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, 2024See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
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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,
but in a way that informs and empowers all people.
We discuss everything from prejudice
to politics to police violence,
and we try to give you the tools
to create positive change in your home,
workplace, and social circle.
We're going to learn how to become
better allies to each other.
So join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple 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.
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
podcasts. Hi, I'm Dani Shapiro, host of the hit podcast, Family Secrets. How would you feel if
when you met your biological father for the first time, he didn't even say hello? And what if your past itself was a secret
and the time had suddenly come
to share that past with your child?
These are just a few of the powerful and profound questions
we'll be asking on our 11th season of Family Secrets.
Listen to season 11 of Family Secrets
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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,
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,
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,
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
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.
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
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,
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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,
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,
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
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
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
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?
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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?
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,
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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,
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I be like,
come on, bro.
Let me tell you.
Yeah, yeah.
That's foul.
But Effie bad.
Yeah.
And she gangsta.
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,
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.
Hey, y'all.
Nimany here.
I'm the host of a brand-new history podcast for kids and families
called Historical Records.
Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop.
Each episode is about a different, inspiring figure from history,
like this one about Claudette Colvin,
a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus
nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing.
Check it.
And 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.
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.
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.
Elian Gonzalez.
Elian.
Elian.
Elian.
Elian.
Elian.
Elian Gonzalez.
At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with. His father
in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take 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.
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.
Think of it as a black show for non-black people.
We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence,
and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home,
workplace, and social circle.
Exactly.
Whether you're black, Asian, White, Latinx,
Indigenous, LGBTQIA+,
you name it.
If you stand with us, then we stand with you.
Let's discuss the stories and
conduct the interviews that will help us
create a more empathetic, accountable,
and equitable America. You are
all our brothers and sisters, and we're
inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each
and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha,
Q Ward,
and some of the greatest minds in America.
Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday
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or wherever you get your podcasts.
That's kind of like his little balance.
You know what I'm saying?
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
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
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.
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.
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,
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.
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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?
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?
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
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
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
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
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-
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.
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,
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
with this stuff.
I told you.
Damn,
Toyin.
Damn,
Toyin,
that's what I was thinking
in my mind.
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
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
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.
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,
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
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
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
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.
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.
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?
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
That's right. We discuss social issues,
especially those that affect Black and brown people,
but in a way that informs and empowers all people.
We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence,
and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home,
workplace, and social circle.
We're going to learn how to become better allies to each other.
So join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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.
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.
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.
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.