EP. 246 — Nicole Would Come Back as a Quokka! w/ Flyana Boss

NICOLE: It’s now time to play Best Friends Who Come Together–

 

SASHEER: Besting Each Other. It’s been the same for years.

 

NICOLE: Oh, boy.

 

SASHEER: Today we have Bobbi and Folayan, aka the bestie rap group Flyana Boss.

 

NICOLE: In 2023, you’ve seen their viral videos of them running all over California rapping their hit song, You Wish.

 

SASHEER: Following the viral success, they released a fire remix of You Wish featuring verses from rising it girl Kaliii and hip-hop icon herself Missy Elliott.

 

NICOLE: Flyana Boss made their touring debut on Janelle Monae’s The Age of Pleasure Tour 2023.

 

SASHEER: And now Flyana Boss are headlining their first tour called The Bosstanical Garden Tour.

 

NICOLE: For tickets and tour dates, go to flyanaboss.com

 

SASHEER: Also check out their latest single, Candyman, anywhere you stream your music.

 

NICOLE: All right, Sasheer. You’ve talked enough. It’s now time to play Besting Each Other!

 

SASHEER: Okay, let’s start with Bobbi.

 

NICOLE: Yeah. That’s good.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: Wow.

 

SASHEER: Wow.

 

NICOLE: I’m excited.

 

SASHEER: Me too!

 

NICOLE: Bobbi! Okay. You’re going first, Bobbi.

 

BOBBI: Okay.

 

NICOLE: And we have a query–a question, if you will. How did you meet your best friend?

 

BOBBI: In music school. I feel like I’m being interrogated.

 

SASHEER: I mean, you are.

 

BOBBI: Music school.

 

SASHEER: Oh. Where was this music school?

 

BOBBI: Hollywood.

 

NICOLE: Hollywood. Oh, are you guys from LA?

 

BOBBI: No. We both moved here to become stars.

 

SASHEER: Oh, amazing.

 

NICOLE: Oh, wait. That’s so cool. I love that.

 

SASHEER: Is the music school a high school?

 

BOBBI: No, it’s the Musician’s Institute of America.

 

SASHEER: Okay. Nice.

 

NICOLE: Do you remember the first instance where you guys met and clicked?

 

BOBBI: I think we clicked kind of right away, but it was, like, a soft click. We’re both, like, introverted and kind of shy. So as soon as I saw her, I was like, “Oh, my God, this girl is so cute. She looks just like Rudy Huxtable.” Literally, after school–it was my first class on my first day–I called my mom, and I was like, “I met this cute Black girl. She looks just like Rudy Huxtable.”

 

SASHEER: Oh my God.

 

BOBBI: And my mom still remembers that story.

 

NICOLE: I love that. Yeah. Okay, so that’s the soft launch. When was the hard launch?

 

BOBBI: The hard launch was when we started the duo. Like, we started the duo, and then we became best friends.

 

SASHEER: Oh!

 

BOBBI: We, like, decided, “Hey, we should do music together.” And then, like, after a while–like a couple months–we’re like, “Are we besties?”

 

SASHEER: I guess we’re kind of the same.

 

NICOLE: This is our story.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, we started an improv group. And we were, like, also two of the very few number of Black women who were at the theater. And then after a while, we were like, “Wait, I like spending all my time with you.”

 

BOBBI: That’s so cute.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: And again, I thought she was so pretty. And I was like, “There’s no way she’s going to be funny.” And then she was. I was like, “Well, this isn’t fair. God gave her everything.” And then she was nice, and I was like, “Oh no!”

 

BOBBI: I feel that that’s what happened.

 

NICOLE: “She looks like Rudy Huxtable.”

 

BOBBI: Yeah. So actually, back then, she was so cute. She’s so cute now, but she’s less Rudy. She’s more Janet Jackson now.

 

NICOLE: I like that evolution.

 

BOBBI: You can see it when she gets in here. Really look at her. You’re going to see.

 

NICOLE: She’s like, “Why y’all staring at me?”

 

BOBBI: Wait, can she hear this?

 

SASHEER: No. But, like, she’ll hear the podcast later.

 

BOBBI: I’m gonna tell her on the way back, like, “I think you’re more Janet now and less Rudy.”

 

SASHEER: And that’s a great compliment.

 

BOBBI: Yeah. They’re both. Yeah.

 

SASHEER: All right. Our next question is what is your favorite memory of traveling together?

 

BOBBI: Hmm. Like, traveling far or just, like, in the car?

 

SASHEER: Anywhere. Interpret it however you want.

 

BOBBI: I really love our car rides together just in general. We listen to music and we laugh and we talk. But we’ve been traveling a lot on tour, which has been great. Our first show that we flew to was in New Orleans for Essence Fest. And that was fun. That was a great experience. I don’t know if she’s going to say any of this.

 

NICOLE: It’s okay. Your friendship will just end later.

 

BOBBI: Either our car rides or Essence Fest.

 

SASHEER: What made Essence Fest so fun?

 

BOBBI: It was our first time we got flown out for somewhere. And we shared a room. And it was great. Now we don’t share rooms because, you know, we like to poop and stuff separately.

 

SASHEER: We still share rooms.

 

BOBBI: What are you doing when you gotta drop the kids off at the pool?

 

SASHEER: She makes me leave the room. She makes me leave completely.

 

NICOLE: Or I’ll be like, “Play music! Please!”

 

BOBBI: We discovered then, like, we don’t want to do that.

 

NICOLE: Fair. Fair. Also helpful–Sasheer has these little incense matches. So after you drop the children at the pool, you light a little incense, and then it’s not terrible.

 

BOBBI: Okay, maybe I might have to invest in that–just in general.

 

NICOLE: No, you guys are living right. When we went to Africa, we had one night apart in a different room, and I was like, “Why? I don’t want this.” And Sasheer was like, “It’s one night. You’ll be okay.” And I was like, “I don’t know!”

 

BOBBI: That’s adorable. No, we’re still, like, in each other’s rooms for a long time, except when it’s time to go to sleep and poop. That’s TMI. Sorry.

 

NICOLE: It’s not TMI. When you spend a lot of time with someone, poop is something that comes up.

 

BOBBI: It comes up for sure.

 

SASHEER: And comes out.

 

BOBBI: Hopefully.

 

NICOLE: I don’t know why I hate it. It was so upsetting. Also, we’re dressed kind of similar.

 

SASHEER: I know. The colors are good.

 

NICOLE: This is wild. No planning.

 

BOBBI: Does this happen often to you guys?

 

SASHEER: It does happen a lot.

 

BOBBI: Us too.

 

SASHEER: One time, I went to a screening for a show she was in. And I had this, like, very fuzzy yellow sweater. It kind of looked like a Muppet. And she had a full dress of the same material but in orange.

 

BOBBI: It’s a connection. I love it when we match. We match today, too. We have the same shoes on but different colors.

 

NICOLE: Oh, I love that. So fun. Okay. What is your favorite thing about your friend?

 

BOBBI: I mean, she’s really talented. She’s so sweet. She knows a lot about, like, space.

 

SASHEER: Like, outer space?

 

BOBBI: Outer space. Yeah.

 

NICOLE: Just rooms.

 

SASHEER: Or, like, personal space.

 

BOBBI: She’s also very good with personal space, too. Like, she’s never hounding me about, like, “Let’s hang out! Let’s go out!” She’s just like, “Do you. We’ll reconvene when it’s time.”

 

NICOLE: I’m not like that. No, I’m constantly like, “What are you doing? What’s happening? Where are you?”

 

SASHEER: There also was a point in our relationship where I had to tell you, “Stop putting your hands in my face.” And I can’t remember why they would ever be in my face.

 

NICOLE: I can’t remember either.

 

SASHEER: And I was like, “You got to stop.”

 

NICOLE: Yeah, I don’t know why.

 

SASHEER: Maybe it was like, “I have a question. I have an idea.”

 

NICOLE: “Excuse me.” That probably was it.

 

BOBBI: So did she stop when you asked her?

 

SASHEER: She did. She was like, “Why am I doing that?” And I was also like, “I don’t know.” There was a shift. There was an adjustment. So I appreciate that.

 

BOBBI: That’s a good quality.

 

SASHEER: The note taken.

 

BOBBI: Yeah, yeah.

 

NICOLE: What’s your favorite thing she’s told you about space?

 

BOBBI: Like, string theory.

 

SASHEER: Wow.

 

NICOLE: What is that?

 

BOBBI: It’s, like, different universes or something like that. I didn’t retain all the information. But, like, parallel universes–stuff is going on at the same time but a little differently. I think that’s that one. I could be wrong.

 

SASHEER: I don’t know either. I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know it.

 

BOBBI: Yeah. She’s a big fan of Neil deGrasse.

 

SASHEER: Tyson?

 

BOBBI: Yeah, I just call him Neil.

 

SASHEER: “Our buddy, Neil.”

 

BOBBI: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: “Our best friend, Neil.” That’s like her and cars. I tell her so much about cars. I don’t think she retains, but she’ll nod. And your eyes don’t go dead. You, like, really act like you’re interested, and it’s really nice.

 

SASHEER: I am interested. I think I’m just excited that you’re excited.

 

BOBBI: Right! Yeah. I feel the same way.

 

SASHEER: Yeah. It’s nice to see someone geek out about something.

 

BOBBI: “You know stuff. And you’re passionate about it. Go off.”

 

SASHEER: It’s impressive. If you had to guess, what do you think Folayan’s favorite thing is about you?

 

BOBBI: She’s going to say my sense of humor. She thinks I’m hilarious for some reason.

 

SASHEER: And you’re so humble about it.

 

BOBBI: I don’t know if it’s true, but that’s what she feels.

 

NICOLE: Do you remember the hardest you guys ever laughed?

 

BOBBI: We laugh really hard a lot. I don’t know. She does this thing when I make her really laugh. And that’s when I know I really did it. Her eyebrows, like, go in kind of funny, and I’m like, “I killed that one.”

 

SASHEER: She’s mad that you’re making her laugh so hard.

 

BOBBI: I go in when she’s, like, cracking up. So that’s a good laugh. I don’t know what the last thing was. We joke about our life a lot. I don’t know.

 

NICOLE: It doesn’t have to be the last thing. Like, once her shoes were loud–not funny to anybody else. But we laughed so hard about how loud her shoes were. And then she was killing bugs on this other occasion and screaming. And we laughed really hard at that. It doesn’t have to make sense to us.

 

BOBBI: I actually– I can’t even think of one. She would have to remind me. I really– I’m sorry. I really can’t even think of one.

 

NICOLE: It’s okay.

 

BOBBI: But just know I’m funny.

 

SASHEER: You’re just dropping gems all over the place, and you’re like, “I don’t even know.”

 

BOBBI: Yeah, I just, like, try out my zingers and see what sticks.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: What is something you do that drives your friend crazy?

 

BOBBI: I don’t know. She hasn’t told me.

 

NICOLE: Oh.

 

SASHEER: All right.

 

BOBBI: I really don’t know. I think sometimes I talk too much to her. But she might not say that bothers her. Sometimes I’m like, “Why am I still talking?”

 

NICOLE: A thing that bothered you–I was talking to you while you were sleeping. But then we found out you don’t close your eyes all the way.

 

BOBBI: She doesn’t sometimes, too. Sometimes she’s just like this.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: Yes! Where you see a little bit of the whites, so I’m like, “Oh, she’s fading away, but I’ll tell her this.”

 

SASHEER: “I slip in just a few little comments before she goes to sleep.”

 

NICOLE: It doesn’t make sense as to why I was still talking to you. I was like, “Oh, I think she’s going to sleep. But those eyes… A little bit–”

 

SASHEER: Yeah. And I was a full adult when she told me this. Like, no one had told me this before.

 

BOBBI: No one?

 

SASHEER: No one! No one in my family. No slumber parties. We were on a train going somewhere, and I was asleep. And I was like, “Why are you talking to me? I’m asleep.” She was like, “Your eyes are fully open. What’s wrong with you?” She took a picture of me, and I was like, “Oh! I guess I can’t close my eyes.”

 

BOBBI: That’s a cute quirk.

 

NICOLE: Is it though? Yeah.

 

SASHEER: Some people would say terrifying.

 

BOBBI: I think it’s cute.

 

SASHEER: Okay. Thank you so much. What is something that Folayan does that drives you crazy?

 

BOBBI: It doesn’t drive me crazy, but sometimes I can’t read when, like… Okay, there’ll be somebody around, or, like, maybe we’ll be in, you know, a working environment. And it looks like she’s getting along great with them–she loves them. I’m like, “Oh my gosh, she’s having such a good time. But I’m getting weird vibes on this person.” And then we talk, and she’s like, “Oh yeah, I hated that person. They were terrible. I can’t stand them!” You could have fooled me!

 

SASHEER: Yeah. “That seemed like your best friend.”

 

BOBBI: Yeah, exactly. “I thought we were about to be a throuple with this person I can’t stand!”

 

SASHEER: Yeah. Yeah, it is easier to just be upfront.

 

BOBBI: Yeah, but she’s, like, really good at it, so I let her go off. I just won’t say anything. I’ll just be, like, very short.

 

SASHEER: Sasheer will just leave a conversation, and then I’m stuck talking to someone–just having the time of my life–and I hate them.

 

BOBBI: I’ll still be present. I just won’t say anything. But she’s having a great time.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, I mean, that is a good industry trait for sure. It’s, like, good for business to be like, “Yeah! Yeah! Whatever! We like each other!”

 

BOBBI: “Let’s collab!”

 

SASHEER: But it just feels like it takes too much energy.

 

NICOLE: Okay. Which one of you would do better on the television show Survivor?

 

BOBBI: Hmm.

 

SASHEER: Have you ever seen Survivor?

 

BOBBI: I haven’t seen it, but I’ve seen, like, clips of it.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: I’ll tell you something. We hadn’t seen it either.

 

SASHEER: We’ve been asking this question for years.

 

NICOLE: Never seen it. Started watching it. It’s fucking great. It’s really great.

 

BOBBI: Oh. There’s a lot to binge, too, right?

 

NICOLE: It’s, like, 47 seasons. It’s wild.

 

SASHEER: All very dramatic. There’s, like, alliances. You are being cutthroat.

 

NICOLE: People are lying to each other. And then we haven’t gotten to this part because we have yet to finish the season–but all the voted off people are the ones who vote for the winner.

 

BOBBI: Oh, okay. I watch Big Brother and Big Brother’s like that. I love Big Brother. I want to watch Survivor. I think Folayan would do better.

 

SASHEER: Why is that?

 

NICOLE: Oh.

 

BOBBI: I think she just has a lot of traits. She’s quick on her feet.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

BOBBI: She grew up in certain African traditions, and I feel like that gives… I don’t want to get into her business. I don’t know if she wants to talk about this, but I think she could, like, be crafty.

 

SASHEER: Okay. All right. I like that. How do you think you would fare on the show?

 

BOBBI: I think I would do okay because I’m strong.

 

SASHEER: No one’s questioning that.

 

NICOLE: No. I think you’re strong. You said it so confidently.

 

BOBBI: I think that’s the only reason why, though. I don’t know how to start a fire or anything.

 

NICOLE: No, me either. And that’s, like, a big deal on the show.

 

SASHEER: A really big deal. Catching any kind of food.

 

NICOLE: Yeah. Catching food. Making fire. Shelter. Surviving.

 

BOBBI: Yeah.

 

SASHEER: All right. This is our last question for you.

 

NICOLE: But I have a bonus one.

 

SASHEER: Oh, okay. So this is our penultimate question. What do you see yourself doing 20 years from now–the two of you?

 

BOBBI: Oh, I think we’re going to, like, both have farms with chickens and lots of plants, gardens, and babies. We’ll, like, raise our kids together, like a tribe.

 

SASHEER: I love that.

 

NICOLE: I like that. She talks about that a lot, and I am really leaning into it–the whole commune living.

 

SASHEER: Yeah. Intentional communities. It’s a great way to live and, like, raise your kids.

 

BOBBI: In a safe, creative environment. But also, maybe we’ll be on, like, a 20th anniversary tour.

 

NICOLE: See that’s what I want. I want you to live on a farm but, like, dip in and be like, “I’m amazing.”

 

BOBBI: Yeah, exactly. That’s the goal.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, absolutely.

 

NICOLE: Okay, here’s my bonus question. Were you both fans of Missy Elliott?

 

BOBBI: Yes, absolutely.

 

NICOLE: What was it like working with her? I love Missy Elliott in a way that’s obscene.

 

BOBBI: Yeah, I think we’re up there, too. We were both obsessed with her growing up. We haven’t met her yet still.

 

NICOLE: Oh, that’s wild!

 

BOBBI: You know, people can just record things and just send them in. So, we’re still waiting to meet her, but we spoke to her on the phone before our show. And she was just the sweetest and the best. She’s so encouraging and positive. She’s like everything you would dream. And she killed that verse.

 

NICOLE: It’s wild. It’s so good.

 

BOBBI: Every time it’s mentioned, I’m just like, “Oh my gosh, we have a song with Missy.”

 

NICOLE: And it’s a great song. It was great before. It’s not even an improvement. It’s just a different vibe.

 

BOBBI: She said our names. We shout out her being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

 

NICOLE: Okay. Another bonus question.

 

SASHEER: Do you want to ask them these questions when they’re the two of them? Or is it just for…? Is it a friendship question?

 

NICOLE: Kind of.

 

SASHEER: Okay. I’m just saying I also would have wanted to know what Folayan thought about Missy.

 

NICOLE: Oh, I should write it down.

 

BOBBI: Write it down.

 

SASHEER: She just wrote, “Missy.” She’ll remember.

 

NICOLE: I probably won’t. Okay. Shooting up– No, that’s a weird way to phrase that. Blowing up with your best friend.

 

BOBBI: “Shooting up with your best friend.”

 

SASHEER: Oh boy.

 

BOBBI: Going viral with your bestie?

 

NICOLE: Oh my God. Yes. Who’s interviewing who? Going viral with your bestie–has it been easy?

 

BOBBI: I think going viral is challenging in general, but it’s been great. I’m so glad that we have each other. Like, it’s so good to have somebody to look in the eye and be like, “OMG! What’s going on?”

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: I love that.

 

BOBBI: Yeah, it’s the best. But yeah, going viral was very interesting.

 

NICOLE: Yeah, I could imagine because all of a sudden everyone’s like, “What you doing?” And you’re like, “Oh, I was just here.”

 

BOBBI: Yeah, we were just making music and living life. And then people started watching those running videos.

 

SASHEER: Which I do love.

 

NICOLE: They’re great.

 

BOBBI: They were really good. We really ate that.

 

SASHEER: Humble.

 

NICOLE: I love it. I mean–

 

BOBBI: Just stating facts.

 

SASHEER: I mean, it is a fact.

 

NICOLE: Truly. Truly. All right.

 

BOBBI: Is that it?

 

SASHEER: Yeah. That’s it for you. That’s you for right now.

 

NICOLE: Very ominous. “That’s it for you.”

 

BOBBI: Okay.

 

FOLAYAN: Okay. Wow. I’m actually nervous. I shouldn’t be nervous.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: No, this is gonna be fun. But it’s beginning.

 

FOLAYAN: Okay. Let’s do it.

 

SASHEER: Folayan, our first question is, how did you meet Bobbi?

 

FOLAYAN: Music school. And I’m almost sure she said the exact same thing.

 

SASHEER: Well, we can’t be sure.

 

NICOLE: We can’t be sure.

 

SASHEER: We have no idea.

 

NICOLE: So, do you remember your first interaction?

 

FOLAYAN: I think it was in a songwriting class. We were, like, playing songs. And then after the class, I think we just started talking. That’s it.

 

SASHEER: What did you see in Bobbi that made you feel like, “Ooh, I could vibe with this person.”

 

FOLAYAN: She’s, like, one of the funniest people I know. And her personality is just ten out of ten.

 

NICOLE: Aww.

 

SASHEER: I love that.

 

NICOLE: Okay. What is your favorite memory from traveling together?

 

FOLAYAN: Ooh. I have a lot. Probably Australia. We went to Australia a few months ago. We did South by Southwest, and it was just a beautiful place. We ate together and laughed together and performed together. And we performed on a yacht.

 

NICOLE: That’s nice!

 

SASHEER: Is there a difference feeling-wise performing on a yacht versus solid ground?

 

FOLAYAN: A little woozier because it’s like rocking back and forth. But it just felt, like, pristine.

 

SASHEER: Very rich.

 

FOLAYAN: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: Very opulent. Did you happen to have chicken nuggets in Australia?

 

FOLAYAN: No. I think I had chicken fingers. Chicken strips. What’s the difference? I don’t know.

 

SASHEER: A nugget is smaller. A strip is longer.

 

FOLAYAN: And a finger?

 

NICOLE: A finger is longer.

 

FOLAYAN: I think it was a strip.

 

SASHEER: Then what is a tender.

 

NICOLE: I think a tender is a fatter finger.

 

SASHEER: Oh, like a girthy finger.

 

FOLAYAN: A finger is a strip. Is it tender?

 

NICOLE: Maybe it’s finger, strip, tender.

 

SASHEER: Okay. And nugget is a different–

 

NICOLE: A nugget is a little circle guy.

 

FOLAYAN: Or a dinosaur.

 

NICOLE: The reason I asked is I had some of the best chicken nuggets in Australia.

 

FOLAYAN: I wasn’t loving the food, but it wasn’t terrible.

 

NICOLE: The food is garbage. And I had the nuggets, and I was blown away. But now I’m, like, really thinking back, and I was like, “Oh, I loved them because they were normal.”

 

FOLAYAN: Yeah. Yeah. You tried Vegemite?

 

NICOLE: It was nasty.

 

FOLAYAN: Disgusting.

 

NICOLE: I don’t get it. Have you had it?

 

SASHEER: I’ve never had it.

 

NICOLE: It’s just brown poop slime. And then it tastes like brown poop slime.

 

SASHEER: What do you put it on? Toast?

 

FOLAYAN: Toast. with butter.

 

NICOLE: Yeah. It’s sick.

 

FOLAYAN: It’s disgusting.

 

NICOLE: Yeah. You don’t want it?

 

SASHEER: Then I won’t have it.

 

FOLAYAN: Or maybe try it actually.

 

NICOLE: Try it, so you know what we’re talking about. I’m with you now.

 

FOLAYAN: You have to try.

 

SASHEER: These are mixed messages.

 

NICOLE: I’m gonna order it for you on Amazon. You have to try it.

 

SASHEER: All right, I guess. What would you say is your favorite thing about Bobbi?

 

FOLAYAN: Wow. Her personality again. Like, she can make me laugh any time. Her smile is really beautiful. I love her mom. Her and her mom’s smile is, like, identical. Like, it’s so cute.

 

SASHEER: That’s really cute.

 

FOLAYAN: And her ass.

 

SASHEER: Oh!

 

FOLAYAN: She has a great ass.

 

SASHEER: That’s nice. What was the most recent funny thing she did?

 

NICOLE: Or the hardest you’ve ever laughed.

 

FOLAYAN: I have a thing with my memory. I usually forget things just, like, as they happen. She does a lot of funny things. Oh, just now, on the way here, someone, like, kind of cut her off on the highway. She just did this. She’s like, “I hate road rage, but…”

 

SASHEER: A gentle middle finger.

 

NICOLE: That is really funny.

 

SASHEER: That person really felt it.

 

NICOLE: I like that. That’s funny. Okay. What is your friend’s favorite thing about you?

 

FOLAYAN: I don’t know!

 

SASHEER: If you had to guess. Yeah.

 

FOLAYAN: My motherly spirit? My warm hearted nature?

 

SASHEER: Okay.

 

NICOLE: Okay.

 

FOLAYAN: Did she say that?

 

SASHEER: Well, we don’t know yet. We can’t say.

 

NICOLE: And when you say “motherly spirit,” what do you mean by that?

 

FOLAYAN: She probably loves that I’m just a loving person. Positive. I always like to stay happy.

 

SASHEER: Oh. That’s good. Are you, like, the advice giver in the friendship?

 

FOLAYAN: Like, sometimes–and maybe sometimes unsolicited, too. But she loves me regardless.

 

NICOLE: And how do you stay positive? What’s your secret?

 

FOLAYAN: Having her around me and, like, doing this career thing together is one of the biggest parts of me being happy and staying happy because I don’t think I could do this by myself.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: It is hard. And I feel so lucky to have Sasheer because we kind of have hit steps at the same time. So it’s like I can, you know, be like, “Oh, this sucks,” or like, “This is great.” And she’s right there with me being like, “Yeah, this happened, too.” Yeah, it’s really special.

 

FOLAYAN: You’re experiencing it with someone that actually knows what you’re going through.

 

NICOLE: And is supportive. And it doesn’t feel like we’re in a competition. Like, we’ll go out for the same parts, but I’ll be like, “Well, if Sasheer gets it, they just wanted Sasheer. And if I get, it’s like they just wanted me. And it’s nothing personal. It’s not like I lost something. I didn’t have it to begin with.” And I’m happy when you get shit.

 

SASHEER: I’m happy when you get shit, too!

 

NICOLE: Boy, oh boy. Do you remember when you got that Verizon commercial? We were so happy. I remember you called me and I was on a bus and I was like, “Whoa! My friend’s going to be in a Verizon commercial!”

 

FOLAYAN: Y’all celebrate together when y’all get something?

 

SASHEER: We should actively celebrate more. I feel like we are, like, happy for each other. And we also just, like, do fun trips and stuff.

 

NICOLE: In my brain, our fun– We spend New Year’s Eve together every year. And to me, that’s celebrating every year.

 

FOLAYAN: Okay. That’s beautiful.

 

NICOLE: And I just never said that out loud.

 

SASHEER: I didn’t realize that.

 

NICOLE: As I go to sleep, I’m like, “A celebration of the year, and I’m not telling her.”

 

SASHEER: And I’m like, “Just another trip?”

 

FOLAYAN: “No celebration.”

 

SASHEER: “Nothing special at all about this.” Well, I like that. I will now think of it that way.

 

NICOLE: For the last seven years, that’s how I’ve thought.

 

SASHEER: Okay, this is going to get hopefully not too contentious, but what is something that Bobbi does that drives you crazy?

 

FOLAYAN: Everything she does I just love. She doesn’t tell me how she feels when she feels it. I’m like, “Girl, just let me know now.”

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

FOLAYAN: Also, I’ll still love her. So she could tell me the next day, and I’ll still forgive her. But tell me now.

 

SASHEER: Yeah.

 

NICOLE: Yeah. It saves time. I’m like that. I’ll never tell anyone how I feel. She’ll put a gun to my head, and I’ll be like, “I’m fine!”

 

FOLAYAN: Literally her. I will go a week, and then she’s like, “You know, that thing you did actually really hurt me.” I’m like, “I’m so sorry!”

 

NICOLE: Yeah. That’s me. Unless we’re at the airport and it’s a stranger. I’ll tell you how I feel immediately!

 

FOLAYAN: Oh, really?

 

NICOLE: Oh, strangers–I’ll fight anybody.

 

FOLAYAN: I think that’s her, too.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, but someone who actually hurt her feelings–don’t say a thing.

 

NICOLE: Yeah, like a good friend–I’ll just be like, “Wow…”

 

SASHEER: “I’ll hold it inside forever.”

 

FOLAYAN: You know, you are who you are.

 

NICOLE: It’s tough. What is something you do that drives your friend crazy?

 

FOLAYAN: Probably not communicate–like texting, calling… She knows I’m on my phone and I just don’t answer.

 

NICOLE: Why is that? Is it just because you’re like, “Uh oh. I gotta talk.”

 

FOLAYAN: Something feels way too urgent about people contacting me. And then it makes me want to put it off because I’m like, “It’s not that important. Everything’s going to be fine.” But then I forget or I’m just doing something. I don’t know. It’s like an alarm system in my head that goes, “You’re in trouble! Something’s wrong!” Even if it’s like, “Hey, girl,” I’m like, “Ahh!”

 

SASHEER: Is it, like, an anxious thing?

 

FOLAYAN: I think so.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, I can see that. Yeah. Sometimes I also want to put off responding because I’m like, “Well, I don’t want to seem too available. I don’t want them to think I’m available right now to take care of this thing.”

 

FOLAYAN: Yeah. “I want to, like, maybe drink some water, you know, lay on the couch…”

 

SASHEER: “Sit here with myself for a little bit and then respond.” Yes.

 

NICOLE: I’m trying to do more of that and, like, not feel like I need to urgently respond to everybody because I do do that. I’m always like, “Oh, I have to respond to you!”

 

SASHEER: Oh.

 

FOLAYAN: I think it’s a good quality.

 

NICOLE: Not you personally. Just, like, in general.

 

FOLAYAN: Please elaborate.

 

NICOLE: Oh my God. Somebody texts me, and I’m like, “Oh, I have to figure out the answers!” When you text me, I’m like, “Oh, that’s my friend. Okay.” And then I’ll call you. And then we’ll talk. And I’m like, “I’ll call you later.”

 

FOLAYAN: It’s a good quality though–to text people back right away.

 

NICOLE: But sometimes it’s overwhelming when I feel like I have to text them the minute they text me.

 

FOLAYAN: That’s why I don’t do it.

 

SASHEER: Don’t do it. Ever.

 

NICOLE: Yeah, I need a little bit of that.

 

FOLAYAN: Yeah. Balance is everything.

 

SASHEER: I’ve started also putting texts on my todo list, where instead of responding, I’ll put, “Text Mary,” or whatever.

 

NICOLE: Who’s Mary?

 

SASHEER: I do have a friend named Mary.

 

NICOLE: Do I know Mary? No, but you can know Mary.

 

FOLAYAN: Do you like her more or…?

 

SASHEER: Definitely not. No.

 

FOLAYAN: Okay, good.

 

SASHEER: I would never say that.

 

FOLAYAN: We’re good. Don’t worry.

 

SASHEER: A peripheral– not even really a friend. An acquaintance? I don’t know. I don’t know a Mary.

 

NICOLE: Sounds like you do.

 

FOLAYAN: Mother Mary’s the only Mary we know.

 

NICOLE: All right. You can know Mother Mary.

 

SASHEER: Thank you so much. Oh, which of you would do better on the television show Survivor?

 

FOLAYAN: I don’t know if Bobbi’s watched Survivor, so I’m going to say me because I’ve watched a lot of it.

 

SASHEER: So you just have an advantage just knowing–

 

FOLAYAN: She’d be really good at Big Brother because she’s watched a lot of Big Brother. But even though, like, they’re kind of similar in how you have to strategize to play a little social game or whatever, I’m gonna say me

 

SASHEER: Yeah. What qualities do you have that would make you good at this game?

 

FOLAYAN: My smile.

 

NICOLE: I honestly do think that would work to your advantage because you do have a nice smile.

 

FOLAYAN: Thank you.

 

SASHEER: And I think people would trust you–trust you and be distracted.

 

FOLAYAN: Yeah. Blindside. Yeah.

 

SASHEER: And some people get voted off just for being annoying.

 

NICOLE: Which is so funny. I don’t think we’ve seen that in our season.

 

SASHEER: No one’s actively said it out loud… But no one loves the Black people.

 

NICOLE: The season we watched, we had a nice Black man who didn’t want to do anything.

 

SASHEER: He also couldn’t swim.

 

NICOLE: Season Four. He couldn’t swim. He didn’t want to work. He didn’t want to do anything.

 

FOLAYAN: He have locks, or no?

 

SASHEER: He had cornrows.

 

NICOLE: And then there was also a Black woman. And then there was Boston Rob.

 

FOLAYAN: It’s ringing, but it’s not ringing.

 

NICOLE: I mean, there’s, like, 62 seasons.

 

FOLAYAN: The newer ones are nice. They’re cool.

 

NICOLE: I was watching the season after the COVID shutdown. And the host, Jeff Probst, is so into it as the seasons go on. He’s like, “Go, go, go! This team’s never gonna pull ahead!” Like, he’s really in it.

 

FOLAYAN: He’s messy. He’s like, “So how do you feel about–?” He really makes them dig in.

 

SASHEER: “You guys had a fight earlier, and now you’re sitting next to each other. What does that feel like?”

 

FOLAYAN: “You think she’s a big threat, right? So tell her why.”

 

SASHEER: “To her face.”

 

NICOLE: What do you hope you’re both doing in 20 years?

 

FOLAYAN: I hope in 20 years we have a big, happy family–both of us separately. But, you know, we’re all one big, happy family. I hope we have a TV show. I really want to have a TV show.

 

SASHEER: I can see it.

 

FOLAYAN: Maybe, like, a production company. Big dreams. And a lot of money.

 

SASHEER: That’s a really good goal.

 

FOLAYAN: So much money that we don’t know what to do with it.

 

NICOLE: Yes. I feel like that’s a good thing to want. People are like, “Money doesn’t buy happiness, but money allows you to be comfortable and then find what makes you happy.”

 

FOLAYAN: Yeah. Also, I found happiness being broke. Now I’m trying to find happiness being rich.

 

SASHEER: It’s just a different happy.

 

NICOLE: Oh my God. I would love to have a young. yacht. Like, “Guys, do you want to come on my yacht?”

 

FOLAYAN: It’s, like, a Wednesday.

 

NICOLE: If I had a yacht, I would laugh every time I invited people on. I’d be like, “God, can you believe? Is this yacht day?” Okay, I have bonus questions. Okay. I’m a big Missy Elliott fan, so this is more for me. What was it like to work with her? And was it exciting? And did you love it?

 

FOLAYAN: Like, so exciting that we almost, like, couldn’t feel it at first.We were in shock. And she said our name. We just, like, replayed that part. We were in the airport. We replayed it over and over and over and over. A dream come true. We’ve never met her yet. But hopefully this year we’re going to meet him. And then I’m going to cry. But yeah, it was just like a weird, full circle moment. And I still can’t even believe it happened.

 

NICOLE: Yeah, it’s really incredible. Second bonus question. What is it like to go viral with your best friend? Has it made it a little easier?

 

FOLAYAN: A dream come true. Yeah. We said we were going to go viral. We said, “We have to go viral. That’s how we have to do this.” We did it. And now, like, our dreams are coming true right before our eyes.

 

SASHEER: Manifesting.

 

NICOLE: Yes!

 

SASHEER: We love that. Well, we were actually told that you know a lot about space.

 

FOLAYAN: I don’t know a lot about space. I watch a lot of space things. I like Neil deGrasse Tyson. I watched Cosmos.

 

NICOLE: What’s your favorite thing about space?

 

FOLAYAN: The void. The openness. The mystery. What’s out there? We don’t know. We might never know. I like that?

 

NICOLE: Do you think there’s aliens?

 

FOLAYAN: I think there are aliens, but not in the way that we can conceptualize.

 

NICOLE: That’s what I think. I think it’s very, very silly to think that we’re alone and this is the heightened intelligence in this universe.

 

FOLAYAN: No.

 

NICOLE: Okay, other bonus question. Did you like the movie Gravity?

 

FOLAYAN: With Sandra Bullock? I don’t remember it. I think I did watch it. I don’t remember it.

 

NICOLE: My criticism was too much space.

 

FOLAYAN: Was she just hanging out in space the whole time, trying to reattach herself?

 

NICOLE: I mean, kind of–yes. And I was just like, “Oh my God, it’s so black.”

 

FOLAYAN: I liked interstellar. That was cute.

 

SASHEER: I like that one, too. I watched it on a plane. Not the place to watch it. It’s, like, so small. I was like, “I think that’s a black hole.” You need a big screen.

 

NICOLE: I think I saw that on the big screen. All right. Well, we gotta go get Bobbi.

 

FOLAYAN: How’d I do? Oh, we’re going to see.

 

SASHEER: We’re going to see.

 

NICOLE: So, we asked, “How did you meet?” Bobbi said, “In music school in Hollywood, California, at the Musician’s Institute. We both moved here to become stars. We clicked right away, but it was a soft click. We’re both introverts, and I thought she was so cute. She looked just like Rudy Huxtable, and she looks more like Janet Jackson now.”

 

BOBBI: The way that you paraphrased it is hilarious.

 

NICOLE: “The hard launch is we started the group, and we loved hanging out. And we were like, ‘Are we best friends now?’ ‘Yes.’” Folayan said, “In music school in a songwriting class. We were playing songs. And after class, we started talking. She’s one of the funniest people I know, and her personality is ten out of ten.”

 

BOBBI: I told you that she thought I was funny.

 

SASHEER: Yeah. And you were right. It was the first thing she said. She was ready. That one accounts. You got it. Next question we asked was, “What is your favorite memory of traveling together?” Bobbi said, “I really love our car rides together. I love our convos. We’ve been traveling together a lot for the tour. I like when we went to New Orleans for Essence Fest. It was the first time we were flown out, and we got to share a room. We don’t do that anymore so we can poop separately. But Essence Fest was great.” And Folayan said, “Probably Australia. We did South by Southwest, and we performed on a yacht. It did feel a little woozy because of the rocking back and forth, but it was very pristine.”

 

BOBBI: I take it back. Australia was the best.

 

FOLAYAN: No, no, yours is nice, too.

 

SASHEER: What did you like about Australia?

 

BOBBI: It was so nice and peaceful. It wasn’t chaotic. Like, normally things are all over the place. It was, like, very pleasant. We had nice dinners, and we performed…

 

FOLAYAN: And there’s a ferry that’s like public transportation. So you can just, like, take a ferry to wherever you’re going.

 

BOBBI: Yeah. So we, like, went to the zoo and took the ferry back to our hotel.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, that’s nice.

 

NICOLE: When you went to the zoo, did you meet…? It’s a little rat thing that smiles?

 

FOLAYAN: A wallaby?

 

NICOLE: No, a quokka.

 

BOBBI: No, we did not meet a quokka.

 

NICOLE: Jordan, can you show them what a quokka is? They’re really funny.

 

FOLAYAN: Oh! We did see some of those!

 

NICOLE: Did they smile at you?

 

BOBBI: I mean, they were resting, but we did see those in the living areas.

 

FOLAYAN: They had, like, their own little–

 

BOBBI: So cute!

 

NICOLE: I think if I were to come back as an animal, I’d come back as that.

 

SASHEER: I believe that.

 

NICOLE: Thank you.

 

SASHEER: We asked what your favorite thing is about your friend. Bobbi said, “She’s really talented and so sweet. She knows a lot about outer space, and she’s…” That’s why we asked. “She’s also great with personal space. My favorite thing she told me about space is string theory. I think it’s about parallel universes. She’s a big fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson.” And then Folayan said, “Her personality. Again, she can make me laugh so hard. I love her mom. She has a great relationship with her mom, and I love that.”

 

FOLAYAN: I said that your mom’s smile and your smile is so beautiful. It makes me smile every time I see them smile. It’s so gorgeous.

 

SASHEER: She also mentioned your ass.

 

FOLAYAN: I should have mentioned her boobs! She has great boobs! You have good tits. I won’t look at them now, but they’re really good.

 

SASHEER: What’s your favorite body part of mine? It’s weird that you’re, like, looking.

 

FOLAYAN: You should know already.

 

NICOLE: Stand up. Do a little 360. Turn around, and then lift your jacket.

 

FOLAYAN: Lower back?

 

NICOLE: I think it’s your lower back. I like the dip before your butt.

 

SASHEER: All right. Thank you. I love your ass.

 

NICOLE: Oh, thank you!

 

SASHEER: You could, like, put a cup on it. It’s juicy.

 

NICOLE: I also really like my butt. We asked, “What’s your friend’s favorite thing about you?” Bobbi said, “I’m just going to say my sense of humor. For some reason, she finds me hilarious. We laugh really hard a lot. She does this thing when we really laugh and I know I got her. Her eyebrows go in. They kind of, like, furrow, and that’s when I know she thinks I’m funny. And I kind of just know I’m funny.” And Folayan said, “My motherly spirit. My warmhearted nature. I think she likes that I’m a loving person and I’m a happy, positive person. Having Bobbi around me is a big part of what adds to my happiness.”

 

BOBBI: Oh, that’s so sweet. She is very maternal and nurturing.

 

SASHEER: That’s very sweet. We asked, “What is something that you do that drives your friend crazy?” Bobbi said, “I don’t know. She hasn’t told me. I think sometimes I talk to her too much.”

 

FOLAYAN: You never talk to me too much.

 

SASHEER: Folayan said, “Not communicating, especially when it comes to calling or texting. She knows I’ll be on my phone. I just don’t answer. It feels like something is too urgent when someone calls. So I avoid it.”

 

BOBBI: You’re really good about that now.

 

FOLAYAN: I’m way better.

 

BOBBI: Yeah. Before we started the duo, though, like, she would leave me on read for a long time. But she answers me now. She’s really good about calling me back. You’re so good now.

 

FOLAYAN: Thanks, but I feel like I take too long.

 

BOBBI: No, no, no, you’re great.

 

FOLAYAN: And then we’ll see each other. We’ll, like, have a session or something. And she’s like, “Did you see my text message?” And I’m like, “Yeah.”

 

BOBBI: Those are in group chats, I feel like. When it’s just us, you either answer back or you do something.

 

NICOLE: Was that a conversation you had to have?

 

BOBBI: Yeah. I said, “If we’re going to do this duo, you need to respond. You can’t leave me on read. You have to call me back, otherwise it’s not going to work.”

 

SASHEER: I like that you were able to articulate that. Some people are just, like, frustrated. And it’s like, “No, no.”

 

BOBBI: When we were just friends, I never was upset because, every time I would see her, it would be positive energy. Like she wasn’t shading me or anything. She just didn’t text me back. So I wasn’t upset about it. I was just like, “If we’re going to do this, we have to talk.”

 

NICOLE: Do you have your read receipts on?

 

SASHEER: You did one time, and it really upset me. I was like, “Your read receipts are on. Turn them off.”

 

NICOLE: I don’t know how it happened.

 

SASHEER: I think sometimes it happens to me. There’s a button, and you can accidentally hit it.

 

BOBBI: I did one time to one person. I really was so anxious. I saw the receipts. I was like, “Oh my God! This whole time!” because I was like, “I’m just seeing your message…”

 

NICOLE: Yeah, you can’t say that. “I saw it a while ago. Oopsies!” We asked, “What’s something your friend does that drives you crazy?” Bobby said, “It doesn’t drive me crazy, but sometimes I can’t read her, particularly when I feel a bad vibe or someone feels off. And I feel like she’s enjoying them. And then afterwards she’s like, “Yes, I didn’t like that person.” Folayan said, “I have to think. Everything she does I just love. But when she doesn’t tell me when she feels something in the moment, just tell me immediately. And usually I have to find out later, but I still love her.”

 

SASHEER: That’s kind of the same answer. You just find out later how they’re really doing.

 

BOBBI: Yeah. It’s, like, delayed.

 

SASHEER: We asked, “Which of you would do better on the TV show Survivor?” Bobbi said, “I think Folayan would do well because she’s quick on her feet. She grew up in a certain African tradition…”

 

NICOLE: Which is so vague. You grew up in, like, the Survivor tribe–an actual survivor tribe in Africa.

 

SASHEER: “And I think I would do okay because I’m strong. But that’s it. And I don’t know how to start a fire.” And then Folayan said, “Me because I watch Survivor. She would be good for Big Brother.”

 

NICOLE: Which is what you said. You’re like, “I watch Big Brother.”

 

SASHEER: “And I would be good at the game because of my smile. They would be captivated by it. And then I would blindside them.”

 

BOBBI: That’s that African tradition.

 

NICOLE: Smile and blindside!

 

FOLAYAN: That is so funny.

 

NICOLE: We asked, “What do you both hope you’re doing in 20 years?” Bobbi said, “I think we’re both going to have farms, chickens, food, and babies. I think we’ll be living together or maybe on a 20th anniversary tour.” Folayan said, “I hope we have a big happy family, a TV show, maybe a production company, and a lot of money. So much money that we don’t know what to do with it.:

 

BOBBI: Those are, like, the same answer.

 

SASHEER: Yeah, basically.

 

FOLAYAN: I love a farm.

 

BOBBI: I love a lot of money.

 

NICOLE: I think you did it.

 

SASHEER: It sounds like you did it.

 

NICOLE: I think you’re friends.

 

BOBBI: I think so, too. So we can stay together?

 

SASHEER: You can stay together. You passed the test.

 

NICOLE: You’re like, “All right, I’m out of here. Goodbye.”

 

FOLAYAN: Are we going to get a certificate in the mail?

 

SASHEER: We’ll mail it to you later. We should have something to give people. Congratulations!

 

NICOLE: You get a Sharpie to share. Ooh. Do you guys have anything you want to plug? We’re done.

 

FOLAYAN: We have new music coming out. We just released a song called Candyman.

 

BOBBI: For all the lovers out there.

 

FOLAYAN: Yep. And we’re going on tour.

 

BOBBI: The Bosstanical Garden Tour.

 

SASHEER: I love your commitment to the puns. I love it so much. “Flyana Boss.” “The Bosstanical Garden.” I mean, it really feels like a good time.

 

BOBBI: There’s more to come. Yeah.

 

FOLAYAN: Stay tuned.

 

NICOLE: Well, we didn’t do any questions this episode–not nary a one from our listeners. But we will in other episodes. And you could email. I’m screaming, and I’m not sure why. You can email nicoleandsasheer@gmail.com. We also have a phone number for you to call or leave a voice note at. (424) 645-7003.

 

SASHEER: We also have merch at podswag.com/bestfriends.

 

NICOLE: Oh, baby. We also have transcripts of our new episodes. Check them out on our show page at earwolf.com.

 

SASHEER: Lastly, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. It’s the easiest way to support this show.

 

NICOLE: It really is. And, Sasheer, I’ve had a joy and a great time with you today.

 

SASHEER: Oh, you have been a joy and a pleasure.

 

NICOLE: Oh boy. I hope you drive home safely.

 

SASHEER: And to you and yours, good luck and goodnight. Good luck.

 

NICOLE: Good luck and good night to you and yours.

 

NICOLE & SASHEER: Good luck and good night.