Keith Lee on Fame, Family & Food Reviews

Summary

Podcast Summary: Baby, This Is Keke Palmer — Keith Lee on Fame, Family & Food Reviews

Date: May 12, 2026
Host: Keke Palmer
Guest: Keith Lee

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Episode Overview

In this engaging and openhearted episode of "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer," Keke welcomes viral food reviewer and entrepreneur Keith Lee. Together, they go beyond the headlines and viral clips to dive into Keith’s roots, values, and meteoric rise—discussing everything from family and faith to business ethics, authenticity, and the power of community. The conversation weaves through Keith’s journey from MMA fighting to TikTok fame, his approach to supporting small businesses, the “Keith Lee Effect,” and the upcoming Family Day Festival. The vibe is funny, vulnerable, and full of wisdom.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Roots, Family, and Identity

• Detroit upbringing and family values: Keith and Keke bond over their Midwest roots and reflect on the influence of growing up in close-knit, church-going Black families.
  • [00:44] Keith: "I do business [in LA], but I’m a country boy, so I live in Dallas... but you know I’m from Detroit, so Midwest country."
• Astrology as icebreaker:
  • Keke playfully analyzes Keith’s star sign, with Keith admitting only his wife keeps track of his chart.
  • [02:09] “I don’t follow it enough, but my wife tells me every now and again that I am a Libra.”
• Faith as a guiding mantra: Keith emphasizes the importance of keeping God and faith central in his life.
  • [07:14] “Keep the main thing the main thing. And the main thing is God.”
  • Both reflect on personal vs. inherited faith and ask questions as a form of spiritual growth.
• Family as the core driver:
  • Keith’s gratitude is deeply tied to family. Planning and prioritizing family-focused events like the upcoming Family Day Festival.

2. Navigating Marriage, Boundaries & Respect

• Respecting marriage in public life: Keith is firm about marriage as a non-negotiable, openly discussing with Keke how he and his wife communicate around boundaries and respect.
  • [04:23] “I don’t play when it comes to respect and I don’t play when it comes to respecting my marriage... Because respect is a huge thing to me.”

3. Keith Lee’s “Family Day Festival” & Community Engagement

• Conception of Family Day:
  • Inspired by the challenges of extensive food tours while raising a young family, Keith created a community-driven event tailored for all generations.
  • [15:02] “We might be on the road for three weeks at a time... For me, I was looking for a way to do it that’s more streamlined... This isn’t a money grab.”
• Festival lineup and intention:
  • Inclusive musical acts (Kirk Franklin, Gracie’s Corner, Mannie Fresh), carnival games, obstacle courses; highlights inclusivity and intergenerational fun.
  • [17:17] “I wanted music for every generation...At the end, we all just listen to Kirk and have fun.”
• Supporting small businesses:
  • The festival showcases vendors and small eateries boosted by the “Keith Lee Effect.”
  • [20:20] “This is literally about community, for the community...These are grassroots mom and pop shops that are still independent.”

4. Journey from MMA to Food Reviews

• MMA background and transition:
  • Keith reveals his past as a professional fighter (ages 18–26) before his social media breakthrough.
  • [26:01] “My last fight was at the end of 2022. That’s when everything took off on social media.”
• Navigating public identity shift:
  • The duo shares thoughts on being typecast and embracing career pivots.
  • Keke: “People will look at you and be like, oh, that’s Akeelah and the Bee…When did you feel comfortable with that?”

5. Social Anxiety, Authenticity & Online Presence

• Open struggles with social anxiety:
  • Keith describes being an overthinker, how social settings (versus fighting) spark anxiety, and how kindness in his content isn’t just a persona.
  • [29:21] “I can have a conversation with somebody, and if I say one thing that I don’t like, I’m thinking about it and replaying it a thousand times non-stop.”
• Authenticity as the secret to viral success:
  • Keith credits faith, gratitude, and genuine reactions over production value for the resonance of his content.
  • [36:19] “I just eat. And whatever happens after that, happens after that. I’m not trying to get the best angles... I got my phone.”

6. The “Keith Lee Effect” & Small Business Impact

• Lifting up under-recognized restaurants:
  • Keith is intentional about highlighting Black-owned, family-run, and community-based businesses in food deserts.
  • [40:56] “I’m very pro-Black. I want to see everybody that look like me succeed…in my day to day life I was going to places that look like me.”
• Human side of influence:
  • Keith tells powerful stories of restaurants that thrived after a review, such as a Korean BBQ owner who got to see his restaurant succeed before he passed.
  • [51:05] “The owner was able to tell me he saw his dream come true...and right after he passed away, we did a memorial service for him where over 4,000 people showed up...It was literally a community day before a family day.”

7. Business Ethics & Brand Collaborations

• Turning down a $1 million brand deal:
  • Keith shares his conviction to only endorse products he truly enjoys, declining lucrative offers that don’t align with his integrity.
  • [63:14] “I wasn’t making money like that. So when they said a million dollars, I was like, how much? ...But it was something that went against who I am as a person...They wanted me to take a bite of it and go, it’s a 10 out of 10. I ain’t never been held.”
  • [65:22] “The more you say no, the more valuable your yes is.”
• Respectful brand partnerships:
  • Discussion about the necessity of real collaboration and not being just a “face” for followers.

8. Cultural Commentary & Advocacy

• Championing Black business and dollars:
  • Keke and Keith break down the ripple effect of supporting underrepresented communities for overall social and economic growth.
• Standing up for immigrant communities:
  • Keith’s empathy-driven activism, such as supporting Mexican restaurants during ICE raids.
  • [60:39] “I’m not a political person. I am a human being...This country does not exist without everybody.”

9. Lighthearted Moments & Rapid Fire Food Takes

• Food hot takes:
  • [48:12] “Pineapple on pizza?” — “Yes.”
  • “Ordering a steak well done?” — “No. You might as well chew on a tire.”
  • “Is a hot dog a sandwich?” — “If it’s got toppings on it, yes.”
• Food trend endorsement:
  • Keith shouts out a content creator reviving lost Black American recipes.
  • [49:58] “She goes back into the history books, and she gets Black American cuisines that nobody makes anymore...It’s the dopest thing I’ve ever seen.”
• Viral “worm in food” incident:
  • Keith and Keke laugh over a viral video that spat online uproar over a possible worm (bonito flakes?) found in a dish.
  • [44:34] “I can’t confirm or deny what it was. It did appear that something moved. I can’t say it was a worm or not...But I was healthy afterwards, thank goodness.”

10. Blind Taste Test Game & Favorite Black American Foods

• Fun blind taste test:
  • Hilarity ensues as Keke and Keith sample foods blindfolded: fried green tomatoes, vegan tacos (“Everything can’t be vegan”), monster cookies (“This is a hard-ass cookie”).
  • Both agree on their love of classic Black American plates (catfish, collard greens, yams, potato salad—with the right shade of yellow).
  • [74:05] “If I don’t got fried catfish, I love a wing...Gotta be the whole wing.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On faith & purpose
  • "Keep the main thing, the main thing. And the main thing is God." — Keith, [07:14]
• On family:
  • “Whenever [my wife] is ready to have more [kids], we have more...As much as I want kids, I'm not the one carrying them.” — Keith, [11:19]
• On business integrity:
  • “If you don’t take yourself serious, nobody gonna take you serious.” — Keith, [66:55]
• On impact:
  • “I want everybody just to feel like family. And it’s just a day where everybody can come and enjoy.” — Keith, [19:31]
• On being real:
  • “I just eat. And whatever happens after that, happens after that.” — Keith, [36:19]
• On internet fame:
  • “I get imposter syndrome...Food critic, influencer, creator — I’m Keith. And nothing else but Keith.” — Keith, [54:58]
• Keke on audience energy:
  • “Depending on where people meet you, you’re going to get that energy. It’s different.” — Keke, [31:11]
• On the taste test game (vegan taco):
  • "Everything can't be vegan. Some...This is when you’re doing a vegan thing and you do mushrooms. Don’t do the fake mushrooms." — Keke, [70:34]
• On favorite comfort food:
  • “If I’m feeling in the mood, some fried catfish. Well, potatoes. I love a wing...Gotta be the whole wing.” — Keith, [74:17]

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|---------------------| | 01:44 | Keith talks about splitting time between LA, Dallas, Detroit roots | | 04:22 | Marriage boundaries, respect, and communication | | 07:14 | Keith’s mantra about keeping God first | | 13:23 | Telling the story of courthouse pandemic wedding | | 15:02 | Motivation behind Family Day Festival | | 17:17 | Festival lineup: Kirk Franklin, Gracie’s Corner, Mannie Fresh | | 20:20 | Supporting small Black-woman owned banana pudding shop | | 26:01 | MMA fighting background and transition | | 29:21 | Overthinking and social anxiety | | 36:19 | The secret to Keith’s viral success: authenticity | | 40:56 | Centering Black-owned businesses in reviews | | 51:05 | The story of the Korean BBQ restaurant owner | | 63:14 | Turning down a $1M endorsement to stay authentic | | 66:55 | On saying “no” and defining personal value | | 48:12–74:41 | Rapid-fire food takes, blind taste test, favorite Black American food |

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Tone, Vibe & Flow

Conversational, warm, full of wit and realness, the episode showcases the power of honesty, family, and supporting one’s community. Both Keke and Keith share laughs and meaningful insight, creating a space where vulnerability and joy co-exist. Even the lighthearted games and anecdotes reinforce the central themes of genuine connection, intention, and doing business with your whole heart.

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Useful for New Listeners

This episode provides a compelling snapshot of how social media influence can be harnessed for genuine community impact. If you want to understand what’s behind the “Keith Lee Effect,” how Black creators are leveraging platforms for good, or just enjoy entertaining, honest takes on food and life—this episode is essential listening.

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Transcript

[A]

Baby, let me tell you something. Today's guest has made a name for himself from the front seat of his car. One Keith Lee. Food review. And your favorite restaurant is booked, sold out and trending by morning. But behind the viral moments is a family man, a former MMA fighter and a creator who's using his platform to help small businesses survive. From Forbes 30 under 30 to the time 100. And TikTok's creator of the year in 2025, Keith Lee is still a man of the people. So grab a snack and get comfortable because baby, this is Keke Palmer. No matter what we doing in the car, just chilling, pop on Amazon music, sit back and listen. Life, love, sex, science, covering it all, especially the bad. Cause money always evolved. No matter what it is, we gonna make it make sense. Nothing else to do but kick it with the homies and kings. So grab you a drink and a snack you enjoy. And get into the vibe that only you know it's your girl. Baby, is this. This is Kiki, baby. This is Kiki Palma. Yeah. Today's episode is brought to you by the new drinks at McDonald's. Six new drinks, crafted sodas with cold foam. Refreshers with popping boba and freeze dried fruit. And trust. They are giving everything. Now let's get into today's show. Okay, guys. Please welcome the amazing, the awesome Keith Lee. What's up man? Oh, I love this outfit.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Likewise, period. And your hair is getting longer and longer. Thanks, boo. Absolutely.

[B]

It's an honor to be here, man.

[A]

I'm so glad cuz, you know last time I think you had got it was like Atlanta was having an airport.

[B]

Yeah. God don't make no mistakes.

[A]

Yeah, right. We good. We were safe. That's the main thing.

[B]

I went to the crib.

[A]

How's it being in la? Do you like LA when you come?

[B]

I do business here, so I come in and out. But I'm a country boy, so I live in Dallas. Yeah, yeah. But you know I'm from Detroit, so Midwest country.

[A]

I'm from Illinois. Yep.

[B]

That's why we get along okay.

[A]

Period. Well, let's get into these pre show pull up questions. Cause I'm gonna get into your head just a little bit. So zodiac sign is Libra. Do you relate to the Libra of it all? Do you feel like you're like balanced?

[B]

I don't follow. I don't follow it enough. But I feel like my wife tells me every now and again that I am a Libra. She just told me today. Cause my mom in law Is a Libra, too.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

She was like, oh, yeah, both Libras. I don't know what that mean, but I'll take her word for it.

[A]

One thing I know about Libras that I feel like you do do is like, y' all have an aesthetic. Every Libra I know has a look.

[B]

I can take that.

[A]

An identifiable look.

[B]

That's my aesthetic.

[A]

It's always like, I'm humble, low key, but it's still flexing. Low key.

[B]

You know what I mean?

[A]

I can tell you it's put together, but it's like, I seen when you had the. It was almost like. I think it was like the durag or some type of scarf underneath the hat. It's like a vibe. You know what I mean?

[B]

You be tapped in. Okay.

[A]

Yeah, I keep flying. Okay. Your sun is a Libra, obviously. Your moon is a Sag. I'm also sag moon. And then you have a Scorpio rising. So this is obviously. Your wife has told you this. She the one who knows.

[B]

She didn't go into full detail. Please explain what that mean. I have no idea what that mean. And I know Evie tapped in.

[A]

I love that she knows. So Libra we discussed, the sag moon is. We're individuals. We love to experience. We love to travel, which we see you do all the time. We're just very much like free spirits and not afraid to. We're not trying to go against the grain, but we don't mind if we

[B]

out there, if we do.

[A]

You know what I mean? And then Scorpio. I mean, Scorpios. Scorpios are independent. They can be very blunt. A lot of people feel like they're like. You know, they're harsh.

[B]

You know what I mean?

[A]

At times, Scorpios also are about their partner. They're usually. When they're in love, that's like. That's their thing. That's what they're about.

[B]

I don't believe in astrology like that, but it makes that. Everything that you just said, I can

[A]

relate to you literally always talking about your wife.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

Everything you just said, it lines up okay. What are you most grateful for today? Family, obviously. We're gonna talk about the Family Day Festival. That is amazing. Congratulations.

[B]

Are you gonna be there?

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

I would love for you to be there.

[A]

That's what I gotta do to get there, man.

[B]

Fizz, come.

[A]

Okay, period. Me and my whole family. Good.

[B]

Everybody.

[A]

Cause I know y' all got tickets and stuff.

[B]

So y'. All. This is for kids. This is for families. This is for grandmas, grandpas, moms, mom in laws. Whoever you wanna bring, they are on me.

[A]

All I'm hearing in the back of my mind is either outstanding or grandma's hands one. That's right.

[B]

Bring all of them.

[A]

I'm imagining that vibe.

[B]

Please bring all of them.

[A]

Okay. A relations non negotiable for you. My marriage. So somebody not respecting your marriage. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

I mean, hey, and this is. We gonna get real raw all today.

[A]

Let's do it.

[B]

This is something that we've been talking about nonstop. This is a conversation we had yesterday. I don't play when it comes to respect and I don't play when it comes to respecting my marriage. And I'm still learning and it's still a process of trying to navigate what that looks like in this space. Because I won't catch it sometimes. But then my wife would be like, oh, she was flirting with you. And I won't catch it. I won't pay no attention to it. Cause I'm in a business mindset of looking, oh, we got a festival to sell. Or we having conversations with the mayor, or we talking to this person. And she like, oh, no, that girl is such and such and such. So it's like, still, even though I don't see it, respecting the fact that she feels that way and acknowledging that and trying to figure out how to move forward with that. Because respect is a huge thing to me.

[A]

And probably she can tell for her, because there's a difference between being kind and just being a good vibe. And then you're not saying hello to me and you're not saying hello to the wife.

[B]

That's what she's. Okay, so that's what she said. I don't play when it comes to speaking first. But I guess the. This interaction went longer with me specifically than it did with the rest of everybody else. And she was like, if you gonna have a conversation, you had a conversation with the group or you have the conversation with his wife.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

And not just single this person out. And I was like, yeah, you, right. You write when you write.

[A]

You got it.

[B]

You got it. You write it when you write, it's right.

[A]

What's a question you wished you were asked more in interviews? This or that question about my personality.

[B]

I feel like people don't really know who I am. Yeah, I feel like people don't really know me for real. And this is why I was so happy to do this. Because I feel like you the perfect person to really, like, just chop it up and have a conversation with. Because I don't really talk to a lot of people, so the fact that we can chop it up and I know you are so great at what you do, I feel like you gonna pull it out anyway, so. Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's try it.

[A]

I'm so happy.

[B]

Likewise, man.

[A]

Okay. Who is someone you've met that made you feel starstruck? This name that you mentioned makes me very happy because she's such a sweet person. Teyana Taylor.

[B]

She's one of the sweetest people. So we just met her when we were at Grammys week and we went to a after party, and she. It was a bunch of people around with so much going on. She was sitting in the back and we had our PR lady go ask her, hey, and shout out to Dom. Dom is one of my favorite people in this world.

[A]

What up, Dom?

[B]

Uh, so we had her go and have a conversation and see. Hey, if we could just say hi to Teyana.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm thinking this is gonna be a quick. You know how stuff goes. It's loud. It's people in the club, they partying. It's after Grammys. I think it's gonna be like a quick wave. She literally came out in front of everybody. She pulled my wife to the front again. We having this conversation. She pulled my wife to the front first, and she said, I love y' all so much. I know y' all got three kids. I know y' all just had a son. I know that your daughter like this. She don't like that. And I'm like, you tapped in for real. And then she looked at me, she said, nothing but respect. She said, let's take a picture. And when she took the picture, she hugged Ronnie and was like this close, cheek to cheek with Ronnie. And I was happy to be the third wheel in that situation.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

She was one of the sweetest people I've ever met.

[A]

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, she's that kind of person. Very real. Very. And just family driven, for sure. Okay. What's the mantra you live by and why? Keep the main thing. The main thing.

[B]

And the main thing is God.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Amen. The main thing is Jesus.

[A]

Amen. The main thing being the main thing and knowing that that's the main thing.

[B]

Keep it the main thing. No matter what comes in between that. The main thing is the main thing.

[A]

You grew up in the church.

[B]

I did.

[A]

I did, too. Yeah. I grew up in a church as well. And first of all, community was the main Thing I feel like I obviously outside of the word and God and worshiping was just that built in foundation of community.

[B]

Absolutely. I went to church camp every year.

[A]

Oh my gosh. I went to church camp twice. They only had it two times.

[B]

We didn't have nobody know that about me. And again, this is why I think this is gonna be amazing. Because I went to church camp every year and from like 8 to like 14.

[A]

Oh my gosh.

[B]

We did like summer camp where it was like a week camp when we went out in the middle of Michigan and then we had like all day camp where you would just go. We do like field trips, go to the zoo, eat those like box lunches that they get on that little. It was like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Yeah. I grew up in a church and I'm forever blessed to be able to have that connection. I didn't really have my connection with God personally or with Jesus until I became older and I was able to make my own relationship because I feel like it's two things that can happen when you grow up in church. You can either really fall into it or you can fall out of it.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

And when you don't have your own personal relationship, I think it makes you question a lot of. Because you listening to stories, you watching church folk and you know how black church folk is.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's either all in or all out. And if you don't fully understand as a child, maybe it can make you lean towards all out. And that's how I was until I made my own relationship and I realized it's something more personable than just reading a book. You gotta understand a book in order to read it and understand your own personal journey with him.

[A]

And I feel like that living part of it is really true when we talk about our age. Cause for me as a kid, it's like I knew the stuff and I'm understanding it was. But there's only so much that I can understand.

[B]

They just felt like words.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Until you actually get into it and you can relate and you get like, oh, okay, that makes sense. I've been through that before. I know what that feel like. Until you can get to that point, it's gonna be like, oh, I'm just reading cause somebody told me to read.

[A]

And then you feel all weird. You do go that moment of judging yourself for asking questions because you feel like, oh, I'm being blasphemous. But it's like, man, you gotta ask the questions to God so God can answer em.

[B]

That's A fact, you know, in our community to ask questions is, you got the devil.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We gotta pray it up out of you. There's something wrong with you.

[A]

It's like, I'm just trying to understand.

[B]

Yeah. I'm just trying to understand. Yeah.

[A]

That's a. Yo. Okay, so you welcomed a son, Cardigan, back in September. Congratulations. So, I mean, have you noticed any big difference? Because you just had, you know, this is your first boy.

[B]

This is my first boy.

[A]

And you only. You just had daughters. So what is it? Like?

[B]

It's not nothing yet. Cause he ain't got a personality. So, like, you know, they just be blonde. Yeah. He just be there. Like. I love that you said that. Cause I always say, I don't know him yet. He don't know me, and I don't know him. I just met him four months ago. So until. Until we can get to a place where he has a personality and I can't. What it is that makes the difference. I've always heard it's a difference, but my two girls are rough.

[A]

Carter's five, Rylee's three, and Cardigan's five months. You got some little ones, babies.

[B]

I'm in the trenches.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I'm in the trenches.

[A]

You think you and Ronnie are gonna want more?

[B]

Okay. Before she kill me. Okay, so we had a conversation. She goes back and forth a lot, right?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So my number one rule. And again, this is why I said I love doing this. Cause you getting stuff out of me. My number one rule is that I'm done when she's done.

[A]

Okay? Boom.

[B]

Whenever she ready to have more kids, we have more kids. If she want 30 of them, we gonna have 30 of them, period. If she done the three, we done in three. Because as much as I would want to say I want kids, I'm not the one carrying them. And that's not my body. That's going through the before effects, the after effects. People who don't have kids don't understand how real postpartum is. And I feel like it would be selfish of me and un. Unfair favoring as a partner to be like, oh, I want more kids. So we gotta have more kids. So whenever she's ready to have more, we gonna have more. But she teeters a lot. So we'll be 30 this year. I just turned 29. October. She turns 30 in March. So she said by the time she's 30, she wants to be done having kids. But this is before my son. So now it's like, one day I'll talk to her, she'll be like, yeah, I can see. Maybe when he get four or five. And other days I'll talk to her. She's like. I said I was done at 30, so it's like, I don't know.

[A]

Her birthday's March. What is she, Aries or Pisces? Oh, she's Aries. My dad's a 26. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

So I don't know. It be flip flop. Whatever she want to do if we had more kids, just know it's because she came to me and said, I want more kids.

[A]

What kind of pregnant is she? Is she chill or is she different each other?

[B]

It depends. Yeah, so with the boys, she was more like quiet and she just like, wanted her peace and wanted to be to herself. With the girls, it was food, food, food cravings nonstop. Like the most random, weird 3 o' clock in the morning, go get me a slushie from this gas station. And it got to be from this gas station because I'm going to be able to tell that you got it from a different gas station. French fries From a specific McDonald's milkshakes and French fries at the same time. But then with my boy, she literally just was like, here. She just want to chill.

[A]

People always say that about daughters for whatever it is they make you hungry.

[B]

Make you hungry. I don't know what that is. Yeah, I don't know what that is. I can't tell you what it is. It was a stark difference. It was a complete stark difference.

[A]

So you and your wife, Ronnie, y' all got married during COVID but you were, you were posting about possibly planning a little larger celebration.

[B]

We've never had a wedding. Yeah, we got married at the courthouse.

[A]

Omg. I mean, the paper is the paper.

[B]

So we locked married. Yeah, that's a fact. That's a fact.

[A]

So would you want to do something bigger for a celebr. Yeah. Is. Would it be this year, Next year?

[B]

Destination wedding is. Is the plan. But, you know, with. With them, you really got a plan. And I got a real big family, so trying to get a bunch of in one spot, I think that's going to be the hardest part. Especially if you talking about doing a destination have passports, man.

[A]

Then we gotta get the passports, we

[B]

gotta get the passports.

[A]

We gotta wait the five months.

[B]

The baby ain't even got a passport yet. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

Baby passport.

[B]

Yeah. Trying to figure all that out is gonna be the hardest part. And at the same time, you still want to enjoy and celebrate.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because when I say we had no wedding. It was literally during COVID and she was pregnant at the time with my oldest. So we at the courthouse, big belly, everybody got masks on. We all six feet away from each other, but it's 30 of us and we in Vegas. So we at the Elvis Presley drive through where we all standing outside.

[A]

That's actually really romantic.

[B]

It was romantic in a sense, but at the same time, it was hot. Like she's six, seven months pregnant. So I think it's definitely something that I want to revisit. It's just gonna take a lot of planning. I already know.

[A]

Well, I be looking for. You know, we watch your life online, so we'll be waiting for the post.

[B]

Absolutely. Well, you better be there.

[A]

Oh, come on. I love that I'm being embraced like this.

[B]

We met in New Orleans, and I told you when we first met that you are one of my favorite people. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. And I don't take that lightly. Like, the love is me.

[A]

And I know you don't because your reviews.

[B]

I'm dead. I'm dead serious, bro. I do not take that lightly.

[A]

That means so much.

[B]

New Orleans, Louisiana. I love you more. New Orleans, Louisiana. We are not only having family food day. I want your family to be there, and I want everybody to just come and have fun, man. Enjoy it.

[A]

That's so fire. You know, I got my little boy. He love to be around a bunch of folks. Bunch of black folks.

[B]

It's amusement rides. We got carnival. We doing an obstacle course where my family's competing with other families. Oh, my God. If you are competitive, you can jump in on that.

[A]

Yes. So what kind of games are gonna be there? Like, are we talking, like, what is it?

[B]

Welcome home, Roscoe Jenkins. Oh, old school. Family reunion. Competitive, sweating, arguing, going back and forth, having a time.

[A]

Now, is this the first family day?

[B]

It is. It's the first one.

[A]

What made you decide to do.

[B]

That's a great question. Okay, so we've had a conversation about what it looks like to do food tour before, but I don't think I've ever really went in full detail. It's eight to 10 hours in a sprinter van with my kids and with my wife and with my family nonstop. And we might be on the road for three weeks at a time. And we do that in a bunch of different states, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So if you got kids cranky in the back, you doing eight or 10 hours nonstop. We eating food that they can't necessarily eat. We gotta stop at different places. It's a lot that goes into it. Right. And I think for me, I was looking for a way to do it that's more streamlined and have it to where it's a big event in an actual day. This is the first thing that I've ever actually done. Some people get 10, 15 million followers and they like, oh, I'm selling product immediately or come do my E course of how to do this. And the e courses be going off immediately. Like, the second you get any kind of notoriety, immediately it's selling something. We four years in, and this is the first thing that I'm actually selling. I've tried to sell merch before, and I get so much in my head that I can't fathom the fact of taking money from somebody that I don't have a personal connection with. So this is a way I can have a personal connection and see people in person. And this is not a money grab. It's not something we just throwing up. I'm walking around the festival. I'm talking to people. I'm full blown competing.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

This is something where my team has already cussed me out and in advance of how crazy I know this might get. And I don't care. I want all parts.

[A]

May 16th in New Orleans. I mean, the families of the core of this event, like so many of your other projects, I feel like this is exactly you and your brand. How are you? How has the preparation been? Because it's a big undertaking.

[B]

Kiki. Kiki. This is the hardest thing I've ever done.

[A]

I can only imagine.

[B]

I'm not gonna hold you up just from being on calls all day, every day. Yeah, the vendors, the vendors, the lineup. So we got a very crazy lineup, but it's for every generation. So we got Kirk Franklin as the main stomp and he. Have you ever seen Kirk in person?

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I got to watch Kirk be stomping award shows.

[B]

Kirk be stomping. So classic and nostalgic event in Atlanta. And there was no mics. There were no. The power had went out. So he had nothing but an electric keyboard and six people singing. And you would have thought he had a marching band with him. He was sweating. He had a tank top on. It was see through. By the time the performance was done. Oh, my God. He is one of the best performers I've ever seen in person. So we got him as headliner, but then we also got Gracie's corner for the kids.

[A]

Gracie's corner. We love you, Gracie.

[B]

I love some Gracie. She gonna be full Blown mascot walking around the festival. But then we got Shamar. If you.

[A]

Oh, my gosh, you please.

[B]

For every generation. So I wanted music for every generation to be able to. And it's not just one thing where one group of people are gonna be sitting and dancing. Everybody's sitting down. I wanted to. Where everybody take turns.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And then at the end of it, we all just listen to Kirk and have fun. Then we got New Orleans natives. So we got Mannie Fresh. Then we got Hot Sza.

[A]

What?

[B]

Shout out to Lareezy. We got Larizy, who's one of the biggest upcoming artists in New Orleans.

[A]

Shout out to Lareezy.

[B]

We really tapping into the culture and tapping into what it is of. Of that city. And I'll get an exclusive next year. We going somewhere in the Midwest.

[A]

So you've already got it planned.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I love that.

[B]

Because again, this is something that's a true passion of mine. Like, this is something that I'm putting everything into. It's really. When I say a passion of love, I'm talking every day. We just got ideas and conversations. And that's why it's the hardest thing. Because I know if this does well, it's because one, it's in God's timing, but it's because this is genuinely something that we put together.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And not anything else I've ever done has been a collaboration with somebody.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So we hosted a festival before with Complex, but it was with Complex.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

This is the first time where it's Keith Lee and family and we're family and Keith Lee that we actually put it together where our own business, our own LLC is our own making, our own portfolio. From. From a business perspective, that's like we never. And I think what's so. I think what's so crazy is that people don't talk about it enough.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's like we four years in, and this is our very first touch into that. Because before, it felt like everything was quick get rich quick schemes.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

And I don't like them quick money

[A]

grabs because you want something to be cyclical. How is this supporting the community? How is this like, if I'm going to ask for something, I need to be given something.

[B]

Exactly. And we need to really feel reciprocated. I don't want nobody to come and just be like, oh, I spent all this money with them. And they just was. What Nair? We didn't even see him. We didn't even know this event. It just had his name on it. No, I want you to be able to see us. I want you to see my kids having fun. Everybody please be safe at the same time.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

I won't run up on my kids. They still my kids and they kids, they still kids now, so. But I want everybody just to have fun. We are cousins. I want everybody just to feel like family. And it's just a day where everybody can come and enjoy.

[A]

Well, you know, the biggest question is what kind of food we gonna have up at there.

[B]

So if you ever seen a video and you was like, ooh, that look good, 9 times out of 10 they gonna be there.

[A]

Oh, so we getting all type of

[B]

stuff, all kind of food. So not only food from New Orleans, but we got food from surrounding areas. I can give you a few of them that are staples. For me, there's a black owned woman. Cause again, it's still about community. There's a black owned woman putting shop in Pearland, Texas. When we first went, she was on the verge of closing. She has the best banana pudding I've ever had in my entire life. And I don't need to say that lightly. She was on a verge of closing. Now she has three different locations.

[A]

Blessings.

[B]

There's a place in Chicago, Illinois called Cleo's.

[A]

Come on, Cleo's.

[B]

Shout out to Cleo's.

[A]

Cleo's.

[B]

She had one location, now she's at I think three or four locations. And these are grassroot mom and pop shops that are still independent and places that can come even a place from here in la, Easy Street Burgers. Places that are still mom and pop and places that can still use the visibility and take it and go to the next level.

[A]

I love that. I mean, I want to go back to the beginning, but I just have to ask because you're saying this in this moment is did you foresee that being what your brand would turn or your influence would turn into in terms of supporting black owned businesses and really. And really giving people an opportunity to grow?

[B]

I would say yes. I didn't think it was gonna be a festival. I thought it was gonna be something. Of course we had the conversation about a restaurant, but a restaurant I feel like don't get enough credit for how hard that business is. It's if not one of the hardest, if not the hardest business to get into, especially if you have no experience in it. And I don't take that lightly. I don't play with when it comes to people's money. So I wasn't just about to set nothing up. So you could be like, oh, his food trash. And he talking about everybody else food. And his customer service ain't trash.

[A]

You know, people be so ready to

[B]

drag immediately, immediately what you do. I immediately want to avoid that. So like I said, restaurant was in question. But then we started thinking about something that could be long term. And like I said, building ip, it could be something that is existing every year. And I'm like, what better way than bringing a community together than have an actual family reunion? And what does a family reunion look like? A festival. Music festival, food, family. And this I really wanted to separate from any other festival. Like I didn't want it just to be something that I slapped my name on. Like I said, I can't think of any other festival that has an obstacle course where you can compete except for the grown folk.

[A]

You know, some.

[B]

I can't think of any festival where you can go and listen to Shamar and Kirk Franklin in the same place. Yeah, I can't think of no festival where you can get small local owned spots from different parts of the country and even out of the country. I can't think of any place that highlights and puts small businesses on the forefront of a festival. Because when you go to festivals it's usually either all about the music or if it's all about the food, it's all about the staples or the big wow factors.

[A]

Because it's the sponsors.

[B]

You get the big. Yeah, the big sponsors, places. But this is literally about the community, for the community.

[A]

I love this for you. I'm so excited. May 16, New Orleans. This is huge news. Let's take it all the way back to the beginning because we gotta know what type of kid Keith Lee.

[B]

Let's get into it.

[A]

What was it like growing up in Detroit?

[B]

I was bad, bro. Yeah, I was real bad, baby.

[A]

This is K. This episode is brought to you by the brand new drinks over at McDonald's. Okay, y', all, these drinks are officially the outside drinks of 2026. I'm talking concert season, game day season, vintage market season, picnic in the park with a cute fit and a lover season. These drinks were built for any occasion worth showing up for, y'.

[B]

All.

[A]

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[B]

I've told this story before, so I'll go a little deeper in detail. Okay, so I was a kid who had, you could say, disciplinary issues, but my issue was the issue with authority. And I be damned, my kids are the exact same way.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. You got it.

[B]

Back, back.

[A]

You got it, you got it.

[B]

Kiki, when I tell you I can't tell my daughter to do anything without why I love it for what? And I'll explain it. And she's like, okay, I'll do it, dad, but afterwards, can we talk? Because you were a little loud when you said it. And she 5. I wish I could.

[A]

You got a critical thinker on your hands.

[B]

It's a great thing and it's something that is to be admired, but it's something that is very difficult to deal with. And that's why I was labeled as a disciplinary issue. Because instead of taking the time to figure out what it was or where I was coming from, I will automatically just get labeled and just get thrown to the side like, oh, he bad.

[A]

Yes, especially, you know, I mean, first of all, schools in general, they could do that for kids. They ask questions and it's not even really trying to challenge authority. It's trying to understand, trying to figure it out.

[B]

I don't know. And I really want to know because I'm inquisitive. So I really have to know. Why you telling me what to do instead of just being like, cause I said so.

[A]

Yeah, that it was never going to do it.

[B]

Why do you think that that was what was going to do it?

[A]

But before food was MMA fighting. So I feel like that must have been a way to let some of that steam off.

[B]

So I wrestled all through middle school and high school, and I went straight from high school to being a professional fighter. I tried to go to college. I couldn't afford it, and the second I left, I went straight to. Because my brother had moved us all to Vegas from Detroit, and I went back to Vegas and I started training with him. And I turned professional at 18, and I was fighting from 18 to 26. My last fight was at the end of 2022. That's when everything took off on Social media.

[A]

I remember when we all saw that you was that fighter too. We was like, whoa. That footage was like, okay, kill him.

[B]

You know, it's crazy. I feel like people immediately just see me as the fool guy and like, and I know you can relate to this so much because you've had so many different paths and so many different parts of your life that people will look at you and be like, oh, that's Akeel and the beat.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Or like, oh, that's Keke. But like, at what point did you feel comfortable with that? Because I feel like I'm just starting to get comfortable with not being the fighter because my whole life that's all I thought I was going to be.

[A]

Yeah. And so you just mean like the fact that people are just making you the food guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How do, how do you do that? You know, I think that when I stopped, when I was no longer a kid and it was like difficult for me to like make that transition from being a kid entertainer to being an adult, I was just like, I don't know what happened in my mind, but I just was kind of like, I leaned into it, I guess I leaned into the fact that like, you know, y' all have known me fab, you know what I'm saying? It's okay. Even though I moved into a new. But yours is the reverse.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's like people aren't remembering where you've been, you know, so it's a total different thing. And I think, you know, I don't know, I feel like for me, as a fan of yours, I live for the Keith Lee having the MMA pass, you know what I mean? And then also like now he's a food critic.

[B]

Like, this is crazy.

[A]

Like, I love the diversity in that.

[B]

What character do people call you the most?

[A]

Akeelah.

[B]

Akilah.

[A]

Akilah.

[B]

They always gonna be Akilah.

[A]

They always call me Akilah and then they always call me True Jackson.

[B]

Uh huh. You always gonna be true.

[A]

It's always true. You know the vpw.

[B]

Yeah. You forever going to meet you. Do people walking to you. Yeah.

[A]

It's crazy. But, you know, it's one of those things where I just go back to it. I'm just like, at least y', all, you know, y' all rocking with it, you hear me? You know what I mean?

[B]

They know you for something, you know what I mean?

[A]

And it's positive either way, you know, so that makes me happy. But it is a weird thing, you know, so have you and your Brother. Cuz, I know your brother. Kevin Lee is a UFC fighter. Did y'. All. What was it like growing up? Was y' all fighting, like, absolutely. Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Every day, all day. So I have three brother. I have two brothers, and then I have a godbrother. So that's why I was about to say I have three brothers. But then I have an older sister. My older sister is the one who gave it to me the most.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Somewhere. Or she probably listening from the opposite side.

[A]

Hey, older sis.

[B]

So her name is Irma. She is my best friend. Growing up, she was a lot bigger than me, so she was full blown. I'm talking about old school. If I do anything, she the one that's sitting on people. She the one putting people under the pillows and making you sit there, watch your arms next to you.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I live.

[B]

Yeah, my sister was. She was the strict one out of all of them. But now me and her are like. And she's seven years older than me. But if you ain't, that's like me

[A]

and my little brother.

[B]

I'm gonna bring her in when you're done, and you tell me who you think older. Okay. People always think she my little sister. Always, always. She got them good genes. Yeah, she got them real good jeans.

[A]

You've been very vocal about social anxiety.

[B]

I have.

[A]

And just saying it's been a part of your life since you were younger. But it's so interesting because I don't see that.

[B]

Cause I rock with you, Kiki. Yeah, that's why you don't see it. Cause I rock with you.

[A]

So how did I mean, like, fighting in front of crowds did that was. But you was killing it. Like, did that make you nervous or did that help you?

[B]

Yes and no. I feel like my anxiety shows itself in social settings more than it does in a setting like that. Because I don't have to talk to people. So it's like I can punch somebody in the face and whatever happens after this kind of happens after this. But talking to people for some reason always gave me this, like, because I'm an overthinker, so I overthink everything. So, like, I can have a conversation with somebody, and if I say one thing that I don't like, I'm thinking about it and replaying it a thousand times non stop.

[A]

I do that too.

[B]

It's the worst doozy. Because then I go into conversations nervous about what I'm about to say, and then I end a conversation nervous, and then I lead a conversation Even more nervous. And then that just kind of snowballs into this, like, overly anxious, kind of overthinking, like, worried kind of situation.

[A]

And I feel like social media doesn't make it any better.

[B]

Oh, it makes it way worse.

[A]

Every word you see, Keke, people with

[B]

them glasses, them undercover spies, them meta glasses, the ones that are feeling, oh, my God, it's a nightmare. Because you like, oh, I'm just having a social interaction. And you see blinking and you like, oh, got me. I done got caught. And I be mid conversation like, oh, damn, I'm looking right at your camera. Like, damn, I done got caught.

[A]

And you got the people online that be reading lips and it be the words. What? Yeah.

[B]

See, I can't imagine what it's like to be Keke Palmer, because I feel like I'm still in a space where people see me as a family man and as the food guy. So it's a level of respect I feel like people give me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where I don't have, like, the screaming people coming, like, running up and down the street, but I see people like you or people like, I show speed or Kaiser not who garners a different audience where. I don't know what that feels like.

[A]

I think it's very interesting what you're pointing out, which is just like the type of audience that people, you know, that the type of. The type of audience an artist has. And it's interesting because I do have some people depending on if they know me from, like, social media or if they know me from, like, my kid years, that could come with some of that energy. But then I also have some of my fans that are like, either like the auntie committee, and they be like, baby aunties.

[B]

That's me. I got. I love me some aunties. Yeah, like that. Yeah, I love me some aunties when they. They be like, baby, as I get there every day. Always, always gonna be good. God got you. And I can feel it all over you when I tell you, yeah, that's me every day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's me every day. And so the idea I'd be like, yes, ma'. Am.

[A]

It's like everything, you know? Cause it's like, obviously I love. Love all my fans, even the ones that come up with, you know, crazy energy. But it's true. You depending on where people meet you from what they. You're going to get that energy. It's different. Yeah, you first started. We're talking about Ronnie. You first started actually posting videos about cooking your wife's pregnancy cravings, which Then evolved obviously into your restaurant reviews. And by 2023, you're signing seven figure deals and you have 7 million followers. Like, so how did. When you just. Always a foodie. Yeah, okay. Boom.

[B]

So I've always been a foodie. I've always been somebody who is in love with the art of food. Because as a wrestler and a fighter, you have to be focused on your diet and your nutrition. So I've always been around food scientists or people who are professional chefs. People are food nutritionists. And I've always had to learn how to. Because at first I never did weight cutting the right way. So in high school, I wouldn't eat anything, I wouldn't drink a lot of water. I would try to make weight in a very unhealthy way. I would eat, eat applesauce, one jar applesauce for three days and be training non stop. And it's very unhealthy for your body. But then I learned how to what to eat and when to eat it.

[A]

What's the proper way to cut? What's the proper thing we do after gaining weight?

[B]

So it's like a give and take system. So as much as you give into your body, you have to take out that a little bit more, if that makes sense. So if I put in 700 calories, I have to take out 750 calories.

[A]

What?

[B]

But then, but then substitute minerals and substitute good fats and substitute good proteins and carbs to really give your body fuel. Cause if you do it right, your body is like a. It could be either. I don't want to throw nobody under the bus, but it could be either like a Volkswagen Jetta or it could be a Bentley. And if you want the Bentley and if you treat your body like a

[A]

Bentley, then love a Janna. But if I have to choose Janna, you put a gun in my head. Cause why would I do the hand too? That's. No, but I love what you're saying.

[B]

Yeah. Because I think it's really, you can either treat your fuel, your body. And the best fuel that you can give it, like I said, is good carbs and good fats and good minerals and learning that, like I said, I only learned it through food nutritionist and having my brother with me who would cut a lot more weight than I did and just being able to see his journey and see his process and really see how fine tuned it has to be. And I think my love of food has come from that. And even when I was cutting weight and I couldn't eat, I Would eat through people. Like, I had this real big thing where I'm like, I'm a vicarious eater. So, like, I can be fasting for three days. My family will tell you I can be fasting for three days. All three of those days. I'm watching Food Network nonstop.

[A]

It's so weird how that is for me. Anytime that I've had a moment where I was fasting or I was doing something specific where I couldn't eat certain foods, it sounds torturous, but why am I watching videos?

[B]

I want to see it.

[A]

Eat it slower. Like, watch me slower. Pick it up. Cooking a crab ragoon between sourdough toast

[B]

and let it fall off the spoon. Just slow down a little bit.

[A]

Like, it's too.

[B]

Quit talking a little bit. Just slow down. Just let me see. I want a slow pickup and yeah, that's me.

[A]

It's very fun to watch people eat, which is why we love watching your reviews. We live for this. But I have to ask, do you still cook? Because we was watching you, you know, you was doing it with your wife.

[B]

I can't as much. We be traveling so much. I've slowed down on even doing food reviews because, again, this festival is such a main focus and I don't want to put out something just for the sake of putting it out. I don't want to go do a food tour just to say we did a food tour. Everything has to be intentional. And the reason why I haven't done a lot of food reviews is because every day I'm focused on this food festival and making it the best food festival on planet Earth. And I won't half ass it. I'm not going to just do something because, oh, I ain't posted in this long or I need to do. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen. If you want to unfollow me because I ain't posting that much, so be it.

[A]

Yeah, it's amazing. Regardless, you've had such a success story, and I wonder how much you're surprised about how this has happened for you in this regard. You know, what did you expect it to come from this? You know, did you think that, hey, me and my family's gonna be always on this, but it was gonna be from mma.

[B]

Yeah, I thought I was gonna be a champion of the world. I thought that I was gonna have a bunch of endorsement deals rolling in from that. That didn't happen. It didn't even get close to happening. I got punched in the face and got kicked out of my contract. That's bloody. And my daughter is like, oh, Daddy bleeding. And then that turned into, like I said, me doing what I feel like I was called to do, which. And the only reason I started recording is so I can get used to being in front of the camera so I can do MMA interviews. But that really was me studying to be able to do this. And I had no idea.

[A]

Isn't that so funny? Because you just said you thought you were gonna be the champion of the world and you're gonna have endorsement deals, but you have endorsement deals.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

And you are a champion.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

You know, but it just isn't. God don't even be knowing, but God be writing a script. And also, you don't have to get punched.

[B]

That's a fact.

[A]

So I don't know about you, that's a fact. But that's fire, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm still doing all the things, but I get to just be with my family doing it.

[B]

And the fact that we just get to travel the world, eat food together. Yeah, it's a blessing, man.

[A]

God be like, just chill for I.

[B]

That's fact.

[A]

Just chill. I mean, plenty of people post videos of food, but why do you think yours has. Has resonated the way to do that?

[B]

I genuinely one because I pray a lot. I think that that can't be understated of how much that the power of prayer is real.

[A]

Amen.

[B]

And I never ask him for anything. I always just thank him in advance for whatever's going to happen. And I think once you live a life of gratitude and you live a life of not wanting anything or wanting for anything, he going to give you everything that is supposed to be for you. And I think that's what it boil down to. But Pat, from business perspective, I don't try to do anything. I just eat. And whatever happened after that, happened after that. I'm not trying to get the best angles, the best lighting. I don't have the best equipment. I got my phone. I don't try and make the best story. I literally, if I feel like I'm supposed to eat there, I eat there. And then whatever happened after that and

[A]

everything feels true, I be chilling. You know, like, when I think about, like, if you're talking about the God of it all and the ethnic, like, the way you do it all, like, to me it's all the same because, like, when I think about God, I think about the way the truth, the light. I think about the honesty. It's just accuracy. It's what cannot be avoided. And when you acknowledge that and when you're working in alignment with what's true for you, that's what people feel.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

They feel that alignment. Even you have your own style of editing. Like, no one could tell you to do that, but that was just what felt true to you. And then now it's the Keith Lee vibe. You know what I mean?

[B]

I'm a Vine baby, and I don't think that that gets enough. I'm a Vine kid.

[A]

Talk about it.

[B]

So I graduated in 2014, so I'm a Vine kid. I'm a Instagram, before Instagram had reels like, that's the edited style that I come from. And I just refuse to change it because that's what I always related to and what I always enjoy watching.

[A]

Yes. When thinking about the platform today, I know you mentioned a lot of what your mission, especially now, has been about Family Day. But I mean, would you just say it's supporting restaurants, bringing people together or something else entirely when you think about why you doing what you're doing and as an influencer?

[B]

Yeah, I would say it's about one being a marketing platform for small restaurants, but it's also about having a space for black families to be represented. I'm a black dad with a black wife and black kids. I think that's extremely important to show, and I think it's something that's underrepresented when it comes to mainstream media. I think they allow us to be in spaces that they want to allow us to be in, but we are able and we are blessed enough to be everywhere we supposed to be at. And I think that that's really one of the biggest highlights from anything that I do. And from a business perspective, I say it's a marketing platform and we really getting into a lot of business bags this year.

[A]

And I think it's an important thing to show, especially when we talk about the black dollar and black ownership. What I always try to say, people, whether they care about the culture or understand what the culture is about, or there's a lot of money being left on the table.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Because when one community is not able to excel, everything else can't excel. So if you just think about it from the business standpoint, like, look at all the money that's being left on the table because people can't support them, their businesses, because nobody. You know what I mean? Because if there's more money there, then there's more money everywhere. And now we're talking about a more thriving Economy because everybody can make money so everybody can create. So it's important that we, that we support the businesses.

[B]

And I feel like right now we are in a space where the dollar gets fed, it gets funneled through the same channels and it gets funneled through the same people and it go to the same. It's a certain amount of people that they. I don't know how deep we gonna get to here, but we gonna get. It's a certain amount of people that they pick every now and again and they keep them in the same rotation. And I'm blessed enough to be one of those people that's gonna be a disruptor of that and bring people who don't necessarily have a spotlight that are in food deserts, that are in places that aren't super big cities. And it's like if you from Chicago, right, If you from the outskirts of Chicago, you see somebody come to Robbins and it's like people in Robbins, Illinois have just as much if not more sometimes passion than people that are in the big cities and they don't get the recognition. And like I said, I'm blessed enough to be a disruptor of that and bring in people from those communities and from those places. Like I said, a lady from the pottery, she in Perlin, Texas.

[A]

Like where is that?

[B]

If you ain't from Houston, you don't know where Prynne Texas at? Yeah, it's like an hour out of Houston and it ain't nobody over there. We was on the way driving over there. It wasn't nothing but grass and cows.

[A]

But that's what it takes. Absolutely that's what it takes is people like yourself, people like in these positions. I know we can't do everything but what we can do. Like let's do it. Let's spread the, spread the access, spread the platform, spread the wealth. So I really love that. I really, really do. So from the beginning, your reviews center small, independent, often black owned restaurants. How soon did you realize that was the market you wanted to cover? Like when did was that, you know what I mean?

[B]

It wasn't like from the beginning. It wasn't necessarily super business minded, but now it is any beginning and it's. I'm very pro black. I want to see everybody that looked like me succeed. And in my day to day life I was going to places that look like me. Yes, again, I'm from Detroit. I went to all black high school, I went to all black middle school, I went to all black church camp. Come on. And so that is my necessary. That's My deference is to go to where my people are and to go to it sucks as a reality, but nine times out of ten, the food deserts look like me and you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The people who aren't represented and the people who are underfunded and the people who can't get the loans and are taking their kids back and forth from work, but still having people ask them for $10,000 for a marketing video that they can't afford look like me and you.

[A]

And it's like, come on, man.

[B]

That's why we do what we do for free.

[A]

Yeah. It's like, come on, get real. What's a small detail that you always notice that tells you if there is one. Oh, this place about to be good.

[B]

Ooh. From a food perspective or like just a general.

[A]

Yeah, like a restaurant.

[B]

I got a few of them, baby.

[A]

This is icky Palma. Yeah. There is a very specific kind of joy that happens when you get three generations of your family all under one roof. And if you know, you know, I'm talking about mom teaching the grandkids something in the backyard, Daddy on the grill doing what he does best, the cousins running around being feral in the best way possible. And let me tell you, that kind of moment, you're not really getting that in a hotel. In a hotel, everybody ends up in their own room, doors closed, doing their own thing. Starts to feel more like a logistics exercise than a family memory. But when I book a stay on Airbnb, like when I went to Big Bear, ugh, it's a whole different vibe. You get a real home in a real neighborhood with enough space so nobody's on top of each other, but still close enough that everybody's part of the same story. And that's what makes it special. Spring is the perfect time to do it before summer gets hectic and everybody's schedules take over. Find a home on Airbnb and get your whole family under one roof. Trust me, that's where the magic is.

[B]

So if we shooting a video right, I will either one. If there's a story that matches how the person is when you first meet them or when you meet them, I think that's automatically a for sure sign. So people will reach out and be like, hey, I done had this restaurant for 10 years and only one or two people come. But this is me and my mom or me and my dad. And this is a family owned spot. When you walk in, you can tell if they legit like that. And I feel like within a few seconds of a conversation, you could tell but when it comes from a food perspective, one is presentation. I feel like when you. We all know when you see certain plates, especially when it comes to black diaspora food, when you see certain. The way that the Mac and cheese glisten, it's a very specific texture that has to be done for you and you can see it with your eyes. But yeah, from a food perspective. But just I'm big on connection. Like, I feel like I'm blessed enough to have discernment and it hasn't steered me wrong yet. I feel like when I can know just off of a few bites and be like this, this might get crazy.

[A]

I love the vibe of when you go to somewhere. It just made me think about going somewhere with my family and friends, being like, we walk right in the door,

[B]

we smell, ooh, this about to be good. You know it immediately. You walk in like, oh, ye.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

You start unbuttoning like, yeah, it is about to get comfortable. Take your jacket off. Get comfortable. Yeah, I feel like you know it immediately.

[A]

You do. Now we have to Talk about in 2024, your followers spotting that worm.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Oh my gosh. That was so spooky Ooky.

[B]

So I didn't know what had happened. Spooky oogie is hilarious. So I didn't know what had happened until I posted it. And I woke up the next morning and typical for me, night after a post might be 2 million, 3 million. It was at like 13. And I said, hold on. I said what? I said what? I was like, oh, this is a real good video. Cause the food was good. So I'm like, oh, yeah. I said, oh, this is the way

[A]

they love this restaurant.

[B]

I said, oh, they love this spot. And then I went, comments. All I saw was worm, worm, worm. And I can't confirm or deny what it was. It did appear that something moved. I can't say it was a worm or not. Cause you would know. I don't want no smoke. Cause I don't know if that's what it was. But I did rewatch the video and it did appear that something moved.

[A]

I saw the movement.

[B]

Now, you know there's a bonito flakes. There's a. A. I don't know exactly what bonito flakes are, if somebody can look it up for me. But it's like a dried seaweed that kind of moves if it gets touched. So it could have been that.

[A]

That's what. So when I saw it, I also thought about. Because I saw a weird video before about some type Of.

[B]

Yeah, it's like a seam. It's like.

[A]

It's.

[B]

I don't know what bonito flakes are, but it absolutely could have been that. It could have been a worm. Not here to confirm it or not, but all I know is I was healthy afterwards, thank goodness. And you know how the Internet get. They immediately start telling me I had 72 hours to live and I needed to go get de worms and crazy.

[A]

Now y' all got me drinking my magnesium citrate all night.

[B]

Charcoal pills, trying to get the worm up out of there.

[A]

That's so crazy. That's one of those weird ones where you just get spooked. They just spook you. You know what I mean?

[B]

And, you know, people be scaring people.

[A]

What is the craziest, most fun, if you can think of it, experience you've had while traveling doing your food critiques?

[B]

Ooh. Specifically food wise.

[A]

But if you have a crazy, funny one that was not food wise, go ahead.

[B]

I was one. Food wise, I would say. Hmm.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I like you, Kiki. Okay, so 1. We went to South Carolina.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And his name is Bernard. I'm sure everybody has seen Bernard before. His name is BS Dining experience. I think he has a super big oil oil fryer, and it's literally, like 30ft long. Oh, my gosh. And he be frying bear paws. He fried python. He fried anything you can get your hands on. Rabbit, squirrel. When we went, thank God he was frying chicken. But it was some of the best chicken I've ever had in my life. But it was the country est thing I've ever been a part of. We in this man backyard. When I tell you. So the grill here, right? His backyard stopped maybe like, 10ft after that.

[A]

I love stuff like that.

[B]

After that, the woods.

[A]

I love stuff.

[B]

And he, like, I said, where you get the bear from? He gonna look at me and go, the woods. I said, no, no, no, no, no. For real. Where you get it from? And he legit, like, walked me back there. It's just nothing but, like, open land. So they go back there and hunt. They grab the food. They take it. They. They take whatever hair off of it, put it in the fryer, and pass it to you on the plate.

[A]

My uncle, them used to cook coon.

[B]

Raccoon. See, again, I'm from Detroit, so today I had some coon. They be eating them, like, chili squirrel. Chili.

[A]

Yup.

[B]

Yeah. I ain't eating no coon. I ain't no coon. I'll try everything once. I'll try everything I'll try everything once, but I ain't eating no coon. Crazy, man.

[A]

Okay, now you've truly tried it all, so we need to do a quick little rapid fire, you know, to get your thoughts on the most hotly debated food topics. So I'll read a statement, and you'll give an opinion.

[B]

Let me sip one more time. Go ahead, go ahead, Go ahead. I'm with you.

[A]

Okay. Pineapple on pizza.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yes. Ordering a steak well done.

[B]

No. You might as well chew on a tire.

[A]

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

[B]

Ooh, do it got toppings on it. If it got toppings on it. Yes.

[A]

Velveeta in Mac and cheese.

[B]

Hell no.

[A]

Chili without beans.

[B]

Ooh, we just talked about this today. Chili without beans only going hot dogs. Chili with beans go in a bowl.

[A]

Cause, baby, that's sloppy Joe soup. Stop playing with us.

[B]

It's not.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

Go ahead.

[A]

Mukbangs.

[B]

They not doing. No talking. Just straight.

[A]

They just.

[B]

No, I can't do it. And as somebody who smack a lot, I can't do it. Yeah.

[A]

Okay. Butter dipped ice cream.

[B]

Oh, is it hard? Butter? Do it. Do it harden like a shell.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Back in the day, my dad. Do you remember back in the day, the.

[B]

The chocolate and the second you freeze, Is it like that?

[A]

If it's like that, then yes, we'll say it's like that.

[B]

Okay. Yes.

[A]

I literally used to. That unlocked the core memory. My dad.

[B]

I think it's called, like, shield or something like that.

[A]

Yeah, we love that as kids. We love that.

[B]

If they do that, then yes. Yes. Not to know.

[A]

What are some food trends you really get behind? Because there's so many online, but is there any that you see coming up?

[B]

There's one right now. I wish I had her name. I hate when this happens. I know she.

[A]

You want to shout them out.

[B]

I really want to, but y' all gonna know who I'm talking about if you've ever seen it before. She explores black recipes that are lost. You know who I'm talking about.

[A]

No, but I love this concept.

[B]

Okay, so she goes back into the history books, and she gets black American cuisines that nobody makes anymore. And it's the dopest thing I've ever seen.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Are you kidding me?

[B]

That sounds so dope. Like, she makes dishes like, I cannot

[A]

wait to go and look at that

[B]

back in, like, old school country dishes that our grandma's grandmas used to make. And, like, the fact that they got lost in translation. And we don't make them anymore. You know, when they be saying, we losing recipes. She finding all of the recipes. And that's. Yeah, that's one of my favorites.

[A]

She's able to find them. What is she.

[B]

I think she's just doing research. Because. Because the research is there or the. The knowledge is there. I just think it's one of those things that you don't know if you don't know. And I'm sure that they have a bunch of, like, a plethora of. Because we still are blessed enough to have grandmas that are living that know and grew up eating stuff like that. But the fact that it's in front of us, I think, is. Is super dope.

[A]

That's amazing. So behind the Keith Lee effect are obviously real families, but what's one moment that reminded you of the human side of your influence? Influence.

[B]

I got a couple. One, I would say there was a place called Dynamite Korean Barbecue when we first went. It was in Vegas when we first went. The owner, he found out a week after getting his dream restaurant that he was diagnosed with stage street tongue cancer.

[A]

What?

[B]

And he was his whole life fighting for this restaurant. The second he get it, he started having mouth sores or he started having issues where he had to go to the hospital and they told him he had tongue three. Stage three tongue cancer. The video he made initially was, hey, we don't have any people coming in. The rent is super expensive. I went in. Maybe I would say I forgot what month it was, but it was like, in December. Two days later, line wrapped around the corner. The owner was able to tell me he saw his dream come true, and he finally got everything that he was dreaming about and he was wishing for, and he was okay with that. And right after he passed away, we did a memorial service for him where over 4,000 people showed up and patronized the place. We paid for everybody to come and eat. It was one of the dopest things. It was literally a community day before a community day or a family day before a family day, and everybody was able to come and enjoy. His wife is still living. And the way she embraced me, I felt like she was like my auntie. Like, she embraced me like, you don't know what this means, but thank you. And, like, she gave me the biggest hug.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

I would say that's one. It's so many because we have so many conversations with owners right after we leave, and the stuff that people tell me is literally like, second to none. So there's a place in New Orleans One of the very first places outside of Vegas that got the, quote, unquote, Keighley effect. This is the part that I've never told anybody. We was driving around, first food tour ever that we've done outside of Vegas. And I'm in this mindset of, like, this not gonna work. It's only happening in Vegas because it was like one offs or it was like random or like, oh, this just got booming. But outside of a different state, it's not gonna be the same. Right, Right. So we driving around New Orleans, we got a list full of restaurants. I'm going through the list and I don't feel anything. Like, you know, you look at something and you just. It's like, yeah, we can go. But nothing stood out to me. Right?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I prayed while we was in the car and I said, I thank God in advance that I find a place that not only would benefit from us being there, but actually has great food. And this is exactly how I'm talking to him, because I talk to him like he. My cousin actually has great food and is where we supposed to be at? Five minutes later, I. I got an email from a place called Cajunlicious Small. It was Cajunlicious Grill or something like that. It was a small family owned shack. And when I say shack, like, it was like a 10 by 10 hut with four or five people in there. And they shoulder to shoulder. And we went in some of the best chicken I've ever had in my life. And around the corner. And to this day, they just opened a brick and mortar in New Orleans and they gonna be at the Family Day Festival.

[A]

Oh, my.

[B]

Yeah. So that's. That's for sure one of the ones that, to me, stands out because it was our first one. And I'm doubting the journey that we own. And I'm asking God to put us, or thanking God in advance that we get put in the situation. And he literally put us where we're supposed to be at.

[A]

When I'm literally sitting here talking to you about this, I started to think to myself, I mean, some people have been food critics forever, and they don't necessarily get the impact of Keith Lee effect. I mean, have you ever gotten feedback on that? Have any food critics been like, yo, yeah.

[B]

So I get it. I get it from both sides. I get the professional chefs who are like, he ain't a food critic and he just an influencer. Like, I get that title. But then I also get people who have been in the space for a very long time and they send love and respect for it. But I have. I've always had imposter syndrome. I'm getting a lot better. I don't see myself how nobody else see me. So food critic, influencer, creator. I am Keith. Yeah, I'm Keith. And nothing else but Keith. Only title that I have been accepting of lately is Businessman.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Because out of anything that I have been blessed enough to do, it is, like I said, marketing from just. And it has nothing to do with a professional, because I'm not a professional chef. I'm not a person who has a big, extensive culinary background. I'm just a person who has the food.

[A]

But that level of authorship in especially an industry like entertainment, even though it's not necessarily something you were trying to do, but you know, this, it becomes your public facing, so it becomes entertainment. People try to tell you who you

[B]

are, who you are.

[A]

They really, really do. And this. And the thing is, like, these are things that I do. I do critique food. I do do X, Y and Z. I do. But that's not me. What I really am is an architect. I'm really a business person. I'm really.

[B]

This is something that my mind works business first. My mind works marketing first. So even when we doing the festival, we doing all of the marketing for it. Like, we own the ground. We went to Mardi Gras and we walking around, we went under the bridge. If you've ever been in New Orleans, under the bridge is like. It's a big bridge that goes throughout the entire city. And people just come under there and party. Yeah, it's like just people walking around. It's car shows and. And it's food everywhere. People dancing, DJs. And we literally just walking in the middle of 10,000, 15,000 people. And it's not again, from a place of like, oh, I got something to sell. It's like, no, this is what I feel like I'm called to do. And I'm going feet to the ground. And I think that's the only way. If you are gonna sell anything, that's the only way to do it. Because it's from a place of, like, I appreciate y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

I think that the fact that y' all gonna spend a single dollar on me means the world to me. So my mind always goes.

[A]

Marketing efforts coming from Detroit, what is your connection to New Orleans? How did that become your.

[B]

So random enough? The very first place that we did food tour was New Orleans, but we was in Puerto Rico because my brother had got married. And I'm very Spontaneous. So I told them, hey, I want to go somewhere and eat some food and let's go record it. Mind you, we ain't never did a food tour before. We ain't never did no traveling for nothing, for food specifically when it comes to recording anything. So they looking at me like I'm crazy, right? And I'm like, let's just find the closest place. We was trying to get on a Disney cruise. And they like, you can't get on a Disney cruise the same day. They said, that's not how that work. So I said, what's the closest flight? And New Orleans happened to be the closest flight. And we went and like I said, for. We was there for maybe a week. And it was still, in my opinion, some of the best food I've ever had in my life.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. So it's just like kind of that memory of this is where it all began type of thing.

[B]

And I'll give you something I ain't never gave nobody before. Only my family know this. My mom's family is from New Orleans, and I grew up going to New Orleans as a kid. And the reason I never spoke on it for real is because I was a kid. So I used to go, so my grandpa passed away when I was six, I believe, like five or six.

[A]

Rest in peace.

[B]

So thank you. But you know, people, especially if you from there, they're gonna be like, oh, where'd you go when you was a kid? Or where your grandpa from?

[A]

Or with such and such, they start testing you.

[B]

Yeah, I don't have those answers. I still got family on my mom's side that lives out there, but I don't have those answers. So I never say anything. Cause I don't want the you from the knife ward or what ward you from. So I just always kept it to myself. But yeah, I do have roots there. But again, this is a traveling thing. This isn't something that's only going to be native to New Orleans.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

This is something that will move around and we will go places like my hometown, Midwest.

[A]

2027.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

I have a special connection to New Orleans because my parents, they met in New Orleans. They were doing the speech and terp competition that my mom won. And my dad was like, I'm in love her. She's amazing. So I always think about my parents eating Popeyes.

[B]

I love that. First time, shout out to Popeyes.

[A]

Exactly how. How nervous does it get? Especially because of the Keith Lee effect. Now, does it get to know that if you say Something negative about a restaurant, they might really get messed up, business wise.

[B]

It's crazy, because what I may deem negative, or what I may deem positive, somebody may deem negative. And it's so. Especially in a world of social media, if you are somebody who is positive, 90% of the time, if you say anything that can remotely be deemed, oh, he don't like this. It gets turned into World War Three. Other than if I was somebody who's always vulgar or always cussing, if I cuss once, all hell will break loose.

[A]

People used to do that to me too.

[B]

Oh, oh, hell break loose.

[A]

And it's like, I can't. I cuss a little.

[B]

Yeah, I can cuss a little. I cuss a little. What she say? I cuss a little bit.

[A]

I cuss a little bit.

[B]

And I think that's one of those things where when it comes to even negative critiques that I don't be critiquing nothing. I just give you my opinion. And I come from a place or a perspective of a customer. And I come from a place of perspective of who? Of somebody who just want to get on a plane, go to a random city and just grab some good food.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No if, ands or buts. I just want to get on a plane, go somewhere. I don't wanna have the biggest name to be able to eat there. I don't wanna have to call 10 hours ahead. I don't wanna have to have a whole bunch of people around me in order to eat. I just wanna eat some great food. And I want my mom to be able to go in after me. And you don't know that's my mama. And she get the same experience.

[A]

Yeah, I want the real response. Yeah, then you want the real response. Food isn't necessarily polarizing, but you use it to highlight how certain issues impact people's real lives. So I have to bring up you supporting Mexican restaurants during ice cream. You know, I mean, it's still going on ice raids. And then you sending, you know, asking brands to stop sending you PR instead donate food.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

So I think that's really impactful and just shows that it means more to you beyond food. But, I mean, how did those ideas come to you? Was this something that you and Ronnie, your wife, would speak about or.

[B]

I'm not a political person. I am a human being. So my perspective came specifically from a human being standpoint. It had nothing to do with the politics of the situation of which side is what. I believe in right and wrong. And I specifically chose that time and that place to speak on it because it was something that was near and dear to me. I've seen the behind the scenes of these restaurants. I've been blessed enough to have connections with a bunch of different backgrounds and ethnicities and backgrounds. And I've been blessed enough to travel just like you have. And we all know this country does not exist without everybody.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This is a place that is built on that. Yes, that's what we thought.

[A]

So it's like, what's going on?

[B]

And the second that I feel like that gets disrupted, if I'm blessed enough to have any voice to say anything about it, then even I think people was. And I don't know why. And again, I ain't never said this before. I don't know why people thought I was on the other side. I don't know why you were surprised people did.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

People was like, oh, I'm so shocked.

[A]

What did you give that Gave that?

[B]

I have no idea. They ain't never gave that, Kiki. I'm like, why would they never gave that. Thank you.

[A]

Supporting the people.

[B]

Everything is so community driven, Keke. I'm one of the people. I'm amongst the people and I've always been with the people. So when people were shocked, I'm like, I'm shocked.

[A]

You shocked?

[B]

You know, when people get to looking around, I got to looking around.

[A]

It's like that video, when them dude

[B]

is like, I'm like, we both looking at each other lost. But yeah, I feel like it wasn't something that was a shock to the people who were closest to me.

[A]

Sure, sure.

[B]

Because again, I've always been very outspoken when it comes to stuff like that because I believe in the empowerment and the movement of black and brown people.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And if we don't do it, it's not gonna get done.

[A]

And we. And look, we. We all. We all are trying to do it from our standpoint.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Like you said, at the end of the day, I'm a human being. I know I ain't gonna change the world. That's our job. But if I could do a little

[B]

something, if I can say what's on

[A]

my mind in my life, then you know I will. So I really appreciate you for that.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

I also think there's something cool that I want to point out is that you turn down nearly a million dollar deal because you don't eat the brand of the food. And I think this is important to say because as a creator and in this economy, that's a tough decision for Two reasons. A, because, obviously, ethically, but then also, people do just need to live. You know, we never know when our next deal or things are coming through. But you, to me, showed an enormous amount of faith.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

To know that if I say no to this and it's not true, to me, the right thing is gonna come my way. But I know it must have been difficult making that decision.

[B]

I wasn't making money like that. So when they said a million dollars, I was like, how much? I said, who you gonna cash out to? To me. So immediately my thought process was, is this gonna be my last million dollars? And am I willing for this to be my last million dollars? Because it was something that went against who I am as a person. It had nothing to do with the food itself. It had more to do with what they wanted me to do with the food. So they wanted me to take a bite of it and go, it's a 10 out of 10. Mm. I ain't never been helped.

[A]

Keep me alone don't talk to me.

[B]

Keke, Keke. I ain't never been held.

[A]

Please, Keith, don't.

[B]

Kiki. And I. I said I can't do it.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

I wanted to work with them, but from a community standpoint.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I brought up like, hey, let's do this again. Three, four years before the family day. I said, let's do a community day. Let's do something where it's brought by this person or brought by this company, and it really makes an impact within the community. Let's go to some schools. Let's go talk to some kids. Let's go and preach the importance of a nutritional balanced diet. Yes, let's do that. Like, let's go do something that is centered around that. And it was like, no, eat that and say it's a 10 out of 10.

[A]

Yeah. Well, if you don't want to work with me, then you don't see me as a partner.

[B]

That's a fact. You see me as somebody who got 10 million followers, and how many people on that platform got 10 million followers?

[A]

But the great thing about what you're saying is, first of all, this is the exact same way that I think about when I'm working with a brand. It's like, at the end of the day, if you see me as a partner, then you need to respect what I'm saying. And I'm telling you because I know you're looking at me. You saying I'm a black girl and that you want the black audience. But I'm telling you right now, black, white, any of my audience members, because they're. It's all included.

[B]

That's the demographic. Yeah.

[A]

They don't. They know what I'm being when I'm being real. We're not being fake. What makes sense. So if you don't.

[B]

Poker face.

[A]

You know what I mean? And if you don't want them to look at you crazy because you got me up here being crazy, it's going

[B]

back to all of us.

[A]

So, like, it's like.

[B]

That's why I said it would be my last million dollars. Because the people who rock with me and the people who know who I am, they immediately is going to be like, oh, that's not him. And how fast did that happen? Oh, it's been a year since everything took off. And he already. With the million dollar. He already took it. Oh, he didn't. He got bought out that quick. You know what I mean? He got bought out that quick.

[A]

You can't buy me 300. The thing about it is that people then at that point will know, this is how you work with me.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

You know what I mean? It ain't like I can't work with you for sure, but you gotta work with me.

[B]

Absolutely. You know, you never want the title as somebody that's difficult to work with, but you also never want the title as somebody that's super easy to work

[A]

with either to the point where you just. Do.

[B]

You just do anything.

[A]

There's no thought or intention.

[B]

Yeah, like, oh, he'll do anything. Oh, we. Cause, okay, this is something I want to stress for people who are just getting into this space or are wanting to get into this space that all of these brands talk to each other. They all know each other. So if you accept a rate in one spot. He getting on the phone and he's saying, oh, he just quoted you a million dollars. He just took 50,000 over here. Oh, he just did it with. No, I didn't even have to pay for his flight. He only got one hotel room and it's sick to them. They do that. And they are talking over coffee after the conversation, or they're gonna get on the phone and say, hey, if you come to him, you gotta come correct.

[A]

You've gotta set up.

[B]

He got a family to feed. He got. He don't play about his wife. His wife gotta be there. His. His kids gotta be there. They don't play about that. And I feel like once you set that. Yes, it's gonna be hard at first. Yes, it's scary. But the more that you say no, the more valuable your yes is, and the more valuable people are gonna value that. Because if you don't take yourself serious, nobody gonna take you serious. If you show up and you have ass and everybody gonna have ass because they like, oh, he don't even require that much, right? But if you show up and like, oh, I blessed enough to be him, they gonna treat you like you him.

[A]

You know what I mean? It's really true. You just gotta know your value, I think is also everything is a game.

[B]

You gotta play it.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

It's all a game.

[A]

You gotta know. You gotta know. Well, my time is up. I'm really sad about this.

[B]

This has been amazing, man.

[A]

You we kicking bicking back being boo.

[B]

You are the.

[A]

That's you, dog. That is you. Now I gotta play a game with you because I play a game with all my guests. You've traveled the country, you've eaten everything. So we had to switch things up for you when you come into the show. Okay, we're going to do a blind taste test. Yeah, a blind taste test. Here's how it works. We'll put on blindfold, try a new item every round and give our honest takes and best guesses. After the tasting, blindfolds come off and we find out what we've actually been eating.

[B]

Oh, come on. Are you ready, Keith?

[A]

I did this just for you, King.

[B]

Let's do it. Let's do it. I'm super excited.

[A]

This feels almost like a fried green tomato.

[B]

Huh? It's like a hoodie. You. Are you eating it already?

[A]

I already put it in my mouth. I'm too quick.

[B]

Wait, wait, wait, wait. It's like a pickle or something. Wait, it's like a fried pickle. Oh, no, that ain't no pickle.

[A]

Mine smells like fake meat. Kiki, yours feels like real meat.

[B]

I don't know what this is.

[A]

I feel you on the pickle, though.

[B]

It don't feel like nothing I've ever had before.

[A]

And it's breaded. Real bready.

[B]

Real bready.

[A]

I'm gonna open this up. I thought.

[B]

Wait, hold on, hold on.

[A]

I'm about to get to the grit.

[B]

Wait, it might be fried tomatoes. You were right. It fried.

[A]

Can we look?

[B]

Yep. Ready to take off the blindfold. Wait, hold on. No, no, no. Let me get the sauce first. The sauce going to.

[A]

Oh, that was sauce.

[B]

That was right. Yeah. That is a fried tomato. Maybe green tomato.

[A]

It's very good.

[B]

It's seasoned well. Ain't it blind? Falls off. What restaurant Is this. Go for it. Yeah. Fried green tomato. It's a spicy aioli.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It didn't smell like a pickle. It felt like a pickle because I can grab this tomato and it felt real.

[A]

And you know how them green tomatoes are a little bit sour. They still have a similar. Very, very good, though. I like this. Who did this? Who was these people?

[B]

That tastes country. Black owned restaurant. Oh, that's fixins. Everybody likes fixins before shout out to fixins. I can't even find a plate.

[A]

Oh, my gosh, kid.

[B]

Oh, it's a taco. Oh, it's a taco with a green sauce for sure.

[A]

For sure. I can feel the taco of it all. Mine feels a two. Ooh, is that good?

[B]

That is spicy. Than a.

[A]

Wait, really? Mm, mm, mm.

[B]

God.

[A]

Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm.

[B]

God damn.

[A]

What's that?

[B]

That orange salsa that ain't green.

[A]

I don't know about this, mama. Mm, mm. I don't know about this. Mine is the fake meat.

[B]

Mine tastes like pineapple.

[A]

Yeah. Mine has a lot going on.

[B]

It's spicy, though.

[A]

I don't know about this.

[B]

Did you taste the salsa? Dip your finger into the salsa.

[A]

I tasted that salsa. It was like habanero, Just straight, hot, no flavor.

[B]

Straight habanero, immediate background, straight, hot, no flavor spice. What meat is that?

[A]

The meat is not ripe. I'm trying. I'm trying, Keith. This ain't good to me. I'm very sorry to them.

[B]

Sorry to that, man.

[A]

Okay, I don't like this.

[B]

It's very obviously a vegan. It is very obviously vegan.

[A]

Everything can't be vegan.

[B]

I don't think there was any separation of vegan and not vegan. Yeah, I think you knew immediately.

[A]

I knew immediately it was vegan.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Everything can't be vegan. Some. This is when you're doing a vegan thing and you do mushrooms. Don't do the fake mushrooms, grilled things.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean?

[B]

What kind of meat substitute is that?

[A]

And I don't mean no shade, because maybe just somebody.

[B]

I said it was orange and I didn't know it was orange. It's a red sauce.

[A]

This was just hot, by the way.

[B]

That's hot.

[A]

This was just hot.

[B]

No flavor at all. He said, I don't. He said, I don't.

[A]

I don't want that. This wasn't right.

[B]

He said what?

[A]

By the way, I say this to say, if you are a vegan, you might love this.

[B]

Amen. See, that's why, ironically, this is that, you know because everything is not for everybody.

[A]

That's it.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

Amen.

[B]

Different strokes with different folks. And that ain't your stroke.

[A]

Y' all can go and get rid of her. Okay, this is hard as a brick. This is some dessert item that they put too much on. This ain't dessert, you know? This is some dessert, like crumble.

[B]

Oh, this is a cookie. Yeah, girl. That's a. It's a hard ass.

[A]

Hard as a brick. Like, what the hell is going on, guys?

[B]

No, wait. Is. Is crumble. Is it good? Is it good? No, it ain't good.

[A]

It's good.

[B]

Is it good?

[A]

It's a little bit good. It's a little bit good.

[B]

I know it ain't. I know it ain't.

[A]

I know it's not bad, right?

[B]

It's sweet.

[A]

It's sweet.

[B]

It is overly sweet.

[A]

Yeah. Cause we knew it was a cookie.

[B]

Oh, I didn't know it was a cookie, though.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. This is a cake.

[B]

It's thick.

[A]

Why do they do this?

[B]

What kind of cookie is this?

[A]

It's very sweet. It's very good. This one had to be snickerdoodle.

[B]

This is lemon.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

This is lemon and matcha.

[A]

Mm. Cinnamon snickerdom.

[B]

Oh, I can taste it.

[A]

Tastes good. This is the thing. I don't usually like anything this large. The moment that I see this size

[B]

you out, I'm gone.

[A]

But it does taste good.

[B]

It is good.

[A]

And they could easily make this smaller. You know what I mean?

[B]

I will say these are very hard. This is a very hard cookie.

[A]

But some people love all this monster cookie stuff.

[B]

It's very hard cookies.

[A]

Some people love this kitchen.

[B]

Oh, wait. I should have grabbed this one first one, because this is not hard at all. This one, real soft.

[A]

Look.

[B]

You can see it falling apart.

[A]

It was very tasty, Keith. I don't know why every time I say Keith, I always say Keith, I pronounce it with an F. I should

[B]

have had that one first.

[A]

It was very good, I don't think.

[B]

Like, cinnamon toast crunch.

[A]

It's very. This one. Absolutely delicious.

[B]

You're not a huge fan of this one, though.

[A]

I didn't love that taste. What did you think? You liked it?

[B]

I. I like the. The fact that it was citrusy at the end, and I could taste the matcha immediately.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That one, I think, is just softer, and it has much, like, a buttery taste. It tastes like cereal that tastes like. Like, if I had some milk, that would taste like cinnamon toast.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that. With a little Dip of milk would be great. I'm giving this green one another chance.

[B]

Do you drink matcha?

[A]

I like matcha.

[B]

You do? We gotta get some matcha together, you

[A]

know, Some popping spots in there.

[B]

I love some matcha.

[A]

Cause I hate when it. When it gets gritty.

[B]

I can't stand gritty.

[A]

Am I eating matcha or am I eating dirt? You know what I mean?

[B]

You don't like it to be super earthy?

[A]

Yeah, I don't like when it goes super earthy like that. You know, I want the flavor.

[B]

I like real matcha, though. I want that, like, wow.

[A]

You want that?

[B]

I'm up. Yeah, I want that kick.

[A]

Like, what's your favorite type of food? Ooh, I never knew that.

[B]

American cuisine. Black American cuisine.

[A]

I love.

[B]

I love some black American.

[A]

So wait a minute.

[B]

I love black American food.

[A]

Black American plate. What's on yours? Ooh, we need a protein. And then give me some sides.

[B]

Yams.

[A]

Yams. Without a doubt.

[B]

Collard greens.

[A]

Collard greens.

[B]

If I'm feeling in the mood, some fried catfish. Well, potatoes.

[A]

Have catfished.

[B]

I'm from Detroit. It gotta be fried catfish if I don't got fried catfish. I love a wing. I don't like wing dings. Gotta be the whole wing.

[A]

Yeah, Yeah.

[B]

I want to be able to do this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

One of them.

[A]

Like, I'm not mad.

[B]

Like, it gotta be a full pool.

[A]

I want the process.

[B]

I want everything. If it's not. I hate smothered foods. That's the only thing I don't like when it comes. Like, smothered steak.

[A]

Yeah, smothered.

[B]

I don't like nothing. Smothered and covered. I'm a texture person. So I took out the goddamn block photo. I'm a texture person.

[A]

You cool?

[B]

Yeah. I don't like nothing that's, like, engulfed in gravies and stuff, but I'm not

[A]

mad at gravies and sauces.

[B]

What's your protein?

[A]

My protein? 1000%. I'm here for catfish all day long. Now, back in the day when I ate that pork chop.

[B]

Pork chop. It gotta be fried.

[A]

It's gotta be fried.

[B]

You like it covered or just straight pork?

[A]

I like a little. It doesn't have to be that. At least I'm into, like, my dad would do, like, you know, smothered steak. I do love smothered steak. With some grilled onions. You could count me in.

[B]

Well, see, that's not gravy. Smothered. You like. You like peppers and. Okay, I can get down with that. I like that. I hate Brown gravy. And it's just like, ladled.

[A]

It's just that.

[B]

Yeah. Ladled. I can't see.

[A]

I can see that. Yeah. So my plate would be so similar to yours. Only thing I might add is a little side of a potato salad.

[B]

What kind of potato? What color is it?

[A]

A little bit yellow.

[B]

Only real potato salad eaters. No. Why would I say only real potato salad eaters? No. It gotta have a little tinge of yellow.

[A]

Why is it light?

[B]

It can't be white. It gotta have a little, like. It can't be super yellow, but it gotta have like. That is so furry. I wanted it.

[A]

I'm like, oh, my gosh. That would be so good. Man, I'm hungry.

[B]

Yeah, we gotta go. We gotta go eat. We do eat this big ass cookie. It's sweet, too.

[A]

That was so sweet.

[B]

Wow. Yeah. God, is amazing, man. This is an honor of mine, bro. This is so dope.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I'm so happy.

[B]

I feel the fact that you are the best.

[A]

Thank you so much, man.

[B]

You are amazing. Seriously, you are amazing.

[A]

This was so fun, guys. Keith Lee's impact goes far beyond food. Yes, the content blows up, but it's the care behind it that really moves people. From the toughest seasons of his life to building something that feeds his family and supports entire communities, Keith has done this his way. And whether he's in a car, in a kitchen, or in your city, his videos always keep it real. If you're anywhere near New Orleans, make sure you check out Family Day. And I'll see you next time on Baby, this is Keke Palmer. Baby, this is. This is Kiki It. Baby, this is Icy Palma. Yeah.