This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Blaine Teamer: Ladies and gentlemen, we invite your apprehensive listening.

[0:03] Indira G. Wilson: We don't want to look back and say, well, what was I doing when that happened? Or was I just running my mouth or just sitting on the side hoping somebody else could do something?

[0:13] Blaine Teamer: I'm always looking at, like you said, like a proactive stance.

[0:16] Indira G. Wilson: Oh, yes.

[0:18] Blaine Teamer: We do for people of color when it comes to economic equality and getting ahead with education, housing, like all of these things where we see systemic racism continue to dominate us in a way where we can't get ahead.

[0:37] Blaine Teamer: Hello, and welcome to the Afroexistential Interview Series entitled Creating Art in Crisis.

[0:42] Indira G. Wilson: I'm Indira G. Wilson.

[0:44] Blaine Teamer: And I'm Blaine Teamer.

[0:46] Indira G. Wilson: Thank you for joining us as we explore and share with you how these unprecedented times are affecting creativity and how artists and art organizations are processing it all and finding solutions to take their creative efforts to the next level.

[0:59] Blaine Teamer: We are so excited to welcome actress, comedian, producer, and entrepreneur Nika King to the show.

[1:06] Indira G. Wilson: You may recognize her as Rue's mama on the hit HBO drama Euphoria, but I know Nika from her stand-up career, and she is absolutely hilarious.

[1:16] Blaine Teamer: We'll be talking to her about how she's getting through this pandemic as an artist and her new venture to help creatives make it in Hollywood.

[1:26] Indira G. Wilson: It is an episode you don't want to miss.

[1:33] Nika King: What are you doing here? Who are you? What are you doing here?

[1:36] Kennedy Moore: Hello, I'm Kennedy Moore, and I'm so proud to be here with my big sister Olivia, the founder of the social justice group Winston for Peace.

[1:44] Nika King: Bring the girl here.

[1:45] Kennedy Moore: Thank you, Kennedy. Winston for Peace's mission is to engage Winston Salem, North Carolina's youth in social justice and community issues.

[1:53] Nika King: Oh, yes.

[1:54] Kennedy Moore: Unworn.

[1:55] Nika King: Brother and your brother.

[1:58] Kennedy Moore: And promote student-led initiatives that make real change.

[2:01] Kimberly: Hello, I'm the mother Kimberly. You're listening to the Afro Existential Podcast on the Broadway Podcast Network.

[2:09] Nika King: My dear little girl, you don't know how happy we are to have you with us.

[2:17] Blaine Teamer: Hello, Miss Nika King. How are you doing?

[2:21] Nika King: I'm well. How are you doing, Miss Indira and Blaine?

[2:24] Indira G. Wilson: Hello, we're doing very well.

[2:26] Blaine Teamer: We're doing very well. Let me first just say congratulations on the podcast.

[2:32] Nika King: It's very Afro Extension. See, I can't even say the word. It's so fancy.

[2:37] Indira G. Wilson: Neither can we.

[2:38] Nika King: How do you say it? How do you Afro extensionalistic?

[2:42] Indira G. Wilson: Okay, I heard how you say it. That's not how you say it.

[2:45] Nika King: She was trying to say it's very Afro existentialistic.

[2:49] Indira G. Wilson: Oh, okay. We can add that word too.

[2:50] Nika King: Yes, add it to the dictionary.

[2:53] Indira G. Wilson: I'm sure you can't put it on Urban Dictionary.

[2:55] Nika King: It's out there now. That's what we should do. We added the Urban Dictionary. Then we really be somebody.

[3:00] Indira G. Wilson: Exactly.

[3:02] Nika King: Oh my gosh, then we will actually Afro exist if we are in that.

[3:07] Indira G. Wilson: Yes, Afro exists.

[3:09] Nika King: I love that. I'm gonna hashtag that.

[3:11] Indira G. Wilson: Okay. Please hashtag Afroexist.

[3:14] Nika King: That we want everybody to realize that they are currently having an Afro existential problem, uh crisis right now with everything that's going on in the world.

[3:25] Indira G. Wilson: And that's why we have you here today for our series called Creating Art in Crisis.

[3:32] Blaine Teamer: And you are one of my favorite artists. You know, Nika does stand up. She's on the HBO show, Euphoria, but she is always very proactive about her art.

[3:41] Indira G. Wilson: And when we were thinking about doing the series, I was you came to mind immediately because I was so curious how the pandemic, how all of the social unrest has affected you as an artist, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

[4:01] Nika King: Woo, that's a lot. That's a lot. I woke up this morning with Jacob on my mind after finding out he was paralyzed, and we know you know what happened, being shot seven times in the back.

[4:13] Nika King: And it was just as soon as I opened my eyes, I was just heavy, you know. And so for me, I've been doing a lot of um meditation and I am statements, you know, really working on my mental because if your mind is like a muscle, you have to keep working it out.

[4:32] Nika King: You know, you're not gonna be healthy just waking up and saying, Oh, I'm healthy, I'm cool, I'm just gonna keep going on with my day. No, if you want a six pack, you gotta be in the gym every day, sometimes two and three times a day, you have to work that muscle.

[4:45] Nika King: So for me, meditation is working my mental muscle, kind of calming my spirit, calming my mind, so that I'm physically able to handle like the heaviness of the day. Um, and eating well, you know, you gotta eat good, you gotta eat good and healthy, drink your juices, you know.

[5:04] Nika King: Um fresh squeeze watermelon juice with cement and ginger, it's my favorite. Um, but yeah, I've just been just really calming myself and um finding ways to do that and making sure I'm doing them every day.

[5:20] Indira G. Wilson: What is one of your favorite I am statements?

[5:24] Nika King: I am falling in love with taking care of myself, yes, that's a favorite. That's one of my favorites because I think for me, you know, I was always looking for love, whether that's through acceptance from my peers, acceptance from Hollywood, acceptance from a man, looking for that external validation, that external love.

[5:48] Nika King: And then I decided, well, hold on, it's time for me to fall in love with myself. I am doing that, and it feels good. And you know, if you can't enjoy your own company, how can we expect anybody else to enjoy our own company?

[6:03] Nika King: Really having to like enjoy who we are when no one else is around. No one else is around. You gotta be your favorite bestest friend.

[6:11] Indira G. Wilson: Right.

[6:13] Nika King: Right. And can I ask you where that comes from?

[6:17] Indira G. Wilson: When you say where that comes from, like um, just your like that's a very progressive philosophy. And you just seem like a very proactive, positive, bright, full of light person.

[6:32] Indira G. Wilson: So is that something that you had to really, like you said, a muscle you had to work to create that, or is that like a family thing, or your family is like that, and you adopt, you know, it's part of your DNA, or for me, it's been continuous searching, you know, searching for I guess what my issues are, and then working on those issues.

[6:55] Nika King: So it's a journey, right? We're all in this thing called life, and every day you're gonna have good, bad, and then how do you deal with that?

[7:02] Nika King: So I'm always like in college, you'd always catch me reading a self-help book. Like I say, that and the Bible, I'm I think those I'm always I am wonderfully made, okay.

[7:12] Nika King: Okay, I am more than a conqueror. So I stay, you know, looking for affirmations, you know, because words are powerful.

[8:09] Nika King: So we have to make sure that we're speaking the words over ourselves, over our families, over society, over our people. We you have to be careful about what you actually say out of your mouth.

[8:09] Indira G. Wilson: Yes, yes.

[8:09] Nika King: And we're learning in this environment now where people are just saying anything, like so many untruths, the impact that it's having.

[8:09] Indira G. Wilson: Fake news, fake news, yes.

[8:09] Nika King: Wherever you go, you're going to if you're on Instagram, the news come up, you're in your car, and even if you try to like curate it, it's just coming in from every direction.

[8:09] Nika King: I said, Well, I think the media is all part of it because they're creating their own story and their own narrative, and there are other realities and other truths that are out there that does not fit their story, right?

[8:09] Nika King: So we have to be very careful what we take in.

[8:13] Indira G. Wilson: Yeah, and we're you're responsible for what you say.

[8:16] Nika King: I'm responsible for what I say.

[8:17] Indira G. Wilson: And Dara, I don't know what she be talking about, but she you you're responsible in there.

[8:21] Nika King: You gotta just be putting out there what's on my mind.

[8:25] Indira G. Wilson: And I love it.

[8:26] Nika King: And I love it important.

[8:27] Indira G. Wilson: Yes, because you listen, you be dropping some jewels too now.

[8:30] Nika King: Don't get it twisted.

[8:31] Indira G. Wilson: I get on the phone with you for hours and be like, what? This is exactly what I needed to hear.

[8:37] Nika King: Let's see my phone. This is old school phone.

[8:39] Indira G. Wilson: I can say the same thing about you.

[8:42] Nika King: That's why we have to continue to create, yeah.

[8:46] Nika King: You know, create change, create art, you know, because Nina Simone has like one of the best quotes, you know, an artist.

[8:55] Nika King: I'm paraphrasing, but like an artist has to reflect the times, right? The music, the stories we put out.

[9:01] Nika King: And I think it's important for us to make sure that we don't miss this moment, right? We don't want to look back and say, well, what was I doing when that happened?

[9:10] Nika King: What was I? Or was I just running my mouth or just sitting on the side hoping somebody else would do something?

[9:18] Nika King: So for me, I'm always looking at, like you said, like a proactive stance.

[9:23] Nika King: Like I four years ago, I was out there doing the protests in the streets every week at the LA police commission meetings and wanting to see the change in, you know, how our people were being murdered and killed by police.

[9:38] Nika King: But now it's popular to do that, right? Now it's like on trend.

[9:41] Nika King: Like back when I was doing it, people were like, girl, you you sure you want to do that? That's that may not be the best thing for you.

[9:49] Nika King: But it was something that my spirit called me to do. But now I'm more into okay, what are the real solutions?

[9:59] Nika King: What do we do for people of color when it comes to economic equality and getting ahead with education, housing, like all of these things where we see systemic racism continue to kind of you know dominate us in a way where we can't get ahead.

[10:19] Nika King: So that's why I created a tech platform called Jelly. Jelly is like my little baby. Oh my gosh, I love this project because for a while I was kind of in a space of feeling like I'm on this wonderful show on HBO called Euphoria. Just got nominated for six Emmys. And you know, yes, thank you, thank you. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling like wow, my career is definitely moving me in the right direction. But a little bit before COVID, I just was feeling like I need to do more. I need to use my resources and my community to help other people who want to be in the entertainment industry because I was getting a lot of DMs, people saying, I want to be on Euphoria. Can you give me an audition? And can you send my music?

And I'm like, okay, hold on now. Let's first rewind. It doesn't take just an audition to get you on a show. It takes hard work, it takes a lot of downs as well as ups. I've been in the industry for over 15 years. So I've had my roller coaster ride, and I want people to understand that it's hard work, it's not easy, but I also want them to feel motivated by possibly having someone who can help them. So Jelly is that platform that kind of helped people of color navigate the entertainment industry in a supported way. We want them to be supported by industry professionals to help them create their own roadmap to success. And so it's a mentorship platform, and we're striving to connect the generation that's coming up with people who are in the industry, like myself and Dara Blaine, the A listers, the B listers, the C listers, whoever who want to kind of see real diversity and inclusion in the industry.

And I'm talking in front of the camera as well as behind the camera. So Jelly is that, and Jelly will be that, not just for the entertainment industry, but for all industries, eventually. That's the long-term goal.

[12:26] Indira G. Wilson: I think that is so cool. You have always been somebody who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk and puts things into action. So I'm very excited. And just to make it clear, that's www.j.life.

[12:44] Nika King: Yes. Jelly dot life. And a little bit about the word. Because a lot of people are asking me if it's an acronym. And it's not an acronym. It's almost synonymous to the word griot, right? Which in West Africa, it means storyteller. But it also can mean a musician, a historian, a poet. So it's a person who carries oral tradition through artistic expression. I want people to know my story, and I want to help others tell their stories. So I say, wow, this is a cool word to bring into the lexicon of artistry and let people know like I have my own story to tell, and with some help and guidance, I can be that light in the world. Or people to see if I made it, you can make it.

[13:34] Nika King: Stay with us. We'll be right back after a short break.

[13:37] Alistair Justin Black: Hello, I'm Alistair Justin Black from Theater and the Black. Playwright Blaine Teamer began writing DEAD WAIT in 2016. He finished it nearly four months later. The writing of the perfect line in a great play, or the making of a line of fine fancy wines, takes time. Perfect example is Afro Eggs's new and improved Bougie Boujolet. A red wine with notes of tang, green apple, tropical punch, black cherry, and an invisible grape. It's a fancy wine for those fancy moments. What was true nearly four months ago is true today. It's five o'clock somewhere. Take life one sip at a time.

[14:28] Nika King: Welcome back to the Afro-Existential Podcast special series Creating Art in Crisis. We're talking with Nika King. Now humanity could profit greatly by that. So often it feels like we have to recreate the wheel each time we're trying to do something. And there's no one that's like five steps or two steps ahead of us that can give us or will give us any insight. So we really kind of have to figure it out, make all the mistakes, and it takes us so much longer. And so to be able, and just in every area, even with like our health, with having access to someone who's older, and our career having access to someone older. And that's so important what you're doing because we don't always have that. And I think also so many young people come out here with so many assumptions about the industry.

So you're on a show, all you have to do is give them my tape, my recording, and it's gonna be, you know, I'm gonna get a, they're gonna play me on the show. So there's all, but there's a whole process, and they don't know the 15-year journey to get to that point.

[15:43] Nika King: Exactly. Like you just said, with someone maybe helping you fill out some paperwork that you didn't know about. They're being generous, right? They're sharing with you their education, their access, their community, their experience. But they're not coming from a mindset of lack or a mindset of scarcity. They're like, oh no, I see this brother, he needs help. Let me help him. And so that's what we want to start working through the mind blocks that people, especially people of color, especially Black people have with each other. You know, we have to be responsible for each other, right? And kind of help each other kind of climb that ladder of success. Because it appears, and it feels like that's what other cultures are doing. I mean, that's what I can only make that assumption.

[16:34] Nika King: Well, it is true because the Black dollar spends less than six hours in the Black community. So automatically that's telling with how we spend our money. And you know how you spend your money is very important, especially when there's Black businesses who are suffering. So we gotta kind of start reimagining our world through supporting each other. Right now, where do you want to take this? Where do you see Jelly going?

[17:02] Nika King: I see Jelly becoming a global entity, like an Apple or Facebook or an Instagram. Those are all social media platforms, and Jelly will be that hub for not only just the entertainment industry, but for all industries. People will look at Jelly as the standard, like yo, you're not on Jelly, you need to get on Jelly. That's the Jelly. Jelly is the plug right now. Like, not only because it's not a traditional mentorship, it's not where one person is linked with one person and they spend X amount of hours pouring into this person. No, we're gonna, it's one to many, so you'll have pods of people who will help you get to the next level. And we want people to also understand that as a mentee, you also have to do the work. You know, we're not going to just provide mentorship for people who are not really committed to their artistry. And I think people will respect that. So we want to create value on both sides.

[18:06] Indira G. Wilson: That's very good. That's very interesting. I'm curious as to how do you manage that expectation? How does that work? I do feel like people have a difficult time understanding that they do feel like they look at TV, they look like I should say I want to be on TV. Well, first and foremost, Jelly will be an app. So this is a social media play. And one thing we will ask of mentees and mentors alike to first see what it is that you truly want to attain by becoming a part of the Jelly community, and then we're going to encourage mentees to do the work. Now that's built into the platform. Right now we're in the process of still developing the platform. We're getting ready to go and fundraise for our seed capital.

And I'm just excited because this is a whole new venture for me. I had no idea I would end up in technology, but as a founder and CEO of a technology platform like Jelly, I know that one, we're not as represented in that space. So I know for me it's going to be difficult, but I do stand-up comedy. Like, come on. It's like once you do stand-up and you get food in front of your mama, you'd be like, okay, bring it on. Who gonna heckle me now? You being a minute who's gonna heckle you to say nothing. So I'm in it, I'm in it for the long haul, and I'm excited to bring this platform to people of color. It'll definitely be a game changer.

[19:46] Indira G. Wilson: I was gonna say I'm excited, and I definitely do think it's a game changer because it's not anything out there that's like this, and I absolutely think it's hitting what needs to happen. You know, you don't have to solve a whole problem, but you do have to get into what you're passionate about and really address it, you know. And I think that's what you're doing. Now, so my next big question, my next question is with the pandemic and with the social unrest that has gone on, how has that affected how you approach the art that you are making? Have you felt an evolution in the type of art you're looking to make?

[20:21] Nika King: Well, I've always been very bold in my approach to how I present my comedy, my perspective, my take on certain things. And I think with everything that's happening with the social unrest, it's only become more intensified. Now I have dreams of like going on stage and being like more like in your face because I think we spend a lot of time trying not to be too black or trying to be safe or trying to be, you know, um uh uh trying to present ourselves as if we don't want to threaten or feel threatened or be the angry black woman or all of these stereotypes that have been put upon us, we try so hard not to be those things. So now I'm just in this new space of like, I'm gonna be myself. That's enough.

Me being who I am, if you want to take what I'm putting out as some type of negative or stereotypical, then you know I that's on you, boo boo. Like I I can't I can't control how you feel about me. But when it comes down to me and my art and what I put out into the world, it will be authentic because that's the only way I can be. And when I spend hours and days quarantined in my house because of the damn Corvette, okay. When I come out, it's it's it's gonna be it's gonna be hell until the captain. Let's just say that. You're telling everybody, tank tops and booty shorts. You're gonna be mad at me. My stomach is gonna be out. Whether it's a one-pack, two-pack, five-pack, twelve pack, it's gonna be out, and I'm about to laugh, but I'm not gonna put a bra on till 2025. Why not? Live your best life because guess what? Tomorrow's not promised. You better laugh.

[22:19] Nika King: And I have an aside thing. This is a totally different um something to the side that we need to ask real quick. Yes, in the play dead wait, the main characters are charged with moving a body in order to get more insurance money. I'm talking about if the body can get a dead body, can get to the place of work, they get a million dollars versus a hundred thousand dollars if the coroner just comes and picks it up from their house. I really think your father died at home just to spite me. I have half a mind to just put your father in the car and drop him off at that video store. Is we both be rich. Uh can you please call the coroner now? So he's ready in time for his own funeral. Mother, what did you just say?

Can you call the coroner before the funeral? That's funny. No. Before that. Oh, I don't know. But um put your father in the car and drop him off at work and collect that money? Better yet, maybe we could call him an Uber. Yes, that's that's that. Well, what about it? Yes, what about it, mother? What about it? What are you saying? I'm saying just what you just said. I didn't say anything. I I I was just joking, Oliver. You always say there's a lot of truth in a joke. Not this time. This time would be the time, mother. I mean, would it be so bad if we moved daddy from spot A to spot B? If spot C was jail, yes, it would be so bad. Like going to jail for insurance fraud, bad. You think? Really? That bad?

I am not going to drag your father's dead body down Olympic Boulevard in the middle of the night, Oliver. Ma, we are three miles from a million dollars. That's like 333k a mile. I could definitely do it for that. No problem. And lookie ma weighs the saying it'll take 15 minutes to get there. If you had this choice to make, first question: would you move the body? Would I move the body? We're talking about three miles. I would definitely move the body. Oh, yeah. I mean, if I'm gonna be rewarded with a million dollars compared to what you said, a hundred thousand? Hundred thousand. There's a lot of zeros. There's a lot of zeros in between that three miles. So I'm fucking I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to secure the bag.

I'm gonna have to move the box. Right. If a jury of your peers does have to make a choice, you'd be like, you understand, right? Come on, man. Help us list out. Now, the second question is who would you choose to do it with you? Who would I choose to help me move the dead body? And dear, I love you. And I would have to call you. But you see, look, I know see, I would only be hesitant because you have a beautiful family. You have two beautiful kids, and Joe probably would be mad as hell that I even called you. But you ride a die. Like I've I've seen you have some visceral reactions to something that I've told you, somebody done cross me. I would have to call you. I would have to call you on the late night creep.

I'd have to call you. And I have to tell you, Joe would be like, Well, you know, my back was out, but I I'm probably the one to carry the body. Like, look, no. He got the plastic. You know what I'm saying? He's got the power. Say no more. We go, we both got big cars. We'll put body on top of the car. Oh, yeah. It's a group chat. It's a group chat. Let's make this happen. Let's make it happen. The first thing I'd be like, shut, shut up. Don't say nothing else. We're on the way.

[25:58] Indira G. Wilson: Well, Nika King, it has been an absolute pleasure. Is there anything that you need? Like, I am putting out in the universe that we need someone who does. One, I need anyone who's interested in being a mentee, a mentor, or a strategically partnering up with Jelly to go on the website www.jelly, and that's spelled J E L I dot life. And go and watch Euphoria season one and follow me on all social medias at I am Nika King. And that's spelled N I K A King. K I N G. The podcast is on YouTube. It's called King Confessions.

[26:39] Nika King: Awesome. Thank you, Mika. Thank you. We are so grateful for you coming on. I mean, I told Blaine you were a sage of knowledge, but you encapsulate a lot of the things that we talk about. And I'm so grateful. I'm so so so grateful. This was fun. Thank you for having me. I mean, this is fun. I love what you're doing, and I always a hundred percent support you.

[27:01] Blaine Teamer: Now that you have heard the story. All that's been explained leads to one conclusion. So, Blaine, we gotta talk about something really momentous here. This is the end of our very first cycle of the Afroexistential podcast. This is our last episode, and the last episode of our creating art and crisis series. This has been a wonderful journey. We have had the opportunity to interview the most amazing and uplifting, inspiring group of people. And so I hope that you go back and listen to all of the interviews. If you hadn't listened to them all, they've all been absolutely wonderful to listen to.

[27:46] Indira G. Wilson: Yes, and we want to thank everyone who has joined us during our creating art and crisis series, and as well as all of our supporters so far. This has been an incredible experience to have during a pandemic to get to hang out with my friend and get to create art and get to talk to fun people. I mean, it's really no downside, and also something that we've learned. I'm gonna I'm gonna do a takeaway from I think something we've learned throughout this creating art and crisis series is that you gotta ask for what you need.

[28:22] Blaine Teamer: Amen. And this is my big takeaway. So I'm gonna put out there that we want to ask as a podcast creator. We want to have sponsors. We want to have ads that promote your business, target's business, monkey business, anything you want us to advertise. We'll do it. Okay.

[28:49] Indira G. Wilson: Oh, wait a minute. So, Blaine, do you remember what got this whole crazy ride of the Afroexistential podcast started? Watch what you say. It was Deadweight. A journey in Afroexistentialism. No. Oh, yes. Fantastic play written by none other than our lovely co-host Blaine Timer. Anything else? Oh, yes. And now we're presenting an encore presentation of Deadweight, a journey in Afro Existentialism. Oh. So check it out. It'll be in two parts, and we want you to listen to it from beginning to end. No, you could if you really wanted to. Listen to Deadweight Journey and Afroexistentialism play by Blaine Timer.

[29:40] Blaine Teamer: Anything else? That completes another episode of Creating Art and Crisis. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Oh yes. And remember, please email us at Afro X Podcast at gmail.com with all of your thoughts and commentary. We're extremely interested, as long as they're positive. I'm not taking anything negative into 2021. Right, Blank?

[30:02] Indira G. Wilson: Exactly. Yes, positive and constructive. And also follow us at wherever you get your podcast. Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, Broadway Podcast Network. Thank you for listening and have a great day on purpose. It's all finished. I finished it.