Glenn Toby, Ph.D.—recognized to the streets as Mr. Sweetie G and to boardrooms as a philanthropic power—sat down with Ric Mathis on rolling out‘s Recent Fridays to ship what can solely be described as a masterclass in dwelling with function. From his days as a hip-hop pioneer in Queens, New York, to his present work in world philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and religious mentorship, Dr. Toby’s story is a roadmap for resilience, revolution, and reverence.
From homelessness to holiness
“I skilled youth homelessness at age 8,” Dr. Toby shared, describing how he, his brother, mom, and grandmother navigated life in Brooklyn and Queens. “To come back residence and see our furnishings on the road… that second doesn’t go away you.”
However from that adversity, he constructed a fortress of empathy. “I by no means lived within the spirit of lack,” he stated. “It cultivated my means to know wealth and poverty—and grasp each via my hardships.”
His journey—from road corners to company places of work—was by no means nearly survival, however about changing into a “grasp giver.” And that, he insists, is the essence of true dwelling: “True giving is true dwelling. While you grasp giving, your grasp will assist you to proceed dwelling.”
The ability of giving down and giving up
Dr. Toby doesn’t subscribe to the phrase “giving again.” As a substitute, he reframes generosity via what he calls “giving down”—sharing abundance from a spot of religious overflow—and “giving up”—letting go of what not serves the soul.
With the BookBank Basis, based almost three many years in the past, he commits to serving “the misplaced, the lonely, and the forgotten” by providing crucial considering instruments and platforms for therapeutic and revelation. It’s much less about charity and extra about transformational affect.
“The BookBank Basis delivers folks to the knowledge or data they want. As a result of ignorance, to me, is a illness,” he stated.
Championing loss as a prerequisite for victory
Dr. Toby challenges the poisonous obsession with successful. “You’re not a real champion till you’ve mastered the artwork of shedding,” he stated. Working with cultural icons like LL Cool J, David Banner, and Jason Mitchell, he discovered one widespread denominator—resilience … They went via hearth, however used that fireplace within the kitchen to cook dinner for others.”
It’s a metaphor that sings: ache, when alchemized, turns into nourishment not only for the self however for the group.
AI and the brand new digital covenant
Dr. Toby embraces synthetic intelligence however cautions us to remain woke within the digital age.
“AI is a software. Don’t let it develop into your grasp,” he warned. “Be the architect of your life.”
He urges customers—particularly Black creators—to scrutinize software program agreements and retain possession of their mental property. He encourages cross-referencing AI platforms like Perplexity, Gemini, and ChatGPT to keep away from cultural erasure and bias.
“Attempt to break the AI earlier than it breaks you.”
Non secular Self-discipline in a Noisy World
In a world hooked on the dopamine of fixed stimuli, Dr. Toby prescribes stillness.
“We should program downtime. Shut down the noise to listen to God’s voice.”
Meditation, prayer, and brutal self-honesty, he says, have carried him from mansions to moments of mourning. Spirituality isn’t an adjunct—it’s his anchor.
Preserving Tradition with Precision
For Dr. Toby, the preservation of tradition just isn’t nostalgia—it’s a necessity.
“We should carry ahead solely what’s nice or God. Depart behind what’s damaged.”
That features resisting techniques not constructed for us and refusing to let a “new world order” outline the way forward for our folks. Tradition, he insists, is our compass—if we let it information us with intelligence, integrity, and coronary heart.
Past the interview: A dwelling blueprint
Dr. Glenn Toby is greater than an entrepreneur or thought chief. He’s a vessel—carrying ancestral knowledge, divine instruction, and sensible technique into each house he enters. Whether or not mentoring athletes via The Winner Circle, spinning information at his World Dance Occasion on Freshest FM, or getting ready to drop a brand new EP this June, he stays a renaissance man with a righteous mission.
You’ll find him on-line at DrGlennToby.com or observe his motion @GlennToby.
Closing phrase
“Lead with the guts. Feed the folks. Don’t chase greed—reply want.”
And that, Dr. Toby reminds us, is the way you win along with your final breath.