The Breakfast Club - Conversations with Unc: Livin' Life To The Fullest with Stephen Jackson

Episode Date: June 9, 2024

The Black Effect Presents... Conversations with Unc! Lil Duval and special guest, former NBA Player Stephen Jackson (aka 'Stak 5') have a humorous yet insightful discussion about overcoming various life challenges and reflect on the moments that shaped them into who they are today. The conversation takes a more emotional turn as 'Stak 5' opens up about the recent loss of his siblings and the challenges of dealing with grief. They emphasize the importance of living life to the fullest, finding peace amidst difficult times and the importance of having a support system and much more. Tune in and join the conversation in the socials below.  Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Conversations With Unc on IG @LilDuval @_stak5_See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing.

Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this.

It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh, my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan.

That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Dani Shapiro, host of the hit podcast, Family Secrets. How would you feel if when you met your biological father for the first time, he didn't even say hello? And what if your past itself was a secret and the time had suddenly come to share that past with your child? These are just a few of the powerful and profound questions we'll be asking on our 11th season of Family Secrets. Listen to season 11 of Family Secrets

on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Marie. And I'm Sydney. And we're mess. Well, not a mess, but on our podcast called Mess, we celebrate all things messy. But the gag is not everything is a mess.

Sometimes it's just living. Yeah, things like J-Lo on her third divorce. Living. Girls trip to Miami. Mess. Breaking up with your girlfriend while on Instagram Live. Living. It's kind of a mess.

Yeah. Well, you get it. Got it? Live, love, mess. Listen to Mess with Sydney Washington and Marie Faustin on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha.

And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show, Civic Cipher. That's right. We discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence. And we try to give you the tools those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people.

We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. We're going to learn how to become better allies to each other. So join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Lil Duval and this is Conversations With Up, the podcast. What up, what up? It's your boy Lil Duval, live and direct on the Black Effects. I got my man on the motherfucking live with me. And for those of y'all that don't know, and for those of y'all that do know, my show is like a therapy for everybody, you know what I'm saying?

Because people come to me all the time, offline and shit, talking to me, giving me their problems and shit. And they come to me and try to figure out how to get out of it. So I figured I'd share some of this out to the world and to some of my partners and shit. And one of my partners right here, he a legend himself, and he's doing his motherfucking thing. Even though he's ugly, but he's a good guy. You know what I'm saying? He's a great guy.

My nigga, my nigga Stanton. Steven Jackson. Hey, don't start that shit, my nigga. Hey, you just got back walking, my nigga. Don't make a nigga clip your ass, Ron.

Hey, you clip me, you go in the jail because I'm Bresa Charlie. I ain't playing with that bullshit. I done got hurt before and that shit that shit ain't nothing to be bullshit bullshit work nigga nah glad glad glad to see you back on your feet and doing your thing you know we missed you out here nigga hey man hey you know what i i from this accident i got a full appreciation for athletes after this shit because especially football players because like the shit i shit I go, the accident I had, and then I seen how people that be in them games,

they just get hurt like that and jump back in the game. Dog, they ain't supposed to be doing that, is it? Nah, you know, they be taking all kind of shots, but, you know, you got a chance to experience that rehab. Yeah, the rehab. But they do it even quicker because mine, said mine was quick but then i see how the athletes y'all be coming back in like a week or two less than that i'm like how the fuck is they doing this shit well it's something you know like if you play a sport for so long you work out

for so long as you know just like you do with with your profession in your space you great at it because you work at it for so long a lot of those guys bodies are built so they've been working there so long so when they get injured it won't take them as long because they're so strong you ever heard something uh the only thing i ever broke was uh my pinky and my i broke both my feet before i made it to the league but that's because i was born with uh stress fractures but uh the only thing I broke while I was playing was my pinky. Oh, I was going to ask you how was the healing process. Nothing serious, bro.

Nothing serious. Thank God I never had no serious injuries. That's what's up, man. That was the tree. That was the what? The tree. The weed? Yeah.

You think the weed helped you? Yeah. You know what I'm going to tell you, man? I don't think the weed helped me. It helped You know what I'm saying, man? I don't think the weed helped me. It helped me for the simple fact that while all those other guys was putting pills and all this stuff in their system, you know what I'm saying?

They was depending on that shit where when they retired and while they was playing, a lot of niggas got immune to the shit that they was taking. So once they got immune to it, that they was taking so once they got immune to it it was nothing for them to take so they couldn't play see me the tree all the tree did i didn't take it to play i took it to come down so after games i could relax and sleep

and get the proper rest to play again you know i said i had to take no drugs not on motherfuckers when they retired they need the drugs and they ain't got no insurance or nothing to get them you know there's people out here now that you know that didn't do it, that they out of shape and fucked up. They body fucked up not because of that. It's a lot. It's more players that's like

that than players that got their life together, bro. It's sad to say. You know what I'm saying? Not to talk down on nobody, but yeah, bro. It's way more players that's out of there than players that didn't take care of their business is it because they just couldn't take care of their money just didn't make that the money you know we all make bad decisions bro i've made a lot of bad decisions with money and you know that that come from not having to think you can get it all at one time once you get some money you know i'm saying

they ain't realistic but i caught myself before it was too late. A lot of guys don't have a support system. A lot of guys don't have people around them to get to them, to put a light bulb in their head to start saving for a rainy day. A lot of guys don't know about that. So I had a great support system. I made a lot of mistakes, but I had a great support system. Baby mama, drama, child support, all kind of shit.

But I still was smart enough, you know what I'm saying, to put something away for myself. Who gave you that? Was it people you looked up to? Or somebody just was in you? You know, I mean, I would have to say, bro, that from seeing my mama struggle so much. Mm-hmm. You know know i'm saying growing up

we uh my mom i was born in third ward houston texas same uh hood george floyd i thought you were from um port arthur i moved to port arthur when i was five oh okay okay okay okay yes i was i was i was raised in port arthur um and um just seeing my mama with two kids and seeing the man she was married to still from when we go without, you know what I'm saying? Getting kicked out, eviction, all this shit, to having to go stay with my grandmother. And to see her work so hard. You know, my mama was one of those women who worked from 6 in the evening to 6 in the morning. So when we get out of school, she going to work.

You know what I'm saying? By the time we get up and go to school, she just getting home. So the whole time she home, we at school, sports, all that. So we all to see my mom. We see my grandma. So I seen what she sacrificed, bro. And the first thing I did was I got some money. I built her a house and my grandmother a house. So I think seeing them go without and seeing

how hard my grandfather worked to take care of everybody gave me the most. That's why I was about to ask you. It had to be a male figure in there, too. So it's your grandfather. My grandfather's name is Jesse Jackson. My name is jesse jackson my name is steven jesse jackson don't laugh at my middle name but yeah uh that's hard though that's hard jesse motherfucking jackson i'm calling you there from now on jesse every time i see you say some shit i'm gonna say come on jack i can't be serious with you at no fucking time

it works with what you're doing in life now, though. You see what I'm saying? Because shit, you here for the people, too. You know what I'm saying? I love probably more than Jesse, but that's a whole other story. But the same thing with me. My family is real tough. My grandaunt is hair and stuff. So it kind of makes

sense in how we are as a person. Nah, I'm saying there it is. It's right up there at the statue up there in Pennsylvania. My name right there on the stone of the family tree. We all know this.

Wow, bro. Yeah, but it all goes into play with who we are as a person now. You see what I'm saying? That's right. It tells you why you have that drive and you're the one that do fire people. You see what I'm saying? It tells you why you have that

drive in you to want to do fire people. You know what I'm saying? My grandfather raised nine kids. My grandmother never worked, never drove a car in her life. They kept... When we wake up at school, it's

eight grandkids and they're fighting for over the bathroom. That's why you look like a granddaddy in the face now, bruh. I'm telling you. I'm telling you, bruh. You're supposed to be here for a long time to take care of the people. Stay woke. Nah, for real though, man. It's all making sense. Look at me. Look at all this gray

in my face, bruh It's all making sense. Look at me. Look at all this gray in my face. You're sick, man. Look at all this gray in my face, bro. I'm telling you. You're trying me to be the old nigga I'm supposed to be. We both is. I'm just going to be an attractive old nigga. You're going to be a funny looking old nigga, but it's going to be raw though.

My bad. My bad, man man my bad ah this dude sick man now for real though man i'm just saying i mean i'm bullshit but i'm serious though like it just says how we because like when i found out about there it was like damn that's why i give a fuck so much because i really because you know sometimes you give a fuck to the nigga and you be like man fuck these niggas you know what i'm saying but then it goes back to like why do i give a fuck so much and then when i found that out it all started making sense then i look at my grand my granddaddy how he was so much in the community and i just watched just you are what you see you know i'm saying a little shit like that and just my great my other granddad in the Bahamas, just watching him with the business.

My other granddad in the Bahamas, he was like one of the first black millionaires in the Bahamas. He had the lump of yards and all that shit there. But then the kids under him was all girls. They fucked the money up and then we end up broke. But my point is, it just shows me what got in me, what I got

instilled in me and what you got instilled in you. You know what I'm saying? That nigga, I remember when the whole George Floyd thing happened. Bun told me, he was like, bro, everything that you've been through in your life, everything you've been through in your life built you for this moment. And I think about it. I hate when people call me an activist because I'm not. I'm not real close to it.

I would never put myself in the same category with Tameka Mallory or Kimberly Latrice Jones. They do this every day. You know what I'm saying? That was my homeboy. I'm a lawyer homeboy. I'm my brother's keeper. So I'm just a homeboy that wrote for his friend.

I would never put myself in the category of those great women. But what I will say is I just deal with any homeboy would do. You know what I'm saying? You ride for your dog. And everything I've been through from losing my older brother when I was 16 and being five minutes away while he was getting beat up

and shit, all that shit bothered me to this day. It's the same reason why I ran in the stands with Ron. You know what I'm saying? All that shit, you know what I'm saying? I got to be there for my brother, you know what I'm saying? I wouldn't be there for my brother. You know what I'm saying? So I wouldn't change nothing. I don't feel like that's a fault, though. Lord to a fault, yeah.

No, I don't feel like it's a fault. I don't feel like it's a fault. I feel like it, too, because I know a lot of people that I roll for wouldn't ride for me. Shit, your brothers would. Like you just said, your brothers and all them. So you did it for the right people at the right time. So, I mean, and even if they wouldn't, you do it because who you are as a person you know i'm

saying that's why i do shit because if you do stuff thinking people gonna get it back you're always gonna be let down you know i'm saying like if you thought you got over on me i don't know how because i didn't even think about it after that you know so when i do shit i just do it because i just want to do it i don't even look for shit after that after return even without a motive huh a lot of people do shit with motives sometimes they do shit for motive because that program to do that because we're taught if you do something good something gonna come back and return you hope and and and that's what you're hoping because so you're doing it which is still bad intention you see what i'm saying so if you do it just just simply because that's who you are the person just what you want to do

it if it come back cool if it don't you you ain't even thinking about it because you ain't blaming that shit because you ain't even thought about that shit you know what i'm saying facts as a kid i really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia Keys opens up about conquering doubt, learning to trust herself, and leaning into her dreams. I think a lot of times we are built to doubt the possibilities for ourselves. For self-preservation and protection, It was literally that step by step. And so I discovered that that is how we get where we're going. This increment of small,

determined moments. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Like grace. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired? Depressed? A little bit revolutionary? Consider this. Start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. There are 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emmanuel. I am the Queen of Laudonia. I'm Jackson I, King of Capraburg. I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Mentonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition.

The Waikana tribe own country. My forefathers did that themselves. What could go wrong? No country willingly gives up their territory. I was making a racket with a black powder, you know, with explosive warhead. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets.

Bullets. We need help! We need help! We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha.

And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show Civic Cipher. That's right. We're going to discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people to hopefully create better allies. Think of it as a black show for non-black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle.

Exactly. Whether you're Black, Asian, White, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters. And we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On Thanksgiving Day, 1999, a five-year-old boy floated alone in the ocean. He had lost his mother trying to reach Florida from Cuba. He looked like a little angel. I mean, he looked so fresh. And his name, Elian Gonzalez, will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez. Elian. Elian.

Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian Gonzalez. At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with. His father in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or his relatives in Miami.

Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. At the heart of it all is still this painful family separation. Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, as part of the My Cultura podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So y'all, this is Questlove and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on with the Story Pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right.

A podcast for all ages. One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids starting on September 27th. I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records, Nimany, to tell you all about it. Make sure you check it out. Hey, y'all. Nimany here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast

for kids and families called Historical Records. Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop. Flash, slam, another one gone. Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap, there's another one gone. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history,

you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts so tell me a little more about what's going on with you man and how you doing in life man because like i say man i'm i'm just here to try to get people to be happy like black duval you know what i'm saying because life is life for me bruh and i wouldn't talk i wouldn't say this to you if you were my real partner, but it's easy to see on me. I'm going through a lot with losing my little brother and my little sister.

I buried my little sister and my little brother at the end of the year in October, November, back-to-back months. My sister was a year younger than me, and my little brother was three years younger than me. And I'm having a hard time dealing with that, bro. I can't even lie. You know, I'd be a man to say I cry every day. I'd be riding.

Any moment of the day, you know what I'm saying? Because especially with my little brother, like, I never pictured life without him. You know what I'm saying? We've been in the same house, under the same roof, under the same rules, doing the same things my whole life. That was my best friend. My older brother got killed when I was 16. We got the same dad, but we was close. We didn't live together.

I still feel that pain from him. It's a different pain. But being little brother, man, like it's a big difference, man. And I'm having a hard time dealing with that. That's why I stay busy, stay doing shit. But because I worry about my mom. Have you sat back by yourself and just chilled somewhere with you and your old lady somewhere? Just like, well, I live in the house. I don't

know if you know, I be over there in the office. I be chilling over there. And that's why I go to get away from everything and just be at peace with my own self. It ain't too much like I'm like a, like I'm in that bitch meditating on the grass or some shit, which I could be if I feel give a fuck, but it's my own peace. You see what I'm saying? And

what I do, I always, I always, everybody everybody i loved i always prepared myself like this person gonna die you see what i'm saying i always did that since my first my best friend died like about 15 years ago that because he came out he just died out of nowhere and i was just i mean he got killed you know i'm saying i wouldn't i never thought he was gonna die i thought of course i was young i was in my 20 saying? I never thought he was going to die. I thought, of course, I was young. I was in my 20s. But I thought, like, he was going to go to jail before he died. And so that kind of, back then, my first grandma, when she died,

that kind of showed me that death is real. So everybody around me, I always said, man, they're going to die. They're going to die. They're going to die. And then when my man Kool-Aid died, the good thing, I ain't going to say it's a good thing, but it kind of, we knew it because he had cancer. You get what I'm saying?

So it kind of prepared me. So that kind of prepared me to how to love on a person while they're here. So when they do go, because I already prepared myself, even my kid, my daughter. I even programmed myself that God forbid it happened, but I know it could

happen because I've had people that I know who, you gotta think, it's people older than us. People 80 years old. My grandma, she done seen people die, die, die. So if they can handle it and be happy in that piece, we got to too. You know what I'm saying? And it's just

what it is. That's how I look at shit. That's how I program. I said, don't get twisted. I cry all the time. I cry, wake up every morning thinking about Clay. You know what I'm saying? Because that shit just happened. But I still understand what life is.

And I understand what it is. I keep moving. I keep chilling. If I want to cry, I cry. And move on. You know what I'm saying? Because it's therapeutic. Because I don't cry because he don't.

I cry because I'm like, damn, this is my nigga. You see what I'm saying? Because it's therapeutic. Because I don't cry because he don't. I cry because I'm like, damn, this my nigga. You see what I'm saying? This was my... Now I want my nigga like my older brother. You see what I'm saying? Like, he was the brother that I wanted my real brother to be. You know what I'm saying? But at the same time, I appreciated him while he was here, too.

So, with that, it made me understand how to appreciate that nigga. And when he left, because he left the day after I got off my crutch. The day I got off my crutch, nigga croaked. But it was unexpected. But it was like, damn, I flipped it. It was like, God kept me here. So it seems I got on my feet to get up out of here.

You get what I'm saying? So that's how I handled it. That's how I handled death. Because you ain't got no choice but to handle that shit. Yeah, and they say when you mourn and you miss somebody and you cry, tears is just the love you have for them. You have no way of showing it, so the tears just come out your eyes. You can't give it to them, dog.

You know what I'm saying? So that's the only way to show them love, by crying for them. So I get it, man, and I don't mind crying, dog. It's just that when you build a bond with somebody and you don't just set out a friendship. You know, me and my little brother set out a lifelong, you know what I, my little brother said our lifelong, you know what I'm saying, we had a life plan. We didn't just plan

a friendship of just being here a couple years and just acting like, nah, that was my best friend. We built a life plan so to wake up and be able to let it out, to put him not to be here and not be able to shadow, you know what I'm saying, the things I worked hard for and the things we talked about that we're going to be able to do for our mom

or for our families and shit like that, dog. That shit, it just bothers me, dog. And how they passed, too. You know? My sister went in for a surgery. They fucked the surgery up. They got to go back in, and that's how she passed. And my little brother just hard just stopped on the way home.

We got to keep going, man. We don't have no rules on how we die you know no yes we ain't got no rules you gotta keep going bro it is what it is it's like what can you do i ain't about it you know i'm saying i ain't but i believe in god so i ain't gonna die i'm gonna keep on living for other people that's that's around here that what our purpose is you see what i'm saying well That's how you got to do it. You got to do it for that because our purpose is for other people to show other people

how to live in this shit because like I told you before, we here for a purpose so you got to... We can't be the weak nigga. You know what I'm saying? Not at all. You can't be the weak nigga. It ain't being weak to show your compassion and show your emotions. But a weak nigga ain't gonna keep pushing.

Yeah, yeah. But we can't wallow in it because I see a couple. I got a couple partners that they don't even realize they in the wallow of it and that shit like a poison in their brain and they in the grief of life.

You know what I'm saying? I got partners that been fucked up for 20 years they ain't got over the shit in the same spot yep yeah you know what I'm saying like and they ain't fucked up financially but they fucked up mentally you know what I'm saying like they can't find peace nah I'll never be that nigga you know

what I'm saying and my nigga just died you know what I'm saying like you know what I'm saying so it's but I still But I still understand like shit. It is what it is. He ain't the first one that I can't. My other grandma just died, right? I had five people die while I was

in the hospital. Back to back to back in this whole year while this shit was happening. But I understand what it is. They gonna keep going. Shit, it's the moral of the story. But shit, we gotta keep it moving we gotta keep living you got more kids than me nigga

yeah way more kids than you nigga I got a wife I got all kind of shit but then again I still got shit I wanna do you know what I'm saying like you can do it nigga you ain't gonna throw up here in the grass exactly nigga you ain't gonna throw up here in the grass nigga live nigga

they up there your brother up there saying nigga you don't get up there and live for us I'm up there living for you nigga you ain't get up there making moves up here while you down there nigga do it yup that's how we gotta do it nigga

yup I'm happy you got a podcast dog cause we real close to doing some epic shit. I can't too much talk about it yet, but this is a great space for us. It's great. We belong in this space, dog. Hey, man, I'm proud of you. I remember when you were just trying to figure this shit out when you called me over to your house that time.

Yeah. You didn't even know what you was talking about. Just like this shit now. I'm just talking. You know what I'm saying? But look, you figured that shit out and got into that talking. You know what I'm saying? But look, you figured that shit out and got into that motherfucker. You know what I'm saying? Because shit, my people been pushing me like Dolly and Charlamagne.

They've been trying to get me to do this shit for, and I ain't exaggerating, for at least a decade. But me being me, I like to do what I do. Like just, I'm a free spirit nigga for real. You know what I'm saying? Like I don't be needing much. So I don't bother nobody to do my thing and let me do. If niggas want to be mad at me they could be mad at me from social media i don't give a fuck but yeah shit like this is i'd be i don't be wanting because i don't like to i don't like to goddamn be locked in the shit and like but the good thing about it though you you

you tapping into a lane that hasn't been tapped in and then again you tapping into a lane that hasn't been tapped in. And then again, you tapping into a lane where you have experience of. See, the thing about what made us is like we were able to do two, three things that nobody was able to do. One, we came out the gate with Showtime. Mm-hmm. You know what I'm saying? That put us on another level. Two, that gave y'all validity. You know what I'm saying? That caliber, that put us on another level. Two. That gave you a validity.

You know what I'm saying? Off the rip. Two, we would have both got experience in our field. We both champions. And everything we say, we wear our emotions on our sleeves so we can talk about damn near everything. Both of our lives are all in the media, mine and Matt's. Three, we came in with the cannabis side of it. So when people hear it, now to the point where our show is such a hit of the game

because when the pandemic hit, bro, wasn't nobody working. Even Charlamagne called us to ask what template we was using. Bro, we was putting out two to three shows a day, I mean a week. Two to three shows a week. You know what I'm saying? And we a week. You know what I'm saying? And we took off. You know what I'm saying? I was watching it. I saw y'all bust across the street. We did it.

Y'all was killing it. Y'all was killing it. I say that to say, bro, it's enough space for all of us in this shit. And that's another thing, too. It's so saturated, too, but like I said, if I'm going to do it, I'm going to have to do it somewhere I don't see other people doing no more. Like, you know what I'm saying?

That's why I'm doing it this way with just conversation as far as just giving advice outside of the industry shit. You know what I'm saying? Everybody talk about industry shit or they talk about the history of something that happened back in the day of hip hop or the relationship shit and y'all got the sports shits on lock so it's like i like i want to do something where ain't nobody doing so i'm gonna be off around this bitch you know i'm saying so that's what it is you know i'm saying even though you look older than me am i older than you or you look are you older than me i'm 45 oh i Oh, I'm 46. But you look

56, so... Hey, yeah, but you... What? I don't look 56, bruh. No. No. I just started... I just started looking old when I got this gray hair. You don't

look your age, but you look a little older. Nigga, that's a good one. You don't look your age, but you look a little older. Yeah, dog. Hey, but tell me, let me ask you a question, though, since we got a couple more minutes. What was your mindset when you was going through that to get back on your feet?

Because I know you like, I like, even with the George Bush hit, you know, I missed a lot of money with stepping up for my brother. A lot of people backed away. A lot of people stopped fucking with me because I was doing something that was bigger than myself. But during your rehab time, and you was trying to get back on your feet when it first happened, how was your support system, and how hard was it to get back on your feet, knowing you're missing money, and knowing that you got a hot song popping

right now, like, all that shit? Well, honestly, that part of it, I wasn't really even worried about it because i already thank god i had planted seeds beforehand to make sure like even with 2020 happening 2020 shit i was all worth longer than that you know i'm saying so but a lot of people i don't know if you people probably called you too but a lot of people i thought had more money and he was scrambling than a motherfucker but i was scrambling because i had already prepared myself for worst case scenario in life you know what i'm saying so that's why i wasn't tripping off but what what i did learn through all this

situation like i had got a lot of love yeah i didn't realize how much love i got you know i'm saying just in the industry like i know i'm gonna get love from your mama your sisters yeah yeah like clay and all them niggas like that, but I didn't know I was going to get love in the industry. Motherfuckers calling, checking up on me, and checking on me. I was like, you niggas really

fuck with a nigga, because I never relied on that type of love. You know what I'm saying? My whole mindset was, because I already got my tribe already got my my tribe like even like the producer this shit like dolly and all them she part of my real tribe so when shit was off when i was fucked up they was there and that's the key to everything man if you

gotta try but that attests to who i am as a person before that because they wouldn't came there if i wasn't a a genuine good nigga before him. Right. You see what I'm saying? So I really can't I can't just put it on me as it was the people around me that made me them. They helped me with their energy. And I ain't talking about financially, just energy-wise.

You hear what I'm saying? So I give my props to my tribe and of course them doctors. All that bullshit them n and, of course, them doctors. Shit, them doctors. All that bullshit them niggas be talking about them doctors ain't good. Them motherfuckers good, especially the Miami doctors. Shout out to EJ.

Yeah, to James. That nigga. Nigga, if it wasn't for him, nigga, I wouldn't have been walking right now because my dumb ass was sitting in the Bahamas. I was in the Bahamas at they poor ass goddamn hospital. And they had to drug me up with Fignol and Morphine. Man, I was so fucking high.

Nigga, I had to tell them people, I'm alright. I'm good. I mean, shit, I'm good. Like, I'm in the Bahamas, so them motherfuckers was praying for me. Because my Bahamian auntie, they was over there praying for me. I was like, I'm going to be all right. God got me.

And then EJ called me and was like, hey, bro, you might need to come to America because there's some good doctors. He was like, man, fly into Miami. I'm going to get the best doctors. And then first my dumb ass was like, shit.

I was thinking like, shit, I'm going I'm gonna go to Jacksonville shit if I'm gonna go somewhere I know they love me in Jacksonville but I was gonna go there but he was like nah nigga you probably won't come down to Miami he's like he's the best doctors in the country and so I just went on ahead and trust that nigga and I flew the goddamn

I got airlifted to Miami and my mother was catching my little narrow ass up yeah you started rehab I got airlifted to Miami and a motherfucker was catching my little narrow ass up. Yeah. You started rehab. Yeah. I started rehab two, three weeks afterwards. I was in the hospital for about three weeks. As soon as I started rehab, shout out to the rehab doctor in Atlanta.

Shit, I forgot her name. Shit. It's Emery. Emery over there in Atlanta, Hawks. I had a good rehab man so shit, shout out to them too so all that shit man it helped me out, even that little

you know that earthy shit that they be talking about, all that grounding and I forgot the shit where they what you did Dolly, shit that shit, I forgot. But,

yeah, Reiki. Yeah, all that shit work, nigga. But that shit got me ready for my future. You ever thought about doing an ayahuasca? I thought about it, but I'm gonna probably do that shit with my girl, Dara Brown.

But I wanna do it like, like, I've been, nigga, I've been fucked up about this shit a year, but I'm going to probably do that shit with my girl, Daryl Brown. But I want to do it like, like, I've been, nigga, I've been fucked up about this shit a year, so I'm just getting back on my feet, moving the groove, getting back in the swing of things. So I ain't been able to just, like, been, like, I was telling you just, I do still go to Bahamas at my house and chill, but I ain't been able to, like, take, like, a month off to goddamn do drugs.

Yeah. You there yet? take like a month off to goddamn do drugs yeah you did yet nah i'm uh i'm i'm eventually get to it i start michael dawson the strongs yeah i've been doing i've been doing strong but shit i ain't been strong since my accident but shit since my accident just ain't got popping that but nigga joe rogan ain't put me on that dmt shit but i've been scared shits ain't got pomp in them. But nigga, Joe Rogan had put me on that DMT shit, but I've been scared, nigga. I ain't doing none of that. I ain't doing none of that. I'm just sitting in my drawer right now. I'm scared, man.

I be Luca, my homeboy Luca, for that old gumbo. Him and his wife just did, I watched him. He called me every day, and you know what I'm saying? I was thinking this whole other shit, but nah, nigga like me that went and came back with his clear mind and the same nigga I'm like okay yeah

I do it. Shit I mean I'm glad niggas started I'm glad niggas on the school now cause that shit way better than when we was on

them goddamn on them goddamn pills and shit and got them motherfuckers that was in high school for me that was a long time ago

my pill run was probably a good two months my pill run was while I was healing and I see like I ain't gonna front nigga like I never really did like drugs drugs for real I just started smoking weed when I was about 40 and then I started doing shrooms about 3 3-4 years ago but

outside of that I never did drugs like real drugs. I ain't never do them shit until this accident. And like, dog, I ain't going to front. The first time they shot me over the drugs, it was at that moment I understood why niggas did drugs. I understood why they do this. Like, it was like, oh, this is why they do heroin. Okay, I get it now.

This shit, dog, that shit is good. Ain't no drug better than the hospital drugs. You hear me? Fuck you, nigga. So think about this. So now you know I OD'd off syrup twice before I graduated high school.

Let me tell you why. The heroin they put you on, that is liquid heroin. That's basically what it is. It's liquid heroin. We used to drink two pints of that shit a day. I get it. Now you see why.

Nigga. Nigga. Nigga. Let me tell you dog nigga, so one night right, I'm trying to cause like I never did drugs so I talk about J. about jay ski you know my part of jay ski and do all the drugs like in a drug i said this thing can do all the drugs so

i call him a junkie bitch all the time so so when the accident happened nigga i'm they shoot me up with all this shit right so i'm so high like and i know i got a high tolerance so that's why i never did drugs too because my my daddy did crack and heroin so i he can handle that shit so i always knew like i i ain't gonna front i always wanted to do cocaine too because that shit looked fun but i was like we got it we got addicted personality don't do it don't do it yeah that's why i never did it so so fast forward i get an accident nigga they shoot me all drugs. I'm taking all this shit. I'm so high. That's when I got on live.

Nigga, I was on live on getting my knee drilled in and surgery. Oh, shooting it up. And so J. Steve fuck with me. Look at this junkie bitch. This junkie ass bitch. He fuck with me, call me all these junkie bitches, this, that, whatever. So now I can't be a junkie in front of this nigga now. So I'm, call me all these junkie bitches, this, that, whatever. So now, I can't be a junkie in front of this nigga now, so I'm

trying not to be a junkie. So I'm in the hospital. The nurse coming there, you know, the nurse coming there at 2 and 7, and then at 1 o'clock. So the nurse coming there, I'm just slapping on the phone with this nigga. She's like, I'm coming with your medicine. I'm like, I don't need

it. I said, I don't need it. I don't need this thing. She's like, I'm coming with your medicine. I'm like, I don't need it. I said, I don't need it. I don't need that shit. She's like, you sure? Now, mind you, if you don't take it at this time, you ain't getting it. You ain't getting it until 5 in the morning. I said, I don't need it. So he's like, you all right, nigga? I said, I don't need it.

Bruh, when I tell you that was the longest night of my motherfucking life. Nigga, it was so long. Nigga, it was so long. Nigga, it was so long. When that lady came at 5 in the morning, nigga, I found a vein in my toe, nigga. Nigga, I found a vein in my toe. I said, nigga, shoot me up right now. Nigga, I was like Kookie on New Jack City, nigga. I couldn't do it, but the moral of i get drugs i get it you get it i fully

understand i understand crack nigga crack gotta be the best one in the world to make you not give a fuck about nothing like that gotta be some shit dog i had my my bottom dish is completely gone so i had to take a shot like in 2012 or something like that just to continue to play basketball. They shot this long-ass needle, dog, at the top of my spine, dog. Bro, whatever that epidural shit is, I can see why women can't have babies on that shit, dog. I didn't feel shit for six years, but when that shit went off,

hey, when that shit went off, my niggas... Oh, my God. That shit... I think when they give you epidural, they shooting sciatica pain in you, because as soon as that shit went off, you get sciatica, nigga. Oh, my God. Hey, nigga.

Nigga, ain't no drug better than the hospital drugs, dog. Hospital drugs... They are the truth. Like, them motherfuckers keep you alive as long as they want you. Man, that shit is just powerful shit. Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired? Depressed?

A little bit revolutionary? Consider this. Start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. There are 55 gallons of water for 500 pounds of concrete.

Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emmanuel. I am the Queen of Ladonia. I'm Jackson I, King of Kaperburg. I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Mentonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition. Why can't I create my own country? My forefathers did that themselves.

What could go wrong? No country willingly gives up their territory. I was making a rocket with a black powder, you know, with explosive warhead. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Bullets. We need help!

We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia Keys opens up about conquering doubt, learning to trust herself, and leaning into her dreams. I think a lot of times we are built to doubt the possibilities for ourselves.

For self-preservation and protection, it was literally that step by step. And so I discovered that that is how we get where we're going. This increment of small, determined moments. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Like grace. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show Civic Cipher.

That's right. We're going to discuss social issues, especially those that affect Black and Brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people to hopefully create better allies. Think of it as a black show for non-black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. Exactly. Whether you're black, Asian, white, Latinx, indigenous, LGBTQIA+, you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America.

You are all our brothers and sisters, and we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On Thanksgiving Day, 1999, a five-year-old boy floated alone in the ocean. He had lost his mother trying to reach Florida from Cuba. He looked like a little angel. I mean, he looked so fresh.

And his name, Elian Gonzalez, will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian Gonzalez.

At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with. His father in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him.. His father in Cuba. Mr. Gonzales wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. At the heart of it all is still

this painful family separation. Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, as part of the My Cultura podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, y'all? This is Questlove, and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on with the Story Pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right. A podcast for all ages. One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids starting on September 27th. I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records,

Nimany, to tell you all about it. Make sure you check it out. Hey, y'all. Nimany here. I'm the host of a brand-new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Historical Records brings history to life through hip hop. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus

nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. And no one did you know, I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was Claudette Goldman. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let me ask you something, Stat. Yeah. What do you think the moment was that made you who you is today, man?

The moments that made me who I am today. Oh, good question. Maybe that's a two question. Yeah, I got two answers to that all right go ahead um i would say the moment uh that made me the basketball player i am today was when i was from five to seven somewhere around that age and i I went and played in the YMCA game. The final score was 42 to 40. We won, and I had 40

out of 42 points. I think that's when my mom... From like five, six years old. Six years old, you had 46 points, Mickey. And all we had was 42. My homeboy, Charlie, and my homeboy, Perry Perry, daddy had a team.

And I was just nice. I was tall, and I wasn't scared of shit. So, yeah, but that day, the coach, everybody started treating me different. My family started forcing me to be in everything in basketball. So you were aware of who you was at seven years old? I was aware that I was good at basketball. Okay, okay, and basketball. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah, I was aware that I was different from everybody else in basketball. Okay. The moment when I, I think another moment is when the George Floyd thing. I think that was probably one of the biggest moments in my life because I was able to do something that most people of my stature and most people that have what I have to lose wouldn't do. I was able to show how my mama raised me and show my foundation of who I am as a man and what I believe in to the world. Besides being judged from the brawl, the shootout strip club and all the other things, the mistakes I made, the world get to see that I'm a stand-up guy and that I am my brother's keeper

and that I stand for all races, you know, love for all who have love for all. Something I post on my page with every color emoji. And people get to see in real time who I was. And I was able to do something great. You know, I didn't change the world, but shit, that was the biggest protest in civil rights history. 18 countries, 50 states all at one time. So I'm just happy I was able to show who I am and be a part of that.

Same question to you. Me as a person, I think, like at first, you know, when you first come up, you're like, I want to be the best comedian in the world. I want to be the best, the funniest nigga in the game. But the older I got, the more I understood life. To me, that's the easy part. I want to be the best man in the world. The best human in the world. You know what I'm saying?

That's my goal. I want to be the number one human on Earth. I want to leave here with everybody got a little bit of a little duval in them. You know what I'm saying? And that's in a good way. You know what I'm saying? And whichever way that I, because everything I

try to do, I get less out of it than most people. You know what I'm saying? I don't get more out of it. So that's where I pride myself on moving for other people now. Because it ain't much, I mean, shit, from where we come from the

shit that we see and do now we we weigh over what we're supposed to be getting you know i'm saying so it's like right i really can't there's nothing i can't even think of that i could want that i ain't had already and if i had it only thing i could get more is more you know i'm saying so it's like i'm complete I get satisfaction out of seeing the changes I've made you know I'm saying seeing and I always got satisfaction out of seeing like the the the effect I have on people like even if it's something making people the world say basic you know I'm saying in the way that I say a basic bit or just to seeing people just smile bitch or seeing people living my best Or just seeing people just smile, bitch.

Or seeing people living my best life. Just seeing just little shit like y'all. Just seeing the mold I have on the culture in a good way. You know what I'm saying? So shit like that. Even if I don't get props for it, if I can see that I've made a difference, and I see that it's changed, I still feel good in it. You know what I'm saying? It's like like seeing your jets saying I'm doing a thing.

You see yourself in them and you see the good in them, even if they don't see it. Cause not that I'm saying they ain't gonna, they, they, they, Oh, that's like how our parents thought we was ungrateful and shit.

Like that's how you know you won when they, when they are ungrateful, you know what I'm saying? So when I see them and I get satisfaction out of seeing it in them, even if they don't get it, because if you're looking for them to get it to you, you will always be let down. You know what I'm saying? If they give it to you as a bonus. That's how I looked at everybody.

I think that's why even when this accident happened, I guess that was God giving me my nigga. They do love you because I never relied on it. You get what I'm saying? I always shit. I always thought like, man, niggas don't give a fuck they go you're gonna be that nigga that did all this shit and then ain't nobody gonna give a fuck somebody might get all good so i programmed myself to not give a fuck about it but when this shit happened it showed me that i did need that love too because shit when it happened i was like damn

this shit do they do love a nigga and it gave me. So I guess that's what makes me who I am. And that's where I see myself. And that's what I want to be seen as when I go in. And if they don't see me, I got to be cool with it. Like, you didn't see, because there's a lot of people that have done some great shit that nobody give a fuck about. Nobody remember. Right. And then, you know, they say the highest act, and this is in the bible or whatever quran whatever

religion you wear the highest act is doing something that don't be doing something somebody that don't benefit you you know what i'm saying they say a lot about a person and it's cool to do it when we don't i never because i can't knock people that that's fucked up are still trying to come up once you get to a situation a place where you don't want for nothing, like you don't have to do certain shit. You can just do it. You know what I'm saying? It makes it a lot easier.

Like there's no reason behind, like if I did some fuck shit, like there's no reason behind like that. You know what I'm saying? You can't blame nobody. So it's way easier for us, man. So we just live and just, and just do our thing and man don't

don't let the the the guilt and whatever it is what you would and anything that passed in life don't let that tear you down man because we're gonna be here man we're gonna have fun they they every soul shall taste death you know what i'm saying saying? I learned that from J.Ski Hill Muslim. And I understand that. We all going to see this shit. But until we see it, nigga, leave this shit to my heart, stop. I'm going to live. I'm going to fuck who I want to fuck and ball to high five. Shit.

See, I'm a little nigga, so I'm going to live a long time. You tall, so ain't no telling, man. Ain't no telling who you my boy. You tall, so ain't no telling, man. Ain't no telling who you my boy. You know, tall niggas. It's only one tall nigga living long, and that's Kareem Abdul. You know what I'm saying? He's very spiritual.

He's a different type of nigga. Yeah, they say I'm a stand-up nigga. That's why God made me tall. Yeah, yeah. And I think that shit do what you live along though nigga i'm nigga i'm i'm like an asian asians live to 170 they won't but see that's why you want to be cool with me steve steve hey hey you want to be cool with a nigga like me because i'm gonna to be here to tell your story, bro. I'm a little nigga. So you need to look at Star Wars, the little hobbit little nigga, dude.

Them niggas live forever, nigga. Hey, you don't remember that tall dragon lady in Golden Child? She was 100-something years old, nigga. Man, that was a fictional. That was fictional. Hey, your silhouette is kicking. You got to be our age to know that, though, nigga. You got to have gray hair on your chin to know that.

Oh, yeah. Well, man, I appreciate you, man, coming on here and vibing with your boy, man. Thank you, man. This your boy, Lil Duval. Thank my man, Steven Jackson, man. Y'all go tune into his shit your boy, man. Thank you, man. This your boy Lil Duval. Thank my man Steven Jackson, man. Y'all go tune in to his shit too, man. Thank y'all for coming in. I should end this shit,

Dolly. Hey, bro. What's that? I got to return the favor and get you on our show. Hey, Dolly, let me show him how I've been in this space for a little while. So let me give him a little advice. This is how you do shit in the show.

Right here. Well, I appreciate y'all tuning in to Duval, such and such the title. Appreciate my man Steve Jack for tuning in. You can catch my show at such and such, such and such. I'll tune in when I drop this episode such and such and such. I appreciate y'all. Tune in next week, Doug. Just bullshit like that. I got you. I got you.

Riz Broke. You there. Riz Broke. Alright, man. Well, I ain't gonna hold you up, man. Like I said, man, I don't want to be on here too long with you, man. I just thank you for coming in and vibing with you, boy. Hopefully you got some game from it. I appreciate game you gave me you know iron sharp and iron you know what i'm saying yes sir this show is about man so i gotta take like i say thank y'all

for tuning in to um to um our show you know little duval aka oh you know tune in on the black effect we here every week it's your boy signing signing out, Rich Broke for life. Rrrrro! Thanks for listening to another episode of Conversations With Unc with me, Lil Duval. We out, this bitch. Rrrrro!

Don't miss an episode of Conversations With Unc. Listen and subscribe on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Conversations With Unc Podcast is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network and our executive producer is Dolly Bishop and produced by Aaron A. King Howard. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. There are 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly

gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zaka-stan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-a-stan. On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you.

Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best, and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Dani Shapiro, host of the hit podcast, Family Secrets. How would you feel if when you met your biological father for the first time, he didn't even say hello? And what if your past itself was the secret and the time had suddenly come to share that past with your child. These

are just a few of the powerful and profound questions we'll be asking on our 11th season of Family Secrets. Listen to season 11 of Family Secrets on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Marie. And I'm Sydney. And we're Mess. Well, not a mess, but on our podcast called Mess, we celebrate all things messy. But the gag is not everything is a mess. Sometimes it's just living. Yeah, things like J-Lo on her third divorce.

Living. Girls trip to Miami. Mess. Breaking up with your girlfriend while on Instagram Live. Living. It's kind of a mess. Yeah. Well, you get it. Got it. Live, love, mess. Listen we'd like you to join us each week for our show, Civic Cipher. That's right. We discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence,

and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. We're going to learn how to become better allies to each other. So join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.