Today on The Breakfast Club, Cast of 'The CHI' Talks Final Season, Honoring Chicago, Connecting With Their Characters in Real Life. Listen For More!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I don't know every day pick up the Breakfast Club.
You don't finish for y'all dumb.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yes, it's one of the most dangerous morning to show.
The Breakfast Club dj NV just hilarious. Charlamagne the Guard
Nvy is not here today, but Lord La Rossi is here,
Mimi Brown is sitting in as well, and we got
the cast of the shot you.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
If you themselves like y'all.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
Group Michael v Ups, Quarter Smith Money Primer and Alex
Sorry Hebby.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I feel like you watched y'all grow up. I know.
I just find out y'all was coming up.
Speaker 5 (00:35):
Oh my god, look so y'all here. Eighth season shows
don't live that long.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
We saw y'all. Y'all were like little little kids with
your Lowis. I was so mad at you. I felt
like he was my real little brother.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
How does it feel to like to have, like to
be doing the final season of this long living show.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
It feels great just to be able to start this
and in with it, and to be able to be
a part of something that's bigger than myself and work
alongside amazing people and be able to call them family.
Now is just an amazing journey.
Speaker 6 (01:10):
To be a part of Yeah, it's definitely a surreal
moment because you got to think about, like we're from Chicago,
so to walk the streets like I filmed on some
of the parts where I went to school, you know what.
So it was like, Bro, I was twenty four years
old having my first scene around the corner from my
high school.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
I was like, damn, this is It's crazy.
Speaker 7 (01:27):
Bro.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Did the show accurately reflect Chicago to y'all?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (01:32):
Yeah, but it's it's like politically correct though. It's like
we can't go too and depth in it, you know
what I mean, getting two controverts. We don't want to
put a bad light on us. We already got a
stigma on us, like we so dangerous, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Every city got a hood.
Speaker 8 (01:45):
Do you feel like the show really helped put change
that narrative?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, show black, love, love.
Speaker 7 (01:50):
Community, family. We are more than just violent.
Speaker 9 (01:53):
Like I feel like a lot of people think Chicago,
I think just violence and guns and things like that.
But it just showed that we have positivity.
Speaker 10 (02:02):
I think you can see like it's a character for
each person show on this show, like ensemble, So we
got so many characters. I feel like anybody watching can
relate to anybody.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, and I feel like the shy to your point,
all right, right to your point. I feel like it
shows how the trauma starts, you know what I mean,
Like it shows how the trauma even gets inherited, you know,
in black communities a lot of the time.
Speaker 9 (02:26):
And it also shows how to come up out of it.
I like that because a lot of TV and movie
just just shows the trauma and that's it and that's
where it ends.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
And you know what it shows.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
It shows like family, like we all congregate and come
together to get ourselves out of that trauma.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And it really glorified the black women and.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Our show, Like we need to keep pushing that because
it's like we put the stigma on like black women
like they not needed.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
We bro, that's how backbone, you know what I mean.
We come from a woman, So we got to get
more respect to him. For sure.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
Character development is very important in this show because yo,
I remember for seeing Nook his role, I went from
hating him to like, damn, I love him, because how
you changed, Like at first he was working for dude,
and that's what she wanted to do. You know, Nook
was like all right, beg killer killer, shoot him up,
bang bang. But then you changed the perspective, like the
(03:18):
mindset of the business, even with like the car he
want to get out now, you know what I mean.
And it's just wild, like seeing the character development over
the seasons. It took turns that I didn't think it
would take. Like I thought Knook was going to be
killed for.
Speaker 6 (03:33):
Sure, that boy playing chest not checkers figuring it out.
I don't know how he doing it, but he figured
it out. Knuck is so complex, bro, because it showed
like gangster high feelings too, you know what I mean.
Like and it just shows the product of like making
the wrong choice in life, Like I had so many
full circle moments with the Knuck as well, Like he
found out about the sun through sickle sell My father
(03:56):
died from sickle Sells, so it's like it was like
literally it was a full circle moment with that.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
You know that. Yeah, bro, it's hard working.
Speaker 6 (04:03):
Like I had a scene when I had to walk
through the door and see my son for the first time.
I had it in my mindset like damn, what if
my father would have had an opportunity to see me
for the first time because he didn't have a chance to.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
He died right after.
Speaker 11 (04:13):
So you talk about when you walk in the house, Yeah,
I remember that scene.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yeah wow.
Speaker 11 (04:17):
So so after that scene happens, right, and you're also
like in your real life pulling from that emotion, like
you go home and like what is that?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Like, I ain't know.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
I was like fucked up for a minute because even
like playing that role, in playing the moment when I
took do that out, like I had to walk down
a path of what I thought I healed from, but
I really didn't, you know what I mean. My uncle
passed from gun violence, and I put my mindset that
if I was in the opportunity to take the life
of the guy that.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Took my uncle away.
Speaker 6 (04:45):
So it's like to walk and just rip that band
aid off and be like, man, I thought I was here,
but I wasn't. Like it took me a little while
to get back normal when it come to work and
just be a you know, an actor.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I'm glad that you say that, because a lot of
people would think that if you're from Chicago, you're kind
of numb to it, like that's the gun violence is
sort of the norm. I'm glad to hear you say
it's not.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
It's not. It's not.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
We know how to mask it because we are taught
to be tough. You know, you gotta have some type
of character with that. But it's like, no, we go
home and we sob. That's why a lot of people
leaning into drugs because they try to cope and mask
what they're going through and it's like, no, you need
to sit down and unpack.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
It's not healthy and not cool to be like.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Oh, I can pop this purple, I can sip this.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Lean and get over. No, you fighting demons that you're
not unpacking.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
And to start with the household. It's a foundation. If
our foundation ain't right, then we can't be right and
we got to unpack that. It's okay to say you're
not okay, especially being a black man, to go to
therapy right for it?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
For sure.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Yes, And I'm huge on man mental health. Like next month,
I got a nonprofit called Corte's Cares. Every gyone we
do a man's mental health run and just get everybody
together in the neighborhood and we have a.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Man's Circle that I.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
You know, I use from the shy and then we
just come together and just whatever you got on your chest.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Just get it off, bro, it's a judge for I.
Speaker 12 (05:58):
Like those man's.
Speaker 13 (06:01):
It was get that.
Speaker 11 (06:05):
But I used to look forward to it in the show,
like that was what we would like after the show. Yeah, yeah,
they would go through their feelings in real life. I
mean not in real life because it's the characters. But
I was like, that was so genius to put that in.
It was early because BT even now has a show
that does that, and then Kirk Franklin has like Kings
then right, that's kind of the same thing, And I was.
Speaker 8 (06:24):
Like, that was.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Real feelings.
Speaker 10 (06:28):
Well yeah, well we kind of like practiced before. But
like being in the Men's Circle is so fun because
off camera, like we talk amongst each other all the time.
So like once we started getting those scenes, I think
we were all excited because like we got to be
amongst each other because each story is like you know,
it has those different storylines and different characters with different characters,
(06:48):
but those were like moments where it's like us as men,
whether you be young or old, we're coming together on
the show and we're expressing ourselves and expressing what you know,
our character is going through. But it's also fun off cams,
just hein' on set, those long hours with our big brothers,
us just learning game from them and they hearing us
and hearing what we're going through, and we just.
Speaker 13 (07:07):
Talking speaking of big brothers, because Jake, your character has
evolved so much. He went from being under two brothers
to like becoming your own man and starting your own business.
You know, talk to us about your development, you know,
as the seasons went on.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Now that's one of my things I can't wait for
y'all to see. Coming into this new season, you really
gonna see Jake stepping more into his manhood and putting
his foot down. But seeing Jakie voll over the has
been my favorite thing to see and play because you
see him go from the normal kid in the hood
following his big brother steps to losing him, to then
being adopted and living in a house where he doesn't
(07:45):
really feel wanted or doesn't really want to be there,
to Oh, my new big brother comes in. So now
it's more of a new change I got to get
used to. I don't really know him, but it's a
big bro. So in the way I have to accept him,
I have to harbor him, you know, So just to
see Jake and his final season and only see him
kind of find that peace and happiness.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
I can't wait for you to smashing the first lady.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
I'm so jealous of his character. Man, you know he
doing his thing on that.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
But alright, real quick, I keep coming.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Yeah, So, how was it acting with your sister?
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Like your actual.
Speaker 10 (08:27):
Sister, Well, she older than me by five years, but.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
That's big.
Speaker 10 (08:33):
That's looked wow to our parents, Jean. But I mean
I remember being on set. We were filming episode. We
were season six. I don't know the episode completely, but
I remember just filming and Lena has seen me a
DM She like, you know this because my sister also
is an R and B artist.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You this girl.
Speaker 10 (08:55):
So I'm like, I think she's gonna get a sync
Like I'm thinking this music. I'm like, okay, I'll texted
like I think going to be on the show. She
sent me a voice memo back like you know, we
want to keep growing your arc like as y'all cool?
Like how was she feel coming on the show playing?
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I'm like what?
Speaker 10 (09:09):
Then my sister texted me because she was on tour
at the time with cast Page in Canada, so she like,
I'm getting a text from Carmen Cuba casting like what
is this? I'm like you about to be on the show.
But it was, it was such an honor. It was
a blessing for our legacy, for our bloodline coming from Gary, Indiana.
You see those siblings with like Mike Janet stuff like that.
But we just embraced the moment. And I also got
to see my sister grow in another craft because we
(09:31):
started like started off when we were young doing plays
and stuff like that. But she transitioned into music. But
you saw her over the seasons like really get a
knack and a real love for for acting again. So
it was a blessing and I'm honored that, Like you know,
I'm going to live life, continue to do my career,
but always be able to say, like I did a show,
not only a show, the longest running black drama with
my sister o G was on it too, y'all.
Speaker 11 (10:00):
Y'all's relationship on the show, it really spoke a lot
to like people be like, man, they just doing what
they gotta do.
Speaker 8 (10:06):
Figure it out.
Speaker 11 (10:07):
I feel like your relationship and a dynamic because we
loved her that we didn't that hurt, like you know,
it really spoke to two kids having to just figure
it out because y'all, you didn't have anybody.
Speaker 10 (10:16):
And we didn't have anybody. And also like with tom
Us being a part, it's like you get to see
Bacari at first be like you sus, but you ain't
been here. I've been out here figuring it out myself,
living this life by myself, trying to make ends meat
for myself. But I'm excited for the new season cause
you know, you may see that relationship growth.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
Now, was it introduced to you before that she was
going to be like a snake?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
No, it wasn't. Okay, So that was just something that that.
Speaker 10 (10:46):
Was just something we reading the script and she like,
they gonna hate me.
Speaker 6 (10:53):
She dropped the damn on me too. It got me
beat up, kicked out, the mob for back.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Came in trying to take my girl out.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Jake knew was.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Coming with it, though you know you lose them how
you get.
Speaker 11 (11:18):
Him In fact, so Alex or Kevin, so right in
the show when you decide to exit the show and
you're headed to college and the gaming stuff is happening,
what do you think is like the biggest lesson that
kids who are afraid to lead their neighborhoods, but need
to take that step. Should learn from your decision to
go away to college.
Speaker 14 (11:36):
Never let your circumstances defining Kevin went through so much,
you know what I mean. And a lot of black
boys have the same experience that I do, and a
lot of black boys are different. We're not all the same.
We not all play sports, and then you know do
the music and all that other stuff. We have different
goals and different things that we want to achieve. So
I think Kevin in that sense and me playing that
(11:59):
character holding in are in part to the culture alone.
And that's why I treat him with so much grace.
And that's why as well, I debarded the way I did,
because it is to show people that you know, there
is a change you can leave, you can boss up
and change your environment regardless of whatever happens in this world.
Speaker 12 (12:14):
You know it is Kevin still a gamer in LA.
Speaker 14 (12:18):
Well, that's what that's for the audience to interpret.
Speaker 7 (12:20):
You know.
Speaker 14 (12:20):
All I can say is Kevin is thriving.
Speaker 8 (12:23):
Doing well, and we're not gonna get like a little sneak.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
That boys media.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
But I like what you were saying though, because like
the shy has always done a great job of showing
like the streets, but then like showing the emotional vulnerability, right,
How that can exist together? Why do you still think
society acts like toughness.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
In healing can coexist.
Speaker 14 (12:47):
I mean, it's just it's just where we in take,
you know. That's what they promote when it comes to
the music and all that stuff. That's all we's seeing
and hearing. That's all the youth is seeing and hearing.
So that's why us being young black people that we
are right now, we're here to change me, change that
whole ecosystem, change that whole mindset, you know, just put
on those younger kids. I even look at my my
(13:07):
nephews and my cousins a different way and talk to
them a different way because I know.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
I have a responsibility that I have to uphold. We
all do.
Speaker 14 (13:15):
There's a big torch being passed down and we have
to do the work, and we got to be able
to hold it up.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
You know, that's the fact.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
But it's like even like even sometimes it's like as
a man or a male, they expect you to put
on that front or it's like you can't have feelings
or express or feel away you know, like growing up
in the house, there was something that I kind of
heard as being a boy, you're told to suck it up,
deal with It's like, cry, dang, I can't even feel
the way that I just feel down the stairs that
you just say it this and it hurt me. So
it's like that's kind of a weight that they just
(13:43):
throw on us. Like now you can't feel like what
you have to put on this front. You can't you
can't feel your emotions. So that's also another reason why
I feel like it's a lot of men and like
they can't be vulnerable with each other.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
Especially yeah, my bad, I'm gonna just add this, and
especially being raised by a single parent like me and
you you know, we just had our mom, and you know,
we gotta be ten times harder because we go out
in these streets.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
We can't be feminine at all. We can't be sensitive
or another.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
We gotta you know, I mean, literally go out in
the streets and give one hundred and ten percent and
be more tough than anybody, because back at home, we
got a female.
Speaker 10 (14:12):
That's racing, you know what I mean, piggybacking off what
you said, just that that community I also feel like,
you know, people don't really have somebody to listen and
not just listen to respond, like really like listen and
taking their feelings and emotions and where they are and
the place they are in their life.
Speaker 12 (14:27):
You know, Zarya, I love your your character line.
Speaker 13 (14:31):
You know it's you're so vulnerable and you're so helpful
with Bacari and you give them.
Speaker 12 (14:36):
Chance after chance after chance. Where does that come from?
Speaker 8 (14:39):
Does it?
Speaker 13 (14:39):
Because what you've been through where you see something at them,
does remind you of your brother, Like what is happening there?
Speaker 9 (14:44):
I think she sympathizes with him because of Jamal, that
is her brother. And I have a brother in real life,
and you know girls don't play about that. They brother
don't play about them. And you can see Jamal don't
play about me. And even like I think her saying,
Jamal come out of jail and now, like you know,
he's following God and he's really trying to change his life.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
He gets a regular job, he goes to Mary's Dom played.
Speaker 8 (15:05):
By La lah.
Speaker 9 (15:06):
I feel like she knows that Bakari can do that too,
and that's why she does a give up because she
comes from that, so she knows what that's like and
she knows she's from Chicago, so she knows, like, this
is the system that we've been put in, but it's breakable.
Speaker 7 (15:21):
Yeah. So she's just pushing him to get out of that.
Speaker 12 (15:23):
And you lean on her a lot all the time.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
O YEA.
Speaker 13 (15:27):
Is she feel avoid for what Bakari is going through
because he really doesn't have anyone?
Speaker 10 (15:32):
I think she does, but just that selflessness that she carries,
you know, like like she said, she thinks that Bacari
can make it out in Bacari can change. So I
just think that she just put her heart on sleeve
and she she take it, you know what I'm saying.
But I also do think that there is a void.
But I think this season that you're going to be
(15:53):
able to see stuff from her point of view as well.
Speaker 11 (15:55):
So do you think that do you think your character?
Do you think Lenna ever sacrifices too much?
Speaker 7 (16:00):
Yes? Every time?
Speaker 9 (16:01):
She should have never put them guns in her closet.
I needed to help find it. It's not like it's love,
it's like and it is.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Put some guns in the closet.
Speaker 10 (16:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Have you took a charge though.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Me in the stolen car on prem Yeah, I wanted to,
but I did.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
It was about taking the charge, doing something you can
get in charge for.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Right, it's just.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
As bad question. First of all, I never done something
you could.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Have got the charge about the niggas that I was within, allegedly.
Speaker 8 (16:42):
In the car.
Speaker 9 (16:42):
Yeah, but that's why I love our relationship so much,
because that is like the hood love story that like
so many girls like you find a good girl and
the bad boy and you just want to save him
so bad.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It's like girl, a pretty pretty woman love them hood
niggas love.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
He told me to sat his guns, girl.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
One of them.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
The show deals with grief a lot, right, Like what
role do you think unhealed grief plays and how people
just move through relationships in their community.
Speaker 10 (17:16):
I think it's it's a lot of perspectives. I feel
like you can look at a lot of ways. Like
with my character, you saw him literally take someone's life
because of grief and because how he felt. You know,
Coogie was he was the person in the neighborhood. Like
you know, he may not come from that walk of life,
but like we know him, we respect him like he
(17:37):
was all limits. You know what I'm saying. But obviously
you see wrong place, wrong time, a story that we
all know in our communities, and you see him die,
but you also see me come, you know, seasons later.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
Because we forgot that you will. The gangsters have to
keep her mand you like myself, I have to keep
her mand you like I ain't running. But you know
you've done so much good, and we showed that you
was just so lost in the community that you find
in your way, and you don't want.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
To be that guy. You just want to survive.
Speaker 10 (18:06):
But that community that I talked about, you see shod
he didn't give up on He didn't give up on me.
You see Professor Gardner, all these different characters that community
where I'm able to express myself. I'm able to express
my emotions and I'm also able to get corrected because
of the foundation and the seeds that they plan it.
So now I'm hearing it out of love instead of
(18:27):
like you know, because you know, we got positive figures
in our life and sometimes we might not listen because
we don't know how to receive. But I just feel
like over time you saw his heart softened to just
receive and listen. But grief can make you do crazy,
like you see me coming off the gate.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Grief had me.
Speaker 10 (18:41):
I'm blowing for sure.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Grief made you do some stuff too, like you know
what I mean, Like when you thought you lost your brother,
but you know he came back and you let him
back in your house.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
You know what I mean, He just came back and
they want nothing to do with it.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Know how to impact you all in real life, because
like you said, you'll af from Chicago. So I'm sure
y'all all dealt with different traumas, right, But then you
then you got to go be on a show where
you still got to play about trauma. Like when do
you ever get to really disconnect?
Speaker 1 (19:12):
You really don't know that.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
That's why I say you always got to prioritize your
mental health because.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
With this job, you got to relive a lot.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
Of traumatic moments to better your performance on screen. So
it's like, if you already making sure your mental health
is straight on the day to day, I really feel
like you will be able to maneuver through it.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Facts and keeping God first.
Speaker 7 (19:32):
Man.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
God is real, bro, God is real. Manifestation is real,
and God is real.
Speaker 7 (19:36):
Man.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Keep God first and just take time and ground yourself
and stay grounded.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
Bro.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
You know what I mean, and just go silent, turn
your phone off, turn the TV off, you know what
I mean, Just sit in your thoughts and unpack the
things that you went through, because man, that shit can
turn you crazy.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Though.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
For real, this show is definitely a very emotionally triggering show.
Do y'all have a most emotional season? I'm gonna tell
you what it is for me, and I ain't even
on the show. Okay, So when Keisha was kidnapped, man, yes,
season three, Yes, that was so like it hit home.
(20:12):
I never been kidnapped, but you know, friends and family,
and it just happens to young black girls all too often,
right and so much so, don't nobody look, don't nobody
care to look, you know what I mean? And that's
when I seen Kevin's character, Like it was like he
was bothered. He was going through it, but he wasn't
(20:34):
handling it like you would think he would.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
But I that's when I saw.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Like character development for you, I'm like, oh no, he
really he he going off in.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
His mind about it, like he wasn't giving.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
Up, not expressing it like you know you would see
somebody else do it.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Like was that, like, what was the most emotional I
got a.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Season for y'all.
Speaker 14 (20:55):
The most emotional season for me, it was actually season two.
There was a lot of pressure about it to me.
I mean I was working with phenomenal actors at the
time too as well, Jason Mitchell and all of that,
and those scenes that we had to go through. You know,
I have my father in my life, but just even
thinking about him not being there, yeah, you know that
kind of made me like feel the type of way
m hm. And we had to portray that story and
(21:16):
he was going through so much in that time too
as well, which I didn't know. So in that scene
where you see us doing the haircut, that was real emotions,
both of us feeling things, you know, coming off the
set and having a yo, let's debrief together, let's cry,
let's be brothers together, and just you know, basking this
moment away from the cast, the crew and everything like that.
And we had multiple moments like that in season two
(21:37):
and then season three when I had to kind of
like pick up that mantle and it continued with those harsh,
you know topics that we were talking about. I just
had to you know, suck it up. A lot of
a lot of the best artists they they have to
suffer to put out the best work.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
For sure, Man, you gotta because acting is displaying realness,
you know what I mean, Like you have to be authentic.
When and season three the piggyback on Thatt, like, I
had a cousin named Kiera coles Man.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
She got kidnapped about twenty eighteen and she still having
showed up no trace of it. She was pregnant, she
was a male carrier.
Speaker 6 (22:14):
If y'all ever heard about that happened in Chicago, and
we don't talk about her no more So this a
it's a shout out to her to just like, let's
let's figure out something. Let's try to find her or
try to, like at least act like we care because
it was just a hot topic on Facebook. They talked
about a little bit and it just disappeared.
Speaker 12 (22:29):
Yeah what even Nook's character when he should disappear went
through a lot.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Yeah, yeah he did.
Speaker 12 (22:35):
Was that drawn from your cousin? Maybe miss your cousin?
Speaker 6 (22:39):
Not at that, not at that moment, because season three
was just like it was so fresh for me. I
was just like so excited to be you know, a
part of something. You got to think about being an
actor and entrepreneur. We get told no a lot. So
once we get that yes, we just like, I just
want to be the best. I want to do the
best thing I can do, just to stay here and
maintain I didn't really start tapping into like my full
(23:02):
potential until like the end of five, season five and
then six, when they really gave me a call and
say you're going to be in there. I was working
the job. I was on a cherry picker on the
at this warehouse. I ain't no shit.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
About that, but I just like, I'm just not going
to be broken.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
I got that call and said like, hey, you about
to be on the whole season six?
Speaker 1 (23:21):
I say, oh yeah, took that little ve.
Speaker 11 (23:27):
Yeah, Alex, when when Jason's character no longer was on
the show and you like moved on in different seasons, right,
because emotionally you guys had that tie together. Was it
hard for you to kind of have that person that
you leaned on on set because we watched y'all build
such a relationship on camera.
Speaker 14 (23:42):
I mean, of course, it's always hard losing a cast member,
and it was confusing at the time. Everything happened so
quickly and during the downtime you know, but everything happens
for a reason. And plus I had amazing people surrounded
by me too as well, like Jacob Litimore, yeah, uh,
Ronnie who played uh but today. And I just had
(24:07):
amazing people surrounded by me as well to guide me
too and then even developing me. Jason uh coming, you know,
Jason Weaver and all of those other people just helped
me and and navigating. And I'm a person I soak
up the game. I'm always asking questions, always observant, always
looking around. I mean that's why I don't really talk
much like observer.
Speaker 13 (24:26):
You know, as I listen to you guys, you keep
dropping names Jason Weaver, Lynn Whitfield, Lola like this CAUs Yes,
the amount of people like star power in this show,
(24:47):
and you guys growing up and watching that and being
in it. You know, how was that as you're coming up,
as you know, you're you're acting.
Speaker 10 (24:53):
I think it was fun because also my character, I
was blessed to kind of get one on ones with
a lot of them, but just being in their presence
and also seeing that they're real people and like they're
even happy.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
To be a part of like this we create was crazy.
Speaker 10 (25:10):
So, like you know, like Alex said, just soaking up
all the game that they're giving you, but also understanding that, wow,
you guys are real humans and that you guys lead
with grace and love. But also on the acting tip,
you guys helping me like in real time throwing my
craft and get better. So man, it was it was
an honor and it was amazing.
Speaker 9 (25:29):
So yeah, it's like getting paid to get a master
class and just like you like, they're paying you to
get a class. But it's also just cool to see
that we look at them in such like this big light,
like they're like we know that they're legends, and they're
just so down to earth and humble and so cool.
And I love that they're just open to teaching, open
(25:50):
to help, like they're not like stuck up or like
you know, I've been doing this, Like they still have
a love for the craft. They haven't like let it
get to their heads. So I think that's a great
example to see as a young actress.
Speaker 14 (26:01):
They say, we definitely had the best childhood. You see
a lot of young child stars they go through turmoil
and all of that stuff, but we really feel like
we have a cove over us.
Speaker 6 (26:15):
It takes a village and because of you know, it
wasn't just the caz either, it was just it was
Crue that was taking out to markets like that was
our barber for several seasons.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Like that was like a real uncle on the set.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Like remember I came to work late and he was
like put them to the side and saying, nephew, don't
do this shit again. He was like, hey, you want
to you you want to be.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Here, right?
Speaker 6 (26:34):
I said yeah. He was like we got to lead
by example. Don't come here late no more. And Bro,
I'm like, oh yeah, if he telling me that, I
got to be on point. But the shot gave us
an opportunity to have Hollywood come to us.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
We didn't have to go out searching to try to
feel like we belonged.
Speaker 6 (26:48):
They brought all of that that we've been looking at
for years like and then brought it to us.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Like seeing letting with it.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
I'm like, damn, that's Brandy, Like damn, that's David Ruffin, right,
Jason Weaver, that's Simber whatever you.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Want to be.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Like, Bro, that was that was so amazing, Like you
were working with them like these are these I worked
with them too. On my first scene and it was
like I had to put a gun on them. And
I was just so excited because I'm like, damn, these
my favorite characters. Put a gun on them though, But
it was Man, it's been a it's been a hell
of a journey, bro, it's been a it's.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Been a ride.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Question for Kevin and Michael, right, No, I called you, Kevin,
alex Alix Michael. Was there ever talk of a spin.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Off for Jake, Popper and Kevin, especially early on?
Speaker 2 (27:34):
None that we ever heard of or none.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
They came across our table and probably talks behind the
scenes or something.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Like you said it was my favorite characters too early on,
especially after Jason left, I'm like, well, stay turned.
Speaker 14 (27:47):
You know the people got the power. Yeah, were here
the work.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Where is our powerful speak at y'all we need to
spend off.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
If not a spinoff, you know, we still got a
long jevity in our career. We just started us on
another problem.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Oh for sure.
Speaker 11 (28:01):
Did y'all know originally the three right when everything first started,
that people were gonna love the crew so much?
Speaker 14 (28:08):
You know, it's crazy. We weren't originally planned to even
be in the seasons that long.
Speaker 8 (28:13):
Really, we just did it for us.
Speaker 14 (28:16):
So yeah, yeah, we weren't planning to be on these
seasons at all. I think I was guaranteed like four
or five episodes.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
I was only supposed to be in one. They made
me and Ras brothers, and that's what shout out to
l with me. I gotta I gotta say that the
writers in that season, they really went to bat five
characters and made sure that we was established to be
who we are today.
Speaker 14 (28:35):
And took those notes as well. I remember Shaman, he
would say certain things where it's like we don't say soda,
we say pop. Took those notes, you know what I mean.
And then us three, like our connection was.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
So easily like easily built.
Speaker 14 (28:47):
I remember after we would get off set, we'd be
on the West sideki outside with kids they didn't know
we were on the show or whatever, just being kids,
like actually enjoying each other's presence and just getting to
know each other, be coming best friends. So all of
that stuff that you've seen on the camera, it's basically
just us being ourselves and it's just recorded.
Speaker 11 (29:06):
That was so naturally because we I was like they
got the perfect clue to making you.
Speaker 8 (29:11):
Fall in love with the show, like we want to
grow up with y'all.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Papa coming back and yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely ain't been nowhere.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Yeah, So how was the love in Chicago that because
all y'all being from.
Speaker 7 (29:30):
They don't call us our name, We just look like
that's just how it is.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Maybe stopping traffic when we be feeling interrupting the scene,
I'll be loving that forcuse that just be like they
really love it.
Speaker 9 (29:41):
Maybe that windows seeling down like shouting while we're filming.
It's so great, like to get love from the show
the city that you're making the show about, Like you know,
you feel like validated, like Okay, we're doing a good job, like.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
They tell you.
Speaker 6 (29:59):
New York Fiel and DC brom them cities don't play
when they come in.
Speaker 10 (30:03):
But it's also a sinema like it also gives you
like motivation when you're hearing people just constantly tell you
because also they calling us our characters, but they also
seeing us and seeing the growth and seeing the work
that we put in and they telling us like hey
keep going, like keep doing your things. So every time
I'm hearing that, I just put a mental note that
it's like okay, like you said, I got a responsibility
and people are watching, so you know, I love that
(30:26):
just hearing that, like okay.
Speaker 6 (30:28):
We help each other, like yeah, it don't even be
no competition. Like we literally had conversations and like hey,
pick it up and you you was probably slacking right
there or you know what I mean, like what's on
your mind, let's talk and we come back and we
just knocked that shit out.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
B' miss off. I mean not the show.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
We all around it.
Speaker 6 (30:44):
You know, we were family, but like just to being
on that set and just keep creating that energy.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Broma missed that.
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Man.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
The success even meaning for young actors like yourself, persistency.
Speaker 6 (30:57):
Yeah for me though, yeah, because it's like money, money
gonna come and go. This liquid, you know what I mean,
It's like water, let's gonna come and go, and then fame.
You can buy fame, you get the money.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
So it's like anybody, right, you can pick a phone
up and do something crazy and then now you're famous.
Speaker 10 (31:10):
But you don't get to beat like certain like we're
so blessed because we're able to be on set and
we're able to learn like the craft, we're able to Okay,
they're doing three setups. It's three cam different cameras, the
different angles, like the lighting, every every like I did,
like this season one of the scenes, I got to
like focus, do the focusing, like making sure that cameras yeah,
(31:36):
shout out Luke, Luke James. I got to focus Luke
and just make sure that he's seeing clear.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Like.
Speaker 10 (31:41):
But they're just so open to letting us learn. So
that's something that I think, like most of our peers
probably haven't got to experience, just just being on set
and really being in the moment and learning all the
moving parts and.
Speaker 14 (31:54):
Even like add on that question, I mean, in my
terms of what I see successes my career is just
giving people a feeling. The first project that I ever did,
it gave people a feeling and touched the world and
touched my my people in a way where I'm telling
black stories, but it's universal to everyone, you know. And
I want to continue to do that to the point
(32:15):
where it's like I blend into these roles and you
don't even see Alex like I did Good Burger too,
and a lot of people don't even know and a
lot of people don't even know that, But but I
pray for that. I want to be one of the greats.
I want to be next to those people and that
that's what it takes, you know, blending into that role.
That's effect really diving in there. That's my point.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Is you see your face right now, because.
Speaker 10 (32:42):
Okay, that's my that's what I look at it as.
And like they were saying, like those people are around us,
giving us that game. And the further we go on
in our careers, as you see is go past this show,
it's just going to be like, wow, we really watch
these people grow, growing and developed, like they're killing it now.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
They're getting the wards now and then you know, and
this is.
Speaker 14 (33:01):
All the stuff that we manifested in and we're going
to talk about to this day.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
Actually, there's so much talent across the board, Like you
got all these these niggas sing all of them, you
know what I mean, God ain't blessed me with that one.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
But you know so.
Speaker 8 (33:14):
Many of your videos.
Speaker 11 (33:14):
A couple of weeks ago, it was like a music
video you shot, yeah, and it was it was all
over my time. I forget what song it was, but
I remember I was watching. I was like, oh he
really out here, like it was so virab. I saw
it on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
Yeah, that was last summer. That was the first time
got dropped this on YouTube and I was called affing
it off. That was and uh, that was the first thing.
The scene you talking about that was in my hometown
out west. I took them back to the neighborhood I'm
from and it was just showing in the city you
feel me and music. That's something that I've always had
an interesting in growing up. Like music is something that
I like. It calms me, gives me a piece of mind.
(33:49):
It's wait for me to express myself too, So you're
gonna you're gonna expect some.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
More from me.
Speaker 11 (33:53):
That's tough though, for y'all to be also talented and
the other things that y'all are doing. People actually like
it's actually moving because a lot of times once you act,
if you do music, it's like people don't know what
the what to lean into.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
But I was like, oh no, they outside for this song.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
What's the relationship like with Lena, does she allow like
y'all to have or do y'all even have like for
the script? We love lean yes, but I love I
(34:28):
love how she creates opportunities, you know, for young creators
and actresses and actors and things like that that she
have y'all, Like, if y'all want to suggest for a
story a different type of storyline or for a certain
scene to go a certain way, is that up for
like discussion or.
Speaker 7 (34:43):
Is it it's always an option open.
Speaker 9 (34:45):
You can always reach out and be like, hey, I
think this, or like hey, you know, but it's not
our show at the end of the day, so we
don't have the final say.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
But it's always collaborative.
Speaker 9 (34:54):
And you have the option to be out on something that.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Have y'all ever spoke to Leana and asked, like, how
does she feel about the Shy being so successful? Like
being from Chicago and creating a show about your city
and having to be in the longest running drama.
Speaker 10 (35:09):
Yeah, I guess she I never spoke to her about it.
But I originally auditioned to Beat Coogie like in twenty sixteen,
and I met comming from it. I almost really booked it,
but the network said I look too young. But I
remember Lena having dreads and she's just telling me, hey,
like you're the start of this story. Like her mental
was already seized as ahead, you know, Like she was
(35:32):
just telling me like, Hey, you're going to be the
start of this story, and like I need you to
bring it so like because it's going to open up
a whole world and like a whole thing. So I
never got to talk to her about it, but just
knowing how she moves and knowing how she believes in
us so much, she was already like years ahead, like
she already she already felt it and she already seen it.
And I think that just how the story was written
(35:52):
all of us can attest to. We was like, no,
we got a responsibility and we're gonna bring it and
we're gonna make sure it does what they need to do.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
That's the fact read it that y'all didn't see it.
Speaker 6 (36:01):
But we got a behind the scenes moment where the
last day of filming, like everybody came together, all the
actors and cash crew, everybody, and she gave a speech
and just walked us down a journey of like how
she even telling her story of putting her friends on.
She got a best friend that emit and you reflect
off a lot and a lot of walks that she
(36:24):
that she took to get to this moment, Like she
elaborates that a lot, and she expresses through it, like
you said.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Through us, like she expressed it.
Speaker 6 (36:30):
Like I remember meeting her for the first time in
November twenty twenty three, and she told me exactly what
she was going to do, and you know, like me,
I'm like, you know, I don't believe it to her.
I see, I'm like, all right, I'm gonna just keep
showing up. And when it happened, I'm like, damn right,
whatever she says she is, she gonna do it happened. Yeah,
that's my sister.
Speaker 14 (36:47):
So I just opened up my production company, Stellardon, and
and you know, she's one of the first people I
called when it was like listen, I need advice.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
You're one of the greatest.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Do it.
Speaker 14 (37:00):
Her confidence, you know that the effortlessness of you got this,
like bro, and if you ever need me for anything,
I got you. And even when I was making my
department all this other stuff, she already had things in
mind and already ready for whatever was to come. You know,
we went through so much and for her to still
be here and where she's at now, it's.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
She keeps black people working, young folks like yourself, Like
you said, all the felic like that.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
A lot of that don't happen without leading.
Speaker 14 (37:33):
She I love watching TV, so this is kind of
like her playground now, bringing all of those legends together
with the young faces and putting them and making new
legends too as well. You know, people can enjoy on TV.
Speaker 6 (37:43):
She paid a lot of montage to her favorite shows
and her favorite movies for.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Sure, even having the Wayne Wayne.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
You know that's all companies called him shout out to him,
So genius man.
Speaker 6 (37:59):
I peeped the same little reel was on on one
that we.
Speaker 11 (38:06):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
She found a way, she found a way. She found
a way to get them people on for sure.
Speaker 12 (38:11):
You know you brought up the last day of filming.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 12 (38:13):
That had to be an emotional.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Everybody crying. You had Jason Weaver like that man was
like shouting out to Jesse Jackson. That man was like,
but I was like, damn, it's really over.
Speaker 6 (38:25):
That's when it hit me, like, because we've just been
on the go so much and just keeping our hair
down and really just put in that that work, and
it's over that fast, bro, Like five years, well how
long it's been running, like eight years, but five for
me nine nine years.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
It has been five for me really yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:43):
Ten So it's just like ten years and flew by
so fast and it's like this is the very end
like it.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Was, man, it was it felt like I.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
Don't know if it's It felt like a new birth
and death at the same time.
Speaker 7 (38:55):
Man.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Yeah, you think the final season provides the closure the fans.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Will be looking for. It's still more siry to tell
it the.
Speaker 9 (39:04):
Closure, but I still feel like how it is gonna be,
like what is about to happen next? Like people are
definitely going to be like we got to see the
aftermath of all of this or just walk.
Speaker 6 (39:12):
Away with it forever, just putting their own story to it,
you know, a lot of And that's what we are
blessed to because after every season people then they become
writers and thinking how to show should go and everything,
you know what I mean. And that's what we can
still lean on and be like, what if that helps
us a lot?
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Anybody gonna die that we're gonna be mad about.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
You can't ask them that.
Speaker 6 (39:33):
Second, but I will say, it's a lot of redemption,
and in this it's a lot of redemption. It's a
lot of like it's family and redemption and black love
I can say that there is a focal point of
this new season in.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Full circle, full circle, for sure, full circle, for sure.
Speaker 3 (39:49):
Circle coming back your question now gonna because again.
Speaker 6 (40:00):
What I'm saying that opened up the possibility said, what
if he was dead at the whole time, whole time
and every.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
Imagination that that never happened he woke up from a dream.
Speaker 6 (40:08):
Oh my god, that would have been crazy.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
That's crazy.
Speaker 11 (40:13):
It's deep though, y'all really embody your characters. I'm just
sitting here. I really feel like I know y'all, but
I don't even know y'all life. But you guys just
such a great job.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Thank you, keep growing.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Man.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
It's Kevin Williams, Sorry, Primer, Amar Ferguson, Court, Test Smith
and Michael v It's the cast of the shot.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
And thank y'all appreciate club.
Speaker 8 (40:37):
He's out on the paper.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
But you you missed Kevin Williams, Alix, Kevin, you gotta rock,
don't do it?
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Alex all right?
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Good on staying a gay? No, we can leave that.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
That was stupid. Oh good.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Yes, it's the breakfast Club.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Hold every day a weak click your glass up. The
breakfast Club. You don't finish for y'all done,
I don't know every day pick up the Breakfast Club.
You don't finish for y'all dumb.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yes, it's one of the most dangerous morning to show.
The Breakfast Club dj NV just hilarious. Charlamagne the Guard
Nvy is not here today, but Lord La Rossi is here,
Mimi Brown is sitting in as well, and we got
the cast of the shot you.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
If you themselves like y'all.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
Group Michael v Ups, Quarter Smith Money Primer and Alex
Sorry Hebby.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I feel like you watched y'all grow up. I know.
I just find out y'all was coming up.
Speaker 5 (00:35):
Oh my god, look so y'all here. Eighth season shows
don't live that long.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
We saw y'all. Y'all were like little little kids with
your Lowis. I was so mad at you. I felt
like he was my real little brother.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
How does it feel to like to have, like to
be doing the final season of this long living show.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
It feels great just to be able to start this
and in with it, and to be able to be
a part of something that's bigger than myself and work
alongside amazing people and be able to call them family.
Now is just an amazing journey.
Speaker 6 (01:10):
To be a part of Yeah, it's definitely a surreal
moment because you got to think about, like we're from Chicago,
so to walk the streets like I filmed on some
of the parts where I went to school, you know what.
So it was like, Bro, I was twenty four years
old having my first scene around the corner from my
high school.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
I was like, damn, this is It's crazy.
Speaker 7 (01:27):
Bro.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Did the show accurately reflect Chicago to y'all?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (01:32):
Yeah, but it's it's like politically correct though. It's like
we can't go too and depth in it, you know
what I mean, getting two controverts. We don't want to
put a bad light on us. We already got a
stigma on us, like we so dangerous, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Every city got a hood.
Speaker 8 (01:45):
Do you feel like the show really helped put change
that narrative?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, show black, love, love.
Speaker 7 (01:50):
Community, family. We are more than just violent.
Speaker 9 (01:53):
Like I feel like a lot of people think Chicago,
I think just violence and guns and things like that.
But it just showed that we have positivity.
Speaker 10 (02:02):
I think you can see like it's a character for
each person show on this show, like ensemble, So we
got so many characters. I feel like anybody watching can
relate to anybody.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, and I feel like the shy to your point,
all right, right to your point. I feel like it
shows how the trauma starts, you know what I mean,
Like it shows how the trauma even gets inherited, you know,
in black communities a lot of the time.
Speaker 9 (02:26):
And it also shows how to come up out of it.
I like that because a lot of TV and movie
just just shows the trauma and that's it and that's
where it ends.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
And you know what it shows.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
It shows like family, like we all congregate and come
together to get ourselves out of that trauma.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And it really glorified the black women and.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Our show, Like we need to keep pushing that because
it's like we put the stigma on like black women
like they not needed.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
We bro, that's how backbone, you know what I mean.
We come from a woman, So we got to get
more respect to him. For sure.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
Character development is very important in this show because yo,
I remember for seeing Nook his role, I went from
hating him to like, damn, I love him, because how
you changed, Like at first he was working for dude,
and that's what she wanted to do. You know, Nook
was like all right, beg killer killer, shoot him up,
bang bang. But then you changed the perspective, like the
(03:18):
mindset of the business, even with like the car he
want to get out now, you know what I mean.
And it's just wild, like seeing the character development over
the seasons. It took turns that I didn't think it
would take. Like I thought Knook was going to be
killed for.
Speaker 6 (03:33):
Sure, that boy playing chest not checkers figuring it out.
I don't know how he doing it, but he figured
it out. Knuck is so complex, bro, because it showed
like gangster high feelings too, you know what I mean.
Like and it just shows the product of like making
the wrong choice in life, Like I had so many
full circle moments with the Knuck as well, Like he
found out about the sun through sickle sell My father
(03:56):
died from sickle Sells, so it's like it was like
literally it was a full circle moment with that.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
You know that. Yeah, bro, it's hard working.
Speaker 6 (04:03):
Like I had a scene when I had to walk
through the door and see my son for the first time.
I had it in my mindset like damn, what if
my father would have had an opportunity to see me
for the first time because he didn't have a chance to.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
He died right after.
Speaker 11 (04:13):
So you talk about when you walk in the house, Yeah,
I remember that scene.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yeah wow.
Speaker 11 (04:17):
So so after that scene happens, right, and you're also
like in your real life pulling from that emotion, like
you go home and like what is that?
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Like, I ain't know.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
I was like fucked up for a minute because even
like playing that role, in playing the moment when I
took do that out, like I had to walk down
a path of what I thought I healed from, but
I really didn't, you know what I mean. My uncle
passed from gun violence, and I put my mindset that
if I was in the opportunity to take the life
of the guy that.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Took my uncle away.
Speaker 6 (04:45):
So it's like to walk and just rip that band
aid off and be like, man, I thought I was here,
but I wasn't. Like it took me a little while
to get back normal when it come to work and
just be a you know, an actor.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I'm glad that you say that, because a lot of
people would think that if you're from Chicago, you're kind
of numb to it, like that's the gun violence is
sort of the norm. I'm glad to hear you say
it's not.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
It's not. It's not.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
We know how to mask it because we are taught
to be tough. You know, you gotta have some type
of character with that. But it's like, no, we go
home and we sob. That's why a lot of people
leaning into drugs because they try to cope and mask
what they're going through and it's like, no, you need
to sit down and unpack.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
It's not healthy and not cool to be like.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Oh, I can pop this purple, I can sip this.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Lean and get over. No, you fighting demons that you're
not unpacking.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
And to start with the household. It's a foundation. If
our foundation ain't right, then we can't be right and
we got to unpack that. It's okay to say you're
not okay, especially being a black man, to go to
therapy right for it?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
For sure.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Yes, And I'm huge on man mental health. Like next month,
I got a nonprofit called Corte's Cares. Every gyone we
do a man's mental health run and just get everybody
together in the neighborhood and we have a.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Man's Circle that I.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
You know, I use from the shy and then we
just come together and just whatever you got on your chest.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Just get it off, bro, it's a judge for I.
Speaker 12 (05:58):
Like those man's.
Speaker 13 (06:01):
It was get that.
Speaker 11 (06:05):
But I used to look forward to it in the show,
like that was what we would like after the show. Yeah, yeah,
they would go through their feelings in real life. I
mean not in real life because it's the characters. But
I was like, that was so genius to put that in.
It was early because BT even now has a show
that does that, and then Kirk Franklin has like Kings
then right, that's kind of the same thing, And I was.
Speaker 8 (06:24):
Like, that was.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Real feelings.
Speaker 10 (06:28):
Well yeah, well we kind of like practiced before. But
like being in the Men's Circle is so fun because
off camera, like we talk amongst each other all the time.
So like once we started getting those scenes, I think
we were all excited because like we got to be
amongst each other because each story is like you know,
it has those different storylines and different characters with different characters,
(06:48):
but those were like moments where it's like us as men,
whether you be young or old, we're coming together on
the show and we're expressing ourselves and expressing what you know,
our character is going through. But it's also fun off cams,
just hein' on set, those long hours with our big brothers,
us just learning game from them and they hearing us
and hearing what we're going through, and we just.
Speaker 13 (07:07):
Talking speaking of big brothers, because Jake, your character has
evolved so much. He went from being under two brothers
to like becoming your own man and starting your own business.
You know, talk to us about your development, you know,
as the seasons went on.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Now that's one of my things I can't wait for
y'all to see. Coming into this new season, you really
gonna see Jake stepping more into his manhood and putting
his foot down. But seeing Jakie voll over the has
been my favorite thing to see and play because you
see him go from the normal kid in the hood
following his big brother steps to losing him, to then
being adopted and living in a house where he doesn't
(07:45):
really feel wanted or doesn't really want to be there,
to Oh, my new big brother comes in. So now
it's more of a new change I got to get
used to. I don't really know him, but it's a
big bro. So in the way I have to accept him,
I have to harbor him, you know, So just to
see Jake and his final season and only see him
kind of find that peace and happiness.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
I can't wait for you to smashing the first lady.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
I'm so jealous of his character. Man, you know he
doing his thing on that.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
But alright, real quick, I keep coming.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Yeah, So, how was it acting with your sister?
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Like your actual.
Speaker 10 (08:27):
Sister, Well, she older than me by five years, but.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
That's big.
Speaker 10 (08:33):
That's looked wow to our parents, Jean. But I mean
I remember being on set. We were filming episode. We
were season six. I don't know the episode completely, but
I remember just filming and Lena has seen me a
DM She like, you know this because my sister also
is an R and B artist.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You this girl.
Speaker 10 (08:55):
So I'm like, I think she's gonna get a sync
Like I'm thinking this music. I'm like, okay, I'll texted
like I think going to be on the show. She
sent me a voice memo back like you know, we
want to keep growing your arc like as y'all cool?
Like how was she feel coming on the show playing?
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I'm like what?
Speaker 10 (09:09):
Then my sister texted me because she was on tour
at the time with cast Page in Canada, so she like,
I'm getting a text from Carmen Cuba casting like what
is this? I'm like you about to be on the show.
But it was, it was such an honor. It was
a blessing for our legacy, for our bloodline coming from Gary, Indiana.
You see those siblings with like Mike Janet stuff like that.
But we just embraced the moment. And I also got
to see my sister grow in another craft because we
(09:31):
started like started off when we were young doing plays
and stuff like that. But she transitioned into music. But
you saw her over the seasons like really get a
knack and a real love for for acting again. So
it was a blessing and I'm honored that, Like you know,
I'm going to live life, continue to do my career,
but always be able to say, like I did a show,
not only a show, the longest running black drama with
my sister o G was on it too, y'all.
Speaker 11 (10:00):
Y'all's relationship on the show, it really spoke a lot
to like people be like, man, they just doing what
they gotta do.
Speaker 8 (10:06):
Figure it out.
Speaker 11 (10:07):
I feel like your relationship and a dynamic because we
loved her that we didn't that hurt, like you know,
it really spoke to two kids having to just figure
it out because y'all, you didn't have anybody.
Speaker 10 (10:16):
And we didn't have anybody. And also like with tom
Us being a part, it's like you get to see
Bacari at first be like you sus, but you ain't
been here. I've been out here figuring it out myself,
living this life by myself, trying to make ends meat
for myself. But I'm excited for the new season cause
you know, you may see that relationship growth.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
Now, was it introduced to you before that she was
going to be like a snake?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
No, it wasn't. Okay, So that was just something that that.
Speaker 10 (10:46):
Was just something we reading the script and she like,
they gonna hate me.
Speaker 6 (10:53):
She dropped the damn on me too. It got me
beat up, kicked out, the mob for back.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Came in trying to take my girl out.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Jake knew was.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Coming with it, though you know you lose them how
you get.
Speaker 11 (11:18):
Him In fact, so Alex or Kevin, so right in
the show when you decide to exit the show and
you're headed to college and the gaming stuff is happening,
what do you think is like the biggest lesson that
kids who are afraid to lead their neighborhoods, but need
to take that step. Should learn from your decision to
go away to college.
Speaker 14 (11:36):
Never let your circumstances defining Kevin went through so much,
you know what I mean. And a lot of black
boys have the same experience that I do, and a
lot of black boys are different. We're not all the same.
We not all play sports, and then you know do
the music and all that other stuff. We have different
goals and different things that we want to achieve. So
I think Kevin in that sense and me playing that
(11:59):
character holding in are in part to the culture alone.
And that's why I treat him with so much grace.
And that's why as well, I debarded the way I did,
because it is to show people that you know, there
is a change you can leave, you can boss up
and change your environment regardless of whatever happens in this world.
Speaker 12 (12:14):
You know it is Kevin still a gamer in LA.
Speaker 14 (12:18):
Well, that's what that's for the audience to interpret.
Speaker 7 (12:20):
You know.
Speaker 14 (12:20):
All I can say is Kevin is thriving.
Speaker 8 (12:23):
Doing well, and we're not gonna get like a little sneak.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
That boys media.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
But I like what you were saying though, because like
the shy has always done a great job of showing
like the streets, but then like showing the emotional vulnerability, right,
How that can exist together? Why do you still think
society acts like toughness.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
In healing can coexist.
Speaker 14 (12:47):
I mean, it's just it's just where we in take,
you know. That's what they promote when it comes to
the music and all that stuff. That's all we's seeing
and hearing. That's all the youth is seeing and hearing.
So that's why us being young black people that we
are right now, we're here to change me, change that
whole ecosystem, change that whole mindset, you know, just put
on those younger kids. I even look at my my
(13:07):
nephews and my cousins a different way and talk to
them a different way because I know.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
I have a responsibility that I have to uphold. We
all do.
Speaker 14 (13:15):
There's a big torch being passed down and we have
to do the work, and we got to be able
to hold it up.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
You know, that's the fact.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
But it's like even like even sometimes it's like as
a man or a male, they expect you to put
on that front or it's like you can't have feelings
or express or feel away you know, like growing up
in the house, there was something that I kind of
heard as being a boy, you're told to suck it up,
deal with It's like, cry, dang, I can't even feel
the way that I just feel down the stairs that
you just say it this and it hurt me. So
it's like that's kind of a weight that they just
(13:43):
throw on us. Like now you can't feel like what
you have to put on this front. You can't you
can't feel your emotions. So that's also another reason why
I feel like it's a lot of men and like
they can't be vulnerable with each other.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
Especially yeah, my bad, I'm gonna just add this, and
especially being raised by a single parent like me and
you you know, we just had our mom, and you know,
we gotta be ten times harder because we go out
in these streets.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
We can't be feminine at all. We can't be sensitive
or another.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
We gotta you know, I mean, literally go out in
the streets and give one hundred and ten percent and
be more tough than anybody, because back at home, we
got a female.
Speaker 10 (14:12):
That's racing, you know what I mean, piggybacking off what
you said, just that that community I also feel like,
you know, people don't really have somebody to listen and
not just listen to respond, like really like listen and
taking their feelings and emotions and where they are and
the place they are in their life.
Speaker 12 (14:27):
You know, Zarya, I love your your character line.
Speaker 13 (14:31):
You know it's you're so vulnerable and you're so helpful
with Bacari and you give them.
Speaker 12 (14:36):
Chance after chance after chance. Where does that come from?
Speaker 8 (14:39):
Does it?
Speaker 13 (14:39):
Because what you've been through where you see something at them,
does remind you of your brother, Like what is happening there?
Speaker 9 (14:44):
I think she sympathizes with him because of Jamal, that
is her brother. And I have a brother in real life,
and you know girls don't play about that. They brother
don't play about them. And you can see Jamal don't
play about me. And even like I think her saying,
Jamal come out of jail and now, like you know,
he's following God and he's really trying to change his life.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
He gets a regular job, he goes to Mary's Dom played.
Speaker 8 (15:05):
By La lah.
Speaker 9 (15:06):
I feel like she knows that Bakari can do that too,
and that's why she does a give up because she
comes from that, so she knows what that's like and
she knows she's from Chicago, so she knows, like, this
is the system that we've been put in, but it's breakable.
Speaker 7 (15:21):
Yeah. So she's just pushing him to get out of that.
Speaker 12 (15:23):
And you lean on her a lot all the time.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
O YEA.
Speaker 13 (15:27):
Is she feel avoid for what Bakari is going through
because he really doesn't have anyone?
Speaker 10 (15:32):
I think she does, but just that selflessness that she carries,
you know, like like she said, she thinks that Bacari
can make it out in Bacari can change. So I
just think that she just put her heart on sleeve
and she she take it, you know what I'm saying.
But I also do think that there is a void.
But I think this season that you're going to be
(15:53):
able to see stuff from her point of view as well.
Speaker 11 (15:55):
So do you think that do you think your character?
Do you think Lenna ever sacrifices too much?
Speaker 7 (16:00):
Yes? Every time?
Speaker 9 (16:01):
She should have never put them guns in her closet.
I needed to help find it. It's not like it's love,
it's like and it is.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Put some guns in the closet.
Speaker 10 (16:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Have you took a charge though.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Me in the stolen car on prem Yeah, I wanted to,
but I did.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
It was about taking the charge, doing something you can
get in charge for.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Right, it's just.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
As bad question. First of all, I never done something
you could.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Have got the charge about the niggas that I was within, allegedly.
Speaker 8 (16:42):
In the car.
Speaker 9 (16:42):
Yeah, but that's why I love our relationship so much,
because that is like the hood love story that like
so many girls like you find a good girl and
the bad boy and you just want to save him
so bad.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It's like girl, a pretty pretty woman love them hood
niggas love.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
He told me to sat his guns, girl.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
One of them.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
The show deals with grief a lot, right, Like what
role do you think unhealed grief plays and how people
just move through relationships in their community.
Speaker 10 (17:16):
I think it's it's a lot of perspectives. I feel
like you can look at a lot of ways. Like
with my character, you saw him literally take someone's life
because of grief and because how he felt. You know,
Coogie was he was the person in the neighborhood. Like
you know, he may not come from that walk of life,
but like we know him, we respect him like he
(17:37):
was all limits. You know what I'm saying. But obviously
you see wrong place, wrong time, a story that we
all know in our communities, and you see him die,
but you also see me come, you know, seasons later.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
Because we forgot that you will. The gangsters have to
keep her mand you like myself, I have to keep
her mand you like I ain't running. But you know
you've done so much good, and we showed that you
was just so lost in the community that you find
in your way, and you don't want.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
To be that guy. You just want to survive.
Speaker 10 (18:06):
But that community that I talked about, you see shod
he didn't give up on He didn't give up on me.
You see Professor Gardner, all these different characters that community
where I'm able to express myself. I'm able to express
my emotions and I'm also able to get corrected because
of the foundation and the seeds that they plan it.
So now I'm hearing it out of love instead of
(18:27):
like you know, because you know, we got positive figures
in our life and sometimes we might not listen because
we don't know how to receive. But I just feel
like over time you saw his heart softened to just
receive and listen. But grief can make you do crazy,
like you see me coming off the gate.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Grief had me.
Speaker 10 (18:41):
I'm blowing for sure.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Grief made you do some stuff too, like you know
what I mean, Like when you thought you lost your brother,
but you know he came back and you let him
back in your house.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
You know what I mean, He just came back and
they want nothing to do with it.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Know how to impact you all in real life, because
like you said, you'll af from Chicago. So I'm sure
y'all all dealt with different traumas, right, But then you
then you got to go be on a show where
you still got to play about trauma. Like when do
you ever get to really disconnect?
Speaker 1 (19:12):
You really don't know that.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
That's why I say you always got to prioritize your
mental health because.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
With this job, you got to relive a lot.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
Of traumatic moments to better your performance on screen. So
it's like, if you already making sure your mental health
is straight on the day to day, I really feel
like you will be able to maneuver through it.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Facts and keeping God first.
Speaker 7 (19:32):
Man.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
God is real, bro, God is real. Manifestation is real,
and God is real.
Speaker 7 (19:36):
Man.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Keep God first and just take time and ground yourself
and stay grounded.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
Bro.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
You know what I mean, and just go silent, turn
your phone off, turn the TV off, you know what
I mean, Just sit in your thoughts and unpack the
things that you went through, because man, that shit can
turn you crazy.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Though.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
For real, this show is definitely a very emotionally triggering show.
Do y'all have a most emotional season? I'm gonna tell
you what it is for me, and I ain't even
on the show. Okay, So when Keisha was kidnapped, man, yes,
season three, Yes, that was so like it hit home.
(20:12):
I never been kidnapped, but you know, friends and family,
and it just happens to young black girls all too often,
right and so much so, don't nobody look, don't nobody
care to look, you know what I mean? And that's
when I seen Kevin's character, Like it was like he
was bothered. He was going through it, but he wasn't
(20:34):
handling it like you would think he would.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
But I that's when I saw.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Like character development for you, I'm like, oh no, he
really he he going off in.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
His mind about it, like he wasn't giving.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
Up, not expressing it like you know you would see
somebody else do it.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Like was that, like, what was the most emotional I
got a.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Season for y'all.
Speaker 14 (20:55):
The most emotional season for me, it was actually season two.
There was a lot of pressure about it to me.
I mean I was working with phenomenal actors at the
time too as well, Jason Mitchell and all of that,
and those scenes that we had to go through. You know,
I have my father in my life, but just even
thinking about him not being there, yeah, you know that
kind of made me like feel the type of way
m hm. And we had to portray that story and
(21:16):
he was going through so much in that time too
as well, which I didn't know. So in that scene
where you see us doing the haircut, that was real emotions,
both of us feeling things, you know, coming off the
set and having a yo, let's debrief together, let's cry,
let's be brothers together, and just you know, basking this
moment away from the cast, the crew and everything like that.
And we had multiple moments like that in season two
(21:37):
and then season three when I had to kind of
like pick up that mantle and it continued with those harsh,
you know topics that we were talking about. I just
had to you know, suck it up. A lot of
a lot of the best artists they they have to
suffer to put out the best work.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
For sure, Man, you gotta because acting is displaying realness,
you know what I mean, Like you have to be authentic.
When and season three the piggyback on Thatt, like, I
had a cousin named Kiera coles Man.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
She got kidnapped about twenty eighteen and she still having
showed up no trace of it. She was pregnant, she
was a male carrier.
Speaker 6 (22:14):
If y'all ever heard about that happened in Chicago, and
we don't talk about her no more So this a
it's a shout out to her to just like, let's
let's figure out something. Let's try to find her or
try to, like at least act like we care because
it was just a hot topic on Facebook. They talked
about a little bit and it just disappeared.
Speaker 12 (22:29):
Yeah what even Nook's character when he should disappear went
through a lot.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Yeah, yeah he did.
Speaker 12 (22:35):
Was that drawn from your cousin? Maybe miss your cousin?
Speaker 6 (22:39):
Not at that, not at that moment, because season three
was just like it was so fresh for me. I
was just like so excited to be you know, a
part of something. You got to think about being an
actor and entrepreneur. We get told no a lot. So
once we get that yes, we just like, I just
want to be the best. I want to do the
best thing I can do, just to stay here and
maintain I didn't really start tapping into like my full
(23:02):
potential until like the end of five, season five and
then six, when they really gave me a call and
say you're going to be in there. I was working
the job. I was on a cherry picker on the
at this warehouse. I ain't no shit.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
About that, but I just like, I'm just not going
to be broken.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
I got that call and said like, hey, you about
to be on the whole season six?
Speaker 1 (23:21):
I say, oh yeah, took that little ve.
Speaker 11 (23:27):
Yeah, Alex, when when Jason's character no longer was on
the show and you like moved on in different seasons, right,
because emotionally you guys had that tie together. Was it
hard for you to kind of have that person that
you leaned on on set because we watched y'all build
such a relationship on camera.
Speaker 14 (23:42):
I mean, of course, it's always hard losing a cast member,
and it was confusing at the time. Everything happened so
quickly and during the downtime you know, but everything happens
for a reason. And plus I had amazing people surrounded
by me too as well, like Jacob Litimore, yeah, uh,
Ronnie who played uh but today. And I just had
(24:07):
amazing people surrounded by me as well to guide me
too and then even developing me. Jason uh coming, you know,
Jason Weaver and all of those other people just helped
me and and navigating. And I'm a person I soak
up the game. I'm always asking questions, always observant, always
looking around. I mean that's why I don't really talk
much like observer.
Speaker 13 (24:26):
You know, as I listen to you guys, you keep
dropping names Jason Weaver, Lynn Whitfield, Lola like this CAUs Yes,
the amount of people like star power in this show,
(24:47):
and you guys growing up and watching that and being
in it. You know, how was that as you're coming up,
as you know, you're you're acting.
Speaker 10 (24:53):
I think it was fun because also my character, I
was blessed to kind of get one on ones with
a lot of them, but just being in their presence
and also seeing that they're real people and like they're
even happy.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
To be a part of like this we create was crazy.
Speaker 10 (25:10):
So, like you know, like Alex said, just soaking up
all the game that they're giving you, but also understanding that, wow,
you guys are real humans and that you guys lead
with grace and love. But also on the acting tip,
you guys helping me like in real time throwing my
craft and get better. So man, it was it was
an honor and it was amazing.
Speaker 9 (25:29):
So yeah, it's like getting paid to get a master
class and just like you like, they're paying you to
get a class. But it's also just cool to see
that we look at them in such like this big light,
like they're like we know that they're legends, and they're
just so down to earth and humble and so cool.
And I love that they're just open to teaching, open
(25:50):
to help, like they're not like stuck up or like
you know, I've been doing this, Like they still have
a love for the craft. They haven't like let it
get to their heads. So I think that's a great
example to see as a young actress.
Speaker 14 (26:01):
They say, we definitely had the best childhood. You see
a lot of young child stars they go through turmoil
and all of that stuff, but we really feel like
we have a cove over us.
Speaker 6 (26:15):
It takes a village and because of you know, it
wasn't just the caz either, it was just it was
Crue that was taking out to markets like that was
our barber for several seasons.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Like that was like a real uncle on the set.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Like remember I came to work late and he was
like put them to the side and saying, nephew, don't
do this shit again. He was like, hey, you want
to you you want to be.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Here, right?
Speaker 6 (26:34):
I said yeah. He was like we got to lead
by example. Don't come here late no more. And Bro,
I'm like, oh yeah, if he telling me that, I
got to be on point. But the shot gave us
an opportunity to have Hollywood come to us.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
We didn't have to go out searching to try to
feel like we belonged.
Speaker 6 (26:48):
They brought all of that that we've been looking at
for years like and then brought it to us.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Like seeing letting with it.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
I'm like, damn, that's Brandy, Like damn, that's David Ruffin, right,
Jason Weaver, that's Simber whatever you.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Want to be.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Like, Bro, that was that was so amazing, Like you
were working with them like these are these I worked
with them too. On my first scene and it was
like I had to put a gun on them. And
I was just so excited because I'm like, damn, these
my favorite characters. Put a gun on them though, But
it was Man, it's been a it's been a hell
of a journey, bro, it's been a it's.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Been a ride.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Question for Kevin and Michael, right, No, I called you, Kevin,
alex Alix Michael. Was there ever talk of a spin.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Off for Jake, Popper and Kevin, especially early on?
Speaker 2 (27:34):
None that we ever heard of or none.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
They came across our table and probably talks behind the
scenes or something.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Like you said it was my favorite characters too early on,
especially after Jason left, I'm like, well, stay turned.
Speaker 14 (27:47):
You know the people got the power. Yeah, were here
the work.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Where is our powerful speak at y'all we need to
spend off.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
If not a spinoff, you know, we still got a
long jevity in our career. We just started us on
another problem.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Oh for sure.
Speaker 11 (28:01):
Did y'all know originally the three right when everything first started,
that people were gonna love the crew so much?
Speaker 14 (28:08):
You know, it's crazy. We weren't originally planned to even
be in the seasons that long.
Speaker 8 (28:13):
Really, we just did it for us.
Speaker 14 (28:16):
So yeah, yeah, we weren't planning to be on these
seasons at all. I think I was guaranteed like four
or five episodes.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
I was only supposed to be in one. They made
me and Ras brothers, and that's what shout out to
l with me. I gotta I gotta say that the
writers in that season, they really went to bat five
characters and made sure that we was established to be
who we are today.
Speaker 14 (28:35):
And took those notes as well. I remember Shaman, he
would say certain things where it's like we don't say soda,
we say pop. Took those notes, you know what I mean.
And then us three, like our connection was.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
So easily like easily built.
Speaker 14 (28:47):
I remember after we would get off set, we'd be
on the West sideki outside with kids they didn't know
we were on the show or whatever, just being kids,
like actually enjoying each other's presence and just getting to
know each other, be coming best friends. So all of
that stuff that you've seen on the camera, it's basically
just us being ourselves and it's just recorded.
Speaker 11 (29:06):
That was so naturally because we I was like they
got the perfect clue to making you.
Speaker 8 (29:11):
Fall in love with the show, like we want to
grow up with y'all.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Papa coming back and yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely ain't been nowhere.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Yeah, So how was the love in Chicago that because
all y'all being from.
Speaker 7 (29:30):
They don't call us our name, We just look like
that's just how it is.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Maybe stopping traffic when we be feeling interrupting the scene,
I'll be loving that forcuse that just be like they
really love it.
Speaker 9 (29:41):
Maybe that windows seeling down like shouting while we're filming.
It's so great, like to get love from the show
the city that you're making the show about, Like you know,
you feel like validated, like Okay, we're doing a good job, like.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
They tell you.
Speaker 6 (29:59):
New York Fiel and DC brom them cities don't play
when they come in.
Speaker 10 (30:03):
But it's also a sinema like it also gives you
like motivation when you're hearing people just constantly tell you
because also they calling us our characters, but they also
seeing us and seeing the growth and seeing the work
that we put in and they telling us like hey
keep going, like keep doing your things. So every time
I'm hearing that, I just put a mental note that
it's like okay, like you said, I got a responsibility
and people are watching, so you know, I love that
(30:26):
just hearing that, like okay.
Speaker 6 (30:28):
We help each other, like yeah, it don't even be
no competition. Like we literally had conversations and like hey,
pick it up and you you was probably slacking right
there or you know what I mean, like what's on
your mind, let's talk and we come back and we
just knocked that shit out.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
B' miss off. I mean not the show.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
We all around it.
Speaker 6 (30:44):
You know, we were family, but like just to being
on that set and just keep creating that energy.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Broma missed that.
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Man.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
The success even meaning for young actors like yourself, persistency.
Speaker 6 (30:57):
Yeah for me though, yeah, because it's like money, money
gonna come and go. This liquid, you know what I mean,
It's like water, let's gonna come and go, and then fame.
You can buy fame, you get the money.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
So it's like anybody, right, you can pick a phone
up and do something crazy and then now you're famous.
Speaker 10 (31:10):
But you don't get to beat like certain like we're
so blessed because we're able to be on set and
we're able to learn like the craft, we're able to Okay,
they're doing three setups. It's three cam different cameras, the
different angles, like the lighting, every every like I did,
like this season one of the scenes, I got to
like focus, do the focusing, like making sure that cameras yeah,
(31:36):
shout out Luke, Luke James. I got to focus Luke
and just make sure that he's seeing clear.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Like.
Speaker 10 (31:41):
But they're just so open to letting us learn. So
that's something that I think, like most of our peers
probably haven't got to experience, just just being on set
and really being in the moment and learning all the
moving parts and.
Speaker 14 (31:54):
Even like add on that question, I mean, in my
terms of what I see successes my career is just
giving people a feeling. The first project that I ever did,
it gave people a feeling and touched the world and
touched my my people in a way where I'm telling
black stories, but it's universal to everyone, you know. And
I want to continue to do that to the point
(32:15):
where it's like I blend into these roles and you
don't even see Alex like I did Good Burger too,
and a lot of people don't even know and a
lot of people don't even know that, But but I
pray for that. I want to be one of the greats.
I want to be next to those people and that
that's what it takes, you know, blending into that role.
That's effect really diving in there. That's my point.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Is you see your face right now, because.
Speaker 10 (32:42):
Okay, that's my that's what I look at it as.
And like they were saying, like those people are around us,
giving us that game. And the further we go on
in our careers, as you see is go past this show,
it's just going to be like, wow, we really watch
these people grow, growing and developed, like they're killing it now.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
They're getting the wards now and then you know, and
this is.
Speaker 14 (33:01):
All the stuff that we manifested in and we're going
to talk about to this day.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
Actually, there's so much talent across the board, Like you
got all these these niggas sing all of them, you
know what I mean, God ain't blessed me with that one.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
But you know so.
Speaker 8 (33:14):
Many of your videos.
Speaker 11 (33:14):
A couple of weeks ago, it was like a music
video you shot, yeah, and it was it was all
over my time. I forget what song it was, but
I remember I was watching. I was like, oh he
really out here, like it was so virab. I saw
it on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
Yeah, that was last summer. That was the first time
got dropped this on YouTube and I was called affing
it off. That was and uh, that was the first thing.
The scene you talking about that was in my hometown
out west. I took them back to the neighborhood I'm
from and it was just showing in the city you
feel me and music. That's something that I've always had
an interesting in growing up. Like music is something that
I like. It calms me, gives me a piece of mind.
(33:49):
It's wait for me to express myself too, So you're
gonna you're gonna expect some.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
More from me.
Speaker 11 (33:53):
That's tough though, for y'all to be also talented and
the other things that y'all are doing. People actually like
it's actually moving because a lot of times once you act,
if you do music, it's like people don't know what
the what to lean into.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
But I was like, oh no, they outside for this song.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
What's the relationship like with Lena, does she allow like
y'all to have or do y'all even have like for
the script? We love lean yes, but I love I
(34:28):
love how she creates opportunities, you know, for young creators
and actresses and actors and things like that that she
have y'all, Like, if y'all want to suggest for a
story a different type of storyline or for a certain
scene to go a certain way, is that up for
like discussion or.
Speaker 7 (34:43):
Is it it's always an option open.
Speaker 9 (34:45):
You can always reach out and be like, hey, I
think this, or like hey, you know, but it's not
our show at the end of the day, so we
don't have the final say.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
But it's always collaborative.
Speaker 9 (34:54):
And you have the option to be out on something that.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Have y'all ever spoke to Leana and asked, like, how
does she feel about the Shy being so successful? Like
being from Chicago and creating a show about your city
and having to be in the longest running drama.
Speaker 10 (35:09):
Yeah, I guess she I never spoke to her about it.
But I originally auditioned to Beat Coogie like in twenty sixteen,
and I met comming from it. I almost really booked it,
but the network said I look too young. But I
remember Lena having dreads and she's just telling me, hey,
like you're the start of this story. Like her mental
was already seized as ahead, you know, Like she was
(35:32):
just telling me like, Hey, you're going to be the
start of this story, and like I need you to
bring it so like because it's going to open up
a whole world and like a whole thing. So I
never got to talk to her about it, but just
knowing how she moves and knowing how she believes in
us so much, she was already like years ahead, like
she already she already felt it and she already seen it.
And I think that just how the story was written
(35:52):
all of us can attest to. We was like, no,
we got a responsibility and we're gonna bring it and
we're gonna make sure it does what they need to do.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
That's the fact read it that y'all didn't see it.
Speaker 6 (36:01):
But we got a behind the scenes moment where the
last day of filming, like everybody came together, all the
actors and cash crew, everybody, and she gave a speech
and just walked us down a journey of like how
she even telling her story of putting her friends on.
She got a best friend that emit and you reflect
off a lot and a lot of walks that she
(36:24):
that she took to get to this moment, Like she
elaborates that a lot, and she expresses through it, like
you said.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Through us, like she expressed it.
Speaker 6 (36:30):
Like I remember meeting her for the first time in
November twenty twenty three, and she told me exactly what
she was going to do, and you know, like me,
I'm like, you know, I don't believe it to her.
I see, I'm like, all right, I'm gonna just keep
showing up. And when it happened, I'm like, damn right,
whatever she says she is, she gonna do it happened. Yeah,
that's my sister.
Speaker 14 (36:47):
So I just opened up my production company, Stellardon, and
and you know, she's one of the first people I
called when it was like listen, I need advice.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
You're one of the greatest.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Do it.
Speaker 14 (37:00):
Her confidence, you know that the effortlessness of you got this,
like bro, and if you ever need me for anything,
I got you. And even when I was making my
department all this other stuff, she already had things in
mind and already ready for whatever was to come. You know,
we went through so much and for her to still
be here and where she's at now, it's.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
She keeps black people working, young folks like yourself, Like
you said, all the felic like that.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
A lot of that don't happen without leading.
Speaker 14 (37:33):
She I love watching TV, so this is kind of
like her playground now, bringing all of those legends together
with the young faces and putting them and making new
legends too as well. You know, people can enjoy on TV.
Speaker 6 (37:43):
She paid a lot of montage to her favorite shows
and her favorite movies for.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Sure, even having the Wayne Wayne.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
You know that's all companies called him shout out to him,
So genius man.
Speaker 6 (37:59):
I peeped the same little reel was on on one
that we.
Speaker 11 (38:06):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
She found a way, she found a way. She found
a way to get them people on for sure.
Speaker 12 (38:11):
You know you brought up the last day of filming.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 12 (38:13):
That had to be an emotional.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Everybody crying. You had Jason Weaver like that man was
like shouting out to Jesse Jackson. That man was like,
but I was like, damn, it's really over.
Speaker 6 (38:25):
That's when it hit me, like, because we've just been
on the go so much and just keeping our hair
down and really just put in that that work, and
it's over that fast, bro, Like five years, well how
long it's been running, like eight years, but five for
me nine nine years.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
It has been five for me really yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:43):
Ten So it's just like ten years and flew by
so fast and it's like this is the very end
like it.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Was, man, it was it felt like I.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
Don't know if it's It felt like a new birth
and death at the same time.
Speaker 7 (38:55):
Man.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Yeah, you think the final season provides the closure the fans.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Will be looking for. It's still more siry to tell
it the.
Speaker 9 (39:04):
Closure, but I still feel like how it is gonna be,
like what is about to happen next? Like people are
definitely going to be like we got to see the
aftermath of all of this or just walk.
Speaker 6 (39:12):
Away with it forever, just putting their own story to it,
you know, a lot of And that's what we are
blessed to because after every season people then they become
writers and thinking how to show should go and everything,
you know what I mean. And that's what we can
still lean on and be like, what if that helps
us a lot?
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Anybody gonna die that we're gonna be mad about.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
You can't ask them that.
Speaker 6 (39:33):
Second, but I will say, it's a lot of redemption,
and in this it's a lot of redemption. It's a
lot of like it's family and redemption and black love
I can say that there is a focal point of
this new season in.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Full circle, full circle, for sure, full circle, for sure.
Speaker 3 (39:49):
Circle coming back your question now gonna because again.
Speaker 6 (40:00):
What I'm saying that opened up the possibility said, what
if he was dead at the whole time, whole time
and every.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
Imagination that that never happened he woke up from a dream.
Speaker 6 (40:08):
Oh my god, that would have been crazy.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
That's crazy.
Speaker 11 (40:13):
It's deep though, y'all really embody your characters. I'm just
sitting here. I really feel like I know y'all, but
I don't even know y'all life. But you guys just
such a great job.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Thank you, keep growing.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Man.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
It's Kevin Williams, Sorry, Primer, Amar Ferguson, Court, Test Smith
and Michael v It's the cast of the shot.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
And thank y'all appreciate club.
Speaker 8 (40:37):
He's out on the paper.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
But you you missed Kevin Williams, Alix, Kevin, you gotta rock,
don't do it?
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Alex all right?
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Good on staying a gay? No, we can leave that.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
That was stupid. Oh good.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Yes, it's the breakfast Club.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Hold every day a weak click your glass up. The
breakfast Club. You don't finish for y'all done,
The Breakfast Club News
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