Andrew Schulz's Flagrant with Akaash Singh - Ali Siddiq on Life in Prison, Fighting the Ruff Ryders, & If Drake Can Rep Houston

Episode Date: June 25, 2025

YERRR – the guys sat down with the OG & storytelling assassin Ali Siddiq, and he did not disappoint. From surviving prison to owning the stage, Ali breaks down how he turned pain into punchlines. This ep is hilarious, raw and real. All that and more on this week’s episode of FLAGRANT. INDULGE. 00:00 Intro 1:01 People think Ali's Indian 2:43 Bill Russell deserves more flowers 5:41 Big Knicks fan + C0ke is a hell of a drug 7:34 Praying with the Dream 8:59 Locked up during Houston's rings 10:15 How to survive in prison? The last drug deal 20:52 Becoming friends with Charles 30:21 Trying to get out + Being a kid in the game 36:11 Being outside + Importance of honor 42:47 Understanding your role in comedy 49:59 Theatres are DIFFERENT + Going crazy over X 1:01:55 Ali nearly didn't do Flagrant + Tupac WAS a dancer 1:06:55 Nature of success + Sissy block 1:15:18 Control in Prison? Not glorifying this life 1:22:19 I contributed to this, Imminence & Hollywood bubble 1:32:58 Does the industry wants stereotypes? The changing of eras 1:42:25 Ali is a grenade, Insecurities + Tony is crazy 1:47:51 Being of the people + Not getting credit 1:55:46 Ali can't go to UK 2:00:55 "Rugged" 2:07:01 Ali's little sister [Rest In Peace] 2:18:20 Don't try to make sense out of nonsense 2:24:11 Coming off stage then + The Funeral 2:31:50 This is your craft + Ali's kids now 2:39:13 Patrice O'Neal + Importance of now 2:45:43 DL standing by + Jada's dad 2:49:29 J Prince's importance + Houston been doing it 2:57:16 Drake embraced through affiliation not earned 3:00:17 NYC Mount Rushmore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up, everyone? Welcome to Playgrin. And today that we have Ali Sadik in the building. Goat storyteller, one of the best comedians out there. You've seen him on Def Comedy Jam and his Domino Effect specials, four of them. This is unprecedented. The amount of comedy he's actually put out for free for all of you on the Internet. He garnered over 35 million views, rave reviews on YouTube. Ali turned his tough life into comedy gold.

He's raw, he's real relentless. No gimmicks, just pure hilarious storytelling. I want to dive in because I feel like what you're experiencing was a lot of us have experienced when we put stuff on YouTube is like, you're getting big views. You're selling out these huge fucking venues, but there's also this thing where it's like,

is it just in our little bubble? Have you felt that? Yeah, I think I'm in a little bubble. I don't think it's popped the ceiling yet. But then you look at the views, you're like, if a hundred million people have watched this, what ceiling? I'm waiting on India. I think with Ali Saddiqi, you might get Pakistan first.

I think white people think I'm Indian. No way. I was, I just recently did Boston. Hold on, hold on. When I was a kid, white people couldn't understand that I was, they thought I was black when they were racist toward me. It would be go back to Africa. They would call me the N word and I would be like, I think I'm supposed to be offended.

What happened in Boston? they would call me the N word and I would be like, I think I'm supposed to be offended. What happened in Boston? So this is when I was I hate to put them out there, but because she rectified it. But it was I was at Boston Labs. Right. Yeah. And two white guys open for me. And I walk out in this white dude. It was like I thought he was Indian and he just turned his back to the to the to the stage. I was like, what? How much is this white guy love India?

Yeah, I think he was more offended that I was black. I would have never came if I knew he was black. Indian yes, but black no. I like how Buzz is just getting a little less racist. It's like they've accepted the color spectrum a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Really, you thought they would get over it with Bill Russell bringing some of his championships. You know, I've just like, he erases them a lot. I've thought about this too. It's like there might've been a period during Bill Russell's reign, because it's not like he didn't just win them as a player.

He won them as a coach. And like, I'm wondering what is happening to like the racist people in Boston at that time, when he wins what, nine as a player, and then they're gonna bestow like the most important position for the franchise that they care about go. The coach. The coach.

So this is my thing against racist black men who argue about Jordan. Cause I think you just, this is my problem with it, with the whole Bill Russell thing. So if somebody said who's one of the greatest coaches of all time, they're gonna mention Red Aarbock. They're not gonna say, oh, it was the era. He didn't know.

No, they're just gonna mention him. But when it gets to Bill Russell, oh, it was the error. He didn't know. No, they're just going to mention this. This is a great show. But when it gets to Bill Russell, he didn't play against nobody. He played against everybody in his era. Wilson, Wilson and everybody else. But then when he left, when Red Albach left, he became the coach. And he played and coached Jordan. There's no way Jordan could have played and coached.

There's no way. Yeah, and played 32 goals of golf. Impossible. He had to cut 10 players on the team. It's just me and Scottie. Everybody else sit down. It's amazing how they just try to diminish what he did in basketball. He has 11 champions.

I wonder if part of it is like, that was a time I think in the NBA, my dad would tell me his story. So Bill Russell, my dad saw, he was the first person he ever saw dunk a basketball. It was like during the layup lines and he was like, I just saw him jump up there dunk. He goes, to me, Bill Russell is the best player that he ever saw play because he completely changed the game even defensively yeah but this was a time where my dad would tell me that like when the nicks were playing at the same time the um what is it with the clowns and stuff what is that called carlisle circus the circus when the circus was in town what did they call What did they call it? I forgot. I was told it's a carnival.

I forgot the name of that shit. Anyway. I was about to call it the barbershop. I was about to say. No, he told me the Knicks would be bumped out of the garden. For the circus? For the circus. I can believe it.

So this is at a time where like I guess basketball. The finals are on tape delay apparently. Yeah. Ringling Brothers was huge. Yo, come on bro, we might need to see the circus. You got to have your sandals. Hey, hey, hey, hey, we're having a circus here. You know what I'm saying? A little game outside the Ruckers.

Can you tame an elephant? No. And we'll get it. Yeah. I mean, anyway, that was, yeah, kind of wild times. Bill Russell's dude that has a picture where he's just wearing all the rings. Bro, that's insane.

The iconic picture. More rings and fingers. Player and coach. Yeah, unreal. At a time where they's just wearing all the rings. Yeah, it's insane. The iconic picture. More rings and fingers. Player and coach. Yeah, on real. At a time where they weren't even letting him, I think in certain cities, stay in the same hotel as the white players. And he did all this in chucks.

He's playing in both. I got a bunion for walking the walk. He's playing the low top joints. That's why they had to dribble like this. Because I don't think there was only interest. You know the craziest Bill Russell stat? If I think it's 14 and 0 in game sevens. He never lost a game seven.

Yeah, he just won. Game seven, Bill Russell, you win. That's it. There's nobody else I can think of that ever had that. Yeah, it's just, were you a big hoop fan growing up? Always. Really? Basketball, definitely for sure. But what was your team? Obviously, Rockets, but like... that ever had that. Yeah, it's just, were you a big hoop fan growing up? Always. Really?

Basketball, definitely, for sure. But what was your team? Obviously Rockets, but like... Obviously Rome. What do you mean? No, it wasn't the Rockets, who was it? Wait, but you were a Knick fan? Always.

Is your family originally from New York? No, you ever seen Cowboy fans? They all over the world, right? I'm from Dallas. I'm just a boy. I'm just a boy. I'm just a boy. I'm just a boy. I'm just a boy. I said for the Knicks. That's who's on TV. You root for the people that are on TV. Remember we were all Braves fans for no reason? It was

just because they were on TV. He was a circus fan when he was growing up. Then Patrick Ewing went to the Knicks. You know, you watch Georgetown, and then your player get drafted to the Knicks. Like, oh, for sure. But as a Dallas guy, Houston people are so fucking annoyingly loyal. You're a Dallas guy? He's fundraising Dallas. I already love the Cowboys.

Like, what is it? I fucking hate them. I'm with you. I'm always with the Cowboys. I love them until about two years ago. If they would have drafted Jerry Rice, I still wouldn't have been fucking with them. I was like, God, Jerry's good, but fuck the rest of the time. And that's my favorite football player, Jerry and Deon.

And I make a strong argument for Deon being one of the greatest, being damn near the greatest player over LT. And I'm a Giants fan, but over LT. Hold on, hold on. Over LT, and I'm a Giants fan, but over LT. Yeah, I don't think that's crazy. Okay, so what is, I think we have to accept that LT at his prime, I think was the most- At high cocaine, for sure. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. No, why do we diminish the value of cocaine in the excitement of the sport? Because remember in the 80s when the basketball players were just fist fighting on the court? Yeah, I thought all of them was high. They were. They were fighting their ass off.

Yeah. And Olajuwon, I remember Olajuwon was still fighting in his era before. Olajuwon, it's like nobody wanted to fight the dream. Yeah. You heard the Vernon-Maxwell story? Have you heard Vernon talk about it? Yeah, I know Max. Oh really? And me and Max used to be in the club back in the dream. Like the dream was like what? Have you heard of Vernon and Maxwell stories? Have you heard Vernon talk about? Yeah, I know Max.

Oh really? And me and Max used to be in the club back in the day. But when he said about Elijah Wong slapping him, I was like, yeah! Yeah! Yeah, the dream was like, hey man, stop all that fat mouthin' bruh. Yeah.

Like in his broken Nigerian language, bro. Yeah. Yeah. bro. Yeah. In his broken Nigerian language. I've been at the mosque with him. At the where? At the mosque. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. So him, his brothers are bigger than him. It's crazy how big his brother is. OK.

But to be next to him in prayer. The big corporate. He's like, yo, man, I'm going to go to the back. Because this thing, this thing, like I can't even concentrate. I imagine he was right behind those feet. Come on. Like, man, pray in the back. It's crazy how big he is.

So were you in Houston going to the mosque while he was playing for the team? Yeah, really. So he was just going to like- Yeah, but he got drafted in 84. I was not there, I was locked up in 80. That's the thing about, I always go back to like, I missed and I hated to,

like people would be talking to me about years. Oh, and you're locked to read Houston's rings. And let me tell you, the terrible thing about this, they plan to NICS. Oh, that's right. And I'm a painful memory for all of you. I'm the only one in a Texas prison rooting for the NICS. And so, oh, you just want your life to be hard. So when the Nicks lose, it's like everybody in the cafeteria was waiting.

They weren't even eating. They were just... As soon as I came in, I was like, holy shit. And then I remember San Antonio was playing the Knicks. I had on a Knick jersey. I'm performing at this club downtown and I'm with Rodney Winfield. He's a legend. And this is how he talked. Rodney was like, God damn, why don't you just take off the goddamn jersey? Because I'm walking downtown and everybody fucking with me because the Knicks lost to San Antonio. He said, man,

just take off the jersey, bro, because I can't fight with you. I'm all in. He looking out for himself, he not even worried about you. Yeah. Yo, okay, I've seen so many videos, obviously tell these great stories. I think there's a little part of me as a comedian, if ever, God forbid, I got locked up, I'm like, well, what if I could use my comedy abilities

to lighten the mood in the jail or whatever? And I'm watching, I know it's so stupid, right? But I'm very curious because a lot of your stories, you're talking about kind of teasing people. At what point do you build up the courage to be like roasting guys who are locked up probably for some dangerous shit? Is there ever a point where you're like, man, that's not the guy I'm gonna tease? Like, how do you build rapport to be yourself?

I knew coming in, you know, I was there for like six, so the first two, I was making my bones. Okay. And so people understood, he's gonna say whatever he's gonna say regardless. Fighting him is not the way to go. Because you grew up boxing, right? Okay, so you have some hands.

And I know mass majority of people can't fight. I like, I know it. So I'm like this, I'm like, like you really wanna do this? So you weren't scared at all? I've never been scared. Not even in the beginning, you tell this great story is one of the first thing I saw you on an Ari show about the Mexicans are wearing boots. Yeah, I was I was unaware, but not scared.

Have you guys heard? Yeah, what did that mean? Yeah, I just, you know, was unaware. So in Domino Fake 3, that's why it's damn near my favorite one. Because it's showing how unaware I was when I got locked up in the county. I'm like, I'm so unaware of how this, the process. But when dudes was at the bar, it was like, yo, you slapped my sister. I'm like, no, I've never slapped a woman, don't even know your sister. And then once I figured out they was talking to me,

I was like, oh shit, so you trying to start something with me. Oh, they're making up a thing. Yeah, they making up a thing. And I couldn't, oh shit, so you trying to start something with me? Oh, they're making up a fake thing. They're making up a thing. They're making an excuse. I'm like, and I couldn't, and once I figured out they was talking to me, I couldn't wait for them to come and let me in the cell. And I was, I'm like, okay, okay, cool. You, you, you making up shit? Okay, cool. I don't like to be lied on.

So you immediately, when I heard this story, that's when I knew I was pussy. Because I'm like, he goes up to the two guys that I told him... Soon as I get in there. Wait, wait, tell me this. These guys are big. Tell them the story. Wait, what happened? So I'm outside the bars, and when they getting ready to lock you up inside, they put you like in the hallway.

Right. But the people can see you. Everybody can see you. And they locking up other people. And I'm sitting there waiting with this sandwich that I'm not gonna eat. Just because you think you don't never eat because you think you gonna get out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So you don't eat nothing. You're like, I'm straight. He didn't know how much his bond was. Oh, okay. His bond ended up being like 150,000 or something. So you're in jail, not prison. Yeah. At this point.

Yeah, you're in jail. Right, right. So you think you getting out. Okay. Let me go back. I can make the bond, but my attorney said it was- Oh, that's right. Yeah, his attorney says-

Oh, because he's like, he's like, he's like, he's like, I can make the bond. He's like, but you don't have a job. He's like, I gotta go to court and say you're not a drug dealer. I gotta go to court and try to act like I need bond reduction.

I'm gonna put my resort in Cabo up. That's collateral. And so I'm waiting and the dude was like, yo, that's him. And I'm looking down the hallway like, oh, no, they're not talking about me. Yeah, that's who slapped my sister. And I was like, who is this abusive guy? Who the fuck? Who the fuck? Who the fuck? Who the fuck? Who the fuck are you talking to? Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna slap, I'm gonna whoop your ass when you coming in.

And I'm like, oh, am I the only one in this hallway? Oh, so they talking to me. Oh, okay. So my first thing is like, yo, as soon as I get in there We're gonna we're gonna see cuz I do not like to be then you have a friend who was like Jack and tall and that's Brian Brian became my friend to his poo poo and Brian they and this is this is the shit that they do To the bother people when they get ready to come in. So as soon as I get in, I put my stuff down and I'm like, yo, what's up? And dude's like, what? I said, you said I snapped

your sister. He's like, I'm fucking with you. I'm like, yo, but I'm still wanna fight because you made up this narrative about me and I just want to get it on. I don't have, but I used to hear about this tank when I was in the street, 10B3. It's 1301 Franklin Street. This is a notorious place. And you would hear about it. They'd be squabbling in 10B3. You would hear about it.

And people say you don't want to go to a corner tank. And so when they're assigning people tanks, I'm just sitting there. I'm standing there and they're giving all these people these other floors. He get right to me and say, Tim B3. I'm like, ain't that some bullshit? So that's my that was my whole thing. I still wanted to fight. And did you guys end up?

No, because they was just bothering me. So then maybe I'm in this tank for about what what, fight my case about five, six months. Now I'm doing the same shit. Tell other people. That's him. That's funny. That's when you get angry. What you just fucking say?

Okay, so you get convicted because you end up going to prison. Okay. Upon conviction, you say you've never been afraid, but you have to be like processing outcomes, right? Like, are you worried about, oh, I'm going to bump into this person who has beef with a friend of mine on the outside? Like, I don't really have a lot of beef. So now my crew was protected, but my whole crew was locked up. They got all of us at one time. So it was a homecoming. So it was like, yo, all of y'all come on this way. So I really wasn't concerned about that. Wasn't it really the last drug deal you were like

legitimately? I understand that. That was legitimate when I was done. And you got pulled into one last jail. It was like a moment. And I wasn't even supposed to be at this shit. Like I was literally out. What do you mean? What do you mean? You were out. Yeah. Like you decided you're doing something else with your life. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. I'm out. He said, do one more with me. And he was like, yo, man, just do this last round and watch my back. And I'm like, oh, okay. And then I'm there.

And I kept saying it. Like we never would have been locked up if Mo would have listened to me and wasn't on his. See when people have financial woes, they make bad decisions. Yeah, desperation. You know, you get attitude with your friends, you got all this other shit. So I get there and we in this hotel room

and they won't let me go to the bathroom. They say they told something wrong, they told it. Okay. And this is just me processing all of it. So when we sit down and they bring out the money, the first thing I asked, wow, hundreds and fifties? This is a drug deal. Hundred and fifty? I'm like, oh, that's weird. Why? Because lower amounts would indicate. When you sell drugs, it's's gonna be a lot of tens and

fives and twenties and sliced up that's what you're getting paid in and if you got clean bills is probably coming from yeah let's think I'm in it's it's clean bills and I asked I say hey what's these numbers on the money and he said oh man we just that's a bank numbers came from the Franklin Bank in New Orleans. I had just left New Orleans and I'm like, Franklin Bank, Franklin, Franklin. I said, okay. So I thrown through the money and then I did the sign. I knocked on the table three times, which is supposed to tell Mo, this is the police.

We done. Let's deal. We go outside and I say, Moe, tell Charles, don't come to the parking lot with the coke, this is bad. He goes down and tells Charles, once I find out, once we get locked up and we had to go to court together, Charles told me what he said. He said, oh man, your boy nervous. And he said, man, it's all good. And I'm asking Charles as a grown man, why would you think I was nervous

when you ignored me since I was 14? When was I ever nervous? All right guys, not that many show dates. Dubai, I'm gonna be there for the Dubai Comedy Festival. October 5th, the tickets are already over half sold out. So hurry up and buy those tickets. And last but not least, I'm very excited. I went to India like a month or so ago.

I interviewed some people I'm very excited about. I also interviewed one or two people in the States. And I'm gonna start dropping those in my first episode with Rami Youssef. We'll be dropping either this week or next week, but look for it on my YouTube page, I'm very excited about this. I love y'all, thank y'all. Let's get back to the show.

What's up guys, special announcement. I want to shake your hand. I have a very secret and special and important message for you listening, yes you, right now, driving your car, working. And the best way for me to tell you that is if you come to my shows, I'm going to Portland, Oregon, Fort Worth,

Austin, Texas, Stanford, I'm also doing the hard rock in Times Square in New York City, I'll be doing a show produced by my good friend Alex Media on July 19th. Also at the end of the month, we have- Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, suck his dick, suck his dick, suck his dick. Oh, dude, please don't. Dude, Father Ben, my priest, hit me up and he was like,

yo, why does Akash keep saying that? And I said, I don't know. Because Father Ben needs to get his dick sucked. Chandler, Arizona, Washington, D.C., San Diego, Burlington, Vermont. And then also, at the end of the month, we're doing a show at Mary Lou in New York City. It's my show with Joey Avery. I'll see you guys there. I can't wait to tell you my secret message. See me after the show. Peace. What's up, guys? Finally, I'm here. I'm throwing a show, comedy show.

It's gonna be fun. No two drink minimum, fuck all that shit, just buy a ticket, have some laughs. And he's paying the comics more. And I'm paying comics more, cause comics be broke now. What a guy. You know, I do good stuff. Do not suck his dick. Why not?

Because, that's why, because that's why. Do not suck his dick, he's an engaged man. We're talking to the dudes though. When he's married, you can suck his dick, cause then that's all that stops. Yeah, but if it's dudes, it's not cheating. That's true. If you're a man, you can suck his dick. It's so fuck This is gonna be an episode. Okay, who had thrown a show on the June 28th at Barloom and then also July 19th at the Hard Rock July 10th

July teens Cancel comedy right cancel comedies cancel comedy July teeth. We're making it a day from just go to cancel comedy, right? Cancel comedy? Yes. Cancel comedy, July 10th, we're making it a day from now on. Just go to Cancel Comedy X on Instagram, check the bio, we'll have a link for all the tickets, and let's get back to the show. How you and Charles became friends is the funniest story. Really?

This might be my favorite story in the whole special. Tell it, tell it, tell it, tell it. So, Charles is running an apartment, and... What does that mean? Like, he's the supplier for most of everybody in the apartments. That's selling this stuff. And we, where we live at is maybe, one, two, three, like six sets of apartments. Everybody got their own little section, but the Greens is where nobody goes.

They swear the police is over there. So I'm buying my dope from Ronel, which is Charles' brother-in-law. And they in the crew. You don't generally meet Charles. Yeah, you don't really meet Charles. You just meet Ronel. You probably don't want to. So I'm buying my little stuff from Ronel

and I decided to go to the Greens. Cause it's, and how I go to the Greens is because it's a homosexual guy named Tink that that tells Ronel, it was very sassy. He was selling, he was selling Ronel, he was buying stuff from Ronel. And he was like, Ronel, why I gotta buy my cracks over my... He got it out.

It gets fucking crazy. The outfit is, Tim must have been like a fan of, what's his name, Simmons, Richard Simmons. Because he had on like these little good ass Carl Lewis shorts, right? And his leg warmers and he had this hat and he had a curl that really didn't take. So it was just wet hair. He had on a half shirt that said Thriller.

And I was like. Okay. He's terrible. But when he buy, I run around and catch him in the parking lot. And I was like, Hey, Tink, is people over there? Yeah, we over there. All you gotta do is come over there. I bring you everybody. So when I get to the pool, I get to the pool here.

He told me to wait at the pool. And it's like, yo, he wasn't lying. It was so many fiends over there. They start coming out like thriller, like Michael Jackson, like Thomas. So I'm over there, son. So I'm- So now you're making money.

Oh, so you're servicing this area that nobody went to because they throw the cops over there. But it was really just gay people. Yeah. No, it's not serious. He is the only one that's gay. It's not serious. One takes one. It's not serious. Everybody else is just regular people. Yeah. It's scary. He's the only one that's gay. It's like, I'm gonna take one. Everybody else is just regular people.

This is the only one over there with this dude shit. You've seen Thriller, you buy one, you're all gay. It's scary. So, and Ronel notices that I'm buying more from him you know, very rapidly. So, Charles wanted to meet me and we had to, everybody hang out at the park. I don't know why drug dealers take over a park. They like the greenery.

It's not even a green park. This is a park in our apartment. Oh, just the same. Where they put down some like rug. Structural. But like, this is great. They're doing their best. You can look and see the pool. So I'm over there and Charles won the meeting and I came over there to buy something from Ronell and Charles keep trying to talk to me and I'm like, no, I don't want to talk to him.

Wait, why? Why? Because this is like Nino Brown. Oh, that's the top guy. I don't, hey man, what's up, little man? I'm like, Hey, can I just get my stuff so I can go? And then Charles like, Hey man, he told me that I was going to work for him because I was selling so much.

He said, Hey man, you going to work for me? I was like, No, I'm pretty cool. You said no to it. And then Charles, at the time, I didn't know what this gun was. You know, I found out later, but this was the biggest gun I had ever seen, which I never knew. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool.

I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool.

I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. I was like, I'm pretty cool. You said no to it. And then Charles, at the time I didn't know what this gun was. You know, I found out later, but this was the biggest gun I had ever seen, which was a Desert Eagle. It comes from Australia. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. And he pulls his gun out, he's like, hey man, what I say you gonna do, you gonna work for me. And I had a 25 automatic that I had two weeks prior

gotten to with this dude and took his gun. His gun fell out and I grabbed. Part of crack head. And I grabbed. Not it fell out. And he took it. And I kept it. Right.

It's like a video camera. Yeah. So when he pulled out his gun, I pulled mine out. I'm like, no, I'm not gonna work for you. Hold on, hold on, hold on. A guy points a Desert Eagle at you, and then in that time, you take out your gun and point it back at him.

Is there any concern that normal people without, you have for some reason have no fear, you have high fear tolerance, but normal people would be like, if I pull out my gun, this person's just gonna shoot me and then I'll die. Why were you not worried that that was gonna happen? Because he gotta shoot. Yeah. You gotta shoot, you can't pull out my gun, this person's just gonna shoot me and then I'll die. Why were you not worried that that was gonna happen? Because he gotta shoot. Yeah. You gotta shoot.

You can't pull something on me. You gotta shoot. I actually have heard this. If you pull the gun out and don't shoot, some people say they're not willing to shoot in the first place. I have had a gun pulled on me three times and I've never been shot by either person.

This is actually the worst thing that happen because now you're probably too confident around guns. You said either person which lets me know someone pulled it on you twice but that's ... No, three different people. Okay, okay. And if my boy, Kid Styles, was here, Kid Styles, he'd be like, yep, this is what happened. A dude put a gun on me because I was ribbing on him in the parking lot.

This is what I'm getting at. You're the only one who's going to be the first to shoot. Yeah, he gets mad because I'm talking about him in the parking lot and he pulls his gun on me and I looked towards kid, I said kid, he about to get his ass whooped. And I turned and I said, hey, you better put that gun up before I fuck around and get mad out here. And then I just turned back talking to kid and he, and he put his gun in, and the kid was like, yo, you are a crazy man.

I said, man, if he was gonna shoot, he would have shot. Because if I pull out on you, I'm going to shoot your ass. I'm for 100% going to shoot you. It's not even a doubt in my mind that I'm gonna shoot you. I'm gonna blow your fucking brains out. Because in my mind, I can't pull a gun on you and not shoot you. That's me.

But what happened in this situation where he pulled the gun out? We're in the middle of Jamaica, Jamaica. It's a club. All these people out here, you're not fucking finna shoot me. Got it, got it. So you were basically, you were telling Charles, you were basically like, listen.

Oh, with Charles, that was another person. But going back to Charles, when he pulled, when I pulled my gun out, Charles is a big dude. He's not a small dude. Charles snatched my gun out of my hand and said, this motherfucker got hot. And I'm still sitting there with my hand like this. Like. Can you just get your gun finger up for no gun?

Just looking at him. And the way he says it in specials first, he's like, this motherfucker put a gun on me. Like he's laughing about it, then snatches it. Nah, this shit is like, all he, this, it is mine. I just got hot and I done pulled a gun on him. He don't get with shit. So he respected it.

Yeah, and then gave him my gun back and told me, man, fuck with you, man, you let me know. Get the fuck out of here. So do you think a guy like him is so feared that he's actually looking for people with heart? He's looking for people with heart. And especially you're like 16 at the time, right? 14. 14.

Oh, 14, yes. Oh. The young ones, you want to get them early. Yeah. And if you see a young guy with heart, you're like, I can school this guy up. And he's either going to be with you or against you. I can teach him whatever he needs to know, too.

Like, I can teach him all that. Oh, my god. Now, were you calculating that in the moment? Were you like, I have to show him that I'm not scared? Or it was just a knee jerk? It was just a reaction of you put a gun on me and, OK, I got a gun, too. okay, I got a gun too. And your shit got a flash though.

Cause if this shit get crazy, I'm gonna shoot you. Now I may not hit you cause it's a 25, which is the most inaccurate of a gun of all time. But it's the fact. Well, I've already acclimated myself to what's going on out here. At first I was very naive to it, but I've been through some, some, some little instances out here. So I got to get my shit together.

Even at 14 years old. Yeah. Drug dealing is not an easy thing. If I would go back to 14 in this whole situation, I would just hoop, play the smile. I would just do so. They was like, give me a heart. Let me train my mind for something else. And the crazy thing is I never had to be out there. Yeah, I was thinking like both your parents and your mom successful, your dad, your dad also, was it like a career service?

Yeah, a carrier service. Yeah, carrier service. And he was, my dad never sold crack, he only sold powder. Cause that's who he was doing all this, this carrier stuff for with these attorneys. And they, could you give me some powder? And then he started selling powder. Cause he's selling it to the attorneys. Yeah.

Hilarious. So he's doing the money drops and the exchanges for the attorneys. Cause this is a time where I guess, I guess what, you're not going to be like sending bank transfers or whatever like that. This is an in person. Because this is a time where I guess, I guess what, you're not going to be like sending bank transfers or whatever like that. This is an in person. He started that company in 1980. So you have these successful, obviously smart parents. You don't have to deal drugs. You're in the environment, but then your mom moves away at a certain point in time. She moves to a nicer area. So like there is a version, you're clearly a smart guy. Is there ever a version when you're like around this world where you're like, what am I doing? Like I don't have to

do this. This is why I was getting out. Yep. Okay. Okay. Okay. This is for the birds. You know, what, what am I doing? How much money do you have at that point? I'm curious. Um, about, I'mma say tangible bread, so 84 pounds. I'm probably sitting on like 230. Wow. 230 cash. Yeah, cash. Which is. At how old?

At this time, I'm 19. So 19 years old, quarter million dollars in cash. So I'mma say 18, because I'm about to get out before, because my birthday is October 17th. So I turn 19, we get busted on the 21st. So I was only like 19 on the street for like four days. It's a terrible present. Here's a question I have when I'm watching though.

You got 230 cash, afterward you're like, I'm out. That's not quite enough that you could just invest it and be like set for life. Where you got there from? No, dude, at the time, like we're talking about 80s. That's probably $1 million now. So you're going for the rest of your life with 230 cash? No, you start a business.

You can. Yeah, but that's what I'm about. So what is your plan beyond this? You have a plan like I'm gonna do. All type of shit going on. Like I wasn't just making money from Duh Duh Duh. I had a condo my mama didn't even know about. I could have released that out. I had all type of shit going on.

Like I had invested in this rap group. I had a lot of shit going on. So that's what I was wondering. Because I know you stopped at like 16. You gotta think of 230 in the 90s, the early 90s. Crazy. Yeah, in Texas. Yeah, I'm-

That's true, Texas too. Yeah, and 19, that's a lot. Oh, it's a lot. I'm just, I'm curious if he doesn't get locked up. Is there a point when he's like 25 or 23, or he's like, man, I was making so much money before I could go right back to that. Because that is kind of what happened at 16, right? We were dating that girl, everything is good, and the money gets low. Everything that I was, I was making so much money before I could go right back to that. Because that is kind of what happened at 16, right?

We were dating that girl. Everything is good. And the money gets low. I was chilling. Charles, get out. I'm looking for you, baby. No, no, no, no. So that's 16.

And I'm a kid. So I'm super kid at this point. I'm just in high school. Now, just move up to night. I'm out of school Yeah, right and I'm moving I'm moving around and I'm good. I got 230 cash Yeah, you know how many investments I I could have started anything at that point Did you have to manage street politics at that age? Like did you maintain? Business relationships with

other like rivals? Were you well-liked? I was mostly, I'm a kid so it's not a lot of people who know me. Charles is the main front face but I think that sometimes people get the errors mixed up. Okay. See the early, this is early late 80s early 90s, it's not like whatever this shit is Now in the two thousand middle of 2000. I I don't have to know anybody because you Nobody's coming from their side of town to my side of town We're we're I'm not even going three streets over got it. That's not my now It's so interconnected but before it was neighborhood by neighborhood.

Like people was trying to take over, you trying to take over a city now, but then it was, I mean, I just need my block, my apartments. Yeah. And the apartment complex, you know how many people in an apartment complex? Yeah, yeah, you got everybody

that you need right in front of you. And what you, I wouldn't even find out what people were doing until Memorial Day. Memorial Day is when all the big drug dealers and successful ones go to the beach, go to Galveston and kick, because everybody off and you just go on them and this is when you show your car off. You know, what kind of car you got, who you with, all this thing, your whole crew, you know what I'm saying?

So that's how you knew, hey man, what's up Sherman? People that you know, or you go to the club and you see people who, I was never supposed to be in anybody's club. But I've been in the club since I was 15. I never was supposed to be in the club. Was there ever a moment where like, you're 15, 16 years old and there's like grown women

that you have access to? Yes. And they don't even know that you're a, 16 years old and there's like grown women that you have access to. And they don't even know that you're a teenager? They know. So they was right. Yeah. Basically. Yeah. Yeah.

Basically I'm like, yeah. I'm like, I'm fine. Wow, okay, so you're 15, you're with grown women, you got a quarter million, by 19 you got a quarter million. But I had a, my girlfriend was a girl that I went to high school with. I kept my girl, but in the streets you got a grown woman. Hey, what's up? I'm like, hey, what's happening?

But I'm not going to be seen with her. The grownest person was Adrian. So I'm 18. Adrian is 24 and Adrian's fucking awesome. This is awesome. And I don't even know why I like it, because she's smoking cigarettes and shit. But Adrian is fucking awesome.

Like, if anybody ever saw me with Adrian, they was like, yeah, she is fucking awesome. Like, oh, she was fucking awesome. Smoking cigarettes in my BMW. I never used this as a straight. And it was like, yeah, she is fucking awesome. Like, oh, dude, she was fucking awesome. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Spoke the cigarettes in my BMW. But I never used to dance straight. She was the only person that we used to dance. Like, it was weird.

I wasn't drinking. I wasn't smoking weed. I wasn't doing any of that. I was just a dude who just, I wasn't even in the streets like that. I was the person that picked up the money now. So you had other guys working for you. Because you got other, you got other,

in this operation, you got you scaled up. Who got you into the life? Like how did that happen? Nobody got me into it, you outside. It sure got made fun of. That's what you got, you outside. I relate to that because it's like, I don't have a similar story,

but not nowhere to the level where you were at but just doing Knucklehead shit and I didn't need to do it at all. Like I was good at home My mom had no idea the stuff I was doing That's why one of the funniest stories is when you actually get locked up and you have to call your mom and tell her They didn't want to call my mom at all My mom had no idea I was doing any of the shit that I was doing That's the worst thing when you got to call and reveal your fucked up life to your mom.

And I was there for really two weeks before I called my mom. So wait, you didn't go home for two weeks. Your mom's probably worried. I didn't live with my mom. OK, got it. So she's used to you not at least. She used to me not.

Were you still calling her like, hey, what's up? Just checking in? No. I was in the jail. Oh, yeah. They tell you where he's from. I'm hoping. The way he did that first call, didn't you do a three-way?

So it did. I just called your friend. I needed a buffer. I needed a buffer, man, because he's like, yo, this is terrible, man. OK, so what happens when you tell it? Oh, my mama's pissed. She is like, yo.

How do you break it to her? What do you say? What is the first thing you say? You told me I needed to be out when I was 18. I said, man, they say I was selling. They say, what the fuck you mean they say? Who was they? This is like the fence. They say I was selling drugs. It was just terrible, man.

Now, does she immediately, is she furious? Does she step into mom mode where she's like, I need to protect her? She cry first. Oh, that's heartbreaking. And you on the phone like this. God damn. And you, this is how you turn the phone up. You been deflated. Damn. I ain't got a buyer.

Shit. And she's like, what you at? I'm like, I'm in the county, man. What's your bond? And she was like, and I'm like, hey, we can make this bond. And she's like, what? Man, how you doing? I'm like, I'm in the county, man.

I'm like, I'm in the county, man. was like, and I'm like, hey, we can make this bond. And she's like, what? Man, you know, remember I used to come to your house and plant stuff in your garden? Like, yeah, you're gonna have to dig them begonias up. My mom was pissed. That was so bad. That line killed me in the spell.

You can't dig up them begonias. I cackled. You have to dig the begonias up. But she was pissed. That line killed me in the spell. You can't even dig up them begonias. I cackled. But she was pissed, bro. My mom was. Because she, it's like real time, I was not honoring everything that she had been through to make our life good. And I think that's what people don't think about. Just like even now these kids that's in the streets, you don't want to honor your family. You rather sacrifice some

dishonorable shit. And to appease people that don't really have any type of they have nothing to do with your life. There's a Akash had like... We were just talking about your specials and Akash had like I thought a really great take on especially Domino effects and I want you to say more about like this idea that like you take accountability for your actions. Yeah. A lot of times, you know, especially in comedy, a lot of us are talking about the things that have forced us into these situations. We are the victims. Yeah, and it's like. This is so sad for me. It's like a cool, rare take where it's like,

no, I made these decisions and I did this stuff. And I think it's very easy to be like, oh, society made me, or these things made me. But even now, as you talk about it, you're like, no, no, I disrespected my mom's sacrifice. She did everything that she could have done to make me not do these things. I thought that that was, I thought that's a brave take.

I think that's a huge thing about honor. And so when you hang out with other ethnic groups, other cultures, they have a big thing. Like, I don't know not one Pakistani guy that I personally know that's not what his parents told him to be. I don't know not one Indian guy that doesn't do what his parents told him to do. He fucked up. Yeah. You think my parents told me to do this? Doctor, lawyer.

I tried. I tried. You tried. I tried as hard as I could. You gave it a try. His mom thinks he's in the circus. You know, and that's the thing that we lose honor within this society. I want you to go out and just be a good functioning human being.

No, fuck that, I want a drill. What? Yeah. And you start to take on America's theme of the bad guy. Everybody want to be the bad guy. Get money at any cost. Good guys finish last. Yeah, yeah. No, they don't. No, they really don't. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? They finish safe. Yeah, you finish last. Yeah. Yeah, they finish safe. Yeah. And it's a, my favorite line of all of the specials is it seems like I'm the only one locked up for what I did. Why, because everybody else was, I was in this, they framed me.

Yeah, yeah. I'm like, they framed you. OK, you just finished robbing somebody two sales over. I think they got you pretty fucking big down. But you still here robbing. What do you mean? Yeah. You know, that was, it's embarrassing.

I had, we were doing a pod, but Charlamagne and I had a guy in the pod and it's just really great stories and hilarious, but he ended up getting locked up for, I think it was like 10 years. And for something he didn't do. And I asked him and I was like, can I just ask you, did you do other shit that you should have got locked up for? And he goes, I should be in here for 200 years. So it's like maybe they didn't get you for the one,

but there were so- Like Al Capone. Exactly, Capone like evaded taxes or whatever. But like that motherfucker deserved to be locked up with diarrhea or whatever. And then what he died, of syphilis? Syphilis, yeah. It's like, hey, it's like, hey,

can't get you on this, but... But of course you got to get... It takes that syphilis to go off. It's a thing, even in comedy. You have this thing where people feel like you owe me something in comedy. I'm supposed to or you have this entitlement. And I'm like, nah, it really doesn't work like that. So a lot of times comics, especially young comics, used to be mad at me, especially when I was in the club. I would come in, I'm headlining and I'm putting all of your stuff

out of the green room. Cause this is an earned space. I didn't come with you. If you didn't come with me, then this is not your space. Interesting. You have to earn this space. It's like I had to earn it. Damon Waynes was at my home club at the Emperor of Houston. Great club by the way. And he asked for me to come, oh they asked for me to come, he didn't know who I was, they asked for me to come.

And I get there Saturday. No, Friday. I do Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Somebody had, he had replaced his feature for Thursday. He didn't like him. And I had just came into town. They asked me to come. So I came up there.

I never went in the green room. I had respect for him. Then Sunday, he had his son-in-law. Hey man, can you get out of the room? I came in the green room. Out of respect for him. Then Sunday, he had his son-in-law, hey man, can you get out of here for me? I came in the green room. He said, I understand this is your home club. I'm like, yeah. Why didn't you come in this green room? I said, I wasn't invited.

And he said, you old school. I'm like, very much so. Because now, say you got all your stuff in the green room. Dick Gregory takes a nap between the shows. So you going in and out of the door while he's in. If you come with, if I came with you, then yes, I'm in there. You know the expectation. But if I did not come with you, I'm not going in the green room. I don't know what you got going on in there.

It's not my space yet. Yeah. You have to earn the space. Yeah. And the feature wants to, the opener wants to, hey man, no. Because I didn't come up like that. I came up under, this is the space for the headline, get himself together. Featured and host, y'all find somewhere in the club to be. And that's what it is. And they never understood

it. But then you get to the space where it's yours. And then you understand like, hey man, I'm in here. I'm in here trying to get my mind together. You in here talking about some other shit. God knows what. You in here arguing with your wife while I'm trying to get my mind together. I'm like, get your ass out of here. Yeah.

That's not, I don't want that type of energy. Yeah. And then especially if I don't know you. Yeah. Just like going on the road, like this new thing that people do, it's crazy. You probably get this. You'll go in on Instagram or somebody that message you.

Hey, are you coming to Seattle? I would like to be your opener. Right. Right. I don't know you. It's not about you being funny and I don't know you. And being in this space is an intimate space. You want your friends around you, not some strange person that you have no idea who they are.

So then you put them on the show and then you listening, yeah, I fucked the elephant last night. You're like, what? My audience don't agree with this. Yeah, there's a version of it where it's also, you're curating like a night for those people in the audience and you're putting in a variable that you really don't know what could happen. And I think a lot of us come up where like, I just want the opportunity to open for somebody and you think that maybe by opening for them, maybe they'll take you on the road and that

does happen and it is awesome. But the best way I think it's ever been done is comics will ask to open and they'll just send a joke. And if I watch a joke and I think the guy's hilarious, I'll be like, oh shit, this is awesome. Yeah, it'd be great to have a local guy on. But the entitlement of just, yeah, let me do 15 minutes in front. It's like, do you not think that I don't have some friends that I've been doing comedy with

this whole time that I would love to give some friends that I've been doing comedy with this whole time that I would love to give that opportunity, but we have an hour and a half to do this show? I think a lot of times maybe when you're young in comedy, and I'm sure I'm guilty of this, it's like you don't think about like what the headliner is creating as a night for the audience. And it's important to not interrupt that. The best way for me is to use someone who knows me. 100%. That knows you.

Oh! I got on, the first time I ever opened for DL, Malik S. called me. And then DL like, yo, I want him to do the show. Like, if I send somebody to DL, hey DL, you in Cincinnati, if you can allow this person, it's coming from me. So if anything happens, it's on me. You don't have any type of buffer. Yo, it's funny, the guy who sent me a clip

asked me to wreck him for someone else who was in town. And it does make it so much easier in that way. When your friend who you believe in their comedy goes, yo, this kid is nice, he's funny, and he's familiar with their stuff, he's not going to fuck an elephant on the stage or whatever. Because that shit is important.

I don't think that people realize, I don't want to call it our anxiety, but like, when you, when you create something and I like calling it art, because I think it art, when you create it with those expectations, you don't want to disrupt that. Don't want to disrupt it. It's like, you have to get validation. You have to get passed. Yeah. You know, from somebody else to somebody else. Everything in my career, I to get passed. Yeah. You know, from somebody else to

somebody else. Everything in my career I've got passed. I got on R.R.E. show because of Eric Abrams. Oh, Abrams suggested you to R.R.E. Yeah. And that's the, that's where it came from. Yeah. And Eric Abrams has directed every special I've done. Really? It's just Eric and Jordan. You're keeping that guy at work. Jordan is great. Me, Eric, Jordan, Joe, Matt. Wow.

We just, just the four. Yeah. Four wives meaning me. It's like, and we just rolling. And if somebody else, before they bring somebody else on, it's always a conversation. Yeah. You know, it's not, oh, this is such and such. It's just a weird thing.

And I think that now younger comics have gotten entitled where we owe them something. But what bones do you know that I made? What do you know about my career? Yeah. Other than, oh, you see a special. No, I've been doing stand up for 27 years. I think what some might know is that you're going to have sold out shows that weekend and they can't wait to get in front of sold out crowds.

So you want to skip the club and come to the theater. Yeah. And the theater is a different monster. This is something that I think is important. I think a lot of comics learn is silences in theaters are very different than silences in a small club. You've got to be very comfortable owning those moments. And that's a skill you learn.

Theaters expose jokes that aren't ready yet. You know what I mean? Jokes and people. Yup. It's a thing. It's a thing. And a hundred people being quiet. Is different than 2,000.

2,000. 2,000. It's a different monster. You're right. And then you have to, even when you first started doing theaters, did you realize how tired you were after the show versus when you were doing clubs? Yeah, there's a different,

I think it's because you put so much hours, like I, you know, my journey was, I was doing clubs kind of pretty early and I did like three or four rounds before I ever even got a door deal. Like I did maybe two rounds of clubs where I was selling them out and I got those bullshit bonuses they give you.

Where you sell out the whole weekend, they're like, well here's $500. So I'm like. Extra hundred dollars. And I was like, I'm rich. Club paid a hundred grand on me that weekend. I'm, I got $500, like I'm so excited. But I think I did that a few times. So yeah,

you start to understand the pacing of that of that size room. And then when you first make that jump into the theater, I definitely remember it's like, Oh, that joke wasn't ready yet. I could sell it in the club. But the theater, the joke wasn't developed enough for the theater. I couldn't hold the tension enough in that joke. That punchline wasn't strong enough to make him erupt. And it is like a luxury, a privilege to do those big rooms, but I will say like, it will sharpen your comedy in a very special way. And I'm not even talking about the material.

I'm talking about your body. Because in a comedy club, and what, it's you 20 steps this way, 20 steps that way. You can engage them. You're right there. Twenty, twenty, you're not really putting, you're putting maybe an extra hundred steps in your life. A theater, I can't sit right here.

I gotta go over there. I gotta go. So I done done three miles on this stage. Bang Ho, Bang Ho, I done done over there. I gotta go. So I done done three miles on this stage. Bang Ho, Bang Ho, I done done three miles. You know something that like, I think it helped me for theaters is, like when I would do clubs in the city, and I've noticed you've done this as well,

you do it, but like I would sit down and I would try to use like as little energy as possible. And it was really like testing if the jokes were strong enough to carry it on its own. I was like, I know I can perform these things, but like, what if I just kind of clip my wings and see if the joke can carry it? Because you can, we can all like dance up a joke

in a small room, but like if you can take almost everything away from it and just focus on that connection And I've seen a lot of your stuff and I know you talk about walking around but you'll be seated Yeah, and you'll let them come to you And I think it's like developing that ability to hold attention while not doing anything is Crucial for going into these bigger venues Because even taking a few steps to somebody that's on the top, top balcony,

that just looks like sitting down to them. You know what I mean? So I did the beacon, right? And I knew that I didn't want a whole store feature. I just wanted to do it myself. It was a thing, last year you came, somebody opened up, then Ryan Davis, you know. Of course, yeah, I love him. He came out, but in my mind, this time it's just me and the people. Peter Parker, great

DJ, he did his thing. And then when the lights went out, I heard just eruptions like they knew I was... And I felt like when I was at the DMX concert, I just started screaming for no reason. I knew he was coming. I was like, horror! Horror! I was like, no man! When the lights went out, I was like, and soon as they... I was like, and so he said, I was like, oh, DX. So when I walked out, they didn't, they real live didn't know that I was coming out first.

Oh, so it was a real surprise for them. They're expecting an opener. Yeah. And then I watched the whole place erupt. Because they're like, oh no, that's him. Yeah. place erupt. Oh no, that's him. And this lady DM'd me and said, it's crazy because I've never done this before. You walked out and I was so excited, I just started crying. And I was like, oh, I'm supposed to be Michael Jackson. And it was like a great compliment that she was so excited.

And like, I've been that excited to see probably one person. Any full people in your life. Who? X. It was like, Demp, man, Demp, it was crazy. And he, when he, he had a movie premiere in Houston and he was sitting right in front of me, and my boy was like, you losing it, and I'm like, fucking right.

So he shot a video, he shot his video in Galveston. Which song? I forget the song that he shot in Galveston, but they can probably find it. But his crew was at this club called Cloud Nine, the song that he shot in Galveston, but they can probably find it. But his crew was at this club called Cloud Nine. And this is back when I was drinking Hennessy, like crazy, I was a crazy person. So I get thrown out the club because I was standing on their furniture and I wouldn't

stop. So I'm out of the club, right? And this dude named Wham from Chicago, Wham come out and Wham was like a big time gangster. He was the only person I ever seen being able to carry a shotgun in the club. Like with, I don't even think he had no license or nothing. So he comes out, who was standing on my goddamn furniture? And I was like, I'm so drunk. I'm like, who was standing on my goddamn furniture? And I was like, I'm so drunk, I'm like, I was standing on your furniture. And he's like, Ali, you need to cut this shit out. So some other dudes named Fats, and they from Queens, they start laughing.

I'm like, fuck y'all laughing about. And when they threw me out, it's like the parking lot is gravel. So I kind of slid and the rough riders was on this bus. And I was like, yo, y'all can get it. And everybody on that fucking bus can get it. Oh no. So they get on the bus and they walking towards me and Wayne got shotgun say, now y'all ain't gonna fuck with him. You know what I'm saying?

I'll let you go back in the club. I'm like, no, no, no, man. What they talking about? I'm like, yo, you know you losing your fucking mind right now. I'm like, and then I went back in the club and about, I'm gonna give you 10 minutes. I'm right back on that goddamn furniture. Me and this girl named Sanobia was dancing on the furniture.

And he was like, yo, Ali is fucking terribly drunk right now. He's like. Oh, Ruff Riders in the club at this point? Yeah, no, they still outside. Okay. And Capone, because this coming from here. Yeah, Capone. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Capone brings me here. I'm doing BBQs, and this is a little box. a little box and I'm like, I need a stool. He said, nothing can fit up here. I'm like, no, I need a chair. And the microphone comes down and then I'm doing my thing and the rough riders are upstairs. Are in the back. They're like in the back. And I turn. I did not get into a child and you said, and then I was like, I'll even start that shit. You know, shit like, man, it's like Capone like, you know, you're fucking crazy, man.

I said, I'm a do it. And I remember saying this to them. I said, you know something, y'all ain't gonna do nothing to me because I go out there and push them bikes over. Y'all ain't gonna do nothing to me because if I go out there and push them bikes over, y'all gonna cry. That's the real Dominoes thing. And we had a good time. They knew I was fucked up.

Did you ever get to meet X? Just at the booth. Just at that moment. Yeah. Just at the booth from him. That was before all this happened, though, right? He didn't remember you from trying to fight his entire crew. Just at that moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just at that move from him. That was before all this happened though, right? He didn't remember you from trying to fight his entire crew. He wasn't there.

They was already setting up in Galveston. They was headed to Galveston, but they stopped the party. But I remember being that excited to see, because it's like I could relate to everything that he was saying. That he was saying. Yeah. You know, it's not like a lot of new rappers, I don't relate to none of this shit they be saying.

Nothing. Nothing, like I'm like, that's what y'all doing? This just sounds stupid. Really? All right guys, let's take a break for a second. Well, there's some copy here. Let me just tell you what I wanna say. They turn supplements into gummy bears,

and it's absolutely fantastic, okay? I walk into the office, I grab a pack of these gummy bears. It doesn't matter what's in them. Antioxidants, anti-this, anti-that. I don't know what it is. It could be anti-semitism. The point is, the second I get these gummies,

I pick them up, I tear it, and I eat it, and they're delicious, and then afterwards, I get to feel good about it. I don't get to feel like I ate gummy bears. I get to feel like I got my daily supplements. This is genius. Groons! Am I pronouncing it right?

Groons? Because I saw the little oom lot, so I assumed it was groons. Everyone in the studio is eating these every single day. Probably too many packs a day. I would like to show you what they look like. We ate them all. Because it is a fantastic snack,

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Does nobody know that you really fuck with? No, no. What about Not Just Rap? What about any other new music? What's crazy, who I was listening to, like real heavy. Sabrina Carpenter. What's my girl name um Ella May oh yeah yeah yeah Ella May yeah real I'm R&B I'm more on I like my shit to be Susan yeah you know I don't know you went through enough

stress I don't want nothing to hype me I don't want to be listening nothing I don't want to be listening to nothing. I don't want you hyped up either. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We need to all be as calm as possible. Jazz. Only jazz. You know, I was doing another podcast. Whose podcast? Waving a red flag. Okay. And I almost didn't come on here.

No way. What happened? I was in the car with my manager. I'm like, yo He got something against black women. I'm not fucking Don't believe the internet Ali So no, this is this is what I did. I Went on pivot and watched the whole oh, yeah. interview. Like I was doing interviews, watching it. They were like, you got to come out.

I don't want to miss it. I can't pause the shit, right? So as I constantly listened, yeah, it made sense. Yeah. You know, and I was like my first and then you said your knee jerk reaction was to go Am I knee jerk reaction? I'm not fucking with you. Yeah, and and and that it made more sense because that's what Happens with us a lot. Yeah, it's people that don't fuck with me period and they probably don't even know you

It's a headline or one line that you said Yeah, this is and this is like I think we're all guilty of this shit And that's why I kind of have empathy when people are saying these certain things headline or one line that you said, yeah, this is, and this is like, I think we're all guilty of this shit. And that's why I kind of have empathy when people are saying these certain things. It's like, the version of me that you think I am, I probably would feel the same way as you. That's just not who I am.

Yeah, it's like people got mad at me because I said something about Tupac. Well, he was a fucking dancer when I met him. You mad at me for the truth? Yeah, yeah. about Tupac, well he was a fucking dancer when I met him. You mad at me for the truth? Yeah, yeah. He was dancing, I'm like, this is public record, this is public knowledge. What did you say about him being a dancer?

I just said when I met Tupac, I'm already in the streets. So when I meet him, he's with Digital Underground. I meet him with Digital Underground, when he be? I'm sitting there, he's in an elevator, he's there in Houston for a music conference. I meet him then. It wasn't the Thug Life Tupac at the time. But why would it be when I'm already in the streets? I wouldn't have looked at him like that. Yeah. So then when I go to prison, then I hear all the rest of this shit and I was like, oh, okay.

But I didn't see it. Yeah. I never saw them in concert. Yeah. I never saw Biggie in concert. My shit started at 14. Yeah. They wasn't in the streets like that when I was when I was

coming up. Why does this make people so mad? Because they got some love affair with a person that they don't know. Yeah. Yeah. I don't. It's people that was that was in my DM. They probably wouldn't defend their mom like this. You honor your family, but you want to holler the legacy of Tupac. Yeah. When you honor your family. Yeah. I don't think it's one person on this planet that I actually don't know

that I would defend that vehemently. Yeah. And I'm a, I'm going to take my time out to say a threatening message to you, incriminate myself on the internet. I was like, okay. And then in my mind, I'm like, people don't understand. I'd have never said I was the toughest dude. I'm just willing to defend myself with everything that I have in my family. Right.

You don't have to be tough for that. I think some people call that toughness, for sure. But the level that I'm going to go through to defend myself is crazy town. Yeah. to defend myself is crazy town. Like you can't even imagine the type of shit I do to defend myself. But now you're at a level where... People say that shit all the time. No, no, no, no.

I don't give a shit about you. No, no, no, no. You got so much to lose. No, no, not that, not that, not that. Because this is something I deal with specifically with the situation you just brought up where it's just like, there is, you get to a level where people know you so casually. Earlier in your career, they probably know you intimately. Your super fans have seen probably 10 hours of your comedy.

They know everything that you, they know if you say this about Tupac, they're like, yeah, cause he met him when he was a dancer. They know everything about you. Like the people that listen to the podcast religiously, they know everything about us. So when they hear some like stupid rumor on the internet like that, it was like, yeah, that's not Schultz at all. Like, what are you talking about? But the people that know you casually,

the bigger you get, the more people know you casually and will start having opinions about you based on that casual nature that will be wrong. That's where I start to go, if you fight every single wrong opinion about you as you reach superstardom, you'll never stop fighting. Never stop fighting. So there has to be a certain point where it's just like,

I know you're willing to die for it, but for the person that doesn't even know you, does that make sense? Okay, I'll go with that. You know what I mean? I'm wishing you well. I feel like a party is like, still if they call me out my name, I'm still going to... Yeah, yo, yeah. You don't need them wherever.

They gotta know there's a cost. But you can't be paying that debt every single time. Because that is the nature of success. I thought about that. I mean, we have this conversation all the time where it's just like, the cost of success is the lack of understanding of who you truly are. There are people that think, who's the guy that plays Iron Man? What's his name?

Robert Downey Jr. There are people that think Robert Downey Jr. that plays Iron Man? What's his name? Robert Downey Jr. There are people that think Robert Downey Jr. is actually Iron Man. They don't think he's some guy. I actually love Robert Downey Jr. Yeah, because he's Iron Man to you. And it took me a long time to get back to him. And I've always liked his shit, but then he did Less Than Zero. And I was like, I don't know. What happened to Less Than Zero?

It's some some scene from when he had semen on his mouth. I was like, I was like, I was like, I knew it was some gay shit. I knew it was some gay shit. Fucking Robert Downey Jr. I was like, yo, and it took me a while to get back. And he took, and like, I watched all the Iron Man's. He's like, he got me back. It wasn't until he died in the veterans,

it's like, I forgive him. I was like, ah, come on with this bullshit, man. Look. Son, this is the funniest thing too. When he first gets locked up, he gets put on a block that is known as the sissy block. It's all gay people. And then there's some OG telling him like, he's like, I'm not, I need out. I can't believe they're thinking that.

And this is the crazy thing. This is what I learned. I learned how to speak up for myself. So the warden, when you get processed on this unit, the warden comes and he asks you questions. And me being so fucking cavalier, he's like, well, you think you can protect yourself on this unit? And I said this, I should just say, this is why you got to be direct. Yeah. Yes or no. Me, my cavalierier had to watch. We'll see. And he's like, okay cool.

Put his ass on T2. And I didn't know, right? So the first time we went to eat. This shit is so funny. The first time we went to eat. So all these other, all these. It's just bananas. Spinning.

You're not even chewing. Spitting into the goddamn cafeteria. And I come in last, I'm the last person, and my boy Elliot was like, what the fuck is you doing over there? I'm like, I don't know, just where they put me. He said, man, you gotta get the fuck from over there. Look at your cellies. I'm like, I don't know what the whole rest

of the prison look like. I just know these motherfuckers is weird, but. Yeah, clean. Isn't it? Yeah. They've organized the cell well. And then the night came. Wait, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

The fucking night came. No, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, this shit, you can't take this. You like, okay, I'm in this cell and you're in all type of fucking night game. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. Oh, this shit, you can't take this. You like, okay, I'm in this cell and you're eating all type of fucking smackin'. You weren't talking about Rough Riders. You were like, wild eyes!

And I'm like, what the fuck is going on in here? Action's coming. What the fuck is going on in here? And I was like, yo, I'm, and this old dude that been over there, this like PC, this old dude, and I get out, and say, yo man, he said, man, I go to sleep at night. I don't be up.

Yeah, so I go to sleep, I don't know none of the activities. I know this is fucked up, but it's Cadillac over here. I said, man, I don't give a shit. I gotta get from over here. What's Cadillac? That's what it's called, it's laid back.

Oh, okay, yeah, yeah. No fighting, no nothing. He could have done the easiest time ever. I think listening to guys suck each other off is pretty difficult. Don't say that! You're close! What the fuck are we talking about? It's crazy! Fuck assing, I asked him. That's tough to hear you in the same place. I would have been like, y'all. I'm like, hey, y'all think y'all can move me? And the CO2 went, no, sissy! I'm like, hey, man, y'all think y'all can move me? And the CEO told me, nah, sissy.

I was like, man, not me, I'm just so mad. Hey, bro, I just need to be moved. And old school, it ain't nothing but a couple ways to get moved, either they move you, or you gotta start beating people up. And I asked them one more time to move me. And they was like, no. And then the shit went bad in old school. Like, oh, come on, you're fucking the Cadillac up. And I'm in there hitting people that they got shit to do with nothing. So they take

me out, they put me in solitary for two days and the warden comes, he said, I'm finna put your ass on the worst block over here. And it was M Block. I get to M Block and this is like home, like they in there gambling. It's all type of file prison shit going on over there. And I'm getting in like this. Sleeping peacefully. This is like, I'm in the back of the Cadillac. I'm like, I'm good. I just, I didn't want to be associated.

That's a hard time to do. Because then if, because if you're there, people start thinking that you're there for a reason. You're there for a reason. And then you could be a victim, right? Like you probably could be that they would have found out. Oh, no, they just misplaced him. Now it was it was a bad situation. So once I got the M block, you were good.

It was it was straight. And you knew enough people at M block where I didn't know anybody on M block. And did anybody not try you on some gay shit, but anybody like test your body, they heard why I got moved over. So they were like, alright, we respect you. That motherfucker was not staying on that block. And apparently other people had gone through that. When you were beating up the guys on the sissy block, did any of them enjoy it?

Were they like... Yeah, that's what they were like. Stop it! I would be so fucking mad. That's all it takes, right? I'm gonna keep that in mind if I ever go to prison. If someone tries to fight me, I'm gonna call him daddy immediately. I'll be good. That's not a safe word. That is an awful word. Oh, it's so bad.

So I can just see you and I'm like, oh, I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call him daddy. I'm gonna call awful word. Oh, it's so bad. So I can just see the type. Oh, shit.

That's a weird word. Daddy. Oh. He's strong. So bad. How crazy is it that the CEOs made you do some shit, made you do some shit,

made you do some fucked up shit just so you could get to a place where you wouldn't do fucked up shit? Yeah. I don't understand the whole, how much control do you have over where you sleep? In prison? Basically none until you gotta kinda get known.

Does known mean like you curry favor with the CEOs or does known mean? Illustration. Oh, it's above them. Above them. So by the end of the time, like you seem like you have high emotional intelligence. So by the end of your time there. Trustee camp. Got it.

Like you're a trustee camp. I'm chilling like I'm fucking late. I'm so chilling that I got Dexter Manley moved to where I was on. Who's Dexter Manley? One of the greatest college football players. One of the greatest football players of all time. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. So you find out that Dexter is there.

Yeah. You politic with the warden. Yeah. And you're like, yo, bring him in. Yep. Yeah. You politic with the warden. Yeah. And you're like, yo, bring him in. With Mendoza, yep. And was, despite his role, did you guys have some sort of, I don't wanna call friendship, but like was there?

Dexter's from third ward in Houston, where I'm from. No, not Dexter, the warden. Oh, Mendoza, oh, Mendoza was A1, bro. He was. How do you build a relationship with these guys? Like, where does that start? I imagine it's like a years long process. Where it started.

Yeah. Because the funniest thing, when I got to Torres, they was in a crazy game situation. It was a lot of riots. Yeah. I came from another unit with I was considered an old head when I got to. 20 years old. I'm 21 and I'm like, I'm considered an old head. OK, OG. I'm coming from a unit of old school cats.

Right, got it. So when they send us there, they sent us there to get the unit under control. Oh, there was too many young dudes who were causing problems. That was no guidance. They didn't know how to do time. that to get the unit under control. Oh, there was too many young dudes who were causing problems. No time. God, it got it. So they strategically will send some old geez there to get the young guys to kind of stay in line.

Hey, because, oh, let me tell you about. Oh, oh, that's kind of smart. That's like a prison understanding that the prisoners do run the prison to a certain extent. So you can't just bully them into submission. You have to kind of work with them. You need a boss to go over. Wow.

Like having a veteran in the locker room. Like having a veteran locker room. It's Udonis Haslem. It's like he don't even have to play, but he's gonna keep everybody in line. Hey man, you can't, you don't wanna do your time like this. You explain to people, man, you don't wanna do your time like this. That's right people, man, you don't wanna do your time like this.

That's right, the young guys are coming in, it's their first bid, and they just like, I'm gonna act crazy like this freak. And the OGs need to come in and be like, dude, this is every day. Calm the fuck down. Let's pass this shit in the best way possible. Yeah, talking to people. So you get tapped. How does he know that he can, this is kind of the interesting thing.

Are you already friends with Mendoza? Not friends, but do you already have like enough trust built up with him? So you get tapped. How does he know that he can... This is kind of the interesting thing. Are you already friends with Mendoza? Not friends, but do you already have enough trust built up with him? Mendoza noticed that everybody on my block started enrolling in school. Interesting. Okay, so... And I would come... I was the person that would, with the young, because you had different age groups and old heads go to different, you can talk to them. You can talk to these group people. So you had people that was already in the field that started enrolling in school and enrolling trades,

because now you have somebody who's saying, so this how you gonna do your time? What you gonna go back outside with? To nothing, yeah, go outside there with some sort of education, you gonna have a child. And I look like them. I'm the same face. It's just like now. When I go to, when they ask me to come somewhere,

I don't speak to children that's in trouble like I'm not a part of this trouble. I don't go in with the, you gotta do, I'm like, let me tell you what I was doing. And let me tell you how embarrassing this was. Let me show you how the road that you're going to end up. If you continue to go down this road, you know, let me show you the weakness in you. By showing you how weak I was at this time.

That's why you never hear me glorifying selling drugs. Right. Because it was it was so crippling to my community. I remember being Roy Bush, Jr. I tell this story story he still doesn't realize how him and Chris Cotton saved the rest of the piece of Chris Cotton. Save me. We're doing the Comedy Central does a festival in San Francisco. And they're doing Ari's show, this is not happening, and I'm there to do the show, to tell another story, whatever.

And I'm so depressed because I can't find a road to the theater that wasn't riddled with homeless drug users. And I'm so sad because my mind keeps saying, what was the role that you played in this? Yeah, it's probably the Fillmore that you were performing at. Yeah, this is the offspring of your actions. Your actions. And it was, man, I would walk 10 blocks down to go down 10 blocks, come around and steal

with C. And I was really depressed. And when Roy asked me what story I was telling, and Chris Cotton was talking about what story he was telling and Roy told me the story he was telling about when he got booed at the Apollo. And he was staying, he didn't really have no money to stay, he was standing next to this prostitute who was doing her business and she had told him all these things she had to sleep with and he had got booed. And then he came, he was sitting on the steps and she walked up saying, it didn't go well, huh, baby? And he was like, no.

He said, now, you know, when I told you about them dicks, I was sucking. Some of them dicks had bumps on them. Saying, but you got to keep doing what you're going to do. It could be worse. He said, it it's gonna be a bump in the road. And I'm like, I am laughing hysterically. And it kinda broke me up from thinking about it. I'm like, Roy, that is fucking awesomely funny. That was always the thing.

That was always brilliant. You know, I go through these times where I blame myself for this, even this culture, how these kids, because I was out there a while. And that's, what was my initial thing, people was like, well, when you think that you're going to get, you're going to blow up. And I would always say, when I pay the universe back for the wrongs I've done. And that's a big thing. If you believe in energy, you believe in karma, the things that you did that was destructive, you have to rectify those things before you get to another level and be destructive again. Like I don't want to be destructive in my speech. I don't not want to be

in my speech. I don't not want to be a beacon of light for people. That's why I don't mind telling the stories about prison because some people look at it like, oh shit, I was in that same condition. How can I do this? And I tell them now, this is not the goal. Yeah. The goal is to have a normal functioning life. You don't have to be a, cause I don't consider myself no superstar. I don't consider myself even a celebrity. I'm not invited to shit. I'm not a celebrity, that don't make me a goddamn thing. I saw you at the Tom Brady thing.

You was on stage. I knew everybody up there. I was just sitting in the, I was behind earthquake. I saw you backstage before. I saw you, but you was on stage. Yes, yes, yes. I was invited by my publicist. Yeah.

And my publicist was like, you know what I do, cause the publicist that was running the thing, I was paying, I don't know what, damn, they should have got me a ticket, all that fucking money I was paying for a month. That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.

That's what I'm saying. Yo, it's crap, man, you gonna pay a publicist to get you. Five grand, seven grand a month, yeah. You do nothing. Yeah. Sometimes, sometimes they are effective. I think early in my career, I was like, this is a fucking waste of money.

But I will say this last run, I thought they did a really good job of getting, especially for guys like us who do YouTube and social media stuff, getting mainstream sources to pay attention to what we got going on. It's almost like Hollywood and mainstream outlets have no clue the views that we're getting.

They're completely uneducated about what's happening on the internet, which is where all the people actually are. There's a huge disconnect, man. You're talking about, I've been on the Emmy ballot three times. And people with lesser material. I'm like, okay. Don't seek justice in this business. Don't seek justice.

I stopped, but the point, I keep plugging in this particular thing, the Emmys and the Grammys, because one of us had to win, Shopes. Yeah. One of the independents had to eventually win. Yeah. And now the floodgates are open if one of us wins anything.

Yeah, I went out there for this like Emmy's thing, this like introduction thing that basically Netflix pitches the people that they're hoping might be nominated and win. And it was one of those things where it's like, I'll be honest, like one of the execs came over like, listen, this isn't exactly like a meritocracy. You know, there are certain people that just kind of get nominated every year.

And I'm not trying to show them, I just think that there's like a lack of understanding of like what we're doing. And I'm very fortunate that it feels like, especially maybe even with the last special, the mainstream, for better, for worse, there's criticism, but then there's sometimes celebration. At least it's becoming more aware.

And that's why I've been paying attention to what's happening with you, because at a certain point, the numbers can't be ignored. You know what I mean? It's like, they just break through on their own. And like, I witnessed it happen for me. Like even being invited to the Tom Brady thing, like Tom Brady thing was Sunday,

just to put things in perspective. Friday and Saturday I did Madison Square Garden. So it was like, that's where I was in my career and that's how I've always kind of looked at things. In order to get that Tom Brady opportunity, I need to first sell out Madison Square Garden twice. In order to get JFL, like New Faces, remember that thing? I had to have five shows on MTV. And I'm looking at other, like New Faces, remember that thing? Yeah. I had to have five shows on MTV.

And I'm looking at other people on New Faces like, they are new, because I don't even know your face. Yeah. So like, I've just, I've accepted that it might not be a meritocracy, but I'm going to have to work, I don't care how many times harder. I'm just going to have to work to get it. And that's literally why I was very excited for you to come on

because I'm seeing what's happening with you. And is it delayed? And is the awareness from like maybe typical industry delayed? Yes. But is it imminent? Absolutely. Because you cannot deny numbers and appreciation.

Skill you can deny numbers and appreciation. Skill you can deny. I think people deny skill all the time. But they cannot deny a wave of interest. The community and audience that really fucks with it. You cannot deny it. And whether you get an Emmy or not, I feel like your audience won't care either what. Because they know the real, they see it, they consume it.

You know, sometimes you just reminded me of something about Montreal, like with Montreal. I get, they call me and say, hey man, you have Montreal, they want you to come to Montreal, and you're gonna do like six theater dates, but that theater's a smaller, you know, I wasn't invited to the gala or something. Of course, yep.

So, and I asked, I said, for what? Like, where am I going? It's like, what? I said, I don't want to go to Montreal. And he said, no, this is the Super Bowl of comedy. I said, what do you go there for? To it management, to have a deal. And at the time I had a deal with Comedy Central, I had an agency and I had management. I said, did y'all quit or something? And they was like, no, would you just go? And they had to really convince me to go.

I'm glad I went. It's an education process, dude. It sounds crazy. I know it sounds crazy because I know the exact position you're in, by the way, where it's just like you're doing bigger venues than these people that are getting like nominated for things. You have bigger numbers and you're just looking at the raw data going, what the fuck am I missing here? But Hollywood is really a bubble. Even anytime I've done a movie,

the only people that know me on the movie set are the guys that are like, they're working the set, like the grips, the lighting. That's what they know of me. Exactly. Because they're the ones that are watching the real shit. They're not watching like, what is this avant-garde new movie that's in French?

If you say you like it, shows you have taste in cinema like Now the real people will kind of know and eventually that becomes so deniable it trickles through would you do? The Adam's family you do go man's Because I look like There if they're rebooting maybe maybe, I'll check it out. I gotta read the script for sure. All right, guys, let's take a break for a second. Listen, we're in the same stuff that we were last week,

not like anybody's noticing that, but we would like to bring it up because we're authentic. Dude, what a finals, right? Listen, we are, we are... I mean, unreal. You know what's funny, though, is like we're recording this right now. We have no clue if World War III has begun.

You know, like so it is, if it has begun, this is what life used to be like. Yeah. Oh, it's like a little time capsule. It is a time capsule. Yeah. Pretty nice. Shit, we might be dead right now. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

You don't think they're getting doped in here? Why would you say that? I'm just saying. You don't got a iron dome yet. I'm on vacation Closer to the fucking who knows I'm on vacation. Yeah, what are you doing right now? I can't tell you I Want I'm not gonna give up my location God forbid You know copper bid they do some sort of like targeted attack I'm not gonna do it point that I'm trying to make is that there's a big UFC fight that is this weekend if America still exists okay where is it Las Vegas even if it doesn't exist I have a feeling Dana's gonna be like yo we're doing it's gonna make that

fight 100% it will be in the desert no matter what. So, yeah, Toporia versus Olivera. Listen, with all due respect to Olivera, I can't see how Toporia loses this fight. Same. This Toporia guy is... Olivera gets touched, he gets hit, and he has amazing resilience. Like, he'll go down and then get back up.

But I just... I can't see... I can't see Toporia not connecting and I can't see him, yeah he doesn't have the jiu-jitsu that Olivera does, but he's a great wrestler. So I just, I don't, I don't see, I think it's going one way. Yeah, I don't know much from what I'm seeing of Toporia. He's nice. I'll tell you one thing, that the fight before it is Pantoja versus Kara France, Kai is a stylebender's boy and Pantoja is Cara France, Kai, Cara France, Kai's a stylebenders boy, and Pantoja's just an absolute menace. That's gonna be an interesting one right there.

That's gonna be an absolute, what is it, a barn burner? Oh yeah, a barn burner, yeah, yeah, yeah. Why is that a saying? I don't know, but Charles Barkley always struggles saying, that's a barn burner. Why, where does that, why is that? Why would we describe that as like a good thing? I don't know.

Yeah, I don't know. I've never seen a barn burn. I imagine it's probably pretty awesome though. Yeah. Right? That shit's going up. Yeah. It'd be like a party.

It feels like there might be like something. Racial undertone. Racial undertone. Yeah. This is a real Wall Street burner. You're like, oh, wait a second. That's not good. No, that didn't work out.

A Dutch farmer burned his own farm down to get rid of rats. A Dutch farmer burned his own farm down to get rid of rats. Got it. Insurance fraud. Yeah. We know all about that. It's around 1939, maybe? Anyway, bet him. Jesus! Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe He's the leader in global betting and US social casinos, bet on top Dagestanis, all right? Yeah, Snake is the leader in global betting in US social casinos, bet on top sports and

political events and use the promo code Philaigret for your welcome bonus. Now let's get back to the show. Let me ask you a question that I don't know if you can, and you can shit on this if you want to. I do feel as a minority, there is within the industry, a certain type that there's whatever it is they're a little bit more comfortable with and those guys get the shots first. And part of the reason I was so happy to see 85 South

get the Netflix special is because I know how talented those guys are and I remember being on Wild'n Out and I top to bottom, no disrespect to anybody on this couch, that's the most talented cast I've ever worked with. It's monsters everywhere. And I would go into agencies and be like, I'm on Wild'n Out and they'd be like, we're looking for like a two broke girls kind of show.

And I know as an Indian, they want a certain narrative. I feel like with black people, it's a little bit like, we want black people that we're not quite so scared of. You're telling stories about some shit that's like. They want the skin color to be diverse, but not necessarily the personality and experience. And I don't know if that's like, I don't know if they're even aware of it. You know what I mean? Like, I wonder if it's like...

I remember there was a pilot, and every pilot I've ever seen for an Indian is he's married to someone or in love with someone who's non-Indian or can't get someone at all. And I was like, yeah, I just don't, I had a holding deal with ABC and I was like, I don't really want to audition for this. I was in a position where I felt like I could say that. And she was like, why? And I was like, well, I explained the reason,

white exec in LA. And I don't think, she wasn't racist at all. Poor girl truly didn't understand. She goes, but he's Indian. Like that was, she couldn't understand it. That's not something I want. You should be happy. Yeah, you got something.

That is the perspective. And there was a thing I, and I don't, that's why it's so beautiful that we have YouTube and you got double digit million views on one special and like, you get to talk to your people and do it your way and it's awesome. But I do think within the industry, there's a little bit of that

and not to discredit anything you're saying. And you probably might be experiencing both. But I think there's a little bit of that and I'd love to know your opinion on that. I think we just isolated just to me, because I can't speak for what they're looking for. Because some things that I have done, they have accepted from other people. So I don't think that I think because they have not made me, they didn't have their hands. That is a massive thing that I think a lot of times people won't even like to admit.

It's taking ownership over someone's career is very important for people like they want to know. Even back in the MTV days like MTV 2 and MTV were separate and if you were popping on MTV 2 MTV people like but that's not one of ours We want to do it. It's like it becomes part of their identity and when you are quote-unquote Made I don't like self made like made by the people like the people decide community They can't go we put him on Exactly, and I do I do agree with you, there is a little bit of a hesitation.

Like they've invested three specials or three things in this one person, rather that person get this opportunity than this guy who did it on his own and forced his way in. But I'm telling you, it reaches a breaking point. Yeah. You know what it feels like early Kev,

like you feel like our guy, our secret that we consume and the rest of the world knows even though clearly the rest of the world knows about you. But it's like it just feels like oh, that's our guy and it's like we relate to everything and I'm speaking from the black point of view and Kev just got to a point where it's like, okay, undeniable Hollywood had to pay attention. Yeah, And I feel like you're right there. I don't even compare it to Kev because I'm so out the box, like totally Indian. Yeah, and I still love Kev, but Kev has Dave Becky,

who's like the manager. Oh, I don't know about all the behind the scenes type of stuff Behind the scenes he had a machine You know, 3 Arts and Dave Becky, they had a lot going on It's no machine I'm in Houston and I'm generating what I'm doing from Houston, from my hometown With my bread, with my own money. Yeah.

Like that's why I'm an executive producer. It probably just feels like that to me just because I remembered Kev like when passing around the DVDs, like being at the barbershop and that's how I discovered Kevin Hart. I think you're right in terms of like public perception. Yeah, yeah. Whereas like I think the perception early on in Kev's career is like he had some pilot, it didn't go. Yeah, he stopped playing.

Then it's like he's in the clubs. I think on the street, people aren't aware of who your representation is. It's more just like, oh, he's doing shows at Caroline's and he's grinding. That's a normal thing for every comic has a story where they were selling their CDs and DVDs outside the club. That's a normal thing. That's not isolated to one person. I have people's DVDs that I

use them as. Remember this shit? I'll like going on that bullshit. I'm like, I'm like, I bought it. Yeah, I support it. And it's like, it's not, I'm talking about before the DVDs. You know what I'm saying? So you had, well, it was no DVDs. You had just people that had their stuff on CD. Where you would just listen.

It was, yeah, the audio. Yeah, just the audio. With a shitty printed cover. I mean, it was so good. The paper is paper that they just put. Faded. It's new and it's faded. It wasn't even like, oh, this is just fade over time.

No, this started off like that. And there's some weird ass picture of them with a microphone. Like, yo, man, what you made is that? Kinkos? Yep. That's anonymous with the people who come up in that era. Errors are very important when you think about comedy.

When you think about damn anything. Like I was doing an interview with Vlad and I was talking about Ken Goodson and if you didn't come on this pod and went on Vlad, I'd have been so I'd have been like, are you fucking kidding me? No, I do. I do. It was it was pulling teeth. It was another

it was another like,, wait, why? It was another...like...I don't know, man. You're not finna get me to incriminate me with your old shit. I saw it, Parvati. You told a great story. Willie D called me to do that. Oh, really? It took a buffer. Willie D called me and was like, hey man, listen, bro. I know, I know.

He went and he's like, I wanna start somewhere, I know, I know. He ain't even say to me what it is yet. I'm like, what's up? He's like, Vlad's in town, he want to interview. I'm like, really? And he's like, leave, man, just do the shit. And that's- Willie and he's like, leave man, just do the shit. I thought it was good and I thought the views were crazy from it. Yeah, I got some other feedback about something else, but I ain't gonna talk about that. But

Willie D is a buffer a lot of times when it comes to things. Because he's very, very respected and Willie will tell people, hey man, let me call him because you calling him, it's going to go all bad. And he'll call, hey man. I'm like, what's up, man? Because Willie knows that I'm a different can of worms. And I'd be like, what they say? I'm coming. And he know I'm coming by myself. Because I'm not the crew dude. And it's something about if you got a crew of people and a person shows up by themselves. If I was in that crew, I would be concerned. I was like, I don't know.

I was like, I don't know. I was like, wait, wait, wait. Why does he so come up? I was like, we set a bunch of foul shit and he showed up by himself. Like, did he have a bob on him? What is he doing? I was like, and I'm like, yo man,

I'll be on some John Wick shit. I'm like, I'm like, yo man, I'll be on some John Wick shit. I'm like, yo, if you see me, man, I know how crazy my mind works. I was mad at these people and they thought because they had a bunch of people that I was not going to show up. When I called my friend, I said, hey, do you have a sticker dynamite? And he was like, what the fuck are you talking about? I'm like, yo, I just wanna just walk up and just light this shit and throw this toys like it's a sticker dynamite.

I'm so much of a fan. Even if you didn't ever heard of it. I'm so much of a man. Even if you didn't light it, if you just put it on the table for the energy, and you're just playing with your lighter the whole day, you probably got a lick of this stick of dynamite. My friend tells me, Ed, man, you know really why we don't call you a lot of times when shit happens? Because you are a fucking grenade with the pin out. And like, I'm not, I'm not, you have to, you have to provoke you. I have to be provoked.

Other than that, I'm just fucking happy-go-lucky. I'm living my life. That's what a grenade is though. A grenade is just a baseball. Until somebody kicks the pin baseball. You are a grenade actually. With the pinning, it is no different than a baseball. You throw it around to your friends, everybody's playing catcher's court. The same as the pin goes out, it's like, alright, I'll leave it off the fucking pin. Everyone's dead now. But you know, what's weird is this.

Like you say, like Tom's a girl. Yeah, love Tom. He wouldn't say that. Tom's like, what's weird is this. Like you say, like Tom's a girl. Yeah, love Tom. He wouldn't say that. Tom's like, he's fucking awesome. Like when I'm around, it depends on the people that I'm around. Because sometimes people be extra aggressive for no reason. And I just be like- Towards you.

Just in the room. Why? Why do you think? Because sometimes people really have- Is there an ego thing? It's like sometimes an insecurity thing. Yeah. This is why I always hated to go do certain shows because I would do shows with R&M. I know what you're talking about. And it's like everybody wants everybody to do fucking good. To win. Yeah. But then it's in there. I'm finna go wreck this. It's all about them. And I'm like, yo man, this a show for every fucking body.

And you can be around Bruce Bruce, Don DC Curry some more, and who else is on that show? LaVell Crawford. Happy as a clam on the show. I'm the youngest one. I don't have no, what they know. You're like, yo, when that motherfucker going? Cause he finna go out.

But they know what it is. But you happy. Then you get around some other people. And there seems to be like a competitive. Why are we competing? I mean, you know this already it's like I think there is an insecurity with folks and like sometimes people the way that they present their insecurities is Kind of debilitating to like building friendships and building any kind of community like if somebody thinks that you're funnier than them There are people who are confident that are like man

I'm a huge fan of yours, dude. I fucking love that like your Your skill doesn't make them feel bad about themselves exactly, but then there are some people who are like I Gotta find a way to cut him down because I think in my head he's better than me So I got to convince me he ain't shit and then you you feel that animosity. And I think that I think that is the worst version of at least our industry. And I know it presents itself in other industries, too. But it's like, that's the work. To be honest, like low key, I think this is something that Rogan has helped in comedy, because he's so supportive, like he so wants to shine a light

on people he thinks are talented, that I think it got a lot of comics who are generally kind of bitter and angry to be like, yo, maybe there's a different way that we could do this, there's enough. Yeah, there might be enough. Rogan's mad at me. Why, what happened? I don't know.

I can't imagine. We talked all the time. You guys had a great episode. That had a lot of great episodes. And then it's like, I can't even get back on the show no more. He's not accepting my calls. What did I do, bro? He did tell me he was taking a break from black people.

He did. He was taking a break from black people. No, that was Muslim people. That was Muslim people. You know, Westmoreland. I mean, man, you know, I reached out. I'm like. I'm sure it's nothing. I mean, I'll ho you know, I reached out. I'm like.

I'm sure it's nothing. I mean, I'll holler. It can't be. It's one of the things that people get busy. Exactly. I'm like. But in our heads, we build it up. Yeah.

I'm like, don't get mad at me. No, no, no. And I'm like, I'm still around all your friends. I can't fathom. I'm like, Kill Tony, I'm coming to do it. Yeah. Oh, dude. That's going to be fun. That will be fun. When are you gonna do Kill Tony?

Probably in August, because he had something. I was supposed to do it in June or something. He had something going on. But Tony came to the club when I did the mothership. And Tony's fucking crazy. He's crazy. Tony's crazy. Wild boy.

Fucking crazy. And I like his crazy. He walked in and said, seems like your people showed up. And I was like, but it's all white people out there, Tony. He was like, oh, I didn't look. I just know it was sold out. He's fuckin' all white people out there, Tony. Now, Tony will give a fuck. I like it. Tony's a fuckin' man.

Nah, he don't give a fuck. It's great. He really doesn't. It is great. Yeah, it is, man. Nah, it's gonna happen, man. But the interesting thing is that, like, I'm curious once you see the industry support if you'll

even care Because I think that you have the thing that matters the most which is the people like this is something I learned early from Charlemagne and he's just the best of this he's like you can either be a man of the industry or man of the people you can't be both and He always leaned into man of the people because because the people are what's gonna like... Sustain you. Sustain you. It's like, if you're a man in the industry, like you can look at all the Comedy Central comics

that like they existed with Comedy Central and then as that started to dissolve. Comedy Central really, oh man, I just... Big shout out to Ann Harris. She did a great job doing stuff with me. I was really confused when I did the hour special. They showed it at 1150. It's like who the hell is watching comedy on Comedy Central at midnight on a Friday

or whatever? And then they never showed it again. It's like, and something told me this wasn't going to be the thing. Yeah. No. So we just start putting eggs in a bunch of baskets. Yep. You know, I went on Bring the Funny just to gain new fans. Yeah.

And then people couldn't even see me because for some reason these damn senior citizens that watched Bring the Funny, they was buying them tickets. Oh really? My demographics went from like, you know everybody out here 55 and up. And it was crazy because that's who watched the show. I think that a lot of this stuff has taught me about how people view you as successful. So I got phone calls about Club Shay-Shay. Oh, we made it, it's over. And I was like, oh, okay.

But you didn't call me when I was on Good Morning America. Exactly. Dude, the game has changed. Success is whatever they watch. What is the term? It's like life is a Rorschach, the ink block shit. It's like whatever you already feel, you see. You know what I mean? Like if you feel feel that club Shayshae is the biggest platform That to you is making it not being on this like Traditional institution, which is good morning America, but how old are you?

51 so you're 51. I'm 41 Like we grew up watching good morning in America and seeing Tom Cruise on fucking good morning in America So we're like, you know, that must be making it being on Good Morning America to younger people, man. They're not watching Good Morning America. It's like being on local news. Yeah, pop no balloon yet. No, you're right. So it's one of those things that I feel that you have to be, I feel that

you have to be proud of your journey. You have to be proud of your journey, no matter what happens. And I'm still one of them guys who's still trying to kick over the table when it comes to you the greatest comic of all times because you are in a movie or a sitcom. I don't think those- They got nothing to do with stand up comedy. It has nothing to do with comedy. And so people are, and my thing with like, when I say industry support, I mean the comedy

community, right? Yeah. Don't call my phone and ask me a bunch of questions on how to do something and get a bunch of advice from me, tell me how I'm the greatest, and then I see you in the interview. And you don't say anything? When you talk about all these, your top five, these comments, you don't mention,

you don't ever mention me, and you're telling a joke that I fucking wrote for you. But you, but you say, but you've given this, this credit to somebody else. The amount of times I went through is like, I've seen, I'll walk people through their whole YouTube special rollout, like do the whole thing. And then they get some interview and they'll be like, yeah, I did it because I saw this person do it and this person did it. I'm like, oh, is that why? That's, that's, that's very interesting. I was getting compared to you and didn't know what you had going on. This is great This is no. Yeah, you doing you doing the shows. I'm like what?

I'm not doing no fucking show shows had a goddamn get ready to run, but yeah They had a whole layout of shit. I'm like, I started, I had zero, do you know? No, this is great. Do you know how many people from YouTube I had when I decided to shoot a special for YouTube? Yeah. That was the script that's dropped to me. Yeah.

28 people. For real? Hey, 28 fucking people. Then I said, hey, I'm gonna shoot a special and boom. How long ago was this? I'd already been putting out independent stuff. I've been on Hexam Radio doing albums for ever, I'm coming here, I'm gonna shoot a special and boom. How long ago was this? I'd already been putting out independent stuff. I've been on Hexam radio doing albums forever. I'm coming to your question.

Doing albums forever. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's 2007. It's just what you're normally doing. So you're like, yeah. I'm just hustling my own shit.

So then I said, yeah, I'm gonna put this YouTube thing out. I shot it for YouTube and we had 28 people. And then I went to this, my manager hooked me up with this marketing guy and said, hey man, we got to grow your page. And I was like, on Instagram I probably had maybe 1500 people. Right. And my Facebook, oh, the Facebook notes was damn the same as YouTube. Right. Facebook, Facebook knows damn the same as YouTube. I couldn't even get into it.

That's how bad the shit was. I didn't even know how to get into it because I wasn't checking it. It was no movement. So we started creating the movement with the advice from them.

I had no, when I saw your, when I heard your whole thing, it was like, he had a deal, it didn't have deal, so he put it out on his own. And I was like, oh, he on, and then I said, oh, he on some Louis C.K. shit. And he's like, who, who, and yeah, what the hell are you talking about? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, who? What the hell are you talking about? It's so funny, dude. Yes, exactly though. Sam, you really jerking around with me?

Other shit. Yes, go on, go on. And what's crazy is you know you won a Grammy a couple years ago for an album. They like, they forget you. Oh yeah. You know what I'm saying? And I was in the same goddamn heat at the same time. I was like, I'm going to go to the next one.

I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to, go on. What's crazy is you know you won a Grammy a couple of years ago for an album. They like, they forgive you. Oh, yeah. You know what I'm saying? I was in the same goddamn heat at the same time.

I'm like, I ain't even did that, dude. All I did was so crack. I ain't even talking about it. So the thing is, when I saw, actually saw your thing, you had the guy with the smoke was coming out. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. when I saw, I actually saw your thing, you had the guy with the smoke was coming out, the thing was like, fire, and shit, I was like. Yeah, the Bruce Buffer shit.

I was like, and this is what I told my friend, how they gonna say I'm on this shit, he got all this fucking money, he got fire and smoke and shit, but I'm on some broke shit, I was like. That was my like fifth thing we put out. So like the first one, matter of fact, the first one was super early.

The second one we did, we were in Europe and this is how broke it was. For one of the shoots we were in London, we used a gum to balance the camera. Do you remember that? Like, cause we didn't have a tripod. We ran out of tripods. We could only travel with like two or three tripods. So we got two sticks of gum and we

put it under one part of the camera. And in the wide shot, when people are laughing, you could see the camera shaking. And it's not because of the tripods, because the gum wouldn't give us enough suspension or some shit. So we went, I mean, it was just, but whatever. I know the journey that you were on and I respect that majorly just because I've experienced it, man. And when I started looking into yourself, like, oh, he's getting it like he can, you know, getting out the mud. And even with the Europe, Europe is fucking over me. It's crazy. I've been to London countless times. So now they passed this law. If you've ever been convicted of a crime, you can't get in the country.

And I'm like, so we had a tour lined up to go to back to London. And I get all this, when you come to the UK I said UK is kind of fucking over me I'm like man you know this shit is 30 years ago. Bro this is actually this is actually awesome because eventually they're just gonna like lift that and then when you go it will be like this celebration. That's actually kind of cool. It sucks for now, but Let me let me call that uncle Eventually when you're able to go cuz they're not gonna keep that shit forever like I'm sorry 30 fucking years ago

You're gonna let and stop somebody from going over. Can you do something nearby? Like can you do like Ireland or France or something? Yeah, what about that? I probably can, but they not asking me to come to Ireland and France. They get the British people to come over. I would even say that like stylistically, they would be way more used to what you're doing out there. Like the long form storytelling is more similar to European and like British style standup than American.

I've been over there up downtown. Oh, so you already know it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Plus I love the pinky blinders. I'm trying to go. The pinky blinders. Awesome show. Oh, great show. Hold on, can the pinky blinders. I'm trying to go. The pinky blinders. That's awesome, sir. Hey, great, son.

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We're back in. Okay, you're, this is your second hour within two months or three months, May 15th. Yeah, two sons. June is rugged. Can you at least give us like a little teaser about rugged? I know that you're probably protective of your material, but can you? is about a man that is on the road and then he tries to come home and be handy. And this is not his skill set anymore. No matter how... Who is this guy? No matter how great you think his storytelling is. This is how he gets the stories because he just fell off the ladder

that he shouldn't have been on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't after 30 years try to be Mr. Fix-It in the house. You Mr. Fix-It on the road. Yeah, but you got to. You gotta try because it's very intimidating for some other man to come to your house and fix something and they always like, they try to come to your house and fix something.

And they always like they try to do it in front of your wife. I was just telling him, my wife asked the contractor to teach me how to make a fire. And I never felt so emasculated in my life. I was like, man, that's a private conversation. That's a boy scout skill. Yeah, that's a badge. That's a private conversation. That's a boy scout skill. Yeah, that's a badge.

I understand me coming home and my garage won't go down. And I'm like, bang. Garage won't go down. He come out there, she click, click, click, click, click. I said, don't worry about it. I'm going to just call the number on the thing. So I called the man. He comes over. And I say this. I say, hey, man't worry about it. I'm just gonna call the number on the thing. So I called the man. He comes over.

And I say this, I say, hey man, you need anything. I'm just gonna be right inside, just knock on the door. I come right back out. I didn't even get a chance to close the door good. He was, I said, I know damn well he don't wanna know already. I'm like, well, he said, I'm finished. I said, what? He said, you gonna be mad at the motherfucker. I said, I said, what? He said, you're going to be mad. Then the motherfucker said, I said, what happened?

And I didn't like the fact that he did it. Is it the? It's the damn rope. The rope. He's like, yo, you just. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.

Oh, no. He did it like three times just to show me how it goes. I knew it. He could have pretended to take longer. I know. Be here for an hour at least. And he's like, no, let me tell you. This is the part, remember I told you you're gonna be mad at my mother?

This is the part. I said, man, I'm gonna tell you, according to company policy. No, don't start with that shit. Don't start with that shit. And it was like $170, like, for company fucking policy. What did you tell your wife, though? What did you tell your girl? I ain't say nothing that shit. It was like $170. What company fucking buy it? What did you tell your wife though? What did you tell your girl?

I didn't say nothing to her. What the hell? You know the door came off the edge and y'all not back. I thought wow! This is that 10 of my house. I got to make an old scene. That bitch was very fucking damn. If you want to feel like a man, and I'll tell you something more embarrassing, you see how

this finger kind of dips down like that? I was reaching over my car when I was 15 years old to pull the cord. Fractured my finger on that exact cord. But you're 15. Yeah, you're supposed to fuck up. I'm 51 years old. I don't know how to work a garage. This is the thing. Man, I forgot.

I'm like 20. It's so. Bro, I didn't know how to open the garage from outside. My wife doesn't know this. For the last like month, I've been parking my car, going into my house, coming around to the back door of the garage, walking into the garage, open it from the inside and then driving the car in. And then I was in the kitchen and there's a little bowl and there was this little like,

almost like remote type of thing. And I was like, babe, what is this? She's like, it's the garage door opener. She goes, how you can open the garage? I go, obviously I know the fucking garage. So I thought you just walk in and then open it. No, the worst is that my girl would compare me to her dad. Oh, don't do that. Her dad was an engineer. I thought you'd just walk in and then bop it. No, the worst is that my girl would compare me to her dad.

Her dad was an engineer, so he just fixed everything. So our dryer breaks and I go, let me call the guy to fix it. She goes, oh, why don't you just fix it? I go, I wish I'd just let him do it, right? And she goes, oh, that's so weird. My dad would just fix it. No. We'll call him.

Yeah, we're not doing this. See, you have a girl, a wife. No, he got a wife and kids. So you just call girl, a wife. No, he got a wife and kids. So you're calling your girl good. Good, because see, I can't call mine a lady who lives in my house. She refuses to go by that.

But when I said the shows, that's when everybody comes up and says, hey, this is the lady who lives in my house. It's like it's a fun thing. The lady who lives in my house. It's like, it's a fun thing, but she wants to shoot. The lady who lives in my house. Yeah. Yeah. A roommate maybe. Yeah.

It's weird. Yeah. It's because like, you're on the road for so long, you develop a very specific set of skills, right? And they're, thank God, appreciated by a lot of people. And we can provide and we can do these things. But because of that, we never develop the most basic skills at home.

I love that. So the special is really about you spending a little home time and just being completely unequipped. And she is. You gotta bring up prison. You're like, I was locked up when I should have learned this shit.

It was crazy. I was very good at useless shit in prison. Like I could start all types of shit. Always. So that that's rugged and rugged is fun. It's just fun. How long you been married? Shit. 22 years. Wow. Oh, wow. Wow. I love the way you put out material.

It's always, like, chronological of your life. And so this new special is where you're at now. But there's one thing from the second one that I was bawling crying. Oh, yeah. When you tell a story about your younger sister, God bless her dead. But, like, boy, I've never been laughing hysterically,

then bawling, crying, and then immediately right back to laughs. I've never seen a special that made me do that before. How many times had you told that story on stage? Because you're also- Never. That was the first time you did it. That's what I was wondering.

Because the way he's crying, dog, that's what got me, aside from the story, but like, I was like, there's no way you've run this 50 times. I didn't run that special period. Wow. Wow. Wow. Eric, Eric. Can I be honest, that's my favorite part.

This is part two. This is Domino Effect part two. Yeah. Part two. So, Joe, nobody knew what I was doing. I just told them how I wanted it to look. And they was like, well, give us some of my, I got it to look. And they was like, well, you give us some of my. I got it. Wow. And holy shit. We did it. We recorded it. It was no running of that. It was no. Did you know you were going to tell that story? Or okay. So you knew going into.

I knew the years. So it was. And you mapped it out in your. It was no way to skip. That part. That part. Right. It's like, I knew. Crazy. Because he had asked the question,

did I know I was gonna put it out in that order? Yeah. So we did Domino Effect one, and then people asked what was the rest of the story. Ah. So then I did two. So we went from 10, you know what I'm saying, to 16. Then we went from 16.

So we just, we went in order of the years. See, I thought you had this whole thing mapped out, part one to part, so you did part one. We didn't have it, we mapped it out after one, after the success of one. And people wanted to know the story. So we figured we would just do after two. I knew I was going to do three and four. But it was no like what if I tell you.

And it's like with me, I don't talk about other people's craft, that's what they're doing. But when I watch somebody else try to create that moment, it's like you're discrediting a very honest thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Because I knew without running it, I knew as soon as I got to that part, I started feeling it. Yeah, yeah. And my older sister is in the audience. Oh, wow. And this is her first time ever hearing our, my account of what happened because she had went back to the Navy. Yeah. And I don't think people understand my little sister is like the heartbeat of me. And it's like, it's a different... This is like the purest happiness before my kids. You know what I'm saying?

So she's tattooed on me twice. It's a thing when it comes to her, you know? So it was no way that I could... Run it over and over.? So it was no way that I could. Run it over and over, yeah. It was no way. It was like, man, get to it and not know how you was gonna come out of it. Yeah, that's what I was gonna ask.

You know you're gonna tell it. Are you able to stay in the moment with everything that's leading up to it? Knowing this comment that this is coming. Um, get here, get here. And then you're going to have to figure it out after, after you were there because you may not be able to continue. Yep.

Wow. So I don't know what to prepare my head to continue with. Yep. Because it's so, man, I think this is the most damaging thing ever in my whole life. It's like, people talk about the prison, the prison, that's whatever. But, and I'm, the reason why I'm there

is because she's gone. Because this turned me into something different. Like, I was a different, I became a different dude. I would stop doing whatever I was doing to make sure I went to pick up from school. Right. So me picking my daughter from school, me picking my kids up from school is a big thing because it's still the connection that you have with your little sister.

My little sister. Yeah. So it's like a punishing thing. Yeah. And so I still ask her for help when I'm in positions and she was only eight. And I was like, yo, man, you're gonna have to walk me through this. And that's, it's punishing when you lose your happiness like that. You know what I'm saying?

So to do the set, as I'm thinking about it, I am on stage and I'm like, damn, how and what can I actually even say? Yeah. That's going to. Honor the moment. Turn this around and I'm looking at my sister, right? And my sister is just falling, falling in the audience. And then one of my boys. street dude, he is on one. And I see him looking, he looking off. He can't even look

at his wife. He's looking off. Because he balling and he knows the situation. Like he was around. And it pops into my head out of nowhere. Because I was asking him, like, yo, you're going to have to help me through this, y'all. And then Pops came to my head. This dude who used to sell dope for us. During that time, the only person that could make me laugh was Pops. Because I would come to the cookhouse and he would be in his Speedos cooking drugs.

And I was like, yo man, this dude is insane. He's insane, man. And Pop was sick. And he had on Speedos. I'm like, yo man, what you got going on? Hey man, don't worry about what the chef got on. I'm like, yo man man, what you got going on? Hey, man, don't worry about what the chef got on. It's like, what? I'm like, yo, man, this is a crazy person. So that helped me to remember that moment. And I was digging in my head, like, what made you laugh at this time? Yeah. And it was only by- And you thought of that during the taping.

During the taping. Wow. Because after the thing, so you're crying, it's like beautiful. Then afterward you talk about the anger, which most people don't talk about, most people don't think about when they think about loss. And I remember you said it with this fury.

I was like, there's no way he's ever said this before. It turned me into a fucking monster. I will fucking kill you. If you say what's up to me, I'll fucking end the feeling. What's up will get you killed. And I was like, there's no way he said this. There's no way he's run this a hundred times. It's just not possible.

I only cry because I have regret of time that I didn't spend. With her, yeah. Yeah. Shit that I could have been doing, but I didn't spend. With her, yeah. Yeah. That I could have been doing, but I'm out doing other bullshit. Okay, you going to pick up from school, you spending time with her, but you could have did more than probably wouldn't have. And it's not even, it wasn't even my thought pattern at the time. Right. Yeah. thought pattern at the time. But how much you love this little girl and the moments

that you did, like I can't look at an Ashley furniture truck and not think about her. Because I'll never forget the time we walking home and she let my hand go and start running. I'm like, what you doing? She said, you gotta come on. I gotta catch this man. He got my truck. Cause it said her name on the side. And when she dressed up like a Halloween, she had on all black and she had her face painted like a cat. And I was like, man, what you got going on? She's like, meow, meow meh. And it's like all these things. And when she passed, I was sitting in her room and I would hear her in the closet playing like she normally would be doing. And I know how devastating this was for my family. This like crippled my mom. Because this was, and then I learned why it crippled my mom.

This was the first time that my mom was in a comfortable position that she could actually raise all of her children. Oh, wow. So she took care of us. But she raised. But she raised her. And so this is me understanding why this was. My mom asked me all the time, hey, was I a good mom?

You know, you know I love you, right? And it's because this is the effects of her not completing the job. She's never got a chance to comfortably raise a child. Wife for kids. You know, it was, you know, me and my sister, she had us early. You know, my mom had me, she's 20 years old. And my sister's two years older than me. So she just going through like just taking care of us. But now she's in a, she's established and she's for, she's raising. She's leaning in.

She's all in. She's getting everything that she, she's gonna do everything that she never got a chance to do. You know what I'm saying? So that's an angle. And then for family members never to have seen her living. Yep. Because she lived out of town and they were always planning to come and never got a chance to and the first time my grandmother is seeing her grandchild in a box. What is it you think about, and I'm reacting to your concern about, I'm sure there were

some reactions that people were like, oh, is this put on for multiple shows or whatever. What is it about you think, maybe it's even comedians like our contemporaries that... Why do you think they felt the need to try to discredit that moment? I really tried not to make sense out of nonsense. I had no idea. Because maybe it was a... This is not something I could have did

or whatever the situation may have been. I think you're onto something right now. But I know the theory that I... Somebody said something to me on the internet in the rage that I responded with speaking about my sister. What'd they say? It's some weird shit that I don't even really remember. I was so mad, like it was a fake thing or some shit. And I said, I remember, I just remember what I said.

I promise you on everything that I'm gonna hunt you down and I'm gonna break your fucking neck backwards. Because you speaking, you're speaking on, speaking by your, you're speaking on. I remember a dude. I'm beating him in basketball in prison. And he said something about. I don't worry about it.

I'm gonna do something. Whatever he said like that bitch that's tattooed on your chest. Does he know is he aware at the time? You got a pretty good idea. But he doesn't know the story. He doesn't know his muscles. He don't know nothing. And I'll never forget this brother named Black Show. The look that he gave, that he knew. When I threw the basketball, hit him in the face, and this was the first time they'd ever see me come a loose, ever.

And then I had to get talked to. He said, bro, people not gonna know. Yeah. They just talking. Yeah. And that dude was severely injured. And I'm like, and every time I saw him, I just, I only felt. Yeah, you couldn't detach it. I couldn't detach it.

I couldn't detach from the situation. And I know now it's people that are troll you Of course. To try to get a response out of you to make you do it. And I've probably gotten it under control now, but to control now, but to with that particular special, the criticism of people. Think it was manufactured. I think it's people's, I think there's a distrust a lot of times when it comes to entertainment. And it's this idea that it's like this thing that's workshopped and put on.

And they're, they're feeling these very real emotions and they don't know how to handle those real emotions. They either have to accept that they themselves are also touched by this moment, enraged by this moment, broken by this moment, or they don't accept those feelings. And they go, ah, this isn't real. This person is not putting it on. And I think it's an inability to accept that that moment is maybe punishing them as well. And especially if you're a comic of Peter, the competitor. Oh, yeah. Where you're cynical. accept that that moment is maybe punishing them as well. And especially if you're a comic of Peter,

a competitor, you're like- Oh yeah, where you're cynical, you're- Where you're also watching- You have to belittle everything that is like beautiful or successful. Because you're watching, I'm watching that moment, and then my honest reaction, I didn't- Both of them hit me up and they're like,

dude, I'm bawling, I'm bawling watching this thing. Now what I would say about us specifically, I think it's like a cultural thing on the pod, which is like there is a celebration for things that are great. We try to reduce cynicism, and it's hard. But like, if there is something that is beautiful, the knee-jerk reaction shouldn't be to undercut it. Because I was watching, like, I don't know if I could get this reaction out of an audience. I don't know if I have that level of thank God pain or what rage or whatever. And I don't

know if I'd have the balls to do that. And I'm watching thinking this must be the first time he's done it. So that is a reaction I had, but you got to try to fight against that party that wants to discredit and be like, hey, I have a different purpose from God, whatever on when I'm on that stage. But that moment, I do remember being like, and that's why I was I was like, hey, I have a different purpose from God, whatever, when I'm on that stage. But that moment, I do remember being like, and that's why I was like, you guys did, fuck, this is, fuck, I've never felt this watching anything.

I've never felt this. And I don't know if I could elicit that reaction, but a lot of people, instead of just accepting that and saying I have a different purpose or I'll do it differently or whatever, will be like, yeah, but he XYZ. You see what I'm saying? That's where it comes from.

And I think the people that was there, if people listen to the audience, it's people crying. Yeah. Yeah. What was the feeling like coming off stage? Was it cathartic for you? When I came off, I was met by my sister. I just went into my sister's arms when it was over. I wish they had that. Because it was such a, the camera people, Eric was like,

Eric was like, yeah, I'm glad you didn't send, I'm glad you didn't do anything with this. It was no way that we could have knowing going into this, this would have been very hard. And yeah, to, I think it was a bigger purpose for me to do it than not. I needed some relief from it. I know how many, and the fact that I'm going through losses. And people are going through losses. And from the losing the girl, how unprepared we are for losing anybody. And you say a thing early in the part two, which is like, when people talk about this game, drug dealing or whatever, they never talk about the losses.

They never talk about the losses. I'm going to tell you about what is going on in a person's life that's going through this. There's a lot of A's in this. What I think is profound about these moments, and you rarely see them as stand up, but it's not just about your loss. There are countless people who have had losses that don't always get to process their emotions in the same way. And they're processing their losses while they're watching it. The people that know you are thinking about your sister.

The people that don't know you are thinking about the people. And like, in my last special, I have like a moment that is, it's my wife and I, it was really tough for us to get pregnant. It was like, like very tough. And we were able to do it. And I didn't know at the moment when I'm writing the special that people struggled with this shit. I had no fucking clue.

And when we were starting to go on the road, like, and there's this montage of like my wife getting to see our daughter for the first time. And like, you go see these people in the crowd. And at first I was like, Oh, that's beautiful that they're reacting to my story. And then I started to realize they're reacting to their story. They're reacting to like their trials and tribulations, the joy that they have with their kid, the struggles they've had trying to get it.

And it's like, I wonder if that moment, despite some fucking cynical idiots criticism, I wonder if that moment creates this deep connection with the people that are watching that special. Like deep connection where people start to process those feelings that they probably kept bottled up for a long time. And also to see a dude, you might not call yourself tough, but like a tougher dude break down like that. Imagine what that gives you. Imagine as a consumer, imagine what that gives you, the freedom to, all right, maybe I'm allowed to process

this shit and feel this shit a little bit. You know, I didn't speak about like her funeral because my dad, right, my mom, my dad, been separated for a long time. And inside the funeral, all these people in there. But when I walk out, my dad is like in the corner of the parking lot, black leather coat, and he's standing there. And he's just crying. Had nothing to do with this.

But he, for some reason, he wanted to be there for the... We talking about somebody who's not there for most shit. And he just like, and I never forget looking at him. Was it his daughter? No. Okay. He's totally out of the picture. He was like, but he was standing there like, this shit's tough, bro. And he's always been the, my mom, my mom is tough as rusty nails. My dad has always been the- Unflappable.

Like, I'm just here. I know what a moment is and if you need me, I'm here. My mom is trying to keep it together, but she is, it's like my mom's falling apart. And I never, until I realized why it's like this. And to this day, day, it pains her. My pain is one thing, but you talk to my mom. Oh, this shit is bad. You talk to my mom.

Did she watch it, the special? I never told her it happened. Never told her it happened. Never told her it happened. This is the one thing that I never told her that I did. My sister may have told her and I don't even think she did. I don't even like leading her down the road. So I never even mentioned Domino Effect to her. Wow. Never even mentioned it. I was wondering because you had people in your life, you have your older sister talking and I was like, oh.

My older sister spoke, my boy her spoke, my boy aunt spoke. And I never even mentioned it to my mom. It's one of the things like, it's back to like if I was something dope. I'm not. I'm going to I'm the Italian. She would have to call me and say, hey, I saw the special, but I'm not bringing it up. Cause you don't want her to have to live through that pain. I don't want her to have to live through nothing.

Don't you hate that? I hate that. I was eating something and a ketchup fell on my shirt. I was like, I just felt like I wanted to burn. I was like, I was having a good moment. You know what I mean? Fuck. You gotta go home.

Just go home. You get mad at the restaurant. Like, why the fuck you throw this ketchup on it? Because once you spill something on your shirt, you just look fat. It's over. I went, damn, what's up with that? I was like, I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home.

I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. You can't just fuck and throw his treasure money. Hell yeah. Because once you spill some of your sugar, you just look fat. It's over. It's over. I was like, damn, what size you are? You just like, this is fat, man. You're like, sauces on his nails.

I tried to hide in my armpit. Man, what a gift. You were talking about some real painful shit, and then right into the funny, and you're just living in the moment. That's what I'm saying. When he did it, I was like. He fell for me. You were talking about some real painful shit and then right into the funny and you're just living in the moment He fell for me Your dead sister and have an empathy for his It was coffee too, I was hoping it was just some of the moisture on the ice. I was like, this is water. It's nothing. It's goddamn coffee.

But as a comic, I think that's your, that's the craft. Not the job, that's the craft. If you look at this as a job, I wouldn't show up. I wouldn't show up to this shit as a job. Like, as soon as I start feeling like it's a job, I take off. Like, I'm getting ready to go to Greece just so I can wear some Speedos and think I'm sexy.

All those fat bastards over there just wearing Speedos. And I'm going to do it too. It's just the experience, man. As a stand-up, what I said, I said I'd stand up one time, this old dude said, no, you'll fucking sit down. You don't do shit but sit down and talk. I'm like, you're right. But I think that's the part that you have to be brave.

Everything that we say. When you actually in the craft is brave, you know, you speaking about you and your wife trying to concede. Yeah, this she when you said when she and your wife trying to concede. Yeah. Did she, when you said when she first got a chance to see it, she was in a NICU? She was a C-section. So she, there's this big curtain up so you don't actually get to see the baby pulled out of you and you're numb. Oh, yes.

So the baby gets. I'm just thinking, was it a... No, it wasn't pre-me. It was to term, yeah. Ed, as soon as you said it, it took me to the moment to where I didn't get a chance to really connect with Hanan because she was in the NICU for two weeks. And they just put her like in this incubator and she just flapping around. And you got to put on all this stuff to go see him and it's no real connection. And I couldn't wait to be able to just hold him. Just hold him. Yeah.

And just, and Hanan is like the manager of all the kids. Even though she young, she's nine, but she's the manager. Hanan is who I talk to about finances. Hanan knows where all my money is. She don't have to be the one giving them, no, no, no. Dig up the begonias. You got to love stuff doing that. Yeah, Hanan, man, that's my girl. And she reminds me of my sister so much.

This is who I talk to. So now imagine this. Imagine having a fear of. Losing your kid. Like I'm not really comfortable until they pass eight. A dude. Wow. I was going to ask.

Eight. It's like I have this. Yeah. This whole thing. Yeah. Like until they pass eight. It's like I'm on pins and needles. You're holding your breath. You're holding your breath.

Like, please don't let nothing happen to them, like any of them. And I remember Jayden, Jayden's a chef. She's a wonderful chef. I was so scared. Bro, I remember this whole tumultuous journey to get to this moment and everything that could have gone wrong went wrong up to this moment. And we and you know, my wife's not dilating and she's all up on the pitocin and all these things that they get and she's still not dilating. And there's a moment where the baby's heart rate dropped on the monitor. And keep in mind, like I have not the same level concern, but you're still like, something's gonna go wrong,

because everything has gone wrong on this process. Every single thing is going wrong. And I start to see this monitor drop and then comes back up and the monitor drop and then the monitors drop and it's beeping for a while. And I'm like running in the hallway looking for a nurse because in my head I'm like, it can't go right. I haven't felt anything go right. So why would anything go right?

And you think like once you see the baby that everything's going to be okay, but the fear doesn't go away. You're like, they're like, okay, we need a test to make sure that she can, can see and hear. You know, they do that. And you're like, okay, now is the moment. And I literally felt maybe until she was like walking and running, that was the first time I felt like I could take a deep breath.

So I can't even imagine what that's like for eight years, just looking at each one of your kids and just going, please, like, when can I relax? Yeah. Yeah. And it's, then they get grown and you hope you don't get a call. Oh, dude. grown and you hope you don't get a call or something. Like James 26 and I'm concerned about everything. So it just doesn't go away?

We're just stressed until we die. I've heard the fear doesn't go away, the fears just change. I don't even know if it changes or it goes away. You just pray all the time that just you can manage it and that you don't have to manage something. I'm going to manage this fear so I hope that I don't have to manage grief. Yeah, you have a choice.

It's one or the other. Yeah, you have a choice. It's one or the other. Yeah. You have a choice. And then the days that you miss or they all argue or something that you miss with them, you're like, yo, man, this time is precious and I'd rather fix it than keep fussing. Like, how do we fix it? Or you just want to fuss? Do you think that you've invested, I don't want to say more time, but do you think because

of that horrible circumstance you've experienced that you have valued time with your kids in a different way? Yes. And not just kids, people. Yeah. mean, what a thing to give to you. Like, I'm not saying that there's no way to be grateful for that at all. I'm not saying that that's perspective, but like, it's a way to be grateful because you start to understand how valuable every fucking day is. Yeah. And I am this. Me, you develop a friendship. You call me. If I miss

something that I said I'm gonna come to, it's gonna bother me. Like me and David Banner, right? Me and David Banner have developed a friendship. If I don't, he called me if I miss his call, I call him back. And say if you call me, hey Lee, come do this, come do this show. I'ma come. No matter the circumstances because Patrice O'Neal called me a pussy one time. Only person that ever live in the, we not living in the pussy. You know, he's the goat to me. He's the greatest of one time. Only person ever living. He's the goat to me. He's the greatest of all time. Call me. Tell me this. What happened?

Patrice comes to Houston. We do a show together. Patrice, you fucking dope. Your story is crazy. I mean, this is like the biggest compliment. Patrice is my number one. Yeah. So he

the next year he comes to Houston. He calls me like, yo, you gonna come do the show with me? And I said, yeah, cool. But a ice storm happens in Houston. Okay. Oh, Texas shuts down. Y'all are afraid of snow in Texas.

No, we're not afraid of snow. We're scared of ice. Yeah. Okay. Snow is fine. Ice, we have all these freeways, these old paths. You can't see this shit. Yeah. It is 290 wrecks on the freeway and on the streets. Right. Like people just slide into it. It's fucking insane. Yeah. So when he gets there and he's like, yo, you covered him like, no, I'm not. Yeah. What happened? Yeah. I think it's a lot of Rex here. It's a lot of black ice. I'm not fucking with it. I can drive with his other people. They can't. I'm not fucking with it. He's like, come on,

pussy. You know, I don't give a fuck what you say. In the North, in the Northeast, that is some pussy shit, the idea that we wouldn't go somewhere because of ice. Nothing of mine tricked me. Y'all get snubbed. To dying. To dying on the fucking highway. You don't know where I gotta come from.

I'm not fucking coming. And he's like, you're not coming for real? I'm not fucking coming. Okay, Patrice, do I have to hang up on you to let you know that I'm not fucking coming? And he was like, that's some bullshit, Leo. Like, I don't give a fuck. Okay, it's an expedition sliding down the fucking street right now.

I'm not fucking joining it. You can be at the fucking club on your own. And it was light that night. Yeah, I'm thinking people aren't showing up. Nobody's showing up, yeah, yeah. Nobody's showing up. You go,, yeah. Nobody's showing up. They might as well count this shit, you might as well be at the club by your fucking self.

Because nobody, the people, okay, the people who can walk to their club will be there. Yeah, that's it, yeah. It is not fucking happening, Patrice. Honestly, walking, you probably bust your ass. We are not fucking with ice. And we don't have salt trucks. And that's the whole other thing he didn't understand.

This is a Northeast thing. We got them now. With sand trucks in Dallas, it's like who the fuck wants to eat sand? Salt the roads. It was terrible. So he called and I was leaving town the next day. Months go by, he's gone. And the first thing that came to my mind is, fuck, I should have went to hang out with

my friends, at least. And so when earthquake called me, coming to the birthday party, I got up, flew out there. It's my friend with my friends in this business. And it's hard to get in this business. True friends that outside of the same the same, the account, like I have some really good ones. And if I'm not gonna miss that time. I'm not, I'm just not gonna be able to do it

because I don't know the next time I'ma see. And so that has been, if I think about you, I'm going to call. I'm not going to waste the time to call, especially if you constantly remind me, let me call now. And the people who I hadn't called have left this place. That's one of the things. One of my greatest, well another regret, David Arnold. I'm on vacation and David Arnold hit me, DM'd me and said, hey I thought I had your number,

here's my number, call me when you get a chance. DM me and said, hey, I thought I had your number. Here's my number, call me when you get a chance. I said, man, I'll call him when I get back in the country. I'm in Mexico, having a good time. Call him when I get back in the country. So you don't call someone back, they die? I ain't never calling you. I can't risk it. Lee, I can't risk it.

I'll be staring at my phone. I saw you read it, Lee. I'm going to call you right back. Hey, I'm in Greece. Send me the speedo picture. Everything's good. That's my stuff. Man, but those are the moments that you think about this.

You like it had David Arnaall had never reached out to me out of nowhere. It's like, yo, I just talked to you about some moment I thought I had your number. And I'm like, in my mind, like, why the fuck I just didn't call him back? Cause I was in Mexico having a good time. And I said, well, he'll be around, you know,

I'll call him and get back. No. So I call people immediately. Like, I'm assuming that's on the heaven. What was what? What was important? What is it? What is it? It's just, I got a call now if I missed, man, I don't hesitate to call Sidney Castillo or Malik S. It's not even especially DL, but DL's older. Yeah, yeah. So, man, this is like my guy. Yeah. Man, this is like my guy. You know, this is the dude.

Like even when, DL's been, even when I've did some shit that he was so not in agreement with, he's called and said, okay, you fucked up. Let's see how we fix it. I'm like, is it that bad? He's like, yes, this is fucking awful. What you doing here? I'm not rehashing that shit. DL called, he's like, yo, this is awful. You and, oh my goodness. They're going to make you apologize. I'm like, what?

He's like, listen, I'm going to walk you through this shit. But when they ask me about it, I'm going to say, hey, that's still my guy. And I'm like, yo, is it that bad? He's like, no, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it.

I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it.

I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm walking through this shit. But when they asked me about it, I would say, hey, that's still my guy. And I'm like, yo, is it that bad? He was like, it's fucking, call me tomorrow. And then I called him. He was like, yeah. Good for him for standing by you though. Cause I fucking stood by him with the goddamn shit he said. And what he say?

I'm not rehashing his shit anymore. My bad, my bad. Just that. Tupac was a dancer. What's so bad about that? That's what I did. They've got your ass now. Like, some shit that was just on his video.

And he was on his video. Shit is stupid, man. People get mad at shit about shit and they see him doing it. They can pull this shit up. When I get around with the underground like that. He was a backup dancer for Digital Underground. For Digital Underground, yeah. For sure. Even with the whole other thing is this. I liked Brenda Had a baby out. He wasn't that on there.

Yeah. Also people got different expectations for thugging. Like if you've actually been in the game, I'm sure it's a little different than like someone like me who hasn't been in the game. I didn't go to Juilliard. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like have gone to Juilliard. Yeah, and...... ... How many super thugs came out of Juilliard? That was a great point. Make a connection. Yeah. Nah, yeah, there's a lot of... It's like...

...killing people, I bet. You know about the guy with the mandolin, with a drug pink pin and Wisconsin... I think Jadakiss one of the coldest rappers of all time. But with his daddy who was sitting on that stage, he was like He went to private school.

That shit was so funny. I was like Get your ass off my list, Jadakiss. Jadakiss, we love you, Jadakiss. I fucking love you, but you fucking killed me with that one. I love his dad keeping it real though. That ass was fire. Coffee company. Fuckin' you talking about.

We had a chef in the house. And Jada was like this. Goddamn. I love Jada. But Jada's still fucking dope. He's the best. I just heard a new one. And the Fat Joe was so funny.

You see clips from there, Pot? I love J.A., bro. But J.A. is still fucking dope. He's the best. He was like, I just heard a new one. And then Fat Joe is so funny. Have you seen clips from their pod? Nah. That shit kills me, bro. Fat Joe just says, he just says the wildest shit. And J.A. just says, the wildest shit. Fat Joe is like, I'm a glizzy gobbler or something.

And J.A. just goes, whoa, whoa, whoa. He hit pause on his own podcast. Yo, here with Cameron, Mase be fucking killing me. I don't like it. Mase is the dick. Is he so poised? We not your little homies. We don't got big homies. But on the real, Jay Prince ain't really. Bro, we gotta talk about Jay, man.

I don't wanna ask you about this. Can you explain to people maybe from New York, like what Jay is to Houston? Shit, Jay Prince is the mogul. Like, we watched him come up, you know, he's one of the first independent rap labels. That's why our city is so independent. We've never been looking for deals due to the prototype of what J and other guys cultivated. So when you, I don't even know what he is just in Houston, but just in the whole hip hop industry,

he was really different from Puffy and Suge and everybody else because he was the format. He was the formula when there was no formula. So how else can we get on? How else can we create music and be part of this industry, which seems to have a lot of gatekeeping? And he was like, well, we'll just create our own version of it. Which is why Houston has this flourishing hip hop scene that's not reliant on any major record label. There's all these independent hip hop musicians in Houston and it's influenced music in general without this like label push.

I'm gonna say this with gusto. Our artists laugh at other artists because in our mind you're not living better than us, you're not making more money than us. Because you've getting 80% of your album sales in Houston. You getting, man, Role, this is all the people who I know that own multiple Role's voices. Yo, dude, it's so funny. I think it is important that people understand this, though.

It's like, I... So like Slim... Slim, damn. Bro, Slim was like building up neighborhoods. Do you remember this? Yeah. Like he was riding around like a neighborhood that he built, not just like he owned a condo,

the neighborhood. So we do this all the time, so what people get, when Mike Epps built some houses, they're like, oh, you know, we were like, that's old. Yeah, yeah. Like, we've done it. But now shout out to E oh, we like, that's old. Like we've done it. But now shout out to Epsi though,

that is cool that he brought back the house. And that's cool, but we've been doing it. Right, and I think because you're doing it on your own, it's like, it doesn't permeate industry standard. And I think it's because industry doesn't want people to know that it can be done on its own. Why would they promote it? Just look at man. I don't know a broke rapper in

Okay sauce slim powwow chameleon air roll killer Calion Brad Which is face? Willie D. Shit.

Big King before he passed, Megan, Megan with Megan industry though. Yeah. It was in Travis Scott. Yeah. Yo. Maxine O'Tee, he's from out there, right? Maxine O'Tee's from- A little bit, Bay City.

Yeah, yeah. Bay City, but it's right outside, it's right outside of Houston. Really, we can walk there. It's like, it's so, man, bro. It's its own industry. It's just, man. So J Prince, you think is the battery behind?

Watts, man, it's just so many. the battery behind? What? Man, it's just so many. I remember pulling up to a function and it was just a line of Rolls Royces. That's a line, a little old, it's just a line of Rolls Royces, right? None of this shit is rented. All this shit is owned. And paid for. And I was just back in Miami and like,

what the hell? And is this an example of how the record labels are extracting the majority of money from the artists? Yes. When you go to Houston, you see the artists that are owning large percentages of their catalog. They're making cr- Kiki, man, fat pat, Houston you see the artists that are owning large percentages of their catalog. They're making.

Man, Fat Pat, Hawk before he passed, Walsness, um, man, bruh, K Reno, I can name multiple rappers who just good. Like, they like, man, we good. Right. Like it is a profession there where it feels like outside of And it's not just Houston I think that like there are other areas that has popped up as well But it doesn't seem like there's the most wealth that has been concentrated in that like area of independent artists at least but

It okay, so here's a question Drake has had this like perceived connectivity to Houston. And I think it's because of- That's because of Jazz. Because of the, yeah, Jazz is his son, right? J. Prince's son. Yeah, and he seems to really lean into Houston and have this, it seems genuine,

again, I'm an outsider, I don't know, this appreciation of Houston. Is that a business deal or is that a real connection and affinity to those artists? Does Houston really embrace and welcome Drake in that way? Is that a business deal or is that like a real connection and affinity to those artists? Does Houston really embrace and welcome Drake in that way? And you don't have to give me like a fucking hot take or this is like, I'm just trying to ask from outside perspective.

I don't know what his real relationship is because I'm not a part of it. I know what my real relationship is because I'm not a part of it. I know what my real relationship is with them. And yeah, like. You we generally happy. To see each other all the time, no, just to just see each other like, oh, it's like real friendship like Kiki. I was walking through the gallery. Kiki was trying to go find some little Kiki.

And we saw each other. My son was right there. He's like, yo, man, you just heard, oh, well, I said, that's Kiki. He's like, oh, I didn't realize that. But he's doing to what it's like. We have a genuine love for each other's success. I don't know what some outside artist situation is. You know, I know who I see. And I'm not talking about, oh, I came there for a weekend and did some shit.

I'm talking about I know who I see on a consistent basis. You know, like it's like when I said about me and what it did. This is a this is a we don't have to be talking about no business. Yeah, you guys are chopping up this. Yeah, when I when I see face. Last time I saw face was at this spot called Davenports. I just stopped through and he was coming out, he was like, man, this pack is hell in there, man, what you about to do?

I'm like, well, I'm not going in there now since you told me that it was packed. And then we went, I think we walked to a food truck. It's the, you know, I was generally hurt when B King passed. You know, like when, man, we, like Ro, me and Ro, our relationship is different. You know what I mean? Ro? Yeah, zero. Okay.

Okay. You, if you listen, you would know. Sorry, yeah. You get your pass. Thank you. White privilege. you, you, if you listen, you would know. Sorry. Yeah. You wrote a lot of shit. OK. You get your pass. Thank you. White privilege. So a lot of our artists, man, they just in their own bubble a lot of times when it comes to outside industry.

So when Drake thing, I know that he was getting embraced because of affiliation. Not earned, not earned, you know, nothing really earned. So, but you can go to any other city and do that same thing by affiliation. But you got people like Luda that they actually have a real affection with. Oh really? You know what I'm saying? Even though Luda that they actually have a real affection with. Oh really? Even though Luda's from Atlanta. Yeah. But he's just embracing love than Houston. Yeah, he's embraced because he put time in there with certain artists.

When you get embraced, you gotta be like, I'm gonna tell you who embrace, JJ Fay, not Jazzy Fay. Jazzy Fay, for people who fucking love Jazzy Fay. You know what I'm saying? That's a real thing. With our R&B artists, you know, we have a lot of different genres of music. Most people don't even know Travis Scott from Houston. I think that he's reached such superstardom that he's just known as like American musician.

But you guys are like, nah, this is Houston. Because we get discredited for the artists that we do put out. The second they leave, it's like, we know that Beyonce is from Houston, but I don't know if she's thought of as Houston. Well, that's crazy because she's definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Represents. So Houston. Yeah. Yeah. That's interesting. Like she's so Houston.

You lose your identity as being from Houston, the more popular you get, even if you don't want that, like the rest of the world takes you on. Ask you a question. Is Jay-Z embraced? In New York like that? Of course. Yeah, I mean, yeah, this is. Is it of course or is it just by industry people or they people? No, no, no, no, no. I would even go so far as to. He's loved. I don't even know if I don't even know if Jay's embraced outside in New York,

I would say that that's kind of a hot take. But like where we put him, like I don't know if they- She pretended he had no idea about Diddy. It's like really crazy. Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo But in our minds he is is that fair? Away from the act I'm talking about be loved It's it's yeah good in any hood Yeah, like for us like what no, I don't think y'all really understand what I'm talking about Oh, what do you talk about Muhammad Ali embraced? With no fucking security with no none of that shit. You just what you just outside. Yeah, like I'm outside

He doesn't do that, but he could but he can't I think he's got that much. Yeah, absolutely Okay, as an outsider the way they love him is like, yeah. Yeah, I think for us it's like I'm a Texas kid Jay-z is is Like so there's two different things. It's like Again, I you know, I'm curious your perspective too, but it's like, who do I want to hang out and kick it with? As far as like New York goes, rappers goes, it's like 50. I want to just, if I'm going to party,

if I'm going to hang out and watch, I just want, 50 is just going to make everything hilarious and he's going to say wild jokes and it's going to be, he's the goat, right? And then there's Jay-Z who is like, oh, this is the business man tycoon. So I think that there's a lot of inspiration, which is almost like unfair for 50 in terms of like what he's achieved in his career as well. But I think you look at these two people and despite obviously some, you know, rough stuff

that's gone on in hip hop or at least in like gang life, 50 Cent could go wherever the fuck he wants. Jay-Z could go wherever the fuck he wants. And they're just, Mount Rushmore, in New York City there's two, there's not four, there's two. And which is crazy, cause y'all- Biggie rest in peace, I'm talking about alive.

Y'all have put these, y'all have put these y'all put those two rappers on Mount Rushmore and forget about all the rest of them. Nobody is above Rakim. Not neither one. You're talking about a generational thing right now. And I think that like older heads will look at a Rakim and they'll be like, this is, you know, the greatest rapper we've produced. I think the younger people don't, they're not as familiar with a rock him and also another thing with your

Yeah, something that's different from New York compared to Houston It sounds like we have the crabs in the barrel mentality like you know It could only be one you choose your guy and now you gotta go hard for your guy instead of just embracing everybody and loving everybody Yeah, and they even be heavy D and I'll be like, yo, y'all losing your goddamn minds. But again, this is like dumb generational shit where it's like, I think that does exist. The same Bill Russell type shit. This competitive nature. Same Bill Russell type shit.

We have to choose between Nas. We don't appreciate it. Big Daddy Kane. Yeah. Nas is going to get disrespected by the young generation. The whole thing is just cause you didn't see it doesn't mean that it didn't set the foundation for what you're doing now.

Truth. But they don't know. That's true praise. You're absolutely right. You know why they don't know? Because y'all are not teaching them. No, no, no. Y'all just going with the phrase.

No, Charlamagne says this exact same shit. He's like, we're not celebrating the people who have laid the foundation. We're not celebrating the OGs enough. There's this immediate reaction to what is hot and new now instead of embracing the legends. The music in particular is so youth driven. Whereas it does feel like in Houston,

there's still an embracing of the legends. But I also think they keep putting out music. It's like these guys, they're not taking time off. And it's also, the OGs would be pushing. DJ Screw been dead for a long time. They gonna stay screw in every song. Yeah, Pimp's Eve. Because it's in Pimp and Bun.

I didn't even mention Bun. Bun's on a whole nother level. But it's just, man, you've got to embrace. But it's a cultural mentality thing because over there, you guys all get along. Like, we, our major artists, used to beef with each other. So how you gonna root for the guy who's beefing with my guy? We've beefed with each other before, too.

We just never let y'all in on the beef. Oh, that's family business. That's true. That's some family shit, too. Yeah, that's some family business. There's also another thing. We would have Jay-Z and Nas's and that's the talking attack. You gotta get out of here, you gotta flake, but there's one little thing that I would

also say is that there are so many people that move into New York and a lot of New Yorkers that grow up here end up moving out. So there is this kind of like refresh of New Yorkers every 20 years. So a lot of these new people that moved in from all these other places, they don't remember going to the tunnel and seeing these artists. Right? So they just have no connectivity to it. The OGs that are like staying here tell the stories about it. But then the young people are like, I don't know what you're talking about.

I haven't lived that way. So because of that kind of like recycle. Every friend I have from Houston moved back. It's crazy. Yeah. Every friend moved back. I do think that that plays a little bit. Why wouldn't you come home? Why wouldn't you come home? I'm never going back to Dallas to live.

It's a giant fucking strip club. I fuck with you. Houston and Dallas, it's a big problem. You gotta play, you gotta play. Listen, Alicia D, go check out Rugged, go check out, I think you gotta check out parts one through four of McDonald's. Yeah, watch everything. Just watch it all.

There's tons, it's gonna be in your algorithm and you're gonna enjoy it. We wish you much success, my man, and I'll definitely see it in the future. When we doin' the tour together. That's what we're, now we gotta talk. Now we gotta talk. Now we gotta talk.

Now we gotta talk. This is a fantastic idea. Independence, independence forever. Until they drive 100 mil in our bags and then we go, we might be a little dependent. Oh, we're not. We're not. We're not too independent.

Ha ha ha. Melissa Dink, everybody. Thank you.