Culture-forward conversations amplifying the voices of Black men across entrepreneurship, lifestyle, entertainment, wellness, and social impact - delivered with premium production and built for social reach.
Quintessentially Speaking Episode 5: Jimmy Akingbola Opens Up on Identity, Hollywood, and Finding His Purpose
This week on Quintessentially Speaking, hosts Jonathan Wells and Eric Keith sit down with actor Jimmy Akingbola, known for his role as Jeffrey on Peacock's Bel-Air, for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, culture, and life as a Black Brit navigating Hollywood.
Akingbola opens up about his journey from London to Los Angeles, the misconceptions Black Americans and Black Brits carry about one another, and the deeper cultural pull driving so many in the diaspora back toward the African continent.
He gets personal about being fostered by a white British family and how that experience shaped his understanding of identity, and the "fish out of water" thread it shares with his own character on Bel-Air. That upbringing is also the foundation for his documentary, Handle With Care, which he discusses in depth: why he made it, the story he wanted to tell about fostering and adoption, and the message he hopes it leaves with young people still finding their way.
The conversation also turns to the state of the industry, Ryan Coogler's Sinners, Delroy Lindo's awards recognition, the path British actors take to "conquer" Hollywood, and where the line should be drawn on AI and actor likeness rights. Akingbola closes with a word of encouragement for every Black man pursuing his purpose in this industry.
7 Jul 2026
Rodney V. Williams on Creating Solo Funds, Black Wealth, and Building What's Never Been Done
What does it actually take to build wealth as a Black man in a financial system that wasn't designed for you? SoloFunds co-founder and president Rodney V. Williams has a few things to say about that.
In Episode 4 of Quintessentially Speaking, hosts Eric Keith and Jonathan Wells sit down with Rodney, the man behind the largest Black-owned FinTech company in the country, for one of the most honest conversations about money, entrepreneurship, and Black wealth we've had on this show.
SoloFunds is built on a simple but revolutionary idea: community finance. People lending to and borrowing from each other, no credit check, no predatory rates, no gatekeeping. Lenders on the platform are earning 30 to 40 percent annually. Borrowers are getting funded at a third of the cost of everything else on the market. And Rodney says he's still in beta.
11 Jun 2026
Dr. Brian Nwannunu on Joint Health and Breaking the Stigma Around Black Men’s Healthcare
Why do so many Black men look completely fine on the outside while running on fumes internally?
On this episode of Quintessentially Speaking, hosts Eric Keith and Jonathan Wells sit down for a raw, unfiltered conversation with Dr. Brian Nwannunu, a Dallas-based orthopedic surgeon and joint replacement specialist.
As one of the few Black orthopedic surgeons in his field, Dr. Nwannunu pulls back the curtain on the grueling, high-stakes journey of medical training, the reality of delayed gratification, and what it truly costs to build an empire in medicine. From navigating the distinct cultural pressures of a high-achieving Nigerian household to being wrongfully accused of plagiarism at a PWIs before being fully exonerated, Dr. Nwannunu’s story is a masterclass in resilience, discipline, and understanding your destiny.
4 Jun 2026
Inside the Political Strategy for Black Men
On this episode of Quintessentially Speaking, hosts Eric Keith and Jonathan Wells step directly into the political arena. They are joined by veteran political strategist and communications expert Kamau Mandela Marshall for a transparent look at the state of Black political power.
From analyzing the limitations of temporary cultural boycotts to breaking down the double standards facing Black leadership in Washington, Kamau delivers a masterclass on how policy actually gets written. Plus, we take a look ahead at the wide-open 2028 landscape and address the critical reality that Black men hold the second-highest voting power in the country—if we choose to activate it.
28 May 2026
Welcome to Quintessentially Speaking
In the first episode of Quintessentially Speaking, hosts Eric Keith and Jonathan Wells introduce the vision behind the series and dive into a candid conversation about Black manhood, representation, purpose, and personal journey.
Mixing humor, vulnerability, and cultural reflection, they explore everything from family upbringing and favorite films to identity, masculinity, leadership, and why spaces centering Black men still matter.
The episode serves as both an introduction and an invitation, setting the stage for the raw, thoughtful, and layered conversations the series aims to bring forward.
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