“Black men have been called many things—beast, menace, threat—but the truth is, we are a tapestry of strength, compassion, and beauty.” This podcast is committed to challenging stereotypes and reshaping the Black male narrative. Through in-depth conversations, we highlight the compassion, resilience, and courage of Black men, showing how they navigate societal pressures while maintaining their humanity.&#34;

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What happens when the work you create to help other people begins changing you too?When Beauty in the Beast began, Kyle and Malik wanted to build a safe place where Black men could speak honestly about identity, relationships, fear, healing, purpose, and emotional health.They did not expect the conversations to expose their own unfinished work.In this candid season reflection, the hosts open up about imposter syndrome, self-doubt, therapy, faith, business, friendship, emotional growth, and the pressure of trying to pour into others while still navigating their own struggles.They revisit the episodes that challenged them most, the audience reactions they never anticipated, and the realization that the podcast is becoming more than a collection of conversations.It is becoming an archive.A community.And a record of Black men choosing honesty over silence.<h3>In this episode:</h3><ul><li>Why the growth of the podcast surprised both hosts</li><li>Feeling like a fraud while encouraging other men to heal</li><li>The emotional impact of audience criticism and support</li><li>How therapy helped them become kinder to themselves</li><li>What Stevie Baggs taught them about spirituality and conviction</li><li>The lasting impact of the Al-Tariq Miller episode</li><li>Why lived experience deepens empathy</li><li>Asking for help without shame</li><li>Learning to love yourself without achievement</li><li>Why this platform matters during a divisive cultural moment</li></ul>You do not have to have everything figured out before your story can help someone.Sometimes the work that heals others begins healing you too. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

You Don’t Have to Be Fully Healed to Help Someone Else

Kyle and Malik reflect on three seasons of Beauty in the Beast and the unexpected transformation that happened behind the microphones.
What began as a platform for Black men to speak openly became a personal journey through imposter syndrome, therapy, spirituality, self-love, purpose, community, and learning to ask for help.
The hosts revisit the conversations that shaped them, the guests who challenged their thinking, and the growing realization that Beauty in the Beast is creating an enduring archive of stories that too often go unheard.
This is not merely a season recap.
It is an honest conversation about helping others while still healing yourself

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content

Helping While Hurting_ Ep. 31

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What happens when no one who looks like you stands at the front of the classroom?Kevin James grew up in inner-city Wilmington, Delaware, searching for examples of what his future could become. He didn&#39;t see Black professors, Black executives, or Black leaders who reflected his own possibilities. Instead of accepting that limitation, he decided to become the person he wished he&#39;d had.In this powerful conversation with Kyle Gaul and Malik Baraka, Kevin shares how education became more than a career. It became a calling to return, teach, mentor, and help young Black men believe there is another path.The conversation expands beyond education into fatherhood, entrepreneurship, representation, giving back to forgotten communities, and why success means little if the next generation cannot see themselves in it.<h3>In this episode:</h3>• Why representation changes lives• The emotional cost of feeling invisible• Why Kevin became a professor• College versus real-world preparation• Why students should think like owners, not employees• Returning home without losing yourself• Building scholarships for students who are often overlookedIf this conversation challenged you, subscribe and join us as we continue creating a safe place for honest conversations among Black men. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

YOU CAN'T BE WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE

Kevin James joins Beauty &amp; The Beast to explore how growing up without visible role models shaped his life and purpose.
From being bused out of his neighborhood as a child to becoming a corporate executive, entrepreneur, and professor, Kevin explains why representation matters, why education alone is no longer enough, and why he believes success means creating opportunities for the next generation.
This conversation is about identity, legacy, mentorship, and becoming the example you never had.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content

I Became the Man I Never Saw Growing Up | Kevin James _Ep. 30

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Success never solved Elliott Brown&#39;s deepest struggle.Behind a thriving career was a man quietly wrestling with imposter syndrome, fear, ego, and the pressure to always have the answers.In one of the most emotionally transparent conversations of the season, Elliott shares how therapy, fatherhood, friendship, and humility transformed the way he leads at work and loves at home.If you&#39;ve ever struggled to separate confidence from ego, this conversation will stay with you. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

The Identity Crisis Nobody Sees

Elliott Brown thought being a great father meant being right.
He was wrong.
This conversation explores anxiety, imposter syndrome, therapy, marriage, parenting, friendship, and why becoming emotionally available may be the bravest thing a man can do.

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Success Didn't Save Me_Elliott Brown_ Ep. 29

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What happens when being dependable becomes your identity?Attorney, entrepreneur, and former magistrate judge Quinton Washington has spent his life helping people navigate some of the hardest moments they&#39;ll ever face. Courtrooms.Divorce.Family disputes.Business conflicts.But behind every decision was another reality. Someone still had to carry the weight.In this episode of Beauty in the Beast, Quinton opens up about practicing law, leading a business, raising twins, marriage, therapy, emotional resilience, and why many high-performing men quietly convince themselves they don&#39;t have time to care for their own emotional health. This isn&#39;t a conversation about legal strategy.It&#39;s a conversation about what responsibility costs.In this episode:-The emotional toll of practicing law-What it&#39;s really like being a judge-Why lawyers compartmentalize-The hidden pressure of leadership-Marriage, fatherhood, and emotional resilience-Why therapy isn&#39;t weakness-The expectations placed on Black men-Learning to care for yourself without abandoning everyone else Because sometimes...the strongest people are the ones carrying the most. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

The Emotional Tax of Success

Former magistrate judge and attorney Quintin Washington shares an honest conversation about leadership, fatherhood, emotional resilience, and the hidden cost of carrying responsibility. This episode explores why so many successful men become experts at solving everyone else&#39;s problems while neglecting their own emotional lives.

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The Prison Nobody Sees_Former Judge Quinton Washington _ Ep. 28

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What happens when the man everyone depends on has no one checking on him?Greg Kirkland has spent his life serving others. As a pastor, choir director, entrepreneur, filmmaker, husband, and father, he&#39;s dedicated himself to lifting people up. But behind every title is a man wrestling with the same question many men quietly carry:When does someone take care of me?In one of the most vulnerable conversations ever on Beauty in the Beast, Greg opens up about balancing ministry, marriage, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, emotional exhaustion, and the guilt many men feel when they finally choose themselves.This isn&#39;t just a conversation about faith.It&#39;s about responsibility. It&#39;s about identity.And it&#39;s about discovering that being present for yourself may be the greatest gift you can give everyone else.In this episode:• Why Greg says balance doesn&#39;t exist• The hidden emotional cost of leadership• Why pastors need grace too• Blended families and second chances• Living with constant responsibility• The guilt men carry• Why &#34;doing nothing&#34; is actually doing something• How quiet moments changed his lifeThis conversation is about burnout, identity, fatherhood, leadership and why taking care of yourself isn&#39;t selfish.It&#39;s survival. Chapters:03:15 Growing Up Between Gospel and R&amp;B09:00 When Music Became a Calling14:00 Building the See-It Choir18:30 The Pastor Who Ran From Pastoring22:00 The Truth About Megachurches29:30 The Genuine Article39:30 My Dope Blend and Blended Family Life42:00 Why Balance Doesn&#39;t Exist46:00 The Guilt Men Carry49:00 Who Takes Care of You?52:00 Why He Won&#39;t Pause Being a Husband or Father58:00 Learning to Be Alone1:05:00 The Truth about Feeling Loved?1:07:00 The Irony of the Worldview of Black Men 1:10:00 Give Your Pastor Grace #BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #GregKirkland #BlackMenHealing #Fatherhood #MasculinityRedefined #ExecutivePastor #WorkLifeBalance #MensMentalHealth #BlendedFamily #EmotionalIntelligenceForMen #VulnerabilityIsStrength #TheDopeBlend #Brotherhood #FaithAndFamily #megachurch Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

A Pastor Admits What He Can't Turn Off

Who takes care of the man everyone depends on?
Greg Kirkland has spent decades pouring into others as a pastor, husband, father, entrepreneur, and creative leader. But behind the titles is a man learning that constant sacrifice without restoration eventually comes at a cost.
This episode explores leadership, faith, emotional health, blended families, and why the strongest men also need permission to rest.

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I Can Pause Pastor. I Can't Pause Dad_ Greg Kirkland_ Ep. 27

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Tony Ray is living proof that the strongest men aren&#39;t the ones who hide their emotions. They&#39;re the ones courageous enough to face them.&#34; For most of his life...Tony believed anger was strength.Growing up in Miami taught him that kindness was dangerous.Vulnerability was weakness.Survival meant staying guarded.So he did what so many men learn to do.He buried his grief.He buried depression.He buried fear. Until the day his daughter stopped wanting to be around him.That moment forced him to ask a question he had spent years avoiding:Who have I become?What follows is one of the most honest conversations we&#39;ve had on Beauty in the Beast.Tony opens up about childhood loss, depression, divorce, therapy, fatherhood, emotional healing, and why learning to feel may have saved his life. This isn&#39;t simply a conversation about mental health.It&#39;s about becoming the man your children deserve before it&#39;s too late.In this episode• Losing his grandfather and falling into depression• Why surviving isn&#39;t the same as healing• The anger he mistook for strength• Therapy and the stigma Black men carry• Divorce, abandonment, and rebuilding himself• The daughter who unknowingly changed his life• Breaking generational curses• Why healing begins when you stop trying to control everyone elseEvery man has a story beneath the surface.Beauty in the Beast exists to uncover it. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

THE ANGRY BLACK MAN I DIDN'T KNOW I'D BECOME

What if the strongest thing a man can do...
is finally admit he&#39;s hurting?
Tony spent years believing anger protected him.
Instead...
it was costing him the relationship that mattered most.
His daughter stopped running toward him.
She started pulling away.
That moment forced him to confront decades of grief, trauma and emotional survival.
This conversation isn&#39;t about becoming perfect.
It&#39;s about becoming emotionally available before life forces the lesson

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The Weight of Anger_Anthony Coleman_ Ep.26

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There are moments in life that split your story into before and after.For Dr. Rasheed Abiola, that moment came with four words:&#34;Your father is dead.&#34;His father wasn&#39;t just any father.Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O.) Abiola was the man widely recognized as the winner of Nigeria&#39;s historic 1993 presidential election. Before he could take office, democracy was stripped away, his victory was denied, and his family was thrust into exile. Years later, Rasheed would learn that his father had died while imprisoned.How do you carry a name the world recognizes while trying to discover who you are?In this deeply personal episode of **Beauty in the Beast**, Dr. Rasheed Abiola shares the untold story behind the headlines. He opens up about grief, identity, family, resilience, and the quiet burden of living in the shadow of an extraordinary legacy. Today, Rasheed is a nationally respected spine surgeon, husband, father, and leader. But long before the titles, there was a son trying to make sense of unimaginable loss.Together we explore:• Growing up as the son of M.K.O. Abiola• Losing his father after Nigeria&#39;s democratic crisis• Living with grief while building a life of purpose• The responsibility of carrying a historic family name• Becoming one of the nation&#39;s leading spine surgeons• Why family became the center of everything he does• The lessons every parent hopes to leave behindThis isn&#39;t a story about politics.It&#39;s a story about a son.A son who refused to let tragedy define him.A son who transformed loss into purposeAnd a reminder that while a legacy can be taken from you, your character never can.Beauty in the Beast creates a space where Black men share the stories behind the strength. Through honest conversations about identity, healing, relationships, fatherhood, and resilience, we reveal the humanity that too often goes unseen.If this conversation moved you, subscribe and join us as we continue breaking the myths surrounding Black men, one story at a time.#BeautyInTheBeast #RasheedAbiola #Nigeria #BlackExcellence #OrthopedicSurgery #SpineSurgeon #FamilyLegacy #Leadership #Resilience #Purpose #Identity #BlackMenHealing #AfricanExcellence #Brotherhood #PersonalGrowth #nigeria #africa #history #viral #snowboarding #orthopedics Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Legacy, Loss & Becoming Your Own Man | Dr. Rasheed Abiola

At nine years old, Rasheed Abiola&#39;s life looked destined for greatness.
His father had just won Nigeria&#39;s presidential election.
Then everything unraveled.
A military regime refused to relinquish power. His father was imprisoned. His family fled the country. And years later, while playing basketball in New York, Rasheed learned the devastating truth: his father had died in detention.
For years, he couldn&#39;t talk about it.
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Rasheed Abiola shares the emotional cost of carrying a famous name, the grief that shaped him, and the lessons his mother used to guide him toward a future neither of them could fully see.
Today he is a respected spine surgeon, but this story isn&#39;t about medicine.
It&#39;s about identity.
It&#39;s about family.
And it&#39;s about becoming the man your parents hoped you would be, even when they aren&#39;t here to see it.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content

For Years, I Couldn't Talk About My Father's Death_ Dr. Rasheed Abiola_Ep. 25

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Everyone talks about finding themselves in their twenties.Winston Warrior found himself in his fifties.After decades of chasing achievement through corporate success, music, academia, and influence, life forced him to confront a painful question:Who are you when the titles disappear?The answer led him into one of the most unexpected chapters of his life.As a member of the Silver Fox Squad, Winston has become part of a movement redefining what aging, masculinity, and confidence look like for Black men.This isn&#39;t a story about getting older.It&#39;s a story about finally becoming yourself. CHAPTERS 00:00 &#34;What Defines You When Success Disappears?&#34;03:41 The Childhood That Built Winston Warrior08:15 The Pressure to Achieve14:03 Chasing Success &amp; Recognition20:58 Becoming a Leader at the University of Miami28:26 The Birth of The Dope Professor34:55 When Everything Started Falling Apart39:48 &#34;People Stopped Returning My Calls&#34;43:15 The Fall From Grace47:34 The Identity Crisis No One Saw52:48 How the Silver Fox Squad Changed Everything58:10 Why Most Men Get Aging Wrong01:02:03 &#34;My Best Years Didn&#39;t Happen at 35&#34;01:05:40 The Legacy Every Man Should Leave Behind #BeautyInTheBeast #WinstonWarrior #SilverFoxSquad #BlackMenHealing #MensGrowth #BlackExcellence #PersonalDevelopment #PurposeDriven #MensMentalHealth #EmotionalIntelligence #Reinvention #AgingWithPurpose #Brotherhood #SelfMastery #Confidence #MasculinityRedefined #TheDopeProfessor #UniversityOfMiami #Leadership #LifeAfter50 Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

I DIDN'T PEAK AT 35

Most people spend their lives chasing success.
Winston Warrior spent decades achieving it.

Corporate executive. University professor. Entrepreneur. Influencer. Leader.

From the outside, it looked like he had everything figured out.

But what happens when the titles stop defining you? What happens when the applause fades and life forces you to confront who you are without your accomplishments?

In this powerful episode of *Beauty in the Beast*, Winston Warrior shares the lessons he learned through reinvention, resilience, and self-discovery. He opens up about navigating personal setbacks, rebuilding his identity, finding purpose beyond achievement, and embracing a new chapter of life with confidence and intention.

As a member of the Silver Fox Squad, Winston is part of a growing movement redefining what it means to age as a man. Through brotherhood, style, health, purpose, and personal growth, he challenges the belief that life&#39;s best years belong to youth.

This conversation explores:

• The pressure of achievement and identity
• What happens when success no longer defines you
• Reinvention after setbacks and disappointment
• Brotherhood, community, and belonging
• Confidence, purpose, and aging with intention
• Why your greatest chapter may still be ahead of you

If you&#39;ve ever questioned your purpose, struggled with change, or wondered whether it&#39;s too late to start over, this conversation will remind you that growth has no expiration date.

Because sometimes the best version of you doesn&#39;t arrive first.

Sometimes it arrives right on time.


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Most Men Slow Down After 50. He Became Unstoppable _ WINSTON WARRIOR_ Ep. 24

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&#34;I already didn&#39;t feel wanted. I didn&#39;t feel the love, ...I was never accepted. Where was I getting the acceptance at? You know what I mean? Was everywhere outside of the house.” - Ron RimkoRon grew up as one of the only white kids in his school and neighborhood, feeling more comfortable in Black spaces than in his own home. In this episode of Beauty in the Beast, he opens up about being dropped off at his dad’s house for a “month-long vacation” that secretly became 13 years, the depression that followed, and what it meant to be the “piece of salt in a pepper shaker” in metro Atlanta. Ron talks about growing up with a military father who didn’t talk about emotions, losing daily contact with his mother, and having to “mentally and emotionally raise” himself. He shares how he found warmth and protection in the homes of his Black friends and their single mothers, why he felt more accepted in those spaces than with his own family, and how he learned to wear a mask around white folks just to avoid being judged. We get into his move to small-town Ohio, the shock of Oxy-infested neighborhoods, dealing weed to try to pay for college, catching charges, and the moment in jail when his grandmother’s disappointment and a sergeant’s blunt, “You don’t fit the mold here,” forced him to choose a different life. From there, Ron walks us through basketball as his escape, the barbershop as his sanctuary, and how cutting hair for Black men showed him the weight they carry every day. Finally, we ask Ron directly: What do you think about Black men being seen as the beast in this world? His answer is honest, emotional, and unapologetically clear: it’s unfair, unbalanced, and Black men have it a lot harder than most people admit. If you care about race, belonging, cross-cultural friendship, addiction, masculinity, abandonment, mother wounds, and barbershop truth, this conversation is for you. #beautyinthebeast #blackmeninamerica #barbershoptalk #whiteskinblackspaces #motherwound #maskedmasculinity #oxycrisis #addictionrecovery #blackmenhealing #emotionalintelligenceformen Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Ron grew up as one of the only white kids in his school and neighborhood, feeling more at home in Black spaces than in his own family. What was supposed to be a one-month visit to his father’s house turned into 13 years away from his mother, leaving him a depressed child trying to make sense of abandonment, rejection, and identity. In this episode, he talks about being raised by a strict military dad with no emotional language, clinging to the mothers of his Black friends for warmth, and learning to “mentally and emotionally raise” himself. 

Ron shares how he became “a piece of salt in a pepper shaker” in metro Atlanta, how his own white family questioned his character because of the culture he loved, and why he began wearing a mask around white folks while feeling fully himself in Black communities. We follow him to small-town Ohio, into an Oxy-saturated environment, into the streets as he tried to pay for college, and eventually into jail, where his grandmother’s worry and a correctional sergeant’s tough honesty convinced him he didn’t belong in that life. 

From there, Ron talks about basketball as his escape, the barbershop as his safe space, and the quiet process of rebuilding his inner world. In the final stretch, we ask him what he thinks about Black men being perceived as “the beast” in this world. His answer is simple and raw: it’s unfair, it’s unbalanced, and Black men have it much harder than most people want to admit. 
This episode explores race, belonging, masking, addiction, mother wounds, chosen family, and allyship from a perspective you don’t often hear: a white barber whose heart and identity were shaped in Black spaces.

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You Don’t Fit the Mold_ Ron Rimko_ Ep. 23

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“You cannot control your emotions. You have to control the reaction to the emotion.”– Kevin BentleyKevin Bentley returns to Beauty in the Beast for a deeper, more revealing conversation about masculinity, fatherhood, emotional suppression, and what growth actually requires of men.In this episode, Kevin reflects on the pressure Black men carry to appear confident while quietly battling fear, self-doubt, and emotional restraint. He opens up about suppressing emotions, wearing masks to survive, questioning himself as a father, and the unexpected power of hearing affirmation from his own father. This conversation explores why men struggle to talk honestly, how ego becomes armor, and why professional coaching, counseling, and intentional support are not weaknesses but necessities.As a returning guest, Kevin brings added clarity, self-awareness, and depth—showing how growth evolves when men are willing to confront what they’ve been avoiding. This episode is not about having it all figured out. It’s about learning how to stop hiding, stop retreating, and start choosing help.If you’re navigating masculinity, fatherhood, emotional intelligence, therapy, confidence, or the pressure to always be “strong,” this episode will resonate deeply.#KevinBentley #BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #BlackMenHealing #MensMentalHealth #EmotionalIntelligenceForMen #FatherhoodJourney #MasculinityRedefined #TherapyForMen #BlackMaleIdentity #VulnerabilityIsStrength #MenAndGrowth #ReturningGuest #football #nfl Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Let It Breathe: Kevin Bentley on Rage, Healing & Manhood_ Ep. 22

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Even through the turmoil, I want them to look back and say, Dad did everything he needed to do.&#34; HersheyDJ Hershey joins Beauty in the Beast for one of the most honest and revealing conversations on identity, fatherhood, heartbreak, and healing. From growing up under strict structure, to being baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness at 13, to discovering his gift for DJing, Hershey walks us through the emotional path that shaped his manhood.He opens up about the sacrifices he made for marriage, the career moment he still regrets, the pain of divorce, raising daughters as a young father, and what it means to switch between his public persona and his private truth. Hershey shares how he learned self-worth, how he rebuilt after loss, and why he now lives by the mantra: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — I’m not beholden.”This episode speaks to men navigating identity, resilience, co-parenting, emotional armor, and the journey back to themselves. If you’re exploring masculinity, healing, or redefining your purpose, this one will hit home.<h3> </h3>#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #DJHershey #BlackMenHealing #MasculinityRedefined #FathersAndDaughters #EmotionalIntelligenceForMen #MenAndMentalHealth #HealingAfterDivorce #BlackMaleIdentity #ResilientMen #FatherhoodJourney #InnerHealing #PurposeAndIdentity #HonestConversations #VulnerabilityIsStrength #DJ Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

DJ Hershey on Identity & Pain

DJ Hershey sits down with Beauty in the Beast for a powerful conversation on identity, purpose, fatherhood, and the emotional journey many men face but rarely speak about. Hershey reflects on growing up under strict structure, navigating religious expectations, discovering his passion for DJing, and the sacrifices he made trying to hold his marriage and family together.
He opens up about the moment he chose family over a breakout career opportunity, the emotional fallout of divorce, raising daughters as a young father, and learning to reclaim his own identity. This episode explores the masks men wear, the wounds they hide, and the courage it takes to rebuild after loss. A deeply human discussion on healing, strength, and emotional truth.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content

Raising Daughters as a Broken Man_DJ Hershey on Identity & Pain_Ep.21

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&#34;I didn’t know what I needed. I would’ve made a story up… then cried in the dark.&#34;- Deider LandryLandry’s story is the truth behind the mask many men wear. Raised without a father, trained by sports to bury emotion, pushed into adulthood by competition and survival — he became the provider, the protector, the strong one. But somewhere in the process, he lost himself.In this powerful conversation, Landry opens up about learning to communicate, navigating marriage, unlearning emotional habits taught by coaches, and discovering that being a man isn’t about hiding your truth — it’s about facing it.He talks openly about what drives him, what scares him, what broke him, and what he’s finally ready to rebuild.If you&#39;ve ever felt pressure to be strong, silent, or endlessly driven…if you&#39;ve ever wondered where you fit inside the life you created…this conversation will hit harder than you expect.This is a story about identity, fatherhood, emotional maturity, and the quiet work of becoming whole.Listen to the full episode. It might change the way you see yourself.#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #Masculinity #BlackMenHealing #EmotionalIntelligence #Fatherhood #SelfAwareness #HealingJourney #MenAndFeelings #personalgrowth Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Landry sits down for a raw and honest conversation about identity, emotional maturity, marriage, and the silent pressures men grow up learning to perform. Raised without a father and shaped by competitive sports culture, he became the provider and protector long before he understood himself.
In this episode, he explores the gap between intention and impact, why tone triggers him, how marriage exposed his emotional blind spots, and the lifelong drive created the day his father walked away. It’s a story about unlearning old armor and discovering the courage to feel again.
A deeply human, necessary conversation for any man becoming a better version of himself.

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Learning the Language of Emotion_ Deider Landry_Ep.20

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I’m my primary caretaker.” - K.D. BoweThere are moments in a man’s life when the mirror stops being glass and becomes a witness.K.D. Bowe walked into this conversation carrying years of survival on his shoulders - the saint and the savage living in the same body, both of them shaped by a world that never asked whether he was ready.He speaks about faith not as doctrine, but as a battlefield where the people we trust sometimes fail us in ways our souls cannot forget. He speaks about love not as romance, but as a life that died in his hands - and the burial he had to attend alone. Divorce, he says, is its own kind of funeral. And the man who walks away is never the man who walked in.But the heart of this story is quieter. It is the moment he meets a boy he did not know he had abandoned. A small boy. Glowing. Starving. Waiting on the grown man who left him behind. When he asks, “Who wouldn’t feed you?” - the question is not for the child. It is for the man who finally sees him.And in that moment, K.D. discovers what Baldwin always knew:a man cannot become whole until he tells himself the truth.From there, he rebuilds his understanding of strength - not as violence, not as bravado, but as discipline, timing, and the courage to refuse becoming the very beast the world expects him to be. “I can touch the beast,” he says, “but I’m not the beast.”This episode is not an interview.It is a reckoning.A study in the soul of a man learning to love himself after the world - and his own choices - tried their best to unmake him.Watch this with your whole chest. It might call something awake in you too.#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #KDBowe #BlackMenHealing #EmotionalIntelligence #InnerChildWork #MasculinityRedefined #SelfLoveJourney #SoulWork #HealingForMen #GrowthMindset #KDBowe #divorce #preaching #pastor #church Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

This conversation with K.D. Bowe feels less like an interview and more like sitting across from a man who finally decided to stop running from himself. It’s honest, tender, and unexpectedly human in all the ways that matter.
K.D. invites you into the moments that reshaped him — the heartbreaks, the faith challenges, the quiet revelations he found when he stopped performing and started listening to his soul. What you’ll hear isn’t theory. It’s lived truth.
You’ll leave this episode with a deeper insight into:
how to reconnect with the parts of you you’ve ignored
how to heal without losing your strength
how to build a life that’s rooted, not rushed
and what it really means to take care of the boy inside the man
If you’ve ever felt pulled between who you are and who you’re trying to be, this conversation will speak to you on a level you didn’t expect.

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Healing Is a Grown Man’s Job_K.D. Bowe_ Ep. 19

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“He didn’t follow me… and that saved his life.”That’s how Al Tariq Miller begins the story no parent is ever prepared to tell.His youngest son - six years old - watched a cartoon on YouTube Kids.A cartoon that taught him how to hang himself.Minutes later, Al Tariq walked past his son’s room…and the child who always ran after him didn’t move.He checked on him anyway.And found his son hanging from the bunk bed.What happened next - the CPR, the coma, the recovery, the marriage nearly collapsing, the 988 calls, the rage at YouTube, the film he made to save other children - is the kind of pain that should break a man forever.But somehow… it didn’t.And now he’s here, telling the world what most men bury so deep they never come back from it.This is not content.This is not entertainment. - it&#39;s a lifeline. A warning every parent needs to hear. And a testament to resilience, fatherhood, and the unspoken weight many men carry.This will change the way you look at your children, your marriage, your mental health, and the world you trust them in.This is Beauty in the Beast.And this episode may be the most important we’ve ever recorded.#BeautyInTheBeastPodcast #AlTariqMiller #BlackMenHealing #YouTubeKidsSafety #HangmanChallenge #MentalHealthMatters #suicideprevention #menshealth #parenting Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Filmmaker Al Tariq Miller opens up about the day that changed his life forever: the moment he found his 6-year-old son hanging from a bunk bed after a YouTube Kids video taught him how to do it.
In this deeply vulnerable episode, Al Tariq shares:
His son’s survival and recovery
The trauma that resurfaced from his own childhood
His emotional breakdown and calls to 988
The pressure that nearly destroyed his marriage
How first responders became family
The purpose behind his award-winning film Laundry
This is one of the most powerful and necessary conversations ever recorded on Beauty in the Beast - a raw look at fatherhood, pain, resilience, and the emotional truth Black men rarely get space to express.
A life-changing episode.

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A Challenge No Child Should Ever See_Alterik Miller_Ep. 18

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“Men are forged off pain. You’ve never heard a success story without somebody saying, ‘I’ve been in a valley.’” Stevie BaggsThis conversation with Stevie Baggs Jr. will shake you awake.You’ll feel every word. From his days as a professional athlete to his rebirth as a spiritual leader, Stevie breaks open the myth that success is about fame, money, or applause. It’s not. It’s about knowing who you are when everything’s stripped away.He says, “Men are built off pain.” And he means it. Because when life knocked him flat — when he lost work, income, and control - that’s when he discovered his real strength. Not physical. Spiritual. He started listening inward, not outward.He calls therapy whatever heals you - the bike rides, the quiet, the self-work. He calls crying “your spirit sweating.” And he calls self-love “the greatest love on the planet.”By the end, you’ll realize this isn’t just about Stevie - it’s about every man who’s ever felt unseen. Every man who’s been told to suppress, to survive, to harden. Stevie invites you to remember: You are divine. You are chosen. And it’s time to stop believing you’re broken.Baggs doesn’t just preach freedom - he lives it. His words are fire and mirror: illuminating, uncomfortable, necessary.This episode doesn’t give you motivation - it gives you medicine. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

What happens when a pro athlete, actor, and spiritual teacher sits down to strip away the armor of masculinity?
In this raw, electrifying episode of Beauty in the Beast, Stevie Baggs Jr. shares the truth behind pain, purpose, and power. From his days in professional football to life after fame, Stevie reveals how real manhood begins when the mask comes off.
You’ll hear him break down:
• Why “men are built off pain” - and how to turn struggle into strength
• The difference between believing in God and knowing God
• What happens when you stop chasing success and start manifesting truth
• How self-love, language, and spiritual alignment rewrite the Black male narrative
This episode isn’t motivation — it’s medicine.

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You Can’t Fit In When You Were Born to Stand Out_Stevie Baggs_Ep.17

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<h3>&#34;You can’t expect people to see you if you’re always hiding.” Michael Turner</h3><h3> </h3>What happens when a licensed Black male therapist breaks down in therapy himself—and redefines what strength means for men?Episode Summary:In this transformative episode of Beauty &amp; the Beast, we sit down with Michael Turner—licensed therapist, trauma specialist, and one of the few nationally board-certified Black male counselors in the U.S. Michael gets real about breaking stereotypes in mental health, unpacking emotional armor, and what hypnotherapy really feels like. This isn’t just another discussion on mental health—it’s a vulnerable deep dive into how men carry their pain, protect themselves, and unlearn inherited trauma.From decoding why Black men are seen as “unicorns” in the therapy world, to confronting cultural pressures around identity, leadership, and authenticity, this episode delivers emotional revelations and societal insights you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you’re navigating your own healing journey or just want to understand the weight Black men carry, this conversation is essential.Key Questions Answered:What is emotional armor, and when does it protect vs. harm?How does hypnotherapy work, and is it safe?What does authentic leadership look like for Black men?How can you set emotional boundaries without guilt?What happens when you no longer feel like you belong “back home”? Guest Bio:Michael Turner is a licensed professional counselor in Georgia and Florida, credentialed in clinical hypnotherapy, DBT, and trauma-focused therapy. A proud Alabama A&amp;M alum, Michael is among the top 10% of Black male therapists in the U.S.—often referred to as a “unicorn” in his field. His mission: to dismantle stigma and make space for Black men to be vulnerable, powerful, and whole. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

&#34;You can’t expect people to see you if you’re always hiding.”  Michael Turner 

Licensed therapist Michael Turner joins Beauty &amp; the Beast to reveal the emotional cost of being seen as “the strong one.” In this powerful conversation, Michael opens up about what it means to wear emotional armor as a Black man—and what it takes to finally take it off.

We talk about the myths around therapy, the truth about hypnotherapy, and the psychological toll of always having to protect yourself. Michael shares why vulnerability isn’t weakness, how cultural pressure can silence healing, and the moment he realized success had distanced him from home.

Whether you’re carrying emotional weight, navigating identity, or trying to show up as your full self—this episode is a blueprint for what healing can look like.

In this episode:

The psychology of emotional armor
What hypnotherapy actually feels like
Why Black male therapists are called unicorns
Fatherhood, leadership, and generational healing
The moment it no longer felt safe to “go home”

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Why Black Men Wear Emotional Armor_ Dr. Michael Turner_Ep. 16

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“No one should be under the amount of pressure that I put myself on. The world doesn&#39;t pressure me, right? Corporate America is not pressure. I put the pressure on me. And I&#39;m going to apply pressure every day, not only to myself, but to those around me.” _Kevin BentleyThis episode will shake you if you’ve ever pushed yourself past exhaustion just to feel “enough.”Kevin Bentley was the 1% of the 1%-NFL linebacker, corporate exec, PhD candidate, father of five. On paper, he was unstoppable. But behind the grind was a man who couldn’t stop fighting: fighting to win, fighting to prove, fighting not to feel.In this raw conversation, Kevin admits that success became his armor. Growing up poor in gang‑infested L.A., he decided that failure wasn’t an option. That worked-until the rage, the perfectionism, and the silence started to eat him alive. He talks openly about suicidal thoughts, therapy, and what it really costs to be the “strong one” in every room.The breakthrough? Realizing that greatness without peace isn’t greatness at all. That true strength is crying in front of your daughters. It’s asking for help. It’s choosing to live, even when your ego tells you to keep performing.If you’ve ever said, “I can’t stop,” this conversation will remind you that you can-and that stopping might just save your life.Because you don’t need to die chasing greatness. You just need to learn how to live. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

The Cost of Greatness: What Happens When Success Becomes Survival_Kevin Bentley_Ep.15

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&#34;They told me I was special. But what they really meant was: token special.&#34;Episode Summary:From the outside, Zuri Standback looked like he had it all-opportunity, intellect, and talent. But what people didn’t see was the loneliness of being the only Black kid in his school, the isolation of being gaslighted for his “uniqueness,” and the pressure of carrying the weight of representation everywhere he went.In this powerful conversation, Zuri reveals the hidden cost of tokenism and otherness: how it shaped his confidence, his relationships, and even his career choices. He opens up about the moments when he felt completely alone, the freedom he found in Black spaces where he could just be, and why mentorship became the legacy he wants to leave behind.This is more than a story about corporate success-it’s about resilience, identity, and the courage to turn pain into purpose. Zuri’s journey will challenge you to ask: what masks have you worn to belong? And what would it mean to finally take them off? Key Lessons:<ul><li>The hidden trauma of tokenism.</li><li>Why “otherness” can’t define your life.</li><li>The power of safe spaces and true belonging.</li><li>Why mentorship and trust matter more than titles.</li></ul>About Zuri Standback:Zuri Standback is a professional, creative, and mentor who has lived the complexities of identity and representation in America. His story is one of turning loneliness into legacy, and otherness into strength Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Exposed: The Truth I Could Only Portray in Photos_Zuri Standback_Ep.14

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&#34;In order to live that double life, you’re not only not being honest with others-you’re not being honest with yourself.” - Monte Fowler Monte Fowler’s story begins with absence-the absence of his father, who passed away when Monte was still young. Without the man who should have guided him through life, Monte built his own “board of men” to shepherd him. But that absence left a wound: a fear that he would live a life unfulfilled, unmaximized, and incomplete.For years, Monte chased success while hiding behind masks, living a double life that eventually collapsed under its own weight. When the walls fell, he was left with emotions he had never confronted before—guilt, shame, regret. It was only through therapy that Monte found a way forward, vowing to live authentically and never return to the darkness that had once consumed him.In this conversation, Monte shares the treadmill revelation that gave him his “four disciplines”-spirituality, relationships, health, and wealth. He also opens up about a single letter from a friend that brought him to his knees and forced him to confront his identity.This is a story of pain, honesty, and transformation. For anyone living behind a mask, afraid to face the truth, Monte’s journey is a reminder that authenticity is survival-and that purpose begins when we stop hiding.Key Lessons:How fatherlessness shaped his fear of an unfulfilled life.The devastating cost of living a double life.Why therapy is not weakness but survival.The four disciplines that changed everything.How kindness and identity can bring us back to ourselves. About Monte Fowler:Monte Fowler is a business leader, mentor, and speaker whose life was defined by absence, collapse, and ultimately, rebirth. His personal transformation-from loss and double life to authenticity and discipline-has inspired his work mentoring others to live honestly, fully, and without fear. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

Revelations of a Double Life_Monte Fowler_ Ep.13

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&#34;Being the only one in the room teaches you something: if you let your ‘otherness’ define you, it will always limit you.”_Phillip Nutsugah<h3>Episode Summary:</h3>In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode of Beauty &amp; the Beast, we sit down with Philip, a Ghanaian-born executive, mentor, and father, whose life journey spans continents, corporate boardrooms, and quiet moments of self-reflection. From navigating the racial complexities of America to choosing family over promotions, Philip shares how identity, mentorship, and cultural duality shaped his path.This is not just a story of career success. It’s a story of emotional courage-of knowing when to pause, pivot, and prioritize purpose. He opens up about being the &#34;only one in the room,&#34; what it means to truly understand the African American experience, and why embracing therapy later in life became a pivotal turning point.Whether you’re a young Black professional trying to find your voice in the workplace or someone seeking to bridge cultural gaps, this episode is your mirror-and your blueprint.<h3> Key Questions Answered:</h3> <ul><li>What’s the emotional cost of being the “only one in the room”?</li><li>How do African-born and American-born Black men heal the cultural divide?</li><li>Why did he choose to walk away from corporate ascension-for family?</li><li>How can we redefine mentorship for the next generation?</li><li>When is it time to seek therapy-and how do you know?</li></ul> <h3>Guest Bio:</h3>Phillip Nutsugah is a Ghanaian-born business leader with 30+ years in corporate America, a devoted husband and father of three, and a passionate mentor to young Black professionals. From USF to the executive suite, his journey blends ambition with intentional living—and now includes guiding others through that same terrain. Support this podcast at — <a rel='payment' href='https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content'>https://redcircle.com/beauty-in-the-beast-podcast/exclusive-content</a>

African Born: The Cost of Otherness_Phillip Nutsugah_ Ep. 12

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“Black men have been called many things—beast, menace, threat—but the truth is, we are a tapestry of strength, compassion, and beauty.” This podcast is committed to challenging stereotypes and reshaping the Black male narrative. Through in-depth conversations, we highlight the compassion, resilience, and courage of Black men, showing how they navigate societal pressures while maintaining their humanity."