Episodes

  • 40Tons: The Corvain Cooper Story Pt 2.

    40Tons: The Corvain Cooper Story Pt 2.
    Sep 1 2021
    In honor of what was, we are excited to launch our 'Salvaged' series on September 1st. While we were unable to recover every episode, we were able to retrieve a few hidden gems. Our first installment? 40Tons: The Corvain Cooper Story (2 part release)

    "Post-Release"
    Meet @CorvainCooper, Chief Brand Ambassador @40tonsbrand, a Black, woman-owned premium cannabis, clothing, & accessories brand from Los Angeles, California.

    Corvain grew up on the east side of South Central Los Angeles. Drawing from his experience navigating the legacy market, also a background in apparel, fashion, & brand building, Corvain is an avid public speaker, activist & advocate for bringing awareness to 40 Tons & the causes it serves.

    In 2013, Corvain received a life sentence without parole after a “3rd strike” for his participation in a cannabis distribution operation. Despite the relatively minor offense, he was effectively “buried alive” at a federal prison in Louisiana, apart from his then fiancé & two children for something that was increasingly becoming legalized across the nation.

    Through his years in prison, activists & voters continued the campaign to relax cannabis laws across the U.S. & Corvain finally, & fortunately, received a grant of executive clemency in Jan 2021.

    Corvain’s story is emblematic of the two disparate realities currently taking place in the U.S., one where some are able to profit off cannabis & the other where a cannabis-related offense can lead to a life sentence — today, 40,000+ cannabis prisoners still remain locked-up.

    Corvain now serves as an advisor to the @lastprisonerproject & is the author of a poignant 4 part memoir Look Into My Eyes set to be released later this year.

    Just because someone carries it well, doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.


    May The Expect Effect rest peacefully.

    Call Me Nik airs this fall.
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    40 mins
  • 40Tons: The Corvain Cooper Story Pt 1.

    40Tons: The Corvain Cooper Story Pt 1.
    Sep 1 2021
    In honor of what was, we are excited to launch our 'Salvaged' series on September 1st. While we were unable to recover every episode, we were able to retrieve a few hidden gems. Our first installment? 40Tons: The Corvain Cooper Story (2 part release)

    May The Expect Effect rest peacefully.

    Call Me Nik airs this fall.

    Part 1 "Pre-Release"
    On the 28th of January 2013, Corvain Cooper was in his home. That day, he was accompanying his eldest daughter to her drill team competition. While in his car, about to exit his driveway, federal agents appeared.

    One of Corvain’s childhood friends was under arrest. The friend gave authorities 100 names in exchange for a reduced sentence. His name was among them. Corvain dealt in cannabis as a younger man, but he had been out of the game for years. So many, in fact, that he was a few short months away from the statute of limitations. So, he refused the plea deal and fought the charge in court. The system punished him for that choice.

    He was found responsible for the entirety (40T) of the cannabis transported by the group. Under California’s Three Strikes law, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Since sentencing, his "Three Strikes" felonies have been retroactively reduced to misdemeanors. If Corvain went on trial today, he would not receive a life sentence.

    “When he was sent to prison for the rest of his life for selling marijuana, Corvain Cooper was 34 years old, a father to two young daughters, ages 4 and 8, a fiancee, a son, a friend, and a small business owner selling clothing and footwear.” (Change.org)

    Visit: 40tons.co
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    54 mins
  • Introducing Call Me Nik

    Introducing Call Me Nik
    Sep 1 2021
    Airing Fall 2021

    Call Me Nik is a passion project. A journey of self-discovery and a commitment to personal growth. It is a process of undoing, unlearning, and reimagining life as we know it. It is based on who I am and who I hope to become; it is an awakening and an acknowledgment of self. It is a gentle embrace of acceptance and a desire to love more openly and to dream more freely. It is a call to action. A call to expect better, do better and believe better. And above all, it is only the beginning of so many marvelous things to come.

    Signed Nik,
    A vivacious, Black, Queer, Non-Binary soul.

    itsjustnikia.com
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    5 mins