The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Michael Rainey Jr. Talks End Of 'Power Book II,' 'BMF Beef,' Acting Career & Life After Power + More

Episode Date: June 3, 2024

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Starting point is 00:00:00 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. 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,
Starting point is 00:00:46 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.
Starting point is 00:00:59 So join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, 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. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history.
Starting point is 00:01:36 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, 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
Starting point is 00:02:12 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,
Starting point is 00:02:43 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.
Starting point is 00:03:19 Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. Michael Rainey Jr.
Starting point is 00:03:32 Welcome. What's up? We just got a whole tutorial about water. We came in here and broke down water. School this, Michael. I'm trying to tell her, like, she got the artificially alkaline water right there. She got to get on Envy shit. Thank you, Michael.
Starting point is 00:03:44 Stuff. So the Essentia is artificial? I mean, I've been hearing that, you know, it's like they charge it up a little bit. It's not naturally alkaline. It's not naturally 9.5 pH level. You know what I'm saying? They do a little something to it. And I don't know if that's healthy for us.
Starting point is 00:03:59 You know, they're one of the biggest sponsors of Power Book 2 Season 4, Essentia Water. You didn't know that? Damn, my bad, y'all. Supernatural Water. You feel me? Gucci. Y'all go get y'all cases over there.
Starting point is 00:04:12 You know, Jess bet that you weren't going to make it this morning. That's crazy. Jess was like, I seen him yesterday, and he looked tired. I don't think he's going to make it, so we out of here. No, I almost didn't, though. I ain't going to lie. I almost did it. Because I woke up, and I did the whole onion in the sock thing too
Starting point is 00:04:25 and I thought it was going to work what's the onion in the sock I'm Caribbean so you it's a remedy like when you sick you throw Vicks
Starting point is 00:04:31 on your heels on the bottom of your feet you put onions in your socks and like the sulfur or whatever is in it it takes all the mucus and all that
Starting point is 00:04:39 but it didn't really get rid of nothing for me but a little something I'm a little better than last night but you had COVID nah nah nah just a little something. I'm a little better than last night. But you had COVID? No, no, no, no.
Starting point is 00:04:46 Just a little sinus and all that weird stuff. It's going around. Weather changing and all that. Yeah, allergies. And then we're traveling. Traveling, all this stuff. But I'm here, though. We chilling.
Starting point is 00:04:57 How do you feel, man? Series for now, Power Book 2, Ghost. We've been watching Power for 10 years. Yes, that was crazy. We literally watched you grew up on television. I know, man. How does it feel knowing that there's
Starting point is 00:05:07 an end around the corner? It's a bittersweet feeling. Obviously, it's been a long run. It's been a long legendary run. But God's timing is everything
Starting point is 00:05:18 and everything got to come to an end. And also, I feel like it's just time. It's just time for me to step into the next chapter of my career, you know, be looked at in a different type of light.
Starting point is 00:05:32 You know, everything was great, and I'm thankful for it. But I'm definitely ready to, you know, to move on into the next chapter. So I'm happy about, you know, the end and everything. Because it's a good time. It's not like it's dragged out or anything. Like, oh, when is it going to end? People are just like, no, don't end it. So it's like, I'd rather end on that note rather than, like, oh, when is this going to end? And dragging like, no, don't end it. So I was like, I'd rather end on that note rather than like, oh, when is this going to end? And dragging it out.
Starting point is 00:05:47 So I'm happy with where it's at right now. Did you really find out on social media that? Nah, I didn't. I was trolling. I took a page out of 50 Book with that one. I just knew it was going to stir the pot. I knew people was going to react to it. So I'm like, let me just see what happens.
Starting point is 00:05:59 But no, they told me before, you know, everyone knew. But I just wanted to troll everybody. And I knew it was going to get a reaction out of people. What was that feeling when they told you? How did you actually feel in that moment? In the moment, I was kind of confused because I'm like, that don't even make sense. The show was doing well. One of the top performers on the network.
Starting point is 00:06:19 That's a weird piece of information. I just started getting cheeks. I just started getting cheeks on the show. I just started getting licked, man. I was just about to get another call. I know you wasn't. I just started getting cheeks. I just started getting cheeks on this show. I just started getting lit, man. I was just about to get another car. I know you wasn't. I know you wasn't. Man, yo, don't get me started with the car business.
Starting point is 00:06:30 Because they got me that Porsche, and they took it right from me. I was mad. The same day. I was like, damn. I'm like, bro, I can't even enjoy my wish. But, nah, I mean. What happened with the Porsche? Yo, remember, man?
Starting point is 00:06:40 Nah, Tariq been walking for years. I'm like, wait, coming coming in to all this money? The same day I got it, it was over. Yeah, first time he got a call, they took it from him. I was like,
Starting point is 00:06:49 damn, Fiff, why you just get this boy a car? They didn't want me to be driving. But what about on set though? Like, cause I know you're,
Starting point is 00:06:56 you're pretty close with, you know, your co-stars and like, with, with it coming to an end, is it like, I like you said, it's bittersweet,
Starting point is 00:07:04 but filming with them, cause I know somebody probably, everybody don't take it like end, is it like, like you said, it's bittersweet, but filming with them? Because I know somebody probably, everybody don't take it like you. Everybody's like, damn, man. Because everybody hasn't started when you started. So how does it feel on set? On set, it was just regular because we didn't know that we were filming our last season. While we were filming, we were just like, all right, let's just make this season better than last season. We wasn't filming season four
Starting point is 00:07:27 with, oh, this is the last season in the back of our minds. So once the season was in the can, that's kind of when all the news started being passed around for me.
Starting point is 00:07:34 So we were all set at that time, but obviously, I spoke to some of my cast members and stuff and they was confused and a little bit disappointed. But then they also
Starting point is 00:07:42 got to understand the reasoning and behind the scenes of why everything happened and the way it's happening now. But definitely a lot of people was confused. A lot of people was, like, taken back by it, as I was. But, you know, it don't make sense at the end of the day. Because it feels like if Power Book 2 ends,
Starting point is 00:07:59 then the whole universe ends. Maybe not Raising Canaan because it's an origin story, but do you still do Force with Tommy? Like, do you still do other like you know yeah i mean tommy he all the way in chicago so it's like doing his own thing you know what i'm saying it's not really he don't really got much to do with our show obviously he pops in and out but like i don't think that's really gonna affect force like force is still gonna keep rolling and obviously canin isn't that's like 20 years prior to you to the timeline that we are filming in. They'll be fine as well.
Starting point is 00:08:29 You know about a book three. Book three? There's a power book three. Power book three? That's Kanan. That's what it's called? They call that three? Book two is Ghost.
Starting point is 00:08:37 Book three is Kanan. And then four is Force. They got to do something with y'all characters. I don't believe this is the end. I believe they might get rid of the power ghost thing It's gonna evolve to something else It'll be power something else You know
Starting point is 00:08:50 I hope Cause look I'm ready to keep rolling I'm ready to keep giving the fans what they want You know what I'm saying But you know it's all You know all in the You know higher up skins
Starting point is 00:08:59 But um Listen whenever If they call me back I'm here But I'll just be awake in that corner, I guess. Oh, so that means you don't die.
Starting point is 00:09:07 If you think they're going to call you back, you don't die this season. You don't die in the finale. Listen, man, nobody's safe in power. Tariq can't die, though. It's just like, what? What do you mean, Tariq can't die? I just... I thought Ghost couldn't die.
Starting point is 00:09:18 Yeah, if Ghost can get God, Tariq can die. Ghost probably not even dead. I don't know. Ghost never die. You know what's so crazy? Three seasons ago, we would have cheered like a motherfucker if Tariq got killed.
Starting point is 00:09:27 That's what I'm saying. Now it's like, aw, Tariq can make it out. on TV. That's what I'm saying. I'm like, yo, they actually want me,
Starting point is 00:09:35 they want me to keep rocking. I'm surprised. It's different now. They definitely did a whole 180 from, you know, the original. Character development. Yeah,
Starting point is 00:09:43 shout out to the writers, man, because, I don't know know when they told me they was gonna base this spin off on me I'm like bro how they just hate me oh it wasn't even a call
Starting point is 00:09:52 we was on set we was filming season 6 50 came to set and you know like I'd be just you know I'd just be chilling 50 came to me he's like yo
Starting point is 00:10:00 mad casual too he's like yo you gotta get ready for you know your own shit after this right I'm like what are you talking about like he's like you have your own show i'm like my own show how who he was stealing tarik mo yeah i'm like what show what are you talking about he's like he said just get ready i'm like whatever bro i'm just thinking he'd be in 50 just trolling you know what i'm saying and then like two weeks after that courtney kemp told me the
Starting point is 00:10:21 same exact thing she's like get ready for your own show. When she told me that, I was like, oh, this is real. She's not playing. And then in my mind, I'm still thinking, how? How are y'all about to make this show based off of me when nobody likes me? I just killed the most loved character in the whole entire franchise. How do y'all think this is going to work?
Starting point is 00:10:40 Were you scared? Were you nervous? I was nervous until 50 told me that certain people thought I wasn't ready for it. And then I was like, oh, y'all bugging. Like, y'all really bugging. And 50 was like, I told him, I'm like, yo, nah, I'm gonna prove him wrong. And he was like, nah, don't even think in your mind, like, proving him wrong. Just prove
Starting point is 00:10:55 yourself right. I was like, that's a good way to look at it, too. So, like, other executives, executives felt like you weren't ready? I'm not gonna say who or what position they was in, but it was some, you know, some, was a little bit of doubt in there, but we changed their minds. I mean, I needed that, though. I needed that.
Starting point is 00:11:10 I needed them to, you know, just like, there's a little motivation. Like, I don't think I'm ready. I'm ready. Let's do it. How did that fuck with you mentally, though? Like, just growing up and having social media. I used to be on the radio getting at you.
Starting point is 00:11:24 Everybody not liking your character, Tariq. I ain't going to forget about that. I used to be on the radio getting at you, everybody not liking your character Tariq. I ain't gonna forget about that. I gave Tariq that one. Yeah, you gave Tariq. That's a fact. That's a fact. Not Michael. Not Michael.
Starting point is 00:11:33 That's a different one. But how did that feel? Like, yo, I'm just playing a character. And I used to see videos of people running up on you. I don't know if it was fake or those were sketches. No, no. The one with Ben, that was a skit. But there was literally people running up on me though.
Starting point is 00:11:43 I can imagine. There was a time like some of my friends literally had to drape somebody up because he stepped to me walking out of a party. He was really... You know what I'm saying? Stuff like that really used to happen. At first, I was like, what the heck is wrong with people? You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:11:56 But after a while, I kind of... Obviously, I grew up. I got a little more mature and I kind of understood people. And I understood the show was just invoking emotions out of people. That's what you kind of want when you portraying a character. When you're in a show, you want to bring emotions out of people. Rob Markman Did you understand that though? He was 13.
Starting point is 00:12:16 Rob Markman At first, I didn't. At first, I'm like, yo, these people is bugging. Yo, I'm just doing my job. After a while, obviously having different conversations with people on the cast like Omari and 50 and everybody, it was like, yo, it's a given. Obviously, you're doing something right if these people mad at you. What you're doing on the screen is supposed to make people mad. So the fact that they mad is good.
Starting point is 00:12:36 And after I looked at it like that, I was like, yeah, it's all love. I just started laughing at it after a while. Did you ever see the meme online where they say, you play the kid, you're known as the kid that give the parents problems, like from barbershop and love and power. That's funny. And I think that's another reason my character also, they kind of built my character on that because in the hiatus of season two going into filming season three, I filmed Barbershop D. And I guess they saw like you know like me portraying that
Starting point is 00:13:05 you know having that up and down relationship with your father and I guess they kind of just was like oh we could kind of build on that in our show
Starting point is 00:13:12 and it kind of just translated and that's really just the writers like they literally look at everything outside of the show and really build on that
Starting point is 00:13:20 like even the reactions from the fans like that's another reason Tariq started doing more and more crazy stuff because they saw that the fans was reacting to like that's another reason Tariq started doing more and more crazy stuff because they saw that the fans was reacting to it
Starting point is 00:13:28 that's why Tariq got a car that's why Tariq got cheeks those were the two things people were like yo where he gonna get his car where he gonna get some cheeks and they literally wrote that in
Starting point is 00:13:37 that's a fact that's a fact damn so you yo you be doing music too yeah yeah that's a music what do you like more like
Starting point is 00:13:46 passion i know it's a high demand for you to act obviously but your music is that something that you've always wanted to do oh yeah like i fell in love with music before i fell in love with anything artistically like when i was when i was a baby my mom used to just put me to sleep listening to like beethoven and stuff i used to just hum it like i am like just humming as a baby, my mom used to just put me to sleep listening to Beethoven and stuff. I used to just hum it. Damn. Just hum it as a baby. And then I was like five around this time. I was at my grandmother's house.
Starting point is 00:14:11 And I heard KRS-One, The Bridge Is Over. That little piano melody. That just stuck in my head the whole entire day until I got back home and I got on the piano. And I was just playing the keys and I just found the keys and I just played it by ear. And then more and more songs would start coming on. I was just hearing Public Service and that was by Jay-Z. I played that on my piano. This little stuff I could just remake.
Starting point is 00:14:31 I was just playing it on my piano. Rob Markman, Jr.: So you can play instruments too? Yeah. I used to love the drums a lot. Piano, I used to play that. I mean, I still do here and there, but a lot more back in the day when I had it like I had a piano teacher and all that rest in peace mr. Mitchell but um yeah and then as I got older I kind of just got into like like you know they're like trying to be producing on my computer and stuff like that and it was really Ryan Leslie that inspired me to really start like he's super tough like when I was
Starting point is 00:14:58 young I used to watch his little vlogs when he used to go to the studio and like make his songs like the one video that I really used to watch damn near every day was when he made Addicted, that video when he was in the studio making Addicted with Cassie. Yeah bro, and then I literally made that whole beat from scratch myself, I remade it when I was like 12. And then I was just like, yo, I gotta start making beats. And then after that, I was just like, I'm just keep making beats.
Starting point is 00:15:20 So you essentially learned how to make beats watching YouTube videos. Yeah, basically, yeah. That's his whole generation. Everything's on YouTube. I literally was just watching Ryan Leslie. I'm like, yo, he's tough, bro. He's so tough.
Starting point is 00:15:31 And he made everything from scratch. So I was just like, yo, I was super inspired. And I would just hear the song, and then I'd just start playing it by ear and then just start making the whole beat. And after that, it was just time for me to make some beats. That's what life after Tariq going to be? Music career? Drumline?
Starting point is 00:15:46 I don't know. Drumline. It's something I do for fun. Like, obviously, like, I would love to make a career out of it, but I'd rather just do it for fun for now because, like, once you kind of really start making careers out of certain things,
Starting point is 00:15:59 it kind of stops feeling like fun, you know what I'm saying? Especially, like, with music. Like, I be getting into those spaces where it stops feeling like fun, where I have to like, oh, I got to get these beats out to this person. I got to get to the next one. I'm just like, I get overwhelmed. I'd rather just make it for fun. Whenever you want.
Starting point is 00:16:13 Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Me and my friend Joey, we got hella songs. So mad. So we actually dropped a tape last year around my birthday, and I executive produced the whole thing. I produced every song on it I did all like the track list
Starting point is 00:16:27 and everything so like that stuff was fun you know what I'm saying cause that's just my homie so we was just chilling like just making stuff and it just turned into
Starting point is 00:16:34 being a project and yeah I just be I just be having fun with it I gotta listen to that do you keep Tariq out the studio? hell yeah
Starting point is 00:16:40 sometimes you get a little Tariq and then you go in and start rapping about Keys and King no no no I ain't a lot of like when I be bored like I'll probably make like 5-6 beats Hell yeah. Sometimes you get a little Tariq and then you go in and start rapping about Keys and King. No, no, no, no, no. Oh my God. I ain't a lot though.
Starting point is 00:16:47 When I be bored, I'll probably make five, six beats in a session and we got a whole hour, 30 left and we would just get in the booth and just start rapping and on some fun stuff. But nah, I leave Tariq in Steiner Studios. How much influence does Staten Island have on you? A lot. I grew up in Staten Island my whole entire life. I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but my parents moved back to New York when I was a month or two months.
Starting point is 00:17:13 So I grew up in Staten Island. Because it's a place where you got a lot of musical influences, right? Yeah. But it's also a place that I feel like New York doesn't accept as a borough. They be doing us dirty. Every time I tell somebody I'm from Staten Island, they be like,
Starting point is 00:17:27 yo bro, chill bro. But Staten Island, it's a big part of me because like you said, not a lot of people, you know, really accept us. So I feel like
Starting point is 00:17:35 that's another reason I jack Staten Island so much because like, we just so slept on it. It was like, yo, we here, like we done legendary stuff.
Starting point is 00:17:43 Like look at Mezza man, look at me. You know what I'm saying like look at Wolf Face Joey he's coming up but he's about to be a legendary kid as well so it's just like
Starting point is 00:17:51 it's a lot of things that come from Staten Island that people don't really give their credit to Pete Davidson Pete Davidson facts that was Pete Davidson word
Starting point is 00:17:58 there's a lot of there's a lot more that I'm forgetting too but it's like I can't think fast enough you a young sniper like Peters with ladies you know he knocking them damn that's why you can't get up in the morning I'll be chillin chillin maybe relaxing Jesse you
Starting point is 00:18:20 don't be chillin how many how many love interest they say Mike got oh my god well just you talk about just on the show didn't know in real life just down so like he got like three Michael yeah what's up you dating yeah I'm single I'm chilling okay I was I was That wasn't even a question. I'm chillin' right now. I was in a relationship for a long time, so it was like, and I feel like, I had like, me and her, we had too much life to live.
Starting point is 00:18:56 We got a lot to learn about ourselves, just life period. I feel like relationship for me is just like, Damn, that's what he told her? We got too much to live. We won't even say our name. That's crazy. That's my homies, we still cool and stuff like that. How old are you?
Starting point is 00:19:09 I'm 23. 23. They got a lot of life to live. I gotta say her name. Is that the one who last named you the flower? What'd she say? Is that the one what? That's the one who last name is a flower.
Starting point is 00:19:23 Yo. Crazy. Leave this man alone. last name is a flower. Yo. Crazy. Ain't this man alone. He already got a bunch of followers. Shouting around ain't going to hurt nothing, Michael. Listen, man. I'm trying to get him off of it. You had the wildest love triangle in the show, though.
Starting point is 00:19:36 You had Effie, Diana. Lauren. Lauren, yeah. Yeah. That was crazy. I ain't going to lie. It's a tough situation for me because who is he really going to choose? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:19:48 Who is he going to choose? Like, look, he got Diane, and she in the same life as him. Yeah, I know. She kind of understands him a little bit. Yeah. But it's the family. He in business with the family. Right, and I feel like that's the least.
Starting point is 00:19:59 You feel me? That's the least, because he don't want to shit where he sleep. Yeah, exactly. You know what I mean? She wear heat. But then he got Effie. She know him more than he know himself. Ride or die, John.
Starting point is 00:20:09 Ride or die, but then again, she a little, she a little Effie. Yeah, she definitely poosh-ice-ty like a motherfucker. Yeah, she know me.
Starting point is 00:20:15 I be like, come on, bro. Let me tell you. Yeah, yeah. That's foul. But Effie bad. Yeah. And she gangsta.
Starting point is 00:20:21 Like, she mad gangsta. Yeah, yeah. But then Laura. 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,
Starting point is 00:20:46 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. 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.
Starting point is 00:21:50 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
Starting point is 00:22:22 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.
Starting point is 00:22:40 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. 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 how would you feel if your doctor advised you to keep your life-altering medical procedure a secret from everyone? 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.
Starting point is 00:23:27 Some of you have been with us since season one, and others are just tuning in. Whatever the case, and wherever you are, thank you for being part of our Family Secrets family, where every week we explore the secrets that are kept from us, the secrets we keep from others, and the secrets we keep from ourselves. Listen to Season 11 of Family Secrets 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.
Starting point is 00:24:12 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
Starting point is 00:24:24 in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take he belongs with. His father in Cuba. Mr. González 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.
Starting point is 00:24:39 Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzáian Gonzalez story as part of the My Cultura podcast network available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Ja. 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.
Starting point is 00:25:12 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.
Starting point is 00:25:30 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,
Starting point is 00:25:47 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. That's kind of like his little balance. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:25:59 It's like, she kind of make him feel like he's like a human in a way. But also he can't really bring her into the world that he's in, because she not ready for that. So he's just in a tough predicament. He gotta be by himself. That's just what I think. I feel like he gotta be by himself.
Starting point is 00:26:14 When you saw the final script, did you like it or hate it? Did you be like, yo, this is corny. This can't end like this. Nah, I loved it. I loved it. I think a lot of the writers, they do their job. They do their job well. Even when I have
Starting point is 00:26:27 something that I don't really agree with in the script, I can tell them and they'll work with me. They're always open to just doing little tweaks here and there. Even if it's something I'm not really happy with, they'll just be like, oh yeah, let's talk about it. How do you think it should go? That's dope.
Starting point is 00:26:43 They give us a lot of freedom and stuff. So everything is really Gucci when it comes to the scripts because they do their job. So you think we the fans are going to be happy with how things tie up? Yeah, for sure. Yeah, because if it's going in, they got to make us happy. And I think it's going to make y'all happy also because, like I said, we didn't film with, you know, this is the last season.
Starting point is 00:27:04 And I feel like if we did film with, like, yo, this is the last season. We'd be able to tell. Yeah, y'all be able to tell. Like, some people would be going 110%, and some people would be going, like, 15%, 20%. Like, it'd be a mix. So, like, we just went in there, like, yo, season three was cool. Let's make season four better than season three. And that's just what it was.
Starting point is 00:27:20 I wanted to ask, you started acting so young. What made you focus on that with everything going on? You could have been playing basketball, baseball, soccer. You could have been doing any sport that you wanted to do. You could have just went crazy. Started sniffing coke, wilding out in Hollywood. My mom was not jacking that. But I was going to say, how did you stay focused?
Starting point is 00:27:37 What made you want to do it as a kid? Because at your age, when you started, most of these kids just wanted to play basketball. I just wanted to play basketball. I literally just wanted to play basketball right i just wanted to play basketball i ain't gonna lie i literally just wanted when i had to stop playing basketball because i had to focus on acting i was mad as hell but like it all made sense i wasn't going to the nba so i'm gonna focus on acting you know what i'm saying but um i don't know like i've i feel like once even just like my first movie it kind of just made me want to act because it was just such a crazy experience like i was literally nine going on ten i lived in italy for a year and a half and i also spent
Starting point is 00:28:09 a month in nairobi kenya filming that same movie so i was just like yo i i get to travel i get to meet hella different people learn two different languages you know i'm saying like live in a whole different country for a year and a half like being an actor like this is cool so let's just see where it takes me and i just you know just kept on going with it and obviously like I have my like you know like I do I really want to do this or do I want him just be a regular kid but at the end days like I have a blessing I might as well just take advantage of just keep going keep doing what about your parents sacrifice because they had to sacrifice their life they're clear for sure to make sure that
Starting point is 00:28:40 you're good yeah my mom she um she on the daycare atcare at the time. So she had to be there every single day. And at the time we moved to Italy, she had to shut it down. She closed it for a year and a half. And that's a big sacrifice. That's her bread and butter right there. That was her bread. You know what I'm saying? That was the way she was making money.
Starting point is 00:28:58 And for her to make that sacrifice, like, all right, I'm going to stop my whole business. And obviously she had other businesses on top of that. So she stopped everything. And she was like, I'm going to stop my whole business. And obviously, she had other businesses on top of that, so she stopped everything. And she was like, I'm going to just move to Italy with my son, make sure he's good, and he's going to do this.
Starting point is 00:29:11 And that's what it was. And shout out to mommy, because now look who I'm in. Now, you know what? We had this conversation before, and I think it was with Brittany. And the reason I say that is,
Starting point is 00:29:19 a lot of people look at parents and they say their parents are too controlling, but I always say, if the parents sacrifice everything that they have to push you forward, right? Like you said, your mom, you know, got rid of her daycare center. Couldn't work. So she had to take care of you.
Starting point is 00:29:33 So her job was you. There's some tissue, brother. Oh, beautiful. So her job was you. How do you feel about when a lot of these, I would say, actors, when they're child actors, get older and then they have problems with their parents because really they gave up their life for you. Yeah. And now they can't survive because everything that they would have done is pretty much in your investment obviously like i know like in the back of my mind she literally put down everything for me so she don't ever gotta worry about like oh i did this and that
Starting point is 00:29:57 for you so now i got nothing like she's good forever like i'm gonna make sure of that no matter what like if i get paid she get paid as simple as that you that. No matter what. If I get paid, she get paid. Simple as that. You know what I'm saying? Mommy gotta get paid. She sacrifice everything. You strike me as a sponge. You pick up on things. You educate yourself. Whatever environment you in, you learn from that. I try to. I try to. Especially being that I was on power, so I was on set damn near every day with Amari Hardwick, Joseph Secord, 50 Cent.
Starting point is 00:30:27 So being around them you kind of got to just absorb all the knowledge that they're giving out on set. Even when they're not even speaking to me I'll just be listening to the conversations they're having amongst themselves and I'll just listen to stuff like that. I just feel like being on that set kind of turned me into, like he said, that sponge that's just always open to kind of listening to different people and different things. Is there a real beef in the Power Universe?
Starting point is 00:30:51 Or y'all just be fucking around? Oh, no, no, no, no. It's all love. It's all love. Yeah, it's all love. All love. It seem like y'all and BMF always. Oh, not BMF.
Starting point is 00:31:01 Oh, those guys. Nah, nah, nah. Nah, it's all love. Oh, those guys. Nah, it's nah. Nah. Oh, those guys. That's all love. Shout out my boy Da Vinci. Yeah, I love Da Vinci. He's cool.
Starting point is 00:31:09 Yeah. Shout out, what's his name? The one that played his pops on the show? Little Meech? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Shout out. Yeah, Demetrius.
Starting point is 00:31:17 Shout out my boy. This is out the book of 50. Ain't no real issue. I see what's going on. That's my youngin'. What's his name? He said, that's my youngin'. You stirring up the wall. Just keep people keep people interested but what's what's his name
Starting point is 00:31:28 oh yeah shout out to him that's how my boy means that's my boy yeah we always be going at it on on the internet for y'all that's my homie though there's a way to keep people engaged though because you know it's two good shows obviously no no there's one good show bmf ass i don't know okay i am so good i ain't gonna sugarcoat it. I ain't gonna lie. I ain't gonna sugarcoat it. Oh my God, thank you. I ain't gonna sugarcoat it.
Starting point is 00:31:49 Yeah. What you don't like about it? Let me say it, Jess. I love the way they dress. The aesthetic is beautiful. Everything beautiful. They paint the picture nice. It's hard.
Starting point is 00:31:56 I like the way it look. Right. But I just be going to sleep when I be watching. I just be like, you know what I'm saying? I just, I don't know. How Fitney feel about this when you say things like this? Hey, man, listen. I don't know how he feel.
Starting point is 00:32:10 I ain't never really spoke to him about the show itself. I just be telling him, like, listen, man. Yeah. We that, they that, and they that. It is what it is. Do you have another favorite other than Power Book 2? I ain't gonna lie. I like Kanan a lot.
Starting point is 00:32:27 I like Raising Kanan a lot. That's my shit right there. I like Raising Kanan a lot. Yeah. It's mad interesting. And Patina Miller, she's so tough. Crazy. She's legendary.
Starting point is 00:32:34 I love watching her. Malcolm said you be hating on him. He just left here. He was like. Oh, no. We be just, you know, it's friendly with them too. It's a little less than what it is with BMF cause BMF we just always be going at it but
Starting point is 00:32:45 me and Kanan we went at it too we went at it like season 2 of our show and then after a while it just kinda died down but those the homies though shout out my boy Malcolm
Starting point is 00:32:54 yeah I just made that up Malcolm did not say that Malcolm said he was gonna come to the premiere Malcolm about to pull up to the premiere he didn't say that shit yo
Starting point is 00:33:01 but speaking of yo you're dangerous. I'm glad you did speak up for Tina Miller. She's amazing. I love her and also love Margie Blige.
Starting point is 00:33:12 Do you ever find yourself like trying to pick who's more badass, Monet Tejada or Raquel Thomas? Oh, man. You know what's crazy? Mm-hmm.
Starting point is 00:33:24 I don't know. That's a tough one cuz look they both gangsta though you can't fuck with none of them I don't know man like Raquel raised Kanan though like she raised Kanan like past raising Kanan like look at Kanan in power yeah like she raised that. I don't know. But then again, Monet raised Kane. Kane be bugging. Yeah, he stole your car.
Starting point is 00:33:49 That's the one that took your car. I ain't gonna lie. I'm gonna have to wait to see this season. I'm gonna watch this season and that's gonna be my, that's gonna help me decide who better.
Starting point is 00:33:57 I think that's who gets killed, Patina. Yeah. I think Kane gets killed. That's my nigga, man. Y'all seen Brayden come through last season. At the end of last season. That's my nigga, man. Y'all seen Brayden come through last season. At the end of last season.
Starting point is 00:34:08 That character development, crazy. I love Brayden. The nosebleed guy hit. Yeah. You know what? I also love that y'all are actually closer in real life, too. How did that happen? Because y'all got a podcast and everything.
Starting point is 00:34:17 Yeah. I don't even know. Like, we just... You know what's mad funny? Like, our first day on set, like, we didn't speak to each other at all. Like, we didn't say a word. Like, the only word we said was, what's up? And then, like our first day on set like we didn't speak to each other at all like we didn't say a word like the only word we said was what's up
Starting point is 00:34:27 and then like whatever was on the pages like cause me I'm mad like introverted in a way like especially when it comes to like meeting other actors like around my age
Starting point is 00:34:35 like they be kinda weird sometimes like that weird I be kinda like cause I be bugging sometimes like I don't wanna say nothing like I don't wanna say nothing
Starting point is 00:34:42 too out of pocket but certain things might be out of pocket for these actors my age. You know what I'm saying? Sensitive. So I was just, yo, what's up? Let's get the work done, whatever. And mind you, that was the only scene we had for that season.
Starting point is 00:34:54 He came back the next season. Yeah. And then that's kind of when we started becoming cool. He said something about girls or a car or something. I was like, oh, he might be a normal person. He might not just be one of these weirdos. You know what I'm saying? I might be able to relate on some things.
Starting point is 00:35:08 He said something about some cars. I was like, all right, he normal. And then after a while, you know, we just started chopping it up off of set and everything, and we came hella close. We came hella close. That's my dogs right there. Did him and Tommy Joseph really have beef?
Starting point is 00:35:23 Oh, yeah. That was a crazy situation. That was a real issue? Yeah, because I'm just there like, damn. I'm in the middle of it. I'm like, it's my brother. It's my uncle. I'm like, hey, what's up?
Starting point is 00:35:34 But it was really, I feel like it was just like a misunderstanding, I guess. I don't really know exactly what was the core reasoning reasoning between everything behind everything but What I saw was you know the same that whatever happened on stage And I'm I guess they you know they spoke about that after you know at tycoon weekend And you know they hash it out after a while, but yeah in the midst of it I'm like damn what I'm posting I'm just in the middle every day mind your business. We see white on white crime That's what i did i minded my business i was like y'all handle y'all what y'all gotta handle i'm here you need something from me let me know g you need something for me let me know i was trying
Starting point is 00:36:13 to be noisy because i was there you was what did you use a taco yeah i was trying to use a taco yeah yeah envy i just can't come this year because i'm pregnant i'm just asking but yeah i was there yo yeah i was there it was. Yeah, I was there. It was crazy. That was a crazy situation. I'm like, no way this is real right now. I'm like, this isn't happening. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:36:30 Now, are we going to get any like, I don't want to say unexpected because everybody think Ghost coming back. That's true. Is Ghost coming back? And if he did, would you think that was corny? He better not be coming back 20 years later. Listen. Would you think it was corny? He better not be coming back 20 years later.
Starting point is 00:36:46 Listen. Would you think it was corny? Y'all heard Tariq say ghosts never die. Yeah. So, I don't know. I'm like, where the hell would you go for 10 years? Like, for, it ain't 10 years. How long have you been on the show?
Starting point is 00:36:59 I would say it's like seven years. Well, no, like five years ago. Highlight three. Highlight two, three. Hell no. Yeah, because you still in college. Yeah, you can't cop stuff. Oh, well, in the show.
Starting point is 00:37:07 Yeah, in the show. I'm geeking, okay? In the show timeline, it's like two years, maybe. A year and a half, two years. Oh, okay. Oh, shit. Well, all right. I'm thinking about how many years ago he died in real life to us.
Starting point is 00:37:17 Oh, yeah, that was a long time ago. Is there a way to do it and not be corny? Mm? I don't know. I don't know I don't know to do it and it's like not like super
Starting point is 00:37:30 unrealistic I don't really know being the way he got hit up you know what I'm saying it's like I don't know but that's the thing we didn't see him die I didn't even know you really killed him until you just said it.
Starting point is 00:37:45 Because I was like, it was so many people walking up. And then, like, you was the last one that we saw. But, yeah, it was so many people. So I'm like, damn, I don't know. Then he had saw Cana's ghost right before, right? So it was like, I don't know. But, I mean, it's a way. I would love to see that.
Starting point is 00:38:03 That would be crazy. Yeah. That would be crazy. They. That'd be crazy. They always got chicks up their sleeve. They always got chicks up their sleeve. You know? They got chicks up their sleeve. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:11 What happened to your little sister? Man. Not Raina. The other one. That's like. Oh, Yasmin. They never talk like Yasmin. Where's Yasmin?
Starting point is 00:38:19 Yasmin is with the grandma. She was grandma. They didn't even let Yasmin grow up on the show. Yeah, she was grandma. They don't really even show grandma because Rick trying to keep them out of trouble
Starting point is 00:38:28 trying to keep them from outside he's just making sure they in the crib they got their groceries they got their food we don't need to see them as much
Starting point is 00:38:36 I do miss seeing them though I ain't like I'm gonna say I knew this was made long ago but you didn't cry when your twin died
Starting point is 00:38:44 yeah I was watching that episode not too long ago I you are. I'm gonna say that I knew this was mad long ago, but you didn't cry when your twin died. Yeah, I was watching that episode, not too long ago. I'm like, damn, I'm cold. Like why I didn't cry? Yeah, and did you not cry because at that age, like, cause you was mad young, but like at that age you couldn't, or it was just like-
Starting point is 00:38:56 No, at that age I was crying like a mug. Like before that. Yeah. You see what they said about me online? Yeah. That paper's up here. Nah, nah, not even that. Like that nigga ain't give a fuck.
Starting point is 00:39:04 Well, it ain't like he ain't give a fuck. Why they ain't like ain't give a fuck? But your disposition was just like, nah. Nah, cause like, in my head,
Starting point is 00:39:11 it's like, I could bring a horse to the water, but I can't make you drink it. I told you, stay out this business. I told you, don't go to Ray Ray
Starting point is 00:39:18 with this stuff. I told you. Damn, Toyin. Damn, Toyin, that's what I was thinking in my mind.
Starting point is 00:39:23 I'm like, damn, I was literally watching that episode like last week. I'm like damn Twan I was literally watching That episode like last week I'm like damn Damn Reek Like damn Reek You could've
Starting point is 00:39:31 Yeah But Yeah I don't know Well tell them where They can find your podcast Cause a lot of people Be liking you and Gianni's
Starting point is 00:39:38 Like how y'all Like y'all camaraderie Like y'all real brothers Outside of that shit And y'all vibe is dope So where can we find this podcast at? The Crew has it.
Starting point is 00:39:47 It's on like YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, like if you want to listen. But if you want to watch it, it's on YouTube. Right now we in like a hiatus because we kind of like pivoting,
Starting point is 00:39:54 like trying to get out of just, you know, covering like the universal power. Kind of going into like artists. Yeah, definitely going into other things. Athletes and stuff like that. So we in kind of like
Starting point is 00:40:04 a pivoting moment right now So we in a little hiatus but What season are y'all on? This the This will be our second year I think Okay Yeah second This will be our second year
Starting point is 00:40:13 For the podcast Yeah second season Second season That's what's up My last question You scared at all? Because this show has been Such a big part of your life
Starting point is 00:40:21 The last ten years Are you You got some healthy anxiety About what's next? Yeah I feel like Like I said said, like, when I first entered, I was like, you know, it's all God's timing, you know, God's timing is the best timing. And we all got to, you know, especially the young kids, like the young actors on the show, we all got an amazing platform out of it.
Starting point is 00:40:38 So I feel like moving on, we all going to have, you know, doors that are open for us moving forward. And I honestly kind of want that insecurity. Obviously, being secure, yeah, I got a job. I'm looking forward to going to a set every day. It's a good feeling. But you also want to have that, you know what I'm saying? I got to grind still.
Starting point is 00:40:59 I got to work. I got to audition. I got to put myself in these rooms. You know what I'm saying? So I feel like now is the time. Now is the time I had a good 10 years of really having a consistent job, which is really a blessing. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:41:11 Not a lot of people could really say that, especially at this age. So now I'm ready. I'm ready for the next chapter. I'm ready to keep it rocking and rolling. All right. Well, season four, Power Book 2, June 7th. Yes, yes. Michael Rainey Jr we appreciate you
Starting point is 00:41:25 for joining us brother appreciate y'all for having me we watch y'all a lot so this is cool this is cool thank you and he made it on time he made it on time
Starting point is 00:41:32 that's what I was gonna make it at oh I was like it ain't coming tomorrow it's Friday I had them onions in my socks I was like yo it's not gonna work
Starting point is 00:41:40 I'm about to I'm about to check I can't make it but I made it I made it that's what's up, Michael. It's The Breakfast Club.
Starting point is 00:41:46 Good morning. Wake that ass up. In the morning. The Breakfast Club. 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.
Starting point is 00:42:06 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. 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.
Starting point is 00:42:36 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,
Starting point is 00:42:58 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. Nimany 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.
Starting point is 00:43:22 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.
Starting point is 00:44:10 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. Hello, my undeadly darlings.
Starting point is 00:44:44 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,
Starting point is 00:45:11 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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