For real?

Yes, and I need you to know that, um, you spoke so much to me before I even met you and, and I need you to know that, um, you being a rapper, I never seen a rapper, uh, come out of, um, retirement, go back in.

But you came out and showed us how to take your money and invest it-

That was it.

And I also, I want you to know that when, when I got the part, I wanted you to see that I can, you know, come in there and do my job, and you not have to keep directing me and then I be doing stuff I ain't got...

I just wanted to be in there to do what you was paying me to do.

So was there any, um, the process of getting there and, and staying there and, you know?

I got lucky.

I got scouted because of the, uh, there was a Black woman, Dionna Griffin, who, who came and, uh, Griffith, sorry, who came and saw me at Northwestern in my sketch show.

And then she said, "You need to come to Second City." And I was like, "Great." And so she gave me a scholarship 'cause I definitely couldn't afford it.

And, uh, and I started learning with these icons, you know? And then just really learned the history of the place and, you know, the Belushis and the-

Oh, thank God.

But acting-wise, when I see you on screen, 'cause you, Keke, is different than you g- you give us so many layers on screen.

Like in Boosters, but in The Burbs, in, in everything you'll give us, um...

You're in a movie.

I know.

I know.

You know, it's been a blessing.

And honestly, same.

Because you have always been incredible.

And, like, we knew you were shooting out of college into your path.

Do you remember when you fell in love with comedy and sketch writing and all that?

... versus what it turned out to actually be?

Well, I remember being with her, uh-...

in 2008, when she got elected for the 2009 term, and, and Obama won, won the same night, and, and it was just such an incredibly high high, you know? And then I remember being with her on the last election night, when she lost her seat, and it- there was a massive red wave in Iowa, and, and, you know, a state had gone from blue to purple to red in that- in those 14 years, and it was, it was just so different.

I think the, the whole political climate, on both sides of the aisle, was very...

I don't know.

I don't- frustrating isn't the word, but, um, kind of hopeless, right? I mean, obviously, Obama's, especially first term, was all about hope and change, and all of those things, and we still felt that, even as he was leaving, and I think there was just an absence of that.

There was just no kind of...

And creating a backlash