Shadows Over Paramount: The Evolution of Corruption between The Ellison Family & An American President - Chapter One 'Rise for Piney Woods School' Part Two

Shadows Over Paramount: The Evolution of Corruption between The Ellison Family & An American President - Chapter One 'Rise for Piney Woods School' Part Two

Part Two continues with a conversation featuring former President of Turner Sports and head of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Operations, Lenny Daniels, who was among the executives WPC was in discussions with during the Paramount acquisition effort about a potential leadership role if the transaction had succeeded. Since then, Daniels has become the COO of the PFL. Joining him are William Crossley, President & CEO of Piney Woods School; Larry Witherspoon, Founder of Connect to Your City Streaming; and Donn Bennett, longtime Sony marketing executive and, alongside Henry Vaccaro, a longtime steward of the unreleased Jackson 5 masters. The discussion explores the rich history of Piney Woods School, its vision for the future, and the broader partnership between Piney Woods and Big Picture. Together, the group examines the potential to create a next generation youth sports ecosystem through professional youth leagues, innovative streaming platforms, and expanded educational opportunities centered around Piney Woods. The conversation also reflects on WPC’s original vision during the Paramount effort, which included bringing Lenny Daniels into a leadership role while advancing a long-term strategy that united media, sports, education, and youth development under a shared mission. Following that discussion, the series shifts to a landmark meeting that brings together the leaders responsible for shaping and finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Big Picture and Piney Woods School, formally establishing the partnership. The conversation features WPC with his manager/producer and Big Picture World Group founder Joey Stanton; alongside Piney Woods President & CEO William Crossley; architect and developer Archer Stephenson; 3.0 Labs partner and representative of Francis Ngannou, Andrew Cutrow; Piney Woods alumnus and sports agent Dean Hadley; producers Melony Feliciano and Rasta Phil, a more than 30 year gatekeeper and childhood best friend of Mark Wahlberg; Rasta’s marketing & founding producing partner Jacob Kessler; Danny Hamilton, manager & partner of Wu-Tang's Young Dirty Bastard, both partners to WPC in Big Picture World Group; Reverend Samuel Harris partner with Donn Bennett and Henry Vaccaro; Sean Lee, filmmaker, and head of NRG and Arra Networks - clean energy and water; and Deon Provitt of Connect To Your City and DPro TV. Together, the group discusses and finalizes the framework of the MOU, establishing the foundation for a long-term partnership between Big Picture and Piney Woods School. The meeting outlines a shared vision centered on education, media, sports, technology, creator driven opportunities, and youth development, creating the blueprint for a collaboration designed to expand Piney Woods’ reach while building sustainable pathways for future generations through storytelling, athletics, innovation, and culture. Closing out this podcast episode is the three-part structured 10-minute hip hop song 'Inherited Ashes' from "The Chosen Ones of Love Street," which is about the life and legacy of Donald Trump.

Shadows Over Paramount: The Evolution of Corruption between The Ellison Family & An American President - Chapter One 'Rise for Piney Woods School' Part One

It's a story that wouldn't be believed unless its heard. A 116-Year Historically Black Legacy in Mississippi, Piney Woods School and how Big Picture World Group leaders - led a 13.6 billion dollar offer for Paramount Global in partnership with the school. We faced endless suppression along with corruption that extended all the way to our current sitting president and it's still ongoing...

September 28, 2025 - Ralphs in Westwood - Michael Vonn who I met through the founders of United 4 America, RFK Jr. Super Pac

Michael Vonn co-founded the media company FAME in the 1990s alongside Oscar-winning producer John Daly (The Last Emperor, Platoon). Michael often calls himself “the most famous unknown person in the world.” I can semi-relate. I’ve always believed life is a series of mirrors—young and old—each of us playing a character in the Creator’s larger story. Michael is one of those mirrors I was clearly meant to meet. And in a strange way, I’ve become convinced that much of what I’ve walked through over the last few years wasn’t just for me—but to complete something God positioned him for, that he ultimately stepped away from or went against the will of. I was introduced to Michael through Torrey Gambill, during a moment in my life that still feels unreal to say out loud. Torrey was running the Super PAC United 4 America to help elect RFK Jr. as president. He eventually walked away from that world to join me in the attempt to acquire Paramount. That alone says everything about how improbable this journey became—presidential figures, political dynasties, and Hollywood power structures colliding all at once. There were countless “acts of God” signs that made it clear Michael wasn’t meant to be a passing chapter in my life. The most striking: his granddaughter—still a baby—and I share the same birthday, the same way I once shared a birthday with my grandmother. And that was only one sign among many. Some connections don’t make sense on paper. They make sense spiritually. In this conversation, Michael and I go deep—into faith, God, media, power, politics, legacy, and purpose. It’s not about agreement. It’s about understanding. About timing. About what happens when two people meet at the exact moment they’re meant to. Listen to this conversation. It may enlighten you the way it did me.

September 23, 2025 - Coffee Bean in Marina Del Rey - James Legge a man of many characters one being in the high end restaurant world having worked with Wolfgang Puck when he opened Spago in the 80's

When I was staying on and off in Marina del Rey with a friend in Marina Del Rey, I spent a lot of time working out of the Coffee Bean near the AMC 6 theater. It’s one of the few spots with outlets—and interestingly, it’s the same theater Dean Hadley, who attended Piney Woods School, grew up going to, and the same theater I saw Spiderman : Across The Spider-verse, (see Nick episode for the spiderweb themes) with Dean which was voiced by my lead in Cut Throat City, Shameik Moore. That shopping center mattered to me for another reason too. It was one of the visual set pieces I always imagined while dreaming about rebooting They Live. Some places just hold ideas differently. One afternoon, sitting there working, I met a man who seemed to know everyone who walked through the door. His name is James Legge. As we talked, I realized James has lived many lives in one. He started out as a Michelin-star-level chef, working alongside Wolfgang Puck when Spago first opened in the 1970s. From there, his journey took him around the world—opening high-end restaurants, building experiences, understanding hospitality at the highest level. Today, James is a gemologist, among many other pursuits. What struck me most wasn’t just his résumé—it was his depth. His understanding of craft, excellence, and culture across decades. That world—hospitality, food, experience, atmosphere—is a core pillar of the Love Street Experience. Because of that, I’ve brought James in as an advisor to what Tommy Bina and I are building long term: Love Street Utopias around the world. This episode captures the very first conversation James and I ever had. Not long after, he joined us again at Canyon Country Store with Tommy Bina and Michael Vonn. You can find episodes with both of them as well—one owns the store, the other I met through my work and connections during RFK Jr.’s presidential run. This is how Love Street grows. Through real conversations. In unexpected places. With people who’ve lived full, layered lives. Enjoy the conversation.

August 20, 2025 - Ralphs in Westwood - Elsa - A Displaced Senior Musician struggling with going Blind

This is Elsa. I met her during the past year I was displaced in Los Angeles—after raising billions of dollars to attempt to acquire Paramount, believing with everything in me that the path I was on was divinely guided, and then losing everything when the Paramount acquisition didn’t happen. What I thought was the end of something turned out to be the beginning of something far more important. Meeting Elsa was not an accident. She’s a sweet Spanish-American woman. An artist. Once upon a time, an incredible musician. Like so many in the industry, people took advantage of her—stole her work, claimed her ideas, and left her without protection. Now she’s dealing with serious vision problems and has no clear way to get the help she needs. Not because solutions don’t exist—but because access doesn’t. During 2025, I met countless men and women like Elsa. Some displaced for months. Some for years. Some for decades. It reshaped me. It reshaped the mission. And it’s a major reason the Troy DeVolld Foundation exists—to make sure human beings, especially artists, don’t have to endure what Elsa has endured… or what I did. This is a problem no politician is truly addressing. No titan of wealth is solving. And the truth is uncomfortable: homelessness could be ended—here and globally—if those with the means chose action over excuses and empty words. I walked it so no one has to ever again. This conversation was recorded at a simple bus bench across from UCLA, right outside the Ralphs supermarket. And that bench matters. This is where I want to host a weekly podcast series—meeting people where they actually are, not where it’s comfortable or polished. Elsa’s story matters. Her voice matters. And so does listening. Enjoy our conversation.