In this episode of Conversations Are Key, Keyon Williams sits down with Justin Burns, founder of Miestro, to unpack how artificial intelligence is impacting creative industries, business, and everyday work.

As a producer, editor, and voice actor, Key Will Voice brings a grounded, real-world perspective to the conversation — reflecting on what he’s seeing firsthand:

• Work slowing down
• Budgets shrinking
• AI tools becoming part of everyday workflows

Instead of focusing on hype, this episode focuses on clarity and application:

How can people actually adapt right now?

Where are real opportunities emerging?

And what does it look like to start using AI without being technical?

The episode also introduces a live experiment:

The 30-Day AI Challenge — documenting the process of building something from scratch using AI in real time.

This is a grounded conversation for creatives, freelancers, and working professionals trying to understand what comes next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From her breakout role as Belinda on Zatima to working within the world of Tyler Perry, Danielle opens up about the realities of the industry, the discipline behind the craft, and what it truly takes to build a lasting career in entertainment. But this conversation goes far beyond Hollywood.

Danielle shares her personal journey of overcoming trauma, finding her voice, and learning how to reclaim her power — offering a message that speaks directly to women navigating their own paths to healing and purpose.

Key and Danielle also dive into the cultural impact of this year’s awards season, reflecting on long-overdue recognition for Black creatives and what those moments mean for the future of storytelling. This episode is about truth. It’s about faith. And it’s about becoming the person you were always meant to be.

Listen, reflect and join the conversation — because Conversations Are Key.

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After building a successful career working with global organizations including Microsoft and Lockheed Martin, Shareef shifted his focus toward empowering the next generation through education, technology, and leadership development.

Through his national initiative “It’s C.O.O.L. to Be S.M.A.R.T.”, he is challenging outdated cultural narratives and encouraging young people to embrace intelligence, curiosity, and excellence as a pathway to opportunity.

In this conversation, Keyon and Reggie explore:

• Why intelligence must be celebrated again

• The difference between information and real intelligence

• The importance of HBCUs in developing leaders

• Corporate America vs entrepreneurship

• The future of technology, AI, and robotics

• Why investing in your mind is the most important investment you can make

This episode is a powerful conversation about education, culture, ownership, and preparing the next generation for a rapidly changing world.

Listen now and join the conversation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Known for portraying D-Roc in Notorious and his roles in The Brave One and Parenthood, Dennis has over 80 film and television credits to his name. In this conversation, he opens up about:

- Grinding through the trenches in NYC

- Being racially profiled in South Carolina and the resulting Hollywood fallout

- Losing representation after speaking out

- Building a career across 25+ cities

- Coaching the next generation of actors

- Why he refers to today’s performers as “microwave actors”

- Unforgettable red carpet moments with Will Smith and Ice-T

This episode dives deep into integrity, legacy, resilience, and protecting your peace in an industry that constantly asks, “What have you done for me lately?”

If you are an actor, creative, entrepreneur, or anyone navigating purpose through pressure, this episode is for you. Be sure to stay until the end for "Keys to the Street."

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After spending 15 years in corporate banking, Coach K was fired for teaching business owners how to pursue non-dilutive funding. That moment became the catalyst for building a seven-figure education company and helping thousands of entrepreneurs rethink how they fund their businesses—without taking on debt or giving up equity.

We talk about:

• What the grant funding ecosystem really looks like (and who it’s actually built for)
• The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when applying for grants
• How AI is changing the way founders search and apply for funding
• Why mindset, structure, and preparation matter more than luck
• Redefining work-life balance while scaling as a single parent

This conversation goes beyond headlines and hype to explore access, accountability, and strategy—and what it truly takes to position your business for opportunity.

Tap in for a grounded conversation at the intersection of entrepreneurship, funding literacy, and economic empowerment.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:00 – Mixtape Culture Origins

Mixtape era history, hip hop before streaming, DJs as gatekeepers, street tapes, cassette culture

02:00 – Malik Buie’s Career at BET

BET Rap City, hip hop television, music video culture, behind-the-scenes BET stories

06:30 – Rap City & the Birth of the Cypher

Rap City freestyles, Hip Hop Awards cypher origins, BET programming innovation

12:10 – Why Tale of the Tape Had to Be Made

Hip hop documentary filmmaking, mixtape history, preserving Black culture

14:45 – Early Footage: Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole & More

Kendrick Lamar early career, J. Cole mixtapes, Big Sean rise, Future first TV appearance

16:40 – Clark Kent Interview & Hip Hop Archives

DJ Clark Kent interview, hip hop historians, archival storytelling, Peerspace filming

21:40 – Challenges of Independent Documentary Filmmaking

Independent film production, editing challenges, budget constraints, creative perfectionism

27:15 – Mixtapes vs Streaming & Playlists

Spotify playlists, Apple Music, Rap Caviar, DJs vs algorithms, music discovery changes

38:15 – Owning Your IP & Cultural Preservation

Intellectual property, owning your masters, archival rights, Black media ownership

41:35 – Combat Jack & Mixtape Legal History

Mixtape legality, DJ Drama case, hip hop law, music industry prosecution

49:25 – DJ Mentorship & Voiceover Influence

Megatron radio DJ, DJ mentorship, voiceover technique, mic control

55:30 – Advice to Filmmakers & Creators

Creative advice, documenting the process, never taking no for an answer

57:25 – Legacy of Tale of the Tape

Hip hop legacy films, Style Wars, Beat Street, hip hop documentaries

64:50 – What’s Next for Malik Buie

Red Summer TV, HBCU Honors, Morgan State hip hop history, upcoming projects

68:20 – Key to the Streets

Motivation, belief in yourself, creative perseverance, hip hop wisdom

Tale of the Tape: How the Mixtape Revolutionized Hip Hop is available now on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.

Follow Red Summer TV for more hip hop documentaries, DJ culture stories, and archival footage.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fresh off his 50th birthday, Omar reflects on a career built not on shortcuts or hype—but on craft, consistency, and conviction. From his Atlanta roots and lifelong immersion in the arts to unforgettable roles in Queen Sugar, When They See Us, Snowfall, Selma, Django Unchained, Bookie, and the Halloween franchise, Omar breaks down what it really takes to stay working—and evolving—in Hollywood for decades.

They talk rejection that later made sense, the auditions you think you nailed (until you don’t), and how missing out on Luke Cage led to a life-changing call that reshaped his career. Omar opens up about leadership on set, protecting your peace, portraying Black men with dignity and complexity, navigating Hollywood politics, mental health, financial literacy, and why success today is about legacy—not validation.

Plus, a perfectly timed Atlanta Falcons vs. New England Patriots voiceover story that underscores the power of alignment and divine timing.

This episode is a masterclass in longevity, growth, and staying ready.

Follow the conversation:

@ConversationsAreKey

@omarjdorsey

Host: @KeyWillVoice

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Shi opens up about growing up with nothing, the moment he took accountability for his life, the two years he lived on $5 a day, and how he turned $1,200 into a multi-million-dollar empire. He also shares unheard stories about Memphis grit, the toxic relationship that pushed him to Nashville, the insane COVID controversy that landed him in jail twice, and the 73-songs-in-13-days writing camp that changed everything.

This episode is heavy, inspiring, hilarious, and vulnerable — one of the most powerful conversations on Conversations Are Key to date.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Shy Country origins

05:10 — Growing up dirt poor

13:40 — Accountability & the $5-a-day grind

23:00 — How he built 11 roofing companies

38:20 — The Nashville move & toxic love

55:00 — The COVID controversy

1:08:00 — Car collection & Shy’s Garage

1:21:00 — Keys to the Street

🔑 Follow Shi Eubank: @shieubank (all platforms)

🎵 Stream the music: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

🎙️ Follow Conversations Are Key: @conversationsarekey @keywillvoice

🔗 Subscribe for more interviews with culture-shifting creators & visionaries.

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From growing up in Far Rockaway and Harlem, to touring the world with his brother Father MC, to doing the heavy lifting that sold Godfather of Harlem and landed him on camera as “Junie Bird,” Markuann breaks down the grind behind the glory. He shares how he literally had to audition for a role in his own show, why he’ll never compromise his vision for “peanut butter and jelly” budgets, and what creators need in place before they approach a producer: decks, scripts, research, relationships, and a clear understanding of ROI.

The two dig into:

• Persistence as a superpower – why there’s “no bunk beds in the graveyard” and how to keep going when success is a slow burn, not microwave-fast.
• Ownership & the business side – attorneys, industry rates, heavy lifting, and why networks only speak the language of return on investment.
• Authentic storytelling – making history cool, building big, believable characters, and protecting the integrity of a story in Hollywood.
• Relationships & integrity – treating everyone from the mailroom to the C-suite the same, protecting your energy from jealousy and envy, and doing good business even when deals fall apart.
• Keys to the Street – Markuann drops his own “keys,” from staying sucker-free in a world full of lollipops to building your own door when opportunity won’t open the first one.

Whether you’re a writer, actor, producer, or anyone grinding toward a dream, this conversation is a masterclass in resilience, relationships, and refusing to take no for an answer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Burke, Emmy Award–winning Executive Producer and founder of BURKE IV, has spent over 20 years shaping groundbreaking projects for MTV News, BET, VICE, STARZ, Tyler Perry Studios, Will Packer Productions, and SpringHill. His latest work — the docu-series Years Later and its new installment Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years Later — revisits history with a modern lens, reminding us why storytelling matters.

Joining the conversation is Ishmael Morgan, a multi-platform writer and producer known for creating bold, dynamic content across TV, film, and digital. Together, Luke and Ishmael reflect on the keys to building authentic narratives, the responsibility of creators, and the human stories that connect us all.

Recorded at iHeartRadio, this episode goes beyond headlines — bringing you truth, creativity, and perspective from voices who shape the culture.

This is Part 2 of 2

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Burke, Emmy Award–winning Executive Producer and founder of BURKE IV, has spent over 20 years shaping groundbreaking projects for MTV News, BET, VICE, STARZ, Tyler Perry Studios, Will Packer Productions, and SpringHill. His latest work — the docu-series Years Later and its new installment Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years Later — revisits history with a modern lens, reminding us why storytelling matters.

Joining the conversation is Ishmael Morgan, a multi-platform writer and producer known for creating bold, dynamic content across TV, film, and digital. Together, Luke and Ishmael reflect on the keys to building authentic narratives, the responsibility of creators, and the human stories that connect us all.

Recorded at iHeartRadio, this episode goes beyond headlines — bringing you truth, creativity, and perspective from voices who shape the culture.

This is Part 1 of 2 — stay tuned for the continuation of this powerful conversation in next week’s episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.