Joe and Jada - Jesse Williams on BLM & BET Awards speech, 'Grey's Anatomy' & 'Hotel Costiera'

Summary

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The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Joe and Jada – Jesse Williams on BLM & BET Speech, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, and ‘Hotel Costiera’

Date: October 2, 2025
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host/Guests: Joe Crack the Dawn, Jada, Jesse Williams

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Episode Overview

This lively and candid episode features actor and activist Jesse Williams in conversation with hosts Joe Crack the Dawn and Jada. The trio dives into Williams’ roots, his teaching career, the experience of being biracial in America, confronting Black history erasure, cultural responsibility in music and art, behind-the-scenes TV moments, and his latest show ‘Hotel Costiera’. Williams also reflects on his pivotal BET Awards speech and the aftermath, while sharing wisdom for young, mixed-race Americans searching for identity and belonging.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jesse Williams’ Background: Chicago to Hollywood (04:17–06:34)

• Growing up in Chicago: Williams describes his challenging childhood during the crack era, his family’s move to Massachusetts, and the multicultural environments that shaped his worldview.
  • “That shit was rough. I mean, that was the 80s crack era Chicago. I left in junior high because...my mom wanted me to survive it, but...I had an incredible childhood.” — Jesse Williams (04:26)
• Temple University Era: Williams recalls arriving at Temple during a musical renaissance with The Roots, Jill Scott, and the Soulquarians, alongside strong athletic energy.
  • “It was...right when like, the Roots were taking off...There was just like this renaissance. Free shows everywhere, every night...” — Jesse Williams (05:34)

2. Teaching in Philly: Purpose and Challenges (06:27–07:33)

• Teaching in Urban Philadelphia: Williams shares how teaching high school was his most fulfilling job, despite dangers like students bringing guns and the reality of teen pregnancy.
  • “That was the best job I ever had. You know, I taught high school in the hood...I had two kids with a loaded gun in my class.” — Jesse Williams (06:33)
• He turned every class into African history, aiming to repair the confidence and self-image in Black and brown youth by pointing to their global inheritance.

3. Erased Black History & Cultural Legacy (07:33–12:08)

• Importance of African-American history: Williams, Joe, and Jada stress the need to teach unfiltered Black history to combat systemic ignorance, citing inventions, ancient African sciences, and how erasure perpetuates white supremacy.
  • “If you actually understand the role, the contributions that black folks [made]...this don’t start with slavery...the actual history is the foundational of all this.” — Jesse Williams (08:22)
  • The group lists essential Black inventors and the impact on technology, medicine, and daily American life (12:13).
• Memorable Moment: The hosts riff on the pyramids’ engineering, AC systems in ancient Egypt, and teachers changing postures when kids see themselves in history.

4. Responsibility in Music, Culture, and Art (13:51–17:18)

• They debate the loss of consciousness in modern hip-hop, the commercialization of the genre, and the need for artist collectives to prioritize cultural uplift over money.
  • “This conscious movement...can’t be currency-based because...they’re not preserving the culture.” — Joe (15:32)
• Williams points to Vince Staples’ commentary about music shifting from “surviving the hustle” to “glorifying addiction and destruction,” and praises young artists like Philly’s Positive Movement, but bemoans that they’re often outshadowed.

5. Acting Career: Stereotypes, Choices, and Shonda Rhimes (18:13–25:54)

• Breaking in Through Stereotypes: Williams details his early auditions, often for criminal roles, and the industry’s tendency to pigeonhole Black actors.
  • “My first seven auditions were like robbing white people in like, New York shows.” — Jesse Williams (19:49)
• Boundaries in Acting: Williams describes passing on roles detrimental to Black people and standing up to producers.
  • “I’m not doing anything that’s detrimental to my people...I’ve had to tell agents...that’s just racist. Not only am I not doing it, but take it out.” — Jesse Williams (21:44)
• On Shonda Rhimes & Grey’s Anatomy: Williams credits Rhimes as a mentor and protector, especially after the controversial BET Awards speech.
  • “They were trying to get her to fire me...she posted like, hell no. That’s not happening. Having a black boss is very valuable...” — Jesse Williams (24:58–25:19)

6. The BET Awards Speech & Activism Fallout (27:51–32:13)

• Courage and Risk: Williams discusses the public reaction and professional risks he faced after his famous BET Awards address.
  • “When I gave that BET speech, everybody was trying to take my job, sign petitions...threatening to kill me...She [Rhimes] was...like, hell no.” — Jesse Williams (24:54)
  • “So many of us are terrified of white folks...It’s a scary, powerful hammer that can flatten you...and then blame you.” — Jesse Williams (29:01)
• The necessity of remaining uncompromising even in high-profile mainstream environments.

7. 'Hotel Costiera' and International Travel (40:41–44:57)

• New Project: Williams introduces his lighthearted international series ‘Hotel Costiera’, set on the Italian Amalfi Coast, playing a multiethnic ex-Marine turned fixer in a luxury hotel.
  • “So much of my shit is...urgent, important...but I wanted to make something that was...light...action movies, running around, kicking some ass, beautiful places.” — Jesse Williams (41:07)
• Travel anecdotes: Joe recounts travel anxieties, missing the beauty of global cities during incarceration, and discovering “Mongolian beef” is an American invention.
  • “In that four months [in jail], I just would think about just walking down the street in Italy or Rome...that shit was so fly.” — Joe Crack the Dawn (44:42)

8. Biracial Identity and Advice for the Next Generation (51:49–54:27)

• Advice for Young Biracial Americans: Williams stresses connecting with Black community to find grounding, while also dispelling the “us vs them” framing stoked by sensational media.
  • “Spend time with black folks...Just get with your people.” — Jesse Williams (51:59)
  • “It ain’t us versus them...People…try to make it. Us versus them, bad versus good, white versus black...but people trying to demonstrate that they might matter is because they love themselves.” — Jesse Williams (52:47, 53:09)
• On universal identity struggles and resisting the false narrative that fighting for one’s own rights takes anything away from others.

9. Pop Culture Rapid-Fire (54:38–57:11)

• Closing out, the hosts and Jesse playfully debate classic Black sitcoms, from Cosby Show to Sanford and Son to Fresh Prince.
  • “Cosby is one of the greatest sitcoms ever.” — Jesse Williams (54:42)
  • They riff on generational differences and TV legends like Red Foxx and Sherman Helmsley.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Teaching & Representation:

  “I was that badass kid...And I was trying to do that. Like, it was...beautiful work. It was important...I turned every class...into African history.” — Jesse Williams (07:06)

• On erasure of Black history:

  “If you learn where Greece actually studied, where Rome actually studied...where they...learned in Africa, where institutions and mathematics...came from...It's the actual history is the foundational of all this.” — Jesse Williams (08:24)

• On courage and activism:

  “I’m not scared of white people. So many of us are terrified of white folks at the real core of it, because it’s a scary, powerful hammer that can flatten you and make you disappear...” — Jesse Williams (29:01)

• On identity and belonging:

  “Everybody struggles with identity. I don't care what race you are...We're trying to figure it out. So just don't let...the media try to convince you that...freedom ain't pie. If I get a piece, I'm taking a piece from you...” — Jesse Williams (53:09)

• On giving back to culture:

  “What I believe is...this conscious movement...can't be currency-based...They're not preserving the culture.” — Joe Crack the Dawn (15:32)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• Jesse’s upbringing in Chicago & Massachusetts: 04:17–05:12
• Temple University & Philly’s creative scene: 05:32–06:16
• Teaching inner-city youth & African history: 06:27–07:33
• Why Black history matters & withheld contributions: 07:33–12:08
• Discussion on hip hop’s evolution & commercialism: 13:51–17:18
• Breaking into acting, stereotypes, and diversity showcases: 18:13–19:49
• Role selection and refusing harmful stereotypes: 21:40–22:09
• Working with Shonda Rhimes, BET Speech fallout: 24:54–25:19, 27:51–32:13
• Debuting ‘Hotel Costiera’ and its inspiration: 40:41–44:57
• Advice for biracial youth & thoughts on identity: 51:49–54:27

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Episode Tone

The tone is irreverent, humorous, and deeply honest—a blend of streetwise camaraderie, cultural consciousness, and personal vulnerability. Williams shares with humility, the hosts tease and cheer him on, and all involved provide direct, unfiltered observations on society, race, media, and legacy.

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Takeaway

This episode is a spirited, often hilarious, but always thought-provoking journey through Jesse Williams’ life, his activism, and his enduring dedication to cultural integrity, both on and off the screen.
From Chicago’s streets to the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast, Williams models how unapologetic Blackness, thoughtful activism, and international ambition can coexist—and how telling the whole story shapes the generation coming up next.

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Listen for: Insight on Black history, the responsibility of representation, the courage to speak truth in mainstream spaces, and the power of staying connected to your roots—plus a few classic sitcom debates.

Transcript

[Hunter]

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lachey Dungy. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Jones]

Hey, this is Matt Jones and I'm Drew Franklin, and this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, my.

[Matt Jones]

We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Pod, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Dan]

I'm Dan. He's Ty.

[Jada]

Hello.

[Dan]

And we're the solid verbal college football podcast.

[Ty]

Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan.

[Dan]

Join us all season long as we ride the roller coaster of this ridiculous sport.

[Ty]

Listen to the solid verbal college football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan]

We don't just love college football, Ty. We live it.

[Jesse Williams]

Culture eats strategy for breakfast, right?

[Valisha Butterfield]

On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us, I was joined by Valisha Butterfield, media founder, political strategist and tech powerhouse for a powerful conversation on storytelling impact and the intersections of culture and leadership.

[Hunter]

I am a free black woman.

[Valisha Butterfield]

From the Obama White House to Google to the Grammys, Valisha's journey is a masterclass in shifting culture and using your voice to spark change. Listen to Culture Raises us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

How does it feel to know that you could take any guy's wife in the world? Like, what is that feeling like, Jess?

[Jesse Williams]

I don't think about it like that.

[Jada]

You have to. You have to a little bit.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I. What up, y'? All? This is Joe Crack the Dawn.

[Jada]

Know who it is. Your boy, Jada. This is the Joe and Jada Show. Every show legendary. Every show iconic. And he's still on course.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Biggest in the game.

[Jada]

Biggest in the game. Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for our guest today. Great actor, excellent actor, excellent Broadway player, excellent activist, excellent human being. Just a Great person. Jesse Williams makes a doll.

[Jesse Williams]

What up?

[Jada]

What up?

[Jesse Williams]

Thanks for having me.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Listen, we got women. I don't know if, you know, I said it's in the Roc Nation building, but we have women from every different floor. I'm looking at all of y'.

[Jesse Williams]

All.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

They don't really work on this floor. And they all here in attendance today.

[Jada]

My style.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You got your own D.

[Jesse Williams]

Necessary.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Dominicana. That's in the seventh floor. She's up. They all escaped.

[Jesse Williams]

It was like TSA getting in here.

[Jada]

I see people that never, ever wanted to sit in on the episode today. And mysteriously, it's extra female heavy.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Did it. How does it feel to know that you could take any guy's wife in the world? Like, what is that feeling?

[Jesse Williams]

Like, Jess, you. I don't think about it like that.

[Jada]

You have to a little bit.

[Jesse Williams]

I mean, you know, knowing is enough sometimes. It don't mean you got to do it.

[Jada]

No doubt.

[Unknown Male Guest]

You know what I mean?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

See, I never knew that. Like, I know I'm not ugly, but I never knew, like, I never knew enough. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, like, I had to chase my wife for weeks, you know, I mean, you just wanted them. Like, yo, I got you.

[Jada]

Just go like this. Let's talk to my brother. Growing up in Chicago, first of all, how was that?

[Jesse Williams]

That shit was rough. I mean, that was the 80s crack era Chicago. I mean, I left in junior high because this shit was. It was wild. And my. My mom wanted me to survive it, but. But it was real. I mean, I'm so grateful for it. I had. I had an incredible childhood. It was just. It was 80s.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Where you moved to?

[Jesse Williams]

I moved from Chicago to Massachusetts.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Okay.

[Jesse Williams]

I moved. Yeah. I became a real.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Adopting.

[Jesse Williams]

That was. My parents got divorced. My mom, we moved to a different art school. And I got a whole lot of family in New England. I think she just wanted to be closer to family because we were kind of isolated.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Are you like Cape Verdeans?

[Jesse Williams]

No, there's mad Cave Verdians. Everybody thought I was Cape Verde. And I mean everywhere. I gonna think I'm them Puerto Ricans think I'm Puerto Rican. Brazilians think I'm Brazilian, you know, I mean, you blend in everywhere, cursing me out. I'm not speaking Spanish.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

He got that a habaja on and go in Dubai and be a Dubai guy.

[Jesse Williams]

I'm saying, I guess that's next. That might be the next.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

He's everything.

[Jada]

Then you went to Temple.

[Jesse Williams]

Tu went to Temple University.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jada]

What was that?

[Jesse Williams]

Temple was dope. That was a good. That was a good time too, because it was. I was. I was a temple, right when, like, the roots were taken off. Erica. Jazzy, Fat Nasties, Common Blackstar. Everybody was there. Everybody was there for. I was there for all that. Soulquarians, d'. Angelo. Like, there was just like this renaissance. Free shows everywhere, every night. Jazzy fat nasties 5 spot. Like, notice that you would just see real music, place to be ill hip hop all the time. You know, shout out to like, you know, the Electric Factory somewhere Joe Scott fell in love with. Just got there, like. And we had. Our basketball team was nice too. That's when we had like, Pepe Sanchez, Quincy Wadley. We played Lamar Odom at uri. We played them like, we made like the elite eight.

[Jada]

Okay.

[Jesse Williams]

Live on tv.

[Jada]

Coach Cheney.

[Jesse Williams]

It's our motto is tu motherfuckers. So that didn't really work well for espn. It was like live on espn. They didn't. They never came back. But we had Coach Cheney.

[Jada]

No doubt.

[Jesse Williams]

We had Coach Cheney. Yeah, those were good years. And I taught high school in Philly for a few years.

[Jada]

What was that?

[Jesse Williams]

Like, that was dope. That was. That was the best job I ever had. You know, I taught high school in the hood.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Explain. Explain that to us. Just for the love of the kids.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, for the love of the kids. For how important. It was like, badass kids. There was some Being Harlem, yo. There was some badass kids there too.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

But Metal detector in the. From first to sixth grade, we had that too.

[Jesse Williams]

I had. I had two kids with a loaded gun in my class. Like, I had to. That's a high school.

[Jada]

High school.

[Jesse Williams]

That's how I look. Like I was in high school. I was in my early 20s. They had guns. We had a daycare center. They had babies.

[Jada]

Like, you know, kids in the school had babies.

[Jesse Williams]

Oh, yeah, we had a daycare center. Like, it was. Yeah, a lot of girls were pregnant. It was real shit. It's where we came from. So it was like we were. I was that badass kid. Like, it was. I've been. Definitely had my life turned in the right direction by great teachers before. And I was trying to do that. Like, it was. It was beautiful work. It was important. I had really great students. I taught like, you know, I turned every class. I was a sub, long term sub at first. And I would have turned everything into African history. And it was beautiful. It just changed.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

But it's such a lack of that, right? Because right now I just saw they have a museum right now. One they trying to like, erase African American history.

[Jada]

Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

Basically making it illegal.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Got the gun that killed Emmett Till. The person who found it is also the guy who wrote the book about Emmett Till. And he says there is no mention of Emmett Till in no history book in the whole school system throughout the civil rights era. Nothing like that. So it's so important to teach African American history to the youth because we don't know. Like, you know, I argue with these foundational. Like, you know, sometimes I'm in a car and somebody says something, I'm saying, do you know the traffic stop was.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, the traffic stop person.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Do you know the plasma was Charles Richard.

[Jesse Williams]

Do you know none of this shit works if they know that what we created, like the whole hustle of this society and white supremacy, the con doesn't work if you actually understand the role, the contributions that black folks. And this don't start with slavery. If you learn where Greece actually studied, where Rome actually studied, where they. What they learned in Africa, where institutions and mathematics and all these things came from. It's not just like to feel good. It's the actual history is the foundational of all this. Empires rise and fall, you know, I mean, like, we're in one that's going to fall, and I hope we don't.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Not while I'm here.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, but my kids.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I don't fall.

[Jesse Williams]

Being able to.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Well, every empire falls.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Like, so you know how we feel like this is America and can nobody come blow us up? We safe. This. That's bullshit. It happened to every empire in the past, you know, And. And what's crazy is I just came back on a flight from Dubai with a couple that went to Egypt. There's one place I've never been to that I always want to go to.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, me too.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And I was talking to them and they were like, yo, you know King Tut? Like, I find this confusing. They was like, king Tut is still in the tomb right there. You could see him. And I'm like, how could you see King Tut? Didn't he die like 10,000 years ago? Don't, like, disintegrated and all that. But the main thing about it was they were explaining that the pyramids were made so that if there's an earthquake that sways with the earthquake, you can't blow them buildings. Them buildings won't fall.

[Jesse Williams]

They've survived everything.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And I've seen. They had ac. You know how hot it is in Egypt. The pharaohs and all them, they had ac. They figured out how to make AC all these years ago with a water system and all that.

[Jada]

These guys were brilliant anomalies.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I'm not lying. Oh, Google. Oh my God. He threw a flag on the plate.

[Jada]

My house still my AC don't work sometimes. I know they had ac. Always.

[Jesse Williams]

Air shafts keeping it shaded, keeping it shaded. I mean these things are temples connected to the Stark, the constellations.

[Jada]

Explain it the right way.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jada]

You made it seem like they got sent you in. Like we got.

[Jesse Williams]

They just plugged that shit in.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Jada, 12 volt, 240 degrees outside.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

There's a way for you to make it cool. They got that adapter you guys was. The point is there's been extra extraordinary intelligence with, with Africans. African Americans that they don't teach him. So they teach in Philly.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And you teaching the kids that.

[Jesse Williams]

Absolutely Every, every, every chance you get. I mean, I'm teaching, I'm showing them, you know, figures in, in African history, including Kemet black as they are with corn roads that are the leading irrigators. Astronomers, architects, city planners, physicians, surgeons, all these things well before Europe came out of the dark ages. And you just watch your students just like I did when my dad was teaching this to me. Posture change, lifting up, like, asking questions now involved like it includes me. It's the only element of school that includes you. And it's telling you that you already been here. You already had. You didn't come from the mud, you ain't come from slavery. At the beginning of nothing, that's the end of something. And our confidence. And it's not just for us. We, you think, you know, if white kids and everybody else also had to learn that we invented. You can't walk through this country without touching 10 things that are African. Invented, invent. That affects you.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Why don't we mention something that come to mind just so for the kids that's watching right now.

[Jesse Williams]

Elevator refrigeration, early cell phone technology. What'd you say? You said traffic lighter.

[Jada]

Traffic lights.

[Jesse Williams]

Lewis Latimer and the light bulb. The actual work with Edison. When in Lynn. With high.

[Jada]

All of London.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

They don't know that.

[Jesse Williams]

That's right. That's right, Charles.

[Jada]

True slatter, man.

[Jesse Williams]

Poof Ars. Charles Drew did a lot for medicine. Proved on Edison.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

What I'm saying to you is. And I was thinking the other day, I said, man, you know, Tupac and Biggie were young kids, right?

[Jada]

And 26 and whatever.

[Jesse Williams]

25.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah, but whatever came to their mind. Like Tupac was talking about real shit that happens right? Now and Big too. And so back in that day, right. Cause I was trying to think, like, other than his family being Black Panthers and stuff like that, I was like trying to think of him and Biggie. They was talking about issues that was happening at the time. And then I thought about it, I said, well, you know, we was coming right off of KRS1, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Poor righteousness, that whole poor righteousness. All that conscious movement. So they were more like the lyricists, but they were including consciousness in the music. I see a lack of that. Unless, I don't know with the youth today. Yeah, like, I see a lack of that. You know, at least we caught that in our era, you know, talking about, like we made a song like why, but why comes from, you know, he's of that era, people in front of them. And so it's very important that we teach our history.

[Jesse Williams]

Why do you think. Why do you think that? Do you think we can get that level of musicality back, that level of songwriting where it's about just love and real shit in our community from that entire era?

[Jada]

I would say we have to go the way you went about teaching your class. Like, when we're amongst each other and you make it sound interesting and they want to learn, then the posture change, then the music would change.

[Jesse Williams]

So lead them by example. Maybe a couple OGs need to do something just to see that it is cool, that there is something.

[Jada]

But I also believe in our culture, that's how you start to spread.

[Jesse Williams]

Some of y' all gotta lean.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

What I believe is cool is I don't want. You can't be about money, okay? Because the world, the way hip hop is fucked up is. It just. It went from an art form that was created by poor people in the Bronx. Don't, don't. Hey, I'm from the Bronx, baby. We invented this shit. We wanna have these couches in this motherfucker without the Bronx. If it wasn't for the Bronx, this rap shit don't do that. But he know I try to pluck it every. But the truth is it came from an art form where these people, unfortunately, our pioneers who started this, they never got their money or their just due because they did it out of love. And if they would do it 10 times again, a hundred times again, they would go in there and party for free again. And so this conscious movement of this time right now can't be currency based because now people is all thinking about, let me get one hit and I'm gonna Make my money. It's a bag, it's a lick. They're not preserving the culture. They're not so much about teaching the youth or whatever. So it gotta be a group of people. A group of people.

[Jesse Williams]

A collective decision making money. And you can make money making good music. Music makes good money. But you gotta be inventive and creative.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Our job.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

To fund that. It might be our job.

[Jesse Williams]

Or find it and lift up.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

We gonna donate. We make a lot of money. Yeah, let's donate some money towards those guys who's trying to give the positive message and ain't making no money.

[Jada]

It's not even about the money. Like you said, you have to show them firsthand. That is cool. And then it starts.

[Jesse Williams]

Well, I think. What about it? Also we have to remember and make it anti blackness has gotta be uncool. This like there's how many niggas you can destroy us just killing each other and eviscerating each other. And I think it was a young brilliant brother. You know, Vince Staples, he said in an interview it was good to hear from a young. A young artist mouth like the MCs used to rap about having a sling crack. Right. Having to be alchemist and create something out of nothing. Having a. Having a push dope. And now it's the drug users. Now it's the drug addicts making music about being addicted to drugs and using drugs. And that's the. That's a shift because we're all listening. We're absorbing it. Those high school kids are rapping it. We memorize. You can't memorize the times tables or the history. But you. But you know.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

But you know the song. They had a kid out of Philly. Brilliant. Yeah, that's what it was.

[Jesse Williams]

Rather.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

All he rapped about was positive.

[Jesse Williams]

Really positive. Beautiful brother.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Just gave him two blocks in Philly. Yeah, two street blocks. Yeah.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You know, but that would. That. That right there touched me because this kid, he was. He was doing that.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah, he was.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

He was one of the few doing the conscious movement.

[Jada]

It wasn't enough though. It wasn't enough behind. It wasn't. He was the. He was alone. He was the. Yeah, he was the under. You know, it's more the negativity than him. He was the outcast minute. Know who it is? Your boy Kiz.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Show crack.

[Jada]

Check it out. We got a Patreon. You can get exclusive clips. You can get early access to the episodes. A lot of surprises. Bowling and subscribe. Things coming to you from Joe and Jada.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Important being Part of this, you know.

[Jada]

They'Re there right now. Cause it's free. He giving you the first one for free. That is going to be a little different. Go over there right now. Join Jaden Patreon.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Let's get it wild, wild west. Let's get it.

[Jada]

Your first breakthrough came through New York Actors Showcase. What was that tradition?

[Jesse Williams]

That was, you know, I had just started again. I didn't start. I was teaching up. I didn't start really acting until I was in my late 20s. And I got this. I was working at a law firm. I was working in law firms in New York and I hit up an old agent, an old commercial agent to see if he could put me on just to try to really act. And I got a small agency and they sent me to this. ABC did a, like a diversity showcase. They make a little spot where they'll let non white actors get a. Get a shot. So we do a little. We do little, you know, like a little. It's your little area. You get to do your thing and you get to do a scene from a play. And managers and agents will come and watch. And I've made a lot of lifelong friends from that showcase. There was like 12 of us.

[Jada]

Wow.

[Jesse Williams]

Black actors. Black and brown actors that came up and. And then ABC would bring you to auditions. Like, just, just fuck up. Auditions. I was just doing horrible at auditions. It pulled me aside, like, yo, what are you doing? Why are you looking over there? Do this. I. Because I didn't go to acting school. I never took an acting class. I never even wanted to be an actor. Like, I didn't have any training. So they were a beautiful place that I could kind of just, you know, like, help me make my mistakes there. And gave me shots and shots and shots. And then eventually, years later, I got a show on ABC from la, a different office, but still, like, that was. I really appreciate it. They really, like, gave me a big. I mean, New York gave me. That was where I, I, you know. Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You know, you say you did some.

[Jada]

Roles as thugs and criminals that pay rent.

[Jesse Williams]

Well, it was, it was funny because my first.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's real.

[Jesse Williams]

My first, like seven auditions were like robbing white people in like, New York shows. And it was me because I watched my brothers, my homies were actually in every movie. Far less options than OB get all the privileges you could possibly get as a black person. Like, the way I look, the way they, they prioritize the way I look, which got nothing to do with me. And I was still like, cornrows like robbing some white person on a train. Like, it's posted up outside the spot, like. And it was like, damn, y'. All. Like, this is the only way in.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

This is my life. I have begged them to be a school bus driver or something. They always make me a gang leader, a fucking mafia, a robber. Like, I've never been a nice guy in the world.

[Jesse Williams]

I wonder if you're the only person that you asked.

[Jada]

A train conductor.

[Jesse Williams]

You a train conductor in some.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah, you know, I was looking at this shit. I think we. It was the cardi b episode. You know, sometimes he's, you know, he's a real clever and witty guy. Sometimes it takes me to look at the video, catch the catch, figure out the shit he doing. Right? I know, but you said, okay, this guy's a funny dude. He said that they. They put you on the tv. They made you wrestle in mud or something.

[Jada]

They made me wrestle in the mud. What is this on the show Queen on Queen. Queen, yeah, the Queen show. That Eve. No, remember the show Queen and Brandy?

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

They had a muscle.

[Jesse Williams]

They had a wrestler.

[Jada]

The gun fell. I had to wrestle in the mud. It was freezing. It was raining.

[Jesse Williams]

Oh, so you were scrapping and ended up in the mud? You weren't, like, in a ring with, like, jeans.

[Jada]

Outside the crib, but it was mud.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

All right, so what level? That's a good question. What won't you do? Acting. Because it's acting. But what won't you do? What role would you be like, yo, I'm not passed on rules all the time.

[Jesse Williams]

I mean, but it's not.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You won't do.

[Jada]

You got to be fortunate.

[Jesse Williams]

I mean, I don't know. You know, my job is also. My job is to not be me. My job is to embody in somebody else's life. So I'm open to, you know, doing scary that I wouldn't otherwise do. But it's definitely like, you know, the I'm not doing that's detrimental to my people. You know what I mean? Like, that was. That's the I don't do. Many times I've had to tell agents or producers, like, that's just racist. Not only am I doing not doing it, but take it out.

[Jada]

By the way, he's over here telling me not to cut. Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

You know, please.

[Jada]

And gentlemen at home watching this, he telling me, let that man talk. I'm trying to conduct the real interview while he only.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yo, let him talk. Now.

[Jada]

Why?

[Jesse Williams]

You got something in mind?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You got. No, because I Love this. I want to say it's Ethan Hawke, right?

[Jesse Williams]

Ethan Hawke's a great actor, but I.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Loved him, but he played a predator, a child predator one time, and I never liked him again.

[Jesse Williams]

I see what you mean.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah. But it bothered me. Yeah, I mean, he did, but that.

[Jesse Williams]

Means he did a great job. So there is sometimes playing, like, dirty motherfuckers, like, playing some people that especially as, like, a parent, like something that looks like real evil. But I do like the guy who.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Played with Tina Turner smacking the Ike all the time. How could you ever like him, get.

[Jada]

Mad at him that mean either.

[Jesse Williams]

That means it was effective. And also, by portraying that person, you're bringing light to what it looked like so that you can have more, like, attentiveness to that character in your life. Like, it actually could be, like, a warning, you know?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Who's the guy? Who's the guy played in Training Day.

[Jesse Williams]

With that was even hardcore.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

He fucked me up.

[Jesse Williams]

Did a movie, Predator.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I never liked him again.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

To this day, when I see him, he pops up. I'm like, yo, I don't know. Like, I don't fuck with this guy, but you giving me a good perspective. You saying he actually nailed the part?

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, he did an amazing. Such an amazing job. They made it real for you. And it's like. It's like who we just lost.

[Jada]

You would have knew that you got acting. Denzel didn't talk to RZA for the whole Frank Lucas. Right. So then when they went to the screen and he, like, you didn't speak to me for months. He told him, nigga, he was police. I was Frank Lucas. I couldn't talk.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jada]

So he stay in character, say, the old movie's over.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Let me ask this one question, right? Because I actually did some research with you. Right. Don't do that. But no, no, I just want. I want to make sure the man. But in researching you.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I researched some African American history.

[Jesse Williams]

Okay.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

This woman, Shonda Rhimes.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

Geez.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Tell me about Shonda Rhimes.

[Jesse Williams]

She's a G. I mean, she got Grey's Anatomy.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yep.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Scandal.

[Jesse Williams]

She created huge shows. She's still creating huge shows. She's.

[Jada]

She's.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, no.

[Jada]

That'S all good, because I just want to keep it chronological. He was the teacher. Oh, we doing.

[Jesse Williams]

We doing.

[Jada]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, yo, this guy, after the small.

[Jada]

Roles, after the, you know, they allowed him to mess up, I want him.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

To say about the woman he landed.

[Jada]

Grace didn't even tell us about.

[Jesse Williams]

Yep. I landed that as soon as I came to me, I moved from Brooklyn to LA and got that gig that was supposed to be like two episodes. I ended up doing 10 years on that show. And to have such an intelligent person as the creator as somebody that you can look up to and talk to. And she looked out for me too. You know, when I gave that bet speech, everybody was trying to take my job, sign petitions and all this, all this bullshit crying. How does it cry my life, threaten my kids? Like I'd have, I'd have 24 hour like armed guards and shit. They were threatening to kill me and all this stuff. And they were trying to get her to fire me. And she was. She like posted like, hell no, that's not happening. Like don't. Having a black boss is very valuable in moments like that. But more importantly, like yeah, a wise, smart person with, with some vision, but she's incredible. And she created a show that's incredible. Is still on 20 something years. But I think like 30, 39% of women in medical school credit Grey's Anatomy with inspiring them to go to med school.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Gotta be in the textbook now in high school.

[Jesse Williams]

And speaking of which, people putting black people in high ranking in roles without it being about race, like just putting Isaiah Washington, Jim Pickens, you know, the character Bailey Chandra Wilson that are like in powerful positions, highly intelligent, cerebral people that it's not about them neck driving, demonstrating some bullshit like stereotype version of black era. Comedy show was huge for that.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That era was great that, that era on tv. But then you came in a little more serious era.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, that was a drama and that was a comedy. Yeah, you need them both. I mean we need everything. That's the thing, we need them. We need everything. I mean there's a lot of pressure. I remember, remember pressure back in the UPN days, wb, those networks, it was just comedies, comedies, comedies, comedies. And they got a lot of for cooning and all that. And it was like. But that was the only place black people could work.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

And they're comedians, that's what they're doing work. But when you. Only when you got white folks got 170 channels that they can do everything and they can shoot up a school or bomb something. It doesn't affect their day in terms. But we like one, you know, one little channel can. It can stereotype your whole people. So it's a different level of pressure, you know.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Can I ask the man a question?

[Jesse Williams]

They asked more questions in a row.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Somehow he became the librarian.

[Jada]

Today.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You gotta have order, skip, skip Skip, come on, get the out of here with all the smart questions you got today.

[Jesse Williams]

I do. I was.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, my God, I'm your guy. Don't shoot me up.

[Jesse Williams]

Okay, I'm ready.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

These flags were created for me.

[Jesse Williams]

It's a brilliant idea because every time.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I go crazy, they throw a flag at me. They're like, yo, come back to Earth, what you got? I don't know. I just forgot what I was about to say.

[Jada]

You want. Do you want to take my smart board?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, no. My thing is, I was there when you gave the speech at bet.

[Jesse Williams]

You were?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yes, I was in the audience. And pause. You blew my mind. And I was just like, I didn't know you.

[Jesse Williams]

It's so funny. People still say pause.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Go ahead.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's their fault. These guys, they the pause police. So they. If I step on shit, like, you know, there's some episodes, like, pause, pause, pause. This guy hides under the table. Cause, like, you know, I'll say some shit, right? Like I'm a fuck up. But listen, you out there, you giving this speech, I just realized, because, you know, we're not in your life. You gotta live your life every day. He lives his life, I live my life. But I realized in the level of acting you're in, it's not like you're making TV flicks for bet. Like, you're with white people all day, Grey's Anatomy. So for you to come on the front line and make this beautiful speech activism, that. That takes even more courage for you because.

[Jesse Williams]

Because I'm not siloed away from the.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Power that I. Yeah, you actually stood up for your people, and then you went back to work on Monday.

[Jesse Williams]

By then, people in my life knew what it was. You know what I mean? Like, that's how I was at that. At that time. I was on the news a lot. I was in Ferguson, I was in Florida. I was in. We were losing a lot of. A lot of young brothers and sisters like to. At the hands of the police. So I was on the news a lot, popping that shit. So, like, it wasn't a total surprise to people who knew me, the larger world, who maybe only saw me play a character. That was what kind of shook them up. But that's all the more reason why I care so much is because, you know, I'm in many ways being biracial. I mean, I'm the invisible man. I see. I know. And you know what else it is? It's like being around white society and the way it works. And I have been at pivotal Points in my life. It's a real simple thing. I'm not scared of white people. And so many of us are terrified of white folks at the real core of it, because it's a scary, powerful hammer that can flatten you and make you disappear in two seconds and then blame you. We see it happen all day, every day.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I got some friends that are white. I got some friends that are Jewish that I love to death. I got friends that are Muslims, I love to death. I'm all about the principle. I'm all about if you're good for me. And I love you. I love you no matter what color, no matter what.

[Jesse Williams]

As it should be.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I'm not gonna stand there and tell you I'm scared of some guy cause he's white or he's this, he's that. That's not me. Like, I'm not running for that. I don't care. I go back and forth, chicken wings and French fries. I don't give a fuck. Yeah, it's sad to feel that way, but that's who I am. I don't give a fuck. Like me. You can't scam me with position. You can't scam me with money. I. You can't scare me with none of that shit. Like me, I'm just like, yo, it is what it is. Like, I grew up so poor. I'm not scared of being poor guys.

[Jesse Williams]

You already been there. I know a lot of people don't understand that. We already been there.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I'm saying, you half white. You grew up half white. Look at this.

[Jada]

You don't want to be poor right now.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, I don't. I'mma actually say this. The first time you threw that flag and you.

[Jada]

All right, that was a good flag, too.

[Jesse Williams]

That was a good flag.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, no, no. I drove down. I drove down here, just telling everybody. I was like, yo, we so blessed, man. Yeah, what happened?

[Jada]

Pissed him off with that. You pissed rich off saying that?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, I don't want to be poor. No, I know that I just said.

[Jada]

You'Re the last person in the world that wants to be poor.

[Jesse Williams]

But it's not a mystery. You've been there. You know what it's like. So it ain't. Can't scare you. It doesn't. It doesn't threaten you in that way as some, like, some terror, some monster that you haven't actually seen before. I feel you. I feel you.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah. So I.

[Jesse Williams]

But I. I take. I take your point. You know what I was saying? It's like there's a large there's a fear because you were talking about a fear and like a brave and I said I didn't think about it that way because I was so familiar already and made myself clear. I started acting. I was a grown ass man. I had many jobs from here, from Chicago, from Philly, everywhere else. I just happen to have a mic now. So I just didn't change who I was because you put a camera on me. I wasn't running from nothing or changing anything and I think that just surprised folks and it's also just how I grew up. I grew up in this. Acting came later. So I think that was just an unorthodox way in which to make your way onto a producer.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I actually love your family tree or however we tracked from LA to Massachusetts to Philly.

[Jada]

Yeah, I mean you journey was there brother.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You was in that shit.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You know what I'm saying?

[Jesse Williams]

So yeah, I picked up a lot.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Authentic.

[Jesse Williams]

Very lucky.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You know what I'm saying?

[Jada]

Today's show is brought to you by a new presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. All right, open up the Hard Rock Best sports app. You'll see why it's top rated with thousands of five star reviews. If you ever been to a Hard Rock hotel casino, you know that they treat you right.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's right.

[Jada]

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[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's a lot brother.

[Jada]

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[Joe Crack the Dawn]

More states is going to pick it up real soon. Hard Rock, the biggest growing bet place. Go there right now.

[Jada]

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[Matt Jones]

Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin and this is NFL Cover Zero. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining and twice a week that is exactly what you're gonna get. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Looks like something that should not be sold.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, my.

[Matt Jones]

So that was my other big Colts takeaway. They sold that?

[Jesse Williams]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

I might want to go back at the Colt Stadium.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah, I might want to go back.

[Matt Jones]

To the drawing board on that. Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I thought the shape we had with.

[Matt Jones]

Pretzels was working pretty well.

[Jesse Williams]

It's worked for generations.

[Matt Jones]

We're just here trying to enjoy it. We hope you all will join us throughout the year. And let's go. I hope I'm as youthful as Pete Carroll is at his age. He's a young 73. He is a young 73. He is spry.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I wouldn't fight him.

[Matt Jones]

I would listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our Girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of Missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan]

I'm Dan, he's Ty.

[Jada]

Hello.

[Dan]

And we're the Solid Verbal College Football Podcast.

[Ty]

College football season is here. And you, you know what that means.

[Dan]

Your team is going to break your heart three times probably before Halloween.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Uh huh.

[Ty]

But fear not, the Solid Verbal will be right there with you through every soul crushing loss and impossible comeback.

[Dan]

Join us all season long, all year long, as we ride the roller coaster of this ridiculous sport.

[Ty]

Whether you're a die hard fan or a casual observer, we'll help you make make sense of all the chaos and of course, celebrate the madness. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan.

[Dan]

We don't just love college football, Ty, we live it.

[Ty]

Listen to the Solid Verbal College football podcasts on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nick Nicole Garcia]

It may look different, but Native culture is very alive. My name is Nick Nicole Garcia and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges we aim to explore that culture.

[Jesse Williams]

It was a huge honor to become a television writer because it does feel oddly like very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric. That this is something we've been doing for hundreds of years. You carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence.

[Nick Nicole Garcia]

That's Sierra Teller Ornelas, who with Rutherford Falls became the first Native showrunner in television history. On the podcast Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we explore her story along with other Native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic Con or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, Native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage, Burn bridges on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Like a lot of times we go through hard times.

[Jada]

Are we gonna do a toast?

[Jesse Williams]

Let's do a toast.

[Jada]

We gotta do a toast.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

So what? He could take anybody.

[Jada]

His new show, man. He got the new show, he gonna tell us. Dangerous.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

This guy's a fucker. Trophy.

[Jada]

You over here talking about taking people's wives. We over here promoting the new show, man.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

These girls over here, I never seen before out here, man. The. Are you talking about miss over there? Look, she ain't never been out here, man.

[Jesse Williams]

She don't even work here.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

They don't even work here. They Snuck in the fucking thing.

[Jada]

The glasses.

[Jesse Williams]

We got the frosted glasses.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You want to actually sandwich this guy's.

[Jada]

Beauty, look at the glasses crack.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Danny, you're terrible.

[Jada]

We did many toasts, they never gave chilled ones. Yeah, they gave the chill glasses for Jeff.

[Jesse Williams]

Only the best. Only the best. Joe said. Joe said he don't want to be broke no more, so you gotta act like it.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, I definitely don't want to be broke.

[Jada]

We only do ace of spade toast for major events and major things, so you know what I mean. We're going to pour in first, and then we going to let y' all know what's going on. Why are we doing this? There you go. You know, teamwork. Make the dream work. Water and fire make the steam work.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, he's a. I forgot, he's a rapper. Huh? Top five, dead or alive.

[Jesse Williams]

Yo, Toasted Joe and Jada.

[Jada]

Joe and Jada. And also to your new show, Hostel Costiera.

[Jesse Williams]

There we go. There we go. Hey, we got that Jada's Italiana. We might need. We might need you on season two.

[Jada]

You need me on season two, baby. Cheers.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Tell us about this Hotel Costa. Very.

[Jada]

Yo, Hotel Costa.

[Jesse Williams]

Look, you know, speaking all this. All this we talking about. A lot of my life is real serious. I got social justice and a lot of things going on. I wanted to make something light. I wanted to get out the country. It's a big world out there. We get trapped in this bubble, thinking it needs to be. This is the big. There's a big, big beautiful world out there. I wanted to go make something somewhere else and make something light and easy. So much of my shit is, you know, dead serious, focused, urgent, important, and that's valuable. But I wanted to make something that was kind of like. Like growing up as a kid. I like action movies, right? Running around, kicking some ass. Beautiful places. 80s 90s shows. So it's about this guy. Daniel DeLuca is a former Marine, Italian. Born Italian, but grew up in the U.S. black, white, Italian, American. A street, a hood. Kid in Naples as a kid. But then now he's in the military for 20 years.

[Jada]

Fire.

[Jesse Williams]

And he got kicked out. And now he's just trying to, like, figure out what to do with his life. Don't have no family, don't have nothing. Goes back to where he was born and just kind of like, as they say, like, licking his wounds, just trying to figure out what to do next. Takes a job at a luxury hotel, just handling business, fixing for people. Rich people make sure people are good. And then the hotel owner's daughter goes missing, so he's hired to find her. So he's, like, solving cases in this beautiful Amalfi Coast. And he speaks Italian. I speak Italian in the show. I'm the only American in the show. We got Italian, Spanish, English, French, Libyan, like, you know, a whole cast of characters. And he's just on this adventure, trying to save the missing girl, but also solve cases for guests. And it's just easy. Beautiful whipping. Speedboats, motorcycles, Laseratis, you know what I mean? Just like.

[Jada]

James Bond with the transporter, with MacGyver.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Fire doing his job. I don't know about him, but I'll say the truth. I'll say my trap. I don't know about him, but I have taken the fact that we travel for granted because I don't like flying. And, boy, we got to talk about that right now, about going to Mongolia. So I don't like flying. That's my biggest fear on earth. I just told you, I ain't scared of nobody. Fucking terrified. The minute that shit go like this, I'm, like, hugging the next person, praying. No one gives more prayers than me on the plane, than anybody. I am TD Jakes on them.

[Jesse Williams]

So you take a sleeping pill and just pass out.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I don't. I don't because I'm drugs either.

[Jesse Williams]

Okay?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

So I just sucked it out. God, thank you for facing my fear. God, I love you. God. Look at this little baby. Please cry out. You know, I'm Jesus Christ, but let's obey the Jewish guy praying over there. Like, I want for everybody to get their sick, right? My thing is, I'm preaching. I'm Joe Los thing on the. It's over, right? But my point is, I went to jail for four months, right? And I complained about going to Europe. I complained about going to all these places. But when I would sit up in my bunk and look out the little window, I would just think about how beautiful the streets was in Italy or the streets in Germany. And one of the only things I really missed was being abroad in these places that I used to be like, fuck this shit. I hate it. They smoke too many cigarettes. I used to have nothing but complaints. But in that four months, I just would think about just walking down the street in Italy or Rome or something and be like, damn, that shit was so fly.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And so you get to do a. A TV show over there. It's pretty cool. And the food was amazing.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, the food was amazing. Food was not only amazing, but, like, I was eating pasta and bread and all that. All day, every day. Lost 13 pounds. Yeah, because it's real. Because it's real food.

[Jada]

Real. Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

All that is pumped with all this enriched. And so many of them said that when you. When they come to America, they get. They get sick, they get fat, even if they're trying to eat. Well, when we go there, you eat like crazy. And you. And you're fine.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yes. I wore glasses on purpose because I didn't want you to feel bad about being the only person with green eyes, too. Because I got a juke out there. Joey. Green eyes. Joey, Green eyes picked up. Come on, man. Yo, this. Yo, this shit coming for more. Yo, man, I got a shameless plug, baby. Yeah, I got the green. I got the green.

[Jesse Williams]

My.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

My son be like, yo, damn, dad, why you ain't giving me the green eyes? I said, yo, it wasn't my choice. But my point, we gotta go back to the. Today. I just came back from Mongolia.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

Talk about it, right?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And Mongolia.

[Jesse Williams]

Why were you in Mongolia?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Beautiful people. I had a concert of hip hop. These people were incredible people.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Anybody who could hack the distance on a plane, it's worth it. Go to Mongol. Beautiful, beautiful people. Shout Mongolian people, they love hip hop. They love you guys. They asked about you. You know, everybod thinks I got this guy in the hip now because Joe and Jake, they think I bring the guy in my backpack business. You might hire Fat Joe. They think I got him in the backpack.

[Jada]

Sit me back over there. Let's go.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

But the point is, I have one friend that I think of. He's dumb, right?

[Jesse Williams]

Okay.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, no, no, no. He's one of my best friends. No, no, no, no, no. You got a whole. Joe, come on. He. We didn't know where you were going with that. No, no, no, no. You know what I'm talking about.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Go ahead, go ahead.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

He's the most loyal, most best guy in the world, but he's not that bright.

[Jesse Williams]

Got it?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And then sometimes I'm jealous of him. Because ignorance is bliss. Sometimes when you dumb, you don't even know the danger.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Now I fly to Mongolia, where you got to go. I went. Cause I like breaking up the trips. So I go to Dubai, chill one day.

[Jesse Williams]

You like to get as many flights in as possible because you love flying so much.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Break that, that 18 hours I ain't doing. So I go to Dubai. Thirteen hours.

[Jesse Williams]

Okay.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Five hours to Turkey.

[Jesse Williams]

Okay.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Where everybody got their hair going on. Everybody in the whole. Listen, Turkey got the best airport in the world, but it's so weird when you at the food court.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And every guy got, like, a line blood coming out. Everybody's going over there to fix their hair.

[Jesse Williams]

That's the spot.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yes. But it's, like, so normal.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah, I guess.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

It's like going to Columbia, girl. You know, every girl's in the airport. Like, in Turkey. All the guys are going to get their hair done over there. So you eating Popeyes, and the guys in front of you got the. Everybody walking through. I'm like, yo, this shit is crazy.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, but you didn't think about it while you were there. You're like, it. I'm already here.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

If I had air right now, first of all, my name wouldn't be Fat Joe. My name would be Adolpho. And my curvy like this. The part right here with the. If I could grow hair.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jada]

It'd be so Turkey. I just seen it.

[Jesse Williams]

It'd be disrespectful.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

He don't even look right if he get here. But the point is, I go to Dubai. The bag was legend. So not a bag was legend. Guys, we going shopping later. The wife is ready to go shopping. She's tuned in. She's staring at the window. He coming. He the bag, right? Ain't no lie. I forgot. My brothers just told me. Yeah, they hate. They say I blow too much money. But listen, I go Emirates, my favorite airline, right? Then I got Turkey Airlines. So Turkey Airlines, one of the best food was amazing. So I'm comfortable no matter where I'm going. I'm going Mongolia. I could go to Somalia. Wherever I go, if I'm in them credible airlines, it at least helps after that.

[Jesse Williams]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

We do Mongolia. They feed us. By the way, Mongolian beef is a myth. They don't have that over there. The Mongolian beef we eat in the Chinese place here. We went over. It's not even Mongolia.

[Jesse Williams]

It's like general styles. Chicken, like, general style. They don't have pizza being fake.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You get to Italy to realize they don't got pizza. Yeah, we landed. Everybody had the same idea. Yo, we want Mongolian beef. They was like, yo, that ain't. That don't happen here.

[Jesse Williams]

That ain't us.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You want a ribeye?

[Jesse Williams]

That ain't us.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You want a New York? No. Mongolian beef. When you go to the ghetto Chinese, worldwide, there's no such thing as Mongolian beef. That's what I learned. Number two is. So we go. We do the show. These people treat me like a million dollars. I don't know how to tell you. Mongolian people Some of the nicest people in the world. The next morning, we go to the airport, we got the greet up. We in the lounge, and then I realized, I'm like. And they like, yo, Joe, what's wrong? And my face is off. You could read me when I'm sitting. They're like, I realized we're flying back to Dubai in Mongolian Airlines.

[Jesse Williams]

Uh huh. Which you had never heard of.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And if you're watching that side of the world, it's them Asian planes that keep sinking in the middle and missing and shit. Okay, this is why I tell you, ignorance is split.

[Jesse Williams]

This is where the racial profiling comes in.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah. Not racial, plane. Racial planes. It's the ancient planes going down out there. Like the biggest shits, they go down. I don't know what it is, but at that point I'm like, damn, they me, man, I thought I was going back Turkish hair.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You know what I mean? I'm in the Asian. I say, yo. Everybody's like, yo, what's wrong? I'm just like, nah, nah, Y' all don't want to know what's wrong. They like, yo, but what's wrong? I said, you know, these the shits that go down. These shits. Right. Yo, but listen. No, I'm just saying to us. So I get on the flame. Thank God. Great food, smooth flight, but I was terrified.

[Jesse Williams]

Mongolian beef.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's why I like to be. Ignorance is bliss.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

Because I know you about to say niggerence is bliss. Hey, if you're gonna be ignorant, might.

[Jada]

As well be nickname.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Jesse Williams]

That'S the next single thing.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's really crazy, huh? Yeah, that's fucking crazy. But the point is, we made it back. Yeah, but you know, it's my biggest fear, man. But you know, shout out to Mongolia, man. These people were phenomenal, bro. No, I'm telling you, it's 30 degrees.

[Jesse Williams]

I thought that plane was going down, but we made it.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You know, it's the coldest. It's the coldest place in the world. It's in between Russia.

[Jesse Williams]

Oh, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

China.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

So when you see the Asians that got the fur hats on.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, that's Siberian.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

That's their winter. Zaha is 50 degrees under. So you know. Yeah, brother, I'm sorry about that.

[Jada]

We. Listen, we ain't we short on time. Listen, my brother, what advice would you give a young biracial American trying to find their place and their voice?

[Jesse Williams]

Depends on what voice you want to find. Spend time with black folks.

[Jada]

No doubt. The greatest, Anthony, you know, just.

[Jesse Williams]

You can't go wrong. Just get with your people.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I seen this and I don't want to talk like that because these are my friends and I love them to death. And I'm not talking about nobody. But when the black lives matter, I got a niece. I'll call her a niece. And she's half black, half white. And I seen her going through understanding where she comes from and they had a hard time. You know what I mean? This girl's beyond love, but she was trying to find herself in the middle.

[Jesse Williams]

Of where she fit, where she fits.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

And this is a beautiful girl. She's smart, college now everything. But I seen her go through it. It like questioning and like.

[Jesse Williams]

I think people fall for like the false dichotomy. It ain't us versus them. It's not everything. I. The news used to be the news. Now it's just idiots talking and sharing opinions they feel and trying to make it. Us versus them, bad versus good, white versus black ain't about all that. But people. People trying to demonstrate that they might matter is because they love themselves and are trying to say maybe don't squash me for no reason like that Got nothing to do with disliking white people. It's got nothing to do with. It's kind of. It's not about you. Like this kind of invented battle going. It's not like we. It's just spreading love, loving yourself enough to demand respect. There's no people in the history of the world that have ever gotten respect. They don't respect themselves and don't demonstrate it. Like that's, that's. That's what it comes down to. Everybody struggles with identity. I don't care what race you are. You're 13, 15. You're trying to figure out who you are. You want to listen to that new album. You want to be different, but you also want to be the same. You want to. You don't want to be isolated out, but you want to isolate yourself out and wear that cool thing and wear that cool shirt. And people are trying, trying to find themselves. Adults are trying to find themselves. I mean, we don't know what we're doing. We're. We're trying to figure it out. So just don't let. I would just say to her, I would just not. Not let the media try to convince you that just because somebody, you know, freedom ain't pie. If I get a piece, I'm taking a piece from you. It's not some locked in just giving other people access to the freedom, life, liberty that this country is so proud of. Doesn't mean they're taking something from you. Letting gay folks have rights don't mean it's taking Europe. Go ahead, get married. Be like that. Got nothing to do. It's got nothing to do with you.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

You.

[Jesse Williams]

Nobody's taking anything from you. There's always the people in power always exaggerate and pretend to play victim. And if you need somebody to be quiet and shut the up in order for you to do what you're doing, then you're probably doing something foul.

[Jada]

With that being said.

[Jesse Williams]

Hostel Costiera that was pretty damn good. Hotel Costiera I'm prime today.

[Jada]

We don't got that much time, but.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I got two minutes. Do it.

[Jesse Williams]

What you got?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yeah, I got the Cosby show of good times.

[Jesse Williams]

I mean, my era. I grew up on a Cosby Show. Cosby is one of the greatest sitcoms ever.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, you take Cosby. You take Cosby. Look, I've seen every episode.

[Jesse Williams]

That was your era.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Sherman Elms was in your.

[Jesse Williams]

Was in your living room.

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

No, no joke.

[Jesse Williams]

No joke. No, Joe. No. That's. Moving on up to the east side.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I'm gonna say. San and Son are the Wayans brothers.

[Jesse Williams]

Sanford and Son.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yo, that boy was the. That's Red Fox.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, that's Red Fox. That's Red Fox. Sherman Helmsley.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Sherman.

[Jada]

He's never get.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

I'm still trying to be Sherman hounds.

[Jesse Williams]

Sherman Helmsley with a G. You see how he walked?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Walking my.

[Jesse Williams]

Give me that James Brown.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Walking my shit. You're a. Yo, you better stop with my. I want a baggy today. Yo, that's the ser.

[Jesse Williams]

Yo, that stanky leg. Go ahead, Joe.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, not you, too. Different Strokes. Fresh Prince.

[Jesse Williams]

I mean, again, you get me with the generational. I didn't watch Different Strokes. I'm not that old. It was on. It was on. It was on. But I wasn't like. It wasn't. Like, I wasn't 13 years old. Like, like, like. What'd you say? What was the other one? Fresh Prince was my adolescence like, that was. Yeah, I could see it eye to eye. Different stroke. I gotta catch reruns. You know what I mean?

[Unknown Male Guest]

Yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

What you want to say, brother? Because you've been running this.

[Jada]

80 years I've been looking for you.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Facts of life hold up. I've been looking for you. This my. Rewind the 10.

[Jesse Williams]

What's that?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

The time. Yeah. Why you could rewind the time. I want to put you on a box. I own this company. Rewind it 10. Kel. DJ Ky, you ain't win no bumps. Nicky Jam. Tyson Beckford, He's a legend.

[Jesse Williams]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Who do I gotta talk to to talk to? What is this?

[Jesse Williams]

Like this painting your stiff. Okay, I like that. You have my curiosity. Now you got my attention, you know what I'm saying?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Because I see you leave a couple of whites over there. Yo, Jada, hold up.

[Jesse Williams]

I got a lot of whites I ain't getting.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Why don't. Hey, this is the half white.

[Jesse Williams]

It's the half white part, right?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

43 when you could be 32. Why look 32 when you can be 22? Why fight the time while you can rewind the.

[Jesse Williams]

I'm gonna do some research. I'm gonna do some research. It's a strong pitch. It's a very strong pitch.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

We killing him. Cvs, Sally. He's every stop and shot. Okay, now. Yo, Jada, I need him on the box. Jada want to be on the box. Okay, so he's trying to push you up.

[Jada]

I need to be on the box.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Yo, this ain't that.

[Jada]

That ain't this. It's cracking. Kiss, I guess. Jesse Williams, Hotel Costiera on Prime.

[Jesse Williams]

That's the metallic.

[Jada]

Check it out. Make some noise. Thank you.

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Appreciate it.

[Hunter]

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lashay Dungee. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Jones]

Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin and this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the COVID Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that?

[Joe Crack the Dawn]

Oh, my.

[Matt Jones]

We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're gonna get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Dan]

I'm Dan, he's Ty.

[Jada]

Hello.

[Dan]

And we're the solid verbal college football podcast.

[Ty]

Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan.

[Dan]

Join us all season long as we ride the roller coaster of this ridiculous sport.

[Ty]

Listen to the solid verbal college football podcasts. On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan]

We don't just love college football, Ty. We live it.

[Jesse Williams]

Culture eats strategy for breakfast, right?

[Valisha Butterfield]

On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us, I was joined by Valisha Butterfield, media founder, political strategist and tech powerhouse for a powerful conversation on storytelling impact and the intersections of culture and leadership.

[Hunter]

I am a free Black woman.

[Valisha Butterfield]

From the Obama White House to Google to the Grammys, Valisha's journey is a masterclass in shifting culture and using your voice to spark change. Listen to Culture Raises us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.