Behind every boss woman, there’s almost always a mother who instilled an unmatched work ethic to help her fulfill her dreams.
In the case of radio and television personality Brii Renee’, that woman is her mother, Miss Renee’, who has now become her official creative collaborator and the co-host of their “Mommy & Me” podcast.
“She’s definitely been my rock and a guiding light of a moral compass, so to speak,” said Brii when reflecting on how the relationship with her mother has kept her grounded in the sometimes cutthroat space that is the entertainment industry. “Sometimes, when I’m unsure about things or, you know, navigating, whether its deals or how to stand up for myself, I go to her and ask for that piece of advice and she always continues to give me the right guidance.”
Brii continued: “I’m always like, ‘As long as my mama is there for me, I don’t care what nobody else feels or what they think of me. My ride or die got me, so the rest of y’all, I don’t care about y’alls opinions, respectfully.’ It’s definitely given me a shield and a safe space to know that okay, ‘I got somewhere I can go and I’m not living for the approval of fans or the business. I have people who love me for me in real life.”
What’s more, Miss Renee’ notes that her daughter has taught her what it really means to live life to the fullest and with a sense of pride that comes with fiercely chasing one’s dreams.
“Brii represents that part of the freedom that I wanted as a kid that I didn’t really have,” she shared. “She’s kind of brought me into that arena to just say, ‘Hey, let’s just be free. Let’s just continue to love and let’s just be who we are.’ As a kid growing up, you know, a lot of what we had to hold near and dear, we couldn’t be authentic. We had to do what we were expected to do and live the way we were expected to live and so she represents that younger energy. That younger freedom that I used to long for. I see my ambition in her. I see my drive. I see that tenacity, that don’t quit attitude and I’m so pleased and excited about the young woman that she’s becoming. She has come into her own and I’m a proud mama.”
Together, they bring their experiences as mother and daughter to “Mommy & Me,” a podcast series that they launched roughly five years ago and have since carried out independently for the past three years with the goal of helping other women like themselves navigate the ups and downs or even growing pains of the ever-evolving relationship between a parent and their child.
“We found that there’s a lot of different relationships that need mending between mothers and daughters,” Miss Renee’ recalled. “It’s always a very difficult place and space, things to talk about at times. As a parent, we lead from one space and our children think that we should be leading from another place and so we were just trying to be real authentic and to hopefully help somebody along the way. Get them to talk about things that they may have thought were difficult to talk about and to just be open and honest about their lives and who they are as people and why they make some of the decisions we make as a family.”
As one of four of the lovely hosts on REVOLT’s “Black Girl Stuff,” Brii understands that all Black women are not the same and that everyone experiences life differently, yet there are still so many layers, once revealed, that connect us all.
“This show has really given me more freedom, more confidence, more drive to be even bolder in my walk as a Black woman and to be unapologetic about my opinions and how I feel in my experiences,” Brii explained. “I’m really excited to just get back to another season of like hot, really treading topics and things that matter to us as Black women. To continue to be honest about those things so that other Black women find it safe or feel safe in their everyday lives, to be honest about how they feel because they’ve seen someone else do it. To be proud of who they are, be proud of their differences, and to continue to show the world that we are not all the same, but we can still agree to disagree.”
As for their work together as a dynamic duo, Miss Renee’ says that she is excited to expand the “Mommy and Me” platform to more listeners as the podcast is now available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever one listens to podcasts. The podcast is available on the 85 South Channel network, the app created by the men of the infamous “85 South Show.”
Beyond just the podcast, Brii and Miss Renee’ also aim to shake up the film space with independent projects.
“She’s done it her way,” Miss Renee’ beamed when asked what makes her the most proud of her daughter. “Many people would look at her and me and say, ‘Well, because your mother has been so successful in these avenues, you had a silver spoon or she gave you everything.’ That is not the case. She’s made her own way, her way and she’s done it her way and I’m proud of the fact that nobody’s ever given her anything, she didn’t have a pillow to fall on. I’ve never made one phone call to persuade anyone to give her an opportunity. Every opportunity she has, she’s got it on her own and I’m proud of that fact. I know that whenever the day comes when the good Lord calls me home, I’m able to close my eyes and rest knowing that she’ll be okay to handle her own.”
Similarly, Brii is proud of her mother’s ability to pivot and do it with ease.
“I’m the most proud of her tenacity, her entrepreneurship, like, she’s never done anything halfway,” she shared. “She always goes full out with everything that she does. She accomplishes every goal that she’s ever set out for and I’m proud of her ability to pivot. I’ve seen her hold many different careers, businesses, licenses, you know, from being a police officer or an attorney to working in utility and construction and now being in the entertainment industry. She’s transformed her life so many different times and has been successful in all of those fields so I’m proud of her because no matter what life throws at her, she takes it and makes that good southern Countrytime Lemonade.”
