Club Shay Shay - Flau'jae Johnson Part 1

Summary

Club Shay Shay - Flau'jae Johnson Part 1: In-Depth Summary

Release Date: July 16, 2025

Host: Shannon Sharpe

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1. Introduction

In this episode of Club Shay Shay, NFL legend Shannon Sharpe welcomes Flau'jae Johnson, a multi-talented athlete, rapper, and businesswoman. Sharpe highlights Flau'jae's impressive credentials, including her role in leading the Lady Tigers to their first national championship, her accolades as a McDonald's All-American, SEC Freshman of the Year, and her burgeoning career in music and business.

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2. Early Life and Background

Flau'jae Johnson opens up about her upbringing in Savannah, Georgia, emphasizing the vibrant and competitive environment that shaped her athletic prowess.

• Name Pronunciation Struggles:

  "They spell it wrong but I don't take any offense to it. It be funny sometimes, I'm not gonna lie." [04:01]

• Community and Sports Engagement: Flau'jae shares her memories of participating in the Boys and Girls Club, where she played baseball and basketball alongside boys, fostering a strong foundation in teamwork and resilience.

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3. High School Athletic Journey

Flau'jae discusses her diverse involvement in sports during high school, including baseball, basketball, and cheerleading. Her dedication and versatility set her apart, leading to significant achievements.

• Cheerleading Experiences:

  "My mama made me cheer because I was athletic and I could do, like, back handsprings, but I hated it." [05:56]

• Basketball with Boys Teams:

  "I played with the boys. I played with the guys. Cause it wasn't a girls team at that point." [07:58]

Her commitment paid off as she became the all-time scoring leader at Spraberry High School, earning her number four jersey retirement—a first for a female athlete at the school.

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4. Transition to College Basketball

Choosing LSU for her collegiate career, Flau'jae highlights the support she received from Coach Mokey, who encouraged her to pursue both basketball and her passion for rap without compromising her athletic performance.

• Balancing Dual Aspirations:

  "Coach Moki was so gangster and laid it out like you could rap, you could go to the moon." [50:56]

Under Coach Mokey's guidance, Flau'jae thrived, contributing significantly to LSU's national championship win and elevating her status as a standout player in women's college basketball.

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5. Rap Career and Artistic Expression

Flau'jae delves into her deep connection with music, driven by her late father's legacy as a rapper. Her journey in the music industry began at a young age, performing at family parties and eventually touring with established artists.

• Inspiration from Her Father:

  "I'm doing something bigger than me. I wanna fulfill my father's legacy so people could know his name more than mine." [23:16]

• Participation in The Rap Game: Despite facing setbacks, including breaking her finger during a performance, Flau'jae's resilience shone through as she returned to win MVP honors at multiple events.

• America's Got Talent Experience:

  "They connected. And Simon Cowell came up to the back of the stage and was like, 'You’re gonna be a superstar.'" [35:14]

Her performances are marked by emotional depth and a desire to connect with a broad audience, transcending her background and personal struggles.

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6. Personal Struggles and Legacy

A poignant part of the conversation centers around the tragic loss of Flau'jae's father, Camouflage, who was murdered while holding a child he believed to be his own. This event profoundly impacted her, fueling her drive to succeed and honor his memory.

• Impact of Her Father's Death:

  "It was like, bro, I was one decision away from my life being different." [40:23]

• Support from the Hip-Hop Community: Boosie, a respected figure in her life, stepped in as a father figure, providing mentorship and support during her formative years.

• Dreams and Determination:

  "If I go on this stage on America's Got Talent and rap to these people, and they feel me, anybody could feel me." [37:04]

Flau'jae emphasizes the importance of using her platform to give back to the community and inspire others facing similar hardships.

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7. Views on Women's Basketball and the WNBA

Flau'jae offers insightful perspectives on the current landscape of women's basketball, expressing both admiration and frustration with standout players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

• Competitive Spirit and Team Dynamics:

  "I just love greatness, bro." [60:43]

• Challenges of Being Unique: Navigating the competitive environment of the WNBA, Flau'jae discusses the difficulties of maintaining positive relationships while striving for excellence.

• Growth of Women's Sports:

  "Women's sports is on the rise. And... we just gotta keep pushing and keep hunting." [58:36]

Her experiences highlight the evolving recognition and support for female athletes, advocating for unity and mutual respect within the sport.

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8. Future Aspirations and Business Ventures

Looking ahead, Flau'jae reveals her plans to continue excelling both on the court and in her music career. She emphasizes the importance of discipline, time management, and leveraging her success to build sustainable business ventures.

• Executing Plans with Precision:

  "I'm an executioner. I get a plan, I get an idea... I execute." [14:16]

• Building a Legacy Beyond Sports: Flau'jae aims to utilize her platform to create meaningful impact, focusing on community engagement and mentoring the next generation of athletes and artists.

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9. Conclusion

The episode concludes with reflections on Flau'jae's remarkable journey, her unwavering commitment to her passions, and the profound influence of her personal experiences on her professional endeavors. Shannon Sharpe commends her resilience and foresight, underscoring Flau'jae's potential to inspire and lead in multiple arenas.

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Notable Quotes:

• "I'm so real... It's running out but I give you all the time that I got." — Flau'jae Johnson [01:55]

• "I'm aiming to destroy all... That's my mentality." — Flau'jae Johnson [21:13]

• "Simon said, one day you're gonna be a superstar." — Flau'jae Johnson [35:14]

• "My dad would have been proud of me." — Flau'jae Johnson [42:53]

• "I love greatness, bro." — Flau'jae Johnson [60:43]

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of Part 1 of Flau'jae Johnson's conversation on Club Shay Shay, highlighting her multifaceted talents, personal resilience, and visionary outlook.

Transcript

[Flahjee Johnson]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Flahjee Johnson]

My daughter was born, my husband and I are having to decide whether or not to get her vaccinated. I definitely felt like the pros far outweighed the cons. The diseases that I am protecting my child against, they're still here.

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[Flahjee Johnson]

If I rap right now, it'll give you chills.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, let's go ahead and do that.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm so real. The mayor gave me a day in my city, but it's so sad that I can't even go and stay in my city. Shooting and killing little kids. Can't even play in my city it's so wicked. They killed my dad in broad day in my city but I still love him I give him all the time that I got. It's running out but I give you all the time that I got. You was the fakest on my team and I'm just finding it out that made me sick into my stomach about to vomit it out and I'm like ready or not man, it's my time now I done gave it everything I got it's time they done blew the whistle when my foot across the line now clock is ticking down ain't got no 30 second time out. For real though I know I'mma make it cause I don't seek an applause I vow to never waste my voice if I don't speak for a cause I reminisce when I just think and I pause. My mama told me you keep shooting for the moon, you gonna have a seat with them stars.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh God, I like that.

[Flahjee Johnson]

All my life been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price, wanna slice, got to roll a dice that's why all my life I been grinding all my life. Look. All my life been grinding all my all my life. Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price, wanna slice, got to roll a dice that's why all my life I've been grinding all my life.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hello, welcome to another episode of Club Shiseay. I am your host, Shannon Sharpe. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shay Shay. Stopping by for conversation of the day. No drinking season. Training a generational talent. One of the most marketable athletes in college sport. She is a multi hyphenated, dominating in basketball, rap and in business. She helped the Lady Tigers with win their first ever national championship. A gold medalist, an AP All American, first team, all SEC. SEC freshman of the year, McDonald's All American. An accomplished artist, athlete and a businesswoman. A true triple threat all the way from the seaport. Yes, Savannah, Georgia. Here she is, ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Flahjee Johnson.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Savannah, Georgia. Ooh, that sounded cool in front of my name. That was cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So thank you for stopping by.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Thank you for having me. Thank you so much.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So how difficult was it for teachers and classmates and friends to pronounce that name?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh my, they still pronounce it. Man, I've gotten flau J, Flu J. All type of Js. They spell it wrong but I don't take any offense to it. It be funny sometimes, I'm not gonna lie.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So did they say Ms. Johnson or did the teachers even give up on.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Sometimes they be like, the two teachers be like, baby, I'm not gonna say this name. What's your name? And I was like, flaw J. Like, flawless.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is that a play? And we're gonna talk about your father in a minute. That'll play off of his name because he went by the stage name camouflage. And so Flaj.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yep, that's it. That's it. Yeah. His name was camouflage, so he named me Flaje Monet.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And it kinda rhymes, so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So let me ask you this. How was it growing up in Savannah? Cause I went to school in Savannah. I'm very familiar with Savannah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Savannah was cool. Like, I grew up. We was outside.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Flahjee Johnson]

We was outside. I feel like I'm like, the last of the people who got to really be outside, like, with your friends all day. And it was just competitive. Like, I was around, like, a older crowd, but I never got to, like, be with them, you know? So I just played basketball all day. But Savannah was fun, bro. Like, of course it has its bad, you know, areas and stuff like that, but where I was, it was fun.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What's your best memory as a child?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, my best memory as a child, probably when I played for the boys club. Frank Callum, boys and girls club. I was a cheerleader. I played baseball with the boys. I was a pitcher. And those times, I really just molded me into the person I am today. Like, that's why I think recreational centers and stuff like that for the kids are so important. Because I had a lot of coaches that was like, father figures. And that was just, like, the prominent thing that I had in Savannah, for sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You do realize, like, normally cheerleaders, they're not playing, like, basketball. Cause, you know, normally the cheerleaders, they're cheering for the athletes. They don't turn around. And, like, I mean, could you, like, cheer, like, for like, one group of different.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I wasn't a basketball cheerleader. I was cheering for the football team.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you cheering for the football team?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. Well, basketball season, I was on the flow.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you put the pom poms up.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I was on the flow. My mama made me cheer because I was athletic and I could do, like, back handsprings, but I hated it. Like, I used to be so mad with my pom pom. I was like, mom, I want to play football. Like, I wanted to play football. So I was just there. Cause my mom made me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, that's awesome. There's an intersection, and, you know, for people that's not familiar with it, it's like, in Savannah, there's Abercorn and you got West Montgomery Crossroad. I mean, you got the big street. So you got like Abercorn Duran. And then you got Skidaway and Victory. And then you got. I mean, you got an intersection.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, it's so cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, you got an intersection.

[Flahjee Johnson]

No, that was crazy. When they said it was giving me one, I was like. Like a whole lot. But it's really a whole intersection. Like, you drive this way, you see Fly J, Johnson intersection, you drive that way, Fly J. And it's crazy. Cause I remember taking that same route to go and go to Bacon park and go play at all these tournaments and stuff like that. And just being like celebrated in that way, like, that was big.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I used to spend a lot of time. They had a. I don't know if it's still over there. They had an unbelievable Chinese restaurant with fried rice. I forget the name.

[Flahjee Johnson]

It was like, boy, so many.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I know they done buildings.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I like the five star one. I don't know if it was where it was at. They had no fried gizzards. But them fried gizzards are so good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They gonna call us country talking. We like gizzards.

[Flahjee Johnson]

What that video you eating? Duh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. When I was talking about. We got fried chicken, catfish, candy, yam, Mac and cheese, neck bones.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, put that on the edit.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you played. You played baseball, you played basketball, you were a cheerleader. So you're a cheerleader for the football team, right? What's that? Because normally, like, cheering is a year round, so you cheer for the football team, you cheer for the basketball team and whatever else. The pep rally, you get that going. So you was just like a one sport cheerleader. Football season. And it wasn't. That was over.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I had to. My mom made me, y'. All. One time I just cried and I was like, I'm not doing this no more. She was like, all right, you don't have to do it no more. You can play basketball. But. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was your best sport coming up?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, my best sport. I was always good at basketball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You was?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I was always good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you play with the girls or you played with the girls?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I played with the boys. I played with the guys. Cause it wasn't a girls team at that point. You know, this was back then, so it was only boys. And I grew up like. I remember my teammate Monte, Ken, all those guys, I used to play with them at the Boys and Girls Club. I was the only girl, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you think that's what helped you become the player that you became. Because normally guys mature as far physically a lot sooner than women. And you had to because you wanted to compete. You wanted to get chosen. You wanted to be out there on the court so you couldn't be, like, a liability, right?

[Flahjee Johnson]

No. And it was never that. And I had a chip on my shoulder, shout out my coach, Maurice, he was like a father figure to me. Like, I would cry, he would treat me like the guys, like. You know what I'm saying? Like, it wasn't. No, you a girl. If you gonna put these shorts on, you gonna play. And he held me accountable and he pushed me. And it made me like, I'm gonna beat all these boys. Like, I'm gonna be better than all of y'.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And I just really went. That's how I went. Like, for real. But he held me accountable, and he ain't let me cut corners. You know, I had to run. I had to run the whole sprint. Like, everybody. Football field, all of that. Like, he. He. He held me accountable. So I got really good. Like, I got really good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you could have played football, what position were you gonna play?

[Flahjee Johnson]

See, I'm playing quarterback.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You want the glamour position, you know, cover girl.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like this. I thought. Mean spiral, though. That's why.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I couldn't do wide receiver. Cause, like, bro, wide receivers, like, they're too athletic. DBs, that's the hardest. That's the hardest position in the world.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay?

[Flahjee Johnson]

So I just know my role.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What about a running back?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, no, I'm not going through. I'm not going through. I'm going through. It's 300 pounders. They're not gonna be laying on me. No, but I love football, though. I.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So when you was playing against the guys, did you beat em?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, yeah. Like, this was serious. Like, I had smoke for them. I was literally like. I think I was, like, one of the best on my team. Like, they knew it was up. I was really good. But it made me better when I played against the girls.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like, it was like nothing. Huh?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like, okay, just. Cause my pace, I think, you know, it was so fast. So, yeah, I was good, though. They know what's up. All my boys on the boys club, y' all know what's up now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, they telling the story. She ain't beat me. I wasn't one of the guys she beat.

[Flahjee Johnson]

They know. They know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There was. I think it was. I don't know what Asia Wilson was on. And they were asking her, could she beat an NBA player? Cause she. I think it was Josh Hart. And she said she could beat. Do you believe that a WNBA player could beat an NBA player?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I was just talking about this. I just don't. It's not physically possible. You know what I'm saying? Like, I could barely grab rim you over the backboard. Like, I'm not about to play you. Like, but like, no. An NBA player. Like, no.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What about if we took. Let's just say we took a top five WNBA player. So we took Stewie, we took Asia, we took Fee, Nafesha, Collier. Who else you want to put in? You want to throw Inescu in there? You want to throw Jonquell Jones? I mean, you want to put Caitlyn Clark, whoever. Who you going and I'm going to take? Let's just say for the sake of argument, I take the 12th guy. Not obviously, KD, LeBron, Luka, them. That ain't happening. But I'm saying we going to take the 12th, 13th or 14th guy. He don't get in. But like two minutes left in the game when they up by 20. Why were they down by 25? Could they beat Warrnabelle?

[Flahjee Johnson]

It just depends on the metrics, bro. Honestly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, we gotta play. It ain't no handicap. It's straight up basketball.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Dumb guys can dunk. Them guys are all Americans. You know how hard it is to get in the NBA.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I do understand.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Literally. I got a new appreciation for summer league. I'm like, all these guys are playing for like one or two spots, correct? And these guys booming they seven footers, bro. I'm not. I can't get in that argument. Cause I know I can't. I'll tell you that. Like, you six, eight and a point guard. What am I about to do? I'm 5 10, almost 5' 11, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

But if you could let me ask you a question. You say you like to play. When you were growing up, you played against the guys?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Would you like to train with NBA players?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, yes. Oh, my gosh. I met Kyrie Irving yesterday. And, bro, it was so cool. I ain't gonna lie. Vegas been lit. But he was like, you know, I really respect what you do. I love your raps, I love your basketball. And I was talking to one of his affiliates and he was like, yeah, we gonna get you Ky in the gym. And I was like, I'm trying to act like I'm not tweaking out, but I'm like, okay, cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm like, geek.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I did you spaz wasn't.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I said, fuck him, but. And then I text KLAY Thompson. Cause I always been just impressed with his balance and his footwork. And I'm like, you know, I would really come just love to watch you work. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes you usually want to see a person in their element. And I was like, I want to come watch you work. He hit me. He was like, yeah, when I get back to Dallas, you know, we could definitely get some shots up. So I kind of been reaching out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But, yeah, you know, he kind of busy now.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I know. I love you when you get back. Okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

But now, like, you know, it's so cool, like, being respected by my peers.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? Cause it's like, I just want to learn, bro. Like, especially in basketball, I just want to learn. I just want to sit around you and try to. What's your routine? Like, asking questions like that. So it's super cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because, you know, you do realize, like, okay, you going back to college, but, you know, this is going to be your last year of college. And now you go to the wnba. That's a real job. Ain't no more study hall. Ain't no more child hall. Ain't no more workouts. You are. I mean, you're a grown woman now. But I'm saying you grown. You're on your own. You got to get your own housing. You got to get to. And from practice. You got to. You know, you have to develop a routine and, you know, to get a head start. Guys, let me ask you a question. So what time is practice? If we have practice at this time, what do I do? What do I eat? And then I go to practice? Then what do y' all do after practice? Is that some of the information that you're trying to find out?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Absolutely. But, you know, I'm gonna excel in that category. Cause I've been on a 5am routine since high school.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. I've been disciplined since high school. I was. I first started getting on the circuit at 10th grade. So I told myself, I'm gonna become a McDonald's All American. I did four workouts a day for two years straight and became McDonald American. So, like, my routine is there. It's the little stuff that you don't know that you only know from experience.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Correct.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? I feel like. I feel like I'm gonna excel in the wnba. Cause I ain't got too many stipulations on me in college. It's a lot you gotta abide by and all of that. If you're telling me I could get my work in how I do, per usual, five to 10, and I got my little.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I got the rest of the day. But how do you budget that time? Because that's the thing. There's so much free time. Because, you know, in college, you get your workout in. I don't know if you guys practice in the morning or the evening. Okay, you get your workout in. Now you got study hall. Now you got weight training. Now you got all this other stuff. Whereas in the WNBA or being a professional, you get your work in. You done.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What do you do with all that idle time?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Ooh, I run businesses. I'm a rapper. I be in the studio. I mentor. I do a lot of stuff. My time, I don't waste my time. I'm an executioner. That's what I like to call myself. I get a plan, I get an idea. I just got it tatted. Like, I execute. So I really don't play with my time. And you, I'm gonna show you my notebook. Like, I got time stamps all day. Like, when I'm doing this time, like, time clocks. I like to get stuff done. And, you know, in my profession, you know, keep the main thing. The main thing. But all those hours you got, that's when you building your dream. So that's the kind of mentality I try to keep going forward.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Who's your basketball item?

[Flahjee Johnson]

LeBron.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you could ask LeBron. Okay. LeBron is. LeBron was sitting right here.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What you want to ask Bron?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm gonna ask LeBron James. What is your mindset throughout those slumps? Like, you know what I'm saying? Cause we go through these slumps in the season. I wanna know what the greatest of all time, what his mentality is like towards it. Like, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Not when the times are good, but when it's bad, it's bad.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Cause we could all be good. So, like. Cause I always. When I go through these slumps, he got my coaches telling me, no, no, no, no. But I'm like, man, come on, like. But one of the greatest of all time, I wanna know, like, what's your. Like, how do you get through that? Like, you work through it. You know what I'm saying? Your confidence, like, where your mindset. Cause he done been through so many trials being a celebrity, you know what I. In the basketball world, how do you balance that family?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ever since he was 17.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Exactly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He doesn't know what it's like not to have a camera in his face.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Literally. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He doesn't get to go to the mall. He doesn't get to go to the movies. He don't get to go. The stuff that you take for granted facts is like, wow. I mean, I wish I could just go to the movie with my kids. I wish I could just go to the mall with my kids and go to dinner with my kids and not have security in everybody.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm starting to feel it. Cause like, I be going. I like to go to the movies. I'm in the movie club at amc, so. And I started getting stopped, like, you know what I'm saying? A lot like, you know what I'm saying? I'm like, I can't even get my popcorn no more. I gotta send my boyfriend to get my popcorn. And I go up there. But it's like certain things you can't do. And I can only imagine being on LeBron statue. Like, you can't even eat dinner.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? So it's a lot that come with it, like being the great.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You go to Savannah High Beach?

[Flahjee Johnson]

No, I didn't go to high school in Savannah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You didn't?

[Flahjee Johnson]

No.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Where'd you go to?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I moved out there. I went to Spraberry High School in Marietta. Yep. Made history there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They retired number four.

[Flahjee Johnson]

They retired number four. All time record leader, scoring leader, all of that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So ain't nobody. As long as Brayberry is in existence, there's never gonna be a young lady that will ever be able to don the number four. Unless they ask Flage.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Hey, and you know I'm for the kids. So if it's somebody that's hard and colder, that's coming out of spraywear, and you want that foe, you better represent that foe to the tee.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, what happens? She get it if she ain't like that?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, I ain't gonna give it to you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How you know, though? You won't know until she get in.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I gotta watch some film or we gonna work out together. Like, you want my note? You hit me up and be like, all right, let me see what you got.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You might have need to save that number for Love Flow.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Love Flow. Right, right, right. Facts, facts.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You right here. You're the first girl to have her number retired at that high school. School's all time leading scorer, Region six A player of the year. MVP of Brand Jordan Classic.

[DJ Wells]

Yo, this is DJ Wells from Club Five twenty Podcast Draft night ain't just about who goes number one. It's about how you show up and JD Sports is where the future of the league gets laced up. Whether it's Dylan Harper's tenacious two way play or Trey Johnson's sharpshooter from deep down south, JD's got the gear to match every draft story. From exclusive kicks to player collabs, JD Sports is the plug for the next level style. So while the league's getting younger, your feet's getting fresher. JD sports where the game meets the streets. Visit jdsports.com to check out their new collection or download the JD app today.

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[Shannon Sharpe]

McDonald's All American. Well, that what was your Let me ask you a question. Going into your senior year, you said I wanted to be a McDonald's All American. Obviously you play basketball. I think everybody that plays you play jv. You want to play varsity, you play varsity. You have dreams and aspirations of going to college. You play college ball. Some people don't. Hey, this as far as the train gonna go for me, and I'm cool with that. But talking to you just a little bit, I've been talking to you. You always wanted to go to that next step.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So in high school, your senior year, what were the steps? What did you need to do to make sure you know What? I'm a McDonald's All American. I'm a Brand Jordan All American And I get a D1 scholarship.

[Flahjee Johnson]

It's only one thing a dog gonna do. Go kill everybody at the top of the list. That's the only way I know how to come out right. I gotta go get big dog if I say I'm big dawg. So everybody in my class, like, I had a screenshot on my phone, and I'm just like, yup, got you, Got you. Summertime, AAU tournaments, wherever you at, we coming, right? And that's how we came. And that's the only way I jumped from 56 in the nation to the number six guard in the nation, and nobody heard of me before my 10th grade. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I was unheard of. And, man, I worked hard, but I wanted to go get everybody, right? Like, I couldn't duck no smoke. I wanted all the smoke.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You wanted all of them.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I wanted all the smoke. And it's on camera. It's on YouTube.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You played in the Iverson Classic.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yep.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you the only young lady.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Only girl. Yeah. Shout out Raven from South Carolina. She did it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Raven Johnson.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Raven Johnson. And then I did it, right? And so it was super cool. I'm not gonna lie. That's crazy. Cause I seen AI last night. I was like, bro, I pray to your classic. He's like, I know you. I'm like, I'm just letting you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what was it like? So now you have this your senior year. You do everything that you said you wanted to accomplish, but I'm sure some of these McDonald's All American Young ladies that you had never seen before. So now this is the best of the best. You're not at Spraberry, where every night you step on the floor, you're the best player. Now all of a sudden, you're with 24 other young ladies. And where they stepped on the floor, they were the best. And now we got 24 young ladies on the floor. What's your mindset, man?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm trying to destroy y'. All. I'm trying to destroy y'. All. Like, that's my mentality. I'm not y' all teammates. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, we. They picked us to see, like, okay, who really they talking about, right? So that was my mentality going into it. I was so upset. I did not play a good game in the McDonald's All American game. I broke my finger. It's on my. On my YouTube series, on Netflix. I broke my finger in practice, and I couldn't shoot. I was so upset. I was crying after McDonald's All American. I was like, this was my shot. This was my shot. And then, you know, we had it again, Jordan. So I came back and I was mvp. I was like, cook them. Cooked them. Like, I did Slim, I did Jordan, and then I did McDonald's, and I got two out of three of the MVPs.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Dang.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. So in high school, I was a menace. I'm chill now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So did you get a chance to meet Mike? Did Mike come?

[Flahjee Johnson]

No, he wasn't even there. He was not there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What about the McDonald's All American? Cause sometimes guys come back and they see especially they were McDonald's, obviously. Were McDonald's all American. Did you come? So did you get a chance to meet anybody?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I met a lot of people. That was a long time ago. I remember Bradley Bill was like, I was one of his favorites. And. Nah, that was pretty much it. That was the highlight from that. Cause I was so locked in. Like, when I go to those things, I don't really be into the semantics. I'm trying to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You trying to kill somebody?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm here for business. Yeah, Yeah. I gotta chill.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you go on. We gonna transition to your other. I don't know if this is a hobby. Your passion.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yes, passion.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your passion. Jermaine Dupree, show the rap game.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're making your name as a rapper now. I don't know if there are, like, a lot of times, like, if my dad or my mom was a doctor or this or that. You know, kids follow in that profession.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know if they're like, somebody has a dad that was a rapper or a mom that was a rapper, and then the daughter tries to follow in those footsteps. Was that a conscious decision that you wanted to be a rapper, or was it something that just happened?

[Flahjee Johnson]

It wasn't a conscious decision. It just got pulled to me. Like, excuse me. It was different for me. Cause my daddy got killed. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, he got murdered, Right. And he was doing this. And I just had such a strong connection to him, to his music. Right. Cause I didn't know him and I never got to meet him. So it's different for me when I do music. Cause it's really coming from within.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know, like, it's coming from the pain, you know what I'm saying, of not having my dad and him wanting to live out his dream and then it being taken away from him. But in some ways, I just feel like God gave it to me. So I feel like, that's why people don't understand. Like, they think, she just wanna rap, she wanna hoop. But it's like, no, I'm doing something bigger than me. I wanna fulfill my father's legacy so people could know his name more than mine. You know what I'm saying? And so it's just a different duty for me. That's why I just. I work so hard to balance it. You know what I'm saying? But it's not like my dad doing this, what I'm doing. I never seen my dad do it right, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You just heard a lot.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I just heard his music, and I feel like that's our connection on the show.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did it help you advanced your career in the rap game, baby?

[Flahjee Johnson]

What? I wanna give a big shout out to Jermaine Dupri. Man, that show changed my life. Wow, bro. What? That show was coming on every Friday after dancing dolls and 10pm on Lifetime, and people was tuned in. I remember one time, it was like we was over the Masters and, like, the viewership and airing and the big old golf tournament. I was like, wow, the Masters is big. Like, this is big. And so people still. I'm 21. I was 13 on the rap game. They like, oh, my God, you fly, J. From the rap game. Like, they remember me from the rap game. I'm like, bro, I do so much now. Like, I go to lsu, you know what I'm saying? But they know me from that. So, man, Jermaine Dupri, he really did a big one with that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got an opportunity to meet, obviously, JD as his show, but Queen Latifah, Rick Ross, Fab the Brat.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How was it meeting them? Because. Excuse me, the brat, Latifah, I don't think Latifah gets the credit that she deserves when they start talking about women rapper, you know, everybody naturally go to Nicki, and rightfully so, and Lil Kim and Foxy Brown. But Latifah, MC Light, those are Missy.

[Flahjee Johnson]

MC Light is a rock, man. I'm like, well, those women right there, they're different. And I say that because Queen Latifah is everything that I really want to be. As far as all around goddess. That girl's a legend. From Cleo to Ms. Wright. Like, Latifah do everything. Then the music, it made me fall in love with her. When I dug back into that. Cause I didn't know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know, for my generation, she's just an actor. But then I go back and she rapping with the lady from London and they rocking on the tracks and like I was like, wow. Like that's like perseverance, that's grit. And I feel like for me, like you gotta respect the ladies that come before you, you know what I'm saying? You have to learn from that because like you gonna get closer to your creativity when it was originated. And I just feel like you gotta pay homage. Like Missy, she put on for the dark skinned women and trailblaze. Yeah, she made everything cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She was way. Missy is ahead of her time. I don't know how much of her videos that you've seen, but her videos are all futuristic. They would be, I mean that was in the 90s and early 2000s and they would be ahead of their time today. Yeah, that's how great she was. And legendary. She was genius. And as far as the video, we know her music, we know her rap. Arcadis is unprecedented.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Lauryn Hill, Yeah. Like, if you talk about death and like soul real deep, like she's connected.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What were you think the number one thing that you learned from being on that show?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Ooh. How to command and have that presence, you know what I'm saying? Like how to be a star, kind of. You don't have to walk in and be loud and be boastful and be arrogant, you know what I'm saying? To be a star, it's just your aura, it's just your aroma. So I just was taught to be laid back and cool. Like jd, he laid back and cool. He jd. You know what I'm saying? So it's, it just taught me, you know, how to be professional, how to have studio etiquette and, you know, just doing the right things as an artist that could be like lost in this art. Like really it was like artist development, right? And that's what a lot of artists don't have, is artist development. That's why it don't last. So you know, just, you gotta really understand when you get that opportunity, you gotta take heed in that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why do you think JD's had so much success with Kid Bow Wow? Kris Kross, he's had such success with Young Teenage. I mean, Bow Wow was so young when he got Bow Wow crisscrossed and he said, I think he said he saw them in the mall one day and people were going crazy. Like, what do I know about them? Why do you think he's had such success, bro?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like, some people just know the blueprint. Like even these kids you see on social media, you be like, what they doing, but they making millions on social media. Cause they understand, like, he understood it early. And just how he came back and doubled back with the rap game, he understood it again, you know what I'm saying? That I feel like he could do it again, you know what I'm saying? So I think he just understands that blueprint. And some people are just gifted, you know what I'm saying? And they really work hard and exploit their talents. A lot of people don't, but he had the eye for it. That's what I think.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Latto was on that rap game, wasn't she?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And she won.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did that make you want to get what?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yes. I ain't gonna lie. Like, when I was I got you, I think I was like 12. All I see is kid rappers. And I'm a kid rapper. Or I think I am. And I see all these kids and I'm like, bro, first season, I seen Latto, Lil Nico, I think it was like, young lyric. I was like, super peach. They was all walking and rapping. I was like, oh, my gosh, this is so cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like, they do acting.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I was on a mission. Yeah, that was my mission, was to get on that show. I had no other mission. I was like, I'm gonna get on that show.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did rap at that juncture of your life? Was rap more important than basketball at that point?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. Cause with basketball, I was just going on the court every day, working myself out. I never had a trainer walking to LA Fitness, playing the guys all day. Like, that's all I did until, like, my coach J shout out. Coach J. He was like, flies. Like, you could play in. Like, you could play in college. Like, you can go to college for this. I'm like, no, I can't. I didn't know, like, the WNBA wasn't prevalent or nothing like this. So I'm thinking about rap. I'm like, I'm just do this on the side. He like, nah. Like, and then like, coach yo from Ole Miss, she was like, I'm offering you a scholarship. And I was like, wow. That's when I kind of started believing in the basketball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you still have never left that rap, even though you think about basketball and you devote a lot of time to basketball and you make sure you get your shots up, you make sure you get your rest, and you make sure you hit the training and the weight room. But still, there's something about that rap that just tugs at flaje it.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Because so many people doubt me. Like, and I feel like people don't Give me a chance, because I play basketball, like, you know what I'm saying? They don't really give a chance to it, but it just something that just. I can't stop. I can't stop recording. I can't stop making music. When, you know, you get that joy from something, that joy where you could be doing it for hours and you don't care. That's the joy I get from making music, and that's the same joy I get from being in a workout.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Flahjee Johnson]

So it's like, I know I'm supposed to be doing this. I can't put it down.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, you're unique in that way, because it's not like Nikki has another hobby that she's probably just as passionate about or she's just as good at as rap. You happen to be an athlete that can dribble the basketball, can shoot, put the ball in the hoop at an elite level, but you also equally abreast at getting on the mic and flowing.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, yeah. Nicki Minaj, don't come get me the barbs. But not like that. Set me apart.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? That's what I.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You like that?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I love that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's my opinion. You like being unique?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm different. That's what I'm saying. I'm one of one. I got that energy, you know, like, but that's. Everybody got that. You know what I'm saying? I feel like everybody got that gift. I just understood mine. I had a mom that was like, no, you gonna do this, and if you gonna do it, we gonna do it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, okay.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. That was Mom Dukes, but she was like, that makes Flashe different. Like, Flashe just different. And I was like, ma, you right. Like, nobody doing this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Women rappers. If you could. If, like, you got your choice, I'm gonna give you four. You only get four, past or present that you could collab with. Who you jumping on the mic with?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I gotta go, Missy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Just got to, got to.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I gotta go, Nikki. Like, Nikki ran rap as long as I was alive till I got old. You gotta go, Nikki. Ooh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It'S from the young age. You got Flo, Melly, you got Glorilla. You got Meg. You got Lotto. You got Ice Spice. You got Sexy Red. I ain't even. I ain't. We ain't even mentioned Lil Kelby, Foxy Brown.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And, you know, I'mma go Meg and I'mma go Cardi.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. Because let me tell you why all of them different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Nikki, she ran the game Lauryn Hill, Queen Meg, and Cardi. I feel like Cardi came up different. Like, I feel like Cardi really was the. Well is like the biggest female that came out in that social media era. You know, people knew Cardi B. On her social before they. Before they knew her from music. And then she blew up number one record. Like, she finally about to drop again. That's gonna be dope. And then Megan, like, I feel like she really came in, can rap, like, you know what I'm saying? A lot of people, they can't rap, but she really can rap. So I would say those four, give.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Me Mount Rushmore, bruh. You do real only on four. Cause I've had people like, give me Mount Rushmore. And they be trying to put five, six heads. I'm like, did y' all go to school? Did y' all do anything in history?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, my God.

[Shannon Sharpe]

To know there's only four heads on Mount Rushmore.

[Flahjee Johnson]

My female rappers, female rapper.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Mount Rushmore, man.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Okay, I gotta go. Lauren. Gotta go. Nikki. I know I ain't said her, but Eve is on there for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Damn. You ain't wanna do no collab with her, but she on your mouth, Rushmore.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Who?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Eve.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I do wanna collab with Eve.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ain't. No, you ain't put her on there, though.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I do. I take it back. Well, I gotta take somebody off.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, who you taking off now?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I can add another head on. I can add one more head. I love Eve, bro. Eve talked to the. That love is blind.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Dang, you done messed me up, bro. I don't even know no more. And Nikki, I.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you got Nikki, you got Lauryn Hill, you got Eve.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I said Nikki twice.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You said Nikki. So we got Nikki, we got Eve, and we got Lauryn Hill. So you get one more.

[Flahjee Johnson]

We gotta go Queen Latifah, then Queen Latifah's up there for sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay.

[Flahjee Johnson]

No doubt about it. Stop trying to trick me up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We gonna come back to it. We gonna take some of them heads off and ask some more people.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, right, right, right. I love everybody.

[Shannon Sharpe]

America's Got Talent.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you get on. You get the call. You go on. America's Got Talent. What was that experience like?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Ooh, it was beautiful, right? Cause I already knew. I'm a young black girl.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

This. This. This demographic is more so, you know, like a Caucasian artist, wider artist. I'm like, I love this. Like, I want everybody to listen to my music. I don't want a fan base of where it's just, like, you Know people that look like you, people that look like me. Cause people that don't look like you still go through similar battles.

[DJ Wells]

Yo, this is DJ Wells from Club Five Twenty podcast. Draft night ain't just about who goes number one. It's about how you show up. And JD Sports is where the future of the league gets laced up. Whether it's Dylan Harper's tenacious two way play or Trey Johnson sharpshooting from deep down south, JD's got the gear to match every draft story. From exclusive kicks to player collabs, JD Sports is the plug for the next level style. So while the league's getting younger, your fit's getting fresher. JD Sports, where the game meets your streets. Visit jdsports.com to check out their new collection or download the JD app today.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Different font. I like to say we all live the same life. Different font. So I'm like, everybody going through something. So, like, I want to connect with everybody. I want to see if my words are so, so powerful that I could connect with people that's not from my background and they could feel what I'm saying. And that's what I did on America's Got Talent. Went on there, told my story, wrote a song called Guns down in honor of my father. And then the high school shooting at that time had happened in Florida. So it was like, I wrote that. And, man, like, they connected. And Simon Cowell came to the back of the stage and was like, yes. He's like, one day you're gonna be a superstar. It's on video. Go get it. And he said, one day you're gonna be a superstar. You don't know what that did for my confidence. I walk around. I walk around everything. I'm like, yeah, I'm a star.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. You went back and said, y' all heard what Simon said.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Y' all heard what Simon. Simon said yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Simon said, not know. Simon said yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Simon said no, literally. But when he said that, it was over with, like, a little confidence. Cause I didn't think I had it in music. Because America's Got Talent called me after the rap game. See what I'm saying? That's why I be like, when you take your L, you gotta learn the lesson. And the lesson from the rap game was to get ready for America's Got Talent. Cause when I lost the rap game, I was so hurt. I went up to my room, I was writing. I ain't even leave my room for about a month or two. Like, I was just writing. Like, I'm upstairs writing my Book all day. Then America Got Talent called, and I was prepared. Cause I took that L, so I was ready. You know what I'm saying? And, man. But my life changed after that. On America's Got Talent, for sure, you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Mentioned that when it wasn't your time in the rap game, you lost that. You said, I just. I took my L. But how were you? I mean, you're so young, and that's the hardest part is to. Is dealing with disappointment. Because we want what we want when we want it, and we cannot see past that moment. But you were mature enough to understand this isn't the end. This is only the beginning.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yes. That's why I knew I was different. You know what I'm saying? I didn't know what it was, but I knew I was different. Cause some folks would have crumbled and was like, okay, I'm just chilling on music. But it made me mad. Like, you know what I'm saying? It made me mad. Like, I was mad at jb.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It became even more dripping.

[Flahjee Johnson]

What? Yes. I was mad at Jermaine Dupri. You ain't gonna pick me. You know what I'm saying? But now that I look back, I'm like, you made the right decision. But I'm like, bro, you ain't gonna pick me. Know who I like. It took me there. So it's how you use that adversity, though. You know, my dad always say, you know, take the D, the diss off a disadvantage. You know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And you can really see your future. And I just knew I was gonna be big. I didn't know how. I didn't know why, but I was like, if I go on this stage on America's Got Talent and rap to these people, and they feel anybody could feel me, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

And you started crying.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was it about that performance that connected you with you and touched you so much that the emotions spilled out?

[Flahjee Johnson]

It touched me so much because I was. Every day, I was watching America's Got Talent videos, just trying to make myself cry. I don't know why. I used to just love to watch the Golden Buzzers and the stories, you know what I'm saying? I don't know why. And when I seen that confetti falling, and it was just like, a realization of, like, wow, your dreams can come true. You know what I'm saying? Like, your dreams can come true if you stay prepared, you persevere. Poor preparation prevents poor performance. Stay prepared, and you make it happen. It was just. It was too much for me. That's why I was crying. But it was really a realization. And then I thought I couldn't get the golden buzzer because I didn't know how the pro process work. I had judge cuts, and a new judge came because they gave all their golden buzzers away before I performed my first song.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh.

[Flahjee Johnson]

See what I'm saying? So I'm going to the next one. I'm like, bro, I gotta make a.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I ain't even got no golden buck. I ain't got a chance to get a golden buck.

[Flahjee Johnson]

So when he hit that, I was like, oh, this a miracle. I was like, oh, my gosh. And that's when I knew, like, I could do music.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your dad, if I'm not mistaken, I don't know your dad personally, but obviously I went to school in Savannah. I spent time in Savannah, so I know who he is. And if I'm not mistaken, he died before you were born, even though you did not have a personal, physical connection with him. How did that impact you growing up?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Ooh, it hurt me. I ain't gonna lie, like, because so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Many people knew your dad is. Your dad was a thing in Savannah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, what? And it sucked being reminded of that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause everybody.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Everybody got a story, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You look, your life, your dad, facts, bro.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And everybody got a. And it just hurt because it was like, I never could make no stories with him. You know what I'm saying? Y' all telling me stories. He was the coolest cat. He just like you. Y' all just alike. And it's just like, what I'mma do with that? You know what I'm saying? So that's. I was angry when I was a kid. I was. Whoo. I was bad. I was angry, and I was trying to figure out why I was so angry because I didn't think it was because I was missing my father. Because that was the only thing I knew that was my normal right. So I didn't think it would hurt me. But as I got older, I started.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Seeing, like, okay, kids bringing the kids, their dad going to the game, watching.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Them, their dad at the game, they dad training them, they. My friends telling me, my dad making me mad. He making me go to practice. I'm like, nah, I wish I could.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Have a dad make me practice that.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That's what I'm saying. In my head, I wish my dad had made me mad. You know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

But I'm making myself go. Every single day, I'm walking myself to the gym. Like, I don't have nobody. So that was irritating. I'm not gonna lie. Like, I understand the trauma coming from it, and I just feel like if my dad was here, I wouldn't have had to go through so many situations.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know, hold on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I also read that at the time, and because, like I said, I knew he was holding a child when he got shot.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. Mm. Yeah. It's a brother. Okay. Let me tell you. So this is how the people describe it. Nobody was really there. You know, he was at the studio, you know, and then people rolled up, broad daylight. He had the kid in his hand, and they shot him, killed him. Broad daylight with the kid in his hand. And he thought the kid was his at the time. But they ended up getting, like, the blood work and stuff.

[Shannon Sharpe]

DNA test. And it wasn't.

[Flahjee Johnson]

It wasn't his kid. But that's like evil, like, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like, with the child in his hand.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like, with the kid. The kid don't have nothing to do. Like, that's when I was like, whoa. And that really hurt me to my core. Cause it's like, bro, like, I was one decision away from my life being different. That's all. And bruh. Just. Whew. Growing up, it was hard. And then, you know, people knew me, so they used to talk about it and used to irk me with it, and I used to crash out and bruh. But it was hard to go through. And I couldn't understand. If you don't have that, it started to play tricks with your mind. Cause it'd be like, how do I miss something I never had? So it's different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Does it bother you that the case remains unsolved that after all these years.

[Flahjee Johnson]

No, it don't bother me. You know, it don't really bother me. Cause what's gonna happen is gonna happen.

[Shannon Sharpe]

As you sit here and do this interview, you're the exact same age as your father was.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That's crazy. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When he lost his life.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you think. Think about it.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How much you've done at the same age. And he can go no further. And you just have so much. If the Lord's willing.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

To go so much further.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And that's crazy, brother. Cause I ain't even think like that. Like, all the accolades that you said before my name. And, you know, that's just off basketball, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, just think about that. And I'm only 21, and my dad. I think he just would have Loved to see it. Like, I ain't gonna lie. Like, no crazy stuff. Like, my dad came to me in a dream one time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did he?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. And it was crazy, bro. And I remember, and it was vivid, and I was, like, unfocused. Like, I was thinking about giving up. Like. Cause it was so much going on. I think this was like, college. Probably, like, my sophomore. Like, I'm going through it. I'm not sticking to my routine. I'm just falling out the map. And I just had a crazy dream. And it was his. I heard his voice, seen his face. It was like, hey, like, lock in kind of on that tip. Like, get it together, like, you know what I'm saying? Get it together. And it was just a check for me. Like, I don't know. Like, for me, it's just like, you know, you see certain things, you see a certain number, and you be like, oh, yeah, you watching over me. But I feel like that time, it was like. It was something I clung onto.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If your dad was sitting here now. Yeah, his baby.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All that she's done, the basketball. College All American, SEC Freshman of the Year, all sec, national champion. She's gonna go play in the wnba. What do you think your dad would say to you, man? How proud of you would he be?

[Flahjee Johnson]

My mama don't know how to act, so. Oh, mama, bro, she made me feel like Beyonce. So I know he'll just be off the wall. And my stepdad, he insane, too. Like, oh, my stepdad, he jumping for joy. But I just wish I could have took him more out of Savannah, you know, he probably would have been a big star or whatever, but, you know, just, you know, to see the things and the places that basketball has taken me and my family, me and my. You know, bro, I just think he'll be proud the way I'm taking care of my mom and my family and, you know, putting myself in a position to be more than just basketball, more than just music. Like, pouring into the community. Cause he loved the kids, and I love the kids and just giving back. Like, I think he'll be proud of me. So I do it in his honor, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because you see, like, Jason Tatum and his mom and his son.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I love it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And you see that early on in the beginning, you saw a lot of LeBron and Glo, his mom. But to see that, like, so, like, man. Cause I have the same thing. My dad died at a very young age, and he did not get an opportunity to see my brother and I accomplish what we accomplish. Although, you know, not physically. I mean, we know that spiritually he's watching. But to be able to have my dad in the locker room or to have him in the stands and say, like, my boys. And in, what, three weeks, my brother's gonna join me in the Pro Football hall of Fame. I can just imagine my grandfather and my father actually seeing that, actually witnessing what we've become. And for your day of camouflage, to actually see his girl from this big to go to here and to go and become an All American in High School and McDonald's All American. When the MVP at Brand Jordan and go to LSU and be freshman of the year in the Southeastern Conference and win a national championship, man.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, he be doing. Oh, he be doing. Oh, you know, a song, you know, you put that in a song, you know you gonna put.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Da da da la da da da da da. Nah. He would have been proud, bro. It don't seem real sometimes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Every year, your mom throws a birthday party for your dad, and at eight years old, you perform.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, that was crazy. Let me tell y', all, my mom used to do these parties, right? And I used to hate when she used to do them. Cause she used to go to the club. I thought the club was bad. I don't know. When I was younger, I'm like, please don't go to the club, Mama. But, you know, she. But I figured out these parties. I'm like, mom, let me perform. Like, let me rap. And my uncle's like, yeah, let her rap, Dominique. He like, let her rap. Let her rap. She like, no, you not finna be a rapper. Cause she know she feel like rap bad. Cause my dad.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, what happened with your dad?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, I'm like, mom, please just let me rap. She's like, you8, you not going in the club. Go read some books. So me and my uncle. My uncle started writing me raps, and I started going to the studio to record them. I'm like, ma, look. I got songs like. You know what I'm saying? And I'm like, literally 7 years old. I'm like, why you gonna let me rap? She's like, all right, bro. Come on. So my mom said, if you gonna do it, we gonna do it. She had me in the camouflage pants, Georgia puffer vest, went to sleep at the club, woke up out of my sleep, performed, and then left. And that was the first performance I ever did. She posted on YouTube, and people were like, do you do bookends? Like, so I was booking in Savannah doing birthday parties and stuff. And then I ended up going on tour with, like, mindless behavior and Dang.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you making. You been making bread for a minute.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I thought, oh, we've been moving. Nah, that was the startup day. So I wouldn't say we was making no bread. Spending more, losing more, but it was just the experience and opportunity and, you know, what we was trying to build.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you remember the song that you performed?

[Flahjee Johnson]

What? Yeah, I had Seaport Jig. I had Swag. What I had. I had. Yeah, it was Seaport Jig and Swag. Them was the best ones.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How often do you find yourself. How often do you listen to some of his music?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Ooh, all the time. Like, if I'm before a big game or something. Like, if I need my dad energy, like, I'm gonna turn that music on. Like. And I like the pain stuff. Like, no Love Heaven, not too far. Like, I like the pain. Like, you know what I'm saying? I like that I represent album. I listened to it a lot. Like, I probably streamed it more than anybody in the world. I used to go to sleep to it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But is it true that your dad knew. I don't know if you've heard this. Maybe your mom related to you that he knew Lil Boosie. He knew Birdman, knew Jeezy.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. No, like, literally. My mom told me that all of those rappers really respected him. Like TI Rick, Ross. Cause they was all coming up at the same time. Then my dad just ended up dying, right? But Boosie, he was the one that just. He came and looked after me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like, really?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. Like, if I ever needed anything, like, big. Like, my mom never asked him for nothing. But if I needed it, he was like, I can't. My mama said, I can't do it. Boosie will come through. And he always kept it a thousand. Like, I used to go up to his mansion and, like, see his play with his kids. Like, me and Ivy, we close to this day. And it was just crazy to me. Cause I never had a father figure. You know what I'm saying? And so just to see this man in this big old mansion, he got all his kids. We just eating popsicles all day at the pool. We could play basketball, we could do whatever. I was like, wow. Boosie really showed me, like, black, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, he building his own house and excellence. I was like, okay. But that was it. Like. And then as I meet These artists, like T.I. and all of them, they like, bro, we loved your daddy. We respected your dad and stuff like that. So that'd Be cool.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What do people get wrong about Boosie?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Okay. You know, like, people be sending me stuff I can't defend all the time. Cause, like, he be saying, so Arthur, Arthur. I be like, that's my uncle, man. You know what I'm saying? That's my uncle, man. I don't know. But what they don't know is that man got a heart of gold. Wow. Boosie got a heart of gold. Like, he'd give you his shirt off his back. Like, heart of gold. And I seen that just off the strength of what he did for me. Cause he had no. He didn't even know. Boosie said in his song, I met him one week, the next week he died. I almost cried. No, he said, I don't want to be like, camouflage. I met him one week, the next week he died. I almost cried. And then. You ain't knew my dad for two weeks. Probably didn't even. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? And you came and you dabbed it up in love and took care of me like I was your child when I was in your presence. So he always had my respect. But he is little off the wall. I be looking back. Boosie be having me dying. Y' all ain't just see him jump on the. They say close the water slide. He jump on the water slide. No ride for nothing. Like, he gonna live his life to the fullest. That's my dawg.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But hold on. Whether this year or a couple of years ago, that South Carolina got. They beat you guys, and they played your dad's song after the victory.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Y.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That got you teed off, didn't it?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Ooh, I was so upset, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You want to swing on somebody mad, bro?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I wanna cry, bro. I was so mad in the stadium. First of all, we had already lost. Like, I was mad. Like, this was fourth quarter. We already lost. And then I was really looking on the bench. I was looking. I was in that mall. I was looking for the DJ booth. Like, where's the DJ booth?

[Shannon Sharpe]

What you gonna go?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I was on that. Like, you know what I'm saying? I was upset about that. And then the next day, I end up seeing her, like, trolling it on social media. And so I was like, okay. I felt you was trying to be weird, but now I knew you was trying to be funny, like, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did they apologize?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I think she ended up apologizing. I don't really know. I kind of left it at that. But that was a mess. Like, you don't do nothing like that. You know, my dad dead, you know, he a big rapper like you trying to troll me in an arena full of 15,000 people. For what? But that was just. That was weird, that whole situation. Weird.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why did you pick LSU? Cause at the time you picked LSU. Yeah, they had some good.

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[Shannon Sharpe]

They had what? Simone Augustus went there. I think Sylvia Files went there. So you had. They had some names, but they ain't won no national championship. They weren't on the map since those Simone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles. So they hadn't, you know, they weren't like South Carolina on the come. They weren't like UConn. They weren't Notre Dame or Stanford or some of these other prominent programs. Why lsu?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Well, I'll just say. Cause Coach Mokey, like really believed in my want to do both aspirations. And I felt LSU brand was big enough to catapult me to that level I was into. I knew that you could go over to France and somebody in France could be like, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

So I was like, I want to be around a recognizable brand. But also Coach Moki was so gangster and laid it out like you could rap, you could go to the moon. As long as you back at 1:30 for practice, what you do? So I say I could work with this lady right here. This white lady got some swag, you know what I'm saying? And you know, she just been my daughter. We've been locked in. But she really told me like, you could do both. She ain't dim my light. And it's crazy. Cause Coach Mocha, she a businesswoman, but she didn't dim my light. And she was like, if you gonna play basketball, you gonna give me everything you got, but if you gonna do music, you do it. And she loved my music, you know what I'm saying? She be telling everybody, but she just respected us. So it was perfect, especially with Nil, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

But she tough. She tough, bruh. She tough.

[Flahjee Johnson]

She tough.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She tough, boy.

[Flahjee Johnson]

She.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And she played the position. She played the guard. She was on the lady teams, the latex.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Let me tell you why, Moki tough. Cause she don't play mind games with you. Like some coaches. They wanna play. Play mind game and prove points. Coach Mookie ain't gonna prove no point. She gonna tell you when you're wrong. Like, she gonna chew you out, and then she gonna be like, you ready to ball. And so, like, you gotta take that, eat that, and be ready to perform. Cause she don't take stuff personal. She just wanna win, right? So, like, that's what, like, bro, it's hard playing under her, but, bro, I think. I think she took me to another level, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What are some of the other schools that you could have gone to?

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know, I always shout out, coach, yo at Ole Miss. That's my dog. She was one of the first people to ever offer me, ever. For sure. And then Dawn Staley, of course.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ain't go to get Lady Gamecocks, huh? The Lady Gamecocks been nice when, like.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, when I was getting with the.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

They had Asia Wilson and everything, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes. You ain't want to play with Asia.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That wasn't my fit. You know what I'm saying? Like, that wasn't my fit. That wasn't my fit. My dream school was Georgia.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Georgia ain't off, bro.

[Flahjee Johnson]

They was playing with me, doing recruitment. Ooh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Come on.

[Flahjee Johnson]

They did me bad. They ain't recruit me for real. And I wanted to go there, too, but I landed where I was supposed to be.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, for sure. Facts ended up winning the national championship. What was that experience like?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Man? That was the craziest experience. It's just like, you one of the best. Like, you're the best in the world. You know what I'm saying? Like, everything that you did from October to now, it unpaid off. You was able to be mentally locked in for those long months, that long period of time. And then when you. When it got to crush time, you just elevated your level of play. That's different. And so it just felt beautiful. All the things that came with it, all the nil opportunities, but all the opportunities of people to watch women basketball and the game grow. It's like, bro, people don't know. We have mountains of little girls now that wanna play basketball at an elite level.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They do.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? Like, women's sports is on the rise. And, you know, I was just happy and grateful to be a part of that. To be a part of that. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Is it true that your teammates didn't wanna play with you in the open gym? Cause you was talking track?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How you gonna go just step on campus and just start talking rap?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I learned my lesson, bro. They literally stopped doing the runs. They was like, fly, we don't want to play with you. Like, I was talking crazy, though. Like, I was coming in. I'm on that barking for no reason. Like, I. I will say, now that I look back, like, if a freshman came in, I'd be like, bro, what's up with her? And, like, they didn't want to play with me no more. And so I was like, why nobody want to do runs no more. Folks don't want to get better. They had me in a little circle or whatever. They was like, yeah, you know, we just want to talk to you. You know, certain players was like, I could play, but they don't want to. They don't talk like that. You know what I'm saying? You gotta chill. And I was like, bro, if y' all had a problem, y' all could've just told me on the fly and I would've shut up. Like, you know what I'm saying? But this how I play. Like, this is how we pop it. But, yeah, they didn't wanna play with me. They didn't wanna play with me. I was a bad little freshman.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you. So how did that. How did. Because your teammate, you and angel came in together, was you a year older.

[Flahjee Johnson]

She. I was a freshman. She was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

She transferred in.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. I think she was a junior or a sophomore. So she transferred in.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And y', all, you know, she was a part of that. So how did you guys make each other better?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Big part of it. Well, I just think, like, she's just like a dog. Like. Like, when you play with somebody like that, that make that game easier. And you don't like, bro, like, 20 rebounds a night. That's crazy. So it was that whole team. Like, you had Andrew, then you had Jasmine. You had a shooter, like, on the team, and she lit it up in the championship game. Then you had ladasia Williams, and she was, like, playing with Adriel, but they quiet, so she knew her role. She had a big game if you needed to. You had the point guard. Insane, but, like, a really good point guard. So, like, you know, like, we had a great team. And I was a freshman, so I Was able to learn from everybody, but, like, there was some dogs, like, and I had to keep up with them. Dogs. Yeah. Yeah. For sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That game, it was the most national championship game between LSU and Iowa at that point in time. It was the most watched women's college basketball game in history. A little tick under 10 million views. The rematch, y' all came back and did 12.3.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Obviously, Caitlin Clark, she's national player of the year. She has unlimited range. I mean, the US Defense system don't have range. Have range, like where she can shoot the ball from.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You understood that, Simon, you know, eyeballs was gonna be watching.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know this.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, losing was not gonna be an option in this game.

[DJ Wells]

Right?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what's going through Flagee's mind? This a national championship. A moment that you dreamed and waited a lifetime for.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I'm like, we finna hoop. Like, I knew, like, during the national championship game. I'm like, caitlin not finna beat us. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like. Like, she. Like, I'm not her. I mean, Caitlin could beat us. Her other teammates ain't finna beat us.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like, you know what I'm saying?

[Shannon Sharpe]

So y' all say you get yours, Caitlyn, but y' all other folk, y' all ain't get nothing.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Kaylin, go for 50, like, you know what I'm saying? That was like the mindset. But we gotta, like, you know what I'm saying? Play these other. Cause she make her teammates better, right? It was, bro. Yes. Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So how was it? Because the buildup. I mean, look, there have been some great, great women college players, and I'm old enough to remember them.

[Flahjee Johnson]

All right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Go way, way back from when Latech won. It won back to back to beat Cheney State.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You seen that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That's what Coach Moki played.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Dang you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, I remember that.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I watched Coach Mulkey play.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes. Yes. And I watched USC beat Coach Monkey now. And I watched Clarissa Davis and them Texas teams go 45. 0 and beat them and all the way. So there have been some great women college basketball players. And maybe now, because we're in the social media era, but nobody's had the hype like Caitlin.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And Maya Moore was tremendous.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Am I old?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Candace Parker, a tremendous. I'm old enough to remember Cheryl swoop. Dropped 48 in the table. Dropped 48 in the championship game against Ohio State. And Katie Smith like that. Yes, but. So you've heard this all year long. Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And she was letting it go now in the tournament, she was letting it go fly. J. I ain't gonna hold you on that one. Now, she put in the work.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That what she do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you like, damn, man, we can't lose.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Nah. And, bro. Bro, we had some dogs. Like, that team was so loaded, it didn't matter if one person had a bad game, it was somebody coming to pick him up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And so it was just perfect. Like, it's a lot of. Like, Caitlin really did. Like, she was the talk of that whole tournament. They wanted that storybook ending. Yeah, we came and did that, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, Y' all ain't wanted a story like, it gonna be an ending, but it gonna be.

[Flahjee Johnson]

They counted us out for sure. But, you know, lsu, we came out on top, right? But nah, just the influence of women basketball. Like, bro, it's crazy right now. It's insane. Like, you say Myron Moore, you got Stewie. Not Stewart, you got Sue Bird and all that work.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, Taurasi.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I just be like, it wasn't the time. Yeah, it wasn't the time yet, and now it's the time. So now we just gotta keep pushing and keep hunting.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Does Caitlin talk trash?

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know, when we play, I ain't hear too much. Maybe she be talking to herself. But I heard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But she been talking. I mean, and you watch on TV now she in the grill.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Flage, bro, it's getting lit. I be seeing them little me, like the Sophie and all of that. I ain't really knew what was going on, but they getting active. I gotta get my weight up. I've been in the weight room.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, have you?

[Flahjee Johnson]

What, they finna be tossing me around? Oh, no, I'm older.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let me ask you this. Do you think women that's in the wnba, do you think they hate Caitlin?

[Flahjee Johnson]

No, but I think it's competitive. And I think everybody always wanna knock the top dog off. And I don't know, I think, like, it's kind of. What? Cause how was. I mean, how was. How was, like, I feel like, how was LeBron, like, when he came into the league? What was the energy around him in the league?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't remember. Look, it was hell. It was more from his own teammate. Didn't think he would. Was they gonna be that good, or could they elevate them? But I think the thing is, is that the eyeballs that she's brought, it's like. And when you say somebody's brought eyeballs, that doesn't diminish what, Maya Moore or Candace Parker or some of the other Greats have done. But like you said, maybe it wasn't the time for people to galvanize behind for whatever reason.

[Flahjee Johnson]

It's so stupid. I don't understand it. Because it's like either way they watching.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That's what I'm trying to say. It's gonna help everybody else. I don't know. Maybe that's my mind and I have to address this right now. Because everybody try to put two people against each other, like, you know what I'm saying? And they try to put me in the middle of it, you know what I'm saying? I don't got nothing to do with that. You know what I'm saying? You could be like this, the thing. You can be friends with people that you play against or that you don't like. We are all. You know what I'm saying? So it's weird. Like in the WNBA right now. Cause you can't be a fan of somebody and like somebody and you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know what I'm saying? You gotta choose one or the other. It's like, I can't. If I like Caitlyn, I gotta hate Angel.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, I think that's true.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If I like Angel, I gotta hate Caitlyn.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I think that's so cool. You gotta appreciate both greatness. Like they're both breaking records. Like Kaitlyn ain't having the best season this year, but they're both breaking record. They both all stars. So like, I hate being in the mix of that. Cause I really like both of them. I respect Kaitlin Clark, love Andrew. We went and natted together, but I had to say that. Cause bro, it's like you can't be a fan of one if you hate the. Like, you gotta hate the other.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Nah, they want you to pick. Pick a celebration.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I just love greatness, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now it seems to all started from, I think when Iowa, they were beating Louisville or they beat Louisville and she did this. You can't see. You can't see. Cece occ had to put that work in. You can't see this. Okay. Come to the national championship game, they died by 20. And you're like, you can't see this, huh?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And if it took off, I mean, it was the same gesture. It was the exact same gesture that Kaitlin had done two nights earlier.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And then when angel did it, all hell broke loose.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. But man, when she did it, bing, bing, bong. That is when women's sports went like, oh my gosh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And maybe that's what we needed. Maybe we need to maybe we like the NBA didn't really take off until Bird and Magic.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I don't care how to get done. It got done. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And like you gotta like that is finna be more.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And when people watch. I mean money.

[Flahjee Johnson]

People watching money ads and we get into that bridge.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That's all I think about. That's why when they try to do all that and put all those things on the blog like it's more eyeballs for the WNBA in that moment when she did all this. Can't see you now. It's up right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

2K26 cover Angel Reese. You know that calls him. You know that calls him. People like, hold on. How she get on the COVID And not. I'm like, well, damn. Why she can't be on the COVID bro?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Who else on the COVID She's killing right now. Who else on the COVID Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I guess then somebody tweeted and they. You know. And I think this is where RG3 stepped in and had with. You got something to say about him, don't you?

[Flahjee Johnson]

I didn't see it, but I keep seeing. I seen Joe Budden say something. See, I don't be on Twitter like that no more. Cause I'd had a little.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But it makes your blood boil with. If you're talking crazy to her.

[Flahjee Johnson]

I don't like that. Cause I feel like it ain't no room for that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? Like at the end of the day, we is doing something that nobody else is doing. Coming out of college rich right from Nil or whatever. Then building a platform for yourself to where now, boom. You get deals here, here, here, here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because the more money come in, that means there's more money in the pot for everybody to grab somebody.

[Flahjee Johnson]

That's the end goal. You know how many 2k coverage it's finna be like. You know what I'm saying? It don't matter, bro. Long as you get to the win, bro. And I think that's what people forget. And that goes again. Pitting women against each other, trying to create a narrative that's not even there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wow. Okay, let me ask you this. How did it feel that you didn't win BET Sports Woman of the Year? You get upset?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Nah. Cause that didn't mean you gotta keep working.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you want one of them. You wanna get that thing one time.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah, but that ain't my goal. You know what I'm saying? Like, bro, I'd be happy to go to the BET Awards. I'M a young girl from Savannah. I used to watch it on my TV every time, right? So I'm there, like, I'm on the carpet, I'm meeting my idols, I'm talking to people, I'm in rooms. So it'd be cool to get nominated, but I feel like I'd be more mad about if I was nominated for. For music stuff.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Then that's when I'm. You know what I'm saying? But, you know, you just.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ain't gonna crash out, is it?

[Flahjee Johnson]

Not gonna crash out. You just gotta work harder. But, like, you know, that's when I'd be more upset about it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But not because some people, like Clarissa Shields, she got upset. Cause angel running for the third year in a row, she like, I thought accolades matter, bro.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like, bro, she.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause normally. Cause normally we'll have Fly J. Like, all these awards, like the Oscars, the Grammys, the Tonys, like, everybody, like, it's just such a huge honor to be nominated even though I didn't win. Congratulations. You know they lying. Cause when you get nominated, bro, you.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Like, yeah, I don't never think like that no more. I done had too many Ls. I always. I always prepare for the worst. I ain't gonna lie. I would be surprised if I hit, like, you know what I'm saying? I prepare for the worst every time. Cause when you get your hopes up like that, it's bad. You get to crashing out you probably really thought you were supposed to want.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. But you know what? Fly. But you know what? Flashier. But when you go there, I remember sitting there, me and my Jordan, I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, I'm like, man, bet I could really win Entertainer of the Year.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm like, I mean, the NAACP Image Award. That's what it was.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Oh, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I was like, I could really win.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I was like.

[Flahjee Johnson]

And they got the upload.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They like, yeah, you know, I'm like, hey, you know, I got my speech ready. My mind, blah. I got my speech ready. They said, Keke Palmer. Ah.

[Flahjee Johnson]

You had to hit that. You had to hit that one. I like, yeah, you get it, y'. All. You better go now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause as a matter of fact, she was right across the alpha. But I was. But I had already won an award. I hadn't won Podcast of the Year. So I was good. I mean, I didn't leave empty handed. I was like, denzel, I'm leaving with.

[Flahjee Johnson]

Something that while I'm tripping, even DEZ was like, you know, do you have a speech ready? I'm like, I'mma thank God, then my mom and I'mma go from there. I am not doing all of that. No, not I get my hopes high.

[Shannon Sharpe]

This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shay profile and I'll see you there.

[Silenia]

Listen as Selenia tells us why she chose to vaccinate her daughter Right after.

[Flahjee Johnson]

My daughter was born, my husband and I are having to decide whether or not to get her vaccinated. I definitely felt like the pros far outweighed the cons. The diseases that I am protecting my child against. They're still here.

[Silenia]

Talk to your child's doctor and learn [e-mail] brought to you by Merck yo.

[DJ Wells]

This is DJ Wells from Club Five Twenty podcast Draft Night ain't just about who goes number one. It's about how you show up. And JD Sports is where the future of the league gets laced up. Whether it's Dylan Harper's tenacious two way play or Trey Johnson sharpshooting from deep down south south JD's got the gear to match every draft story. From exclusive kicks to player collabs, JD Sports is the plug for the next level style. So while the league's getting younger, your fix getting fresher. JD sports where the game meets your streets. Visit jdsports.com to check out their new collection or download the JD app today.

[Flahjee Johnson]

This is an iHeart podcast.