Gia Peppers Reflects on the Trajectory of Her Career with 'More Than That' Show

Blavity

Gia Peppers celebrates her show "More Than That" becoming a video series while discussing the journey she has taken throughout her career to get to the point in her career that she's at right now.

Transcript

00:00Welcome back to 2190 Live everyone, Zayna Allen here and I'm here with the amazing,

00:05the beautiful, the talented Gia Peppers.

00:09Welcome, welcome.

00:10How are you feeling, girl?

00:12I'm first of all happy to see you in this blonde.

00:14It is making my morning, well, afternoon.

00:17And I am good.

00:18I'm happy to be here and honored to talk with you again, Zayna.

00:23Of course, Gia.

00:24So listen, more than that is really becoming more than that, okay?

00:29Amen.

00:29So yes, yeah.

00:31Amen.

00:31So let's just talk about it.

00:33We see that more than that is now on Revolt as a video series now.

00:37Like what was that transition like for you from a show that was an audio show for

00:42several seasons to now being on video?

00:45I'm sure like we already know you're a video girl, we know that.

00:47But like the transition of the show itself, like what was that like for you?

00:51Yeah, so I mean what's awesome is that like I'm one of three executive producers

00:56and Dentsu, when they brought this show to life,

00:59they always wanted it to be a multi-platform.

01:03But the radio is what started the journey.

01:06And so we'll still be on radio from what I understand.

01:09We'll see, but I'm pretty sure we're still gonna be on radio.

01:12But this opportunity came because when we started,

01:15we were in the middle of the pandemic.

01:17So there was no going outside, was no being on set.

01:19And there wasn't any like going to people's actual workspaces and

01:24seeing how they are doing the actual action of trying to make their community

01:29a better place.

01:30And so this opportunity came about, they pitched it to several places and

01:35Revolt ended up picking it up and being our distribution partners.

01:40G Factor Films, they produced the video side of it.

01:45They came in, worked with Dentsu and then I came in on the story.

01:48We got it together.

01:50And so it has been awesome.

01:52It's been a fight for sure.

01:54Nothing creative is ever easy.

01:56But what's awesome is that seeing the responses and

02:00seeing the actual show brought to life has been so beautiful.

02:05And so I'm just honored.

02:06The first episode had my mom in it in DC at Howard,

02:10the campus that I grew up on quite literally.

02:13So it was a beautiful homecoming experience and

02:16then getting to go to the other cities was just awesome.

02:19I love that.

02:20And I think that sometimes when people turn audio things into like more video,

02:26they have to adjust themselves, right?

02:28Because you're not like just having a, well, you are still having a conversation,

02:32but it's like, okay, you might have to cut because there's a police car driving by or

02:36like whatever the case may be.

02:38What was that adjustment like?

02:41What's awesome, so my last 10 years in this business has been a lot of on camera.

02:48So it wasn't too much of an adjustment to me.

02:50It was actually more of an adjustment to like do things from home during

02:54the pandemic.

02:55So I felt so elated to get back in front of the camera because it had been forever

03:00that I had done that with that show in particular.

03:03And so with the reality of playing the not only a co-EP, but talent and

03:10helping with booking, helping with writing, helping with wardrobe, all the things.

03:15You just try your best to be present in whatever moment you're needed to be,

03:18but the element's going to be the element.

03:20So on the LA episode, we were at the Baldwin Hills Overlook and

03:26there's a thing, like I was like a NASCAR driver.

03:29I drove like the Buick up the hill and I was so good at my driving.

03:36But the dope part was like there was a camera following us in a different car.

03:41So I was really like getting my commercial on.

03:43But when a person, a hiker was there or a bike was there,

03:46we had to move to the side.

03:47We just have to be very willing to be in surrender to what's happening around you

03:55and just pick up where you're going.

03:56So if you are hoping to be a TV talent, make sure you get outside and

04:00do some man on the street.

04:01Make sure you do whatever you need to do to realize that like you can't control

04:05what's going to happen on set, even on a quiet set.

04:09Somebody's phone might go off and then you got to redo your question.

04:12So just be ready to always be prepared and be in the moment and

04:15know that mistakes will happen.

04:17And it's on you to bring back the moment as if nothing ever changed.

04:22For sure, for sure.

04:23And talking about being prepared, Gia, this has been, like you said,

04:26this has been your career path for years now.

04:30And I think that we all go through everything and there's lessons to learn

04:34with everything that we go through, with every situation,

04:36every circumstance that we've been in.

04:38And I want to know, within this time that you've had more than that,

04:42from when it was, when it's first season to now,

04:45what have you learned about yourself through this?

04:48Come on, Zayda, with the questions.

04:52I have learned that I'm not just going to say anything.

04:57I have to be a producer.

04:59Because if I'm not, people would think that you just put a script in front of me

05:04and I can say it.

05:05And as a talent, one of the first things that I knew was watching other people

05:10make mistakes on camera and them blaming it on the producers, you learn like,

05:14producer's not going to get dragged if you say the wrong thing.

05:18You're going to get dragged even if a producer is the person that told you to

05:21say it.

05:22So one of the biggest things I learned is that I have autonomy over what I'm

05:26going to say.

05:26If you hire a Gia and you want to work with Gia and partner with Gia,

05:30Gia is going to be a part of it in many different forms.

05:34And so I learned that I am not shy about being like, no, and I'm going to do it

05:39nicely.

05:39I'm like, hey, is there a way that we can say this?

05:41Or, ooh, that doesn't really sound like me.

05:43Or actually, that fact, let's double check it.

05:47Do your research, stay on your toes, and do that.

05:50Also, I learned in the TV process that there is nothing better than seeing

05:55something come to life that you've been a part of since its idea stages.

06:02It gives you so much confidence as a creative to see it come to life and to

06:06see it really have its moment.

06:10And so I've gained more confidence in me and who I am.

06:13I feel more ready than ever.

06:14And it's bringing to light me and my make it happen bag.

06:20So other things will be coming soon.

06:22But I'm really excited that this was a start to finish.

06:27Because so many times as creatives, we get a million ideas.

06:31And then we're like, oh, it's been three years.

06:34And I'm meant to finish that.

06:35But I have not.

06:37And now I'm just like, oh, OK.

06:39It's possible.

06:40And you can do great things.

06:41And this has been proof of that.

06:43For sure, for sure.

06:44And you've been doing great things, girl.

06:47My neck, can you please take your foot off of it?

06:50Please take your foot off of it.

06:52Because I just need to breathe.

06:54I'm just saying.

06:56So I just need to know.

07:00As I said, you've been consistently leveling up

07:03throughout your career.

07:04And we have gotten to see your entire growth.

07:08And I just want to know what it feels like on your end

07:11to know that you are continuously growing.

07:14I don't know if you've had moments where you've had to be

07:19in a neutral space or in what you

07:21may consider like a purgatory or anything like that.

07:23But on our end, we see is Gia got a new gig.

07:26OK.

07:27Oh, Gia, she doing?

07:28OK.

07:29So what is that like?

07:30I guess it's like the dichotomy.

07:31What is that like on your end in comparison to ours?

07:34Yeah, it's weird.

07:35It's always weird.

07:36Because I think we as creators get really in our heads

07:41and we're hard on ourselves.

07:43I have learned to radically trust God and his timing.

07:47Because I will be freaking out over it.

07:49You all see the yeses.

07:51There have been triple the no's.

07:53The no's sometimes take you out in a place

07:56where you forget about your dreams.

07:59You forget about your confidence in yourself.

08:02But they will come back eventually.

08:04For years, I had no self-confidence

08:07in what I could do, even though I was doing things.

08:10And it was just because the amount of no's

08:13that you get in this business can be really hard for you

08:15as a person.

08:16It's different when you are a person behind the scenes

08:19and it's still as hurtful.

08:22But when people say no to you as a talent,

08:25you have to realize that it's not you as a person.

08:27It's you as whatever you bring.

08:29But it's hard because it's still all you.

08:31So one of the biggest things that I tell people

08:34is that, yeah, nothing, no story that you admire

08:38comes without its scars.

08:39And all of us have been in places

08:42where they felt like giving up.

08:43In those moments, have great friends.

08:45Have a notebook where you started with all your passion

08:49and all your things of why you want to do what you do.

08:52And be able to revisit that.

08:53Because there will be times where you want to give up.

08:56And I have had many times that I have given up, Zaina.

08:59I have thrown in the towel.

09:01But then God gives me an opportunity.

09:03And it's like, oh, OK.

09:05Well, I guess, all right.

09:06Let me put my big girl pants back on and my lipstick

09:10and go be cute on these cameras.

09:12Because you also realize that you've worked way too hard

09:16to come just this far.

09:18Yeah, and you can't give up.

09:20Because I'm like, what am I supposed to do?

09:22You know what I'm saying?

09:23OK.

09:24Thanks, Zaina.

09:25You know what I'm saying?

09:26Well, then you can't give up either.

09:27Thanks.

09:28OK.

09:29Deal.

09:30Didn't expect that.

09:31Deal.

09:32I'll make a deal with you.

09:35Fine.

09:36Twisted my arm.

09:37Deal.

09:38But before we wrap up, Gia, I just

09:41want to know, is there anything?

09:42What can we expect next from more than that?

09:44If you can tell us.

09:45If you can't, that's fine.

09:46So I mean, from, again, we'll probably be back on radio again.

09:50The great thing is all four episodes

09:52will be streaming probably by the time this comes out.

09:55So on YouTube, so you can just bin them all.

09:57They're only 20 minutes, which is amazing.

09:59But you get real insight into different issues

10:02that are happening right now in our community,

10:04like funding HBCUs.

10:07We're still severely underfunded,

10:09even though we produce the greatest.

10:11They produce the greatest people.

10:14I'm just playing, but not really.

10:16And then also, everything from food scarcity and insecurity.

10:22And then also, we literally just finished the episode in Miami,

10:27and it was about protecting your legacy in a space and time

10:30where people are literally trying to erase it

10:33through food and culture.

10:34And so we touch on really big topics,

10:36and it's a great way to at least have

10:38an understanding of these things that are going on.

10:40The world is very noisy and very loud,

10:42but if you can get 20 minutes aside for these episodes,

10:45I think you'll really enjoy them.

10:46So that's that.

10:47Stay tuned to me and my brand.

10:50We are launching things that I am owning fully and investing.

10:55So pray for my pockets.

10:57But I'm really excited because I get to do stuff

11:03that no one gets to edit down.

11:06And sometimes, as a producer and a talent,

11:08you're like, dang, that was the best part of the interview,

11:11but we don't have enough time.

11:12Now I'm like, oh, no, I'm taking up all my time.

11:15I'm taking up all my space, so it is what it is.

11:17But I'm really excited because more than that

11:19is in a different space, but we're still on radio.

11:24So you can also stream every single episode

11:26of More Than That on the audio side

11:28as well and everywhere you get your podcast.

11:30If you just want to have a deep dive

11:32into the school of the latest conversations in our community,

11:36I think it's a great way to go.

11:38For sure, for sure.

11:39Well, thank you so much, Gia, for your time.

11:41I really appreciate it.

11:43I love being here.

11:44You're amazing, per usual.

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