A Kid From Florida, a Son of Egypt: Bucki Sugar on Music, Identity & Faith

A Kid From Florida, a Son of Egypt: Bucki Sugar on Music, Identity & Faith

Some artists write about who they are, others write about who they’ll become. Bucki Sugar documents the experience at both ends and the one in between. In this Hella Latin@ episode, Odalys Jasmine sits down with Los Angeles rapper, producer, and songwriter Bucki Sugar for one of the most thoughtful conversations on creativity, identity, faith, and transformation. Born to Egyptian parents and raised between Florida and Egypt, Bucki reflects on what it means to grow up between cultures, navigate questions of identity, and carry the dreams of immigrant parents while finding your own voice. Together, they explore how music became more than self-expression, it became a practice of healing. Bucki opens up about writing through grief, learning to create from a place of hope instead of self-destruction, and why his music captures not only who he is today, but every version of himself along the way. We also dive into spirituality, patience, vulnerability, and the creative process. If you've ever wondered how artists turn life into art or how people become who they're meant to be — this conversation is for you. About Bucki Sugar: The Los Angeles based rapper / producer / songwriter approaches hip-hop as a process of transformation, using vivid imagery, layered lyricism, and soulful, atmospheric production to explore the moments that reshape a person. His music moves through grief, faith, memory, identity, and self-discovery. Not only as fixed ideas but as evolving states of being. Bucki Sugar embraces life’s uncertainty and it comes through in his artistry. His songs reward repeat listens, revealing new connections between personal reflection and universal experience, while remaining emotionally direct at their core. The result is music that feels lived-in — intimate enough to resemble journal entries, yet expansive enough for listeners to find their own stories within them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

What is Liberation, really? Joél Leon, Naley by Nature and Jasmine Ruiz on Imagining New Systems & Building Something Better

In this episode, Odalys Jasmine sits with 3 Bronx natives — Joél Leon, Naley by Nature, and Jasmine Ruíz — to talk liberation, capitalism, healing, and imagining new systems. Together, we explore how their personal journeys from navigating diaspora identity and systemic oppression to embracing spirituality and community, have shaped their understanding of freedom. The conversation asks deeper questions like: * How do we liberate ourselves from the systems we've internalized? * How do we practice mercy in a culture built on punishment? * And what kind of world are we actually trying to build after the systems we're fighting to abolish are gone? From Puerto Rican identity and post-9/11 experiences to mindfulness, social media, faith, conflict resolution, and the contradictions of this modern life, this episode is an invitation to slow down, get curious, and imagine a better world for the collective. It also challenges us to think beyond systems of oppression and ask: What are we building instead? -- Joel Leon is a Bronx-born writer, performer, storyteller, father, and creative facilitator whose work explores healing, identity, vulnerability, and collective liberation. Through poetry, performance, and community engagement, he creates spaces for deeper conversations around emotional well-being, masculinity, and human connection. Jasmine Ruiz is a Puerto Rican content creator, actress, comedian, and writer from the Bronx. Known for her humorous and insightful commentary on family dynamics, cycle breaking, first-generation experiences, and navigating adulthood, she uses storytelling and comedy to make difficult conversations more accessible. Naley is the founder of Naley by Nature. She's a storyteller, writer, and geopolitical content creator whose work bridges politics, spirituality, culture, and global liberation movements. Through thoughtful analysis and compassionate storytelling, she helps audiences connect world events to larger questions of humanity, justice, and collective responsibility. This conversation with Joel, Jasmine, and Naley reminds us that liberation is a constant practice. --- Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events. Connect on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hellalatinopodcast/] and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@hellalatina], join the conversation on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/odalysjasmine/], and learn more at ⁠odalysjasmine.com⁠ [https://www.odalysjasmine.com]. Episode filmed live at Sueños Social Club in LA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

My God Is Too Powerful to Be Petty: Decolonizing the Mind with Aida Rodriguez

I sit down with the one and only Aida Rodriguez - comedian, author, storyteller, and cultural commentator - for a deeply personal and expansive conversation on identity, ancestry, spirituality, womanhood, and what it means to reclaim ourselves in a world that constantly asks us to shrink. Together, we unpack pieces of her memoir, Legitimate Kid. From her Afro-Indigenous identity and the ongoing impact of colonization, to the importance of preserving our ancestral wisdom and why education begins with our grandparents' stories. Aida shares her journey of evolving beyond labels, embracing her Blackness and Indigenous roots, and learning to belong deeply to herself. This episode is a reminder that liberation begins within. "As much as they've tried to get rid of us, we're still here. That's magic." --- Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events. Connect on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hellalatinopodcast/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@hellalatina], join the conversation on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/odalysjasmine/], and learn more at odalysjasmine.com [www.odalysjasmine.com]. Episode filmed live at Sueños Social Club in LA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Art as Liberation: Choosing Self-Expression in a System Built for Survival

Hella Latin@ brought the LA community back for another live, intimate podcast experience where we explore the stories we carry, the cultures we straddle, and solidarity amongst our communities. This conversation centers on how to create a life rooted in creative expression while operating under capitalism. We know art isn't always profitable, and add coming from Black, Brown, Latino or working class immigrant families — there's often pressure to build stability. So, how do you alchemize the pressure and apply purpose? How do we live a sustainable and fulfilling life of art, passion and abundance? How do we use art as a tool for self- and collective liberation? I invited three multi-hyphenated creatives to come back on the podcast and share their journey and wisdom. Their lives being a breathing example of what it looks like to build a life rooted in self expression no matter the odds. Guests: Choosey [https://www.instagram.com/kingchoosey/] - Afro-Chicano Rapper and Hip Hop Artist 🇲🇽 B0ryan [https://www.instagram.com/b0ryanonline/] - Salvadorean Rapper and Creative Entrepreneur 🇸🇻 Brianna Meighan [https://www.instagram.com/briannaadanna/] - Creative Entrepreneur 🇧🇿 Odalys Jasmine [https://www.instagram.com/hellalatinopodcast/] (Host) - Hella Latin@ Podcast 🇭🇳 Episode filmed live at Sueños Social Club in LA. Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Alchemizing the First-Gen Experience — B0ryan on El Salvador, Art, and Becoming

In this episode of Hella Latin@, Odalys Jasmine sits down with B0ryan — a first-gen Salvadoran creative to talk identity, resilience, and what it really means to create not from survival, but from truth. From growing up in a Central American household shaped by immigration and a strong lineage of women, to navigating assimilation, football, creative entrepreneurship, fashion and music — this conversation dives deep into first-gen pressure, healing, and building a life rooted in authenticity rather than expectation. Today, ⁠B0ryan⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/b0ryanonline/] channels his voice, creativity, and lived experience into art and design through ⁠Pirate⁠ [https://pirateworldwide.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnZodu30wIIskh0WXZeb9I7mBzfHyI88go4sBK6uzX1Ln_DYmq1_NP7UKAbzI_aem_q3mzwRNxkN-WUZxzapV3_A], and storytelling through ⁠music⁠ [https://www.b0ryan.com/?utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnhPvAHxiyaXH2q3iUp2v25tdjRqI-fkfBPqMeM0BBLyHKuT1F-kbHIG9M4Iw_aem_PXUXNPtpvJuBN59c86yhBw]. Grab your cafecito and tune in for a powerful reflection on culture, art as therapy, reclaiming identity, and redefining success on your own terms. Keep up with Hella Latin@ episodes, events, and experiences here: ⁠www.hellalatina.com⁠ [www.odalysjasmine.com] Want a glimpse into the chisme? Together, they explore: * What it means to grow up first-gen in a household shaped by immigration, civil war, and survival * Being raised by grandparents and the role of oral history in preserving culture * The early realization of being “in-between” worlds — at home, at school, and in society * How football became a lifeline, a sense of identity, and a gateway to college and professional opportunities * Why studying criminal justice shifted after experiencing police violence firsthand * Playing professional football overseas and returning home to rebuild from the ground up * Using art, fashion, and music as tools for self-expression, healing, and resistance * Building a brand rooted in honesty, culture, and community — not validation * Reclaiming identity through language, names, and self-representation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]