Detroit Is Different

“To whom much is given, much is required,” Renata Miller shares her love of Detroit from four generations of Detroit love and responsibility. Miller roots her run for City Council District 5 in a lived archive of Legacy Black Detroit: East side summers “by the river,” Conant Gardens pride where her grandfather “laid bricks you can still read in Hamtramck,” and Black Eden pilgrimages to Idlewild. She honors a Mother who’s “still a nurse at church at 76” and a Father, a Navy veteran and Detroit Fire captain, who raised her on union halls, service calls, and straight-arrow integrity. Miller is adamant that development must mean jobs and single-family dwellings for kids to have homes with a backyard. It’s a conversation that braids Coleman Young era fights to Erma Henderson, JoAnn Watson, and Barbara-Rose lineage, then points forward: block clubs, church basements, and porch-to-porch organizing—“I’m a grassroots advocate; I’ll be on the streets.” Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering

“It ain’t fly without us.” From that truth, Lazar Favors gives an hour of game on how Taste of Black Spirits is rewriting the rules of an industry that too often locks Detroit out. Lazar salutes Detroit is Different as “day one, step one,” then breaks down why he and Marshalle are a true "power couple" — we weaved it together,” fusing Taste of Black Spirits with the Detroit Black Film Festival to build culture and commerce at the same time. He explains their strategy to do 'unusual business' skip the middlemen, bring the decision-makers to the community, and redirect the dollars,” while schooling listeners on distribution gatekeeping, data, and survival in a shifting market. We get stories that sing Legacy Black Detroit: John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillen’” whiskey line carried by his grandson. Also an E-40 cameo (Mr. Earl Stevens) with a portfolio from Tycoon to tequila. He pushes collective moves—“call it collective behavior”—linking Black-owned brands with Black-owned distilleries to scale faster.

“You can go your whole life and not look back... until it’s necessary.” Keisha Brooks shares a soul-stirring journey through Detroit’s West Side porches and East Side power, weaving a story that reclaims ancestry, heals through touch, and reminds us why the Mack Alive Parade still marches strong after 35 years. In this intimate conversation with Khary Frazier, Keisha reflects on growing up on Hazelwood and Greenview, her transition from Mumford Mustang to Western Michigan student, and finding her calling in healing arts through massage therapy. From the hip hop shop on 7 Mile to Cafe Mahogany, Keisha gives voice to the women who shaped the city’s culture in the 90s—and reveals how today’s work with Mack Alive brings it full circle. “I’m massaging ancestors out of people’s backs,” she jokes, but the impact is serious. Learn how Praise in the Park and the East Side’s biggest parade are not just events, but Black Detroit legacy in motion—from Jackson, Mississippi roots to Connor and Harper streets, and back agai

“We’re more in control of our own destiny now.” That’s the charge from Marshalle Favors, founder of the Detroit Black Film Festival and creative visionary behind The Collective—a 13-filmmaker-owned production hub that’s changing the game for independent Black cinema in Detroit. In this powerful episode, Marshalle builds with Khary Frazier about the art, business, and unapologetic legacy of storytelling from the heart of the Blackest city in America. From working as an extra in Sparkle alongside Whitney Houston, to curating an international festival rooted in Detroit soul, Marshalle shares how Black film is being reclaimed—on our terms. They dive deep into the sixth year of the Detroit Black Film Festival, why venues like the Charles H. Wright Museum and the Love Building matter for cultural connection, and what it means to create a platform where “everybody wants to see each other win.” If you’re a creator, this episode is your push: “It doesn’t matter how small you start. It matters how consistently you buil

Episode Notes "You gotta lead with your curiosity if you want to build a platform." That’s just one of the gems Denzell Turner drops in this in-depth Detroit is Different episode hosted by Khary Frazier. Denzell—founder of the Black Fridays Podcast—shares his journey from growing up on Ashbury Park, surrounded by four generations under one roof, to crafting media that speaks directly to Black Detroit’s present and future. The conversation digs deep into how Turner’s experiences at Cass Tech, U of M, and the Midnight Golf Program shaped not only his understanding of business and marketing but his mission to amplify Detroit’s underrepresented voices. “I had to figure out how to put the Denzell spin on it,” he says, recalling his inspiration from Earn Your Leisure. With a studio of his own, a new podcasting course, and nearly a million impressions across his content, Denzell is part of a new wave of Legacy Detroiters transforming the creative economy. This episode is a full-circle moment—documenting a

“When we first started this, we were up against a powerful current—guys just around the corner selling dope, others robbing folks. Meanwhile, we were giving out book bags and feeding people. And slowly they began putting the dope away, putting their guns down, and coming over—not because we preached at them, but because we showed them love,” Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur. In less than 30 minutes, this powerful interview between Khary Frazier of Detroit is Different and Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur, Executive Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities, reveals how two decades of love, resistance, and vision have transformed Detroit’s Zone 8 through the Ava Joe and Durron Festival & Backpack Giveaway. With over 30,000 backpacks distributed, a crack house turned community hub, and the memory of elders guiding the way, this story is a blueprint for building a just and beloved community. It’s raw, real, and rooted in the grit, dignity, and joy of Black Detroit. Watch this and be inspired to plant seeds and

"To actually dream is crazy... you gotta have something wrong with you to really do something you've never seen done before." In this soul-stirring Detroit is Different conversation, Khary Frazier sits down with Desmond “Clever” Lester—media innovator, promoter, and community connector whose journey from Joy Rd to Oak Park and the airwaves of Detroit radio has shaped a legacy of creativity and resilience. Clever shares powerful reflections about Black Detroit’s deep Southern roots, his family’s move from Nashville in 1959, and the vibrant culture of neighborhoods that felt like home, not "the hood." From interning at WJLB under Chris Kelly to launching Clever Vision and co-creating events that brought a new wave of comedy and culture to the D, Lester opens up about his calling as a storyteller and his commitment to showing love to the community—like giving up prom money to help after his house burned down. "The barbershop used to be our church," he says, explaining the origin of

"We love some collard greens. Black folks love collard greens." – Khary Frazier. In this deeply flavorful episode of Detroit is Different, the mic flips as host and producer Amber Ewing interviews Khary Frazier—founder of Detroit is Different and creator of the Collard Green Cook-Off—about the cultural power and future of this beloved community gathering. From Chandler Park to ancestral Vicksburg, Mississippi, Khary roots the cook-off in Black agricultural legacy, experiential marketing, and family storytelling: “The collard green traveled with us during the Middle Passage. That’s our culture in every leaf.” They explore how a dish once dismissed by colonizers now brings together urban farmers, soul food chefs, and thousands of Detroiters in celebration. With over 480 pounds of greens, a live show, and a judging panel featuring Detroit legends like Howie Bell, Coco, and Orlando Bailey, the 2025 Cook-Off is more than food—it's a movement. The conversation dives into creativity (yes, collard green sus

“Detroit gives me free concerts, the architecture, the river — I told my friends, ‘Detroit got this.’” In this rich and inspiring episode of Detroit is Different, Cheryl Ajamu joins Khary Frazier to share her journey from Memphis to the woman behind the revival of the Detroit Football Classic. Cheryl is the Owner & Executive Producer for the 2025 Detroit Football Classic August 30, 1pm at Ford Field, Central State University vs Kentucky State University. Cheryl recounts arriving in Detroit in 1996 and falling in love with the city’s cultural soul—its historic architecture, its cooler summers, and its abundance of free concerts: “95 is much better than a hundred.” From ad sales at BET Detroit to helping promote the city’s neo-soul underground through Urban Organic, she describes how she “lived on both sides of the equation”—connecting Black creatives with major brands while keeping community at the center. But this story isn’t just about the past; it’s a roadmap for the future. Cheryl discusses ownership,

“My dad quietly made some very significant contributions… he brought Rosa Parks to Detroit for the first time.” In this powerful episode of Detroit is Different, Khary Frazier sits down with Jane Fran Morgan of JFM Consulting Group. As the conversation moves forward, she recounts how her academic wanderings—through sociology and vet science at Michigan State—led her to urban planning and community-driven data work. The heart of the episode pulses in her help bringing to life the Neighborhood Vitality Index: a Detroit-born tool designed by residents, for residents—measuring safety, housing quality, upward mobility, and community pride. Advocating for neighborhood voices in policy conversations, Jane weaves together personal narrative and professional purpose, showing how data becomes power only when the people shape it. This interview is essential listening for anyone invested in the soul of Legacy Black Detroit—and in what it takes to heal and rebuild through culture, connection, and collective data-driven ac

“I belong anywhere I want to be.’ That moment snapped the energy for this episode, where Kiana Montgomery dives deep into her legacy as a third-generation Detroiter and how her public relations work is rooted in uplifting Legacy Black Detroit. She shares, “If you want to engage with that audience… that’s the audience I’m looking to connect with,” weaving stories of family reunions enduring a 74% decline, summers spent in New Jersey, her grandfather’s journey from Alabama with just a dollar in his pocket, and building a business servicing Detroit’s cultural gatekeepers. Along the way, she reflects on how her military brat upbringing and HBCU experience at FAMU shaped her voice and how the city—with its cold winters and resilient communities—became her chosen home during the turmoil of 2020. You'll hear how she strategically connects national brands to local narratives, the power of organic networking (even through "statement piece" shoes), and why Detroit is “Clique‑ish”—a badge of respect she levera

"I'm working on my obituary," Alex Washington says with a laugh, but the weight of her words hits home. In this intimate, in-depth conversation with Khary Frazier, journalist and culture writer Alex Washington dives deep into her Detroit roots, her love of storytelling, and the fierce loyalty to her city’s people and legacy. From memories of Renaissance High to her first feature in the Free Press, she reflects on how being raised by union workers and a village of elders shaped her vision for journalism. Her start in Detroit hip hop journalism during the mixtape era—covering artists like Big Sean and Danny Brown—revealed the city’s raw cultural power and inspired her commitment to documenting the stories others overlook. “Detroit taught me how to be a neighbor, a friend—it taught me how to love people.” Alex opens up about the grind of Black journalism, content creation, and why the stories that don’t go viral—like the woman hand-making Kwanzaa kinaras or the mom-and-pop flower shop on Six Mile—matte

“He didn’t say he wanted to die. He said he didn’t give an F about dying. That’s different.” — Victoria Camille. In this powerful and deeply sobering episode of the Detroit is Different podcast, host Khary Frazier sits down with Victoria Camille of the Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) to examine the disturbing details surrounding the July 12, 2024, shooting death of Sherman Lee Butler. “Nothing about this looks like self-defense to me.” — Khary Frazier. Sherman Butler was killed during an eviction at his apartment on Manderson St., near Palmer Park in Detroit. He was tased by Detroit Police officers and then fatally shot by a Wayne County Bailiff—while recovering from foot surgery and experiencing mental distress. “We all have a story. Show compassion. Sherman deserved to live.” — Victoria Camille What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Detailed Analysis of the Footage: Victoria Camille and Khary Frazier analyze the DPD-released bodycam footage, breaking down how the incident escalated—d

“I wish I could just clone myself…have a digital version of me doing the work while I get paid” – that line from Brandon Cooper set the tone for this electric conversation on Detroit Is Different. In this compelling episode, Khary Frazier sits down with Brandon Cooper—Detroit native, former Apple Senior Advisor, meditation advocate, and the visionary CEO behind Aphid AI—to explore the intersections of legacy Black Detroit, tech innovation, and ancestral wisdom. They take listeners on a journey from Rosedale Park and Seven Mile playgrounds where bike‑built forts and street basketball sparked young Brandon’s creative ingenuity, to the spiritual practices—including chakra work and Qigong—that awakened him to the concept of energetic frequencies shaping our lives. Along the way, Brandon reflects on growing up fatherless, witnessing his mother’s unshakeable strength, and navigating elite spaces like DAP‑CEP and Michigan State where stepping outside comfort zones shaped his worldview. As he shifted from hip‑hop cul

“I started taking piano lessons when I was four… and by twelve I had swapped classical sheet music for jazz improv—I was playing from my head, not the page,”—Ian Fink dives deep into the layered roots of Legacy Black Detroit, bridging generational migration, jazz lineage, and the raw ingenuity of Detroit’s music scene. In this rich, in-depth episode of Detroit is Different, host Khary Frazier sits down with Ian Fink—a pianist, producer, and conduit of Detroit’s legacy Black culture—to unpack how jazz camp with Rodney Whitaker and Marcus Belgrave set the tone for his artistry, how early classical training at age four paved the way for profound improvisation, and how his classical-jazz foundations seamlessly birthed a sonic switch into house and techno influenced by Detroit icons like Theo Parrish and Scott Grooves. They dig into family history—from Dexter/Linwood’s Jewish-Black narratives to movement between Detroit and West Bloomfield—bringing light to how personal origin stories shape cultural creation. Ian

“I didn’t think if I stayed, I’d be alive’—that electrifying moment, when Konstance Patton revealed how everything changed the moment she stepped out of Detroit, sets the tone for this compelling episode. In a deeply resonant conversation with Khary Frazier, Patton weaves together the threads of her Black Detroit legacy—from ancestral roots in the Carolinas, Virginia, and New Orleans to intergenerational artistry that stretches back to her grandmother’s kiln in Brightmoor and massive bead‑worked Last Supper in a Petoskey museum. She reflects on formative childhood memories riding a bike past seven‑mile gravesites, the comfort of her grandmother’s quilts and pottery, and how early encounters with classical violin and swimming taught discipline and collaboration. Through her travels—from a shocking culinary awakening in London to soulful inspirations in Egypt, India, Italy—Patton found her voice in visual storytelling. Now, drenched in paint at her annual ‘potluck’ gatherings at Detroit’s Talking Doll Studios,

“It’s not about me—it’s about my community waking up and taking back our future!” In this electrifying episode of Detroit is Different we welcome Michigan State Representative and 13th District U.S. Congress candidate Donovan McKinney for a powerful conversation that spans from the struggles of his childhood—“we lived in cars, we lived in shelters, we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from”—to his bold legislative victories like statewide community violence intervention funding. McKinney shines a light on Detroit’s legacy of resilience and the responsibility of service: “My life no longer belongs to me… When I meet my Maker, I want Him to say, ‘well done.’” This candid discussion is packed with personal milestones, critical truth-telling on gun violence, budget battles in Lansing, and the vision for a future rooted in legacy Black Detroit—a future he’s running to represent on Capitol Hill. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American C

“This is a movement, not a campaign—from the North End to the future of Legacy Black Detroit.” In this powerful, deeply personal episode of Detroit is Different, host Khary Frazier sits down with Todd Russell Perkins—attorney, community leader, and mayoral candidate whose roots run as deep as his passion for Detroit. Todd opens up about the intergenerational legacies that shaped him—from his father’s resume‑building work during GM layoffs to the entrepreneurial and educational values instilled by his parents. He traces Detroit’s historical pillars—its innovation, Motown legacy, and the foresight embedded in municipal law—and weaves them into a bold vision for the city’s future. With candid reflections on family, law, city governance, and mobilizing Detroit’s Black political power, Todd challenges listeners to see Detroit’s next chapter not as another election but as a movement rooted in purpose, unity, and generational uplift. Tune in to hear why this conversation matters—for the past, present, and future of

“Most folks that came north from the South weren't migrants—they were refugees,” Jen Ingram declares, setting the tone for this powerfully layered conversation. In this Detroit is Different episode, we trace coins and culture with Numismatics Noir founder Jen Ingram, whose passion for Black coin collecting merges family legacy, precious metals, and African American storytelling. “I’m building this bridge for them,” she recalls from a poem her great-grandmother recited, honoring the journey of her fourth-generation Detroit family from Mississippi to a duplex on Whitney. Jen shares her Detroit roots, her professional climb through healthcare and philanthropy, and the entrepreneurial leap into calibrating cultural pride through currency. From Harriet Tubman’s golden likeness to the hidden Black faces of U.S. money, Jen reveals how coins hold both historical weight and future economic promise. This episode is a masterclass in legacy, wealth, and Detroit soul. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Fraz

"Solar power is just sunlight hitting your skin, because your skin is a semiconductor too." That quote from Ali Dirul of Ryter Cooperative Industries launches a Detroit is Different conversation that electrifies history and reimagines the future. In this powerful episode, Ali breaks down energy democracy, off-grid engineering, and building a sustainable Detroit from D-Town Farms to Highland Park's streetlights. "We’re not just placing panels—we’re placing power back in the hands of the people," he says. With stories tracing back to his grandfather’s Ford Model T factory job, African-centered schooling at Aisha Shule, and a capstone project at Oakland University, Ali ties Black legacy to Black futures. This is innovation rooted in community, fueled by melanin, and structured with purpose. It's a conversation that honors how Detroit built the world—and now might just rewire it. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Clas