment, and rebuilding himself

• The daughter who unknowingly changed his life

• Breaking generational curses

• Why healing begins when you stop trying to control everyone else

Every man has a story beneath the surface.

Beauty in the Beast exists to uncover it.

For Dr. Rasheed Abiola, that moment came with four words:

"Your father is dead."

His father wasn't just any father.

Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O.) Abiola was the man widely recognized as the winner of Nigeria's historic 1993 presidential election. Before he could take office, democracy was stripped away, his victory was denied, and his family was thrust into exile. Years later, Rasheed would learn that his father had died while imprisoned.

How do you carry a name the world recognizes while trying to discover who you are?

In this deeply personal episode of **Beauty in the Beast**, Dr. Rasheed Abiola shares the untold story behind the headlines. He opens up about grief, identity, family, resilience, and the quiet burden of living in the shadow of an extraordinary legacy.

Today, Rasheed is a nationally respected spine surgeon, husband, father, and leader. But long before the titles, there was a son trying to make sense of unimaginable loss.

Together we explore:

• Growing up as the son of M.K.O. Abiola

• Losing his father after Nigeria's democratic crisis

• Living with grief while building a life of purpose

• The responsibility of carrying a historic family name

• Becoming one of the nation's leading spine surgeons

• Why family became the center of everything he does

• The lessons every parent hopes to leave behind

This isn't a story about politics.

It's a story about a son.

A son who refused to let tragedy define him.

A son who transformed loss into purpose

And a reminder that while a legacy can be taken from you, your character never can.

Beauty in the Beast creates a space where Black men share the stories behind the strength. Through honest conversations about identity, healing, relationships, fatherhood, and resilience, we reveal the humanity that too often goes unseen.

If this conversation moved you, subscribe and join us as we continue breaking the myths surrounding Black men, one story at a time.

#BeautyInTheBeast #RasheedAbiola #Nigeria #BlackExcellence #OrthopedicSurgery #SpineSurgeon #FamilyLegacy #Leadership #Resilience #Purpose #Identity #BlackMenHealing #AfricanExcellence #Brotherhood #PersonalGrowth #nigeria #africa #history #viral #snowboarding #orthopedics

Winston Warrior found himself in his fifties.

After decades of chasing achievement through corporate success, music, academia, and influence, life forced him to confront a painful question:

Who are you when the titles disappear?

The answer led him into one of the most unexpected chapters of his life.

As a member of the Silver Fox Squad, Winston has become part of a movement redefining what aging, masculinity, and confidence look like for Black men.

This isn't a story about getting older.

It's a story about finally becoming yourself.

CHAPTERS

00:00 "What Defines You When Success Disappears?"

03:41 The Childhood That Built Winston Warrior

08:15 The Pressure to Achieve

14:03 Chasing Success & Recognition

20:58 Becoming a Leader at the University of Miami

28:26 The Birth of The Dope Professor

34:55 When Everything Started Falling Apart

39:48 "People Stopped Returning My Calls"

43:15 The Fall From Grace

47:34 The Identity Crisis No One Saw

52:48 How the Silver Fox Squad Changed Everything

58:10 Why Most Men Get Aging Wrong

01:02:03 "My Best Years Didn't Happen at 35"

01:05:40 The Legacy Every Man Should Leave Behind

#BeautyInTheBeast #WinstonWarrior #SilverFoxSquad #BlackMenHealing #MensGrowth #BlackExcellence #PersonalDevelopment #PurposeDriven #MensMentalHealth #EmotionalIntelligence #Reinvention #AgingWithPurpose #Brotherhood #SelfMastery #Confidence #MasculinityRedefined #TheDopeProfessor #UniversityOfMiami #Leadership #LifeAfter50

Ron grew up as one of the only white kids in his school and neighborhood, feeling more comfortable in Black spaces than in his own home. In this episode of Beauty in the Beast, he opens up about being dropped off at his dad’s house for a “month-long vacation” that secretly became 13 years, the depression that followed, and what it meant to be the “piece of salt in a pepper shaker” in metro Atlanta.

Ron talks about growing up with a military father who didn’t talk about emotions, losing daily contact with his mother, and having to “mentally and emotionally raise” himself. He shares how he found warmth and protection in the homes of his Black friends and their single mothers, why he felt more accepted in those spaces than with his own family, and how he learned to wear a mask around white folks just to avoid being judged.

We get into his move to small-town Ohio, the shock of Oxy-infested neighborhoods, dealing weed to try to pay for college, catching charges, and the moment in jail when his grandmother’s disappointment and a sergeant’s blunt, “You don’t fit the mold here,” forced him to choose a different life. From there, Ron walks us through basketball as his escape, the barbershop as his sanctuary, and how cutting hair for Black men showed him the weight they carry every day.

Finally, we ask Ron directly: What do you think about Black men being seen as the beast in this world? His answer is honest, emotional, and unapologetically clear: it’s unfair, unbalanced, and Black men have it a lot harder than most people admit.

If you care about race, belonging, cross-cultural friendship, addiction, masculinity, abandonment, mother wounds, and barbershop truth, this conversation is for you.

#beautyinthebeast #blackmeninamerica #barbershoptalk #whiteskinblackspaces #motherwound #maskedmasculinity #oxycrisis #addictionrecovery #blackmenhealing #emotionalintelligenceformen

– Kevin Bentley

Kevin Bentley returns to Beauty in the Beast for a deeper, more revealing conversation about masculinity, fatherhood, emotional suppression, and what growth actually requires of men.

In this episode, Kevin reflects on the pressure Black men carry to appear confident while quietly battling fear, self-doubt, and emotional restraint. He opens up about suppressing emotions, wearing masks to survive, questioning himself as a father, and the unexpected power of hearing affirmation from his own father. This conversation explores why men struggle to talk honestly, how ego becomes armor, and why professional coaching, counseling, and intentional support are not weaknesses but necessities.

As a returning guest, Kevin brings added clarity, self-awareness, and depth—showing how growth evolves when men are willing to confront what they’ve been avoiding. This episode is not about having it all figured out. It’s about learning how to stop hiding, stop retreating, and start choosing help.

If you’re navigating masculinity, fatherhood, emotional intelligence, therapy, confidence, or the pressure to always be “strong,” this episode will resonate deeply.

#KevinBentley #BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #BlackMenHealing #MensMentalHealth #EmotionalIntelligenceForMen #FatherhoodJourney #MasculinityRedefined #TherapyForMen #BlackMaleIdentity #VulnerabilityIsStrength #MenAndGrowth #ReturningGuest #football #nfl

DJ Hershey joins Beauty in the Beast for one of the most honest and revealing conversations on identity, fatherhood, heartbreak, and healing. From growing up under strict structure, to being baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness at 13, to discovering his gift for DJing, Hershey walks us through the emotional path that shaped his manhood.

He opens up about the sacrifices he made for marriage, the career moment he still regrets, the pain of divorce, raising daughters as a young father, and what it means to switch between his public persona and his private truth. Hershey shares how he learned self-worth, how he rebuilt after loss, and why he now lives by the mantra: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — I’m not beholden.”

This episode speaks to men navigating identity, resilience, co-parenting, emotional armor, and the journey back to themselves. If you’re exploring masculinity, healing, or redefining your purpose, this one will hit home.

#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #DJHershey #BlackMenHealing #MasculinityRedefined #FathersAndDaughters #EmotionalIntelligenceForMen #MenAndMentalHealth #HealingAfterDivorce #BlackMaleIdentity #ResilientMen #FatherhoodJourney #InnerHealing #PurposeAndIdentity #HonestConversations #VulnerabilityIsStrength #DJ

Landry’s story is the truth behind the mask many men wear. Raised without a father, trained by sports to bury emotion, pushed into adulthood by competition and survival — he became the provider, the protector, the strong one. But somewhere in the process, he lost himself.

In this powerful conversation, Landry opens up about learning to communicate, navigating marriage, unlearning emotional habits taught by coaches, and discovering that being a man isn’t about hiding your truth — it’s about facing it.

He talks openly about what drives him, what scares him, what broke him, and what he’s finally ready to rebuild.

If you've ever felt pressure to be strong, silent, or endlessly driven…

if you've ever wondered where you fit inside the life you created…

this conversation will hit harder than you expect.

This is a story about identity, fatherhood, emotional maturity, and the quiet work of becoming whole.

Listen to the full episode. It might change the way you see yourself.

#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #Masculinity #BlackMenHealing #EmotionalIntelligence #Fatherhood #SelfAwareness #HealingJourney #MenAndFeelings #personalgrowth

There are moments in a man’s life when the mirror stops being glass and becomes a witness.

K.D. Bowe walked into this conversation carrying years of survival on his shoulders - the saint and the savage living in the same body, both of them shaped by a world that never asked whether he was ready.

He speaks about faith not as doctrine, but as a battlefield where the people we trust sometimes fail us in ways our souls cannot forget. He speaks about love not as romance, but as a life that died in his hands - and the burial he had to attend alone. Divorce, he says, is its own kind of funeral. And the man who walks away is never the man who walked in.

But the heart of this story is quieter. It is the moment he meets a boy he did not know he had abandoned. A small boy. Glowing. Starving. Waiting on the grown man who left him behind. When he asks, “Who wouldn’t feed you?” - the question is not for the child. It is for the man who finally sees him.

And in that moment, K.D. discovers what Baldwin always knew:

a man cannot become whole until he tells himself the truth.

From there, he rebuilds his understanding of strength - not as violence, not as bravado, but as discipline, timing, and the courage to refuse becoming the very beast the world expects him to be. “I can touch the beast,” he says, “but I’m not the beast.”

This episode is not an interview.

It is a reckoning.

A study in the soul of a man learning to love himself after the world - and his own choices - tried their best to unmake him.

Watch this with your whole chest. It might call something awake in you too.

#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #KDBowe #BlackMenHealing #EmotionalIntelligence #InnerChildWork #MasculinityRedefined #SelfLoveJourney #SoulWork #HealingForMen #GrowthMindset #KDBowe #divorce #preaching #pastor #church

That’s how Al Tariq Miller begins the story no parent is ever prepared to tell.

His youngest son - six years old - watched a cartoon on YouTube Kids.

A cartoon that taught him how to hang himself.

Minutes later, Al Tariq walked past his son’s room…

and the child who always ran after him didn’t move.

He checked on him anyway.

And found his son hanging from the bunk bed.

What happened next - the CPR, the coma, the recovery, the marriage nearly collapsing, the 988 calls, the rage at YouTube, the film he made to save other children - is the kind of pain that should break a man forever.

But somehow… it didn’t.

And now he’s here, telling the world what most men bury so deep they never come back from it.

This is not content.

This is not entertainment. - it's a lifeline. A warning every parent needs to hear. And a testament to resilience, fatherhood, and the unspoken weight many men carry.

This will change the way you look at your children, your marriage, your mental health, and the world you trust them in.

This is Beauty in the Beast.

And this episode may be the most important we’ve ever recorded.

#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #AlTariqMiller #BlackMenHealing #YouTubeKidsSafety #HangmanChallenge #MentalHealthMatters #suicideprevention #menshealth #parenting

This conversation with Stevie Baggs Jr. will shake you awake.

You’ll feel every word. From his days as a professional athlete to his rebirth as a spiritual leader, Stevie breaks open the myth that success is about fame, money, or applause. It’s not. It’s about knowing who you are when everything’s stripped away.

He says, “Men are built off pain.” And he means it. Because when life knocked him flat — when he lost work, income, and control - that’s when he discovered his real strength. Not physical. Spiritual. He started listening inward, not outward.

He calls therapy whatever heals you - the bike rides, the quiet, the self-work. He calls crying “your spirit sweating.” And he calls self-love “the greatest love on the planet.”

By the end, you’ll realize this isn’t just about Stevie - it’s about every man who’s ever felt unseen. Every man who’s been told to suppress, to survive, to harden. Stevie invites you to remember: You are divine. You are chosen. And it’s time to stop believing you’re broken.

Baggs doesn’t just preach freedom - he lives it. His words are fire and mirror: illuminating, uncomfortable, necessary.

This episode doesn’t give you motivation - it gives you medicine.

What happens when a licensed Black male therapist breaks down in therapy himself—and redefines what strength means for men?

Episode Summary:

In this transformative episode of Beauty & the Beast, we sit down with Michael Turner—licensed therapist, trauma specialist, and one of the few nationally board-certified Black male counselors in the U.S. Michael gets real about breaking stereotypes in mental health, unpacking emotional armor, and what hypnotherapy really feels like. This isn’t just another discussion on mental health—it’s a vulnerable deep dive into how men carry their pain, protect themselves, and unlearn inherited trauma.

From decoding why Black men are seen as “unicorns” in the therapy world, to confronting cultural pressures around identity, leadership, and authenticity, this episode delivers emotional revelations and societal insights you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you’re navigating your own healing journey or just want to understand the weight Black men carry, this conversation is essential.

Key Questions Answered:

What is emotional armor, and when does it protect vs. harm?

How does hypnotherapy work, and is it safe?

What does authentic leadership look like for Black men?

How can you set emotional boundaries without guilt?

What happens when you no longer feel like you belong “back home”?

Guest Bio:

Michael Turner is a licensed professional counselor in Georgia and Florida, credentialed in clinical hypnotherapy, DBT, and trauma-focused therapy. A proud Alabama A&M alum, Michael is among the top 10% of Black male therapists in the U.S.—often referred to as a “unicorn” in his field. His mission: to dismantle stigma and make space for Black men to be vulnerable, powerful, and whole.

This episode will shake you if you’ve ever pushed yourself past exhaustion just to feel “enough.”

Kevin Bentley was the 1% of the 1%-NFL linebacker, corporate exec, PhD candidate, father of five. On paper, he was unstoppable. But behind the grind was a man who couldn’t stop fighting: fighting to win, fighting to prove, fighting not to feel.

In this raw conversation, Kevin admits that success became his armor. Growing up poor in gang‑infested L.A., he decided that failure wasn’t an option. That worked-until the rage, the perfectionism, and the silence started to eat him alive. He talks openly about suicidal thoughts, therapy, and what it really costs to be the “strong one” in every room.

The breakthrough? Realizing that greatness without peace isn’t greatness at all. That true strength is crying in front of your daughters. It’s asking for help. It’s choosing to live, even when your ego tells you to keep performing.

If you’ve ever said, “I can’t stop,” this conversation will remind you that you can-and that stopping might just save your life.

Because you don’t need to die chasing greatness. You just need to learn how to live.

Episode Summary:

From the outside, Zuri Standback looked like he had it all-opportunity, intellect, and talent. But what people didn’t see was the loneliness of being the only Black kid in his school, the isolation of being gaslighted for his “uniqueness,” and the pressure of carrying the weight of representation everywhere he went.

In this powerful conversation, Zuri reveals the hidden cost of tokenism and otherness: how it shaped his confidence, his relationships, and even his career choices. He opens up about the moments when he felt completely alone, the freedom he found in Black spaces where he could just be, and why mentorship became the legacy he wants to leave behind.

This is more than a story about corporate success-it’s about resilience, identity, and the courage to turn pain into purpose. Zuri’s journey will challenge you to ask: what masks have you worn to belong? And what would it mean to finally take them off?

 Key Lessons:

• The hidden trauma of tokenism.
• Why “otherness” can’t define your life.
• The power of safe spaces and true belonging.
• Why mentorship and trust matter more than titles.

About Zuri Standback:

Zuri Standback is a professional, creative, and mentor who has lived the complexities of identity and representation in America. His story is one of turning loneliness into legacy, and otherness into strength

Monte Fowler’s story begins with absence-the absence of his father, who passed away when Monte was still young. Without the man who should have guided him through life, Monte built his own “board of men” to shepherd him. But that absence left a wound: a fear that he would live a life unfulfilled, unmaximized, and incomplete.

For years, Monte chased success while hiding behind masks, living a double life that eventually collapsed under its own weight. When the walls fell, he was left with emotions he had never confronted before—guilt, shame, regret. It was only through therapy that Monte found a way forward, vowing to live authentically and never return to the darkness that had once consumed him.

In this conversation, Monte shares the treadmill revelation that gave him his “four disciplines”-spirituality, relationships, health, and wealth. He also opens up about a single letter from a friend that brought him to his knees and forced him to confront his identity.

This is a story of pain, honesty, and transformation. For anyone living behind a mask, afraid to face the truth, Monte’s journey is a reminder that authenticity is survival-and that purpose begins when we stop hiding.

Key Lessons:

How fatherlessness shaped his fear of an unfulfilled life.

The devastating cost of living a double life.

Why therapy is not weakness but survival.

The four disciplines that changed everything.

How kindness and identity can bring us back to ourselves.

About Monte Fowler:

Monte Fowler is a business leader, mentor, and speaker whose life was defined by absence, collapse, and ultimately, rebirth. His personal transformation-from loss and double life to authenticity and discipline-has inspired his work mentoring others to live honestly, fully, and without fear.

Episode Summary:

In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode of Beauty & the Beast, we sit down with Philip, a Ghanaian-born executive, mentor, and father, whose life journey spans continents, corporate boardrooms, and quiet moments of self-reflection. From navigating the racial complexities of America to choosing family over promotions, Philip shares how identity, mentorship, and cultural duality shaped his path.

This is not just a story of career success. It’s a story of emotional courage-of knowing when to pause, pivot, and prioritize purpose. He opens up about being the "only one in the room," what it means to truly understand the African American experience, and why embracing therapy later in life became a pivotal turning point.

Whether you’re a young Black professional trying to find your voice in the workplace or someone seeking to bridge cultural gaps, this episode is your mirror-and your blueprint.

 Key Questions Answered:

• What’s the emotional cost of being the “only one in the room”?
• How do African-born and American-born Black men heal the cultural divide?
• Why did he choose to walk away from corporate ascension-for family?
• How can we redefine mentorship for the next generation?
• When is it time to seek therapy-and how do you know?

Guest Bio:

Phillip Nutsugah is a Ghanaian-born business leader with 30+ years in corporate America, a devoted husband and father of three, and a passionate mentor to young Black professionals. From USF to the executive suite, his journey blends ambition with intentional living—and now includes guiding others through that same terrain.

In this soul-stirring episode of Beauty & the Beast, we sit down with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Victor Hogan, whose emotional journey from artistic childhood dreams to devastating loss — and eventual rebirth — is nothing short of cinematic.

Victor opens up about growing up in Queens with Panamanian immigrant parents, drawing inspiration from his father’s artistry, and how the validation he received at age five set the tone for his creative destiny. But the path wasn’t linear. Dropping out of college triggered deep-rooted imposter syndrome that followed him for years — even after major career successes.

Then came the collapse: financial ruin, the housing crisis, a failed marriage, and the loss of everything he thought defined him. With brutal honesty, Victor shares how he navigated the darkest valley of his life — from EBT cards to tears at the dinner table — and how vulnerability, fatherhood, faith, and one powerful woman helped him rise from the ashes.

This episode is not about victimhood — it’s about ownership, transformation, and the spiritual grit it takes to step into who you were born to be.

Key Questions Answered

-What does it really feel like to lose everything?

-How do men process failure, shame, and identity after divorce?

-Why is vulnerability the hidden key to healing?

-What role does fatherhood play in self-worth?

-Can you succeed without a degree — and still feel valid?

Guest Bio – Victor Hogan

Victor Hogan is an Emmy Award-winning editor, producer, and filmmaker. A visionary storyteller, he has worked across commercials, documentaries, and feature films. His path from South Ozone Park to the heart of Georgia’s booming film industry embodies resilience, creativity, and purpose-driven artistry.

#VictorHogan #BeautyAndTheBeastPodcast #EmotionalHealing #ResilienceStory #Fatherhood #VulnerabilityIsStrength #OvercomingAdversity #MensMentalHealth #Identity #FaithAndFailure #CreativeJourney #PodcastClips #LifeAfterDivorce #ImposterSyndrome #Transformation

But this isn't just a story of survival—it's one of transformation. We dive into how he became the kind of man who shows up for everyone… except himself. Through candid conversations with hosts Kyle and Malik, the episode explores the invisible burden strong men often carry, the legacy of fatherhood, and the vital importance of showing up for yourself.

This episode challenges men to reflect on how much of their strength is actually fueled by unresolved grief, unacknowledged needs, and the desire to protect everyone else at the cost of themselves. It’s raw, vulnerable, and ultimately—empowering.

Key Questions Answered:

What happens to a boy when he loses his father at ten?

How do you turn trauma into fuel instead of a crutch?

What does it mean to prioritize yourself as a man, husband, and father?

Why do “strong friends” often suffer in silence?

How do we cut out people who subtract from our peace?

Guest Bio

Jonathan Parris is a husband, father, and seasoned financial advisor known for his grounded presence, powerful intellect, and unwavering dedication to family. A Brooklyn native with Jamaican roots, Jonathan’s story reflects both professional excellence and deep personal reflection. This episode marks a rare public window into his emotional journey.

Raised in the structured traditions of the Bahamas, Lars explores how cultural expectations shaped his identity—and not always for the better. What does it really mean to be a man of integrity? What happens when that integrity is compromised, even unconsciously, through inherited behaviors?

Through deeply personal stories of marriage, fatherhood, and self-reflection, Lars opens up about how he was taught to suppress emotion, to “be strong,” and to avoid vulnerability at all costs. But when the feedback from his wife and kids stayed the same year after year, something had to shift. Why do men struggle to express vulnerability—and what happens when they finally do?

Now navigating a life rooted in intentionality, therapy, and legacy-building, Lars offers wisdom for every father trying to do better, every husband learning to connect, and every son questioning whether he has to inherit emotional silence. How do we raise emotionally healthy sons in a world that still doesn't allow men to cry? And how do we break the cycle for good?

This episode doesn’t just ask tough questions—it models the answers.

Guest Bio

Lars Minns is a C-suite executive and culture leader with roots in the Bahamas and a powerful personal mission: to rewire generational mindsets about masculinity, vulnerability, and emotional accountability. Through his corporate leadership and role as a husband and father, he’s forging a new path for what manhood can look like.

This isn’t just another conversation about Black masculinity - it’s a masterclass in emotional liberation. For the first time on Beauty & the Beast, a woman joins the couch: Dr. Torre Prothro-Wiley, a licensed therapist with decades of experience helping Black men unlearn, heal, and evolve.

In this deeply vulnerable and soul-shaking episode, the hosts revisit the most recurring themes from this season - community, fatherhood, masking, safety, emotional suppression, and the myth of playing “the game.” Dr. Torre breaks down how these patterns shape not only Black men’s mental health but also their relationships, parenting, and sense of identity.

This episode is an invitation: to be seen, to feel safe, and to stop surviving… and start thriving.

Key Questions Answered:

Why do Black men struggle with vulnerability and emotional safety?

What is “masking” — and how does it impact authenticity?

How can we raise emotionally balanced Black boys?

What role does community play in Black healing?

How do societal expectations suppress Black excellence?

Guest Bio – Dr. Torre Prothro-Wiley

Dr. Torre is a licensed therapist, executive coach, and financial therapy specialist with nearly 20 years of experience. Based in Atlanta, her practice focuses on mood disorders, relational healing, and helping high-performing individuals navigate personal evolution. She is a trusted voice and emotional anchor for countless Black men across the country.

In this powerful episode of Beauty in the Beast, Shawn Cole opens up about losing his father as a child, navigating manhood without a manual, and becoming a high-level corporate executive against all odds. What you’ll hear isn’t just inspiration — it’s instruction.

From grief to growth, from fear to leadership — this is the real story behind the titles, success, and pressure that Black men carry but rarely speak about.

Inside This Conversation:

-The real emotional toll of father loss

-Turning childhood trauma into leadership clarity

-How to lead a family when you never saw it modeled

-Corporate success without losing yourself

-The 4 rules Shawn uses to win in life and work

-Why most men are silently stuck — and how to break through

If you’ve ever asked, “Why did this happen to me?”… this episode will change the way you answer that question.

Cedric had it all lined up:

-All-American athlete turned rap artist

-Touring with Juvenile

-Walking with purpose, passion and profit

The music. The money. The moment. He had it. But somewhere between the studio sessions and the 4AM drives back to work, it fell apart. What happens when what you love becomes something you don’t recognize?

In this revealing episode of Beauty in the Beast, Cedric shares how he gave everything to the culture - only to watch love turn to loss. From battling imposter syndrome to leaving the studio behind, Cedric opens up about:

-Growing up in a house full of love… but still battling self-doubt

-How writing rhymes became therapy

-The moment he knew hip hop changed — and left him behind

-How he rebuilt his identity without the mic

-How a funeral became the mirror he didn’t know he needed

-And how becoming a father gave him his real voice

This is a love letter. A breakup story. A resurrection. If you've ever felt stuck between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming, this episode will meet you there.

#BrownSugarVibes #HipHopBreakup #SwishaHouse #JuvenileTour #FromRapperToFather #BeautyAndTheBeastPodcast #WhenHipHopChanges #DoWeFailOrDoWeQuit #BlackMenHealing #RealConversationsOnly #ResilienceStory #ThePivot #TheBlessedCode #Juvenile #hiphopmusic #cashmoneyrecords #mentalhealth #blackmentalhealth

— Michael Holt

Michael Holt had the perfect résumé — Harvard MBA, Wall Street success, thriving family, and a circle of powerful Black leaders in his corner. But behind closed doors, he was emotionally isolated, silently struggling to live up to a legacy that taught him excellence, but not emotional safety.

In this intimate episode of Beauty and the Beast, Holt sits down for a raw, transformative conversation. What begins as a journey through childhood discipline and generational success becomes a deeply personal reckoning with fear, masculinity, friendship, and emotional healing.

We dive into:

Growing up Black, brilliant, and burdened in post-Civil Rights Atlanta.

The trauma of success and the fear of disappointing others.

Why so many Black men are scared of vulnerability - and how to break the cycle.

How friendships can become a mirror, revealing what we’ve buried.

Marriage, fatherhood, therapy - and learning to receive love, not just give it.

The letter from his wife that stopped the room cold.

This isn’t just a conversation - it’s a masterclass in unlearning survival mode and embracing emotional truth.

If you’ve ever played small, doubted your worth, or wondered if your armor was also your cage -this episode is for you.

Subscribe and share this with a brother, a father, a husband, or anyone carrying silent weight.

For sponsorships & speaking inquiries: info@beautyandthebeastpod.com

Beauty and the Beast is back with a powerful, emotional, and deeply honest conversation with guest Doug Kelly — a high-powered corporate executive, devoted father, and proud Jamaican-American with a story that breaks the mold.

In this raw and revealing episode, Doug opens up for the very first time about his personal journey — from growing up in a Jamaican household in Miami, to becoming one of the only Black men in the C-suite of a major corporation. From childhood lessons learned on a Miami farm to sharing the silent burdens of being “the only one in the room,” Doug holds nothing back.

This episode dives into:

-The immigrant hustle and the cost of generational sacrifice

-The burden of high achievement and breaking free from shame

-Black fatherhood, therapy, and redefining masculinity

-Navigating imposter syndrome and thriving in elite spaces

-The story behind Chocolate City and going to FAMU with Will Packer

Whether you're a Black man who has been misunderstood, a child of immigrants carrying silent expectations, or someone searching for purpose in your own path — this episode is your reminder that you're not alone.

PLUS: Doug’s wife and son surprise him in a way that leaves the whole room in tears. You don’t want to miss this.

If this conversation moved you, share it. Like. Subscribe.

Kyle Vaughn grew up in the heart of Carol City, Miami — a neighborhood that taught him how to survive, adapt, and succeed. But in this powerful episode, we go deeper than the accolades and corporate promotions to unpack what it really cost to keep up the act.

From narrowly escaping street violence to climbing the corporate ladder with a mask stitched together by expectations, Kyle’s story is one of duality, determination, and ultimately, self-reclamation.

He got a full ride to college… and a full dose of impostor syndrome.

He broke into corporate America… and nearly broke down trying to stay there.

He achieved the “dream”… and learned the hard way that it meant nothing if he wasn’t whole inside.

Through raw storytelling and honest reflections, Kyle opens up about:

• The survival mindset that shaped his “tough” persona.

• Code-switching and identity as a Black man navigating white spaces.

• The silent toll of success and the power of stepping back to heal.

• The love, faith, and therapy that helped him remove the mask — for good

This isn’t just about climbing. It’s about healing while holding it all together.

If you’ve ever questioned who you are beneath the surface — this conversation is for you.

Welcome to Beauty and the Beast, where truth isn't just told — it's honored.

In this powerful episode, hosts Maliik Baraka and Kyle Vaughn begin a conversation that many have avoided for too long. Through raw, unfiltered storytelling, Maliik takes us deep into his life — from growing up in Miami’s projects to navigating the emotional weight of fatherlessness, addiction, and the pressure to be “the strong one.” This isn't just about surviving — it’s about breaking generational patterns and learning how to feel again.

This episode explores:

Childhood Trauma & Emotional Survival — What it means to grow up without a father and still carry the weight of being “the man.”

Community, Code-Switching & Kindness — How street love and street rules both protected and confined him.

The Mask of Fatherhood — How becoming a dad was both healing and a hiding place.

Therapy & Breaking Through — The pivotal moment Maliik stopped running from his pain and started facing it — with help.

Identity Beyond the Resume — From English degrees to navigating corporate life as a Black man — what it really means to show up emotionally whole.

This isn’t a podcast for performance. It’s a safe haven — a space where men can breathe, process, and be heard without judgment. And for anyone who’s ever felt alone in their journey — this one’s for you.

Subscribe, share, and join us as we dismantle stereotypes and build a culture of truth, vulnerability, and power.

#BlackMenSpeak #EmotionalIntelligence #BreakingGenerationalTrauma #TherapyForBlackMen #FatherhoodJourney #BlackMaleHealing #VulnerabilityIsStrength #MentalHealthAwareness #SafeSpacesForMen #MalikBaraka #singlemotherhood #Fatherhood #Trauma #Therapy

In this powerful debut episode, The Bridge is Over, we sit down with Michael Quigley — investment banker, leader, and storyteller — to talk about what it really takes to overcome the odds when life doesn’t hand you a blueprint.

From bouncing around the world as a kid, to navigating the pressure of being one of the only Black professionals in high finance and media, Michael gets real about pain, growth, identity, and faith. This isn’t just about business — it’s about what happens when you decide to stop surviving and start showing up.

In This Episode:

The Weight of Moving and Belonging: How constant change shaped his ability to connect or protect — and the toll it took.

Finding His Place in Business: No connections, no safety net — just hustle, faith, and the grind to prove he belonged.

Faith Over Religion: Leaning into a real relationship with God during his loneliest moments in NYC.

Community Over Clout: Why the people around you either elevate your purpose or block your blessings.

Leadership with Empathy: What he learned from leaders like Dick Parsons that changed how he shows up — not just in business, but in life.

This conversation is for anyone who’s been the only one in the room. Anyone trying to grow through what they’re going through. And anyone who’s ready to build something meaningful without leaving who they are behind.

#TheBridgeIsOver #motivation #BlackExcellence #AuthenticLeadership #podcast #mentalhealthawareness #WallStreetVoices #BreakingBarriers #EmotionalSuccess #PurposeDrivenLife #codeswitching #careeradvice #healingthroughfaith #representationmatters #SuccessWithoutSilence #BeautyintheBeast #therapy