What We Learned From the Genius Talks
Highlights from the conversations at the BET Experience.
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All Access With Shaun Robinson - Author, TV personality and Hollywood Access correspondent Shaun Robinson kept Day 2 of the RushCard sponsored Genius Talks as exciting as the first in her role as host. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Giving Thanks - The conversation between actor Omari Hardwick and poet Nikki Giovanni opened with an emotional reading of a poem Hardwick wrote in homage to her genius and its effect on his life. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
Photo By Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET
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The Downside of Stardom - Giovanni shared a story about how she had just met a 12-year-old who told her he wanted to be a star and that it disturbed her. "To want to be a star is an insane kind of thing," she said. "No one is ever going to respond to you the way you want them to. You have to enjoy what you do." (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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On America's Gun Culture - The conversation turned to gun violence as Hardwick asked Giovanni, who is a professor at Virginia Tech, about one of her former students: Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 33 people on campus in a mass shooting in 2007. He was in her class for a few weeks, two years before the shootings.Giovanni said she believes in stricter gun laws. "We ought to know who's in shooting galleries," she said, adding you need photo ID to board a plane, but you do not need to show one to go to a shooting gallery. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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The Secret to Good Living - When Hardwick asked the poet how she stayed such a youthful 71-year-old, her answer was straightforward and simple. "I don’t eat with people I don't like and I don't sleep with people I don't like." (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Words to Live By - "Life is a good idea is what I think," Giovanni said at the very end of her talk. "While we're here in it, we have to embrace it and make it make sense to us." (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Talking Revolution - When rapper/actor Common sat down with Mike Tyson, he had a lot of praise for the former heavyweight champion. Common said watching Tyson head to the ring blasting Tupac and Public Enemy was nothing short of "revolutionary" and stayed with him forever. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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An Unexpected Renaissance Man - Although he made his name in the ring, Tyson has successfully branched off into a lot of surprising industries. He and Common discussed his bestselling book, Undisputed Truth, his one-man Broadway show, his scene-stealing moments in The Hangover and his upcoming cartoon series, Mike Tyson Mysteries, which Tyson says is inspired by Scooby-Doo (but with a pigeon instead of a dog). He also revealed that he and Jamie Foxx have met about Foxx playing him in a film. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Money Matters - More than once during their 30-minute talk, Common and Tyson touched on the former champ's well-documented ups and downs with money. Tyson said there is a definite "art to handling money” that he absolutely did not have in the beginning of his career. After losing millions, he said he doesn't focus on possessions anymore and cautioned the audience not to be "reckless spenders" like he was. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Real Love - While he suspected Common was hoping for an answer closer to something you'd read on a Hallmark Card, Mike kept it honest when he was asked about relationships. "Love is a form of insanity," said the man who just celebrated his fifth anniversary with his third wife. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Word Play - Even though Common is known for being a wordsmith, he decided to turn the tables, asking Tyson to finish the sentence "Mike Tyson is..." His answers: Competitive. Strange. In love with his family. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Believe in Yourself - Tyson’s parting words to the audience were that everyone should "learn from your mistakes. You're the only person who can keep yourself down." He said he used to think that was a cliché, but his life today is testament to how true it is. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Recognizing Genius - "Floyd being here is an honor, it’s a blessing. Because he is truly a genius at what he does," Doug E. Fresh said to introduce Mayweather, the undefeated five-division world boxing champion. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Award Winning - After a 30-minute discussion on childhood, what motivates him, being a father, and the importance of giving back, Mayweather was honored with recognition for his hard work outside of the boxing ring when Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) awarded him with the Centric Community Impact Award. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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School Is in Session - "We're going to go back to school for a little history lesson," Shaun Robinson told the crowd as she welcomed rapper Bun B. and Reggie Saunders, Director of Entertainment for Jordan Brand for Nike. The two discussed hip hop culture and sneaker culture, and how they influenced each other. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Back in the Day - Bun B., who teaches at Rice University, opened the talk with an actual history lesson, first telling the audience about the origins of hip hop, DJing and the evolution of the MC. Soon he connected hip hop's younger days with Michael Jordan and how his attitude on the court came to influence the hip hop generation. It was about, "wanting to look the best and be the best" he said, adding that LL Cool J was one of the first rappers to wear Air Jordans in videos and album artwork. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Parting Words - By the end of the hour-long talk, it was time for Bun and Saunders to answer a question every man has had to consider: You're out looking nice in a brand new pair of Jordans, what would you do if someone stepped on them, Shaun Robinson asked. They laughed and kept it peaceful. (Photo: Mark Sullivan/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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The Hostess With the Most - On Day 1 of the Genius Talks panel discussions, brought to you by RushCard, MC Lyte kept the crowd entertained with her wit as artists received praise for their accolades both personal and professional. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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People's Champ - Author and award-winning actor Hill Harper asked singer/songwriter Bill Withers how he feels about hearing his hits, such as "Ain't No Sunshine" or "Lean on Me." Withers said simply the best feeling is what people take from the lyrics. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Dream Chaser - It's no secret Bill Withers began his music career after the age of 30, but for the singer/songwriter embarking on a new career path, what was important was he believed he could do it. "The second part of my life there are things that I could do even better," Withers told Hill Harper. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Real Talk - When award-winning singer/songwriter Bill Withers hears the misogyny in hip hop music he wonders what goes on in the artists lives. "Out of all the things you could say, they need to say that?" Still, Withers understands it's "just dudes talking trash," and although he's not judging it, he sees how it has turned into an art form. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Giving Back - Snoop Dogg and LA Clipper Chris Paul focused on why it's so necessary to give back to your community –– whether you have a little or a lot. Paul recalled how working as a teen at his grandfather's North Carolina service station gave him a chance to observe and learn from his elder. Being philanthropic was a "learned ability once God gave me the ability to give back," he said. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Smart Money - ESPN host Jemele Hill kept the questions coming when interviewing to Chris Paul and Snoop Dogg, but at the end of the talk she showed off her own genius, sharing what advice she would give her younger self: "Don't ruin your credit in college." Smart words from a (financially) savvy woman. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Community Outreach - Snoop Dogg explained that by setting up youth football leagues in different communities, he was doing a lot more than guaranteeing that kids would play sports. He told the audience how he focused on "communities at risk" and how the leagues helped to save lives and revitalize communities, including making dangerous parks safe again. Next up for Snoop? An initiative to help end gun violence. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Decisions, Decisions - Actress Regina King uncovers how astronaut Mae Jemison fell in love with science after pursuing dance. Jemison's decision to trade in her ballet shoes for a microscope came from her mother, who told her, "You can always dance if you are a doctor, but you can't necessarily dance and doctor." (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Discovery - Regina King revealed how she chose to lead Genius Talks with Mae Jemison because of her son's project on explorers. King said that she was researching Black explorers, including Jemison, with her son, Jerome, who was a young boy at the time. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Free Yourself - Astronaut Mae Jemison and actress Regina King bonded about everything from their career paths to hair care. Jemison recalled when she styled her hair into an afro in the third grade. Jemison felt beautiful and validated at a young age even, when she didn't think her hair was supposed to be different than how it naturally was. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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Donald Sterling Controversy - "My head coach, Doc Rivers, was amazing throughout that situation," Chris Paul told ESPN writer Jemele Hill. "Basketball is not like tennis, it's not just you," he continued. "We all said we were going through it, we decided to go through it as a team and it brought us closer together." (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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A Voice for the Black Community - The Obama administration's Office of Public Engagement African-American liaison, Heather Foster, spoke about connecting the White House closer to issues in the Black community. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
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A Message From the House - President of Broadcast Media Sales for BET Networks Louis Carr breaks it down as he talks about what it takes to be an important figure in Black media. (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
Photo By Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET
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Onto the Next - William Packer, one of the few high-level African-American producers with a deal at a major Hollywood studio, opened up to his long-time friend Boris Kodjoe about his legacy. "The way that I am built is that I'm always looking for the next thing, 'What's the next goal?'" Packer said just days after his production Think Like a Man Too came in at No. 1 in the box office during opening weekend. "I am grateful for my success, but I am still grinding man," Packer said, "The true value of life is the legacy that you leave." (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)