The Venezuela Takeover. Plus, a Conversation About Adin Ross, Doechii, and Black Men.

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

The Ringer

Society & Culture

4.8 • 11.3K Ratings

🗓️ 6 January 2026

⏱️ 158 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Van and Rachel kick off the New Year with a look at the drop in U.S. crime and Pastor Jamal Bryant’s defense of his wife’s dress before they welcome back 'Breaking Points’ host Ryan Grim to help break down Trump’s actions against Venezuela. Plus, a look at a pair of prominent lawsuits before a discussion of Adin Ross, Doechii, and Glasses Malone, the latter of whom came to the defense of the star rapper. (0:00) Intro (3:50) Van’s dreams (14:44) U.S. crime rates are falling (34:21) Pastor Jamal Bryant defends his wife’s dress (1:00:36 Ryan Grim on Venezuela (1:38:19) Will Smith and Tyler Perry lawsuits (2:03:44) Adin Ross, Doechii, and Glasses Malone Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Guest: Ryan Grim Producer: Donnie Beacham Jr. Social Producer: Bernard Moore Video Supervision: Chris Thomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Yo, ya, yo, Thought Warriors.
0:09.0	What is up?
0:10.0	Higher Learning is on is I. Van Lathen, Jr.
0:13.0	And it's me, Rachel Lou Lundsey.
0:14.0	Happy New Year to all the Thought Warriors.
0:16.0	Happy New Year's, guys.
0:18.0	Happy New Year.
0:20.0	What you do? Nothing is at the house. Just went to sleep. You know what? That was the vibe for most people, at least here. Everybody I felt like my friends were in town. I didn't want to do anything. I thought about hosting. You know, I've hosted before. Yeah. And then I just really don't want to, but had a friend host. And that's all we did.
0:37.9	We just played games, like running charades, taboo, brought in the new year.
0:43.4	It's fun.
0:44.2	My focus is different.
0:46.0	And it has nothing to do with the new year.
0:47.6	It has more to do with the just crippling midlife crisis that I'm happening right now.
0:53.4	And so I don't want any pomp and circumstance.
0:57.9	I just want to focus, execute, get shit done, and live honestly and authentically.
1:06.1	That sounds beautiful.
1:07.4	Yeah.
1:07.6	I do want you to have some fun now.
1:09.3	They'll be fun.
1:10.0	Okay, okay, okay.
1:10.7	But I need, but they'll be fun, but here's a deal though. All right. I've been having fun. I've been neglecting the fact that I suffer from crippling ADHD and allowing my focus to be all around and not really doing the things that I need to do to be the person who I want to be. Do you take something for ADHD?
1:27.7	I took VIVANs for a while and I can't do the VIVANs anymore, but there are other
	...

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