The Breakfast Club - Tony Baker On Finding The Blessings In Tragedy, Hip-Hop Influences, T.I.'s Stage Etiquette + More

Episode Date: July 8, 2022

Tony Baker Talks On Finding The Blessings In Tragedy, Hip-Hop Influences, T.I.'s Stage Etiquette + MoreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God.

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Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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

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Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap, there's another one gone. Each episode is about a different, inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. And it began with me.

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Yep, Charlamagne Tha God here, Anjali Yee. We are the world's most dangerous morning morning. The Breakfast Club. Yep, Charlamagne Tha God here, Angela Yee. We are the world's most dangerous morning show, The Breakfast Club. Envy is off today, but we got a special guest, man. Very requested guest. Highly requested guest. Really? Yes. Wow.

Toby Baker is here. Wow. What's happening, my brother? Man, for the first time, this is a debut. I love y'all, by the way. Nah, man. I want to interview y'all. I want to ask y'all the questions.

So tell me, how'd y'all get in radio? Listen, Ida Rodriguez, I know she absolutely loves you. She always talks about you. She hit me too. She was like, are you going to have Tony Baker on the show? I'm like, it's already taken care of. Yes, that is my dog right there, for sure.

100%. I had everybody hitting me from Sean King to the comedians like Isaiah Kelly. I'm like, what the hell? Everybody on Instagram. Yeah. Because it was like, man, I want to be on The Breakfast Club. I always wanted to be on it. I was like, I'm doing Caroline's this weekend.

That's right. Let me just put it out there in the universe. You didn't need our help for that, though, because you sold that out quick. Man, yeah, it sold out. I was like, New York pulled up. Because New York always in the comments section. When you coming to New York, son? Word is born, son.

When you coming? I was like, alright, if I come out there, buy the tickets early. And they did. Now, I saw a bit you did when you returned to stage, man. I know condolences on your son. Oh, thank you. But I was very intrigued because I was like, how does a comedian approach something like this? the stage man i know condolences on your son oh thank you know but i was very intrigued because

i was like how does a comedian approach something right you know like this so how have you been holding up first of all this has been first like the scariest i've ever been comedically like uh normally like i'm the type of comedian that i talk about whatever's going on in my life and i talk about like on the surface stuff like you know observations and stuff like that but then you know i always include what i'm going through in my life and so with that it was like you know comedy my son passed august 3rd in a car accident for those who don't know and then uh i went on the road august 25th to atlanta so i was like uh and i needed the comedy. I needed to, you know, keep working and making people laugh as part of my, you know, therapy. And so I was like, but I'm scared to do it because people saw me lose my son in real time. So it's not like, you know, you just see me and like, man, he lost his son.

But we didn't know him then, so we can kind of detach from that reality. So now I'm scared to bring that material out because the crowd is hurting too. So they're mourning with me. So it was just like, man. So I finally did it on Keep Your Distance, which is a virtual comedy show that Kev on stage does. And it went well.

I told the audience, look, man, I need to talk about this. So y'all need to open up. And then they received it. I saw some of the things that you said. Yeah, about the cremation. Like, you know, how do I know it's really him and her? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I want to know.

I need to check this dust right here. And I thought it was funny, but I was like, am I supposed to laugh? Yes. Oh, man. That's the weird part. But it's like, there's comedy everywhere. You just got to be able to find the sweet spot, I guess, to be able to make it relative and, like, funny.

That's what Marlon Wayans said when he was up here. He was like, when you're a comedian, even a funeral, you can find some type of, and he said that exact same thing. Yeah, so it's like, you know, because I'm sitting there, and I'm laughing, you know. I was able to laugh, like, you know, the day he passed. I'm laughing, you know, because I'm sitting there and I'm laughing, you know, I was able to laugh like, you know, the day he passed I'm laughing, you know crying, you know, I still cry

daily but it's like I laugh at stuff every day too so it's like man, I never thought, you know, you never you never know how you're going to react to stuff until it happens. Yeah, I mean, listen, I'm from the country, man, I'm from Los Angeles, South Carolina so we laugh at everything but I feel like sometimes with comedians it's like an obligation to be funny but what if i don't feel like fucking being funny

right now right yeah yeah yeah and there's there's those moments where it was just like i guess it was just in me and i found that out going through that i was just like man i'm still cracking jokes yeah i can't believe this like at the funeral i'm doing a set you know i did 15 minutes at the funeral just like yeah man crying and. You know, I did 15 minutes at his funeral. I was just like, yeah, man, crying. And then I would be like, yeah, he was always late. So I'm sure he was late to the afterlife, too. Like, God was like, man, yo, I called you 20 minutes ago.

What took you so long? I had to put lotion on. Yeah. You don't get ashy here. You never know. You got to look good. And I saw you said that the crowd gets tight, right? So when crowds get uncomfortable, as a comedian, you're used to, I guess, loosening them up, right?

Yeah. Yeah. So going up there, like, I'll cuss a crowd out. That's the kind of comedian I am. If the crowd is too stiff, I'll cuss them out. Because there are certain rules where they'd be like, prove it to us. And they just sit there arms folded. I saw somebody bring her boyfriend to a comedy show, and he was

sitting there mad the whole time. Right in the front, too. You can't be in the front with that energy. Take that to the back. They ripped him. Yeah, you should be. If you're going to be in the front, we need the energy. Fake it. But if you're going to be arms folded, McGee, sit in the back. Sit your ass in the back

with that energy be like look out man but with with this type of topic and it's not like i was forcing myself to find the material because some comedians do too much and they feel like i have to make everything funny out of everything for me it was just organic it was just like you know i'll be looking at my son's urn. It's right in the living room. So I'm sitting there. I'm like, how do I know that's him in there? They could have handed me any type of your son. That's true, though.

Yeah. So I was like, yo, can I take this on Maury to make sure this is my son in here? You know what I'm saying? The DNA. You know what's so crazy about that? When I heard you say it, I think I would have to watch. I know it's as cruel as it sounds, only because they be harvesting organs and stuff. Right. You know what's so crazy about that when I heard you say it? I think I would have to watch. I know as cruel as it sounds, only because they be harvesting organs and stuff. Right.

You know what I'm saying? So I want to make sure y'all. Oh, you want to watch the process when they go in the oven. Yeah, I want to make sure everything is gone. Is that what you want to be cremated also? Oh, definitely. Throw me in that oven. 375.

Nice slow roast. I want to be slow roasted. Put some seasonings in there too if you want to be slow roasted. I don't know if 375 is hot enough. No, I don't think. But y'all want it to last like a week. Be like, slow roast me if they can. You know what I mean?

So y'all want to be cremated? I haven't thought about it, man. Yeah, I don't think so. I don't know. You want to be buried? Why do you want to be cremated? Because we're running out of real estate. That is true.

So you don't want to. It's overcrowded. It's like, especially New York. We drove through Queens. It's all cemeteries. That is true. So you don't want to... It's overcrowded. Especially New York. We drove through Queens. It's all cemeteries. That's very thoughtful of you. So just because of overcrowding... Yeah. Or they got to dig up them old bodies of people that died

in 1869. You got to get out of there. Yeah. Ain't nobody coming to visit you no more. You died in 1869. Oh my gosh. Your family moved. But that is true. I guess it's more inexpensive too, like as far as having to buy a plot of land and having to get a casket because caskets are expensive too.

Yeah, and you're dead. And then the outfit. You're gone. You need an outfit. What you care? That's right. Just throw me in there. Yeah, because you have to have on like something nice and then, you know. That's a waste of a good outfit. Waste of a good outfit waste of a good outfit You wasted this suit. That's real, you know, and then you sitting there one location

Like what if you don't like the location no more your family the move the different states I'm like scatter me around put me in a put me in a garden of a nice house and just Sprinkle me right there. He would love this house sprinkle me What you doing out there? You just run off. But I was thinking about those movies where they're like, don't bury me. I'm not dead. Oh, yeah. Buried alive. Yeah, so what if like...

You were still alive and through your lover? Yeah, and now I got cremated. Yeah. But you dead. They already did your autopsy. You could have woke up then. But y'all better start thinking about this man's coming. I know. We were talking about it. I saw you post the funeral where he was in the club.

Yeah, he was standing on stage. And I'm like, yo, that's how I want my funeral, though. See? We were talking about this the other day. I want to party. You want us to have your ashes in the club? No, no, no. I want to keep my body for the actual game night.

I want a game night, though. I don't want the club because I'm not a club whore. I feel like your funeral should be how you live your life. A lot of us ain't really church like that no more. So I feel like having me at the church wouldn't be reflective of how I was living my life. So a game night is me. Okay, okay. So prop me up at the table.

Uno cards in my hand and you can pay your respects you put that reverse down come back to his tone reverse that's a good funeral right there that's how i was living or on stage with a mic okay whatever you was into like for y'all y'all be propped up in the radio uh station i don't know if that's how i want it you got charlamagne in the corner, you know what I'm saying, stirring the pot, so put like a pot here, and he's stirring it. Have Angela E.

did with the info on the guest line. Hard-hitting questions. And if he would just be over here not really knowing who the guest is and like, give me your top five such and such. Charlemagne's like, let me take that question over. Give me your top five real estate investments of all time.

And so, you know, because that's how we was living, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, you be writing books and stuff. Yeah, so. But that rapper on stage, I was like, yo, that's perfect. Yeah, and that's what he wanted, and the family respected that. I loved it. Yeah, they were offended that people had issues with it

and were making it a meme and that it went viral the way that it did. They were like, just respect the fact this is what he wanted. I applauded it. I did a video on it, and I was like, this is what I'm talking about. This is how it should be. Because the church is fake. You ain't been to church in 10 years. You don't pay tithes.

It's like, why are you in there? And God, this is God's favorite child right here. No matter what he did in life, what you did in life. He killed two people. He did the tone. Going to church online counts though, right? Bedside Baptist, yeah, it counts.

Because I feel like my relationship with God is personal. Like, I don't need the church and the choir and the pastor there that I don't really trust. I don't really trust the Bible because there's too many hands involved in the creation of the written text. You know, once King James put his name on there, I'm like, hmm, I don't know. You know King James, man, take that out put this in, you can't trust it so I was like I'll just deal with God one on one because at the end of the day

it's just going to be you you know, I was just in a wedding and I was wondering do men plan their wedding out in their head from when they're younger, like do y'all be thinking like, when I get married this is how I want it to be, I want a big wedding I want a're younger. Like, do y'all be thinking, like, when I get married, this is how I want it to be. I want a big wedding. I want a small wedding. Destination.

Do y'all think about things like that? I didn't. Like, we think about marriage, but we don't think about the wedding. We just be like, yeah, man, I just want to find me a good one, you know, raise a family. We think about the marriage itself and the family. But the wedding day, I'd be like, forget it. It's a waste of money, in my opinion. Okay.

Like, if you rich and you balling, sure, it's just a little night, it's just a little weekend, whatever, but when you got to save up, and y'all trying to get your earnings together, we got to save up for the wedding. Yeah. You done spent $80,000 on a wedding. Your salary is $65,000 a year each, maybe.

That's a good chunk. And what happened to daddy's paying for the wedding? Remember there was a time when the father paid for the wedding? Oh, that don't happen anymore. I remember that. My father-in-law put in some money. Did he? Yeah, he put in a nice chunk of change.

Y'all had a big wedding? Oh, I mean, it was cool. Yeah. Yeah, it was cool. How much was it? I don't remember the financials, but it was like... You remember. No, I really don't.

Did you make enough money back from what you spent? Because, you know, that's part of what people hope for, too, when they get married, that the people who come to the wedding pay enough for their seats so that it pays for the wedding. Oh, I didn't even think about that. The ticket price. Like, how much do you... Yeah, how much do you give? The ticket price. That's the door deal. You come into my wedding, it didn't even think about that. The ticket price. Yeah, how much do you give? The ticket price.

That's the door deal. You come into my wedding, you're going to be $20, you know, got to make the money back. Like if you go to a wedding, how much do you give? I ain't never gave her the wedding.

You never been to a wedding? I've been in weddings. I've been in like several, but like going to a wedding, like, okay, Takara. Y'all know Takara? She's a comedian. She just got married. I gave her $1,000. Oh, that's nice. Yeah, just on the

because I couldn't make the wedding. I was like, it is a gift. Okay, that's dope. That's great when people don't come and they give you some money. Yeah, because I felt bad. Because they were hitting me up because it was like, yo, we got vegan options for y'all. And I was like, man, I ain't going to make the win. So I felt bad because I knew that was a lot of planning.

Right. And I know the bride stresses over the planning of it. Well, the worst is if you say you're going and then you don't show up. Exactly. That's the worst thing to do. And that's what I did. If you cancel at the last. So that's why I came through with the thousand.

You had to. That was that guilt money. It was the guilt gift. The guilt gift to keep someone giving. Hell, yeah. You were on Last Comic Standing, too, right? Yeah. For a couple seasons?

I was on there for two seasons. What made you do that? Because I've always heard your name. Yeah. So what was the, you know? I, you know, as comedians, I started doing stand-up in 2008. And, you know, you get on Last Comic Standing, you think your life going to change.

Oh, this is NBC. This is it. This is the moment. And then I did it that first season. eight and you know you get on last comic stand and you think your life gonna change oh that's nbc this is it this is the moment and then i did it that first season um i didn't advance and i was like oh well i guess that's uh i guess that's that and then they brought me back okay because you know i think they felt like i got robbed on that first season because i had a really good set and they was just like but nah and i was like man and I was kind of crushed I was like man because I knew I delivered but then uh they brought me back and I was like man maybe my life would change now and then it didn't so I was like all right what did you expect to happen because like you know on NBC it's on NBC huge platform millions of people seeing you so there, you catapult that into

headlining across the country. So it's like, you know, it's a huge step. But when you don't advance, and then it's just like, you know, you don't get all that air time, and the NBC execs pushing you with different projects, it's like, alright. I don't think people

care. It's hard, right? Because you can be on network television and nobody will care. I know you had a small role on Carmichael's show, and I saw Gerard on Saturday Night Live this past weekend. He was like, I might be the least famous host to ever host this show. And this is a man

who had a sitcom on NBC for three seasons, HBO specials, been in big movies and everything. I don't know if people care about that stuff no more. The dynamic has changed because you really don't need... There's people on... They've been on the show for eight seasons. You go to their social media, maybe they got 50K followers or whatever,

and people are just under the radar. Like, if you're black on, like, a CBS sitcom, you on there for eight, nine seasons, but it seems like you're not even popping on social media. That's right. You know, once the black community gets you, they can make you look like a superstar. A superstar. No, you're right. And so, but you're getting good money.

You're getting that CBS money. But in terms of, like, celebrity, it's just your key. Nobody can. Right. And so for us, you know, building. Now, you know, I just built a social media platform to where, you know, I could bring people to comedy clubs now. So, you know, I've superseded the need for NBC. Granted, I would still love a sitcom, but, you know,

I put it in the people's hand now to where I don't need Hollywood to eat. And so that's a beautiful place to be in. So it's like the village was like, yo, breakfast club. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely everybody. I was like, why didn't you just ask? I didn't think y'all knew me. Yeah, of course.

None of y'all. You just follow me. Well, yeah. You don't follow me, though. I followed you back. But you didn't follow me either. Well, you know, I was watching from the distance. I follow you?

No, you don't either. None of y'all do. How the hell I be seeing your video? I don you back. But you didn't follow me either. Well, you know, I was watching from the distance. I follow you? No, you don't either. None of y'all do. How the hell I be seeing your video? I don't know. I don't think y'all follow me, Tony. Because it was like, I don't think they know me. Because you DM'd me, and I saw it. That's the only reason I could see it.

I just sent that the other day, man. But that's what I'm saying. I don't check my DMs. I can only see it from people who I follow. Let me see. I'm going to look right now. All right, so look. You guys just talked about Gerard Carmichael.

Did you watch his special? Yes. I loved it. Yeah. Like I didn't, I didn't laugh a lot, but I loved it. For real. It was like a community gathering where he's interacting with the audience. It felt like, it felt like he wasn't forcing the jokes.

He wasn't forcing the comedy. It was like, you can laugh or you can not. When he came out, I feel like the laughter revved up after that. So there was some good things in there. But it felt very personal. It felt like a conversation. And, you know, there was a moment in there that hit me personally when he said his mom was silent.

So that hit me personally because I feel like when I lost my son, my dad and my oldest brother, they just fell back. And I was just like, yo. And I told them, I was like, yo, y'all don't have to give me space here. Like, I need y'all around. And they was like, yeah, we hear you, but we're going to give you space anyway. You know why, man? It's so difficult when you have a loved one

and they lose somebody really close to them because you don't know how to show up for them. you know i'm saying you let them know i'm here for you if you need me yeah but i don't know how to show up for you it's weird man it's strange and that and that's and that's why i told him i was like you you don't have to when people are grieving i think we overthink it a lot and we'd be like man i gotta come in there and i gotta i gotta hit him with some hard hitting i gotta come in and say and say, you know, God puts things in place. You don't have to do all that. You can just be like, for me, I hate talking on the phone.

Like notoriously, don't call me. And so all I need is a text. Like thinking of you. Love you, bro. There's my boy Demetrius. He texts me every single day. Love you, bro. And that's all, Demetrius. He texts me every single day. Love you, bro. And that's all I need.

Why do you hate talking on the phone? I hate talking on the phone. But why? Former drug dealer? PTSD? No, because you got to show up, first of all. On the phone? On the phone, you got to be there. You got to have the energy.

You got to have the back and forth. A lot of people just want to call you and talk to you and vent and you just sitting there taking it and I wasn't ready to take it so now I'm like yeah that's crazy that's crazy now I'm that's crazy to death and then it's like

you gotta be on then when you get quiet it's like man you good why you quiet this is all I got so all of that I gotta prep for it so it's like man what you good? Why are you quiet? This is all I got. So all of that, I got to prep for it. So it's like, man, what you want? So you seem like you would be a phone talker from watching your podcast and stuff like that. It feels like you would be a good phone conversationalist.

Right. I mean, I can hang in there. I can hold my own. But if I don't feel like talking, I'll just be like, that's crazy, Angela. Yep, that's crazy. Sometimes you just gotta hang in there, you know what I'm saying?

Take it one day at a time. You got people that take advantage of that? You got people that take advantage of that? Like they know what time to call you? Like let me call him like around 9.30 a.m. when he just getting up. This is what I know people do. They'll text me and then I'll text back

and they'll call me right after that. So they know. You're paying and you have your phone. Exactly. They know you can answer right now. And I still watch it die. I will watch that phone call die off in my hand. I'll be like.

Or if you post something on social media and then they call you right after, they're like, I know he's on his phone. He just posted. He just posted this. And I see it too. I'm like, I just posted and now they call me. I will watch that phone call die off. Do you ever not post because you don't want anybody to call you yes I've done that so you don't like the phone either I talk on the

phone you know when I talk on the phone for real when I'm in the car mostly oh yeah like if I'm driving and I got the Bluetooth easier for me like while I'm just driving because I got to be here anyway the right I nothing else I could really be doing at the same time. You can multitask, especially when you got the good, when you talking to them, like, it's like they're in the ceiling of the car. You're just like, yes, I told her, right? And sometimes you got to, you know, take it one day at a time. I can do it then.

But if I'm at home, nah, man, text. No, you know what I was going to say? Back to Gerard Carmichichael he had these silences that were powerful too yeah and sometimes when people are quiet like you were saying on the phone when they're like you good yeah but that can be a powerful moment how is it for you on stage when it's kind of like quiet i don't like it right i don't i do not like silence on stage unless unless it's that type of night where i'm just really just, like, sitting on stage and, like, I know the crowd. It actually depends.

If it's my fans to where they know me, then I'm more comfortable with, like, a quiet pause and they know I'm thinking about some things. But if it's, like, I'm featuring for somebody, I'm just doing a show where I got to keep it going, like, you know, boom, boom, boom, boom. Once it gets quiet, I'm like, oh, snap. I got to – I can take a quick break if I know it's going well,

but I got to go out there and hit you back to back to where I don't want you to have time to get your feet together. Like I want you to be like, oh, man, just give me a moment. No, no, I want to kill you. My goal is to make somebody die laughing. And, you know, I don't think I can get there, but if I can, if I can make you spit your drink out, choke, or just

like, no man, please, or the tears are running, I'd be like, yes. Is stand-up getting easier or harder? Because a lot of my stand-up friends feel like it's getting harder. I don't think it's getting harder. You mean in terms of how people react to it? Yeah, because they was like, you know, with the live podcast nowadays, and they was like, your people

just, like, they don't feel like the stand-up, I guess, watchers, viewers, or people who come to the show are actual stand-up connoisseurs anymore. Oh, yeah. There's that because we like listening to you on the, you know, on the podcast. So they come in, they don't really know the art of stand-up.

So they don't really, they're not always the best audiences. They're just excited, but they're not really getting the nuances of stand-up. So they don't really, they're not always the best audiences. They're just excited, but they're not really getting the nuances of the jokes or anything like that. So I can see that. And plus, you know, people are more sensitive now, and like, you know,

you got everybody eggshell-ing it up. So it's like, so it's all these things in place. But I feel like stand-up comedy is hot, though. Right. Like, you know, it's popping. And I feel like that's a good thing. I just hate that people think it's so easy to do.

Oh, it's not. Yeah. People think they can just go up there and be like, man, I can do this. No. It's probably one of the most difficult things to do on a stage. Yeah. You can perform a song. You can do a live podcast.

Get up there and go one-on-one with that crowd and see what happens. It's scary, man. And I get nervous. I did The Cellar last night for the first time. I was nervous, McGee, first time. Everyone goes to The Cellar. You never know who's going to pop up.

I've been drooling for The Cellar. Every time I come to New York, I'll be standing out there like, man, I want to get in there I'll be standing out there like man I'm gonna get in there. You know I'm saying this so I finally did it last night You well I heard you have to get three references from regulars at the cellar that's one Dominica she spoke for me Jackie fabulous didulous did. Will Savants. Oh, yay. Artie Fuqua and Sherrod Small all put in.

There were like 12 references. There was like mad references coming in, but the lady was still like, look out. And so Will put me on his show last night. And so I'm like, man, so that was finally, you know, me stepping onto one of the stages that they have. So I'm like my bucket list. I want to come to New York and just be out here for like a month

or two and just hit New York stages. Where do y'all live out here? I live in Brooklyn. You live in Brooklyn? Is it crazy expensive? Yes. Okay. It is. This is dumb. Yeah, it is. New York is one of the most expensive places.

It's disgusting. Yeah, it's pretty bad is. New York is one of the most expensive places. It's disgusting. Yeah, it's pretty bad. Is your place small? I have a two-family brownstone, but it's not big like it should be for what it costs. And it's $6 million, ain't it? No, it's not $6 million. I'm not there. It's $3 million.

Yes. Well, yeah, maybe. Yes. Yeah. You live in New York, too? No, I live in new york too no i live in jersey oh jersey i'm a country boy man i need space grass and trees yeah i like seeing deers run through the yard is deers in jersey hell yeah really man yes i got packs of that you know my wife said that she sees more deers up here than we did when we used to live in the carolina really that's what she says i'm, you know what? You might be right. It's only because of how they move.

Yeah. Down south, you might see them run across the road. You know what I'm saying? They're a little bold here. If you're in the woods hunting, you'll see them. Yo, man, bold. I got hit by a deer driving to Great Adventure once in New Jersey.

You got hit? A deer ran into the side of my car. Wow. Into the passenger side. Did it survive? I don't know. I kept going. I wasn't going to,

I mean, it was dark. What really happened was my friend lost his keys on the ride. And so we had to drive back to get his spare keys. And then I had to drive him back to great adventure so he could get his car because he didn't have, he had to leave his car there. So while we were driving back,

he was asleep. It was dark out. And then boom, something hit the car and it just ran out from. And then, boom, something hit the car. And it just ran out from the side and ran into the side of the car. Technically, that's the deer fault. It's always the deer fault. They always put it on the deer.

It is, though. Maybe deer. Because he T-boned y'all. Yeah. So, like, if y'all went to court, you in there with the deer. And the deer's like, your honor, they hit me. And then they go to the evidence and be like, well, her car got the dent on the side. You came in hot.

It was probably a male. I was scared that, I mean, I was happy that I didn't, it didn't run out and I hit it head on. You know what I'm saying? That would have been worse. Oh, yeah, for sure. But I wasn't going to stop and try to help her or anything, you know. So you hit it dead on from the front. Hopefully it wasn't a person. Now that I'm thinking about it.

It could have been a person. No, it may be. You don't know what it was, first of all. It might have been Bigfoot. Somebody could have been a person. You don't know what it was, first of all. It might have been Bigfoot. Somebody could have been getting chased by a killer and then they hit the side of the car. You kept going, Angela. I definitely did.

It was dark. Do the deer in your community wear Timberlands? I feel like they got Timbs on, they mad pigeon-toed, they Jersey. They got Jordans. Yeah, they just like, yo, son, let us get what you got. That's in New Jersey, though. They don't, you know. They don't do Timbs in Jersey?. Yeah, they just like, yo, son, let us get what you got. That's in New Jersey, though. They don't, you know. They don't do Timbs in Jersey?

Hell yeah, they do. Yeah. I feel like Timbs is. They don't talk like that. They don't talk like that? Yeah. They talk like Redman. Like Reggie, you know what I mean?

They talk like Lauryn Hill. I don't know. Who else from Jersey? Queen Latifah? No, they by nature. I love music, man. I could talk music all day. Wu-Tang's your favorite?

Wu-Tang is my, actually my favorite group is The Roots. But Wu-Tang changed my life pretty much. Really, huh? Just because like when Wu-Tang hit, I'm 44. So, you know, I was born in 77. So I remember when hip hop got got kind of stacked because i've always leaned towards east coast hip-hop and so it got kind of stagnant around like uh the early 90s when the west coast started dominating it was like it was good you know dr dre what he was doing and

stuff like that but then they were relying too much on like the same kind of beats for a while and i was just like and I know people gonna be mad at me in the comment section they're gonna be like first of all west coast but I just got kind of bored and then when Wu-Tang hit I got in my boy's car he was driving and they were listening to the mystery of chest boxing ODB's verse was on I was like yo who the hell is this it's like this is Wu-Tang Clan I said who Wu-Tang Clan I was like yo I ain't never heard nothing like this and I kept asking them I'm like yo what was we listening to really today and so I was like yo LaRone man let me let me borrow your

Wu-Tang CD you know and I was just hooked you know you had a tape other than no CD it was actual it was a it was a tape. First time I heard Wu-Tang was definitely on tape. And you heard all the skits, and you were like, what's going on? Because, you know, I grew up on karate movies, as we called them. And I was just like, yo, this is everything. And it was like, I'm a comic book head. So it was like they had a team. And everybody brought a different style.

I was just like, yo, this is everything I've ever wanted in life. And so they brought me back to hip-hop. So after that, Illmatic came out, and I was just like, this is everything. I stole LaRon's Illmatic CD. Wow. Because Shaheem came out. Shaheem the Rugged Child. I bought his tape.

Yeah. And then I was like, hey, yo, LaRonone, man, I got Cheyenne's new one. Let me hold that Illmatic. And I never gave him the Illmatic back. That's a classic. Wow. I never gave him to this day. And your favorite Wu-Tang member is Ghostface?

Yes. That's my favorite rapper of all time. Ghostface is all time? All time. Now, listen, I love Jay. Ghost has always been my personal favorite of all time, and over the years, Jay has gotten there, too. Right. Yeah, my two favorite rappers of all time. And over the years, Jay has gotten there too.

Right. But so, yeah, my two favorite rappers of all time, Ghostface and Jay-Z. I like about Ghostface is he'll name people. You don't know who he's talking about, but he'll tell a story and he'll name the people. Yes. And you're like, I don't know who that is, but he's really telling a story. He's one of the best storytellers in rap. I think he has the best rap name.

And I wish he would have stayed hidden hidden We never saw his face with that would be so dope and I feel like he has the best discography in the world He does great songs for women too cuz he's really good at doing those R&B like yeah Passionate so he's not you know, he not too cool to be vulnerable over a woman on the track He'd be crying. He'd be like, man, I did this for you. And his feelings would hurt.

He's still rugged. Like that Wildflower song. Remember that song? Yeah, man. I was like, first of all. Yep. You can never put that on now. I just want to say.

Man, never. No, not really. I mean, except for the, you know, of course, the couple references to Smackin' Up. But you know what I mean? Yeah. He didn't say he did it. He said he wanted to. He wanted to. And we've been there, you know?

You want to deliver hands, and some of us have. I should have smacked you, but the God said chill. That's your wisdom, God. Handle that in the lap. Like, yeah, he didn't do it. Ghostface, to me, and you know what? Early on, when I first listened to Woo,

I didn't think he would end up being my favorite. Because, you know, Method Man stood out because he had his own track. And Ray Kwan was all over that first one. So, you know, but Inspector Deck, to me, is the most underrated. I always say that, too. Yeah, because every time he would kick off a track,

I'd be like, yo, this dude. I bomb atomically, though. Socrates' philosophies and high prophecies can't define how I'll be dropping these. Mockeries. I bomb atomically, though. Socrates' philosophies. Go off. God's prophecies. Can't define how I'll be dropping these. Mockeries. Lyrically perform on robbery. Perform on robberies. Man.

With the lottery. See? Wu-Tang is special. Yeah, very. And so, who's your favorite rapper? Of all time? All time. Right here, right now.

I don't know about... You know, it changes for me all the time. But if I had to say... I have favorite albums. I don't know that i have favorite rappers like i have albums that i love what's your favorite album favorite hip-hop album you gotta take one on the space shuttle you out of here i mean you know i'm a big wu-tang fan too that was my first job i interned there and then my first job out of college was working with wu-tang

oh i didn't know that yeah oh dang so the first wu-tang. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah. Oh, dang. So the first Wu-Tang album, Liquid Swords was a classic to me. Yes. You know, only dope for Cuban links. They all, you know, all of those classic albums. You taking one. Illmatic was big for me.

I actually, growing up in Brooklyn, I also really liked Black Moon. Oh, yeah, man. Black Moon. I got your open remix. Buckshot, Smith & Wesson. Come on, man. Smith & Wesson.

That first, The Shining album.shot, Smith & Wesson. Come on, man. Smith & Wesson. That first, The Shining album. Oh, my God. O.G.C. The Skelter. Crazy. But don't be hiding from this question.

No, that's what I'm trying to think about all the albums and, of course, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Oh, yeah. That was a huge album for me. I feel like there's nothing

you skip on that. That was a moment in time that was special. Oh, yeah. When that album dropped, it was like, I had just went to New Mexico State, bought that album opening day, and the whole campus was just,

we was listening to that every day. It was just like, yo, this Lauryn Hill album, we was just like, I listen to X Factor every day. I was going to say that song to Spinks' cry. Man. I hate that. You know, I don't hate that song. I love that song. The reason I hate that song is because

when my mom was going through her divorce with my pops, she used to play that song every day. And at the time, I didn't know. I just was like, oh, mom's cool as hell. She's listening to Lauryn Hill. But as I got older, I realized she was listening to that song over and over because she was going through it. You know what I'm saying?

Oh, Lord have mercy. And that was a period when soundtracks were really it. You know what I'm saying? That was touching her soul right there. Oh, Lord have mercy, man. And that was a period when soundtracks were really important. Yes. Do you remember when soundtracks were like your favorite album? Also. Above the Rim.

Yeah, Above the Rim. New Jersey Drive had a dope sound. Love Jones soundtrack. Oh, come on. To this day. I listen to that to this day when you with the woman. Fire.

When you with your lady. Oh, my God. Waitin' Next Hail is a phenomenal song. I listen to Waitin' Next Hail in a while. That was amazing. All women.

What album was Just Me and You on, Tony, Tony, Tony? Just Me and You, Boys in the Hood. Yeah, that was great, too. Boys in the Hood soundtrack. Before you go, Tony, I want to ask you this. I don't want to go back to your stuff. Go back to it, man. But I know, correct me if I'm wrong, a street racer killed him? Yeah, so they were racing on Glen Oaks in Burbank,

California. We live in Burbank. And so he had just left my apartment and then they were going to this little peak where you can just go and look out over the city or whatever. So they were making a turn and so

the cars were racing. It was two cars racing. It might have been three, and they just T-boned them. And so it was three of them that passed away, his best friend Jade and Natalie. So they died on impact, thank God. That really helped me too through this loss was because I look for the blessings within the tragedy.

It was like, yo, we could have been in a situation where you know he might have been vegetative and we had to come to the decision to pull the plug we didn't have to go through that you know or you know just any type of suffering yeah like suffering like that they said he died instantly so it was no you know he never knew what hit him oh thank god and so you, thank God. And so, you know, there wasn't a murder. Like, they weren't murdered. So that helps me with anger issues, even though, you know, it's still like, man, what were you doing? But I know those kids didn't intend to

kill people when they left the house at night. They did dumb shit. But I can't hold that anger towards them because, you know, it won't serve me. I was going to ask, could you. So you forgive them, basically. It's not necessarily forgiveness, but it's like

I'm not really like... I saw one of them in court, and I was just like... I looked, and I was just dead behind my eyes. I was just like... It was emotional to be in court because it feels so business-like and final and real. So I i was just like i ain't gonna

keep coming back to court you know um but when i saw him i was just like that's that's one of them and i was just like i didn't get angry though it wasn't like you know because deep down i know it was an accident they were dummies but you know um because then i think about those families that had to deal with like homicide to where their kids were murdered. And then you got to deal with that anger or even like suicide. You know, I'm thankful that it wasn't that. And another blessing is me and my son were good. Yeah.

Everybody says what a great dad. Yeah. We were good. Like, you know, it was just like we had a great relationship. So there was no regret or no like, man, maybe if, you know, there was no underlying beef that we had, it was just a good vibe. So with that, like, you know, if I had to live with the weight of, man, I wish I would have told them, I'd be destroyed. Were they apologetic in court or did anybody ever reach out? I haven't heard from the family of the other drivers.

They went in there. Because you know, they're going to fight for their kids' lives as a family. They're going to be in there. They're probably going to try to slander anybody that they can. The guy I saw, he just looked kind of regular. Kind of down,

but not... It was kind of hard to gauge. But I'm sure they feel, I would hope they feel terrible. I would hope. You know, but you never know. And I hope, you know, lessons were learned. And, you know, I feel bad for their family because, you know, their lives were changed. But at least they still have their sons, you know.

But we can't say the same. And shout out to, you know,ayden's family and natalie's family but is it hard to feel like um is it hard to not feel like your son got robbed oh yeah i feel that all the time because he was just getting started 21 he was 21 um he was into music so his raps were getting better you know because he would always be like because he he knows that i'm very much into you know lyricism and like so you know the stuff he was listening to i'll be like man i ain't really with this you know like what like uh well i don't want to put it out there man oh you ain't feeling me but like uh but like you know some people aren't lyrical but they have great music but it might

not be lyrical because that's what you like. Right. So it was just like, all right, this is his thing. Because, you know, he did like Kendrick and Cole and like, you know, Drake. I call them the three kings right now. Oh, absolutely. So he did like that. So that's something we could listen to together. We listened to Good Kid, Mad City, and we both rapping with it.

But then the other cast that he would listen to, he would tell me about them. I was like, okay, okay. We shot an episode for All Def, like old heads versus young heads. And I brought Mobb Deep to the table. He brought Moneybagg Yo. Right. Okay, that's Moneybagg Yo.

Yeah, and I was listening to Moneybagg for the first time through him and I was just like, yo, it's not bad. No, Moneybagg was snapping. Mobb Deep had a classic album too. I hit him with the shook ones. I hit him with that. And I was listening to Moneybagged for the first time through him, and I was just like, yo, it's not bad. No, Moneybagged was not bad. Mobb Deep had a classic album, too. I hit him with the shook ones. I hit him with that.

And he was just like, why you like this so much? And I was like, man, listen to what they saying. Like, when they came out with this, this, that, and the third. Eye for an eye, that was my favorite song. Oh, eye for an eye. I feel like, you know, the infamous is in my top five all time. Oh, absolutely. I saw Revolt TV posted something yesterday about what album from the 90s defined your 90s.

Yeah. And it was like Infamous, Ready to Die, Illmatic, you know. Ready to Die. I forgot what else was up there, but I was like, it's Infamous for me, actually. Infamous is top three. My top three albums of all time, hip hop. I'm giving the real answers, Angela.

She bailed out several times. I was trying to think because I never thought about what is the, but I gave some good ones. You did. You did. Little Kim Hardcore. That was a good album. So Illmatic

is my favorite album to ever exist. Any genre. End of the Wu-Tang and The Infamous by Mobb D. It's mad East Coast. I know. There's people who are like, man, you don't like the West. I do like the West.

But those three are probably my holy trinity of hip-hop albums. Because, yeah, The Chronic is a classic album, too. It is. I like Doggystyle better than The Chronic. And Doggystyle, yep. Yeah. I think my three would be Only Built for Cuban Links by Raekwon, TM-101 by Jeezy,

and probably The Blueprint by Hov. Okay. That might be my top three. All time. Yeah, that might be. You threw the South in there. My favorite album from the South is probably. I said might be, though.

I'm not sure about that. I never thought about it, but that might be. Y'all don't be thinking about these things? No. No, I just got my joint. That's your job. Y'all don't be thinking about these things? No. I just got my joint. Y'all don't be thinking about this. You said on your podcast. So what's your top five?

Top five grieving moments when your son passed. I'm like, man. When I first got the news, that's number one. You know what I'm saying? Number two is like, you know. Then he gonna ban you. And we probably would after.

Top five moments. Who's on your Mount Rushmore of grieving? Finding the crying heart that first day. That's on there. The funeral, you know. I know you keep up with current events. So I want to ask you with this whole T.I. situation. Yeah.

Doing stand-up. We saw the whole thing that just happened with him in the club. He didn't like what she had to say about the allegations. I want to know what you think about that. Oh, yeah. So rule number one, as a comedian, we never

heckle each other. That's rule one. That's what I was saying, right? Because comedians don't heckle other comedians. We do not heckle each other. That's a rule that we we abide by and so you know that lets me know ti is new to the game because you know we don't do that right you know and i was just like man and then when she came with the receipts of you know what he said to her because it was just like all right because you know i like to get and i know tip know Tip. I'll hit him on the side. So what really happened? I haven't hit him about this.

But earlier with the thing with him and Godfrey, I was like, I sent him a text. But Tip is a caller. Definitely. And then now you got to... You text Tip, he calls. Yeah, he called me right back. That's crazy, Tip.

That's wild, man. That's wild, man. That's crazy, man. Stand up. So I feel like Tip has a lot to learn about just the game that he's coming. Because he's coming in from a different field. You've got to be aggressive and make the moves in hip hop to acquire the status that he has acquired. So coming into this new arena, there's just certain rules. What are the rules?

Rules are you don't heckle other comedians. You don't run the light. So that's when the red light comes on. You have like two minutes to get up. I done seen both of them. Yeah, so it's like, man, he running the light. He heckling comedians. So it's just like, man.

So he's learning as he goes. And, you know, T.I. is the utmost in confidence. He's like, hey, man, I'm going to just do what I got to do. Because the pressure's off. I told him, I was like, yo, you have to be mindful of the privilege that you have. Like, you know, you are privileged coming in as a superstar already. You're going to get prime real estate comedic slots to perform on. So within that, it's a gift and a curse.

The gift is you're going to get good spots. The curse is if you fumble, if you don't do well, you bomb or whatever, everybody's going to know it. They're going to see it. They're going to see it. They're going to post about it. So, you know, we were able to come up. If we bombed in the Bronx, I bombed in the Bronx one time. I'm going to bring this up all the time.

And I had shorts on. I think it was the shorts that I had on. That's the reason I bombed. Nobody knew, just the people at the show itself. You know, it's not online. So he has that gift and that curse of if he does stumble, it's going to be out there. This is what he did with

the girl the other day. It was a stumble. It was a mistake, but everybody knows it now, as opposed to us being low-key and under the radar. I just want to know who won the bet. Who got the million dollars? Did he actually call it a B-word or did he not? He said it because they had video.

And so everybody was like, yo, pay up the money. Give her that money. And so he went live with her last night. They were together. In lieu of the million dollars. In lieu of the million. So it was like... So she was just like...

She said she didn't want the money girl call me I heard what you're saying I know you got it let me get it but so but he did he did poster so her followers have gone up right since this incident so she stood her ground she stood firm and I feel like she's got good exposure now so hopefully she can run with that and build something off that. But her followers went up a lot.

And that can equal money in this game. The social media currency. Tony, I got a flight to catch, man. Oh, where you going? I got a... I don't like to say where I'm going, but I can say it tomorrow. He's going to Virginia.

Yeah, I'm going to Virginia. I got to go speak at Norfolk State. Oh, look at you, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're doing good things. Thank you, man. I see you out loud here, man. Can I shout out some people?

You're going to be at Caroline's all weekend? Please, yes. Of course. I'm at Caroline's all weekend. It's sold out. It's sold out, so... Oh, never mind. I try to tell people to get your tickets early.

New York pulled up. I want to give a shout out to Kevin on stage because he is uh my friend and he is he has i want y'all to have him on the breakfast club when you get a chance he's your best friend he's he's one of my best friends because um he he really looks out for me and he's like unselfish with his you know love for me and stuff like that and he has has an app, KevOnStage Studios app, black-on app that he has, because we can't wait for Netflix. I feel like everybody should get in

on the content that he has going. I want to give a shout-out to my crew, Brandon Lewis, Kenan Baker, Keon Poley, DC Irvin, and Chaz, even though he stepped away from comedy. But listen to the Daddy Issues podcast, listen to the Verbal Cardio podcast. My producer, Sabrina Castro.

She's also my woman, my companion, my partner. And I think that's, I know I'm forgetting. Give me a Twitter, then Instagram. My Instagram is at Tony Baker on Instagram. Tony Baker Comedy on Twitter. Tony Baker Comedy on Facebook. But rock with me, man. I'm out here.

Do you mind talking to Sabrina on the phone? Even with her, like, she knows, like, look, I know you don't like talking on the phone, but this, this, that, and the third and the fourth, she'll hop off. My mom does the same thing. So it's like, people know, like, you know, you tell people what you don't like. Some people try

to force it. Be like, look, I'm special. That's Ida Rodriguez. Ida Rodriguez hates the fact that I hate talking on the phone. She's like, look, we gonna talk. So she'll send me voice notes. Okay, voice notes. She gave me a shout out. She gave

Serene a shout out on her comedy special. And Serene is my son. She gave him a shout out at the end of her special. And I got an HBO special coming out hosted by Marlon Wayans called The Headliners. It's been on HBO Max April 21st. I'm going to give a shout out to Marlon Wayans.

Tony Baker, thank you for coming, my brother. Yes, you got to come back again. Don't promise me a good time. Done. That's done. Because I got y'all don't promise me a good time. Done. That's done. Because I got y'all DMs now. You follow us now. Oh, man, it's over for y'all, man. It's Tony Baker.

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