On Episode 48 of All The Smoke, radio personality Charlamagne Tha God joins Matt and Stak to talk about Nipsey's legacy, his top 7 artists, and looking up to Jay-Z. He also opens up about his most memorable interviews and social justice.
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Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime. Welcome back season two All the Smoke from our beautiful New York location. Excited about today's guest, Uh, someone I really look up to in this space. One of the strongest black voices to me in the country, Charlotte Magne. Matt, thank you, Thank you for having me. Man. You know, I love All the Smoke. I love when I get this opportunity to actually be on shows that I actually listen. Yeah, we'll get into how we're really working together later, but let's just let's get into it. Man. The climate of America is on the brink of changing. I think it's it's finally reared. It's naked head and people are starting to realize that there's some real issues here. What don't you just thought them? Where we're at as a society right now. I think, whatever we're at, it's no going back. I'm wanting them do that. First voted in oh eight from President Obama, you know, in the White House, and beyonest the only voting for him because he was black. It was Blackie was cool, he had the culture, you know. But I think right now, a lot of us are more politically sophisticated, and we understand that you have to have the right people in the office to make certain things happen, you know. And I think those rose colored glasses that we all wore when Barack was in the White House, that's over. Like, I don't care if it's Joe Biden's into the Harris, whoever is in there. We're not just gonna be in love with them because they're in there, you know what I mean. That's not where the change comes to. Change comes is continuing to push once they get in the White House. So I think wherever we're at in this country, there's no going back because both sides have been exposed, right like we've been to it's not all sweet and not The other side definitely knows it's not all sweet. But then you we also know that there's a whole other side. What you're talking about, what all this ship you're talking about, What you're talking about, That's what trips me out is we've been able to wait some people up and and heighten their senses and step outside of themselves and be vulnerable to try to understand the pain that the black community goes through. But there's a lot of people that feel like we're crazy for even addressing this and what are we talking about? And it's all bullshit? Why why would they want to relinquish that kind of power? Right, you know what I'm saying. They got power, they got privileged, Why would they want to relinquish it. We're definitely gonna have to fight for that, But I kind of honestly for like, we're gonna be in this spot until Indian and Black Bood have a fingerprint on the constitution of how this country's actually ran because the president only can do so much, you know what I'm saying. And then again, I don't believe in voting for the lesser evil evil. It's evil, you know what I'm saying. And if we understand that the system is built for us to be in this position, is still fighting to this day that we have to have us say so how it ran, And that's really the only way we're gonna stop this ship, you know what I'm saying, because a lot of times, like I said, we vote for people that we don't even have histories of hating us, absolutely, you know what I'm saying. So what kind of what kind of situation is that you know what we have we vomed for somebody who we know hate us. They don't make no sense the way I kind of look at that situation though, I mean said, since we since we're here now, I think as the black community, we asked people to understand and try to grow if you were a certain way. So that the first thing everyone points out is Biden's tracker. And by no mean and I justifying anything, that's just kind of just the way I kind of look at it. We look at his track working, and he could definitely say he was against the black community. Eighty six mandatory minimum sentence in eighty eight crack law and you've got more time for cracking Code nine crime bill, Like, yeah, so you can definitely so for him to say anything other to me, I just you're right, I made a mistake. That's what I want to hear. That's it. And then to me, but I was, like I said, so the way I'm looking at his track worker, he's quick to look at your tracker, gain ship, it's gonna be honest with you. But to me, it's just like can he possibly change? Can he possibly see through a different did being with brought for that amount of time rub off on him. So we're looking at someone who can possibly have changed. Is where he came from. On the other hand, we know who this other, who the current president is, what he's about, what his makeup is, who is base is. So to me, it's just like people say the lesser two evils, and I would agree to an extent. But I'm looking at someone who can possibly have changed, and if he's in office, he's going to have to prove that he changed because we realized he realized he could be gone after one tournament. He's able to make it, or we're picking someone who we know who he is. Yeah, I don't even look at Joe Biden as a change agent. I look at him as a pathway to change. And I honestly feel like keeping the seat more old white male leadership. That ain't the pathway to change the white male leadership guys in this position, you know what I mean. From the inception of how this country was put together. It was built for this old white male patriarchy and everybody else was considered secondary fourth. So I don't look at either one of them as change ages. I definitely don't look at Biden as a change as definitely don't look at Trump with the change, aden, But I think Biden is a pathway to change, you know what I mean? And it like you said talking about forgiving me, go back to that because you know how they do us. We could be on TV. That's all the stuff we're doing right now. We got a great show, all the stuff I'm doing in the community. As soon as I get on seeing then the person they do is talk about the brawl. That's right, you know what I'm saying. But they want to but they wanted They don't work like that, That's right. That's why I personally don't give a funk about criticizing and Joe Biden, Like you shouldn't criticize Joe Biden. You gonna ruin his chances after all that? Like why can't I not critique him, call out his flaws, call out his record, and still vote for him? Like what kind of world do we live in? One posted? Just be quiet? And that's that's literally. He's like, you're telling people to shut up and vote the way people tell athletes to shut up and dream. Like I'm not gonna shut up and vote. I'm an vote based off my interests and I'm gonna call out the things I don't like, and if you put some things on the table that I do, like, hey, I rock with that. And you're saying, forget this person, but you got a cousin that took two dollars from you, that you that you grew up with your whole life between forgating. Ain't forgating me still knowing that to dollars everything a little bit to the social justice movement, you know. I kind of feel like when Kobe passed it was it's been a domino effective negative things that happened since then. We go before that, before life ain't been the same, feel like it was aching the matrix. After that ship has been going like damn. That's a great point, you know. So we get to the pandemic, and then we get to the George Floyd situation, which, you know, my man right here was was front and the biggest or if not the biggest testing in the history of our country. What was your take from from all that? When that George Floyd video hit, man, I remember exactly why I was at because I was trying to avoid it, and the reason I was trying to avoid it because I think sometimes, man, we passed. We just passed trauma amongst each other, you know, be on social media and it's another video of the video of this person, the video of that person. It's just like, damn, who were trying to prove we know what's going on in our country? Like, yeah, the other side, I need to see that. And I remember my homegirl called me. Was actually it was diffically had she called me and we was on the phone and she was telling me about it and she was crying. I'm like, man, I'm trying to avoid it. And as I'm watching CNN, the video pops up, so I was forced to look at it. And I think that the reason that video was so impactful is because of that exact reason. A lot of us that know what's going on, we can avoid it. A lot of white people can definitely avoid it because that ain't even that world at all. But when we were forced to be still because of that coronavirus, and we sitting at home and we gotta watch that eight minutes and forty six seconds. Man, when I saw that, my my media thought was I felt defeated. And the reason I felt defeated cause I'm like, man, if this, this, this, this black man can be out in broad daylight, this cops kneeling on his neck. I'm watching all the other brothers and sisters around, just feeling hopeless, you know what i mean, not knowing what to do in that moment. I know they want to help, I know they want to react, but they don't want to end up there. It's just like I felt defeated. I'm like, what do what? What do we do? And then when I saw everybody start tannh it up and burns it down, I'm like, what's the what other reaction did you expect from people? Like it's only but so much a community of people can take, especially in the city where it's been going on, a lot of people didn't even know that well, I say, when the George Floyd situational hit. Unfortunately, when we, like you said, we've become so immune to it, we see police brutality, it's it's a shot and kill. We saw for nearly nine minutes a man suffer and vague and plead and call for his dead mom, you know what I mean. Like, I think that having to see, like you said, having to see that because the world was still is the reason that the light came on, and some people said, but then at the same time, instantly he did this and his his past as this, and he he was he was resisting, and he was doing all this, and he you know, he had underlying Like I mean, even the corner came out and gave you know, a bullshit, you know, an autopsy results. So it's crazy that even when we when it's on your face in front of your children, to your grandmother and everyone can see, you still try to deny you. Yeah, it was the lack of empathy. For me, it was just the lack the empathy of watching that that that that devil have his knee on on the brother's neck. And now you mean to tell me not one other officer that had the empathy to be like goddamn, not one until you've seen the other interview, I mean the other view where they're going outside of quite all of them, it's like, yea, what faith are we supposed to have? Is black people in this system? Like seriously like that. I don't can't remember a young lady neighbor when she said they should be lucky. Black people just want equality and not revenge. That's a very powerful statement to make. Because it's the truth, Like, we should all just be tearing this ship up based off the history that we based off what we've gone through in this country. And then the first thing they want to point out is the fact that things are getting torn up, but they never want to talk about, like, well, why is it getting torn up? Why are they They're just there were just wild animals. That's the way they want to pain us in act. But let's address why they're frustrated, why they're Why did Kentucky board up the downtown before they gave the result of the cops because it wasn't because they knew. Why did they tell the cops not to go on vacation and stay like because they knew they weren't going to serve justice. Like, let's look at the root issue of why this other ship is happening. I loved it too though, because they activated so many people in our community, like of all colors. Man, when I saw Stephen and Trey and Tamika at that press conference, man, I'm just like wow, you know, and I know that it was people telling you to stand down. They're like, you good, you got pided dollars what you cared for, But what was that like though, But they said they You know, I didn't pay no attention to it. You know how I am. You know, I've always been my brother's keeper, you know what I mean. And like I said, that's the closest person that I can said on my twin over in my life, you know, even though it wasn't real brothers. But I did with for him what I do for any one of my brothers, you know what I'm saying. But if it calls me to go stand up and use my boys and my status to speak up for justice, but for anybody, you know, I was gonna do it, head head up, chest open. But what was it like for you? You've been a leader in locker rooms and on the floor, But what to like being a leader or a culture or a movement for something that the country has never seen, the world has never seen. I'll just leave with my heart, bro, just trying to do what I know is right. You know what I'm saying. I treat everybody the same. I don't have a history of racism. I don't have a history of hate towards nobody. So I walk in high, I talk it, you know what I mean. I wear my emotions on my sleeve and what you see is what you get with me. But at the same time, I know I don't have all the answers. You know what I'm saying. I know, just like we talked about, I might not see what I'm fighting for, you know what I'm saying. But as long as I have, I know I had a hand in it. You know what I'm saying. I know I'm living up. My death is gonna be worthy. How do you feel even though you are doing what's right, you're met with so much pushback, resistance, death threats, Like how does that? Because I'm sure you've probably faced it. Europe very vocal in space, I don't, especially on social media. I get him so much. It's just like, okay, you want to see me that I can literally tweet out thank you God for blessing me with another day of life and somebody be like, I was praying you that literally every day. But what they don't know is when they do stuff like that, you're just showing how much you dine inside. You're showing how mis but your life is and I'm powerful we are And then that they see, like Tournament said, why would they ever want to give that away because they see us. They've done everything they possibly can to keep a whole community, a whole set of people down. We continue to climb the ladder. But that's because we divine though. I always say that, like when I'll be speaking about black privilege, right and people hear me say that, it's like, I don't know, this thing is black privilege, but I'm not talking about something systemic. I'm talking about something spiritual, you know what I'm saying. I really do feel like it's a privilege and honored to be in this black skin. And I feel like where they're power liese systemically, all power liese spiritually. And I feel like that's why things are shifting that because for I'm not gonna say for the first time, but for the first time in probably a long time, it's a collected mindset of black people saying no, something has to change, and they're putting energy towards that and speaking into the universe. And it's just like things are literally shifting around us systemically. Now we're getting the chance to really get like some some systemic change happening. So I think it's a beautiful thing. At the end of the day, when this years old but we're gonna look back and be like that was the that was the year, that was the cat change. You know, I faced a lot of kickback personally because I'm biracial. You know, my mom is Italian, my dad is black, and people are like, well, how are you so this isn't that? Because I've seen the good and bad on both sides. I've got it. I was growing up. I was never white enough, I was never black enough. So I've seen a good side and bad side from both sides. But there was an incident in high school that KKK came in nearly damn near burned my high school down. And that's when I realized, like, no matter how proud I am to be a viracial like I looked at as a black man, I never knew he waspercial. You need his daddy. You were like, yeah, you understand, you his daddy daddy to fifteen in the morning. That's how purple he is. People don't understand, like, what are you talking about your half whine. I'm just like, you're right, and I'm very proud to be that, But in this world you're not. As a biracial person, you don't get a choice. They make it for you, Like Obama's biracial, but what is he our first black president? What it means? So if you could have dropped a drop of black in you, that's what you are. And people have a hard time even from the black side. You know you ain't black, all right, you got me, you know what I mean. So it's just like it's there's a lot of inter battles amongst the bigger battles that need to kind of decease and understandment. If we come together as black and brown and then all of our other allies throughout the rainbow of colors, we can really make a change. But that's the only way we're gonna do with It's not just gonna be basketball in the bubble. It's not just going to be celebrities. It's gonna take all of us together to change something we didn't create in the first place. Do you feel like a sense of privilege? Never? Never, never, And even if people, well, you're rich people like like you said earlier, like Jack, stand down your rich like people, that's the first you've got money. You don't feel like when we came from this this movie, we came from food stands, we came from sharing bedrooms. We came from moving. I came from drugs and drug abuse and violence, and you know all that kind of ship. I mean, privilege from the white side. Don't the police because I never said I wouldn't say privilege. I I get lucky because I played basketball sometimes, so they'll recognize that side. But as far as just no, because regular every day life, the police, I was can't telling that you right have white you don't and don't care. Don't give a funk if you tell them that. He probably like, we got somebody here on drugs right now, sit more some backup police. What do you feel like the NBA's role has been um in the bubble and did you kind of like the idea of them going back or did you think they shouldn't. I like the idea, And tell Stephen made me think twice about it when you say saying I was all for I know Stephen saying, man, they don't need to come back, we need to you know, this is a chance to get some real change. And I was like, damn. So that was a whole another conversation that started. Should they go back? They not go back? And um, I felt like they should have went back. Because I knew eventually the news cameras were gonna go away from the protest and being and I knew the news cameras were gonna go away. We needed those brothers on that stage to do exactly what it I mean to keep that conversation going. They did, Lebron did. And I heard you said. I think it the first episode of All the Smoke where you was talking about how the little known players they didn't have a voice, we wouldn't heard, we wouldn't heard exactly now when they speak at that bubble then logo, And that was my only pushing in. Jack and I, you know, agreed to disagree, and most saw points on most sides because we were on opposite spectrums. Like I thought, just what you said, like their voice is much stronger, it's gonna resonate, it's gonna go around the world when they have the NBA logo behind it. Individually, we're gonna hear Lebron, We're gonna hear CP. But do we hear docs plea? Do we hear George Hills plea? Do we hear Fred van pleep? Like we don't hear these other please? If we're not together in that bubble. What do you feel like now they were coming to an end um to keep the momentum on that the NBA and particularly can do to keep this message going. I don't, to be honest with you, I'm not sure outside of like real donations into the black community. Like I saw the number that they put up, I think it was like the owners, like, that's my my thing is I just I think the owners should step up because, to be honest with you, a lot of these owners are on the exact opposite side of where their players stand, the exact opposite side. And when you're an owner, you're a billionaire. You have these connections to be able to start conversations, open up dialogues, or in whatever political avenue you're in, you know what I mean. So I just think it's more of because a lot of them didn't want to talk. There are some that went out of their way to talk. There's a lot of coaches that went out of their way to talk, but a lot of them sat on there and kept their mouth shutting, sat on their hands, you know what I mean. So to me, it's more about align with your players, understand what your players are talking about. Even if you may not completely agree, but just have this conversation and we need the owners and players to come more together. And you hit on the head. Three hundred millions sounds like a lot to the average people, but over ten years, and if you think about these owners are playing each you know, their two star players over three million, you know what I mean. So it's not for thirty people to come up with it's that wasn't I think it's a great start, but I think it's not enough, and we have to continue to keep pressure on them because they're you know, their arenas are in these predominantly poor cities, and you know, people have to budget a whole month's salary to go to a game and take a family and to get food and to buy you know, merchandise and that kind of stuff. So like I like Robert Smith's two percent playing where he wanted all of these top corporations to put two percent of their net income into black owned banks because then the black owned banks could take care of basically of the community people when they get loans and house loans, whatever it is. That that's something that NBA should commit to because a lot of these problems that we have in these communities can be fixed by people with money. Filn't gotta wait on government, so they should be talking. And I also think the NBA needs something kind of like um the NFL had with the Inspire change things, you know what I mean, Like, uh, what the thing Rock Nation them is heading Like they need somebody to dictate where that money go. Give it to the brothers that's already on the ground doing things. And there's not necessarily a big name some of these big name corporations just sucking money away and it's not we don't have no but get in touch. You should have like a city leader in every city that you trust, or some kind of liaison that tells you, like, you know that group of there's really doing something for that that group, but there's this, so let's allocate Let's through them three millionless throw them seven, you know what I mean, to really know where the money is, because until you're walking, because every neighborhood is different. Houston's problems, in Atlanta's problems are different than the problems in sacrament in Oakland, you know what I mean. So you have to be in tune with who's in these cities to see which programs best fit and best work in these cities, but there needs to be transparency on where this money it is definitely going. I thought the NBA did a great job of keeping the players safe first and foremost, uh with being in the bubble and and being tested and doing a great job at that. And then you see this administration reckless, masterless, calling it a hoax, making fun of whatever. And now the president hasn't like what kind of irony? I don't. I don't think that's irony. I think he earned it. I think I think he earned it, and he got exactly what he deserved. Like, if you're gonna throw your middle finger to something and act like it doesn't exist, that's usually the thing that points you right in your face. And that's what happened with COVID. And what did he say when he got the number of how many people? Does it? Is? What it is? Is what it is? So you can'tnot feel bad for people feeling like that towards him. And I'm not I'm the type of person I don't wish death on nobody. I don't wish death on him at all. But I don't even believe he really got the ship. I he would have to die in order to believe that heart being honest with you, because it's October. We got that whole October surprise thing going on, and you saw someone tweeted maybe two weeks ago, this is gonna be I posted at the other day that this is gonna be Trump's October surprises. He's gonna be sick and he's gonna dominate the headlines for two weeks on how hard he's working, with these fake pictures him working and scribbling his name on it, like the gimmicks are incredible, and it might be a cash our plan. Right if he know that he's leaving in in November, right, he know he getting voted out, he might have an investment into the pharmaceutical company, and he's out there telling people he's taking these experimental cocktails. I saw the stock shoot up for something of the ring. It's something I can't remember the name of the pharma company, but with its shot up two percent after he told everybody he took this experimental cocktail and they're from Queen's. He from Queens, the people, the founders of the company. I don't know. That's just how I'll be thinking. He's always had a mean hustle to me. Before this presidency and before he kind of showed his head or whatever hand he's had to play to get to where he's at. He's always had a mean He hasn't always won, but he's always been a mean, hustling business half kind of benefit. He got a motive in everything he's doing. Bro. I mean, it's what role would you like to see the black community play um not only amongst us coming together, but on the federal level and the state level of of of power. We need more black people wanting to be a part of that system, you know what I'm saying, Because even though I think the whole system needs to be overhauled everything, I think they need to start over. We need to write a whole new constitution, the whole new Bill of Rights, everything, because we were not at that table when those things were initially written. But until we can do that, we got to have people that are in these positions of power, and we have to empower them in order to be able to give them the strength they need to stand up to that system. Because what happens is a lot of us getting those positions and we just go along to get along. You know what I'm saying. We're just trying to rock the boat too much. It's just like, so, what's what's the point of you being there. We don't need black faces, you know, in those spaces just because I want you in there because you care about our interest. So I would encourage. Like when I see scar Face running for political office in Houston, I like that. I want to do something like that. I know you want to run from man. I want to see killer might get in the plotst I want to see people that I know have our interests at heart get involved. Now, a lot of us might be scared because we know them bad ground checks is crazy, you know, crazy to absolutely, So I just want to see more of us in those positions of power, and I want them to know that we got their back and we're empowering them to really show up as their full self. That's really the biggest thing, right, You're right, because that's been our biggest problem. We're scared to get behind our brother and even though we know any going in direction, we're scared to get behind it because we want to lead instead of just following him. Player. That's our biggest problem. I always say, you can get you can get way more done when you stop worrying about who get the credit for right. I mean, that's that's a DC Rivers thing. Be a star in your role. I mean everyone has a role to play. We can all we all have a role to playing together. And you know who the leaders are like and I see to make a mallory is my leader? If you have to, you have to call yourself the leader, you're probably not the leading one. That's like if you have to give yourself a nickname, Nay, that's not really your nickname. You like your nickname is I'm someone else because your so dopeing. What you're doing is how you're supposed to be year leader? How you kick these nicknames? So anyway, so how do we get to this point? Your upbringing, your parents Jehovah Witness, your dad was going from Jehovah to practicing Islam. Um, what was that like growing up in a situation like that. I mean, you know, when you're a kid, you don't really have no saying the matter. You know, my grandmother's Baptist mom and Jehovah Witness. My mom said get up and there's time to go to the kingdom. All this time and go to the Kingdom hall. When my dad gets this fellowship from the Kingdom Hall, he gets into Islam and he hands me the autobiography of Malcolm X. I read the Autobiography of Malcolm X. When he hands me Messed to the Black Man by Alijah Mohammed, Messed to the Black Man by Ali Mohammed. When he tells me to sit down and you're gonna watch these speeches from Donovan through the backhun I sit down and I watched those speeches. It's really just about what sticks with you as you get older than what I realized is a little bit, a little bit of all of it. The stuff that jehoa witnesses taught, it's stuck with me, you know it. Stuff for the holidays. My my, my wife and kids love the holidays, so definitely do Christmas. But being a Muslim Islam, like all of that stuff sticks. I don't really consider myself anything, but there's a little bit of everything, a little bit. If you gotta relearn yourself, you gotta re teach yourself too. A lot of stuff that I was tard as a kid, I don't believe now because as a as a as a man, I understand stuff differently. You know. It's a lot of stuff was told in a point of view, but a lot of stuff is told you as a kid to really to put a band aid over some ship and not really give you the full understanding. But as you come adult that some of those things you don't believe you understand. Now I heard you say I don't even know what show was that we're just talking off air the weed. Now my heart that you've learned more in this this last six eight months than you remember learning your whole life. Educated yourself and made the effort because I want to know what I'm talking about. You know, I ain't never talked to you about going back to school and get my history degree. You know, I'm in the process of doing that because it's sparked when when brod died and it sparks something God put me in a position out of the next for like I always say, but it sparked something that was supposed to happen, and my heart is in the right place. So everything that I'm trying to do, I want to know what I'm talking about, being educated with about what I'm saying. I feel the same way. I just know that I'm never gonna be as smart as some people like you hit Michael Leric Dyson talk You're killing Mike talk and be like, hey man, they just got it. I just I just wanted words. Yeah. Never understand to me. My thing is just knowing what I'm talking about. I can't be you know. I mean, some people are blessed to be educated and be able to just spit that like some of these routes like jay z is just very intelligent. They could just put it out there. I just want to have a proper understanding of things. And even when we go back talking about religion, I remember when I started doing personal Bible study with one of the brothers of the Kingdom. All he kind of my mom has to do personal study with me. And as I started to read the Bible for myself, a lot of it just didn't make sense. Like I said, Adam, the first man, even the first woman, they had Kane, they had Able. Kane kills Able and goes off and finds a wife. The only people on the planet. But you know what I mean, And it's just like I remember, I remember reading Deuteronomy fourteen eight. I Thinkonomy fourteen they said you should not touch the flesh of a dead pig, nonetheless eat it. I remember asking the brother about that, because we're from the South, we love pop. He's like, well, if you pray over the food, you know, it's cool. It's good. I'm like, but Baba also said, don't have sex before, Max, So if I pray over the pussy before saying he couldn't playing that at him. He did. I never understood it's really both. For as a teen, you got in your fair share of trouble selling drugs, witness the shooting, got arrested, I had to go to jail, and you you sat down for forty one days. Sharle Man had that pack. Yeah, I mean, you know what it was. I was in high school getting in so much trouble, right, and like my dad was my dad. My dad is a street dude, Like he comes from that. Like you know, my dad had his bouts with alcohol and cocaine. But he also was a guy that was good with his hands, so he had his construction business as well, you know what I mean. So he had kind of like that balance. But he knew that the lifestyle I was living. He would always say, you're gonna end up in jail, dead, broke. Sitting under the tree and that was his thing to me. And so when I started getting in so much trouble in school, I kicked out of tw high schools and I kicked out of Berkley High School. And what kind of trouble was it though? Disruption, man, I mean in class. Yeah, you're cutting up in class, class, clown fighting, just doing dumb ship, just dumb kidship. And so then they transferred me to scraffildcause that's my mom went to school there. And it's just like that was around sixteen seventeens, and then you start dabbling into other things. You know. You see your boys selling weeds, you see your boys selling a little dope, and you're like, let me get into that, you know. And then I'm just a guy who hung around those guys for a while before I got involved. But the first time I went to jail, one of my homeboys shot at somebody, and you know that whole no snitching things. So when they come to pick us up, like all right, so everybody got hit with it was an assault and Batty would attempt to kill charge everybody got everybody that I think sixteen seventh thing because they came and got me from high school and I was either repeating tenth grade, I think eating ten grade. So therefore I pulled me in the eleventh grade. So they were looking at level grade class that was in the ninth grade, the TI grade. It looks like I was repeating. Once I got the hospital was all bad. I felt ninth grade. They went to summer school, pass went to tenth They fell temper and when I feel at TIM, I think my pops was like, nah, you're staying in Tim. I FoST graduated ninety six. I graduated. Yeah, I'm just regulars. Yeah. Jack said he checked out in like TIFH grade too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I really checked out. I really checked You didn't graduated. YEA graduated, but I checked out the way before that two three years before and you were playing ball. Was all about who. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was all about who. The teachers was cool with it though, Yeah, that was cool with it back then. Now I ain't telling know you they was part of the playing back then. They're rocking with it. They want to see you making right now. They got their own motives. What was the half that got you going into radio? How did you know that was your calling or did it happen you wanted it. How did that? Honestly, Man Radio was the first thing that I ever did in my life that felt constructive and positive because before that, like I was running the streets the first time. You know, when you first get out jail, you gotta get a job, right. So I worked industrial COO just companies like a warehouse. Got fired from there two weeks. That I work in the Flower Guard and I worked there for a week. That that ship with modern day slavery. It was like me and a bunch of Mexicans out there, and I'm like, this ain't for me. Like, so I quit that after a week and then I don't see bother day slavery either. That that's I hate when people compare things to slavery, but it was, it was, it wasn't for me. Then I worked at um clothing store called Demo in the mall, and then I did tell the marketing. So I was the guy that would call your house and try to sell you ten c ds for a penny. So, and I worked at Talking About At one point my sister fired me after two weeks. But I'm saying all that to say I wanted to do anything exself. With being in the street that's it. I did not want to be in much of two weeks as a two weeks because he was a manager to the manager she hired me in five How much free talking about that you get during that time? Too much? That's why that's talking about high school with lip. But that's why. I just wanted to do something positive. And I remember reading this acronym for peace and it was positive energy activates constant elevation. So I knew, as long as I'm out here doing something positive, things that growth, things of growth, things that grow. And then, like most dudes in the hood, I wanted to rap. I'm clearly too short to want to play ball. So it's just like the people who I saw on TV that was successful that looked like me were usually in rap or athletic. I started picking up the pen and writing, and I remember being in this recording studio. I met this guy named Willie will and he did local radio as James and Charleston. I just asked him, I said, did you get in the radio. He's like, I went done. Then I got an internship. I'm like it was that easy. He was like, yeah, this is Charleston, South Carolanta. So I ain't had to be in college and none of that. So that's what I did. I went done there and I got an internship, and like just being in that environment, like the radio, you know what I mean, watching artists come in and out and being a contract and stuff. I'm like, this is what I wanted to That's it, this is what I want to do. When did you come to New York? How were you? Two thousand six came to me up for the first or not the first time. I had been to New York once before. I ain't. I didn't get on a plane until I was like twenty one years old, two years I don't remember when that was. I remember I came up here because my people never so deep records Dr Robert Evans, his son Blessed. They had a studio, I mean a record labor because never was so deep. So they was up here mixing records, and um I flew up here with them for one weekend, but then to live up here. I came here in two thousand and six, and that's because Wendy Williams and her husband they were looking for a co host. I didn't even know, and I happened to be up here with them for a party and she invited me on her show and I was on her show for five minute and literally that night they was offering me her co hold slot. But it was like, yeah, we can't pay you, we can give you a place to stay. I'm like, shoot, I'm making eight dollars an hour in Columbia, so I Carolina right now, I might as well make that move in New York and see what happens. And that's what I did. I worked with her for a year and a half for free. It was the best and worst time in my life. Learned at learned a lot from her just because she's such she's such a great radio personality, such a great media personality. But I also learned how not to treat people when you in that position that they were in. You know what I'm saying. I always say that was the best and the worst experience of my of my life, because yeah, they were terrible to people. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. You hear that, And I wondered because I don't know and I don't like to judge, But you hear that about Ellen and how she had to whole do a whole to make shift with her crew behind the scenes because people said they weren't treated right. So it's that that that that kind of stuff used to fly under the radar, but that's not flying no more. And it's a good position to be and now open. Once you call somebody like Ellen up, the only apology has changed behavior. So now her staff probably getting car service and can I help you? You You need some rolls, pedals being thrown on the floor, they walk, all types of stuff because that's the only way that she could rectified prove it. So you had a learning experience with Wendy, which counterpoached you a few years later into the breakfast club. How did that whole how did you andine uh and be come together? Well? I got fired from Wendy November of two thousand and eight. That was just because like the economy was in the toilet, so like everybody was getting fired like that I got. I got fired on November second. And the reason I remember that President brock Obama became President of elect on the limb a third, like I fired on him a second. They fired like thirty people. So I was cool with that, even though I had too much pride to go collect unemployment, you know what I mean? My wife was working at the time, so she was holding it down with the bills and stuff. And then my daughter, my first daughter, was born Junior that year, so I was just to stay at home that and then I got put on the radio in Philly like around maya, two thousand and nine, and so I worked in Philly for like eight nine months and got fired again. And that time I went home. I was like, man, I said, this city from me. I'm going back to South Carolina. We all packed up, me, my now wife, my first daughter. We went back to Cycline. I stayed there for a year. But priorday that always had kept in touching on Man g Spen, you know. And g Spen was the assistant program director that Pole one on five at the time, and he he was the one that kind of like he had bought Envy in. He had me on the radar, and then he was telling the Cadillac Jack, who was another mentor mine, just about us constantly. And so it literally meant I was in New York for the summer once and and that the summer old nine. I remember hitting up Span like y'all in town. He was like, yo, come to the station right now. So we I went to the station, and when I went to the station, he was like, yo, my, my, my, my, boss, Cadillac Jack. He's been in here watching your videos all morning because me and Duvall was doing the Little Duall was doing the Hood State of the Union, which was like a web series that we would do. We just talk about topics, you know, this before podcast, and that's what we were doing, and Cadillac was like, yo, man, you know. We had this whole conversation. He actually asked me about Wendy's husband because I had had a meeting with him before and when these husband was with me, and when, unbeknownst to me, when we had left the meeting, everybody that worked in that building was like, yo, you cannot hire Charlotte Magne when the husband is his manager. That guy is bad news, right. So I remember him saying to me, or is that still your managing? I said no. He said why. I said, because when I pray to God to take negativity out of my life, he's not swinging at things, He's swinging at people that of the embodiment of that negativity. And I'm like he was like oh, And then he was like, yeah, how long can you wait for this job, and I'm like, for this whenever the opportunity presents herself. And then like I think we started November that year that was two thousand and now, right, yeah, next month, next month will be ten years or whatever they say. I don't know what his hand, but yeah, November November be ten years. Who was some of the most memorable interviewed you guys from the beginning to the current. Man, That's that's such a broad question because I really sat down in front of people that I never thought i'd be sitting down. You know what I'm saying. When you've been doing radio twenty two years, when I sit back and I think about when I first started. You know, I've sat down with Senator Clinton. Hillary Clinton, sat down with I don't know, to a farcon quite a few times. I sat down with the Gregory you know, Angela Baskett like stuff like that freached me out, Like I ask Angela Basket like, I don't know how everybody else feel about her, but me, I'm like, yo, I sat there with Magic Johnson, like I get I got to ask Magic about catching like you know what I mean, like and asking him a question of that. I've always thought about, Like when you first got it, did you think about every little woman that you've been with throughout your whole like and be like, damn, I bet you it it was the young lady Sacramento And he was like, hell, yeah, you know. But it's just like but it's just like those conversations. I never thought I'd be able to ask the stuff I've always thought about with people to them, you know what I mean. So it's just like, man, I don't I can't sit here and say which one is more memorable, because sitting down with the wrench State is memorable to me, you know what I mean, Like sitting down with me Along is memorable to me. This is memorable, sitting down with a vice president Joe Biden, any of those ones that go viral, Like you know what I mean, Like all of these people mean something to me in in in various ways. Was there a person or a time you felt kind of like, Damn, I just interviewed song, so like I feel like I've made it now. Was there a time like that light came on? When did you feel like you had made it? I still now, because you know, we live in such a fast paced world. You're only as good as your last. So it's just like I'm supposed to just sit back and be cool. Because Hillary Clinton talked about hot sauce. It's like, now what's next? And then literally, you know what's so crazy? That week that that Hillary Clinton hot sauce thing was Monday, That Friday was bird Man put some respect on Monday. So it's just like that's the way it moves. It moves just that fast, like Hillary be your biggest interview on the Monday. Literally that was our biggest interview ever on a Monday, and then Friday, No, this is really your biggest like numbers wise, analytical, analytic wise, this is your biggest interview ever. So it's just like, I don't know, I don't never feel like I've I've made it. I haven't. I haven't got to that. Only I did get to a place of worthy. I got to that place last and symbol you know, I mean, just feeling like I'm worthy, like not dealing with imposter syndrome, like like I'm I'm right where I'm supposed to be because God wants me to be here about But I never felt like, you know, I've made it. Who are some of the people you looked up to in this space or who have actually mentored you in this space. Oh man, so many. I mean from a far people like Pete Green. You know Pete Green. It was dope. You know. There's a movie called Talk to Me and like PD is like PD is what I think every black radio personality should be, you know. And he reminded me so much of me because he didn't have no formal training, Like he was a voice in jail, you know, like that's how he basically got discovered and ended up getting put on the radio. You know. So it's just like him the time Joiners of the world, because when it comes to the business of radio, those are the brothers that figured it out early. You know, they figured out that ownership part of it of it early, you know, Steve, all the Dug Banks, you know, Swaye, Big Boy, Andie Martinez, Wendy Williams, like and the beauty of these are people. Some of these people I've actually gotten a chance to get game from, you know, like Andie. I talked to Andree Martinez now often. You know, Um big Boy he works at I Heeart, Like me and him have conversation. Suaye is always giving me games so it's just like I learned from all of them, you know what I mean, because they all paved the way for me to even be doing what I'm doing. You mentioned ownership, which I love. Um, you've recently teamed up with I Heart Uh and created The Black Effect. Can you tell us that's about? Yeah, the Black Effect podcast network. Man, it's like, um, the audio business is booming, you know, and I've been with Breakfast Club Continues, but I've been doing my own podcast, The Brilliant Idiots for like six years, you know, so I had a temper cent ownership stake in a podcast network called Loudspeaker. You know. So I've been watching, you know, just the inner working of the podcast game from that perspective for a long time. And then you know, when you sit back and you start seeing Bill Simmons doing what he's doing with the ringer, and you see what Gimblet is doing, and you see what Anchor is doing, you see what Barstool is doing. You sit back and you're like, well, why there's no black network like that? You know, I mean, you got these networks that have black shows, but what was the network that's like majority of black? And it's really paying attention to what's going on in our coach and really knows the voices that needs to be, you know, amplified. It's just like, let me, let me build that. So that's where my mind has been for like the past three or four years. And I knew my contract was up in the symbol. I think I put myself in a position to where they would want to negotiate with me. You know, I think I got a little bit of that didn't calls it black leverage, you know. So I was like, look, man, you know, I don't want to be talent like you know, you already know I'm in this podcast space. You know, I'm going to take this somewhere, so let's figure it out, you know. And it was with it, it was it was not no hesitation, like literally no hesitation. So we created this whole other company called the Black Effect Podcast Network, a majority owner of it, you know, along with our heart and is enabling me to use their resources and their finances to invest in us. And I love it too, because, like we said, with the allocation of the NBA money, they need to be able to work with pillars in those communities absolutely are a pillar of our community. So, like you said, you're able to use I hearts resources and all the amazing ship that comes with our heart to help focus on us and help grow us. And you know, I'm excited too, obviously having all the smoke as a partner. Man, I'm so happy with your partners. I remember. I remember when they hit hit me and they was like, Yo, we might have a chance of partner with all the smokes. I'm like, do it. I'm like, I'm like, do it. Give them whatever they want, you know what I mean. And and it was like saying black leverage because y'all got know us, you know, like they can't front on y'all. They can't tell y'all what they think. There's a there's a market value and you either got to meet that. And don't we know we were We appreciate it, MANOK, Like I said, we obviously showtime, shout out showime. So yeah, I heard and Black Effect. We're proud to be a part of that family too. You know, you and I talked once a week on just strategizing and how can That was the first thing I told when I when I went out over there, was like, bro, I want to help you really grow this ship, like you know, I'm not just a talking head on a podcast like less, Like they put someone in control now that really has a post for our culture. So that made me excite, like they gave me hope, like okay, here we come, and well what I hit him the other day? I was like, what do you think about a black bar stool? And he's like, that's what we're trying to that's what you just said that you called him the black Death Simmons Simmons Deil Simmons because to me, was about the cash out like Bill did. I told I told Madam like, yo, that's what I see. All the smoke eventually being he wants us to give us a little let me tell him and I want to see all the smoke, have all the smoke need just it's Network where they're just rolling out those voices in sports that are like y'all, you know what I'm saying, Like there's it and only y'all know that, only Matt and Steven know who those other voices are that are like y'all, like those guys that are cut from that cloth, absolutely like that's that's that's why this show works. It's plenty sports guys, have gotten together and done shows. We ain't never seen sports from a real nigger perspective, and that's just the truth to the rep. I've also liked that you've been for a while, Like you said, You've had your podcast, You've dabbled the MTV reproductions. Uh, you have the emerging Hollywood on YouTube. One thing that I thought was really dope though, because you've we've been hearing your growth and in your evolution as as not only a black man but a businessman as well. But one thing that touched me was the the the WiFi situation that you provided was it was it in Colombia. Talk to us about that because that ship, just like that was so dope. Yeah, my man, man, Stephen Benjamin. You know, I'm saying to Steve Benjamin black Man, Columbia, South Carolina, that's why local politics is so important. Because I can't pick up the phone and get to the president, you know what I mean. But I'm from South Carolina. I've lived in Columbia and my wife went to the University of South Carolina. I can pick up the phone and hit my man, Stephen. It's just a matter of like, Yo, Steve, what what does the city need right now because I usually do a bookbag drive every year, and I've been doing that for years at my hometown Amongst Corner, but that just didn't feel right this year. So I just reached out to Steve and he was like, man, that's so I'm so happy you hit me. And he introduced me to this company called ignite Cities, and basically what ignite Cities is doing is making sure that people have WiFi in these various areas, you know. And it was just like, Yo, this is how much it's gonna cost and they can make it happen. I'm like, that's easy, you know. So now that I did it, it got it gets the ball rolling on the city because now I said, you look kind of crazy, like man our citizens, I'll do us. So now the next round they gotta hand. So it's just like, you know, that's why I don't really like to talk about things like that. But I realized it's just like why people stunt, right, people stunting. They get inspired and you see somebody with a car that you want, you damn don't want that. You see somebody with a chain, I'm like I want to do that now, Like I said, the fact that I saw you do that, I was going to ask you how because I wanted to get to the poor like people don't understand, like we're in a new I mean, I have kids and we're on online school and that ship is terrible. But I couldn't imagine if my kids couldn't get online and get their school work done. You know what you said, you saw some kids trying to take WiFi from Taco Bell. They're sitting right next to Taco Bell. Yeah, it was an article I read and it was these kids. They was literally doing that homework. And and Stephen had already Steven already told me about the Avengement, So when he when I read that article and I and he told me that, man, we gotta do this asap. Right, Let's let's get this. I need to ye. I'm trying to do that in Sacramento too, so I need to get that in for gonna. I'm gonna talk how important has it been for you in your journey? Like I said, I just saying your praises, but how important has it been for you to empower the black voice not only in your space, but in the athletic space and the politics space and the community space. That's all I care about. Like if I was an NBA player, I would definitely want to lead the league and assist more than scoring points. Like that's all I care about. Like literally, like I've always regardless of what platform I was on, whether it was Breakfast Club, whether it was my podcast, whether it was the shows I was doing on Viacom, like uncommon sense, Like I always want to give everybody else an opportunity, you know what I mean? Because I feel like that's how you live forever. Right, Eventually your star is gonna burn out. Eventually people will get tired and seeing you front and center all the time. So what keeps you alive? Who you opened the door for? When I look at guys like jay Z, Like look at the all the fruit off jay Z's tree, I mean, no Rihannaa, Kanye Yeah, Ja Cole like another person who got fruit from a tree, you know what I mean? Like I want to be that, Like you want to be that guy that you empowered space though too, you're doing it in a new space and music has been that They've had their struggles, don't get me wrong, and they've been able to do it. But you're in this multimedia space that has has been and still is dominated by a certain culture. So I just want to do it for the things that I know i'm good at. Like I'm good in the audio space, I'm good in the book world, you know what I'm saying. So being that I'm good in those spaces, I can provide opportunities in those spaces. What's what's up? That's my interview has been going. That's probably to me, this has been the most smooth interview we've done. Just on being has been It's flawing. He even slid in a couple of questions. Yeah, you know, it's still in it. Um, we're coming to the end. That ship went by quick as fuck. Um. Top five hip hop albums in your mind before you start, Good Trouble eight songs. I'm dropping on George Birthday. I'm sent it to year though. Good Trouble Okay, who I know, you got trade on that, but just me on that, Okay, self pluck, that's what we gotta show. Top five either we can do we can even do albums, or we can do artists. It's easy for me to do artists. Let's do artists. And I really do have a top out of top seven. My top seven is jay Z number one. He probably he probably means the most ghost Face is my favorite rapper of all time, but jay Z is probably the most important rapper of of of all time to me, right then, scar Face, love Face, t I Jeez killing Mike in in Nas. That's that's my that's my top seven that I can go listen to any of the albums at any given time and be be content. You my top five seven, top five or seven? Uh, I'm going park jay z Face, Nah's bund By Yeah, buncle, buncle. We forget about Bunn only because he was part of a group like you name if I name groups, I'm putting u g K. You know what I'm saying. But you forget about how cold Bun is. Yeah, I got pop, I got big, I got Ja, I got snoop. God IM about to say you got a much. You listen to nip Bro. You gotta love I love that man. That that that that that legacy. That's what you call a stolen legacy. So fast see, I see I got listen. My brother always puts me on the music. So when I was coming to l A and two thousand nine tennis, like you gotta listen to Nip like he's just he's your funk with him. So I started listening to his ship and instantly fell in love. And then I came to the Lakers and next season, so I hit dude on the d M and he hit me right back and like, YO need to the Lakers, you know once you come to again. Came to a game and just hit it off with him. I mean, Jenny went down to Earth and I've seen him evolved from when he was riding around the little shows and I'd be falling them to two shows and we'd be upstairs. I've being with a bunch of sixties upstairs on the Lakers smoking weed. Like is that Matt Marsham the Lakers back there smoking with you know what I mean? So to be able to see his elevation from when I when I when I learned on him in O nine to what he left us with, like he said that was a star shot down early. I meant. I'm saying. With my home girl, Devide Brown, she was doing radio in l A on on Cadis. When I used to go out there. She used to put me on all the new rappers. So it was Kendrick, It was Nipsey, was Glasses Malone Bishop. I remember hearing that bullets ain't got no name. I was like god right, but his evolution to what the content and which he wrapped it and he rapped about his evolvement to and his evolution and she was heard it through every project manaw Mailbox Money up until Victory Lap, and that was what to think about. That was his first album, though History Lap was his first. I mean he obviously he has if you know his history, he's got his history. But that was just his That was number one and it was called Victory Lap. Think about that, your first debut album on a major label, which ends up being your last album is called Victory Lab. Like it's almost like some foreshadows like Man, you know he said, they said he two generation. We gotta ask me a question that we getting asked our guess. So who do who do you think should be on our show next? But when you ask that question, you gotta be somebody that you can help us get on here. Everybody you know, he said, jay Z gave on all the smoke, will you fire? I want to see shock on him. For some reason, I just tapped in with Shaq shock even motherfucking hollywoodness. Bro, we hit you last week, you said he was coming, then Jack hit you and he said he was coming. Then you disappeared to start doing all these motherfucking commercials. I just talked to him last week, though he gave me his new number. He said us on, He said, soon as the playoffs over, I was about to be over shot. And we know you. You know you gotta go to all these banks and make all these deposits because you're getting all this money, but you know, just making time for us. Man. You know what, I don't want to see shot on here because Shaq got he got some real nigger. He's suppressed, oh man, But it's only because yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think if he gets around, y'all will okay. He was one of the craziest team. I can't wait to talk about man, the ship he used to do in the locker room. If he talks about it, it's gonna blow people away. That motherfucker was a seven foot two, three hundred sixty pound kids. Funny as that's the inside info that y'all have that people don't have. He was in the locker room with Sack, so the conversations are different. That's why even if you watch the show like Drink Champce with Nori right. The reason Nori can talk to these guys the way he does grow with him inside information. That's what they was saying with us because we've been there, We felt every emotion. We've been mean, So I like that Shack. I've dinner guests that are alive, oh Man, Um, Donna, Blelajah, Muhammed, Martin, Luther King Jr. Pop Nip and who my Angelo. Considering the climate we're in right now. One book you would recommend for people to read, well, for black people or just in general. I tell everybody, man, you've gotta if you've never read a Message to the Black Man Biologic Mohammed, that's an amazing book for every black man on this planet to read. You know what I mean, because there's so many different life lessons that we can apply to what's going on now, from the politics to diet to you know, mental health, mindfulness, everything. It's like Honorable Algis Mohammed was. It was eighty years ahead of everybody when he wrote that book. On the flip side, people who are trying to align with us, a book you would recommend for them to read or understand us honestly, to understand this man, I think the Autobiography of Malcolm X. And the reason I say the Autobiography of Malcolm xics because you see what happens when a black man is put in a certain environment, right, But you also see what happens when a black person has provided opportunity. Because I always say, the greatest book about growth and evolution that I've ever read in my life is the Autobiography of Malcolm X. Malcolm Little going to Malcolm X. And I think that's one thing people don't understand about the Nation of Islam. They provide that opportunity for black people that America is not, you know what I'm saying. They provide those tools and those resources for black people that America is not. And that's how you can get a Malcolm Little to turn into a Malcolm X. That's how you can get a cascious Clay to turn to a Mohammad Ali, you know what I mean. So it's just like I think that if if white people read that book, they would understand that black people aren't inherently evil, you know what I mean? This system put us in a fund up position. And in order for this system, the the really atone for its sins, it's got to provide things for us to get us out. And since we know that's not gonna happen, we're gonna have to do it ourselves. Straight up. Last question, who is your one figure we look up to that all lives a lot. That's easy for sure, definitely good question. Explain yours and then I'll give you jay Z jay Z for me because and you're so crazy. When I when I first listened to jay Z, I didn't. I didn't like jay Z only because, like you know, I come from the South. I was into like the gritty, grimy stuff. It was just like it was dude was talking about so much money and all that big willie. It was like, I don't wanna hear that. But the reason I look up to him is because it's just like watching his evolution from coming in the game as a rapper entrepreneur. But the things he used to talk about to all always when I say always, always showing us where he's at in his life. If you listen to every jay Z album, you could tell exactly what he was at in his life. He went from the player who was kicking girls out that sticks in the morning to now being the husband, family man, going to therapy. And if you've ever had the pleasure of just being up there Rock Nation, it's just like, that's what you would want your company to look like. It's his family and it is his long time. Yeah, he's really like the blueprint, you know, and the way he just quietly shows up for his people all the time, like and it's been doing it. We're just getting hipped to all of the things that that that he's done. But it's just like when I look at him, he's just a good representation of what I think a black man is. Like. You know, you you dealt the worst hand you make, you make that you make the best of that hand. You would debt become a billionaire, but you take your your people with you every step of the way. The people that are willing to grow what you're doing, the one that it ain't meant for everybody, but the ones that are that are willing to grow with you and they're supposed to be there, they still with you. And he represents that to me. To answer your question, I guess I look at it different. Um, you know, to be able to play as long as I play in the NBA. My transition into this space, there's people look up to, so he's one of them. Um, Stephen A. Smith is one of them. Michael Strahan, who is to me the ultimate because he was to cross from professional athlete to sports, but then two mainstream media too, and that's what I really want to do. Like I love sports, but I want to transition into like real um life. And then Kevin Fraser, Kevin Kevin Is. Kevin's helped me in this space. You told me one. I didn't know I could name more, but Jack surprised me. I wasn't ready for my own question. Who's George? I think the only person I look up to is my little brother. But it's simple fact that I wanted to be that guy that day to one woman through high school, had kids by working, one family doing everything to write, so I got kids all over the place. You know what I'm saying, that's only because you're allergic to column So that's not really that. That's not what it was. That's not what it was. But uh but seriously, though, now I honestly look up to my little brother because he's done everything the right way. Obviously he wanted my life. He wanted to play basketball, but it didn't work out for him. But his life and the way the man he is and how he takes scale of our whole family when anybody called, he there for him, that's the that's the man. I really want to shout out to Stamp Harley and got some twins. Jah. That's crazy you say that about because it's it's guys that I've I'm totally faithful to my wife. Now, I've been faithful for four years since I told two sixty. But you've been with her. I like it. It's a change. You gotta start somewhere with with with Jack. That is real. It's like, Yo, we do look up to these guys that are faithful today women early on, you know what I'm saying, Like I didn't had that kind of discipline because you know how tough it is. You know how tough it is. Like I can't fire anybody the kids because I've never been perfect when it comes to that. That's that's how hard. That's another good Well. I just I just think he understood what he wanted with his life at a young age. You know what I'm saying, like being saying my grandmother my grandfather been together for so long. You know what I'm saying. My mom, you know, she would have just dedicated I like to us. It's certain things that triggered him to do things the right way. He was around me, He's seen me doing all that stuff, He's seen women around me. He would just so focused on doing things the right way, and that's what I wanted, but I was distracted by other ships. Yeah, I didn't want to do my household the way my father and I love my pops, you know what I'm saying. But I didn't want to do my household the way I saw him do his house. You know what I'm saying. He got caught with his digging the dirt. He's still with the same woman, so clearly that was meant to be right. But my mom got divorced and then that kind of, like to me, messed the family up, right, So I didn't want to do that in my house. You know, that's a wrap. Charlotte bay Man. We appreciate your time. They've been waiting on that man. Thank you for having me. That's a wrap. All the smoke you can find this all Showtime Basketball YouTube and the iHeart Family, Black Effects and all the Smoke Network coming soon. You shout out, Snoop, this is all a smoke A production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio in partnership with Showtime