PODCAST · society
Grown Man Game
by Rod and Big Mike
Welcome to Grown Man Game. This ain’t just another podcast; it’s a kickback with your brothers Mike and Rod. We’re two Black fathers trading knowledge and wisdom on everything from navigating relationships to the music that shaped us. We’re talking money, mindset, and the unspoken truths of manhood. If you want to laugh, learn, and level up without the fluff—you’re in the right place. Let’s build.
Episodes
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Hood-Adjacent & Over 40: The Art of Building Our Own Spaces
What does it really mean to navigate life as a grown man when your world is constantly shifting—from closing business chapters to figuring out where you actually belong? In this episode of Grown Man Game, Big Mike and Rod pull up to the mics for an unfiltered, soulful, and hilarious conversation...
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Catch the Fade or Catch a Ride? The Art of Emotional Regulation
If somebody disrespects your lady in public, what’s the move: do you jump straight out the whip ready to crash out, or do you tuck your pride, tell her to get in the car, and make sure everybody gets home alive? In this episode of Grown Man Game, Rod and Big Mike sit down on the couch for some…
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Upgrading Bro Code to Grown Man Code (Are You Still Running Old Software?)
Look, “bros before hoes” might have kept you alive when you were 21, living on ramen, and arguing over Madden house rules, but if you’re still moving like that in your 30s and 40s? Brother, your code is expired. In this episode of Grown Man Game, Big Mike and Rod sit down for some real talk about...
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Do Women Need Men for Protection?
In this episode of Grown Man Game, Rod Richard and Big Mike take on a sharp question: If men were gone, who would women need protection from? The conversation starts light with a debate over Denzel Washington and Will Smith. Does Denzel disappear into a role, or does every role become Denzel?…
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Can Men and Women Really Be Just Friends?
Can a man be a genuine friend to a woman he finds attractive, or is he waiting for his opportunity? In this episode of Grown Man Game, Rod Richard and Big Mike respond to a post claiming that attraction makes a man’s friendship performative. That opens a direct conversation about the difference...
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The Catch-Up: Travel, Marriage & What Men Need
Season 2 of Grown Man Game starts with the catch-up Rod and Big Mike have been waiting to have. Rod shares stories from Qatar, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Greece, and Washington, DC. Mike recaps Singapore and Thailand. They compare cultures, talk about contentment, question America’s relationship with...
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Drake, Kendrick, Black Business & the Line Between Culture and Ego
In this episode of Grown Man Game, Rod and Big Mike start off with jokes, health updates, family wins, and AI music before the conversation turns into a full debate about Drake, Kendrick Lamar, UMG, lawsuits, ego, and the business of hip-hop. What starts as a music conversation becomes something...
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The Internet Got Mad… But This Is the Real Grown Man Game
The internet lost its mind over a conversation about men keeping their phones in their back pocket… but the real conversation went way deeper than that. In this episode, Rod and Big Mike break down the viral reaction, social media culture, emotional discipline, masculinity, growth, fatherhood…
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AI, Street Culture & Fatherhood Discussion | Grown Man Game Podcast Ep. 15
AI is changing careers faster than schools can adapt. In this episode of the Grown Man Game Podcast, Rod and Big Mike talk about AI, street culture, celebrity obsession, fatherhood, and the future men are trying to prepare their families for. The conversation moves from funny stories and internet...
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Why Men Joke Through Pain + Akon’s Fatherhood Take Is Off
This episode of the Grown Man Game Podcast hits real conversations men don’t always say out loud. We break down why men joke through everything… even pain, even loss. From roasting your boys at a funeral to turning serious moments into laughs, we unpack what’s really going on under the surface....
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Black Identity, Code Switching & The Pressure Black Men Face | Grown Man Game Podcast Ep. 13
What does it mean to be Black in America… and feel like you’re carrying the weight of representing an entire culture? In this episode of the Grown Man Game Podcast, Rod and Big Mike have a real conversation about Black identity, stereotypes, code-switching, racism, and the pressure Black men…
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Why Most Men Are Overwhelmed (And What Actually Works)
What’s better… structure or freedom? In this episode of the Grown Man Game Podcast, Rod and Mike break down the real reason men feel overwhelmed. It starts with a conversation about schedules but quickly turns into something deeper—pressure, responsibility, fatherhood, and how men are trying to…
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Masculinity, Vulnerability, and Brotherhood | Grown Man Game Ep. 11
What does masculinity really look like today? In this episode of Grown Man Game, Rod and Big Mike unpack the made-up rules men are expected to follow and why so many of those rules fall apart under real life. From funny examples about headphones in the gym, massages, and manicures to deeper...
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Why Grown Men Need Checkups and Better Birthday Gifts | Grown Man Game Ep. 10
In this one, Mike and Rod talk about what it looks like to get older as men and actually take your health seriously. They get into doctor visits, bloodwork, hydration, stretching, recovery, and why too many men wait too long to handle their health. They also get into a funny but real debate about...
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From Jive Turkey to No Cap: How Language, Love, and Manhood Changed
Language always changes. Slang comes and goes. Some words die fast. Some stick around for decades. In this episode, Rod and Mike talk about the evolution of slang, regional language, Black culture’s impact on the way people talk, and why certain phrases last while others disappear. But the...
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Code Switching, Commitment, and Black Culture | Grown Man Game Ep. 8
In Episode 8 of Grown Man Game, Rod and Big Mike get into current events, Black culture, parenting, aging, health, and what commitment really looks like in a relationship. They open with the Kane Velasquez case and the emotional weight behind it, then move into Kevin Gates, trauma, code…
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Brotherhood Is Collapsing and It’s Killing Men | Grown Man Game Ep. 7
The Grown Man Game Podcast talks about the quiet collapse of brotherhood and what it’s doing to men. We all have “friends” in the group chat, people we follow, coworkers we dap up… but most men don’t have real brothers who can check blind spots, hold you to your word, and push you to lead at home...
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Men Don’t Know What Happiness Is (But We Know Peace) | Grown Man Game Ep. 6
Grown Man Game Episode 6 is a real convo on what happiness looks like for men, why peace feels like the real goal, and how we’ve been conditioned to avoid certain emotions. We also get into travel sports parenting fees, learning emotional discipline in front of your kids, and why men need to stop...
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Partner + Provider: How Grown Men Show Up at Home | Grown Man Game Ep. 5
Episode 5 of the Grown Man Game Podcast is a real talk on being a partner and a provider. Rod and Big Mike break down what it looks like to support your woman’s goals, communicate like an adult, handle conflict without trying to “win,” and why you’ve got to celebrate the small wins. They also get...
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Modern Masculinity in 2025
Masculinity feels harder to define than ever. In Episode 4 of Grown Man Game, Rod and Big Mike talk through what modern masculinity actually looks like in 2025. They get into leadership without chest beating, money pressure without panic, dating expectations, insecurity disguised as toughness…
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Men Want Validation Too (And It’s Killing Relationships)
In Episode 3 of the Grown Man Game podcast, Rod and Mike talk about why so many male friendships stay surface-level, and how that bleeds into marriage and relationships. They get into validation, desire, and the quiet question a lot of men carry: “Am I enough?” The conversation moves through...
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The Weight Men Carry: Friendship, Marriage, and Letting It Out
Rod and Big Mike get real about why so many men feel isolated, why it’s hard to be vulnerable, and what happens when you keep stacking stress without talking to anyone. They talk about the decline in close male friendships and how that shows up in marriage, fatherhood, and mental health. Rod…
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Nice Guys & Neighborhood Codes: Lessons from Two Fathers
In this raw, unfiltered premiere episode of Grown Man Game, hosts Rod and Mike introduce themselves by sharing their contrasting childhood experiences - from family compounds to crack houses, suburban racism to urban survival. Their authentic conversation reveals how these formative experiences...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Grown Man Game. This ain’t just another podcast; it’s a kickback with your brothers Mike and Rod. We’re two Black fathers trading knowledge and wisdom on everything from navigating relationships to the music that shaped us. We’re talking money, mindset, and the unspoken truths of manhood. If you want to laugh, learn, and level up without the fluff—you’re in the right place. Let’s build.
HOSTED BY
Rod and Big Mike
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Grown Man Game have?
Grown Man Game currently has 23 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Grown Man Game about?
Welcome to Grown Man Game. This ain’t just another podcast; it’s a kickback with your brothers Mike and Rod. We’re two Black fathers trading knowledge and wisdom on everything from navigating relationships to the music that shaped us. We’re talking money, mindset, and the unspoken truths of...
How often does Grown Man Game release new episodes?
Grown Man Game has 23 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Grown Man Game?
You can listen to Grown Man Game on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Grown Man Game?
Grown Man Game is created and hosted by Rod and Big Mike.
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