The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Rapman Speaks On 'Supacell' Series, Black Superheroes, Sickle Cell Research, Roc Nation Deal + More

Episode Date: July 19, 2024

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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. Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer,

Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part 2, a one-of-a-kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again.

Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. I'm Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes, and we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts. If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hey, guys. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and 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 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.

Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. Did you know, did you know, I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was called a moment. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Marie. And I'm Sydney. And we're Mess.

Well, not a mess, but on our podcast called Mess, we celebrate all things messy. But the gag is, not everything is a mess. Sometimes it's just living. Yeah, things like J-Lo on her third divorce. Living. Girls' trip to Miami. Mess. Breaking up with-Lo on her third divorce. Living. Girl's trip to Miami. Mess.

Breaking up with your girlfriend while on Instagram Live. Living. It's kind of mess. Yeah. Well, you get it. Got it? Live, love, mess. Listen to Mess with Sydney Washington and Marie Faustin on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Wake that ass up 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, right. We got Rap Man.

Welcome. I appreciate that, man. Big up, man. Thank you for having me. Man, Rap Man is the creator and director of a Netflix show that had me in a chokehold man welcome yeah i appreciate that man big up man thank you for having me man rap man is uh the the creator and director of a netflix show that had me in a chokehold during vacation called supercell uh from july 8th to july 14th he was the number one no you're the most watched show on netflix that's right two weeks at number one two weeks not number one yeah 7.1 million views how'd that

feel my brother hey no that felt that felt humbling, man. But it felt good. I ain't going to lie, I put a big smile on my face. How are you this morning? Hey, bro, I'm on Breakfast Club with you and Envy. I'm feeling like I've made it right now. I'm good this morning, you know. Coming from London, like, these type of rooms here,

we can only see it on YouTube. You know, we see these rooms on YouTube. We don't get into these rooms. So I'm not even going to sit here in front like this is a minor. I'm here like, yeah, I'm on Breakfast Club. So I'm feeling good, man. I'm having a good time. Let's start from the beginning.

Who is Rap Man? Where did Rap Man come from? Because you started off as a rapper. Let's go through the career for people that don't know who Rap Man is. Well, I was just like every other guy in South London trying to rap. But them days, our UK rap scene was, it weren't where it is now. So we're trying to sound like B, we're trying to sound like J and Pac. So we're rapping with an accent them days.

And there was another form of music called Garage and Grime. But I love rap so much that I was always rapping with the American accent. So I've got the nickname Rap Man from a young age. So my thing is, though, I was the type of person that would love, give me the loot on the album, expect to see the music video to that, but that video would never come out. I would listen to Jay's album, Inspector here,

see the video for a week ago, and it would never come out. And I was like, why do they never do the music videos to the story songs, man? You want videos to everything. No, but I like the story songs. You know the ones, that was my thing. Like I got a story to tell.

Yeah, but there's never the visuals. So I said, when I start rapping, I'm going to do the visuals to then make them like short films. So when I started doing music, I started doing these short films. They were like musically narrated short videos, man. And I was doing it for years for fun for people in my neighborhood. And it just started growing and growing and growing until I done one called Cheryl's Story that went viral all through the UK.

Landed in my buddy James Samuel's hands. We would then put it in Jay-Z's hands and Ty Ty's hands and the next thing you know I'm meeting Jay-Z and Ty Ty

and they signed me to Roc Nation and they said what do you want to do now that you're with us? So you had Roc Nation as a rapper at the time? Nah, nah, nah.

They saw the vision as a filmmaker. Got you. So I'm with them as a filmmaker and they said what do I'm with them as a filmmaker. So my neighbour said, what do you want to do? So I got a TV show, man. I got an idea for a TV show. They're like, cool.

It wasn't Supercell. It was another show. So they took me out to LA and I pitched it everywhere. Every studio you can think of. FX, Hulu, Amazon. No one wanted it. But Netflix said, yeah, we love it. But because it's set in the UK, you got to go back to the UK and pitch it down there.

So I went back to the UK, pitched the show. She didn't want it. But she said she's a big fan. Let's keep in touch. That's like, that didn't mean that to me. I felt like, okay, I failed. It didn't work. Now, is that the night that they asked,

they wanted to take you to dinner, and you said, I want to go to the most expensive restaurant in London? We'll get into that. We'll get into that. I'm going to pass for it. I don't want to take too much time. So anyway, I moved on with my life, and I wrote a movie called Blue Story.

Done really well in the UK. But before it came out, there was a big marketing campaign on it. So Netflix said, look, we want to take you out. I'm like, yo, I'm going to rinse this. I picked the most expensive restaurant I could find, and I went there, and I was just eating that free food, man.

And in between the food they told me it was a general so I'm just there eating but they kept on asking me questions like what do you want to do next I was like I don't know I want to see what the film does but have you got any ideas

for a show I was like I got one idea and who was this with Netflix or Ragnation this is Netflix at this point so I gave them some idea and they said

oh that's alright and they said have you got anything else I was like right this is one of those meetings I thought I just came to eat a food and a ketchup so with the food in my mouth still in my mouth I said look we've got anything else? I was like, right, this is one of those meetings. I thought I just came to eat a food and a ketchup.

So with the food in my mouth, still in my mouth, I said, look, I've got this idea about people from my part of London, South London,

and they get powers. But it ain't like your capes, spandex, these people are going for real things. And they went quiet and I looked up,

it looked like, ka-ching, it's like there was dollar signs in their eyes. So I said, okay, so you's like, like that one.

And they just wanted me to develop it from there and then fast forward four years. I don't, okay, so you's gonna like that one. And they just wanted me to develop it from there. And then fast forward four years. I don't believe that. You're not gonna make me believe that you sat down with somebody and told them you wanted to make an all black show with people with sickle cell superpowers

and it's science fiction. Bro. And they got it. I don't think anyone else would have made it. It might have helped that the head of UK Netflix does look like me and you. Okay, okay. That might have helped. But I think it was such a point that the UK's never had anything like it.

So it was just like it could really go left or this could really work. And I think she was ready to take that chance, man. Now, I don't want to give too much away from Supercell, but I do got a lot of questions because I really did enjoy the show. You know what was so crazy? My wife turned it on. And we was on vacation, so I'm laying in bed, and my wife goes, oh, look at Cuppy.

And so I open my eyes. Big up Cuppy. And I go, oh, that's Cuppy? I said, Cuppy's on this show? So that's what really made me start watching it. That's dope. That's good. Definitely have to be Big Up Cuppy on that.

That's nice. Yeah, she reached out years ago and just said she wants to work with me. And obviously. That's good. Like, whoa. Definitely have to be copying that. That's nice. Yeah, she reached out years ago and just said she wants to work with me. And I said, obviously she's not an actress, but I said, I might have something for you. And she came off the plane from where she was out of the country just to do that scene. Man, you know what's so funny?

I text her, right? And I go, yo, I said, we sitting there, we on vacation, we watching this show. I just saw you on it. And she texts back and she was like, oh, that's love. She was like, man, Rap Man is amazing. And and i'm like that's not the name of the show so when the show's over then it goes rap man i'm like oh okay he made the show but where did the concept of supercell come from because i read in the hollywood reporter the death of george floyd

was an inspiration yeah so it was um 2020 when the pandemic just kicked in and George Floyd got murdered, obviously, as you know, and obviously, you know how it felt over here, obviously,

but you weren't alone in that feeling. In the UK and probably the rest of the world, we just felt like it's just one step too far now.

It's just too much and a lot of people like artists and creators were going into central London to protest, people protest and I was like

is this the best way I can use my platform to make this to uplift black people because it was just a sad time in London at that time and I didn't know how long TV takes so I figured you know what if I write this TV show now it could probably be out by the end of the year and you know blacks will feel like

we're superpowers so that's when I started writing it so I started writing it started writing it for motivated by george floyd and then i wanted to i wanted a superpower that came from something real and sickle cell to me was always something i never understood that what like why is there a disease that genuinely puts dark skin tones in a weak position of weakness i never understood that that. I said, nah, man, I need to spin this on his head. Because another thing, you walk into a room with 10 people and if you ask them about sickle cell, if more than three people put their hand up,

you're in a great room. Because most people don't know nothing about it. And that's even our own community. They will pretend like they do, but a lot of people don't know nothing about it. I said, how can I make this a thing of power? How can I raise awareness? And I was thinking, you know what?

If there's something that can make us weak, there must be something that can make us strong. And as a parent, if I was having to live with sickle cell, that would make me weak and tired and hurt and pain, but it would make my kid extraordinary. I'll take that deal. Why sickle cell in particular though?

I knew one girl, and every time she wouldn't come into college and I was like, why are you never turning up? Why are you never turning up? She's like, oh, I got sickle cell. And she was all, every two weeks she would be in hospital and she showed me like a whole bag of her blood transfusion. This was like a massive, massive.

You said you're taking this amount of blood every two weeks. And it was crazy to me. And I ended up going down the rabbit hole about it, trying to figure out where it came from. And there no real answers but it was the only fact is it predominantly affects darker skin i was like nah if someone ain't gonna give me answers we're gonna have to get people talking man so it always stuck in the back of my head so as soon as i've got the opportunity i just opened the door on it man you're a hip-hop head so it's like you know all of us first well i'm not gonna say first heard of Sick of Cell, but Prodigy and T-Boz from TLC.

I was going to say Prodigy was the first one that made me look into it was when I heard Prodigy had it. First time I ever heard it was when Pac said, ain't one of y'all got Sick of Cell? That was Sick of Cell. That's the first time I ever heard the word. And then I started realizing that T-Boz had it. You know they did a record together, Prodigy and T-Boz.

I think it was called Never Feel My Pain you remember that record? it was a record about them having a seat that's crazy I never knew that maybe they were supposed to do it oh no Prodigy did the song and I think T-Boz was supposed to be on it but she didn't get on the hook oh yeah

that's what it was I was watching you on the Winners Talking Podcast and you was talking about how sometimes especially when they do films in London it doesn't translate Yeah, that's what it was. That's what it was. And I was watching you on the Winners Talking podcast. I big on Winners Talk. And you was talking about how sometimes, especially when they do films in London, it doesn't translate to the U.S., and you really wanted something to translate to the U.S. Why was that so important to you? It's the biggest playing field.

Like, I love the U.K. I'm a super proud Londoner, but, you know, you're not really, you can't really fly if you're only doing it in the smallest stage, you know, and U.S. is in the smallest stage you know and us is the biggest stage you know so i'm thinking if i can get it to connect outside of the uk in the us i can keep on telling stories you know and and i didn't water it down so the slang's harsh i didn't i didn't try to make it feasible for your ears i kind of wanted you to learn the language

that when i used to watch the wire i learned their language so i didn't want to worry that even though i think netflix was thinking that you're going to get as i i hope so that's why i was worried because it wasn't i didn't even try to make it appealing to the states like i could have given all the gang members guns all the time like how it but it's not really like that let me just do it exactly how it is i hope that they learn so um yeah man, man, I feel like I want to fly in the, I want to swim in the biggest pond in this. That's what I love about it, right? Because, you know, I want to know your world.

I know the street world over here. It's the same reason I like Top Boy. I wanted to ask you, you know, about something like Top Boy. It was a great show, but it didn't really get success until later. So why do you think Supercell popped off so fast? I think Top Boy think I think Top Boy

I think Top Boy done well I think it's the reason I think it was just I think it's because of Top Boy Supercell done well I think by the time you've seen Top Boy you understand our

our language a bit more our dialect and you know you see our artists coming through artists like Central C I think the culture from the UK is starting to seep in a bit more

it's starting to blend in so the time Supercell comes out you're used to the voice a bit more the accent and i think it was just timing man you know i believe everything's timing in life and i thought this was the perfect time now i i definitely i love the concept so you basically came up with the concept eating so it wasn't something that you pre-thought this was like you're just eating and shitting and he's gonna throw shit on the wall see what's no no no it weren't that it weren't that deep before before that conversation with netflix i was doing promotion for my for my movie and one of the cast members asked me on camera what you're gonna do next you're just gonna keep on doing the hood

stuff i said yeah maybe but i want to flip on his head and do it about people with powers and um that's the first time i ever spoke it i I had no concept of what it would be. So it stuck in my head. So when Netflix asked me like a month later, it was just still there. And I just gave to them what I said to them and they actually could make it. Someone asking me, who's your friend? It's like, you're asking me, nah, that's dope.

But someone who actually does that for the living, presses the green button on a TV show asked me, I was probably a bit more eloquent with how I was delivering it and it just sold, man. The dope thing about it is the investment that they put, right? Because it's not like a movie show asked me, I was probably a bit more eloquent with how I was delivering it and it just sold, man. The dope thing about it is the investment that they put, right? Because it's not like a movie that, okay, you just film in London and go.

You got special effects. You got people doing their own stunts and you got great... Talk about some of that because I've seen some of that behind the scenes footage of all the stuff that it took to make the movie

and to make the flick. Yeah, you know what? And for London, that was a big budget show. Like, it's not, don't get me wrong, there ain't no Game of Thrones budget, but for the UK,

they don't normally put that type of money in shows, especially when the cast looks like that. So that's what I've got to give. Especially when it's a black cast. Exactly what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.

So I think, I remember saying to them, if I'm going to do this, you have to let me do it right. Let me just swing as high as I can with this, as hard as I do it right let me just swing as high as i can with this as hard as i can and let me just try with it don't give me the half budget and give me enough what i can at least do and i think she when she made the decision to do it she just agreed she

said cool whatever it is do what you want to do with it let's just see what happens what was the budget i can't i actually can't i can tell you off camera. I can't tell you that. Is it real knives or fake knives? Fake knives. Fake knives. Fake knives. I have to think about that because sometimes what they do, see if it's a shot where it's not moving, it's just someone's just carrying it,

we can use a real knife. But anytime you see anybody swinging, we can't take the risk. When Michael gets stabbed in the chest, I don't want to get there. I shouldn't have said that. No, you shouldn't have said that. But that might make someone want to watch.

You see, I'm the type of person, all conversation leads to curiosity. So I don't actually mind. I don't do spoilers, but I don't have said that. No, you shouldn't have said that. But that might make someone want to watch. You see, I'm the type of person, all conversation leads to curiosity. So I don't actually mind. I don't want to do spoilers, but I don't mind that. Yeah, I don't want to do spoilers. But when I think about Michael and how he kept trying to change the future, like, do you believe that your fate is already set?

I don't want to get too much into it, but do you believe your fate is already set? Yeah. And if you've seen it to the end and you've seen how it ends and I, and that's the reason why I feel like it ends like that. I feel like no matter what you might be able to, I don't want to say too much, but I do believe that.

Yeah. That's to answer your question to make without spoiling it. I think the answer is yes. I do believe that what's meant to be will be, but I still feel like you have to, you still have to push for the direction you want to go. Like I, I believe one day I'll be sitting here with people like yourself and doing what I'm doing with Netflix, but it wouldn't

have been if I decided just to hang on a block with my people and not stay into writing and not go here to learn. So I feel like you do have to, you have to go 70% of the way at least. Rob Markman Hold on, you said the end now, you got to have these seasons mapped out, right? Because it can't end the way at least and hold on you said the end now you you you gotta have these seasons mapped out right i can't end the way i've got i've got a three season story in my head okay yes i've got a three season story in my head not saying it can't go further but i've got three seasons where i know where it goes because i need to know why this is happening why are these people getting snatched up i'm trying not to give it away. I'm just trying to figure out what's the overall goal.

If Netflix pressed the button on it, I will promise you all your questions will be answered. Now, Rodney's white mama. Dr. Umar wouldn't be pleased about that. But because he was half black, did you intentionally want to shine light on the biracial struggle? 100%. Why, black man, rap man?

Because they go through it, man. They go through it, man. How do you know? I know people. want to shine light on the biracial struggle? 100%. Why black man rap man? Because they go through it, man. They go through it, man. How do you know? They go, I know people. I know. I see what it's like. You know, sometimes they come across like, you're not black enough.

And they probably go to their white counterparts and tell them you're not white enough. So it must just be hard, man. And I've witnessed it through the words of my people telling me. And I said, nah, you must still feel it. I wanted to be hard, man. And I've witnessed it through the words of my people telling me. And I said, nah, you must still feel it. I wanted to show that, man. So you got sympathy for Drake? I mean. Jesus.

I mean, I'm a Drake fan, bro. I feel like you don't need no sympathy. He's rich and successful and he's good. When Kendrick was saying those things about him, like you can't say nigga no more and that was hurting your feelings? I mean, I was just too busy with my hands up going, hey. things about him like you can't say nigga no more and that was hurting your feelings i mean i was just too busy and with my hands like hey so i was too i wasn't really i wasn't taking it politically you know i was just enjoying the music bro i wasn't there to side with you i don't know them

personally so i'm just there as a fan to see who's putting out the best music now one time there was a conversation about uh british actors taking over in the u.s and some of the u.s actors were upset uh idris elba damson idris, just some of the actors from Britain. So what is your thoughts on that? And would you use American actors? 100% I would use American actors if they fit the role. And I don't think people should be mad at the U.K. We grew up with nothing on TV screens except for American accent TV shows and movies.

Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show Civic Cipher. That's right. We're going to discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people

to hopefully create better allies. Think of it as a black show for non-black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence. And we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace,

and social circle. Exactly. Whether you're Black, Asian, White, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+,

you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable,

and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters and we're inviting that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters, and we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part 2, Apple Podcasts, or that cannot do, teach. Actually, I think I finally got it right. So take the failures I've had the second or even third or whatever, maybe the fourth time around.

I'm Jenny Garth. 29 years ago, Kelly Taylor said these words, I choose me. She made her choice. She chose herself. When it comes to love, choose you first. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes.

And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts. If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, finally, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, guys. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all

about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. 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. Flash, slam, another one gone. Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap is another one gone. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history, like this one about Claudette Colvin,

a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. And it began with me. Did you know, did you know? I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was called a moment.

Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to historical records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 1, 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. We all we took in was your accent. That's why we can do it. And so when we get these roles and they study acting a lot in the UK, I don't say they don't do it in the US, but it's a big thing in the uk to go to drama school like you have to do your three years and then your master's so the actors can come over like idris and damson and all these other actors

can come over and do this because they can but bro i was chatting to someone the other day she was doing an american girl she was doing the uk accent just on watching top boy and supercell so i was i was saying 10 years from now, maybe five, they're going to be coming to steal our jobs. You know, we're just a bit ahead because we've had you on our screen for longer. Give it 10 more years, 10 more seasons of Supercell, you're going to have people coming to take our jobs, man. I go from, that's my 11-year-old's thing.

My 11-year-old's mastered the London accent. And every time she orders something from Uber Eats or somebody picks up, she uses that accent. And she thinks she's from London Uber Eats or somebody picks up, she uses that accent. And she thinks she's from London, like a thousand percent. Her name is London, which is funny. That's sick. Bro, and I think it's starting to happen. So you're doing it, first of all, as a joke.

But imagine if you actually, your little one wants to act. If your little one comes in and can kill the accent, and I'm giving her the role. I don't care if she lives over here or she lives over there. I want the best person for this role. So it's going to happen. But you said something just now. You said people doing it at first for a joke, right? That's what Kendrick was mad at Drake about.

What? He thought, but he, Kendrick's, but Drake raps in his Canadian accent, right? Don't you feel? He does the London, he does it. But London, the London swang, I don't know if people know it, but you see the London swang and the Canadian swang, they're basically the same.

We use the same slang. Why do you think that is? I never understood. To this day, I don't know why. And I didn't know it until I used to think, why is Drake talking like us? But then when I met people, I said, oh, that's how they talk. They use the same fam, cos, blood. They talk like we do.

I don't know if it's because they grew up closer to us than America was I don't understand it but it is the slang it wasn't just Drake trying to

jump in on the community and I'm not here to defend anybody but I know that that's just how they talk you know another connection people don't usually make

is the connection at least I see between London and like Nigeria it's a massive deal I'm Nigerian. Okay. A lot of it is like, for my parents, the minute, over there when you're, the better life is

in the UK. So you had a lot of people go to America, but a lot of Nigerians live in London, you know? So, and it's just because my mom and dad would just tell me that, you know, my grandparents would tell them, if you get well, go to London and you can have a better life for your family. So in the UK, Caribbean, African, that's where predominantly most of the blacks are from. What's a better storytelling outlet for you, music or TV? TV. And I'll tell you why. Other than the fact that rapping is such a super skill and I feel like I was okay, but I wasn't Jay-Z or Biggie.

Who is? super skill and i felt like i was okay but i wasn't jay-z or biggie who is right and it's funny these days i don't even think you have to be them no more you just need a you just need a flipping a gimmick or hook or an angle but the thing what i do can do with tv and film i've got a bigger platform i've got a bigger canvas to paint like when i was trying to do a song in five minutes it was just like i got so much more details I want to say about the story or the character. When I get a canvas like film and TV, I can stretch it out, make you feel emotion, get you connected to the character. So for me, I'm where I'm meant to be, man. I'm happy here and I was going to keep on painting these big canvases.

Rob Markman, Another thing about this show, and I know there's probably some symbolism in this, all of the main characters superpowers, they come out when they seem like they're under extreme stress or when they're all near each other. Yes. So the thing I get from that is black people, we definitely perform well under pressure.

We make the best out of the worst situations and unity and group operation, I think brings out the best in us as well. I agree with that. And my main thing was literally with the pressure thing, I feel like we only ever do become our best version when we get to that peak, where we think, well, it's that line, it's how you're going to fall under. But if you go over, that's when the greatness comes. And I think that's why when it's kind of

sink or swim, fight or flight, what they say, that's when it comes out. So that's why if you see everyone in there is when they're at their last string and then they say that's when it comes out that's why if you see everyone in his ears when they when they're at their last string and then boom that's when it happens i was gonna say i'm gonna ask you stuff but then i'm like am i gonna give it away you can't give it away yet but you know it's been three four weeks now i haven't seen the whole thing so people are hearing more yeah that's true it's true because i caught on when that when i heard somebody else be like, yo, you got to watch it. I'm like, ah, I'll watch it. I know, I appreciate it.

Because some of the international movies, I'm like, am I going to be cool with the accent at first? And they'll be like, nah, you can get it. You know what I mean? Nah, nah, that's fair enough.

That's fair enough. And it's true, we do want it to carry on. A good thing with shows like this, there's like a 90-day window to get into the top views of all time. And I don't know

if we're heading for that or not because it's, you know, you need to get like 90 million views. We're on like 25, which is crazy for a UK show but basically they netflix do money over three four months so it's not like it's not like a music you release an album you've got like a the first opening week to really decide if it's a hit or not it don't work like that netflix so i don't want to spoil too much but enough to get people to want to watch. There's people with the supercell collecting other people with the supercell.

Right? Yes. But they're collecting them on behalf of white people. Yep. I knew that you were going to look at that. It's funny. I saw Big Up Vince Staple. I don't met him, but I never met him.

But I saw him tweet, yo, those super coons had me shocked. That was crazy. I was laughing out loud. I couldn't believe it. But you know what?. I was laughing out loud. I couldn't believe it. But you know what? I literally was laughing out loud when I saw that tweet. But the thing with that, it's funny because I've only ever been asked about this in one other interview.

We are the talent. We are the culture. We are the heart. We bring the energy. We bring the vibe. But do we not dance for the people for the other side and it's just you can't escape it i don't know if it's because where we are based we are not the majority i'm sure but where we are and where we are shining no matter how great we are like i don't want to start

blowing everything up but yousup should really do yousup own this place do yousup own you know what i'm saying like you you when i I think of this, I think of you guys. Yousart have the power, but I don't know how much power you got, but I'm assuming there's always someone on top who, sure man, you can't do that. Or Envy, that's a bit much. We ain't got nothing in 14 years.

Dope, then you're a G. A lot of people ain't got there. No, we've been lucky, we haven't. How much other people do you know who is just as famous or as successful as you who has still got to ask upstairs? And I've carved out my own entity here called the Black Effect Podcast Network.

Oh, she let me come on that. Then we can really chop it up. I would love to do a Supercell podcast. Bro. Like, you're breaking down each episode. Bro. I would love that When you're ready bro

We can really go off On that lap Properly That's done Yeah yeah let's do that Let's do that Let's do that Let's do that

Let's do that Let's do that Yeah though Now congratulations You got a 100% Critics score On Rotten Tomatoes That ain't easy

That was just not easy We just seen With Tyler Perry His didn't do as well So the fact that you got 100% is great But I was gonna ask It took four years to do this one. So when season two, is it going to be another four years?

Nah, and it won't because a lot of that is breaking the world, getting the characters right. Because you know the world, you know the characters, it won't take as long. How long it will take, it just depends on how soon they press the button. It won't take as long. It won't take as long. It won't take as long. Okay.

And you say you got three seasons. Three seasons. Three seasons of story in my head. Why is three the proper number to end on? I don't know. Maybe I'm a man. When I watch anything that goes past three parts, I feel like they pushed the barrel. But then again, when I look at shows like The Wire, I feel like I could have taken another season there.

So it just depends. The good thing about the supercell world, it never stops because Sickle Cell is in the US. It's in Africa. I can take it everywhere. So I can, it can go on. But for my group of characters that I've created so far, I've got a three story plan for them. This is so ill though, because I thought I was going to talk to you and you was going

to tell me like your mother, your grandmother or somebody you know had sickle cell. Just the fact that you, you know, care about it because it impacts so many black people. Bro, how can there be something that only affects you because of your black? Bro, isn't that crazy? I feel like we need to ask more questions. Like, why is no one asking where did this come from? Why is no one asking why? Bro, skin is skin.

Don't get, because the culture comes with how you're raised. But how dark your skin is but how dark your skin is and how light your skin is shouldn't make a difference to a disease. Right. I guess I've never done the knowledge to even know that. I never even thought that sickle cell

was just a black disease. They say it predominantly affects black and there is some other races, but I personally have never met someone that's not black with it. So I'm not so, but I never understood it. So I'm hoping now the conversation is out there.

Maybe people might do some proper research and may find out what the answer is, man. How can we bring more awareness to the disease, you think? What you're doing right now is already doing it. There's sickle cell conventions pretty often. I think just mention it. Like that's the thing everyone does talk about, have a conversation, maybe get someone

who's living with it on the show. Because there's a lot of people in powwow or whatever who are living with this. We've definitely had Prodigy and T-Boz on over the years. Yeah, the conversation just don't happen enough. It's funny that an episode of Power came out and they mentioned it this week. And I thought, that's weird.

Right close to Supercell, the conversation to stick ourselves out on two popular shows. But normally no one talks about it, man. When I thought, that's weird. Right close to Supercell, the conversation to stick ourselves out on two popular shows. But normally, no one talks about it, man. Like, when I was doing this show in the UK, all of their execs

had to do the research minus my main exec whose brother's got it. But everybody else, they had to do the research. No one knew what they was making, you know?

So, I just think, keep the conversation going, man. Like, you know, blood drives, you know, it's like someone like you

used yourself to turn up to blood drives. That would be crazy, you know? Just shining a light, man. Blood drives. If someone like you used to turn up to blood drives, that would be crazy. Just shining light, man. You said, I got a few questions about rap. Rap man, I got to go too. You got to leave? You got to go?

I did. Oh, I got to go. They got TV. Oh, flip. OK. I forgot. I got to go. I'm off.

I have a few questions. But one question I had for you is, you said that the exec at Netflix knew you in the UK. So what level of rapper were you in the UK? Who was comparable to you over here? Rob Markman Okay. I wasn't known because I was like, okay, the biggest rapper in the UK right now is obviously Central C, right?

But Central C at that time wasn't crossed over. It was probably Stormzy, Dave, Giggs. Rob Markman Love Dave. Rob probably Stormzy, Dave, gigs. Love this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Shyroll's story, what I'd done, it was this particular project that was massive. It was the biggest thing in the UK for years. And this is not sounding like I'm gloating.

It was just, it had the whole world in the UK in a chokehold because everyone was waiting for the next part because I was releasing parts like every other month. So everybody was waiting. So because, this is a quick example before I get pulled out.

There was a show called The Bodyguard that was on BBC. It came on Netflix after a while but it was massive in the UK. And it was BBC's biggest show for years and it was like their finale.

Okay, so their finale was trending on Twitter in the UK. But I didn't know about Bodyguard. So I released my final part of Shia LaBeouf's story the same day trending on Twitter in the UK. But I didn't know about Bodyguard. So I released my final part of Cheryl's story the same day. We trended above that. So all the breakfast shows, the daytime shows, the next day was like,

so you was probably watching this. And it was a clip of the Bodyguard, all white cast, good show, great show. But your kids were watching this. And it was a clip of Cheryl's story. That had every single network in the UK Netflix everyone's like who is this guy who can do something off

their own back no money pull it on YouTube and trend above the biggest show that the UK's got

it opened every door bro it was like a blessing that thing there because it fell into so much people's hands

which and then that's how I was massive so because of Cheryl's story that was before Cheryl's story hardly

nobody knew me come Cheryl's story I was probably one of the hottest in the UK. So if I'm in the UK, I could have been maybe. Big Sean, Wale, with Hotter Than That, Cole. I mean. I could have been Cole at that time. Really?

I could have been Cole at that time. So you won the big three? At that time. At that time. Okay. At that time, I was at that. I'm not going to sit here and say I was, but for that moment, while Shire was out, everyone, everyone.

So all the other rappers was reaching out. Everybody reached out. It was just a big deal, man. It was just a big deal at the time. And I wanted to ask you about, you know, because you are with Roc Nation and Salute to James. It is something about London and Brooklyn. People from London

have an energy with people in Brooklyn. It's crazy because one of my good friends is Tata. So Tata, James, I don't know. When we're together,

we don't think that we're with someone who's across the pond. I tell Tata all the time, London and New York, bro, they're basically like the same place. You use a big arm and obviously the laws are different.

But the reason why I could probably sit here and chat to you all day because it's so similar. And I don't feel like that when I go to LA. But when I'm in New York, when I talk to people from New York, it's like I'm talking to someone from London. Because even when you say you love Biggie and Jay's music, it seems like there's some type of connection. I don't know why. I don't know why. But as I said, I can sit down for hours with me and Ty

would chat. I'm not here just to name drop, because that's actually my friend and it's just normal. Big up to Ty Ty. Yeah, yeah. Big up to Ty. And it's just normal. I don't know, man. It's like, who knows? I don't know what that connection is. You don't have to tell me, bro, but it does feel like that as well. That's what it is. Yeah, man. And it's just a passion that I feel from you. It's a passion I feel when I've interacted with James. It's just a different type of energy,

and I think it reflects in your art in such a real way. And I just appreciate the way y'all tell black stories because y'all tell black stories in a different way, right? Like here in America, it's like these execs want you to tell black stories a certain way a lot of times. Y'all always do it in a very unique way. I think because people, me and James for example, we was in that position where we didn't chase the industry. They came to us because of what we was just doing independently. So because we wasn't pursued, because we was pursued, it was like, okay, if you want us to do it, we're going to do it this way.

Or we'll just stay doing it independently over here and trending over your biggest shows on youtube so so it's like okay so because we came in with that position of kind of like clout means we can just do what we kind of want in the uk but i can't do that over here yet so hopefully these numbers keep from running up so i can do it over here as well. But the good thing is now, Netflix is international. So I don't have to. Because we're all still talking about the same show that I made in London. That's right. Congratulations on everything, man. Thank you, man.

Please go watch Supercell and get prepared for the Supercell podcast on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Hosted by Rap Man. Yeah, I can do that. I can bring some of my casting as well. That's what I'm talking about. My cast, man, they want to roll up. So that would be dope. Those podcasts like that are big over here.

Bro, anything to push the narrative. As I said, I'm fans of you guys and what you've achieved with this. This was like an outlet for the black culture across the world. Because there's so many other things now but we've been seeing this for decades 15 years

yeah yeah and we don't we know that this is where it began so bro anything I can do to be a part of it I'm on it man let's do it

there you have it it's Ratman we appreciate you for joining us it's The Breakfast Club good morning wake that ass up in the morning

The Breakfast Club. 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.

Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part 2, a one-of one of a kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again. Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. I'm Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes. And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts. If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, we want to help.

Listen to I Do Part Two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, I'm Marie. And I'm Sydney. And we're Mess. Well, not a mess, but on our podcast called Mess, we celebrate all things messy. But the gag is, not everything is a mess. Sometimes it's just living. Yeah, things like J-Lo on her third divorce. Living. Girls' trip to Miami.

Mess. Breaking up with your girlfriend while on Instagram Live. Living. It's kind of a mess. Yeah. Well, you get it. Got it? Live, love, mess. Listen to Mess with Sydney Washington and Marie Faustin on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.