Ep 174 : Nothing Prepares You for Becoming a Parent ft Obinna Elechi

Raphael Harry [00:00:00]:
Welcome to White Label American Podcast. This is a podcast that brings you bold in-depth interviews with interesting people that are mostly immigrants taking down artificial walls one story at a time. This is a podcast that empowers immigrants to share their stories and listen to those of others. Thank you for joining us. Welcome to another episode of white label American. Thank you all for joining us today. And if you haven't please subscribe to the show, leave us a 5 star rating helps us grow. So we appreciate that for those of you who've done that before.

Raphael Harry [00:01:11]:
And if you've left us a rating, you can always leave us a new rating. It also helps us with our growth. You know, we are an indie podcast, so it's very helpful to us and in this market. However, you're not here for my voice. You're here for the person's whose voice you'll be hearing very soon. And you've heard his voice before in episode 166 and 167. He's an architect. He's a comic book artist and a painter.

Raphael Harry [00:01:42]:
Obina Elechi. He was born and lived in, Nigeria before he moved to Holland, and then he arrived in United States. So, for the briefing look, intake into his earlier beginnings and then the present, go to episodes 166 and 167 to get, familiarize yourself. You can start there. If you wanna start here and then go over there, that works too. So with that being said, welcome to the show. How are you doing today, my brother?

Obinna Elechi [00:02:16]:
Good. Good. Thank you. How are you?

Raphael Harry [00:02:18]:
I'm well. I'm well. You know, we have a little snow out there.

Obinna Elechi [00:02:20]:
It's as

Raphael Harry [00:02:21]:
crazy as, last week. But, yeah, by the time people will listen to this episode, there might probably be no snow. Right. So but who knows? Yeah. Who knows? So last time you were here, you shared, you shared your childhood memory.

Obinna Elechi [00:02:40]:
Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:02:41]:
But I'm still gonna ask you again. As of today, what's your favorite childhood memory? We'll start with that. It might

Obinna Elechi [00:02:49]:
be different now but

Raphael Harry [00:02:50]:
That's that's why I'm asking. That's

Obinna Elechi [00:02:55]:
I I think it's it's probably still going to the village with with my, you know, to grand visit grandparents and see family and, you know, whenever we had a chance. Those are those are some of the the most fond memories I have. And then,

Raphael Harry [00:03:15]:
and which village? Because your your your parents are from 2 different Uh-huh. Cities and, nearby states. But

Obinna Elechi [00:03:23]:
Yeah. Yeah. Honestly honestly, 2 of them, they're very they're very different. My my dad's side, the our village, that that's my my paternal village where where we're from. It's, it's closer to Port Harcourt. Mhmm. And, you know, that we would go there more often, but, my mom's side was was farther away. You know? It used to be, like, a maybe 2 hour drive.

Obinna Elechi [00:03:53]:
And then but but when you I mean, the way the roads are now, it might be 4 hours.

Raphael Harry [00:03:59]:
That's that's that's a good

Obinna Elechi [00:04:00]:
time. So, but my mom's side, the the village there, one thing that, you know, when you're a kid, you don't necessarily appreciate is the type of earth that is there is very different from the one that is in my the village of my my dad's side.

Raphael Harry [00:04:20]:
Oh, great. It it

Obinna Elechi [00:04:21]:
was almost like like redder earth.

Raphael Harry [00:04:25]:
Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:04:26]:
And it was much hillier as well. Mhmm. And so the the landscape there and the terrain was was very different from from what we're used to in my dad's side, which is very flat. So they were I I really liked them for 2 different 2 different reasons. So yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:04:45]:
Yeah. That's, that's a great point. You you don't really appreciate stuff like that, but, you know, it's like when I lived in Benin City Mhmm. And, you know, Benin soil is much redder. Mhmm. Mhmm. And, you've got moved to a bottom in my early teens. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:05:10]:
And the soil in the battle is considered harder. Uh-huh. And, you know, when the older you get, then you start noticing stuff like that. Exactly. You know, it was the texture of the You know, it's stuff that, you know, when you have access to it all the time.

Obinna Elechi [00:05:36]:
Exactly. Exactly. It's like, yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:05:37]:
I know. It doesn't you don't feel anything about it. Uh-huh. When you go somewhere else and then you you think back. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. You start touching something.

Raphael Harry [00:05:45]:
It's like, why why why is your soil not like Exactly. Exactly. Used to all

Obinna Elechi [00:05:49]:
the time. Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:05:51]:
Yeah. Yeah. So, fun fact, it was a your childhood memory that you shared previously was a different one.

Obinna Elechi [00:05:59]:
Ah, okay.

Raphael Harry [00:06:00]:
But obviously, if I would jog your memory. Okay. So do you search out items such as Saint Louis, sugar, the the the cube, you know, you know, you you had shared before how big of an impact. Mhmm. Stuff like that. You know, serve to you. So do you you search them out? Since the last month, your first creative Mhmm. This first outlets that you used for expressing your creative ideas.

Raphael Harry [00:06:29]:
Mhmm. Do you do you search them out today?

Obinna Elechi [00:06:32]:
So that to that point, I was I was trying to figure out if I said it was, like, making random things or of of of village. Either either one could could be, but I think

Raphael Harry [00:06:46]:
There's no right or wrong answer

Obinna Elechi [00:06:47]:
to that

Raphael Harry [00:06:48]:
question. It's it's not a trap. A trick question.

Obinna Elechi [00:06:52]:
Yeah. Yeah. So for for that one, the the the blue sugar cube, boxes.

Raphael Harry [00:07:01]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [00:07:02]:
That one, we we used to play counter ball. Basically, the, you take you take off the the caps.

Raphael Harry [00:07:09]:
I had got in trouble for playing counterball. Exactly. I'm over religious teacher one time.

Obinna Elechi [00:07:14]:
Oh, what did they what what was the issue with it?

Raphael Harry [00:07:17]:
I was, I think I was in GSS 2. Uh-huh. And we I was the I organized the tournament. So we we a person who was participating in tournament. We all design we all allocated, we all had countries as our teams. Mhmm. And during, lunchtime, I think this I think either way, it was, like, first to 2 goals or 3, 1, and then it was like a knockout. I mean, whoever got to the final wins the World Cup, that's how we, you know so each person will have I think it was 5 or 6 or something like that.

Obinna Elechi [00:08:01]:
Uh-huh. On

Raphael Harry [00:08:02]:
you know, how our desks were. So you can't. It's not like that wide desk that we had. It's not that wide a desk that we had.

Obinna Elechi [00:08:09]:
Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:08:10]:
And, you know, so we do the counter ball. Mhmm. Set up the goal. Exactly. You know? Do the markings, use the chalk to set up everything. Mhmm. Draw the field. And we used we started with the counters, the Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:08:25]:
The the tops, the The bottle caps. The the caps for the bottles. Mhmm. That's what we started with at first. Mhmm. And if we didn't have enough caps, then we will use, coins. Oh, okay. Like, the one naira, but then we still had one naira, coins.

Raphael Harry [00:08:41]:
Mhmm. So they were thick enough to use. Uh-huh. And you can you could flip them.

Obinna Elechi [00:08:46]:
I see.

Raphael Harry [00:08:47]:
So you will paint. We'll wrap them all with paper, but you design your paper as a

Obinna Elechi [00:08:53]:
jersey. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:08:54]:
And, you know, that's when jerseys just started having numbers. Uh-huh. So you could number each each one. Counter each your each player. Mhmm. And that's how so it was colorful. Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:09:06]:
So we're doing it was quite creative. And yeah. And sometimes you have somebody having a team of, just coins, but, you know, all wrapped up Mhmm. In paper. And this of our religious teacher was walking by. She saw that somebody was, which she noticed. Like, she stood and watched Mhmm. Us playing.

Raphael Harry [00:09:25]:
And then she realized that it was coins that we're using to play. And she said you're using money to play. So you are you must be gambling.

Obinna Elechi [00:09:35]:
Okay.

Raphael Harry [00:09:35]:
He said, no. It's not gambling. We're just playing counter Uh-huh. Counter soccer. And she

Obinna Elechi [00:09:40]:
said Gambling.

Raphael Harry [00:09:41]:
Gambling. Because there's money involved. Exactly. We then we didn't even know what gambling was. So she said, who who who's the ringleader?

Obinna Elechi [00:09:51]:
Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:09:52]:
And, you know, as far as Kane is involved, you know, people started turning on and they turned on the the person who organized it and, you know, people turn pointed me out.

Obinna Elechi [00:10:00]:
Of course.

Raphael Harry [00:10:01]:
You know, because she said somebody's gonna get suspended or expelled.

Obinna Elechi [00:10:04]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:10:04]:
And as far as the word expelled was mentioned, no. Nobody wanted to take the bullets. Uh-huh. So for me, no matter how popular I was. Everyone starts

Obinna Elechi [00:10:11]:
pointing fingers.

Raphael Harry [00:10:13]:
It's him. So they dragged me to the, teachers, staff, room, whatever they call it. Mhmm. And they had been kneeling down there for like almost 2 hours. Uh-huh. And we must confess to gambling. I don't know what gambling meant. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:10:27]:
So I'm then, after 2 hours, I guess, she tried to convince him as just I was gambling, but it didn't make sense. Uh-huh. I don't even know what gambling meant. Uh-huh. So I I didn't know what to say. I didn't I guess if they had me to sign a confession, I I didn't I just didn't know what it what it was. I didn't know what to sign. I didn't know what to say.

Raphael Harry [00:10:46]:
So Yeah. Yeah. It I guess whoever the the person they called to come, she she said whatever she wanted to say. Mhmm. Who I guess they read me and said this one doesn't even know what he's talking about. So it doesn't make sense to

Obinna Elechi [00:11:00]:
Pardon him for gambling.

Raphael Harry [00:11:01]:
For gambling. So they were just like, I think he took the coins from me. That was the craziest thing. It was like 5 naira or 6 naira. Uh-huh. So why you do my money? So you stole my money.

Obinna Elechi [00:11:11]:
As fast.

Raphael Harry [00:11:12]:
So now you committed a crime.

Obinna Elechi [00:11:14]:
Exactly. Exactly. You're

Raphael Harry [00:11:15]:
abusing gambling. Exactly. Yeah. So that that's how we stopped playing, counter soccer in school. But we played after school, go find an empty classroom. 1 person will be on the lookout for a teacher, which I'm like, look at what you're encouraged.

Obinna Elechi [00:11:30]:
Right. Right. It's like it's

Raphael Harry [00:11:33]:
it's it's But we were creative though because we'll be we'll be trying to design jerseys that we saw on TV. Mhmm. On the on on those little count outs.

Obinna Elechi [00:11:42]:
Exactly. We're trying

Raphael Harry [00:11:42]:
to do that.

Obinna Elechi [00:11:43]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:11:43]:
And, then sometimes we won't be creating our own jerseys. Uh-huh. To but, with time to eventually die. I think one time we got caught again by the vice principal and he loves flog people.

Obinna Elechi [00:11:54]:
Yeah. Oh, my.

Raphael Harry [00:11:55]:
No. That that's We got, like, that takes 6, 7 strokes, and that guy could flog the hell out of you. So after that, yeah, we started sitting down in class, like Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So No.

Obinna Elechi [00:12:09]:
That that that I I think when when we were kids, like, doing so those those sugar sugar cube boxes Mhmm. That used to be our goalpost. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:12:19]:
The goalpost is to be folded.

Obinna Elechi [00:12:20]:
Exactly. Then you can one person will be the Sprite team. The other person will be the Coco fan team.

Raphael Harry [00:12:25]:
Yeah. Things like that. Yeah. That's why I started out as an I just got the idea one day like, you know, I don't somebody else you wrapped them up as, you know, one will be wrapped completely with paper. Right. Right. And be white. But if you flipped, there's way you could flip it with your finger.

Raphael Harry [00:12:41]:
They will move fast on the smoother surface. Uh-huh. And just why why would all of them just be wrapped up in white paper? Why don't you just, you know, take a color marker and just paint?

Obinna Elechi [00:12:54]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:12:54]:
And that's how well, we add numbers and, oh, I know from numbers, you paint the numbers. From painting the numbers, you add extra. Yeah. And I I like the West Japanese jersey with the the triangular shapes. Yeah. So from there, before I know it, you know, I I didn't know that I was being creative. Mhmm. You know? Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:13:11]:
So but until you got beat out of me. Yeah. Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:13:14]:
That's different times. Different times. Very different.

Raphael Harry [00:13:20]:
Man. It was good. It was good while it lasted.

Obinna Elechi [00:13:22]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:13:24]:
So do do you do you have you, bought the Saint Louis sugar as an adult?

Obinna Elechi [00:13:31]:
No. No. What I mean, any anytime we're at home, obviously, I see it. And it's like, okay. That's the memories are still there. But as an adult, I haven't I haven't I haven't bought that that yet.

Raphael Harry [00:13:44]:
So because I I talked with your in your neighborhood. You're you're close out to some of the West African stores. Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:13:49]:
Hold on. Yeah. Yeah. I haven't actually, in, like, in some of the, the local stores I go to, like I don't know that I've seen that blue cube box like that. Mhmm. That so I'll that's a good point. I I need to keep my

Raphael Harry [00:14:06]:
eye up. I know. I've I've seen it once. I've I've I've I've I've known a few years ago. I I did buy it once. I saw it. I think the first time I saw it, I just bought it for the sake of

Obinna Elechi [00:14:14]:
For the yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:14:14]:
Yeah. Nostalgia. I was telling my wife like, oh, look. You know, this was this the only thing we consider as sugar Exactly. Back in the days. So it was

Obinna Elechi [00:14:22]:
Sometimes you see you open it and see ants break dancing Yeah. Break dancing inside.

Raphael Harry [00:14:29]:
Yeah. It was after that that, became mandatory that, before you buy a box, a pack, you you gotta open it and

Obinna Elechi [00:14:37]:
And check. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:14:38]:
And check that your ants need Exactly. Otherwise, you don't wanna get home on the Ants.

Obinna Elechi [00:14:43]:
Ants inside. Those ants inside.

Raphael Harry [00:14:45]:
But Yeah. Yep. That's how the kid got to learn, but Uh-huh. You know. Relieving some childhood memories. Right? So, let me see. Oh, there was one question I forgot to ask when I had the 3 of you here.

Obinna Elechi [00:15:06]:
Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:15:07]:
Now yourself, Grace, and Amir. I've gotten to ask Grace that question separately. Mhmm. So before I keep going, I should ask you this question.

Obinna Elechi [00:15:15]:
Okay.

Raphael Harry [00:15:17]:
In your own words, what is art? Or how do you define art?

Obinna Elechi [00:15:25]:
That's a good question. I almost don't feel qualified to answer that question, but I I think it's, if if if I had to summarize it, I think if you have a voice of some sort or you you want to ask questions about the things that you see and and express them, however that may be, then to me that's art. So I think sometimes even scientists could be artists depending on on what they they're looking at, how they're looking at the world. You know, they they might be asking questions about, you know, the nature of the universe, but they're tools to to filter that and show the world what they're thinking about, you know, through I don't know exactly what scientists do, but equations or whatever scientists do. Yep. You know, and then they that, like, they try and express or simplify how they look at the world or questions they're asking about the world. So I think it's very it's very broad. In in my opinion, it's it's basically, it's a way of looking at the world and, observing the world and then putting things out about the world.

Obinna Elechi [00:16:55]:
So scientists, painters, architects, business people, in my opinion, could be could be an art form. So in in my mind, it's it's a range.

Raphael Harry [00:17:08]:
Okay. I agree. It is a range. Mhmm. It it's a question that I I like to ask. I've had, owners of art galleries here. I've had different types of artists in the studio and art curators. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:17:27]:
And it's fascinating when I've asked that question Mhmm. The range of answers that I've gotten. Uh-huh. Yeah. There's similarities in all the answers.

Obinna Elechi [00:17:37]:
I see. I see.

Raphael Harry [00:17:38]:
And the the it's one of those questions that there's no right or wrong

Obinna Elechi [00:17:42]:
Right. Right.

Raphael Harry [00:17:43]:
Way to answer it. Mhmm. Because it deals with I think in in the answer, it it it all always deals with a worldview Mhmm. Of an individual Mhmm. And, like you pointed out, you know, people like, how someone views and asks questions. Mhmm. So it's a it's a form of, you know, I've seen I've seen the wall I've seen the wall and then I asking questions Mhmm. Through a form of expression.

Raphael Harry [00:18:15]:
Mhmm. Mhmm. So, yeah. It's it's it's yours yours might be the most, I'll say yours might be one of the most standout answers in a way. Uh-huh. Because 4 or 5 answers I've gotten have almost been the exact same. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:18:36]:
Even though none of the people know themselves.

Obinna Elechi [00:18:38]:
Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:18:40]:
Because it tend like because I've had a comic book, street graffiti and artist. An art curator, gallery owner, and even Grace said the same thing

Obinna Elechi [00:18:54]:
Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:18:55]:
In a different way, but they all came to the same conclusion of Uh-huh. It just is something art has to, draw an expression if it doesn't make or if yeah. It's something that draws an expression, but it's how they framed it. Mhmm. You know? And I was like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. So literally said the same thing.

Raphael Harry [00:19:16]:
Uh-huh. Uh-huh. So, yeah. But you, the ask asking a question, I think that's where yours differs Uh-huh. Uh-huh. From the answers that have been given. Uh-huh. So, yeah, about, yeah, that's it's a it's an important question to ask, and I always love hearing the answers that come out from it.

Raphael Harry [00:19:34]:
So it was I think I've written it in my first draft for you, Amir and Grace, and then I forgot to add it to my 2nd draft or my final draft. Uh-huh. And I was like, oh, yeah. I will remember. Then I completely just forgot. I was like, after the record, I was like, oh, man. Yeah. I have 3 of you here.

Raphael Harry [00:19:52]:
That would have been great to compare the answers because it's it's just like the childhood memory question. I I believe it's something that you get different answers on different days.

Obinna Elechi [00:20:02]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:20:03]:
Exactly. So yeah. So yeah. And you're you're right. So scientists, different business is not just limited to other people in, who are then fires, artists.

Obinna Elechi [00:20:12]:
Exactly. Exactly. You know?

Raphael Harry [00:20:14]:
You know? It it cuts into different fields and sectors of life.

Obinna Elechi [00:20:18]:
Exactly. Exactly. No. That's a good question.

Raphael Harry [00:20:22]:
Yeah. Thank you. So, wait, I don't recall if you if you had told me if you spoke Dutch or not.

Obinna Elechi [00:20:31]:
So it's very rusty now. But yeah. But yes. I think if if I went back to Holland and did a full year immersion, it would come back. But, it's it's rusty now.

Raphael Harry [00:20:43]:
Oh, you you you you haven't been practicing? You haven't been using it since you moved?

Obinna Elechi [00:20:47]:
Yeah. That that's the main thing. I'm in a group chat with there were there was there was a group of us who went to to school in Nigeria. 3 3 of us are Nigerian. Well, 4 of 4 of us are Nigerian, and then one of our friend is is Dutch. We're in a group chat. And, I'll, randomly throw out Dutch phrases just to, like, brush up and and confirm if if it's if it's right or anything like that. But, yeah, it's it's it's weird.

Obinna Elechi [00:21:23]:
I think it sounds cliche, but I feel like one of the best ways that we learned Dutch was from movie subtitles and TV show subtitles. And that that actually sticks more in your head. And then in school there it was mandatory to in terms of the foreign languages that you took, you had to take Dutch

Raphael Harry [00:21:51]:
Dutch. Okay.

Obinna Elechi [00:21:52]:
As as as one language. Okay. But it's it's still there. I feel like it's still it's still there. It just needs to be awakened by practice

Raphael Harry [00:22:02]:
Yeah. But which

Obinna Elechi [00:22:03]:
I haven't been doing.

Raphael Harry [00:22:07]:
I know that, people from Suriname Mhmm. From the other place in in that part of the world. Mhmm. They all also speak Dutch. So you you might need to be connected to those.

Obinna Elechi [00:22:16]:
Communities. Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:22:18]:
Exactly. Friends from there.

Obinna Elechi [00:22:19]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:22:20]:
It might it might help you with your Dutch game.

Obinna Elechi [00:22:22]:
Right. Right. It's it's it's interesting. I think it's not like French where if or, you know, where you can find French in, in the Haitian community if if, you know, and Dutch is very specific to to to Holland, like,

Raphael Harry [00:22:43]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [00:22:44]:
Except for, like, the Surinamese community that that would would speak that. But, yeah, I think I just need I just need practice. That's Yeah. You do. That's it.

Raphael Harry [00:22:55]:
Yeah. You do.

Obinna Elechi [00:22:56]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:22:57]:
Yeah. That's true. To it's all yeah. It's all the Netherlands. I don't there's no well, there might be some Dutch Belgians too. Right?

Obinna Elechi [00:23:05]:
Right. Right. South Africa. I mean, it African is is a version of that. Version. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:23:10]:
Yeah. It's like yes.

Obinna Elechi [00:23:11]:
It's a

Raphael Harry [00:23:12]:
slight variation Mhmm. Of Dutch too.

Obinna Elechi [00:23:14]:
But, yeah, the the the the Dutch Dutch Belgians speak speak that as well.

Raphael Harry [00:23:19]:
That is like, they are large in numbers.

Obinna Elechi [00:23:21]:
Exactly. Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:23:22]:
You have to you have to join a meetup. Uh-huh. Start going to events at, the Dutch embassy. Exactly. Exactly. And then Netflix might help you with the rest.

Obinna Elechi [00:23:36]:
That's true, actually. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:23:38]:
I don't

Obinna Elechi [00:23:39]:
even watch Dutch TV shows. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:23:41]:
I don't think I know any Dutch TV shows

Obinna Elechi [00:23:43]:
or Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:23:43]:
Dutch stuff Yeah. To be honest. So, what city did you live in over there again?

Obinna Elechi [00:23:51]:
A small town, called Assen in the Assen. Oh. In the north of Holland.

Raphael Harry [00:23:59]:
And that That's the name of the football team too. Right?

Obinna Elechi [00:24:01]:
Exactly. FC Asen.

Raphael Harry [00:24:03]:
FC Asen.

Obinna Elechi [00:24:03]:
Yeah. There were We played we played football for like the, you know, there are different leagues and then as you get younger and smaller, like, for kids and stuff like that, we played like a local, as part of a local team and all that. But looking back, I don't think I realized, like, just how small the town was, but it was pretty small. And then we went to secondary school in another city that was close by, a bigger city called Groningen. That was that's maybe another

Raphael Harry [00:24:50]:
Oh, that starts with a g. Yeah. Okay. I know that's one. Uh-uh. Well, okay. So I've been pronouncing it wrong. Because you you pronounce it real Dutch way, and I was like, wait a minute.

Raphael Harry [00:25:01]:
Okay.

Obinna Elechi [00:25:01]:
It's guttural language. Yeah. Very guttural language. Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:25:08]:
Okay.

Obinna Elechi [00:25:09]:
But, yeah, Assen was was where we was where we lived.

Raphael Harry [00:25:12]:
I didn't realize. I still remember a lot of Dutch football clubs. I was really one time so crazy about football. I don't know. Yeah. I did follow football a lot. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:25:23]:
I still do, but it's no longer as, I'm more into African football now than Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. European. But I I still know my European football. Right. Put it that way.

Obinna Elechi [00:25:33]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:25:33]:
Ask no European South American because the the other the was it last month? Yeah. I was with my friend in, in, New York Mhmm. NYU. And he was a he he has mostly South American, well, no, immigrant kids in his class that he teaches. He invited me to come do check out some projects of his kids. Okay. And we are one of the kids was from, Chile. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:26:00]:
Chile. And he found out I liked football. So he was trying to mention European teams. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I know them, but I was like, well, what about the teams in your country? And, you know, I don't think you know them and, mention a few years, but, oh, wow. That was rare.

Raphael Harry [00:26:16]:
That was rare. I was like, I'm like, yeah. I used to, back in the days, you know, we had a program that showed South American football highlights, you know. He was like, oh, wow.

Obinna Elechi [00:26:26]:
Nice. Nice.

Raphael Harry [00:26:26]:
Oh, wow. Wow. Okay.

Obinna Elechi [00:26:28]:
Uh-huh. Wow.

Raphael Harry [00:26:28]:
He just saw the smile on his face.

Obinna Elechi [00:26:30]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:26:31]:
Yeah. Yeah. It's not like I'm trying to brag, but No

Obinna Elechi [00:26:34]:
doubt.

Raphael Harry [00:26:34]:
Guys got some good stuff, dude.

Obinna Elechi [00:26:36]:
No doubt.

Raphael Harry [00:26:37]:
Now don't always feel like you have to start with your start with yours. Exactly. Letting people okay. Okay. I just so feel happy for a second. Somebody knows what I got too. Exactly. It's

Obinna Elechi [00:26:49]:
always good. And someone feels like, you know, you can connect with them with something that

Raphael Harry [00:26:54]:
Yeah. So I was like, yeah. I'm good, man. You you you feel good? I feel good. Yeah. So, having lived in Port Harcourt, let me see. I can't let me see if I can say that. Groningen?

Obinna Elechi [00:27:08]:
Yeah. Groningen.

Raphael Harry [00:27:09]:
Groningen. Mhmm. Yeah. I'm the full spelling is in my head, so I'm going just, literally. But, Ronnigan. Mhmm. I'm not even gonna try the first. Iron.

Raphael Harry [00:27:20]:
Iron. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. No. Yeah. Well, yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:27:26]:
And now Brooklyn, where do you consider home to be and how do you find community?

Obinna Elechi [00:27:34]:
That's that's a very good question. So for me Nigeria is still home. Even though and my my brother and my sister and I, we we talk about this a lot with, so that that my group of of friends, that are in that group chat, the 3 who are who are Nigerian as well. We have this conversation sometimes about the and I just found out, like, maybe a couple years ago, my sister was telling me about the phenomenon known as third culture kids.

Raphael Harry [00:28:13]:
Oh, yeah. Yeah. I didn't know about that. I have somebody with a podcast that deals specifically with third culture kids, which is Brazilian Egyptian. Ah. Born in France.

Obinna Elechi [00:28:27]:
Yeah. So I the that that's a good question. And it's at this point, I've lived in the US longer than I've lived anywhere else and I've lived in New York City longer than I've lived anywhere else. But in my heart, Nigeria is stolen.

Raphael Harry [00:28:52]:
Okay.

Obinna Elechi [00:28:56]:
And I don't I don't know how else to explain that. Just it it just feels like, that's where my roots are. Even though it's getting, you know, over time, it gets harder and harder to, like, stay connected. And I think that's part of why some of the work I'm doing in art and the comic book stuff is exploring that stuff to better understand it. But it's, you feel kind of like you're in the middle of, you're just a person sometimes without necessarily a place that you can say, okay, this is who I am exactly. Because somebody can be more Nigerian than you, somebody can be more American than you, or more Dutch or Egyptian or whatever than you. And, you know, but for me, Nigeria is still home, you know, warts and all. So, but yeah, I think what that having lived in in those different places, what what that that has I think helped is being adaptable and flexible and, you know, open to change and open to if, if you have to make moves suddenly, you, you know how to adapt when you're more accepting of it than say maybe someone who has been in a place for 20 years.

Obinna Elechi [00:30:37]:
Which not saying anything that people who have been in a place for 20 years aren't adaptable, but I think for me at least, I think that that plays into into being open to change.

Raphael Harry [00:30:49]:
So how did you find community then?

Obinna Elechi [00:30:55]:
I think just

Raphael Harry [00:31:00]:
And if I may add, is your community limited to Nigerians or is it commute is your community broad where you are? I I

Obinna Elechi [00:31:17]:
would say it's it's it's broad. And one of the things that I the one of the things that I I I hang on to a lot, which is art and design. That that has been the the that has been, like, both my interests and the way I think I've made community with different groups and different people. And so that brings in people from all kinds of different backgrounds. But that's that's been the most consistent way, I think, that that I've I've I've made community through through through a lot of that. And I think, like, just just my interests in in art and design, that that has that has helped helped that a lot.

Raphael Harry [00:32:23]:
Hey. Let's keep it simple. Yeah. But they're still niche at the same time.

Obinna Elechi [00:32:27]:
Yeah. Yeah. Which exactly. Exactly. Yeah. I I that that's that's the best way I can summarize it. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:32:38]:
So do you do you see yourself, going back to Nigeria anytime in the future? Yeah. Like, moving back?

Obinna Elechi [00:32:47]:
I'd I'd ideally, I want to be a bicoastal person. But, you know, live half half here, half there. Yeah. Not money.

Raphael Harry [00:33:00]:
That that that can be rectified, you know? Yeah. You know, it depends on, you.

Obinna Elechi [00:33:07]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:33:08]:
You know, because there's it depends on, like, like me, if I'm if I make Mhmm. You know, if I kiss a certain ring or rings Mhmm. You know, there's certain money issues that will just disappear. Go away. No. I when I'm before, you know, managing director at, you know, you know, at, NDDC or something like that. Mhmm. It doesn't matter if I'm really showing up to work or not.

Obinna Elechi [00:33:40]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:33:41]:
Yeah. All those things are forgiving.

Obinna Elechi [00:33:43]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:33:44]:
Right? So I'm not the worst to have said anything

Obinna Elechi [00:33:46]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:33:46]:
Critical on, you know, any critic of the system. Uh-huh. Just gonna be good.

Obinna Elechi [00:33:51]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:33:52]:
You know, where I'm coming to work. No doubt.

Obinna Elechi [00:33:54]:
No doubt.

Raphael Harry [00:33:55]:
So, you know, it's yeah. More money can more money is not really. If it's money, it can really be.

Obinna Elechi [00:34:01]:
It can really be.

Raphael Harry [00:34:02]:
It can be it can disappear like that. Right. If you're willing

Obinna Elechi [00:34:06]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:34:06]:
If you want to.

Obinna Elechi [00:34:07]:
No. One one thing I I do there are a number of, like, art festivals in especially in Lagos

Raphael Harry [00:34:21]:
Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:34:21]:
That I'm interested, very interested in getting involved in. And art, residencies in Lagos as well that, you know, I've been looking at and reaching out to and all of that just because there's there's a lot at home that I haven't explored yet and there's so much opportunity at home. Even in architecture there are a lot of Nigerian architects who are doing amazing things right now and I think that that's a field that is that would be very very good for Nigeria, just, you know, for for basics. Yeah. So those 2 are interesting to me in terms of how to, like, get back home and start. So How how how how do these things have learned so far? How can they now be, like, implemented in practice at

Raphael Harry [00:35:31]:
home. So will you be willing to move family or would would you find opportunity where to arise? Mhmm. Would you be willing to move family or will you just go by yourself? And then, you know, come visit family.

Obinna Elechi [00:35:44]:
It it it might be that one. It might be that one. But, yeah, if if it's a opportunity to move family, like, I would I would take it if everything is, like, aligned properly.

Raphael Harry [00:35:54]:
And it sounds like you do Lagos.

Obinna Elechi [00:35:57]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:35:59]:
That's your neck of the woods.

Obinna Elechi [00:36:00]:
It's I have family there.

Raphael Harry [00:36:02]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [00:36:02]:
It's not it's not Portakot. Portakot was closer to my neck of the

Raphael Harry [00:36:09]:
woods. But, but I

Obinna Elechi [00:36:10]:
would I would start in Lagos. Not to say that that's the only city I would you know, obviously, Port Harcourt as well, but because I'm more familiar with it. And I have family that's close there and all of that. So, between between Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Raphael Harry [00:36:28]:
Not a Buddha. You don't wanna be in a weak area city.

Obinna Elechi [00:36:33]:
It's it's I don't have anything. It's not that I have anything. I guess I guess Abuja. I have family there as well. But, Yeah. I mean, I haven't thought about it as as a place where where I would go necessarily. But, I mean, Abuja is Abuja is very nice.

Raphael Harry [00:36:51]:
It's It is. It's federal capitals. Yeah. Okay. Gotta be nice. That's where the money is.

Obinna Elechi [00:36:55]:
That's where the money the money goes.

Raphael Harry [00:36:57]:
The money goes.

Obinna Elechi [00:36:58]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:36:58]:
It goes there. Yeah. I I hear you on that. I just don't like Lagos, to be honest. Mhmm. I've never liked Lagos, but, it's the closest place to, civilization as I put it. Mhmm. So, but I wish a lot more places will kind of do something Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:37:17]:
And realize that there's potentials to challenge Lagos

Obinna Elechi [00:37:21]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:37:22]:
Easily. It's too it's it's but, anyway, we're gonna go on that. Yeah. But that that's that's good. But for architecture, that's, that's, a a a that's a field that can actually isolate itself from some of the Yamayama for those who don't understand that. That's it. Be on your own. Okay? So it it's it it can actually exist as a pro on its professionalism Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:37:51]:
In the Nigerian space. Mhmm. And there's so much room for architecture to bring a lot of great things Mhmm. Within that, into that country. And so, yeah, I I I get Yeah. Your point and your point of view. So it's yes. It's great that you're you're looking into that.

Obinna Elechi [00:38:16]:
No. It it's like the the the a number of, Nigerian architects who who are based in in Nigeria and the the work they're doing is it's world class stuff they're doing at home. There's this one architect. Her name is, Tosin Tosinu Oshinu. And she her name. She has a she has a practice in Lagos, and she has also, like, curated shows in in the Middle East, in in London, in Lagos, in in Nigeria. She's built projects in Nigeria as well. And I think that potential to use use architecture to, you know, to improve the built environment and what that can do for, you know, people's dignity and how they feel about where they live and all of that.

Obinna Elechi [00:39:21]:
The potential for that is boundless in my opinion. So that that has always been in the back of my head and for a long time. And I I only feel like now I'm like, okay, I think I'm at a point where, you know, I could, you know, with networks that I have as well

Raphael Harry [00:39:45]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [00:39:45]:
Navigate what that could look like to to to look at practice back home.

Raphael Harry [00:39:56]:
Hi, everyone. If you're new to the podcast or a returning listener and you enjoy what we are doing here, did you know that you could enjoy more of our content and also support our work via Patreon? For as little as $3 per month, you'll get access to loads of bonus content that you'll find nowhere. And be the first to the latest news. Don't miss out. Go to patreon.com/whitelabelamericanpod or just search for White Label American Podcast on Patreon, patre0n. So if if I may ask, are you looking to set up your own practice? Mhmm. Are you looking to start under someone's practice first? Mhmm. Get a lay of the feet of the land? Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:40:46]:
Then move on to your own practice eventually?

Obinna Elechi [00:40:50]:
It so it's so right now, I'm I'm at a, at my farm in in New York in in Manhattan. And, our profession in this country is plagued with all kinds of problems. But this is the first place that I've worked at in the architectural profession that that feels like it treats people like human beings because architecture has unnecessarily long hours and some sometimes necessarily, you know, sometimes you have to hustle to get things out in any field. Yeah. But the the culture of architecture in this country, I think it for a long time has been, you know, just abusive to say the least. So to answer your question about setting up a practice or working at a place, it might be both, you know, finding ways, like whether it's through art or like other projects, doing things, but also working at a place as well to sort of, like, have have have connections between between the two.

Raphael Harry [00:42:03]:
So how does the culture in architecture yeah. How does the culture of architecture here Mhmm. Differ from the culture of architecture in somewhere like Nigeria?

Obinna Elechi [00:42:14]:
So I haven't practiced in Nigeria, so I I'm not sure. But I think

Raphael Harry [00:42:19]:
Well, from what you've heard.

Obinna Elechi [00:42:21]:
From from from what I've I've seen and heard, it's comparable. Just, you know, if I start with the culture of architecture here, a lot of the time it's it's been long hours, and that's sort of the expectation. People sometimes are expected to work weekends and, like, you know, may or may not get, like, overtime and things like that. And then on top of that for the longest time the idea of architects forming a union to sort of push back at employers who may not necessarily be taking the employee's best interests at heart. That idea was was fantasy. But that's happening now. And I think it's a post pandemic thing that has started because we're seeing more people unionise in general.

Raphael Harry [00:43:30]:
Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:43:30]:
In in the US. But there's a there's another friend of mine who we both went to architecture school together, and we both said we never thought we'd see the day when architects started to unionize. So architects are now unionising, but instead of doing it through, like, architectural institutions like, you know, the American Institute of Architects, they're having to go to, like a mechanic's union, you know, to unionize through them. Because the industry, in my opinion, is very, I mean, a lot of people would tell you, it's it's broken, kind of. And that that, like, mentality of it's it's it's an old like, it's it's almost like a 20th century model of of of work and and how the design business is structured. So I think a lot of places now are trying to like move away from that, that model of working because people are just people are tired. People have options now. You know, someone will rather like if it doesn't serve them, they'll be in a place for 6 months and move.

Obinna Elechi [00:44:51]:
Even if it more and more you're seeing people's resumes where they're not staying at places long just because of their options. They can move.

Raphael Harry [00:45:02]:
Which used to be rare for architects.

Obinna Elechi [00:45:05]:
Yeah. Like, you you would see previously, like, people would stay at a place for 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, whatever, before they moved to a to a place. But now it's like people will stay a year, 2 years. Like and if it doesn't if it doesn't serve them, they move on. Or if they find a place that's more interesting or pays more or whatever, they'll move. Which is good. Like people should have options to to do that kind of thing, especially if there's a bad culture that, you know, generally speaking, that doesn't doesn't reward the people who who are, you know, designing these spaces, working on all the complex parts that go into making buildings. It's a lot of effort that goes into that and a lot of thought that goes into that.

Obinna Elechi [00:46:01]:
And to to not treat people well for that, like, people will go elsewhere. People will just go elsewhere. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:46:10]:
Yeah. You're right though. It's, not just all in the architecture spaces. It's a symptom of the pandemic. Right. I won't say symptom. It's the reality of the pandemic and a reaction of, I would say, more of reaction from the pandemic and

Obinna Elechi [00:46:25]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:46:26]:
People realizing that they have options now.

Obinna Elechi [00:46:28]:
Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:46:29]:
And yeah. Yeah. So thank you for breaking that down. Mhmm. And pointing that out. So, another thing I would like to touch on is, you you are a dad. Mhmm. I don't know if you have more kids or you'll be in those single club like myself.

Raphael Harry [00:46:52]:
So becoming a dad, how has your multicultural upbringing Mhmm. Shaped your parenting Mhmm. And marital journey.

Obinna Elechi [00:47:01]:
Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:47:02]:
Has that been expressed in your art or inspired any projects?

Obinna Elechi [00:47:10]:
Very, very good question. I'll try. It's it's, I would say nothing prepares you for becoming a parent. It that's what I found out. You can do all the prep and all of that, but nothing prepares you for for being a parent. And in terms of multicultural background, I think it's, Again, it's it's like teaching me to be open to everything. That I would say is the is is what my my my experience growing up in in different places with different types of people is just meet people where they are and find people who who connect with you and be flexible, you know, because there there are some days where you'll you're running you're you're running after a kid who's trying to put his hand in the, inside the the the socket or cat cat food, water, and food. And, And it's just be patient, be open, like, this is part of it, and be flexible to adapt.

Obinna Elechi [00:48:47]:
So I think I think my if I had to say any anything about that, my background growing up and, like, being ready to, like, change and move soon, I think that subconsciously helps with with patience sometimes. So that's yeah. That's,

Raphael Harry [00:49:11]:
that's how it works. Have you expressed any of that in your artwork or inspired any of your projects?

Obinna Elechi [00:49:17]:
There is a piece that I I haven't started working on that. I want to work on that. That involves something with my son and my wife. Okay. But I haven't I haven't started on it yet.

Raphael Harry [00:49:30]:
So it's it's it's

Obinna Elechi [00:49:32]:
it's it's in it's it's in here somewhere.

Raphael Harry [00:49:34]:
In the works.

Obinna Elechi [00:49:35]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:49:36]:
Yeah. Yeah. It's, yeah. You're you're right about, becoming a dad, a parent. Mhmm. You know, I I'm a member of the bachelor of parents. Mhmm. Well, you know, I think almost every dad I've met in that group Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:49:54]:
Except for, same sex parents. Mhmm. Those of us who and, what's the word? I skipped my mind. What are we called? Those of us married to the regular type of marriages or regular relationships.

Obinna Elechi [00:50:14]:
Like cisgender?

Raphael Harry [00:50:15]:
Or Yeah. So yeah. It's usually the wife that got us to sign up for something like that. I see. And it doesn't matter which black, white, whichever. Mhmm. Most of us is the wife that found the backslope parents,

Obinna Elechi [00:50:30]:
and

Raphael Harry [00:50:30]:
that's how we ended up there. So the before, our kid was born Mhmm. There was a group well, there's the group's still there. There's a group that they have that were expecting dads can get to interact with, new dads, and experienced dads. And, you know, I went to that meeting. I didn't really have questions, but, well, I was expecting that. I was like, well, how would I know? What did I take to the hospital on that day? I don't know. I get it right.

Raphael Harry [00:51:01]:
I then the the new dads were like, man, the hospital got you, man. You you go you you you you panic. You do all that. I did the same thing. Yeah. Yeah. You'll be fine. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:51:14]:
You don't get it wrong. The experience that was just like, man, look, this guy had 15 year old kid. It's like, dude, man, let's you'll be fine. And I went to the meeting like twice and I was like, I ain't coming again. Cause that's all the dads and it just seemed like people were panicking and they were panicking out like this. I need to panic, man.

Obinna Elechi [00:51:35]:
That's that's

Raphael Harry [00:51:36]:
okay. Because everybody's telling me I'll be okay. But the way it's saying don't be responsible. Don't take care of responsibility. If you're serious Yeah. You don't, be there for your partner.

Obinna Elechi [00:51:47]:
Mhmm. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:51:49]:
And I think that just calm me down, but right now I saw the other dads, which I'm not saying if that's your thing, if that's where you keep yourself going, they're fine. Mhmm. But I think after just 1 or 2 meetings, seeing all the other dads had some asked great questions and okay, if I doubt it was something to write down, write it down. But I just felt in a good place. Yeah. And I was like, okay. So I guess, I've been doing it right.

Obinna Elechi [00:52:15]:
Yeah. Yeah. No. Okay.

Raphael Harry [00:52:16]:
So after we had our kid, I went I started going to the meetings. Mhmm. And now I'm the guy answering Questions. The the new dad's questions. So usually, there weren't, black dads there or black expecting. But there was one day I went and there was a black guy who showed up as among the new guys. And he he was that guy who was asking questions. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:52:38]:
So I answered and, there was one day I clashed with 1 of the newer dads. Uh-huh. And because I was talking about how, you know, hospitals don't listen to black moms. Uh-huh. You know, at least the women, black women in general.

Obinna Elechi [00:52:53]:
Yep.

Raphael Harry [00:52:54]:
Pain on the guy. I guess he works, in hospital and administration and

Obinna Elechi [00:52:59]:
I see.

Raphael Harry [00:53:00]:
The offense. I'm like, I I wasn't caught. I didn't even know that. I I don't know, but I'm not if that's if it's if the shoe fits, fine. But that's not why I'm here. You know? I'm just telling all of you, be there for your partner. If she says she's in pain, you feel the staff's not listening, tell them go gather that stuff. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:53:17]:
But be there. Be her voice. That's all I'm saying.

Obinna Elechi [00:53:19]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:53:20]:
And that guy turned it into a fight. You know, I'm not here for you. So after the meeting, the the black guy came to me. I was like, oh, man. Thank you for saying that. I didn't know all that. You know, so I sent him some articles. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:53:32]:
Like, okay. Read all this, read up on that. Wish you the best. And he never showed up to a meeting after that.

Obinna Elechi [00:53:40]:
I see.

Raphael Harry [00:53:40]:
But I I think few years later I was seeing. Because he he I had forgotten about him and he reminded me

Obinna Elechi [00:53:46]:
about that day.

Raphael Harry [00:53:47]:
And I saw his kid. I was like, okay. So you made it.

Obinna Elechi [00:53:49]:
Nice.

Raphael Harry [00:53:50]:
Yeah. The kid the kid didn't die.

Obinna Elechi [00:53:52]:
Yeah. Yeah. So you're doing good.

Raphael Harry [00:53:53]:
Keep the keys have a life. That's your job. So now I have, my English cousin Mhmm. In London, and I have, a nephew. And they're both young men. Mhmm. In their twenties, talking about, you know, they don't think about being a dad and all that. To me, I'm like, hey.

Raphael Harry [00:54:15]:
You're too young, but, if you really wanna go that route, you know, let them know, hey, man. Yeah. I was 38 when I became a dad, but that don't mean you must wait to be 38. Mhmm. You know? But I've start letting them know certain things Yeah. How your woman's body will change. All that, they throw all the information at them. Right.

Raphael Harry [00:54:33]:
But I don't just say I'm trying to scare you. It's not to but I'm scaring you. But one of them is like, oh, I've saved this amount of money before I become a dad and all this. I'm done with inspiration. I'm like, that's great. You are way ahead of where I was. Yep. You're way ahead of many men that I know.

Raphael Harry [00:54:48]:
Mhmm. So I will applaud you on that. Yep. However, there's still things that will come

Obinna Elechi [00:54:53]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:54:53]:
That will surprise you. Absolutely. So Absolutely. It's not about reading a textbook. Mhmm. It's 4 black dads having a conversation on how they were raising their kids, how they and they were all different guys, different background. 1 was raised. 1 married a woman with 3 kids.

Raphael Harry [00:55:15]:
He took them all as his.

Obinna Elechi [00:55:16]:
Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:55:17]:
And it was a fantastic conversation. I loved it until the end where one of them said, had a problem with the other one, allowing the step kids, call him dad, and he's like, oh, no. Well, I'll never allow, like, my my kid cannot call another money. Daddy, yeah, that daddy, and that and that was like, wow. So so great. Oh, wow. Well, I asked him what he learned from that, and he was like, yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:55:39]:
He he didn't see why that that should bring a fight. Okay. That kind of thing. So it was interesting seeing where he's going with all this. Yeah. And I'm like, I I like that you were really spending the time Mhmm. Watching stuff like that and letting that don't mean it's gonna be exactly No. The template because it's a little human being that's coming.

Obinna Elechi [00:55:58]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:55:59]:
And your partner, hopefully, she doesn't have a complicated pregnancy. Mhmm. It's different for everybody.

Obinna Elechi [00:56:07]:
Yep.

Raphael Harry [00:56:08]:
So whatever comes, just be prepared. Number 1 job for you is big. Number 1 cheerleader. That's your number one task. And whatever comes, you go with it. Mhmm. Just be prepared to go with it. That's what I'll tell you.

Raphael Harry [00:56:20]:
I'll keep repeating it. Yep. You call me call me as many times as you want, but that's what I'll tell you. And once that baby pops out Mhmm. Your life ain't gonna be the same again. No. I It ain't gonna be the same, but it's love at first sight. Go with it.

Raphael Harry [00:56:33]:
And he's, alright. Alright. I got it, man. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'll say Be ready. Stay ready. That's Stay ready.

Raphael Harry [00:56:39]:
But at the same time, I always tell people this when it comes to parenting. Mhmm. I think it was after, after my kid was born, after a few months, you know, I think by the time she was a year

Obinna Elechi [00:56:52]:
Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:56:53]:
I I think I I began to have empathy for people who abandon kids. I I I understood it.

Obinna Elechi [00:57:00]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:57:01]:
Yeah. I I I think I finally got it. Uh-huh. Yeah. I finally got it because, you know, growing up in Nigeria and all that, you know, I understood the like, my my nephew now, he he going through that because he has his first big job.

Obinna Elechi [00:57:14]:
Okay.

Raphael Harry [00:57:15]:
As soon as he got that job, everybody's just go get married. Go get married. Have babies immediately. They they didn't he hasn't been in the job for up to a month, and he started calling me to my and everybody telling me

Obinna Elechi [00:57:24]:
For sure.

Raphael Harry [00:57:24]:
Go get married, have start making babies. He has dude has not even had a girlfriend in his life. And that was the first thing people are just throwing at him. Yeah. And when you look back in the days, you don't know how many people have been in the same position Yep. Never did it in their lives. Mhmm. But as soon as they just had one thing going good for them Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:57:44]:
Go get married, have babies. It's gonna be good. Yeah. And that that that that Yeah. You don't know what's coming and bam. Yeah. Kid pops up and he's like, woof. What what am I doing? Oh, everything's gonna be fine.

Raphael Harry [00:57:55]:
Well, well, everything's gonna be fine.

Obinna Elechi [00:57:57]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:57:58]:
And it starts to heat them, like,

Obinna Elechi [00:57:59]:
boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [00:58:02]:
So I put got choked up.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:04]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:04]:
It's overwhelming. Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:06]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:06]:
And when you're not prepared, you don't know what's hitting you. Mhmm. I've I got it.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:10]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:10]:
I got it. I was not, like, 100% prepared. Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:14]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:14]:
But I wanted to be there. I said this is what I want. Mhmm. So even when it felt like I was being overwhelmed Mhmm. I was like, this is what I want. So I'm I'm here for it.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:23]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:24]:
So that's why I I tell when I tell people, like, what? You mean you're okay with people abandoning abandoning keys? I said, no. That's not what I'm saying. Mhmm. But I said I I can empathize with them. I understand Yeah. Why people would choose to abandon kids. Because if you look at a lot of the stories that are I know, especially from back home Mhmm. You see that there's always people who abandon kids Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:58:43]:
And then they if you look at, they'll later remarry in life. Mhmm. And they treated the next family. Right? They they were much better parents.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:51]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [00:58:52]:
It's like they had because you mature. They matured. Yeah. But it was that pressure was no longer there.

Obinna Elechi [00:58:57]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:58]:
So I I tell that's why I tell people, like, man, I I I got it.

Obinna Elechi [00:59:02]:
It it and I think that's, like, it it's, it's unfortunate that there sometimes, you know, well, that's not like, even in Nigerian culture, that that pressure is there generally. Just, oh, yeah. Go and start a family. Like, these are the steps. But it's, like, the more I think about it now, just trying to, you know, have it having, you know, a son who's already, like, 16 months now, it felt like I literally remember the day he was born. Like it was like it was yesterday. Mhmm. But more and more, I feel like choosing to have a child is like choosing to run a marathon.

Raphael Harry [00:59:49]:
That's a good way of saying

Obinna Elechi [00:59:50]:
It because on on the one hand, you can say, why would you choose to run a marathon? Why would you put yourself to through running 22 point you're whatever miles Uh-huh. Just because. You know?

Raphael Harry [01:00:07]:
But It's expensive too.

Obinna Elechi [01:00:09]:
Right. And choosing choosing to run a marathon doesn't necessarily make you better than other people. You just choose to do it. Yeah. You choose your choice, whoever that is. And I think that's that's very for me, that analogy is is is very close to the choosing to have a child is you choose your choice. You want to you want to explore this path. And the challenges of running a marathon, at some point you'll get tired, but you know you have to keep going.

Raphael Harry [01:00:44]:
That's right.

Obinna Elechi [01:00:48]:
You're sweating. You have to keep going.

Raphael Harry [01:00:50]:
That's right.

Obinna Elechi [01:00:50]:
You may slow down and and and walk some of it because your body is just saying, nah.

Raphael Harry [01:00:56]:
My body is like,

Obinna Elechi [01:00:57]:
yep. But you keep going. And to me, that's what it's like at least that's what I'm learning right now is like being a parent, choosing to choosing to have a child is like choosing the choice to to run a marathon. And it's it's a different sort of way of living than if you didn't, but it doesn't necessarily make you better or worse. You just chose your choice, you know? And and there are great things and challenging things that come with it.

Raphael Harry [01:01:32]:
I agree. There are days where I'm like, woo hoo. And there are days where I'm like, goddamn. I'm running away from you. I'm hiding back out.

Obinna Elechi [01:01:39]:
No. No. The and and I I I think and I think that's I I bet some people who chose to run a marathon would say, why did I choose to do this again? Right. You know?

Raphael Harry [01:01:50]:
You gotta ask yourself, though.

Obinna Elechi [01:01:52]:
It's it's it to me, it's very it's a very comparable, like, analogy. But, yeah. Again, for me, it's like it's also an exercise in patience

Raphael Harry [01:02:06]:
in general. It is. I I don't think there's any test of patience then. Mhmm. Before I even had before we had our kid, there's a friend that I made who will later move to Florida Mhmm. Of all places. But I understand mister Mark in case he listens to this episode. No doubt.

Raphael Harry [01:02:26]:
He he's a much older gentleman. Uh-huh. We're not that far older, but, he's much older than I am.

Obinna Elechi [01:02:34]:
Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [01:02:34]:
And he used to say his 2 greatest mistakes were his 2 kids. No. His 2 favorite mistakes. Let me rephrase that. Uh-huh. Two favorite mistakes

Obinna Elechi [01:02:47]:
Okay.

Raphael Harry [01:02:47]:
Were his 2 kids.

Obinna Elechi [01:02:48]:
I see. I see.

Raphael Harry [01:02:49]:
Okay. So greatest is still part of it. But his 2 greatest or favorite mistakes Mhmm. Mistakes. Mhmm. Where it's 2 kids. And even if I met one of his kids and he said that he repeated that in front of them. And I was fantastic, girls that he has.

Raphael Harry [01:03:02]:
Mhmm. They they I think one should have I think the elders probably finished college by now. And they were laughing, and he was like, oh, my dad has studied the story.

Obinna Elechi [01:03:13]:
I was

Raphael Harry [01:03:13]:
like, yeah. He was like, yeah, man. I was doing Coke then. I was doing everything. And twice, I really, two times, I said, okay. I'm gonna mess with this woman.

Obinna Elechi [01:03:22]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [01:03:22]:
The two results of my messing with this woman, hey. Those are my kids. Mhmm. Mhmm. And I was like, dang, that's quite a story.

Obinna Elechi [01:03:28]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:03:29]:
Yeah. But I don't regret it because I love them. I love those 2 kids. Yes. I love them. I ain't having no more kids. Right.

Obinna Elechi [01:03:35]:
Right. Exactly. Right.

Raphael Harry [01:03:38]:
And I was like, man, that's, one way to phrase it. But, yeah. He's clean now and all that. Yeah. Goodness. But I looked at it and I was like, That's, yeah. He said, that was my favorite mistake. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [01:03:51]:
And I was hot as hell. But, yeah. Never doing that again. Yeah. Yeah. Never doing that. I was like, you you went back. You did it twice.

Obinna Elechi [01:04:00]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:04:00]:
I was like, yeah. That twice is enough. I ain't doing the third time. Yep. See? I only got 2 kids. Mhmm. They're grown now. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [01:04:06]:
It's like, okay.

Obinna Elechi [01:04:07]:
Yeah. You

Raphael Harry [01:04:08]:
know, you never made a thought. Okay. That was good. No. Don't. But, yeah. Our origins all have you know, it's funny stuff. I interviewed my mom earlier today.

Raphael Harry [01:04:17]:
Mhmm. Josh was laughing because he got him. You know, if you find out myself and my mom laugh the same way. Uh-huh. I I still can't hear you. It's like, some people see me and my kid and they're like, yeah, I see the fish. Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:04:32]:
I'm like, you know, so, but it's a beautiful thing, you know, and, it's like running a marathon. There's times where, you know, where I do go cheer people during the New York marathon. Right. And, yeah, running through the news. I'm like, how do you get to the end? Yeah. How do you make it to the end? Because you you just in Brooklyn right now. And it's like, that person looks like, oh my goodness. I'm done.

Raphael Harry [01:04:59]:
The struggle. I'm like, man, I don't think you're halfway back. I'm not going to yell that. I'm just, come on, you can do it.

Obinna Elechi [01:05:05]:
Exactly. Do

Raphael Harry [01:05:06]:
Carry on. So that, I think that's what I try to do when I see, new parents, people like my cousin or my nephew. I I just cheer them on. I'm not cheering you on to go and start having babies. Mhmm. There's a difference. Mhmm. But I cheer you on to, like, if you wanna make this journey Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [01:05:24]:
I will cheer you on.

Obinna Elechi [01:05:24]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:05:25]:
If you say I don't want to make this journey, I will cheer you.

Obinna Elechi [01:05:28]:
Right. Right.

Raphael Harry [01:05:28]:
And I believe people should be given that choice instead of what people were giving in the past where it's just like, go have a baby. These are your And everything you you you can be alright. Like, no. That's where I draw the line and say no. Mhmm. You know, your your life will be great if you choose not to have kids. Yeah. Your life will be great if you choose not to have kids.

Raphael Harry [01:05:47]:
If you choose. If you, you because there are other options too. It doesn't mean you must go marry and then start pumping babies. You can adopt kids. You lay down in life. You know, my mom still has some kids which she considers hers. Yeah. Who are adopted kids and, you know, one just got into college.

Raphael Harry [01:06:03]:
Yeah. So there are so many ways we can go about it. Mhmm. It doesn't mean much, you know, you haven't figured life for yourself. Mhmm. Then you're like, I'm gonna knock up somebody and then you now you the the woman is trying to figure life. You try and figure life, and then you bring a baby into the world. And then 3 of you trying come on.

Obinna Elechi [01:06:19]:
It it's So like, I think sometimes, like, the that that whole, like, okay. You you've done this. You have a good job. Go and find someone. Get married.

Raphael Harry [01:06:33]:
Happy to a new job, by the way. You just got a new job. Exactly. Then he just announced I got a new job. Go marry. Yep. And then stop bringing babies. Exactly.

Raphael Harry [01:06:42]:
I'm like That

Obinna Elechi [01:06:44]:
Why? I that type of thing, I think, is, like, someone sold sold an image of what the ideal is supposed to look like. And that's what I think a lot of people are going off of when they when they have kids is like but there's no there's no other frame of reference

Raphael Harry [01:07:01]:
Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [01:07:01]:
To, like, show the reality of it. Like, it's just pictures you see and images you see or, like, snippets you see of other people's lives, and and that's it. You know, when when you're in it, it's it's like a marathon.

Raphael Harry [01:07:22]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [01:07:22]:
There are highs, there are lows,

Raphael Harry [01:07:23]:
but it's

Obinna Elechi [01:07:25]:
it's still a It's

Raphael Harry [01:07:27]:
still a race.

Obinna Elechi [01:07:28]:
It's still a race and and a path. It's like it's like some Jedi stuff. Like, you you you chose you chose this path. Like, people choose to become monks. Why would you choose to do that? Like, you chose a path.

Raphael Harry [01:07:41]:
It's a path. That's right. So we could go on and on on that. For sure. But, I also need to find out what does Obina do to relax? You know, how does Obina relax? Because I'll walk and no play. Uh-huh. How do you say it? I've gotten the last part of it. Now I'm getting old.

Raphael Harry [01:08:02]:
That's, that's a little bit a long time I used that phrase. Uh-huh. Okay. I'll I'll walk and play with it. Well, monkey, they're welcome. That's a different one. Man. Don't worry.

Raphael Harry [01:08:13]:
Pretend I didn't say that.

Obinna Elechi [01:08:14]:
No. No. No. No.

Raphael Harry [01:08:16]:
But you get the point. Yeah. Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [01:08:21]:
What do I do to relax? I I think it's it's not anything excite it's like watching TV shows.

Raphael Harry [01:08:29]:
Mhmm. That was another question I had.

Obinna Elechi [01:08:31]:
That's and I think drawing also is is is an escape sometimes where I just, like, it's for me, it's a place where I can just zone out and

Raphael Harry [01:08:46]:
Okay. But couldn't couldn't that be tied into, work related?

Obinna Elechi [01:08:53]:
It can, but I think it's also, like, in terms of relaxing, there's a I'm trying to remember the the name. I just learned about this at AtWork, but the term flow state where you can you can get in in a flow state. And I I have to read more about what what is exactly, but there are sometimes whenever I'm thinking about, you know, whether it's a new project or idea that I want to, like, turn into something or and I'm sketching sketching through through that or thinking about it, making notes about it. That helps me relax because literally I have to dive a little deeper in my head to to just focus on that thing. And that that feels very relaxing to just almost be in your own world and then after like an hour or a couple of hours, it's like, oh, okay, I'm back. But, yeah, also watching TV shows is just a fun Hey. Fun, chill way to just do nothing.

Raphael Harry [01:10:10]:
Yeah. Sometimes you just, you know, gotta get yourself out of heat

Obinna Elechi [01:10:14]:
and Exactly. Exactly.

Raphael Harry [01:10:15]:
So so what kind of stuff do you like to watch that, you know, takes you out of all the, you know, audio and my other

Obinna Elechi [01:10:23]:
Everything

Raphael Harry [01:10:24]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [01:10:25]:
Is is different. Everything from, I've anime, but also I recently started watching Donald Glover's new, Miss Angus.

Raphael Harry [01:10:38]:
I just finished

Obinna Elechi [01:10:39]:
it. I think I have I think I have

Raphael Harry [01:10:41]:
Great stuff.

Obinna Elechi [01:10:41]:
2 2 episodes left.

Raphael Harry [01:10:42]:
Great stuff.

Obinna Elechi [01:10:43]:
That's completely unexpected take on the original.

Raphael Harry [01:10:47]:
Oh, man. Really, really good. Anything Donald that comes from Donald and Stephen Glover.

Obinna Elechi [01:10:54]:
Yep. And Hiro Murai. He like, I think Hiro Murai.

Raphael Harry [01:10:57]:
Yeah. Hiro Murai. Director. They all they all collab together.

Obinna Elechi [01:11:00]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:11:00]:
But I know the right, Steven and I like to write together. Uh-huh. The man. Because, ah, man.

Obinna Elechi [01:11:08]:
It's so good.

Raphael Harry [01:11:09]:
It's so good,

Obinna Elechi [01:11:09]:
man. The

Raphael Harry [01:11:10]:
dialogue, the, man. That's it. That's it. If if, you know, if you're younger or whatever you are in life, then you're thinking about I'm I'm talking to the audience. Now you're like, I wanna get my I'm not I don't know about love. I wanna, down the list to these people who are like, you know, if you get your queen or get your king and all that hot take on history hot take. Go and watch the show. They it tackles everything from, marriage from the beginning Yep.

Raphael Harry [01:11:38]:
Dating phase into, honeymoon phase and your fighting phase, all that therapy. Oh. Exactly.

Obinna Elechi [01:11:45]:
That that therapy episode, the way it ended Yeah. One of the funniest things I've seen in Vegas.

Raphael Harry [01:11:54]:
I I love, Maya's Maya's skin is her name.

Obinna Elechi [01:11:57]:
She's she's really good. She's she's

Raphael Harry [01:12:00]:
I've never seen her anything before, but she is she she's now one of my new faves.

Obinna Elechi [01:12:05]:
She was on on this show that I think that she either either she cowrote it wrote it and created it, Pen 15.

Raphael Harry [01:12:13]:
Sure. I've heard. I've heard of Pen 15. I don't know. I think I'll go watch it now.

Obinna Elechi [01:12:17]:
It it's like she, she and her her costar, they, they they're so you can tell that it's basically set in, like, American high school, middle school in the late nineties, early 2000.

Raphael Harry [01:12:35]:
Oh.

Obinna Elechi [01:12:36]:
And so both of them, I think they're, like, in their thirties, like, in in real life.

Raphael Harry [01:12:43]:
Uh-huh.

Obinna Elechi [01:12:44]:
And the other, the other kids that are part of the the the show, they're actual teenagers, But they dress themselves like teenagers.

Raphael Harry [01:12:55]:
Oh.

Obinna Elechi [01:12:56]:
And it's it's so awkward, but it's it's done so well. And and she she's just a really she yeah. She's a great she's a great actor.

Raphael Harry [01:13:05]:
Oh, I I believe in her now.

Obinna Elechi [01:13:07]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:13:07]:
You know, she she sold me on this show.

Obinna Elechi [01:13:09]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:13:09]:
Yeah. I I I love this too.

Obinna Elechi [01:13:11]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:13:11]:
Oh, yeah. Oh, speaking of anime, I haven't been able to watch anything new.

Obinna Elechi [01:13:18]:
I

Raphael Harry [01:13:19]:
think the last new stuff I watched was Pluto. Mhmm. But I for some reason, I haven't completed attack on Titan, so I went and rewatched it

Obinna Elechi [01:13:29]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:13:30]:
From the beginning. Uh-huh. And I'm now at, it ends with, this 4th season. Right? Attack on Titan. Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [01:13:38]:
I think it I think so.

Raphael Harry [01:13:40]:
I think so. It's been

Obinna Elechi [01:13:40]:
a while since I watched

Raphael Harry [01:13:41]:
that one. But season. Yeah. And I'm getting close. I'm like, man, this is too good. It's, yeah. I'm close to the end. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:13:48]:
I'm close to the end. I'm like, man, I wish I had

Obinna Elechi [01:13:58]:
it's so such a weird show. Like, the premise that these giant titans attack this this walled city Mhmm. And they have to figure it out, you know, with these weird constructions where they're swinging.

Raphael Harry [01:14:14]:
I like I like the way the the the the change Mhmm. In in I I like the way the story is switched. Mhmm. You know, I wasn't expecting all that. Yeah. But Yeah. Yeah. It it got me.

Raphael Harry [01:14:26]:
It got me. So yeah. I'm I'm I'm like that. There's a whole bunch of enemies that I'm missing out on. Did you see Fargo?

Obinna Elechi [01:14:34]:
No. I haven't. I haven't

Raphael Harry [01:14:36]:
seen I watched I haven't watched, like, 2 no. 3 and 2, I think. I see. No. 3 and 4.

Obinna Elechi [01:14:41]:
Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [01:14:42]:
But, you know, it's an anthology season. But the 5th season, golly. There's some serious acting acting.

Obinna Elechi [01:14:50]:
Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [01:14:51]:
Jon Hamm.

Obinna Elechi [01:14:53]:
That's right.

Raphael Harry [01:14:53]:
Yeah. The the that was the the bodies. The bad all the bad folks in there Uh-huh. That were bad. They were acting acting like serious bodies. Uh-huh. I don't know what's my favorite right now. But, yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:15:04]:
That Fargo is quite is quite good. Nice. But it's very good. That was, that was something I just binged. I just binged it. I saw it. I was like, okay. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:15:14]:
So

Obinna Elechi [01:15:15]:
Yeah. Like, the recent recently, I've, has it's been, like, over a decade since I last watched, Miyazaki anime.

Raphael Harry [01:15:32]:
Oh, yeah.

Obinna Elechi [01:15:32]:
Miyazaki. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:15:33]:
That was a new one that came out today.

Obinna Elechi [01:15:35]:
Yeah. I think The Boy and The Hero.

Raphael Harry [01:15:37]:
The Boy and The Hero. Yeah. I thought I would go see that in the theater.

Obinna Elechi [01:15:39]:
I haven't seen that one, but I I went back and watched, Princess Mononoke and Oh, that's been a long time.

Raphael Harry [01:15:47]:
I saw that.

Obinna Elechi [01:15:47]:
Blanking on the other one.

Raphael Harry [01:15:48]:
Castle in the Sky? No. Spirit?

Obinna Elechi [01:15:54]:
Just Spirit? Spirited Away.

Raphael Harry [01:15:56]:
Yes. Yes.

Obinna Elechi [01:15:58]:
And they're still so good.

Raphael Harry [01:16:00]:
Yeah. They're they're

Obinna Elechi [01:16:00]:
They're still so good.

Raphael Harry [01:16:01]:
They hold up.

Obinna Elechi [01:16:02]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:16:02]:
They hold up. Yeah. Yeah. Good quality. Although, I was kind of pissed that, I think the moment I I saw, the boy and the heron trailer that I I I had a feeling that they're gonna use that to deny, what's it called? Into the Spider Verse, an Oscar. Oh. And I think that's what they did. Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [01:16:25]:
I was like, man, you can't do that. That ain't no more no movie came close to that fun and animated storytelling. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Well, he has a yeah. I know he tells great stories, but come on. There's an animated movies. That that movie is still, like, way ahead of everybody.

Obinna Elechi [01:16:39]:
That Into the Spider like, the first one the first, Miles Morales, the one that they did, I saw that with with my sister and my cousins. And hands down one of the best movies I've personally seen, period. Just the style of of animation and, you know, obviously the story and all of that. But, yeah, definitely Oscar worthy in my opinion. If if people still care about that

Raphael Harry [01:17:08]:
stuff. The second one went be the second one beat the the first one. Beat the first one. The second one.

Obinna Elechi [01:17:12]:
I still haven't seen the second one.

Raphael Harry [01:17:14]:
I saw the second one twice.

Obinna Elechi [01:17:15]:
Nice.

Raphael Harry [01:17:16]:
And my my my kid went with me too twice. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. She she found out I was going the second time.

Obinna Elechi [01:17:20]:
Nice. Nice.

Raphael Harry [01:17:21]:
At the end, she was dancing. She wore costume first time, but Uh-huh. The incorporation, what it did with the art Mhmm. Itself is a whole different category. Yeah. Because they that that that was that is I don't know. That is almost impossible to do.

Obinna Elechi [01:17:38]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:17:39]:
So that alone beats ever animated movie. Mhmm. Mhmm. But the storytelling now now it's it's available on, Netflix.

Obinna Elechi [01:17:49]:
Uh-huh. Yes.

Raphael Harry [01:17:50]:
So you can watch it on Netflix. Yeah. You know, you probably gonna cry. Uh-huh. Because I was almost crying because it's it pulls the heartstrings. But it's great storytelling.

Obinna Elechi [01:17:59]:
Right. Right.

Raphael Harry [01:18:00]:
And it it ends on a cliffhanger. Mhmm. Because if they had said, we're taking our information. Go go come back in 10 minutes for the rest of the story. People would I would I would have done that because Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [01:18:13]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:18:13]:
That's how good it was. I was like, man, I didn't even feel time. Uh-huh. Like, this is great storytelling. Fantastic. Man, they had I don't know how many spider people they had in it, but it was a lot. And they it just still told a great story. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [01:18:28]:
It's a great story. So the kids were enjoying it. Adults were like, this is I didn't think this would

Obinna Elechi [01:18:33]:
be Be like the Oh.

Raphael Harry [01:18:35]:
Uh-huh. And, amazingly, the same studio, their live action movies that are separate from Marvel is like I'm like, yeah. Y'all make this kind of t r a s h? Yeah.

Obinna Elechi [01:18:46]:
Whoo. Right.

Raphael Harry [01:18:47]:
Oh, sorry. Right. Sorry, man. Yo. I don't know how y'all you're capable of making a great animated movie and y'all make

Obinna Elechi [01:18:54]:
Get get that team to do the the live action movie. It's

Raphael Harry [01:18:57]:
it's, an apology. Yeah. But yeah. But anyway, before I get to the final questions Mhmm. What do you think of AI in your space? Because you you got 3, you know, different spaces that, you know, some people, oh, AI is too much. You know, AI is this. Yeah. Well, how you feel about AI in in general in your spaces?

Obinna Elechi [01:19:23]:
To me, it's it's just like it's a tool. That that's it. And and I think it it will it will change a lot just like the way the Internet changed everything.

Raphael Harry [01:19:37]:
Mhmm.

Obinna Elechi [01:19:39]:
It will change a lot, and I don't know that anyone has a crystal except for the people who are making it. I don't know that anyone has a crystal ball to see exactly how everything will play out. Like if you said in 1994 that people knew that an influencer on Instagram would be a profession. Like, that's you know, I don't know the things that are happening with AI now. In 30 years, I don't know what that anyone can predict anything. But I think in So

Raphael Harry [01:20:18]:
let let me ask you this. So what about like architecture? When it comes to architecture, how do you see AI in that field?

Obinna Elechi [01:20:26]:
I mean, right now, it's already being used for, image generation. So you can put in prompts for a house carved into a cliff, sunset, blah blah blah interior shot with this camera lens, all of that. And it will spit out a very realistic legit. So it's already being used. Companies are already using it for, for 3 d visualizations, for client presentations and things like that. And I think while that is I think I think it's a good thing. I think people should embrace it. Just learn how to use it.

Obinna Elechi [01:21:25]:
Because if you don't, then you will get left behind.

Raphael Harry [01:21:29]:
Alright. So That that's that's the main thing I was trying to capture there. Yeah. Because, you know, I've I've heard some say, you know, they feel threatened. Some feel, you know, that that to me, I agree with it being a tool. Mhmm. I just, at the end of the day, it's it's depends on what you input. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:21:46]:
What the input is.

Obinna Elechi [01:21:47]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [01:21:48]:
Yeah. It's, that's our seed.

Obinna Elechi [01:21:49]:
Exactly.

Raphael Harry [01:21:50]:
Alright. So I appreciate you, my brother. Thank you for giving me, your time. We'll still gonna bring bring you back here again for another, episode. We like having you here.

Obinna Elechi [01:22:00]:
Thank you. You know? Thank you.

Raphael Harry [01:22:01]:
Gotta come talk to us probably before the indie comic show and, yeah, before the indie comic show.

Obinna Elechi [01:22:07]:
Uh-huh.

Raphael Harry [01:22:07]:
We'll get you back here with your comic books.

Obinna Elechi [01:22:09]:
Yes. Yes.

Raphael Harry [01:22:10]:
So, before I get you out of the studio, what's, final question? What you like to leave the audience with? You know, freestyle moment. Don't don't don't get people coming here with, you know, touch fire, you know, fire and try to slide the studio. Yeah. You know? But before they do that, still first donate and buy merch. And I can we got new merch anyway. So you're welcome to do that.

Obinna Elechi [01:22:41]:
Just keep running the marathon. Hey. Just keep running the marathon.

Raphael Harry [01:22:46]:
We're not saying have kids, but,

Obinna Elechi [01:22:47]:
that applies to every life. Life

Raphael Harry [01:22:49]:
life life is all a marathon too. So

Obinna Elechi [01:22:51]:
Just keep just keep going. Keep going.

Raphael Harry [01:22:54]:
But if you have kids, you can name them after me. 1st, buy my merch. No doubt. Please let the people know where they can find you. You know, if they wanna, you know, get in touch with your beautiful artwork.

Obinna Elechi [01:23:08]:
So, everything is on, if you just Google black robot, blakrobot. It's all one word. Blackrobot.com. Same thing on Instagram, website, and I'm not on Twitter. I will not call it x.

Raphael Harry [01:23:27]:
Same here. Sorry. Same here.

Obinna Elechi [01:23:33]:
I, black robot on everything.

Raphael Harry [01:23:36]:
Alright. And you have the links in your show notes. And yeah. Thank you again, my brother.

Obinna Elechi [01:23:41]:
Thank you.

Raphael Harry [01:23:42]:
Let me see if I remember about it. Thank you. Ibo. Dalu. Dalu? Dalu. Uh-huh. Yeah. I always I always forget it until, you know, until I eat.

Raphael Harry [01:23:49]:
I haven't eaten a batch. That's why. Uh-huh. Once I had a batch. No. Remember remember study. Yeah. Alright.

Raphael Harry [01:23:55]:
So let us know if you enjoyed this episode. Share with your friends. Keep support coming in. 5-star reviews. Hey. Buy our new t-shirts, mugs, stickers. Share with your friends. Give them, you know, Valentine's just went past, but you can always be somebody's Valentine's.

Raphael Harry [01:24:11]:
So do that. Alright. We'll see you in the next episode. Thank you for the privilege of your company. Thanks for listening to White Label American. If you enjoy the show, please give a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app. You can follow the show on all social media platforms. Visit the White Label American website for links for donations, episodes, feedback, guests, merch, and newsletter.

Raphael Harry [01:24:43]:
Don't forget to download the free White Label American app on the Google Play Store and Apple coming soon. Thank you for the privilege of your company.