A [TEXT MESSAGE] Conversation With Filmmaker Adewale Olukayode
East New York, Film, Philosophy, Kanye, Work, Race, Chess, & More!
A [BLANK] Conversation With… is an interview series where guests engage in a three-day conversation via their preferred mode of text-based communication, with no commitments to the length or frequency of their responses.
I don’t recall the first time I met filmmaker, photographer, writer, comedian, educator, and beat maker, Adewale Olukayode, but I’ll never forget the day he took this snapshot of myself and my now woman-king (a.k.a. ‘wife’) while we were looking for a place to live in what happened to be his Brooklyn neighborhood.
He was just roaming around with a film camera — something he often does, with the aim of capturing natural moments from strangers or, in this case, a surprise acquaintance.
We’ve kept in touch since moving into the area and, on occasion, have taken long walks that feel like a throwback to youthfully wandering with a cousin on a summer’s day. The surface goal of those chats is to find points of connection for jokes. But, in true mumblecore movie fashion — the plot thickens, somehow.
Hailing from New York and Nigeria, Adewale has written and directed the short film Home (now available to view in Topic’s One Story Up series)…
…and has recently completed his first feature film, titled East New York.
Earlier this year, he showed me a rough cut of East New York and I was blown away by what he accomplished. The story is personal, funny, heartbreaking, and very much New York.
I wanted to learn what the city means to him, and how he’s navigating the rapidly evolving media landscape.
You can read our three-day text message conversation below.
Enjoy!.. Oh! And if you don’t like curse words or explicit content or whatever phrase you prefer that defines that kind of thing, this is your warning:
There are swear words in this conversation!
TABLE OF CONVERSATION:
Film, Freelance, and ‘The Oracle’
New York, ‘ADOS,’ and Zoom Life
Kanye West, Work, and A.I.
Note: Since Tim lives in New York, each text is timestamped in Eastern Standard Time. However, certain reactions like “iPhone haha”s and ❤️s exist out of time. We have no way of retrospectively knowing exactly when those buttons were pressed. There have been minor adjustments of the text for clarity.
DAY 1 (Thursday 08-24-2023)
Tim Barnes: (8:55AM) Adewale! Welcome to the interview. Do you usually wake up around now? Adewale Olukayode: (10:38AM) Yeah, but I don’t understand life till about 10:30 or so (10:38AM) The morning is just a blosh (not a word…yet) Tim: (10:42AM) Hahaha, I don’t subscribe to things “not being a word yet” — it’s all made up! Words are like bitcoin that way [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] (10:43AM) I wanted to interview you because, even though we don’t hang out often, when we do — we end up having really deep conversations (10:44AM) Also, since you snapped that photo of me and my woman king (wife) when we were looking at places in the area, I feel like you’ve somehow become my neighborhood guardian angel [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] (10:44AM) How many neighborhoods have you lived in? Adewale: (10:45AM) Hahaha. I’m like Batman in all my friendships. I’m not there until I am. I just pop up [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Tim: (10:46) It seems like a great way to be Adewale: (10:47AM) I’ve lived in a lot of neighborhoods. Child of an immigrant who had to adjust, so I’ve lived in every borough and lived in several different places in Brooklyn (10:48AM) But this place seems like home. That’s until it doesn’t and I need to move for a job (10:48AM) But I hope remote living last for several generations (10:48AM) And we use office space to house ppl (10:49AM) Did you know they’re doing that? Housing ppl in offices. Imagine a fax machine in your living quarters. [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Tim: (10:49AM) Yeah, I feel like I’m just starting to settle into the neighborhood life as well. Did so much roaming as a struggling comedian in Chicago, and in the first few years in New York (10:49AM) And yeah!(10:49AM) Been reading articles about the offices (10:51AM) You’re one of the most functionally freelance people that I know. Feels like you’ve always got a creative gig in the works (10:51AM) Do you have an internal system for managing all of your projects? Adewale: (10:53AM) Freelance is like mercenary work. I’m not attached to anything, so every hood or bad idea is me exploring things to implement into my own work (10:53AM) My goal is to get out of it tho. But idk how I’d feel having a boss (10:54AM) I’m functional because I have a partner who helps when I’m not banging jobs left and right (10:55AM) My internal systems are deadlines. I prioritize the ones closest, but I can only manage 2-3 at the same time (10:56AM) Any more than that, I’m not a functional human being Tim: (10:57AM) Setting those boundaries are so important (10:59AM) I feel like the last time we had a long conversation, we were circling around that tension of needing an overarching creative title like “Comedian” or “filmmaker.” Do you struggle at all with those labels? I’m discovering in these conversations that a lot of people are moving past the need for them. Everyone’s a multi-hyphenate now (11:00AM) Which is only scary in the sense that it could feed into the machine that puts everything into the singular category of “content” Adewale: (1:17PM) Creators before us have shown that comedy is the avenue to get good at other things. Once you learn how to be interesting and blend it with timing, you can do anything Performative Tim: (1:33PM) What’s your relationship with standup now? And how has it evolved over the years? Adewale: (2:35PM) Standup is cool. I still do it but I don’t have any goals in it(2:35PM)All my grails to aspire for are dying--> edited to: (2:37PM) All my grails to aspire for are dead (2:36PM) Now every time I see a comedian do a thing that’s supposed to be big, I don’t see the lure in going back Tim: (2:38PM) That’s exactly how I feel. In a way it makes it all a purer experience. Specials, late night sets, don’t mean quite the same thing they used to. On the rare occasion that I still go up, it feels nice to put the intensity of climbing the hierarchy aside [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] Adewale: (2:38PM) My ultimate goal was to be on lettermen, but once he went off the air, I thought, this skill I gained can be useful to achieve my other grails (2:39PM) Man, that’s beautiful you can go up there and have fun (2:40PM) I feel like I can’t. The immigrant upbringing in me can’t see anything without an end goal (2:40PM) Go to school and get a degree (2:40PM) Date to have a wife and kids (2:41PM) Go to church to get saved (2:42PM) I also met slick Rick. I don’t know how that fits into my rule of three [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] --
Tim: (2:52PM) How recent was that? (2:52PM) Truly one of the greatest voices in hip hop Adewale: (2:54PM) Three days ago(2:55PM)The man is a living legend. He’s a stylist now. The man has also switched professions or is a multi hyphenate--> edited to: (2:55PM) The man is a living legend. He’s a stylist now. The man has also switched professions and is a multi hyphenate (2:55PM) Multi hyphenates are the future. You have multiple bills, why can’t you have multiple professions? Tim: (3:29PM) Good point! Do you fight that urge from your family to find the goal within everything you do? It’s clearly beneficial in many ways Adewale: (3:41PM) I can’t say I’ve tried. You just put me on to a new way of thinking about comedy (3:42PM) I’ve never tried (3:42PM) Goals are what keeps you sane in this hedonic treadmill Tim: (4:21PM) What’s really gonna bake your noodle is: “do you have any goals in being interviewed right now?” --
(4:23PM) --
(4:23PM) Damn it! Don’t know why the photo is sending like that [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] (4:23PM) --
(4:23PM) Okay, that’s better (4:23PM) Ruined the joke (4:42PM) Have you always wanted to be a filmmaker? How did you balance your various interests when you were younger? Adewale: (5:36PM) Haha (5:37PM) I got it (5:37PM) The oracle as black women in the matrix is funny bc it affirms that Black women be knowing Tim: (5:38PM) I posted this a few days ago— but don’t you be wondering what else she cooks in that apartment. She looks like she can COOK! Adewale: (5:39PM) Lol. The oracle definitely can cook. She has all the cooking times memorized [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] (5:40PM) She knows it’s done before it’s done (5:46PM) How is this show working for you? Tim: (5:51PM) What show do you mean? Adewale: (5:52PM) Interview* (5:52PM) I don’t know formats anymore [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Tim: (5:55PM) It’s going well! I don’t officially know why I do it, but I enjoy the final product. And there’s just something funny about silently interviewing someone though out the day (5:55PM) Speaking of the matrix, right now I’m walking down a busy Manhattan sidewalk that feels like the moment where Neo sees the woman in the red dress (5:55PM) This format is also way less cumbersome than podcasting (5:57PM) But wait! I’m pretty sure you missed a question [Adewale gives this an iPhone "?"] Adewale: (6:27PM) Yeah, I also hate the sound of my voice on playback (6:27PM) Standup is in the moment (6:27PM) Podcasting is in many moments, everywhere, all at once. (6:27PM) You just want to have your words back or change some inflection [Tim gives this an iPhone "Haha"] Tim: (7:20PM) Yeah, but at the same time you can definitely tell when people are too conscious if their voice while recording (7:20PM) This was the question! --
Adewale: (7:24PM) I always was interested in filmmaking but I didn’t know where to start (7:24PM) I started by Wikipedia (7:24PM) I looked up every director and see how they got their start (7:25PM) Scorsese went to film school, Spike went to film school (7:25PM) Tarantino went straight to making films but his first few sucked (7:25PM) I knew I wanted some sort of beginning that wasn’t far off from the greats. (7:25PM) So I started making films in school and met some cool ppl (7:27PM) But writing came second nature because I was already working on material for what would become standup (7:27PM) I didn’t do standup until I knew I could leave filmmaking alone for some time and come back to it with a new perspective (7:28PM) I juggle both but put one down when I feel I’ve reached my limits. Then I do the other while the other grows or until I get an idea (7:28PM) Then I work (7:29PM) - On that until I I get bored. Then I just pick the other back up (7:29PM) It’s jumbled but this makes sense. Lemme know if something isn’t clear Tim: (10:14PM) Sorry I left you there! But I suppose this is a good test of when you go to sleep. That all makes sense. I’m really interested in the social element of filmmaking. Beyond just making a good film, marketing and meeting the right people in the right way is important. What were some of your early big breaks in that regard? (Totally fine to answer this in the morning) (10:19PM) And also, what were some of those early movies of yours?!
DAY 2 (Friday 08-25-2023)
Tim: (10:52AM) Just wanted to make sure you saw the two questions from last night. And welcome to day 2 of the interview! Adewale: (10:53AM) Umm. Not sure how to answer that. Making a good film is half the battle (10:54AM) I’m not good at marketing a film. If it were up to me, I would make a good film and go away like Frank Ocean (10:54AM) But I got some success with my last film (10:55AM) It was through the help of my collaborators that the film was able to travel the world. I didn’t (10:55AM) Lol. It was released during Covid, so I had to stay home while it made the rounds at virtual festivals. Which was good for me bc I was broke at the time and couldn’t afford to travel (10:57AM) Thank you, Covid! I’m sure I’m the only person who’s ever uttered that phrase Tim: (10:57AM) Hahaha (10:57AM) That must’ve have been a little frustrating though, right? Can’t imagine the digital festival circuit exists in your mind in the same way a physical one would. (10:58AM) I spent an entire year writing for The Tonight Show from home and a part of me feels like it never really happened [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] Adewale: (10:58AM) Damn, that must’ve stunk you weren’t able to get the full experience of a top job in the industry Tim: (11:01AM) I know, I never even stepped foot in 30 Rock for the job or met Jimmy in person. Having said that, I do love that it remains a Twilight Zone experience in my mind. So much of comedy got deconstructed for me. Like… what is the point of producing a game between two celebrities over Zoom when there isn’t an audience laughing? Am I just supposed to be proud of watching two people have fun with themselves? (11:02AM) How are things going with your newest film? I loved what you showed me of it so far. Made me feel like I know someone who’ll be in the Criterion Collection someday [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Adewale: (11:07AM) “I’m supposed to be proud of two people having fun with themselves” should be written in the constitution [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] (11:09AM) Right to bear arms. And “thou shall have the right to maybe be proud of two ppl having fun with themselves” (11:09AM) Comedy without a laugh track or an audience is existentialism (11:10AM) I’m done. It feels nice to be done and going through the rounds of the same thing all over again. Idk if I will travel tho (11:11AM) When and if it goes places (11:11AM) Festivals are weird and I don’t drink much so I feel like the sober guy in the room giving ppl tags on their life (11:12AM) The criterion collection is a big deal but also solidifies your being old (11:13AM) I always wish to reinvent myself so ppl can’t tell my age. Miles Davis is my hero in that. Bringing up the newer generation and learning from them. I want to remain true and always in touch with society. (11:13AM) There comes a time when a filmmaker only makes films about yesteryear and I think ppl get tired (11:13AM) I wanna see Scorsese make a Frances Ha Tim: (11:16AM) Yeah, it does seem like filmmakers are similar to comedians in that regard. There’s always the basic frame and themes of their act, and you just replace a few things. I guess that’s most art, though. How much can we talk about the film? I liked how it was a love letter to your youth but, if I’m not mistaken, takes place in the present day. It felt authentically New York. [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] (11:30AM) I’ve been thinking about how you introduced me to the term ADOS. You said it so casually, and as you described it, it took me back a little. I actually took a few days to think about it and accept it. How does “New Yorker” fit into your many identities? [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] Adewale: (11:32AM) Yeah, it’s about boys from east New York who set on a quest to find fireworks (11:33AM) So they go to a neighboring white community named Howard beach (12:15PM) I didn’t invent the term, but it is important to acknowledge that Blackness is not monolithic (12:15PM) To understand and realize how lineages affect our understanding of the world. (12:16PM) It should also allow us to be specific in what we are asking for in perspectives (12:17PM) What is your thinking on the specificity that is ADOS Tim: (12:40PM) For me it’s just the impact of having slavery IN the title. It was shocking how to-the-point it is. It got me thinking again about how American Descendants of Slavery have gone through so many definitions over the years. It’s always a conversation with society. In my experience, most older Black people who left the south don’t like to talk too much about slavery or the south. Another part of the shock was how using that term going forward would ease so many conversations I’ve had in my life where people are trying to figure out what type of Black person I am. I shock a lot of people with the fact that both of my parents are ADOS. But I think that has less to do with my color exclusively and more to do with the combination of my color and how I talk. [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] Adewale: (1:04PM) ADOS makes it easier for reparations honestly (1:05PM) It’s always easier to get to the point because tip toeing allows for confusion or a generalization that doesn’t fit (1:05PM) Like me applying for Black scholarships Tim: (1:06PM) Oh yeah, that has to get complicated Adewale:(1:06PM)Going to school. Something didn’t feel right in my applauding for them bc they weren’t specific enough--> edited to: (1:06PM) Going to school. Something didn’t feel right in my applying for them bc they weren’t specific enough (1:08PM) Though I’m effected by racism, the racism that ADOS received in embedded in the dna through centuries in lineages (1:08PM) Which I think needs to be highlighted. As an African, I’m closer to the immigrant struggle (1:09PM) But am so through Blackness. So while we share an experience, it’s not the same thing (1:10PM) I want all my ADOS friends to get reparations. That way they can pay me back Tim: (1:10PM) Hahahaha (1:11PM) That’s what’s so interesting about New York. There’s so many variations of people here. How did you navigate that coming up? [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] Adewale: (2:22PM) I didn’t. I didn’t know how. I grew up around ADOS and I knew there was a difference in mindset and I couldn’t pinpoint it. It was just my immigrant upbringing (2:25PM) I tried to fit in but I didn’t understand certain nuances (2:25PM) Like police [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Tim: (2:37PM) That’s interesting because it feels like a few assimilation options open up. Do you feel a spiritual tie to New York? How did American-ness start to seep into your life, if at all? Adewale: (4:07PM) I’m a New Yorker through and through Tim: (5:14PM) That feels like the most New York answer Adewale: (6:34PM) My American ness started with not being able to go outside and seeing culture outside that was just as rich as my family in the house Tim: (7:55PM) I was in that same situation as a kid. Wasn’t allowed to go around the block so dove into TV, movies and books. I think watching so many morning TV talk shows is the reason I have such a broadcastery voice (7:55PM) But it sounds like you’re saying your window was the equivalent to my TV (7:56PM) What are some things that you consider to be a signature of your visual work? --> ADEWALE DIRECTLY RESPONDS TO THIS TEXT THE NEXT DAY @ 11:46AM, SAYING: "Idk. I kinda like fluid movements. And I edit to the feel of a scene and not the beats. Ie: if the character is anxious or nervous, I try and make the audience feel that way through my cuts or camera movement"
DAY 3 (Saturday 08-26-2023)
Tim: (11:45AM) Final day! Day 3! In addition to any responses to the texts I sent you last night, I want to know more about how you’re feeling about the current state of media and technology? Do you have any fears about A.I.? Do the amount of big budget movies aimed at international audiences concern you? Adewale: (11:45AM) Oh my bad (11:45AM) Oh, I watched TV AS WELL (11:45AM) Sooooo much TV (11:47AM) Hahaha. I usually only use my phone to play chess. This is the most reading I’ve done this year [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] (11:48AM) I know I know Tim: (11:59AM) Do you every play chess in the park? Adewale: (11:59AM) Do I fear AI? (12:00PM) HELL NO (12:00PM) If AI can write and direct what I direct, it would mean the algorithm would pay attention to what I have to say (12:01PM) And it doesn’t (12:01PM) Black/black queer/black woman creators have nothing to fear with AI (12:02PM) I feel like AI is coming after ppl who are formulaic (12:02PM) Our stories have been put to the wayside for so long, it would take a deep dive to learn how to create what we create without tropes (12:04PM) I wrote some Black content with AI two weeks ago. Man, there was a gun within three pages (12:05PM) The amount of budgets concern me? (12:05PM) No, this industry is gonna impose soon and independent cinema will be the new marvel (12:05PM) Implode* (12:06PM) Greta Gerwig, PTA films will have the lure of the avengers but could less than 12x the amount (12:06PM) The current model is failing and ppl are noticing there is a swing back to what we know and love (12:07PM) The big budget movies are going to be churned out with AI and we will get tired of it (12:08PM) I don’t play chess in the park. I am terrified of homeless geniuses (12:09PM) The hustlers in the park are some of the smartest men you and I will ever meet. But they’re so smart, they value chess in the park over everything (12:13PM) So when I played chess in the park one time, I was being clobbered by a guy who was going through a divorce. His wife left him homeless. He was homeless and used chess hustle as a means to eat. That’s when I realized sometimes being too strategic can turn you into a mad genius (12:14PM) So im good at chess but I don’t wish to get THAT good Tim: (1:41PM) There’s a sort of lyricism to the way to write and talk. It comes through in your films as well. Like what you mentioned about editing to the mood. Do you make music as well—or was there ever in interest in that? [Adewale gives this an iPhone "❤️"] Adewale: (1:52PM) Yeah, I make beats. That was a pandemic skill I got pretty hooked on (1:53PM) Scenes have a BPM. If you cut too much, it’s faster and creates anxiety (1:53PM) But if it’s slow, you get a melancholic feel that creates realism (1:53PM) And the art of filmmaking is the push and pull between that (1:54PM) The God’s hand vs the nature of reality (1:55PM) As a filmmaker you get to choose how fast, slow or real something is captured. Each choice lands differently on many people (1:55PM) But as long as it seems right for you and your collaborators, it’ll translate(1:56PM)Filmmaking is essential appeasing to your collaborator’s emotion and motion, all in favor to convey a mood or action. Music and language does that--> edited to: (2:04PM) Filmmaking is essential expressing to your collaborator’s emotion and motion, all in favor to convey a mood or action. Music and language does that Tim: (2:52PM) Why do I feel like you were always the “wise kid” in your friend groups coming up. Doe faith play a role in your life? Adewale: (4:29PM) Faith? (4:29PM) Christ? (4:30PM) Haha. I was the forward thinking friend who everyone argued against Tim: (4:31PM) Yeah, just any faith in general. What would people argue with you about? Adewale: (4:32PM) I knew Kanye’s significance early in the mixtape era (4:32PM) My friends didn’t see it (4:32PM) Pre anti semitism Tim: (4:34PM) How do you feel about him now? I remember being skeptical about him, even during the college drop out era. The music was great. But something about what he was doing with the preppy/nerd aesthetic didn’t sit right with me. Nerds shouldn’t be cool. I say this as a proud nerd [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Adewale: (4:35PM) Nerd is a spectrum (4:35PM) I still love the music despite some terrible things he’s said (4:36PM) The music is and will always be great. I still listen to the last album (4:37PM) All of his albums have a mood and I can throw one on and feel different things. That to me is an artist who dictates where they want to go. Bc it’s easy to write what ppl will like (4:37PM) Nerds should be cool. If you have uncool nerds, that’s how you get Elon (4:38PM) A nerd who has a villain origin story Tim: (4:39PM) Hahaha. But don’t you think Elon loves Kanye too? (4:40PM) I can see him setting “Stronger” as his alarm (4:41PM) I found the 3-part documentary on him fascinating (4:41PM) The fact that he had a friend capturing so many moments is amazing (4:42PM) But, yeah, his headspace right now is deeply concerning [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] --> ADEWALE DIRECTLY RESPONDS TO THIS TEXT LATER @ 5:01PM, SAYING: "The reason why I want to be good at chess" Tim: (5:00PM) Okay, I FINALLY watched your short film ‘Home’ and I love it. Had to sign up for a free trial at TOPIC to watch it, so don’t let me forget to unsubscribe, lol [Adewale gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Adewale: (5:01PM) Bobby Fischer the top chess person EVER also became an anti smite (5:02PM) Semite. Anti-Smite should be a word. I don’t want to smite ppl Tim: (5:02PM) Hahaha Adewale: (5:02PM) The evil genius nerd Tim: (5:04PM) ‘Home’ is your first real short, right? It’s super-impressive Adewale: (5:07PM) Ha. I wish (5:07PM) I’ve had a few failures before that (5:07PM) It’s my first official film Tim: (5:08PM) What about those earlier shorts made them failures? Adewale: (5:08PM) I didn’t have a voice yet Tim: (5:10PM) Who were you molding yourself after then? Was is some of the people you mentioned before? Spike, Scorsese, etc? Adewale: (5:10PM) Oh, I didn’t realize films can be from your perspective (5:10PM) The films before weren’t bad (5:11PM) They were just me telling someone else’s story or being writerly (5:11PM) That’s the worst place to make films from (5:12PM) Every Aaron Sorkin needs a David Fincher (5:12PM) Good literature is just that (5:12PM) Films are different in that they need a perspective visually (5:12PM) I didn’t know that then (5:12PM) Therefore the films were amateuresque Tim: (5:15PM) I like how focused the camera is on the core characters at the start of ‘Home’ — no grand establishing shot. Just what they’re doing in the grocery store, and it slowly expands from there. Both story wise and visually (5:16PM) Do the two brothers in ‘Home’ represent two aspects of yourself in some way? Adewale: (5:18PM) It represents me and the relationship hah with my brother (5:18PM) But I can see myself from his perspective (5:18PM) And he can see himself from mine (5:18PM) We have totally different upbringing Tim: (5:21PM) How did your brother react to the film? Adewale: (5:21PM) Haven’t seen it (5:21PM) Haha. I keep my film career away from fam (5:21PM) Lol. They still think im studying medicine (5:22PM) Jk jk (5:22PM) Idk how he feels (5:22PM) He heard about it. But it’s not important that my fam supports my film career (5:22PM) They hear about me in passing but they still don’t know what I do (5:22PM) It’s hard to explain Tim: (5:26PM) I know the feeling. I used to be a podcast producer and gave up on trying to explain what that was to my family. I’m sure that’s different from your scenario in a lot of ways Adewale: (5:26PM) My family only knows 9-5 life (5:27PM) I too only knew that till I realized you can not have a boss and also maintain money that’s salary amount Tim: (5:28PM) There’s a moment at the end of ‘Home’ where Femi removes his work vest. That feels symbolic of that realization for you Adewale: (5:45PM) Yeah, FUCK WORK (6:59PM) That’s what I was getting at with that (7:00PM) Once I was able to express things on my psychology, film followed (7:00PM) That’s when my point of view got strong and it clicked for me Tim: (7:08PM) With variations of self-checkout machines taking over, how do you feel about the future of work? A lot of people might have to adjust to not having a 9 to 5 as we’ve known it for so long Adewale: (7:09PM) No one should work [Tim gives this an iPhone "HaHa"] Tim: (7:09PM) Damn, I’d vote for you Adewale: (7:09PM) I posted this (7:10PM) Ah. I’m gonna leave you hanging because I never saved the photo (7:10PM) But basically we should let AI take over and we just get UBI (7:11PM) and we just do what we love (7:11PM) We can incorporate with the machines if we wish to work (7:11PM) But so many ppl would embark on passion projects they held off for so long (7:12PM) The world would be a better place if everyone had their basic human right provided for (7:12PM) Ie: offices turn into apartments (7:14PM) And that’s the end of my presidential speech Tim: (7:17PM) Hahaha, I think that’s a great place to end. I hope you’ve enjoyed this weird experiment! Your answers were amazing Adewale: (7:19PM) Thanks. It was a pleasure [Tim gives this an iPhone "❤️"] (7:40PM) Also let’s text regularly tho [Tim gives this an iPhone "!!"] (7:41PM) I’ll send voice notes in characters lol