The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Michael 'Harry O' Harris Talks Community First, Death Row, Trump Pardon Suge Knight, Tupac + More

Episode Date: November 5, 2024

The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Michael 'Harry O' Harris To Discuss Community First, Death Row, Trump Pardon Suge Knight, Tupac. Listen For More!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. Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you. Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good.

We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. Niminy here. I'm the host of a brand-new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records.

Executive produced by Questlove, The Story Pirates, and John Glickman, 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. And it began with me. Did you know, did you know? I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was called a moment. 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. Hey, everyone. This is Courtney Thorne-Smith, Laura Layton, and Daphne Zuniga. On July 8, 1992, apartment buildings with pools were never quite the same as Melrose Place was introduced to the world. We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, and every single wig removal together. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

listen to podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series the running interview show where i run with celebrities athletes entrepreneurs and more after those runs the conversations keep going that's what my podcast post run high is all about it's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha Guy the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody.

It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Jess is on maternity leave, so Laura LaRosa's filling in. And we got a special guest in the building. We have Michael Harry O. Harris, co-founder of Death Row Records. Good morning, brother. Good morning, Black Man. How you feeling?

I'm good. I'm good. You feeling good? Yeah. We got to start the story from the beginning. Yes, sir. Death Row Records. You started as the co-founder for Death Row, right? Yeah, we want to break that down.

Please. Yeah, break that down. So who were all the co-founders? I mean, my mind is you, Suge, and I don't know who else. Dr. Drake. Dr. Drake. Okay. Yeah, so originally we created a company called Godfather Entertainment,

which was the parent company of Death Row Records. And Chud was, I believe, the president of Godfather. And Dr. Dre was the president of Death Row Records. And so we set it up like that because Godfather was going to do other entertainment assets like films and concerts. But Death Row took off and then it became the focus. How did you get into the entertainment world? We always hear the story that, you know,

Suge was playing football and from the neighborhood, seeing what was going on with music and decided he wanted to get into it. So how did y'all get into music? What made y'all say, I want to get into the music? So how did I get into the entertainment business? Or made y'all say, I want to get into the music? So how did I get into entertainment music? Yes, sir. Or how did we start doing it?

Both. Okay. Actually, before I went away, you know, I did 33 years. Before I went away, I used to be involved in club promotion. I used to do plays, national plays, and I got to do a Broadway play before I went away. One of those plays actually included Dan Zell Washington on Broadway.

So when that aired on Broadway, I kind of took an exit. But I was in the music business. I had limousine services. I was in the entertainment circle. So I met a lot of people from that. My first business, I was 21 years old when I started. It was a limousine service that allowed me to meet with different people in the sports fields, the entertainment world, political world. So I got to meet a

lot of people at an early age. I want to go back to something you said. So you said Suge was Godfather. No. Dre was Defro. Let me back up. Okay. Suge was the CEO of Godfather, Dre was Death Row. Let me back up. Suge was the CEO of Godfather, which is my company. Okay. And Suge was also the CEO of Death Row.

Got you, got you, got you. And Dr. Dre was the president. Got you. Right. And where'd you come in at? I just was solid. I was behind. And you was the money man.

Well, I wasn't just the money man. I helped structure it. But in my Well, I wasn't just the money man. I helped structure it. But in my situation, I wanted to play the bat. I kind of wanted to just have a phantom present because I just got a life sentence and I got a 20-year sentence from the feds, and I didn't want that to become the focus. I wanted it to be about the business that we had created.

Did they take care of you when you was away? I mean, you know how business is. I mean, everything was good. I mean, you know, everything was organized. But as things got bigger, it got crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Did you come home to any money is what I'm asking, I guess?

Yeah. You want to know how much I got? Yeah, he does. I do. He does. At one point, he made $300 million in a year. Yeah, I came home to what I was supposed to come home to. Okay.

Yeah, definitely. How did you meet Suge, and how did you meet Dr. Dre? Well, at the time that I met Suge, he was managing Dr. Dre in DOC. And they had just came out of a situation with NWA. And a friend of mine, Ron Brown, used to play football for the Rams. Also was connected to Suud through the football world. And Ron and I grew up together, him and his cousin Eric. And so they introduced me to Shud because he was trying to make some things happen

and he needed some backing. And they introduced me to him. I had my attorney, David Kenner, bring him in. And we sit down and talked about how we can make this a business. At the time, he was just managing. And he was working out of Solar Studios with Dick Griffey. And Dick Griffey was kind of mentoring him. But I don't think at the time, rest in peace, Dick Griffey,

he didn't really understand what the emergence of hip-hop meant. And so he kind of fell asleep at the wheel. He was more focused. He come from the R&B world. He was our version of the West Coast Motown. And so, you know, Shalimar, Atlantic Star, Whisperers, you know, Babyface, everybody came through him.

So he was advised and assured on how to manage and do things like that. But he wasn't really pushing for him financially to set up the company. And that's where I came in at. You had life, but you did 33.

And didn't Trump commute to the Senate? Yeah, he commuted to the federal Senate. The federal Senate. You had life, but you did 33. And didn't Trump commute your sentence? Yeah, he commuted the federal sentence. The federal sentence. The state says I did 23 on. And actually was found actually innocent of that case. But I did the time and was released through the board.

They didn't have a mechanism in there for actual innocence. But they let me go after 23 years. How did he even know about your situation? Like, who put him on to it? Okay, well, first of all, you got to back it up so you can see this in full context. Okay. So when Obama was in office, I put in a request. I was transferred to the federal system in 2012.

And so at the end of his term, I put in a request for relief, for clemency. Didn't hear nothing back. And when the second term, I put in another request, which basically led to all the work that I had done while I was incarcerated. I helped create a lot of financial literacy courses, self-help classes while I was in state prison. So the second time, my mother was dying, and so I put in a compassionate release. Didn't hear anything about it.

So I had already created a record for requests. And so when Donald Trump, when the president was leaving, I put in a request to him and Alice Johnson was working with him. And she got wind of my petition and read it and says, this man has done too much time based on the circumstances. And she took it to Ivanka Trump and Jared, and they took it and lobbied it to the president. And after four attempts, people kept trying to push it down. This is what I heard later. He just went through it and says,

no, I got to let him go. This guy done did too much time. He done did the work. Don't make sense why he in prison. Alex Johnson is the woman that he also helped to get free to with Kim Kardashian being involved, right? Right. I think one of the first releases. that is is his what he did for you is that the biggest part or the only reason why you decide to back him or are there other reasons why you also decide to back him too

well I don't know look look let me just keep it real I appreciated what he did for me 100% I always gotta be loyal to that but at same time, I'm really about my community. And so even though he had done that for me, I still did my research in terms of how I was going to approach community first. And community first needed to be approached with all options. So when I put out the challenge for the old plan in the community first I put it out to both candidates and then he tapped in so in my due diligence you have to look at the things that has been done before in terms of so you can

figure out what's real moving forward so what he had done that because like I said I'll just go by what somebody say I go by what it is I know that he had done, like I said, I don't just go by what somebody say, I go by what it is. I know that he had put in for permanent, it was a bipartisan bill for HBCU permanent funding. I know he did that for the community. I think it was authored by Cory Booker, Tim Scott, but he signed it into law. Also, I know that he did a sickle cell anemia initiative where he funded a bipartisan bill to make sure that we get to a cure for a disease that is mainly stricken old black people in some span.

And also, and some Hispanic. And also, let's see, HBU. The HBCU thing is true, but Biden and Harris, they did give a record $17 billion to historically black colleges and universities. They did. I mean, Trump did sign the HBCU bill in the law before they get $250 million annually, but Biden and Harris, $17 billion.

That's a record. Right, that was afterwards. So I don't think we have a disagreement here. I think what he did was he made it permanent. Before, people had to still bid for it, go in and justify reasons to get the funding. And so he made it permanent. And so I believe the $17 billion initiative

you're talking about came not too long ago, where they actually enhanced something that had became permanent. I'm not sure of it. I don't know how it all works. But it was bipartisan. From both sides, it did the right thing.

Yeah, everything is always bipartisan, which is the conversation you can't do without Democrats and Republicans. Right, and I think that hopefully that's what this conversation will be about today, about we have to be on both sides of the aisles to get something done. If this team wins, then who's over there to represent us?

If that team wins, who's over there to represent us? And what are the policies? And so outside of that, she asked me a question about was that the only reason. I think another reason that hit home for me was Opportunity Zone. That was also a bipartisan bill that was also signed into law by Donald Trump that I think generated over $500 billion, but as to date, $100 billion has been deployed. So there's about $400 billion left. And I think about 4,300 communities

have benefited from those opportunity zones. And I don't know if you've covered that or not, but what it does is it allows wealthy people, private investors, to get tax incentives to invest in overlooked communities. You know, we got all these communities where people go and you got cheaper housing, but you don't have no malls. You don't have no shopping centers.

You don't have other type of businesses that help support those communities. And so one of the things I want to do with the O plan was double down on that opportunity zone so that we could we can get we can we can rich people can stay rich and do what they do but how can we utilize their monies to help elevate our community without begging young Stan like like this is a deal I'm about business always been business. How can we turn this into a business situation instead of just an emotional, I go for this person, I go for this person, and chase down the facts? And then also one of the last things that I'm partial to is the first step back

because it's not just about me getting out. There's thousands of people that got out of prison that was over-incarcerated and was able to be reunited with their family. And that was important to me, you know, to not be out here having a cool life, back in business, and forget about the people who still walk on that track every day and may have got a weed case that got them 30 years or some drug cases that might have got them 30 or 40 or life sentence and and the first step act was also a bipartisan bill so when i keep saying that

it's about who can we rely on to work walk across the aisle and get something done and so that's that's kind of like the reason why gotcha And who's willing to do things for us. Don't forget about that part. Because when, look, I'm nobody. I'm just a guy. I'm not a politician. But I'm a guy who's been watching a lot of smoke and mirrors jump off and people talking down to each other

as opposed to watching people every day have to deal with how they're going to pay their bills when things done doubled up and tripled deal with how they gonna pay their bills when things done doubled up and tripled up and how they gonna make a living. Real people, I got family, everybody ain't rich. We all doing what we doing. And so I was blessed to be an opportunity

to have connections to some that put me in a certain level, but why not use that platform to speak to the truth? You know what I mean? So I don't care if it's her, it's him. Whoever's going to represent us, we should represent them. And we need to get our hands dirty. We need to get involved. I agree.

Yo, so I appreciate this. So, you know, there's so much going on in your life that people don't know. Why did you feel like you had to jump in politics or you had to spit what you, you know, the truth of politics? Why that? Because your story is amazing and you're kind of like the for most the secret sauce in death row right what people might not know you know they don't know that you were behind a lot of people don't know that you were behind death row when you were part of that situation why jump into politics good question but you know even when I came home, when I first came home, you know, different people from my neighborhood has called on me,

and I went to the community, and I spent time with the kids, you know. I know that. Let me back up. For 30 years, people say 33 years. You say it quick, sound quick. But to do it, trust me, trust me, if you broke it down in seconds, minutes, and hours, it would be astronomical.

And you have a lot of time to think. And so a lot of people don't know that even when I first started Death Row, I was on Death Row for a period. Even though I wasn't sentenced to Death Row in San Quentin, I spent time there. And when I spent time there, I was able to be around some people that was actually younger than me. I went to prison when I was 26 years old.

So you had people on death row and they were still killing people. And so I go to the yard, but I'm separated from them because I'm not a part of death row. I'm just on death row. And I'm talking to these guys that come from neighborhoods like mine.

And these dudes is like 24 years old and 23 years old. So that's part of my psychic when it was time to create Death Row. That, and a lot of people go back and forth about the name, who came up with the name. Like, sure, them was playing with D-E-F. Like, Death Row.

And I said, we're going to call it Death Row Records. Because I just thought, as a cautionary tale, it was a great opportunity to tell young people that grew up where I come from that death row waiting for them. And I just don't think a lot of people understood that or know that. Like just to sit here and hear people walking down the hall and never come back and to see that as a youngster, it has an impact on you.

You cannot not remember it. They glorify it now. It's so weird to me. They be posting from Instagram. They just having a ball in prison. Yeah, but you know, like any show, it's reality and it's hype. That's right. When they get off that mic, they got to walk their track.

They got to eat that same meal. They gotta, you know, some of them got tears in the pillow. They might not never tell you that. They buff that eye. They do what they do. But trust me, I ain't met nobody that ever loved being in prison. That's right. And so, but to your point, people come out

you know, out of the X amount of times as opposed to feel like they're supposed to get a certain type of reputation. I think that's a false reputation of the pain that you go through when you're in prison. That's right. So what did you think about you creating Death Row and the reason you created Death Row from what you've seen? And then some of the Death Row artists were,

you know, it was violent. You know what I mean? Snoop was on Death Row one time. He was, you know, possibly convicted of murder. He was tried tried I said try yes I tried for murder but a lot of the death row artists were so violent that could have put him in places where death row was so did you ever think like that's not this why this was created or did you think this is just music this is

just it goes back to what Shawn I mean just said like you see a projection of some people where things from prison I just just think that Defro got out of hand. Like, a part of the narrative in the beginning was tell a street story, right? Good, bad, or indifference, that's what it was about. But when you go out into the public and things start to

happen, you get into commotion, and then you start getting hype behind it, you get news articles behind it, like the thing that happened in New Orleans. That changed Shurd's mind, kinda like, it made him start feeling like, we need more of that. You understand, but to sell records. And so, and I think he got caught up in that.

You know what I'm saying? I'm not just saying him, I'm just saying the whole culture, because, you know, from an economic standpoint, first of all, the East Coast created hip-hop. That's to put that out there, right? But from an economic standpoint, the machine let the West Coast win. And what I mean by that, we won and we lost. So what I mean by that is that because of the nature of the subject matter that we was talking about,

we was able to do big business. So Eazy-E was independent,, we was able to do big business. So Eazy-E was independent, but we was able to move into the majors because of our first album, The Chronic. However, the subject matter changed from what original hip-hop was about. You know, having parties, kicking it, talking about our king and queen.

And that wasn't getting supported by the machine. But when we started killing each other, talking about, you know, so even though we were telling cautionary tales, people got confused about what's real and what's not. And I just watched it become pervasive. You know, even in prison, you know, guys seeing their hood hollered out, you know, it was a sense of pride. I mean, it kind of got a little off track

from what it was originally supposed to be. And once you start making the first album, the first year, I mean, we made $50 million. You know, actually, Interscope was about to close its doors when its investment with Death Row saved its company. So a lot of people don't talk about it in reverse. They always talk about Interscope made Death Row. They don't talk about what Death Row did its company. So a lot of people don't talk about it in reverse. They always talk about Interscope made Death Row. They don't talk about what Death Row

did to Interscope and what it did to Universal. And the fact that Warner Brothers almost went out of business because they got out of the hip-hop business. They got out of the Death Row business. I mean, it's a whole lot to be talked about. You're right, because even if you think about Interscope, they might have got out of the business of Death Row, but they

damn sure stayed in business with Dr. Dre. And made sure Dre came over there and crushed something. Aftermath, absolutely. The aftermath of Def Robe. So you know, it's all connected. But where did it come from? It came from that thing in me and others, I didn't do Def Robe by myself,

to wanna make an impression. that thing in me and others, I didn't do that for by myself to, to, to want to make an impression, like, like to not allow my incarceration to be the end of me. And so I invested, you know, some of my, some of my money, but I could invest it in something else.

So I invested in that organization to become a reality. If you were home, you think it would have been ran the same way, or you think since you were inside and you've seen so much, you would have tried to calm it down as much as possible? Yeah, I just, look, man, you know, you don't go through what I went through. You don't see people get stabbed and killed every day, and that's something you look forward to.

You know what I mean? I mean, I'm not just saying it. I'm just telling you, I don't know, some days when I first came to prison, it wasn't about all those programs. I'm telling you, I helped create later. It was about, am I going to be alive tomorrow? You know, it's so much hate up in these penitentiaries when you're up in them type of penitentiaries. You can cut it with a knife.

That's how much hate you feel. And to be able to communicate and deal and then try to create a company with all that going on, it wasn't no easy walk. But you know, I'm a man of God, bro. And that's what kept me alive and pushing and trying to stay relevant in a situation where

they had me in a controlled environment. So, you know, yeah, I think it would have been different, but I don't live in the ifs. You know what I mean? Because, like I said, that was my intention, and you know how intentions go. But it became what it became and now it's on a new trajectory.

It's on a new management, if you will. You know what I mean? So there's an opportunity for a different Death Row history. Are you part of the Death Row that Snoop has now? Yeah, we're partners. Oh, okay, okay, okay. Yeah, he's a CEO and I'm a COO. Oh, that's dope. Yeah, and we also, okay. All right. Yeah, he the CEO and I'm the COO.

Oh, that's dope. Yeah, and we also just created Death Row Pictures. So we're trying to do for Death Row Pictures what we did with Death Row Records in terms of imagery and trying to like, deflect some of the stuff that we were known for. The Tyrese movie was part of that, right? Yeah, it was. What was it called? 192? Yeah, 1992. 1992, was it called, 192? 1990.

1992, yeah, yeah, yeah. You still speak to Shook? I haven't spoken to him in a while. Yeah, we kind of went our separate ways. But 1992, and then y'all got the Snoop biopic is coming? Yeah, we got Snoop biopic. I'm doing my biopic. I've been talking with Denzel about producing it

and Antoine Fuqua about directing it. And like I say again, here's another opportunity to tell a story, but keeping it real. You know what I'm saying? More like a series probably because it's so much to cover. What's our community first? That's an initiative you got, right? I see it on your hat.

Yeah, community first. I see it right there, community first. Yeah, I should have brought some. What? I don't know if you guys are the war. You got too much going on here, y'all. I need to get one of them hats. Yeah, community first is an initiative that we created

to speak to, really to elevate the voices of the black community during this voting cycle, but even beyond that. It's like, you know, about access. Like how can we have access to capital? How can we have meaningful jobs and a second chance at hiring when people come home? So we got the access agenda and we got the redemption agenda. So the access is about what we can do in the community in terms of,

like I said, even I was talking earlier about opportunity zones and talking about better schools, like in terms of school choice. What can we do to make sure that our schools and our community is top notch and not controlled by unions where people just, you know, if people are not effective, they still keep their job. Our children deserve more than that. And so I know what school did to me,

you know, in terms of me almost dropping out, in terms of not hearing the information I need to hear that speaks to my spirit and I think a lot of people call us dropouts from the community but don't understand that there's a reason why things happen if somebody's telling you information that's inconsistent with the truth that you know and you're supposed to digest it I'm not saying people should drop out that's not what I'm saying I said but that's the reason a lot of people drop out because they can't identify with the information that's been served to them.

So we need better schools. People need to have opportunities to go to better schools in their community and outside the community. And we also need to have Pell Grants that deal with vocation and retraining. Some people don't want to go to college. And we know with these

new training systems, programs in terms of technology, people can go there a couple years, six months, and make half a million dollars a year. So these are the things that we're concerned with. And people that's in prison who is a captive audience need to have the skill set when they come home. They need to be trained.

They need to be given programs. I mean, if you do a crime, you're doing your time, why shouldn't that be taken advantage of and giving people the opportunity to come home with skill set? Like when I was in San Quentin, we created an organization called Last Mile that trained people how to code so that when they came home, they had meaningful employment

and they're out there doing big things. And created all kinds of organizations from that. So that's a model of what we could do. But I also believe, why should we wait till people go to prison? Let's help them before and help them when they get out. I agree with that. They might keep them out of prison. That part.

They have work. They feel the work. They have it, but they got to feel it. Yes. And what's the O'Plain Challenge? Well, the O got to feel it. Yes. And what's the old plan challenge? Well, the old plan challenge. 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 gonna 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. 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. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in

to Historical Records. Because in order to 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 hey guys i'm kate max you might know me from my popular online series the running interview show where i run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout?

Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who on October 16th, 2017, was

murdered. There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate. My name is Manuel Delia. I am one of the hosts of Crooks Everywhere, a podcast that unhurts the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks. Daphne exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were turning her beloved country into a mafia state.

And she paid the ultimate price. Listen to Crooks everywhere 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. El will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez. 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. I was basically laying out what this agenda is.

I was looking for somebody to commit to what we're trying to do. And so I think a lot of people thought, okay, Trump pardoned him, so he's going to back Trump. Ride for Trump, yeah. Look, if it was just about that, I could have just did that day one. But when you involve the community, you have to make sure that the community has options. So that's why I made the challenge to come out as well as

Donald Trump. And still I haven't heard nothing from her camp, but I heard something from his camp. I'm not here to disrespect a black woman or elevate a white man, because I'm not a politician. My job is to give my community information so they

can make the best choices. Because that's what I think destroys a lot of our lives, is not having the wisdom or the information to make those decisions. And when you ask me why would I get in this, when I sit in there for all those years and I can watch, people think that when you're in prison you're dead, but you're just like a grave that's covered up with a glass ceiling and you can see the world. And you're saying, why is this not happening? grave that's covered up, but you could, with a glass ceiling, you can see the world.

And you're saying, why is this not happening? If I was out, what would I do? And I know a lot of people that's pretty wealthy that makes a lot of, you know, they can make a lot of things happen and don't because they get put in boxes. And I don't judge that. You know, I think it's too easy to judge, you know, but it's hard to think.

You know, so I'm just saying, instead of judging other people why they don't do, what can I do? I use my platform, the opportunities I have to speak to my community. So we did some concerts in Pittsburgh. We did some concerts in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and we did some concerts in Detroit. And we spent time on the ground and talked to people. And I went to this one,

Paul Kids, an organization where this lady has in Atlanta. She's the mother for children who mothers are on drugs and fathers are in prison on drugs. They come there to eat every day. Seeing these kids reminded me of me.

And what can happen if people don't pay attention? So that's what I'm about. That's what I'm about. That's what I focus on. Not seeing people do a day like I did. They're going to take people supporting their community to make that happen. That's what I'm on. You know, it's so amazing.

It's like, based off your information and your experiences, you support who you support. Based off my information, my experiences, I support who I support. But that's not not gonna ever stop me from helping another black man help his community. That's what I'm ultimately on at the end of the day. I love that bro, because that's what I'm saying.

We got enough division. Right on. You understand? Just like even on a small level, we was in Detroit, Pontiac actually, but outside of Detroit, and it came to my attention that Trick Trick and Rick Rouse had this issue, ongoing issue.

And they both was on the bill. Hey, this is our problem. Oh, I forgot you made them have peace. No, man, look, they had it in them, bro. And it was easy, you know, because we're brothers. Why not set an example? And they did. It was big. And people felt it. you know, because we brothers. Why not set an example? And they did, it was big. And people felt it, you know what I mean?

So that's what Community First is about. Merging communities, not dividing them. Who'd you call first, who'd you call? Trick Trick? Cheery's out on that. No, I was just, that's a good point. It was Trick Trick City. And so one. No, I was just, like, that's a good point. It was Trick Trick City. Okay, because it's trick.

And so one of the things I wanted to do is be respectful when we come up into different communities. And I just know how that is and how important that is. So it was Trick Trick City. So we brought him on, and then I talked to Rick about coming on to the show, and he was cool. And then we had a talk, you know what I'm saying? He said, you know what I'm saying?

He said, you know how you talk, that's easy big dog. It was just that easy, he said that's easy. And then for them to meet halfway coming up to the stairs and embrace before they came out to the stage, it was powerful. And so, you know, we had some firsts. Like, it was State Property was in our first concert, and that was the first time in 20 years they had all collectively.

Put on stage together. Put on stage together, you know. And then we had, in Atlanta, we had T.I., 2 Chainz, and all those guys. And I think this is one of T.I.'s last concerts. And just to see all the homegrown talent on the stage together was powerful. So we want to keep doing stuff like that. We want to keep having, we want to do town halls. We want to talk to Republicans and Democrats together.

We want to talk about real issues. And we want to talk to anybody that supports us. Now, Harry, can you put Kendrick and Drake on stage together and let them hug it out? I got another question for you. That's our next mission. That's the next mission? Are you on that one?

Yeah, I'm on it, man. Anytime we can kill it. We don't need that one. We perfectly fine. Let that one go. You all right with that? Don't listen to him. I would like to see it, like, if that could happen.

I don't think, dude, really, why not? Why? Because it's just something to watch. I disagree with what he just said, you don't like light skin. I've been watching y'all from behind the bars, behind the walls. What they say about the inside, they think they, people ask me, are they really gay?

I think they think they're gangsters. Him? Yeah, they're gangsters. Him? Yeah. He says, can't you see that gun on the counter there? No. No, but trust me. To be honest with you, you guys are light for people that's incarcerated. I think people don't realize what kind of effect people incarcerated have on the family members

that really stay connected to them. Because people really want their brothers, sisters, mamas, and daddies and nephews to come home. Absolutely. And so when you have a show like you guys have and we're able to watch that in a fair state, whatever, they're going to watch it. And they listen, they hang on to you guys everywhere.

And so this is an honor to be on your show and to be able to talk a little bit about community first and about the O plan. And I really appreciate y'all, man. You don't know how much y'all affect people on a daily basis. Because what else do you have in there? Besides reading, of course, I did a lot of that.

But to be able, when they listen to you, you bring them back into the world. Because you got to understand, you are isolated. Outside of walking that track, you ain't going nowhere. And when you know that in your mind, you have to find something else. You have to find you, you know. And I found God, so God helped me walk through that. And then be about purpose, you know what I'm saying? I stayed present, you know helped me walk through that and then be about purpose.

You know what I'm saying? I stayed present at every step of the way. So when I came home, I was ready to go. I had to get ready. I think when people don't do that, they have to come home and get ready. And then there it goes, backwards instead of forwards. You got to get ready when you have an opportunity to get ready. I just want to go back to

this voting thing. I just watched our vote become so powerful in the last few months. And I just think people should know that. That you can't keep voting for people that don't represent your best

interest. And I'm not saying everybody's going to do, that don't represent your best interest. And I'm not saying everybody's going to do, you don't agree with everything everybody's going to do, because we're not going to do that. But we have to push for something if we want something. If we continue to sit back and vote like it, it's like we're going to church and God's going to do something special for you, you've got to do something special for yourself. The same thing.

When you're going out and putting people in a position that represents you, you got to request something of them so that at least you have a measuring stick that says, okay, I requested this from you. You said you was going to do it. Three years, four years go by, nothing happened. I don't want to see you no more. We need to be about the business. It's like you watch everything you put digest into your body.

You need to watch who you got representing you. That's right. Because he could be the death of you. And that's what I'm on, you know. I just hope my voice is heard in the way that I'm sending it out. I hope it's received that way, genuinely. I don't have no reason to come out here and put on a show. My thing is about if you heard something that changes your mind

or open you up to something, then I'm done with my job. I can't direct you into no direction. You just got to see that this is about us making a deal to change the trajectory of our community. That's what it is. If nobody don't want to engage you, how are you going to make a deal to change the trajectory. That's what it is. If nobody don't want to engage you, how are you going to make a deal? The fact that whatever you feel about that

was able, with all this stuff going on, tap back in and say, hey man, if I get back in the office, I'm committed to working with you first to make sure that we help you with what you're trying to do with the O plan. I left it out there.

It came back. It's still out there. So to answer your question. I think it's all about relationships too, though, because I can say that about Vice President Kamala Harris. Talk to me about that. You know what I'm saying? I can say that.

One of my big initiatives is mental health advocacy, you know, and I've seen her put $285 million into mental health programs to help increase the number of mental health professionals in our communities. I can talk about the American Rescue Plan, you know, where she's put tens of millions of dollars into small black businesses, you know, all through North Carolina, all through Louisiana. So, I mean, I just think it's all about what you're tapped into and what your relationship is with that individual.

Like, you probably know more than most. I didn't know any of that, what you said about, you know, Trump with the community first thing, but that's because that's been your relationship, that's been your experience. Just like my relationship, my experience has been with the VP, so that's who I support. Yeah, outside of me meeting with President Trump

when I thanked him for allowing me to reach back out to my family. First of all, I always give it to God first and let me out. But the fact that Trump did it, I thanked him for it. But I haven't really developed a relationship with him. But at the same time, you have, so you know more about her. I mean, I'm from California, so I know certain things about her as well, but not in the way that you do. Okay, let's put it like that.

And so when you're in California State Prison, so I got a different lens. Different view. Yeah, different view from how things happen or could have happened. Like I said, I'm not here to do that. I'm just here to talk about policies that have elevated the community.

Yeah, that's all I mentioned was policies. And I appreciate the dialogue and the way that we've been civil as we supposed to. I think it's the most ridiculous thing in the world for people to be at odds with each other. Like people be talking crazy to each other over politicians. At the end of the day, regardless of who wins, guess what? We still black and our communities are going to still be what they are.

And we're going to have to do what we got to do to better our community. And that's about, and I think we don't. Better our community. And that's about, and I think we don't have no arguments here. And that's beautiful. I wish the world saw it like that. I see people, you know, sitting next to each other on planes and mention the party, and the next thing you know,

they got separated. You know what I'm saying? Is the plane going down? You know what I mean? Like, I'm serious. I haven't seen that. And it's like, it shouldn't be like that. Like, one thing God gave us is free will, choice.

And we should be able to make that choice. Absolutely. And the best way to do that, I believe, is with information. And so even though, like he just broke down the information that he has, I break down the information that I have. Well, once you have that information,

you can make a determination. And no one should tell you or shame you because you made a determination separate from the way the other person feels. I think that's disrespectful to human beings, but I think it's more disrespectful to what God gave us. Don't take my choice away from me. Don't tell me if I don't vote for him or her or this race or that race that somehow I'm not who I am and you haven't even walked in my steps to even be able to speak to me like that so I'm just

appreciative of the conversation and the opportunity because people respect your platform thank you for joining us I would dislike you more if you were a Cowboys fan than anything else like him you were a Cowboys fan than anything else. Like him, like I just, like he's a Cowboy, I just, the reason why. But how can people follow

what you do in your community? Before we wrap up, something you said earlier, I've been trying to ask this so we kind of moved away from it, so I'm going back to it. Envy, when he asked you about Suge, you said y'all want y'all separate ways. Is there any way that we'll ever see that reconciliation? Because it seems like there's definitely a lot of space

and stuff in between now with the Death Row Records conversation. Will you guys ever get back to a good space? Is that over and done for you? We got two minutes. I'll just say this. Look, the show night that the world knew is a different show night that I originally knew, right? And I just think that money and power does a lot of different things.

And even when we went through, I had to sue him about my bread, and that's how he ended up losing Death Row. I tried to talk to him then. I'm saying, look, man, here's an opportunity for me and you to resolve what's supposed to be right. Because our children are going to see this one day and say, why you guys didn't work this out? I say, that's guys didn't work this out?

I say, that's what we should be on. But I can't keep trying to find a good in somebody that don't want to find a good in themselves. And so him being behind these walls, I don't wish prison on my worst enemy. I know he's feeling and understanding things that he may have not understood when he was out here on the street. So I pray that he get the wisdom that I got when I was behind the wall. And I worked on myself.

And I don't blame other people for anything I ever went through. You know what I'm saying? So I can't be out here talking about I'm about peace and about community first and not be open. But people got to stop living in the past and try to figure out how to move forward together. I know even Dawg had opened up

a branch and things just didn't work out. You know what I mean? But we all stay hopeful and open because we all created something in the beginning that was entrepreneurs. It was powerful. It was a voice for so many,

and it created a lot of other companies that other people was able to benefit from what we created back in 91, 92. I got one other death row question. Do you remember the first time you heard Snoop? Did you know he was a star right away? And do you remember the first time hearing Tupac? Did you know he was a star right away?

Did you know that was going to take it to the next level? What were your thoughts when the first time you heard him? I watched Tupac grow before he became involved in Death Row. But Snoop Dogg, my ex-wife Lydia Harris, she was a part of the company. Even though I was behind the walls, I used to communicate through the phone

every day. And she told me that, because he had a little natural in him, she told me, she said, he the one. Because Shua didn't think he was, he didn't think he was a star, because you know, DOC was supposed to be Snoop Dogg. Correct, until he lost his voice. Lost his voice, but he still gave what he had.

He taught Snoop Dogg things that changed Snoop Dogg as an artist. You wrote a lot too. That's what I'm talking about. For not just Snoop Dogg, but artist. You wrote a lot too. That's what I'm talking about. But not just Snoop Dogg, but for Dr. Dre, for NWA. He was the voice, to be honest with you, out of Dallas. You know what I mean? Look at that economy.

But what I'm saying to you is that when I heard that voice, and even when he was inside the walls when I got the music sent in, at first people was kinda like, didn't know what it was. when we was inside the walls so I got the music sent in. At first, people was kind of like, they didn't know what it was. But when he, him on that Murders,

not Murders. Deep Cover. Deep Cover. 187 on Undercover Cop. The first time you heard that melodic voice, it changed West Coast music. It's beautiful. Did DLC get what he was supposed to get

for being the voice of Death Row? Not just Death Row, NWA. Well my brother, he got a documentary coming out. I think he's gonna get his flower. Because, you know, and I don't wanna dip the tea, but I'm gonna make sure he come on y'all show before he come out with it, because he's gonna do something real revolutionary.

And that's gonna shock people. before he come out with it because he's going to do something real revolutionary. And that's going to shock people. But the question of, I don't think Doc has got what he's supposed to get because Doc was the heart of Death Row and NWA. And I just think that, and he's out there trying to do stuff in the community. Me and him is in real close contact. I love Doc because he was there during the first days.

It was him, Shud, and Dre that was supposed to start a business first. And somehow Doc got pushed out, and I came in. Then I had my push and pull, too. You know, it's been a family, but it's been kind of a crazy family. But, you know, I'm back. And you still know it's the first time you heard Pac? Liked him when I first heard him. Thought he was clever, smart.

But when he came with the death row version, I just think him being away, him being frustrated, he came with another sound. So when I first heard Dear Mama, not Dear Mama, but When It's Happening Baby. I Get Around, all that. He was already something special. I don't know.

The jury's still out on how I feel about some of that some of what happened but in terms of him musically he just went to a whole nother level and he just it just was pouring out of him like he went to the studio you know I wasn't there but they would tell me that he went to the studio and he just he couldn't be stopped you know he was a heist. He wanted the sound like he wanted the sound. He wanted you to feel that projection. So yeah, it was a loss. It was mismanagement that cost one of our treasures life. As it relates to him and Biggie,

may God bless their soul, they were both treasures to our community. Absolutely. Well, how can people get in touch with you and see what you're doing with Community First and all that and follow what you're doing and maybe even help and support? That would be lovely, man. All the support we can get, we want.

So it's communityfirstaction.org or at communityfirstaction. And that's how you can get in contact with us, support. And the official Harry O is my handle. I'm just out there, bro. It ain't hard to find. That's right. All right.

Well, we appreciate you for joining us this morning. Harry O. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Michael Harry O. Harris, and it's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. 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. Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you. Haunting is crawling out from the shadows and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on.

So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. Niminy here. I'm the host of a brand-new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records.

Executive produced by Questlove, The Story Pirates, and John Glickman, 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. Did you know, did you know, I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was called a moment. 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.

Hey, everyone. Apple Podcasts, or every single wig removal together. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.