WEBVTT - Taj Gibson | ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:02.080 What up, y'all? This is your main man, Memphis Bleak 0:00:02.160 --> 0:00:02.520 right here. 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:05.840 Welcome to Rock Solid, a production of iHeart Radio and 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:08.880 the Black Effect Network and partnership with my guys over 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:09.840 at Drink Champs. 0:00:24.480 --> 0:00:26.160 Yeah, y'all you already know what it is. 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:30.400 Yours truly back with another exclusive episode rock Solid Podcast 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.239 Live at the Vote. And this one is a special 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:35.880 episode y'all because we got a legend in the building 0:00:36.040 --> 0:00:40.560 straight from Brooklyn, Fork Green projects ball player. 0:00:40.600 --> 0:00:42.760 When you know, we talk about balling a lot, but. 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:46.040 This is real balling, balling on both sides of the court, 0:00:46.120 --> 0:00:46.639 you know what I mean? 0:00:47.040 --> 0:00:48.400 Really from the trenches. 0:00:48.479 --> 0:00:52.000 Man. Let's welcome my god TG you know miss Taj 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:58.400 Gibson in the month building right now, broag. 0:00:56.960 --> 0:00:59.120 Pleasure pleasure, pleasure man. 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:01.120 Before we get in, so I gotta shout my guy, 0:01:01.200 --> 0:01:03.280 Missed and Kent they out out there for you know 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:06.160 what it is, Man's my peoples, because you from the town. 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:09.560 My guy is saying, I love it. Man, So yo, 0:01:09.920 --> 0:01:12.160 take me back the back in the day like Fort 0:01:12.200 --> 0:01:14.920 Green for you coming up, what was it like for you? 0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:18.520 It was amazing? Uh it was. 0:01:18.920 --> 0:01:21.760 It was chaotic and crazy, but amazing at the same 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:23.840 time talk about it. 0:01:23.959 --> 0:01:26.959 The hoods the hood days was different, my g Like. 0:01:27.120 --> 0:01:27.800 You know what I'm saying. 0:01:27.800 --> 0:01:29.760 You can come outside, you can get beat up, have 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:32.039 fun all in the same day, you know what I'm saying. 0:01:32.040 --> 0:01:34.640 That's what That's what made the project so special. Like 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:39.080 everybody U watched everybody, everybody's seen everybody grow up. I 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:41.760 was just so special about it. Everybody was outside. Like 0:01:41.840 --> 0:01:43.840 that's the whole thing I missed about Old New York. 0:01:43.880 --> 0:01:45.080 Everybody who was inside. 0:01:45.640 --> 0:01:48.400 Yo, I blame I ain't gonna lie Man Bloombird. Did 0:01:48.440 --> 0:01:50.840 that man with the no lording when he came in 0:01:50.880 --> 0:01:53.080 and became the mayor, with the lord in law, he 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:55.240 got every he packed everybody. 0:01:55.480 --> 0:01:58.640 That's about it. The Yeah, they only let Dykeman hang outside. 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:02.320 Now they getting they getting after them too now. 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:06.680 Are But Yo, basketball almost wasn't the path. I heard 0:02:06.760 --> 0:02:09.120 or I read somewhere that almost wasn't the path. When 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:13.400 did you realize that, like the game could really change 0:02:13.400 --> 0:02:13.840 your life. 0:02:14.800 --> 0:02:16.360 Well, it happened. 0:02:16.600 --> 0:02:20.919 I think when I got around like eleven twelve years old. 0:02:21.639 --> 0:02:23.440 I used to We used to always take the bikes, 0:02:23.440 --> 0:02:25.800 and you know, we would ride across across, across the 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:28.520 city like take Brooklyn Bridge, ride all to the Bronx 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:30.840 like twenty thirty deep. We used to do that all 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.560 the time, and then as time went on, you fall 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:35.960 a lot, like you you hurting yourself a lot. Now 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:38.959 I saw it again, like six seven six seven six eight, 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:41.840 and I failed one more time. And I it was 0:02:41.919 --> 0:02:44.200 right before Jay Street and we was coming off that 0:02:44.280 --> 0:02:45.400 curve right there on Chillery. 0:02:46.280 --> 0:02:48.160 Not that I just can't do this no more, y'all. 0:02:48.280 --> 0:02:48.600 For real. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.799 I really sat back and I was like, I had 0:02:51.800 --> 0:02:54.080 like at least three hoodies on because it was freezing. 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:55.600 I was like, yo, I look down at my feet. 0:02:55.639 --> 0:02:57.160 I was like, I can't do this no more, y'all. 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:57.920 I'm too tall for this. 0:02:58.000 --> 0:02:58.160 Now. 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:00.959 They looked at me like that's when life really hit me. 0:03:01.000 --> 0:03:04.080 And I was like when I got back to the hood, 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:06.000 I seen a few guys playing three on three and 0:03:06.040 --> 0:03:07.959 I just jumped in and that was my last time 0:03:08.040 --> 0:03:09.959 riding those bikes all the way across the city. 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:10.840 And I learned my lesson. 0:03:11.040 --> 0:03:12.880 Man, that's what's up man from there? 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:17.600 Man usc man, I mean, that's that's what was that like, Man, 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:20.040 the college life. We was talking off Carara. I was 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:21.960 talking to your peoples. You know what I mean, They 0:03:22.000 --> 0:03:30.080 ain't know we was special lab babies. He said, you 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:31.760 ain't no special lab baby. 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:33.560 We know that. Oh man. 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:40.360 Uh, the stories we can tell about downtown Brooklyn in 0:03:40.360 --> 0:03:44.000 the public education system, we got hours to talk about. 0:03:44.000 --> 0:03:47.520 But yr wor wait, I just skipped something before we 0:03:47.560 --> 0:03:48.160 get into that. 0:03:48.520 --> 0:03:50.680 We went to Weston House, right, No. 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:53.680 I went to Telecommunications for one year. 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:56.080 You went to school, you know, got the peoples from 0:03:56.080 --> 0:03:58.440 the hood forad the Holy face, you know what I mean. 0:03:58.720 --> 0:04:01.400 My Nigga Babba louis to school with them, right. 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:01.840 Yeah. 0:04:02.080 --> 0:04:04.920 My zone school was Eastern District, and I remember the 0:04:05.080 --> 0:04:07.840 New York Galucho was taking me out and they was 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:11.400 trying to educate me on just transitioning me to Rice 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:13.320 High School. So they were trying to just bust me 0:04:13.360 --> 0:04:16.400 all the way uptown. So that didn't fall through. Bought 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:19.400 the bed was like, Yo, we got to school for you. 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:22.560 And the whole thing with basketball is when you're good, 0:04:22.560 --> 0:04:23.800 they're gonna find a way to make. 0:04:23.720 --> 0:04:24.880 Sure you successful. 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:27.080 And now I'll be honest with you, my grades wasn't 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:28.160 all the way there. 0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:29.080 That's crazy. 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:30.640 And I went to Easton too. 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:33.200 Man, that was my Zone School and I was excited 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:35.800 to go there, but my mom and the way how 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:38.640 Brooklyn is, she was like, no, you can't go because 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:42.000 my first my junior high school was one seventeen and 0:04:42.080 --> 0:04:44.640 I used to go to LG every day and once you, 0:04:44.839 --> 0:04:47.120 once you break, make it through that little neck of 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:50.000 the woods that becomes family. I was ready to go, 0:04:50.720 --> 0:04:53.360 and my mom was like, Nah, you can't know. We 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:55.920 gotta ship you. I'm gonna ship you away. Gals like, Yo, 0:04:55.960 --> 0:04:57.320 we're gonna get you up out of there. They sent 0:04:57.400 --> 0:05:01.680 me to California. Wo that's and I thought that would 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:03.640 have been even even better. But when they shipped me 0:05:03.640 --> 0:05:06.200 to Cali, I went right into another whole other different 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:08.280 spectrum of this hoods. 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:10.520 Yo, straight up and real. That's how I felt my 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:12.800 first time in La two. It's like, Yo, wait a minute, 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.839 these niggas is banging out in for real, next level 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.600 for real, Like now that's dope. So then USC experience, Man, 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:20.480 what was that like? 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:21.600 The college life? 0:05:21.839 --> 0:05:23.719 It was scary, you know what I'm saying. I was 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:27.200 real scared, Like be honest with you, I didn't. I 0:05:27.200 --> 0:05:29.600 didn't have many friends and it was a new spectrum 0:05:29.640 --> 0:05:32.760 of life. I didn't really see too many Caucasians and 0:05:32.800 --> 0:05:36.760 different people like that. And just going to college the 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:38.919 first the first five, the first four weeks, you just 0:05:39.000 --> 0:05:41.680 overwhelmed a little bit. I'm like, I'm here. It was 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:44.080 tough to get here, but I'm here. And lucky for me, 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:45.760 I had like a few homies from back and forth. 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:48.840 Green shot out, my brother Chic. He definitely pulled up 0:05:49.000 --> 0:05:52.960 for the whole ride with me, and yeah, it was 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:56.440 a special ride. I made it through. I've really this. 0:05:57.360 --> 0:06:00.000 The long I stayed in college was mainly before my parents. 0:06:00.160 --> 0:06:03.560 They wanted me to like finish close to finishing. And 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:05.400 when I got that call to go to the league, 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:07.560 it was like, I'm out of here. 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:08.520 That was God. 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:11.200 That was his life life. There's always his time life. 0:06:11.240 --> 0:06:13.240 There's always just grabs hold of you and just like 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:15.159 it's time to go. He say it's over with. 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:17.520 Damn man, we was talking to I was talking to 0:06:17.560 --> 0:06:17.920 your team. 0:06:18.000 --> 0:06:22.000 You know that man, the Bulls two thousand and nine drafted. 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:24.719 Being from Brooklyn, I know that I had to feel 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:27.680 like the ultimate dream come truth. 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:30.120 Man, like take us. 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:32.440 To that time because I you know, I watching on 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:35.360 ESPN every year, bro, I watched the draft every year. 0:06:35.440 --> 0:06:36.880 I never knew no one. 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:39.839 That actually went there like where I knew them, and 0:06:39.920 --> 0:06:42.599 I didn't know you, but you knew my peoples. We 0:06:42.640 --> 0:06:45.640 knew the same people, so it felt like I knew you, Yeah, 0:06:45.720 --> 0:06:47.120 you know what I mean. And I was talking to 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:49.320 I didn't even know you was from Brooklyn to a 0:06:49.320 --> 0:06:52.160 little later because at first when you got drafted. 0:06:51.880 --> 0:06:53.560 I'm gonna let you talk. Talk to dude, your dam 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:55.800 I'm gonna let you talk. I'm gonna tell you my drama. 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:58.520 Had first before I found out we was connected. 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:01.479 But the bulls How was that life? 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:01.800 Man? 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:05.440 Well, it was amazing really, Uh just seeing that red 0:07:05.480 --> 0:07:09.239 and white, those colors just call your name. It was special. 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:11.400 First thing you think of as Michael Jordan. We're in 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:14.360 the same jersey, going to the slang locker room, eating 0:07:14.400 --> 0:07:16.880 the same stuff that he once had a chance to do. 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:20.000 So it was just all special for me. That's what's up. Man. 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:24.160 Y'all had an il team man, he rose Noah Lou 0:07:24.240 --> 0:07:26.920 al Dang, that was my nigga. Man, I fucked with 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:31.040 Lou's who was my nigga? Y'all was the first ones 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:32.320 running with tims man. 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:33.160 What was that like? 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:35.000 Because you know, Tims get a lot of heat out 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:37.280 here say he don't use this bitch. 0:07:38.280 --> 0:07:41.400 Well, he just he just taught for me personally. He 0:07:41.520 --> 0:07:44.680 just taught just me how to just be a tough 0:07:44.720 --> 0:07:48.000 minded man. It's tough minded, be there for your teammates, 0:07:48.160 --> 0:07:50.680 always ready to go swing on somebody for your teammates. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:51.040 Beat it. 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:53.720 Definitely like that's how that's the type of time you 0:07:53.800 --> 0:07:55.920 have to be like and it becomes a brotherhood and 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:59.520 others around you, others like that go against you, like 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:03.680 the counterparts. Everybody respects that because that's how you kind 0:08:03.680 --> 0:08:05.880 of want to be received, you know what I'm saying. 0:08:05.880 --> 0:08:08.360 But just want to be one of those those hard nerve, 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:09.880 kind of hard nose kind of players. 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:13.240 And that's hard nose. Everybody want to have. 0:08:13.280 --> 0:08:15.880 That that that's that stigma to them. 0:08:16.000 --> 0:08:19.600 So that's definitely on demon time on the court. You 0:08:20.520 --> 0:08:24.280 so major bullshit, violent, yo. And that's what I'm saying, 0:08:24.280 --> 0:08:27.160 because you know, I knew Braun before he got into 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:29.280 the league, you know, with Worldwide West being in the 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:31.160 studio with us whole and all that, so I had 0:08:31.160 --> 0:08:33.959 a relationship with him, and y'all nigga's bad. It was. 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:37.520 I used to be so heated, like these niggas really 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:41.360 trying to thug Braun now, like fat Man. 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:43.040 It was a special time. 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:45.080 I'm just I was just so blessed to be able 0:08:45.080 --> 0:08:47.720 to just play against Braun and his prim and can 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:51.520 say I tried my best, but he was just the top. 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:53.360 He's like, I go to one of the go to 0:08:53.400 --> 0:08:55.000 our game and I was just blessed to be in 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:57.719 that position. And like you said, we just got we 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:00.640 just so connected. Man, that's just God. The whole time. 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:02.560 I was just like a mine from the side, like damn, 0:09:02.600 --> 0:09:05.240 I want to be like Bleak one day if I can. 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:05.920 Just get it out of here. 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:09.080 Maybe fact this is hard, but that's when you believe 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:10.800 in what you believe in, God will take you there 0:09:11.000 --> 0:09:13.920 for really really do what your life. 0:09:13.960 --> 0:09:16.480 That's crazy to hear you say that, bro, because every 0:09:16.559 --> 0:09:18.960 kid will want to be you, like go to the lead. 0:09:19.080 --> 0:09:19.800 That's oh, come on. 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:22.679 Being from the urban community, that's our first dream is yo, 0:09:22.679 --> 0:09:24.959 I'm gonna be a basketball player. You know, a lot 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:27.400 of us fall short, but you really did it coming 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:30.480 from the real trenches, Fort Green projects. 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:31.880 Man of one. 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:35.319 I could take seven pedals on my bike from Marcia 0:09:35.360 --> 0:09:38.079 and I'm there, like you feel me Like I had 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:41.440 to go. Like this another thing, farming the Deli you 0:09:41.559 --> 0:09:42.800 have to risk your life for. 0:09:42.920 --> 0:09:44.920 If you wasn't respected or. 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:47.079 You wasn't going to farm in the Delhi, you probably 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:50.960 could go today because they tiktoped it out. But back then, 0:09:51.800 --> 0:09:54.840 that's what I'm saying. That projects was serious, bro. So 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:57.240 to make it from that to to where you made it, man, 0:09:57.920 --> 0:09:59.200 it's a major blessing, bro. 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:02.760 Word up. Just a question me. 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:07.000 I wanted to ask, who would you say, what's the 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:10.800 toughest opponent besides like you gave Braun's pride, But who 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:13.679 would you say you hated facing and you're like, man, 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:15.280 I hate playing this nigga. 0:10:16.720 --> 0:10:21.080 Uh hmm. 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:28.160 There's so many, so many, but it would be dre 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.680 Man Draymond Green. That's I got the most respect for him, 0:10:31.679 --> 0:10:35.720 like like like he's like we just like when you 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:38.000 play against guys like that, you want to fight him. 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:39.840 But then again, if you're on a team want him, 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:41.440 you just like want to embrace him. 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:42.040 That's right. 0:10:42.080 --> 0:10:43.760 And I got a lot of respect from him even 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:46.040 in college when I played against him as when he 0:10:46.080 --> 0:10:48.400 was a freshman, I was like, damn, this kid, is 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:52.240 going to be something and uh East Battle. I disappreciate it. 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:54.640 And he was just tough, the guy that can go 0:10:54.679 --> 0:10:57.920 out one through five like it's different. 0:10:57.960 --> 0:11:00.480 He's really I just ran down knowing him as roots 0:11:00.480 --> 0:11:03.200 Picnic told him the same thing, Yo, you violated Braun, 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:06.120 gonna go get KD. He's like bleak. It had to 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:08.520 be done though. If it wasn't nuts, then who I 0:11:08.559 --> 0:11:10.680 could I even have an answer? It was like, damn, 0:11:10.880 --> 0:11:12.599 I need a brawn with me. We'd have jumped that 0:11:12.679 --> 0:11:13.520 nigga yo. 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:15.360 Yo. 0:11:15.480 --> 0:11:18.000 From one thing that's been always said about you, from 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:21.880 your rookie year through your teammates, coaches and everything, work ethic. 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:23.880 They always say you've been on top of your game 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:25.800 and everything. Even the homies was just saying that, yo, 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:27.400 when he come through, you're gonna see he were he 0:11:27.440 --> 0:11:30.040 in shape. We work out all the time, Like what's 0:11:30.080 --> 0:11:31.520 your motivation behind that? 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:32.080 Well? 0:11:32.080 --> 0:11:34.600 To be honest with you, growing up in Brooklyn, I 0:11:34.679 --> 0:11:38.800 used to go h It was a moving company downtown 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:41.600 Brooklyn called BRS. And I used to work there every 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:44.400 summer from like the age of like ten all the 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:47.040 way to like fifteen, even when I'm like six nine, 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:50.960 six eight I'm working on the chain gang with Hispanics 0:11:51.080 --> 0:11:55.120 Mexican essays who really don't have any paperwork, and I'm 0:11:55.160 --> 0:11:59.320 really in the tunnels with them every time, and that 0:11:59.480 --> 0:12:02.120 really like struck a nerve. It really really humbled me 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:03.640 because they used to time, they used to get paid 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:06.040 on the side, and the whole fork. 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:06.839 Green used to work in there. 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:09.640 So we used to really be riding the bus, riding 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:11.600 the trucks all the way to the back of Farrogate. 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:13.240 We used to hang out and I used to see 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:15.480 this every day, and that just gave me a whole 0:12:15.559 --> 0:12:18.280 new just distinct on this how I got how really 0:12:18.280 --> 0:12:20.800 hard I gotta go because even one day they sent 0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:23.840 me home. I remember, because this job, it's not like 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:26.240 any other job in the moving to companies, moving companies 0:12:26.240 --> 0:12:29.480 that get all workers from like guys who did time 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:33.280 in jail, guys who did really serious time and messed up. 0:12:33.559 --> 0:12:34.960 So I used to be on the line with them. 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:37.160 And my dad he used to be a carpenter, so 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:39.200 he used to make sure I went through that process. 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:41.200 He didn't care if he was in charge of me, 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:43.400 in charge or not, So every day I had it. 0:12:43.400 --> 0:12:46.280 It was a Caucasian old man and he used to 0:12:46.320 --> 0:12:47.800 be at the top of the at the top of 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:51.240 the hill, big big hold deaths and everything. He used 0:12:51.240 --> 0:12:53.960 to be sitting there like call out names. And one 0:12:54.040 --> 0:12:57.280 day he didn't call my name. He's I sent you home, 0:12:58.240 --> 0:12:59.840 so you can pack up, go get on the line 0:12:59.840 --> 0:13:01.360 with time. I was like, oh, I don't like this 0:13:01.400 --> 0:13:06.280 feeling like this feeling. Word up God, rest is soul. 0:13:06.400 --> 0:13:11.199 Thank you for the uh the education. But I remember 0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:14.120 one day the essays is like Poppy. They was like, 0:13:15.200 --> 0:13:18.440 you don't want to do this. You don't want to 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:20.960 do this, Boppy, you got something to do with your 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:23.679 life now. And I never looked back. Shout out to 0:13:23.720 --> 0:13:25.640 all the guys that br Rest. That company is still 0:13:25.640 --> 0:13:28.480 downtown Brooklyn. Uh, they still got a lot of got 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:30.360 a lot of guys from the from the projects, a 0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:32.800 lot of guys from from just home, just coming home 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:33.240 from prison. 0:13:33.320 --> 0:13:36.360 Shout out to them, and yeah that's what real, sup. 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:39.160 You got some youth, some youth basketball leagues popping off 0:13:39.160 --> 0:13:41.960 too down the way, and yeah, right now, tell them 0:13:41.960 --> 0:13:42.800 man speak on it. 0:13:42.880 --> 0:13:43.080 Heah. 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:45.640 We do a lot of youth basketball clinics down at 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:49.719 Fort Green. Try doing the Farragate. We consistent almost every 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:51.720 year shout out to the main event we involved with that. 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:58.880 It's a project whole assignment with guys from Farragut downtown 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.679 Brooklyn and we supporting that any way. We can all 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:03.640 the way up from Myrtle, all the way up to 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:06.800 Myrtle and Broadway. That's we did from Marcy Tompkins some 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:09.280 of the our families and every last one of them 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:11.840 be all connected. Now we just try to stay consistent 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:17.280 in downtown Brooklyn. That's what's up, man, And I ain't 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:22.000 gonna front. We need more ball players from from because 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:24.320 if you look at the NBA now, man going to 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:27.520 ask you too, because from my perspective, it's a it's 0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:29.560 an overseas. 0:14:28.680 --> 0:14:32.240 Star driven lead. Now there's not really too many stars 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:34.960 from us. Saw you anymore? How you feel about that? 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:38.120 I say, look at the Knicks, baby, shut up to 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:39.800 the Knicks right. 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:44.760 Thing through. I was blessed way to Jersey. That's my family. 0:14:44.840 --> 0:14:47.640 This stuff we changed the whole culture and they finally 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:49.800 got it done this year. Just look at the Knicks. 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:51.640 We gotta start power on the Knicks. You can say 0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:54.480 whatever you want. Jalen Brunson, Carl Towns, They from the 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:58.520 town from New York City from Philly, New York. Uh 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:01.600 that that start power right there along. It's gonna show 0:15:01.600 --> 0:15:03.640 you because we shook the league. You look at the 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:06.560 next thing and how much star power they bought, how 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:07.920 much viewers be brought. 0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:11.000 We shut it down, shut down all the stars one 0:15:11.040 --> 0:15:13.320 of them. I ain't gonna lie. I'm glad we got 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.960 the spurs them out of there. But I wanted us 0:15:16.000 --> 0:15:18.640 to play, okay, C man, I wanted to spank them. 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:20.800 Before I wanted I want to eat a team because 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:23.320 I felt like I just felt like O G and 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:26.240 the guys has just been proving like it's nothing like 0:15:26.240 --> 0:15:28.920 playing in New York City and going Because I'm being 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:29.960 honest with you're waking up. 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:30.800 You're gonna hear. 0:15:30.840 --> 0:15:33.000 You're gonna hear the truck drivers, You're gonna head the garbage, 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:34.360 you're gonna head the dude making. 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:39.600 Yo, why you missed that? Layup O yo? That's one thing. 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:40.760 Tap up. 0:15:40.760 --> 0:15:43.320 They're gonna be like, Yo, what's going on? A right here, 0:15:44.040 --> 0:15:47.040 Get some mistake, whatever you need to do, get your 0:15:47.040 --> 0:15:49.160 mind right. It all worked out. I'm so proud of 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:49.960 the guys for real. 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:53.560 Now that's what New York getting it done. Man, fifty 0:15:53.600 --> 0:15:57.400 three years is fifty four years. It's fucking insane. I 0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:00.000 wasn't even alive when they won the chip. I can't 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:03.240 five years after, so to see it done now, it 0:16:03.320 --> 0:16:07.920 was something I never thought I would see. But if 0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:09.680 you really look at it, what you were off my 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:12.800 question and how you answered it, that might be the 0:16:12.880 --> 0:16:15.760 only team with all American players on it. And I 0:16:15.800 --> 0:16:19.800 never thought about that until you just said that, like 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:25.800 word up five whole like everybody else is. And I 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.800 went to dinner with with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:35.400 and they said, yo, once LJ Once braun KD Curry 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:38.640 har and once them guys retired, he was like, man, 0:16:38.720 --> 0:16:40.680 it's gonna be a rough race for us in the 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:43.400 in the USA and Olympics. He was like, I don't 0:16:43.400 --> 0:16:45.560 think we're gonna win for a minute because we don't 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:46.680 got no shooters. 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:50.280 Well, one thing about us, never count us out, you 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:53.800 see New York. Never count us out. Baby, It's gonna 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:55.920 be a good summer. You can if you can feel 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:58.560 it New York feeling. The vibe is back in New York. 0:16:58.560 --> 0:16:59.000 Can feel it. 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:02.280 Whoever said new York it no more, you fucking lied 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:05.440 because the vibe is back. And so this summer and 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:08.480 why I ain't gonna lie might be one of niggas 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:10.800 asks me, what summer, what year it might be? 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:12.080 Twenty twenty six? 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:15.720 Man might take over nineteen ninety eight because to me, 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:20.040 nineteen ninety eight was my favorite era. 0:17:20.000 --> 0:17:21.240 Of New York City. 0:17:21.359 --> 0:17:24.280 Okay, So basically he gave it a uh, he's popping 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:30.080 out for Marsie Day, y'all they popping out from Marsie Day. 0:17:31.040 --> 0:17:36.000 Shit this year. They canceled it last year. Word, I 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:38.240 hope they have it this year. Last year they canceled 0:17:38.280 --> 0:17:38.920 Marsie Day. 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:44.600 So back to the game, like, Yo, you play the injuries, coaching, changes, trades, 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:52.439 different roles. What would you say was your toughest career challenge? 0:17:52.480 --> 0:18:00.479 Like mentally, hmmm, I would say, I'll say be traded. 0:18:00.680 --> 0:18:04.199 First time being traded. Yeah, it was mentally like it 0:18:04.280 --> 0:18:06.720 shook me up. How cold the business can be? 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:09.320 Like one minute, you're like, yo, your chill, relax the 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:12.320