The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

When people think of Mexican cartels, names like Sinaloa dominate the headlines. But hidden away in the vast deserts of Coahuila, a much darker, more violent history unfolded — the rise and brutal reign of the Zetas. In this special report, we travel to the front lines with Mexico's elite security forces who purged the Zetas from the region and continue to battle their successors, the Northeast Cartel. From mass disappearances and brutal massacres to military-style cartel warfare, discover how Coahuila became one of the only states to rid itself of organized crime — and the lessons it holds for the rest of Mexico. - Inside stories from cartel hunters - The true origins of the Zetas - Northeast Cartel's brutal rise - How Coahuila beat back cartel control - The future of cartel wars in Mexico Thank you to Sombra and Saltillo Safari! Check them out if you're in Mexico- https://www.instagram.com/saltillosafari/?hl=en Follow Sombra: https://www.instagram.com/sombra_cuachic/ Do us a huge favor and like this video, leave a comment, and subscribe to the channel. Gracias! This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: AVA! Download the Ava app today, and when you join use promo code CONNECT to get your first month FREE! True Classic! Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/CONNECT #trueclassicpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this powerful and raw episode, Johnny sits down with legendary New York rapper Maino, who opens up about his turbulent journey from the violent streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, to becoming one of the most consistent voices in hip-hop. Maino reflects on growing up during the crack epidemic, getting involved in crime at just 14, and doing a 10-year prison sentence for kidnapping and robbery. He talks about the brutal realities of Rikers Island, surviving four years in solitary confinement, and how he found redemption through music. Discover how Maino went from the hole to the top of the charts, signing with Universal Music, releasing 15+ albums, and earning his own Maino Day in New York City. Go Support Maino! IG: https://www.instagram.com/mainohustlehard/ Radio Show: https://wayupwithyee.iheart.com/ This Episode Is #Sponsored By Following: PrizePicks! Download the app today and use code CONNECT to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CONNECT POLICYGENIUS! Secure your family’s tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Head to https://policygenius.com/mitchell to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save! Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this gripping, unfiltered interview, Banky Pound shares the raw truth about surviving 33 years in some of Virginia's most dangerous prisons. From witnessing murders on his first day to navigating the brutal inmate hierarchy and corrupt prison systems, Banky opens up about what it really takes to make it out alive. Raised in Washington D.C. during the 70s and 80s, Banky fell into a life of armed robbery as a teenager. A botched robbery led to a devastating sentence: life plus 100+ years. What followed was decades of violence, betrayal, and survival behind bars — including building a prison hustle, dealing with systemic racism, and the emotional toll of incarceration. Now free, Banky is using his story to uplift others and steer young people away from the same path. This is one of the wildest, most eye-opening prison stories ever told. Go Support Banky! IG: https://www.instagram.com/bankypound/ YouTube: @bankypound1932 This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: HIMS! Start your FREE online visit today at https://hims.com/connect for your personalized ED treatment options! BaySmokes! To get your free sample just head to https://baysmokes.com/pages/free-thca-flower-gram-sample/theconnect Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the gritty streets of Harlem to hip-hop tours and legal dispensaries — this is the untold story of Shiest Bubz, the underground legend who introduced high-grade haze to the East Coast and changed cannabis culture forever. In this deep, raw, and unfiltered conversation, Shiest breaks down:-Moving 400 lbs of weed a month out of his NYC apartment-Working with Jamaican and Mexican cartels-Turning Purple Haze into a cultural brand-His come-up with Dipset & music industry moves-Beating drug charges and transitioning into legal cannabis-The racism and real politics behind legalization-Why he’s still one of the few Black voices in a billion-dollar industryWhether you're a hip-hop head, cannabis entrepreneur, or just love a wild true story, this one hits differentGo Support Shiest!IG: https://www.instagram.com/shiestbubz/2 Bites Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/2bitespizzaLegacy Adventures: https://legacyadventuresnyc.com/This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:AVA! Download the Ava app today, and when you join use promo code CONNECT to get your first month FREE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this raw and unfiltered episode, Sose the Ghost takes us deep into the gritty realities of street and biker life. From growing up in the violent streets of the South Bronx as a Grape Street Crip to doing time on Rikers Island and eventually becoming a 1% outlaw biker with the Thug Riders MC — Sose shares it all.He opens up about:-Life-or-death moments in gang wars-The power dynamics between Bloods and Crips in NYC-His transformation from gangbanger to biker-Inside stories on the Mongols, Hells Angels & MC culture-His views on street violence, prison politics, drug dealing, and redemption-The real impact of stop-and-frisk in NYC-Bitcoin, evolution, and building the Demons Row platformThis is one of the realest interviews you’ll hear — straight from someone who lived it.Go Support Sose!YouTube: @DemonsRow IG: https://www.instagram.com/demonsrow/Website: https://demonsrow.com/The Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:BAY SMOKES! To get your free sample just head to https://baysmokes.com/pages/free-thca-flower-gram-sample/theconnectBetterHelp! Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/connect and get on your way to being your best self.Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the streets of Lancaster to the heart of South Central LA, Tyler Corcoran made the unthinkable choice at 14- he ran away from home and joined the 120 Raymond Crips — as a white gang member in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America.By 17, he was sentenced to 80 years to life under California's Three Strikes Law. What followed was a harrowing journey through Level 4 maximum-security prisons, prison riots, near-death experiences, and intense racial politics. But in the darkest place imaginable, Tyler found light. He dropped out of the gang, transformed his mindset, and became a voice of empathy, growth, and redemption from within the system.Now free, Tyler shares his powerful story of survival, change, and hope — and what it really takes to make it out alive.WATCH UNTIL THE END to hear:-What it’s like being a white Crip in prison-How prison politics nearly cost him his life-Why he chose to drop out and pursue inner peace-How he beat a life sentence and rebuilt his life-The emotional reunion with his family and his mission nowGo Support Tyler!IG: https://www.instagram.com/tycorcoran/This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:POLICYGENIUS! Secure your family’s tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Head to https://policygenius.com/mitchell to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save!PrizePicks! Download the app today and use code CONNECT to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CONNECT Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former drug trafficker Jason Votrobek shares his wild journey from moving ounces as a teenager to smuggling 100-kilo shipments of cocaine and running a multi-million-dollar Oxycontin empire in South Florida. From working with Mexican and Colombian cartels to near-death encounters, undercover drops, high-seas smuggling tactics, and ultimately getting busted and serving time in prison—Jason breaks down the game like no one else. His story is raw, unfiltered, and packed with real-life lessons from inside the drug world.Go Follow Jason!TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UC8RSJB1iwlO4gSVOape_oiw IG: https://www.instagram.com/8upjay/All Other Links: https://linktr.ee/jasonvotrobek?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=84999dcc-6e96-46b1-b23e-b044cf791660Help our brother Matyas overcome a difficult time and donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/qnpshd-matyas-retten-hws-cci-behandlungThis Episode Is #Sponsored By The FollowingDownload the Ava app today, and when you join use promo code CONNECT to get your first month FREE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Beasley Jr. rose from the streets of Hunter’s Point to become San Francisco’s most notorious drug kingpin, moving 1,000 kilos of cocaine a month for the Medellín Cartel at the height of the crack epidemic. In this exclusive interview, Beasley reveals how he scaled his empire, outsmarted the DEA for years, and ultimately served 27 years in federal prison—not for drugs, but for tax evasion, like Al Capone.Now a free man and a millionaire once again through real estate, Beasley reflects on the street game, surviving the feds, and what it takes to rebuild. From cartel meetings in Colombia to front businesses in the Bay, this is a raw, unfiltered story of power, loyalty, betrayal—and redemption.📖 Grab his book: Deep Rooted: San Francisco’s Most Notorious Crime Boss https://jamesbeasleyent.com/Follow James on IG: https://www.instagram.com/drooted/Help our brother Matyas overcome a difficult time and donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/qnpshd-matyas-retten-hws-cci-behandlungThis Episode Is #Sponsored By Mando! Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code MITCHELL at https://mandopodcast.com/mitchell #mandopod Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this explosive episode, Johnny sits down with former Mexican Special Forces officer and cartel expert Ed Calderon to uncover the real state of the cartel wars in Mexico. From the ongoing civil war within the Sinaloa cartel between Los Chapitos and Los Mayos, to how cartel kingpin El Mayo Zambada still pulls strings from a U.S. jail cell — Ed breaks it all down like no one else can.We also dive into: - The cartel's deep infiltration into Mexican politics- U.S. pressure on Mexico through tariffs and diplomacy- The fentanyl crisis and its real players- Why drug trafficking is more corporate than ever- Corruption, violence, and the future of narco culture in MexicoBrace yourself — this is an unfiltered look at the front lines of one of the most dangerous, politically entangled conflicts in the world.🎧 Follow Ed Calderon: @manifestoradionetwork3191 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifestoradiopodcastJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From stealing high-end luxury cars to running an international smuggling ring, Skinny Keem made millions in a criminal empire that spanned 14 years. In this exclusive interview, he reveals how his operation worked, the global network behind stolen vehicles, and the unbelievable ways he dodged law enforcement. From Philly to Africa, this is a story you won’t believe.- The shocking reality of high-end car theft- How stolen cars were smuggled overseas- Corruption at ports & bribing officials- Making millions & staying ahead of the feds- Why he walked away—and the threats that followedGo Support Keem!IG: https://www.instagram.com/skinny.keem/This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:True Classic! Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/CONNECT #trueclassicpod Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices