EP. 012 • Ists and Isms

In the longest episode of I Don't Make the Rules to date, Mark and Larry hit the ground running—opening with a quick discussion on the effectiveness of school systems before sliding into how and why time feels like it moves faster as we get older (00:03:30). From there, the guys check in on what they've been up to recently (00:05:30), including Larry's kind of trip to the Daytona 500, and Mark's trip to New York—highlighted by a night at the Garden to see the Knicks and a Broadway visit to MJ: The Musical (00:11:06). Mark's review sparks conversation around Michael Jackson's upcoming biopic and posthumous portrayals of celebrities. The episode then shifts into current events, starting with the controversy surrounding the BBC airing a slur during the BAFTAs directed at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo (00:20:42), which leads into a messy but honest conversation about mental health. From there, the guys react to President Trump's recent State of the Union Address (00:34:33) and discuss Dr. Umar Johnson's progress with the Frederick Douglass Marcus Garvey (FDMG) Academy (00:44:48), leading into broader conversations about leadership, consciousness, and action. The sports segment—now known as Rules of the Game—covers a wide range of NBA-related topics, including stars getting away with nonsense because people like them (01:06:35), NBA All-Star Weekend (01:07:43), U.S.-born vs. international NBA stars (01:19:50), Mayweather coming out of retirement, Ryan Garcia's win over Barrios and his sights set on Shakur Stevenson (01:41:15), and a quick salute to Team USA at the Winter Olympics. In a fast-moving Streamer Segment, Mark brings up the recent events surrounding DeenTheGreat (01:49:28), which leads to a conversation about Larry Wheels and his relationship—landing on a bigger point about coolness before fame (or the lack thereof). After a quick tangent about the Winter Olympic Village reportedly running out of condoms (01:53:40), the guys share thoughts on Kai Cenat allegedly giving the Clover Boys $100k a month in allowance (01:59:51). Before the episode wraps, they discuss new music from Baby Keem (02:03:24), A Boogie (02:11:12), and Brent Faiyaz—along with a debate about where Brent stands as an R&B star today (02:18:36). Along the way, the guys also get into hypothetical superpowers, the best places to meet women, hard-no dating dealbreakers, and plenty more. Technical difficulties couldn't stop this one—and neither could political incorrectness. Listen to the disclaimer at the opening… and enjoy.