The Breakfast Club BEST OF - Best Sellers of 2025 - Mel Robbins, Dawn Staley, Allen Iverson + More

Summary

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The Breakfast Club: BEST OF – Best Sellers of 2025

iHeartPodcasts | December 23, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Featured Guests: Mel Robbins, Dawn Staley, Allen Iverson

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Episode Overview

This special “Best Of” year-end episode of The Breakfast Club shines a light on bestselling authors of 2025, focusing on deeply personal and motivational interviews with Mel Robbins (“The Let Them Theory”), Dawn Staley (“Uncommon Favor”), and Allen Iverson (“Misunderstood”). The hosts and guests discuss the journeys behind their bestselling works, the transformation through adversity, and cultural moments that shaped their lives and careers. The tone is candid, humorous, and often poignant, offering listeners inspiration, life lessons, and a glimpse behind the personas of icons.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caller Segment: “Get It Off Your Chest” (03:10–11:15)

• Callers discuss everything from family drama (cheating cousins and pregnancy—05:27), self-forgiveness around family issues (domestic violence revelations—06:41), workplace observations, and gratitude for the supportive community The Breakfast Club provides (10:26).
• Notable Quotes:
  • “I love the Breakfast Club as a staff record label and as a crew.” (05:05)
  • “The Breakfast Club is America's front porch. You can sit, sit on our front porch any morning.” – Charlamagne (11:05)

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2. Interview: Mel Robbins on “The Let Them Theory” (11:15–39:55)

The Road to Success & Patience

• Mel attributes success to 15 years of steady, repetitive work, emphasizing the importance of patience, daily effort, and persisting through times when results are invisible.
  • “You can be successful…you have to get up out of bed every single day and put one foot in front of the other. You gotta be willing to do the things you don’t feel like doing in the dark when nobody’s watching.” (11:55)

Purpose Over Outcome

• Consistency is more important than “natural” talent; chasing your calling may not be about the goal itself, but the lessons learned (15:00–16:33).

"Let Them Theory" Explained

• The book centers on releasing the need to control others and reclaiming energy by letting people be themselves.

  • “Your power is in your response; it’s not what’s happening out there, it’s how you respond.” (16:50, 18:48)

• The theory is summed up as: when frustrated by others, let them act; stop expending emotional energy on managing them. “Let them is a boundary that you draw…” (24:30)

Managing Own Stress and Reputation

• Robbins shares her journey overcoming stress, people-pleasing, and realizing she spent years living life for others’ approval.
• Practical advice for reputational attacks: “It is better to show than to tell. You prove the truth based on how you show up in life, not based on the words that come out of your mouth.” (26:36)

Vulnerability, Self-Compassion, and Impact

• Mel discusses childhood trauma, self-criticism, and learning to change for her daughters and herself: “How you treat yourself, your kids absorb.” (36:54)

• Emphasis on paying forward what she’s learned, sharing listener testimonials.

• Notable Quotes:

  • "If you've ever been happy in your life, you can be happy again. If you've ever been proud of yourself, you can be proud of yourself again." (39:25)
  • “I truly believe that I was being held for this moment.” – Mel Robbins (14:19)
  • “Let them think what they want to think, and live your life in a way that makes you proud.” (22:54)

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3. Interview: Dawn Staley on “Uncommon Favor” (40:06–66:37)

Authorship & Relatability

• Dawn reflects on the process of writing her book, underscoring the universality of her story from the projects of North Philly to coaching.
• Book touches on themes of overcoming adversity, embracing emotions, celebrating every milestone, and the importance of habits.

Lessons from the Projects

• “Growing up in the projects was the best decision my parents made. It gave me the scars I needed, the chinks in the armor I needed to succeed.“ (43:43)

Handling Criticism & Leadership

• Staley admits to needing conflict and critics to fuel her development (44:55–46:49). Discusses how adversity molds her (“I want [my players] to hurt. I want them to be uncomfortable.” – 46:57).
• On coaching: “I’m glad that coaching found me. … I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. When you’re able to live out your passion, it’s the most beautiful, liberating, and incredible experience.” (48:04)
• Recounts her bond and tough love with star player A’ja Wilson (“When someone...believes in you like they really do... that’s reciprocated. Cause I believed her.” – 51:00)

Family, Habits, and Letting Go

• Grapples with her father’s tough choices, appreciating them in hindsight.
• Openly addresses the realities of player transfer and change—re Malaysia Faweille: “I only want our players happy, whether that’s with us or somewhere else.” (57:48, 61:28)

The WNBA and Media Narratives

• Dawn advocates for the women’s game and calls for more comprehensive appreciation beyond single-player narratives, referencing Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese (62:28–63:53).

• Notable Quotes:

  • “All of these lessons relate to everything you want to accomplish in life. I’m not just saying that to pump the book…” (43:23)
  • “I’m waiting for a critic. I need conflict.” (44:55)

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4. Donkey of the Day: Online Argument Turns Violent (66:41–74:32)

• Charlamagne delivers “Donkey of the Day” to Edward Kang, who traveled from New Jersey to Florida and attacked a man with a hammer over an online dispute (66:57).

  • Commentary on online accountability: “This is a prime example of why you have to learn from the mistakes of others… You have to talk to people online the way you do in the real world.” (69:08–71:00)
  • “You should not be able to talk reckless from the comfort of your own home and not get approached about it.” (67:44)

• The segment ends with classic Breakfast Club humor during “Guess What Race He Is?” (72:00–74:32).

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5. Interview: Allen Iverson on “Misunderstood” (74:43–104:29)

Loyalty, Friendship, and Financial Lessons

• Iverson gives a raw account of navigating fame, loyalty, and betrayal among friends and family (“It’s rough, man. Navigating through that…” – 75:05).

  • “You tell someone, you want to find out if somebody your friend, you tell them no once… And their reaction would say it all.” (77:56)

• Candid about supporting those who supported him, but eventually learning to set boundaries after pain and disappointment.

Authenticity and Influence

• “I always felt that I was rich when I was poor… Once I got some money, it was no different for me.” (76:13)
• Discusses the profound cultural impact he had on basketball and style, often facing backlash for not fitting NBA expectations, especially with the infamous dress code and “thug” label.
  • “You want me, but you, you want some of me. I took the ass whooping for it.” (89:51)

Personal Growth and Vulnerability

• Opens up about alcoholism, personal struggles, and the end-and-renewal of his relationship with his wife:

  • “I was taking her love for me for granted...I know in my heart and in my mind that I can’t live without her.” (99:51)
  • On sobriety: “All the stuff that I used to not pay attention to, I’m paying attention to it now.” (101:14)
  • “I’m the smartest man in the world because I know I’m not.” (102:16)

• Reframes his story as a gift to help others: “If one kid or adult... read this book and they can take something from it... you might save somebody’s life.” (94:33)

• Leaves listeners with inspiration: “It’s all right to be you… Things are going to happen in your life and it’s gonna be tough. That’s when you’ll lean on number one... God.” (103:30)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Mel Robbins:
  • “You can achieve anything you want. You just have to be patient. You have to get up out of bed every single day and put one foot in front of the other.” (11:55)
  • “Let them. That's how you use it. Let them. And you’re gonna immediately feel peaceful.” (19:12)
• Dawn Staley:
  • “Growing up in the projects was the best decision my parents made. It gave me the scars I needed, the chinks in the armor I needed to succeed.” (43:43)
  • “I’m glad somebody saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I didn’t see coaching.” (48:04)
• Allen Iverson:
  • “The hurtful part is the response of actually saying no. … You still got the little small...the snakes might be gone, but some worms in there.” (84:16)
  • "If one kid or one adult...they can take something from [my story]... you might save somebody's life." (94:33)
  • "It’s all right to be you. … All I want is for people to get out of it, man. It’s all right to be you.” (103:30)
• Charlamagne:
  • "The Breakfast Club is America's front porch. You can sit, sit on our front porch any morning." (11:05)

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Timestamps: Major Segments

| Segment/Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|----------------| | Get it Off Your Chest – Callers | 03:10–11:15 | | Mel Robbins: Let Them Theory & Interview | 11:15–39:55 | | Dawn Staley: Uncommon Favor & Interview | 40:06–66:37 | | Donkey of the Day – Edward Kang | 66:41–74:32 | | Allen Iverson: Misunderstood & Interview | 74:43–104:29 |

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Summary

This “Best Of” episode captures powerful, deeply human conversations that transcend hustle culture, focusing on family, adversity, mental health, boundaries, authenticity, and perseverance. Through the lived experiences of Mel Robbins, Dawn Staley, Allen Iverson, and the always-lively hosts, listeners gain real-world wisdom — whether it’s learning to “let them” as Robbins advises, seeing struggle as the seed of success in Staley’s story, or embracing your truest self against all odds as Iverson demonstrates.

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For anyone who missed the show:
Expect laughs, wisdom, unfiltered honesty, and plenty of gems to carry into the new year.

Transcript

[DJ Envy]

This is an Iheart podcast.

[Angela Rye]

Guaranteed human peace of the planet.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Charlamagne tha God here and the end of the year is the time to set the foundation for next year. New ideas, new product drops, new goals. And when I'm building anything meaningful, I need the right tools. That's why I always tell folks, especially black entrepreneurs and small black owned businesses, Shopify is the move. We use it at the Black Effect Podcast Network. And I've seen firsthand how it helps creators and business owners grow with confidence. Okay, Shopify is like having a whole team behind you. You, your chief of staff, your personal assistant, your co founder, all in one platform. Wherever your people are, Shopify makes sure your business can meet them where they're at. So if you're ready to take the next step in your life, whether it's merch products or anything in between, get on shopify.com ben and make it happen. It is time to stop putting off your future and start your new role as your own boss.

[DJ Envy]

Today, the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. A season filled with family dinners, laughter and holiday shopping. But even in the middle of all of that joy, everyone needs a moment to slow down. The little pause between the music, the memories and the madness. And nothing makes that break better than an ice cold Coca Cola. It's that quick refresh that turns the holiday rush into calm, making the moment feel just right. It's the breath between the laughter and the late night rapping sessions. Because the best part of the holidays isn't having it all together, it's enjoying it while it's happening. Enjoy your Coca Cola refresh your holidays.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Angela Rye]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job.

[Mel Robbins]

Interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Angela Rye]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Mel Robbins]

Someone will be eliminated.

[DJ Envy]

Pressure is coming down.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Trailer Games on Prime Video January 8th watch the trailer trainergames.com this is Sophie.

[Angela Rye]

Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or osa, in adults with obesity. They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snore loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your.

[Mel Robbins]

Airway partially or completely collapses during sleep.

[Angela Rye]

Which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at. Don't sleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly A Medicine company.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Wake you up.

[DJ Envy]

Wake that ass up.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Program your alarm to power 105.1 on iHeartradio.

[Allen Iverson]

I like what y' all are doing.

[DJ Envy]

Because you're authentic and it has impact, you know?

[Angela Rye]

And people hold on to some of these gems.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Hey, bro, I'm on Breakfast Club.

[Angela Rye]

I'm feeling like I've made it right now.

[DJ Envy]

I love you guys. You guys are fantastic.

[Charlamagne tha God]

People watch the Breakfast Club for news.

[Allen Iverson]

And really be tuned in. Your interviews are quite challenging. Yeah, somebody got to do it. It's like, I watch y' all show in the morning.

[DJ Envy]

Like, you guys are the voices of the morning.

[Allen Iverson]

Dj Envy. Just hilarious.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Charlemagne, the God.

[Allen Iverson]

Everyone just kept telling me to prep for this. It's getting crazy scary and scary.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Spooky, hilarious.

[Allen Iverson]

Crazy scary.

[Angela Rye]

Spooky hilarious.

[Allen Iverson]

This is your time to get it off your chat.

[DJ Envy]

800-585-1051. We want to hear from you on the Breakfast Club. Hello? Who's this?

[Caller]

Yo, good morning, Charlamagne. DJ Envy. Me day.

[DJ Envy]

Me day.

[Charlamagne tha God]

What's up?

[DJ Envy]

Peace.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Me day.

[DJ Envy]

Get it off your chest, brother.

[Caller]

Hey, Charlamagne, I got to talk to you for a little bit.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes, sir.

[Caller]

Why you had to get felt up by Asian dudes at the nail salon?

[DJ Envy]

He likes it, too. You see, we went back.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Listen, all I said was that when I'm in there sometimes getting the manicure, one of the guys that work there, he'll come up behind you and give you a little shoulder rub. And, you know, it was cool.

[DJ Envy]

He liked it.

[Caller]

He get into it, and it's fine. But the weird thing was that you was like, oh, I don't want Envy to show up. So he don't see it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

No, what happened was gonna catch you slipping. No, what happened was last time I was in there, Envy's wife and his daughter was in there. And then I saw Homie lurking, and I was like, man, don't come rub my shoulders right now. Cause I didn't want them to go back and tell Envy because I know they would have made it weird.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah, yeah, go ahead.

[Caller]

Keep telling yourself that, man. Hey, I love the Breakfast Club as a staff record label and as a crew.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But you know what? That's crazy, though.

[Allen Iverson]

Why?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Like, like, football players, basketball players got male therapists, physical trainers that rub them down all day. I tell one story about an Asian man giving me a shoulder rub, and now you know I'm questionable.

[DJ Envy]

You always been questionable, so that's not the thing. You've always been questionable. It's not like one time you've been questionable.

[Caller]

Hello?

[DJ Envy]

Who's this?

[Mel Robbins]

Sh.

[Angela Rye]

Hey.

[DJ Envy]

Hey, Shay. What up, doe? Get it off your chest, Mama.

[Angela Rye]

Good morning. Yeah, I just wanted to let my family know that I'm not mad at y' all for not telling me that.

[DJ Envy]

My cousin has been sleeping with my previous boyfriend's friends.

[Angela Rye]

They're about five years since we've been together, but she claimed she didn't know that that was him or whatever. She was around. He was around, but she said she didn't know that was him. However, I just want to let them know I'm not mad at them. They claim. I mean, they act funny, like I should be the one that's upset, but they upset. But I'm like, okay, I'm not mad.

[DJ Envy]

At y' all like this.

[Angela Rye]

Whatever. So I just want to let my cousin know I'm not mad at you. Girl, go ahead.

[DJ Envy]

And she allegedly pregnant by himself.

[Allen Iverson]

Damn.

[Angela Rye]

Do your thing, girl.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You got a new man.

[DJ Envy]

You should come with your new man.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You got a new man.

[Angela Rye]

I got about three, four of them. That ain't the problem.

[Allen Iverson]

Talk that to him.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Said she wasn't.

[Angela Rye]

She got four of them.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's not a flex. Ma don't walk in with all of them, though. That's not a flex. Okay, but you know what?

[Angela Rye]

It look like you. It seems like you dodged the bullet, though, so that's what's up, yo. Definitely. But I just want to let her.

[DJ Envy]

Know I'm not mad at you, Girl, Go ahead.

[Angela Rye]

Do your thing.

[Charlamagne tha God]

All right, now that's how you get BV, too. I just want you to know that.

[Allen Iverson]

Thank you.

[Angela Rye]

Five years.

[DJ Envy]

Do your thing.

[Caller]

Wow.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Three or four men, and.

[DJ Envy]

You ain't.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Gonna know where the chlamydia came from.

[DJ Envy]

Hello. Who's this man?

[Caller]

My name Junior.

[DJ Envy]

Get it off your chest.

[Charlamagne tha God]

What's up, Junior?

[Caller]

What's going on? Charlamagne, DJ Envy. I don't know if Death or there or not. Hey, man, I be busy a lot. I be busy a lot, doing a lot of different things. Throughout my years and stuff, doing stuff for the community and all that stuff. And I'm the only brother of two sisters, so I just. My sister, I had an idea, a few different things, but she just put out a book and I just read a book. I just read a book and I just read a book and just seen how all the domestic violence that she went through, you know what I mean? And I found out all this stuff by reading her book. So I want to get this off my chest to apologize to my sister for not being the big brother. And then I already know that she already, you know. You know, like how they be trying to hold it back from their brother. Yeah, stuff like that, you know, But I ain't know it was. It was to this extinct.

[Allen Iverson]

I knew.

[Caller]

I knew a lot of things, but, man, but like I said, I be like, be doing a lot of stuff, man, and really wasn't paying attention, man. And I just want to, like, apologize. Took my little sister, man, Jackie Goosebie, man. She out there. You know what I'm saying? She listening, man.

[Angela Rye]

She.

[Caller]

She just put a book out there. If anybody want to check it out, they call. To make my pen cry.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's hard. Did she tell you that she was getting abused?

[Caller]

I'm sorry. Relearning. I'm sorry. Relearning to make my pen cry.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Relearning to make my pin cry. Did she tell you she was getting abused when she was getting abused?

[Caller]

Say that again.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Did she tell you she was getting abused when she was getting abused?

[Caller]

No, man, I knew regular relationship stuff.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah.

[Caller]

You know what I'm saying? But the name, it ain't.

[Angela Rye]

It ain't.

[Caller]

It ain't go that deep, you know, she ain't go that deep. And then when I talked to her, when I. When I just talking to her, man, she was telling me that, you know what I'm saying? You don't want to keep us out of something, you know, I don't been. I don't been through trouble and all that stuff, you know what I'm saying?

[Mel Robbins]

So.

[Caller]

But at the end of the day, man, I want to apologize my sister, man. Chimney learned that, man. I learned a lot of that stuff in that book, man. And they got me feeling. It got me really feeling bad, know.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Don't beat yourself up too bad because it's not like you knew what was going on and ignored it.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, that's right.

[Caller]

Yeah. Yeah, man.

[Charlamagne tha God]

All right, my brother.

[Caller]

If I can get anybody up to encourage. Not encourage anybody, you know what I'm saying? They is out there. I mean, take a list. Look, read to it, man. I appreciate it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes, sir, brother. Appreciate you, man.

[Angela Rye]

Absolutely.

[DJ 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.

[Mel Robbins]

I'm D. Hey, what you doing, man?

[Angela Rye]

I'm D. I'm calling you.

[Allen Iverson]

This is your time to get it off your chest. Welcome whether you're mad or blessed.

[DJ Envy]

800-585-1051.

[Allen Iverson]

We want to hear from you on the Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

Hello?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Who's this?

[Caller]

Good morning.

[Allen Iverson]

Good morning.

[Caller]

I'm gonna remain anonymous.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I don't know why y' all do this on the radio, bro. We can't see you. You can. You can say, my name is.

[Caller]

My name is Carl.

[DJ Envy]

What's up, Carl? Get it off your chest, brother.

[Caller]

Yeah, yeah. Hey, look, man, I'm down here in Charlotte. I wanted to talk about these ice rays and stuff, man. So I work in construction, right. And it's crazy, you know, it's majority ran by Republican construction industry. Right. So you got a lot of white guys stuff that are running this, man. You should see how. How much of a panic they. And because nobody's showing up on these job sites, bro.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I can imagine. That's why. I don't even know who the hell he got working on his ballroom.

[Caller]

Right, right. So, like, like, you talking, like, full trade. So I was on a job yesterday, and he's got Steel Erectus scheduled to come in to start putting up steel, like the actual structure.

[Mel Robbins]

But the whole.

[Caller]

The whole team of still erectus called out or didn't show up, you know what I mean? And now they all in a panic, and I'm like, y' all voted for this, man. Hello?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Who's this?

[Caller]

Hey, what's going on, Jay?

[Charlamagne tha God]

What up?

[DJ Envy]

Get it off your chest, Jay, man, look, I just.

[Caller]

I just want to get a Breakfast Club, a shout out, man. You guys really have been there multiple times, you know, from. From the election to the scandals, for the drama. And you guys have just kept us just in the zone with your entertainment, your humor, you know, your adverse thinking. You know, everybody has a collective, and I just think that's huge. And it's important, especially for our mental health. And some people, some of us don't even have anywhere to turn to to talk about our feelings or how we feel. And it's just good to have that outlet, you know?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Thank you, black man.

[Caller]

I appreciate you.

[DJ Envy]

We appreciate you.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We appreciate y', all, man. Thank you.

[Caller]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Breakfast Club is America's front porch. You come sit, sit on our front porch any morning.

[DJ Envy]

Get it off your chest. 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, call us up right now. It's the Breakfast Club.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Good morning.

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. Is DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the breakfast club. Laura LaRosa is here as well. And we got a special guest in the building. Ladies and gentlemen, Mel Robbins. Welcome.

[Mel Robbins]

Hey, it's good to see you.

[DJ Envy]

How you feeling?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Morning.

[Mel Robbins]

I feel great. How are you doing?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Blessed, black and highly favored. This is your first time in this studio. You were here in 2021 when you had the high five theory.

[Mel Robbins]

Yes, yes.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But now, millions of books later, number one podcast in the world right now.

[DJ Envy]

A round of applause.

[Mel Robbins]

Six year old woman.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know, man, they really feel like you've truly arrived. What do you, what do you, what do you think? You know, the success, what's made all this new success happen?

[Mel Robbins]

Well, you know, it's not new success. Like, what you're seeing is the result of 15 years of just boring, grueling daily reps. Like, that's what nobody, like, wants to understand, is that you can be successful. You can achieve anything you want. You just have to be patient. You have to get up out of bed every single day and put one foot in front of the other. You got to be willing to do the things you don't feel like doing in the dark when nobody's watching. And when you think that it's not going to happen for you, that is what it's about. It's about just consistent small moves, being patient. I mean, there were so many times where I was just like, am I ever going to get out of debt?

[Angela Rye]

Wow.

[Mel Robbins]

Is anyone ever going to notice? Like, am I ever going to get invited to the Breakfast Club? Like one of the. Like, when is somebody going to notice?

[DJ Envy]

I'm sure this wasn't your spot that you wanted.

[Mel Robbins]

Well, no, but seriously, like, you kind of sit there because, I mean, every one of us have had those moments. Whether you're putting out music or you're starting a YouTube channel, or you started a business. And it's so easy to look around at what everybody else is doing and think that you're losing some race in life. The real game is with yourself. Can you keep going? Can you say to yourself, and this is kind of how I would keep myself going in those moments? I would say, I refuse to believe that this is how the story ends. I believe that at some point all of this work is going to pay off. I don't have to know how. I have to believe that it will. And if it hasn't yet, it's not meant to yet. There's some lesson, there's something I'm being held for that I don't know what it is. But if I choose to believe in this moment that things are going to get better, that things are going to turn out for me, that all this hard work is going to pay off, that trying to be a better person is going to pay off, at some point I will look back on my life and say, oh, that's why it didn't happen then. Oh, that's why it took longer. Oh, that's why either you weren't ready or God, the universe was holding you for a different moment. And so, you know, a lot of people ask me, what is this moment about? I think it's about 15 years of ridiculously hard work becoming a better person. I think it's about 15 years of just chipping away at getting out of debt and doing better in my marriage and being a better mother and getting control of my emotions and my mental health, chipping away at building a business. And I truly believe that I was being held for this moment. Like this 1000% is my legacy.

[DJ Envy]

Well, let me ask you a question, Mel. You talk about the reps?

[Mel Robbins]

Yep.

[DJ Envy]

For you it worked out and successful and great. What about that person that is just not good, right? That rapper that is not good. Like he's trying that podcast person that is doing a podcast that is just not good. Like, and everybody thinks they're good, good to anybody.

[Mel Robbins]

Well, I don't, I see, I don't believe that.

[DJ Envy]

And, but when do you stop because you're a 60 year old rapper, like, you know, I mean, or maybe why.

[Mel Robbins]

Can'T there be a 91, 90 year old one? See, maybe what the rapping is for is maybe it's not about rapping. Maybe there is something that you're doing when you are rapping and nobody's coming that is teaching you a lesson about patience. Maybe what it's doing is teaching you to believe in yourself when nobody else does. And every time that you show up and nobody's there, every time you post a video on your YouTube channel that only your uncle and your son are subscribed to, every time you post, you're basically saying, you know what? Screw the world. I believe in myself. I'm doing this for myself. And so for me, when you give the example of like the person who's A rapper is just terrible. Just, there's lots of people out there doing stuff. They're just terrible. What I love is that they felt called to do something. I don't care if they felt called to do it because they wanted to make more money. I mean, hell, I was working five, six jobs back, you know, 15 years ago when we were $800,000 in debt because I needed groceries on the table, I needed gas in the tank. And so motivation to be safe and to make money or because of your ambition, that's a beautiful thing. But at some point you're going to go, I'm not that good at this. But I believe, and this is what I think is super cool about life. Absolutely every experience that you have in life is leading you somewhere and teaching you something. And I'm going to. One of the reasons why I share so much about what I've learned and the mistakes that I've made. I'm like the villain in every book is because I'm stubborn. Like, it takes a sledgehammer from the universe for me to wake the hell up and stop doing something. Like, I literally get so into my groove, whether it's drinking too much or taking my stress out on my kids or being a jealous, insecure friend, that things have to backfire for me to wake up and go, well, guess I better try something different.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I want to just set it up. About the book, man. There are some books that I believe are must reads in life. The Lectern Theory by Mel Robbins has been added to that must read. My wife got it for me a few weeks ago. And the book is just essentially about how you have to. How you have to stop wasting your life on things that you can't control. When did you get to that revelation?

[Mel Robbins]

Oh, my God, it was 54. I am a slow learner, you know, and the funny thing is, I'm married to the chillest dude on the planet. I mean, I'm married to a man who is not only Buddhist, he is a death doula. And, like, when you want to talk about, like, a person. Yeah, that can just sit in stillness. I'm like a tornado of emotion. And so I've always wanted to let things go. I've always wanted to not care what people think. I've never known how. And see, when you're stressed or you're easily offended like I used to be, or you have a lot going on, it is very hard to not get wrapped up in what other people are thinking and doing. It's very hard to not let what your kids are going through stress you out. And so, you know, I've been trying to do this forever. I mean, this is not a new idea. The Serenity prayer is the let them theory. In fact, you know, I sat down with Dr. Martin Luther King III and his wife Arundre, and they both said, we write about it in the let them theory. They both reflect on the fact that this concept that you have to give up control in order to gain control, that your power is in. Your response that this is part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy. Because your response is what dictates who you are. It's not what's happening out there, it's how you respond to it with your thoughts and your actions and how you process your own emotions. And so I did not know this until I was 54 years old. And, and you know, for me personally, the power of these two words, because let them. We've all said let them in our lives a bazillion times. I mean, there's a, There's a sermon circulating that's 20 years old. TD Jakes doing this let them sermon. So this is a concept that has been around since the beginning of time, and that's why this has resonated. I'm not teaching you something new. I'm reminding you of what you already know to be true. And I'm handing you this tool so you can snap out of this crap where we're constantly worked up about what other people are doing to take our power back.

[DJ Envy]

You, you talk about managing other people a lot. And I've never heard the term put like that, but you use it to basically talk about how we're, we're. So what you're talking about right now, we're worried about other people, but also too, I think it's expectations of other people that we're trying to. We're making decisions based around that a lot. When did you realize the. This whole scale of like managing other people and learning when to clock out of that job of trying to do that?

[Mel Robbins]

Well, so what is going to happen is this. So when you start using the let them theory, and it's so easy to use the next time you're stressed out or annoyed or frustrated, and it's always with other people, just say, let them. That's how you use it. Let them. And you're gonna immediately feel peaceful. Your mom's in a bad mood, let her be in a bad mood. Some old friend of yours is talking let them talk trash. Why you're not allowing it when you say let them, you are reminding yourself, there's one thing in life I can't control. It's what other people say, do believe, feel, and it's not my job, too. So when you start saying let them, and you detach yourself from the responsibility of having to manage somebody else, something interesting happens. You realize, oh, my God, I've lived my life in reverse. I actually live my life giving time and energy, trying to manage what other people think. I have kept myself in a major or in a relationship or in a situation because I'm afraid to disappoint my parents or my friends? I mean, how many people keep drinking or, like, keep going out at night when what they really want to do is launch a business? And so they don't take the weekends to work on the things that they want to work on because they feel like they don't want to disappoint their friends or people are going to talk about them. That's you giving power to other people. Like, another way that we give power to other people is we, you know, get so focused on the headlines that we gaslight ourselves into believing that you have no power. It's complete garbage. Course you have power. And so when you start saying let them, it's sort of this revelation where you're like, oh, my God, I spend so much time and energy worrying about other people. I spend so much time and energy letting them stress me out.

[DJ Envy]

But is there a level of, like, when that becomes easier versus harder? Because when you were just talking, I thought about Michelle Obama.

[Mel Robbins]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

In the podcast, one of the podcasts she did this week, she was talking about how she realized she was doing a lot for other people, not thinking about herself, and she started making decisions for herself. So she's going places she wants to go and do things she wants to go. People don't like that, and they think she's divorced because of it. Yeah. But it's like she's Michelle Obama, so it's hard for her to. Like, the noise is. So it's a lot louder for her.

[Mel Robbins]

Well, of course. But whether or not you pay attention to that is within your control. Whether or not you look at your phone and we're all guilty of it. Whether you are Michelle Obama or you're just going into your middle school, whether or not you give attention to the gossip, you look for the gossip, you mainline it, that is within your control. If you say, I can never, ever, ever stop somebody from lying about me, from making up stuff about me, from, you know, saying whatever they're going to say, so why on earth would I spend any time and energy managing it?

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's right.

[Mel Robbins]

And then you go, let me. This is the second part of the theory. Once you say, let them, let them think negative thoughts. Let them make up all kinds of crap. Because if you know you're not getting divorced, what do you care about these idiots saying, let me remind myself that I know the truth. And when you know the truth about who you are, you don't think about other people. When you live your life in a way that makes you proud, you don't think about other people.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Mel, I tell them this all he told me.

[DJ Envy]

You told me to read her book. And I was like. And I already had the book because I think Eddie had given it to us a minute ago. I was like, oh, I got the book.

[Angela Rye]

And.

[Mel Robbins]

And furthermore, you got it. It will change your damn. I'm telling you, it will change your life because.

[DJ Envy]

But you have to get to that stage, right? It took me a while to get to that stage. It took you a while to get to that stage.

He think he was born that way. And I don't think that's true.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Nobody sociopath. So I've never truly cared, right? But then, even when I started to care, I realized things like the serenity prayer, little simple things that you saw sitting in your grandmother's house. You realize that is absolutely the truth. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. And the easiest way to let go of what you can't control is just realizing you never had control to begin with.

[Mel Robbins]

And here's another thing that's really important. That's why you're going to love it, is that what will start to happen when you say let them is it's not that you're allowing people to do bad things. They're already doing bad things. You're recognizing that it's not your job to manage other people because this is a book that's about power and control and peace. Then you say, let me remind myself how I respond to things actually is where my power is. So do I give this any time and energy or not? Do I double down on just living my life in a way that makes me proud of myself? Which is where your power is. And the thing that that also changed me dramatically is I couldn't believe how much stress I felt and how I was bracing all the time. And when you start to say, let them, and you release that kind of obligation to make other people happy or to make everybody know that you're not divorced or that everything's okay. Or like, just let them think whatever they want to think. And live your life in a way that makes you proud. You're going to get all this time and energy back. And what I love about this is when you're less stressed and when you're not bracing all the time because you know your boss is narcissistic. So why on earth would you walk into work assuming that today is going to be anything other than what it already has always been? Let them be who they are.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I love the managing stress chapter. And in that chapter you say you can't control how other adults behave. And stressing about it diminishes your power. You'll never reach the full potential of your life if you continue to allow stupid things or rule people to drain your life force.

[Angela Rye]

Can you?

[Mel Robbins]

Yes. So the, the two most important resources that you have in life, Time energy. That's. That's what you got. How you spend your time, where you put your energy. It actually determines your experience of life. And that's why I say if you have this experience right now where you're exhausted and overwhelmed and nervous and you're not like feeling like you can ever have time for yourself or your goals just aren't clicking, you're not the problem. The problem is all this time and energy you spend dealing with other people and so let them. Is a boundary that you draw where you start to recognize, okay, I'm going to let other people think and feel and do and have their opinions, and I'm going to let them be disappointed. I'm going to let them misunderstand me, and I'm going to let me really take that time and energy back and pour it into working on myself and staying in my peace. And what I found is that when I'm less stressed, which I am, because I'm not allowing stupid stuff or other people to stress me out, I'm actually a better person. I make more money because I can use my brain instead of being in fight or flight. I don't like vomit on my kids, my emotions. Like, I used to be the kind of person that would come in at, you know, after work and be yelling at everybody or mad at the dog, for crying out loud. And then I'd be like, I'm sorry, it was a bad day at work. Stressful day at work.

[Charlamagne tha God]

When the dog say back, yeah, you.

[Mel Robbins]

Know, they kind of do this. And then they come back and they're really nice because they, they literally dogs don't do, don't like punish you for that. And it's so sad that I used to leave the worst of me for the people I cared about the most and then blame it on the stress of the day. That by the way, when you use the let them theory, you have control over whether or not this stuff gets to you.

[DJ Envy]

Let me, let me do it. I have a question.

[Mel Robbins]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

In chapter five, you say let them think bad thoughts about you. Right. The question with that is when a lot of people sometimes, especially on social media. Right.

[Mel Robbins]

Yep.

[DJ Envy]

Nobody facts checks anymore. But that could affect your reputation, that could affect your business, that could affect the way that your kids, teachers look at you or business that comes around, of course. So what do you do in those instances?

[Mel Robbins]

Well, so here this is a very tricky question because you're talking about the PR and the media swirl. PR is a little bit different in personal. Like, I think it's really important to understand who you are. Whether you're dealing with rumors at a middle school or you're dealing with rumors in your community or you've got somebody in your family trash talking you in order to repair your reputation. It is better to show than to tell. In my opinion, you prove the truth based on how you show up in life, not based on the words that come out of your mouth. And if there is somebody spreading things about you, the best way to handle it.

[DJ Envy]

You all know this time of year is my reset season. New energy, new plans, new ways to grow my brand. And if you're trying to start 2026 ahead of the game, like really ahead of the game, now is the time to get moving. For me, Shopify has been the platform that keeps my whole merch business tight. As a creator, as a businesswoman, I need my tools to work hard. And Shopify is like having a chief of staff, a personal assistant and a co founder all in one. And look, I always tell other women building their own brands, especially small independent black creators, don't overcomplicate it. Whether you're running a side hustle or you're trying to run a full storefront, selling to your community or around the world, Shopify takes the guesswork out of everything. Shopify also like. My favorite thing about it is they teach you as you grow, you can look up anything, get information on anything. And it's simple. They give you like easy 1, 2, 3 steps. I used to juggle 10 different logins and apps. Now one platform I manage my store, sell online, sell on social, even tag products right from my phone, wherever I am. And Shopify Sidekick. Listen, you keep hearing all about AI. Let me tell y' all this AI is a lifesaver. It gives me reports, content, ideas, helps me edit images. It's literally like having a smart assistant in my back pocket guiding me to my next move. So let's be real. It's time to stop thinking and start doing. And there is no better way to do that than Shopify. Use our link shopify.com b e n now to start getting serious about building your future.

Hey, what up y'?

[Angela Rye]

All?

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy and the holidays are here. The time of year that's all about connecting with loved ones in person or over the phone. In fact, hearing someone's voice can evoke a similar emotional response as a hug. And while most of us can hop on a video chat to really bring that connection to life, using tech isn't easy for everyone, especially some of the older folk in our lives. AT&T has been doing something special here to help. They offer digital literacy workshops that help older adults learn how to use technology to do things most of us take for granted, like video conferencing and sharing photos. Take Nancy Shand. She joined one of AT&T's workshops to learn how to video chat for the first time this holiday season. Nancy won't just be hearing about family gatherings, she'll be a part of them, sharing stories, opening presents, and making memories all through a screen. Nobody should have to go through the holiday season alone, so be sure to connect and stay connected to your loved ones this holiday season.

[Angela Rye]

Connecting changes everything.

[DJ Envy]

AT&T the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, filled with joy and laughter. A little bit of the festive chaos we all secretly love. From long shopping lists to travel plans to family dinners, it's a lot happening all at once. But this season, Coca Cola wants to remind everyone that the magic isn't in the hustle and bustle. It's finding joy in the little moments, like laughing over old memories, playing holiday games, or taking that first sip of an ice cold Coca Cola that cuts through all the holiday frenzy and brings the cool comfort to your soul. Because that's the good stuff. The joy hiding in plain sight. The sound of laughter mixing with the clink of glasses, the calm between the songs and the stories. And when things start to feel like they're doing the most, that crisp, delicious taste of Coca Cola can be the reset everyone needs. Just a little reminder that the season isn't about rushing. It's about refreshing. So wherever the holidays take you, slow down, take a breath and savor the moment. Enjoy a Coca Cola refresh your holidays.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Angela Rye]

10 athletes will face the toughest job.

[Mel Robbins]

Interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract for 250, $50,000.

[Angela Rye]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Mel Robbins]

Someone will be eliminated.

[DJ Envy]

Pressure is coming down.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th watch the trailer on trainergames.com is to.

[Mel Robbins]

Go directly to that person and to ask them about it, because those kind of people, the people that gossip about you, ultimately end up crumbling anyway. That's right, because it always catches up with them.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know, you were in the book. You talk about how you felt paralyzed by imposter syndrome, especially when you were teaching. Yeah, the five second rule. I wonder what's changed since then. Like, what gives you the confidence and authority now to feel like you can go out here and teach, to let them do.

[Mel Robbins]

That's a great, great question. So you know how? Well, first of all, imposter syndrome is deeply misunderstood. So imposter syndrome does not mean that you don't belong in the room you're in. Imposter syndrome means you actually want to be in the room you're in. And there's skills or there's experience that you need to gain in order to dominate in that room. Imposter syndrome is actually not self doubt, it's amb.

[DJ Envy]

And so explain that a bit, because it's always been said the other way.

[Mel Robbins]

Yeah. And so if you really think about it, if you walk into a room and you don't feel imposter syndrome, it's because you don't want to be in that room. You don't care what people think about you in that room. If you walk into a room and you feel a sense of imposter syndrome, it's because you care about what people think about you in that room. It means your ambition wants you to succeed in that room.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, like push to stay sharp because you're trying to.

[Angela Rye]

Okay.

[Mel Robbins]

And also, like, hey, I want to actually succeed around people like this. Which means what are the skills I need? And what I started to understand, and I think it explains a lot about why I am who I am, is that we're all the same. Everybody is dealing with the same stuff. Yes, it's easier if you have more money and more resources, but at the end of the day, everybody's got a family member that they're worried about. Everybody has ambition they're not tapping into. Everybody has things that they want to pursue in their life and they're kind of letting themselves down a little bit. Everybody struggles with a little bit of uncertainty and anxiety at times. Everybody has hopes and dreams and feels a little discouraged and overwhelmed. And when you start at a baseline that people would love to thrive, and people thrive when they can, and if they can't, I believe it's because they're discouraged or there's some skill building or some experience or, you know, some mentorship that's missing. That's it. But that you're built to thrive. And so when you really start at that baseline, like, you know, I make it a practice, by the way, this is, this is one thing that'll change your life. When you go into a public bathroom, two things. I always leave the space better than when I found it. I always.

[DJ Envy]

You clean up public bathroom?

[Charlamagne tha God]

It depends. Now, Mel.

[Mel Robbins]

No, no, no, Literally, like, I literally, that's why I don't go into that stall. But I, I no just hear.

[DJ Envy]

That's a. Let them. I got to let.

[Angela Rye]

I get.

[Mel Robbins]

Cuz if somebody like destroy, especially women, if somebody destroys a seat, pees all over it and then they leave, that is a human being that is so disconnected from the interconnection of the human experience. You are leaving that for another person. And so making sure that you don't leave your mess for another person, making sure that you just kind of wipe down the counter. And then here's the second thing. If there is a human being cleaning that bathroom, please look in the eye and say thank you.

[Charlamagne tha God]

All the time.

[DJ Envy]

All the time.

[Mel Robbins]

Thank you. Like that right? There is a simple thing that will make you start to shake out of that woe is me. Or that stuff. Stress or that overwhelm, let them know you appreciate and see what they're doing because it changes who you are. And then you start to see all day long that there are like, you know, I'm can't look at you because I'm Gonna cry. People are just walking around disconnected. And the power of starting to be the one that wakes people up. Hey, you know, I hope I always get an elder. Hey, how's everybody doing? Like, it's shocking how we have gotten so far away from that sense of community. And there's actually research around this. They call it either weak ties. I call them warm connections. Those people that you see in the building every day that you say hello to, the person that's walking the dog that you know the name of the dog in your neighborhood. These relationships matter because they make you feel human again.

[DJ Envy]

When you feel the impact from what you're doing with your book and the let them theory, like, you just got emotional, just not even just about your impact, but it's talking about just change in the world. How does it make you feel? Like, do you take a moment just of gratitude and be like. Because I saw all the tattoos in the book and I was like, that's so fire. It's hard to make people, like, actually believe something that's not tangible.

[Mel Robbins]

One of the things that, you know, for me, I spent so many years, like, hating myself and feeling like I was a really bad person. And when you get stuck in life, it's easy to think you're the only one. And so I'm just literally on a mission to share whatever I can share and give people access, just like you guys give people access to incredible thinkers and experts and resources. You know, your work is reaching some way halfway around the world that doesn't even have a toilet in their house, and how incredible is that? And if I can save anybody the headaches and the heartaches that I cause myself or the people that I care about, because I didn't know any better. I didn't know what the problem was. I didn't know how to change myself. I didn't know how to push through the emotion that is a life well lived.

[DJ Envy]

Why did you hate yourself, though? Because you can't do anything about what you don't.

[Mel Robbins]

Oh, my God, we don't have time. I literally, like, from the amount of cheating I did when I was little to the undiagnosed anxiety or the undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD and how that created tremendous anxiety to the way that childhood trauma impacted me that I didn't even realize was impacting me, like, it's just chronic. I just did not think I was a bad person. And there's a lot of people walking around that have a hundred times more negative thoughts than they do Positive ones. And a lot of people develop a habit of being very self critical. It's never enough. Like you're never gonna make it. Like you're always so stupid. Why did you do that? Either because that's how they were talked to when they were little, or because it's this like almost protective thing that if you beat yourself up first, you're going to catch it before other people do. And I got to a point, and this is an important thing, the only thing you need to make your life better is one decision. How I'm living my life right now and how it feels no longer works for me. That's all you need to know. If you can have the courage to say that to yourself. You now have tipped the first domino because you've made a decision that you want to change how your life feels. You made a decision that you want to change how it feels up here. And for me, as a mom, like, your kids absorb the way that you treat yourself. And so having two daughters that I started noticing, my God, why are these beautiful young women picking themselves apart? Well, because I do. Why are they so hard on that? Because I was so hard on myself. That's how they learn it. And so I don't want them to do that to themselves. And, you know, the thing I was going to share that's made a huge difference for me is that I keep the impact front and center. And so we send an email out five days a week. There's a person on our team whose job is to assemble all of the things that people are saying all over the world about the books and the podcast. Not about Mel, but about what you learned. And I'll tell you, every day there's 20 to 30 of them. And just the other day there was a person who talked about how he was a stepdad and the. And the relationship ended and those step kids were his life and he didn't want to be here anymore. And somebody started to share the podcast with him. And he would go and take a walk every morning and listen to the podcast. And it started to give him a sense of hope. And now he uses the let them theory. This is a person that actually works in like a police operations control center. Never in a million years would I think this is somebody that's listening to the Mel Robbins podcast or listening to this kind of conversation. But it goes to prove that everybody wants to do well, everybody wants to thrive. And you know, when you're not doing well, you know when you're not thriving. The problem for most of us is just kind of feeling like, I don't think this could change. And the fact is, of course it can change. If you've ever been happy in your life, you can be happy again. If you've ever been proud of yourself, you can be proud of yourself again. If you've ever forgiven somebody else, you can learn to forgive yourself.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And, you know, also, God doesn't call to qualify. He qualifies. The called. And you been called. Mel Robbins.

[Mel Robbins]

I feel that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I love you, man.

[Mel Robbins]

I love you, too.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Wow.

[DJ Envy]

That's right. Well, we appreciate you for joining us.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Thank you, man.

[Mel Robbins]

Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

All right, well, it's Mel Robbins. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The icon living Dawn Stanley. Welcome back.

[DJ Envy]

How you feeling?

[Angela Rye]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I usually come back when we win the championship. We lost this year, so thank y' all for.

[DJ Envy]

Don't you start that.

[Allen Iverson]

You're always invited.

[DJ Envy]

Well, a new book, Uncommon Favor, is out right now. Basketball, North Philly, My mother, and the life lessons I learned from all three is out right now. How are you feeling?

[Angela Rye]

I'm feeling great. I mean, my. My friends have received their books and they have nothing but, like, great things, like, my cup runneth over.

[Charlamagne tha God]

They had. You all got to.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah, they did. I gotta. I gotta give you a shout out. And you. You sparked the conversation. So many people have asked me to write a book, and I was like, yeah, right. But it came from so many different people. And then when I came on the show in 2022, we. We talked about it, and you just, you kept the conversation going. You real persistent with it. You know, that's. That's what I'm attracted to most is like somebody that actually.

[DJ Envy]

Persistent.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah, persistent. And. And know the process. Like, you knew the process. I don't know if you knew my story, so. So to speak, but you knew enough to know that you know, this. This book will be received well. And. And I appreciate that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, people like you don't come around too often, Don. Like you are once in a generational just person, you know, and you really learn that when you read the book. Not even just as a coach, but as a basketball player, but more so as a child of Philadelphia, man, I.

[Angela Rye]

Mean, I had fun. Like, the process was fun. It's liberating. It is. You know, you don't really know how you're going to be received, but every person, like, I'm actually waiting for a critic. Like, I'm waiting for somebody to say what didn't go right in the book. And we have yet to get to that point. And one of my friends was, you know, listening, had a long road trip, listened to the entire book yesterday, and she was like, I'm in tears, I'm laughing. I get it. Like, the leadership part of it. Like, I mean, the emotions that are in the book. And it's. It's me. So some of it is emotional me. Some of it is just. I'm able to just get it out because I remembered most of it and I had to call on my. My siblings to kind of fill in the gaps. But it's me. Like, it's. It's so me. It's so relatable. It's so. It was an easy process. So was there. Was it therapeutic at all to do it? No, it was just natural. It wasn't like it was natural. And I think sharing my story is just relatable to people. It's not like, you know, I don't think it's a. Overdo it with the accolades. It's like the accolades are intertwined and everybody's accolade won't be like Olympian national champions, but on a certain level, like, if you graduate high school, it's relatable. If you graduate college, it's relatable. If you could pull yourself out of the projects of any city, it's relatable. And there's no wrong path. Like, there's no, like, you can get off tilted, but then you gotta come back by, like, habits come back by. The lessons in the book are just, just. It relates to every single thing that you would want to accomplish in life. And I'm not just saying that to pump the book, but it really is like, I'm only giving what other people are giving me, the feedback they're giving me. And it's cool to hear people just relate to the book.

[DJ Envy]

I love it because, you know, people know you from different things, right? Some people know you as a player, some people know you as a coach. But with this book, it starts from where you came from, which is North Philly, right?

[Charlamagne tha God]

And you talk about Raymond Rosen housing.

[DJ Envy]

Projects, and you talk about, you know, you said growing up in the projects was the best decision your parents made. Explain that a little bit and how that formed to the woman that you are today.

[Angela Rye]

Just imagine the people that don't grow up in the projects. What you think happens in the projects, you. You think probably only one thing. Crying like, bad things. Like, and for me, it was the foundation of giving me the scars I needed, the chinks in the armor I needed to succeed. Like, there was unity in the projects. There was discipline in the projects. There was manicure lawns. There was my block I grew in. Never had trash in it. Like, it was captain in a way that would compete with any suburban lawn, like, or neighborhood. So it was all those things that helped build you up. Like, I'm unbothered and unafraid to tackle on the most challenging things in life, because that's nothing compared to where I grew. That's nothing. Like, so I think it gave me the foundation I needed to just be able to coach every day, like, coach young people. Like, generations are changing. Coaching talent and individuals and young people nowadays is very, very challenging.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I love how you embrace your inner child. I love this picture on the back. What's a moment from your childhood that still shapes how you, like, handle pressure today?

[Angela Rye]

You know, there's a story that I. That I share in the book about my father, who. I mean, I'm over 50 now, right? But when he. I don't know if I was 12, 14, maybe, I got invited to play on this team and this competition outside of, like, it was a road trip. And my father was like, no, you can't go. Like, that hurt me. Like, it really hurt me. And I remembered it so vividly that for him to deny me that, because it was one of the first times, but I'm 13, 14 years old. Whose parents gonna let them somebody else take their child out of state? Like, I wasn't thinking about that. I was solely thinking about basketball. But it was one of the. One of the. The experiences that drove me. Like, I didn't. I didn't like my father for that. Like, I didn't like him for the decision. Parental decision that he made. But as I'm older now and reflecting on and writing the book, it is. I need conflict. I know that about myself that I need conflict. Like, everything can't be comfortable. Like, if I have, you know, 10 people supporting me, you know, here I need about 10 to 12 people that's hating. Like, I need it. I mean, it helps me.

[DJ Envy]

Drives you.

[Angela Rye]

It drives me. Like, it drives me. That's why you said, I don't have a critic yet. I'm waiting for a critic for the book right now, right? So it's. That is the ability. Like, you know, we lost at UConn this year. Like, you know, the critics are saying I can't coach.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I didn't understand that. That pissed me off so bad.

[Angela Rye]

I'm like, that's what they say. But I'm like, okay, well. But again, everything that I've needed in my life, you know, failure, success, happens to me. It's in Chris. It's uncommon. Like. But I know our loss this year will somehow help us. It will. It's. I'm not just relying on. On it helping us. I'm gonna put action to it so it means something.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I loved when you said that in a postgame conference, you was like, I hope that they're crying. I hope that my players are crying. I hope that it hurts because that'll make them be better. Next to.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah. I mean, the most growth takes place when you're uncomfortable. The most if you're comfortable all the time. And I've said this as well, like, parents really don't want their kids to feel what they felt, like pain. And I'm like, I want them to feel the pain. I want them to hurt. I want them to be uncomfortable. And I love them enough to allow them to sit in that space because. Not for long, but they need to fight their way out of it because nothing's going to be given to me. I don't like that place. I don't like to feel that. So I fight like hell to try to not feel that by prepping, by doing everything I need to do, to not feel that. It's almost like when you grow up in the projects and you grow up in poverty, you don't want that anymore. Like, you don't want that. Once you've lived and you've, you know, earned a certain keep, you want to keep that because you want to change generations in your. In your family. And I hope I'm able to do that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You seem like you've always been a natural born leader, like, throughout your whole life, even when you was a child. It made me wonder, if coaching never entered your life, where do you think your leadership would have shown up instead?

[Angela Rye]

Oh, man, that's a hard question. Like, I'm competitive. I probably would have been a losing gambler. But trying like heck. Like, trying like heck. I don't know. I love kids, so my work would have been with kids. And I'm glad that coaching found me. Like, I'm glad somebody saw something in me that I didn't see in my side. I didn't see coaching. I didn't want to coach at all. And I don't know why. Because I had great coaches, I had great people in my life that Challenged me that were good at it. But when I had coaching friends, the only thing they talked about were their teams and basketball. And I'm like, yeah, this is what I do every day. I do this every day. Why would I want to talk about it every day? Why would I want my life consumed with it? And here I am 25 years later, like, loving it. Like, it's. I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And when you. When you're able to live out your passion, it's the most beautiful, liberating, and incredible experience. Like, I know my players really get something out of our relationship. They do. They get. They build character. They navigate life. But for me, it's. I'm overjoyed when they graduate. I'm overjoyed on draft night. I'm overjoyed when they're able to see their hard work, produce what they wanted. Like, even if they don't make it to the league, they're equipped with being successful with anything. Like, seriously, that does something to my heart when young people are able to get what they're supposed to do.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know, you talked about your players. You got a lot of success stories from your time coaching at the University of South Carolina, but in the book, you make it no secret that Asia Wilson is your favorite.

[Angela Rye]

Well, I mean, here's why. And I've coached a lot of great players. Like, Asia was the very first player that was the number one player in the country to decide she wanted to come play for us. And I know it's in her backyard. And we didn't. We didn't look like a national championship team. Like, we never won a national champion. We had never been to the Final Four. So for her to trust us with that part of her career meant that she believed in us. She trusted us. She knew that. That we were going to get her to where she needed to go as far as still being the number one draft pick, like, four years later. Like, when someone. And it wasn't just her, it was. Her entire family believed in it. And it took some at times them thinking, did we make the right decision? Because she started her first game, and then she was terrible. Like, scrub. Like, right, Scrub, like is pretty far.

[Allen Iverson]

That's fall.

[Angela Rye]

So I was like, I gotta take you out of the starting lineup. But I didn't even tell her that. I told her parents first. And her mom even was like, you sure? I'm like, you gonna have to trust me on this one. Like, you just gonna have to trust me. And she was like, all Right. But at the end of her freshman year, she was national Rookie of the Year. She was first team all sec. She was rookie of the year in the scs. Like, she got all the accolades coming off the bench. And when someone as a coach and leader and mentor, young people believe in you like they really do, when that's reciprocated. Cause I believed her. I knew that she was gonna be the one that takes us to that next level. When you're able to have the same synergy, you know, Asia was hell to deal with, right? Cause she's young. Like, she went to private school for like 12 years. All of her schooling was in private school. So she needed to be roughened up a little bit to get her ready for what she faces. Like, she faces the critics right now, but I know she can handle them because we took her through all of that. Like she had dyslexia right? Throughout her college career. And I'm like, okay, you gonna read in front of the team every time we have a game? Cause we have scripture reading and an inspirational reading before every pregame meal and there's somebody that has to read it. So I was like, you gonna read that? It took her her senior year. Couldn't do it the first, second or third. Her senior year, she read out loud and she had fun with it. She was, y', all, this is a long one. Y' all gonna have to bear with me. Like, it. It was that kind of liberation. So when she gave her entire self to me, the good, the bad, the ugly, entire, you know, that's why I just have a really strong, like, relationship with her. Like, she could tell me anything. Like I'm non judgmental. Like, young people won't want to tell you everything because they think you're going to judge them. I don't, I don't judge. Like, there's nothing that any one of my current former future players can tell me that that's going to rock me that I haven't seen. Like, everybody's been through. Like, there's no new problems, the same old recycled problems. So just give it here so you're not dealing with it longer than you need to.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know, it's interesting, right, Because I was watching you. You did Good Morning America to view Colbert, all of that stuff like that. So you was working, but I still know you still the coach of the University of South Carolina. But I was like, oh, you know what? She'll be fine. Because she used to play ball and coach at the same time, which I found out about in the book. That was insane.

[Angela Rye]

Six years.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's crazy.

[Angela Rye]

Six years. I mean, when I. When I got into coaching, I was, like, in my prime. So, you know, the AD at the time, he kept asking me, like, he was persistent. Like, I'm like, no, no, I'm not interested. I'm playing in the wnba. This is. And then he just kept asking. And then I ended up having to go meet with him because the Final Four was in Philly, and I'm from Philly. He knew I was going to be there, so I went and sat down with him, and he asked me two questions. He was like, can you leave? Did you do your research? And I was like, yeah. I basically was a. The captain on every team that I played on, right? And then he was like, can you turn Temple women's basketball program around? I was like, oh, is that a challenge? Like, is that really a challenge? Because I'm drawing the challenges. And I never answered the question. I don't even think I answered the question. He was like, hey, can you just come down the hall and meet some people? So I was like, okay, I'm here. He took me in this conference room, sat me at the head of the table, and there were, like, 10 to 12 people sitting around this table, and they're asking me questions like, where do you see yourself in five years? I'm, like, playing in the wnba. And they were like, do you ever see yourself coaching? And I'm like, no. Like, y'.

[Mel Robbins]

All.

[Angela Rye]

They were interviewing me. I was on a job interview, and I didn't know it because all my job interviews were tryouts, like basketball. Like, physical tryouts. Needless to say, I took the job. Two weeks later, they. They just agreed to allow me to continue to play and coach. So I was in, like, basketball utopia because I was coaching. And I'm actually still able to express myself on the court because I wasn't ready to hang up my shoes. I was still very much a player. And I think that allowed me to play a little bit longer than I wanted to, and that allowed me to keep staying fresh with what was up with teaching young people, because they were more enthralled with me playing. Cause that's what they wanted. Like, I was living their dream right before their very eyes. And I think it just helped me be a better coach, be a more understanding coach, because I was a player receiving information from a coach. And then it just helped the dynamics of what I was doing.

[DJ Envy]

Now. I wanted to ask about your father.

[Allen Iverson]

Right?

[DJ Envy]

You mentioned your father earlier, and you said your Relationship wasn't that great. But you said it got better over the years. Do you understand some of the things that your father was trying to implement in you as a young girl? Because they said that your father looked at women's basketball and felt there wasn't too many opportunities and didn't know if you could sustain at that time. And do you wish that you kind of put yourself in his mentality back then as a child? Cause even with the name of the book, it says basketball North Philly, my mother, but not my father. So explain that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

A little kid, but not my father.

[Angela Rye]

You know, I think, I think even the one like family members that are, that are closest to you. Yes, I thought I, yes, I should have had had a much more mature outlook on that relationship. Now that you can reflect on it, now that you can see, because I held that and I, you know, if you can hear that, I still hold that instance. But when you, when you're coaching, right, you come into a situation where you hurt a player like you hurt that player. That was like probably 12 years ago. I hurt that player. Like it, it drives me to not hurt other players. And I wasn't mature enough or savvy enough to handle that at 12 or 13. So I do think it's, it's helped me be a better coach. It helps me be a better person to, to really like again. I didn't talk about things I held that my father probably didn't. Probably doesn't. He. He's, he's been, he's been dead and gone since 2001. Like, I don't even think he really knew how much that hurt me. But also use that to navigate the nose. Like, I handle no's a lot better because of that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I love the respect, the power of habits chapter. And in that chapter, you speak extremely highly of South Carolina's own Malaysia Faweille, and you even refer to her as a younger, savvier version of you. You say, and this is a quote I heard from so many adults who gave their own parents hell only to see their teenagers return the favor. Now it's my turn in the barrel. So when I see you had, when I read that and I was like, damn, she had so much love for Malaysia. What was your initial reaction when she decided to enter the portal? And was it surprising to you?

[Angela Rye]

Surprising, No. I think, you know, being in this space, you become to expect the unexpected, right? I still have much love for Malaysia. Like, much love. Like, I want her happy. She and her mom came in, she said, I think I'm going to get into the transfer portal. So I'm like, okay, well you think or you know? And she said, I know. And I said, well, I only want you happy. Like I really do only want our players happy, whether that's with us or somewhere else. Just be happy, I told her. Don't look back. I know it's probably going to be hard to not look back to see, you know, you leaving your hometown and all that. I said, don't look back like you made this decision. Just go forward with the holiday season.

[DJ Envy]

Is the most wonderful time of the year, filled with joy and laughter, a little bit of the festive chaos we all secretly love. From long shopping lists to travel plans to family dinners, it's a lot happening all at once. But this season, Coca Cola wants to remind everyone that the magic isn't in the hustle and bustle. It's finding joy in the little moments, like laughing over old memories, playing holiday games, or taking that first sip of an ice cold Coca Cola that cuts through all the holiday frenzy and brings the cool comfort to your soul. Because that's the good stuff. The joy hiding in plain sight, the sound of laughter mixing with the clink of glasses, the calm between the songs and the stories. And when things start to feel like they're doing the most, that crisp, delicious taste of Coca Cola can be the reset everyone needs. Just a little reminder that the season isn't about rushing, it's about refreshing. So wherever the holidays take you, slow down, take a breath and savor the moment. Enjoy a Coca Cola refresh your holidays.

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[Angela Rye]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job.

[Mel Robbins]

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[Angela Rye]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Mel Robbins]

Someone will be eliminated.

[DJ Envy]

Pressure is coming down.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th watch the trailer on trainergames.com it's the.

[Mel Robbins]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

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[Angela Rye]

And don't look back. You're always going to be a gamecock. You're always going to be welcomed here. I wish her the best. And when I say that, people probably think, oh, but I do like. I really do like, because I am what's for us is for us. What's not is was not. Let's keep moving. I don't stay in despair. I don't stay in those spaces for very long. I'm like, okay, we got to get recruiting. We got to get back into this portal to see who we can get to help us. I think she's going to have a promising career. I do think she's a generational talent and that will never leave. Like, she does things on the basketball court that I've never seen a woman do. And she'll continue to do that and will continue to be happy for her, except the one or two times that we have to play them like it's on. Like, it's just she's going to be super competitive against us. We're going to want to win, and it's going to be a pride thing that comes with just being a competitor. And we got much love for her and her family.

[DJ Envy]

Now this, this has nothing to do with the book, but I wanted to ask, since we're talking about players, you know, the WNBA has, has taken a huge jump in the last couple of years, and I love it. My daughters love it. My sons love it. What do you think? What's going on in the WNBA where it seems like they're pitting, you know, Caitlin Clark against Angel Reese.

[Allen Iverson]

Right.

[DJ Envy]

Kind of what they did in NBA back in the day. But it was more teams, right? I guess not. Maybe not teams. It was Magic versus Bird, this one versus that one. But this one, it just seems like, it seems very personable. So what are your thoughts? Like even the other day with that foul and they called it a flagrant foul. I don't necessarily agree, but what are your thoughts on it?

[Angela Rye]

Well, I think the officiating has a hard job. That's one to decipher whether or not that's a flagrant one or not hard job. And I do think they understand the dynamics of angel and Caitlin. I do. I think it's great for our game. Cause it's like, yeah, like it's a sport. Treat us like a sport. Don't treat us anything other than being a sport. It happens in every sport. Soccer, basketball, football. It happens in every sport. So let it be. I'm going to, I'm going to take the lead of angel and Caitlyn and that lead is. They said it was a, it was a foul. The officials got it right. We're moving on. That's what I'm going to take their lead. Okay. I think is it pulls people in. I do think there are new fans that haven't watched our game and they really don't know. So they only, they only singly focused on Caitlin part.

[Caller]

Right.

[Mel Robbins]

Right.

[Angela Rye]

So when you're that. And that's. That's their idol, that's who attracts them. But I just hope that they'll open their eyes to the rest of the talent that is there. Like the product. The product is incredible, like, and it's in high demand. We, we played Caitlyn in the national championship last year. Right. 20 million topped off at whatever it topped off at the most. I know they saw us like, I know they saw us. I know they saw us have an undefeated season. I know they saw Camila Cardozo. I know they saw Ashland Watts. I know they saw Tessa Johnson have an incredible care career or day. I know they saw Malaysia do some incredible things. Like, so, so open your eyes up to seeing outside of Caitlyn. Well, not even outside included because she's a part of a part of it all. So, you know, I'm looking forward to the next time they play too. I'm gonna be glued in just like everybody else.

[Mel Robbins]

Yes.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I want to go back to that chapter. Respect the power of habits. Right. When you talk about Malaysia, it is with such reverence. How do you balance disappointment as a coach with support for somebody like her who just wanted to make a decision for herself.

[Angela Rye]

If a young person is going to speak on what they deem is good for them, that's half the battle. Like, half the battle is to be able to speak up and you know how hard it was for her to do that. Like, really hard, really hard. So I understand that dynamics of her decision making. And then it's like, okay, well, what do you do with it? Like, if she was my player and there was a chance for her to want to come back, or if she decided that this is. That that's not what she wanted to do. I was going to talk to her about why, why did it, why did it come to that? What makes you think this isn't a place for whatever she said we would go from there? I thought Malaysia, Malaysia was getting better. Like, I really, I saw a whole lot of growth on and off the court to where unless she was gonna get the best of her now. Like, we went through the, you know, we went through the hard part of just kind of smoothing some rough edges and getting her to create good habits. Like, I do think habits are the thing that allows you to elevate. Right? I. I do. So I think, I think what we've given her and what she's given us will allow her to have much better days, much more consistent days than. Than she had with us at our next stop.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, thank you, Don. New book, Uncommon Favor Basketball, North Philly. My Mother and the life lessons I learned from all three is available everywhere. You buy books now?

[DJ Envy]

Go get it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You are guaranteed to learn something.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You are icon Living dawn. We appreciate your presence on this earth. We thank God for. For you.

[Angela Rye]

Thank you. Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

Sean Stanley, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Mel Robbins]

And the he haw again.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It's time for Donkey of the day. I ain't trying to be donkey today no more. They should be embarrassed by what they already did. I'm not making these people do these things called Donkey of the day. And it really caught me off guard.

[Angela Rye]

Damn Charlemagne. Who got the donkey of the day today?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, just hilarious. Donkey of the day goes to a 20 year old new Jersey man named Edward Kane. Yes. Like the Conqueror Kang. Okay. He is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly, gotta say allegedly, flying to Florida, impressing somebody who was talking crazy on the Internet. In my mind, I'm all for this, okay? Because you should not be able to talk reckless from the comfort of your own home and not get approached about it, okay? That's the problem with the Internet. People think they can say any damn thing because they never got punched in their face for saying any damn thing. Well, Edward King is a gamer, okay. And he is now facing an attempted murder charge after flying to Florida and attacking a fellow gamer with a hammer over an online dispute. Let's go to First Coast News. Fleet report, please.

[Angela Rye]

There's some things that make you say.

[Charlamagne tha God]

What in the world was he thinking?

[DJ Envy]

That's reaction after 20 year old Edward King flew from New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida and attacked a man he argued with during an online game called Architecture Age. Police say Kang bought a hammer at a hardware store and then went to the victim's home in Fernandina beach around 2am Sunday. The door was unlocked, according to investigators, and the victim was playing a game in his room, but took a break to use the bathroom.

[Allen Iverson]

Once he opened the door, he noticed the suspect standing with a hammer raised.

[Charlamagne tha God]

In the air in an anticipated strike position. The suspect was wearing all black gloves and a mask.

[DJ Envy]

This is the hammer Kang used in the attack. The victim fought back, and the victim's stepdad was awoken by the sounds. He then helped the victim hold Kang until police arrived.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The suspect asked our deputy, how much.

[Allen Iverson]

Time in jail do you get for.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Breaking and entering, an assault? And I would say, Mr. King, it's.

[Allen Iverson]

Going to be a long time before you play video games again. Burn, burn.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Okay, more details. If you're wondering, Edward King told his family he was going to meet a friend he met years ago through the online video game Arch Age, which will no longer be accessible in the United States because of a declining number of active players. So he flew from Newark to Jacksonville, went to a hotel near the victim's home, purchased a hammer and a flashlight at a hardware store. I'm shocked. He just didn't buy a gun.

[Mel Robbins]

Okay.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Florida don't require a permit to buy a gun, nor is there a permit that exempts any person from the background check requirement. So the moral of the story is you could have bought a different type of hammer, Edward, but thank God he didn't. Now how did he get the addy? I don't know. This sounds to me like the other online gamer must have dropped the location because he thought he couldn't be touched. And Edward King said, stop. Hammer time. Now, I'm gonna tell you something. This is very ninja like. And when I say ninja, I'm not using that as a substitute for the N word. I'm talking actual ninjas, like Teenage Mutant Turtles, like A person skilled in the Japanese art of ninjutsu, okay? Wearing all black, black gloves, black masks, sneaking in the unlocked doors, waiting until dude waiting until dude got up to go to the bathroom, and then attacking him with a hammer. Now, the victim was the same age as Edward King, 20 years old. And he was, as you heard, you know, he was able to wrestle Edward to the ground. The stepfather woke up and they were able to take the hammer. Hammer away. Florida. I gotta say, man, y' all getting soft, okay? Y' all letting people fly from out of state to Florida armed with nothing but a tool, breaking in your houses, attacking y' all, and nobody getting shot. I have zero remorse for individuals who break into other individuals houses. If you are bold enough to break into my sanctuary of peace, then guess what? You will rest in that piece. Okay? I don't care how old you are. I'm not asking for no damn ID when you break into my place of residence for any reason. You break into people's houses when they are at home. You deserve to get whatever comes with that, even if it's death. Now, you heard the sheriff say they asked Kang what his motive was and he allegedly told deputies that the victim is a bad person online. Well, guess what, Edward, you have grown to be a bad person in real life, okay? There is nothing this person said to you online that equates to you receiving second degree murder and armed burglary charges. Now, Edward King, you know, you heard him ask the officer, you know, how much jail time do you receive for breaking and entering? And the officer said, I would say Mr. King will be a long time before you play video games ever again. I like that kind of petty. This is a prime example of why you have to learn from the mistakes of others. Okay? Edward King did what so many of us had wanted, have wanted to do, okay? Pulled up on someone talking reckless online and beat they mother loving ass. That was a bet edit. I'll beat your mother loving ass. Why can't I love my mother? Even though it may sound good, I'm gonna roll up on him and beat his ass. At the end of the day, it's not good. Okay? This 20 year old has a second degree murder charge and a burglary charge. And you know, Sheriff Bill Leaper said this incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential real world consequences of online interaction. I don't think encourage behavior like Edward King, but I understand it and I truly believe folks should talk to people online the way you do in the real world because you just never know Disrespect the wrong person and they may be. It may be at your front door, dressed in all black like the Omen. Next thing you know, your friends are singing, this is for my homie. Please let Remy Ma give Edward King the biggest Hee haw.

[Angela Rye]

Hee haw, hee haw. You stupid motherf. Are you dumb?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Now there's nothing left to do but play a game of Guess what race is. Edward King, 20 years old, from Newark, New Jersey, flew from Newark, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida, and beat up a man who was talking spicy online. DJ Envy. Guess what racing is.

[Allen Iverson]

Damn, it's a tough one.

[DJ Envy]

Let's go black.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's it. Why? Tell me why. Cuz he was dressed in all black.

[Allen Iverson]

Wow.

[DJ Envy]

No, no, no, no. Because sometimes you push people too much. And you said Newark, New Jersey, so I figured Newark is predominantly black, right? He flew out there and beat the guy's ass.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Okay, well, I figured. Okay, okay, just hilarious. Edward King, 20 years old, flew from Newark, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida, and beat up a man who was talking spicy online. Jeff. Hilarious.

[Mel Robbins]

Guess what race she is?

[Allen Iverson]

Asian Open Gangnam Star.

[Angela Rye]

Last name is Kang. And then Newark has been gentrified. Still being gentrified.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I don't know if it's being gentrified that much. Is it?

[Angela Rye]

Excuse me?

[Charlamagne tha God]

I don't know.

[Angela Rye]

You don't know.

[DJ Envy]

A lot of different races coming through there.

The only thing is, I see black people ain't gonna waste their money flying to Florida to beat somebody.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That ain't true. Black people, are you out your damn life?

[DJ Envy]

I ain't say black because flights is expensive. No, I'm just saying I'm thinking about myself, but.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah, yeah, well. But them Asians, you know, they be having points.

[Charlamagne tha God]

One of y'. All. One of y' all is correct. One of y' all is dead wrong. Okay, DJ Envy, you are dead wrong. Jess. Hilarious. You are absolutely correct, Edward King is Asian.

[Mel Robbins]

His last name, King.

[Charlamagne tha God]

K, A, N, G. Yes, he is.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, you said Kang.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

I thought you said King.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Kang. Kang.

[Allen Iverson]

No.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know I ain't say no.

[DJ Envy]

Damn, that sound like he said King.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I said Kang like the Conqueror. I ain't say King like Martin Luther.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah, King like Liu Kang.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's right. Exactly.

[Angela Rye]

And I know his first name is not Edward, but, you know, they get, like, different names when they come over here because it may be something else that we don't. Can't pronounce, but I even gave y'.

[Charlamagne tha God]

All a little hint during the donkey, but y' all just wasn't paying what was the hand? Well, I'm not gonna say because I don't know if it's racist or not, but you'll hear it if you listen back to it.

[Angela Rye]

Okay?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah, but I already knew. I think I cheated.

[DJ Envy]

There's no way you just got that one.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Out the blue, he used context clues.

[Angela Rye]

He flew.

[DJ Envy]

All right, I'm gonna play family food with you, then you know.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Do you know the clues?

[Allen Iverson]

All right.

[DJ Envy]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the God we are the Breakfast Club. Lorna Laros is here as well. We got a special guest in the building.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Come on, man. Another cultural icon. We having a week of cultural icons, bro.

[DJ Envy]

AI. Allen Ives, Bumper Chuck, whatever you want to call him, Mr. 757.

[Charlamagne tha God]

He's in the building.

[DJ Envy]

New book, misunderstood, is out right now. Allen Iverson, ladies and gentlemen. How you feeling, man?

[Allen Iverson]

Good. Life. Life be life, man. Same fight, different round. Before we start, how much time we got?

[DJ Envy]

As much time as you want, bro.

[Allen Iverson]

Because I don't know how. Where it's gonna go. But look, man, friends. All right? So I know you know what type of. I mean. I'm just mean, Jess. But you know, you know how you get to know somebody from afar and you can basically kind of tell what type of person they are? You know what I mean? Obviously, I've known you since I was in high school, and big fan of you, bro. Friendships, man, it's hard because when you think about your friend, obviously, you know, you can't choose your family members. You know what I mean? You're born into that. But your friends, you feel like y' all got so much in common with each other, and you have so much love for them because, you know, they kind of like a. Basically a reflection of you, or you got the same type of things in common or whatever, and you just grow to love them like family. They become, you know, the guys become brothers, and your homegirls become your sisters. But it's rough, man. Navigating through that, you know what I mean? I know how much I love my family, my friends. I got so much flack when I first got into the league, you know what I mean? It was the entourage.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Absolutely.

[Allen Iverson]

Bringing homeboys from where you from, you trust them so much, you love them. You want them to go on a ride with you. You want them to take this journey, you know, through. It is new to me. I've been poor my whole life, and then snap of a finger, I'm rich and famous, and it's a lot, you know what I mean? So you want to have so many people around you that you love and you trust, you know what I mean? And the money, man, just. You know what I mean? It just, you know, and it's so different from me, and it's so hard for me because with my athletic ability that I was blessed with, I've been like this since I was 8 years old. Like, I always felt that I was rich when I was poor. I always been famous, you know what I mean? When I was 8 years old, I go in the barbershop and guys, 17, 18, 20, 25 years old, guys like, oh, there you go, you know, that's the one right there. That's him. So it's always been that for me, I always had that attention, you know? I mean, I always been like that. You know, once I got some money, it was no different for me. Obviously. I could do things with my family and my friends that I couldn't do before. You know, that's. That goes without saying, man. Just the painful lessons of friends not being who you think they. They are. When you add the rule of all evil. Anything just recently happened, definitely it happens all the time. But I feel a pendulum swinging in another direction as far as how I feel about it, like how it used to hurt me, you know what I mean? You. You tell someone, you want to find out if somebody, your friend, you tell them no once.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Caller]

That's right.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean?

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's right.

[Allen Iverson]

And their reaction would. Would say it all, you know what I mean, Chuck? Hey, man, I got a business, you know, opportunity. I want to start this, I want to start that, man. Can you give me a hundred thousand? And you don't even have to tell them no. Yeah, you can say not right now, you know, later on, but these are the same people. You pay their rent, pay that over the years. Child support, you know, pay your mom rent, you know, this, that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Lawyer fees.

[Allen Iverson]

Lawyer fees. Every time you go to a jewelry store, you taking them, you know, because the. The most awkward feeling is I don't want to be shining and looking good, and my homeboy is not. So when I go see Manny, you know what I mean? They going, you know what I mean? When I get caused, they get caused, you know what I mean? Like, and it's just like, when you tell them no, the way they, you know, they act, you know, somebody saying, yo, man, what's up with your man? AI, you know, what's up with a man?

[Angela Rye]

Damn.

[Allen Iverson]

You know What I mean, like, after.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Reading your book, nobody should question your loyalty or ever say, not the way.

[DJ Envy]

You took care of people, what you seen. But do you regret that?

[Allen Iverson]

Because, I mean, I, I.

[DJ Envy]

You took Virginia with you everywhere you went.

[Allen Iverson]

That's why I say the pendulum is swinging. That's what, that's why I say or feel that my maturation is on a higher level now. Because back then, when some traumatic will happen to me like that, or I see how they act for me telling them no, I, I feel myself not giving a damn anymore. Like, you know what I mean?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Even in the book, there's nobody. It felt like that was around you that didn't help you in some way, shape, or form, so you was re repaying them. Like, you talk about how when you was in jail, they was taking care of your mom, and they were the ones that would tell you, you know, you're not gonna be hustling. You're gonna be playing ball. So it wasn't like you just had a bunch of leeches around you was. It was people that looked out for you, so you look back out for them.

[Allen Iverson]

You know, what? If I look out for one of my, My homeboys, my homegirls, I don't expect you to give it back. You know what I mean? I ain't never asked for nothing back. You know what I mean? I just feel like me being the head of the snake, the perfect example. It's like me being on our 2001 team, went to the finals. I'm the killer. Everybody know that. This is the guy gonna put the ball in the basket. This is what he do. Now, what we do is compliment him. We do everything else. All his deficiencies, the things that he can't do on the defensive end of the, you know, of the court. You know, he's. He's. He's lead the league and steals year after year, but you gotta gamble. And when he gamble, Dikembe is there to make sure I'm good. Theo is there. The block shots make sure I'm good. They could do all of the things that I couldn't do. And that's what, that's what made Voltron. You know what I mean? You put all those things together and that I was. It was me and a bunch of dogs. You know what I mean? And it's the same thing with my friendship. Yeah, he's the guy. People look at him another way. So I have a role. I, you know, I have to do this. This is my part. This is what I have to do.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Another thing too. And maybe this could be part of what you're feeling right now. It seemed like the whole team had a dream. It wasn't. It wasn't you supposed to get on in basketball. You supposed to get on in basketball and everybody else was supposed to make it in rap. So everybody was supposed to be doing their own thing.

[Allen Iverson]

I didn't have the. I didn't have the LeBron James.

[DJ Envy]

The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, filled with joy and laughter, a little bit of the festive chaos we all secretly love. From long shopping lists to travel plans to family dinners, it's a lot happening all at once. But this season, Coca Cola wants to remind everyone that the magic isn't in the hustle and bustle. It's finding joy in the little moments, like laughing over old memories, playing holiday games, or taking that first sip of an ice cold Coca Cola that cuts through all the holiday frenzy and brings the cool comfort to your soul. Because that's the good stuff. The joy hiding in plain sight, the sound of laughter mixing with the clink of glasses, the calm between the songs and the stories. And when things start to feel like they're doing the most, that crisp, delicious taste of Coca Cola can be the reset everyone needs. Just a little reminder that the season isn't about rushing, it's about refreshing. So wherever the holidays take you, slow down, take a breath and savor the moment. Enjoy a Coca Cola refresh your holidays.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Angela Rye]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job.

[Mel Robbins]

Interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Angela Rye]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Mel Robbins]

Someone will be eliminated.

[DJ Envy]

Pressure is coming down.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th. Watch the trailer on trainergames.com it's the.

[Mel Robbins]

Most wonderful time of the year, and Valpak is here to make it even better this month as you sip through holiday mail, don't miss the blue Valpak envelope from Dining to holiday shopping. There's a slate full of savings in your mailbox, plus a chance to instantly win $100. That's right, you could find $100 Christmas cash inside. Want to save even more money on what you love? Go to valpak.com for local coupons and offers. It pays to open Valpak. No purchase necessary for instant win. Voip prohibited prices are randomly inserted. See specially marked Valpak envelopes for details.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The world's best ski and snowboard athletes are chasing medals. Now you can follow their every move. Join Insider, the official US Ski and snow fan loyalty program, and get premium viewing at World cup ski events, exclusive athlete meetups, discounts from brands you love, and a custom welcome gift mailed direct to your doorstep this winter. Show your support as they race for the podium. Head to insider.usski and snowboard.org and join today.

[Allen Iverson]

I didn't have that blueprint, you know what I mean? I'm like, look, we gonna get in where we fit in, you know what I mean? Like, I had one of my homeboys tell me, like, I'm going to work every day. Working every day. Master supposed to be a superstar by now, you know what I mean? I'm going to work. I'm like, like I've had incidents. Like, you know, I'm, I'm getting ready to go on the road and it was a casino. I go to the bank, I get 50, 000. They got 30, 000 in large and 20,000 and, you know, 20s. And I'm getting on the plane, my man come, I give him the 20, 000. He looked at it like it was something wrong with it because it was all twenties, you know what I mean? Like, yo, did this, you know, really just, did that really just happen, you know what I mean? Like, and it's, it's like you can, you thinking you doing what's right, but you only, you're not holding people accountable, right? You've been a crutch for them. It's like putting a band aid on something, you know what I mean? You're not stitching it up, you know what I mean? Not stapling it up, you know what I mean? And they always feel like that, you know what I mean? But like, the hurtful part is the response of actually saying no. Aaron McKee told me, he said, chuck, just, you know, I mean, when you, when you cutting your grass, you know what I mean? And you getting them snakes out of there, let them ask you for something and tell them no, you Know what I mean? And I think I'm doing a great job of cutting it. But you still got the little small. You know, the snakes might be gone, but some worms in there. Some small.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know, Right now it's Charles Barkley and a whole bunch of people saying, we was trying to tell him this 30 years ago.

[Allen Iverson]

Like, it's just, like, the basketball aspect, everything. I ain't never think that I would retire that early. You know what I mean? Man, I ain't never had no backup plan. Like, growing up. Once my mom told me I could be anything I wanted to be. I wanted to be an NBA basketball player. And that was it. It was no. It was no B, C, D. It was just that. That one dream. You know, I. Coach Thompson used to always tell me, you always listening to everybody else. You're always listening to somebody that's never been to, you know, from A to Z telling you how to get there. You know what I mean? And that's what I was. I had everybody that wasn't me and never had the experience telling me how to do it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I want to ask you about the title of the book, man. Do you think you were misunderstood? Cause that's the title of the book. Or did people outside of your circle just not take the time to understand you?

[Allen Iverson]

You're a smart dude sometimes. A lot. This is one of my favorite shows. So I, you know, I see the good days and bad days.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You been ducking. You been ducking.

[DJ Envy]

This one last time I see black, I'm gonna come.

[Mel Robbins]

I'm gonna come up.

[Allen Iverson]

I watch Dame come up here. It's for real. It get real. I think they can answer it better. My perspective is they were learning on the fly, too. It's like, you know, with my documentary that's coming out, it was like a three hours long. I think I cried, like, two and a half hours of. I had to keep walking out of the theater. Because you think, you know, when it comes to people that love you, you think you know how they feel about, you know, turbulent times.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? And you think you know how your girl feel. You think you know how your mom feel, your uncles, your aunts, your homeboys, your home girls. But then when they actually tell you from their point of view how they felt, you know, and how they looked at things and how I didn't see how I was up, how they had to try to address me with certain things, like, you know, you driving the car, we. We riding shotgun. And it's hard to tell somebody you Know, that's trying to live their life, what they should do and what they shouldn't do, you know what I mean? Like, I'm 21 years old, you know what I mean? When I got into the league at that age, like, you couldn't. You couldn't tell me nothing, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm here, You know what I mean? Like, the dress code. I'm like. I dress like the dudes, the drug dealers from my neighborhood. Like, you know, I'm dressing like this because, you know, this is what I. The old heads from. From my neighborhood. This is how they dress, you know what I mean? I just couldn't afford it, you know what I mean? My cornrows. I got cornrows because I was tired of barbers messing my hair up. So I'm like, damn, if I just grow my hair, you know, I ain't got to deal with that. You know, Tattoos just got addictive. I got one. I couldn't afford them. I would have been. Got a lot of them. My daddy was a hustler, you know what I mean? He was in the streets. My mom in the streets. Like, I didn't have no.

[Angela Rye]

I didn't sit you down and give you structure. Yo, this is how.

[Allen Iverson]

You wasn't no Coach Thompson then.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? Was it.

[DJ Envy]

Those people.

[Allen Iverson]

They weren't in my life yet. So all of that was what he. He was. He. He was. But it was. It was. He was there when I got to the NBA. Me and his phone calls was, you know, you all right? We never talked about basketball. You all right? Yeah, I'm all right.

[DJ Envy]

All right.

[Allen Iverson]

I'm just checking on y', all Swanna.

[Angela Rye]

Good.

[Allen Iverson]

How the kids, you know what I mean? That was it. He was allowing me and thinking. He was preparing me at Georgetown for what was the inevitable. Me going to the league. You can't prepare for that, bro.

[DJ Envy]

How was that pressure, though? Because the nicest player, right? But you change culture. But when you change the culture, the NBA pushed back against it, but you never broke. You never folded, even though you. They could have said. They could have banned AI and said, now we don't want you in our league. But you never folded. You never backed down, and you kept it that way, which hurt you at times. Why was that?

[Allen Iverson]

They profited off it, too. You know what I mean? I would be on. One of the things that hurt me is I was on a magazine. They wanted me on a magazine because of my talent and who I was. But they airbrushed my tattoos off. So you want me, but you, you know, you want some of me. I, I took the ass whooping for it. But the dress code thing, like, I actually was just, you know what I mean? I was 21, where am I going after the game? Going to the club, you know what I mean? Like, before that you. They were used to dudes wearing suits and you know what I mean? I was like, man, like, I've never worn a suit. Growing up, going to church or to a funeral. The only time I put on a.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Suit in the courtroom.

[Allen Iverson]

In the courtroom, Definitely in the courtroom. So I never wore a suit to the, to the gym, to play, to the, to the park, sweatsuit, you know what I mean? Or whatever, you know what I'm saying? So I ain't think, I ain't think nothing of it. David Stern and the rest of the NBA was like, nah. Because it was all right when I was doing it. But then everybody else said, okay, like he can do that, we can do this. So then everybody, you know, you see Kobe coming in with the diamond chains on and the baggy clothes and, you know, everybody started doing it. Then the league was like, hold on, we gotta do something about that. So it wasn't, it wasn't anything malicious like in that. And that, that whole situation showed me a lot and proved a lot to me at a young age about stereotyping people. Because, you know, when you seen John Gotti, John Gotti kept on a two thousand dollar suit.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But what was he?

[Allen Iverson]

That's right, he get busy.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? So it ain't about, you know, what you got on the outside is who you are.

[DJ Envy]

And they said that bother you the most when they labeled you a thug?

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah, I'd be cool with a street dude cool with that, because that's what I am. I mean, that's where I come from. That's all I've ever been around in my life. That's what I grew up around. But a thug, like, nah, that's a, that's a stretch.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I was wondering, would you change things? And the reason I asked that, because even in the book you understood you had to wear a suit to court, but you didn't want to do it for press conferences in the NBA.

[Allen Iverson]

I was bad advice. Like, I was, you know, I was told to take a. Go to trial and go off whatever the judge say, opposed to having a jury. That was bad advice, you know what I mean? Some of it. But I was getting advice from people that never had been through it, you know what I mean? I was told that if I wore a suit then they'd be lenient. I was, yeah, I was extremely wrong.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, so you wish you to just. Water suit.

[Allen Iverson]

I remember, I remember that same suit. I was in a, in a sale. It was 100 degrees with no, no fans in there. In a holding sale. I was in a four man sale with 15 people, you know what I mean? And that suit, when they came got me, I was in the corner with my boxes on, you know what I mean, Soaking wet. And the suit was balled up in the corner. When they came and got me out of there, I had on my boxes, you know what I mean? So. I don't know. I.

[Angela Rye]

Do you regret anything?

[Allen Iverson]

Nah, because I wouldn't be who I am now. I wouldn't change anything, man. In my life, all of these experience, even with the book, man, it's like I love, like I, I, my, my girl always talked to me about, why do you let like what I started talking about in the beginning? Why do you let that type of bother you?

[Charlamagne tha God]

And I'm about to practice press conference.

[Allen Iverson]

No, just, just with my friends. How people. You know what I mean? It's like why? And, and yeah, I don't know, you know what I mean? Like, I love the people that I love and it hurt when they show you who they really are.

[Angela Rye]

Of course.

[Allen Iverson]

Because I'm thinking you somebody else, you know what I mean? And she like, you know, why do you stress out over stuff like that? And what you different. You have a talent and you, you're blessed to be able to brush that stuff off. It's hard for me. Now my talent obviously is, you know, legendary with who. But I think another blessed blessing that I have is to be an open book. To be someone I'm embarrassed about. Practice rent. I'm embarrassed about. Not really embarrassed, but it wasn't smart for me to, you know, because I, I remember, you know, people telling me, AI, you cannot take care of everybody. And I used to let him go on one end right out the other. Like, yo, you know what I mean? I'm gonna be the exception to the rule. I'm gonna take care of the people that I love. Like, that's just me, you know what I mean? And.

[Angela Rye]

I think that's why I hurt you so bad. Cause your heart is in it. You love these people, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you superman. But you still have a heart, you know what I mean?

[Allen Iverson]

But this is, but this is my, this is my gift. Like, this is my Gift to people. This book, this. This documentary, my experiences, the. The turbulent, the ups and downs. Like, if one kid or one adult, whatever, read this book and they can take something from it. I have people come to me all the time, be like, yo, man, you inspired my life, man. I would have died if it was for you. I would have went to jail for the rest of my life. You know what I mean? Like, you. You changed my life. And that. That motivate me. You know what I mean? Like, to give more like, to. To Even when you embarrassed, you're uncomfortable, you know, talk about it. Somebody might not have to go through it. Somebody might. You might save somebody's life.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I agree.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? Like, talk about it, man, you was on top of the world. You had all the money. You know what I mean? All you had to do. It's easy for. To tell Chuck what to do with his. Easy for somebody to say, what I would have did, man, if I was him, I would have did. You ain't me. You know what I mean? You don't know how. I'm sorry.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You.

[Allen Iverson]

You not me. You know what I mean? I make mistakes. I'm human, just like you.

[DJ Envy]

I seen an interview you gave up drinking six months ago.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Where you said, this is enough.

[Allen Iverson]

It was. It was. I'll be lying if I would say it just. Just stopped the brother. You know what I mean? It was. It was situations, you know what I mean? I. You know, where's my. You know what I mean? Like, I know I put it here. You know what I mean? The same thing. We're having certain guys around you. Everybody. When. When. When they.

[Mel Robbins]

Your people.

[Allen Iverson]

Your people know when you drunk. Yo, just chill, man.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Just.

[Allen Iverson]

Two more glasses of dawn, man. Hey, yo, man, I'm up right now, man. God damn it. I need you to. You know what I'm saying, Man? My disk going on.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That.

[Allen Iverson]

Going on, man. I need you. And Emmy just talked about it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

When I get.

[Allen Iverson]

Nice, man.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Will give you the shirt.

[Allen Iverson]

Man. 25,000 on me. I got 1200.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Couldn't wait to run to the L.

[Allen Iverson]

Where my. Where my sneakers at, my man? You gave such and such your. Your. Your. Your Louis sneakers. You gave your sister your. Your.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Your.

[Allen Iverson]

Your. Your fur coat.

[Angela Rye]

You came.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? Like, and, I mean, that's just. That's just small compared to the. The real. You know what I mean? Not feeling well. You know what I mean? I. I mean, I did all this, and I was having fun last night. To wake up feeling like this. You Know what I mean? Then my responsibilities, you, you. You know, I mean, you missing flights and. You know what I mean? I mean, just a. It's a plethora of things, man. You just drinking, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm. I. I started evaluating, like, what good does it do for me?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah, yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You understand? Like, you, You. I mean, you can. You can have fun with your homeboys, your home girls, you know what I mean? Without that. And I talked to God about it. I. I asked them to. To help me be strong. I ain't going to know AAA or nothing like that. Like, I. I was like, okay, I'm not. I'm not doing it. And that's what it was. And the crazy thing about it is I've been with her for 15. I'm. For 35 years, and since I was 15. And it's crazy part about it is she said when I told her I was stopping, that after that she prayed on it, and she said that was the only time that she ever prayed on it. Like, I said it plenty of times in the past, and she said that was the only time that she prayed on it and I was authentic with it.

[DJ Envy]

As a husband, what have you discovered now?

[Allen Iverson]

I'm a boyfriend.

[DJ Envy]

Y' all married for life, man.

[Allen Iverson]

Y' all married for life.

[DJ Envy]

It's like, boyfriend.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I didn't understand that in the book.

[Allen Iverson]

Yeah, well, I mean, we got divorced.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So you married, divorced, and y' all got right back together, like, six months later or something.

[Allen Iverson]

You said, I'm. I. I mean, I, I'm. I want to. I. I want this point to be made because you think I'm who I am. And I was out of control. I was out of control. And this threat was there for years, for years and years and years and years and years. And it's like the boy cried wolf. Like, whatever. I heard that before.

[Angela Rye]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? And then it was like she got to the point with, like, yo, I gotta show this. I gotta do something to show him I'm serious. Right? And that's what happened. You're in that courtroom. You looking over there and you see number one right there, and you looking down at that paper and them tears hitting that. That paper, and they don't say, you know, I've been Georgetown versus Georgetown, and it's been a scrimmage or Sixes versus Sixes, and you looking at the stat sheet, whatever. I'm looking at Iverson vs. Iverson, you know what I mean? And, like, yo, is real, you know, What I mean, like, did you wear a suit? Look, I really was defiant then, okay? You know what I mean? Like, you got me in here. You know what I mean? Like, and I had a judge. The judge was. Was vicious. Like, I couldn't do nothing right.

[DJ Envy]

Even in that moment. You were defiant and I guess upset, even though you knew because you said you knew you were out of control. But so, like, in that moment where. Why are you defining upset if she's just doing what she thinks is going to help, I guess to get you to a better spot for her.

[Allen Iverson]

I was selfishly thinking about my demise because I know in my heart and in my mind that I can't live without her. You know what I'm saying? Like, I know it. Like, I. I know it. I. I took. I. I took her love for me for granted. You know what I mean? Like, as far as she loving me so much that I felt like, you know, that she would never. She would never go. Go nowhere. Like, I've. This all I've known. This is the only love that I've ever known as far as. Like, I've never loved someone like this in my life. You know what I mean? Then a lot of times, you know, all women would say, or even guys, you know, anybody that's, you know, logical about anything. How you love us so much and you do the things.

[Mel Robbins]

Yeah.

[Allen Iverson]

And I don't have an answer.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We never do, though, as men. We never do. We don't know why we do the dumb. We do.

[DJ Envy]

So how has not drinking and, you know, it seems like you're, you know, your focus is different in this time of your life. How has that made you guys rediscover each other in a relationship?

[Allen Iverson]

Oh, yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm.

[Allen Iverson]

I'm Claire Huxtable. I mean, Cliff, She's Claire. I'm Cliff Huxtable now. Like, I'm. I'm. I'm. I kind of get a feeling like I'm the guy. Like, I felt. Always felt like, you know, I was the guy she always wanted. You know what I mean? Wanted to, you know, wanted me to be. But I really feel like that guy now. Like, I feel like it's. It's not the Hux booth around there, obviously, but like she love, you know, this me, you know, because you always getting this me. It's hard to take advantage of somebody that can see clear as hell, you know what I mean? Opposed to being nonchalant about everything, you know what I mean? Like, it's, you know, my homeboy says a different Chuck now. You know what I mean? I see, I see what's going on, you know what I mean? All the stuff that I used to not pay attention to, I'm paying attention to it now, you know what I mean? And I, I just think, you know, by me making this decision is so much better for not just myself, everybody around me, right? I can help better. My, my advice is better, you know what I mean? Like, I'm, I'm a better friend now. I'm a better family member. I, you know, this is clear, you know what I'm saying? Like, I, I, I promise you, I, I'm the smartest man in the world because I know I'm not.

[Charlamagne tha God]

They saying you gotta rap. But I do got one last question, man. You changed the entire culture of basketball, but to me, you changed black culture. You also changed hip hop culture from your fashion to your attitude to just your authenticity. When you see how the NBA in the world embraces individuality now, do you feel celebrated or do you still feel misunderstood?

[Allen Iverson]

It's, I get the opportunity. Like, this is the opportunity for me, you know what I mean? Like, all of those years you wanted to, you know, you wanted this. Ah, man, you got me wrong. Talk about it to your family, your friends. Man, I'm misunderstood, man. They don't, they ain't getting it, you know, I mean, it ain't like that. And then this platform and then all the other big platforms, you know, just you guys giving me an opportunity to come up here and ask me that. I want to answer that. I want the world to know. And this book took years, you know what I mean? The documentary took years to do. I'm just happy that I get an opportunity to tell my story or write my story and help and help somebody. All I want is for people to get out of it, man. It's all right to be you. It's all right.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Allen Iverson]

You know what I mean? And it's things that's going to happen in your life and it's gonna be tough, you know what I mean? But that's when you gonna lean on number one. You're gonna lean on him, you're gonna lean on God. You don't. They don't ask them any. You don't question them at all. You know what I mean? Whatever happened, happened. I ain't never. My grandma told me when I went to jail, that bowling alley thing, I said, why are they doing this to me if they know I didn't do what they said I did? Don't question God never questioned God, and I've never done it since then. You know what I mean? Whatever he do, you know what I mean? I'm cool with it, you know what I mean? He driving his car and I'm just sitting there, ride shotgun. Wherever he take me, that's where I'm going. And I'm going to live with the results. So that's. That's the only thing I want. I just think, man, live and laugh and love, man.

[DJ Envy]

And we love you, brother.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We love you, too.

[DJ Envy]

It's out right now.

[Allen Iverson]

It's the walk out.

[Angela Rye]

I gotta go.

[DJ Envy]

It's Alan Iverson. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. It was time to get up out of here. Charlamagne, you got a positive note.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes, I do, man. And it's simple. I want to talk to you about perseverance, okay? People think that perseverance is like this long race. No. Perseverance is many short races, one after another. And you're going to need it, okay? Because success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. Have a great day. Breakfast Club.

[Allen Iverson]

Y' all finished or y' all done?

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[Angela Rye]

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[Angela Rye]

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[DJ Envy]

Pressure is coming down.

[Charlamagne tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

It matters that we're not just in.

[Mel Robbins]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Mel Robbins]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Mel Robbins]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.