The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Taye Diggs, J Carter & Troy Brookins Talk Production Partnership, Hollywood Vs. Influencers +More

Episode Date: September 5, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club, Taye Diggs, J Carter & Troy Brookins Talk Production Partnership, Hollywood Vs. Influencers. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack, where a comedian finds himself at the center of a chilling true crime story. Does anyone know what show they've come to see? It's a story. It's about the scariest night of my life. This is Wisecrack, available now.

Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate.

Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast hunting for answers, I highlighted the story of 19-year-old Lechay Dungey. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time. one would ever hear from her. Listen to hunting for answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor.

And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you.

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Morning, everybody. It's DJ NVJJJJolari, just hilarious. Charlemagne the guy. We are the breakfast club. Longa Rosa is here as well. And we got some special guests in the building. Yes, indeed. You got the brother Taye Diggs?

Is this your first time here? No, no. No, I've been here before. It's long. I've been a long time, right? I've been here before. I'm a black man. Okay, there you go.

I think you've been in a couple times. Yes. Yeah, okay. Last time you were like 2018. It was a long time ago, right? All right. Jay Carter and Troy Brookings. Welcome, fellas.

How are you doing this morning? How are you feeling? Yeah. Feeling good. Feeling good. Happy to be here. What, do we owe this threesome? Whoa.

Oh, my God. Well, yeah, you know what I'm saying, can we still say paul? Can we just say, can we just say, we're putting it out there. That's why I stick up in here. Oh, hilarious. We're promoting this new lube, chocolate glide. Chocolate glide. He's in some new lube, that's right.

Yeah, it goes in, easy comes out smooth. That actually might work, Tate. So it was a production team. Yeah, so we're a producer team, newly formed, and, you know, kind of happened organically where we started to produce content as we cast Tay, Troy and I, and then, you know, the natural kind of progression of it. Like, you know what, let's, let's, let's, let's go and own this ourselves. Let's build a table.

Let's build a couple seats. So, yeah, that's what we owe this occasion. Also, to promote a new movie. Nice. That we just wrap. I feel like that's the, that's not, that's the only way in how. Hollywood now. Like to form your own production company and shoot your own stuff. I mean, you probably know better than most of it. I mean, it's like, I mean, obviously there's the

way things have been done, but if you want to guarantee anything at this point, you've got to do it yourself. Because there's no shame these days. People will lie right to your face and there's no code. And for someone like me, I just got frustrated because I like to play by the rules but when the people on my own team are not playing by the rules but then breaking and i'm watching them break them but well let's do this ourselves and right now with social media and it's proof that like people are taking control absolutely and i love that how did you three uh come together how did this happen yeah i can i can take that if you want sure yeah so uh we had a movie uh so i'm a part of freely films so it's me tinea right my wife

Lashon, she's a partner in business and in life. We have a production company, and so we were producing this movie called The Comeback a couple years ago. And actually, we cast the lead female in the role. And this is how, you know, things just happen. And you've got to embrace that opportunity, right? The universe, right? Yeah, the universe just happened. So the agent for the female called me, the female lead called me and said, hey, have you cast a male lead yet?

And I'm just bopping around. I'm like, nah, we haven't cast it. We've got a few people we're talking to you, right? And she was like, well, Tate Diggs has seen the script. Would you be interested in Tate Diggs? Now, that was the most obvious. But here's the thing about it. Like, and this is how you can block your blessings.

I tried to talk her out of it because I wasn't ready. I didn't think I was ready. That's the same thing. And we think we're doing the right thing because we think it's humility, but we're getting in our own way. Getting in our own way. And so she talked me into it. She was like, Jay, no, this is happening. embrace it and run with it and so that was a couple years ago he came into atlanta where i'm

based shot it um hugely successful on peacock as well and uh rest is history so we've been collaborating ever since i'm interested in that because if you write a script you know it's great at least i would think you would know it's great why wouldn't you expect anybody to read it and want to be a part of it well that that's the crazy thing about the business like what you said makes sense yeah business as it is now makes no sense it makes it makes no sense. Like if you knew the movies that got turned down and if you saw the stars that were in those movies and what you'd be like what there's no rhyme or re like egos. I mean it's is yeah it's really frustrating. Because you're raised to think that everything happens

for a reason. Like I knew I was talented. I knew I would I got got into school. When I got in the school, I was like okay, black people. I'm the business is going to need black people i'm gonna move to new york i can do stage or screen that happened and then i got movie after movie then all of a sudden the rules changed wait who are the influencers who is it i don't know who that is wait he got the part over but he doesn't have any experience doesn't matter he's got followers what are followers is his videos videos is anybody paint no he just put on videos and because he got all So it's like you got to adjust.

Yeah. So now it's like, let me do, I can't swear, let's do this ourselves. Yeah. And we'll play by their rules, but at least we'll, I won't have the excuse. I can't complain. Now I'm going to play by your rules, but we're going to do it our way. Does it bother you when somebody doesn't put in the amount of time that you did, doesn't go to the school, doesn't do the things that you did,

and then because of followers or because of social media or because of a funny skit might get, depart over you. Does that bother you at all? I mean, if there's talent there, then it's cool. You know what I mean? For me, I just didn't, it didn't make sense.

I didn't care who was doing what, but good for you. Whatever they were doing was working and I was like, good for you. But I don't know what to do right now. Yeah. You know what I mean? Is that why you started showing your ass?

Literally on his name? Yes. Like, Envy would come in here and show me that video and I'd be like, I'll be like, I'm not, that's why I'm not. That's why I smell like that. How can I make this work for me?

All right, well, I'll just be funny and not even, I don't even realize that people are watching. I would just, like, express myself. And if it worked, okay, I don't know what's happening, but they say post. I still have to ask him, how do I like, how do I double a, well, how do I take this and copy, you know. Well, we love Tay Diggs on Instagram and things like you are funny.

I apologize because that's, you never saw him if you like the post? What are you talking about? You never saw when he liked the post? He loves your post. I heard he'd be commenting. I don't even know. I don't even read. No, yeah, he put the beach emotion.

I don't even know how to read the responses. You just post and just go in much a day. It's like therapy. Yeah. But you do realize, I mean, that's interesting, to see, to hear somebody like Tate Diggs feel like they had to do that. Mm-hmm. How do you think I feel? Right.

How do you think I feel? Right. That's totally good. You don't want me in this movie, you want Josh Laflalani? Who's never acted in his life? And I can't, it's not even I can't get an audition. I'm not even a part of the conversation. That's crazy.

So I was like, I don't hate that dude, but somebody tell me what's going on with these rules because I've worked really hard. And I like to buy a lot of nice, really, you know what I'm saying? How are we going to do this? somebody just explained it to me. Yeah. But for a minute, I was like, it was pushback.

People like to argue. Well, I did this. Well, it doesn't matter. Nobody cares. It seems like the formula is now that a lot of influencers are being casted because they can push the movie easier, right? But what happened? Because at first, we didn't need that. Nobody needed that.

So budgets are smaller. Right? Budgets are smaller. And so when you have a smaller. have an influence who has 5 million followers, that is free marketing. And so the studio doesn't have to come up with a $1 million marketing budget because they have Jess. Now, we'll use Jess as a case study, right? Because I cast Jess in a movie. I hate I love you. Super successful. Now it's on 2B, the number one drama on 2B. I love that. Yes, yes. Excellent.

But, you know, we we saw obviously Jess as followers and we said, you know, built in marketing, right she could post it's going to be great but then i watched her actual acting she's great she can really act oh that's that was the that was the clincher you know seeing her and i got a story to tell oh that's my shit when she cut the woman head off like it was a I was excited. I got you a bit. I was like, I'm not the end. She acted like she'll be up here every morning.

I am. Every morning. True to life, right? But I'm saying, it was literally our to learn. It worked. It worked. Yeah. It worked.

And I'm like, okay, cool. Well, let me get on this boat. So in Tay's example, if you can marry the social media prowess and the following with the talent, like Jess is married to those two things, you got a winner. In today's business, you have a way. Try to figure out how to make it worse. So budgets are cut. Yeah, yeah, I never knew that.

So Hollywood hasn't evolved in terms of the opportunities available to black actors since you first thought. It feels like the, at first I was thinking the barriers are just dressed differently, but now I would feel like they don't even want you. Damn. Not you, I'm talking about blackness in general.

Until we prove it. You know what I'm saying? Like right now we're at a time where they don't have control. Like all that stuff that you said soon everybody's gonna be talking like that yeah and that's not a studio a studio can't take credit yeah and that's what i love we're doing it ourselves and no one can stop us and it's succeeding i still don't get it yeah it feels too good to be true because i was raised you got be let in you can apologize you know be really grateful and talk to this meeting go to this

you know crazy restaurant and meet with these studio hat yeah that's not i'll go goes down. A bunch of non-people that I've never heard of doing funny stuff, posts again, and then get it. Hey. So it's the positives and the negatives of it. So it's bittersweet for you, huh? Well, now it's sweet. Because we're taking control. So I have no, I can complain, but if we, now there's no excuse. That's why we're here. Let's get on board. Let's get it. That's going to be the most interesting thing. When you, as a production company, y'all take all the risk put up the money shoot it you know it's good but then the studio's still like eh well that you know it's something else but that's what he said earlier he said all these

black stars in these movies and nobody's picking them up and what we were talking about there's no risk yeah it's never i mean because it's it costs a little bit of money you got get somebody with a huge mansion you get actors that just want to be seen that's what it's almost too good to be true if it's a story that people like people are going to show up and that's when I can give my finger to the studios and be like you don't need Brad Pitt you don't need to you know we made up our own story yeah our own people that you don't know but our people are going to show up and watch them which isn't supposed to happen absolutely so let's hear it for black people nice but let me ask you a question does ever bother you know you have major releases

that instead of the major release is now a Tooby or a Peacock or something that the masses might not have seen like they've seen one of your other movies where it's theater it's global, it's national, it's this does that bother you at all? No, because I like to stay positive, don't you?

It's a challenging question. I totally believe in you meet your audience where they are. And so if they're on Peacott, we'll meet you there. If they're on Toovie, we'll meet you there. If they're in theaters, we'll meet you there. But we're going to meet you where you are as opposed to expecting you to come to where we are.

Like, yeah, we're going to... And, you know, the magic about what we're doing is, you know, Tay, obviously, international superstar, right? Humph, humility speaking, humbly speaking, right? International superstar. Black royalty, man. Yeah, walks in the door commands a certain level of, you know, respect and people, okay, we're going to listen, right?

Absolutely. I've got the funding. I've got the distribution on projects, right? I don't know if you've heard who Clarence Avon is This is the young Clarence Avon right here He is the grand connected

If he showed you Who he has in his content list Your mind will be blown You know And so if we ever play the game Of whoever's in your content And yeah Close the holes

What's wrong with you? So we make this This combination of You know The business society It's taken care of the content and talent side is taking care of, the connection in being able to reach certain talent,

and Troy is taking care of. Why are you so mad? Because this is another example. Troy started out as like my assistant. Right? So he's like the last person that people want to include in all these meetings. I'm saying?

Yeah. I'm like, I need to meet with such. Oh, I had nobody told me. Nobody c ced me. You know, but cut to a few years, discussions and him being working with me, he sees, he knows how people are moving. So he's like, oh, this person said that they were here, but they never really committed and they blame me. But this person said that you were supposed to get, and I saw the, I saw the, you, you didn't get paid that much. So now he is like working for us, who would have known?

Now he's a major producer. And now, like, I can't move without him. But they're not a part of that business plan. He's the assistant. What? Give him two years. I love that. What's that experience been like for you now?

Because, I mean, you're pulling up differently. Yeah, it's been a ride, for real. I mean, I used to play football. I used to play professional football. That was, like, my first goal, my train. was all about football, that's all I knew. And God humbly blessed me with the opportunity to play an All-American, and that's where me and him met.

And so when we met, you know, everybody, you know, low-key gravitated towards me because I would train them and teach them how to run a route or, you know, do everything that I used to do. So y'all play football again? Who? No, no, all-American. All-American was my coach.

You're about to answer you right away. I'm an actor. I can pretend. You got to run it back to football. I'll run it, but that's about it. Well, yeah, no, we met there and then, you know, one day we just, we kicked and we grabbed some lunch at Soho and he was like, yo, you want to be my assistant? And I'm like, bro. Energy.

It was his energy. Yeah. I never done it. And then, you know, we just took the ball rolling. We started at two days. And I'm like, dog, these emails is crazy. I can't look just two days. Like, knowing me how I.

you know put my time in I'm like I can't do two days we got to lock in all away and you know seven seven years now we in rolling and it was always you know Troy's great like from the cool people yeah you what's here too oh he's great he's and I kept on hearing that now we're making business deals with those people yeah with him and the people that didn't see see him are now like we're where are you hey what's going on need you we're good I love that. Me too. You know, I've heard you speak to you about issues of identity and acceptance, right?

And it feels like this is another layer of that, like in regards to Hollywood. Like you may be questioning who, did you have a question who you were? Well, they want you to. Like, I never, that's what didn't make sense. I've always known who I am. But why don't you know? How come it's not? So then I had to move to a place where.

where we were all on the same page, which is like, you know, a good lesson in identity. You can't let anybody else dictate that. I know who I am, you know who I am, and now we're all in business. Why? Because we know each other. They don't know us.

Yeah, like, somebody can't come to me and be like, yo, Tate said this and I'd be like, no, I already know, I already know what's up, you know what I mean? But people would try that. They try that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So in Hollywood, what is it? Is it ability?

Is it your box office number? Like, what is it? Well, right now, nobody, like, we're about to make what it is. Yeah. Nobody knows what it is right now. That's why it's a great time. That's why it's, yes. Yeah.

Nobody knows. You see a movie coming out in the theaters. Then you're watching it on the, nobody knows what's, and they're always pretending like they do. This is a sure thing, and we're on it. You know what I mean? Another man's wife. That is the name of the film. Okay.

Who had what to do? Because that already, that I already want to know. another man's wife who wrote that whose idea was it what's happening yeah so shout out to

Maverick Entertainment and you gotta have our allies right like we we can do what we can do but you know we know who's still running Hollywood right so and you have to have those allies and so Maverick Entertainment Doug Kelsey Erica

huge allies you know they finance our work they distribute our work so They said, you know what, Jay Carter, why don't you come up with an idea based on this premise? And so I brought in the writer by the name of Breonna Cole who said, yeah, I think I can tackle that. And, you know, it was a, like the story, it just put you in a chokehold, you know. And it's about a young couple who are struggling, backs up against the wall, losing their house, losing their car. husband lost his job and then to make matters

words truly and love each other yeah yeah yeah the world is just banging on them right then the husband finds out his mom has a serious illness and she could die the medical treatment that she needs

isn't covered by insurance so they're drowning in debt and just financial issues right so Tay's character comes along and he throws them a life raft and he said for two million dollars I can change your life but he looks at the wife and he says

the only thing I want to return is one weekend with you. Now this one weekend that this husband is going to give up his wife for can save his mother could save his job, can save his car, can save his house, can save his marriage, but at what cost? So the question that we always ask

people, you know, and I'll ask, you just envy Charlemagne Lorne, what would you do? $2 million to save your mom, to save your house, to save your car, to save your car Jesus All you gotta give up

is one weekend your wife? Yeah, I didn't give it my wife though but that's the chance nothing happens There's a chance that nothing happens as well

They can play monopoly They can watch Your wife So she All she has to do is go I know looking at my wife I know nothing will happen

But it's just the fact of pain Who's the guy though I don't say nothing to happen What if it's Maxwell Don't your wife love Maxwell Pretty Wayne Definitely not You see that? You wouldn't leave with Macwell

But it's the premise of pain Yeah For yeah It just it seems like belittally And the therapy that you would need after it That's right You know what I mean? Because your mind

That's a mental thing after that My name is Ed Everyone say hello Ed From a very rural background myself My dad is a farmer And my mom is a cousin What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago.

I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. The 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously. suspicious. Well, wait a minute, Sam, maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor, and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's

nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport. The holiday rush. Parents hauling luggage. Kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, at 6.33 p.m., everything changed.

There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Apparently, the explosion actually impelled metal, glass. The injured were being loaded into ambulances. Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, and it was here to stay. Terrorism. Law and order criminal justice. system is back. In season two, we're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight. That's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite-sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tamika Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people, talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction.

But Tamika never bought the car. And she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission, save our girls. Join the searches we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to hunting for answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Because she may, you know, even though you feel like nothing happened, You'll never know.

You'll never know. But if your significant other doesn't go, though, and all this stuff does happen, you lose a lot of stuff on the back end. So then you still need the mental. So, Laura, you go here. I mean, I got to think, I'm, you're talking about my mom here. Like, you're saying that, like, I would lose my mom. So you don't have a house.

What? I mean, what? That's my mom. That's a man. What's a lot. What's a lot. I don't think about this, guys. 15 years of runway.

Oh, my Lord. She's 60. Oh, that's too, that's young now. Yeah, 60 is not old. So what did you do, Jess? Oh, yeah, two million. There you go. You're going?

Yeah, what are you talking about? What's your time about? You know, you heard. You're going. You're going. What's up? What we're doing? What are we doing?

What are we doing? Your house? What else? Your marriage. Your marriage. Everything crumbles. Not necessarily. It depends on you if you lose the marriage.

I need to see the nuance. Like, do I know who the guy is? Do we have a background on them? Do we know, you know, he's, you know, he's, mentally well you know what i mean yes he's all above level is like this is me this is what's going on i want you to meet me and there's no manipulation everything's right there's a contract morris chestnut why can't i yeah yeah yeah why can't i was that new one that's a sequel that's a sequel that's a sequel i'm going what you're doing i'm just kidding wow

I'm just saying why can't I why can't I go like why did they have to be on life because the guy not gay niggins that's the whole point like they just like why the fuck am I yeah it's not a part two is this it's not that it's not that situation I didn't say it was gay I just say why can't I go that's what a man does right when you when you when it's a job that you don't want your woman to do you will do it but the guy's like I don't like dudes I don't want your wife yeah I'm asking for your wife one weekend he said why can I go let me do what you want to do right the guy's not ditty niggins it's it's I don't even like I got jay

looked at me and said that just now I want your wife make one weekend what save your mom but but you see the conversation that it sparks right and so that's what we're that's what we're banking on is you know people sitting on their couch you know the wife cutting her eyes at her husband the husband cutting his eyes at his wife like you know what would you do is a million what's your number two million three million four million, you know, what will it cost you in the short term and what's going to cost you in the long term once there's a ripple effect on the fallout? So it just sparks up this really cool dialogue. And then all of the relatable issues like that they're going through even before

they get to the point of, you know, Tate's character, right? Like, a lot of people are going through it. The economy that, you know, people's moms are, you know, people's parents, period, are getting sick. Insurance is not covering things that they need. Some people don't even have insurance because of you know government issues and all that type of thing so it's like it's very relatable until you get to the saving grace here because literally insurance and insurance company they are they are here to make money they are they're not non-profit they are a for-profit company so they will say this procedure this treatment cost too much you had this fire script and you were surprised or felt like you weren't ready when tay digs is like

I want to be a part of it like I'm listening to the conversation well no that that was that was the comeback, which is a wrong cause one. Oh, this one I knew. Yeah, this one, this one, I was like, hey, Tay. He called me and was like, yo, let's go. What's Tay's availability? At this, this go around, he was definitely

with it. Because he, I mean, he fits that, you know, mysterious, brooding. You can look at him at tail. He's, he fits it so well. I'm tremendously talented. And, and, and, we as actors, we forget.

Yeah. Like, I'm doing it. a show with, um, on Wayne Brady. Oh, uh, Moraloreau, right? Mulan Rouge, yes. And he was like, hey, man, um, would you, we were thinking about you, da, da, da, da, da, and I was like, oh, I was on your my, like, you get caught up in your own world. And if you're in any way grounded, you forget that other people see you in a certain way.

Wow, you know what I'm saying? Did you ever forget who you were? Constantly. Wow. Constantly. And I got to be reminded. Like, that's something I got to work on. Because sometimes I'll be ashamed to, and people think, no, you go, they know who you are. I don't bother her up. Yeah, yeah, we all suffer from it. Would you call it imposter syndrome? No, because I know, that's the thing.

It's, it has to do with, like, being raised in the church and, you know, being taught, you need to be humble, you know, think about other, like, it's like what they teach you. If you really want to succeed, you have to do the exact opposite. You gotta be like a Kanye West. I'm not going to apologize. I belong here. Boom.

Don't knock, open the door. Those are the people that really, and that's not how I was raised. And I took a lot of pride in, like, following the rule. And I still made it through. But I'm like, oh, I could have been so much more. I remember going on auditions and being like, you know what? This isn't, I think I know somebody else who's better for this part.

Literally. and then feeling proud giving a part away I had to be like I don't know if it was a hood thing I don't know

Lawrence is she's going to feel back the layers I want to see you in a hood tell you like what you're doing told me about what was it what was the one that was you were going to do

he did in a Matrix was it Matrix was it Matrix or I don't know this is really Great for radio, though. Really great. It is.

I was talking about movies we would have recognized that were like big successes and you gave the heart to somebody. I don't know if it went, but I just remember, think, you know, I wanted to like do the right thing instead of like promote myself. And sometimes, you know, that can lead in the wrong direction. And I'm still learning. I don't think you can have an actor Kanye Westel,

because in order to promote yourself, people got to be giving you work, because your work is your calling call. Like we rate Denzel because all of the times we've seen Denzel and these fantastic roles. You rate Tom Hanks because all the times you've seen him and these fantastic girls. I mean, it's the same reason we rank you. But that would be the only thing you could actually use to stick your chest out. But I forget.

You got classics, though. I forget. Oh, man. Hell no. All right, sell got a groomed bag, best man, brown sugar. What? You don't forget, man. I watch brown sugar like five six times.

There's a classic. Brons sugar is my favorite movies of all. When you did them, but now, you know, and they work. Like, I don't, I don't, I don't know that. I don't know until somebody comes up to me. And then the industry, like, oh, that's just a fan. Like the whole, all this time, everyone's telling you to stay grounded. You know what I mean?

And then you take a person that's, like, raised in the, in the church. And I'm trying to be humble and don't, you know what I'm saying? I don't want to be like this actor. I don't want to be like that actor. This person stepped too far over the line. and they so then you just like all of a sudden you you kind of forget who what you're worth trying to like follow the rules i'm being a good person i'm being humble don't you know make sure you look after the other person no that's that doesn't work but it took a minute

and it took a bunch of people but they be like don't you know who you are yeah and at first i'm like oh this person he doesn't get it and then you're like wait will smit And you look at all the people that are doing it, Kevin Hart, where I was like, oh, these guys are too, they're too full of themselves. Look at where they are. And it's like you have to be in order to. I believe that humility, though, like you save it for the people

who deserve it. Yeah, right? You save that humility and that approach for the people who deserve it, who will nurture it and keep it safe. Yeah, you know, 30 years later. I thought it was humility. It wasn't that.

what about other people that you had like like you got close to that you did projects with like a more chestnut or like friends like do you have like do they do you have these conversations with them do they pull into you like bro I can see it what's wrong like I know Morris so well yes all of a sudden I started seeing him and like oh look at him on Instagram that's not he's funny he made Instagram up he took charge and I'm like well if Morris is do it because we're both Capricorns yeah Yeah. We both played by the rules. We like to work hard. I was like, oh, I said, okay. Well, then let me do it. The boys is doing it. Mars ain't show his ass now.

Yeah, come on. Why do you want this man ass? He just be dancing. He never showed his ass. Online. His whole bad ass. That's the only one you remember, I bet. And we kept bringing up.

No, I did not say nothing about that man's ass. He said you should be on the real house. I don't know why you're talking about my ass. Now, bricked up from him. Oh, I can't argue that, good after. My name is crazy. But no, I tell you, I'm serious, man, Brown Sugar is one of my favorite movies ever.

Like, that was the first and last hip-hop rom-com. I don't know why that didn't open up a whole new genre. And I always wondered, how did working on that film change the way you think about, like, the connection between music and relationships and just culture, period? Oh, it taught me. It taught me. You know what I mean?

I didn't know that, and I was very proud because that was like something new and innovative and it worked. And I was like, oh, we, wow, we are good. This is with the music and the, okay, all right, black people. Like that's when it started to really connect. Like we can do anything. We can do more than just catch up.

We can create this thing with music that we created and take all the elements of some of the white movies but then it's our story and it's evergreen it's awesome what was it was awesome that made that love story feel so authentic oh that's just some kind of i i don't know it's a chemistry like i've been in this business long enough to know i have i have no idea but it just worked it just worked and some things you I feel very blessed because for a while I would hear stories of other just horror stories of people that were playing couples and they hated each other and I did not I had no idea what that was like you know I mean I didn't know how look I didn't know how lucky I was yeah you know you know did you hate me along when she slapped your ass and best man at that moment I did that buck it was the right choice and it was good acting Yo, you did not break, though.

It was the right choice. You didn't know it was coming, but that's like, nominal act that he did not break character. Like, bitch, you just slap man. Oh, that wasn't what happened? It was written in the script, but in a situation like that, you need to have a stuntman come. It's supposed to be a fake slap, and it's a whole thing.

And the stuntman didn't come. And she just slapped him. Yeah. And she, hey, she should have. But I had just come out of, you know, drama school. I got you. Well, I didn't be rehearsing. How dare you?

The director didn't have my back. Right. How many takes? Oh, that was at one. That was it. Do you feel like the best man unfinished business, the book that Malcolm D. Lee just did? Do you feel like that should be on TV

or like a series versus the book? So you know how he... Oh, the book that he wrote? Yes, the recent book he just did that's supposed to continue the conversation. I mean, as an actor, I'll say yes just because I want to be in it. But as I love what he's doing, and that makes perfect sense.

And I love that it's happening because I love that you can take the idea that a book about a book. You know what I mean? I'm very impressed with him. We had them up here. The thing that don't make no sense to me about the best man, and I guess it goes into what we're talking about today. It broke records on Peacock, right? It was like the most viewed series ever on Peacock.

Wouldn't common sense say, hey, let's do more of this. you say common sense yes that's the key because you think about who's at the table making these decisions a lot of those folks at the table

they don't care about us they don't you know we can do numbers but we constantly have to prove ourselves over that's why I had to get out it doesn't make sense you have agents

that are turning down jobs that will make them money but because of their ego yep so it's like well what this you know what y'all i don't get it and i'm spending too much time trying to figure it out so let's just thank god there are other people that i can look at oh what's working all well then

let's go yeah this feels very dray leaving millennium records man that's how i feel that's what i feel like that's literally one of my questions here is like your character and brown sugar is so you in real life everything you're going through now and then what the music industry is going through right now too. Except this is like a surefire thing. Yeah. Like I'm not, I don't feel like I'm taking a risk. The only reason I'm doing it is because it worked.

Yeah. I mean, this is our third film, we had to come back. Huge hit on Peacock. Both eyes opened, went out to theaters, and it was a number one movie on stars for four weeks in a row. Amazing. And then coming up with another man's wife, it's, it's, They've always slept on it.

They're not waking up. I mean, now I'm going to be a part of it. They can see you, Tray. You're on camera. Oh, sorry. No, he got quiet. They didn't see you. Oh, my God, I have a question for all of you guys.

Because there's so much content out there now, people that are looking to do it their own way, how do they get, like, out of the noise and, like, actually get people to respect what they're doing, get people to want to finance it, and not just stay on social friends. or you know what I mean like build it where it's like a business is elevated honestly nobody knows I would say content and quality that's not

necessarily the case it's like you got to look and see what's what's hitting now and jump on that or take a risk and try something new and you know the the content may vary right I mean I'm sorry quality of content may vary and obviously the better the quality the better opportunity you have for to get seen and the people to take you seriously. But at the end of the day, it's about a compelling story. Right. And you have to have a great story.

Everything starts with a great story, and then you have to have great actors who can deliver that story. If you have that formula, nothing's still guaranteed. I mean, to your point, Charlottom, it's mind-boggling how Malcolm cannot get a season two of. It's like mind-boggling, right? But that's what happens, you know? he was very politically correct you know he was very you know diplomatic right but let me say it was some bullshit that he that he is not i mean he is one of the greatest writers of our time

one the greatest directors of our time so so that's the lesson learned is we're going to tell our compelling stories but we're going to we're going to control the vehicle and we're going to build our own seats build our own tables because if nobody else is willing to tell our stories well darn it we'll tell it and if i remember correct me and i couldn't be wrong malcolm so forgive me i thought he kind of put the onus on the actors a little bit because he said it's just all of y'all are so busy you know so many big stars on that it's hard to get y'all together i mean that was true

but we were all everybody was blessed to be working that was a part of it but i mean how long i mean i mean i mean six in the city they figured out how to do it yeah that's true and their business friends they figure out it gets tiring waiting for them to let us in you know what i mean because money makes people figure it out Absolutely. Not even money sometimes.

Because we were making money. That's what I didn't get. Why do this with this black movie? And they don't have any explanation and they're fine with it. Why do black movies disappear every once in a while? When was the last black romantic comedy you saw? Jesus. Oh, no.

It's not a comedy. Remember when they were like, there was one after another. They were all. All making money. I guess somebody decided to not do them. I guess the last one I saw was, was it a comedy though? No. Forever's not a comedy.

No. The joint with Issa Ray and Lakeef, that wasn't a comedy, wasn't? No. No. For the graph, no. That wasn't. Wow. I mean, you'd have to go back to like, so you can play that game.

Like that's a long time. That's a long time. Yeah. You can literally have to go back. That's one after another. And it was like fun. You know what I mean? Traylon, you bring that up a lot,

because I feel like that time, movies and television, it just, it was, you didn't have to think about it so hard. It was so much, yeah, like even sitcoms, right? And they get your feeling, and it was different. Yeah, something happened, and I don't know what happened, and I like to talk to people like you take, because y'all were those superstars in the 90s and early 2000s.

Everything that we talk about wanting in black cinema and black film, it was there already, you know, and it's not like it wasn't doing numbers, the movies was doing numbers, Cosby showed a different world, the number one, number two show in this world. It's just like, what happened that made, Hollywood just be like, you know what?

We don't want to make no money with niggas. You think about the guy, and his name escapes me, but Love Jones. Iconic, right? I mean, it brings out an emotion when you just hear it. That director never had an opportunity to direct another feature again. After Love Jones. After Love Jones. Why?

Or Theater or Witcher. Right, yeah, never, you know, but other directors can fail, two, three, four times and still get a budget. You know, they felt Love Jones. didn't make enough money though he never got an opportunity but look at the look at the social impact it had on our culture I know it matters about that wow never directed another feature yeah so what projects allow y'all to scratch versus just what feels safe well for me this this one didn't you know I mean I love

playing like the quote-unquote bad bad guy I mean as an actor it's it's fun playing outside of what you know people know you as and how you're perceived. So, so, you know, situations like, which I might not have been, you know, given that opportunity were it not for us. You know, I mean? Yeah.

Yeah, so that was cool. Yeah, I mean, as a part of the casting process, you know, not to name names, but that was a conversation around Tate. Should he play this role? Could he play a bad guy? Why not? Like, why can't he have different versions of who he is

to show that diversity within himself, why not, right? So, but I mean, I would say what, what would stretch me is a, um, a biopic. Yeah, I would love to do a biopic on Fred Hammond. Oh, wow. Like, I would love it. Like, if Fred, if you're watching and listening, call us. Yeah. Wow.

Yeah, I would love. I don't know the backstory. Wow. He's just, I mean, he's just iconic and, and it was a, it was an uphill climb. So there's a lot of stories within that story, you know. that will bode well for, you know, consumer consumption. Yeah. But, yeah, I mean, he's right up there, right?

But a biopic would actually, you know, how do you make it factual, but then also entertaining at the same time, but not straying away to make it too, you know, fictional, right? Yeah, yeah. My last question is to tell you, how do you hope your career will be remembered? Not just in terms of roles, but in terms of, like, your impact on coaching, like your next generation are active. I don't, I'm trying to get to the point where I don't care.

Because that's the easiest for me. And if I come from that standpoint, I don't have to worry about controlling anything. So that's what works for me. I used to hate the idea of getting old. And then people used to say words like, oh, legacy. And then that started to make me feel good. But then I was realizing, okay, well, I'm still attached to what happens when those movies are out and then people stop talking, no. So let me just try to be in the moment, do good work, be grateful, and remember what I did, but just stay in the moment because that's all that I can really deal with.

Yeah. Well, I just want to say this, you don't have any movies that you're all a casting for. I am a great. Man, you have a job. So I do you have a job, but I want another one. And when I tell you, you know, actors, you know, actors, watch, you say that. No, she's amazing. Actors come on a set and they'll say line, you know, every, every third line, line, you know, never said it.

Came on set on time. Yes. On. I don't know if she's on time here, but she's on time. I'm just happy that she's coming on a show, so I got to be on time here. So consistently on time. knew her lines you know

people they take their cues from the names on set so if she's coming in with a cloud over her head the whole set will have a cloud sun constantly shining and she was pregnant

so I know she was going through that first trimester we didn't know it she didn't show it constantly professional you don't have to worry about it you know you stay on speed now you know just get busy man

Why does your tattoo say chocolate me? Joclemy is on this man, man, man. Because they keep looking at me. Can I let them answer the question? Jesus, it's not about my booty. Talk to me has not, because you're talking about my booty. I know, I'm asking about the tattoo. Chocolate me is, uh, it's a book I wrote, a book about, like, self, uh, self-esteem

and young people being proud of, of how they look at their chocolate. Dope. Yeah, I love that. It's available now? Not his chocolate The book You know right You are

I'm sort of switched it over now I thought you had another like Oh I could get enough Good for you say That's a question Do you have any other questions about No Sure

Is it a children's book It is I need to order it in a mug thing I love that Yeah it makes sense I remember you having the conversations about your son And people

Like that whole Mix me I wrote another book Yeah For him Yep Oh I love that All right

It's embracing ourselves So when are we releasing, I'm sorry, we, like I'm a part of y'all team, when are y'all released in another man's wife? Yeah, so we're out. So, you know, it'll either be late Q4 or so December or early Q1, 26. So all the next year. So all the next four months, look, for it. Absolutely. Well, thank you brothers for joining us.

Thank you. What's the name with the production team so we don't forget? Yes. That's a good question. So it's freely films. That's what I bring to the table. Okay. And it's down deep right now, down deep productions.

Yeah. So we partner together and we'll figure it out. We haven't necessarily cat about it. Let's figure it out. Yeah. Tay's ass productions. Taze ass productions. Chalk with me.

Chocolate of me. Chocolate ass productions. That's out of great. what y'all man you know nothing of this matters if you know people don't go out there and support that part say it for the people in the back show but also you i got to make your way back up here when the movie comes out come back up talk about you so people understand and see it right thank y'all thank you absolutely appreciate you Troy j Carter tay digs it's the breakfast club good morning oh no every day i wake up wake your ass up the breakfast club

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