Club 520 Podcast — Rotimi on ‘Power,’ Club 520, Music, and Basketball

Episode overview:
This lively episode of Club 520 welcomes actor and musician Rotimi for an unfiltered, wide-ranging combo with Jeff Teague, DJ Wells, Bishop B Henn, and the crew. Rotimi reminisces about his days as a high school hooper in Jersey, details his steadfast approach to both music and acting, shares the behind-the-scenes story of his breakout in TV, and opens up about Afrobeats' rise and how he balances his Nigerian and American influences. The conversation is rich with stories from the set of ‘Power’, lessons in discipline and humility, and signature Club 520 humor.

Main Themes

Rotimi’s multi-hyphenate journey: From a hooping kid in Jersey to Northwestern, to breaking into music and acting.
Discipline and self-belief: Saving his first big checks, not feeling like he’s "made it", and letting intuition and faith guide him.
Cultural crossovers: Bringing Afrobeats to the mainstream, embracing both his Nigerian and African American roots.
Camaraderie & competition: Stories of competition and brotherhood in sports and in the creative industry.
Inside Power and The Chi: Behind-the-scenes tales and what it feels like to be both loved and hated by fans for iconic TV roles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Days: Basketball, Jersey Pride, and Northwestern

[09:34]

Rotimi confirmed he played point guard in high school in Jersey, inspired by Jason Kidd:

“I wasn't the best player on the team. I was more so just a leader... J. Kidd changed everything for me.” — Rotimi [11:04]
Reminisces about high school rivalries:

“You played Corey Fisher in there?” — DJ Wells [12:15]
“Corey Fisher, Villanova. Oh, my God, bro. Randy Ford... Lance Thomas... Like, it was. You had to either have heart or skill. Me, I was a heart.” — Rotimi [12:18–13:24]
How he got to Northwestern:

“I'm Nigerian, right? So everything is education at first... I auditioned and got in for voice performance, early decision, so couldn't go anywhere else.” — Rotimi [13:41]
Early challenges at Northwestern: cold, culture shock, but formative:

“It made me understand what it meant to be a man.... You got to figure out who you are now in this world.” — Rotimi [15:22]

Music First, Acting by Fate

[17:21]

Started singing at age 3–4, performing at Nigerian weddings coast-to-coast:

“My mom was a hustler...I sing for the bride and then they would just throw bread everywhere... If I could do this for the rest of my life, bro, this is what I'm supposed to do.” — Rotimi [17:41]
Acting was almost accidental—he was broke post-college; manager pushed him to try it despite few initial opportunities.
First big break on “Boss” came through a Northwestern alum connection—Kelsey Grammer was on hand:

“I did the audition 8 or 9 times... He was like, you know what? This kid's special. I got the job three, four days later. They fired old boy.” — Rotimi [19:18] “My first acting class was on set.” — Rotimi [20:48]
“Boss” led Courtney Kemp to notice him, paving the way for Power:

“She was like, who is that kid?... It was meant to be.” — Rotimi [21:55]

Money, Discipline, and Family Perspective

[23:29]

Rotimi saved the bulk of his first big check, at his Nigerian father’s urging:

“The first thing I did, bro, was save 120 of it.” — Rotimi [23:29]
“If you really like that, if you're a star, save this and live off of 20, 30,000 and figure it out. And I'm competitive, so I did it for ten years.” — Rotimi [24:03]
Used acting checks for real estate; lived off endorsements and hosting.
Jeff and Rotimi discuss early financial decisions – difference between sports and entertainment contracts.

Creative Process: Music, Performance, and Afrobeat Crossover

[27:08]

Discusses thrill of performing vs. creating, detailed break-down of making “In My Bed” (feat. Wale):

“Empire said you have five days to make a hit record. My man [Harmony Samuels] said, ‘I have this idea...there's a meeting in my bed.’... Finished the song in 45 minutes, it changed my life.” — Rotimi [34:30–36:03]
Pioneering Afrobeats in America; initial resistance from radio stations:

“I was one of the first people in America to take the flag of Afrobeats...radio stations were like, ‘I can’t get the beat, bro.’” — Rotimi [37:05]
Double album concept:

“First time having 9 songs R&B, 9 songs Afrobeats. No one else has ever done that.” — Rotimi [67:05]

Acting: Inside “Power,” Fame, and Fan Connections

[41:16]

Describes acting as an ex-athlete: always trying to “dominate every scene.”

“I was trying to make sure you remembered Dre...everyone had the same mindset, so that’s what made us great.” — Rotimi [41:28–42:58]
On being both loved and hated for his ‘Dre’ character:

“Girls coming up: ‘You cute, but I can’t stand your ass’... I had to realize it’s a compliment. It means you’re affecting people.” — Rotimi [46:21]
Advice from Tyrese and Jamie Foxx:

“They said, ‘Kill this [role] and make them want to research who’s killing this.’” — Rotimi [46:07]

Transitioning Shows: “The Chi” and Adapting

[49:12]

Joining “The Chi” felt like being a “free agent” on an established team:

“It’s like going to play with Jokic and them...How do I fit in?” — Rotimi [49:15]
Initially signed for two episodes; embraced the opportunity and turned it into more.

Industry Real Talk: Competition, Insecurity, and Uplifting Each Other

[58:08]

Jeff reflects on celebrating, not envying, his brother’s NBA success.
Rotimi discusses how “insecurity, ego, pride, jealousy, trauma” make entertainment a “crab in a barrel” industry:

“Only our people look at it like that...our whole mindset is just hate, hate, hate. We don’t champion nothing.” — Rotimi [60:34–61:18]
Importance of supporting each other and being confident in divinely appointed paths:

“What’s meant for me is gonna be for mine...being confident within self, most people aren’t confident within themselves.” — Rotimi [65:10 & 66:23]

Craft & Technique:

[67:48]

On not having taken acting classes, learning by studying greats’ eye contact and non-verbal presence:

“I studied Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Ed Norton, Brad Pitt...what they did with their eyes.” — Rotimi [67:48]
Trusts his intuition and God, in both his acting and music.

Family Reactions & Remaining Grounded

[69:32]

On his Nigerian parents’ reaction to his early TV roles:

“My mom was like, ‘Why are you stroking this girl like that on TV?’... Then she got the first check — ‘Yes, keep beating!’” — Rotimi [69:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Club 520’s vibe:

“I hit Mike, I said, ‘Y’all got something special over here... Potent, honest, efficient... People need authenticity.” — Rotimi [09:47]
On financial discipline:

“If you’re a star, bro, save this and live off 20, 30k and figure it out.” — Rotimi [24:03]
On creative pressure:

“You have five days to make a hit record...my man gave me a cool idea...finished the song in 45 minutes. It changed my life.” — Rotimi [34:30–36:03]
On being Dre:

“Girls coming up: ‘You cute, but I can’t stand your ass.’” — Rotimi [46:21]
On working in established franchises:

“It’s like being a free agent...a new team, they’re already winning.” — Rotimi [49:15]
On competitiveness in creative industries:

“Most artists, actors, creatives are insecure human beings, bro. Sometimes they use the insecurity to thrive, or use it to just hate.” — Rotimi [65:29]
On acting technique:

“No acting class, never took a class in my life. Studied the greats." — Rotimi [44:00, 67:48]
Fan love/hate:

“We were everybody’s escape from life...people feel like you’re family.” — Rotimi [45:32]
On intuition:

“Trust your intuition, trust your instincts, and then trust in God, man. That’s what guided me.” — Rotimi [43:23]

Fun & Heartfelt Interactions

Plans for Bishop B Henn to play drums at Rotimi’s next Indiana show [38:34–39:37]
Spirited, hilarious debates about Afrobeats hits, favorite artists, and danceability [32:31–37:03]
Club 520’s signature jokes about “freakiest professions” — photographers vs. personal trainers [74:07]

Timeline Highlights

09:47–14:44: Rotimi on Jersey hoops, getting to Northwestern, and growing up
17:21–22:16: Early music hustle, chance break into acting, Kelsey Grammer story
23:29–26:07: Money advice, comparing career paths with Jeff Teague
34:30–37:03: The making of “In My Bed” and Afrobeats breakout
41:16–46:57: ‘Power’ — competing on set, being a villain the fans love/hate
49:12–51:37: ‘The Chi’— joining a running show as a “free agent”
58:08–66:32: Jealousy, insecurity, and support between Black men in the industry and sports
67:48–69:20: Studying acting by observation, merging R&B and Afrobeats
69:32–70:37: Family reactions, sticking to roots

Closing Thoughts & Love

Rotimi calls Club 520 “one of the best conversations I’ve ever had... I don’t like a lot of things. I love this show.” [76:03]
Club 520 promises to reunite for drum-backed live shows soon, confirming mutual respect and genuine camaraderie.
Outro: Club 520 and Rotimi set another high bar for sports and culture podcast conversations, seamlessly blending laughs, gems, and realness.

For listeners:
This episode is a must for fans of Rotimi, “Power” or “The Chi”, Afrobeats, or anyone who loves genuine, layered conversations about ambition, brotherhood, and honoring where you come from while chasing greatness.

Follow Club 520: @club520podcast (@jeffteague @thatsanopiniondj & @outthepearlys)
Listen every week for more sports, culture, and comedy.

Club 520 Podcast — Rotimi on ‘Power,’ Club 520, Music, and Basketball

Main Themes

Rotimi’s multi-hyphenate journey: From a hooping kid in Jersey to Northwestern, to breaking into music and acting.
Discipline and self-belief: Saving his first big checks, not feeling like he’s "made it", and letting intuition and faith guide him.
Cultural crossovers: Bringing Afrobeats to the mainstream, embracing both his Nigerian and African American roots.
Camaraderie & competition: Stories of competition and brotherhood in sports and in the creative industry.
Inside Power and The Chi: Behind-the-scenes tales and what it feels like to be both loved and hated by fans for iconic TV roles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Days: Basketball, Jersey Pride, and Northwestern

[09:34]

Rotimi confirmed he played point guard in high school in Jersey, inspired by Jason Kidd:

“I wasn't the best player on the team. I was more so just a leader... J. Kidd changed everything for me.” — Rotimi [11:04]
Reminisces about high school rivalries:

“You played Corey Fisher in there?” — DJ Wells [12:15]
“Corey Fisher, Villanova. Oh, my God, bro. Randy Ford... Lance Thomas... Like, it was. You had to either have heart or skill. Me, I was a heart.” — Rotimi [12:18–13:24]
How he got to Northwestern:

“I'm Nigerian, right? So everything is education at first... I auditioned and got in for voice performance, early decision, so couldn't go anywhere else.” — Rotimi [13:41]
Early challenges at Northwestern: cold, culture shock, but formative:

“It made me understand what it meant to be a man.... You got to figure out who you are now in this world.” — Rotimi [15:22]

Music First, Acting by Fate

[17:21]

Started singing at age 3–4, performing at Nigerian weddings coast-to-coast:

“My mom was a hustler...I sing for the bride and then they would just throw bread everywhere... If I could do this for the rest of my life, bro, this is what I'm supposed to do.” — Rotimi [17:41]
Acting was almost accidental—he was broke post-college; manager pushed him to try it despite few initial opportunities.
First big break on “Boss” came through a Northwestern alum connection—Kelsey Grammer was on hand:

“I did the audition 8 or 9 times... He was like, you know what? This kid's special. I got the job three, four days later. They fired old boy.” — Rotimi [19:18] “My first acting class was on set.” — Rotimi [20:48]
“Boss” led Courtney Kemp to notice him, paving the way for Power:

“She was like, who is that kid?... It was meant to be.” — Rotimi [21:55]

Money, Discipline, and Family Perspective

[23:29]

Rotimi saved the bulk of his first big check, at his Nigerian father’s urging:

“The first thing I did, bro, was save 120 of it.” — Rotimi [23:29]
“If you really like that, if you're a star, save this and live off of 20, 30,000 and figure it out. And I'm competitive, so I did it for ten years.” — Rotimi [24:03]
Used acting checks for real estate; lived off endorsements and hosting.
Jeff and Rotimi discuss early financial decisions – difference between sports and entertainment contracts.

Creative Process: Music, Performance, and Afrobeat Crossover

[27:08]

Discusses thrill of performing vs. creating, detailed break-down of making “In My Bed” (feat. Wale):

“Empire said you have five days to make a hit record. My man [Harmony Samuels] said, ‘I have this idea...there's a meeting in my bed.’... Finished the song in 45 minutes, it changed my life.” — Rotimi [34:30–36:03]
Pioneering Afrobeats in America; initial resistance from radio stations:

“I was one of the first people in America to take the flag of Afrobeats...radio stations were like, ‘I can’t get the beat, bro.’” — Rotimi [37:05]
Double album concept:

“First time having 9 songs R&B, 9 songs Afrobeats. No one else has ever done that.” — Rotimi [67:05]

Acting: Inside “Power,” Fame, and Fan Connections

[41:16]

Describes acting as an ex-athlete: always trying to “dominate every scene.”

“I was trying to make sure you remembered Dre...everyone had the same mindset, so that’s what made us great.” — Rotimi [41:28–42:58]
On being both loved and hated for his ‘Dre’ character:

“Girls coming up: ‘You cute, but I can’t stand your ass’... I had to realize it’s a compliment. It means you’re affecting people.” — Rotimi [46:21]
Advice from Tyrese and Jamie Foxx:

“They said, ‘Kill this [role] and make them want to research who’s killing this.’” — Rotimi [46:07]

Transitioning Shows: “The Chi” and Adapting

[49:12]

Joining “The Chi” felt like being a “free agent” on an established team:

“It’s like going to play with Jokic and them...How do I fit in?” — Rotimi [49:15]
Initially signed for two episodes; embraced the opportunity and turned it into more.

Industry Real Talk: Competition, Insecurity, and Uplifting Each Other

[58:08]

Jeff reflects on celebrating, not envying, his brother’s NBA success.
Rotimi discusses how “insecurity, ego, pride, jealousy, trauma” make entertainment a “crab in a barrel” industry:

“Only our people look at it like that...our whole mindset is just hate, hate, hate. We don’t champion nothing.” — Rotimi [60:34–61:18]
Importance of supporting each other and being confident in divinely appointed paths:

“What’s meant for me is gonna be for mine...being confident within self, most people aren’t confident within themselves.” — Rotimi [65:10 & 66:23]

Craft & Technique:

[67:48]

On not having taken acting classes, learning by studying greats’ eye contact and non-verbal presence:

“I studied Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Ed Norton, Brad Pitt...what they did with their eyes.” — Rotimi [67:48]
Trusts his intuition and God, in both his acting and music.

Family Reactions & Remaining Grounded

[69:32]

On his Nigerian parents’ reaction to his early TV roles:

“My mom was like, ‘Why are you stroking this girl like that on TV?’... Then she got the first check — ‘Yes, keep beating!’” — Rotimi [69:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Club 520’s vibe:

“I hit Mike, I said, ‘Y’all got something special over here... Potent, honest, efficient... People need authenticity.” — Rotimi [09:47]
On financial discipline:

“If you’re a star, bro, save this and live off 20, 30k and figure it out.” — Rotimi [24:03]
On creative pressure:

“You have five days to make a hit record...my man gave me a cool idea...finished the song in 45 minutes. It changed my life.” — Rotimi [34:30–36:03]
On being Dre:

“Girls coming up: ‘You cute, but I can’t stand your ass.’” — Rotimi [46:21]
On working in established franchises:

“It’s like being a free agent...a new team, they’re already winning.” — Rotimi [49:15]
On competitiveness in creative industries:

“Most artists, actors, creatives are insecure human beings, bro. Sometimes they use the insecurity to thrive, or use it to just hate.” — Rotimi [65:29]
On acting technique:

“No acting class, never took a class in my life. Studied the greats." — Rotimi [44:00, 67:48]
Fan love/hate:

“We were everybody’s escape from life...people feel like you’re family.” — Rotimi [45:32]
On intuition:

“Trust your intuition, trust your instincts, and then trust in God, man. That’s what guided me.” — Rotimi [43:23]

Fun & Heartfelt Interactions

Plans for Bishop B Henn to play drums at Rotimi’s next Indiana show [38:34–39:37]
Spirited, hilarious debates about Afrobeats hits, favorite artists, and danceability [32:31–37:03]
Club 520’s signature jokes about “freakiest professions” — photographers vs. personal trainers [74:07]

Timeline Highlights

09:47–14:44: Rotimi on Jersey hoops, getting to Northwestern, and growing up
17:21–22:16: Early music hustle, chance break into acting, Kelsey Grammer story
23:29–26:07: Money advice, comparing career paths with Jeff Teague
34:30–37:03: The making of “In My Bed” and Afrobeats breakout
41:16–46:57: ‘Power’ — competing on set, being a villain the fans love/hate
49:12–51:37: ‘The Chi’— joining a running show as a “free agent”
58:08–66:32: Jealousy, insecurity, and support between Black men in the industry and sports
67:48–69:20: Studying acting by observation, merging R&B and Afrobeats
69:32–70:37: Family reactions, sticking to roots

Closing Thoughts & Love

Rotimi calls Club 520 “one of the best conversations I’ve ever had... I don’t like a lot of things. I love this show.” [76:03]
Club 520 promises to reunite for drum-backed live shows soon, confirming mutual respect and genuine camaraderie.
Outro: Club 520 and Rotimi set another high bar for sports and culture podcast conversations, seamlessly blending laughs, gems, and realness.

Follow Club 520: @club520podcast (@jeffteague @thatsanopiniondj & @outthepearlys)
Listen every week for more sports, culture, and comedy.

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Club 520 - Rotimi on ‘Power,’ becoming a FAN of Jeff Teague & Club 520, making music, playing basketball

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Summary

Club 520 Podcast — Rotimi on ‘Power,’ Club 520, Music, and Basketball

Main Themes

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Days: Basketball, Jersey Pride, and Northwestern

Music First, Acting by Fate

Money, Discipline, and Family Perspective

Creative Process: Music, Performance, and Afrobeat Crossover

Acting: Inside “Power,” Fame, and Fan Connections

Transitioning Shows: “The Chi” and Adapting

Industry Real Talk: Competition, Insecurity, and Uplifting Each Other

Craft & Technique:

Family Reactions & Remaining Grounded

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Fun & Heartfelt Interactions

Timeline Highlights

Closing Thoughts & Love

Summary

Club 520 Podcast — Rotimi on ‘Power,’ Club 520, Music, and Basketball

Main Themes

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Days: Basketball, Jersey Pride, and Northwestern

Music First, Acting by Fate

Money, Discipline, and Family Perspective

Creative Process: Music, Performance, and Afrobeat Crossover

Acting: Inside “Power,” Fame, and Fan Connections

Transitioning Shows: “The Chi” and Adapting

Industry Real Talk: Competition, Insecurity, and Uplifting Each Other

Craft & Technique:

Family Reactions & Remaining Grounded

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Fun & Heartfelt Interactions

Timeline Highlights

Closing Thoughts & Love