Best of 2024- BEST MOMENTS - Jordan Klepper, Bien, And Mega Millions Lottery Tickets Increase To $5 and Charlamagne Is Appalled Topic

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – Best of 2024 | Best Moments Featuring Jordan Klepper, Bien, and the Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Increase

Release Date: May 26, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest Stars: Jordan Klepper, Bien, Jessica Moore

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1. Introduction to Best Moments

The episode kicks off with DJ Envy welcoming listeners to a special compilation of the best moments from 2024. The focus centers around Jordan Klepper's insightful discussions, the East African artist Bien's rise in the music scene, and a heated debate on the recent increase in Mega Millions lottery ticket prices.

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2. Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Price Increase

Timestamp: [29:03]

Lenard McKelvey brings attention to the alarming rise in Mega Millions ticket prices from $2 to $5. The discussion highlights the broader implications of this increase on everyday players:

Lenard McKelvey (29:03): "I can't even afford to wish now. I can't even afford to hope."

The conversation delves into how the price hike diminishes the accessibility of the lottery, potentially reducing participation and the associated hopes of winning big. Hosts and callers share personal anecdotes about their gambling habits, emphasizing the emotional and financial strain caused by the increased costs.

Jordan Klepper (15:54): "But the reality is, what if that's his vice? Like, you know, what if you don't spit? What if he don't buy nothing else?"

The segment also touches on the lack of support systems for compulsive gamblers, urging listeners to seek help if they find themselves struggling with gambling addictions.

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3. Special Guest: Jordan Klepper Discusses His Work

Timestamp: [18:22] – [43:01]

Jordan Klepper joins the Breakfast Club to discuss his latest special, "Fingers the Post MAGA and the Next Generation." He reflects on his experiences interviewing young MAGA supporters and the challenges faced in understanding their motivations.

Jordan Klepper (21:46): "I think we are curious why, like, what was it about that? It doesn't feel like the cool thing on a campus to believe in, you know, anti-abortion, reproductive rights... it's the anti-hippie movement."

Klepper shares a poignant account of his presence during the January 6th Capitol insurrection, recounting his interactions with extremists and the subsequent impact on his approach to journalism and comedy.

Jordan Klepper (27:36): "I find humor, it's disarming. It's the way to connect with people."

He emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in his interviews, even when dealing with highly polarized individuals. Klepper discusses the future of satire in media, the evolving landscape of social media consumption, and the enduring significance of comedic storytelling in addressing serious societal issues.

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4. Incident Highlight: The Kevin Gross Case

Timestamp: [46:37] – [55:23]

A shocking segment narrates the case of Kevin Gross, a 46-year-old assistant manager at Planet Aid, who allegedly shot a 28-year-old co-worker due to a misunderstanding related to a job demotion. Hosts dissect the incident, discussing the concept of "prison math" and the irrationality of the violent act.

Lenard McKelvey (54:16): "But he didn't even ask no questions. He just assumed it was this other person and shot him seven times. Now he's gonna spend the rest of his life in prison for that?"

The hosts use this case to highlight the consequences of poor decision-making and the importance of resolving conflicts non-violently. They also touch on systemic issues that contribute to such tragedies, urging listeners to reflect on their own behaviors and choices.

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5. Guest Segment: Jessica Moore on East African Music and Culture

Timestamp: [55:32] – [71:26]

Jessica Moore, an East African Afro-pop artist, shares her journey in the music industry and her efforts to promote African culture through her work. She discusses her solo tour, the challenges faced by East African artists in gaining mainstream recognition, and the cultural significance of her music.

Jessica Moore (65:23): "I want people to see the pain and the struggle in my art. I want them to listen to the lyrics and connect with the human experience."

Moore also addresses the potential impact of hosting the Grammys in Kenya, emphasizing the economic and cultural benefits it could bring to the region. She reflects on her personal experiences growing up in a polygamous family and how it has shaped her perspective on relationships and culture.

Jessica Moore (68:10): "Being topless is freedom. Being topless is audacity. And in this phase of my career, I need that audacity to be with me every day."

The discussion underscores the rich cultural tapestry of Kenya and the broader East African region, advocating for greater support and recognition of African artists on the global stage.

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6. Positive Note: Inspirational Messages

Timestamp: [71:35] – [72:04]

The episode concludes with a motivational message urging listeners to focus on personal growth and spiritual well-being rather than superficial online personas.

Lenard McKelvey (71:35): "You need to clean up your spirit. Go do some damn work on yourself."

This segment serves as a reminder of the importance of inner peace and self-improvement in maintaining mental health and fostering authentic connections.

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7. Closing Remarks and Final Advertisements

The final part of the transcript returns to advertisements, promoting products like the Nissan Murano, AT&T guarantees, Degree Cool Rush deodorant, and KFC Chicken and Waffles. As per the user’s instructions, these sections are omitted from the summary.

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Notable Quotes:

• Lenard McKelvey (29:03): "I can't even afford to wish now. I can't even afford to hope."
• Jordan Klepper (21:46): "I think we are curious why, like, what was it about that?"
• Lenard McKelvey (54:16): "But he didn't even ask no questions. He just assumed it was this other person and shot him seven times."
• Jessica Moore (65:23): "I want people to see the pain and the struggle in my art."
• Lenard McKelvey (71:35): "You need to clean up your spirit. Go do some damn work on yourself."

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Conclusion

This special episode of The Breakfast Club masterfully weaves together pressing social issues, personal stories, and cultural discussions. From dissecting the implications of rising lottery costs to exploring the vibrant East African music scene, the hosts and guests engage in meaningful dialogues that resonate with a diverse audience. Jordan Klepper’s candid insights into his journalistic endeavors and Jessica Moore’s passionate advocacy for African artists add depth and authenticity to the conversation, making this episode a standout compilation of memorable moments from 2024.

Transcript

[Rashid Envy]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast. Meetings, deadlines, emails. Don't you wish you could escape the chaos? That's where the all new Nissan Murano comes in. With available features like the relaxing, massaging seats to ease stress and the beautiful skyline views that bring in natural light. It's like cruising in your personal Oasis. And if you need to set a vibe, 64 colors of personalized lighting and a Bose premium sound system have you covered. Hands down, the all new Nissan Murano is your stress free getaway. Sometimes the greatest rush isn't rushing at all. Drive the all new Nissan Murano.

[Jessica Moore]

Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting, bows and massaging.

[Rashid Envy]

Leather appointed seats are optional features.

[Lenard McKelvey]

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[Rashid Envy]

Find out [e-mail] ATT has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you depend on, deals you want and service you deserve or they make it right. Learn [e-mail] guarantee@&t connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.com guaranty for details. KFC Chicken and Waffles Fresh juicy chicken and rich waffles with syrup. It's the kind of sweet and savory order that will make people stop whatever they're doing and stare in envy. So as you dig into your mouth watering original recipe chicken and warm waffles or dip them in your syrup. Try not to eat near people crossing the street, driving cars, handling heavy objects or operating heavy machinery. You know, for their safety. KFC Chicken and Waffles is the order People ugly to Envy. KFC is finger licking good.

[Lenard McKelvey]

This is a morning show for God's sake.

[Rashid Envy]

DJ Envy Better known as the People's Choice and salute to all my light skinned brothers out there.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Jess Hilarious. Just for the worldwide master. Just don't do no line and Charlamagne the D dog here today everybody come to the Breakfast Club. I call this the Hot Seat Breakfast Club. It's like being on America's front porch.

[Rashid Envy]

Don't feel like my wrist Cousins got never talk to me Every time I.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Go to the reverend's club I know it's going to be like a good.

[Rashid Envy]

Morning I'm getting.

[Lenard McKelvey]

This is your time.

[Rashid Envy]

To get it off your chest Whether.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You'Re mad or blessed I hate the.

[Rashid Envy]

Way that you walk the way that you talk I hate the way that you dress Everything with me is blessed call up next 800-585-1051. Not just me, I'm what the culture feeling. Hey, Nadine. Good morning. Get it off your chest. Where you calling from first?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I am calling from Dallas, Texas.

[Rashid Envy]

Okay, Dallas. What's up, mama?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I wrote a book. It's called how to Date a Fat Chick. A Fat Girl Died to Dating. And I'll be so grateful. Guys, take it up and read it.

[Rashid Envy]

How to Date a Fat Chick.

[Jessica Moore]

Yes, A Fat Girl Died to Dating.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Is it a heavy read? Is it thick? Like, how many pages is it? Ha ha ha. You look at it? No, I'm just asking, like, how many pages is it?

[Rashid Envy]

It's not that.

[Lenard McKelvey]

It's not that. That big. It's like 116 pages. It's one day read, but it's a great story about my date. About your what? My dating life. Oh, you're a big girl. A duh duh. She might not be big no more. This might be her past life she writing about.

[Rashid Envy]

So it was hard. It was hard for you today?

[Lenard McKelvey]

No, it's a satirical look at my dating life. It's just the things that I went through and the lessons that I learned along the way. Okay, now I'd love to read that. I had a. I had a homegirl who wrote something like that before it was called Dating While Fat. Oh, wow. Well, yeah, it's on Amazon, so. It's by Nadine Jones, which is me. And again, how to Date a Fat Chick, A Fat girl. Back to dating. Okay, what category is it in? Food Home.

[Rashid Envy]

Jesus.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What is it? Like, what category? Home.

[Rashid Envy]

It's the how to should be how to, right?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'm asking. I think. I don't know what category it's in, but it's. It's comedy, I think satirical. So just, you know, just type it in your finance. What's it called again? How to Date a Fact Chick.

[Rashid Envy]

So if a guy takes you out to eat, do you limit the food that you have so you don't look big?

[Lenard McKelvey]

You gotta read the book.

[Jessica Moore]

You're right.

[Rashid Envy]

I'm sorry.

[Lenard McKelvey]

It came up as a cookbook.

[Rashid Envy]

Yeah, no, it didn't. Shut Up.

[Lenard McKelvey]

No. How to Date a Fat Chick Guide to Dating by Nadine Jones. All right. I like the COVID I like the. I like that. It looks like a. What do you call that? A cosmo? A cosmic. What do you call that book? A book. A notebook. Yeah, whatever that is. Yeah, I like that.

[Rashid Envy]

Composition.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Composition. There you go. There we go.

[Rashid Envy]

Well, you have a good one, Nadine.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Thank you. You, too.

[Rashid Envy]

Good luck.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Hello?

[Rashid Envy]

Who's this?

[Lenard McKelvey]

What's going on, man? My name is Super Trucker, man. I'm out of eastern North Carolina, man. I'm a truck driver.

[Rashid Envy]

What's up, Super Trucker? How you feeling this morning, man?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'm good, man. I'm out here shifting gears, making that black smoke come out the bike. Okay.

[Rashid Envy]

All right. What you transporting?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I do flatbeds. I'm hauling building materials right now.

[Rashid Envy]

Okay. All right. Well, be safe on them roads, brother.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yo, man, I just want to know, man, y' all got love for truckers? Man, you damn right I got love for truckers.

[Rashid Envy]

You know?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Let me hear that one. I know you do, Jess. Hey, look, I got a song called Trucker Love, man. So y' all get a chance. Check it out.

[Jordan Klepper]

It's on YouTube.

[Rashid Envy]

You still got love for Trucker. Jess, you knew he was going blow that home for us, brother.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I got you.

[Rashid Envy]

All right, man. Be safe for them rules, brother.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Hello?

[Rashid Envy]

Who's this?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yo, what's up, mv?

[Rashid Envy]

What's up, brother?

[Lenard McKelvey]

What's up, Jess? How y' all doing? What's up, baby?

[Rashid Envy]

Good, good. What's going on? Get it off your chest.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yo, I'm mad at my brother James.

[Rashid Envy]

What's your brother do?

[Lenard McKelvey]

He's. Yo, he set me up. I'm sick last night, not feeling well. I'm at home, and he collided to his wife, telling her that he was hanging out with me all night. And he wasn't. Oh, man. He ain't tell you that you part of the lie. He didn't tell me because I was dead to the world. And my. He. His wife called my wife, asking her, was he. Where was he with me.

[Rashid Envy]

Oh, man. What's your wife say?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yo, she blew his spot up. Like, hell no. You want to see the cameras? Damn. She blew him up. And she. And he's calling me up to talk about. Yo, you supposed to help me out. I'm like, yo, you should have told me first.

[Rashid Envy]

I hate when somebody make you a part of the lie, but don't tell you about the lie.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Like, damn, Now. Now he mad. Cause he say that I'm the reason why? His wife is is putting him out now he wants to come and stay at my house.

[Rashid Envy]

Oh, hell, no. You're not the reason. And your wife ain't gonna let him stay. Your wife ain't gonna let no cheating ass stay at you at their house.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'm sending him over to you, Envy.

[Rashid Envy]

Definitely not send him over to me. I got a couple of dogs that'll make sure he stay out.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I hear that, Envy. Yo, Envy, when you throwing another mixtape out, man? Come on, stop playing.

[Rashid Envy]

You be rapping. You talking about a DJ mixtape, Justin. You be rapping. You ain't gonna get that in a while, brother. You know it ain't gonna happen, bro.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Ah, come on, Envy.

[Rashid Envy]

That ain't gonna happen. These artists a lot different, man. But back then, I would say the artists really respected the DJ and really love the dj. When you ask an artist for something and they would be happy to do it, glad to do it. But now, I ain't playing the politics game, brother.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah, yeah, I know what you in Red Cafe, man.

[Rashid Envy]

Yeah, shout out to Red Cafe. All right, brother. You have a good one, man.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Peace.

[Rashid Envy]

All right, brother, get it off your chest. 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, phone lines are wide open. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning, the Breakfast Club. Wake up, wake up.

[Jordan Klepper]

Wake your ass.

[Lenard McKelvey]

This is your time to get it off your chest.

[Rashid Envy]

Whether you're mad or blessed, we want.

[Lenard McKelvey]

To hear from you on the Breakfast Club.

[Rashid Envy]

Hello? Who's this?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Good morning. This is Adrena.

[Rashid Envy]

Hey, Adrina. Get it off your chest. Mama.

[Jessica Moore]

I'm a little nervous, but I really.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Want people to reach out to your.

[Jessica Moore]

Friends and family, check on them to.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Make sure that they are okay.

[Jessica Moore]

It's been almost eight months since I.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Lost my soulmate to suicide. And when he committed suicide, we was on a break, but we were still.

[Jessica Moore]

Very much in communication with each other.

[Lenard McKelvey]

But I knew something was wrong, and my gut told me to go check.

[Jessica Moore]

But my head said, no, don't do it.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And had I listened to my gut, I would have known something was wrong.

[Jessica Moore]

And could have been able to help. Also, with women and their children, when.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You have a man that wants to.

[Jessica Moore]

Be in the lives of their kids.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You shouldn't use the child as a pawn to get back.

[Jessica Moore]

Because no one never, ever thought that.

[Lenard McKelvey]

He would commit suicide because of what was happening with his children. So I just want people to just be aware of those things.

[Rashid Envy]

Absolutely.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes, ma' am. Well, definitely sending you healing energy, Queen. Yes, thank you. Absolutely.

[Rashid Envy]

All right. Mama. Have a blessed day.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You guys do the same. It's very heavy this morning. Crack a joke or something, Jess. Lord have mercy. You got some money?

[Rashid Envy]

Hello? Who's this?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Hello. This is Blind Tommy. What's up, Blind Tommy?

[Rashid Envy]

Get off your chest.

[Lenard McKelvey]

How y' all doing, man? I'm mad cause I'm. Cause I'm a blind broke comedian, so. See, you got to pick one. Now, which one you mad about? Being blind, being broke, or being a comedian? All three. Well, you should learn to see the bright side.

[Rashid Envy]

Damn it.

[Lenard McKelvey]

How you know people not just stealing your money? I ain't got nobody to steal.

[Rashid Envy]

Damn.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I think. I think you might be looking at this wrong. Were you born blind?

[Rashid Envy]

You can only look at it one way.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I was blind five years ago. Oh, okay, okay. So you are newly blind. You don't count.

[Rashid Envy]

Damn. How'd you get blind, sir?

[Lenard McKelvey]

So funk has gotten my system, and they attacked my optic nerves.

[Rashid Envy]

Damn. Sorry to hear that, brother.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Have you learned any new skills? Has anything else strengthened a little bit.

[Rashid Envy]

But not that too much.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Got you. Got you. Well, how can we help you this morning, brother? What can we do for you? Whatever. We'll see what we can do, Whatever it is.

[Jordan Klepper]

But.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'm trying to. You know how people ask y' all for books? Can I get a book deal, man? Can I work for you? You want a book deal? Yeah. I'm be honest with you. I'm interested in the story. I can't sit here and act like I wouldn't want to hear more of the story.

[Rashid Envy]

What if he's talking about Braille books?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Well, you want to write.

[Rashid Envy]

I hate this place. This morning.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Eddie, get. Get my guys information. I'm interested in hearing the story. I want to see if it might be a story there. You never know.

[Rashid Envy]

Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

All right.

[Rashid Envy]

Hold on, Tommy. Okay.

[Lenard McKelvey]

All right. Hold on, Tommy.

[Rashid Envy]

Get it off your chest. 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, hit us up now. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. Good morning, everybody. Is DJ Envy? Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lorna, Rosa, filling in for Jess this morning. And if you're just joining us, we'll open up the phone lines. 800-585-1051. UNC is being unk this morning.

[Lenard McKelvey]

How am I being unk? I'm just letting y' all know that the Mega millions is now $5, y' all. I can't be the only person in America that cares about this. You know what I'm saying? I'VE been playing my numbers for years. I mean, since Powerball came to South Carolina, you know, back in the early 2000s. Right. I remember when Powerball used to be a dollar and then Mega Millions came around. I don't know if Mega Millions was a dollar or if it was $2. All I know has been $2 for years. So I go in the store and I play five Powerball. Five Mega Millions. That's usually $20. Okay, that's usually $20. That is a fair price to pay for a hope and a dream. I went in there the other day and I said, let me get five Powerball, five Mega Man. She said, that'll be 35. I said, $35?

[Jordan Klepper]

Why?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I said, I only want 10 tickets. She said, Mega Million is now $5. I said, what? I can't even afford to wish now. I can't even afford to hope. They say you play the Mega Millions in the Powerball because, hey, you never know. I can't even afford to never know.

[Rashid Envy]

Well, let's open up the phone lines. 800-585-1051. I don't gamble like that. I don't gamble in casinos. I only play the Mega Ball or the Powerball or whatever.

[Lenard McKelvey]

If the Mega Millions in the Powerball. Okay, the Mega Ball is what y' all used to do at Diddy parties. Extracurricular activity at a Diddy party. A Mega Ball.

[Rashid Envy]

I don't really. I like every once in a while, when it gets close to a billion, then I'll play, but I'm not on it like that. What about you, Lauren?

[Lenard McKelvey]

No, never. All right, well, let's believe in yourselves. See, I believe in myself. I'm the type of person that'll look at the Mega Millions number or the Powerball number and see that it's like one and whatever. Hundreds of millions of people win. And I'll be like. I'll be that one person.

[Rashid Envy]

I always feel like it's a older person. And I always feel like they live in a place that I've never heard of. That's what I always do. That's what the winners usually are.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Get their ticket from a gas station. Well, guess what? I always get them from the gas station. And I am becoming as much as much older person. I'll be 47 this year. When am I eligible to win 60?

[Rashid Envy]

Hello, who's this?

[Lenard McKelvey]

This is Cheyenne.

[Rashid Envy]

Cheyenne, what's up? Talk to us.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I played a Mega Millions Powerball lotto every single day. The first time I walked in and I saw that mega millions was $5. I almost dropped to the floor. I play every single day. Now that it's $5, you're not gonna play as much, which they're still gonna get their money, but then you're not going to be able to make as much money because you can't play as many tickets as you used to. So, like, sir, you don't have as much hope. You can't afford hope anymore, which is crazy. Can't even afford hope.

[Rashid Envy]

Have you ever won, sir?

[Jordan Klepper]

I have.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I've won 2500. I've won a hundred. I've won. I've won thousands. I've won multiple times. But now it's like they're taking away those chances for you to be able to win. That's right. And it was like, I can only afford a couple tickets. The most I've ever won is a hundred dollars. I always win, like, $2, $4. And I'm grateful for that because, you know, it's baby steps that lets me know I'm getting close. Absolutely. It's fun to go in there and then say, okay, I want. Maybe I play $4, but I get my $4 back. Now I play $10, and it's like, I only win $4. I lost $6. So now, you know, like, I'm struggling now. Like, you know, I'm in a hole. So before, I never felt like I was in a hole. Now I feel like I'm in a hole every time I play. And this brother is absolutely right, because I'm only going to spend $20. I'm going to buy. I'm going still buy my. My five Powerball. But now I got to reduce my Mega Millions to only two tickets. So that's decreasing my chances of winning Mega Millions.

[Rashid Envy]

Hello? Who's this?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes, how you doing? My name is Stacey Adams. Like the shoes.

[Rashid Envy]

Hey, Stacy Adams. Like the shoe. What's up, brother? Talk to us.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Okay, so listen, everybody who knows me knows that I'm a lottery crackhead. So I don't care if it goes to $20 a ticket, I'm playing. No, I'm like Charlemagne. No, no, no, no, no. I'm dead serious. I am dead. Yo, I listen to y' all every morning. I start my day at, like, 4:00am thank you. I got my own cupcake business. Yo, Charlamagne. I cannot believe I'm on the phone with y' all. But, yo, when I heard about the lottery, my crackhead came. Oh, I'm sorry. My crackhead side came out. I'm like, yo, I gotta Call. I am on the Breakfast club. That's crazy. $20 a ticket? Oh, yes. No. So, Charlamagne. I actually won a lot, actually. Like, I never win, like, the Big five ball or, like, the Mega Mutants, but I play, like, the pick three to pick four.

[Rashid Envy]

What's the most you want?

[Lenard McKelvey]

$23. Okay. So the most I ever won was 1008.

[Rashid Envy]

Okay. And how much you think you spend a week?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Oh, no. Oh, it's crazy. Like I said, I'm a crackhead.

[Rashid Envy]

How much do you spend a week, man?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Oh, probably about. I spent, like, $30 a day. Forget the week. I spent, like, $30 a Day.

[Rashid Envy]

$30 a day, which is, what, five days a week you spend.

[Lenard McKelvey]

He's an entrepreneur, though. He got his own cupcake business. Yeah, right. I got my own cupcake business, so I make that money. Yo, I want to bring y' all some cupcakes. Like, I really do. What's your Instagram? Okay, got it. Okay. Got it. My Instagram is Stacy. S C A C Y Underscore Famous F A M O U S Underscore Cupcake.

[Rashid Envy]

Thank. Thank you, sir.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Stacy. Eddie, put Stacy on hold. Get his information. Let Stacy bring his cupcakes up here. I'm telling you, man, this Mega Millions thing is. It's a travesty that's going on in our communities right now. $5 a ticket is ridiculous. It went from $2 to $5 with no warning. At least I wasn't paying no attention.

[Rashid Envy]

Some of y' all need to call that number. The 1-800- gambler. If you have a problem, please call his number. That man spends $7,000 to $8,000 a year, and he only won a thousand dollars.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah, but the reality.

[Rashid Envy]

Multiple years.

[Lenard McKelvey]

But the reality is, what if that's his vice? Like, you know, like, what if you don't spit? What if he don't buy nothing else? What if he don't buy, like, cars or, you know, spend his. What if that's what he wants to spend his money on?

[Rashid Envy]

1-800- gambler. I think that's the number. What's the number? Lauren, find that for us. 800-585-105. What if he's just joining us? Unk was so distraught this morning. Charlamagne walked in. He didn't know Powerball tickets. The price went up.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Not the Powerball. The mega millions is $5, man. Not the Powerballs. Okay.

[Rashid Envy]

All right.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And it's one. It is 1-800-gamblers operated by the National Council of Gambling. I'm not a gambler. I don't gamble. I don't do. I don't do the prize picks, the DraftKings. I don't do. I don't gamble. I don't gamble at casinos. I'm talking, telling you, my gambling is limited to mega millions and Powerball tickets every day, every week. That's what I do.

[Rashid Envy]

I don't gamble. I don't go casinos, but I just gamble on lottery.

[Lenard McKelvey]

When you talking to your kids about the all this, do you say you playing your numbers?

[Jordan Klepper]

Yes.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You are so country, man. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with being country? You eat fat back. No, hell, I don't eat no pork. No pork on my fork.

[Rashid Envy]

I'm playing 800-585-1051. Are you distraught like Unc this morning? Call us up. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlamagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes, indeed.

[Rashid Envy]

Jordan Klepper.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Welcome.

[Rashid Envy]

Yes.

[Jordan Klepper]

Thanks for having me.

[Rashid Envy]

How you feeling?

[Jordan Klepper]

I feel real good. Yeah.

[Rashid Envy]

I love the way you came in here already. Because I was joking. I was like, you, what's up, six four? And then Charlemagne was like, really, you? And then you said, charlemagne must be around 61 and mean 5, 5, 1.

[Jordan Klepper]

I said 5, 1, 5, 1, 5, 1. I was being generous. My joke. In my head, I was like, I'll make a joke about 4, 6, but I'll give him a little bit more. I said 5:1. What did you say you were? Charlamagne.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'm 5:6.

[Rashid Envy]

That's a goddamn lie.

[Jordan Klepper]

You're 5:6.

[Rashid Envy]

You.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You are.

[Jordan Klepper]

No, 50:6.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Actually, 5:7, but I just say 5:6 to make people feel comfortable. Well, for whatever reason I say five, seven, they argue with me, so I just say five, six.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

And even though you said five six, I'm arguing with you right now. Right. Is that include the brim? If you put the brim way up, you're including the brim.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Right, but see, that's what I thought. With you, I'm like, with the hair, you might be six, four. I was thinking, like six one.

[Jordan Klepper]

That is fair. The hair gives me an extra couple inches.

[Rashid Envy]

Solomon is five six with heels on. That's what, five, six.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Well, you wear heels on a regular. How tall are you when you actually wear them?

[Rashid Envy]

Okay, I'm six five. Okay.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What happened to your foot, Jordan?

[Jordan Klepper]

I broke my sesamoid bone.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I haven't even heard of that.

[Jordan Klepper]

I didn't either. It's Called. It's the kneecap of the toe.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Wow.

[Jordan Klepper]

I got another. Let me tell you. If you want old man stories right now. I broke my sesame bone by standing on it for too long.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I don't even know what that is.

[Jordan Klepper]

It really. It's a tiny. I broke above my standing. I'm just. I'm that old now.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Wow.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And see, that's a big deal for you. Cause you are, you know, probably one of the best field journalists out here, if not the best.

[Jordan Klepper]

The best. 100% the best.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I think you're the best.

[Jordan Klepper]

I'll take it.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I do. Then you have the new one. Fingers. Fingers, Fingers to post. Fingers to post. Maga. The next generation. That have to affect you.

[Jordan Klepper]

It does. Yeah. Yeah. No, I. I mean, literally, if you watch the special right now, you will see I'm only shot from, like, the halfway up. And if anything gets awry, like, I can't move or get away from people.

[Lenard McKelvey]

So it was broke during the special.

[Jordan Klepper]

Was broke during the special.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Oh, you can't do that. When you run the MAGA crowd, you just never know.

[Jordan Klepper]

Now, no offense to the magic crowd, but they're also slow movers, too. So, you know, I can. I can usually outmaneuver them. I can use my privilege to lord it over them, or I use the four security guards to get between me and them if things get hairy.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I enjoyed the special. It's you talking to the younger, I guess, generation of MAGA because 15% of what, young men.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah, young men shifted right. This election. And there was a shift. There was a shift right. From the entire youth generation. Like, women shifted. Right. But men especially moved into the MAGA camp. And so we were. We were curious why, like, what was it about that? It doesn't. It doesn't feel like the cool thing on a campus to believe in, you know, anti abortion, reproductive rights, or, you know, essentially, it's the anti hippie movement. But there was a movement. So we're like, let's get there. Let's go to a turning point event. Let's go to a UFC fight. Let's, like, talk to some of these kids.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I watched it, and when I finished, I was like, I still didn't hear a logical reason. It just felt like vibes, I think.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah, I think it still is vibes. The large question was like, is there an ideology behind this shift? And I think the answer is no. I don't think you have a lot of kids who have conservative ideals. Some. There's some religion comes in or whatever. Those ideals are. But I think mostly they see people finding success on TikTok and the social media space being conservative and that gives them an identity. They see it as a little bit punk. That gives it an identity. So I think like they're moving towards vibes which I think for the left they can get those vibes back but they're just not engaging with that generation.

[Rashid Envy]

Jordan, I would have to ask why, why did you want to waste your time and talk to MAGA younger youngings?

[Lenard McKelvey]

I don't think it's a waste of time. I think it's, I think it's a good exercise. I think more people should do that.

[Rashid Envy]

The reason I say that is because you're not going to get the answers you like.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Probably.

[Rashid Envy]

And you're probably going to get threatened a lot.

[Jordan Klepper]

Sure. Yes. I mean the first answer, health insurance. My job is to be able to talk to other people and if I don't do my job, I don't have health insurance.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Correct.

[Jordan Klepper]

And I have weak bones. So we've established that for this 6 foot 9 frame I need that health insur. But I think what I like about it, I mean I'm lucky. I get to go out there. I'm not a journalist, I'm a comedian. So I get to push, I get to ask follow ups, I get to cavort and try to find something that reveals right. Like my job out there isn't to convince people of one way or the other. I think my job is to find something that is revealing. Like for this special we talk to a kid and I always find it fascinating to go to a campus and just see like what actually is happening. CNN will tell you one thing but until you go to Texas A and M and talk to a kid, do you actually understand what it is? Like we talked to a kid about like why he was obsessed with Charlie Kirk, why he was going to a Charlie Kirk event. What is it about this guy? And he literally articulated like I have a hard time with my words. I like to listen to what he says, I like to memorize it and then I have his words and his ideas and it's like it's comedic in the special but I think above that it's just revealing when you're like why do these people, why are they drawn to this? It's like that kid said it right there. He didn't even know that. He's, he's being somewhat comical that you're just memorizing ideas so you can regurgitate it but it's, it's Very human. It was like he feels lost without that. So for me, it's always, always compelling to go where the the story is and to talk to folks about it.

[Rashid Envy]

I was gonna ask Nat. Not a threatening part.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Rashid Envy]

How many times have you been threatened? Whether it's calls people in. Hey, what up, y' all? It's DJ Envy. The first few months of 2025 have been quite a year. Work deadlines, group chats you can't escape, and your weird cousin's latest overshare. It's a lot. But here's some good news. You don't have to bring that stress into your car. The all new Nissan Murano is your piece on wheels, thanks to its available features. Imagine sliding into the relaxing, massaging seats that feel like they were made to melt your tensions. Take in the skyline views that let sunlight pour in and watch as your day brightens. I have a special playlist that always gets me right. And with the Bose premium sound system, you too can vibe like you're at your own private concert. Plus, with your 64 color personalized lighting option, you can set the mood any way you want. Be it romantic, chill, or in a straight up do not disturb mode. Let the Nissan Murano be your oasis in a chaotic world. Because sometimes the greatest rush isn't rushing at all. Drive the all new Nissan Murano today.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting, bows and massaging leather.

[Rashid Envy]

Appointed seats are optional features. AT&T has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed. Like actually getting the rental car you requested or your wedding turning out just like you dreamed it would. And someone making another pot of coffee in the break room after drinking the last drop of the last one. Yeah, don't get me started. Not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you depend on, deals you want and service you deserve. All or they make it right. So if you want to know more about the ATT guarantee, head to att.com guarantee@&t connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguaranty for details.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Peace to the planet. Charlamagne Tha God here. Look, we all make mistakes, but owning up to them is the right thing to do. You know Degree Cool Rush deodorant. Well, last year they changed the formula and it did not go over well with their fans. Degree's whole thing is it turns up the sweat and odor protection when you turn up the effort. And good thing it does Because Cool Rush fans really turned up the effort to bring back the original formula. One guy even started an online petition and degree listened. They admitted they effed up and are bringing the original Cool Rush scent back. And it's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. It's back in Walmart, Target and other stores now for under $4. There's a reason why it's been the number one men's antiperschement for the last decade. It's the same reason why people were not happy when it changed. So if you never tried it, it might be a good time to see what the fuss is about. Head to your local Walmart or Target to try the OG Degree Cool Rush for yourself.

[Rashid Envy]

KFC Chicken and Waffles Fresh, juicy chicken and rich waffles with syrup. It's the kind of sweet and savory order that will make people stop whatever they're doing and stare in envy. So as you dig into your mouth watering original recipe chicken and warm waffles or dip them in your syrup, try not to eat near people crossing the street, driving cars, handling heavy objects or operating heavy machine. You know, for their safety, KFC chicken and waffles is the order people are gonna envy. KFC is finger licking good person. Emails, texts, etc. Etc.

[Jordan Klepper]

I mean, that happens a lot. The emails, the calls, there's been threats on family members, which is not super fun. I think out in the field 10 years ago. I'm not going out there with security guards. You know, you can go out there as a comedian, talk about politics and not be afraid of getting punched. But Trump era comes in, people get more upset. Trump says, like, you're a patriot, fight back. These are the enemy of the people. And it was during his first, first run for president that like we went to a school board meeting and are having a conversation and I get bum rushed by somebody who's just mad that we have a camera there. And since then we keep adding security guards. I was there on January 6th and that got hairy. We got a security guard, they got pushed, there's flashbangs going off. They're like, we can't stand here, we need to get on a train. Like, it's sort of the new reality. And most people I talk to are great. They want to talk. They are, they want to be on tv, they want to engage. But you have it now where people have been weaponized by the most powerful men on the planet who says, like, you can do something, you should fight back. These are the bad guys. And all it Takes is a couple bad ideas for those guys to feel themselves and go after you.

[Rashid Envy]

What's the crazy experience that you've had so far?

[Jordan Klepper]

I mean, J6 was pretty wild. You was out there for J6, I was out there for J6.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What the. I didn't know that. What was you doing?

[Jordan Klepper]

I was working on J6. All right. Charlamagne. I was working there.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Cause I was out there.

[Jordan Klepper]

I was out there.

[Jessica Moore]

Try out the window.

[Jordan Klepper]

You know what the Funniest moment on J6 outside of the whole trying to overthrow the government and, you know, crapping on Nancy Pelosi's desk. Outside of that, I'm literally interviewing people. And we'd been there before and we knew, sort of like we don't want to get trapped on the onslaught. So let's stay outside of where everybody is. And quite frankly, we're like, where's the one place nobody is congregating? And it was outside the African American history museum. Nobody was going there. So we were like, we will meet up here and then we'll go and find people to interview. We start walking. We find this guy swinging a pitchfork. And I go up to the man, I start talking to this man.

[Rashid Envy]

Oh, that's the guy you want to talk about?

[Jordan Klepper]

That's the guy.

[Rashid Envy]

I mean, the guy that's swinging the pitchfork.

[Jordan Klepper]

We gotta make TV here, you know? And that guy's got a pitchfork. He's throwing it around. Leave it.

[Jessica Moore]

Blood.

[Rashid Envy]

All right.

[Lenard McKelvey]

By the way, I still find hilarious that nobody was outside the African American.

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, 100%.

[Jessica Moore]

What do you think?

[Jordan Klepper]

You know, where are we gonna go?

[Rashid Envy]

Yeah, African American museum.

[Jordan Klepper]

Nobody's going there. Do you wanna engage with America's sins? No, no, let's take a crap on the desk at the capitol. What do you say? So we're talking to this guy swinging a pitchfork and he's ranting about revolution. And another man comes up, he sees the camera and he just starts. He's just swearing. He's just obscenity man. And he's yelling so loud that pitchfork man stops the interview. He shushes him. And then he says, this man doesn't speak for me. Which then leaves me grateful to the more level headed man swinging a pitchfork. And he. He makes eye contact with me and he rolls his eyes as if to say like, can you believe this? And I was like, oh, yeah, that's it. Like, even this guy is like, these guys are too crazy for me. Can we just have a conversation? And you're like, right, we can actually find a little bit of common ground if there is that crazier person there.

[Lenard McKelvey]

We got my man Jordan Klepper from the Daily show here. Yo, refresh my memory. I don't. What the hell was happening on January 6th before the insurrection? What was everybody there for?

[Jordan Klepper]

Well, they were there to certify the vote.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Certify the vote, okay.

[Jordan Klepper]

But Trump then preempts it by having a huge rally at 11 o' clock. And so everybody comes out. Rudy Giuliani's there, and so everybody comes to watch the giant Trump speech, but everybody leaves halfway through. Not everybody. Half the folks leave halfway through to start moving towards the Capitol, which then we saw. We saw the proud boys march on the Capitol. I mean, it was a wild day. It was not a surprise, though, as a cable comedy show, like, we knew to be at the Capitol. We were right there when they pushed in because we're like, this is where everybody's going. This is where they said they're going. There's going to be something happen here. We didn't expect them to get inside, but we knew they'd be there for.

[Lenard McKelvey]

The sake of content, for the sake of clicks. Did you think to yourself, hey, we should go in with them?

[Jordan Klepper]

Luckily, my inherent fear got in the way there. I think it was confusing as to what the rules were. I think even at the time, there was a small fence that got pushed in. And even as you're seeing this and you're watching this, and again, it's half tragic, like, this is the capital. This is the seat of American governance. And I see all these people acting like generals going in there. And it's also completely absurd. I interviewed literally an old man on a Segway trying to go up the hill while it's happening. But I'm assuming they can't get in, right? You're like, they're going to get stopped at some point there. But the people just kept coming. And literally our security guards at one point were just like, we're hearing explosions. This is an uncontrolled situation. It's time to get home.

[Lenard McKelvey]

People at the Daily show, and you said it a little while ago, everybody at the Daily show always says something that I totally disagree with. Y' all say that y' all not. Y' all not journalists, y' all are comedians, when the reality is y' all are probably some of the best journalists because you do things like go and talk to the other side when other folks really don't. Right? So when do you ever interview people at these rallies? Well, first of all, do you think it's fair for y' all to be able to say y' all not journalists.

[Jordan Klepper]

Well, it's definitely a dodge. So, yeah, thanks for calling that out. You know, I mean, I think I say that in that the stories we get on the Daily show are stories that are brought to us by journalists putting in the work. And so that I respect and they work by the code of journalism. I think what we have, we take it very seriously. I don't see myself as a journalist, but I take going out and bringing back what we see to the show very seriously. But I do want an audience to understand the bias that we have towards comedy and that we're making a show with that point of view. But I think all news has a bias. And I do think, like, in modern journalism, I don't think it should be a bunch of comedians going out there bringing the stories back. Far from it. But I do think they could probably loosen up some of the rules and the ways in which they engage with people. Because sometimes you see people engaging with the old school rules of journalism, not pushing people past their conspiracies or their BS or they're weighing both sides, where you're like, no, that's bs. You need to call that out. You need to use some other way to knock that person off their talking point so they can reveal something truthful there. And I think as comedians, we have that ability, and at its best, it works that way. But we're working in conjunction with journalists who are actually bringing the story back so that we can have some commentary on it.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Comedy is disarming.

[Jordan Klepper]

It is.

[Lenard McKelvey]

That's the thing that a lot of the journalists don't have.

[Jordan Klepper]

100%. Yeah. And at its best, it cuts to the quick faster than trying to argue with somebody else.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You know, when you do something like the maga, the next generation, do you ever leave the rally thinking, damn, maybe I'm the one who doesn't get it?

[Jordan Klepper]

I. You know, I mean, I think I always leave it with a little bit more empathy towards the folks that I'm talking with. Because for every, you know, every five minutes on camera, there's two minutes off camera where you're talking about something that's not political and you connect with them and they're interesting, they're compelling. You find music that you both care about or something, I think, like, that that softens what you think about the people and the interactions that you have with those people. I think I usually feel pretty steadfast in my opinions. That being said, I do think, like, no, nobody has the certainty that they pretend to have on camera at these rallies? Like, no. There's a lot of complexity to many, many issues, but nobody has the guts or the vulnerability to be open about it, usually in front of a camera.

[Rashid Envy]

Now, you said you want to bring peace and harmony.

[Jordan Klepper]

God, did I say that?

[Rashid Envy]

Yes.

[Jordan Klepper]

Really?

[Rashid Envy]

Is that true?

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, boy. What did I say? I want to bring peace and harmony.

[Rashid Envy]

They said, you want to bring peace and harmony, but how was that when every time a MAGA member comes, you give him a little joke, Give him.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Just a little bit.

[Jordan Klepper]

You know what? Yeah, I try to deliver peace through the lovely delivery mechanism of a joke. I, you know, I'd love there to be some peace and harmony, but it is a constant balance of, you know, I want to empathize. I don't want to just be mean out there when I talk to other people. But also, it's. I think life is pretty serious right now. And I think when I go to some of these MAGA events, you see Donald Trump playing to the masses in a way that emboldens him to do pretty cruel things. And so I don't mind pushing back hard in that direction. But I often think the people I talk to I have sympathy for because I think they're being weaponized by other people who are trying to manipulate them. So that's. That's where my empathy tends to lie.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Do you ever struggle with where satire ends and responsibility begins there?

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah. I mean, I think, like, that activist conversation is a tough one. I don't love the hat. I do think, like, John is somebody who always says, like, you know, this is not activision. We are comedians. And I think, like, in some ways that is. That is a safety net. But you also sort of need that to, like, not approach work every day to think of, like, what am I trying to change in the world? Like, I understand where that comes from, but it's like, the job of the show is to find comedy to follow, like, your passions, the things you care about, where you see bs, call it out, but also, like, find a way to make it funny and interesting and reformat it. I think that is the job. You get in tough territory when you're like, I need to be an activist in that moment. I don't think that is the place, but I think you have to be honest with, like, your desire to, like, be a part of that conversation, but also be honest with, like, what your skill set is and what your platform. Yes.

[Rashid Envy]

Have you ever spoke to somebody where you actually changed their mind by the Things that you said and they understood what you were saying?

[Jordan Klepper]

No.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Damn.

[Jordan Klepper]

I do tell a story, though. It doesn't happen in front of the camera. People don't change their minds in front of the camera. But off camera, it gets close. I was heckled at a rally by a man who was dressed in a brick suit, a suit that looked like Trump's wall. A bespoke suit. He had a handlebar mustache. He's known as the brick suit guy. Trump brings him up on stage at lots of his rallies. He's famous there. He trolled me at a rally. He livestreamed during our interviews to try to get people not to talk to us. He was a pain in the ass. We get snowed in and all of us have to fly out the next day after this rally on different flights. And I show up at the Green Bay airport, very tiny airport, alone. There's a three and a half hour delay, and brick suit guy is there.

[Rashid Envy]

He's not in the brick suit.

[Jordan Klepper]

He's not in the brick suit. He's wearing a MAGA hat. He's got two extra hats on his case, but no brick suit. Civilian, Close. And he's like, do you want to talk? And of course I don't want to talk. But we're there at an airport for three and a half hours, and we get into it, and I don't change his mind. He doesn't change my mind. But he is remarkably open about the things he's unsure about with Donald Trump. He's unsure. He wishes Donald Trump didn't go on and on about the 2020 election being stolen, which is a huge thing to show any kind of weakness. Like, I don't believe Trump was honest about that. In the MAGA movement. You can't say that in front of the camera. He says that to me off camera. He talks about, like, where he comes from. And frankly, he comes. He's like a libert. Libertarian guy who likes to troll people online. You'd like to think that the handlebar mustache guy who dresses in bespoke brick suits is an idiot. Not an idiot. Smart guy feels like a history buff. Like the kind of person who has too many, like, World War II books. But a smart guy has his own topics. Like, we literally. We laugh. Somebody recognizes me as we're talking and asks for a selfie. And he takes the photo, which is like, this key's open to all of this stuff. We talk all the way up until I get on the plane and I'm in an exit row and the woman who takes the ticket asks if I'm willing to accept the responsibilities of being in an exit row. I say yes. And then I turn to him and I was like, I hope this freaks you out, man. And he laughs. And I'm like, that's it right there. Like, you're not intimidated by me. I'm not so offended that I made a joke. You laugh. It's humor, it's disarming. And it's for most of the people who I'm friends with, even who I disagree with, you find things you can laugh at. And that happens all the time off camera. And I'm not entering that conversation to try to change his mind. That's not gonna happen. But I'm entering it with, like, an amount of uncertainty of, like, here's the things that I'm unsure about what the left says, or here's things I think are okay about what Trump does. And he's like, here's things that I doubt about what Trump does. You're like, oh, there's the human behind that. Even in the caricature of a guy from the Daily show mixed with the caricature of a person from the Trump universe. Like, they can talk, they can meet somewhere of an understanding, and usually it's something. It's fricking away from those cameras in a, in a Green Bay airport.

[Lenard McKelvey]

It is Memorial Day, so we're not here. Salute to all our veterans out there. But we do have some new conversations for you that you haven't heard yet. My man, Jordan Klepper, he's got a new special out. Jordan Klepper fingers the Post maga, and we're going to talk to him all about it right here on the Breakfast Club. I remember they had. When you had your late night show, didn't they have you playing a character of like, a conservative right wing?

[Jordan Klepper]

I was playing like an Alex Jones style right wing character. And so that, that was. And at that time, too, it was like Infowars was so huge and big. And the conspiracy mindset, which thankfully has gone completely away, we don't see it anymore. But that, that was me playing a caricature to find humor in going over the top. Quite frankly, as comedy has evolved and the politics situation has evolved so much over the last 10 years, like, I think that's still a space to play in. There's still humor to be found. But I think audiences are, like, so tired of, of extreme caricatures. You have one in the White House that, like, I think they're connecting more with comedians on A more authentic level. And so that's sort of in some ways where the finger of the pulse stuff has come out of. Trevor was big on that. He was just like, go out there. You're not, you're not playing a parody of a journalist. You're. You're yourself bringing your wits about you and your opinions. Find humor in that, but don't lean on the character.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Also, people are dumb, so they'll believe you. They'll be like, ugh, I didn't know you was playing a character. You know what I'm saying?

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah. We had, at the opposition, we had Carter Page, who was a foreign advisor to Donald Trump, and it was the center of the news cycle at one point because people were wondering if he was a Russian asset because Russia had manipulated him in the past. He was working for the Trump administration and he reached out to our show and took a meeting at our show because he wanted to work on our show as someone. He didn't see it as a satire, he saw it as an opportunity, which, which was hard for us to swallow.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Where do you think satire fits in today's media landscape? Are people numb to it? Are they addicted? Are they still reachable? Do they understand it?

[Jordan Klepper]

I mean, I think what has shifted so much is like the formatting of it. All right? I think like satire is all about context and that's hard if you're taking in seven second chunks on like TikTok. I think it's easier if you have a 30 minute chunk, if you have an eight minute rant. I think people are drawn to comedy in many ways. It is like the language of, I mean, it's a language of humor, but I think like, it's the quickest way to get to a truth. So I do think, I think satire is in a boon. I think people are drawn, but I think. But that being said, the social media landscape has shifted the ways in which we consume all this stuff. And that has kind of like it has made for long form capabilities, long podcasts, and I think that has shift to where comedy lies and short form as well. Which is more about the sound bites. Now.

[Rashid Envy]

Speaking of future of maga, what do you think the future of MAGA is going to look like, especially in 2028?

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, boy. I think that I, I think Trump is such a singular character that they think it can be passed on and that we've seen no proof of that yet. Donald Trump has been famous his whole life. You know, he's referencing rap songs when I was coming up in a way that was like, he is equated with wealth. And I think that is. Nobody else has that. And so I think they're going to try to pass it off. Maybe that's to Shady Vance, maybe it's to somebody who's even farther. Right. But right now it's still a cult of personality that he's going to try to build around him. We'll see if that baton goes anywhere else.

[Lenard McKelvey]

It's interesting when people say that though, because to me, it's not even about the individual of Donald Trump. There's clearly a whole system that is perfectly okay with him doing everything that he's doing. So that is what scares me. It's the system that is allowing him to exist because they will allow somebody else to exist in that same way.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah, they've attached a system and there's people behind it who have gotten good at understanding how to use Donald Trump. I think this project 2025, the world of Steve Bannon's like, okay, he's going to come in here. He's a singular character in his ability to charm half a nation, 40 some odd percent of a nation. I think that is hard to pass off. But I think you have, you have a conservative movement who has sort of lost any desire to make a moral argument and just found a way in which to like attach their wants to somebody who will just bulldoze all the way through. Who is about. I mean, the Trump doctrine is he likes to make deals and he wants whatever is good for him.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes.

[Jordan Klepper]

And if they can attach conservative things onto the things that are deals and good for him, that make him look successful and popular, then they will ride that. And he has no problem riding that.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What's the moment? I got a couple more questions. What's a moment that actually made you emotional while doing one of your man on the street segments?

[Jordan Klepper]

I mean, it's not to get dark about it all, but like, we cover news day in and day out. And when I was hosting the show specifically, like mass shootings.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

Like, like, oh, how do you find humor? We find humor. But like when you are, when it's your responsibility, late night has shifted into a place where people come to it to feel like a connection to what has happened during the days. And we have such a mass shooting epidemic in this country. And especially when I was hosting a show, we're like, what happened today? Well, the big news is there was another terrible shooting in a school and we had people come on. And I've covered like the gun movement with specials and in the past. And I've talked to parents and I've talked to students who are affected by all of this. And it's such emblematic of what is wrong with our country. Like most people just want safe, basic guidelines to try to stop this. And there's such inaction on a federal level that it's constantly infuriating. And so as that keeps happening and continues to happen, like it's so heartbreaking. Also, as someone who has a kid who's in school right now, it's so scary to think of that happening to parents. And beyond that, it's so infuriating because it's like the system. When you have people who scream out from the rafters, 80 some odd percent of people are like, we just need basic stuff to try to help kids in schools. And yet you have like a system of government that can't respond to that. Like that always. It always pisses me off.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What's your dream field piece that you haven't gotten to do yet?

[Jordan Klepper]

Barbados. Send me to a nice place. Nice place on a beach. I'm in Pennsylvania all the time. At Trump rallies, in the heat, fighting with people about whether JFK Jr. Is still alive. And so like, send me to someplace beautiful, give me a puff piece.

[Lenard McKelvey]

So how do you decompress after a day of absorbing conspiracy theories in 90 degree heat?

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, you know what? It's booze. Booze helps real quick. It's booze, the NBA and being a dad, I think that helps out.

[Rashid Envy]

Yeah, well, tell them how they can see this special.

[Jordan Klepper]

They can check it out on Paramount plus or YouTube. It's up on both those places right now.

[Rashid Envy]

That's right, fingers the Pulse MAGA, the next generation. On the Daily's YouTube. Jordan Klepper, Ladies Daily Shows.

[Lenard McKelvey]

YouTube.

[Rashid Envy]

Thank you so much for joining us.

[Jordan Klepper]

Thanks for having us, guys.

[Rashid Envy]

The Breakfast Club is Jordan Klepper.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You gotta say something you may not agree with. Doesn't mean, I mean, who's getting that donkey? That donkey, that donkey, donkey, donkey. Donkey of the day right there, that's a Breakfast Club, bitches.

[Rashid Envy]

You can call me the donkey of.

[Jordan Klepper]

The day, but like, I mean no harm.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Donkey of the day goes to a Baltimore man by the name of Kevin gross. Kevin is 46 years old, just like I am. But I clearly make better choices than Kevin. You know how sometimes people say, oh, you think you better than me? The answer is yes. Yes, I do. Because I make better choices. Not judging you for anything you got going on. But you ask me a question, oh, you think you better than Me? Yes. Hell yes. Because I understand the strongest principle of growth lies in human choice. And I make better choices than you. And if you are currently enjoying this thing called freedom, well you make better choices than Kevin as well because he's in jail. Currently facing charges for allegedly shooting a 28 year old co worker on the side of I95 this past Monday morning. Now I know some of y' all right now are either at or on the way to jobs where you think you can't stand your co worker, you believe you hate this co worker with all your heart and you just might, okay, just be better than Kevin, okay? And the way you continue to be better than Kevin is simply by making the choice not to shoot your co worker. Let's go to WBAL TV for the report, please.

[Rashid Envy]

Bond denied for 46 year old Kevin Gross.

[Lenard McKelvey]

He's facing charges for allegedly shooting a.

[Rashid Envy]

28 year old co worker on the.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Side of I95 early Monday morning.

[Rashid Envy]

According to charging documents, the victim called.

[Lenard McKelvey]

911 when state police arrived, they found him walking along the shoulder of 95.

[Rashid Envy]

With seven gunshot wounds to the arm and torso. Court documents show he told police he was on his way into work and.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Got a flat tire. So he pulled over on the shoulder of 95 just north of the Howard county line.

[Rashid Envy]

When he got out to inspect the tire, his co worker, Kevin Gross pulled up behind him and got out wearing.

[Lenard McKelvey]

A mask covering his mouth. Quote, Gross told him he must have hit a pothole or something.

[Rashid Envy]

But upon inspecting the tire, the victim.

[Jordan Klepper]

Could see the tire had been slashed.

[Rashid Envy]

Gross then produced a firearm and began.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Firing numerous shots, end quote.

[Rashid Envy]

Charging documents reveal the two were assistant managers at Planet. Hey, what up y' all? It's DJ Envy. The first few months of 2020 have been quite a year. Work deadlines, group chats you can't escape, and your weird cousin's latest overshare. It's a lot, but here's some good news. You don't have to bring that stress into your car. The all new Nissan Murano is your piece on wheels, thanks to its available features. Imagine sliding into the relaxing, massaging seats that feel like they were made to melt your tensions. Take in the skyline views that let sunlight pour in and watch as your day brightens. I have a special playlist that always gets me right. And with the Bose premium sound system, you too can vibe like you're at your own private concert. Plus, with your 64 color personalized lighting option, you can set the mood any way you want. Be it romantic, chill or in A straight up do not disturb mode. Let the Nissan Murano be your oasis in a chaotic world. Because sometimes the greatest rush isn't rushing at all. Drive the all new Nissan Murano today.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting, bows and massaging leather. Appointed seats are optional features. AT&T has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed. Like actually getting the rental car you've requested or your wedding turning out just like you dreamed it would. And someone making another pot of coffee in the break room after drinking the last drop of the last one. Yeah, don't get me started. Not guaranteed. In a world where Nothing is guaranteed, AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you depend on, deals you want and service you deserve. Or they make it right.

[Jordan Klepper]

So if you want to know more.

[Lenard McKelvey]

About the AT&T guarantee, head to att.com guarantee AT&T connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguarantee for details. Peace to the planet. Charlamagne Tha God here. Look, we all make mistakes, but owning up to them is the right thing to do. You know Degree Cool Rush deodorant well last year they changed the formula and it did not go over well with their fans. Degree's whole thing is it turns up the sweat and odor protection when you turn up the effort. And good thing it does because Cool Rush fans really turned up the effort to bring back the original formula. One guy even started an online petition and Degree listen they admitted they effed up and are bringing the original Cool Rush scent back. And it's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. It's back in Walmart, Target and other stores now for under $4. There's a reason why it's been the number one men's antiperspirant for the last decade. It's the same reason why people were not happy when it changed. So if you never tried it, it might be a good time to see what the fuss is about. Head to your local Walmart or Target to try the OG Degree Cool Rush for yourself.

[Rashid Envy]

If you own a home, here's an interesting fact for you Today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright. Rocket Mortgage can help you turn that home equity into cash. And that can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition or pay off consolidated high interest debt. To learn more just call 804Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC licensed in 50 states. NMLSConsumeraccess.org 3030.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Aidan Elkridge Gross had recently been demoted.

[Rashid Envy]

And the victim told police Gross thought.

[Lenard McKelvey]

He had something to do with that demotion. Kevin, you got the right last name. Because this was Gross. What a diabolical plan. The victim was on his way to work and got a flat tire. He thought he hit a pothole, but his tithe had been slashed. Oh, I wonder who slashed him. And then when he got out to inspect the tire, Kevin pulled up behind him with a mask and shot him several times. All because he thought his co worker got him demoted. Both of them were assistant managers at Planet Aid. Now, y' all know what Planet Aid is, right?

[Jessica Moore]

No.

[Rashid Envy]

No.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah, they the organizations that collect the clothing donations. They got the yellow bins all over the place where you can put the clothes and shoes in. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They accept clothing donations in 1700 locations. Okay. And the Elkridge Warehouse. You know what Elkridge is, right? Yep. They collect £15.5 million of used clothes and shoes annually. Well, clearly Kevin wasn't there for the cause. So I needed to know, what are the perks of being an assistant manager at Planet Aid? So I asked Chat GPT, how much does an assistant manager at Planning Aid make? I don't know if this is 100. Correct, but it says the average salary for a manager at Planet Aid might earn between 50,000 and 60,000 annually. Now, I need y' all to always keep in mind that my education is limited to a high school degree from night school. Okay? Drop on the Clues bomb for Berkeley High School.

[Rashid Envy]

All right.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Corner, South Carolina. But if it's one thing I understand is prison math. And by prison math, I mean when you have to calculate in your mind whether or not the choice you make is going to be worth you going to prison. Okay, now let's do the prison math. All right? I'm making 50, 60 grand a year in Baltimore as a 46 year old man. I don't know about y' all, but if I can afford to put some food on my table and have a roof over my head, I'm gonna be happy. Okay? Success is subjective. And if you're a free man, 46 years old, you can come and go as you please. You got a job, you maintaining. That's a good life. If you don't think it's a good life, go to a prison right now and talk to these brothers doing 15, doing 20, doing 25, some of them doing forever, and ask them, would they trade lives with the free man making 50 to 60 grand as an assistant manager at Planet Aid. Hell, even if he got demoted, okay, even if he got demoted, the warehouse lead role at Planet aid earns about 27.39 per hour, according to Chat GPT. That's almost 57 grand a year if you working 40 hours a week. All I'm saying is, no matter how much I calculate this prison math, okay, I've done addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. I tried to figure this out multiple ways, and guess what? It just don't compute, okay? It just doesn't add up. The victim is in critical condition. He got seven times. He got shot seven times. Kevin Gross is charged with attempted first degree murder in Maryland. That's life in prison. First and second degree assault. Kevin Gross is also charged with first degree assault is 25 years in Maryland. Second degree assault is 10 years in Maryland. And he got other related charges. Moral of the story is, Kevin is spending the rest of his natural born life in prison. Therefore, the prison math ain't adding up. It's just not worth it. You have to calculate it in your head. You got demoted. You don't even know if this person you shot had anything to do with it. But even if they did, as soon as you started formulating this plan in your head, just think about it. I'm going to cut his tires. I'm going to shoot him a bunch of times. At some point, your brain. No, no, no, no, no. This prison math ain't mathing. This is not a situation that's worth having to eat jail food for the rest of your life or having an inmate treat your boonky like a bowl of cereal. So please, let Remy Ma give Kevin Gross the biggest Hee haw. Hee haw.

[Rashid Envy]

Hee haw.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You stupid mother. Are you dumb? You got demoted. Take the L. How do you get demoted from, like, a Salvation army place? That's what I. A goodwill place.

[Rashid Envy]

And what could you do wrong?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah, I don't know. But he didn't even ask no questions. He just assumed it was this other. This other person and shot him seven times. Now he gonna spend the rest of his life in prison for that? Don't add up.

[Rashid Envy]

We don't need to play.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And you also. I mean, we can if you want to. What? You want to play a game? He from Baltimore. Please, come on now.

[Rashid Envy]

There's no white people in Baltimore. Yes, white, Asian people. Come on. There no Latinos in Baltimore.

[Lenard McKelvey]

No, but something that petty like that, like. Like you got a point. A clothing store, then it's not even Like a.

[Rashid Envy]

In a.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Like a regular clothing store. It's plan B. Yeah, like, Nah, he black. Always do prison math, though. Whenever you about to make a choice that you think gonna get you in some type of trouble, especially if it's involving any type of crime, just. Just. Just calculate it in your head. Is this worth the time you gonna get? What's that situation? That's sad.

[Rashid Envy]

All right, well, thank you for that donkey today. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes, indeed.

[Rashid Envy]

Bien. Welcome.

[Jessica Moore]

Thank you so much for having me, guys.

[Rashid Envy]

How you doing, bro?

[Jessica Moore]

Thank you. I'm doing great. I'm having an amazing time in New York. Just sold out the sobs the other night, so now I'm in the Best of the Breakfast Club. So this is a big deal for me, guys.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You just launched a tour, right?

[Jessica Moore]

Yes, that's my own tour. Currently, I'm doing 10 states, and we're sold out everywhere.

[Rashid Envy]

Oh, that's dope. Congratulations.

[Jessica Moore]

Super blessed. Thank you. Thank you.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And the album is called. Let me see if I'm pronouncing this right. Alusa.

[Jessica Moore]

Alusa. Yes. Alusa is my name, as known in my village. So, Alusa, why are you topless?

[Lenard McKelvey]

So you don't have no shirt on most of the time.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You be out there showing usually, but.

[Jessica Moore]

I had to buy. Yes, I'm showing, you know, some back. Yeah. But being topless is freedom. Being topless is audacity. And in this phase of my career and where I'm at right now, I need that audacity to be with me every day.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Is that really audacity to be topless? If you walk around with no pants on swinging. That's audacity. Just a shirt off. Everybody's doing that.

[Jessica Moore]

You know, when you get home, like, if you're a girl, when you get home, the first thing you do is you unhook your bra.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah.

[Jessica Moore]

And that's part of the freedom I'm talking about. Being topless is not.

[Jordan Klepper]

What.

[Jessica Moore]

Do you identify as a black man?

[Rashid Envy]

Yes, exactly.

[Lenard McKelvey]

No, but that's a different, though, because when I get it, when women get home and they take that bra off, they agree.

[Rashid Envy]

Right.

[Jessica Moore]

What about you? Like, when you get home and maybe if you're in Miami. No, it's in Miami. If you're in a sunny place and a humid place and you take off your shirt, that's freedom, man.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes. And basketball shorts. No drills.

[Jessica Moore]

Not so much. You're really pushing this. No draws agenda.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes. It's not an agenda. The name is Charlemagne.

[Jessica Moore]

Why are you gay?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Why? Yes.

[Jessica Moore]

Shout out my neighbors Uganda for that. Those are my next door neighbors.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah.

[Rashid Envy]

Now, you did rap. I was gonna say you did rap radar the other day.

[Jessica Moore]

Yes, I did.

[Rashid Envy]

And you came with something different that I don't think any rat radar guest has ever done rap radar.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Still doing interviews.

[Rashid Envy]

No, on the radar. That's a rabbit.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'm about to say. Oh, on the radar.

[Rashid Envy]

The game. Yes. You came with a chicken.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah, I came with a chicken. I would have come with the chicken here, but there's too many rules, and you guys are really on the top floor. So I wasn't able to smuggle my mascot into the building.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Oh, that's right.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. A chicken is my cultural totem. Like, the animal that represents my culture is a rooster. And it's because a rooster is a timekeeper. A rooster is a caregiver. A rooster is security for your home. Arusa is many things, including a good meal. So that's why I walk around with it. That's why I walk around with it.

[Rashid Envy]

Where did you get this chicken from? Where did you get the chicken from? I know you didn't.

[Jessica Moore]

I didn't know the animal laws in New York. I had to drive all the way to Pennsylvania. Like, I get a chicken. Yeah.

[Rashid Envy]

To get a chicken to Queens.

[Jessica Moore]

They wouldn't sell it to me in Queens. Nobody would give me a live chicken in New York because it's against the law. So I had to go all the way to Pennsylvania, cross state lines to look for the chicken. But, yeah, I think it's about the.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Wording, because, you know, in America, I don't know, y' all know, if y' all say this in Kenya, in America, they say. So you have to say, I want to bring my. To the interview.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah, me and my. Yeah, me and my. I was stroking my leg the whole time.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And if you say you eating your. You really might get invited into the chicken.

[Jessica Moore]

I give a chicken. I. I give. I give. I give my. To my driver. And he took it to an animal like home. Animal shelter. So he's alive.

[Rashid Envy]

Okay.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

So this is a freedom album, basically, you know, because it's a looser. Why are you top?

[Jessica Moore]

So previously, in my other life, I was in a band. I was in a boy band. And the band was called Saudi Souls. It means in Swahili, voices of the sun.

[Rashid Envy]

Okay.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. So I was in a boy band. And this is my second, like, lease of life. So now I'm a solo Artist. I've been a solo artist for two years now, and everything's looking up. I'm at the Breakfast Club. Mama, I made it.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Nice.

[Rashid Envy]

Why does Saudi soul take such a.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Long hiatus for music? Y' all last the last thing I've.

[Rashid Envy]

Ever seen another 20 years.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah.

[Jessica Moore]

We're like new addition from Kenya. Yeah. Boys to men. We met in high school.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Wow.

[Jessica Moore]

So We've been together 20 years. 20 beautiful years. The best years of my life.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What made you just want to go solo now?

[Jessica Moore]

Just trying something new, you know, after doing something for a long time, I think it was time for us to try and see what the other side looks like. And it's been beautiful so far. I think we needed this break so that our next season will be just as glorious. Even better.

[Rashid Envy]

And what are the other Saudi Solers doing?

[Jessica Moore]

They're making music. They're doing interesting things. My brother Polycup, just launched his guitar, Jawaya, which is an amazing guitar. Chimano is on tour. Savara is putting out music as well. So we're all busy and we're all working together. Like, we're all writing for one another, we're all producing for one another.

[Rashid Envy]

We're still friends.

[Jessica Moore]

Oh, great friends. Great friends.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Amazing.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Why do you think East African music hasn't seen a surge and I guess mainstream the way artists from the Western?

[Jessica Moore]

Well, there's many aspects to it, including the fact that it's just never been funded. Any music that you hear in the west is marketing dollars spent to get that music there. So for a long time, East Africa hasn't had that limelight. Also, our numbers in the diaspora don't come anywhere close. Nigeria. So the dominant culture in the diaspora is going to be Nigeria. But the next logical sound to listen to to after you've gone north, east, west, north, west, and south is east. And so here we are. You know, we're taking the stairs, but we're getting here anyway.

[Rashid Envy]

You know, why is it I noticed with international artists, they always want to win in the US Why is that so important?

[Jessica Moore]

Because when you win in the us the reward is too high. Being the biggest artist in Kenya is nowhere close. Being the biggest artist in the US when you win in the US you win in the world. So for a long time, this market has dominated the world like that also. You guys have the structures. You have the venues, the Ticketmasters, and all these, you know, all of these infrastructure that makes music what it is in the world. Yeah. So you're thought leaders. You're global leaders. Why not?

[Lenard McKelvey]

Remember when your love for music first hit you.

[Jessica Moore]

Yes. I was like, maybe five or six. I was watching Bob Marley song Iron Lion Zion, and that's the first time I was like, wow, what is this? Like, I feel like doing this thing. And I've been doing it since I'm 37 now, guys. I've been singing 31 years. Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

Wow.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Since six years old.

[Jessica Moore]

Since I was six. Yeah. And I joined the choir in church. And I always say the church is the best artist development program in the world because that's where all the great musicians, especially for black music, come from.

[Lenard McKelvey]

How was it in Kenya? Because, you know. You know, you hear stories, people from Nigeria, their parents, like, no, you know, not gonna go into music. You're not gonna go into entertainment. You're gonna be a doctor, you know, like. Like in Kenya, when you said you wanted to do music, how was it?

[Jessica Moore]

My mom said, as long as you finish school, as long as you finish college, you can do whatever you want. And music has been a kind master to me. Music paid me through college. Like, I put in my first single with Southiso, my band, when I was a freshman. And just like that, my life changed. I had to finish school, but I started to be a journalist, so I'd probably be working here. I did communications.

[Rashid Envy]

And did you know that moment where you knew you were going to make it? Like, oh, this is. This is what I was here to do.

[Jessica Moore]

I told also my cousin when I was 6 that I'm going to be a superstar, and she laughed it off. But I remind her to this day that this is written. Like, I always knew that this is what I'm going to do. Yeah. Even though sometimes life pushed me in directions where I wasn't in my direct journey. Like, for example, like, when I studied communications, it wasn't me studying music, but it came back now to make sense, you know, like, my auditory skills are different. I understand how to interview, how to. There's just things I learned in uni that are very vital for me right now.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And back then, you was just like, I think I'm training to be on the other side of the microphone. But then you end up being an artist. So you got it.

[Jessica Moore]

I was actually just finishing school to clock out something in life. Say that I have a degree, but I wasn't very passionate about it.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What'd you major in?

[Jessica Moore]

Communication.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Okay. Yeah. You just said that. Yeah, he communicated.

[Jessica Moore]

That I communicated.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I just wanted to be clear. It is Memorial Day, so we're not here, but we do have some conversations that you haven't heard. You know, we all are fans of Afrobeats and, you know, all of the sounds that are coming out of the continent right now. So I want to introduce you to somebody you may or you may not know. His name is Bien. Okay. Bien is an artist from Kenya, an Afro pop musician. And we're going to talk to him because he's currently on tour here in the States, and we're going to talk to him right now. I saw something where they were saying you the Grammys was donating some money to Kenya.

[Jessica Moore]

That was political. So the Grammys are doing an Africa Grammys, you know, like, same way we have the Latin Grammys. So there's been talk about Africa doing Grammys, and Kenya had put in a bid to be the host for the Grammys.

[Lenard McKelvey]

3.8 million.

[Jessica Moore]

It was something like that. And the bid, the whole. I think the news came out at a very bad time because at that time, economically and even now, we are not doing so well as a country. So a $3.8 million spent on the Grammys feels like an impulse spent for the people. Yeah, it's like the amount of money.

[Rashid Envy]

That the Grammys would bring in would be quadruple that, though, I'm sure, you.

[Jessica Moore]

Know, not a lot of people have the insights of the music business to understand the value of the Grammys coming to Kenya like that, you know, but so the people were just up in arms because they felt like there's many more ways to spend the $3.5 million. Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Why did you agree with it?

[Jessica Moore]

Because I'm an artist and I understand what it's going to do for my constituency, for my people. Like, this is future, future, you know, investments for the artists who are coming. You know, they're going to thank us one day for hosting the Grammys in Kenya. So I think it's not a bad thing. Maybe the communication behind it, it should have been better. Maybe they should have been told about.

[Lenard McKelvey]

The financial degree in communications.

[Jessica Moore]

Yes, I agree. I agree, Jess, I agree.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I agree.

[Jessica Moore]

Maybe just the communication only should have been better. Yeah, yeah. They should have said what Envy has said about the profit and what we stand to gain as a country and this and this and this. And then people would have been like, okay, we see it.

[Rashid Envy]

I mean, it would. A visitation.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Rashid Envy]

Hotels, restaurants, foods, tourism. I mean, it's just so much that.

[Jessica Moore]

You get out the development programs for the. The different facets of the music industry that the Grammy comes with.

[Jordan Klepper]

That's right.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. You know, the Grammy is like a good Artist development program as well, second to church. So, yeah, it would be nice if they came through. Yeah, I'm still hoping they do.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Does that put a lot of pressure on you, knowing that Kenya is a country that isn't doing that well financially, but you may be doing better than most?

[Jessica Moore]

Yes, it puts pressure on me to make art that speaks to those people and tells their story to the world. Like, I want people to see the pain and the struggle in my art. I want them to listen to the lyrics, and I want them to. I want the lyrics to take them to places in Kenya that they've never been to. And I want the human experience to connect. So right now, we're not going through a very easy time. Our government has no opposition. The opposition is the youth. And for the last year or so, there have been so many abductions. There's been so many. There's been freedom of expression, but not freedom after expression. And I just think it's important for us to know that, or the leaders to know that. I have more faith in the children who are coming than their leadership in terms of the power they used to oppress. I don't have any fear to the current, like, regime. I have more faith in the kids, and I think the kids are going to save us.

[Rashid Envy]

Do you feel comfortable living there?

[Jessica Moore]

I feel comfortable living in Kenya, yeah. I would say, to a large extent, Kenya is a beautiful country. Yeah. There's many experiences you can get and if. And. And we are generally very peaceful people, but the recent times have been very tough economically. But we are not a basket case.

[Rashid Envy]

That's right.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. We are proper people. Kenyans are fighters. Africans are fighters. And the people of Africa will keep the lights on. The people of Kenya will keep the lights on.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Absolutely. What is one of your favorite songs from now?

[Jessica Moore]

Masheri.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Masheri.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. It's a tribute to you, Jess. I wrote it to you. Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

She's married.

[Rashid Envy]

So am I.

[Jessica Moore]

It's okay. I'm also married.

[Lenard McKelvey]

But he's also African, so he can have more than one wife.

[Jordan Klepper]

No, he can't. That, too.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You can't. You're married to a Mexican. You're married to him. You can only have more than one baby.

[Rashid Envy]

Every African. I thought that was in certain villages.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Why are y' all doing that?

[Jessica Moore]

You know, some things just. I found in this world. And there are such complex issues that I can't really address right now in the Breakfast Club, but I'm not doing it.

[Rashid Envy]

Okay.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Because Cheeky deserves all of you and all of me.

[Jessica Moore]

Only me.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Her.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Okay.

[Jessica Moore]

Yes.

[Lenard McKelvey]

So you wouldn't want another wife. I mean, I'm just saying that. Let me rephrase.

[Rashid Envy]

Try to get you in trouble. No, no, no, no.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Let me rephrase that. I know you are happily married. I'm just saying. Based off African tradition in a lot of countries.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You are allowed to have another wife.

[Jessica Moore]

Constitutionally in Kenya, you're allowed. Do I want another wife? No, I don't.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Gotcha.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Rashid Envy]

Not now.

[Jessica Moore]

I know I don't.

[Lenard McKelvey]

No, because.

[Rashid Envy]

Just get you in trouble.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Just because that's, you know, culturally, like.

[Rashid Envy]

Y' all can do that doesn't mean.

[Lenard McKelvey]

You always want that. Right. Yeah, I.

[Jessica Moore]

So I come from a polygamous family. My dad has 10 kids from six different women.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Legend.

[Jessica Moore]

I am the last of 10. I am the last gentleman. You've been trouble.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I know you. By the way, he's married. Was he married to him or just.

[Jessica Moore]

Informally? One would argue that. Yeah. So formally, he's been married to two.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Okay.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. My mother is the last of the ten, and I'm the. Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

And they all know about each other.

[Jessica Moore]

They all know about each other. When he bought a spoon for our house, he bought a spoon for the other house. You know, like.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah.

[Jessica Moore]

If you guys really understand how polygamy works, maybe it's not going to be a very touchy subject. I think just when you listen from the west and how people speak about it, it's just really given the vibe that it's unfair. But it's everything. It has everything to do with society and how society was set up back then. It may not work now, I agree. But back then, it had everything to do with community and looking out for one another. You know, in some cases, a guy was polygamous because maybe his first wife couldn't get kids, you see, and she'd be like, let me bring a helper to see how we can do this. Also, the more kids you had, the more labor you had. Because we were farmers, we were herdsmen. And so the more children you had, the more people you had to create wealth with. So that was the structure then.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Can I ask one more random question?

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What would Africa look like if all the countries were unified?

[Jessica Moore]

I ask myself that question all the time. I ask myself, what would Africa look like if we weren't colonized? Because, you know, naturally, we have never really been people who go out to conquer and convert. We've always been. And that's why it was very easy to colonize us, because we were easy to, you know, Coerce. And we didn't know the games that the other party was playing. So I think a united Africa is an Africa that's living to its full potential. It's peaceful. There's some leaders right now in the continent who are showing what Africa could do united. I don't know if you guys have heard about Traore from Burkina Faso.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Burkina Faso, yeah.

[Jessica Moore]

And he's been able to unite the countries on his region. They've been able to kick out France and.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Because he's taking care of people.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah. And he's taking care of people. And I see that to be the future of the continent. And when we unite, we will be unstoppable in all the beautiful ways.

[Rashid Envy]

Bn ladies and gentlemen.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Good to see you, brother. Is there a website for the tour? Just go to.

[Jessica Moore]

Oh, yes, man. You can go on my Instagram. BNA MESOL B I E N A I M E S O L BNM Soul. You can go there. There's a link for the tickets. I'm sold out in pretty much every place. But you can follow the boy. You can check out the vibes, and through my page, you're going to discover what East Africa is about. I also want to welcome all of you guys to Kenya.

[Lenard McKelvey]

I'd love to.

[Jessica Moore]

If you guys ever land in Kenya, Envy, I know you come there often, so tell them.

[Rashid Envy]

I got to get back there.

[Jessica Moore]

Tell them about it. Beautiful place.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Kenya, right by Zanzibar, right? Tanzania.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yeah. Because when I went there last year, well, the year before last, I went to Tanzania, Zanzibar, and they was like, you got to go to Kenya.

[Jordan Klepper]

Right there.

[Jessica Moore]

Yeah.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Nice.

[Jessica Moore]

So I'm welcoming you guys to Kenya.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Thank you. Absolutely.

[Jessica Moore]

Love to see you guys there.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Yes, sir. Appreciate you, brother.

[Rashid Envy]

Well, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. It's time for a positive note.

[Lenard McKelvey]

What we got. It is really simple, man. For everybody out there that's always on social media, you know, trying to curate the perfect image, putting a filter on everything, I just want to tell y' all, y' all be so worried about image. You need to clean up your spirit, okay? Some of y' all need to clean up your spirit. Go do some damn work on yourself. I'm not out here, you know, pushing for therapy just because y' all need to go out here and find a therapist. Y' all need to find a spiritual leader. Y' all need to just really clean up your spirit, because your spirit is disgusting and nasty. Have a blessed day.

[Rashid Envy]

Breakfast Club Bitches Are you still quoting.

[Jordan Klepper]

30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report okay, have you heard about this?

[Rashid Envy]

Last year the Green changed the formula for their Cool Rush deodorant. Their fans rebelled and wanted the old scent back and degree listen. That doesn't happen often. They admitted they effed up and are bringing the original Cool Rush scent back now. It's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. It's the reason it's the one men's antiperspirant and it's back in Walmart, Target and other stores now for under $4. So try it and see what the fuss is about. Head to your local Walmart or Target to try the OG degree cool rush for yourself. AT&T has a new Guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you depend on, deals you want and service you deserve or they make it right. Learn [e-mail] guarantee@&t connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguaranty for details. Meetings, Deadlines, emails Don't you wish you could escape the chaos? That's where the all new Nissan Murano comes in with available features like the relaxing, massaging seats to ease stress and the beautiful skyline views that bring in natural light. It's like cruising in your personal Oasis. And if you need to set a vibe, 64 colors of personalized lighting and a Bose premium sound system have you covered. Hands down, the all new Nissan Murano is your stress free getaway. Sometimes the greatest rush isn't rushing at all. Drive the all new Nissan Murano today.

[Jessica Moore]

Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting, bows and massaging leather.

[Lenard McKelvey]

Appointed seats are optional features. You're listening to an iHeart podcast.