Hassan Johnson | ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek

Summary

ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek — Episode: Hassan Johnson | 2026.05.12

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Episode Overview

This episode of ROC Solid hosted by Memphis Bleek dives into hip hop culture, New York roots, and the acting journey of Hassan Johnson—a celebrated actor best known as "Wee-Bey" from The Wire. The conversation is filled with untold stories from the projects, insights on transitioning into acting, reflections on iconic films and TV, the interplay between hip hop and cinema, and shared perspectives about representing New York authentically in Hollywood.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growing Up in New York: Projects, Parties, and Staten Island (“The Forgotten Borough”)

• Early Days: Hassan recounts growing up in Staten Island, specifically Park Hill, and being the only Park Hill kid going to school in Stapleton projects—which fostered a unique sense of belonging and connection between neighborhoods.

  “I’m probably the only Park Hill nigga went to school in Staples.” (06:00 - Hassan Johnson)

• Project Rankings: Memphis Bleek runs through his favorite New York projects, naming Marcy and Brownsville, and putting Stapleton in his “top five.” (03:18)
• Bodega Culture: The duo swaps stories about the legendary, unexpected cellar parties in a bodega basement—turning unlikely spots into classic gatherings.

  “We walk in this motherfucker and it’s Narnia. Like, how y’all built a club down here?” (04:26 – Memphis Bleek)

2. Staten Island Stigma & Wu-Tang Influence

• Fighting Stigmas: Discussion on how Staten Island was often dismissed as “suburban” or “Mobland,” but Wu-Tang’s emergence changed perceptions.
• Early Influence: Hassan shares how witnessing Method Man (“Shaquan” on the block) and U-God freestyle at local hangouts inspired him.

  “I knew [Meth] was gonna pop. I ain’t know nothing else, you know what I’m saying?” (08:16 – Hassan Johnson)

• Cultural Connections: Both hosts reflect on the importance of proving themselves to the rest of the city—and how Wu-Tang unified all the hoods in Staten Island (10:05).

3. Hip Hop & New York Nostalgia

• Reminiscing about ferry rides, transit tokens, Harlem shopping excursions, and the era-defining importance of “being fly” before even stepping into Harlem.

  “You had to already be fly to get fly [in Harlem].” (12:57 – Memphis Bleek)

4. Hassan’s Acting Origins: From Spike Lee’s “Clockers” to Hood Classics

• Early Aspirations: Inspired by Eddie Murphy and Trading Places, but discovered acting through a dare from a high school friend to audition for Spike Lee's Clockers—lying about his age to land the role.

  “That’s the shit—I came out the gate saying how old I was to get in the movie.” (16:20 – Hassan Johnson)

• Inside “Clockers”: Details on the film's rough shoot in Brooklyn and the real neighborhood tensions. (20:10)
• Transitioning Genres: How later in his career, Hassan began taking on more comedic roles (The Last OG, Survival of the Thickest), despite early doubts about comedic timing.

5. Classic Film Stories: “In Too Deep”, Set Tales & Method Acting

• Working with LL Cool J: Recounts how intense LL was while filming and how the energy on set made their gangsta scenes memorable—much of it improvised.

  “L was acting like that the whole time…He just poured it on.” (23:12 – Hassan Johnson)

• Legendary Improv: Shares the origin of the infamous beer-pouring scene; it was raw improv, adding authenticity to the role. (24:18)
• Lasting Impact: Embracing being called “Wee-Bey” in the streets:

  “I used to get tight, but then I had to embrace it.” (24:57 – Hassan Johnson)

6. All Things “The Wire”: Auditions & Legacy

• Unexpected Success: Hassan never auditioned for Wee-Bey—instead tried out for another role but was chosen for this now-iconic part after impressing the creators.

  “I never had an audition for Wee-Bey…one of them [said], ‘That’s Wee-Bey, man’—threw my whole [script] off.” (26:54 – Hassan Johnson)

• Show’s Genesis and Cultural Phenomenon: The show almost didn’t happen due to 9/11. Both discuss the lasting effect of The Wire—the ensemble cast, multiple storylines, and being part of television history.

  “There ain’t no one of us could steal no glory from that.” (44:21 – Hassan Johnson)

7. Typecasting, Versatility & Hustle in Hollywood

• Typecast Debate: Hassan doesn’t mind being remembered for street roles but champions his range—having played everything from gangsters to doctors, feds, and fathers.

  “Anything be the blank…1% of something is better than 100% of nothing.” (30:34 – Memphis Bleek)

• Comedy & “Flatbush Misdemeanors”: Discusses stepping into comedic roles and the behind-the-scenes realities of cable TV and streaming—navigating show cancellations and business moves by platforms like Netflix.

  “Showtime just couldn’t keep up…Netflix took everybody.” (32:55 – 33:06)

8. Getting Lost in the Role: Identity, Fans, and Staying “Solid”

• The challenge of audiences conflating actor and character, e.g. Bokeem Woodbine or after Dead Presidents, and how deeply internalizing intense roles can be both rewarding and dangerous (Heath Ledger example).

  “You start tapping into a dark side…that was almost the worst shit, for the best and worst shit—all in one.” (35:05 – Hassan Johnson)

9. Nerves, Process, and Loving the Craft

• Both admit they still get nervous before performances—because they genuinely care about delivering excellence.

  “If it don’t scare you, you really don’t love it.” (39:41 – Hassan Johnson)

10. Hip Hop as a Lifeline & Bridge to Film

• Hassan credits hip hop—via early exposure and video gigs—for keeping him afloat between acting roles.

  “It saved my life…My first jobs after Clockers was music videos. That supplemented my income when shit was sticky.” (40:11 – Hassan Johnson)

11. Future Projects & Dream Roles

• New York Comedy Movie: Both lament the lack of “a real, true New York comedy movie like a Friday” and discuss working on one called Just Got Paid with Lil’ Shawn, aiming to capture Brooklyn’s flavor.

  “We don’t have our own [classic]. This right here, comedy feel like…” (48:38 – Hassan Johnson)

• Dream Roles: Hassan aspires to star in a courtroom drama, inspired by Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey in A Time To Kill. (42:28)

12. Legacy and Representation

• How Hassan Wants to Be Remembered:

  “All my shit solid. And I was reliable. I want the project to really stand on its feet and then just be happy that I’m part of history.” (43:54 – Hassan Johnson)

• Lessons Learned: Reflects on generational growth and paving a path for the next wave:

  “The next is to alley-oop the shit off the backboard for our kids and whoever after this.” (52:05 – Hassan Johnson)

• Resilience and Origin: Both reflect on coming up hard—recession, setbacks, and knowing how to grind:

  “I was born at our worst, bro…My whole life, I was in a recession.” (52:38 – Memphis Bleek/Hassan Johnson)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Hip Hop in His Life:

  “It saved my life…My pops was putting me on a lot of [music], too.” (40:11 – Hassan Johnson)

• On Evolving as an Actor:

  “Now I’m doing more comedy, like Top Five, with Chris Rock and them…If the opportunity didn’t come until high school, I mighta never tried.” (14:09 – 15:30 – Hassan Johnson)

• On The Wire’s Legacy:

  “Thirty, forty main characters—and you keeping up with every last single one of them.” (28:57 – Hassan Johnson)

• On Audience Perception:

  “Sometimes a person can play a role and we believe it so much that we don’t fuck with that nigga…But you gotta catch yourself—he just acting.” (34:05 – Memphis Bleek)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Project Life: 02:03 – 05:44
• Growing Up Staten & NY Culture: 05:46 – 09:19
• Wu-Tang & Block Stories: 09:20 – 13:01
• Transition to Acting / Inspiration: 13:42 – 16:30
• Clockers, Auditions, Wikipedia Age Story: 16:30 – 17:05
• Clockers & In Too Deep Set Stories: 20:03 – 24:37
• The Cult of The Wire: 24:42 – 29:10
• On Being Typecast & Range: 29:10 – 33:01
• Comedy & New School TV: 33:01 – 34:34
• Identity, Roles, Mental Health: 34:34 – 35:14
• Process, Nerves & Growth: 38:15 – 40:11
• Hip Hop & Bridging to Acting: 40:11 – 41:42
• A New ‘Friday’-like NY Movie: 46:02 – 50:02
• Dream Roles, Legacy, Paving the Way: 52:03 – 52:58

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for hip hop fans, aspiring actors, and anyone who loves New York’s culture. The camaraderie and mutual respect between Bleek and Hassan lead to hilarious, insightful, and heart-felt exchanges about survival, legacy, and remaining “100% ROC solid.”

Transcript

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[Memphis Bleak]

What up y'? All? This your main man? Memphis Bleak right here. Welcome to Rock Solid, a production of iHeartRadio and the Black Effect Network in partnership with my guys over at Drink Champs. You should know by now. You should know by now. You already know what it is. Yours truly, mgreasy Back with another exclusive rock solid podcast. And this one right here is special because this is. I'm on my actor today act again. Gangster. On screen and off, but mainly on. Now we on some. I got the number one heavy hitter. You watch any hood movie? He ended doing some hood. He make the hood look good. Cause back in the day, they have a.

[Hassan Johnson]

With a bowl cut.

[Memphis Bleak]

I look up. You know what I'm saying? At least you one of us. Let's welcome my guy, Hassan Johnson to the building, better known as We Bay.

[Hassan Johnson]

What up with it, y'? All?

[Memphis Bleak]

Y me, we here.

[Hassan Johnson]

Good looking, good looking.

[Memphis Bleak]

My guy, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

My bro, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Thanks for having me, G, Man, Come on, man. Before we jump into all that, I want niggas to know we really, really rock.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, like that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like you from one of my favorite. Like, Marcy is my number one favorite project.

[Hassan Johnson]

No doubt.

[Memphis Bleak]

Number two is Brownsville houses. Number three is the Plaza. And then on my top five is Stapleton.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's it.

[Memphis Bleak]

So you. You know what I mean? Y' all in top 100, 304, you know what I'm saying?

[Hassan Johnson]

In the building.

[Memphis Bleak]

And niggas don't know, right before we get into the background of everything, my man threw a party one time.

[Hassan Johnson]

If you from New York, that's what I was about.

[Memphis Bleak]

If you from New York, you know the bodega life. You know, in the morning, Papi and them go down, they open the little cellar next door. Walk down the stairs. They store all the, you know, the

[Hassan Johnson]

sodas, the chips, everything down there.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know, you never ever could see down there. Cause that's the storage for the store. You just see Poppy and them moving shit up and down. The more you like, what up, Popp?

[Hassan Johnson]

Yup.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hot song. Like, bleep. I got this club. I won't book you. I like my nigga. Book me. All right, Come on. Pulling up. Don't worry about nothing. I'm like, where the club at?

[Hassan Johnson]

I'm here.

[Memphis Bleak]

I nigga open the cellar door straight like that.

[Hassan Johnson]

Come down through here. We coming from Boop. And we gonna get busy. Yo, I got that footage too. Somewhere. Yo, I still got that footage.

[Memphis Bleak]

We need that, my g. Yeah, we walk in this motherfucker and it's Narnia. It's like yo whole nother dimension. Like, my nigga. Like, how y' all built a club down here with the bar. DJ had the joints. This shit was so shaken up. Like big screen TVs out of every hood party. I can honestly say that might be top one hood party. Cause it Was the most unexpected location.

[Hassan Johnson]

They gonna see the footage. Unexpected, right. Right there. St. Paul and Victory. So the ferry right there. Yeah, like you could damn near walk from the ferry. And we had it shaking.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, bro, y' all still got that spot?

[Hassan Johnson]

Nah, nah. We was grand opening. Grand. So hold on.

[Memphis Bleak]

Bleep.

[Hassan Johnson]

When you came. So you figured we opened. That was right before Sandy. So 2013 of February. Cause we grand opened with Ed Lover. He hosted a little comedy night. But I was in Atlanta shooting. I couldn't even be there on the grand opening. My shit. But my partners held it down. And then y' all came around the summer. Because then Sandy happened. That was like October, November. And then right after New Year's, we shut it down.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

2014, now that was. It was a cool run.

[Memphis Bleak]

That spot was classic.

[Hassan Johnson]

My G. Yeah, we added to Saint for Saint Paul's Lounge.

[Memphis Bleak]

Let's take them back though, man. Tell them about Stapleton projects growing up, man. So what was life like back then?

[Hassan Johnson]

So, so, so the town, right? I'm from Park Hill.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

But no, look, this is the ill part. I'm one. I'm probably the only Park Hill nigga went to school in Staples. And man, elementary school. So I went to school with Sha, his cousin came my nigga, Malou, Malik, Kim DeGro. I had a few Raheem.

[Memphis Bleak]

So they adopted you over there.

[Hassan Johnson]

So I was the one year. I was the one Park Hill nigga going to elementary school, right? Cause then four years like that, we

[Memphis Bleak]

adopted a lot of niggas. Rest in peace. Big Unique.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah. So the town rep, the town to the foot. That's my shit right there. You ain't 67, 212. You know, all the building spread them shits out like.

[Memphis Bleak]

I know. That's why I thought you was from here. Nah, nah, but me, that's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

Me and Sha go back like car seats.

[Memphis Bleak]

His whole family, man. Yeah. So shout out.

[Hassan Johnson]

Shy. Hay Nah. What up?

[Memphis Bleak]

The town?

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, Park Hill, Staples. Connect. All day.

[Memphis Bleak]

Definitely all day. Like, what was it like back then, man, for you? Before the acting? Before, like what draw you into the acting? Was it what you was living?

[Hassan Johnson]

So I guess it was being from Staten island, right? So we was the fifth Borough. Forgotten borough we was always hearing about. N in Marcy, Uptown Harlem. Then we had our niggas, right? You know what I'm saying? That was getting busy getting to it. So unless you left the borough, you ain't seeing no nothing except, right? So I was getting that. Cause my people was From Coney Island. Oh, so I'm right over the bridge. Coney Island. 15 minutes older wire Coney island houses. It's crazy.

[Memphis Bleak]

Y' all closer to Coney island than we are.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's a fact.

[Memphis Bleak]

And then we both in Brooklyn.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's a fact.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

I could get to Coney island quicker than you could from the stop.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

We got the bridge and the little toll shit, right? So boom. Look, 10, 15 minutes.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

If it wasn't for the bridge, you get there in five minutes. If it was like a straight shot over the water, for real. So. So it. It was just crazy. Cause we always was trying to, like, prove ourselves to a degree to the rest of the city, or at least not be as corny as people thought being from Staten island was, right? It was just a little stigma, like there was going on out there. Ain't nothing going on out there. It's a suburb.

[Memphis Bleak]

It was. See, to us, it was Mobland.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, it was Mobland suburb.

[Memphis Bleak]

All the mob lived in Staten School.

[Hassan Johnson]

All they grandkids.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, we everything. All the mob families is in Staten Island. A lot of got in them hills. It's a lot of people under the.

[Hassan Johnson]

Right up in the toe hill. You go take a gander through and see what it is. You word up. So they had this in smash. And then, of course, the W drop. So me. So in the 90s, I knew we was gonna pop, right? I always wanted to be on tv. I ain't know what I was gonna do. Right, but then you got meth, right? Shaquan, that's his name, and that was his attribute on the block. Before the woo. Shit. Wow. So my highlight on the weekend, Friday night, when Francis, my mom used to let me stay out late. My highlight was I be on the block, Tar G Street, right by him. And you guard trap, got bread together, right? So they be at the Chinese restaurant. You go, I get the beatboxing, meth get to start rapping. So when I just heard meth rat Shaquan start rapping, I was like, oh, this special. Like, I knew he was gonna be. I knew he was gonna pop. I ain't know nothing else, you know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Was definitely special.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah. You kidding me?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. That first album to Cow album. I studied that back and forth, bro. That was the illest thing I thought coming out since Slice.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, for real. I got the demo tapes. My cousin, each guard rested there. That was RZA right here. Him and Devon right here, man. So I had them little Demo tapes. They called theyself the Flowers.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn, that's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

Then it turned into. Right, and then it was the Wreck Posse, DMD Posse, slash the Wu Tang. So they went through a couple little phases to get to where they was at. Then once you got Dirty Master Killer just right, you throw that BK in there with the. Yeah, it's out of here. Went crazy.

[Memphis Bleak]

And that's. I always admired the woo that y' all linked up all the hoods.

[Hassan Johnson]

Nah, for sure of Staten island.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like you said. Threw some Brooklyn in there.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

If only we could have did that in Brooklyn, man. You know, we had R.V. sumner, T.P. marcy, Fort Gray.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yup, the Fort, Right? Ain't never just kind of come together like Voltron.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, like that. That's dope that y' all was able to do that. You know what I'm saying? Growing up in Staten island, like, talk about the ferry and all that. That was 25 cent when I was

[Hassan Johnson]

a shorty, going, yeah, all right. Boom. So you remember when it was the real record, Then it went up to 50 cent.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

Then after the fire, the first one, they made it free. Cause then they had one on our side.

[Memphis Bleak]

So it's free now.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, the ferry free.

[Memphis Bleak]

These kids, they. They get these niggas.

[Hassan Johnson]

I still jump on the boat.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hell yeah. I wouldn't.

[Hassan Johnson]

You'll see me jump on the boat. Like, if I gotta go, like, anywhere

[Memphis Bleak]

time I'm on the boat. That was our first ocean view. Like, sitting inside. Damn. Stand outside my ocean view.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, oh, chilling right now.

[Memphis Bleak]

Those was ocean views. Hooky on the statue.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's real word, 25 cent. Word is my. Was a quarter.

[Memphis Bleak]

That was a quarter one way. Cause going was free.

[Hassan Johnson]

It was going. Coming back, it was right. And then it went up to the 50.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

And they had the little token. Like, you could use the little token. And then it was free after that. So it been free. I feel like the ferry been free since before nine. Eleven.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn. That's crazy. My Jason. Last time I rode the train, the bus, they still was giving out colorful trips.

[Hassan Johnson]

The transfers worded spend a token in the store. We don't even know about that Metro car life.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, bus passes.

[Hassan Johnson]

Was that.

[Memphis Bleak]

You kidding me?

[Hassan Johnson]

You had the different color for the month.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, my God.

[Hassan Johnson]

So that's how the bus driver knew. Like, you try to flash an old

[Memphis Bleak]

joint on them, he's like, nope. The mutt is this color green now that pull out the sheet. Yeah, it's the same way. If you think you going to these shows with the credentials.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yes.

[Memphis Bleak]

Last night was this color.

[Hassan Johnson]

Today it's this color. Cause a trying to pull out of last February. And then this February is pink. It ain't blues. And you think it's because last year

[Memphis Bleak]

I gotta do a lot more good.

[Hassan Johnson]

You know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, that's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

Was the day so just politicking back and forth. See, for us, the highlight in Staten island growing up was going downtown Brooklyn shopping.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn.

[Hassan Johnson]

Wasn't even getting to Harlem. 25th.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. No. That was another world. Your bag had to be up. I was just talking to somebody about that. Going to Harlem. That's the only burrow. You had to be fly to get fly. Wow. Yeah. Like Brook.

[Hassan Johnson]

No, you had to already be fly. Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes. Like, so your bag had to be a little bit more hot.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's a fact. I think about that one. Like you right bleak. You had to already be floppy.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

You can go pull up on Fort Street.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

With your little.

[Memphis Bleak]

Cause you gonna see who look just like you. They up trying to figure it out. Like. Yeah. In front of the store selling some,

[Hassan Johnson]

like, what it do.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, go to Beach Street.

[Hassan Johnson]

Go get you a little cassette tape or some vinyl. Nah, those. That was the highlight juniors, right? Yo, that was a highlight.

[Memphis Bleak]

That was the best time ever. I remember Mr. Fulton right there, right around from Albie School. That was our first time feeling like we was eating design of food. Like. Like, my G. Like, that was silly as.

[Hassan Johnson]

That was really it. That was off the porch status type.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, so back then, like, I always want to know, like, because I wanted to act. But then when I got in front of the camera and realized, hold on, they looking at me.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's the part, right? That's when I knew I can't do this shit.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

So.

[Memphis Bleak]

So was it a person film or like, what would you say? A moment that let you know. Like, I mean, I could do this shit.

[Hassan Johnson]

So there's two things probably I say for me. Eddie Murphy, my favorite, right? That's right.

[Memphis Bleak]

Top Dog.

[Hassan Johnson]

So it was probably Trading Places, one

[Memphis Bleak]

of my favorite movies that.

[Hassan Johnson]

It was wild.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word up.

[Hassan Johnson]

When he did when he was in the park on the shade on the

[Memphis Bleak]

skateboard with the f leg got up that did it.

[Hassan Johnson]

That I was like, oh, this right here. The illest nigga in Nebraska.

[Memphis Bleak]

What the is going on? I got.

[Hassan Johnson]

I won't be like this nigga. But then I ain't think I had that comedic timing. So it's funny now how later in my career, now I'm doing the more comedy light Hearted shit like the Last og, the Netflix, the survival of the thickest. I'm sliding in the comedy, like top five. I did top five with Chris and them, right? Chris rocking them Shout out fire. So. So it's funny now, but I didn't have a segue. So between saying to myself, damn, I wanna be on my Eddie Murphy flex. If the opportunity didn't come until I'm in high school, right? And it's Shorty. Ariana, her name was Ariana. Cause she was going out with my nigga Tree on. We played football, me and Tristan on the football team. She came because, look, school was a cakewalk for me, right? Straight A student, all that fly shit. I'm playing football. So all that extracurricular shit, bleak. I wasn't with the Glee Club, the Mav Club, the African Culture Club. They was always trying to recruit me. And I was on some. Nah, nah, I got practice or this or that, right? Trying to fuck with my little honeys. That was too much to keep up with. I'm like, I'm passing. That's right.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't need to be doing all that extra shit. That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

So I remember telling niggas, I want to be on tv though. So she dared me. I don't know where she got the thing for Spike Lee for Clockers to fly up.

[Memphis Bleak]

She had to bring that up.

[Hassan Johnson]

She came and dared me to go to the open call. So now I'm 16. I remember the Flyers saying they looking for 18 to 25 year olds to play as Spike Lee. New film Clockers for the lead role or strike. I'm like, dang, I ain't old enough. I was really letting that shit. So I'm already like thinking that's why my Wikipedia fucked up now. My birthday on my Wikipedia, I can't change this shit. Cause that's the shit. I came out the gate saying how old I was to get in the movie.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, that's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

My whole up.

[Memphis Bleak]

But anyway. But you know you could fix that.

[Hassan Johnson]

But every time I do the remix, it go, go back.

[Memphis Bleak]

Cause somebody. Somebody in there changing it.

[Hassan Johnson]

Somebody.

[Memphis Bleak]

Come on, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

Come on.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. Cause a regular person could go on

[Hassan Johnson]

there and change whatever they want.

[Memphis Bleak]

A lot of that information is madcap. Because my middle name is Dustin or something on there.

[Hassan Johnson]

See, that's that.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't know Dustin. But say all the bills to him

[Hassan Johnson]

while you at it.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, he the nigga who all.

[Hassan Johnson]

Since that's how y' all want to keep it. Word up, right? So. So that's how it started went to that open call. The rest was history.

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[Memphis Bleak]

you gonna answer a lot of questions for me with these movies, man. No doubt. Clockers was my. My.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, Clockers end up being like. That's one of them that hit after the fact for me. Yeah, like oh. Cause then I peeped how supposed to be Martin Scorsese movie. It was on his slate. He couldn't do it. Spike said let me get that. Yeah, and that's. So that's. That's a Scorsese film. Even if you look at the style of the lighting. I'm looking at that over that, that over the top dome light that he was doing a lot in the interrogation scenes.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, they shot that in Staten island, right?

[Hassan Johnson]

No, no, that was all in Goannas. Bleak.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, in Brooklyn. He was in the K. Downtown Y. What another one? What another one?

[Hassan Johnson]

We talking about 94. Another one, 94. Look, they had. They had a wet out one night. What's the block over from? What's the back block from Baltic? Because Baltic goes straight through. That's union there.

[Memphis Bleak]

Union on the next one over got Flatbush. Got Union.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like when they go through the Peas. That's where our campers used to be at the trailers. So they would just leave them out there, the teams, cuz they wasn't.

[Memphis Bleak]

I don't know them streets back then.

[Hassan Johnson]

It's that, it's that back street of the Peas. Yeah, I forgot Douglas, one of them shits. So that's where our trailers was at. I remember we came back on set from one weekend, shits was wet up, had holes through the clothes and all that. It was the wardrobe trailer. They had a wet out on that end. Cause that's the quiet side of the P. So they was over there bucket out. They hit up our joints one time.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hit up the trailer.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, we wasn't at work thank God. Or none of that. But that's just to get y' all perspective of how it was in 9, 4 and Gowanda's.

[Memphis Bleak]

The question I need to ask you about. Cause you went from Clockers and then here come another hood classic into the.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's my favorite.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, listen, my man. Yo, listen.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's my favorite.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, listen. Makai fight was my guy like. But that nigga was letting this nigga like, you ain't even hit that. He like, give me the Uzi. Give me the Uzi.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, Omar. That was Omar. Omar.

[Memphis Bleak]

So listen, how was them type of scenes acting? I know it took you a minute to get through that one.

[Hassan Johnson]

That because was laughing.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what I'm talking about right there. Yes. Like, nigga, give me the. Ooh, we had first taste sucks like

[Hassan Johnson]

this here the is going on, man. Get in the car, man. Get the. We about to get bag with you. And then they really had me boning the Cherokee too. That was it. That was in 98. 98. Yeah, we did. So we shot in too deep in Canada, Ohio and la.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn, that. Damn, that's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

That budget was still. Yeah, most of that is Toronto.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

Most of that is Toronto. Now that scene, we was in Cincinnati. Cause we supposed to be in Akan, right? Yeah. So that when we was wetting up on the block and all that. That was in Cincinnati.

[Memphis Bleak]

But how was it like working with L as super gangster?

[Hassan Johnson]

My was. Yo, El was acting like that the whole time. The whole time. L was like, what? Like, you just be like, yo, what up? What's up? Like, we like, damn, my. We just going to the thing.

[Memphis Bleak]

We ain't even. You know what I'm saying?

[Hassan Johnson]

I was loving it, though. I was loving it. Like, yo, keep that. Stay on that bullshit. L. That's what I'm talking about. I got the battery. Word. So, you know, he just poured. He just poured it on. He did.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

L could have got an Oscar for that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Y' all all did y' all thing in that movie. That's a classic.

[Hassan Johnson]

Too Deep is a classic.

[Memphis Bleak]

Your role in that movie put the on the table. Say, yo, son Bruce. The said, yo, why you want me to do all that?

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, yo, I was just. Me and Sha.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like, what the.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, yo, sh. Had did some wild too in that scene. Cause don't L pour the beer on

[Memphis Bleak]

him and all that.

[Hassan Johnson]

That was Sha. I did. Yo child was on some bo. We in that basement to the community center. We was filming. So there's a beer on this shelf. Like, niggas that was in there and left a beer. It was an open beer.

[Memphis Bleak]

Oh, so he just so.

[Hassan Johnson]

So Shot was like, yo, nigga, might as well violate him if you go violate him.

[Memphis Bleak]

Violate. That's how I remember it.

[Hassan Johnson]

I know I ain't making this up. The nigga Shot and you know. L was on Bullshit. Give me that. He snatched this shit from Shot. Like, yeah, nigga, now you talking. Poured this shit on him. Like, really just improv that whole shit.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, that's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's one of the illest memorable scenes in the jaw.

[Memphis Bleak]

Legendary. Then you go from that, my joke to the ultimate, ultimate classic. I know you probably sometimes see you in the street, yo, wee babe, yo, this. I know you be like, man, that. That person was 20 years ago, bro.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, I used to get tight, but then I had to embrace it.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, man, I know the feeling, bro. Word up, man. Cause it be like that with certain records. And you're like, why can't we make another record like that? Like, fam, that's the record for that.

[Hassan Johnson]

And go back and just listen to it. Be happy, my nigga. Like, what we talking about?

[Memphis Bleak]

Exactly. So what was that like for y'?

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[Memphis Bleak]

The Wire? Did you think it would be a cult phenomenon?

[Hassan Johnson]

Like it became. I'm gonna tell you why I ain't think it was gonna be no cult phenomenon. Because the Wire was right after 9 11. So what I'm trying to tell you is if 911 was. 911 was 01, right? We auditioned, most of us. Cause I was seeing niggas at the audition. So. So we auditioned that summer. Let's say August, the end of August, September, right? Then 911 happened. So the Wire almost ain't even get done. Because after that, Remember how the city

[Memphis Bleak]

was shut down for like, two, three weeks?

[Hassan Johnson]

The ferry, the tunnels, the bridges. The only way you could come to the city was through gw.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, after like, a week.

[Hassan Johnson]

And that was after a week, right? Then everything else was still shut. So, like, the world wasn't moving for us. I wouldn't think about no Wire.

[Memphis Bleak]

I wouldn't think about that shit.

[Hassan Johnson]

I wouldn't think about that shit. Then I get so called for a call back. So now I remember going to the callback. Mind you. I auditioned for d', Angelo, the Nephew. I never auditioned for We Bay. I never had an audition for We Bay. To, like. Never was weird. Like, all right, come in for this. I remember being in the audition and Clark Johnson was the director. He from Homicide. Life on the street, right? David, Simon and them had created that. See, there was a whole prelude to the. Why you had Homicide, then you had the corner, right? The corner was wild. Graphic.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

Right. Then they spun out with the wire. Spun off with the wire.

[Memphis Bleak]

I forgot about the corner.

[Hassan Johnson]

Corner. That's one of them ones.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

So word is born. So I remember one of them. It was either Clark or David leaning over in the middle of the audition, vision to the other one, like, that's weed, man. That's just like that. I'm in the middle of my rocking, yo. And I heard the say that threw my whole off. I got mad for a minute. Then I was like, I. Chill out. Relax. Yeah, do your right. I don't think I got back across the water and I was getting the hit on my pager for my agent. Think I only. I don't even know if I had a phone. If I did, it was a brick.

[Memphis Bleak]

Brick.

[Hassan Johnson]

But I remember my age.

[Memphis Bleak]

The brick phone. Nigga needed a bag for that in

[Hassan Johnson]

the bodega bag with the potato chips and the quarter water. So I remember getting the hit, right? Bleak. So I'm like, oh, that's. Either it went down or it didn't. But you ain't gonna get a call faster unless you got it.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

Right.

[Memphis Bleak]

They'll make you wait.

[Hassan Johnson]

So I waited to get to the bribe. I was like, ooh. Then they hit me. It was like, yeah, you got. Got the Weebay shit. Do you still wanna. That's like with. With Clockers, though, right? Going for the strike.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

Spike had us coming back. I auditioned for Clockers like, eight times.

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn.

[Hassan Johnson]

And the last audition was on a Saturday. And Tribeca, on the day of the Black Expo. Cause I was tight. I wanted to go to the Jacob Javits. I was like, yo, I'm supposed to go up there and bag Masj. I'm. I'm sitting in here at this audition. God damn. Yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

So. So. So that's the same shit, like, with that. And you know what I'm saying, the shit was just. It was. It was over.

[Memphis Bleak]

Like the Wire. I. Niggas produced so many. Like, you know how it's like looking at a rap crew.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

You be like. Like Wu Tang.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

So many different elements and so many different stars came from the group.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I mean? That's how I feel about the Wire. So many different stars and so many different elements came from the ground.

[Hassan Johnson]

It was 30. It's 30 main characters. Like, word up, you got 30, 40 main char. And you keeping up with every last single one of them.

[Memphis Bleak]

And each character became a cult following or phenomenon in its own right.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's what you saying.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's exactly you know what I'm saying. That shit is insane, bro. Like, do you feel like them roles that you played like that? Because did you feel like they tried to box you in with those type of roles by always sending them to you after that?

[Hassan Johnson]

It ain't a boxing. Cause I was able to play roles that, whether my audience, our audience, right? Or like let's say the Clockers or the street, urban level audience, I played roles in films and television that might have went over niggas head. Cause that just wasn't a cup of tea, right? And so just for the shit that gets notarized, right? That happened to be the street ghetto. Ain't really nobody fault.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

So I don't play it to the type cash box you in shit. Cause I played a doctor. I played a fed, a cop or a father, right? An actual, A real person, something with three dimensions. I've gotten that opportunity. So I don't think it's like a boxing. Cause I remember complaining of my agent one time, and the nigga, he get tired of it. He like, look, my nigga, what you want? You. You did the role good. They love you for the shit. That's their business. That what you want to do about that, right? You just did it. Be glad they talking about you or requesting you for that as opposed to nothing.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

And like my baby mom say anything be the blank.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's right.

[Memphis Bleak]

1% of sun is better than 100% of nothing. There, that go straight up.

[Hassan Johnson]

So I don't really believe in that shit. You know what I'm saying? It's gonna be what's for you anyway. Like niggas always wants, like why you wasn't there. What you call it? Like, niggas be getting beat down with shit all the time. Why you wasn't? Cause I wasn't supposed to be.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

That wasn't.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know, but then you did. You. You showed your other range and doing when you dropped Flatbush Misdemeanor.

[Hassan Johnson]

All right, there we go. There we go with the comedy, cuz. Now here go Drew, right? Uncle Drew, just a regular. Like, even when he got back for clapping. The ACS worker, the lawyer dude, like, see, look, we gonna say this, cuz. You ain't got no priors and you thinking like this been wilding all that time. He never did no Big Y. Like, but there's a lot of. But they staying on business. That's right.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I'm saying, Yo, some of the illest never. Yo, you saying you look at, like, all that you did, you never went through.

[Hassan Johnson]

Ah, you ain't go through.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, but it's like that. It's like that. That's a fact, man. So what was that like for you, man, stepping into that role?

[Hassan Johnson]

That was funny. Cause I remember having to audition for that and reading the script and going, I ain't auditioning for this. I got this in the smash. This is easy. I told my agent, I said, set up a zoom call with the creators, Kevin Dibb, Shout out and the eps in them. And he was like, yo, you know what, Haas?

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a good idea.

[Hassan Johnson]

My agent was like, yo, that's a good idea. Like, well, you made it far enough to be able to request that.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

And I had the zoom call and explain to them, I understand the criteria area. Like, just let y' all get to know me instead of coming in here and acting like somebody.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

If y' all just get to know me, then you. Y' all gonna be in. That's right. Y' all gonna understand that I understand the assignment. And that work.

[Memphis Bleak]

Nah, that's dope.

[Hassan Johnson]

And that working that we was off the right. But I think. Cause they let niggas go like I was. They was just letting me go. I don't know if Showtime was able to keep up with the speed of it. Right. But then at the same time, you always hear the political answer, why we got canceled after two seasons? Cause because they were trying to get their subscriptions up on a streaming platform. So, you know, that's always an excuse. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Netflix ain't no ho.

[Hassan Johnson]

Got these motherfuckers under pressure.

[Memphis Bleak]

Netflix ain't no ho, ho, ho.

[Hassan Johnson]

You would think they already know.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, they came through like Suge. They took everybody. Everybody. Everybody signed here.

[Hassan Johnson]

They did.

[Memphis Bleak]

Hey, you tired of your network dancing in your video? Come on down to the Netflix, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, that's how they pulled up on the industry. Word. Cause you thinking, oh, already they got the cable ops, Cinemax, Showtime. I mean, hbo, but they got Netflix.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

So they couldn't. You know what I mean? So we always be the casualties.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

And then this end up being a more iconic than it was when it was on tv.

[Memphis Bleak]

One thing I could always say, like, me as a fan, this is not even. No question or nothing. This Is my opinion, bro. Like, I commend you and I respect that you never got lost in the role. Cause I feel like you know us as fans watching movies. Sometimes a person can play a role and then they go so far that we can believe it and then see a person and be like, man, I don't fuck with that nigga. That nigga was all bullshit and this. And then you gotta think yo homie was just acting.

[Hassan Johnson]

You gotta catch yourself.

[Memphis Bleak]

I felt like that about the homie, Bo King Woodbine.

[Hassan Johnson]

Okay?

[Memphis Bleak]

Like seeing him in Dead Presidents Wilding out. And then I met him at the spot, the waffle spot in la. Roscoe.

[Hassan Johnson]

Roscoe, yes.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, bro, I almost was like, I really don't with this. But then I had to think to myself, like, man, that ain't him. He just acting. So. But a lot of people, they get lost in the roles, cuz. Then he did Jason's lyric and I'm like, nah, I knew that nigga was

[Hassan Johnson]

all, there you go, there you go. Nah. But that's what it is, cuz. It's a livelihood of it all. Like, I guess it is a conflict of interest because you getting to play these images in these other lives that that may be synonymous or have commonalities with your traits. And some of them shit be so far left, you start tapping into a dark side. Now that's where the heath ledges and the whoevers.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes, yes, yes. They get stuck in that, right?

[Hassan Johnson]

That was almost the worst shit form. The best in the worst shit. All in one is crazy.

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[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, that leads to my next question. It's ever been like a situation, a role or a movie or anything that you felt like was the most complex or something that was the hardest decision or something to achieve in this business for you yet?

[Hassan Johnson]

Nah. Cause I think I'll be ready for the challenge. I think it's always where it's like n be thinking I can't. You know what I mean? So anything that come on now, you got nerves. You be nervous like me. I do get nervous like that one day. It's that first day before filming, like. Cause now you about to meet everybody. The production, right? The grip. So that's why when you start running into people that you've worked with before, especially on a production end, you feel way more comfortable. Cause you like, all right, he or she about to have me. I'm about to. I'm safe.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right.

[Hassan Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? So the first day be the most nerve wracking. It's just the ice breaking with the lines and all that. I might be just, oh, yo, but yo, after that first date, yeah, I'm outta here. That's crazy.

[Memphis Bleak]

You say you get nervous. Like it's nervous nervous. Because I still get nervous doing shows.

[Hassan Johnson]

We've been doing this 20, 30 joints.

[Memphis Bleak]

People like be looking like, yo, bro, you've been performing forever. You still getting. Yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

But then after the first few bars,

[Memphis Bleak]

you, you good to go. Yeah, good to go. And I feel like if you don't get nervous, man, and you don't love it, that's the thing, you know what I'm saying?

[Hassan Johnson]

It don't scare you. If it don't scare you, you really

[Memphis Bleak]

don't love it, man. You really don't have the real passion, you know what I'm saying? So because you want to do.

[Hassan Johnson]

You want to do good, you want to do better. That's right.

[Memphis Bleak]

You all get out there and get the sandman on you tap D. That's a fact. Yo, like, you definitely played a lot into hip hop. Like, you know what I mean? Hip hop, I feel like played a lot in your, like, defining your projects. You put a lot of the culture into it. Like, what has hip hop felt mean to you? How has it influenced the path you go down?

[Hassan Johnson]

I mean, not to be so cliche with this shit, which it is. But the shit saved my life, you know what I'm saying? I think it was probably what I was UTFO. That's right. Some like that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

On Mr. Magic or one of them. Red alert. One day I heard the way they was bringing. Yeah. Shout out. Like, I heard that went crazy. Like, oh, what's this? Like, hold on now. Like, you know, then my pops was coming in the crib. With the record. Right. He coming with. I remember he came literally the record. Yeah. He coming in with. I remember he came in with that. That Jimmy Spicer Dollar Bill, y'. All. The rapping Duke the Hard. So my pops was putting me on a lot of too. So I was like all right, right. And then as far as like with the. With the. With the. Like with the film. Some of my first jobs after Clockers was music videos. So I'm like that. The music that alone literally saved me like that supplemented my income when shit was sticky. Here go a of couple a couple style. Wow. You know what I mean?

[Memphis Bleak]

Every music video.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's a fact. Like every time like yo, shout out to Kyla Upshore. She used to do all the casting for videos out here. Back put me in my. The Faith video for the first time off the High School High soundtrack. Because that was makai first movie after Clockers.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes, yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

And then I did the video off the soundtrack. So certain little like that just let a know like. You know what I'm saying? You.

[Memphis Bleak]

You had a way in this. You definitely did, bro. You a legend in this. If they didn't never tell you, Imma tell you.

[Hassan Johnson]

Appreciate that.

[Memphis Bleak]

It's never been the movie. I see your name pop up and I watch it was disappointed. That's what looking like. Like damn, my dog. They put him in that. That.

[Hassan Johnson]

I know I got one or two. I just need one or two in there.

[Memphis Bleak]

But I probably watch it. Missing that one.

[Hassan Johnson]

We ain't missing that mig. You know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

So what. What would you think? What kind of stories or characters you would want to be telling or exploring next?

[Hassan Johnson]

What's next? Good question. My. My dream role is because I saw A Time to Kill, remember?

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

This nigga hopped out the closet on him at the. At the. At the courthouse and killed them niggas. Raped his daughter. That's right. Sam's jack. But Matthew McConaughey put on a clinic. That's right in that courtroom that I wanted courtroom drama up.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

Play a lawyer. Really blow that shit out the water. Go crazy. That's fire. You know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Damn. Bringing up Samuel Jackson. Rest in peace to Quincy Jones. Samuel like Quincy Jones on the movie roles. I know he got records like Quincy out.

[Hassan Johnson]

He's the most box office nigga now. It used to be like Harrison Ford or one of them. It's Sam Gary react.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

Oh his gross like a bee couple

[Memphis Bleak]

bees and that he's literally in every movie. I don't think it's probably like, 20 movies in the world that he ain't in.

[Hassan Johnson]

I saw some just. I can't remember. I always forget some titles, but I just saw some. He was in. I was like, from like 23. 2. I was like. I was mad like, I ain't see this yet. Yeah. I'm telling you, he got some bangers. He do.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yo, Nick, folks. Fury, yo. That's a fact, right?

[Hassan Johnson]

They can make Fury. Your chill make fury my.

[Memphis Bleak]

So when, like, speaking of celebrities and stars like that. That magnitude, the impact he created for himself, like, when people hear the name Hassan Johnson, what you want them to associate and remember you by, like, your body of work?

[Hassan Johnson]

They damn. All my shit solid. No pun intended. And I was a reliable. And my every. You know what I mean? Like, that's all. Like, I really love the. The craft and the passion so much that I don't never want anything to be about me. So if I'm in it, it's a bonus. But I want the project to really stand on his feet and then just be happy that I'm a part of history. Maybe the Wire conditioned me like that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

You know what I'm saying? Cause I don't know no one. Ain't even Mike, if he was here. Michael K. Rest in peace. He tell you, ain't no one of us could steal no glory from that. It ain't no one of us. Not him, I don't think Wood, Idris Wendell, Pierce, Clark Peters, Lance Reddick. God rest his soul. There ain't no one Andre Royal, J.D. williams. There ain't no one of us that could feel like that show couldn't.

[OnDeck Advertiser (repeat)]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, it was because of all of y'. All. Collectively, y' all all made that show what it was.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

But, yeah, it was not one person. I watched that shit. Every episode was for a different character, a different. A different lead they was following or into some beef or this. That, yo, how they gonna work their way out of this? So it wasn't just, like, you watch one thing when it's just for that.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, the one offs. Like, when it's just for that, right? You got compelled, you got drawn in, you got captured.

[Memphis Bleak]

You had to rewatch it to watch other people's story, to find out why I left it at. Because you wasn't paying attention.

[Hassan Johnson]

I'm like, how much you were studying like this. Something went over your head. You gotta run that back.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's a fact.

[Hassan Johnson]

So that's why that ended up being like, I know they had a course. I Think the first. It's all over the place now throughout the country, but I think Berkeley or one of them had like a wire one on one course.

[Memphis Bleak]

Dang.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like, back like almost probably 15 years ago or so. Because that shit needed to be studied. That's a fact. Like, you know what I'm saying?

[Memphis Bleak]

Like my thing, one thing I always wanted to do, I always dreamed of, but I never got the. I ain't gonna say the resources. I just never met the right people. Right. I always felt like there's never been a real, true New York comedy movie like a Friday.

[Hassan Johnson]

You right.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I'm saying? It's never really been a real New York. And then a lot of our New York movies we hijack. Like King of New York. Frank White is the guy. That's not real. Ain't no Frank White's running around with a bunch of black niggas holding him down.

[Hassan Johnson]

Dan Bell. So be through the roof.

[Memphis Bleak]

New Jack City was in New York. That's Detroit.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Memphis Bleak]

You know what I'm saying? So we really don't have a lot of the clip. We stole a lot of classes.

[Hassan Johnson]

Right. We don't have our own etched in stone.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes. So, like, speaking of, like, a Friday, a person like Ice Cube, like, if I'm speaking this correct, I might could be wrong. I thought. I feel like. They say Don Poo wrote Friday day.

[Hassan Johnson]

D.J. pool.

[Memphis Bleak]

D.J.

[Hassan Johnson]

pool. Right, right, right. Come on, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

What am I talking about?

[Hassan Johnson]

But see, that's it. But that's the shock value. But just. That's the type of shot value that you still provide. Like, when you hear like, oh, what'd you call it? Wrote that, though. I ain't know that.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah, DJ Pool wrote that, man. Like, did you ever, ever think about pinning the movie or.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, I'm actually working on something now. Now with my Little Sean. Oh, word called Just Got Paid. The rapper. Yeah. His. His. His pant game is, yo.

[Memphis Bleak]

Little Sean flexed on me as a shorty back. I owe him a flex,

[Hassan Johnson]

you know. He know he one of them ones

[Memphis Bleak]

at J In My Lifetime video shooting the remix in Brooklyn. I'm Little Dirty Dusty sitting there chilling. He was always the homie. No, with the homies that walked up on me, pulled his chain out. He like, yo, yo, am I missing a diamond in my chain?

[Hassan Johnson]

Oh, he hit you with one of those?

[Memphis Bleak]

I looked at this like, he hit

[Hassan Johnson]

you with one of those.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. I was like, I can't wait till I get somebody there. This how you do it? This how you flex?

[Hassan Johnson]

I'm Missing a diamond.

[Memphis Bleak]

My.

[Hassan Johnson]

Yeah, let me know cuz I can't see.

[Memphis Bleak]

I always felt like.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like I owe him a flash. That type of. You don't get. And that was just some whatever type of.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah. He wasn't doing it out of no malice.

[Hassan Johnson]

You ain't gonna never forget no. Like that. I wouldn't even wor. But we got some fly called Just Got Paid. That's like a. A Friday take place in Flatbush. You know what I'm saying? It got all them elements, the characters. Organic.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes.

[Hassan Johnson]

The storyline. So being his door, like you said. Like, I think that's where. When he hit me with it and I read the synopsis was like, word, we don't got our own shit.

[Memphis Bleak]

No, this right here comedy feel like.

[Hassan Johnson]

And then it would be like if I could compare it to something, it's a. What you call it? On steroids. Cause then that was a film. But it got like all this shit compacted. It's like a Flatbush misdemeanor. You know what I mean? But if we turned it into a film. Yes. And yeah. So.

[Memphis Bleak]

And my thing is, I always said too, being at the city. Pause. You know these kids, everything is paused. You can't even say shit like big.

[Hassan Johnson]

They like, hey, yo, hey, yo, yo, yo, yo, hey, yo. I hear y' all fuck.

[Memphis Bleak]

We need to bring back yo MTV

[Hassan Johnson]

Raps as much as they a yo now here. Fuck Word.

[Memphis Bleak]

As big as the city is, I always felt like you can do a Friday funny comedy mixed in with a hangover style where it's all over the place. You know what I'm saying?

[Hassan Johnson]

Where it ain't just one location. What I mean, you got five.

[Memphis Bleak]

You got that city to go crazy in. You got Staten Island, Brooklyn, Harlem. You even go to Long island and get crazy.

[Hassan Johnson]

We used to get confused with Long Island, Staten island and Long Island. Right? So now you right if poor. Because that's what I'm saying. I got peoples from Coney island, right? That's his own word, own world.

[Memphis Bleak]

Come on, Mike.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's another one. My aunt lives over there. The floss. Right.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's what I'm saying.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like it's come on like real like BK alone.

[Memphis Bleak]

Then it.

[Hassan Johnson]

The tentacles go crazy. Yes, but then that's what would make it ill.

[Memphis Bleak]

But you gotta have the relationships in the different boroughs and different. I'm telling you, it could be done, but it got. It could really tell.

[Hassan Johnson]

I'm gonna tap in with you on that because it's just being. I see. That's where your heart at, man.

[Memphis Bleak]

Cause we really need one.

[Hassan Johnson]

Wanna rep the town like we post supposed to rep the town. Just want to be sweet with it, with the motion and looking sweet. We really responsible for repping and putting our on. For real.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's right, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

We don't really have nothing like that.

[Memphis Bleak]

You right at all, my G. Word.

[Hassan Johnson]

Oh, you know, cuz, you know, Friday is Cali.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's all la all day. That's. And what I love about that he captured in that movie each character from

[Hassan Johnson]

1, 2 and 3 down the corner.

[Memphis Bleak]

She really depicts the lifestyle of a la. A real Californian person. You will meet a Mexican like the neighbors he had with the dog. Hey, man, you heard the noise on our black holes? Fuck out of here. Yeah, you got a day day out there, right?

[Hassan Johnson]

Like they like. I know what you saying too.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yeah.

[Hassan Johnson]

Like when we do shit, we embellish. Like you said, the Frank White Center. Like, they shit is just natural organic. They not. They not capping and going over the top. They make it funnier. But that's really how them people act.

[Memphis Bleak]

That's. Bro. When I look at movies like the Wash, bro, that.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's another one. Classic. Classic.

[Memphis Bleak]

Just to even. Yo, bro. Just to even look at how Dr. Dre and Snoop even acted them roles. I could never look at my man Cheech and be like, yo, dog, you got me fired. Yeah, if we gonna be last, you're gonna take us two weeks to finish film that scene. Cause that's how much we gonna be laughing like.

[Hassan Johnson]

And they was probably the two calmest niggas in the whole movie when you think about it.

[Memphis Bleak]

Yes, bro.

[Hassan Johnson]

Right.

[Memphis Bleak]

That shit was ill. So I feel like we need one of those. So what my next question to you would be, what's the next chapter? What do you see going forward? Is like acting. We spoke on producing, creating. Do you like. We basically just chopped all that up right now. That's what's next.

[Hassan Johnson]

Nah, that's it.

[Memphis Bleak]

Word.

[Hassan Johnson]

That's what's next. My next. That shit, the op scound on what we already got and planted seeds doing. And then really the alley oop the shit off the backboard for our kids and whoever after this. That's a fact I etched in stone right there. Ain't really nowhere. I mean, and they always say it get a lot worse before it get better. But that's all the outside noise. That's the distractions, the to keep us static.

[Memphis Bleak]

It don't get worse before it get better. It's already worse worse. You feel me? So it's Only gotten better.

[Hassan Johnson]

We was born at our worst, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

I tell people all the time, they be like, yo, Bleak, yo, you know the recession coming, okay, I was born in that.

[Hassan Johnson]

All right, what's up?

[Memphis Bleak]

My whole life I was in a recession.

[Hassan Johnson]

That don't affect me. For real, what we talking about? I don't know nothing about that.

[Memphis Bleak]

I know how to cut back. I know not to eat Oreos today.

[Hassan Johnson]

I know how to sit down. Just sit down.

[Memphis Bleak]

I appreciate you pulling up my guy. You know it's love always, man.

[Hassan Johnson]

Solid, baby.

[Memphis Bleak]

Anything you got to promote, anything you want to get out there. You ever want to come up here and get a word off. I know my house is your home, Reggie. You my brother, family. And I love you for life.

[Hassan Johnson]

And I'mma pull up sooner than killing, bro.

[Memphis Bleak]

No doubt. Health and wealth, baby. That's what we preach here.

[Hassan Johnson]

You know what it is?

[Memphis Bleak]

Rock solid for life. Hassan Johnson repping the city the way it's supposed to been rep. You know what it is?

[Hassan Johnson]

Acting game Bones on the shooting.

[Memphis Bleak]

For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows at. And you can follow me on any social media platform under the name Memphis Bleak. You see anybody frauding? Flag them.

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