Drink Champs - Episode 400 w/ Affion Crockett

Episode Date: March 8, 2024

N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the Drink Champs in this episode the champs chop it up with the one and only, Affion Crockett! Affion sits down to share his journey in comedy. A master of impressions, Affion shares stories of doing Standup, Film, and much much more! Affion talks about his new movie “A Hip Hop Story” where a pioneer of hip hop’s culture joins forces with some of rap music’s elite performers in an attempt to save hip hop. “A Hip Hop Story” is in theaters now!  Listen as there’s lots of great stories that you don’t want to miss! Make some noise for Affion Crockett!!! 💐💐💐🏆🏆🏆 🎉🎉🎉   *Subscribe to Patreon NOW for exclusive content, discount codes, M&G’s + more:  🏆* https://www.patreon.com/drinkchamps *Listen and subscribe at https://www.drinkchamps.com Follow Drink Champs: https://www.instagram.com/drinkchamps https://www.twitter.com/drinkchamps https://www.facebook.com/drinkchamps https://www.youtube.com/drinkchamps DJ EFN https://www.crazyhood.com https://www.instagram.com/whoscrazy https://www.twitter.com/djefn https://www.facebook.com/crazyhoodproductions N.O.R.E. https://www.instagram.com/therealnoreaga https://www.twitter.com/noreagaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. to, yeah, banana pudding. If it's happening in business, our new podcast is on it. I'm Max Chastin. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith. So listen to Everybody's Business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the men who went down that day. On Medal of Honor,

Stories of Courage, you'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why is a soap opera Western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be right back. You know what I mean? In the most professional, unprofessional podcast. And your number one source for drunk facts.

It's Drink Champs motherfucking podcast. Where every day is New Year's Eve. It's time for Drink Champs. Drink up motherfuckers. What it good be? Hopefully it's what it should be. This is your boy N-O-R-E. What up it's DJ E-F-N.

And this is military crazy raw Drink Champs. Yappy Hour. Make some noise! Now, what I tell you, this man here is proving your point. The independent route. The IPO route.

From what I understand, he wrote, produced, directed along with the homie. We're going to bring him in a little later. They took that route. They wrote it in 2008. And it's 2024. Hip-hop is just one day older than him.

So the man is out here, monkey-footing the game at 50 years old. Doing what he got to do. All his comedy specials he own, from what I understand. He pays for himself. Mark ended and paid for the movie himself. Uh, is one of the illest sketch writers in the game.

And I can keep going on and on, but in case you don't know, who the fuck we talking about? We talking about Afriakari! Now, it's two things, I bet. Now, fuck that. Before we go, say my name.

I know. How do you say my name, nigga? I've been drinking good all day. A? He's been drinking too much Avion. He's been drinking Avion. You know what's crazy? Usually black people get your name right. It's like, why'd you move fuck your name up, right? That's what's making me fucked up. He's been drinking Avion. You know what's crazy? Usually black people get your name right.

It's like white people fuck your name up, right? That's what's making me fucked up. I've been watching you for a whole week, and I've been seeing that. I'm dyslexic, though. I'm like real dyslexic. Can I put water in the shot glass? Yeah, you can.

We're going to drink, champs. So listen, there's two things I bet on. One, that you would be on time. There's no way he's not going man you came three came a day early with 47 347 because we knew your schedule yes yes EFN knows you very well but I understood and I also bet that you will come in here on bright with bright colors on so I try to get my light skin outfit on for you got you got you know what I'm saying I try to get light skin I try to get big birdish you know what I mean that? I try to get light-skinned. I try to get Big Bird-ish. You know what I mean?

That was the two bets? Yeah, no, no, no. The bet was that you could have on bright colors. Okay. Because I've been watching you on a tour run. You've been brightening it up.

Oh, you've been seeing... Yeah, yeah. You've been seeing the swag how it goes down. Kelly Clarkson and all that type of shit. I'm sitting here thinking about Kelly Clarkson.

I don't even know who she is. That's how I know I'm hood. That's how I know I'm hood. I was like, who is that? But I had to watch. You know what I mean? But this movie, let's get straight into it. Yeah.

At first, I felt like it was, what is that shit? Like the Ghost of Christmas Past. Like, you know how they show you. Like Scrooge. Like Scrooge. That's what I meant. Yeah yeah yeah So

Like past present and future Right right Was that something Cause that's something That I adapted Am I the only one Who saw that No no no

Somebody else Picked that up This movie is definitely A combination of Some of my favorite movies Even down to it being Called a hip hop story I wanted it to feel

Like a classic like a christmas story a christmas story okay or in the music side a children's story slick rick slick rick of course so there is that element of screwed like let me show you what it was all right let me show you where we are and where we possibly could go right you know what I'm saying? Right. The journey of the backpack rapper talking to the successful hip-hop billionaire may have lost touch with where the culture is currently, because he's so far up in the private jets and in the office buildings that he doesn't really know. Right. Interesting.

I'm going to go... Where we at? You pick it, being that you're not drinking, you pick what I drink. Vodka or we at? You pick it Being that you're not drinking You pick what I drink Vodka or Japanese whiskey? Japanese whiskey Let's go Let's go with it We're going Japanese whiskey That was very easy for you

You just picked the interview I didn't hesitate I wouldn't come out Okay So I'm taking water shots One thing that fucked me up We searched you again this time

You were born in It was German? No man North Carolina to Germany? I were born in, it was German? You grew up North Carolina to Germany? I was born in North Carolina. North Carolina and then you grew up in Germany? He told us this last time.

Yeah, but I didn't remember. Like, what the fuck? You don't remember when you were talking about it. You don't want to do an interview. No, no, no. I do a lot of interviews. You do.

But I don't remember the Germany part. We spoke about the Germany part. We spoke about the Germany part? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Really? Yeah. I need to ask about that again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Really? Yeah. I need to ask about that again.

How, how, because Dusseldorf is one of my favorite places on earth. And that's the only place he ever mentioned in Germany. No, no. I'm just saying. Frankfurt. Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin. Berlin. Come on.

But Dusseldorf is the only place you mentioned. Hey, man, Dusseldorf was good to me, man. It was good to me, man. You had some good. Yeah, it was good. You had some good Dusseldorf. Yeah, it was good. Dusseldorf. Dusseldorf. It sounded like, man. It was good to me, man. You had some good... Yeah, it was good. He had some good Dusseldorf. Yeah, he had some good Dusseldorf. Dusseldorf.

It sounds like some good talk. You guys are going too far. We didn't say traditional. But I forgot that. I'm going to reiterate that. Being born in Germany, like, how is that? And, like, I mean, you know... Well, we're raised.

Raised, raised. I'm a military brat. And then from North Carolina, too. That's, like, too different. But here's the thing. My dad, raised. I'm a military brat. And then from North Carolina, too. That's like two different. But here's the thing. My dad, rest in peace, he was an Army guy. Army guy, yeah. Fort Bragg at the time, but they changed the name.

But Fort Bragg is the biggest military hub on the East Coast, right? And a lot of the families get stationed in Germany. So there's a lot of uprooting and going overseas. You basically are touring with your dad. The whole family goes on tour. So you got to uproot, go to a new school. And it's weird. I went over there the first time I was five years old.

I didn't even understand the concept of people speaking different languages. You know what I mean? You just go to this new place with your family. You think everybody's going to talk like they did back home. Being from North Carolina, was you eating chitlins? No. Okay, you don't.

Never that. Because your mom's a Turkish cake eater. No, no, no. Trinidad. Yeah, Trinidad. Ate a lot of curry, a lot of little tea. I'm full of jerk chicken right now. I just came from Turkish cake.

So you know. I'm full of jerk chicken. We just got coconuts. We just got coconuts from, where's that, Merrimont? And I had, my friend right here bought me veggie jerk chicken. But let's go back to you. Yeah, get to it. God damn it.

Let me, after a while of me touring, I started to learn that if I wanted things American overseas, I would go to army bases. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So didn't that remind you of home Like being on army bases Yeah that's what made it livable And adaptable You were with other American families on base So it just felt like a neighborhood

That was from the states but in Germany In this foreign land So even people ask me Do I speak fluent German I don't You don't speak any German You don't speak any German? You don't speak any German?

I speak a little German. You speak a little German? A little German. A little bit? Yeah. No, I speak a little German. Okay. Yeah, yeah.

I can't. So you're not married, right? We don't talk about personal shit. Okay, cool. But I'm saying, it's not personal. But if you was to talk to somebody and you think you could You could hold a full conversation In German Like

No Alright look Alright one time That's what I was saying When I said I'm not fluent Right okay But one Fluent means

I could Damn Fluent means I could hold a full conversation Okay Yeah But one time One time

I'm in I'm with This is my brother right here Listen Look we have conversations Randomly He'll call me at four in the morning Like yo

But is he fluid? Yes, yes He is not But one time He's full of fluid though One time I'm working with Rockefeller Records I see my man

We're going to bring him We're working with Rockefeller Records Rockefeller Records I didn't know So they asked me to go to a fight I didn't know the fight that they were in was, what was his name? Ricardo Mayorga.

He had just signed to Rockefeller, and he was against Tito Trinidad. And they sat me next to Tito Trinidad's mother, his brother, and his whole family. And at that moment, I knew that Rockefeller was trying to set me up. I refused to go out. I said, I can't go against my Puerto Rican people. What I had to say to

myself, though, was do I know enough Spanish to get the fuck out of here? It gets crazy. If you put in a situation like that, do you know enough that you can get to the door? I know you can get to the door? I know enough to get to the door. I just want to see a black man speak German.

Yeah, I know, I know. It's fun to see that shit. You got to call Boris Kojo. He's fluent. He's actually German. Wow. Yeah. Boris Kojo. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, he's German. He got mad at me one day. I told him to relax. He was like, I don't like that. I swear to God. I was about to say, where at? Okay, moving on okay i got mad notes okay to kanye was that something that you had to go back in because i'm saying you wrote it in 2008 yeah yeah so because i wrote it in 2008 the history doesn't change and because i made it, the history doesn't change. And because I made it about history, it doesn't change.

So there were some references that I had to update, implement, all that kind of stuff. So yeah, the face mask Kanye, definitely. My pen game was like, no, let's get in this computer. Let's add that. It was at one point I didn't know if it was him or not. The voice is on point. He was yelling at me. The voice is on point. That's my at the end. The voice is on point.

That's my man Savvy the Amusing. He does all the Kanye voiceovers online on IG. So that's my man. I was like, yo, you got to put the mask on and come do this role. Because you impersonated Kanye before with the red on your show. Yeah. So that's the thing. I can do the Kanye voice and I've done the Kanye impression, but I'm already playing 12 to 14 characters in this.

I still haven't counted it yet. That's why I keep saying 12 to 14. The credits are crazy. It's your name, your name, your name, your name, your name. Ridiculous, right? Right. But, yeah, why not spread the love to people that I know are technicians? Even my man Dylan that plays Eminem or Sliminem in the movie.

Oh, okay. He does the Eminem joints on IG. That was the same Eminem? The one with the white shirt? Yeah, yeah, same guy. Same guy? Same guy. But I've done an Eminem.

I kept looking to see if it was you. Everybody thinks that, but I have done. No, I've put on the white face before. Yeah, I've done the Eminem impression before. And you've done the black face too with Chris Rock. Well, there's no such thing as blackface if I'm black. So I just put on darker makeup, nigga. What the fuck is happening?

Yeah, man. So, yeah, I've done it. But, yeah, I like to spread the energy out to people that can get out. Right. And really get out. Now, what is the significance of changing these characters' names that are based on real characters? It's kind of like my bizarro world of hip-hop, right? To be able to tell the story.

We know exactly who they are, but I just knew that the audience would be tickled by, and it proved to be correct when I watched the movie with a few different crowds. They love the name changes. Because it's just kind of poking fun. We know who it is, but it's a creative take on the name. And it also helps me to avoid anything legal by saying this is actually 50 Cent. This is actually

Jay-Z. You know what I mean? That scene with 50... Oh, yeah. Okra Whitney? On the Okra Whitney show? I feel like Okra is I feel like Oprah is like Oprah in real life You think so?

Yeah I think Oh I think Oprah behind the scene Be telling niggas Shut the fuck up But that's what we wanted Yeah we wanted to tap into

What we thought people really Are like You know what I'm saying When they get to their Breaking point Just think about it We most likely don't book guests And guests come to us

And we've been doing this for eight years. Oprah's been doing this for 28, 30 years. She'd probably be like, fuck you, nigga. Like on the behind the scenes. You never did, Oprah? I'm sure she's got a couple fuck you niggas in there. Yeah. In her DNA.

In her DNA. Yeah, you don't get to that powerful position without having to tell a few people to kiss your motherfucking ass. Goddamn, let's make some noise for Oprah. Tell the nigg people to kiss your motherfucking ass. Goddamn, let's make some noise for Opa. Now, I'm going to bounce around the place a little bit, right? I know who you are. He said that

like I wasn't supposed to know. Bounce around. Would you ever go, I don't want to say, I don't want to start with 2B, but like a 2B type like place to take your sketches. Yeah?

Yeah, 100%. 2B is business. Yeah. You know what I mean? And it's also fucked up shit too going on over there. it's the people that, they've opened a platform

for entrepreneurs and for people who want to independently produce. It's not 2B's fault that the people's production value isn't as high as we're used to. You know what I mean? Right. So, no, I would definitely do Tubi.

Yeah, it's just a distribution outlet. Because they take your- Of course. It actually gets it to places. Of course. They take your movie if you're filming on your iPhone. Yeah. We could shoot a movie right now.

Yeah, we're shooting a movie right now. Today? Yeah, yeah. On our phone? Yeah, right now. Right now. We'll put it on Tubi. And we can put it on Tubi.

Yeah, yeah. So, why AMC? It's theater It's theater And we had a relationship With somebody at AMC And so the opportunity came First of all

There's no We don't have any studio Behind us Right It's just me and Domain We finance it And so we're It's like we're slinging

The movie out the trunk Type of deal And you told me that early on When you was hitting us up To be a part of it Yeah y'all was supposed To be in the movie out the trunk type of deal And you told me that early on when you was hitting us up To be a part of it Yeah y'all was supposed to be in the movie I'm pissed Now that you've seen it

You're with the Just seeing the trailer I hit y'all last year No I know but I'm saying afterwards I was like ah this is the opportunity Funk flex or the Joe Budden So we was going to blend it, right? So my portrayal as Joe Budden in the funk flex scene,

we had my man Skeet playing funk. But those scenes and just the whole portrayal of everybody feels so real. Right. To add in some real faces. Like you had Razz Kazza. It just grounds it like Razz Kazza and Fredro, right? So we wanted to have y'all actually there instead of doing an impression of y'all. Right, right, right.ro, right? So we wanted to have y'all actually there

instead of doing an impression of y'all. Right, right, right. To have Roscoe come sit down with y'all and y'all do an interview. That would have been dope. Do an interview.

I thought when I watched the movie, I didn't think it was Roscoe who was supposed to sit down. I thought it was the artist that Flex was playing. It was. It was supposed to be Googie and Roscoe.

Okay, okay. Googie have Googie here? Yeah, Googie was supposed to come. Yeah. It was in the script. It was in the script. But it didn't okay. And then Roscoe. We're going to have Googie here? Yeah, Googie was going to do it. It was all, it was in the script. It was in the script. But it didn't happen, but I'm here now. But let me ask you.

No, no, it's because of Nori that it didn't happen. Oh my God. He was very committed to it. This nigga. I was running all over the world. Was all over the world. Yeah, I was. I'm sorry.

But we're here now. Let's not regret it. Let's not bring up old shit. Or ass. For people who only see the end of the marathon. My fault. I forgot to tell you the other reason why. Theaters.

Okay. Right? This is a live concert type of a movie. Watching it on your phone or your laptop doesn't do it justice. We watched it in the theater at least seven times. And we had a big premiere in LA, in the theater. Right.

The music in this movie is real shit. Like, I have real producers. All original, yeah, all original. All original, but some sound-alikes. Right. But we got real easy-mo-bee, real producers, Dem Joint,

Spokas, Ron Browse, my boy Devin O'Bannon. We got a lot, like, real shit. Me and Domain produce some beats. We watch the audiences in the theater, like, oh, like, nodding, like they had a concert and shit. They're cheering at the end of the joint. So it's a different experience to do it in a theater.

So that's the biggest reason why we wanted to do it in a theater. And then, like I said, we had the plug and we took it to AMC. And who doesn't want to see their movie in a theater anyway? A hundred percent.

Right. Yeah. I just seen the Bob Marley movie in the theater. Yeah, I saw that. Yeah, yeah. The only problem is I wanted to smoke weed.

Yeah, yeah. It inspires that. Yes, yes. So we go to New York. I can tell that Kool Herc scene was in L.A. You couldn't fake that New York to me. I was looking like, that ain't the Bronx nowhere.

Right, right, right. Well, what is the purpose of that? Purpose of what? Of like, you know, because I see that you have real New York scenes, like real scenes. Yeah, yeah. And then we have, you know, things that we do. Is it more cost effective doing it like that in LA

a thousand percent oh okay cause imagine we fly the whole crew out to the Bronx and try to maneuver around there no one lives in New York

you know what I mean so we have to put people up and do it that's just way crazier so we had to shoot in LA cause that's all

I could afford to do you know what I mean it was dope, because I could tell, but only real New Yorkers know that, like some people watch it, and they're like,

yo, y'all shot that in New York, right, no, I could tell, the B roll, I could tell the difference, you know what I mean,

from when, because I had that skill, since Seinfeld, you know, none of Seinfeld was filmed, in New York at all, only the B, I don't know if you know that,

they also have a show, called King of Queens. Nowhere near Queens. It's all LA. It's all LA. Yeah. Yeah, when I found that out, I started to see things like that.

But, is it like, like when you started it in 2008, you know, most of us, you know, are kind of spoiled. You know what I'm saying?

Like, most of us with success are kind of spoiled. And if you don't get it at that moment it's like the idea goes away or you lose you know i'm saying like right you lose the enthusiasm you lose the enthusiasm right so did did that happen or this or how was this it happens from time to time but man man, I'm a journeyman. I'm here for the long road. I've been in this game since 94. God damn it. Since you had Braze.

All of that. Let's not forget about Soul Train. We're not forgetting about that. Def Jam, Soul Train, Apollo, all of that. But there's been guys and women that I've seen along the journey that aren't here anymore. You know what I mean? And that's not to knock them or whatever, but I've just always been locked into there's always tomorrow.

Okay. There's always tomorrow. We're going to get it tomorrow. We're going to get it. And just work your ass off until you get to it. That's right. That's special noise. You know what I mean?

How did you go ahead, like, go about picking who you wanted to be featured in terms of artists in the film? It was whoever we knew we could portray convincingly. Most of these characters, we've already, me and Domain have already done parodies of them on YouTube.

Right. You know what I mean? For years, since early 2000s, we were already doing the Jay-Z, the Kanye, the... Russell.

Russell. Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods. He was doing The freeway impression So we just This was me wanting To write a movie That was like

Alright let's put All these characters In one place But make it not feel Like a spoof movie Right Let's lace A really dope message

In here And deliver that message With comedy As the backdrop You know what I mean You know what was So dope about that It was at times In a movie I couldn't tell What was the backdrop. You know what I mean? You know what was so dope about that? It was at times in the movie I couldn't tell what was real or fake. You know what I mean?

Like how you was like, you know, was redoing a story of hip-hop and then it automatically made me think that you was redoing all these stories. Like you had inside information about all these stories. Right. So I honestly, and I'm an industry dude, I honestly couldn't tell What was Like official Or what was like You know what I mean

Made to just be there So It's a really Really really really Fucking great movie man Thank you man Yeah I appreciate it So

I think Go ahead For me Because I wasn't In the Bronx Right And I didn't grow up with I didn't go to

The cool mode D versus busy Beat battle We know about it from YouTube Right We know the audio in the Bronx and I didn't grow up with I didn't go to the Cool Moe D versus Busy B battle. We know about it from YouTube. We know the audio. And I've seen enough documentaries.

I never went to the park when Herc was I was born then. You know what I mean? So this the whole movie in a sense is fiction

based on reality and based on real events. You know what I'm saying? I like that. So that's another reason why we changed names. It's like, look, I'm not representing that this is the actual history because I wasn't there. This is my reimagining of the history. And then from what I said and from what we portrayed, you can go do your research.

And I have people doing that now saying, I didn't know who Kool Herc was. I didn't know who this person was. I didn't know about this event. was. I didn't know who this person was. I didn't know about this event. Was that a real thing? Right. So the same thing that you said is pretty much what the mission was for us. Right.

Now the down low star is J-Bum. The who? The down low star. Right, right. Of the whole movie is J-Bum. The co-star. Yeah, he's the backpack rapper. He's like the guy who kind of makes it make sense.

Yeah. At first, you call him J-Bum. He yells out the thing. He yells out to Russell. And I'm like, oh, this is one of them fucked up rappers that never made it.

And then, you know what I mean? And they always have a bad story, those guys. And they always have diss records. But J-Bum winded up being

kind of like the hero at the end. Yeah. He ignites the hero in Russell. He's like the moral of the story. Freeway, exactly. He's the catalyst, right?

It's not saying that his point of view is right. Because remember, he's saying it's dead, it's fucked up. He represents the old heads. Right. As we go along in the movie,

we start understanding. He said, look, I added myself to that Right I added him He ended with my white beard We the old heads

And look That's the thing Old heads don't want to admit That we old heads There's a fucking There's a thing that happens That midlife shit When you look in the mirror

You're like God damn My hairline ain't where it was Ten years ago. And so he represents that old head conversation. But it doesn't start with him. If you remember in the barbershop scene, the same conversation is happening. Oh, with the temptation.

It's like a cycle. Yeah, between soul versus blues. It's the same shit. There's always going to be old versus young. And so what I hope to get to in the movie is no one is responsible for ruining it. No one is single-handedly responsible. We all are. As a culture.

Right. As a culture, we're all responsible for where hip-hop is or isn't. Right. Where black culture is or isn't. You know what i mean so my thing was i don't want to you know place the blame but the j-bum character is the catalyst to get them on this journey of discovery to find out what the real problem is it looks like it's the young niggas first i thought i thought he was gonna be the mad rapper like i mean he kind of is yeah you're right he kind kind of is. He definitely is. He was. That's what he is. He's the backpack rapper.

Right. The purist, if you will. All right, okay. Okay. There's some layers in this movie, man. You know what I mean? I went in my shit. It's deep.

It's deep, man. It's deep. Okay, okay. Let me go on my notes. I got this nigga going to his notes. I stomped him. You can't never shut this nigga up. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay. Now, did we talk about you being Chinese before, too? Because that shit is just amazing. The randomness of this thing is mine. Yeah, my grandfather was Chinese. Chinese Trinidadian. Yeah.

Which is not uncommon in the island. Exactly. I'm trying to figure out What kind of food That tastes like It's definitely curry It's roti, chicken And all that Egg rolls in there though too

Nah Like you said Chinese Doubles Chinese Trinidadian Chinese Trini is a different Yeah Like Chinese Jamaican

He's Trinidadian But of Chinese descent Oh those are Like Chinese Jamaicans Exactly Yeah They call them Chinese Hold on what?

Chinese Chinese There's a Chinese boy there boy Yeah Chinese Yeah Yo So Where did you dig that up bro?

What? The Chinese part No I Cause I was I was bugging We visited The Germany thing We visited the China thing

He's German and Chinese? What was your mother again? Trinidadian. Trinidadian. That shit is just a ill... I thought I was exotic. We both exotic, man. Talk your shit. I'm black and Puerto Rican. I was like, he kind of took me out. He kind of took me out. He's Chinese, Trinidadian, German,

North Carolinian. This nigga's all type of shit. All of it. So what do you like more? Stand-up? Because I know you took a break for 15 years. You said you wasn't doing that. But is it sketches or stand-up? I like them all.

For me, it's just different ways to express. Stand-up is how I pay for this movie. So stand-up is a whole business model. Right. And for me, it's like, that's where I learn the timing and the pulse of what the culture is responding to. Right. In real time. Right.

They're right in front of me. Right. I can't escape that. Right. Like, I be in front of the hoodest crowds that spend their hard-earned money. You better make them laugh.

They're like, don't waste my motherfucking money. I don't even have it. I ain't had this money. I had to take my girl out. Right. You know what I mean? So I had to dig in

to the piggy bank to get this. So you got to understand the mentality and respect the people that you're in front of. And because I have that every weekend or every other weekend test

of what my comedy muscle is, by the time I'm writing something and I don't have the immediate crowd in front of me judging what I'm writing, I know that when I produce the movie or the TV show or the sketch, I know what they're going to respond to. You have a sense of it.

For sure. A strong sense of what's going to to respond to. You have a sense of it. Right. For sure. A strong sense of what's going to be visceral. And that's what's been happening in these screenings of a hip hop story. The shit that I knew they was going to go crazy over, I see it happen. I know the rhythm. I know the timing. I know the next scene is coming up and I know they're going to flip out over the Cornel

West. Right, yeah. I know what they're going to respond to. You know what I mean? Did Cornel West get mad at you? I know what they're going to respond to. You know what I mean? Did Cornel West get mad at you? I never met him before. I don't know. I'm talking about...

Has anybody responded to you? No, no. But did you... For the most part, I mean, I don't know him, but I know everybody else. You communicated with everybody that portrayed you?

I didn't communicate with them all, but I know them all. You know what I mean? Yeah, because you made Cornel West put his legs in the air. It was very uncomfortable. But we just spoke to Russell last night.

You know what I mean? But yeah, that's... No, no, you're talking about Cornel West. Oh, Cornel West. Yeah, in the air. It was very uncomfortable. But we just spoke to Russell last night. You know what I mean? But yeah, that's... No, no, you're talking about Cornel West. Yeah, I remember. Oh, Cornel West. Yeah, Cornel West. I was like, damn, you don't do a black professor like that.

I was looking at the dude like that. That was the only part. I was like, wait a minute. Look, I say this. Out of all the people in the movie that I portrayed, I'll take my chances in a fight with Cornel West. I'll take my chances. But, you know, respect to the OG.

But I think I might be a little faster than him, so I'll run away. Now in some of these cases, wouldn't it make sense for like Joe Buttons to play Joe Buttons? Nigga, that's what I was trying to do with you. Yes, it would have made sense. It would have made total fucking sense. It's funnier if I portrayed Joe Budden, though. Right, right, right. And then you play yourself, and then you bounce off the fake Roscoe. Right, right.

You know what I mean? Was that Beijing that you had on? Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was all the Beijing, the beard, makeup. Because I had no facial hair the whole movie, because I had to play the Roscoe ball head, all that. So my makeup artists, Quelly Calderon and Karen Rhodes,

they did hair and makeup like nobody's business. It was crazy. Hold on, I'm curious. What did you like about it? You seemed really excited when I sat down because you had just watched it. What resonated with you? It got deep.

I thought the moral of the story and what you were trying to get across, it got a little deep. I'm in it and I'm kind of serious now because it's deep. But then I started having these laugh out loud moments like the Cornel West

was ill, the 50 Cent, Joe Budden and it kind of like brought something that was getting deep and serious to a humorous place. So I think it married those two things together really well. So it blended. Yeah, especially for like a hip hop purist or someone that cares, you know?

For sure. You're like, we need this, but we need to laugh at this as well. For sure. Yeah. Yeah, I call it the spoonful of sugar method. Like, we can theorize and do all kind of debating and all that.

But at the end of the day, what always brings us together is a good laugh and good music. So this movie has all of it. You know what I'm saying? Now, have you ever thought

that comedians be out here acting like rappers? In some cases, worse than rappers. You know what's funny? It's not new to me and anyone who's a comedian. It's the first time we've seen it. It's the first time the public has seen it. That's the first time we've seen it.

None of this is new. Right. We all know who don't like each other. We all have heard the stories. We've all seen fights at the comedy club. No, I'm just getting on. I'm just getting on. That's the problem. We've all seen fights at the comedy club. Nah, I didn't know. I'm just getting on. We know. But that's the problem.

I've said this before. It's like, you know, it's the NBA. When NBA players fight on the court, they, at the press conference afterwards,

or the post conference, they ask them about the fight. Do you really have a beef with LeBron? Do you really? And they always say the same shit. It's just fast talk.

It's part of the game. I respect his game. He's very competitive. That's just what it is. You know what I mean? The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it. I'm J.R. Martinez. I'm a U.S. Army veteran myself,

and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and iHeart Podcast. From Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor, going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. A lot of times the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways. Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up. So now I only buy one. The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on Everybody's Business from Bloomberg Businessweek. I'm Max Chavkin. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith. Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business, taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and how it shows up in our everyday lives. But guests like Businessweek editor Brad Stone, sports reporter Randall Williams,

and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull will take you inside the boardrooms, the backrooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick. Hey, I want to learn about VeChain. I want to buy some blockchain or whatever it is that they're doing. So listen to Everybody's Business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun?

Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened

when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really,

really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. The minute they start spilling out into the public with it, that's why the whole,

what's my man name? Him and LeBron was going into it. He called him old. Dylan Brooks. That's why that got blown out of proportion. It's because he perpetuated it in the conference and said some shit. You know what I mean?

It got disrespectful. That's what's going on in the comedy world right now the public is not supposed to have a say-so in comedy beef it's supposed to stay behind the lines it's been you saying they've been behind the lines it's yeah it's been behind the lines and it should stay there right but now that everybody's you know on the mic talking bringing shit up it's like now the public is weighing in on it and making it way bigger than it's supposed to be. Which is what's been happening in everything else. Yeah. Except now it took a while for it to hit comedy.

To hit comedy, yeah. But Cat has always spoke his mind. He's always said these things. When he used to say them, the audience would call him crazy and that he was on drugs. Now the generation has changed a little bit. The audience is a little different. They're here for all the audience would call him crazy and that he was on drugs. Now the generation has changed a little bit. The audience is a little different. They're here for all the smoke.

They want to hear that stuff. So now his message is resonating with them and now it's getting out a little more. Monique, same thing. Like, at the end of the day, it's not a public conversation.

You know, I don't live by that code. I stay silent. If I don't like you, no one in the public will ever know it. Because I remember it was one Sunday, I believe it was during COVID. It was a Mother's Day. And I turned on my Instagram live. And you and Kevin Hart was just trading blows. Going for it. I believe he said you had a white woman's neck. I've never heard no speech like that. And y'all

went at it. I'm talking about he crying, you crying. That's the comedy I'm used to, to tell you the truth. Yeah. Even though y'all trying to hurt each other's feelings, but not too far.

But not even. Not too far, but you're trying to win. You know what I mean? Yeah, it's snappy. We're testing wits. We're sparring. Right.

You know what I mean? Right. And it was so in the moment. That's just what that moment was. Right. But never in my life Will you see me Talking shit about

Any comedian You know what I mean I'm actually the guy that Even if I don't fuck with you like that I have positive shit to say about people I respect people's craft I respect people's Artwork

And the fact that we're all successful There's no room for us to be fighting Like why is niggas mad I'm like what you mad for Why is niggas mad So you know I got love for everybody And for those that I don't have love for

You'll never know it I ain't gonna lie I'm gonna keep it honest I was with Dave Chappelle Just hanging out the other day Stunt No no no I told him

I just had to tell him I just was like yo I kinda like y'all beefing. Because you're a rapper, nigga. Because I'm a rapper. I wanted to make sure we ain't the only ones that look crazy.

And he told you something similar to what he's saying. No, he said he didn't like it. And I realized it wasn't kind of funny to him. Like, I was... Like, I like you and Nas better as friends

than you talking about you going to beat his ass. Fuck out of here. Fuck out of here, Nori. We all do. But I'm not going to lie to you. You don't like it. I'm not going to lie to ass. Fuck out of here. Fuck out of here, Norris. We all do. But I'm not going to lie to you. I don't like it. I'm not going to lie to you.

Yeah, exactly. It took me to see that to say, you know what? We're not just crazy. It's not just rappers. It's not just rappers. Everybody has feelings. Everybody. Like, having this show taught me that the most powerful men in the world have feelings.

Because they'll call me, and they'll be like, I can't even say it. But you know what I'm trying to say. Yeah, no. People have feelings. And it was dope to see other people be humans. For lack of a better term,

to see comedians be humans. You know what I mean? No, no. Comedians, we're very sensitive. You know what I mean? It takes a lot of vulnerability to get on stage and believe that you're funny.

Right. Risk getting booed mean? It takes a lot of vulnerability to get on stage and believe that you're funny. Right. Risk getting booed faster than any other art form. And, you know, persevere through the years to build something that becomes successful. Build a name, build a brand, build a voice for your comedy. It takes a lot to build it, man. But, you know, like I said, I'm a purveyor of peace. I'm the Zen comedian. You know what I mean?

Did you see, um, Larry, what was his name? Um, Holmes, um, Larry,

what was his name? Um, the comedian, he was beefing with, um, um, Donnelly Rollins. Like,

he looked like a rap battle. Corey Holcomb. Corey Holcomb. Yeah, that's my guy. Both of them was my guys, and that's the thing. But you see how they was going back and forth?

I'm like, it's a rap battle, bro. What the fuck is the difference? Like, that's when I knew comedians. Y'all going, y'all, y'all going, and that's the thing. But you see how they was going back and forth? I'm like, it's a rap battle, bro. What the fuck is the difference? That's when I knew comedians. Y'all gone. Yeah, I like it. You know, they eat their own.

You'll never see me yelling at another comedian in public. It's just not going to happen. But one time a dude tried to heckle you, though, right? You always get hecklers. That was after Dave Chappelle? Or that was before Dave Chappelle? Which time are you talking about You talking about when

The Karen got on stage Yeah When the Karen got on stage The Karen I'm a guy Oh yeah But it's always hecklers Again

None of this shit is new None of this shit is new When it gets out Into the public And it starts to circulate That's when it starts To get blown out of proportion But we've been dealing

With this shit So you're saying that's what happened. Karen's been coming on your stage for years. No, I'm just saying heckling, shit getting a little edgy

at shows, that is not new. Wow. You know what I mean? As a rapper, you know back in the day there was some cities you went to

where niggas were throwing beer cans or bottles. Shit just happens in the art of performing. Right. Depending on where you go. Right. So it ain't nothing that, it ain, shit just happens in the art of performing. Right. Depending on where you go. Right.

So, it ain't nothing that, it ain't nothing that I fear or shy away from. I remember that happening to me, and I remember me particularly just saying, I'm only going to markets that I'm welcome at. Yeah. I learned, like, the first year, we had the war report, and the war report was music straight for the streets. Yeah. We could not go to certain places. So I remember immediately saying, yo, take this off of the market.

This is off of the itinerary. This is off of the schedule. Is that something you ever had to do? Yeah. I'll do it for, if I don't trust the club manager or if I feel like they was disrespecting me and my team,

I just won't fuck with them. I won't go back to that city. I won't go back to, not the city. I won't go back to the city. I won't go back to... Not the city. I won't go back to the venue. Okay. The people in the city, you know,

if they are fans and they rock with me, I'll figure out another venue. Yeah, because there's limited comedy venues in the city. I'll figure it out in the whole city. To a degree, yeah. If I ever make it,

I'm like... You'll take it out in the whole city? I'll take it out in the whole city, yeah. I ain't going back. Fuck them. You'll take it out

in the whole city. Everybody guilty. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. Nah, I love my fans. Especially when I had the number one record. Because it's like, when you have the number one record, it feels like, I'm the number one dude. You know what I mean?

Like, you're supposed to be. You get saucy when you get the number one shit. No, but it's the truth. And then you go some places, and then people are looking at you because, you know, I'm realizing this record is just getting there. It's a regional record. It's just getting there. But I'm thinking, I'm already the man. I'm number one. This just getting there. It's a regional record. It's just getting there. But I'm thinking I'm already the man.

I'm number one. Motherfucker, what the fuck? These motherfuckers are sitting there looking at me. I'm like, I never take this off. Take this off of this shit. We are never coming back.

Yes. I take the promoter out. I take it out on the club. The bartenders. The role man. Maybe not the bartenders. They always been cool with me.

Sometimes it's how the show was set up though. Yeah. Sometimes it's who you're with. They might just be really big fans of that person and then

they don't give a fuck about who's coming on the stage before them. Yeah, I don't even do that on certain things. But we got a game that we play here. It's called

Quick Time with Slam. But before we do that, we want to give you your flowers. I give more flowers?, we want to give you your flowers. I get more flowers? Yeah, guess what? Hey, hey. They spelled my name

right the first time. So just so y'all know, I got two of these at the crib. One of them is spelled wrong. My last name is spelled wrong. But they were gracious enough to send me a corrective. I can tell that's Mr. Lee's doing. You think I speak spelled wrong. But they were gracious enough to send me a corrective version. Yeah, yeah. And I can tell that's what Mr. Lee's doing. You think I speak fucked up.

You hearing this, nigga? He said, I fuck drunk, dude. Yeah, so we're going to play Quick Time with Slime. You guys sent that? Oh, not yet. What do you mean, not yet?

Oh, yeah. All right, all right. Cool. I got a couple. Yeah, let's go. I'll put this right here. The movie's out. It's already out, right?

So the movie's already out. We did a soft launch. Only 159 AMC screens. So let me educate people on the business of it. Most people think that when you see a movie, and especially with what we put into the production value, they just think, oh, this shit is going to come to the theater right by my crib.

It's going to be on streaming next week. Oh, man, this shit is lit. It's the theater right by my crib. It's going to be on streaming next week. Oh, man, this shit is lit. It's up. That's not how it works. Again, there's no studio. It's just me and him. Most studios have a budget for marketing and placement and all that kind of stuff. You have to pay per screen to house your film there.

Damn, I didn't know that. Right? So, again, all of this is out of my pocket. It ain't, you know what I mean? I ain't sitting on no one fucking le again, all of this is out of my pocket. You know what I mean? I ain't sitting on no one fucking leprechaun pot of gold type of shit. It's just me investing in the business. So I

spent the money on as many as I could. Right. And I said, alright, that's enough for where we are. Right. And then we're going to have meetings with other companies to widen the net and of course figure out the streaming deal as well but it's not as easy as people think it is you know i'm saying and the theaters have to

approve your movie right if it was coming from a bigger company right a big big name of course they'd be like yeah by all means and that company has the budget to just put the movie in whatever theater they want. But because it's us, it's a little more scrutinized and they can fine-tooth comb it and say, we don't want that movie here. There's no track record of me and him as producers with that theater.

So it's a lot of elements. Yeah, they're not just going to fill seats. I mean, to be even fair on their end. That's what they care about. And that's fair. That's business. We totally get that. You know what I mean?

They want to make room for the cartoon or the big action hero movie that's gonna bring the people into the theater so that's just a little bit of the business side of it so people understand like it's not just as simple as man how come it's not playing in detroit right they didn't approve it in detroit we couldn't get it in detroit but it performs well and the ones that it's in now will expand some more theater yeah and that's been happening so it opened friday last friday right um the 23rd okay and yes a lot of the screens uh especially in the bigger cities new york la we've been adding shows so it's been it's been a really decent few days in the movie but the biggest part about it was us watching the audience's reaction to it like they already gave

us 90 on rotten tomatoes which is a hard yeah ranking system you know what i mean so the the reaction has been consistent damn near 100 everyone is saying it's a brilliant movie it's hilarious with a message they love the the characters and how many scenes it was how many journey like the the journey of it all. And they love, love the music. And the cinematography, it's well made. Yeah. Like the color correction looks ill for like the time period you're trying to display.

Like it's dope. Yeah. It's very well made. So people watching this, go and watch it if it's near you in a theater. Yeah, if it's still in the theaters. If not, like I said, we're going to restructure the deal and we're going to shop it around now.

Now that we have a litmus test and a focus group, we have some evidence of what this movie can do. Again, it's just me and him doing it. So what is the end result of this? Is it to re-operate in a movie theater? I would love to do that. Yeah, I would love to do like a wide distribution worldwide. I would love for this movie To be a hundred million dollars

Right You know what I'm saying It's worthy of that Right You know what I mean Compared to Bob Marley Bob Marley is about an icon That we all know

Right Right Hip hop is iconic It's a culture Full of The movie has icons in it Right So it's like

We have the same appeal As that Not to say that You know No disrespect to Marley at all And we I know those producers as well not to say that you know no disrespect to marley at all and we i know those producers as well and i love that the success that they're having but we would love to be able to have our film in that same type of conversation or that same type of success rate you know what i mean is there a business model where a big uh studio comes in and says you guys

are performing well independently we're going to come in and partner up with you. No, absolutely. Yeah? Yeah. Yep. But again, we proved ourselves. Every step of the way with an independent movie, you prove yourself. Right. And it's a different model. Not everyone is doing it this way.

Right. You know, most people take it directly to a studio when it's still on the script, when it's still on the page. And you may give up a ton of ownership most of the the the ownership of it he and i take money once you take money yeah exactly yeah the whole thing people people have notes and they want to tell you let's do this and let's do that and that's the thing we made the movie we wanted to make all right from front to back so that's another thing like we made the movie we want to make so So we don't look at it as, ah, man, we got bad notes and we wish that scene was different. The movie we shot is the movie we made.

Right. That we wanted to make. Because I heard you once say that you didn't recognize your show on Fox. Like, after you filmed it. Completely opposite experience. So how does that work? You film it. I mean, you guys film it.

I mean, not you film it i mean you guys film it i mean not you film it right but but you get a version and you approve a version and then it has to go to the higher ups and then what they do they water it down what they do is um every step of the way in the editing process right in post-production they're giving notes every day sometimes every hour right uh you you send them a new cut and they'll be like, change this, do that. We don't like this, and we don't like that. It's always the people that know the least about what you're doing that's telling you the most. Telling you the most, yeah.

Because they're spending the money. Right. You know what I mean? But again, it's business. We understand it. We're not knocking the business. The business is what it is. We love the business because we're

still succeeding in it. This is just a new venture that we're like, all right, let's see where this goes. Me and EFM, we always argue and he's always independent. I'm always major. But one time, I'll give you a scenario.

I had a record with Ja Rule. And the record was cool. We filmed the video, but it kind of really wasn't me. And Leo Coles did have edits. Leo Coles came to me and was like, listen, I kind of invested in Nori, not Ja Rule. Like, I don't want a Ja Rule. He said it was popcorn. He said it was popcorn. He was like, I don't want a Ja Rule. He said it was popcorn. He said it was popcorn.

He was like, I don't want a Ja Rule Normie video. The order does not bite his tongue, does it? Yeah, yeah. And he was right this time.

And you know what happened? For that, I went and I made Homeboy. I came to party. So that record wouldn't even exist. So at some times, these producers

are correct. I mean, these executives, I meant to say. Right, right, right. These executives are correct. No,, executives, I meant to say. Right, right, right. These executives are correct. No, there are some, of course.

But to lose ownership for good advice. No, no, no, I'm not saying that. Let me finish my question. So as opposed, so let me ask, are you opposed

to never working with a studio? No, no, no. All I'm saying is this is something that we decided to do because we were passionate about it.

We had a vision for it. Right. And I had the money to be able to get it going. it your way so yeah to do it my way i'm still in hollywood i still you know work for other projects and audition and do all that kind of stuff i still do all of that but um when it comes to independent filmmaking this is the film that we wanted to make and it could change our lives Based on how we've had to do things in the past You know what I mean? Now you said something in the past too You said that Hollywood could be a little racist

You said because there's never been a black man To play Batman And then It wasn't rumors of him playing Batman But it was rumors of a black man Playing James Bond. I feel like that's because of you. Nah.

You don't want that? That's not because of me. I'm saying you said it, and I think Hollywood is like, you know what, that'd be cool to have a black James Bond. I may have said it in jest. Yeah, but I think it's coming true.

Maybe voices like yours, you're a part of that voice. You don't want those props? Yeah. I'm giving you those props. Just voices like yours, you're a part of that voice. You don't want those props? Yeah. I'm giving you those props. Just take them. Just take them. Just take them.

These are props. No, I think I would rather, because it was approaching Idris Elba. Yeah, to be on the game. And everybody was saying that they wanted him to do it. He got the action already. I understand his mentality on it he's just like why why do we always have to do the black version of what they created why don't we just create our own like he did with luther right you know i mean instead of said that i didn't know he said that i'm paraphrasing

okay right but but he was like nah i would would rather focus on Luther because he keeps getting asked if he's going to do the James Bond thing. And his answer as of right now that I know of his is no, that he doesn't he's not interested in doing that. You know what I mean? But again, I don't want to speak for him, but that's the understanding of it. But that's my my thing, too, is like, look, we are very creative we don't have to rehash anything or you know be the the new black version of this character that's been in their world for a long time um i think we we're we're creative enough we could come up with some fire i think i'm 50 50 on that what if i grew up being a fan of flash gordon and i just want to see the black flash gordon yeah ain't nothing wrong with that look there's nothing wrong with that's the whit nothing wrong with it that's the whitest

the whitest character I just like to push the culture to be more creative that's all you know what I mean I don't always like to see a remake yeah I don't I agree

like I don't want to see a Black Lady box too many remakes you know what I mean like I get that it's a shit load of remakes right now so you know

it's all but it's sound is there any character you'd like to play that you love that I would like to play In the movie? That I would like to play? Yeah

Besides being Besides a comedian Oh for sure I mean I'm working on my Action Star Leading man

Energy now That's where I'm going next Yeah You know what I mean I'm not the guy Who's one dimensional Who I mean you see this from

the movie like i played yeah a thousand niggas to this joint so um but i want to be very clear we're me and domain are actual filmmakers we're not just hey let's do this spoof movie because it's some cultural shit and do it because it's an easy play. Let's put this film out. Let's succeed. And then let's go into our sci-fi bag. Let's go into our action bag. Let's go into our kung fu bag.

Like, we are filmmakers. Yeah, I've got a sci-fi movie. I want to smoke weed in space. Domain, write that down. Write that down. I want to. I always felt like. He expected you to go.

Oh, yeah. That's what I did. I did expect somebody to go. You're about to be like that shit. Because literally to, I want to. I always felt like. He expect you to go. Oh, yeah. That's what I did. I didn't expect so much. You set it up like it was about to be like that shit. Because literally, just think about it. There's been a lot of space movies. But even one of my favorite shit on Netflix is a thing called Space Force. You never seen it? Nope.

I heard of it. I heard of it. Is it a movie? It's a comedy, isn't it? It's a comedy about. Like a fake Star Trek. Like a sp It's a comedy, isn't it? It's a comedy about... Like a fake Star Trek. Like a spoof on Star Trek, isn't it? I wouldn't say Star Trek, but it's like...

What's this guy's name for 40-year-old virgin? Paul Rudd? Steve, that dude. Yeah. Who? The dude from 40-year-old virgin, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So he's like the general...

Oh, Steve Carell. Yeah, yeah. Gotcha, gotcha. Yeah, he got... It's like dope. It's dope, but it's like in space, and it's like the general. Oh, Steve Carell. Yeah, yeah. Gotcha, gotcha. It's like dope. It's dope, but it's like in space, and it's like, eh, you know, all right. And that's what you want to do?

Smoke weed? Yeah. You felt like that was missing in that one? I was like, nobody smoked bud in the space. He wanted to spend three in space. Cheech and Chong did those movies. Did they do that? Yeah, but they did it back then. Not in space. I don't think they did a space one.. Did they do that? Yeah, but they did. I don't think they did a space one.

They want to do a new version. Yeah, a new version. They catch beef with China. China run over our flag. It's America against China. In space? In space, yeah. They run over our flag. Fly or run? The moon? Like they're on the moon. They're on the moon and the flag.

This is real shit. It's in the thing. So the American flag is there and China just shit it's in the thing so the American flag is there and China just runs it over so the people in America yeah so the people

in America like the generals they have real what do you put in your weed no but hit me up this is real I ain't never smoked before

but if it gives me that imagination you got the moonroof come up moonroof I might I might at least want to smell it so this is this is what they did But if it gives me that imagination You got the moonroof Come up moonroof It's called space force I might at least want to smell it So this is what they did So they had a meeting

This is the Navy The Army And they're like The Navy and the moonroof The Navy The Army They all meet together Because they're like

Yo you look The Chinese people Destroy American flag So they're like Yo we got an attack And this is in space Watch it Space force Shit is hard How do y'all How do you do it So they're like, yo, we got to attack. And this is in space. Watch it. Space Force.

Shit is hard. How do y'all, how do you do it? How do you, because you seem very clear-headed. And then there's Nori. He's clear-headed in what he's thinking about, though. I'm telling you, I promise you. When you watch, you're going to watch this and be like, you actually say my bad. Do you always, do you always have, like You actually say my bad I promise you

Do you always Do you always have Like are you ADD Do you have ADD ADHD Yeah well that way it is All of these All of these

Yeah yeah Cause you just You It's like we be having A conversation about one thing And then you'll pull out A giraffe Like where the fuck

Did the giraffe come from I love that It's going to be in the promo It's going to be in the promo You killed that going to be in the promo. You killed that. I loved every second of that. Thank you. We're doing QuickTime for- That was actually a compliment to me. I don't know if you knew that.

All right. Now, QuickTime, what's the line? What was it? It was just- I'm just trying to understand- It was a compliment. I'm understanding how your mind fires off. Yeah.

Because it's just so much things going through. Look, I'm doing part two. I'm studying. Go ahead. You got to- I'm studying. Are you really though? Is that serious? No. I'm just saying- I'm just saying- I'm just saying- Yeah, because you know, it's just so much things going on doing part two

Or no wait what we will happen, okay. Yeah What yeah who's gonna have you want to bring anybody in you want to bring anybody Can I tell him what the... Yeah, tell him to come in. You can be the designated drinker now. Who you talking about? You want one of your people to be the designated drinker or you want one of our people to be the... None of us drink. None of y'all drink. None of us drink. So we're going to... You want Sonny D?

Oh, Tony O. Tony O? Oh, Tony O drinks. You want a drink? Okay, oh, come on. Come on, Tony O. Come on, let's go. Oh, G1.

You got to give him one of those speeches. He ain't a big speaker. Yeah. I was happy the Latino gave him a good speech. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Give him a chair right there, Mr. Lee. Come on. Give him your chair. You're Dominican.

Give him your chair. You're Dominican. Come on. Dominican to Dominican. Yeah, yeah. That fade to black scene. Yeah, yeah. That was the fade to black scene?

Yeah. No, because fade to black, they ain't have drags. No, no, no. But we did our version of, like, the newer version of that energy. Okay. Yeah, you can't do that kind of music, Jay. You can't do that. It's sending a different message. You say, what you talking about? This is my rhyme. This is my rhyme. These is my rhyme. I send slugs that are bigger than you through your pass in the side door.

UPS ground, you sign for it. I'm telling these niggas to be delivery men. That was hard. Man. I'm telling these niggas to be delivery men. That was hard. Man. I'm telling these niggas to be delivery men.

That was hard. Man. I'm telling these niggas to be delivery men. That was hard. Man. I'm telling these niggas to be delivery men. That was hard. Man. I'm telling these niggas to be delivery men. That was hard. That was hard.

You make people want to do Kwan. You can say one or the other. If you pick both, your man drinks. You played this last time, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your man drinks, but we drink with him. We don't leave him out there. I've been waiting my whole life for this moment. Okay, all right, cool. Shout out, first of all, shout out to Tony Oskitz.

He's the king of Miami comedy. That's the whole thing. And when I called him, he was like, yo, I'll be there. He flew himself out to L.A. He showed up on set. He knew his line. Like, the dude is a professional, man. He really rocks out.

And he has his own brand. Like, I'm not, this ain't This ain't no me putting him on. This is him saying, nah, I want to be there for this moment of the theater. So shout out to Tony O. Not only is he a professional. He's professionally drinking for you right now. No doubt, no doubt.

No doubt, okay. Kevin Hart or Cat Williams? Who put Catty Williams, yo? Take a drink, nigga. I speak fluent. I speak fluent, Mr. Lee. Oh, this is good. I know exactly what he meant.

But look, I got some Mama Juana. Okay. No, Mama Juana chill. You said chill, bro. Bring me. Yeah. Okay. A little personal for you.

Tupac or Biggie? Oh. Biggie. That's it, okay. A little personal food. Tupac or Biggie? Oh. Biggie. That's it, dude. A little personal Mama Juana for you. Thank you. I need more drinks. No, no, no. It's gone.

But what do you want to drink? You don't have to drink that if that's what you want. I'll get whatever the hell you got. Oh! Yeah, because we got... We ain't drink-shaking. We don't drink. Oh.

Okay, yeah, because... Yeah, you can drink whatever you want. Try it, try it. Shake it. Did you shake it a little bit? Shake it, shake it a little bit. I thought I was going to let him take that home. No, whatever you want.

You can drink it now, take it home. We got shots for you. I'll take this one. I like this one. That's in his cargo pocket. You ready? Keeping this. Showtime at the Apollo?

Or Soul Train? Showtime at the Apollo? Or Soul Train? Showtime at the Apollo. Why? Because Apollo came first? Apollo for me, Apollo for me has a, it just has a different rawness to it. And because I danced on Soul Train, I understand how exploitive Soul Train was to the dancers.

But you were disappointed when you got to Soul Train because it wasn't Soul Train that you knew it? I already knew that it wasn't that. What I'm saying is, for years, I mean, for the whole run, they never paid the dancers. And the dancers are what made Soul Train. You know what I mean? And, you know, I understand the legacy of Soul Train. It's legendary. It's iconic.

But the principle of not paying the dancers and seeing some of these people that I still know to this day and they're not financially well off, I think it's not right. So I would go showtime with the Apollo. Yeah, but hold on. You fucking on my childhood. So you mean to tell me All these years of me watching Nobody got paid Them people walking down that aisle

Nobody got paid Not a minimum of anything Cold fried chicken Man Wow Damn that fucked me up Okay But did the Apollo pay?

No I mean it's amateur night So Amateur night But it's a different It's a different Muscle Okay Yeah it's exposure? It's a different muscle. Okay. It's a different system.

The dancers on Soul Train were regulars. Okay. You know what I mean? Every week you see these people, they became names off of it. So it was great exposure, but they didn't pay him. Right. And those socks that you had on, on amateur night. My white socks?

The white socks. Yeah. Was those the Michael Jackson that had glitter in it? Nah, it was no glitter. It was glitter. I kept focusing in. I'm sure that was, you know, Walmart or something like that. Oh, really?

Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, all right. Come on. Sketches or movies? I would say movies. I love sketch, but movies gives me the range to stretch out that muscle. Right.

Pause. Yeah, it gives me the range to exercise a different creativity, and it gives you the time to shape it in a way that's different. Sketch is so fast. Okay. You know what I mean? So I like movies. And it gives you the time to shape it in a way that's different. Sketch is so fast. Okay. You know what I mean? So I like movies. And real quick. Yeah.

It's the bootlegger. Uptown. Why didn't you have Michael Blacksman play? I called him. You called him? He was in Ghana. It was Hollywood? No, no.

He was in Ghana because he has a school out there. Okay. Okay. So he was in Ghana taking care of that When we were filming it So I definitely He was the first person I called Yeah

It felt like him Yeah yeah yeah Okay What's his name? Michael what? Michael Blacksman Blacksman? Yeah Blacksman

Come on Michael Blackson That's it My bad Sure Afion He knows what I mean He knows Sure Afion He knows what I mean He knows what I mean He knows what I mean

He knows what I mean He knows what his name is Dave Chappelle Or Chris Rock Take a drink He already was taking one He knew Yeah yeah

He could wait But no both of those guys Are goats for different reasons But Chris is our OG. Dave and I are the same age, so it's like, Chris is still our OG, but Dave is obviously the GOAT in his era. He's phenomenal in his output, the way that he thinks.

But if you notice in the movie, I play the Chris Rock through a hole in his cadence and all that kind of stuff. So Chris is one of the people that he thinks. But if you notice in the movie, I play the Chris Rock, you know, through a hole in his cadence and all that kind of stuff. So Chris is one of the people that I've studied for a long time and I've always respected his social consciousness, if that makes any sense, that goes into his comedy.

He's very brilliant, very smart in how he approaches it. I like that. This is all you, Nori. This is all me. I'm sorry if this is a boring one because I'm not going to let the controversy go. Curb is enthusiasm or Seinfeld? Curb.

Get out of here. Curb is the DNA of Seinfeld. You know what I mean? So you got to give props to... A lot of people would say Seinfeld's the DNA of Curb. But wasn't he the writer? He wrote it, right? No, but Larry created Seinfeld. Larry created Seinfeld's the DNA of Curb He wrote it right? But Larry created Seinfeld

Larry created Seinfeld Yeah That's what he's saying But you say I thought you said Curb is Curb is the DNA of Seinfeld It came after But because he created Seinfeld

He brought that same template to Curb But it's him doing it Right It's not him giving his Formula to actors Right Right It's him doing it And It's not him giving his formula to actors. It's him doing it. And you really see it come to life in Curb because he's playing a version of himself.

And it's way more off the chain. It's HBO. You can cuss. So imagine Seinfeld could cuss. Then maybe I'd, you know, Seinfeld was brilliant. But when you watch Curb, you got to respect that. Oh, this is the mind That Seinfeld came out of So I gotta go to the source Did you realize

That Seinfeld and Elaine Was both whores That they was what? Both whores Whores? Oh yeah yeah They had a different date Every week

I mean you know Where did we call that? Being young and single In New York. Yes. Although they filmed it in L.A. Yeah, although they filmed it in L.A. And I watched it because I love it.

So I go back and I revisit it. And I'm like, I didn't peep it. They were whores. She was very promiscuous. Yeah. She was smashing everything. I was cracked. Yeah.

And was talking about it, too. Like, yeah, smashed him. I ain't really like his shit. They hooked up in it, right? She smashed Sean Feld, too. Like, yeah, I smashed him. I ain't really like his shit. They hooked up in it, right? She smashed Seinfeld too. Yes. But, but, but, in all, because we can't be sexist,

so what was Seinfeld? You said both of them. He had, he, I mean, I emphasized. He doesn't remember. I emphasized Elaine just now. No, you said they were both hoes. Yeah, yeah. No, but I just said, like, Elaine, but I just want to say, Seinfeld was just as guilty. Yeah, you said they were both hoes. Yeah, yeah. No, but I just said like Elaine, but I just want to say it was just as guilty. Yeah, you started out with it. Why?

Go ahead, E. Oh, the next one. Oh, you don't think he can read that? You don't think he's speaking English? Haunted house or soul man? I'm going to go haunted house because that's The Ray Ray character

Even though people love Lester Lester The molester The co-jester The master The master But yeah Haunted house

Cause Ray Ray That I went and shot that scene For like a couple hours I never knew that that thing Was gonna Live on like it does Like I be having

Little white kids Come up to me like I don't give a fuck, Keisha. That is weird. That was the first time in that movie I heard somebody say, fuck the kids.

Oh, Bernie Mac. No, Bernie Mac. He was like, fuck them kids. I said, holy shit. And people actually was like, word up. Yeah, yeah.

I was like, holy shit. You felt him when he said that up. Yeah, yeah. I was like, holy shit. You felt him when he said that shit. Yeah, I felt him. And now, I saw Evercraig say that on his special the other day. And I was like, holy shit,

that's cool now. Yeah. I said, fuck the kids. I never knew that. Yeah, you can say it. Yeah, yeah. Say it out loud. Okay.

MOP or Mobb Deep? Oh. Take a drink. Yeah. This is a great game for Tonio. Yeah. This is a great game for Tonio. Yeah. Outcast at UGK.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the man who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it. I'm J.R. Martinez. I'm a U.S. Army veteran myself. And I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and iHeart Podcast.

From Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor, going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A lot of times the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways. Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding. But the price has gone up, so now I only buy one. The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on Everybody's Business from Bloomberg Businessweek. I'm Max Chavkin. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith.

Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business, taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and how it shows up in our everyday lives. But guests like Businessweek editor Brad Stone, sports reporter Randall Williams, and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull will take you inside the boardrooms, the backrooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick. Hey, I want to learn about VeChain. I want to buy some blockchain or whatever it is that they're doing. So listen to Everybody's Business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, Have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission.

This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Why would you do that, man?

Shout out to my man Bun. Shout out. For real burgers. But I listened more to Outkast growing up, so I would say Outkast. That's cool. Okay. Got stopped at a mall the other day.

Heard a call from the other way that I just came from. So nigga was saying something. Talking about, hey, what's up? Remember me from school? Nah, not really. But he kept smiling like a clown. Facial expression looking silly. Then he kept asking, what kind of car you drive?

I know you paid. I know you got boo-cool billfolds from all them songs that y'all done made. I replied that I done gone through the same thing that he has. True, I got more fans than an average man, but not enough loot to last me. To the end of the week, I live by the beat like you'all done made. I replied that I done gone through the same thing that he has. True, I got more fans than an average man, but not enough loot to last me to the end of the week. I live by the beat like you live check to check. If you don't move your feet, then I don't eat that. We like neck to neck. Yes, we done come along.

We like them slim ass cigarettes from Virginia. This ain't gon' stop, so we just gon' continue. Me and you. Yo mama and your cousin too. Pulling out a clip your tombo coming out to him and Cadillac goes

boom boom now this one I'm very curious I don't know if this is a regional question or if this is a legendary question

or just a classic question NWA or Wu-Tang clan take a fucking drink yeah i could never that's both yeah i could never oh listen man i'm thinking the amount of influence that both of those groups had west coast i mean nwa was west coast they were before wu-t, but they had influence on everybody. And there was no real, even though they was straight out of Compton, the level of skills, and that's kind of what the movie points to as well.

When they came out, even though they were from a different region, it's not about the region. They still had the formula of having skills. They had rhymes they had ill beats yeah so we all rocked to them we didn't care where they were from we were big fans of them um and then wu-tang they just in the whole they're aliens man yeah both are movements both are for sure movements you know what i mean so you respect every mc was crazy with it. Shout out to NWA and Wu-Tang. Can we just give it up for that? Shout out to Snoop.

Snoop is son of NWA in a sense. You know what I mean? You're definitely on that tree for sure. And rest in peace Snoop, brother. Exactly. Rest in peace Bing, man. I told Snoop I was going to wear the jacket for him, man. Rest in peace. It's crazy because I had texted Snoop the other day.

And I said positive energy, brother, blessings. And Snoop called me. And me and him, I got more of a text relationship. But when he called me, I knew there was something up. He was like, yo, yo, cuz. You know, I can't say what he, you know, cause I don't know if that was between me and him,

but it was just like, I texted him at a moment where, you know, I think he just, you know, found out what happened to his brother. For sure. For sure.

Rest in peace to Snoop's brother. Yeah. No, he called me around that same time. Um, cause he, when it happened, um,

at the same time, he found out about my movie, right? So he asked me, he's like, man, could I please see a screening of it just before it hit the theaters? He's like, man, is there any way I could see? I just need a laugh right now. And I was like, anything you need. Of course. You know what I'm saying?

So he's a big supporter of mine anyway, but in that moment, it felt good to be able to just be able to, you know, have make fun of, not that, obviously, but, you know, we need to laugh sometimes when it's, when you're going through turmoil. Yeah. You need to go look at something. You need to go, you know what I mean, and just laugh. You know what I mean? Like, that shit is real. Well, that's one of the biggest compliments I've ever gotten and consistently get is people saying, man, you helped me through the pandemic.

That's what's up. By going on IG Live and acting silly or your movies or your this, the Wildin' Out, full episodes. So I don't take my purpose in this comedy game lightly. I respect that. Which is another reason why I will never talk bad about any other comedian publicly. I don't care who it is. I actually, like,

I got love for Cat. You know what? I haven't told any of these stories, so I'm going to do it here on Drink Champs. Can I do that? I would love it. Cat Williams.

We started out on Wildin' Out That's where I met him I've seen Cat's heart at work We was auditioning for the network This is at the end of auditions When everybody's kind of They chose all the people that they want as possibles And they get us all In a chemistry kind of a read

You said network, you were talking about MTV So they get us all in a chemistry kind of a read Where You said network, you were talking about MTV. MTV. Okay, continue. So they get us all in a chemistry kind of a read where we're all there, they mix and match in this. Let me see Afion and D-Ray do these jokes. Let me see Afion and Corey Holcomb

do these jokes. Let me see how they all, how they bounce off of each other. We were there all fucking day and we couldn't leave because it's an audition. We don't know when they're going to call us back

and call us whatever. And this was at a time when Cat had, the Money Mike had already happened the friday after next he was touring he was already making a a little bit of change at the time so out of all of us he had more money than all of us right he sent his driver to mcdonald's and came back and fed everybody that was there auditioning wow right he didn't do it for no accolades. He just was like, you know, people was like, thank you, Cat. He was quiet about it. Another time, we did a Wild N' Out live show in Vegas.

This was the first time we did a Wild N' Out live show. Now they're doing arenas and shit. But we was doing it, and we did one in Vegas at Caesars Palace. Cat sees me after the show with some of my homies that live in Vegas. It's like a family setting. It's like 12, 14 people at the table. And he comes up to me. He sees

us. He waves. Then he comes up to me about 20 minutes later. He says, yo, Afe, just pay the tip. I was like, what? So he took care of the bill on the love. He was like, what? So he took care of the bill, like, on the love. Wow. He didn't owe me nothing.

It was just him. So he has this generous side of him that's like. Everyone says that about him. That's dope. And he doesn't want accolades for it. Wow. I've seen him throw cash up in the air on Wild N' Out. You know what I'm saying?

Everybody grabbing for the cash. So he has a very giving heart. Cedric the Entertainer.er Obviously he kills it in this movie Biggie One of the nicest niggas ever Right Right He's always been

Gracious with me When I first moved to LA He was like man Take my number down If you ever need anything Just let me know Most superstar guys Don't do that kind of shit

You know what I'm saying I know I know Cat went at Ricky Smiley But Ricky Smiley Is another guy who Early in my career, gave me a lot of gems. He was already a superstar. I called him up. This was before I moved to L.A. I said, man, I'm doing this show at my college.

We really need a big comedian to come down. Would you do it? That nigga was like, of course. He showed up immediately no you know i'm not nobody at the time and and he he showed up so um i'm just going down the line of everybody that's involved in these in these things earthquake is the first person to pay me any money in the industry in atlanta on the uptown yeah the fancy uptown that was in uh off Petrie or in Buckhead Earthquake is the first person to pay me any money he saw me doing stand-up in

Charlotte North Carolina he was like yo you need to come down to my club you you got the skill set you talented I want to bring you down for a weekend opening for Steve Harvey you know I'm saying so again these are the types of stories that I want to tell, that I want to talk about with these people who are wildly successful. Steve Harvey's another one.

When I was opening up for him, I was getting booed because they didn't give a fuck about me. That's why I was telling you earlier, sometimes it matters who you're opening up for. It ain't always the city. Yeah.

It's how the show is set up. You're saying you set enough for Steve Harvey. It's Steve. They hear that Steve Harvey. It's Steve's show. Yeah, okay. I'm't always the city. It's how the show is set up. You're saying you set it up for Steve Harvey. It's Steve's show. I'm nobody at the time. They don't know nothing about me. I'm just a local comedian opening up. And they were just sitting there looking at me like...

To the point where if you know anything about a stand-up comedy club, when the headliner leaves the stage after their performance... Everyone else leaves. And they're gone. Right? The crowd is still there because they're paying their bills. Right. And I'm up there.

They want me to do another 20 minutes after he's off stage. That's wild. I'm up there dying. Right. A slow death. And then I hear from the back of the curtain,

hey, Fionn, man, go on, sit on down now. Go on, sit on down now. Yeah, they wanted me to come on back out here because they said he up here just talking. And he does another Q&A with the audience. He stays out there

to give the club time to collect the bills. After that, he had every opportunity to just walk by me, shit on me, or do some whatever. Steve Harvey sits me down for an hour and gives me jewels about how talented he sees that I am. Right.

He said, fuck that show. Right. He says, you got all the talent. You got the characters. You can make millions at this. He said, you go to Hollywood, you can make millions at this. He said, don't give up. Don't be concerned.

He convinced you to move to Hollywood? He's one of the few that saw the magic in what I was doing. But he spoke to me for an hour after he just headlined two shows. You know what I mean? And he didn't have to do that. He didn't know me from Adam. So these are the stories that I like to tell about people, man, because it's just,

what's going on right now with the public comedy beef, it's too divisive and it causes the audience to have to pick a side and it's enough room for all of us to be out here and spread the love,

spread the joy, spread the laughs and we're all making money. Everything Steve Harvey said to me that night became true. So why would I ever side swipe his name in any kind of way? So you said almost every comedian, but I think you forgot Kevin Harvey. No, Kev is my guy. Yeah, I mean like-

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your history. So Kev actually financed one of my pilot ideas Yeah, I mean like. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your history. So Kev, Kev actually financed one of my pilot ideas in the last two years. After we did the roast on the IG Live. Oh, okay.

That's when I went to him with my first stand-up special and was like, yo, let's do some business together. And my stand-up special was the first special that he licensed on LOL. Oh, wow. On the network. Wow he licensed on lol oh wow on the network

which lol they're on peacock mbc peacock and um um there's a couple uh xfinity and sumo and all these other um other platforms so partnering up with him had my stand-up special out to a lot of way bigger audience than if i would have self-distributed um after that I went to him with a pilot idea for a sketch show and he he heard me talking about it and for a minute he was giving me his executive Kevin Hart brain and he was telling me why it probably wouldn't work and I just convinced him I said listen man I think the wrong people are doing sketch that's why you hesitant. That's why the networks are hesitant. I said, and I just gave him a couple reasons that was like very, you couldn't argue them. And he looked at me.

He said, Afe, I think you know exactly what the fuck you're doing. He said, I'm going to write the check. He said, you go shoot whatever you want and bring it back to me. And he said, just go shoot like two or three videos. But shoot whatever you want. I went and shot a whole pilot with the money he gave. So I flipped that bird. I chopped it up. You know what I mean? Boy got busy. God damn it.

You know what I mean? But no, he's a true friend. He's a true professional. He's a great guy. All these comedians are great, man. Fuck out of here. All this beef. Stop the bullshit. All right, quick time. Go ahead. Keep going. No, you go. No.

Oh, shit. This guy went. Are you going? Okay, where we at? After NWA. But we're still playing the game. My fault. Yeah.

No, no, no. I'm waiting on the tape. Can you come up from this, please? No. No. Where's NWA. But we're still playing the game. My fault. Yeah. No, no, no. I'm winning on the team. Can you come up from this, please? No. No. Where's NWA? No. Okay.

Yeah. Okay. Shout out to Charlie Mack in the building. Charlie Mack. Charlie Mack is a legend. Eminem or Benzino? Why? I did not make this question up.

Why? It's the Colomb this question up. Why? It's the Colombian guy and the Dominican guy right there. His name is Hazardous Sounds. Mr. Lee. And Mr. Lee. You might see me jogging. You might see me walking. You might see me walking a dead rat while a dog with his head chopped off in the park with his spike collar hollering at him because the son of a bitch won't quit barking. Or leaning out of a window with a cock shotgun.

Driving up the block in the car that they shot parking. Or leaning out of a window with a cock shotgun, driving up the block in the car that they shot Pocky in, looking for bigs killers, dressing ridiculous, blue and red like I don't see what the big deal is. Eminem. And by the way,

I worked out to Eminem music twice the other day. I just want y'all to know that. I just want to show that out there. I have witnesses. I might have not filmed. I just want to show that out there. I have witnesses. I might have not filmed it, but I have people know that I was there. Why did y'all get Benzino that drunk?

No, no, no. He got himself drunk. Did you see it? We trying to stop him. I felt bad. I was like, yo. From the beginning, we were like, wait, stop. But honestly, though, the drunker he got, the more sense that he was making yeah, he was right

Ripping off the persona in a sense. Yeah, exactly likely but What he was saying? Resonated I feel the same way we got to come together. We got to do better. Yeah Yeah, I said he really had no real beef with Eminem at the end. Yeah. Yeah like it wasn't Yeah, the mass came all that He said some real ass shit. What liquor y'all gave him though? He was drinking that dark.

He said, I want that. We only have Duse and Ace of Spades here. So if there's Hennessy here, they bring their own. He came on a mission. Clearly, he came on a mission. But that's the homie.

Yeah, he's a good dude. Much love to him, man. You know what I mean? John Candy or Chris Farley? Chris Farley, man. I love John Candy, but Chris Farley just had a different... Rest in peace to both. Yeah, rest in peace to both of those guys.

Yeah, Tommy Boy is one of my favorite. Oh, yeah, Tommy Boy is one of my favorite. Yeah, Chris was that dude. And then his SNL days was... Highlights. Highlight reel. Fat guy in a little coat. Fat guy in a little coat.

Yay or Pharrell? Whichever yay and whichever Pharrell. Producer, artist? Whichever version of them. Whichever version you want to pick. You got to take a drink on that one. Okay. Cool. Moving on. Whichever version of that. Whichever version you want to pick. You got to take a drink on that one. Okay.

Cool. Moving on. Both prolific, you know. Of course, I don't prefer the rant Kanye, but it made for some good. Kanye was good. Body, right? Body. That's what I'm about to say. It made for great comedy in the movie.

Right. Go see a hip-hop story, guys. Yes, yes. Exactly. Theater near you. Okay. I'm going to let you go for that one walling out or key and peel show both great shows uh but i gotta go with the home team shout out to nick cannon but shout out to

as well because them motherfuckers man i still watch team peel to this day like i'll just be on on tour and it's on netflix so I'll just catch them episodes. One of the greatest Keegan Peel shows when he's saying how black people, Obama. Obama shaking their hand. That's my favorite sketch. That's my favorite sketch. That shit is just legendary. And Keegan said it really happened when they met Obama.

He said really. I felt like it really happened. It did happen. I did not want the fact check just now. No, son. He said it happened. For real? Because when they show was popping, when it first came out, and everyone was watching it.

And they didn't realize Obama watched it and saw the impression of them and everything. So they went to, I guess, a White House type of press conference where they invite some of the entertainers there. And they watched him shake white people's hands very sternly, like, hey, hey, hey, how you doing? All right, good to meet you, yep, good to see you. Get in the bell, hey, hey, hey.

My nigga, my nigga, my nigga. They said he stopped defeating everything. He gave them the cookout shit. He gave them the cookout shit. Hey, my nigga, what's going on? That's my favorite. Damn, I did not want that. You did. You needed that.

Yeah, I needed that. Dre or Quincy Jones? Take a drink. Yeah. But at the same time, you don't have Dre without Quincy. You know what I mean? But Dre understands that.

Yeah. But it's not one over the other. But Quincy, he's everybody's OG. Yeah, he is. You want the next one? But Dre is the big homie, so if I ever said somebody, if I chose another name over Dre, he'd be like, hey, nigga. All right. And talking about Quincy, you seen that We Are The World?

Oh, yeah. The way Quincy masterfully- Brilliant. Yo. That shit was crazy. Like, who had this footage all these years? For real. How do we not know about this story?

Like, that Bob Dylan part? Yeah. How crazy is that? Like, who had all that footage? That's crazy. Nah, that shit was crazy. Because looking at it, it's almost as if they filmed the song yesterday. Nah, I'll wear it.

Yes, I will. I swear to God. Damn, that shit was crazy. Where we at? Jim Carrey or Bill Burr? I mean, it's two totally different comedians. I'm a Jim Carrey-influenced guy. A little bit of color.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ace Ventura. Yeah, and then Jim is our OG. I think Bill Burr would attest to that, but Bill is just raw. He's raw. He's going to give it to you the way he sees it, and he's a brilliant, brilliant comedian. I love what he does. And he married to a black woman?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he's got a sister. What's up? So who'd you pick? Jim Carrey. Oh, okay. Yeah.

Would you rather be loved or feared? Bronx Tale That's my movie I'm going to go with Sunny on this one Love is It's a cool emotion But I think when people fear you There's a respect that comes along with that

That could feel like love But because they fear you They won't get out of line And they won't cross you Mad niggas that love you cross you That's real That love is a vulnerability You know what I mean

So yeah I'd rather be feared Wow I mean fear could make people do something erratic Cause they fear you also But it's least likely It won't always keep people in line. Love doesn't keep people in line, though. Neither of those motherfucking things keep you in line.

I think fear does a little more. If I'm comparing the two, I would definitely say fear keeps a motherfucking line a lot more than love does. I can respect that. Push a T or fab? Pusha T or Fab? Pusha T or Fab? Hmm. That's tough. Take a drink.

Dang. Yeah, because Fab is punchline. Like, one of the punchline kings. Him and Luda are my favorite punchline rappers. And I think I can add cassidy to that too um but push just has this he has a very descriptive scorsese kind of rhyme pattern or you know i mean the way he describes shit and he's gotten better at it, I feel. Mm-hmm.

Yeah. From like Clip's days to now, I think he's better even now. For sure. Yeah. That new joint, who's the homie from TD? Ray. Yeah, Ray Vaughn.

Ray Vaughn, yeah, that shit is great. That joint is hard. It's just great. But Fab, Fab gets the consistency thing. So he's been in the game for a long time.

He just never lets up off the gas. So he gets a ton of respect from me for that. And that's how I actually started working with The Mane. The Mane was doing fabulous impressions on YouTube back in the day.

And the early freeway shit. So that's actually how we connected and it all led to this movie. I would like to add that fabulous is half Dominican. Shout out. Go look at my name. Claim him. I would like to add that Fab, this is half Dominican. Shout out. Go look at him, my nigga. Claim him, claim him. Yeah, I'll be throwing that out there, too. I'll be making sure he remember it, too.

But does Fab make music that make people want to do crime? Listen, he wear the Dominican sneakers that time and time. Leave it alone. Has a little flag on it. I'm tired of time. Okay, you want the next one, E? Hannibal Buress or Craig Robinson? I don't know.

The funny thing, I don't know Hannibal that well. I met him, and we know each other, but we just really linked last year. I will go Craig on that one because I've known. Craig is a deaf comedy jam OG. He's one of the first people that brought a prop on stage. Piano. He's piano on the stage. Yep.

And he did the whole joke about the DJ. You remember that joke? No. So he's at the piano. And he was like, shout out to Kid Capri. Last night after the taping, we went to the bar across the street, and we had a few drinks. Some ladies in there. We were having some laughs.

And as we were walking back across the street to the hotel, a bus was speeding down 42nd Street and Craig didn't see the bus and he said, I was about to walk out and Kid Capri, he grabbed me and he made sure that I was good. He said, you had a little bit too much to drink.

He said, last night, a DJ saved my life. Hey yo, Def Cobby champ went up. Hey, yo. Def Cobby champ went up. Yeah. Shout out to Craig Robinson, yo. And wasn't Hannibal the one that we was drinking with right here?

Yeah. You want to tell that story? I mean, I remember. I think he got arrested after that. Yeah. Yeah. I felt bad because we were like, oh, shit. We was just, he was just with us.

He was at the bar over there drinking. I mean, we didn't get him arrested. No, no, he was already there. We happened to be there. We all just drank. No, no, no. I think he was already drunk. We seen each other. We had some drinks together.

He left us. He left us. And we seen him. He was already touching down Miami. That means, you know, he got arrested. Because, you know, Miami is the place you come on vacation and you leave on probation. Hilarious. Facts.

All right, go ahead. DC Young Fly or D-Ray? Take a drink. Yeah. Both my brothers, man. Different eras. Both brilliant. Both my brothers.

Jack Black or Will Ferrell? Will Ferrell. Will eras. Both brilliant. Both my brothers. Jack Black or Will Ferrell? Will Ferrell. I just look at Will and just laugh. He's a funny ass motherfucker. He can't do no wrong with me. He's funny. Elf is my favorite holiday movie. Elf?

Anchorman for me As far as As far as Will Ferrell movies No I know but As far as holiday As a holiday movie That's hilarious man No for sure

Stepbrother Stepbrother Stepbrother Joe What's the shit With him and Kev And they went to jail Get hard Yeah yeah yeah

But you know Slept On I love Wedding Wedding Ringer Wedding Ringer? Oh yeah Well Will Ferrell wasn't in that Nah nah I'm kidding I'm saying I'm saying

I'm saying I slept on I was changing the subject you just said you understood me you just said you understood me

when I said I knew he was going down yeah yeah I'm glad did you really know where he was going down

yeah cause Kevin's in there cause I was also trying to so his mind is kind of like Kevin yeah

kind of like like how he be like psyched he did the Tetris I like how he be I like how he be... He did the Tetris. I like how he be... I like how he be my therapist. He's trying to go like this as the blocks go in that way.

He's telling me exactly as a therapist. He's like, listen, this is what you have to stop doing. You have to start focusing. En foca, Chico, en foca. On one. Yo.

On one. I knew he was going with that. Yes, yes. He heard the name Kev and then he said wedding ringer. No, because I've been trying going with that He heard the name Kev And then he said Wedding Ringer No because I've been trying to Say that pause Get this out for a long time

Wedding Ringer is one of the most Under Movies It's a good movie man I love that movie It's a good movie Shout out to my boy Jeremy Gerlich The director

He's uh He just has a different eye Jeremy's one of them dudes That just hired me Corey Holcomb was in there too Yeah Yep Me and Corey Holcomb was in there too. Yeah. Yep. Me and Corey Holcomb was also on the same Def Comedy Jam episode in 95.

Wow. Jesus. OG OGs. So that leads me to my next question. Corey Holcomb or Darnell Rollins? Take a drink. That's right. I wanted to take a drink to that too.

I love them both. I like how they battle. I'm not like beef. You like controversy. I wanted to take a drink to that too. I love them both. I like how they battle. I'm not like beef. You like controversy. No, I don't. I actually don't. I just want to make sure that rappers, we not only looked at it as crazy.

I got you. I need everybody else to be like, we normal. Right. 597 Bulls. We all got feelings. I think everybody need to chill out. This is the last one. Go ahead. Loyalty or respect?

Hmm. Hmm. I think respect garners loyalty. So I'm going to pick respect. Okay. I'm glad because I didn't want

to drink no more. Man, can I tell him what the scene was? Yes. The joke of the scene? Or do we want to save it in case we do it again? Huh? Hey, man, move a chair over. It's time.

I mean, we can edit it. Oh, yeah. For whatever reason. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get a chair for him. Get a chair for him, please. No, you can stay and then he can come in too. There you go.

Nah, because we got to talk about your freeway, whoa. Hold up, sir. We got to shout out Underdog. Make sure everybody downloads the Underdog Fantasy app. We got Underdog Fantasy app. Use the code DRINKCHAMPS or DRINKORCHAMPS. Or DRINKORCHAMPS. And get matched up to $100 on the app.

God damn it. Let's go, underdog. Shout out to underdog fans. I'm not going to lie to you. If you're following me on underdog, I'm going to be honest. You should just stick with me. Thank you. Drink Chance Army Underdog Fantasy app Underdog Fantasy app

Underdog Fantasy Drink Chance Get your $100 Let's go Drink Chance Army Put in $100 We'll match you $100 We matching

Come on Diego Come here for this $100, let's go. You can quote dreams or chance. Put in $100, we'll match you $100. We matching. Come on, Diego. Come here for this. All right, so I'm right here. Y'all have me very scared at first. But hold on. What we said? Talk about that?

Yeah, we wanted to. But let me say something. That would have been hilarious. Let me say something. We asked him earlier, did anybody come at him Let me say something. That would have been hilarious. Let me say something. We asked him earlier, did anybody like come at him because of the freeway? The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable,

showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it. I'm J.R. Martinez. I'm a U.S. Army veteran myself, and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage

from Pushkin Industries and iHeart Podcast. From Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor, going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A lot of times the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways.

Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding. But the price has gone up, so now I only buy one. The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on Everybody's Business from Bloomberg Businessweek. I'm Max Chavkin. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith. Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business, taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and how it shows up in our everyday lives.

But guests like Businessweek editor Brad Stone, sports reporter Randall Williams, and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull will take you inside the boardrooms, the backrooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick. Hey, I want to learn about VeChain. I want to buy some blockchain or whatever it is that they're doing. So listen to Everybody's Business

on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as

Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best-selling author and meat-eater founder Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here and I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. At times I didn't know, but the audience loves the freeway character throw away they love no i love

it let me he has one of the most quotable early everybody walking out saying early yeah and they're cheering for him when he does the right i don't want to say the scene but they're cheering for him throughout this movie so we even told Freeway That we was like Look man So he's seen it Hold on You're going to

Okay go ahead Okay When I first see it I'm like Okay Damn Where's he working at But then you realize

That they got all rappers Working Right To make the point Right It's an exaggeration On purpose If you just see It's an exaggeration on purpose. It's all exaggeration though.

No, you're right. But for the specific people. Yeah, for the specific people. But then at the end, he's at the self-destruction record. He's there. So he actually makes it at the end. Yeah.

But at points it felt harsh. It did feel like, and even though it might not be true, I don't know how it would have felt. I think you're feeling, I hear what you're saying. Okay, please. But I think you're feeling the sensitivity of the culture right now. Because that type of, what you're talking about is harsh, is it's jokes. It's shonen, it's roasting. And he's close to it, too.

To be close to it also might be different. Yeah, I'm close to it. Yeah, I'm close to it because as an out-of-work rapper, which any of us can be at a time. Any of us can be an out-of-work rapper. And it's not saying that y'all are saying us can be an out-of-work rapper. And it's not saying that y'all were saying that he was an out-of-work rapper. Y'all was being funny off of everyone. The point of that is we throw away our

gems. And I've said this before. As a culture, hip-hop, R&B, black culture, period, we throw our gems away. Meaning, Kool and the Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire, they're not doing the numbers that you too is doing no right you too can do arenas for the rest of their life by themselves the

cooling of gangs they'll do a jam with a bunch of different artists and this is it's great it's a theater but it's not the same and we're in a culture where we like to, we want the new shit. We always want the new shit. Like it's disposable. That's the reason why we started Drink Champs specifically. But that's the reason why. That's the reason why. To give a platform to the artists that maybe people haven't forgotten about.

I mean, it started with the peers, the 90s era. But it was brought in. That's the reason why. That's the point of just freeway part. Not everyone. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This freeway part felt a little too risky because I suppose people believe that. And they're like, yo, freeway is really working in a fucking grocery store.

Well, people can believe anything. Some people can believe this. Some people don't have Instagram. People don't believe that nowadays. Some people don't have Instagram. There's nothing at all. There's still some people who just go to the movie theaters and don't have Instagram.

Does that hurt his image? I'm asking. I'm clearly don't know. Well, I'll say this. People have been probably hitting freeway up and wanted to know about Freeway now more than they have. And he said it. The relevancy, all that stuff, people are calling his name now. Now, remind you, I've been doing that character for over 20 years.

But a lot of people don't know it. No, they don't know that. But he knows it. Remember, my first job was at Rockefeller. Right. Like, I was the cameraman. Like, I was that guy who traveled all around the world with State Property, with Dame, with everybody, filming everything.

Right. So, when State Property got signed, and I seen those guys come in, I seen State Property come, I spent time in Philly with them and all of that. He was a guy that stood out to me. Right. He was somebody I admired. His voice, his look. I never time in Philly with them and all of that. He was a guy that stood out to me. He was somebody I admired. His voice, his look. I never seen the beard. I never seen any of that. I believe you said you never seen the beard. I was doing these parodies and I would go home and when I

first did it, I did Him, Fabulous, all of that. I would go to Rockefeller and I would show them these videos. They would be in there. They loved it. Back then. I'm talking about early 2000s. It's something that just stuck. Once me and A.F. Young got together, he wrote it specifically for his friends. He was like, I want all my friends that are dope at what they do,

and I'm going to bring them together, and we're going to make this movie for the culture. But in all fairness, that's before hip-hop had sensitivity. Once there was a Ray J fabulous moment through social media, it was like everyone kind of got on point and everyone kind of changed. Because although we didn't take it serious, we knew that it was serious. So I have to take that in consideration as an artist, as a rapper. Did you take that into consideration?

That someone might just take it too far? Remember, Fab was joking on Ray J. He was playing with Ray J. I think what we are is... I'm just being devastating. No, I get you. But I'm going to give you the angels attitude. Okay, alright. I like the angels.

What we are and what we represent is when comedy was comedy. When the Wayans was doing comedy. When Robert Townsend did Hollywood Shuffle. Yes. We represent niggas laughing again. Right? And not taking themselves too seriously.

So, sure, anyone can believe whatever they want to believe. They can take something and twist it however they want to twist it. But I think when you walk away from this movie, you walk away feeling like you took a ride, you took an experience,

and you laughed your ass off, you learned something. I learned something. And you heard some dope-ass bars in the voices of these people, but it was all written by me, him, and my other homie, Jevin Smith. So I don't think there's anything disrespectful

or anything overly sensitive about that it's an experience it's it's a feel-good movie and for freeway specifically that's our guy early you know i'm saying early and you probably don't want to go back and because after watching i want to go back and listen to freeways catalog it reminds me how i know that that's not him but it reminded me how dope he is yeah we did that i'm glad that y'all telling me that because I'm not looking at it like that I'm looking at it from an artist point of view only you know what I mean and the artist point of view

is just like damn I don't want to be like you know even put in that category like yo okay this is where you was at and now this is where you at now you know what I mean I get what you're saying. That's what it felt like that.

Because like you said, he's close to it. And if you watch the whole movie, then he's on the self-destruction record. He actually makes it. You know what I mean? He's one of the heroes of the movie. He's literally the hero.

It was his idea. Yeah, listen to me. His idea. The audience loves that character. I'm done with the shots. I'm going straight to drink. Jesus. We have no more Quick Time Slimes.

But no, the audience loves that character. He's one of the favorites. Thank you. Go ahead. He's one of the favorite characters. Who's the body double running around? Oh, man. One of them.

Oh, you're talking about Freeway? Yeah. Our boy Key Juan? Yeah, our boy Key Juan. Key Juan. Shout out to Key Juan. Shout out to Key Juan. Again, that wasn't a knock to Freeway.

The reason, yes. I'm told to you. I'm 6'6", right? So obviously, as I'm making a film, I'm on my knees and I have to play this character. Same I've been doing for 20 years, pause. But when we have to do full shots with him walking down the street or running, whatever, I can't be shuffling. So we had to get somebody to just sort of double for that.

And we thought it was funny. And we thought it was funny. It was Hollywood Shuffle or I'm going to get you sucker. She's fighting inside the... Yeah, Jhene Dubois was fighting in the bar and then they showed a white dude with the mustache. Oh, yeah. Clearly. Clearly.

That's funny. So, yeah, We paid homage to We tip our hat To all of our OGs In this movie The barbershop scene Is reminiscent of Coming to America

You know what I mean I got that The coming to The I'm gonna get you sucker Energy Crush groove Right The scene where

The little Young Roscoe New Jack City right The opening New Jack City Is opening Is New Jack City The drone shot scene He's the first person

that caught that right away. You caught that right away? Yeah, of course. Mind you, listen, of course. Now you're like, he's clear-headed.

Right, right, right. That's the way it works. It goes this way, then I come back, and then I throw out the giraffe. And I risk it all for that drone shot, them drone shots.

I flew to New York with my drone, and I went down to Brooklyn, where you can't shoot no drones in New York City, none of that. And I flew it over the bridge. Like so far. Flew it, yeah.

I flew all over the city. And when I was landing the drone, the FBI was right there waiting for me. Oh, shit. As I was landing the drone. They tracked the drone down, and they came up to me, and they was like,

what are you doing? You know you can't, you know. And I tried to act like a tourist. I was like, I do know what I was going to do here. You became Michael Blesky. Yeah, I became Michael Blesky. And they was like, luckily, I talked myself out of it. They took all my drone information down,

the serial codes and all of that, and they was like, look, you can never fly this. We was going to shoot your drone down if we was about to shoot it down. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. You can't fly a drone. No, you can't fly. It's 9-11.

It's all no-fly zones. Yo, let me just say something. There'll be places I'll be at and there'll be drones all the time. That's Miami. No, no, no,

let me tell you, let me tell you, if you go to places like that near airports and you see drones, there's a drone hack that you can tap into for your drone,

for DJI, that'll unlock certain areas that you can tap into for your drone, for DJI, that'll unlock certain areas that you can still fly in. So if there's a map that we have on it, that's a map. When it's a big red circle, there's nothing in there that can be, your drone won't even take off. It'll be like, we can't take off. But it's a hack that allows you to

bypass some of them, you know, some places. But this is in Dumbo, Brooklyn, you were saying? I started in Dumbo, Brooklyn, you were saying? I started in Dumbo to shoot, but I was flying in Manhattan. You're close enough to Manhattan. Manhattan's a no-fly zone. Manhattan's a no-fly zone. Yeah, man. So, yeah.

You was on your bed last year. You got to relax. Oh, yeah. Shit, the feds. We was on our 5,000. Yeah. By any means necessary, we got to get it done. It looked great, man.

Everything looked great. I would agree with you, man. You don't sit down. I would agree. Go ahead. Get it out of there. It looked great, man. Everything looked great. I would agree with you, man. You shit down. I would agree. Go ahead. Get it out of there. Get it out of there. Yeah, we pay homage to a lot of our favorite films, including Fade to Black.

You know what I'm saying? We just blended all these elements together, and that's where Tony-O came in with that scene. You had Goo. Let me ask you. Goo You? Goo You. Yeah, why didn't you hit Young Guru

To play Young Guru I hit Goo Goo is busy Goo is a College professor All of the things man Cause some of these characters I felt like

Was available Yeah it's like He hit Drink Champs And they were not available. So you got to understand too, I'm spending my own money, right? And we got to work within a certain window when we have everybody available, right? I can't chase people down. I can't wait for one person type of deal.

We got to go. You know what I mean? So it was a lot of that too but i mean look everybody i would say about 99 of the the whole movie was my first choice it was those people that i saw that i wanted in these in these roles i always saw cedric as biggie always because he's first of all he's one of the greatest comedians you know me of our generation but to to play the biggie role me and him playing off of each other is... Did he do something to make his voice that way, like something specific? No.

No, he just... That was naturally, he was able to do that? Yeah, he just came in... We only had him for 30 minutes. We only had him for 30 minutes for a set. He was coming off doing his TV show. He came from literally from his set. He came dressed up with his coogee already dressed.

Already dressed. Ready to go. We had everything lit, ready, just like how you guys have it here. We sat down, and it was like that. It was hilarious. I could see this. I could see everything. As you say it, I could see it.

So it's me doing the Biggie voice on the track, on the rap. Right. I saw it in the credits. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But no, he did that. That's all him. And then Biggie and Jay talk about Brooklyn's Finest. It's hilarious.

Yeah. And then you made your fade. You made your fade. Yeah. I got hair and makeup team, man. Karen and Kweli. You've been picking them up. You've been picking them up.

Your hair and makeup team was at work. It was on it. Yeah. The whole team was on it. You felt like you was really back in the day, though. Like, each era felt right. Like, the Big Daddy main scene, Big Daddy Kane. Yeah.

MC Hammer. We hit Latifah Light. We wanted to make sure we kept it as authentic as possible to make you feel like you was taking a journey throughout time. And is it true that you had MC Light come in and remake the record? 100% true. Not only is it true that she remade the record, you were actually in the studio as she did it? Absolutely. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Shout out to MC Lyte. Yo, MC Lyte is... I know people throw around the word, oh, that's my big sis, that's my big bro. She's really big sis. Like, she really looks out.

She's the heart of gold. Right. And, yeah, she was just very supportive. Like, whatever I needed, she was like, nah, if you need that song, I'll figure out how we can make it work. And shout out to my man Focus, who redid the beat. That's a big record. Big.

So he replayed everything live, and it sounds just like the original shit. But it was different. The only difference was the hip-hop story at the beginning. Yeah, I asked her to do that. I caught that. I asked her to do that. You caught that? Because think about it.

She's one of the most iconic voices. And right now, she's voicing everything, which is amazing. That's what I'm saying. And her voice is already original, right? And now she's voicing

the female Samuel L. Jackson right now. Come on. With the voiceovers, man. Come on, man. He said, checkmate. Yeah, with the voiceovers.

You know how Samuel's on everything. She's on everything. He doesn't do as many voiceovers. I mean, legendary. In my mind. In your mind. In my mind.

In Norris' mind. In Norris' mind. I was like, wait, what? Oh, Samuel Jackson, man. He was too. He got Capital One or some shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Capital One, bitch.

Yeah. And he was in your show, too. You hit him with a golf ball. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tiger Woods. Good, Tiger Woods. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Capital One, bitch. Yeah. And he was in your show, too. You hit him with a golf ball. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tiger Woods. Good. Tiger Woods. Yeah.

Shout out to all of the- But yeah, shout out to Light. And the people who came and did the doc at the end of the movie. Yo, that was it. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock.

T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock.

T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock.

T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock.

T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock.

T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. T-Low Rock. All these max shows. PMD. He brought us out and they all... I figured that's where it was at. Yeah. That's dope. Did you guys ever have in the script

anything having to do with Pac? No. Because I felt like that was the only one that might have made sense to... I got one more. They felt they could... Hip-hop is so big.

There's so much story to tell in hip-hop that you can't put it all in one 90-minute movie. No, no. And 100%. There's a lot of people not... I got one more.

And also... Remind me that I got one more. Yeah. To get people that we can convincingly portray. Because there's all kind of people that would watch this movie like, why they didn't do me? How come Grandmaster Kaz isn't in it? How come Melly Mel isn't in it? Who are OGs. They are the building blocks of this thing.

But we wanted to make sure we could convincingly look like them, sound like them, and, you know, we just wanted to tell the story that we wanted to tell, but we're not trying to exclude anybody for any particular reason. It's just,

we have limited resources and time. There was one character. Part 18. There's a lot of stories. There was one character I was like, damn, why did they have that at this particular moment?

It's when you said hip-hop is dead. I felt like Nas should have been there at some point saying that. So it's funny. Well, shit, if I could have got Nas. You can't play Nas? This is the thing. Nas has always asked me to do an impression of him. Because he's like, why?

I mean, you ain't doing an impression of me. And I did the voiceover. I did a couple cartoons with him and Jay on IG. And he heard that. He was dying laughing at the shit. But Nas is a hard nigga to get a hold of. Oh, yeah. And again, we got to shoot within this window.

Because think about a movie, right? We have to rent the location. It all has to be available when we need it. We have to rent the cameras. We have to pay the crew. We got to feed people. It's so manual. And you were union.

You were SAG. I saw it at the end. The SAG logo. So you're SAG. WGA. You got to dot every I cross every T and so

yeah we don't we unfortunately we can't just wait for whoever we want but did you reach out to him for this no I never saw

Nas in it no I I mean I saw a version of Nas in it where it said hip hop is over like maybe for one second

you could have had the half moon part on. I don't think I look enough like Nas to be able to be, to portray him that way. I don't know if you know you light-skinned, sir. That don't mean I look like Nas, nigga. You don't look like Drake either, nigga,

but you made it work. You don't look like Manny Pacquiao. You made it work. Your makeup team, what's their name again? Yeah. What's their name again? What's their name again?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the crowd's favorite right there. The audience goes up for the Drake part. See, that was one of the... The singing part? The singing part. All the time. Again, shout out to Focus, man.

He was in the studio. He said, y'all want to break the beat down right here. Right. And he did that shit. He played that R&B shit. He made that shit in like three minutes. Wow.

But it was perfect. And the audience goes nuts every time that part comes on. Yeah, I could imagine that. Yeah. So how do you guys feel, man? Man, we on a cloud right now. Not just because I'm contact high, but... Yeah.

Let's give him another shot. Hey, contact drunk probably... Yeah. Just give him another shot. Contact drunk probably too. Yeah, give him another shot. Just cause. Just cause. It feels like a full circle moment, you know what I mean? When you work so hard to try to get to this point, to let the world see your vision and your content

and the stuff you want to do. You know what I mean? So it feels, you know, we on cloud nine right now. And we did a movie with our friends like I was able to work with my guys like this is my guy uh Jevin Smith that's my dude Charlie Mack that's big bro Charlie is the the connector he makes every call that we need and he's positioning us honestly he's positioning us on some Will Smith shit I love on some Martin Lawrence shit like he's really trying to make sure he grooms us

for the success that we've worked hard for. You know what I mean? And so we're always around those caliber of people, or that caliber of people, because of Charlie. And we're able to

just ask questions and talk to them about the movie making business. You know what I'm saying? I'm not going to lie. When Charlie hit me,

I said, did we do something wrong? Are you kidding? I didn't speak to you. I'm like, oh, what the fuck did we say? What did we, no, I got to watch the tape.

What did Normie say? No, when Charlie hit me, I was like, listen, because you know, Chris Rock said, drink champs call him a bitch. I said,

I ain't got anything to do with that. That was a lie. Drink champs never call Chris Rock, I means called him a bitch. I said, I ain't got anything to do with that. That was a lie. Drink Champs never called Chris Rock, I mean, Will Smith a bitch. Oh, yeah. Nah, I told Charlie to call y'all. That's what Chris Rock said on his special. By the way, we love this shout out.

We didn't say that. Nah. I told Charlie to call you. Yeah. Because again, me and you talk random hours, but you don't always answer my call when I call you. Let me Because again, me and you talk random hours but you don't always answer my call when I call you.

Let me tell you how gangster Charlie is. We coming back from Leo Combs. Flex. Shit. We got the private plane. Flex again.

Redman. Yeah, yeah. That was the most hip-hop plane ride ever. That was the most hip-hop plane ride ever. I saw you that night. I'm sitting there.

Charlie, the only nigga filming. And nobody don't say shit. Niggas is like, man, that's Charlie Mack, man. That's Charlie Mack, man. We know he ain't trying to get up on anybody here. He's trying to document the motherfucking moment. And nobody said, I never seen this before in my life. Like, nobody. he didn't care.

He was just filming every moment. Charlie will film Barack taking a shit. That's the kind of access this nigga has. You know what I mean? Yes, and I knew that. I said, this nigga's super, super, super. By the way, been for years. Been for years.

Such a great guy. And he's Dream Champ's alumni. And he's Dream Champ's alumni. God damn it. We don't know if he want to be's alumni God damn it We don't know if he wanna be On camera or not We don't know We don't know Pull up

Pull up a chair You can pull up God damn it Yeah come on If you want to Come on pull up Pull up We got chairs

We gonna make it We gonna make it happen Come on He definitely Need a little chair He need a big chair Little chair Little chair What Little chair.

What's happening? What's going on? What's going on? Hey, man, listen, man. It's Nori. EFN. Yeah, you, you, you. Yes, yeah. They say life imitates art.

We was on the true soul plane, huh? Yeah, that was the true soul plane. Like moments, you know what I mean? You don't know if they're going to be created, but that was a moment in the sky. It was so beautiful, man. It was beautiful, yeah. Because you didn't know what I mean? You don't know if they're going to be created, but that was a moment in the sky. It was so beautiful, man. It was beautiful, yeah. Because you didn't know.

I sure enough didn't know that people was on the plane was going to be on the plane. I think it was just me and Leora. Leora was like, you can fly on the plane. Okay, cool. Let's go.

I'm like, Nori? Yes. Eric Sermon? Eric Sermon. Jeff? Yeah, yeah. It was crazy. Yeah, that was,

when I say a moment, I've had many moments, but that was a moment. Right, right. That was a moment. Listen, Red Man and Jeff would film but that was a moment. Right, right. That was a moment. Listen, Red Man and Jeff would film the video

in the air. Yes, yes. While we were sitting and having our conversation. And I believe it was Kane who was the DJ? Kane, yeah. Who was DJing?

Yeah, he was the DP. He was the DP. He was holding the camera. Okay, he was holding the camera. Big Day Kane was holding the camera. It was King Capri. King Capri might have been

playing the music. King Capri was the DJ. Okay, okay, yeah. And I'm like, I'm just sitting there. This was a great hip-hop moment, man. So, you know, Leo gets a lot of slack

from certain people in certain areas, and I want to big deal y'all. I love Leo. I love Leo. You know what I mean? So, okay. You guys got the script. What makes y'all say,

let me bring Charlie Mack in? Charlie's hip-hop. Yeah. Charlie's hip-hop, he's always been like a big brother to me. I mean, we, again. How y'all connected? I'm sorry.

We connected through, no, comedy club. He was at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood. I said what's up to him. At the time, he didn't know who I was. So when I shook his hand, he kept the lock out. Like, you know, he ain't doing the joint. Oh, he gave you the stick arm. Yeah, the stick arm.

The stick arm. Okay. Every brother ain't your brother, and every sister don't love you. Right. So you can't bring people in. I love that. But then a couple weeks after that, he reached out because DJ D-Wrek from Wild N' Out.

Wild N' Out. Shout out to D-Wrek. He reached out and said, Charlie Mack, want to get a hold of you for his party for Peace Weekends in Philly.

So I ended up going out to maybe six of those. Five, six of those. Every one that I had. Every weekend I had. Yeah. And that's really how we met. Peace Weekend in Philly?

Charlie Mack party for Peace Weekend. Yeah, it was, he had everybody out there. And the first one was like will and jada was there tisha campbell and tashina arnold everybody was about a hundred celebrities over a three-day weekend last year run run run like yeah it was ridiculous yeah but it was through that that i you know we were just able to connect and just outside of the industry and just have real conversations and we just created a friendship and a brotherhood

and I respect them. We literally could talk about whatever and so that's how I gauge my industry relationships. I don't like users. I don't like people that want to use me to get to somebody else. So the fact that we can talk about whatever,

and this is the first time we've done business together. That's how real our friendship is. You know what I'm saying? Like he's brought me around the Will camp and all that kind of stuff. And most people clamor for that, right? But I've never asked him. He always reaches out to me and says,

yo, man, come to this premiere, come to whatever, this event. But I don't ask Charlie for anything. This is the first time That I was like Yo Charlie We got this movie That I think you'd be Interested in

And once he This is after you filmed it Or prior to you filming it Prior Prior Yeah Cause he was on set For every

Every day Especially the first half Of what we shot Charlie was there And because he He experienced A lot of this stuff He was there for it

Right It was nostalgia for him. He was on set like a kid in a candy store. His camera was out, his phone was out. He would document everything. And nobody said shit on the plane. He was my dialect coach for all the freeway, throwaway stuff I did.

When we was doing everything, every line I sang, he would make sure. He'd be like, no, I gotta say John. You can't say joint. You gotta say John. You gotta say John. You got to say John. You got to say John. You got to say Young Bull.

Young Bull. All that stuff. You know what I mean? Radio. I was saying radio. He said, you got to say radio. You got to like, the way he was telling me

how to say radio. So, you know, it was authentic Philly. Yeah, man. And one of my early Will Smith spoofs, he plays Charlie Mack. We did a Hancock spoof years when Hancock first came out.

And at the end of it, I had him step in and do Charlie Mack impression. And then that's their connection, you know what I mean? He's like young Charlie. I'm cracking up. Yeah, definitely cracking up. Sure. So, I mean, Charlie, because we want to tell the people your story as well. Hey, man.

Say you write a book. Fortunately enough, I did write a book. So I want to come back and do that. But again, my story started 1978. What you know as being a street team. I was doing that for my uncle. I started a label called April Records in 1978. I was like a street team cat for him, 14 years old.

That was kind of what actually bit me. I did that in a house party, and I was bit. I was like, entertainment. Because I wanted to play basketball. Dr. J, of course, was in Philadelphia. Right. Me seeing Dr. J, I used to hang out with the Sixers. So all those moments you see, those clips, I was in the Sixers, you know, at the Spectrum seeing them.

So for me, I thought it was basketball. Right. When I see, I'm saying hip-hop, you got to to figure, hip hop's 1973, I'm eight years old. Wow. I mean, hip hop's born, you know what I mean? So for me, it was like a love affair. I said, I could never let down. Then the opportunity come from music, and he did R&B. But I signed the first rapper to the label.

His name was Gorgeous George. We did a record called Cabbage Patch Scratch. Remember, Cabbage Patch came out. We did a record called Cabbage Patch Scratch. Remember Cabbage Patch came out. I did a record called Cabbage Patch Scratch. And that was like what actually got me into it. Because everybody thinks it's Will and Jeff, it wasn't Will and Jeff. It wasn't Will and Jeff.

No, no, no, I had already been in the business from 78. Jeff and Will didn't come out until 86, 87. So I was already in the business already. Yeah, so I was already in it. But I have a book coming, Yeah. Who is Charlie Mack? Dot, dot, dot. Mr. Philadelphia. Come on, let's make some.

Come on, man. Come on, man. Hurry down. Hopefully y'all have me back. Absolutely. Come on. But let me ask you one more question. Yes, sir. Um, Philadelphia seems like a wild, wild place.

Like, now, I don't know if it's always been like this. I mean, since I visited it, I've only been famous 25 years. Only been famous 25 years? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it realized 25 years ago.

And I've never known Philly for not being like a little, like, crazy. Has it always been like this? Because I think everything's heightened today. Okay. More heightened.

Like he was saying earlier, like he was saying filmed. Yeah, what Will says all the time, you know what I mean? Racism didn't change. It just got filmed. You know what I mean? So I think the thing about it is,

which is unfortunate because the drill rap, I didn't realize it was basically like it was kill rap, right? So I think the thing about it is, which is unfortunate because the drill rap, I didn't realize it was basically like kill rap, right? So they're actually talking about how they're going to kill you, right? So I think everybody do things for clickbait, you know what I mean? But again, you know, in the movie, they say action and cut. Mark Shuster gets up and go home. Ray Ray don't go home.

You know what I mean? When you murder somebody, that's it. And then that little kid is going to the penitentiary. You know what I mean when you murder somebody that's it and then that little kid that little kid is going to the penitentiary you know what I mean so I think the thing about it is they don't think about it after the fact

they think about it in the moment and they want fame so bad that they willing to do whatever and that's the unfortunate thing so no Philadelphia wasn't like that when I grew up violence was there it just wasn't as prevalent

as it is today that was one of the things that I wanted you to kind of focus on just a little more was the young rap now of how they really murder kill rap. Right?

Like, it's really like, it's really like that now. Like, what is it called? Drill rap? Drill rap. You just said. Yeah. I mean, it's talked about

though in the film. It's talked about, but what's that character? What's that character? The young, the young character that Flex dropped the bombs on? Googie.

Googie. Yeah. Who was he based on? Nobody. He's based on a combination of- He's based on that generation. Yeah, he's based on the generation. He's based on lazy rap.

So it's not necessarily- He's a representation of lazy rap. So it's not even necessarily young versus old because I say it all the time there was garbage niggas in the 80s and 90s too you know what I mean yeah

so he represents lazy because his whole song is yeah yeah right and most people would they say yo which version

is yeah is good which one we just flipped what's popular now what's dope now. We would have never let certain things slide in a certain era.

Yeah, and most people assume that that's an Uzi Vert jab, but it's not. Like, Uzi's my guy. Well, some people, I was, some people thinking it's Uzi

and some people thinking it's 21 because of the thing in the middle. I wasn't even thinking about 21. That's funny. But no,

I used Uzi's, the tempo of his beat because that was a popular song at the time. It makes sense now because then he goes like that. Yeah, yeah. But no. And then the dude in the when they're watching the video in the store, the TV in the store. That artist, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. The kids dancing.

Yeah. But it leaves it open for a sequel too, right? And it also leaves it open for Funk Flex to respond because I sincerely one million percent believe that Funk Flex has never took payola. Has never what? Took payola. I'm just being honest. Oh, no, no.

Again, it's a comedy. I know it's a comedy, but he might watch this and be like, you know, as a DJ, as a DJ, like, I'm just let me ask you, EFN, like, I know it as a DJ, as a DJ, like I'm just, let me, let me ask you a friend. Like I know it's comedy,

like somebody, but if somebody says, yo, I paid. Of course I'm going to get to get on drink. Yeah. Because the way that people perceive things. Yeah.

And I'm telling you from what I know, everything I know, Funk Flex has never took money from no one. I promise that. I believe it. No, no. Again, from what I know, everything I know, Funk Flex has never took money from no one. I promise that. I believe that. No, no, again. From what I know. The movie Salt-N-Pepa don't really work in Dinah, right?

Right. God damn it. And Freeway ain't working in Bodega. And Freeway ain't working in Bodega. Goldface is not a school teacher. But let me just be devil advocate. The Coast Fish is hilarious. Flex Park is something that he's been accused of before. See, I don't know that. Yeah. But let me just be The devil advocate The co-spacer is hilarious Well that part

Is something that He's been accused of before See I don't know that Yeah so I can feel like I don't know that He can take it All DJs have been accused Yeah

It's a radio thing I used to be a radio DJ Right In Fayetteville, North Carolina And Charlotte But so yeah That's where that Even that term

Because no one even says payola anymore. I know that term because I... Exactly. They say drink jams. No, no, you cannot. Any platform that gets things out, people are like, oh, if they don't get on or whatever.

They can't get on. It becomes a conspiracy theory. But by no means do we really believe or They can't get on It becomes a conspiracy theory Right Yeah But by no means Do we really believe Or are we accusing It's a comedy Right And this is why

I keep saying that Take it light people Take it light I want the freedom To be able to write Now again He has the right to feel Whatever he want to feel

If he feels a way I don't think he does Because I haven't spoken to him But at the end of the day I don't think He's done anything. He just happened to be the relevant DJ that I could use as a character

to make the point in the movie. But think about it. I don't think he will, but I think he's so engaged with his haters and the people who don't like him. He is very engaged. He's very engaged with them. So it'll be heightened.

Right. So they'll come at him, and then he'll might be like, man, why would these it'll be heightened. So it'll be heightened. Right. Yeah, so they'll come at him and the hill might be like, man, why would these guys do that? And the hill give you an hour ball. Nah, nah. Flex, if you're watching, there's no personal shot at you.

I'm a fan. I spoke to Flex. I called him up. I spoke to him. Okay. Okay. Wasn't nothing but love. He said, whatever you need from me.

Yes. Okay. That's why. Think about it. When was the last comedy that opened up this type of Dialogue And conversation About the whole culture And that's why

Definitely not in hip hop Come on Think about that You know what And this is just me Being a devil's advocate Advocate right I think Flex would've played

Himself I think Joe Buttons Would've played himself I think Whoever I think most people Would've played himself But you needed the time

For the comedy You don't want them To play themselves Yeah yeah yeah I think whoever, I think most people would have played itself. But you needed the time. For the comedy, you don't want them to play themselves. You would have been as funny. Right, right, right. Thank you. I was waiting for a version of Nori to come on. I was like, ah, that would have been hilarious. But because he's already so fucking animated. He's already animated.

You don't have the right play for it. And you could have been you. Fucking animated We wanted the real Nori in the EFN And And y'all would have added more And then Well Nori No Nori got to play him He got to play the film You know what I mean May have some

Opposition on you And y'all would have added More credibility To the whole hip hop of it all In the relevant So Me To me

I apologize Because I was busy I really wish I was a part of this. But even with us not being a part of this. Don't apologize. I looked at this movie. I saw no flaws in this.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it. I'm J.R. Martinez. I'm a U.S. Army veteran myself, and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and iHeart Podcast. From Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor, going above and beyond the call of duty.

You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A lot of times the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways. Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding. But the price has gone up, so now I only buy one. The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on Everybody's Business from Bloomberg Businessweek.

I'm Max Chavkin. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith. Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business, taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull will take you inside the boardrooms, the backrooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick. Hey, I want to learn about VeChain. I want to buy some blockchain or whatever it is that they're doing. So listen to Everybody's Business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show

from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best-selling author and meat-eater founder Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps

inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know what I mean? I watched it, and I'm a comedy guy. Contrary to popular belief, I love music and everything, but you ain't coming to my house listening to music. You coming to my crib?

I got motherfucking Living Color playing, Seinfeld, Kirby. But you've always shown me that respect when we first met. I love comedy. You was like, yo, you a bad dude on Comedy Tip, blah, blah, blah. So I know you rock with the comedy world. You know what it is. I live and breathe comedy maybe more than I live and breathe hip hop.

Because hip hop just comes to me. But comedy, I got to want to feel that moment. I've got to want to be like, yo, you know what? Let me go live. It's a release. Yeah. It's a release. It's a release.

Yeah. But do you feel like this is a movie that you would watch over and over? I did. It's one of the classics. And I am. Yeah, because there's stuff I feel like you might miss, too. You want to watch it over again. But I want to go support.

I did this. I watched it for this interview. Other than that, I would have feel like you might miss, too. You want to watch it over again. But I want to go support. I did this. I watched it for this interview. Other than that, I would have went to the movie theater. For sure. Like, I swear to God. Like, I don't want to say it like that, but I'm flying to a movie theater to go see this. Right. This is what happened.

Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John.

Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John.

Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John.

Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John.

Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John.

Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John. Damien John.

Damien John. Damien. John. Damien. John. Dam Jones. All right, you know, fuck up everybody. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's Spoopy. It's Spoopy. Yeah, that's the name. Good name. So he said to me, yo, come watch the premiere of Bob Marley. And I was like, okay, that's some fly shit.

Yeah, we spoke to you when you was down there. Some fly shit. So I came, I went, I watched. Not even the premiere. He didn't even do a, I didn't even make it to the premiere. He did a private screening of it, and I went I watched not even the premiere he didn't even do a I didn't even make it to the premiere he did a private screening of it and I went to it

but I said I felt like I'm not supporting the family so I went and I went to see it on my own and that's exactly how I feel about this movie

it's like as much as we're here and we're doing it and like we're helping each other but it's like ah I gotta go to the movie theater

so I don't know where the fuck this shit is playing out in Florida but I'm driving to this shit. It's still in Miami this week. It's in Miami? It's in Miami. Okay.

And you want that experience of the theater. I'm going to the movie theater. Aventura? I'm going to. That's close to him. That's real close to him. Shit, I was having to. We ain't saying shit.

We might go Thursday. What's Thursday? Yeah, Pompano. Pompano. Pompano. Pompano. So where did you go? Aventura. Where did you go Pompano. Pompano. Where did you go? Where did you go?

Aventura. Where did you go? You took people to the movies. Where'd you go? Let's get this straight. A drink champ screening. Aventura. Aventura.

I'm in. Aventura. I'm in. Yeah, I'll do it. I don't want to say it like that. Go ahead and buy the theater out. Drink champ screening. Let's go.

Yo, can I give a quick full circle moment real quick? Please. Okay, so I'm working at Rockefeller. The cameraman only. I never did anything in the film business like that besides filming people. Claudia B. says, hey, I want you to go to the studio because Nori's there working on an album or a project. I go to the studio. I meet you there.

Yes. You are in there and the music comes on. And the first thing I hear was, if I'm a Niggerigan, then we some Niggerigan. He was doing a song with Petey Crack. Oh, Petey Crack. Oh, I filmed all of that. That's a classic Niggerigan, too.

And I met you, and I said, hey, man, I'm an upcoming writer, filmmaker, all of this stuff, and I just want to get some knowledge. He looked at me, and he says, yo, I want to make a movie, and you're the first person that let me write a script for you for the first time ever. Wow. Goddamn it.

Goddamn it. I remember that. That's what I'm talking about. That's what I'm talking about, man. Listen, we going to fuck it. Yeah, make that movie. Because I remember it. It wasn't good.

It wasn't good. It wasn't good. I mean, I remember. OK, you did say gas station. I remember. It was called the gas station. And now I remember it. I'm not mad about that.

Yeah. No matter. And you look extra cold. It's just for Snoop, man. I represent'm not mad about that. Yeah. I'm not mad about that. And you look extra cold. It's just for Snoop, man. I don't know where you did it. It's just for Snoop. You don't see me sweating? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know if you got a whole hoodie on with undershirt.

I'm telling you, be like me, man. I'm telling you, be like me. I want my Drake sneakers because I figured you would feel this. Uh-oh. Because these are my lover boys. Oh, yeah? This is Drake's exclusive Nike AirScore. I've been waiting for this, wearing these for everything.

He's been flexing the whole show, man. For everything. But I'm going for you guys. I said my light skin. You know, I know y'all all go to karate class. You, Drake, DJ Envy, y'all all go to the same karate, light-skinned class. I know that. I know that. I heard that.

I'm in Illuminati, too. You know what I mean? I'm on the other side of Illuminati. I'm the brown-skinned person. You know what I mean? Charlie has seen some things. Yeah, he'll kick your head straight off his shoulder. Yeah, yeah.

I know he can. I know. I know. I've seen him with Manny Pacquiao. I know it's going down. Nah, I'm peaceful, man. I'm peaceful. And you like Bruce Lee? Love Bruce Lee. I know what's going down. No, I'm peaceful, man. I'm peaceful. And you like Bruce Lee.

Love Bruce Lee. Sure. That's his teacher. So you be fucking with Bruce Lee moves? What do you do in Bruce Lee class? Kick the shit out of niggas.

Nah, I'm not. You're not violent. I heard you say you don't want to fight at all. Now I also heard you say you like to kick people's heads off. So I'm confused.'re not violent I heard you say You don't want to fight at all Now I also heard you say You like to kick people's heads off So I'm confused I have the ability

To kick people's heads off But I don't Yeah But I don't Yeah I'm not Advocate violence At all You know

Peaceful Okay I'm the guy that's going to Talk my way out of some shit first That's what I asked you The guy that can kick ass You're right The guy that don't want to fight

You don't realize what you're about to do. Right, right. You're about to get your head kicked off and I want you to keep your head in touch. The person who can fight

usually is trying to stop a fight. Yeah, I get anxious when that beef starts. I'm like, oh, fuck. Is this about to happen? Is this really?

But as long as you're talking, I'm not in any danger. You're fine. The only time you're in danger is when a nigga is either pulling out something or if the fist is coming right toward your head or your face. You can say whatever you want from over there.

Right. I'd be like, word, no doubt. Look at the community. I told y'all, they being like rappers. Look, that wasn't me. No, no. I didn't. I ain't telling you.

None of that. The motto was, I'm funny, but I ain't no joke. God damn it. I'm not that guy. So, Charlie Mack, you here, man. Oh, here it comes. Here it comes. Somebody told me, they was like, you got to be careful.

I'm like, so tell me the tone. He said, be careful. He's going to slide it in there. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause you're a legend. Humble sir. And I honestly think you were there that night,

so the way you answer it, you can answer it the way you want to answer it. I already know where you're going with it, but go ahead. So you don't have, you know what I mean? We love everybody. Everybody get a moment, and I know what you want to say, but go ahead. We want Will on here.

And we love Chris, absolutely. And we love Chris. Absolutely. But what did you think when you saw that? Come on, Nori, stop, man. And we love Chris. Absolutely. But what did you think when you saw that? Come on, Nori. Stop, man. Okay? Why?

Man, okay? Why are you bringing up old shit, man? Okay? It already happened. I did a special. We got over it, man. I did a special, man. It's all over. I'm with you on this.

Yeah? Not even just saying that. It really is love. But everybody get a moment in their life. Right. Everybody get a moment. Like I was talking, we was talking, no, not the name, we was with Martin on the beach yesterday.

Yeah, they're filming out here right now. Yeah, he was saying that, we would say everybody get a moment. He said, I had a few. You know what I mean? And so everybody had a moment. You know what I mean? Human nature.

You know what I mean? That's just what it is. It was just a very unfortunate situation in time. But you move on from it, you know what I mean? Listen, you go through it with your own family. Yeah.

It's the same thing I said about the comedians beefing. It was a moment that shouldn't have happened in the public eye, but shit happens. Yeah. Learn and move on.

Learn and move on. I love you, I.N. My question is, if we do do a sequel, are y'all going to be available to be there? I'm going to be there. I'm going to be there.

I ain't going to talk about it. I want to be available. I ain't going to lie to y'all. I want to be there. He's not available. Have me act like him. I'm coming to him. Let me throw this out there. Set ready. Let me throw this out there.

Now you know we do. We make real films. Look, look, look. We make real films. I believe the way you came at me. This is what I suggest. Okay. I suggest.

Now, when you give your word, because you gave us our word. Yeah. I do. I do. Once my word is here. This is what I suggest. You start us now, but we're going to do

three different scenes. We're going to come with different changes to outfits because we know how to cheat the camera, right? Right, right. Three different changes. If you want five,

we can go five. Okay. He just want to drink that much. And then we're going to, no, no, no, no. We're going to change, do different scenes. Do different scenes. You know what I mean? Yeah, I want to interview that much. And then we're going to, no, no, no, no. We're going to change, do different scenes. Do different scenes.

You know what I mean? Yeah, I want to interview Manny Pacquiao. He has nothing to do with hip hop. Yeah, yeah, but that's what's going to make it funny. It's like, yo, you want to fight Floyd Mayweather? Do you know? Yeah, you shouldn't write. Oh, yeah.

I mean, hold on. Look, I don't know what this is. OK, so we only need the movie. Hold on. Let me get one more shot. Let me get one Hold on. Let me get one more shot. Let me get one more shot. Let me get one more shot. Stick to the rhyme.

No, no, no. Let me get one more shot. Stick to the rhyme. Okay, so I'm going to say we're going to interview Drink Champs, right? Fuck. We're going to interview Drink Champs? No, no, no. No, no, no.

One of the characters. We can't interview Hov. Because did you see Vince Staples? Just do it out there. The Drink champs. Jay-Z was on drink champs. Jay-Z was on drink champs. On his Netflix.

It's kind of dope, though. Can you think about Jay-Z on drink champs? Yeah. You want to take a shot for the Jay-Z on drink champs? You really want Jay-Z on drink champs? No, I really want you to show me how you feel like he would be on drink champs. What are you asking him? What are you asking him?

What are you asking Jay-Z? I'm going to get him drunk. Oh, you want to get him drunk. So act like Jay-Z drunk on Drink Camp. Not regular Jay-Z. Can you do drunk Jay-Z on Drink Camp? So now you're asking me to act. No acting.

You're asking me to act. Okay, because you know we got the ace of spades. If he would be here, these would all be gone. That idea is limited. He knows that. He knows that. We need to get a job. We need a job.

You know that idea is not making it back. He's thinking about his video game. He knows that idea is not making it back. He's thinking about his video game. He knows that idea. He knows that idea. We hung out for six hours drinking this and Japanese whiskey, and it was fantastic. Yeah. What was the song? Jay Nas and Khaled.

Ooh, I love that. Oh, that they performed. Not God did. Japanese whiskey on the mezzanine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I saw the video of them talking on the FaceTime. Because that's how the first time I started drinking Japanese whiskey. Yeah, Nas was like, yo, I heard that verse. Japanese whiskey.

It's like, yo, got to go in the booth. You doing love. I do my shit. I got to do my shit. I got to come correct. Yes. It was a Japanese whiskey line. He was like, yo, Japanese whiskey. Yeah.

Yeah, some fly shit. Fuck with the soul like Ethan. Some fly shit. Mike Tyson did a rap song? Who? Mike Tyson? Mike Tyson did a rap song. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Get some fly shit. Fuck with the soul, I keep this. Get some fly shit. Mike Tyson did a rap song? Who? Mike Tyson? Mike Tyson did a rap song. He just dropped a rap song?

No. Okay. Recently? I mentioned it before, but Mike Tyson did a rap song. I got a rap song. I don't know how this got relevant to this conversation at all.

He's still drunk. Yeah, he's still drunk. Y'all come straight here. I sobered up. I don't know if you noticed. I sobered up. Low base. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's still drunk. He's still drunk. Y'all come straight here. I sold it up. I don't know if you know this. I sold it up. Low bay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I sold it up. I was the only one. This is what we do. We navigate through life. We slur. Yeah, I mean, we navigate through life. So,

next movie, Tyler Perry comes to y'all. I'm sorry, I'm saying Tyler Perry Tyler I mean Fuck that We taking the budget right If Tyler Perry come right Tyler Perry comes

And says Whatever y'all want Yeah give him the money Cut the check What's the next movie Y'all wanna do Cut the check What movie are y'all picking I don't wanna say what What the next movie But we know what the next movie is'all want to do cut the check what what movie are y'all picking i don't want to say

what what the next movie but we know what the next movie is we want to do but can you give us an idea without giving us an action it's an action you said action you dead serious it's an action comedy like you said you're getting ready for your own movie yeah okay well and other movies as well like i i see myself alongside the mark Wahlbergs, the Will Smiths. I have that range. As you should be. And I want to do the unexpected. Most people know me for being an animated comedian,

but what I showed in this hip-hop story was I actually have acting range as well. He has acting range. He's a director. We're both producers. So this isn't something that's just like a viral movie or it's internet level. We're like, nah, we really are Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Stephen Cable Jr. type energy. We're really filmmakers. Right, from on screens to behind.

100%. Yeah. I'm going to be honest. I see it. Be honest. Say it again. I see it and I believe it. Clap it up for that. I guess it's easier for me to see it and believe it because of how y'all see it and believe in yourselves. Yeah.

Yeah. But we're talking about Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer level stuff. Those are the people that we admire. You know what I mean? We admire big films, big action,

high octane type of stuff. Even on the TV side, Bruce Lee's daughter did Warrior, which was a concept that Bruce Lee made back in 74. Not 74, sorry.

He died in 73. But he made, he had this treatment that he wrote and Hollywood wouldn't let him start it because they told him that Asian people wouldn't be able to lead projects. And she found the treatment and her and Justin Lin partnered up and warrior is

incredible i'm talking about the action the camera work everything about the writing so i'm on that shit he's on that shit like we're not just hip-hop comedy movie makers this is just you know something very close to our hearts. And we could really do that too. The fact that we wrote bars in the voices of all these different iconic MCs was us saying, no, we actually are of the culture,

but we're actors too. This isn't just an impersonation. We're acting as these people so that you really believe you're listening to a Joe Burden verse on that song or a Freeway verse or or a Drake verse, or whoever. Whoever we imitate, E-40, Too Short.

Yeah, E-40 was great. Crazy. That's Jevin Smith. Crazy. But not only that, I just want to also give my brother also flowers, because his pen game is crazy. From his script pen game to his rap pen game is crazy. So I just got to give him his flowers for...

He's going to finish writing our gas station movie. He's going to finish it. It's been a piece the whole time. Thank you, brother. He led me as a friend. He could have got anybody

to direct this movie that he wrote for us a long time ago. But he put his trust in me and this is my first feature that I got to direct. And he put his trust in me and his money in my first feature that I got to direct, and he put his trust in me and his money in allowing me to do that,

so I'm forever grateful to my brother up there. Come on, man. Let me tell y'all something. Let me tell y'all something, what I see. Again, because we said it earlier, it's like, yo, why do we have to do other people's movies? But I have no better example than what I'm about to say right now. So I'm going to say it.

Y'all can be like the Adam Sandler, you know, where they go and do movies with their same crew. Friends, man. Judd Apatow, Adam Sandler. I told you. Their loyalty to their people. I love that comedy. You know, the Seth Rogen's, they hire the same exact people. Adam Sandler's hiring the same exact people.

And some of them, most of them, some of them are black people. But they're stars now. They're all stars. But when you got the director, the producer, the writer, and everybody, and you continue to do that, that shit is just so, like, for lack of a better term, attractive to me. You know, we've been doing that. You go back to his sketch show that he had back in Fox.

All of the people that are in there are all the people that are doing this movie. The friends, the makeup, all of the people. Same hair and makeup people. We already been on that mission. I don't even need hair and makeup. I'm about to hire them. Oh, yeah. No, hire. We already been on that mission. Now the world is starting to see it. I don't need hair and makeup. I'm about to hire them.

Oh, yeah. No, hire. Yeah, look, stay around. Well, he called her own. She was my makeup artist on Wild N' Out. That's where we met. She was Nick's makeup artist

for a while. Yeah, right. But when we were on set, she told me, and we did some sketches there, but that's when I learned that she does special effects makeup, too,

and she can really transform people. She turned me into Eminem when I did it just on YouTube. Wow. But she really knows what she's doing uh her her partner karen rhodes on the hair she really knew the errors and anytime we we told her what we needed or who who we wanted to portray they did the googles they pulled up the the the images went right to work and they started sending me Images of the wigs being cut

On the dummy heads right They would send me photos of like MC Light's wig And this wig and that wig And it already was looking like the person on the dummy I was like Oh shit Wait till we get this wig on Lil Mama Like it's going to be so

MC Light When she played MC Light I had to look at it three times. She was light. She embodied light. She was light. Whose idea was that? Me.

Come on, man. Empty light? Ratifa? You little cocky. No, listen. The whole movie is on the page. Like, I wrote that shit, nigga. I'm nice.

I wrote that shit. I'm at pen game, B. Pen game. Pen Game. Pen Game. Eat your own bubble cheese. When you were around Rockefeller, were you involved in any of the films that Dane was doing? Like Paper Soldiers or anything like that?

Death of a Dynasty. Okay, I heard you guys talking about that. I made care of it during that time because I was just filming. And I was filming all the behind the scenes stuff with all of that. So I was around. State Property 2. I was around there. I was around filming all the behind-the-scenes stuff with all of that. So I was around. State property, too. I was around there. I was around filming all the behind-the-scenes of that.

Wow. But, yeah, so I was around. I was around for everything. I still have all of that footage. I have, like, hundreds and hundreds of tape of the whole Rockefeller, like, era of that time filming. Wow. Man, nobody's going to ever see that. It's in the vault.

No, you're like the guy with We Are the World footage. I'm Charlie Mack. I'm Charlie Mack with his footage. Yeah. You know what I mean? At some point, it'll come out. It's in the vault. You're like the guy with We Are The World footage. I'm Charlie Mack. I'm Charlie Mack with his footage. Yeah. You know what I mean? At some point it'll come out. Yeah, at some point. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. When it makes sense. Yeah, absolutely. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense. Right. Some things are better kept quiet. Yeah. And did you ever think

that Rockefeller would break up when you first came to them? No, I didn't. I didn't. You know, nobody ever thought that. It just kind of came out of nowhere. But I was a fly on the wall. How did you get hired?

Man, I was filming the Harlem Shakers. The Harlem Shakers just got real big in New York, right? So I'm filming these guys. DJ Webstar? Yeah, not DJ Webstar. It was like the guys who dance. Okay. You know what I mean?

They used to dance in the E! video and all these other videos. And then, I believe, Tone Hooker, Tone Hooker and Claudie B, they reached out to me

because they saw the stuff that I was doing around the block, around neighborhoods, and they was like, hey man, Dame need somebody to come travel with him and film all the Rockefeller stuff.

And they just brought me to the office. And I got there today, Dame looked at me, he's like, yo, I got a camera. He gave me the camera, gave me the equipment,

and proceeded to snap on me for about the next three or four hours at Rockefeller. That was like my intro to the initiation to the family. And I just traveled around. That's how I got to meet you, man, and write my first script and all that other good stuff. But was you with them in France? No, I didn't go to France. Okay. I didn't go to France.

Yeah. Some other people went. So, Charlie Mack. Yes, sir. What's our chances of getting Will Smith? Oh, very, very. He's here right now. Oh, he's here.

No, he's going to come. I'll give you that. He's definitely going to come. Sure. That here. No, he's going to come. I'll give you that. He's definitely going to come. Sure. That is crazy. It's going to be great. Now, if we get Will Smith and Martin, what the hell is this? Oh, that's even, I think that's a possibility as well.

Wow. You know what I mean? That'll be fun. I'll meet with him tonight, so I'll let him know. You got to come do this. I love the flowers. You got to come do this. You know what I mean?

I got to. I just want to give him their flowers, man. No, absolutely. I just want to hold it. No, no. I knew he was going to say something like that. No, but it's right that they come up. You know what I mean?

It's the culture. You know what I mean? This is the new marketing campaign. This is it. These are the top of the marketing in the world that you can go to to express your art, get your projects out. Got to come to them.

Will and Martin, you got to come over here and sit with EFN and Nora, you know what I mean? 100%. 100%. 100%. Yeah, man. God damn, man. I ain't going to lie. It wasn't just that.

I'm just smiling. I'm just being honest. I've been happy this whole time. That's a beautiful thing. And let me tell you. Go ahead. No, no, you go. It's your floor.

No, it's not. No, I wanted to piggyback off of what he was saying about me giving me my flowers. The reason why I didn't go to some other director in Hollywood is because this is my guy. Like, we've been doing this shit since YouTube. So I already know we think alike. Right. I wrote this movie for us, and he's a genius. He really knows cameras and editing, and he's a special effects guy. He really knows cameras and editing.

He's a special effects guy. He does all kinds of shit. So I want to rewrite the narrative. Hollywood loves to hire the same people. They go to the same people over and over and over. And I think at some point, those people hit their ceiling. They don't, you know what I mean? They hit a wall the creativity is not as great as it could be because they they're oversaturated

they keep getting getting called so why not go to somebody who you know personally and give them the shot to become the next big director why not and why not take that journey together and And, I mean, it shows on the screen. Like, everything that we did worked really well together. Right. From the writing to the directing to the casting. Because I know you, your friend is Tim Story, right? Yeah, I mean, he's my guy, but.

You know what I'm saying? Where did that come from? You could have been like, yeah, man, let me get. Yeah, you're saying you got Tim Story. But, no, yeah, Tim Story let me get... Yeah, you're saying you got Tim's story. But no, yeah, Tim's story definitely... He read the script years ago, but it's before the whole Kevin Hart movies and all that stuff.

But yeah, at the time, he was still looking to get his big movie. Malcolm Lee wanted to do it, but he was busy. He was doing other things. But it was meant to happen right now. God damn. You know, hip-hop 50th.

I think it should be said, though, that it's not just because people are your friends. It's because you trust that they have the skills to do it. A thousand percent. Even like when we talk about Adam Sandler, the people he, they're funny. And he's funny for what he's trying to accomplish. It's not just because they're his friends.

I know what he has. I know the skill sets that he has, and you're right. I was more than willing thank you. I was more than willing to put my money up and invest in him. Right.

The same way I'm willing to invest in me. With your focus. Absolutely. Yeah. So what we got to do is I'm going to just throw this out there

besides the gas station movie. We got to do a handball movie. Oh, what? You already have, I guess, the pilot demo for the movie. A handball movie. Yeah, you got to listen. Because they did dodgeball, so it's not. It's true.

Let's look at it. You never know. We're listening. But don't give away all your jewels on here. Do you play handball? Don't give away all your jewels on here. You know what I mean? So, that's what I mean?

That's what I'm saying. Yeah. I grew up playing handball, too. This is a Bob Burrows thing. I mean, I don't. You got to show them the footage. I got footage. I even got like a handball baseball card picture.

Like where I'm like. When did we film that? We filmed that like in early 2000s. We did. Like, where I'm like, hmm. When did we film that? We filmed that, like, in early 2000s. We did. Yeah, yeah. The footage is terrible now in terms of, like, the quality. But the idea. The idea is there, and the cameos are there. It's crazy.

It's crazy. Because, yeah, yeah, yeah. And, all right, it's two things that's, like, hood. Handball and stickball. That's what I said. And stickball, yeah. Stickball and handball. It's very hood. We do a handball, and stickball. That's what I said. And stickball, yeah. Stickball and handball. It's very hood.

And we do a handball movie like this. Smack that floor. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We go in the hood with the hood, play the hood. In the hood. In the hood. And everything is good. And everything is good.

That hood. There. Y'all. He got me playing jazz. Started molesting. And there was double jester, molester. Double jive is in there, y'all. You got to relax.

By the way, there was no molester in that bar, in that verse. Yeah, you said that. Jester, court jester. You've been saying that shit the whole time. I'm sorry. I was going to hurry. Jester, the court jester. The court jester.

I didn't say that. You didn't hear me say court justice after. No, you said molester twice. I did. You were saying molester like a motherfucker. My bad. That's what I heard. Am I high right now?

Yeah. You might be. I'm like so relaxed. Contact. How was it at the Rockefeller days? It was great. It changed my life. It was a first step. Obviously, this It was great. It changed my life. It was the first thing.

Obviously, this is the second thing that changed my life. That was the first introduction of just being around the people that I admired forever and being in hip-hop. You know what I mean? Right. Seeing those guys. So it was a great experience. You know what I mean? It was just dope.

Traveling the world and all of that fun stuff. It was just dope. I don't know any era. It's my favorite era of hip hop to me, obviously. So you don't got these other people's stories. Ah, it was, ah, nothing like that. I was just a camera man. Me too. I said nothing and I shot everything, that's it.

My whole Rockefeller days was great. I love it. That's it. Well, my whole Rockefeller days was great. I love it. It was great. It was Richard Lewis from Rockefeller. The only guy signed but not signed at the same time from Rockefeller.

Hey, listen. Biggs is our manager today. Hey, we're still on Rockefeller now. I got a question for you. Yes. Oh, fuck.

Let me say something. I'm going to keep studying you. Yes. Ah, fuck. Here we go. Let me say something. I keep studying you. Your memory is too good. You remember everybody, where you know them from, where you know them at, and the time you met them. Facts.

So, what are you about to say? I'm scared to death. It's something you won't remember. You know what I'm about to say? I'm scared to death. It's something you won't remember. You know what I'm about to ask you. Oh, shit. The legendary cypher. DMX?

DMX and cannabis. Yeah, I thought they was jumping. Clue. You felt what? I thought they was jumping me. How? Because they knew each other and I didn't know them. DMX and cannabis? with me. How? Because they knew each other and I didn't know them. But

you're still... I want to make sure. What cypher are you talking about? I'm talking about the cypher when y'all was on with was it Clue? Who was it? Flex. You're talking about on the radio? On the radio, yeah. Wasn't it? Who was it? There's a couple.

Let's see if you know your shit. You tell me. It was Flex. You bringing this shit up. And you been checking me this whole thing. Nigga, you tell me what the fuck it is. And you Google it. Google it. Why you still standing there like this?

Well, let me finish talking then, nigga. Google it. Google that motherfucker. I don't feel like I had too much drink. You had too much water. Because I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready to answer this.

No, you're a part of a legendary cypher. I'm part of a couple. A few. But that was my favorite one. And I might have the second best posse record. Maybe the third best posse record. Band from TV? Band from TV.

Yeah. In the world. No one ever even realized I am God Hook. So can I ask my question? I thought you finished. Okay, go ahead. No, no, no. Like, how was that energy for you?

Like, how do you feel about that cypher? You, cannabis, and DMX going back and forth. Like, that's a legendary joint. It traveled the world. And I don't know if you understand the impact of that cypher. I feel like we're confusing a couple different cyphers, though.

No. It was cannabis and DMX? It was cannabis, DMX, 197. Okay. 1998, Funk Flex. I'm the hottest dude in the world, but guess what? So is cannabis. So is DMX. dude in the world but guess what so is cannabis so is dmx i went up there

and all i remember was funk flex mowing it but not telling me he's promoting it and pun hitting me immediately like yo that's i'm coming up there. And I was just like, what? Because I didn't know what I was walking into. It was two-way days. So I walked in. I didn't know cannabis or DMX. That's just legendary that Punn hit you about it.

That by itself is legendary. The whole shit is legendary. He was listening to Hot 97. Back then, we didn't have Lynx. Right. We didn't have MySpace. We didn't have Such As Us. So Pun knew what I was walking into before I knew.

And I walked into, and he was like, yo, tell Flex to let me up. And at the time, I don't think either. I didn't know Cannabis or X. And, you know, they rhymed and when they rhymed at first, they gave each other

a five. And I ain't like, what the fuck? So you felt away from the door. You felt like the odd man out of that? No, no, I didn't.

Not from the door. I felt away after the rhymes were spit. Right. After the rhymes were spit, they like, that's like you and your comedian homie, like, yo, y'all finished? And you're like, boom.

But I'm like, damn, it's three of us that's here tonight. Like, all right, cool. So I keep going in. Pun is calling me. Flex is calling me. And that's when me and DMX became friends. Right. Because me and DMX...

And cannabis. And cannabis. Damn, because we got a big cannabis to fuck up. We got to have cannabis. Yeah, we got to have cannabis. Hey, cannabis, there's so many fake rumors of us not wanting cannabis on this fucking show. This fucking retarded. Yeah, you got to have cannabis on down. You got to have cannabis on.

All right. But listen, this is why I even brought it up. It's one of those cyphers that me and my boys listen to over and over. And what was more impressive, because I didn't grow up in New York, right? So I didn't hear all of the different Stretch, Armstrong, and you know what I mean? Right. All of those ciphers. I heard about those later.

Legendary. Which is what CNN keeps doing. But this is what I'm saying. To hear guys that are already on top, like superheroes of rap, three guys that aren't a group that are trading the mic Yeah.

Y'all niggas was rhyming for like 45 minutes to an hour. It was crazy. It was something crazy. I had to bring it up because I don't know if you understand how iconic that moment was. And they were really like the freshman class of that era. No, that is the freshman class. If you look at the source magazine,

we're all on there. That's the reason why Pun was so mad that he couldn't come upstairs. That's so dope that he wanted to. That shows the type of MC that he was, you know? He hit me because he knew I didn't know DMX or cannabis. He knew I didn't know. I think him and cannabis kind of had that lyrical. There was that other cypher with most depth in them.

That cypher had already happened already, in my opinion. If memory serves me right. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it. I'm J.R. Martinez. I'm a U.S. Army veteran myself, and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and iHeart Podcast.

From Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor, going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A lot of times the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways. Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding. But the price has gone up, so now I only buy one. The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on Everybody's Business from Bloomberg Businessweek. I'm Max Chavkin. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith. Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business,

taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and how it shows up in our everyday lives. With guests like Businessweek editor Brad Stone, sports reporter Randall Williams, and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull, we'll take you inside the boardrooms, the backrooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick. Hey, I want to learn about VeChain. I want to buy some

blockchain or whatever it is that they're doing. So listen to everybody's business on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network, hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck. This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser-known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best-selling author and meat-eater founder Stephen Ranella. I'll correct my kids now

and then where they'll say when cave people were here and I'll say it seems like the ice age people that were here didn't have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to The American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. One that was hitting me, and I remember it was two-way pager. He was like, yo, let me upstairs. I want it to be a two-on-two. And I was like, what?

And I was like, what? I didn't realize that he was saying that, like, you know, cannabis and DMX know each other. And you don't know neither. And then eventually we did this sauce cover together with all of us. You know what I mean? Which you think is the precursor to the freshman eventually on XXL. You said precursor?

Yeah, you felt like that was the first up before it being called that. That is it. There's no other way. Look at it. Like, we all got Google now. Like, we all got it now. Like, we all got it. Like, I felt like I was exclusive when I had Google.

I know. I know. Like, we all got it now. Like, it's, yeah, yeah. You can Google the first time you've seen artists on the first cover together. Right. Like, the new artists of that era together. The new artists of that era.

I see what you're saying. It was me, DMX, Corrupt, Cameron. And that was Elliot Wilson? Mean. That's a mean class right there. Who did that cover? You got to ask Haz. That's not my part of the job.

If you were on it. But no, I brought that up because I just want to know if you felt how iconic that was. If you feel it the same way we were listening to it. If you like he was a part of a moment that was like really big in history It's like me being on Def Comedy Jam, right? I was on there Jamie Foxx was hosting me and Corey Holcomb on the same show and now see where we are So did you know it? Did you know it? Looking back on it now. I yeah, but you didn't know it in the moment. No, you don't know it in the moment no you don't know it in the moment but now i do now i'm looking at that shit like y'all's a part of something so okay so now you

can look back at those moments now living moments do you say to yourself now in a moment this is a moment because you know you didn't never look at it like that yeah because we have the experience of moments that's a great question yeah the had a few last four days, some moments. In the last few hours, right? Right, right. Well, they had some moments. We created moments and they had some moments.

But yeah, now that we have experience. of youth, you know, like we don't know, you're just living. You're just living in the real moment.

You're just doing, yeah, you're just. But when you look back, you're like, I did, that was legendary. And now you can kind of live in that moment

and enjoy it more from that experience looking back saying, okay, now I know what I was, like what I wasn't thinking about back then. Yeah, 100%. Right.

Yeah, I don't smoke. I just had to try. I know. I feel like he was going to be in the moment. He's like, let me be in this moment now. I just feel like he's going to be in the moment. Non-smoking, non-drinking. I was saluting you is what I was doing.

You were one of the icons of rap, man. Stop playing. We all know about your records and your platinum hits. But the cyphers, though. You know what I mean? Come on, man. I also went a couple more. I don't want to talk about it.

You know why? Just leave that in the past. Oh, look. That's a cover right there. There's a cover right there. Oh, yeah. Who's the editor on that one? Y'all engineer be mad high. I have to just text

Elliot and ask him. We were talking about it with Benzino. I think we were talking about that. He didn't know neither. He was high as hell. That's my son. Elliot is my son. It's my son, nigga.

Don't tell me you got a Benzino. I don't. I just remember that part. He's like, yo, that's my son. I raised him on the magazine. You had a couple of kids in that episode. He's like, yo, that's my son. I raised him on the magazine show. You had a couple of kids in that episode. Yeah.

Yeah. Look, it's a polarizing episode. For sure. To say the least. Back then, I don't know what polarizing means.

It means that it's polarizing. You can love it or hate it. That's the easiest way to explain it. Polarizing, no. It just means that it's so like, you have to pay attention to it. You have to pay attention hate it. That's the easiest way to explain it. Polarizing, no. It just means that it's so like you have to pay attention to it. You have to pay attention for more reasons than one.

Of course. He has a point. When he was on top, he took care of so many people. 100%. And he actually comes from a genuine place of caring about the culture.

Yeah. Regardless whether you agree how he talks about it or what he does, but you could tell he genuinely cares. No, like I said, I appreciated the honesty the more inebriated he got. Right. What he was saying was spot the fuck on. You know what I mean? So, look, everybody's going to have a moment, and we clown for that kind of shit. Me being a comedian, I'm going to find the funny in it,

but at the end of the day, he's a man that was very successful. He's a black man that was very successful, and we definitely, part of what the movie is trying to say also is we tear each other down so fucking fast. We can't wait to tear motherfuckers down like when a person's going down not at any at any point when you get at any point because they're like oh nobody knows them but me and the minute you make it to a certain level oh no i don't like that anymore but here's what's fucked up the fucked up thing about it is the people that are tearing celebrities down, if they had to walk in that celebrity's shoes one day and have 30 people scrutinizing them, telling them they ain't shit, you whack.

You whack as fuck. That last thing you put together, to them it's a thing. To you as the artist, it's a song that you sat on the right with a producer and there's layers of instruments. It's a full composition. And in one click of a button these niggas gonna be like oh that's just whack yeah right that's just trash right we so so when he was when benzina was on here crying and doing all that i felt that nigga's pain i felt the years of i'm tired of this I'm tired of this shit. I'm tired of acting like the tough nigga. I'm tired of being, you know,

on the defense. I'm tired of people talking shit about me, my daughter, my business, my magazine. This nigga really built a successful company. Sure, we all got our flaws,

but it's like, at what point do we start looking at each other and being like man that motherfucker really did something great and just leave it at that keep our opinions to you know we're gonna talk shit at the crib or barbershop or whatever but to go on the public platforms and to keep tearing each other down we're gonna always be like a toilet like that shit's just gonna always flush and the shit is going to keep going down. There's never going to be a moment where...

Because other people don't do this. White people don't do this to each other. Only us. We tear each other down and we wonder why we don't have shit. One thing I'll say about Zeno that I think is kind of dope after it came out is that he could have been someone that said,

no, fuck Drink Champs for airing that or they edited it the wrong way. He actually made, he made an argument for why a man should be able to cry

without any problem. Like, that's a human thing. He shouldn't even have to make the argument. But I think it's dope that he actually did because he's, you know, it's an example

for others, you know, like, so what? I cried. A real gangster cry type of shit, you know what I'm saying? For sure. Nah, salute to him. He buried his soul out here, you know, like, so what? I cried. A real gangster cry type of shit. You know what I'm saying? For sure. Nah, salute to him.

He buried his soul out here. You know? And I hope that whole... I hope the Eminem beefs close down. Right. That's what makes you a real man. Yeah. You know?

Yeah, I hope him and Em stop beefing. Because... Yeah. Just stop. Yeah. I believe they will. Because of... I think

vulnerability is actually being accepted now. I think you're like wrong right in between. When you keep it real to your truth, people are starting to accept that now. And I think that's cool. Let me ask you this. How did you come up with, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh?

Was that a lyric? Or was you just in the booth vibing? Nori know this. Nori know that. That's one of my favorite fucking songs. Nah, that was actually I'm leaving On the next plane

I don't know when I'll be back again Was that a different song? Kiss me or pray for me Tell me that you're away from me That's the original song Yeah little nigga You know what I mean?

You said little nigga? Yeah Did you just little nigga me? Yeah little nigga me Yeah Did you just Lil Nigga me? Yeah, Lil Nigga me. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Did you just Lil Nigga me, bro?

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Yeah, but that's the original song. I'm going to let you get away with that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's that. Yo, listen, listen. That's the original song. You won.

Yeah, come on, man. Yeah, it's far behind. Come on, I love you, brother. Come on. Let me see. Let me get away with you. I got you. He preemptively went to more.

I got two more. He'll call me up four in the morning about some random shit. That's right. Yo, Abe, what do you think about this movie? I think that's what. You ever been? You be knowing about it, too. You be like, word, I don't like it.

Yeah. So don't you throw me out there by myself. I be calling you like, yo, I don't think this is right. Yeah, we'd be powwowing for sure. That's right, man. My brother. But I just want to reiterate how happy, how proud

I am of what you brothers did. Came out there, you did your own money. But even your own money ain't even the biggest story. The biggest story is you're doing it on your own. Even though that does relate to your own money,

I understand that part. But you're believing in your own people and doing it on your own. And sometimes even your own people don't even mean your own people. It means your own people. It means people that's with for you or with you. And I watched the movie, man, and I was so proud.

Because you taught a story. It was funny. But then you he taught a story it was funny but then you also taught a lesson and that to me is what hip hop is supposed to be my favorite rapper

is Marky one of my favorite rest in peace rest in peace he talked about picking boogers. Ultimate storyteller. Diabolical. And at this point,

who the fuck wants to brag about picking a booger? Daring. But I always witnessed that. I always knew I wanted to do that in my own rhymes. So I always wanted to be funny in my own rhymes. I wanted to make people gosh me. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it's like, I said, stick a broom in your butt.

I said, what the fuck? Stick a broom in your butt? I never stuck a broom in no bitch butt. Butt, fuck it. It sounded good. Hysterical. Man, it's the truth. it's on DJ Clu tape but I'm saying that

and I'm saying that comedy and rap and even athletes and even actors kind of live the same fucking life And even athletes. And even actors. Kind of live the same fucking life.

Like you can't have a day off. It's a lot of parallels. Yeah. You can't have a day off. I know you can't have a day off. I know you can't walk to McDonald's and get a cappuccino. Excuse me, Starbucks. Yeah. I like cappuccinos. You fucking cappuccinos? No. I do a double cappuccino. Excuse me, Starbucks. I like cappuccinos.

You fuck with cappuccinos? No. I do a double cappuccino with oat milk. It's kind of fire. Fuck your shit. It's kind of fire. Fuck your shit. It's kind of fire.

I kind of like being in the white people's section. But, you can't go to there. They're going to say to you, what's up, nigga? Take a picture with me.

Be funny, funny man. They're going to, like, if it's all people, they're going to make you perform. It's others. Yeah, all people make you perform. They be like, you know, nigga, rap, nigga. Do the whole shit.

Like, who the fuck you think I am? All people was fat. Yeah. White people don't make us perform, but they like, kind of like say, hey. I don't, I, shit. I'm going to blow it up, man. I'm not going to say it. Yeah.

Oh, shit. I got to stop. Yeah. Oh, shit. I got to stop. Yeah. But being famous might be the hardest thing ever. And what I mean by that is you have to always be famous. You got to always be on. Like I said, I hung with Dave the other day, and he did something

that was remarkable to me. He kind of like refused to be a celebrity at that moment. People were coming up to him and he was like, hey, how you doing? Yeah.

And he just kept indulging in our conversation and I was like, I had never seen that before. I was like, they all wanted to take a picture with him. I'm talking about the whole. No, I've been around him.

We all had lunch, me and most deaf, a bunch of people. And same thing, people was coming up to the table and they wanted to get photos. And he has his moments where he's just like, no, thank you. I'm just hanging out with my friends. If you don't mind, I would not want to take a picture. Oh, he says it's the most polite in this way. Very, very classy.

I didn't know I could do that. Hell yeah. Manage people's expectations of you. You know what I mean? You teach them how to treat you. How to deal with you. Absolutely. I did not know how to do that.

But you're still right. Even if you're doing that, you're being polite because you still don't want to offend the person, as opposed to you being concerned about your own boundaries and your own peace. You know what I mean? You're still trying to placate the person, as opposed to just holding yourself down.

You still feel like you've got to be on, even in the denial of the photo. Right. Oh, it was just me and his wife me and my wife and at that moment like it was like he protected us he knew what to say to the people that came around us and i i was not experienced in that i always i just fold all right cool right like i'm sitting here with maybe me a carbone pasta and shit yeah let's go let's take a picture like dave knew he knew how to navigate this situation like hey and i i had never seen that i never knew how to um i don't want to say deny your celebrity but just manage that situation yeah manage the situation.

And that was just so dope to me. And I had never seen... What about now? How are you now? That's what he's talking about. This just happened. But this just happened. This just happened.

Yeah, yeah. So now you just... Have you tried it yet? Have you tried this? Yeah. I hit a new with a different lie the other day. But you don't got to lie. It was kind of a lie.

What did you tell him? Dude came up to me and was like, yo, man. I was like, listen, I'm on vacation. If they find out I'm here,

I can't get paid. Dude felt. He was like, what was up? You're about to watch this like, god damn. I'll let you know, man. dude felt he was like woke it up you're about to watch this like god damn I'll let y'all man it was ill cause I looked around

I did it like a drug deal I was like yo man listen man you really got love for me cause I can't don't take that picture you was like yo man fuck that man Give me that money I felt so bad

You continue to go ahead I went too far? No How about you? I'm good I know you deny your celebrity I'm good That's why you stay in Kendall

Nah So Tell us An awkward moment of your celebrity. I don't got an awkward moment. Ask for a picture, I'll take a picture. It's out by Southwest. Somebody ain't step on your sneakers. Nah.

Listen, this nigga is front. Come on, talk about it, man. Talk about what? Somebody stepped on your sneakers one time. Where'd you get that from? I was like, hey. That's what I do? in your sneakers one time. Where'd you get that from? I was like, hey. That's what I do. Hey.

I love you. Nobody annoy you and you have no fan that annoys you? How would I know they're my fan if they're ignoring me? Annoying. Annoying. Annoying. Yeah, there's people that are annoying. But yeah, you keep them at a distance.

If they're polite. My thing is, if you're polite, polite You come up Can I please take a picture Cool I'm cool with any picture I'm going to be honest with you Annoying and polite Don't go together Okay so if they're polite Cool if they're annoying

No If anybody disrespects me No That's what I'm asking No No one ever been annoying to you Yeah and they don't get a picture Or they don't

Or stay away from me Can you give us a scenario Of somebody Yeah a drunk motherfucker Ah yeah I should be on drink channels. Alright, cool. Go that way and then call me later. Exactly.

Lucky I'm the less known guy here. Holy shit. Yo, man. This has been so fucking great. Don't be honest. I'm so fucking happy that we established you Chinese.

We established that. Established. Coming from North Carolina. You the homie from Rock and Roll. From the gas station. The Bronx. Boogie Down Bronx, baby.

Let's go. Boogie Down Bronx. The feds come out of it for flying. The old gas station movie. We going to continue this. Exactly. Old gas station movie. We going to continue this. Absolutely.

We going to do this. I don't know if I'm going to be like every young man with all my fucking money in there, but I'm going to find somebody to fund us. We going to film this. We going to sign a major. I'm producing that.

We going to do that. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. I forgot. Charlie Mack is in the building. Hey! Charlie Mack. Charlie Mack.

We getting, this is what we established We getting Will Smith and Martin At some point At some point At some point At some point

At some point Not now I'm going to talk to him for you I'm going to talk to him for you Now again they're grown men But I'm going to talk to them Of course I seen him with Fadjo the other day

Put me on FaceTime Just tell him We want to celebrate them That's all we want to do Because Will don't drink right Does he drink He doesn't drink I don't drink, right? Does he drink? He doesn't drink.

I don't know. I can't speak for them in terms of whether he drinks or not. All right, cool. I don't drink, so I'd love a drink with him. Yeah, yeah. But I mean, you know, he might take a drink with you. I don't know. Yeah, yeah. I mean, a lot of people take a drink with me.

Well, that's what I'm saying. You know what I mean? I'm a great guy. These three didn't. I've been drinking water. That's what I'm saying. We drink water. Yeah, you took a drink with me.

Yeah, exactly. You're my friend. But. He got drunk on water. That's what I'm saying. We drink water. Yeah, you took a drink of me. Yeah, exactly. You're my friend. But... He got drunk on water. Let's end this the correct way. Proud of this movie. I stand by this movie. I respect this movie.

I co-sign this movie. I co-sign your movement. I co-sign everything y'all doing. That shit is dope I was so happy watching it I was so

happy watching you teaching a lesson I was like damn cause I knew where you were going

I was like damn and I know that anybody younger than me might not know but they're

gonna understand it through that and going to understand it through that. And if they understand it through that, it's still the same lesson. Right. It's still the same lesson. You understand? So I was like, ah, cool. I love it.

So I want to give you your flowers again. Yeah, congratulations on the phone, guys. Charlie Mack, man. Thank you, man. We know you all. We love you phone, guys. Charlie Mack, man. Thank you, man. We know you all. We love you all, man. And thank you for having us. Thank you for opening the doors.

You know what I mean? You know, this is truly an independent effort. Oh, we independent too. Yeah, yeah. But as I'm saying, but y'all have such a platform that everybody knows who y'all are. Like, we know,

we understand where we are right now But Thank you As much as we're friends You don't You still don't have to Open your platform For me to just come on

And talk about My movie So the fact that you saw this movie As important enough Of a topic To be like You know what I want to give them the microphone

We don't take that lightly So thank y'all For always You know Showing up I'm mad that y'all didn't get in to give them the microphone. We don't take that lightly. So thank y'all for always showing up. I'm mad that y'all didn't get in the movie. We couldn't get y'all availability. I want to reiterate your flowers. No.

Even if we had nothing to do with the movie, nothing to be about the movie. How important you are to this culture. How important y'all are to this culture and y'all three conglomerates together nah it's cold sweet this was this was this meant to be absolutely word it's meant to be thank you thank you my god let's take a picture yes indeed shout out to your your camera batteries too for last year i don't know how y'all did it.

Drink Champs is a Drink Champs LLC production, hosts and executive producers, NORE and DJEFN. Listen to Drink Champs on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for joining us for another episode of Drink Champs hosted by yours truly DJ EFN and NORE. Please make sure to follow us on all our socials. That's at Drink Champs across all platforms at the real Noriega on IG at Noriega on Twitter. Mine is at who's crazy on IG at DJ EFN on Twitter. And most importantly, stay up to date with the latest releases, news and merch by going to drinkchamps.com. A lot of times big economic forces show up in our lives in small ways.

Four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up. So now I only buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up. So now I only buy one. Small but important ways. From tech billionaires to the bond market to, yeah, banana pudding. If it's happening in business, our new podcast is on it. I'm Max Chastain. And I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith. So listen to Everybody's Business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States.

Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves. This medal is for the men who went down that day. On Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage, you'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why is a soap opera Western like Yellowstone

so wildly successful? The American West with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th, where we'll delve into stories of the West and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American West with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast.