The Higher Valleys Podcast

In this episode, Jelani and Spencer talk about what happens when your environment—and your body—start sending messages you can’t ignore. It starts with a yellow jacket nest in the yard, but quickly turns into a deeper convo about maintenance—physical, emotional, and generational.

Spencer shares a spiritual moment in Joshua Tree that made him reevaluate how he treats his body, while Jelani reflects on food sensitivity, recovery, and ...

In this deeply moving and expansive episode of Higher Valleys, Jelani and Spencer hold space for one of the most important and often avoided conversations—legacy planning and death.

What begins as a casual catch-up turns into a profound dialogue on life insurance, wills, family trusts, and the emotional weight of preparing for the inevitable. With raw honesty and personal stories, they reflect on the financial tools that can protect...

In this episode, Jelani and Spencer peel back the layers on fatherhood, time, and the creative process. From summer chaos to smoothie meltdowns, they wrestle with the beautiful tension of being providers, protectors, and creators—all at once.

What starts as a vent session about school start dates and nap-time escapes turns into a reflection on how our childhoods show up in our parenting today. They talk energy management, post-COVID...

In this episode, Jelani and Spencer are joined by global activist, father of three, and former pro athlete Lumumba—a man who lives at the intersection of truth, freedom, and fatherhood. What begins with lighthearted reflections on potty training setbacks and “Major Payne” parenting moments unfolds into a deeply layered conversation on identity, trauma, and generational healing.

Lumumba opens up about the spiritual and political jour...

In this episode, Jelani and Spencer reflect on the meaning of Independence Day—from the literal fireworks in Inglewood to the symbolic ones lighting up in the culture, politics, and fatherhood. What starts as playful banter about neighborhood geography, backyard fireworks, and Beyoncé concerts evolves into a powerful conversation about legacy, displacement, and redefining what it means to be free.

Spencer opens up about the emotiona...

It’s the first guest episode of Higher Valleys, and we had to kick things off with family—literally. Journalist, author, ESPN personality, and proud dad Justin Tinsley joins us to talk fatherhood, legacy, and what it means to try to figure it all out while building something bigger than yourself.

From vasectomy stories to navigating dad guilt, from the legacy of icons like Biggie, Nipsey, and Kobe to the little moments that actually...

We covered everything this week on Higher Valleys — from flag football to fallout shelters.

In this episode, Spencer & Jelani unpack what it means to raise confident, self-led kids while navigating the pressures of youth sports, legacy, and a world that feels more chaotic by the day.

From first football practices and childhood goggles to NIL deals, $8 million transfer offers, and the realities of a world on the brink of global co...

Welcome to Higher Valleys — a podcast where fatherhood meets ambition, legacy meets curiosity, and two dads lean all the way into the mess and the magic of raising kids while chasing dreams.

In this debut episode, Spencer Paysinger and Jelani Jenkins—former NFL athletes, creative leaders, and present-day dads—pull back the curtain on why this podcast had to exist. Born out of backyard conversations, journal entries to their kids, an...