[gentle upbeat music] [soul music] (female narrator) - In Memphis, we got this thing about doing things differently from our hair, our slang, our dance, and even the way we hoop, it's just different.

Y'ain't gonna find it nowhere else like you find it here in Memphis and tamales are no different.

You won't find corn husks and taste the same flavors as traditional tamales.

Nah.

These tamales right here got sprinkled with some magic from black folks here in the city and one of the city's favorites is Pop's.

And in this story, an uncle and nephew share how they bond over this Memphis favorite.

[hip-hop music] - What's up?

- What's up nephew?

- You got some money on you?

- Got some money, for what?

- Hot tamales.

- Hot tamales?

Where your money at?

- It's at the house.

- Why you ain't got it on you?

- Man, I'm nine, I ain't got no job.

- Oh that ain't no excuse man.

Those tamales sound good though.

You talkin' about from Pop's?

- Yep.

- Well come on, let's do it, jump in.

You good?

- Mmm-hmm.

[hip-hop music] (female narrator) - Legend has it that there are many legends about how hot tamales got here.

One of the most noted is that tamales came with the migrant Mexican workers coming to Mississippi plantations in the early 1900s.

Tamales were then introduced to black sharecroppers.

They made them their own.

Different.

Smaller.

Simmered not steamed.

Spiced cornmeal, no masa.

And parchment paper over corn husks.

A recipe for the perfect Memphis tamale.

- Hey man.

- What's up, Will?

- What's up?

- It's just that flavor, you know, it's unique.

What you think, nephew?

- They're good.

- They know what they doing over there at Pop's.

- So what is it?

- It's beef inside of a corn flour paste, crust, so you're just eatin' meat and corn.

- We just demolished these, that quick.

- I sure was trying to figure out-- - It's like cornbread.

- Yeah, for real.

- It's good ain't it?

(female narrator) - They are good, nephew.

Not just for the flavor and the feeling they give.

These tamales have inspired and propelled ownership in the city, from Orange Mound to South Memphis, to brick-and-mortars, to tamale carts and stands.

These tamales have a story of making a difference in food, family and financial freedom.

Memphis does different good.

[hip-hop music]