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DJ Envy
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Charlamagne Tha God
Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.
DJ Envy
Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy Jess. Hilarious Charlemagne, the guy we are the Breakfast Club. Jess is on maternity leave, so Lauren's filling in. And we got a special guest in the building.
Charlamagne Tha God
Ladies and gentlemen, it's going down.
DJ Envy
Wallow.
Charlamagne Tha God
Listen, man. Welcome to the Breakfast Club. This morning presented to you by million dollars worth of game. Listen, listen, man. We didn't bought the company, man. It's. It's good. It's going down, man. We doing it big now, man. Got my brother right here.
Wallow
I'm so proud of you.
Charlamagne Tha God
Wallow. Listen, man, listen. I want to give you. Before I even start, I gotta give you your flowers because you've been. Man, you, me and you didn't have several phone calls? We had a thousand phone calls. A couple years ago you hit me up. You was like, wallow, you need a book. This was years ago and you was talking about how you and Kev was talking about you and Kevin Hart was telling us, man, wallow would be crazy on a. On an Audiobook, which I did my own audiobook. Shout out to, you know, shout out to Ayanna Van Zandt also who did audio. She did the forward for me. Shout out to 13A, my publisher, man, for, you know. Yes, for making it happen. Simon and Schuster. But we here now. You told me, you keep telling me about a book. Your book. The book changed your life.
Wallow
That's right. And you got too much of a story, man.
Charlamagne Tha God
The book, the book. That's all you kept saying. And now we hear, man, all will get attention, you know, and it's game changer.
Wallow
The book title is perfect for you because there's not too many people on this planet who come with good intentions like Wallow does.
Charlamagne Tha God
Appreciate that.
Wallow
When did you develop that. That mentality?
Charlamagne Tha God
I don't know, man. I was on the street corners. I was. I was. I had good intentions on the street corners. I just. I just. I just wanted to still American dream. And I said, man, this is too slow. And I never seen nobody in my neighborhood. The only people that got respect in my neighborhood was the successful criminals. So even though I was a good person growing up, my grandma raised me well, my mom, you know, you know, I was like, I got to figure this out. So I said, I gotta. I got, man. Only people they respect out here is the people that's winning by any means. And then even in America, I was like, damn, hold up, America, they only respect the Scarface. They only respect the Godfather. They don't respect nobody else. I gotta go get some money. So I just figured out, you know, even though my heart was good, I had to go figure it out. And that led me to prison most of my life. And. And. But, you know, even in there, he's.
DJ Envy
In prison 13 years, right?
Wallow
20.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, 20. I did 20 penitentiary, five years in and out the juvenile system. And even me, I remember, you know, always, man, why you. All I did was laugh in jail and just do what I needed to do, educate myself, because I realized that and to the point where somebody said I was one of the nicest dude in prison because I knew why I was there. I did mine. I was accountable for my. So, you know, and that helped me change and develop into what I become today. And, you know, I'm just happy to be here. And. And I. And I try my best to share all analysis that I got as you know, with our people to show like, listen, we bigger than what y'all think we are. Because I always say this, and it's crazy to me is like, you know, back in the day we didn't have nothing, but we had everything because we had each other and that was important. And it's like, it seemed like now we find so many ways, so many reasons not to deal with each other. And it's like, God damn, who you working for?
Wallow
Work. That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
Like, you go on social media, it's like, who you working for? But I had to realize something. A lot of us don't want to look in that mirror and deal with it. I don't hate envy because if it's money, his cars, his family, his marriage, I hate envy because envy getting love for doing something that I always wanted to do, but I ain't have enough heart to go out here and do it.
Wallow
Well, die your bed.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, I'm not talking about that. I'm just talking about a general. Yeah, he do got that Beijing. But I'm just saying, like, shout out to Beijing, give him a deal. It's not Beijing, but like, this. And third, just for men. But. Oh, damn, okay, he better be paying you, the way you put that out there. Promo. But. But what I'm saying is, like, that's how our culture became. It became like this. And social media made it like, a lot of people got to look in the mirror and say, damn, I didn't materialize my dreams. And that's the hardest thing to do is, you know, so it's more easy to say, charlemagne the sucker. Envy. This Lower. This. Just this. It's much more easy to say than to say, let me get off my ass and go ahead and do something with my life. So. But it's just. It's just sad out here when you see it now. And it's just like, we just. I don't know, man. And all we ever had was each other. That's the only way we ever made it in life.
Wallow
You said you in the book. You say it's actually in the chapter arm of Good Intentions. You said you. You screamed out one day and you made it a daily reminder that nobody will save you.
Charlamagne Tha God
Nobody. Especially when I was in prison, I'm like, we complaining that we doing. I'm like, yo, bro, we ain't. We inside these white folks spot. Ain't nobody coming. Like, if this shit go off, anything, we gonna be locked in these cells. Ain't nobody coming. But that's the same thing in the ghetto. Ain't nobody never come and save nobody. Who saves who for real?
DJ Envy
What was the change for you?
Charlamagne Tha God
What was.
DJ Envy
Cause you said you were in and out. What was the change you said, yo, I gotta get this right, and I gotta change myself, like, to be realistic.
Charlamagne Tha God
Man, I got tired of being in jail with a bunch of niggas. You see what I'm saying? I wanted to take a butt nigga shower. You know what I mean? I couldn't do that. I wanted to sleep naked in the bed. I couldn't do that. Cause I'm in the sack of celli. I don't know if he might wake up in the middle of the night, be like, yo, man, let me. I need part. Like, what we doing? Yeah, straight up. He might wake up in the middle of the night and be like, hey, my man, let's. Let's figure something out. You know what I mean? So. I don't know. I'm just being real. Because. Listen, you know what's crazy? I think one of the reasons I made it through jail so smoothly, because I was always a comedian on the low. You know what I'm saying? I was always funny. They was like, hey, I mean, I was. Because I was in there scared to death. You know how dudes come home from jail? I'll be trying to wonder that I did all this time in jail. I'd be like, what program was you on that you wasn't scared in jail, that you was just so tough? Because I was scared to death. Soon, listen, soon as that judge gave me them numbers and they, you know, you had. You had your thing together. Ain't about nothing, you know? I mean, like, this ain't about nothing. I looked at. Yeah, all right. Say my little words back and forth. You see the. It's back and forth word play I had with the judge today? Yeah. I'm gonna be back walked in the joint, you know? I mean, now you got to do the walk back in. Because now you're going back into the cages where everybody looking at you when you come down, what they give you with it? That ain't about nothing, man. They gave me little twenties, man. That ain't nothing. A little twenties. That's the cat. That's the cat. By the time I get to my. My cell later on that, I threw that towel up. Crying like a baby, man, for a newborn.
Wallow
Damn.
Charlamagne Tha God
And then. And then once you. The shackles hit, you box like a animal. The shackles going from your arm to your feet. You get upstate, you. You hit that penitentiary yard, and you like, where my mom at? Oh, I ain't know it was like this. I'm seeing people with knives longer than the giraffe trunk.
Wallow
I'm like, how old you?
Charlamagne Tha God
I was. I was. I went to the penitentiary when I was 17, but I hit the big prison yard when I turned 18. I was in Dallas penitentiary in Pennsylvania. And that was like. That was a different type of Joan, man. I'm seeing people get married in the yard and all that. I'm like, I ain't trying to be nobody wife. I ain't sign up for this shit. So I know straight up, I'm looking like.
DJ Envy
He said, married in the yard.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, people was getting married in the yard. And I said, damn, man.
Wallow
It wasn't real weddings, though.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, it was real weddings. Like, it wasn't. No. Like, if you got the Bible and you got somebody that's efficient, like, you were.
Jess Hilarious
You were just in the yard.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, I was walking the yard. I was in the backdrop because I was walking in the yard. So I'm like. I'm sitting there and I'm like, oh, I ain't trying to get married in the yard, man. Damn. Like, on some real. And then I'm seeing people get stabbed and all. I'm like, yo, I'm not trying to. Why? So I would go to my cell and be like, yo, what the is going on? I ain't signed up for this because. Nobody tell you this. Because only stories that we hear back in the hood about jail is that you come home and you get rewarded and you get acknowledged and you tough and all this other. You get muscles. But I'm like. I'm like, damn, ain't nobody talking about the scary part. So I had to be the one to tell the scary part, to tell a real part, because I was scared. Especially listen when I first. Listen, No, I get up to the big penitentiary. This was. This was the one. I get up to the big penitentiary. This is why Gil always with me about it, because I used to tell him stories. I get up to that. Stories from the cell. So I get up to the penitentiary. It's shower time. I go down there. I got my boxers on and all that. So I'm like, damn, we go down there and this is my first time in a real. Because. Because it's like. It was like. I started. I went to the penitentiary when a young. When a lot of younger dudes started to go like you was getting certified as adult to create a new law. So a long time it was no young boys in the one penitentiary I went to, Dallas Penitentiary, mostly old heads. And they had the most lifers the state of Pennsylvania at this time. So you could be in a cell with anybody. You could do one year, be in a cell with a lifer. It don't matter. So I go. I go to go to the shower. So I got my towel on, my. My boxes on. And when I went to the shower, right? I go down there, steamed up and everything. The shower is probably, like. It's probably, like, in that joint, probably maybe 15 shower heads. And the block got 100 something dudes on there. So when I go in the shower room, it was like a movie. Like, everybody looked at me like, why you got them boxes on everybody? I'm talking about. It was a. I'm talking about it was a sword show in that joint, man.
Wallow
You want to see what you working with?
Charlamagne Tha God
No, no. I'm just like, no. It's like, that's not normal like you.
Wallow
Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
And I'm like, you know what? That day I realized that a shower wasn't important than a bird bath. I said I could go back to my cell and just wash up there. Why would I need. What? Why Do a shower really mean that?
DJ Envy
So you ain't take a shower your.
Charlamagne Tha God
Whole time, use a bird bath for the whole way? No, I took it for a while till I just, you know, went down there and just had my shorts on because I. Cause I had. I was like, damn, man. Like, why everybody gotta be naked in this joint, man? And then they looking at you and then they talking. Like, they be asking and they talking. Yeah. You see the game? Oh, man. What's the name went off? Emma Smith. I'm like, damn.
Wallow
Oh, man.
Charlamagne Tha God
Like, we ain't supposed. Like, y'all supposed to be doing this shit. I don't know.
Jess Hilarious
When did you get, like. Like, like comfortable with it? Like your first naked shower?
Charlamagne Tha God
Were you talking? No, I never got a naked shower.
DJ Envy
You had.
Charlamagne Tha God
I didn't take it. 20 years.
Jess Hilarious
Wallow.
Charlamagne Tha God
Cut it out.
Jess Hilarious
Oh.
Charlamagne Tha God
Oh, yeah, I did. Hold up. Let me just say this. But I got one. No, no, I got one. When I got to the jail where you get your own booth.
Wallow
Okay.
Charlamagne Tha God
I wasn't trying to be a part of it. Cause it's like. It's like a volunteer. Like you volunteering something.
Wallow
How long it took to do that?
Charlamagne Tha God
Years. It took years. But different jail. Different part of the jail got different sections where you get a single shower. So in that jail was yours? We had the single shower locked in. But it was like, man, I always feeling like that was the volunteering services. Yeah, yeah. Like you was.
DJ Envy
You was.
Charlamagne Tha God
You was giving invitations to something. So I didn't know was the coke.
DJ Envy
Was the coke can story real that Boosie be talking about sometime?
Wallow
Well, that was a different prison, though.
DJ Envy
But I figured it might be the same prison.
Charlamagne Tha God
Which one?
DJ Envy
Say when you see a Coke can in the shower.
Wallow
Two men in there.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, no, it's different. Different. Different things going on in different prisons. I can't speak to that because I wasn't in the geographical location of him. But it's different stuff. Fed state, different states, but it's like, I just knew that.
Wallow
How do they signal sodomy and you're in the prison you was in?
Charlamagne Tha God
What you mean, signal? No, it wasn't no signal. People was making love to slow music, man. It wasn't. No, like, you knew what time it was. Dudes had red light. Listen, bro. Dudes, that. Dudes. No, no, no, listen. Dudes, you just take paint and paint. They like red. It'd be red lights. Red light, man. They got the music playing. You like, don't look in that cell because, yeah, you're supposed to look at nobody sound. Yeah, so I'm like, man, I. You know, you can't look at nobody sell.
Wallow
But that's the signal, though. The signal was the red light.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, it could be anything, man. You could walk in the bathroom, in the yard, somebody be tongue kissing and, you know, romantic. I don't know. It was a lot of stuff. Jesus Christ. I just knew that. I just wanted to make it out innocent. I don't want my innocence to be removed from me. That's all. But it was wild, man. But I knew it was certain occasions where I knew. I said, oh, man, I can't. I can't. I can't. I can't go back to this. Dude put something on my bed one time. I didn't. I didn't even know. No, no, this what happened. No, no, no, this is what happened. So what happened is my laundry came back folded and everything. I'm like, damn, man, listen, these people, man, they fold your laundry and everything, man. I'm happy as laundry. It was a couple snacks left. I'm like.
Wallow
So.
Charlamagne Tha God
I'm like, damn, this is what's up. So OG from down the way, he peeped you. I mean, I asked him, I said, damn, man. They did before he said what? They did what? So he went and checked the older dude that did it. The older dude was trying to go on a date, but I didn't know it was. I didn't know that.
Wallow
What did he leave, though?
Charlamagne Tha God
No, no, no, no, he didn't leave. No, no, he knows he left some nice. He had a Box of nutty bars. It was some soup, some chips, and it was a nice. It was a. Listen, if. Oh, wait. Wouldn't have told me, I'd have had. It was a nice spread, you know what I mean?
Wallow
So you gave it back to him? You had to give it back to him?
Charlamagne Tha God
I had to give it back to him.
Wallow
If you accept it.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, no, but. Oh, it wasn't just that he folded my laundry. He worked in laundry. He made my draws and all. It was folded. So I'm thinking like, damn, this is the pro. This is the protocol of what they. Damn. I'm like, damn, they got some good service here. You know what I mean? But once I realized that he was looking for a date, I said, oh, shit. You see what I'm saying? Luckily, I had the old head there, because I don't know what the happened. Yeah, yeah, but it was crazy. It was crazy, man. It was deep.
Wallow
That's why y'all gotta read this book, man.
Charlamagne Tha God
It was deep, man.
Wallow
Oh, now, you dedicated the book to little Steve, Aunt Ruby, Grandma Aura, Uncle James, Uncle Tommy, and Hip Hop. How did.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, Hip. Yeah, that's my step Hop.
Wallow
How did each of those people contribute to your journey?
Charlamagne Tha God
My Aunt Ruby, first of all, my grandma. That's my. My grandma nanny. She. She's. She'd be 90 to September 30th. She's extraordinary. Aunt Ruby and her used to always gang war. My Aunt Ruby, you know, she was the only person I seen straight my grandma out and don't nobody straighten any out. And they used to be going at this. This was her younger sister. Oh, man. And I used to call home from jail. The stories that Aunt Ruby used to tell me was unbelievable. But Aunt Ruby was special. She just was different. And she loved me. Love us. Love us. On me. She wound up passing, and she passed my grandma house, the middle room that I wound up making parole to. That was one of the reasons I was able to make parole, because, you know, whatever, but God bless her. My. My. My. My grandma Aura, she passed when I was in prison. She was amazing. Always real. Tell you just like it is. She was from the streets. Uncle Tommy passed since. Since I've been home.
Wallow
Steve was your brother?
Charlamagne Tha God
He was my big brother. He passed in my grandma arms in the crib. He got shot, ran down the street, died in grandma arms. She opened the door, he expired. That was my guy. But everybody, them people is personal, you know what I'm saying? And they were special in my life in different ways. They helped me in so many different Ways. And it's things that I carry today that I got from them during my journey through, you know, doing, especially when they was here. And I always want to remember them people because I feel as though you. A lot of people get forgotten that give us so much and just because they not there. And I always feel like you really live when you outlive how much you lived. And I'm saying that you really live when you outlive how much you live. It's people from our culture that outlive how much they live. You rather it's bossy. I'd rather Tupac, certain people, they live longer after life than they did their life.
Wallow
Absolutely.
Charlamagne Tha God
But we don't do that with our family members and the people that we love and the people that we know personally. We keep other people alive based off celebrity, but we won't keep the people alive that was personally personal to us. They get buried in the thank yous and all that shit somewhere and sometimes forgotten. So I always try to remember my people that died that gave so much to me.
Wallow
You think your brother would believe you right now? Like, if he saw the position you was in, would he believe it?
Charlamagne Tha God
No. On anything. I love my brother. Be doing just what Gil be doing. Be calling me nut ass nigga. Look at you. He's a nut ass nigga boy. Cause that was him. He's a funny boy. All he wanted to do was laugh all day. I'm just thankful that I was able to. The greatest thing that I ever did in life, in the history of my life was forgive my brother's killer. And the reason that was so important to me, because the ghetto, nothing supersedes nothing is the hierarchy is the ghetto. And the ghetto was revenge. But for me to say, you know what? I want to live for my brother, live for the kids, live for the family, and put it in my heart to forgive someone that took my brother out of here, devastated the family. But I said to myself is we always ask for forgiveness. We ask God all the time, forgive us, but when do we forgive on a real level? And. And that was the greatest thing I ever did. And I always encourage young brothers to like, you know, because when you see our community is like everybody is moving based off of a lot of cats is moving in and continuing this crime criminal mindset. And you know, in a genocide based off awarded they never even knew about, like you don't even know why you beefing with somebody. And we never have a conversation. It's like. And even the level heads from different sides of the communities never could sit down and just be like, yo, there's some. We want some. Yeah, like, come on, y'all. We got, like. We shooting in the mirror out here as black people, and ain't nobody. I don't know what it is, man. It bothered me because I see a lot of elders that's scared. They want to be young. And it's like, no, you're not nothing deaf. I tell them all, I'm not. No. No, I'm not. No, I'm not. I'm elder, dog. I'm not no young boy. I'm not trying to be cool with you. I'm gonna tell you what you want to hear. And if you don't, because I know most of your day, especially the artists, the athletes, they run around with a bunch of yes men.
Wallow
That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
I ain't one of them, Neff. I don't care about. I don't care who you is. I'm gonna tell you, listen, man, there's some dumb. Man, you want some dumb enough, me and Gil gonna be like, yo, that's some dumb enough. And even if you just hear me for the moment, I did my job. A lot of times, I fell short in doing my job. Well, I ain't gonna say I didn't do my job, but I fell short because it went on some deaf ears. And we seen what happened with that.
Wallow
A lot of times, man, look at all the different clips that you can look at of wallow online, warning people about what was gonna happen in their situations or what was gonna happen if they didn't change their ways and it came true.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah, it's like I. You know, I just be peeping it. Cause I see it like, you could just see it when you've been through it so long. But that's why I try to share my story, so they can learn from my story and don't live my story. But a lot of times, the money make people blind and deaf. And when you get that paper, you think. But one thing I know, one thing I know something. If I don't know nothing about this shit. When you black in America, you got all the money and the power you want, my man. But let me tell you something. When mighty whitey get to you.
Wallow
That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
I'm just being real. Is over that courtroom. They. They humble the shit out of you. They will get you in that court. You see how they laid Tyreek down? Tariq Hill Laid him down, roughed him up. Shut up. Yeah, you see, I'm saying Like, I don't know what happened, but I'm like, they roughed him up real good and still had to.
Wallow
He still had to go out there and play.
Charlamagne Tha God
Pretty sure. You know what I'm saying? So it's like. It's always a point where, as though you be. It'd be like, man, shut up. And you always got to be on point to know, you know. Know how to move out here. And it's sad that we got to do that, but that's the reality of the environment that. That we come up in.
DJ Envy
What did you realize this is what you wanted to do when you came home and you said you took that Dr. Went back to. You had the McDonald's, went to grandma's house. When did you realize this is what you wanted to do and how you wanted to change for the next generation?
Charlamagne Tha God
I was in Shout out to the life of these lifer brothers, this organization, NWACP and all that. The brothers that was in the penitentiary with me, the elders. There's an organization called Real Street Talk. So I'm in there, and One of the OGs, Brother Minister Rob, shout out to him. He come to me, said, waller, we need you to come down here and talk. It was a bunch of brothers. Shakur Sharif. It was, Ike, a big Shannon. It was a bunch of brothers that was getting together to talk to the. The inmates that was coming in. 2, 300 inmates a week that was coming in to talk to them about listen while you in jail. Use this as your time to educate yourself so you go back out there and make something happen with yourself. And it was called Real Street Talk. So I was one of the dudes that spoke in a. In a way to where as though they really understood what I was saying, because I was like one of the youngest dude. Even though the OG spokes, too. And I seen that they was listening. They was tapped into it. And it was a brother, Brother Rob Griffin. He was from the. He used to do security for Malcolm X in the Nation Islam back in the day. Philadelphia used to be the, you know, the head of security for the Nation Islam back in the day. And he, you know, he held down Malcolm. And he came to my cell one day because I was in the cell, like, next to him and on a block Greatest four. And he was like, brother, not too many brothers out here speak with, though multiple generations can listen and understand it in the name like you. You speak clear. Keep doing that. So when I got out, just start. Grabbed it, grab that phone and just start popping it, because nobody was doing It. And I knew that I had to do it in a unique way because I was battling on the timeline. I was battling for attention, right? You know, when you go down the timeline, I'm looking at this, y'all say, okay, I gotta battle the girl that's ass naked. I gotta battle my man with a pound of jury on. I gotta battle the rapper, the athlete. I said, I got him. That's why. Have you seen a lot of my videos? In the beginning, I'll be running across the Highway 18 will it come laying on the ground Catch him on my head. They laughing. But I'm giving you the message as long as you listening. Because what everybody was afraid to tell us, like, yo, you can be great. You amazing. Like, we build pyramids with no cranes. I don't know what. I'm reading this in the gym. Like, hold on. We did that. You mean to tell me. Hold up. You mean to tell me we. You know, we came up out of slavery? This little lady got us about a slavery. Sister got us about a slavery. And that ingenuity. Hold. What the Is going on? Frederick Douglass was who. He did what? Oh, we. We got most of the patents. Most create. Oh, what the. I'm like, yo, we could do it. But you gotta. I realized this. If you can make him laugh, you can make him listen. And I always was like, I always love comedy because I used to listen to I, Paul Moody, Richard Pryor, all in My Uncle Play the records, Red Fox. And I'll be laughing, but they'd be saying some deep and be. They lace it up. So I'm like, okay, I just gotta give it to our people in a different way, you know, Because I just couldn't get the whole Harriet Tubman thing. Just. Just had me just like, yo, it's nothing. You can't do that. The pyramids I'm talking about with no cranes. There's no. How was this done? We did that. These adventures we did that we created.
DJ Envy
What?
Charlamagne Tha God
So it'll be like, what Black Wash we did? So I just be looking like, no, it's just a different way in a different language of doing it. And one thing that I'm always do. You'll never hear me say nothing. You'll never hear me talk down the hater. Any of our people. You know, why never. All of our people got a different. They got it. They might have a different message. And. And no matter what you're doing business this. That I don't care what you're doing. We don't have to be doing the same thing. And just because we ain't doing the same though, even if we might be doing something that's similar, we ain't got to be mad at each other. I ain't got to hate you. You ain't got to hate me. Because at the end of the day, is this really about the upliftment of our people? If it is, how can I go online and say anything bad about our people if I really care about our people? Right. I can't tear you down to lift them up. It ain't going it mathematically it don't work. So what I do is no matter if you say something about me, say something about what? I'm never going to say nothing about nobody. Because that's not going to add value to the whole plan of us that's wallow.
Wallow
Really like this?
Charlamagne Tha God
Like, I'm not going to do that.
Wallow
Even off camera, he's like that. I'd be like these.
Charlamagne Tha God
I was gonna ask you and Gil.
Jess Hilarious
So like this is like a daily thing for you, like on and off camera, like you said. But like when situations come about, like when people make you upset when things don't go your way, like how do you. What's your mental lock in that you stay grounded where you are right now. Like, what's that?
Charlamagne Tha God
My thing is this. Some of the times when I people have said things or I wasn't like I even look at it and I look at it now from a critique bone be like, yo, is that person right? Am I tripping? I'm not a person that's like I'm logic to the point. Whereas though there's a possibility, whereas I might do some dumb or some nut. So I will even look at it because it's like, listen, after me dealing with the white folks in that mountains and them coming in my cell at any time, just because I'm beefing with the guard for a week and he coming to my cell every day for a week telling me to get asshole naked and spread and cough. None of this mean nothing to me out here. You think this means I did seven, 300 days in jail? You think I give so it's not that deep. But I'm also would look at things and say, damn, do they got it? Do they got a point there? Because sometimes they might have a point. And just because you're not rocking with me, that don't mean you hating on me. I might not just be your cup of tea and you might don't know how to reach out or whatever. You might just so it's like, I'm big on that. Everybody's not hating on you because they don't like what you got going on. And sometimes I understand you might rub people the wrong way because you might remind them that they ain't go after their dreams.
Wallow
That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
So it's levels to this. But you know what I need y'all to do is I need y'all to all try that drink at once. This is my drink. Hydration drink. Pure. Pure, pure. Take a sip.
Wallow
I do gotta ask you a question, though. You said when the officers came in your cell, Right. The white boys.
Jess Hilarious
Oh, my God.
Wallow
And they told you to get naked.
Charlamagne Tha God
Time out. Time out.
Wallow
What?
Charlamagne Tha God
The drink.
DJ Envy
Yeah, I like it.
Wallow
Let me see.
Charlamagne Tha God
I'm drinking that watermelon Blast. Tell me.
Jess Hilarious
I like it. It's good.
Charlamagne Tha God
Okay, that's all I need to know. I'll see you all something, but go ahead, get back to the. No.
Wallow
When you said the officers used to come into your cell.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah.
Wallow
Make you get naked and spread your ass cheeks, did you fuss with him a little bit or you just.
Charlamagne Tha God
Is that all you heard?
Wallow
Got naked? Yeah.
Jess Hilarious
That's all you heard?
Charlamagne Tha God
No. You know what's crazy? Like, I got so. It was so like me. I was so institutionalized. As soon as I knew. As soon as I see him cracking the door, I'm already ass naked. Like, I'm just like, what's up? What we doing today, baby? What are we doing? Because I knew that. I knew that they wanted to see. They wanted to see some black heat. For real. They was trying to. They was. They was trying to measure. They was trying to see some black heat. I knew what was time, I said, all right, fuck it then. Let's get it. Come on, let's do it.
Jess Hilarious
You walked in the kitchen, you turned the other.
Wallow
Let's do it.
Charlamagne Tha God
Let's do it. Let's go. We at it again. Y'all back, huh? I know what y'all want. Shut up. Peoples turn around, all that hit the wall. I gotta put my hands on wall, lift my feet, twinkle my toes and all that. Bend down, Sprayed em. Then after I sprayed and grabbed my sack, I gotta go in my mouth and all this dumb shit. I'm like, yeah, y'all some kinky balls, man. Yeah, whatever. Peoples keep being smartass. I'm freaky deaky, huh?
Jess Hilarious
Are you still interested? Like, is there anything from, like, when you was locked up? You know how sometimes people come home and it's like. Like, I got. You can't hear certain sounds or like, you know, like do you have any of that from all the time that you spent in jail?
Charlamagne Tha God
I got all type of, I just, I can't keep up with it. There's so much. You can't keep up with all that. It's just so much you just, you just live because you know what's crazy, being from the ghetto, we normalize jail so much to. Whereas though, you know the side effects of that I had you like everybody got that. The, the family members got side effects from dealing with the jail experience and just going to see you.
Jess Hilarious
Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
Like, you know, I mean so it's like, it's just crazy, man. I, I, but, but I, when it comes to prison thing, what I think is so crazy is that, and I want to say this to the brothers out there, right? Especially if you in the streets right now, you operating your gun, you just in the street game. I just want to say something rather, you know it or not, black, young, black males in the street culture build more communities outside of our community than anybody in the history of life of America. Let me break this shit down.
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Charlamagne Tha God
We get locked up. I come from 19132 Philadelphia. The most people that ever they sent the most people to prison. That area code in Pennsylvania. Now when I get locked up and me and the homies get locked up, they build new prisons based on the population increase. When the population increase they take a town, they'll go rent some farm area they'll bring a LEGO prison, put it together, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Once they bring that prison, they build the gas station, they build a Walmart. They employ all these farmers. And this is me and the homies doing this. And then now you, now you got all this stuff. They got this whole community that we built. But we never, we never, we never built our own community. We never bought our mom a house. We never sent our kids to college. But we send, we sending kids to college. Every time you shoot a gun in the ghetto, you're sending somebody else kid to college. Every time you rob somebody, you sending somebody up, you buying somebody, paying somebody else mortgage. Like, we are the ultimate. The real street nigga is the ultimate job security in America. The real street niggas create more jobs than any other people, any other group in America. More police, probation officers, sheriffs. I'm talking about all these, every department, correctional officers council. Now think about the jail in the jail. You know how many people we. Probably over a thousand people we employ in the prison. And you gotta think about it. Everybody from the, the guard to the, to the counselor, to the people that work in the kitchen, to the nurses, like we do this. And it'd be families, it'd be nepotism. On his highest level in here, I've been in prison and I didn't seen Gore start as a rookie and them turned into war. And I've been in prison so long, and this, grandpa, uncle, son, cousin. And on the other side, if you look at this picture in the book, and I try to explain generational incarceration, this picture right here in the book of me right here, that's me in the back. This is my step pop hip that died. That's my brother Steve. This is my little brother Jalal. So in this prison, Dallas prison, penitentiary. This in the 80s, right? This 87. So in 87, we going to Dallas prison and visit him. In 1998, me and my step pop was cellies in that same prison. And in 2005, me and my brothers were selling that same prison generational incarceration. And when we looking on the other side, you'll go see the warden then, his son is a sergeant, his cousin is a major like. So we got families in prisons, but they on the winning side, we on the losing side. So when we talking about this whole thing, this whole. I'm a real. I understand what you're saying, but you're gonna be a real. And you're gonna be in prison when your daughter graduating and growing up. And there's gonna be some other men in our life that's giving a game that's not beneficial to her, it's beneficial to them. And your daughter gonna get taken advantage of. So it's like when we looking at this whole thing that we think we putting it down. I got a bunch of brothers on the other side. They could tell you they wish they could. They could relive this because they ain't never coming out of jail.
Wallow
But you, you the generational curse breaker.
Charlamagne Tha God
Wallow.
Wallow
That's why I'm trying to. That's why I'm so glad you put out a book, man. Because that's right. I need to see you on every platform having these conversations. I want to see you on the View. I want to see you.
Charlamagne Tha God
But you know what? You know what's crazy though? And this is why I commend you. Like what I commend you is of this. And. And this is why Brothers Club is a major platform for our culture and will always be. You get it when it's not cool. You get it before it go popular. You get it before it go shiny. You get it and understand that a lot of these people don't give a fuck about that. Even though you name platforms, they don't care about that. They just want some shiny now. Wallow. Come out of prison, wanted to be probably. And I'm not. I'm probably one of the greatest comebacks ever to come out of prison in life. But they not gonna get that to New York time, bestseller, hit it, all that stuff. They don't understand us. And, and, and we, we control cool. But a lot of times we don't own it. So they try to get a close proximity to our coolness. And we so much suckers, we don't be understanding that. We don't even know why when we being used out here. That's why There's a lot of that I see online. I'll be like, damn, we goofy as man. Can't nobody outside of us validate us but us. I'm never gonna let nobody tell me that you not cool that you're not cool that outside our culture. And I'm never going to let nobody give approval of what's cool and was not outside of our culture of this blackness. I love being black. I'm a die black. That's right. My family is black. So I look at us and I say, we some extraordinary people. And it's not taking that note from any other group of people. But everybody else love theyself. So I'MMA love me. And I got some extraordinary people. That's not black. There's family, there's business. But at the end of the day, until we start loving us on all levels, we gonna be left behind.
DJ Envy
What do you think about when Michael Rubin was up here and said pretty much the same thing that you just said right now?
Wallow
Wallow did not say that.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, no, no.
DJ Envy
But he just said. We heard ourselves. He basically said, our community hurts ourselves. That's what he's been saying.
Charlamagne Tha God
Let me say this, though. Let me say this, though. Everything is about the messenger. Because I can't speak on behalf of, you know, different races. I can't do that because they're like, who the is you, Wallow? So that's normal. But one thing that I can say is that I seen. I would. Everybody is speculating. Everybody's around. On that day that Meek was in that courtroom. I was in that courtroom to come to speak for Meek. Michael Rubin was in that courtroom. And when we took that break out of the. The, you know, the judge was roughing Meek up. I'm talking about. She was like. She was roughing me up. We went outside to the hallway, and Mike looked at us and said, what's going on in here? Like, this guy was really shocked. I'm like, this is being black in America. He was like, what the. He could. I'm talking about he was personally pissed because he didn't understand and to be going because a lot of people just don't know.
Wallow
He said he didn't realize it was.
Charlamagne Tha God
Two Americans until, like, Keith listen that day. He looked at. And then he attempted to walk back in the courtroom after we had the conversation, and she slapped him around. And he like, what the. I can't. Like. Because he stood up and spoke and stood up. And she was like, yeah, all right. Writing in the paper. Like, he went and done something. I respect Mike for that.
Wallow
That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
I don't care what. No, like, Mike went and done something. You know, people gonna have their opinions on people. But I'm talking about when I see a good person, I see a good person. I salute a good person. That's it. I ain't with all that other. Because I'm gonna tell you something, man, to be real with you, I got a lot of people that's not black that helped the out of me because they really. People that really believed it. And I ain't talking about business. I'm talking about in life. People that. People that love you, love you. It's not. It's not always going to be a color thing. And I know we fight so much to get us together, but at the end of the day, while you spend your. Your time on this planet, you better love who love you, and you better figure out who love you and who got your back, because I'm gonna tell you something. I don't know what anybody else doing out here, but I'm 45. And I'm saying to myself, hopefully I get another 45 out here, because my grandma 90. So I'm measuring it by that. My Uncle James, rest in peace. And him, he died. He was 93 or 94, but we got a. We got a nice length in our joint. Pause. Pause. Oh, was that a pause camp? I gotta run it by Cam, because I'm talking about the lift of years. I'm not saying. Oh, yeah, all right, definitely a pause. But. But what I'm saying is. Well, use a pause champion, though. You got the history. You in the Guinness. But I'mma say this. I'mma say this, though. I'm looking at it like I'm 45 now. There's a big chance. 20, you know, I mean, like 50 of my life or 30, whatever. I'm getting out of this joint one day, I can't worry about. I'm gonna be going. I gotta go. I gotta go. And when I go, my whole thing, I want to be able to say, I left that on the planet. That's why. That's why I live the life that I live. I do me. If I want to buy something, buy it. If I want to go somewhere, I'm go somewhere. I'm not living my life based off of some fear because guess what? You know how many in the. In the graveyard sitting there mad as like, damn, I should have got this. Damn, I should have went here. Damn, I should have done this. We don't do enough. We don't live enough. We don't. We don't put more positive energy out enough. Because I'm saying to myself, damn, I gotta. I got a lot of. To make up on. Because I know, you know, when I see God, I don't want it to be like, didn't I tell you? You understand? Because God get funky for people, you know, I mean, I'm. I don't want to be the one. Like, you had plenty of time, right? You know, where you got to go. I mean, so it's like at the end of the day, I just try to put the best energy possible out there to our people to let them know, listen, man, we ain't got time. We ain't gonna be here forever. Love each other, do what you got to do and keep it moving. But one day you got to get the fuck up out of here.
Wallow
What led to Ayanna Von Zant writing the forward for this book? How'd that happen?
Charlamagne Tha God
The craziest thing in the world. So she hit me one day in the dm. I almost passed out. And this is why. Acts of Faith, what we call the purple book in jail, that was like a joint that everybody carry around in their bike pocket. They be writing little love notes out of City Girl and all. Like it was a powerful everyday messaging book. So I had the purple book most of my bit. So I'm like, when she DM me, baby, I'm like, what the. I'm like, this gotta be. Because I'm the dude that's different and I'm not no dude. To think I'm, I'm a regular person in my world. So I don't think I'm this person. I'm starstruck when I see people, that's important in my life. If I see certain rappers, I'm starstruck. Gil got mad at me because it was six in the morning and I seen Big Daddy King in the airport and I draw attention on him. He said, why are you doing that dumb. Because Kane and Kane didn't want to really be bothered. I know he didn't, but that King use a legend. I gotta announce Chuck D. I seen him at the joint. You know what's happening, you know what's crazy? I'm gonna tell you some deep shit. This how I knew I was a hip hop historian and I was a major part of hip hop. I was at Leo Corn party and he was giving him award City of Hope, I think in la. And Chuck D looked over at me, he said, I said, I made it. Chuck D. Yeah. You understand this? Chuck D looked at me and gave me the joint light. And in my mind he told me, fight the power. Like he knew it. But he didn't say that. Chuck didn't say that, right? Chuck didn't say that. Chuck didn't say that. But this is, this is the thing that's crazy. Chuck didn't say that. But I felt like that. And he didn't follow me on Instagram. You know, I'm not petty about that.
Wallow
You didn't get a chance to speak to him?
Charlamagne Tha God
No, we, we dabbed it up. But I, I, I was, I was, I was ready to pass out because it's Chuck D. So I couldn't get myself together. He was like going to a Michael Jackson concert. I was ready Paul pass out, but I didn't want to. So Chuck D, I was like, damn, this dude's a legend. I'm beefing with DJ Premier because DJ premiere for him to be a legend. He followed Gilly and he wasn't following me. So I'm real petty about that. I'm like, gil don't know nothing about rapping. I do. You know, Guru was like uncle to me. So me and him beefing. But like, I love hip hop so much. But what I'm saying is that I'm not going to see no legend. And don't. And don't freak out. I'm going crazy because Chuck D, you was a soundtrack to my. To the struggles that took place in America. And yo, and we didn't handle food. We had Public Enemy and that helped us do the course. So. So when she hit me, I almost passed out. I'm laying down. I'm like, oh, my God, Ayanna Van Zander, she just DM me, you know, I mean, this is like your spiritual mother. So I hit her back. But. So what happened is I asked her, I mean, I had told Charles. I was like, yo, man, I said, charles, man. He said, man, ask her, man. You need to forward ax. I said, bet, I'mma ask her. And I hit her up. She brought. She let me come to her house, made me a meal, and food was delicious.
Wallow
Come on.
Charlamagne Tha God
I didn't want to be greedy. Right? You know what I mean? But I was like, damn. I didn't want to ask for another plate, but it was. It was like these shrimps. It was just. The sauce is right. It was just. It was spectacular. And I wanted to make a doggy bag, but I didn't think that was appropriate. But whatever. But she bring me down to the house. I'm down there. She showed me so much love. Shout out to Zakiya too, her manager. That do stink. But like, and she showed me so much love, man. And she. And she read me. She read me the forward right then and there. And then. And then I hit her up. And when I hit her up to do for the audio, she just done it that day.
Wallow
Wow.
Charlamagne Tha God
And I'm talking about like. And it was based off of love and how she see me for us. And it was everything, you know?
Wallow
One thing I want you to talk about before we leave. You said. You said the feeling of not being punished for doing something you knew was wrong was Equivalent to your first orgasm. How long did it take for you to actually feel guilt when you. When you did something wrong?
Charlamagne Tha God
Man, it took me a while. Because you're young and you just don't know. So it take you a while. And then when it hit, you just be like, damn, I did some crazy shit, you know? But it was a while. It was just the thirst. It was just. I don't know. I think I was just part of stealing the American dream. I was doing my thing because I wanted to be, you understand? I'm looking at these movies, man. I'm looking at Ray Leola and Goodfellas. You know the part where he burning the cars up, he throwing the joint? He said, by the time I was 14, I was making more money than. Than the grownups around my neighborhood. I'm like, damn, I wanted to be that. I wanted some money because we gonna be happy. I always tell people this. When that guy in the 80s pull up with that Benz, Envy. Know what I'm talking about? He got the Benz in the 80s. He got that gold chain on. He got that fela sweatsuit on with them felas. He got them rings on them nugget rings and all that shit. And he pull up to a neighborhood. He's pulling up to our black communities to deal with the most beautifulest girl in our neighborhood. And when he pull up to get her, as he opening the car door and she get in the car door, you know who's speaking to him? Ms. Johnson, Ms. Brown, Ms. Green. They go, hey, baby. But at the same time, you seeing Mr. John come back from work. He's a plumber, all dirty. Ain't nobody speaking to him. I'm sitting on the step watching all this take place. So I said, damn, I got to be a part of this. In the black community, the women dictate who the man want to grow up to be based off of who they date.
Wallow
That's real.
Charlamagne Tha God
So I'm looking at it like I'm only seeing these girls, they dealers and dudes that got nice cars. I got to get me some nice cars to get me some ass. Oh, I gotta get some. I gotta get some, Jury. I gotta get some. I gotta get fly. That's what it was about.
Wallow
And the way you saw to get Fly.
Charlamagne Tha God
That's the only people I see, the respect. They only respected the criminals in the game. Yeah, the America. Listen.
Wallow
Money and violence.
Charlamagne Tha God
Listen, do you go ask any judges, lawyers, prosecutors and all that? What's your favorite movies? Godfathers. What's your favorite series? The Sopranos, everything gonna be. They love the successful criminal. So I grew up to try to be that. But as I grew older, I took responsibility to say, oh, yeah, I'm on some dumb shit I did wrong. You never heard me say it was. No, I wasn't in jail for some that magically did because of the white man. I was in jail because I wanted to get busy, and I did what I did, you know.
Jess Hilarious
Oh. To your point about women shaping everything, you talk a lot about black women and Latino women and how you staff your team with women. Can you talk, like, why that's important and how that's helped you along your journey as you, like, build.
Charlamagne Tha God
Shout out to my manager, business partner, Desiree Avi. Shout out to Amarillo. Shout out to Shayam Lawson, my attorney. These women. Let me explain something to you about these women. They get done.
Wallow
That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
They not playing games at all. They. They know it's not. They don't. I don't know what it is about. No. That get them going crazy. They lose their mind about. No. I'll be like, damn, what happened? Somebody told me no today. What. What's going on? Don't worry about it. Mind your business. I'll get to the bottom. I'll tell you when I get it done. They move in different. They move different, man. They move different. And you know what? You know what's going on. I just want to say this. A lot of these companies in America, they be playing games, and a lot of times, people don't see them because they be in the shadows. But when it comes to our culture, black women run that.
Wallow
Absolutely.
Charlamagne Tha God
I'm talking about from. Not just from the consumer side, not just from the. The. The marketing side, but from the. The boardrooms, the sisters. I went to the boardroom of rich claiming company with sisters running that. Sisters running everywhere. That's right. Like, I don't think you're gonna get something off. You ain't got no sisters in that. In that fold.
Wallow
Every single entity, I got a black woman run.
Charlamagne Tha God
Shout out to all this. Dolly. Dolly's a monster. She's no joke.
Wallow
Nicole.
Charlamagne Tha God
Shout out to all the sisters out there that's doing it. Going up against all the bullshit, all the racism in these companies. Y'all going to hr. HR is playing games with y'all. They. They trying to weed y'all out. Because soon as a sister get up and she stand up for herself. Oh, she's being. Everybody play victim. Soon as this is. Speak up for herself after they see all the dumb. These People being these corporations, throwing all these rocks, doing all this stupid. As soon as the sisters say, oh, I'm not going for that. Oh, my God, she's being aggressive. Oh, my God, I'm scared. Lock the door. Get that. That's cat. Stop that victim. Because the sister stepped up for herself. One thing about a black woman, I don't care who, she's not dealing with. No. A sister of color, Latino, black, they not dealing with that. That's right. Why you think we scared of them?
Wallow
That's right.
Charlamagne Tha God
You know what I mean? Stop that dumb.
Wallow
And salute to salute to Rocky, too.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah. Yo, hold. First of all, first of all, let me get shout outs to Raquel.
DJ Envy
Your ass, boy. I didn't see flights. I'm like, where you go, Rocky? I'm going to see Wild wherever W.
Charlamagne Tha God
Shout out to Rocky. Listen, but Raquel, her professional name, Raquel Dus for, you know, us getting this done. Great writer, did a thing. Shout out to everybody, man. My, my, my. Oh, yeah. Shout out to Jonathan Minion for the COVID Shout out to Simon and shoes at 138 Charles shooting everybody for making it happen. Yeah. No, Jonathan Mania did all the legendary hip hop joints. He did all the legends. He did Jay Z, she did anything. But I just want to shout out to everybody out there that's doing anything. And I need to say this to you. I don't care if you got a wood I stand. You got a T shirt company, you got a putting the tape out music, you're doing art. You won. Yes. Away from your world changing. Stop looking on Instagram and thinking everybody's beating you and you running late. You ain't enough. And I want to say something to the sisters out there. You are enough. Don't never let nobody finesse you and tell you that. You got to be this and you got to have this. You got to wear this. You got to go here, you got to take. Live your life. Do you in every way possible. And to them young brothers out there, y'all kings, y'all ain't slaves. So what y'all gotta do is y'all gotta understand. Y'all the most fearless group of young men ever on the history of life. This generation right now. That's right, this generation of young black men out here is the most fearless black men ever. Y'all do not give a. Just imagine if y'all switch that up. Imagine what you could do when you go, when you say, you know what? I don't want to be a drug dealer. I want to be a businessman. I Don't want to be a killer. I want to be a healer. I want to be a giver. I'm saying it could change. And to my young brothers in the community, rap community, stay away from them drugs, man. And it's coming from a man that never did a drug a day in his life. I never did it because I had to watch my homies. I had to make sure they get home at night. And my homies smoke, you know, they. They didn't smoke pcp, did all that type of shit, you know, to snort a little coke, you know, did a little bit of. But I always watched and I said, that ain't for me. And I don't know who told you this. If you feel as though you're going through somebody, find somebody to talk to. Get a therapist, go to therapy, man. Get a therapist. Stop trying to self medicate yourself because you don't know what you're doing. And I'm gonna tell you something, brothers, when you hit a town, you young brothers, and I'm gonna be real with you. Everybody is trying their way to get some drugs to you. And you don't know if anybody. Drugs is drugs. I'm just being straight up. I don't know, you know, I mean, I'm just saying, you got all these people making fake this, fake this. You don't know what you're taking. And when you get that money, young brothers, stay out of. Don't stay off them handcuffs, man, please, please, man, don't disrespect your blessing. Because God ain't gonna keep blessing you, man. You think? Listen, God got to work with billions of people. You think God could just keep coming around blessing you? That's right. God ain't gonna keep blessing you. Take advantage of these blessings. Keep doing your thing. And just know, anytime you see don't stop me, I'm gonna say something to you. I'm gonna tell you what's going on. And a lot of y'all know I reach out. I DM y'all, I talk to y'all regularly, man. Just notice you kings, notice you queens. And know that the world is waiting for all of us. And we gonna make it. We gonna make it. We gonna, you know, listen, Armed with.
Wallow
Good intentions is out now, man. Everybody go pick this book up from Wallow. We gotta make this a New York Times bestseller. You see it today? Cause we gonna end this on Wednesday. Tonight we gonna be at Uncle Bobby's in Philadelphia. Me and my man Wallo having more conversations.
Charlamagne Tha God
We gonna be Uncle Bobby's Yes.
Wallow
About this book. Armed with good intentions.
Charlamagne Tha God
Make sure we get you. Stop. Yeah. My man Spy. Make sure to give you them cheese sticks. You like them taste cheese steaks.
Wallow
I had some joints up there when I was there last night.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah, you like. You was. You was hungry too, the way you ate them. Oh, no.
Wallow
Yeah. The spot they got like the salmon.
Charlamagne Tha God
Oh, yeah. Yes, yes.
Wallow
Taste. Salute to taste.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah. Cheesesteak going crazy.
Wallow
Nah, I like that type of stuff.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah, but you know and find. You find your way to support local businesses. That's right. Right.
Wallow
We gotta make Wallow a New York Times bestseller. I can't wait to see Wallow on.
Charlamagne Tha God
Tamarind and all that stuff. All that stuff. But hold up. We got to also we got to get. If you out there, if you have any hair coloring companies. DJ Envy is looking for a sponsor.
DJ Envy
Wallow, ladies and gentlemen.
Charlamagne Tha God
You like to dye his eyebrows and all that.
DJ Envy
Ladies and gentlemen, goodbye.
Charlamagne Tha God
Wallow.
DJ Envy
All my good intentions is out right now. Pick it up.
Charlamagne Tha God
It's shout out to Brown girls grinding Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.
Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club
Episode: Best Of Full Interview: Wallo267 Breaks Down His Prison Experience, Inspiring The Youth, His New Book + More
Release Date: January 1, 2025
In this compelling episode of The Breakfast Club, hosted by DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God, special guest Wallo267 dives deep into his transformative journey from the streets to a transformative prison experience. With Jess Hilarious temporarily on maternity leave and Lauren stepping in, the conversation centers around Wallo267's 20-year incarceration, his inspiring new book, and his mission to uplift the youth.
Wallow267 opens up about his upbringing in Philadelphia's 19132 area code, highlighting the pervasive respect given to successful criminals over law-abiding individuals. He reflects, “The only people that got respect in my neighborhood was the successful criminals” (03:00), emphasizing the societal pressures that led him down a troubled path despite his good intentions.
Charlamagne adds context to Wallow’s motivations, explaining how the glorification of criminal figures like Scarface and the Godfather overshadowed legitimate avenues for success. This environment pushed Wallow to seek quick financial gains, ultimately resulting in his repeated incarcerations.
During his 20 years in prison, Wallo267 underwent significant personal growth. He recounts, “I did mine. I was accountable for my. So, you know, and that helped me change and develop into what I become today” (03:40). Wallo267 focused on self-education and personal accountability, earning a reputation as one of the nicest inmates due to his understanding and acceptance of his circumstances.
He shares vivid anecdotes from prison life, including the intense dynamics in the penitentiary yard and the constant threats he faced: “It's the same thing in the ghetto. Ain't nobody never come and save nobody. Who saves who for real?” (05:47). These experiences fostered a deep sense of responsibility to support and inspire others in similar situations.
Wallow267 poignantly discusses the loss of his brother Steve, who was fatally shot and died in their grandmother’s arms. “He was my guy. But everybody, them people is personal, you know what I'm saying” (14:00). This personal tragedy fueled his commitment to breaking the cycle of violence and incarceration within his community.
Charlamagne emphasizes the importance of family support in Wallow’s journey, noting how his grandmother’s steadfastness and his Aunt Ruby’s unique influence were pivotal. Wallow expresses his gratitude: “I always try to remember my people that died that gave so much to me” (15:51).
Wallow267 introduces his new book, Armed With Good Intentions, which chronicles his life story and lessons learned from his time in prison. Charlamagne highlights the book’s significance, stating, “The book changed your life” (02:34). The book is dedicated to his family members and influential figures like Hip Hop, underscoring the personal and cultural foundations of his narrative.
A notable moment in the interview is when Wallow shares how Ayanna Van Zandt came to write the foreword for his book. He narrates their connection: “She showed me so much love... And she read me the forward right then and there” (38:05). This collaboration signifies the book’s authenticity and the support behind his mission to inspire change.
A central theme of the episode is Wallow267’s dedication to uplifting the youth and his community. He passionately urges young black men to pursue positive paths: “Imagine what you could do when you go, when you say, you know what? I don't want to be a drug dealer. I want to be a businessman” (42:19). Wallow emphasizes the power of self-belief and responsible decision-making, encouraging listeners to break free from destructive cycles.
He also addresses the broader societal issues affecting the black community, advocating for internal solidarity and mutual support: “We don't have to be doing the same thing. And just because we ain't doing the same though, even if we might be doing something that's similar, we ain't got to be mad at each other” (22:37).
Wallow267 sheds light on the crucial role of black women in business and community leadership. He commends his female colleagues and managers, stating, “They not playing games at all. They... I need to say something to the sisters out there. You are enough” (42:32). This acknowledgment highlights the strength and resilience of black women who drive cultural and economic progress, both within and outside the black community.
He extends his gratitude to women like his manager Desiree Avi and attorney Shayam Lawson, recognizing their unwavering support and dedication: “They don’t. I don't know what it is about... But when it comes to our culture, black women run that” (43:07).
As the interview wraps up, DJ Envy and Charlamagne work with Wallow267 to promote his book, Armed With Good Intentions. They emphasize its availability and the importance of making it a bestseller to spread his message of hope and transformation. Wallow encourages listeners to support local businesses and engage with his work: “Good intentions is out now, man. Everybody go pick this book up from Wallow” (47:28).
The episode concludes with a heartfelt endorsement of Wallow267’s mission to inspire change and uplift the black community, leaving listeners with a powerful message of resilience, accountability, and the pursuit of a better future.
This episode offers a profound exploration of Wallo267’s journey, providing valuable insights into the challenges of incarceration, the power of personal transformation, and the critical importance of community support. His story serves as a beacon of hope and a call to action for listeners to foster positive change within themselves and their communities.