Lena Waithe, Mo Gilligan, Trent Williams, Teddy Swims and the legendary LL Cool J

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out the 2026 toyota rav4 at your local toyota dealer or visit toyota.com see packages and options at toyota.com for feature availability lisa tell them about our new show we have a new podcast it's called don't lie to me i'm lexi we're two best friends 22 years apart but so close at heart and i'm lisa di giulio the old one which means we have wildly different references occasionally different opinions and at this point in my 50s i've lived it all now in my 30s being the founder of new shoes good taste is my business listen on the iheart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts your night in just got legendary get ready to chase the rush spin win and redeem instantly straight to your bank account at legends with a z.com with free to play slots blackjack keno roulette and more experience all the thrills of vegas without leaving your couch legends has it all legends is a free-to-play social casino void prohibited must be 18 plus play responsibly visit legends.com for full details get in the game now and score a 100 match on your first purchase only at legends with a z.com paul rivera here we've got a great episode lined up for you guys myself and mab are joined by the legendary ll cool j everybody's not gonna be a fan of everybody i can't you know that ain't my job trent williams you never really know how tough you are to gotta be lena waithe the second someone picks up on what i'm doing i'm gonna switch it up teddy swims the gimmick of that i sound this way but i look this way and mo gilligan i'm a stand-up comic this is what i do listen now i do not believe that shit on the weekend no way yes because you're a writer writers never stop that's true you always even in your head right everything is copy everything everything is copy that you set time aside to write or it's just an ongoing you have to like today when i have to leave i have to go to my office and figure out you see you know you see you get these scripts you know you've been had so many great scripts but it's like we have to figure out what is every scene and then i can start writing because like with the shy like i knew the first scene was going to be a dead body and a young man coming up to it and having a conversation with him oh so you figure out the scenes and the story arc and everything lay all of that out and then you're writing and then like stallone like kind of like what stallone does do you say the words out loud so it's on his feet so that you know because sometimes what you do this on uh-huh see that's the benefit of me that's a great point when you type in when you say it very different very different every writer should take acting classes yeah so that way we know because that's like i've had to act i've been in front of the camera so i know what it's like to have to deliver lines so if i so what i have to do when i'm writing is like i say it out loud i want to be super conversational like you know it's like the reason why we love any given sunday we can watch it any day of the week right because the conversation it feels grand and big it's like you guys are gladiators so it's like if you watch any given sunday watch gladiator after that and see the similarities right like these are the cats that could go into the ring and we the spectators what is the difference between a spectator and a peasant a lot of times a writer you know if they're not careful all of the characters can have a similar voice and sometimes writers especially the ones that are a little bit more that air on the more academic side make everything like the word is pedantic or make everything so intricate in that see you can be smart and be simple yeah sometimes they're smart and complicated and all characters aren't like that some are but you have to be able to differentiate between them in order to really bring the story to life so that the actors can really embody the story and the characters can embody it you know what i'm saying i know exactly what you said yes yeah and because smart people sometimes have trouble to me that is the highest form of smarts when you can take something so fucking complicated and make it simple and make it fuck oh i got and make through the complexity and make everybody go like x and o's like x and o's getting through the complicated play to the look hit your spot this is the spot this is where you gotta be at this point in the game like that's the that's the that's the discipline of the whole thing yeah that's how you win yeah for sure do y'all that with kyle do he because he always seemed everybody said he's like probably the smartest coach in the nfl and he's got all those fucking sheets and it looks it looks like what he's doing is very complicated but to y'all do we communicate it straightforward and easy to y'all no that's complicated it's complicated and and the reason why the scripts are so big because our plays are extremely long that's why you see the wristband because it takes too long to call it into the headset so you just call a number quarterback literally is like reading a book but is the place really fucking long they are very long but they simplicity too because it just tells everybody what they're supposed to do so that's actually something i want to ask you in the huddle what are you listening what are you listening for in the call because it's a long call right what are you listening for just like a pass play i'm listening for the protection he might say three jet xyz xyz xyz i'm leaving the huddle as soon as i hear three jet you're not sure yeah that's my you know and what the receiver's gonna do yeah they don't got nothing to do with me that's why they don't know the protection you know what i'm saying they hear they rouse and they gone and when you break the huddle everybody obviously knows the quarterback what are you as a lineman looking for you break the huddle we took this sauce gardner and chat oh joe about like as a receiver in corners and sauce was like he don't really even go to the huddle he come out he looked directly at the receiver's feet study the guy try and get a read on what route he gonna run right so it's so like when you got a pass for protection there's two sides right because we got five people so three got to go one way two got to go the other way the two are the man what we call man side so that means i'm mano y mano he mano y mano on that side they enter then what we call a slide so everybody has the gap over so if he came off the edge i'm responsible for him and my guard got to take mine and then we pass it down because i was worried i was worried i had him so i'm glad let's try and take him b you can get out of the way exactly so you know i mean it's for me it's if i get a man side then yeah i'm just coming i'm looking at the dn i don't really i get the snap count i hear the protection i'm just now i'm studying him now his alignment is going to tell me a lot of what's coming next and you know i look you see the safety that the safeties are wandering around over here that means that they probably replacing somebody just coming over here so i gotta know that even if i'm not blocking him because that's going to change his job so if i know his job before the play snap it me as an advantage you know what i'm saying have you been you've been studying him all week been studying him all you know if he line a little bit this way a little bit this way it's something different can i ask you see as an athlete how much of it is like technical where you have to read plays and how much of it do you feel like is it's talent or instincts yeah like because there must be times where you want to break out and do your own thing although you have to follow the script right you know i mean yeah so like the defensive side is is a lot off of see ball get ball you know very you got concepts but most of it is all going to revolve around who got the ball where guys running the offensive side it's it's all about x's and o's and stand within the system you know because the wide receiver might feel like he can get a dude a little extra at the top of the route but that little half a second makes a quarterback hold on to the ball for a half a second not at the end and slapping the ball out right as he's throwing it you get what i'm saying so as a wide receiver you gotta be disciplined and oh yeah i know i can be on instagram by making this guy fall and we have highlights but what does that do for the rest of the chain link you know does that is that gonna help us is it gonna hurt us and and that's what cow thing is is that everything is about timing everything is about scheme but but it must be a little bit like that making shows too or for sure as an actor like once the whole cast is gelling and rolling but if you got one or two people off it fucks up the whole i gotta imagine if you can fuck up the whole flow Yeah, it's so interesting because even hearing you talk about, like, even using the term scripts, you know what I'm saying, and memorizing, there's so many similarities between, you know, what we're doing. But I actually, it's funny because I often use sports analogies when I'm talking about writing or careers and things like that because it actually kind of fits with each other. Like, we are a team. Like, when you're, I mean, it's like teamsters. Like, even like, you know, we. Teamwork makes the dream work. Teamwork makes the dream work, you know. And so it's like, but then there are people that are in front. You know, there are people that are behind the scenes. And you need everybody to be on the same page. And you're right. I mean, I think, but just like any team, like, you know, you have a veteran been on the team for a long time, then you have a rookie that comes in. So that's not unlike on TV shows. Like you'll be on a show for like a bunch of seasons and then it'll add new characters. 'Cause what does it do? It brings in new blood and all that kind of stuff. So that's what we've tried to do, especially on "The Chi", is to have like new people every season. 'Cause it keeps the people that have been on the show from day one kinda sort of never getting complacent. And so I think that's sort of what it is. - Or jaded. - Jaded, and it's easy to do, you know? It's like whether being in the league or being in the business, 'cause like you spend your whole life trying to get into the game and you finally get in there and you realize, oh, this is not what I thought it was going to be, but it's an amazing life. Like we've led great lives because we were able to tap into this gift that was sort of given to us, but we were able to sacrifice and make sure we didn't take that gift for granted. But in not taking it for granted, there's a lot of sacrifices that come with that. - You have to often tell yourself that you're not lucky as well. 'Cause I think I, for me being a comic, like you don't, you often feel that like you're always, I read a lot of comics and they say, you're only as good as your last show. And that makes you feel lucky sometimes. You know, if you have a big achievement where, you know, you might have won something or you have something that works well and you think, oh, maybe this happened. But I think it's really important to tell yourself, well, I'm not lucky. I'm not just stumbled upon this. I've worked at the craft. - You can be blessed. You work hard. You put the energy in, right? 'Cause your attitude determines your altitude. You know what I'm saying? - Ah. - And a lot of people, you know, in order to be successful for a long time, you can't, it's a few things. One, it means you ain't lazy, right? Then the other thing is, you know, you have some people who, they're successful, but they're over it. It's like, oh, they just can't wait to get off practice or get out of here. Everything's about what I gotta do over there. But then they, at the same time, they're kicking and screaming against the things that they claim they want with that attitude. You see what I'm saying? And that has a lot to do with like vets and rookies. 'Cause you got some vets that are over it. - Yeah. - And then you have some vets that treat it like they've been rookies forever. - Right. - Like, you know, that was the thing like me when I would see Ray Lewis. Like every time I talk to him, I feel like I'm talking to a guy who just started. Like every time I talk to him. And you know, to me, that is a huge part of long-term success, like decades, as opposed to like, you know, 10 years and you know, what happened, you know what I mean? - You are the poster child for decades of long-term success, right? - I know what I'm saying. Like you've like reinvented yourself like so many times. And it has so many different, like I remember in the house, like, you know what I'm saying? 'Cause I was having dinner with Debbie Allen and I talked to her about that. I was like, that's so, 'cause obviously I love Debbie Allen. Obviously that's my North star. But I remember that show. Like you guys living under the same roof and with her kids and all that kind of stuff. And it's just like, but that's just a, that's a chapter in a very long, beautiful career. So I was like, so can you speak to what it's been like to begin so young and people may be kind of go, is it going to be a fast? He's going to still be around. So how are you able to fit into all these spaces and none of it feel weird or odd or foreign? - Well, there's a few things, right? First of all, God is great. I have faith in God and I got faith in myself. Secondly, you know, you know, when we started Def Jam, I was 16, you see what I'm saying? So I put my first album out when I was 16, right? So the thing that you realize is that you're going to make mistakes. So, so one of the things that I had to learn because I'm really, I'm actually an introvert. Like most people wouldn't assume that most people would think I'm an extrovert, but yeah, but I'm an introvert, right? So growing up when I was first starting, I didn't really know how to go to parties and all that. Like I ain't, I ain't really know how to be sociable with people and go play with, play a poker games with people and you know what I'm saying? Be friendly. It wasn't that I wasn't willing to be friendly. It's just that, you know, that's just my, my nature. You learn, you learn after a while how to actually embrace people. And, and you realize that you're going to spend your life looking at different people. And these people that you think you're just passing by are actually the story of your life. - I don't know what, what keeps you motivated, passionate about the music after all the success you've had? You have an album coming out, right? - Yeah, I got an album coming out. - So wait, and when was your last one? - It was a thousand years ago. And it wasn't, yeah, it was a thousand years ago. And you know, I made it in a vacuum and it really wasn't that impactful. You know, you know, I like the challenge. I think that hip hop hasn't really had a Santana moment. I don't, I think that we're so used to things coming and going that we're not even, we don't even understand the idea of an artist being out for 30, 40 years and making great shit. Like we don't even think in those terms. - Well the art form's not old enough to fit. - That's what I'm saying. So we're not used to it, right? So. - And we don't have a Rolling Stones yet. - Not yet, right? So, so to, you know, and, and we're at this place where it's like, I believe personally that, you know you can make an artistic contribution throughout your career. You just gotta be able to step up and actually do it. 'Cause a lot of people, they talk about it but then they can't get it done. - Can't deliver on it. - So, you know, that's why I'm making it. 'Cause I just love the challenge. I love the idea. - Have you been thinking about making it for a long time? Or did it just like last year, you were like, I'm gonna do it. - No, I was thinking about it, thinking about it. And then, you know, actually the way I came out with my album, I'll give you the real story. The story is I had got with Dre, right? Me and Dre was working in the studio and we did like 30, 40 songs and, you know but it just wasn't all the way right. His beats were pristine. They were amazing. But I didn't feel like my writing was really up to par. So I took a step back and then I had, I had a dream. Phife Dawg from, from a Tribe Called Quest the great legendary group, amazing group Tribe Called Quest. This, the kid Phife Dawg, he passed away. May he rest in peace. He came to me in a dream. He's like, yo, that, that, that music you're making with Dre is going to be, it's going to be dope. I'm like, really? He's like, yeah, it's good. But he had this funny look on his face. And I remember like not understanding the look. So when I woke up, I called Q-Tip, you know what I'm saying? Q-Tip and I called Q-Tip. I'm like, yo, Tip. He's like, what's up? I'm like, I said, yo, let's, you know, let's work. I want to make an album. He said, well, what kind of album you want to make? I said, I don't know. I want some hot sauce, barbecue sauce, pickle juice, fucking. You know, I want it as nigga-fied as it possibly can be. Like I just want the blackest, red, black and green, Marcus Garvey and shit. You could ever fucking come up with. With Nigerian DNA baked in it. I want that shit all the way black, right? And he's like, all right, say less, let's do it. So I went, you know, I went to his crib. And you know, we ended up working on an album. So now it's complete. And it's, you know-- So he produced the whole album? Yeah, Q-Tip did my whole album. What? Yeah, it's, you know, and it's fun, because it's a challenge, right? Because it could go one or two ways. It could either be amazing or it could be three days of fire emojis from 10 people, you know what I mean? You know? Yo, the album is out. You get three days of fire emojis, that shit's a wrap. That shit's a risen. That shit's out of here. That shit is over. So it's like, you know, that's the fun part for me, you know? To your point, I like that part that like, so I'm 42. So I grew up with, like all of us, with fucking hip hop. But like, I'm Bad was the first-- we had the record player at the bottom of the wicker stand. Every Saturday, my mom, we'd clean up. She'd play a whole-- she got a whole album. It would usually be Anita Baker, "Rapture." I got one song. She would get the whole album, I would get one song. And my song was "I'm Bad." So I've grown up with you, everybody. And like, you know, it's weird-- it's not weird. It's interesting to see this moment where in the hip hop-- hip hop has now become the biggest art form in the music genre. But then you have like the people we grew up with. Like Nas went on this run where he made like six albums or something between, you know, 45 and 50 years old, and he made the final one when he was 50. And then Andre put out his version of what he thought and didn't want to rap. And like, it's like, some people feel like rap and hip hop is this young person's game. And it's not for me if I'm older. And were you at all thinking about that? Or you were like, I'm going to make that up, too? I don't even really understand that. I mean, how old was Picasso when he did his greatest work? Like, I don't even know what that shit means. I don't-- I mean, who came up with that rule? I-- there is no rule. Like, no, but I'm just-- Rolling Stone's still on tour. Dude, like, I don't-- I don't really understand it. It's-- you know, there is a difference between art and sports. Sports, there is a physical limitation on certain things. It just is what it is. You have freaks of nature like your man who can extend it. But even at that, it probably won't do when he's 50. Probably could. I know. He's like, hold on, hold on, don't, don't, don't. But I'm saying, like, it's like, with the arts, it's about, is your mind fluid? Are you, like-- or has it been crystallized? Calcified. Like, do you keep-- are you interested? Are you interested in life? What happens-- the reason why people can't keep making music is because they ain't interested in nothing. They think they know every goddamn thing. And then they start, like, all that "woe is me" shit. Well, when you was 14, you wasn't rapping about, you know, the pubescent growth spurts. So why you have to get older and talk about prostate? Like, there are other things to talk about besides your doctor's appointment, bro. Like, I love you, but what the fuck are you talking about? Like, I love him. That's my man. He's super talented. What the fuck is he talking about? Like, you can do-- anything. Like, he's one of the great-- I'm talking about Andre's one of the greatest rappers ever. Like, I think he's amazing, but I disagree with that. Like, with all due respect, and I ain't-- you know, and this is viral now. We're viral. But I'm just saying, with all due respect, I disagree with that because I think that he has it in him. So me, I just want to show people that it's possible. I want to show you that it's possible. And the only way to show you is to do it. Do you feel you get your credit in the game? Do you-- like, in your standing? Do you care? I mean-- I mean, dude. I mean, I'm in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I got 10 platinum medals. Albums, Grammys, I mean, yeah, I get my props, bro. I'm like, yeah, I'm thinking, you know what I mean? I got some Kennedy Center honors. Yeah, I think I get my props. Listen, man, everybody's not going to be a fan of everybody. I can't, you know, that ain't my job. I love that perspective. Like, that ain't my job. Like, but yes, I feel completely respected. I love that. Completely. I feel beloved. I feel like the man. I love that. You know what I mean? On the topic of writing, I think it's very interesting because you're a comic, so you write alone. Do you have people who help you or do you write alone? It's weird because as a comic, I don't want to write alone because I feel like it can, like, if I'm writing, my whole thing is I have to write to make someone laugh. So I've got to tap into someone's personality, what makes them laugh. And you've got to remember, like, laughter, humor is subjective. So this is just my point of view of what I find funny. That one's funny. I don't know. So, like, it's hard writing because I'm, like, I'm writing it like this is funny. But if I have outside influence as I'm writing it, someone might say, oh, yeah, but that bit's funny. But I'm like, no, no, no, let's just go with this. So, Mo, I don't know if the comedic, chaotic landscape has made it across the pond, the whole stealing jokes thing, the Cat Williams, all that. Yeah, we see it. Like, we see it at the same time. But, again, it's like, for me, as a conversation to be in, like, I'm watching, these are my heroes. Do you know what I mean? Like, I'm watching, like, my favorite comics. And I'm like, I have no say in this. Don't get me wrong, it happens in comedy. Oh, yeah. But it's up to you. Like, you can even ring a man up and say, hey, listen, I just done my joke. Or, again, I'm one of those people. If I hear something that's a bit similar, I'm like, the people that watch my stuff know. Like, of course, in art and sports, things get copied and changed and you make it your way. It's like, I was telling people, I was talking to, not even about this topic, but just about, like, life. And it comes to football, too. We were talking about hip hop. And Jay-Z was saying, I'm from the tree of Coogee rap. Like, I come from Coogee. Coogee rap gave a, there's a tree of rappers. LL and Coogee rap, that was my, like, Rakim was more like, meaning how they did it, I loved it, I liked it, it influenced me, and I took it and made it my way. It's just like in football, there's coaching trees. Like, Belichick has a tree of guys. None of them have been particularly successful. There's a difference between a tree and sampling, though. Like, Cat was talking about sampling. He was saying, like, I'm not a comedian. Let me just say this. I'm not, I don't want no beef with none of the comedians. That's the last thing I want. Okay? I just want to be clear about that. Don't jump on my ass, because I don't want, I don't want no problem. I don't want no problem. They already go at you about you licking your lips. Yeah, well. And you drop your chapstick. It is what it is. They like, that ain't going to stop. That ain't never going to stop. That ain't, that ain't never going to stop. They would get you a whole roast for that. And of course, there's so much material. There's so much. You're giving them a lot of material. You gave them so much material just now. And they, they, they're like, man, run this back. Yo, it's bananas. It's going to be amazing. You guys are, like, Mike McDaniel is very successful in Miami. The shit he runs, the motion with the pitching, that's all from Kyle's. He might have added some tricks and he got Tyreek. Yeah. So he do some things different. But it's, it's a version of y'all. I don't know if you watch the Dolphins, but it's a version of y'all offense, right? For sure. For sure. But what people don't really see is that Mike has been with Kyle for, you know, when I got in the NFL, Mike was a, was pushing paper and helping him draw the cards and stuff. And behind the scenes, like, he really was a real asset to Kyle. Like, he learned a ton from Kyle and they bounced ideas off of each other and they, you know, but he was a real asset. They was an asset to each other. For sure. Yeah. And I think we're kind of all derivative of someone else. That's my point. Yeah, that's what it says. It's like, we don't get Kobe and LeBron without Jordan. Of course. Like, we see the influence, literally. The great artists are always switching up their style. So it's like the second song. If someone picks up on what I'm doing, I'm going to switch it up. And then continue to switch it up. That's powerful, though. Don't rubble. Don't, like, stay on that a minute. That's amazing. And are you doing it on purpose? Meaning, because you feel like, are you tired of it or you just want something new? I mean, honestly, I never want to repeat myself, you know, but also I'm growing as an artist. So it's like, I'm not going to do Queen and Slim again. I've done that. That's where I was at that time. Then the next thing after that was Beauty. It was a smaller film. That wasn't theatrical, but it was on Netflix. And it was different than that film, you know? And sort of like, or The Chi came first, but then 20s came after that. And so the hope is, is people see me evolving as an artist. Because hopefully we're all evolving as people. So as you continue to move forward, different things inspire you. Like, I think you might have been more intrigued by the actor world, being an actor. Like, that was exciting. That was interesting for you, but also for us as audiences. And so, but then you go, okay. Well, let me go back and give you some music, too. Like, Will Smith did a similar thing. So it's about, sometimes something's just more fascinating to an artist. Like, even Andre 3000. Like, yes, do we want him to do a rap album? Sure. But he's like, I'm on this flute game, y'all. Like, this is my jam right now. I'm super into this. And so it's like, okay, cool. We'll take that. Yeah, I need him to spit, though. Yeah. I need him to spit, man. I want to hear him spit, too. Fucking flutes. Man, come on, bro. Wait, wait, wait. Y'all go through phases. Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen. Like, I want to hear him spit, too. He is, look, look, I'm going to be very, because the comment's going to be crazy. He's amazing, all right? His bars is all the way up. I'm very clear. Yeah. Not the flute, B. Not the flute. I want to hear him spit. I like the album, though. Don't do the flute. I like the album. That's very calming. Listen, listen, not the fucking flute. I was like sipping tea. Not the flute. Let's not lie to ourselves. I don't want to hear him do the flute. You want to hear me do a violin? You might not want to hear me do shit, but do you want to hear me do a violin album? Whatever you want to do. LL got the violin shit? No. Latifah did a jazz album. I've been working on it for seven years. It's like people. It's the violin. I love it. I love it. Listen, listen. We want to hear him. Dre's bars, I just want to hear him. I want him to get with Big Boy. I want him to make an outcast or do a solo album. Every time he does a verse, one verse, it's enough material for an album. He's so gifted, right? Right. So it's like, come on, B, not the flute. I want to hear words. We're not going to lie. Don't get it. That man needs to know the truth. He needs to know the truth. Yo, I like the album. Nobody wants to know. You like the album? I did. What's your favorite song? I knew you was going to say that. Here's the deal. The one with the flute? Come on, B. The titles of the songs are actually quite lit. Oh, great. I don't want to misquote none of these bomb ass titles. I love them. I love them. I love them. He's supremely talented. I want to be clear about this. So, you know, I love him. He's on the Mount Rushmore. Not the flute, bro. The flute. Musical artists go through phases where sometimes they give us albums where we're like, okay, is this where you at? Oh, no, no, no. We all make bad albums. Don't get me wrong. I made bad albums, but I also had some crazy shit, too. But I made bad shit or shit that people didn't respond to because that's where I was at. But at the time, you thought it was good. Not always. Really? You thought you was the guy? Not always. But I'm a. I'm a little bit of a weirdo, though, B. Oh, really? Yeah, yeah. Because sometimes I make records in a vacuum just because it's for me. And then sometimes I make albums for the culture. I'm very different in that regard. So you can't really gauge my albums like that. Because I don't make all my records for the culture. And maybe that's what Andre was doing with the flute thing. So I can understand it from that point of view. He just expressed it differently. So I guess I can get it. But sometimes it's like the Prince records in the vault and you just put them out. And then sometimes it's the thing that you feel the culture. It can touch the culture. So they're very different approaches. They're very different approaches. It's like. What's this one going to be, Al? The difference is that. No, what's this one that you're about to put out? Oh, it's for the culture. It's for the culture. Oh, shit. Yeah, yeah. No, it's for the culture. I love it. I haven't done an album for the culture in many, many years. Is there going to be a flute cameo on the album? It's all flutes. It's all motherfucking flutes. I'm excited. Me and Dre, the duet. We remixing the shit. The flutes. I got the cello. I'm busting it down with the cello. It's crazy. Lane, I wanted to ask you, aside from you being incredibly, incredibly talented, why has The Chi resonated the way it has? I mean, you guys are just coming off a monster season as well. Thank you. Thank you. You know, it's so interesting. It's funny you talk about London. When I'm in London, people talk about The Chi to me. They talk about it. And it's such a beautiful feeling. And I think I really wanted to do a show about where I'm from, clearly. But I wanted to say something about who the people of Chicago are. I really wanted to do a show about where I'm from, clearly. I really wanted to humanize, particularly young black men. That was super important to me. Because is there violence in Chicago? Yes. I can't ignore that. And I would never deny that. But there's a lot of humanity in Chicago as well. And also, I think people assume that people are born violent. Or born with this in their DNA to do illegal things. No. I think sometimes we may not be the product of our environment, but we can be the product of our circumstances. And so, what I want to show is, like, how do we show up in certain circumstances? And that, to me, taps into our humanity at home, because you're wondering, what would I do if somebody was offering me a bunch of money that would improve my life, but might make my safety questionable? And as a writer, do you even have the seed of an idea on how The Chi ends? Well, I've been thinking about it, because I do want to land a plane. No, it's not that you do it. Eventually, you do it. Eventually, you have to. I will, yes. As consumers, you have to do it for us. Yes. And that's a very hard thing. Exactly, because the truth is, I'm also thinking about, and you've been on the TV shows, you know how it goes, I don't want to go out with a whimper. But I think what I want, I do think about legacy, you know, and I think about how I How do I want to walk off the field? How do I want to walk off the court? How do I want to, what's my last joke? So I just really want the ending to resonate because we are in our sixth season, which is not our last season. - It's still so early. Let me tell you something, I'm just, seriously, it's real early. You know, it's real early. Six seasons, I know it's a lot of material to write. Don't get me wrong. I'm not underestimating the workload. I get it. - You know. - It's a lot of, I'm clear. This is a million stories. - You're right. You're right. - You got this. You got this shit, man. - I think, uh-oh, just volunteered for your writer's room. That's what I heard. - First of all, I appreciate that so much coming from you as an icon, a legend, and that voice is in my head, trust me. But I also have another voice. You know that voice of like, when is it time? Know when to fold 'em, know when to get out. Leave 'em wanting more. - That's fear. - Okay, here we go. - That's fear. - Is it fear, or is it me wanting to make sure that I'm not walking out after you're like, is that show still on? I want them to say like, when does the shot come back on? - Nah, is the shot still going? - I bet you any amount of money, there was years ago when maybe Bron was like, man, you think I should, you know, 'cause I'll go out with a bang. Like, yo, nah. A lot of that is just fear. You don't have to know what's gonna happen. You don't have to know what's gonna happen to move forward. You take the steps. You take the steps, you go get it. You didn't know what was gonna happen when you was a little boy running around with drawers on, like being Superman, wanting to play in the NFL, watching TV. You didn't know what was gonna happen. Like, you didn't know you was gonna be halfway around the world doing jokes and, you know what I'm saying? Coming from where you came from. Like, so I say that to say, there's no limitation. We shouldn't limit ourselves. Don't put a period where there's a comma, you know, in your life. Like, keep going and then figure it out. You go, you will land the plane. - One of the things I find fascinating about people in the public eyes, you guys, is to the audience, you're superhuman, right? I think football players are the greatest example of that. It's like, how's he out with turf toe or whatever? Look, he gets paid how much? And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. - He played through it. - Right, exactly, right? And I think sometimes, you know, athletes specifically don't get that benefit of the doubt that you deal with real life shit, right? You went through a real life scare with a cancer scare. You still have football on your mind. How'd you deal with that? What was your process? - Do you guys know this story? You should tell the story a little bit, Trent. - Yeah. If you watch it, I might as well tell. Now, I mean, really, you know, it's funny, you never really know how tough you are to gotta be. Or how strong you are to, you ain't got a choice but to be strong. And that's the only option. So for me, just going through the cancer scare, like you said, I did feel somewhat invincible. I was like seven straight Pro Bowls. You know, I just felt like life was good. You know, me and my boys, we on vacation. Like, get the call. And it started to kind of snowball from there. You know, get a call from a doc. And he's like, you know, I had this, this mask on my, you know, right inside my hairline. And I used to have to wear my hair kind of high just to hide it, you know? And I was told, you know, from the team doctors that it was a cyst and not to worry about it. So I didn't worry about it and just dealt with it. You know, it wasn't painful or nothing. But eventually I'm like, hey, I've been looking at this for like five years now. I just want it. I just want it gone. - Yeah, of course. - Every time I go in there, it was never a good time. 'Cause it was right where my hairline is, my helmet gotta be. So you get stitches right there, you can't play for at least a week. So I could never do it during the season. Then, you know, off season, I'm out training and shit. I ain't trying to take a break from that either. So, you know, it was a bit of both of us just kind of like, they was telling me something that I really kind of wanted to hear, that it wasn't nothing. So, you know, fast forward five years, I'm finally like, hey, I'm going to take, you know, right after this game, I'm healthy, ain't got nothing, no rehab. I'm going to go last game of the season. After that, I want to go get this cut off. And so I went and did that. And the doctor that did it was questioning me about it. I'm like, man, I was told it was a cyst. He was like, man, I don't think this is no cyst. I'm like, bro, it's a cyst, just cut it off. I'm trying to go. Like, I got a fight to catch, X, Y, and Z. So he was like, all right, you know. And I remember it being really painful and it wasn't supposed to be because I was really numbed up, you know. So then that was kind of, that kind of like was a red flag a little bit. But I ain't worried about it, got it cut out. We went on our trip. I get a call from the doc. He had a real heavy Indian accent. So he was speaking kind of frantic and I didn't really understand him. And really, I ain't even, I got like that eerie feeling in my stomach. I'm like, this sounds kind of important. And I really just didn't even want to deal with what it could be. So I didn't even listen to the rest of the voicemail. I'm like, I'm going to just try to enjoy my time. Obviously, when I get back, the team is calling, hey, we need to go back in. They said it didn't look normal, X, Y, and Z. So I'm like, all right, start getting a little worried. So they're like, we're going to make you a doctor's appointment. By this time, I'm at the Pro Bowl, right? I'm in Orlando with the kids, Disney World, you know. My mom, she's an LVN, so she's a nurse now. So I tell her about it and she'll worry us. I really didn't want to tell her. So I tell her and she like, that's interesting. Like when is the doctor's appointment? I'm like, it's Wednesday. She's like, what kind of doctor are you going to? So I never even thought to even think about it. So I went in my room and I Googled it and it said oncologist and I'm like, oh shit. So I literally, I just like, it's probably three o'clock in the evening. I just laid in the bed, kind of just confused. Like, damn, I didn't know what was coming next, you know? But I know it's getting serious. 'Cause I can hear it in everybody's voice. So, you know, I just kind of start bracing for it. Next week come, we're in the doctor's office. It's like 10 doctors in there, you know. - Who went with you, your mom? - My mom, yeah, just me and my mom. And you know, so they kind of crowd around. They like, we're pretty sure you know why you're here. I'm like, I have no fucking clue why I'm here. So, you know, just put it on me. - You never revisited the voice message? - No, I didn't, I didn't. I never even thought to, honestly. - Uh-huh. - I was like, look, doc, just put it on me, man. What's going on? And I see this pretty, you know, it's a lot of people in here and it's like, well, you got this rare form of cancer that, you know, it's like, he said it's like a 5%, like one in five million chance of getting this particular cancer, something like that. It was like really rare. So really, honestly, I couldn't even hear nothing. As soon as he said cancer, it was like, yeah, I'm like, what the fuck? - I just got to chill hearing that. - Yeah, yeah. So even, even every time I hear the word cancer, it's like, you know, it bring that back. But so from there, they like, hey, so how long has this been there? And I'm like, I look at the team doc, cause he was in there and I'm like, I mean, - And it's the same team doctor that's been there for five years? - Yeah. So I'm like, oh, you didn't tell him. And he just kind of like, you know, kind of looked down a little bit. So I'm like, it's been like five years. And they just like, oh shit. You know, everybody- - Right. - Oh shit. Look, say like, oh, we, this might be bigger than what we thought. We got to put a board of doctors together. So it took him like two days to put all these doctors to come together. Cause they, you know, it's been there so long. They were scared how far it went. - And Trent, at that moment, are you even thinking football? You're thinking life? Like what's- - At that moment, no, I wasn't thinking football at that moment, but I didn't think that it was, I didn't think my life was in danger. Like, but I wasn't, I wasn't thinking football. I was just thinking more like my kids and stuff, you know? So when they said, put a board of doctors together, that was kind of very alarming to me. So, you know, fast forward about a week, they doing all this preparation and stuff. Mind you, I'm going to the doctor, like maybe once every two days, different appointment. They cutting a piece of my, like literally cutting a piece out every time I go, you know what I'm saying? And so I'm about to get it. You know, taken out. They think that they got the root of it. You know, no big deal. So the surgery is Friday. On Thursday, they like, hey, let's go get an MRI so we can have a real, so we have our real plan, you know, in place and know how we supposed to do this and this and that. So we do the MRI. That day, no, Wednesday, that Thursday they called me and it's like three o'clock. I'm in Northern Virginia, which is like 45 minutes from DC. So it's not with traffic, like an hour. So he like, man, I need you to come in the office. My office is like three o'clock. By the time I get there, it should be closed. He like, listen, I don't care what time you get here. I'm going to be here. And, and that like basically like made me get butterflies. I'm like, damn, that don't sound good. You know, so my mom, she was watching the kids and I didn't very conscious about taking them with me. I mean, to the doctors. Cause at that time, my oldest was been able to read and you know, I ain't want her seeing and just carrying that burden with her at school every day. So before I knew how in depth it was, you know what I'm saying? So I go and I get in the office and it's literally just a doctor and a nurse there. Everybody gone. I'm walking in, it's dark, you know? And I, and I could tell that the nurse, she didn't really like want to make eye contact. So I'm noticing all this stuff. so I'm really, you know, I'm like a boss. the nerves and then uh i'm waiting on the doc he finally come he walk in and as soon as he started talking the nerves her lips started shaking and shit like she's about to start tearing up i'm like damn man i he just go on like you know um you know i know you love football and you know it just i'm like look bro just tell me what's going on yeah he like listen man you need to not worry about football you just need to get close to your daughters and like the people you love the most because you know it don't look like it's not looking that good so i'm like wow what the fuck changed what i was like damn i couldn't even look at i'm literally just like staring off into space because i'm trying to process what he just told me i'm a 30 year old man i'm actually i feel healthy as possible he just told me i don't got that long to live so you know that i honestly what what like what did he say like he said get your affairs in order that's what he told me that was a word for word oh he's like you gotta get your affairs in order i'm like instantly i didn't even think about dying honestly i didn't even like i knew that would come that's coming naturally anyway but i just started thinking you know i got all girls you know what i'm saying at that time i had two daughters and i was just thinking like damn i want to walk them down the aisle i want to send them off to college i want to see them graduate i'm like damn i don't like i don't think i'll make it that long you know especially what he's saying so you know really i don't even know how i got home i drove an hour to the house and i swear i just remember parking the car and i'm like damn i don't even know where my mind was in autopilot like it was just of course i was it's like an out-of-body experience and then after that that's when everything started to ramp up they flew me to chicago uh down in new york and i was like oh my god i'm gonna die i'm gonna die down in northwestern and they went and they was like they did a scan as i already so they thought that the tumor because the tumor sat here so they and it looked like from the mri that it metastasized through to my brain to my skull and stuff so in their mind they like it's pretty much over once that happened so go to chicago luckily they have like this 3d imaging and they could see cancer cells and they said it hasn't my the tumor was attached to my skull which was the scary part because it had been there so long that this tumor has roots it don't it's not like a like a mass like right it's like a like tentacles like an octopus so you know that shit was like spreading so it looked on the surface it looked like a small like you know what would be bigger a little bigger than a mosquito bite but you know when you look at the surgery picture it was like this big you know i lost like 30 percent of my scalp you know so damn but like you said when they looked at it they saw we we my mom was like look y'all been sending too many doctors we getting this we getting this we getting this i want to go to md anderson which is like number one like we want to go there so and call md anderson like fast we can get you in it's like 10 days and i will we ain't got 10 days you might it might it could metastasize tomorrow it could you could take three days but we don't know we really don't have you can't take that chance so i literally i flew to here and i was like i'm gonna go to md anderson and i was like i'm gonna go to here and i was like i'm gonna go to md anderson and they couldn't get me in i had to shave my head and they couldn't get me in i had to shave my head that night that night that night flew back and then that's when i went under flew back and then that's when i went under flew back and then that's when i went under went three surgeries where you had the went three surgeries where you had the went three surgeries where you had the surgeries at in chicago in chicago and no surgeries at in chicago in chicago and no surgeries at in chicago in chicago and no question no question wow yeah damn man question no question wow yeah damn man question no question wow yeah damn man oh yeah no i'm blessed how did you so oh yeah no i'm blessed how did you so oh yeah no i'm blessed how did you so because i know this so now you got to go because i know this so now you got to go because i know this so now you got to go back to washington and look at that back to washington and look at that back to washington and look at that same trainer who let that thing same trainer who let that thing same trainer who let that thing kept telling you it was nothing yeah kept telling you it was nothing yeah kept telling you it was nothing yeah how do you walk back in there and look how do you walk back in there and look how do you walk back in there and look at that at that at that honestly and we've seen you yeah we've honestly and we've seen you yeah we've honestly and we've seen you yeah we've seen you push around a lot of guys seen you push around a lot of guys seen you push around a lot of guys push with your shirt push with your shirt push with your shirt so but no honestly man so but no honestly man so but no honestly man you know i'm i'm a realist anyway i you know i'm i'm a realist anyway i you know i'm i'm a realist anyway i understand the business like it was a he understand the business like it was a he understand the business like it was a he just wants you all on the field man just wants you all on the field man just wants you all on the field man yeah and again it was a it was a rare yeah and again it was a it was a rare yeah and again it was a it was a rare form of cancer it was a cancer that form of cancer it was a cancer that form of cancer it was a cancer that that 80 of cancer doctors don't even see that 80 of cancer doctors don't even see that 80 of cancer doctors don't even see honestly i don't think it benefited me honestly i don't think it benefited me honestly i don't think it benefited me by holding a grudge against them by holding a grudge against them by holding a grudge against them you know i was more so focused on the you know i was more so focused on the you know i was more so focused on the blessing like i'm here like i can go blessing like i'm here like i can go blessing like i'm here like i can go hold my kids at night like i'm walking hold my kids at night like i'm walking hold my kids at night like i'm walking through these hallways at the hospital through these hallways at the hospital through these hallways at the hospital and you see and you see and you see people wheeling their parents around a people wheeling their parents around a people wheeling their parents around a parent wheeling their kids around and parent wheeling their kids around and parent wheeling their kids around and you know you know you know that the end is near you know and i that the end is near you know and i that the end is near you know and i just got this just got this just got this great prognosis that you know i got a great prognosis that you know i got a great prognosis that you know i got a lot of lot of lot of the big surgery but i'll be fine like the big surgery but i'll be fine like the big surgery but i'll be fine like i'll be i'll be i'll be i can you know my kids gonna have me i can you know my kids gonna have me i can you know my kids gonna have me around and and i felt around and and i felt i can you know my kids gonna have me around and and i felt i kind of had this survivor's i kind of had this survivor's i kind of had this survivor's remorse a little bit i felt guilty remorse a little bit i felt guilty remorse a little bit i felt guilty like i've had this like i've had this like i've had this you know i've been privileged to be in you know i've been privileged to be in you know i've been privileged to be in this position this this position this this position this to be able to to live my dream and to be able to to live my dream and to be able to to live my dream and then then then i go through this cancer battle and i i go through this cancer battle and i i go through this cancer battle and i get get by on like a get get by on like a get by on like a basically what would have been a one percent basically what would have been a one percent basically what would have been a one percent chance of it not chance of it not chance of it not getting through to my brain so it's like getting through to my brain so it's like getting through to my brain so it's like like what did i do to be like what did i do to be like what did i do to be to be so lucky or deserve this you know to be so lucky or deserve this you know to be so lucky or deserve this you know what i'm saying so what i'm saying so what i'm saying so i i had to deal with that but you know i i had to deal with that but you know i i had to deal with that but you know just being able to just being able to just being able to to take advantage of being able to have to take advantage of being able to have my family around my kids around like my family around my kids around like my family around my kids around like that helped me get back in the mind just that helped me get back in the mind just that helped me get back in the mind just saying hey i went through an obstacle i saying hey i went through an obstacle i saying hey i went through an obstacle i was blessed to get over it you know what was blessed to get over it you know what was blessed to get over it you know what i'm saying not stop looking in the i'm saying not stop looking in the i'm saying not stop looking in the rearview mirror like you know change how rearview mirror like you know change how rearview mirror like you know change how you live yeah it changed me a hundred you live yeah it changed me a hundred you live yeah it changed me a hundred percent like it was the one of the worst percent like it was the one of the worst things you can imagine going through but things you can imagine going through but things you can imagine going through but it's probably the best thing that ever it's probably the best thing that ever it's probably the best thing that ever happened to me wow because it made me happened to me wow because it made me happened to me wow because it made me appreciate not only my career that made appreciate not only my career that made appreciate not only my career that made me appreciate life you know we and when me appreciate life you know we and when me appreciate life you know we and when you're young and you know you got a lot you're young and you know you got a lot you're young and you know you got a lot you take for granted you feel like you're you take for granted you feel like you're you take for granted you feel like you're untouchable in a sense untouchable in a sense untouchable in a sense wow but how does it affect you now what wow but how does it affect you now what wow but how does it affect you now what you've dealt with now like any game but you've dealt with now like any game but you've dealt with now like any game but specifically the super bowl you look you specifically the super bowl you look you specifically the super bowl you look you lose it does it does it have an effect lose it does it does it have an effect lose it does it does it have an effect on how you deal with losing and going on how you deal with losing and going on how you deal with losing and going forward from that uh forward from that uh forward from that uh you know that's the biggest loss you can you know that's the biggest loss you can you know that's the biggest loss you can take you know but at the end of the day take you know but at the end of the day you look at it for what it is like i you look at it for what it is like i you look at it for what it is like i said i'm gonna realize like we two teams said i'm gonna realize like we two teams said i'm gonna realize like we two teams left left left and out of 32 teams you two teams and out of 32 teams you two teams and out of 32 teams you two teams fighting for that one trophy like i fighting for that one trophy like i fighting for that one trophy like i mean yeah it sucks but you got to look mean yeah it sucks but you got to look mean yeah it sucks but you got to look back and say back and say back and say the end of the day was a successful the end of the day was a successful the end of the day was a successful season you know like season you know like season you know like i used to think i just get me to the i used to think i just get me to the i used to think i just get me to the super bowl i don't care we win or lose super bowl i don't care we win or lose super bowl i don't care we win or lose i just want to feel that atmosphere like i just want to feel that atmosphere like i just want to feel that atmosphere like it was it was it was i had never won a playoff game in the i had never won a playoff game in the i had never won a playoff game in the first 10 years of my career so first 10 years of my career so first 10 years of my career so to even see think about the super bowl to even see think about the super bowl to even see think about the super bowl nfc championship i'm like just nfc championship i'm like just nfc championship i'm like just i just want to feel it i don't put so i just want to feel it i don't put so i just want to feel it i don't put so much into this game you know i didn't much into this game you know i didn't much into this game you know i didn't sacrifice so much sacrifice so much sacrifice so much i haven't felt the pinnacle yet you know i haven't felt the pinnacle yet you know i haven't felt the pinnacle yet you know and i just you know i wanted to be and i just you know i wanted to be and i just you know i wanted to be there i just wanted to experience it there i just wanted to experience it there i just wanted to experience it then when you get there you understand then when you get there you understand then when you get there you understand it's just another football game now you you want to win that game as bad as ever. Now me getting there wasn't really good enough at the time. So, you know, I think I take it in stride, man. Like I didn't, I didn't, I didn't have obstacles. And I think there's just another one of them, man. - You know, it's the one beautiful part of your story is, is your mother's love, man. - Oh yeah, for sure. - Like a mother's love is something else. - Yeah, nah, she-- - Like your mother loved you. Like I could feel the love when you was talking about it. I could feel your mom's love for you. - But did you tell her that was the only part? When you left the house that day and they called you and the nurse was quivering and your mom was watching the kids. Did you tell her you had got that car or did you just leave? - Nah, I just left. - So she didn't know what you was going to do. - She didn't know. She didn't know. When I got home, like I said, she was there in the house. And that was the hardest part by coming home. 'Cause we had been told everything was going to be okay. And now I got to come tell my mom that, hey, they just told me I don't got long to live. And like having to call my dad and like tell him that over the phone, that was tough. Really telling everybody that was pretty tough. Like, you know, I didn't, I didn't tell a lot of people, but you know, my really, really close circle, I had to express. 'Cause it was, it was a lot to hold. - For sure. For sure, that's a thing. - Pivoting, pivoting a little bit. Talked to Super Bowl. There was a lot made of the overtime thing, the rules. Did you personally know of the rule? That there was some confusion. It seemed the team didn't know. What's your take on it? - Yeah. - Or your experience, I should say. - I personally knew because of, you know, it was a deal the year before with Josh Allen and that whole deal. So to be real with you, bro, I ain't gonna lie. After that game, I hadn't logged in to Instagram, Twitter, nothing. I've been basically. - Checked out. - Yeah, I checked out. I was just like, shit, I just need to, you know, I, we, we was out there, we was exposed. You just took your worst loss in front of everybody. Like, you know, at the end of the day, you know, you got pride, we prideful. So I just had to take a break, take a step back. Just make sure I'm good. - But later, before, before we get, before we get you out of here, no, you gotta run. - Yeah. - You gotta run. You gotta run. Cannabis brand. Talk a little bit about that. That's very dope to hear. - Oh yeah. Well, you know, we definitely like to show on all of our shows, people smoking weed. Like, it's a piece of our culture that I'm not afraid to show. And, and, and also to take shame away from that as well. And so my first string is called First Draft, which is also a play on, you know. - Sativa. - Yeah, it's a sativa, but it's also a hybrid. So it keeps the body calm, but the brain working. And, you know, and we want to do a play on the fact that I am a writer. So the first time you, like you write the script, it's the first draft. It's been an exciting journey. And I also look forward to it being legal everywhere. I think we'll get there eventually, but it's just really nice to see how far that journey has come as well. You talk about journeys. I mean, think about where we were 10 years ago and to where we are now and where we're going. So I just think it's important for us to get involved in that, that business and to have fun with it. - Love that. - Lena, we're gonna let Lena go. - I gotta go right. - You're going all right. - Go right, Lena. - Thanks, man. Appreciate y'all. - All right. - Do you drink when you're on stage? - No, I make a habit. - You go on stage totally sober. - Yeah, I like to be sober. It makes me more fresh, more sharp. It's weird because I've done shows before and I've had a drink beforehand and sometimes they've been my best shows, but I don't want that to feel like that was what made me feel like I had a good show. - But it makes you more loose, right? - It does, but then the habit is like, you can be too loose with the tongue. And like, do you know what I mean? I always say this as a comic. I was like, as much as crowd work is fun and you get to, you know, you can make some material out of someone in the audience. You also remember that at the end of the show, there's nothing stopping that person coming up to you and saying, "Hey, let me talk to you for a second." - Let me holler at you, my man. - Yeah, that's happened before, man. - Has that happened to you? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's happened before, man. - In London? - Yeah, it happened in London once. So basically, I used to have this part of the show where I used to say, "Listen," and the audience would be standing there. I'd say, "Listen, before I start the show, "I'm not gonna make fun of anyone in the audience." So I would point out someone. I'd say, "Let's say, for example, your name is Clarissa." Yeah, and I'd say, "Clamydia." Yeah, you all got the joke, yeah? Everyone got the joke that I'm gonna say, "Oh, Clamydia, your name, but it's Clarissa." So that's the joke. Audience laughs, I'm carrying on with the show. I see her boyfriend. He's not laughing or nothing. - The whole show? - The whole show. - You eyeing him the whole show? - So the show's going well. - She's probably groaning like a mother. - I'll never forget it. The whole show's going well. She's laughing, but he's just like this. Throughout the whole show. Now, as a comic, when you're on stage, you know when someone's laughing. You're like, "This person's really not laughing." - Teddy, what's up, bro? Come on in, bro. - You know what I mean? - Come on in, bro. What's up, bro? It's Teddy, bro. You're jumping into the great time. - Where, right here? - Yes, you're right there. - Go ahead. So finish this story, so go ahead. - Yeah, so I've done the show. The show was fine. Show had finished now. And I remember the show finishing. And you know, you get paid after your show. This is like cash and hand days when I was still doing the open mic circuit. This guy has paid me and I can still see this guy waiting around like this. And I didn't, again, you just know, let me just leave. There's no reason for me to talk to him. Two weeks later, I promise you not, I'd done this show. I'll never forget. The show had this L-shaped room. And there's one set of people here. They're eating food and they're not really laughing. But the other set, they don't have the food option. So they're just normal comedy guys and they're laughing. But I can notice as I'm performing that there's someone not laughing in this section where everyone don't have food. So I'm like, that guy looks familiar, man. He looks so familiar. And it's the same guy who was at the show previously. And again, I'm just like, again, my mind is rattled 'cause I'm like, these ain't laughing. They're eating food, but these are having a fun time. But this particular guy ain't laughing. So I've left the show and you're in between these double doors. And I walk through the door and he comes in. I look at him, he looked at me. And I'm like, "Hey, what's up?" And he's like, "No, no, no, fuck that." - Fuck that, what's up, shit? - Like a dream. - No, no, no, fuck that. - Hilarious. - No, no, no, no, fuck all that. - So I'm trying to do the whole, oh, he was at the show. He's like, "Listen, I'll never forget this." He goes, "Listen, I seen you at the show two weeks ago and you disrespected my girlfriend." And I'm trying to now explain. I said, "No, no, no, the joke is, no, no, no, no, no. Fuck that." My heart is beating 'cause it never happened to me before. My heart is beating. And he goes, "Listen, if you ever disrespect my girlfriend ever again, I'm gonna cave in your face, all right?" So then again, I'm trying to explain. I'm like, "No, but what is?" He goes, "Listen, fuck the explanations." And I'll never forget this. He goes, "Listen, I think you're hilarious. Keep doing what you're doing and good luck with the rest of your career." And I left at the door. And I was in this weird situation where I was like, that's the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me. But at the same time, I'm not gonna make anyone the butt of my jokes ever again. - So you stopped. - 'Cause he was, he was so calm. And I always say- - He was calm. - The scariest man is the calmest man. But comedy's like that. And you gotta remember as well, in the black community, the way we go out to experience a comedy show is different. I've always found, 'cause I've done different audiences. I've done white audiences. I've done, you know, audience that you can tell they're very wealthy. But you can tell sometimes you do a show that's in the hood. I remember doing a show once. I see this guy sitting in front. I said, "What's going on, my guy? I see you, big silver chain." This guy humbled me. He's like, "Big man, do the jokes." And again, I was, I was frightened for my life. I started talking about- - That's a good laugh. - Do the jokes. - Stick to the jokes, baby. - I started talking about the weather for a reason. - But you learn these things, man. In comedy, you learn, man. That's why I always say, understand the environment that you're in. - Teddy, he talked about funny is funny. Like if you just make, you make people laugh. When you first came out, the first thing I seen, you covering Marvin Gaye, right? So now I was like, so interesting to me to see you covering who I think the greatest voice ever. Marvin Gaye is the greatest voice ever. And to black people, Marvin Gaye is like, there's like, Jesus and Marvin Gaye. Like he made "What's Going On." He made "Sexual Healing." He was, he's the only artist who could do both. But were you all worried about black people accepting you, singing soul and covering Marvin Gaye? - You know, absolutely. I will always say that my biggest thing is it's like, that's not for me to take or tell this story that's not mine, or I just, I'm here to pay homage to the greatest that's ever done it. - And when you create, do you even think about genres of music? Or are you just like, this is how I feel? Meaning, do you think, 'cause your music is soulful. - Yeah. - Yeah. Sometimes a little, sometimes a little rock, sometimes a little-- - Pop. - Whatever. - Country. - Pop. - Yeah. - Country. Do you think about that? Or are you like, I'm just making the songs that I like? - I've found that in my time of trying to write, make music, I find that I've always like, kind of gotten blocked or blocked the creative act when I've been like, oh, this is too rock, or this is too soul, or this is too much of this. I try now just to do whatever feels like it's asking for, you know, and get out of the way of the creative act happening. I think there's something in the air that's just falling down when you're in a room writing, you know, and you just get the hell out of the way and let it happen. - Do you think genres even matter anymore? - I don't think so, 'cause I was so fortunate with my song, "Lose Control," that hit that point. - Amazing record, man. - It was working, thank you, man. It was working on country stations, and it was working on pop stations, and R&B and rhythmic stations too, and rock stations. I think a good song still works, and people are hungry for tunes, man. - Yes, and the idea of like, being discovered on social, you going for that, like are we just doing this thing I love where you're like, I wanna be discovered, so I'm gonna put these things out. - Well, I never thought that covers would be the thing. It just truly started, so 2019, June 25th, it was 10 years that Michael Jackson had passed away, you know, and I just wanted to put a cover up of "Rock With You" on to just kind of pay homage to that and say, man, salute to the GOAT, you know? And we woke up the next day and it had like stupid amount of, I think it had like 10,000 views on it, and we were like, bro, we're getting fucking shit out tonight. 10,000 views, absolutely, fuck yeah, boys, we made it, you know, and, but I think once it finally like started getting to like the 500,000 mark, it was just like, I found that was the funny thing that has worked for me because of social media, I think is the gimmick of, that I sound this way, but I look this way, and it kind of helped a lot, but I think when people first saw like a million views on it and see me in a camo t-shirt with a bunch of face tattoos singing "Rock With You," I think people were like, either, this is actually good or this is gonna be fucking hilarious. - Hilarious, exactly. - And it ended up being both for me, so I think I'm just, you know, happy for the fucking gimmick. I'm working the gimmick, baby, you know what I mean? - For sure, for sure. You were discovered on social too, right? - Yeah, man, yeah, social media is where I am today, really. I guess it's probably the same as you, like, when you find that the thing that goes viral, you're like, this, I didn't mean for this to happen, but it's happened, and then someone shares it, and then it might be, you know, a famous person shares it, and then again, and then you just see this, this count of followers going up, but it's almost like, the great thing is, it's amazing for your career, 'cause you're getting all these new followers, but you don't have any money, do you know what I mean? So I'm still in retail, I'm still, yeah. - You have blown up and we're still working. - So yeah, so I, so Germanum was the first retail, and then Levi was the last place I was at, so my numbers are going up, people are sharing my stuff, like Drake started following me and stuff. You gotta remember, like, from being in South London, my friends lost their mind. My friends are like, you made it now, you know? I'm like, bro, it's just a follower. But I think the beautiful thing is, if social media, it's a heightened reality. - For sure. - Do you know what I mean? So people assuming that I've got money, or they're like, oh, Drake follows you now, you guys must DM each other. I'm like, no, why would I, I wouldn't do that. I don't want it to unfollow, do you know what I mean? - I'm trying to keep it. - Yeah, yeah, I don't want that. But then I needed to turn my, what was happening, into saying to people, look, I'm a standup comic. This is what I do. As much as people like the videos, and it's all cool, this is what I'm actually good at doing. And it's the same thing you're saying, bro, of like, people, I think what I found is, people had seen the videos, and they're like, are you funny, funny, though? Because the videos are funny. It's a minute of comedy. It's like fast food, but it's almost like, can you make an actual, can you make a real mac and cheese from the start? - And Mo, does that process change, like, you're on tour, right? - Yeah, man, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Are you preparing differently for this tour you're on? - I think for, for tour show, I have to be more sharp. I think if I'm just doing 10, 20 minutes at the club, I can mess around and have fun. know if people have paid good money on a saturday you know women get their hair done and their nails done the man them got a trim i know i've got to put on the best show because you're like you know you bring your woman out you know you got a babysitter no one wants to see me messing around so i think when they're on tour it's even more important especially coming over here because people are like you've made the trip over here i finally got to see you and i've realized here people you guys travel like meeting people that come from florida arizona that's flowing in yeah they're flowing in so i need to put on the best show possible now do you know i mean i can't really mess around but that's what we do with the work in progress is you know do a work in progress show to iron out and make sure the show is is pinpoint because the minute when people come to something that they paid good money for and they say oh it's a shame we waited two years for this and it wasn't he was just on the stage asking you know who's in the house do you know what i mean it's like i don't want that feeling do you know what i mean you know as we've been touring since the pandemic is over and we're we're starting from 2000s i'm going to 3000s it's going you have to do every step of that way to get those asses into those seats and really like the the touring business now is so different than what the music business is and they're two separate entities all together and and and i see so many kids that'll have a hit or a smash on tiktok and when they're having a number one record they're trying to sell a tour and they're going out and they can't sell 300 tickets you know and they got a number one record or worse they they they skip all these steps and never do the 300 caps in the 500s they never do that and the next thing you know they're they got the number one hit right now and they're doing these arenas and then two years later they can't sell a fucking ticket to save their lives you used to be a football player yeah and then there was a teacher who told you go do music yeah is that because they knew you weren't gonna be as big as trent well yeah i'm five foot seven my dog yeah i'm even fucking i haven't worn my goddamn platforms in here because i i try to i try to look like a snag in these bad boys do you still speak to that teacher teddy yeah it's actually man what's what's even crazier um that we we played in birmingham alabama like a week or two ago and um this teacher i had in fourth grade miss berry um so she was like a sergeant of military and um she used to tell us after class you know like after after recess if everybody shut shut the fuck up and just does their workbook she put in greatest hits al green for us and fourth grade and fourth grade we're all like eight or nine years old that's in georgia not in ohio we did not get out of there's the first time i ever heard sold the teachers shut the fuck up well she didn't say that i'm okay but uh fourth grade she played al green that's awesome and what's crazy these nine years old these nine-year-olds are all in here like they know about heartbreak and shit just like oh yeah like we all everybody was just quiet i remember going home my dad i was like dude i heard this song daddy it's like and i the first time i heard that i'm so tired of being alone i was like oh dad what is this i didn't say fuck either then but but you know i was just like dad you know what is what is this i had never heard soul music before i grew up my mom's side was like you know pentecostal pastor so it was it was you know like and not not the good kind of gospel like yes like like you know fucking jesus culture you know what i mean so i mean when i first heard that i was like dad you know he put me on a keep sweat after that marvin gay and all sorts of cool shit i was like yo this is where this is music right here this is that's fourth grade al green that's the type of class i want my kids to be yeah for sure and so she came to the show not too long ago because i talked to her i talk about her all the time in interviews and stuff i'm like where is she now what is she doing now you know is she still alive is she like does she ever hear me talking about her and she's standing in the front row and one of these people had miss berries here you know and i brought her back and got a seer and we took a picture and you know gave him my number and it was it was cool because you never know what you're doing the kids you know like you never know sure you never know yeah it's crazy so shout out to miss miss berry with that we're a wrap fellas thank you guys winning never sounded so good what would you do if you won big at crown coins casino real people win real prizes every single day hi this is michael from georgia i won 40k and finally renovated my home visit crown coins.com sign up in seconds enter code crown and get a free 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