Mm.

And it really frustrated me, because it was, like, the morning that I was going to pick up Jay-Z from the airport.

And I was in a Bentley Continental too, driving around Atlanta with a durag on, the, the hat.

The same shit, but nobody would see it.

Right.

Nobody wasn't seeing what I was doing.

So I, I was, I was like, "I gotta make, my records gotta be big.

My records [laughs] gotta be bigger, so niggas can see what's going on." And on the way to...

Mm-hmm.

At first it was being a comedian, and I think that's how I was, I was able to transition to the acting thing so easily.

I started out with that first.

Rapping came because I could mimic just about anybody.

And then if you can mimic a [censored], you basically doing it.

So then it was like, all right, cool.

Then somebody started writing my raps.

They tried

Mm-hmm.

At first it was being a comedian, and I think that's how I was, I was able to transition to the acting thing so easily.

I started out with that first.

Rapping came because I could mimic just about anybody.

And then if you can mimic a motherfucker, you basically doing it.

So then it was like, all right, cool.

Then somebody start writing my raps.

I know about that show.

W

WI mean, I've been performing by myself for 20-plus years, so it's, it's-- it really creatively didn't even pop in my head.

I was just more putting the show together.

Um, BET came with the, with the records that they wanted me to do.

I honestly, on everything I love, and I said it too, I think TMZ or somebody caught me coming out of somewhere that weekend, and I said I didn't even know that, that, that they were there in attendance.

You know, 'cause when you hosting the show or performing, the, the, you know, the luxury we get is we don't gotta go in the audience.

We get to stay in our trailers, and just come get us [clears throat] when it's time, and we go back to the trailers.

Sponsored by GSK.

When I think of the BT wave, the 106 and Park wave, it's you guys.

Yeah, most definitely.

This is a full circle moment.

You know what I mean? 25 years ago or 24 years ago.

Looking back, first arena tour, you know what I mean? The boys was there, and now we looking up, like I said, 24 years later, and we here now, still doing it.

You know, me and Trey Songz just came up with a successful tour last year, and the year before that was another one, the year before that was another one.

And you guys had everybody on that tour.

Was that like something that was important to you?

so what i want to do right you know i want to go a little deeper into your time at death row because i heard you speak about it but i've never heard you you know go into detail about it like that so with that being said right how did you meet snoop and get signed to death row

yeah uh i discovered me uh you know my birthplace columbus ohio shout out to the city shout out to the state you know uh it was the chronic tour you know i see you rocking up and smoke joint you know what i'm saying uh so the chronic tour was pretty much The Up and Smoke tour was a branch off of the Chronic tour, you know what I mean? And they came to Columbus, Ohio.

I forgot which arena it was at the time, and my mother took them.

I don't know what mom would take a five-year-old, six-year-old kid to that type of concert.

At the time, the Chronic tour was crazy.

You had, of course, Unk and Dre, Dog Pounder.

You also had Onyx.

But speaking of crisscross, right, take me through that, you know, transition where, you know, you was on Death Row, it didn't work out, and, you know, you meet Jermaine Dupri, and you sign with So So Dope.

In rap.

All day.

So I s- I just wanted to put it out there and just let it be known.

Like, and I'm not the type that, I'm not gonna say I'm done and then I'm going back and I'm done.

It's like, nah, I'm just done with that.

Because I hustle so much between the hosting and the movies and the TV and the...

I don't be having time to get...

You sure?

I want to ask you, bro, how did the Millennium Tour start, bro? Who

originated that? It originated, I'm going to be real, Gary.

You know what I mean? It all started with Gary.

That's to promote him, the BPC.

You know, Gary, they came up with this concept to... you know, bring back that vibe again.

You know what I mean? The screen tour started with me.

You know what I mean? That's my shit, a staple, and that was the first.

to hear you talk a little shit.

(laughs)

True.

We, we sold the boats from our millennial, we got the m- most hits out of the millennial is us two.

And I knew the call was gonna come, and when it came, I took the opportunity.

Um, then Mario came back and he co- he co-headlined with me, and then Gary like, "We gotta run it back again." I'm like, "Damn, nigga, we going three times?" In a row, "Yeah, we going again." And that was with me, Trey, Omarion, uh, Rozay and everybody else.

And, and how this one came about was, you know, I put the call in to Trigga.

I called Trigga myself, 'cause Trey wasn't picking up the phone for niggas.

He's a legend.

What's a hit that you passed on where you was like, damn, I could have had that one?

It's crazy because Jermaine pretty much been like my main producer pretty much throughout my career.

I mean, Pharrell done episodes.

I worked with Swizz too.

It might have been maybe a short time in my career where I would start accepting the records from people.

Like, let me be more open and produce the Sydney shit.

And I remember getting this beat and I do this motherfucker special and heard the direction.

I want to ask you, bro, how did the Millennium Tour

Yeah.

'Cause that's...

Look, that's when I was hosting 106 & Park and I was doing CSI the same time, so I was going coast to coast.

Like, we'll film three episodes in one day at 106 & Park, then I gotta get on the plane and fly six hours to LA, remember lines, be on point, be on cue, just to show CBS that I can handle doing this and this.

That shit was tough.

Like, that was probably the most toughest acting shit that I ever had in my career thus far.

I know it's probably gonna be some more shit ahead, but that shit was tough.

But I love how you embraced everything, bro.

Okay.

Hands down.

Hands down, Kel.

R. Kelly, number two again.

Damn.

Three, four, and five.

Straight up.

How did that how did that happen? How did that that habit stopped? I

Mm-hmm.

And, and I told him, I said, "All right." I remember this conversation vividly.

And you know when you're friends, you can, you can admit stuff to your friend.

I said, "I need you." Straight up.

"In order for me to get my blessing, I feel like I ain't gonna get if I ain't being real with you.

You're my dog, you're my dog.

I need you.

Right.

Would you like LeBron to do a remake? Is there somebody out there that could do a remake of Like Mike? Would you like to see a remake of Like Mike?

Or is it too soon? I don't think it's too soon.

I think it should have happened already.

Right.

Um, and they try to do a part two.

They try to take it to the street ball aspect.

That's when and one came into the mix.

he giving us this scene first? This is

No.

"Okay, cool." He was in character.

So, I'm, uh, y- I'm going off your energy then.

I'm on what you on.

So, I did the same thing, too.

I locked in.

I ain't wanna talk.

Right.