The Breakfast ClubINTERVIEW: Da’Vinchi Talks 'Mary J. Blige's Family Affair,' GloRilla Pregnancy Rumors, BMF Vs. Power + More
The Breakfast Club Sits With Da’Vinchi To Discuss 'Mary J. Blige's Family Affair,' GloRilla Pregnancy Rumors, BMF Vs. Power. Listen For More!
Wake that ass up in the morning. Breakfast Club Morning.
Everybody is DJ Envy, Jess hilarious, Charlamagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club long, the roaster is feeling in for Jess. And we got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed, we got the brother d Vince.
She welcome.
Appreciate you guys having me.
How you feeling, man, I'm feeling great, feeling good.
It's crazy. Just not even here.
She's been saying, we need to get Vini up here forever. Yeah, she's not even here.
Damn, that's my dog.
I love how you know, just just from the Instagram.
Yeah, Instagram and running into her like I went to a few comedy shows. I started doing comedy. So it's like I've watched a bunch of comedians. Time I go watch a live I'm like, bro, she's good. Yeah, she's actually great. She understands the artist absolutely.
How do you just start doing comedy?
Like?
What made you?
Who told you?
No? I started doing a lot of speaking right because mental health stuff, and it's a different type of keynote speaking and moderating here and there, and what I was doing that like, you know, the audience will laugh a lot and in my family, like you know, I joke around bullshit a lot with my friends.
And stuff like that.
So someone was like, yo, I think you should start doing comedy because it's going to build a different type of confidence for speaking. And I was just like, all right, bet let me just you know, give it a try. So I just started hosting it and I started developing a love for it, and I started developing a love for it, and with that, I just you know, last year, I did like fifteen cities. This year, I started off with one. I'm probably gonna do like twelve more. And I mean it's fun. I feel like I'm already in an anomaly. By the grace of God, you know, I made it out in my situation. It's like why not just try like whatever at this point.
You know.
So when you were on stage, like you know, doing your mental health advocacy, you was telling like your story, yeah, about things that you're going through, and people thought it was funny.
The way I would break it down.
The analogies that I use to have people, especially our community, grass the concept of mental health, and so I make in a way that it's just digestible, you know what I'm saying and doing that. You know, people are laughing, and I'm like, you know what, what if I like try to like hit the stage and like just even drag it out some more.
It makes sense.
I mean, you know they always say community to say tears of a clown, right, So it's like one thing about black people. We know how to turn our trauma into something that either people can learn from when people can be entertained.
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, Let's let's go back.
For most people that don't know who Da Vinci is, or they probably Seenior but don't know the name, how did you get into the acting business? I'm sure people know you from power or from bemth How did you It's crazy, how did you get into.
The same block? But how did you?
How did you get into acting?
I know you started off as a rappers, So break the people down where you're from, how you started and you're at that.
So I'm from Brooklyn and I was in Brooklyn then my mom moved to Jersey. My parents split up, and so I was like nor Orange and North Area and then back and forth between Brooklyn and North I was getting in trouble a lot.
Then I moved to Florida.
And then I got arrested and my dad was like, yo, I gotta keep him. I was just a badass kid, just following the people in my environment, the people around me.
And when I was in Florida, I went.
To all white high school and that that kind of changed my life. That changed my perspective on life. I was seeing things that I never really saw before. So it really just started developing my brain in a different way. And then afterwards when I went to college, at one point my brother was like, bro, like you should we should really like try this like rappers, shit, it's entertaining shit.
I'm like, bro, that's impossible. It's not school.
You went to college.
I was to college Central Florida, Central Florida.
Yeah, And I was like, bro, this is bush. This is not going to be a real thing or whatever. And I was like, you know whatever, I'm gonna try. And I moved back up north my mom's and then Gloria Carter shout out to her jay Z's mother. She had this Diamonds in the Rough. I don't know if you guys ever heard that.
Vietnam. Yeah, yeah, it's like a little restaurant thing foundation.
Yeah, Jamaicans fun.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was yep exactly. It was Caribbean food.
Yeah yeah.
So mad people would come there and every Thursday she had this open mic thing. So I got discovered from there. So I was like ripping doing music there and then I was in the studio.
I was recording a lot.
But then after a certain point, I was like starting to lose love from it for it, because you know, it was one thing when you're on the outside looking in, but then when you really start getting in the business and then you see what they're promoting, what they're pushing you, the direction that they're pushing you towards, I'm like, bro, I'm not trying to perpetuate this, like like this is really like people take this serious, you know.
So I was like the I don't like this.
At the same time, I was told like, I should start acting too, because it's gonna help with stage presence. So I started acting. Shout out to Mark John Jefferies. He was the one the boy from Losing Isaiah and he played fifty and get Ridy to Die, Triumph and The Little Seas and he was teaching his acting class in New York and I was like, yo, let me take it. And I started taking it and then I started meeting people. Shout out to Little Mama because she was the one like Yo. She was like, Yo, come to LA, like you should beat my manager.
Ah.
Then the rest was his history. And then, by the grace of God, I just started booking consistently.
Little Mama wants you to be her manager.
No, no, no, she was like yeah, she was like no, come to that. Yeah.
She was like, come to LA and meet my manager. She was like, you're talented, you speak different languages, you're rappy, do this and that. And I was just like, bro, she ain't want to sign me, and she was like, bro, just going and I went, and you know, I just started booking consistently.
How was the all white high school? What did that do for you? Other they called you to.
Nah? Nah? It was.
It was crazy because you started realizing, like how broken the environment in the community that I wasn't was, you know what I'm saying. And then when I went there, you know, people was judging me based off like they was judging my intellect based off how I spoke English.
Like you know, I remember one.
Time I was talking to this one other black dude in my class and I was like, nigga, you weak.
And she was like you weak, it's your y you possibly.
I was like damn, and like she made this big scene in front of the class, and I was like.
Right, right, exactly, exactly exactly right. That was crazy.
But anyway, I was like, bro, like that's all vernacular. Like we choose to speak like it because, you know, because our environment. But I could speak properly if I want to. But then I started realizing, I'm like, yo aroun these white folks, like I gotta change how to speak. And I just started educating myself and I started reading books, and I just started changing a lot because I was like, in this environment, like my upbringing, it ain't conducive here, it ain't serving me here, like I'm just like a criminal, you know. So it changed me a lot. And then I had teachers that believed in me more like up North. One of my teachers, they told me, literally, I swear, she was like most going to end up dead in jail is white, yeah North, Yeah, in Jersey actually, And I should shout out to school, but I didn't even do it.
But she was off the teacher.
The teacher my name was actually miss Dixon, but she was like, yeah, most gonna end up or on the army or like the dead ending job. And I mean she wasn't lying because that is what happened. We got her to this because we was just a yeah, it was like I was bad as hell.
You ain't say that now you gotta get some content.
Know, But but but the thing is, but the thing is, though, it's like she still could have been more positive because we was just we don't know, we was just kids, you know.
What I'm saying.
But when I was in Florida, like I remember, I had this teacher like I was in a like a slower math class when I first got there, and she was just like, yo, you're so smart, like you could really like like pass all the ship And I passed all my tests and she was like, you need to be in alge But honest I was like what I said, I'm not gonna do that. And I went from having DS and F to graduate high school with a four point one GPA.
Wow, So you're point about the teacher. The teacher could have said, hey, if y'all don't change y'all lifestyle, if you don't change the way you're acting, then you're going to Yeah, that's how I was always did she say that?
And because sometimes you only hear what you want to hear, all you hear is that ain't gonna be ship.
But you ain't missed the first part. She's like, if y'all don't change, y'all ain't gonna be shit.
Yeah, no, you probably right. She probably did say that, but I just heard like and I was like, damn. I was like, all right, bet, I hope she have a TV.
Now what you said about the school.
You know, Steve Harvey allegedly sends on when it's I think it's the old teacher somebody that told me, never make it a TV.
So he sends them every.
Year since the new TV.
A lot of money.
But what you said about the cold twitching is real because a lot of times they try to get people flacked for cold twitching, but it's not that you cold twitching. Sometimes you just don't want to reinforce negative stereotypes exactly Black people exactly exactly.
And I feel like we perpetuate that enough of the media. We got to some of us got to be a good representation of us, because we're not looking.
Too good identity wise, though, Like going from your neighborhood and which you were used to into this new school and feeling that way, like, yo, I gotta kind of switch it up a little bit. How did because you're still growing up at the same time, who were you talking to about like what your identity as a man should be, because that's such a hard place to be and where you're trying to you're over here, but you come from this. You got family that are still you know, back in your old neighborhood. Like what was that journey?
Like, I think, honestly, I was just by the grade. I was just going through the motions, you know what I'm saying. So I really didn't have like a figure to look towards as like an identity for a man. I was just I mean, my older brothers, like I'm the baby. So my oldest brother like shout out to him down like he basically like raised us, you know, until I went to my pops. But you know, I guess that was my idea of a man.
And he was like this.
High school feena basketball player, so he was he really was that father figured. So I looked up to him for real, like as much as like what a man should be. But the rest is honestly is about a grace of guy, Like I'm super fortunate, Like I'm well aware that I'm not supposed to be or really like able to express myself, be disarticulate. Because the amount of feedback that I received from people, I'm like, damn, why, yeah, so shocked. I'm like, Oh, that's because they looking at the numbers like this shouldn't happen, you know.
So it's just God.
That's God.
You know what I'm saying, Like, you know, I don't care about no statistics. You know what I'm saying. I don't care what you tell me. You can tell me I'm one of forty million or this many people from my hood ended up like this what they got to do with me?
Right? You know? No, that's facts product of grace.
Now.
I was gonna say, do you remember the first show you.
Yeah, Marvel, Jessica Jones, How was that? Tell us? Tell us the story?
Yeah, I was scared of I was just like, it was two weeks after I signed with an agency, and I remember like my manager calling me at the time and she was like hey, she was like, hey, you booked it.
And I was just like what And she was like yo, you actually booked it. She actually like stopped playing.
I was like, and I just remember being shocked and I just felt like Will Smith in that Pursuit of Happiest Moment. I was just in the Bronx walking from the gym, the Crunch gym, and I was just like, bro, this is crazy.
I'm like, I ain't telling no one this right now, your.
Fresh mom memory part did you play? I used to watch all of.
The Marbles, so I was this this this guest star, basically this scientist. She My dad was like a scientist and when I was born, my face was like disfigured and shit like that. And then he took me to some lab and then fixed it. And then Jessica Jones was trying to find out how did that happen?
And she was trying to get.
To my dad, so she got to me and then yeah, so then she had to like she used her super strength and shit, and I was like acting like she was mad strong. Bro, this is crazy. And the scene takes like eight hours. I was like, bro, this is long.
Now.
I used to watch I used to watch Jessica Jones Lue Cage, Iron Fish, Dead Devil.
I watched all damn well he was hit.
Now now you want to the Marriag J Blige Family Affairs series. The thirdest thawing of the series is, uh, what is it called? Has it been doing that?
That's been great? Honestly, it's it was.
That's probably one of my most favorite projects, only because it was a role that had nothing to do with being black.
It was just existing, you know what I'm saying.
And it promotes the family nucleus, you know, in the black community specifically. I feel like a lot of us, you know, we promote things that is to our demise and to our destruction. So to be a part of a project so early in my career, you know, that is promoting you know, what happens when having a family, the sacrifices that's being made and.
Stuff like that.
I might, bro, that's fire, bro, because it's it's done in a way that I feel like, you know, some kids watching this at home, Probert like, yeah, I want that one day, you know, because we've got so much content material that is doing the complete opposite.
So to play something like this, it's like, Bro, I feel like God is like smiling down, like yeah, good job, bro.
And when I watched it.
All I kept thinking to myself, is like, man, he loves her so much, like you're Ben, Yeah, Ben, well you know what I mean. In the movie People, that happens when people, Oh yeah, people be watching them, Like, Bro, I feel like you like her?
Really, I'm like no, Bro, Like I'm doing my job, man, Like.
Yeah, Well, as an actor in the in the Family Affair, watching it, I was like, wow, he loves her so much. But there were times, I mean, y'all had there was a lot that y'all had to deal with, Like I don't want to give it away, but as an EP on the project, because you're EP right on the project, are you gonna involved EP where you're making those decisions to show like it was like subtle moments like one time I think y'all went to a restaurant and she didn't order something and you notice and you're like, what's wrong because you didn't order blah blah blah.
Little stuff like that.
Are you being like, oh, we should do that as an EP or is that coming frowhere else?
Like that that adjustment though, But a lot of things like yeah, I'm definitely like behind see, I'm like, guys, we can't put this out like I'm like, bro, this is not like this don't really happen, you know. And a lot of times it was dope because they gave us the creative freedom to say certain things because oftentimes stories like this, a different race is heavily involved, Like there's Caucasian producers that really don't really know some of the intricate details what happened in the black community.
So they really like sat back.
A lot of times it was very like collaborative, you know, and shout out to the producers John, Jordan, Davis, Jeremy and everyone, Bruce and everyone, Mary of course, like all of them.
So it was fire because.
I was really able to be like nah, guys, like nah, this is going to send the wrong message, and like they listened. I was like, Yo, this was is crazy, Like what like people don't even know, Like I really influenced.
That before you was in the business, did you pay attention to the images of black people on television? Cause I heard you mention that a few times.
And I thought it was very disrespectful personally, Like you know a lot of times that you meet Europeans or white people that's really not exposed to black people in this country. They have this preconceived notion that we're like very ignorant. Amount of times that people are like, oh man, you're so young and you speak so well, and particularly I'm like as opposed to what.
I'm like, Yeah, I'm like, bro.
Like it's like because it's that many people that is like because oftentimes what we do and I've been watching because I've been watching out for a while and different things, and I'd be like, bro, it's like they'd be asking the right questions to the wrong people sometimes and they say something like, oh my god, now the world think that's how we all think.
And I'm like, no, now that was a good one.
But it's just like I'm like, bro, you haven't people answer certain questions about politics and they don't know shit about it or certain things about it. I'm just like important things. I'm like, bro, And I'm not trying to sit and say I know everything. I would it's okay to say I don't know. I'd be like, bro, I don't have enough information on this, so I'm not about to just give the wrong information. But you know, and when that happens a lot or or the content and like, I mean, we're looked at as violent as fuck, Like people are scared of us, boy, Like I'm brother.
Our stereotypes is just it's crazy. We're perpetuating the hell out of it.
Yeah, you're absolutely right, but that's something that was designed since the beginning of it, That's true. It's not even about this modern day era of media that we're in. Like literally, the big black man has been the villain in history forever.
Right, right, and to justify slavery and racism and all this stuff towards black people.
But I just feel like we don't have to perpetuate it, you know what I'm saying.
But a lot of times it's like because during the Reconstruction era, that little short twelve years, like we were outpacing white people really like like fast in this country. And then that's when you know, the whole concept of black people do eye and they started just tarnishing our image and making us look like the most feared thing on planning earth. Right, But then it's just like and not the only ways we get famous, I mean, the only way we get successful is usually like a situation that's just such an anomaly, you know, like for every like I love fifty, I love whole I love it, but like for every one fifty, for every one hole you know how many millions being locked up? Yeah, you know what I'm saying, Like that's it's you know, that's crazy, like or for everyone Lebron like to be a Lebron, but that's point. Zers of God only make a handful of big niggas that can move like that, and so many people like really think they can be that. I'm like, bro, like you got your priority fucked up, Like you're going after something that is far from the majority, Like you're going after something that is pure favor and grace, and that's a favor, that's a supernatural advantage that God gave you to really fulfill his will and his jobs. It was like that's not something that you could really bank on, bro, you know. And it's like but you got like we're banking on these things, which is like crazy, you're.
Not wrong or it is intentional.
You ever seen that old movie it's old though, like it's dumb more called Birth of a Nation and it showed all of the black people and basically they were elected officials and they were like, you know, eating chicken with their feet and licking their fingers like it was just that's where actually the negative stereotype of chicken came from. But they did that because they wanted to show this is what happens if you put black people in politics, and.
This was like in the parities. I think it was. So it's absolutely intentional.
And I always think about like after the nineties, because we didn't we grew up on in a very positive era. We had great representation of great music on TV and music, right, so you had the Cosby Show in the Different World and the Martins and the Living Singles and the Girls, like all of these shows showed black people just being great, working class right Americans, And it was like it was like it was like an intentional shift to reality television.
Right. Why do you think that is?
I don't ask everybody from the nineties that question, Like I asked, like Michael Jamon wanted up here Eric that I asked him that.
Because it wasn't like it wasn't successful.
It was super successful. Cosbe showed the number one show on television. Different World was number two, So it's like, how does that happen? It was intentional, and you know.
I think, yeah, I know something. Yeah, just not saying I just got here.
I don't know.
Tell me what you think I.
Just started visiting.
If I started really doing it, if I started really doing comedy on like a whole other level, start touring, you know what I'm saying, making some ams like million in the bank, I'll start I think I know exactly what's going now I'm playing.
I don't.
Well, congratulations to appreciate you. You win, Glollo, you.
Got pregnant and you know did nice cute photo shore.
Yeah. Yeah, Glow is funny. She is so famous that.
You Lauren brought up whoever.
You' say?
That was just.
John, that's my dog. That's my dog.
But the Glow thing, I mean it was for the.
Video, right, Yeah, yeah, of course it was for the video. Glow is so famous, bro, It's crazy.
People was coming up to me in the street saying, oh, that's glows baby daddy. I'm like, first of all, Jesus, like I've been in this ship long and Glow has been around. And then second of all, like other people coming up to me and saying, oh my god, you don't trap my girl.
And it was like yeah, and they was thinking I trapped Glow.
I'm like, yo, I make like a good like salary, Like I've been making good money. Like before Glow even came into this, I'm like, you're saying I trapped her.
That's crazy you. Her following is like, legit, bro, are.
You gonna put a ring on? Or you're just gonna keep it.
More?
Kids?
Nah, that's a thing. Glow on kids. Glows focused on career right now, that's priority.
Who introduced you to just you know, therapy and mental health? Like like who told you, like, you know you need to go out there and do some work on yourself. Why did you have people around you that was doing it and you decided to do it?
That's good?
I think I think it's my boys like that. You know, I got some friends that you know, are strong believers in the Bible, like whether it's their Conservative Christians, their Pentecostal, to hold a witness, things like that, And in the conversations that we have, oftentimes when I'm talking to them, it's like they hold up a reflection in my face. And it's really good because a lot of times with certain spiritual things, it's like you could only see yourself spiritually, just like you can only see yourself physically through a mirror, or if somebody is telling you there's some way for it. If I'm telling you there's some way for it, and there's no mirrors, ever, you've got to trust what I say. So there's certain things that only another person can see that's in your soul. So I I think I've been fortunate enough to be around people that you know, they hold me accountable, you know what I'm saying, if I'm acting a certain way, or if I'm just not if I'm just being too fleshly, you know, they bring that to the forefront.
So which forced me to go to therapy. At one point. It was like, bro, you know you could just do it.
And I was like, man, because I grew up with like, oh geez, the way it's just like they call that all type of soft weak names that exactly everything they needed the most right, And then I went I went there and then you know, just thinking about certain things in my childhood and that the way they was breaking that down and bring it up. I was like, yo, I'm like, bro, we all need this, and it's like a superpower. It's like the first time I feel like you ever just look at yourself in the mirror, get a haircut and brush your teeth.
Like that's what it does spiritually to you.
Like a lot of people are walking around like bro, they like they're so unaware of what's going on, and the ironic things, like they think they know so much.
It's like the people that's just.
So far from themselves and from reality. They got the biggest opinions and know so much. But you know, I feel like when you go there, it kind of humbles you and it allows you to see yourself from like a third party perspective, and it's healing.
Man, we need that.
In the family affair, you deal with your brother who has a mental health issues himself, and you try to help him through that he stops taking his meds. This's a bunch of stuff that happens. But then also you start having your own like struggles because you.
Have a lot of pressure.
And I remember the first scene when you're in your office and it's like an anxiety attack. And I recognize it as an anxiety attack because we talk about it a lot. But do you have people reaching out to you? I guess it didn't are yet never mind scratch that question in you doing that? Does it trigger anything for you? Because you had to go through therapy yourself. I'm assuming you dealt with some stuff that was heavy, kind of like with your character Ben deal with Like did any of that trigger you?
Definitely?
Definitely, Like I I my life at home is like that's a tough one. Like you know, my brothers, My brothers go through it and then going through it. My family gone, like they're going through it currently, you know. So there's definitely a lot of pressure. You know that that movie in a way it was kind of mirroring like some real stuff in life. But yeah, I just I just try to keep good people around to just help carry me and lift me up.
But yeah, it's a lot going on back home.
And usually when you're the one that, like, you know, you make it out, so to speak, it's like it is a blessing and a curse, you know, because then you start speaking the language that nobody around you understand anymore, and it's like it's you're speaking everything but English, and it's the most frustrating thing because it's like you watch the way you can help somebody, they're asking you for advice within the things that you're saying, they're not even taking it. And then you're just like it's almost going to drive you into insanity when you're the only when that makes out, and then you're forced to create an extended family. Thank God that we can meet people and have this family. But at the same time, you're just receiving so much shit from back home that it's like it's it's such a fucked up thing, Like it's like it's not what it's all cracked out to be.
It's it's a blessing.
Because yeah, you're financially free, but that you've been tationed this financial freedom, but you've been also building yourself in a prison simultaneously, and you're like, damn.
When do you separate though? When do you say? You know what? Sometimes I gotta step away so I can be free mentally.
That's why I got a lot of dogs, and I go on I go into nature, and most of my friends is not entertainers, Like I love the.
Business Hollywood, but that's not like that's not a real place.
Had I had a real life, you know, so, and I'm so aware that that's not a real place. And that's the way I try to separate out of that. And I just I ride horses, just I just do mashing in nature. Bro Like that's the only thing that's when I communicate with God, I free scripture, Like God is the real reason why I'm like saying, like the reason why I was talking to the Surgeon General about this in the US doctor for Fake Murthy. So he hit me up last year to hop on the last leg of his tour what we have made to connect because of the national crisis right now, the mental health situation, and we were just having these conversations.
Man, he was just like, it's literally because.
We're not connecting to higher power anymore, you know, And it's like we literally have I believe it's like a worship chromosome and like every human being to praise the deity to do this, but we're doing we're taking on these burdening these burdens in a narcissistic way, and like we're carrying a weight that we were never meant to carry. Like we're trying to fight this battle that's way bigger than us. And when you just put all your worries, you can't sell all that onto the Lord. Like it's like it seems like a lot, but you're like, nah, I'm good, Like I know, I'm just fighting a good fighting bro. Like this really is bad. I'm just a soldier, so it just it alleviates that. And that's how I'm able to just go about my day like, by the grace of God. I'm not on any type of you know, certain stabilizers mentally or whatever, because.
God is that for me.
You let a lot of people let ego lead instead.
Of letting God lead.
Absolutely, you know, that's.
What I always tell folks. But I believe in God and therapy.
Yeah, if you're a religious person, like I'm not gonna sit down and talk to nobody, Well, I respect you for being religious, and I'm a spiritual person, not religious, but I believe in God and going to therapy.
And I appreciate that. Man, what you preach, because you talk about therapy a lot in your book and interviews and certain things. I was like, yo, like he's not just like he just don't talk man ship.
Like you really.
Like I started going to therapy.
Oh that's what's up. Man.
At twenty sixteen, I started. I started going to therapy. And I think, whether you want to or not, if you're doing it for real, it's.
Going to change.
Absolutely.
You can't. You can't hide it. Like being Mexican belly when he was under cover, you know in the nation.
Yeah, yeah, he was undercover, but it got to him.
It's like, yoh, shoot.
So once you start doing it, like it's going to change if you're doing it for it's inevitable.
No, you're right, it's one hundreds right absolutely. Now I want to go to BMF. How did you get BMTH? How is that that situation?
That was man that was fired? I was actually doing the pandemic, so like I was fortunate enough. Again, Man, I hate to keep saying God.
But no, I would hate to say I don't.
I don't want to be that person. But like God's timing is crazy.
So like right before the pandemic was blown up on All American, and when the pandemic came, All American got way bigger, Like it was like the biggest show in the world because everyone's saying the ass at home. So we was like we got so famous that it was it was unprecedented, Like it was like there was going to cancel the show on c W and Netflix made this show like just a household.
Name and and doing that. I had like.
Three different offers for different shows, and I saw BMD coming.
I was like I was like, oh, this is fire.
But I was like, for a second, I thought it was one of the power things because I'm not gonna lie.
I never wanted to do power.
I never only because it's like I feel like I wanted my first drug thing story to be a true story. I didn't want to just do it just to do it, because when you're doing it, and no shade to anybody that do it. The Little Power Boys Michael and Ganny, I love Little Power I love they cool. They cool, they cool as that, like I really they did. They little and stature and just every Jesus. But but nah, not just that, not just that. But I was just like, if I'm gonna do that like I would, it would be fire if it's like a true story, you know. And I was like, Yo, this is two brothers that ran one of the larger domestic distributions the history of this country.
And I was like, bro, this is crazy.
And then I did an audition and they knew who I was, and I fifty watched the show All American, the showrunner, a lot of producers, and it was like one audition that I like, I tested and I was reading a long time meech little meech and it was like, bro, like you know, you you bring something out of him that whatever, whatever, And I booked it and I was like bro, and I actually went out for b Mickey and taow Yeah, so I really Yeah.
Did you ever sit with Tea?
Yeah? Absolutely, Okay, that's a that's a real that's a real dude. Man. It's a solid guy, you know. And he's like he's like an oracle.
He's just like this wise og that just sit back, you know, and then just he narrated from his perspective, but he tried not to get in a way. And honestly, one of the greatest compliments he gave me was when he was just like, Bro, the way he portraying his character is fire. And even off screen, it's like when people see you, they see me and everything that you're doing, it's such a great representation of me.
And I just want to say thank you.
I'm like, to me, that was like an Emmy, you know, like, forget what the critic's got to say. Like the man that I'm portraying is like saying thank you, and you're doing a hell of a job.
I'm like, bro, that's crazy.
Let me have a question because you know it is based on a true story, but you talk about the negative images of black people. BMF was huge drug dealers, So how do you justify playing that role?
Right?
No, which is a great question because I've been asked that before. This interview said the same thing, and I was like, okay, and it was like, how do you feel that you're promoting that any you're perpetuating this image. I was like, well, if you watch an eight twenty four a Blumhouse film or anything like that, or like a scream and somebody's like stablished someone fifty seven thousand times, do you think that I'm going to go stab someone fifty seven thousand times?
No? And if that's what you're thinking, you probably shouldn't watch TV. Right.
So what I'm doing is like I feel like, one, you should receive it in the same manner that.
It's art, but two is a true story. That's a true story.
About black people that was part of one of the most successful human trafficking in the history of the world.
The trans and landing.
Slave trade was one of the most successful human traffick Actually it probably is is. Actually, Yeah, the so you got these two brothers in when slavery was abolished and all this stuff was happening. Now you got these brothers in the middle of nowhere. Everybody know poverty is the mother of all crime. They know, statistics show it. Benjamin Franklins said that all the founding fathers know. That's why systemically they put these positions. They put these things in a certain position just for you too, fell right, and you got these brothers that rose out of that, that created this organization and ran this organization that they ran. And I just asked people, I challenged them to be like, imagine if they had a better environment, that would have been Steve Jobs, that could have been the right brothers, that could have been Elon Muskin. Then that could have been, you know, to have that courage and to lead that many men to really listen to you and follow you and salute to you in what you're doing, especially right exactly, not exactly, and something illegal too, because you know, if we're doing something illegal together, I don't really got to listen to because I could tell the cops on you at any moment. But they had, you know what I'm saying, I'm like, bro.
No, they had a cold bro, that's crazy.
So I just challenged people to look at it from that perspective and be like, damn, Like we're a product of you know, I still think we live in a great country, but you know, the founding fathers of this country building on a certain plans field, and you got brothers that rose out at a time that there wasn't positive influences at all. So I think if they were born in different times of better influences, they would have been scientists, they would have been anything else.
Ever, read the book Outlives No by Malcolm Gladwell and he talks about that in the book, and he just talks about how like all of these different people at different points in time were like they were basically being at the right place, the right time, with the right circlestances. So that's how you become a Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos. It was somebody else, but they all came up around the same time. They're all around the same age, but it was just the right place, right time, right circlestances. When you got that kind of mind, Yeah, to your point, Metall, you could have led any.
For exactly exactly.
And that's the beauty and the story, And that's how I look at it so. I mean people could say, yeah, you just choose to see what you want to see, but I feel like I'm seeing it objectively in the correct way.
Did you get a chance to talk to Big Meats?
Yeah? I used to.
I used to actually talk to Big Meats a lot, like FaceTime, because Little Meats would be facetiming one set while he was locked up and you know, and talking to him, and he was just like, yo, bro, they be playing that all American shit all the time, like and this ship, Like we watched all that ship. He's cool to So like those guys, honestly, they're like that's like Bigfoot. You know, those are like it's it's like foreign creatures that It's like, yo, what Like every rapper mentioned these people, and I'm like, by the grace of guy, I'm around these juggernauts, like real street legends and.
Then the hip hop legends.
I'm just like, bro, sometimes they feel like a dream and I'm gonna wake up and be like, bro, I had the wildest dream last night.
You know. It's funny.
I remember the first time I saw the BMF documentary, I said to myself, this shit ain't real, Like if this was real, all of these dudes would be in jail that happened.
So I hope that.
No.
So I hope that the show continues on so people can actually see the consequences to the lifestyle as well.
I think that's a good teachable moment too.
Absolutely absolutely, And I think that's gonna happen.
I think people are going to see the ending and what happens, so so that way, when people are considering this, they know that they.
Could really lose a great portion of their life.
Absolutely well, definitely check out Family of Fairs?
Are you?
Are you in meach cool? Like in real life?
How little we cool? Like? It's a it's all love. We just you know, he was so busy and he can.
Tell you rides horses man and being nature the.
Horse.
He rode the horse after you got the grocer put the groceries on the horse.
Means it means me in a different world, even the little world I got love on. But you know, we just on this side of the planet. I'll be on that side of the planet. We come together and we work and we do our things.
And what was that thing about?
I was going there, what's your so? First of all, funny Marcos trying to take your girl.
My girl. Oh my god.
Can you get tired of people bringing that up to you?
Like just that because screen y'all interaction is very complicated, and then off screen there's like moments too.
It's like y'all was holding hands.
I was just being a gentleman, you know.
I was just she was just she was I think she was a little tipsy, and she's like, I can't help me walk, And I was like, yeah, I got you.
And I was just doing what my mama raised me to be, Like.
It'll be turned up.
You'll be telling sending all your checks to La La, panting favorites.
He got a couple of checks aspared.
That's what I'm saying.
Facts, Okay, okay, Yeah, made him blush that I ain't blushed the whole time.
Exactly.
That's crazy.
A little bit harder now though, de smiles will be big.
I'm not saying, but yeah, I mean, I guess so nothing could you always says nothing there? But even when y'all was on Jason Lee's sit down show, it was a minute ago. Yeah, even there, I was like they kind.
Of cute though, like there's a lot that's my dog, Like I think live is one of the most genuine, absolute humans in this business. Like and she got a spirit that's like you almost feel like you knew her forever. Like when you're around her, she brings like out like this kid and you you know what I'm saying. So that's probably why when you mentioned her name, I was smiling.
Shit. But and then she gave me great advice, like that's my dog.
What's the best piece of advice she's given you? Personal advice or work advice whatever.
I think she she she helped me see situations for what it is and like that and.
Ship, you know what I'm saying, like see the other side and looking at it from an objective point of view. You know what I'm saying, get my emotions out of the ship.
And then like you and then or if I'm like, yo, I'm having a conversation with this person, like what do you think? And then she would really call me and like give me the inside school or if she don't know, she was like, wait, let me find out. And at one time I was, I mean like from the littlest things to like sometimes someone they stole my social media and they're trying to sell it back to me for like two hundred km and I'm like, bro, yeah, and I was like yo, Li, like what the hell?
No?
And she hit up Kim's people and they gave me a social media person and then got my ship back in forty eight hours.
People, I didn't know what Kim was talking about.
This little kid you know that social media?
Yeah, you're right, and that is her, like the feds.
Anything is happening.
Turnover happened when Kim.
Bro like forty eight hours. Wow, I thought I was done.
I was like, oh my god, like I'm gonna have to pay this or something like yo, forty eight hours.
I don't know what they did. It was like, bro, they posted crazy stuff. Now the didn't post it.
They were just trying to sell it back first, and then I was thanking God didn't post craziness.
They didn't, and I don't know how they did that.
How did you feel when the Power got I don't want say canceled, but dude, they ended Power.
I felt good about it. No, No, I was like, man, that's like they're out of a job. I know that feeling.
But I know they're about to have another spin off, like it's gotta be Yeah, it's like the Avengers, bro, Like you know what I'm saying, Like, just like Chris Evans and the rest just resigned the Marvel, there's obviously about to be another Avenger, so you know there's about to be something else.
Like Power Book three. They already four two.
Yeah, probably, yeah, it's probably be like a new Force.
The last episode of y'all last season, y'all were like in the middle of like the desert.
It was like Mexico song. Oh yeah right, so y'all y'all have another season?
Yeah, yeah, that should be. I don't know when it's coming out, but I'm sure like the first quarter this.
Year got you how do you feel?
I don't even know if you see this, but like for that last season, a lot of what I was seeing online with people being like all right now, the storyline is getting unbelievable.
I mean it's it's TV and film, you know, Like I think I think they got to over exaggerate and do certain things. I mean, personally, some of the creative decisions, I'd just be sitting back like damn. But I mean there's only so much I could It's almost like when you play on the field, you're playing football, basketball, whatever's got to run with the route that the coach tell you too. And it's like it's it's bigger than you, you know, and and yeah, but I shut up myself.
It's like, bro, I just got in the game. I'm not trying to piss people off.
But the BMF story is unbelievable. It's just it.
If you watched the documentary, I'm not watching it back in the day, and I'm like, this is not real, no way, this ship is really going on in Atlanta.
Like no, yeah, And he brought zoo animals in the club.
Hand cane.
That's the homely hander. She did that party. She still does amazing parties. Now she did that party.
People are still finding calls with money in it, like cars that they own, limousine.
They they'll find a panel and they have like money in it.
I believe.
Yeah, she's like, what's happening that so and it's the upcoming season?
Do you figure out?
Love wise? Like where are you what you're doing? Because you're all over the place. You got it's like two families at this point.
Yeah, I think.
He's I think he's more focused on the money. Like I think I don't think he's ever going to figure it out. I think it's still not figured out, honestly, Like it's not figured out to the point that the real Marquisia is getting pissed, you know, like how that story is being portrayed.
So I don't think I think it. Yeah, like they not. It wasn't really thinking about family for real like that.
They were just like I mean, of course like they were to a certain extent, but it was like, yo, let's figure this situation out, you know. So I don't even think they really like had the capacity to be like, yo, we want to like I'm going to think about really just sitting here and building family with this one or that one, you know, But maybe that happens.
I don't know.
Do people come up to your real life upset about how you doing the show because you mentioned that with absolutely people.
Really just be like, bro, why you do my girl sitting like that? Tody mentioned, I'm like, bro, first of all, when you're talking about the show, you use my real name, and then when you're see me outside you use the character name. I'm like, bro, that's kind of crazy. When you're saying like yo, Da Vinci was doing this for La La that's on the show, but when you see me in real life, you're like, yo, Terry, Yo you Marquisha, that's my I'm like, yo, bro, like you got to stick to the you know what I'm saying because it sounds crazy, But yeah, people all the time, man like man, gangsters be coming up to me about yeah. Absolutely, And then the gangsters be coming up to me like yo, bro. Like first of all, they be like, yo, what is like to fuck Laa.
I'm like, bro, that's not real. And I'm like, Bro, ain't no way. Bro.
I'm like, bro, broke time, Like Bro, that's not real. And then they start going into their meet and tea stories. I'm like, bro, like if you tell me this ship now, I'm an accomplished kind of you know. I'm like, I'm telling you, and they just they just shut up and they just keep it pushing. But like the amount of gangster stories that I have to run away from, Bro, I'm like, bro, please.
Like what's your dream? Ro? But probably to play Toussaint Levity or Dusalen.
There was like two characters that was very influential on the Haitian Revolution. The Haitian Revolution was one of the most profound revolutions in the history of the world, only because it was the first time black people gain their independence on paper, you know. And it was a small little army that destroyed Napoleon Bonaparte's army, who was known to be like the best war general at the time. So I think it'll be fire to like be a kind in that story. Like that's like a real Marvel superhero to black people, you know, Like they created their own language, which is the language that I speak fluently, which is Creole, which is seventy five percent French, and like different languages, and they switched it up just so when they're fighting when it was in the war, like the French people can't really understand, but we can understand French, you know. So it's kind of fire. And I think that story is like dope A's hell, and that's one of the things that don't ever get talked about. I would love to play a character like that.
I mean, that's why they punished in Haiti to this day.
Oh damn, Charla Mane, you said it, brother, I am not say yeah, yeah, not for real Dominican, right, yeah, yeah, whatever, I'm not Dominican.
I am not dominic He just said, he line, I'm not doing I'm fully blackred thousands.
What you really thought that? You can't be mad that people think you're doing wrong? You date line, I'm.
Not dominicanis My parents are black black like black? You know what I say? I don't speak no Spanish, nothing nothing.
I don't know why you don't claim it. But oh, pretty I am what you know for a Dominican DJ Awards. Why do you nominate?
What?
You say?
It every morning on the breakfast lub and people really think.
That he really got nominated?
That where your daddy from?
My dad he's black.
Where's he from? He's black? Where's he from?
He's black?
You know what?
Sh where's you from?
Dominica? Oh, it's a Caribbean island.
Dominica is a Caribbean island, Dominican Dominique.
Man cut out.
My dad is half black and his father's from the Dominique Caribbean.
Yea bronder black.
I don't. I don't.
I don't really know why. Actually you don't want to claim that's hilarious.
It's okay, it's okay.
Yeah, to meet you brother.
Likewise, brother, it's a pleasure.
To be to make sure you check out a Family of Fan premiere in January twenty fifth and eight pm Eastern A lifetime.
While MB looks up his birth certificate.
You look at my pictures so you can see my patients.
You can't find no picture where you don't look a minute. White jeans currently got giants jerseys, knock it off.
It's the breakfast because you play baseball. No, I actually played football of a football from Queens village.
A queen village's nothing but Haitians, so that we your.
Cousins dolicans as exactly I'm black.
It's the breakfast Club. Good morning, Wake that ass up in the morning.
The breakfast Club.
