From 'Milkshake' to Veggies, Kelis and Ron Finley Share Their Farm Journeys

Grammy-nominated recording artist Kelis has long had a creative connection to food. It's right there in her music, with tracks like "Milkshake," "Midnight Snacks," and "Jerk Ribs" - she even has an entire album titled Food. But Kelis' passion for gastronomy extends beyond her music: She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, released her own cookbook, and most recently, bought a farm in Temecula, Calif., where she lives with her family.
Just a few hours away in South Central Los Angeles, Ron Finley, the "Gangsta Gardener," is spreading his own message of urban gardening. You might recognize him from his Masterclass - it's one of the platform's most popular courses - or his TED talk on guerrilla gardening, which has amassed over a million views.
In 2010, Finley planted fruits and vegetables on the parkway in front of his house, which violated a Los Angeles city code that he eventually got changed. Since then, he's worked to build gardens throughout his city, with the goal of turning food deserts into food sanctuaries.
We arranged for the two of them to chat - Kelis from her farm, Ron in his garden - about the joys of growing your own food, the relationship between Black people and the land, and how to handle a mean rooster.

[@kaeuymah]

LOVE these two! They’ve dropped so much wisdom over the years and are changing the mindsets of so many Black and Brown communities for the better. Thank you NPR for giving a platform to the Gardening Gangstas. 🙏🏾

[@cotinaspann9475]

I love that NPR put this out there. We need this taught more. How to value ourselves and be more connected to the land.

[@feleciaclemons5074]

💯❤️

[@samyljones3871]

THATS YOUR JOB TO DO. WE VALUE OURSELVES AND BUILT AN ENTIRE COUNTRY while ytes kept burning it down. EDUCATE YOURSELF

[@moreolivia]

This is so beautiful and so necessary. I’ve been following these two for a few years now and I have so much admiration for them.

[@TheRonFinleyProject]

Thank YOU!! AllGoodThings~

[@moreolivia]

@@TheRonFinleyProject YESSSS!!! AllGoodThings!! 🌸🐝🐞🦋🦜🌱✨

[@imlookinguptospirit1455]

Kelis is such a beauty. Not only because of her looks, but because she’s so well rounded. What other celebrities are talking about this?

[@SP77787]

I aspire to be Blessed like these two!

[@TheRonFinleyProject]

You Already ARE!!

[@SP77787]

@@TheRonFinleyProject 🧎🏿‍♀️🌻🤲🏾 Thank you!

[@chioma916]

their chemistry!!! loved this video, would love to see more from them 💗🕺🏾🥳

[@butterflyjaeheart]

*KELIS IS SUCH AN INSPIRATION ❤️🦋*

[@Zan.Evan.Dawson1243]

This SHOULD BE part of a curriculum for "American" history!!!

[@beckykempinski1429]

She's sooooo cool I just saw her live yesterday.

[@noneyabiz_123]

I needed this. Thank you NPR❤

[@greatorg9498]

what a pleasure to see such a beautiful people talk about how growing your food and being in contact with the soil can change everything... Thank you both for bringing all the crucial connections that have disconnected people from the land, from politics, race, inequality and corporation. My best for you both !

[@MsNelson341]

This is what I like to see! Keep them coming. 💜

[@deborahtheodore5407]

Love, love this. Sharing with everyone I know

[@whatwhat1111]

Thank you for this valuable message. It’s so needed and helpful!

[@jymmihelix]

This is so dope

[@feleciaclemons5074]

💯

[@JessicaLanear]

This is an awesome conversation!!

[@BossQueen]

He wanted hummingbirds and butterflies!😖💕🐦

[@chicagogirl14]

This was incredible!

[@BossQueen]

I was just just singing "I hate you so much right now ahhhhhh!" Lol🎶 And I just bought a bunch of seeds, so thanks for this!!!💕🍅🌽🍠🍓🍉

[@feleciaclemons5074]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Kelistar84]

Lol, I literally chuckled out loud when I saw this comment, while she stated that she ate three of her roosters...flashback to one of the scenes in that video... 😂

[@BossQueen]

@@Kelistar84 😂😂😭😭💀 the 🐓

[@JEM3]

This is why I love NPR ❤️

[@Kelistar84]

Cities are designed for one thing: commerce 🤯...that's why roads (cobblestone/cemented roads etc.) were created to get goods from one place to another. 👌🏾

[@sososanchez3512]

Beauty in Beauty Out!!!

[@thebigspliffdaddy5470]

This is brilliant!

[@KS-np6ph]

Simply awesome!

[@RobertMoore-rn9ey]

Kelis 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@BreeBanks917]

My fave Kelis!! ❤️

[@meshab6049]

Last summer all of the bees lived at my house. 2 monarch butterflies came to visit and even a hummingbird showed up a couple of times. This year I'm planting more wildflowers/pollinators.

[@jeanagantt9727]

Love this! ❤

[@lilypoon1175]

Very good convo

[@Copesthetic-Aesthetic]

Not a fan of the Milk shake song, but I have her live performance on Jools Holland from years ago, and it's Absoulty Fantastic. Pure soul resonating from my speakers.

[@craigkeller]

Brilliant couple.

[@TheeStrawberryLee]

💚💚💚

[@orangemoonglows2692]

i hope her husband is ok.

[@chrisdavis2161]

NPR holding it down

[@veganvocalist4782]

;D oh man I LOOOOOVE both these individuals

[@shantaberry9623]

♥️❤️❤️

[@ZFherri]

❤

[@LONEWOLF..314-S-T-L]

SALUTE .. 💯👍🏾

[@cymonehicks2386]

💜💜💜💜💜

[@pwb9565]

How close are you to the wineries?

[@Cherrymelanin2552]

I wonder how he didn't know using "killing over tennis shoes," a rumor, and falsity of a certain culture, in the context stated was victim blaming.

[@poerava]

“Known for her chart topping hits”? Um. Ok. That Milkshake one…. What else?

[@pleunmaarleveld959]

Trick me.. Bossy..

[@poerava]

@@pleunmaarleveld959 That’s 3

[@chuckscott4661]

Her biggest hit was the hit she put on Nas pocket. Kelis is trash.

[@CandidlyToni]

I hate you so much right now Get Along With you Young and Fresh She ain’t he hook Ol Dirty “Baby I got you money” Busta “Busta What it is Right Now” Those are just off the top Mr my head. It’s more tho.

[@poerava]

@@CandidlyToni Were those chart toppers?

[@kloss213]

My land was basically a graveled lot. Today is a small food forest. I mostly just added mulch to build soil. In 10 years in spots, I have over 12" of black dirt that was once just gravel.

[@SidPhillipsOfAlcoLab]

Can she get a tiny desk concert doe?!?

[@reneeniles5975]

I loved this video! Kelis & the gangster gardener marches to the beat of their own drum and I love it! The information shared about blacks and farming is priceless! I’m sharing this with my Africana Studies professor!

[@espritsmith243]

NPR thank you for this. These two are so incredibly monumental to the food equity movement and nurturing ourselves and our communities. Mother nature and fresh food are some of the most beautiful things we can experience daily.

[@Thefermentedfungi]

This video a whole vibe.

[@home9556kefr]

Listening to two of my 21st century heroes. I love the love for soil, it's magical, I come from Kenya and I can't wait to start growing my crops on my soil.

[@Alma-999]

Thank you for uploading...this a total dream come true for me 🤗

[@TheRonFinleyProject]

WoW!!! ?So you had a dream about Kelis & Ron having a conversation on NPR Music!??

[@ashleypostell7849]

Refreshing & inspiring ❤️ 🔥

[@TruOmilade]

This was magic.

[@LINDA-de-J0NG]

Like it, Like it. spread it! This is the stuff. This is it. THANK YOU!

[@BREAKOUT444]

This was fantastic!

[@Peoplechamp91]

This is so inspiring for anyone who has a vision. Taking freedom and liberating actions to make a bigger impact to the community. Very informative 🙌🏽

[@javonlattimore2444]

That is so true about" Commerce"..

[@mr.bamboocha]

00:00 There is no need to introduce yourself, baby!

[@torreb3107]

This is definitely empowering to see that someone is still living off the land....We learned gardening at home growing up including preparing and blanching to freeze and canning veggies to survive the winter months !

[@bsmr2]

Yes 👏🏽 you see so much bs on KZbin this is what I need. First thing I thought about when I woke up was how much money I have and how I was gonna make more. Now I’m trying to decide how I can keep my family tradition alive and start a garden.

[@TheRonFinleyProject]

Baller!!

[@larsstougaard7097]

Beautiful 🌟

[@kevinkubi1]

Awesome conversation!

[@feleciaclemons5074]

This is great!!!!

[@charb820]

I am getting my farm this year!!!!! Freedom grow your own food. Leo energy beautiful

[@ipsilonia]

this was such a good convo. loved the part about composting and what it teaches us about life and death.

[@b-loved7777]

I love 💗 you both. Thank you 💫🙏🏽🎁

[@TheRonFinleyProject]

LoVe Ya Back!!

[@TheBluebutterfly59]

I must have this……💝💯‼️

[@thehotsaucebossofficial]

Im Prouder of Nas now...

[@derhutsalon]

Wow, this is awesome and too much important all over the world. At the end, we all have to eat, what comes from the soil.....

[@sphinxy_phoenix]

💖

[@lowe-quay-shush]

Kelis: Your bud's words/a great a song: 'I wanted to smell jasmine..see lilies...hummingbirds to fly on my shoulders..butterflies kissing me in the ears.'

[@samueljames1089]

This is exactly why The Most High calls us "The Salt of The Earth." Everything we do, or create, everybody copies or steals, or embrace. For our Brother to cause a change in regulations, says a lot and confirms my point.

[@crypto4207]

Peng Ting

[@celebrityrog]

Oh honey you’re a one hit wonder in music. It was a great song. But that’s over now, so if you got something with food going then build on that.

[@NellieKAdaba]

No, she had a few hits, more than one hit. But growing food is important.

[@cymonehicks2386]

💎💎💎💎💎

[@cymonehicks2386]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@dearjourneyxokamiahmonique]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@sharronsmith6039]

💜💜💜💜