1 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: Well, hey everybody, it's me Rosie O'Donnell, and you have 2 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: found my podcast. Congratulations. I wish there was a prize, 3 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: but there isn't. This is onward with me, and what 4 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: we do here is we just, you know, hang a 5 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: little bit for about an hour and chat with somebody 6 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: that I've met or that i've known, or in this case, 7 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: someone that I didn't know that was up until recently. 8 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: Here's the story. I was meeting a friend for lunch 9 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: at Nobu, which is an amazing sushi restaurant, and I 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: looked over at the table across from us, sitting right 11 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: by the water, and it's this gorgeous young couple. Like 12 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: to me, they almost look like teenagers, like I thought, 13 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: maybe twenty two, maybe twenty three, and the wife was 14 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: very beautiful and they were lovingly kind of looking at 15 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: each other. And the guy I thought he was a 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: clothes designer because he had real kind of fun like 17 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: decaled emoji jeans on like I can't explain it, but 18 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: they looked like he had made them himself or something, 19 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: or you know that. I just imagined that he was 20 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: like a young Christian Seriano guy. But it wasn't so 21 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: I looked at them, and then I was finishing my meal, 22 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: and then I asked the waitress could I please have 23 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: the check? And she says, well, there's no check. And 24 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: I said, what do you mean there's no check? And 25 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: they said, there was a young man in here and 26 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: he paid for your meal and he left you this note. 27 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: So she hands me a note that's written like on 28 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: white fax paper that you know, plane, and it's kind 29 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: of wrinkled, and it's in pens, and he writes, thank 30 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: you for being you and for setting an example of 31 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: what it means to be yourself in the face of 32 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: adversity and negativity. Because of your strength and bravery, a 33 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: little boy found the light in a childhood riddled with darkness, violence, 34 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: drug abuse, and depression. And now I'm one of the 35 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: biggest rappers in the world. Thank you with love and 36 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: unconditional reverence Logic. And then he puts in parentheses Bobby 37 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: Hall and have a wonderful day. He wrote in a 38 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: little smiley face. Well, I was very very moved by 39 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: this and very touched by this. And I also had 40 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: never heard of Logic. I didn't know who he was. 41 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: I thought, how could there be a most famous rapper 42 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: in the world that I don't even know is name. 43 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: I mean, shortly, I'm not that out of the loop, 44 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: or so I thought. I call up my kids. I 45 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: called Blakey and Viv and Parker and said to them, Hey, 46 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: you guys, do you ever heard of the guy named Logic? 47 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: And right away my son Blake is like, yeah, I know, 48 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: And why what'd you do? Mom? What'd you do? Because 49 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: they're always worried that I'm going to say something stupid 50 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: in front of them at a restaurant, And I said, 51 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: I didn't do anything but listen to this and I 52 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: read the letter and they were like, oh, man, I 53 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: can't believe that. I got to call my friend. He 54 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: hangs up and calls his friends, and you know, it's 55 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: just it was very, very loving to get a note 56 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: like that. I can't tell you. It's sixty one years 57 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: old to have looked at this young couple and thought, 58 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: you know, wonderful things about them, and then this beautiful 59 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: note lands in my lap on a Monday afternoon and 60 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: I came home and I did a deep dive and 61 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh my god, I know who this guy is. 62 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: He did that song about suicide where he put up 63 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: the number of the National Suicide Hotline, and he saved 64 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: like millions of people's lives. I mean, he is so successful, 65 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: he is so talented, and he is so prolific. He 66 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: has won awards, he has worked with everyone, and he 67 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: is considered one of the most famous rappers in the world. 68 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: I'm so happy that our lives intersected. I'm so happy 69 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: that after that wonderful gesture of paying for my lunch, 70 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: that I knew someone who knew someone who knew him, 71 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: and we got together and we started texting and talking 72 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: and he said, I'd love to do your podcast, and 73 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: he did. And it's just so exciting to learn about 74 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: a new person who is a wonderful human being and 75 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: so immensely talented. His lyrics are wonderful and honest, and 76 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: you know, talk about mental health and the importance of 77 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 1: taking care of yourself and it's really survivor's story. And 78 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: he's here, and I love the guy. Not only that 79 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: he invited me and all my children and there is 80 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: a lot of them to come see him perform. What 81 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: his concert starts, he's going on tour because he has 82 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: a new record. He hasn't had one out for three years. 83 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 1: So this is the new one and we're gonna be 84 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: talking a little bit about that and just about life 85 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: in general. So hey, here he is Bobby Hall, also 86 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: known as Logic. Well, there he is, Bobby. How are you. 87 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 2: I'm great? How are you? 88 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: I am so happy that I got to do a 89 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: deep dive into you and that I have found out 90 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: how remarkable you are. You're a remarkable young man. You're 91 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: thirty three years old. You have so much success, yes, 92 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: and you had such a hard childhood. It is very 93 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: very inspiring to see what you have made out of 94 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: what was your childhood into your life and I'm completely 95 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: inspired by you. 96 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: Wow, that's like the most epic intro of all time. 97 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. 98 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: Well, it's the truth between listening to your audio book, 99 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 1: which I started reading it, and then I was listening 100 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: to an interview that you had done where the interviewer 101 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: was saying I started reading it and I could only 102 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: hear it in my voice, and then I heard you 103 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: doing all these voices and it really changed the story. 104 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 1: As soon as I read that or heard that, I 105 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: went and got the audio book too. 106 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: Wow. 107 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 1: To hear your ability to mimic is really pretty extraordinary 108 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: and to bring to life these characters that you were 109 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: trying to show the world, it's pretty extraordinary. It really is. 110 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 2: Thank you. It was you know, writing the book was 111 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 2: it was difficult because it's like I had to be 112 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 2: very honest, you know, and there was even some people 113 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 2: in my family who were like, how could you say that? 114 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: And then my response was always how could you do 115 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: that to a child? Yes, you know, so when writing 116 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 2: it was never from a place of like negativity. It 117 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 2: was always just complete honesty. But I think I think 118 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 2: taking that negative aspect of my childhood while also being 119 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: able to read the audiobook because with my first novel 120 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 2: that I wrote, called Supermarket, I also did the audiobook, 121 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 2: and that was a little different, you know, because they 122 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: typically say when you read the audio book, you want 123 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 2: to do it very slowly, right, But when I did 124 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 2: mine for the memoir, I wanted it to be like 125 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: and then my mom was like, yeah, was cracking the 126 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 2: house and the police are running and done it. And 127 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 2: so I wanted you to feel like I'm telling you 128 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 2: a story, like you're a friend on my couch. 129 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: And that's why it's so brilliant to listen to it, 130 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: because you're in the panic. You're in the anxiety. You 131 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: can feel your anxiety and your memory and in your 132 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: portrayal of it, with your fluency in the English language 133 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: and your ability to take the precise moment and hold 134 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: that one up for people to look at. It's you know, 135 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: I have questions. I have questions, Bobby. 136 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: First of all, I got time. 137 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: Are your parents alive now? 138 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 2: Yeah? So my mother, they're both alive. Yes, my mother 139 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 2: I haven't spoken to in I think about thirteen years now. 140 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 2: And the last time we spoke it was my twenty 141 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: first birthday and she, I guess twelve years and she 142 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 2: said my sister called me crying and was like, Mommy says, 143 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: you're the reason you don't talk to her in X 144 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: y Z And I was like what. And I hadn't 145 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 2: already seen my mother in a few years. And I 146 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: called her and I said, the reason that I don't 147 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: speak to you isn't because of anybody else but yourself. 148 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 2: And I was like, I love you and I want 149 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: a relationship with you, but everything is like your way 150 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 2: or the highway, and like nobody can even have a 151 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 2: conversation with you or an opinion right, and if you 152 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: don't agree with someone. You yell, you scream, you call 153 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 2: them names, you curse at them, you damn them to hell. 154 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 2: And I was just like, that's why we don't have 155 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 2: a relationship, and she said, understood, hung up on me, 156 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 2: and I haven't talked to her since. So that's her. 157 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 2: And then my father, who at the time of writing 158 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 2: the memoir, I had put him out of my life 159 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 2: for a couple of years because of boundaries, sure, you know, 160 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 2: And every time I would draw a line, he would 161 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 2: always cross it. And it wasn't even crazy. It was 162 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: just like, like one of the last times I spoke 163 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 2: to my dad before recently reuniting with him, which I'm 164 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 2: excited to talk to you about. Actually, he asked me 165 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 2: for a million dollars. Yeah, okay, I'm like exactly, Like, 166 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 2: he literally asked me for a million dollars. So my 167 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: father is super long story short, both my parents for 168 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 2: those out there who may not know, you know, drug addicts, alcoholics, 169 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 2: meant a little my mother, yeah, mental illness, bipolar, you know, 170 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 2: sexual abuse, so many things that they had both gone through. 171 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 2: And now that I'm older, I realized they're just hurt 172 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 2: and broken people trying to find their way in the 173 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: world that accidentally had like a million kids, you know. 174 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:20,439 Speaker 2: So but with my father, he asked me. You know, 175 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: he's a musician, African percussions. You know, he's a black 176 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,319 Speaker 2: man and loves music. Was always great at music. But unfortunately, 177 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 2: just because of his addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol 178 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 2: and such, you know, nothing really came of it. So 179 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 2: he says, I need a million dollars. I say for what, right, 180 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: and he goes, oh, so me and my band can 181 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 2: get a studio house, and also I need you to 182 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 2: pay my bills, and also I need and then I 183 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 2: was just like, dude, like every time, all the time, 184 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 2: there was always something. So I put him out of 185 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 2: my life. And then until recently. I hope I'm not 186 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: talking too much. 187 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 1: No, I want to hear all of it. I have 188 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 1: so many questions. As you're talking, guy, I don't want 189 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: to interrupt, but go and then I have got questions. 190 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 2: Okay, all right, great, So as I now have a child, 191 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 2: which I'm sure we'll get. 192 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,719 Speaker 1: So he's beautiful. He is so beautiful. His eyes are 193 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: gonna just slay the world. 194 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 2: Slay girl. Yeah. No, I'm excited, like he's everything that 195 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 2: I couldn't have from my own childhood. 196 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: Right. 197 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 2: I was looking at him a couple months ago, and 198 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 2: it was I was saddened by the fact that, you know, 199 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 2: my father is alive and he's out there and he 200 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: hasn't met his little boy. And I've done that really 201 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: to protect myself, you know, emotionally. And there's like a 202 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 2: version of me at like fifty years old that I 203 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 2: would hope is much wiser than I am now, right. 204 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 2: And I had this vision of me at fifty and 205 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 2: my dad is long dead, and I wished that I 206 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 2: could have tried one more time, even though every time 207 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 2: he breaks the birth with which is one more time? Yeah? 208 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 2: And I asked my little boy, I say, you want 209 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 2: to meet your granddad? And he goes, yeah, yeah, And 210 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 2: I said okay, And I thought about it, and I 211 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 2: called my dad and I said listen, all right, I said, 212 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 2: listen to me. I love you, but I need you 213 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 2: to respect me. Don't talk to me about money, don't 214 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 2: talk to me about music. You need to meet your grandson. 215 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: Blah blah blah. Long story short, fly him out first 216 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 2: class from the hood. Yeah, lands he meets his grandson. 217 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 2: It's incredible. His grandson goes to sleep. Bro, this is 218 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 2: like a month ago, wow, when it was sep. And 219 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 2: then first thing out of my dad's mouth, I need 220 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 2: you to buy me. 221 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: A truck, baby, oh baby. 222 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 2: And I say, instead of doing what I've always done, 223 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 2: which is like I'm you know, I get out of here. 224 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 2: I said why? I said, why are you asking me 225 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 2: for a truck? Why are you asking me for money? 226 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: Why are you asking me to bring you on tour 227 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 2: with me so you can play Conga's in the background. Why? 228 00:12:58,640 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: Yeah? 229 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 2: And he gave me the greatest answer I'd ever gotten 230 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: in my entire life. He said, I don't know number 231 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: one and then and I'll wrap this up. He went 232 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 2: on to express that because super long story short, my 233 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 2: black father did one of two things after having me. 234 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 2: Now just look at me. The first one was a 235 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 2: praternity does. 236 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: Right, that's not my kid? 237 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, And then the second one was he gotta easectomy. Okay. Now, 238 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 2: almost thirty years later, he somehow knocked up a young 239 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 2: woman from the program. She was like twenty three years old. 240 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 2: They had a baby, which is crazy, and he looks 241 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 2: like me, he's my little brother. And then she dies 242 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 2: a year later of a heroin overdose. Okay. So here's 243 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 2: this man sixty nine years old with a baby, and 244 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 2: he's remarried. Now he is a wife. He's actually really sweet, 245 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 2: she loves the baby. And he goes, I think, I 246 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 2: just I just really need to leave something for your 247 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 2: little brother. And that's when it went off like a 248 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 2: light bulb in my head. All my father has ever 249 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 2: talked to me about his money, and all he's ever 250 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,080 Speaker 2: talked to me about his music. So you know what 251 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 2: I'm gonna do. I am going to give him everything 252 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 2: he wants. And I said, Dad, I'm gonna buy you 253 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 2: a brand new truck, and Dad, I'm gonna make sure 254 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 2: I put some money in your pocket. And what we're 255 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 2: gonna do is we are going to record an album 256 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 2: together about family and the ups and downs of it. 257 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 2: And then I am going to give you publishing, educates 258 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 2: you in investment, black ownership, and what to do with 259 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: this money. And fifty percent of every dollar is going 260 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 2: to go into a trust that nor I, you, nobody 261 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 2: can touch until that little boy is of age, and 262 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 2: then the rest will go in your pocket to help 263 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 2: raise him. How's that sound And he goes, sign. 264 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: Me up, motherfucker, let's go let's really We'll be back 265 00:14:42,600 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: with more logic after this. Now is he sober? 266 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 2: Now? 267 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: Is he working a program? Is he trying to stay clean? 268 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 2: Yeah? He is. He's sober, so his biggest thing. It's 269 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 2: funny because he came over like, I enjoy scotch and 270 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 2: I learned a lot, you know, from my parents and 271 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 2: even growing up in alcoholics. And I have an AA 272 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 2: shirt from the nineties that I wear when I drink scotch. 273 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 2: And somebody could be like, what. 274 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, what do you do as mister duplicity? 275 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's because I learned from that as a child 276 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 2: how to have a healthy relationship with substance. I mean, 277 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 2: nothing hard, you know, but just my thing is weed 278 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 2: and a little bit of scotch sometimes. And so my 279 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 2: dad he's like, he's like, let's have a beer. And 280 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: I was like, Dad, you're a recovering alcoholic. Then he goes, no, no, no, 281 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 2: I'm a recovering crack at it, and I thought it 282 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 2: was hilarious and we laughed, and yeah, so he's he's 283 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 2: definitely in a great place. He really, he really as 284 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 2: good as you can get at sixty nine For Crag. 285 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: Now, it sounds as though you have tremendous forgiveness for 286 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: both your parents. And I know that people might not 287 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: be familiar, but your mother tried to kill you twice 288 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: and you you went without food, you ate donuts. She 289 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: almost choked you to death. Your dad was doing drugs 290 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: all the time, having a lot of other children. You 291 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: had a life of pure chaos and hell. And yet 292 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: you still have found a way to come to some 293 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: sort of forgiveness, or you wouldn't be able to do 294 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: what you're doing with your dad. You know, I went 295 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: no contact with my dad really since my children were born. Wow, 296 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: so I I and then he died exactly what you're 297 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: saying about your dad. You worried that you would get 298 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: to be sixty or fifty and he would die and 299 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: you would not have had that last chance. And some 300 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: people ask me, do you wish that you had been 301 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: in contact with him? And you know, I don't. I 302 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: never wanted sort of my kids to know him, even 303 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: though my kids did ask me, mommy, why don't we 304 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: ever see your daddy? If I know your mommy died, 305 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: but why don't we see your daddy? And I could? 306 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: You know, started with it wouldn't be safe for you. 307 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to be safe for you, and so that 308 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: Mommy's decided that this is a better way to be. 309 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: And as they're older now, they have questions, they want 310 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: to know the details. You know. I was kind of 311 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: horrified at the one part where your mother would scare 312 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,640 Speaker 1: you as an eight year old with telling you that 313 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: you could get raped or penetrate, like telling you things 314 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: that a child would never even understand in such explicit detail. 315 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: Again in the midst of a serious bipolar condition. 316 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, wow, you really did your homework. Thank you. 317 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: Well, honey, I'm so I'm so impressed with you, I 318 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: can't even and I feel so horrible that I didn't 319 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: know who you were till we met bumped into each 320 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: other without saying hello at NOBU, and you brought me lunch, 321 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: which was so unbelievable. I don't think you'll know how 322 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: touching that was to me. And when I was looking 323 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: at you, I thought maybe he's a designer, because your 324 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 1: clothes were kind of cute and you had like anime 325 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: big jeans and your wife's beautiful. I thought, look at these, 326 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: I thought you were kids. But to me, you are kids, 327 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: because you know, my boy's about to be twenty eight, 328 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:12,959 Speaker 1: my oldest, and I have five kids, and I just 329 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: thought to myself, he must be some new young designer, 330 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,880 Speaker 1: like I don't know. I just I didn't think rap. 331 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 1: And when I read your note and you talked about 332 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: I call my kids and they all went through the roof, 333 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: you know, like, are you kidding me? Give me that letter? 334 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: You're not keeping it. I'm like, get away, I'm keeping that. 335 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 2: That's so cool. 336 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 1: But I felt bad. How did I miss you? How 337 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: did I miss this career where you've accomplished so much, 338 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: so many records. I watched this. I don't know why 339 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: I missed the VMAs when you were doing your one 340 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: eight hundred song. But the story that you tell about 341 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: the producer friend who called and said this is what 342 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: we're doing and pushed you into it. Then I watched 343 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: it and I was choked up. It was a beautiful, 344 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: beautiful thing to do, to write and then to perform 345 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,360 Speaker 1: for an audience that is often glib at those award shows, 346 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: you moved everyone to tears. They all stood up. You 347 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: saved hundreds and thousands of lives doing this song, and 348 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: when you wrote it, you were wanting to save yourself. 349 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: Really did you think of other people, was it just 350 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: so personal? 351 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 2: I think it was definitely a mixture of the personal 352 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 2: and for others, you know, it's like I definitely had days. 353 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 2: We've all had those days, you know, and you have thoughts. 354 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 2: And I think that at the deepest and most darkest 355 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 2: depths of any depression or state of depression that I 356 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 2: had faced, my thoughts on this specific issue of taking 357 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 2: one's life were more severe, intrusive thoughts that I would 358 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:56,479 Speaker 2: dwell on, rather than thoughts that I was like, Okay, 359 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: this is something now. 360 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: You weren't making plans. You weren't making plans, had these 361 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: constant thoughts that very troubling. I've had intrusive thoughts for many, 362 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,360 Speaker 1: many years, and it's it's tough to tame them. 363 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 2: You know, Well, what's crazy, It's wild that you say that, 364 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 2: because you know, in therapy, what I learned is it's 365 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 2: almost like, hey, don't think about a pink balloon, you know, 366 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 2: and then it's like, well, now I'm thinking about it. 367 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 2: And then the more you think about it, you actually 368 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 2: train your brain. So it's like if you're standing in 369 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 2: line and you see a cashier or some guy and 370 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 2: you're just paying for tik TACs and for whatever reason 371 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 2: you think about like punching his nosebone through his head 372 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 2: for whatever weird right, right, Like what the hell where 373 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 2: did that come from? That initial reaction is actually what 374 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 2: makes you human, and that is your consciousness there going 375 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 2: that what is that? Number one? Number two? If you 376 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 2: do freak out about it, you're then training your brain 377 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 2: that every time you have a thought like that, you 378 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 2: just go balls to the wall freak out. And then 379 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 2: by doing that, you're actually bringing more of those thoughts 380 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 2: on because you then focus on it so much. Yeah, 381 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 2: when I learned that, it's a fleeting thing where it's like, 382 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 2: I don't know, I could see my son falling downstairs 383 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 2: and like imagine his beautiful little body, but he's all 384 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 2: mangled up and dead. And I know it's crazy to say, 385 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 2: but it's like, that's an intrusive thought, Yes it is. 386 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 2: What I learned is that these intrusive thoughts also mainly 387 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 2: play part in what you care about most. Yes, so 388 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 2: that if you think some wild stuff, can we curse? 389 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 2: Can I not? 390 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: Go ahead? Whatever? The fuck? 391 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 2: You? 392 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 1: Right? 393 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 2: Fuck? Yeah that's kind of but yeah, if you think 394 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 2: of some wild shit in your head, ye like to 395 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 2: understand that, like, it's actually probably something you care about 396 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 2: the most because, for example, like I love people you 397 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: know who do service work and help others because I've 398 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 2: been that, and I know what it's like to wait 399 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 2: tables and bust tables and be treated like shit by people. Totally, Yes, 400 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 2: have an ego complict. So then if I think about 401 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 2: punching a cashier in the face, I'm like, I've been 402 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: that cashier, and I just want this person to like 403 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 2: have the best life ever. So I know that sounds 404 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 2: really crazy, but through therapy, I really learned that, you know, 405 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 2: the world is crazy, but thoughts we can build a 406 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 2: positive relationship with it, for sure. 407 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: Correct, you can build a positive relationship with your thoughts 408 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: and what you think you become. I know that I've 409 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 1: read that you said you were sort of surprised when 410 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 1: you were at the VMA's and all these people were 411 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: talking to you and you were listing all the you know, 412 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: luminaries around you, and I thought, did you dream of that? 413 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: Or was your childhood so horrific that you didn't have 414 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: time to dream about the future. 415 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I could have never imagined that. Yeah, I 416 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 2: didn't have time. You know, it was all. It was 417 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 2: like fleeting. It was things that could not ever happen, 418 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 2: never in a million years for somebody like me. I'm 419 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 2: just a poor kid that nobody cares about, you know 420 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 2: what I mean? And then over time you start to 421 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 2: understand your own self worth. A lot of people ask me, 422 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 2: how did you make it out of your situation? I say, 423 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 2: you know, I'm not a religious guy, but I believe. 424 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 2: I don't think God's a white guy on a cloud 425 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 2: with a beard, but right I definitely say God in 426 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 2: common sense, I do believe in something greater than myself. 427 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 2: And and I don't know a lot of people they're 428 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 2: so worried, they're so like, you know, they want to know, 429 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 2: like how did you make it out? Like it doesn't 430 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 2: make any sense, It doesn't make any sense. But it's 431 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 2: the same, you know kind of way people feel the 432 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 2: need to know what's in the afterlife, like we have 433 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 2: to or whatever. And I'm just kind of like, hey man, 434 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 2: I'm just going to do the best that I can 435 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 2: to live with what I have. And it's the same 436 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 2: thing about my mother. I could say, how could my 437 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 2: mother birth for biracial children from all different black men, 438 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 2: and yet she was inherently systemically racist. 439 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, it didn't make sense to me. It didn't make sense. 440 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 2: To me exactly. But when you go down this orchard, 441 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 2: you know, road of the fact that she was with 442 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 2: a family, and that family was extremely racist, but she 443 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 2: always found black people and people of color so beautiful. 444 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 2: That's that like systemic inside of her. And then it 445 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 2: depends like what day when you see her. I mean, 446 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 2: one day she's listening a Run DMC walk this way, 447 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 2: the next listening to Nirvana's Rape Me, Like it's the crazy. 448 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 2: It's like it was a really wild household. So instead 449 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 2: of trying to undergo like I need to know what's 450 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 2: going on. I need to figure it out. It's almost 451 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 2: like a person who's like wearing a tinfoil hat. They're 452 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 2: like the government's watching, and all right, all right, let 453 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 2: them watch me, let him watch my dad buy it. 454 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 2: I don't give who care. That's kind of more my 455 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 2: mentality is instead of trying to focus on the past 456 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 2: and why and how come, which is okay to do 457 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 2: in therapy and things like that, but instead of making 458 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 2: that your everyday obsession all the time, sometimes you got 459 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 2: to throw your hands up, go it is what it is. 460 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 2: But what can I do today to better myself and 461 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 2: make other people smile? And that's my mentality. 462 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: That's exactly the name of the podcast. What is what Happened? 463 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: How already happened? Onward? I read so much about you, 464 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 1: and I had so much compassion for the child that 465 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: you were. How is it that DCF did not come 466 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: in and rescue you. I know that you said you 467 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: were coached by your parents, but it still seems as 468 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,880 Speaker 1: though it was very obvious that you were in trouble. 469 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 2: You know, I think I'm owed in Oscar. 470 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: Yes, I do think you my faith. 471 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 2: It's literally, yeah, they came in multiple times. I think 472 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,360 Speaker 2: the system is so broken. I mean, that's a real thing. 473 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 2: It's like it is a broken system where there are 474 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 2: some situations where like yeah, I had been sexually abused 475 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 2: and things like that, But it wasn't. It wasn't in 476 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,120 Speaker 2: that kind of crazy way you hear on the news 477 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 2: and then the government comes and saves the kids and 478 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 2: all this. It wasn't like so obvious. It was this 479 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 2: like under I don't know how to explain it. It's 480 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 2: like they walk into my house, and it's depending on 481 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 2: when they would walk into my house. There had to 482 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 2: be blood all over the place, and drugs and this 483 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: and that and X y Z, and they just never 484 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 2: came during those times, or when my mother was locked 485 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 2: up in an insane asylum, and you know, it's me 486 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 2: and my teenage sisters and I'm just the six year 487 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 2: old litle boy. Like it was never then. It was 488 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 2: always when my mom was kind of like going to 489 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 2: church or like getting your shit back together right things 490 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 2: then and then they would come or whatever. And so 491 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 2: but I know this sounds crazy, even though I should 492 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 2: have been taken out of that home, yeah, in place 493 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 2: in a much better home where, mind you, my mother 494 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 2: would always say they'll rape, they'll rape, Yes, that's what 495 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 2: she's saying. But I'm glad that it turned out the 496 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 2: way that it did, you know, because I don't know. 497 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 2: I just I I am like the happiest guy in 498 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 2: the world. I have a little boy, I have another 499 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 2: one on the way, I have a beautiful wife. I've 500 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,120 Speaker 2: had my ups and downs in life, and I will 501 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 2: continue to have those. Yes, But I think there is 502 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 2: just some weird puzzle Rubik's cube situation that if my 503 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 2: childhood didn't happen the way that it did, I wouldn't 504 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 2: be able to not only appreciate what I have now, 505 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 2: but have the knowledge thus far to pass along through 506 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 2: my music for others. So I don't. I don't doubt 507 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 2: it for a day. I'm happy to be here. 508 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so beautiful that you do it for others. 509 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 1: It's so beautiful that you talk about situations that our 510 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: culture is not always ready to hear, like that. There 511 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: are children who are in horrific situations like yours, and 512 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 1: yet sometimes there's nowhere for them to go. Sometimes, you know, 513 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: there's not a foster home all, you know, scrubbed and perfect, 514 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: waiting for you to love it. I wish it would 515 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: happen that way. It doesn't happen that way. The statistic 516 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: show that it doesn't happen that way. You know. I 517 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: wondered because again, the things that are similar about us. 518 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: I was really hooked into and reading all about you 519 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: what it was like for you and I. You know, 520 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: I rarely talk to people who have lived this because 521 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: it's kind of rare to go from being like a 522 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: poorer kid to going to be very rich, Like it 523 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 1: was almost like I landed on a new planet, you know, 524 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh wow, and inside of me, 525 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: I still feel like the kid that had to go 526 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: to Corvette's or John's bargain basement to get the discount 527 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: loose leaves for school. You know, like I still feel that, 528 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: even though I'm a successful, full, financially secure, lucky woman 529 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,199 Speaker 1: in the world, I can't shake that part of me 530 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: that looks at the sale item, at the gap. 531 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 2: You know, I agree. I remember, so I smoked cigarettes 532 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,159 Speaker 2: for a long time and I quit when I was 533 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 2: twenty five, And around then, I remember I would smoke Newports. 534 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 2: That's how you know. I'm from the hood. So I'd 535 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 2: like smoke these Newports, and I was with my manager, 536 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 2: and you know, at twenty five, like I was doing 537 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 2: pretty good, Like my breakout year was the one one 538 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 2: hundred year nine. Then followed up with other hit records 539 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 2: and like really, you know, took advantage of an amazing 540 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 2: situation and all the eyes on me. But before then, 541 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 2: you know, my first two albums, Under Pressure in twenty 542 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 2: fourteen and The Incredible True Story in twenty fifteen, when 543 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 2: I was twenty five, those were like culturally in my 544 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: space of hip hop, like hit albums, Like I didn't 545 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,239 Speaker 2: have hits all over the radio, but right old there 546 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 2: was something It really helped kind of push the culture, 547 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 2: which is really special for me. 548 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: Right it wasn't so much singles, kind of like The 549 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: Miseducation of Lauren Hill. 550 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 2: That was. 551 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was an album right that you loved and 552 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 1: you listened to it. You felt her, You understand where 553 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: she was from and what she's about. And but there 554 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 1: wasn't necessarily one that you know, Zion which I love, 555 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 1: that song about her son never made it to the radio. 556 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: You know, you didn't hear it on the radio. 557 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 2: But but it made it to your heart. 558 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: Oh my god. And that album was a cohesive unit. 559 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 1: It's like a beautiful, big masterpiece painting. You know, it's 560 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: just like your stuff. I agree, it's true, Bobby, It's true. 561 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: So when I was twenty five, Yes, I'm smoking these 562 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 2: cigarettes and I would always I put half out and 563 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 2: put it back in a pack. One day, my buddy goes, 564 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 2: why the hell do you do that? 565 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: Yes? 566 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 2: And I go, oh, because you know, I'm done with 567 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 2: this half. I'm just going to save it for And 568 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 2: he goes, bro, you're rich. What are you talking about? Yeah? 569 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 2: And then if I kind of like at this moment 570 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 2: where I was like, oh my god, and I didn't 571 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 2: even like realize how far I had thought. Yes, It's 572 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 2: like it was this really incredible thing. So so I 573 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 2: agree with you there, and I think people like us 574 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 2: we definitely have a different perspective on life, because you know, 575 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 2: there's people who are born in the money, but they're 576 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 2: amazing people, They're great people. They spend their whole lives 577 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 2: trying to give up, trying to help. But I do 578 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 2: think we have And by no means am I comparing 579 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 2: or saying we have some kind of an edge even 580 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 2: though we do. Being poor, yeah, and then getting money, yes, 581 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 2: is like one of the craziest things in the world. 582 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: I agree, not. 583 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 2: Only how much you truly appreciate it, but if you 584 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 2: are a good person in your heart and you do 585 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 2: what you can to give it back. Yes, I mean, 586 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 2: it's the greatest feeling in the world. 587 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: Telling you, Yeah, it feels like there's no way I 588 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: can ever give enough to make it fair. 589 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 2: You know. 590 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: It feels like the amount of lottery kind of winnings 591 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: that I've been given and earned, so to speak, in 592 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: my career, it just feels like an exorbit then excess, 593 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: like I sometimes still can't believe it. You know, I 594 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: can't believe it. 595 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, but you have you also you have family and 596 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 2: you know, like you said, you have five children. I 597 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 2: mean you've you've hustled, you've grown. I mean, dude from 598 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: films and even the television show over two thousand episodes 599 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 2: like Yo, you hustled. Yeah you didn't just know. You 600 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 2: just wake up one day like oh I won the lottery, 601 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 2: Like yo, you created a legacy. And even though you 602 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 2: know this, this this term absorbitant amount of money, it's like, yeah, 603 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 2: it can almost seem too much, but I know like 604 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 2: you help it. Of course we help others. We like 605 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 2: when I donate and ship, like I don't I just 606 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 2: do it anonymously. I'm just like, yeah, it's almost like 607 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 2: that episode of Curb where it's like Larry David don't 608 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:51,239 Speaker 2: there's the wing and uh, I forget what it is? 609 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: Who is it? Who's I forget who share? As with 610 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 2: later in the in. 611 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: The Ted Danceing Ted Dancing, Yes. 612 00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, Ted Dancing Swing and it's in the name of anonymous. 613 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 2: It was donated by anonymous, but everybody knew it was him. 614 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 2: So I just feel like I pulled a Ted Dance 615 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 2: and by going I. 616 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: Donate exactly well, you do feel you know. I don't 617 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: know if you feel this, but I definitely sometimes feel 618 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: almost guilty about it, you know. I have that kind 619 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: of almost like it's too much. We'll be back with 620 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: more logic after this. Now, you also did something similar 621 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: to what I did when you were very young. I 622 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: was forty, but you were like twenty six. You retired. 623 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 2: I was thirty. That's funny that actually I was thirty 624 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 2: you were forty. Yeah, so I and I retired. If 625 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 2: I can be completely honest with you, I ran away. 626 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I can understand I did too, sort of. 627 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,720 Speaker 2: I ran away, and I was inspired by having my son. Yes, 628 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 2: And I was on a hamster wheel doing this, and 629 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 2: I had made more money than I could ever need, 630 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 2: and how many platinum plan I mean just plaques and 631 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 2: plaques and number ones and number ones, and everybody's in 632 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 2: your pockets like keep going, keep going, keep going. Yes, 633 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:35,720 Speaker 2: And I stepped off the hamster wheel, had my son, 634 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 2: and for the last three years have been utterly dedicated 635 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 2: to your family, my boy, and then woke up one 636 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 2: day realizing that I kind of also ran away from 637 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 2: the negativity of the internet and all these things. The 638 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 2: pressure was like yeah, but I was like, fuck them, 639 00:33:56,080 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna let them win, you know what I mean. 640 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 2: I was like, I know my worth. I am enough, 641 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 2: I'm good enough, I'm strong enough. You know I'm gonna 642 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,920 Speaker 2: I'm gonna come back and continue to spread that message 643 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 2: of peace, love and positivity. And the way that I 644 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 2: learned this, obviously through therapy, was everything used to hurt me. Like, 645 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 2: you know, I go on there, I go on the 646 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:20,759 Speaker 2: internet and it's like, oh, your wife's ugly and I 647 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 2: hope your baby dies. It's like you see something like that, 648 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 2: and yeah, but you see it here and there, and 649 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 2: it just you're not good enough. You're not good enough. 650 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 2: You're not good enough. And when I looked in the 651 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,839 Speaker 2: mirror and did the work to realize like I am 652 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 2: good enough, oh, I went, oh my goodness, it's okay 653 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 2: if somebody says something negative about me. And I used 654 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 2: to get so angry that it would hurt. Why Why 655 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 2: why does this hurt? Why? I don't understand. I don't understand. 656 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 2: And as a human being, it's okay if something someone 657 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 2: says about you or your family or the people you 658 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,919 Speaker 2: love in the most terrible and disgusting. Way right, It's 659 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 2: okay if it hurts, but what you are in control 660 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:01,439 Speaker 2: of is how much you let it hurt and how 661 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 2: long you let it hurt. And when I realized that, 662 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 2: it completely changed my perspective. And now I'm here, standing tall, 663 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,760 Speaker 2: standing strong. I have my good days my bad days, 664 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:14,560 Speaker 2: but I know that either one of those are okay, 665 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 2: And so we back. 666 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,759 Speaker 1: You know, you talked about the Internet and how you 667 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:21,839 Speaker 1: used to wake up and it would be in your hand, 668 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 1: and you were doing this and it was in your hand, 669 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:27,240 Speaker 1: and you realized everything you did. Did you cut down 670 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 1: on your phone addiction, which we all have. The Internet 671 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: in our hand is the worst thing that's happened to 672 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: everyone in so many years. But have you been able 673 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 1: to curtail that at all? 674 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:38,839 Speaker 2: Oh that's a good word. 675 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 1: I look it up like her mom said, Oh my god, Yo, it's. 676 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:45,319 Speaker 2: So crazy, like we got to kick it at something. 677 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:46,240 Speaker 1: Yes, totally. 678 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I feel like the Internet is the 679 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 2: greatest and worst thing ever. It allowed me kind of 680 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 2: in an era at the end of like the radio 681 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 2: and like MTV and like where if you weren't there, 682 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 2: like you're nowhere. It allowed artists like myself, j Cole, 683 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:15,760 Speaker 2: Kendrick Lamar, and Khalifa to take our fans directly because 684 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:20,359 Speaker 2: people were on Twitter like just had some eggs. Yeah, 685 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 2: that's what people were using it for, right, and then 686 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:25,759 Speaker 2: we were like check out my song. And it was 687 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 2: like a new platform in a new way. And so 688 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:29,960 Speaker 2: when I first, you know, when the Internet, when that 689 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 2: you know, almost fifteen years ago started, it was a 690 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 2: different place. It was actually more positive and like if 691 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 2: somebody had something negative to say, even that in and 692 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:42,880 Speaker 2: of itself was more articulate. It was more like, you know, 693 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:45,600 Speaker 2: I don't really like logic, like he's cool, whatever, I 694 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:48,720 Speaker 2: don't really like his music because I feel the way 695 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 2: that he speaks is contrite and such a and it 696 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:54,160 Speaker 2: was like everybody was like a rolling stone like whatever. 697 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:56,400 Speaker 2: But now it's just like this shit. 698 00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 1: You suck, you suck, you ugly, Yeah exactly. And how 699 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 1: much you consume that affects your soul. 700 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,160 Speaker 2: I mean literally every day. The fact that, like, bro, 701 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 2: think about how much information the average phone slash Internet 702 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,480 Speaker 2: user consumes daily. I mean it's like more than somebody 703 00:37:16,640 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 2: should even see it in like fifty years, like totally just 704 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 2: like deaf here, deaf here, oh, the new drink song 705 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 2: is out, Oh this over here, like just all this 706 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 2: crazy stuff. So for me, it has been a struggle, 707 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 2: and it still is a struggle. But for the most part, 708 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,919 Speaker 2: I'm not on the internet. I do check from time 709 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:35,279 Speaker 2: to time, mainly to really connect with my fans and 710 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 2: see what they're doing, but like, sure my managers handle everything. 711 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 2: I don't have any apps on my phone, I don't 712 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:41,759 Speaker 2: have any of that, and I'll send them like a 713 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 2: picture or you know, you know, if, for example, like 714 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:47,839 Speaker 2: when this comes out, like I'll be like, make sure 715 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 2: we support this, and I'll be like, here's what I 716 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:51,520 Speaker 2: have to say about Rosie. She's so awesome and sweet 717 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:53,239 Speaker 2: and amazing and I love her da da da, and 718 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:55,239 Speaker 2: so that it's from my words, but I give it 719 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 2: to them. And from doing this, I've really, really, really 720 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 2: freed myself. But what's crazy is the fact that, like 721 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 2: I'll go on the internet and I used to just 722 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,400 Speaker 2: solely focus on the negativity. It's hard not to. 723 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: It's hard not to when you're a stand up comic 724 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,360 Speaker 1: and the crowd is laughing at a comedy club and 725 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 1: everyone's going crazy, but there's one person who's not smiling. 726 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:18,800 Speaker 1: Do you think that maybe they had a death in 727 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:21,719 Speaker 1: the family or maybe no, you think I suck, and 728 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: they're right, And the seven hundred people who were here 729 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:27,440 Speaker 1: are idiots, and I'm an idiot. Like it's natural. I 730 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: think that that when someone gives you something negative, you 731 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 1: focus on it. You know, you gotta unlearn that. 732 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:38,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's people, you know, we all go with 733 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 2: the meaning of life. Yeah, I have no idea, but 734 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 2: I'm living it. So it's like it's one of those things. 735 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 2: I'm just gonna keep living it and try to figure 736 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 2: this out. And you know, some days I got it 737 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:50,359 Speaker 2: all figured out. 738 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 1: Of course I got to me too, Honey, meet me 739 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,040 Speaker 1: on a good day, That's I'm saying. 740 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 2: And then the next day one person will just say 741 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,960 Speaker 2: some shit and I'm just like a failure. Like it's 742 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,319 Speaker 2: it's crazy, like I've had. I've had people even just 743 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:07,840 Speaker 2: in the world of like music, like you know, fucking 744 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:11,360 Speaker 2: critics say shit like, oh, you know, this dude's the 745 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 2: worst rapper to ever grace a microphone in the history 746 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 2: of the hip hop and blah blah blah blah blah 747 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 2: blah blah. And but then like I walk up and 748 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:20,960 Speaker 2: I'm selling out Madison Square Garden. Yeah, so it's a lot. 749 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 2: It's a crazy Yeah. I think the internet, especially for 750 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 2: the younger generation, is a real place. But it's not. 751 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 1: It's so true. 752 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:34,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's just it's crazy. 753 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:36,960 Speaker 1: It's crazy. Now, tell me about your new album and 754 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 1: you're going on tour and we're coming to see you 755 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:42,880 Speaker 1: and this one is produced independently. How how did you 756 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:45,160 Speaker 1: feel about that? Did you think there was more freedom? 757 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 1: Was there support that you didn't get or did you 758 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,960 Speaker 1: just have your crew already from so many albums, so 759 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,400 Speaker 1: many wonderful albums and Grammy nominations that you kind of 760 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 1: knew how to do it right you? 761 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:59,080 Speaker 2: Wow? Thank yeah, thank you first of all once again 762 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 2: for doing your homework and taking the time and genuinely caring. 763 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 2: It's called College Park and it takes place in twenty eleven, 764 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 2: and in twenty eleven, I was living in College Park. 765 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,920 Speaker 2: This is actually the merchandise. For sure. I was living 766 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:16,759 Speaker 2: in College Park, homeless, didn't have anywhere to go. My 767 00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:21,200 Speaker 2: best friend Lenny big Lembo, who I'm naming my soon 768 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:25,440 Speaker 2: to be born baby boy, Leo Leon after him, how 769 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:28,560 Speaker 2: I had nowhere to sleep, nowhere to live. He let 770 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 2: me crash on his couch, and a year later, almost 771 00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:34,719 Speaker 2: to the day, I signed with def Jam Universal Music Group, 772 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:38,400 Speaker 2: got a nice check, moved everybody to LA and the 773 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 2: rest is history. And the whole time that I was 774 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:47,480 Speaker 2: on my come up, I was never present because I 775 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:51,319 Speaker 2: couldn't be I couldn't be complacent because I had no 776 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:56,359 Speaker 2: backup plan, no education, didn't graduate high school. Like it 777 00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 2: was either make it or nothing or nothing. 778 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 1: I did the same thing. 779 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,440 Speaker 2: I always look back like like that with some of 780 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:09,359 Speaker 2: the best times of my life, but I was struggling 781 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 2: right and I couldn't appreciate it. And now these days 782 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:17,839 Speaker 2: I am. I am way more present than that, and 783 00:41:17,880 --> 00:41:20,360 Speaker 2: I have ambitions and goals girl, like I want to 784 00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:23,759 Speaker 2: I love music and I'm gonna always do it, but 785 00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:25,759 Speaker 2: like I do want to act more, or I do 786 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 2: really honestly, A thing that's big is like my own podcast, 787 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:30,160 Speaker 2: Like I really want to do that, Like I want 788 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,080 Speaker 2: to be able to utilize my mind and connection with 789 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:36,040 Speaker 2: other people and things like that, and YadA, YadA, YadA. 790 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 2: And that's why I made the album because it allowed me. 791 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:44,040 Speaker 2: My best friend Lenny, my producer six, and my other 792 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 2: best friend Castro six is also my best friend anyway 793 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:52,319 Speaker 2: to in a way travel back in time together in 794 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:55,160 Speaker 2: that piece of shit car driving to because of the 795 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 2: concept for those out there listening, it takes place in 796 00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:59,879 Speaker 2: twenty eleven with me and my friends on our way 797 00:42:00,239 --> 00:42:02,400 Speaker 2: to an open mic night, and it's kind of like 798 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,279 Speaker 2: the show that really started it all for us, and 799 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:07,440 Speaker 2: like rite us know and we got to relive that. 800 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:10,120 Speaker 2: It's like the closest thing to like an audio biopic 801 00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 2: eight mile, Like it's like wow, yeah. And so that's 802 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:18,560 Speaker 2: also why I've scaled down this tour, you know, like 803 00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:21,640 Speaker 2: because I've done arenas. I've been doing arenas for. 804 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:24,000 Speaker 1: Like six years, and now that's crazing. It's amazing. 805 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:27,200 Speaker 2: I loved it and it's so cool. But like I'm 806 00:42:27,239 --> 00:42:30,560 Speaker 2: excited for intimate shows again, which is funny because intimate 807 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:32,440 Speaker 2: is still like three to five thousand people, but. 808 00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, it makes a difference of fifty thousand. I 809 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:38,520 Speaker 1: remember once Madonna had one of her tours in Wembley. 810 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:42,279 Speaker 1: I was there. We were backstage and before she came out, 811 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:44,239 Speaker 1: she was about to walk out, she said, come with me, 812 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:46,760 Speaker 1: and she held my hand and we walked out into 813 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:50,759 Speaker 1: feel what is it fifty sixty thousand people screaming, not 814 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: for me, for her, and it was still in the dark. 815 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 1: It was overwhelming. I thought, no wonder these rock stars 816 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:00,080 Speaker 1: have hard time coming back to life. To get that 817 00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:04,400 Speaker 1: much input into your body and soul of adoration, mass 818 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:08,120 Speaker 1: adoration by the multitudes. I don't know how one incorporates 819 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:10,759 Speaker 1: that into being unless they do what you do. You 820 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:12,759 Speaker 1: did and what I did. They took time at the 821 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:18,560 Speaker 1: height of their success and said I gotta pause, though, yes, 822 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,080 Speaker 1: and people told me I was crazy because I left 823 00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:23,400 Speaker 1: all this money on the table and I felt like 824 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:25,480 Speaker 1: you once you had X amount of money, If you 825 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 1: think you need x more, something's wrong with you. And 826 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:31,520 Speaker 1: I really admire the fact that you were brave enough 827 00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:33,919 Speaker 1: to do that when you did it, and now here 828 00:43:33,960 --> 00:43:37,960 Speaker 1: you are with this phenomenal comeback record. And even though 829 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:39,799 Speaker 1: people don't like that name, I like it because you 830 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:41,799 Speaker 1: took a break on your own volition. You know. 831 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:44,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I came back and it's successful, So. 832 00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:48,080 Speaker 1: I'm better than ever. You're better than ever. Well, listen, 833 00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:50,239 Speaker 1: I want to tell you something. I really admire you, 834 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:52,920 Speaker 1: and I am so happy that we have gotten to 835 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:54,880 Speaker 1: know each other, and I want to wish you the 836 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 1: best I hope I get to see you at your concert, 837 00:43:57,000 --> 00:43:59,200 Speaker 1: but I understand what it's like when you're there. But 838 00:43:59,360 --> 00:44:02,000 Speaker 1: you're a one full young man and I would be 839 00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:04,200 Speaker 1: proud to say you were my son. I want you 840 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:08,840 Speaker 1: to know that you're You're so oh honey, it's so true. 841 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:11,799 Speaker 1: And I love swimming and marinating in the truth of 842 00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:14,560 Speaker 1: your life and your music. And I'm just gonna do 843 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:18,080 Speaker 1: it more now because it fills me up. It really does. 844 00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:21,240 Speaker 1: And and I'm so thankful that you did my podcast, Bobby, 845 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:21,839 Speaker 1: I really am. 846 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:23,320 Speaker 2: Course, it's my pleasure. 847 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:26,280 Speaker 1: Good luck with the baby, good luck with little Leon 848 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:30,040 Speaker 1: coming in and anytime I'm gonna be texting you because 849 00:44:30,040 --> 00:44:32,160 Speaker 1: You're not gonna leave me. Now you're hooked for life. 850 00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:33,320 Speaker 1: I got you on my line. 851 00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:36,839 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, a million percent. Thank you for having me. 852 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:39,680 Speaker 2: Thank you for being so sweet, so kind. You know 853 00:44:39,719 --> 00:44:42,879 Speaker 2: I now consider you a friend. Same. Of course, I'm 854 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:44,279 Speaker 2: going to see you at the show. Are you kidding? 855 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:46,399 Speaker 2: You're gonna come backstage. I'm going to meet the kids. Yes, 856 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 2: we're gonna vibe totally in the friends and family section, chilling, 857 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:51,799 Speaker 2: super comfortable. It's going to be the best time. It's 858 00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:52,520 Speaker 2: gonna be a blast. 859 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:55,080 Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much. I can't even tell you 860 00:44:55,120 --> 00:44:58,520 Speaker 1: what that means to me. Hey, don't go away A 861 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:15,520 Speaker 1: little more left? Okay, wasn't that great? I mean, come on, 862 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:19,239 Speaker 1: I just gotta say, I fell in love with this boy. 863 00:45:19,800 --> 00:45:22,160 Speaker 1: I know he's a man, but I'm in love with 864 00:45:22,239 --> 00:45:25,279 Speaker 1: him and he's so great and I can't wait to 865 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 1: see his concert and I'll tell you all about how 866 00:45:27,600 --> 00:45:32,440 Speaker 1: it went. Listen next week. Kick off Pride Month. June 867 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:37,000 Speaker 1: is Pride month, Gay Pride, trans Pride, Pride for the 868 00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 1: LBGTQIA community, of which I am a proud member. We 869 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:47,919 Speaker 1: kick off our Pride Month celebration with Holland Taylor. Don't 870 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:51,160 Speaker 1: miss me chatting with Holland Taylor next week right here 871 00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:51,840 Speaker 1: on onward