- TONIGHT, A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING RAPPER, PRODUCER, ACTOR, AND ENTREPRENEUR, T.I.

- I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ONE OF THE FORGOTTEN ONES.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY REALLY CARES THAT IT'S LIKE THIS WHERE WE ARE.

- YEAH.

- AND IN ORDER FOR ANY OF THEM TO HAVE HOPE, ANY PEOPLE IN THAT POSITION OR A POSITION SIMILAR TO OURS, THE ONES WE, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT OUT OF, IN ORDER TO GIVE BACK, LIKE YOU GOT TO CARE ENOUGH.

YOU GOT TO CARE.

YOU GOT TO HAVE A REAL, GENUINE PASSION - YEAH.

- FOR WANTING TO DO BETTER FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT MOST.

- TONIGHT, A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING RAPPER, PRODUCER, ACTOR, AND ENTREPRENEUR, T.I.

- "LOVE AND RESPECT WITH KILLER MIKE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY, - REGINA APPROACHES THE ALL-ELECTRIC CADILLAC LYRIQ.

IT'S A SUNNY DAY.

- NAH, A STORMY DAY.

- CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS - UM-MM.

BRASS BAND.

NEW ORLEANS.

♪♪ - SHE DRIVES HANDS-FREE ALONG THE COAST.

- MAKE IT PALM SPRINGS.

CADILLAC IS GOING ELECTRIC.

IF YOU WANNA BE BOLD, YOU HAVE TO GO OFF SCRIPT.

- EXPERIENCE THE ALL-ELECTRIC CADILLAC LYRIQ.

♪♪ ♪♪ - WELL, WELCOME TO THE SHOW T.I., - OR AS I'LL CALL YOU THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW, TIP.

- OH.

T.I.

(LAUGHING) OH, OKAY.

LEMME STRAIGHTEN MY POSTURE.

NAH, I'M JUST PLAYING MAN.

CONGRATULATIONS.

- MAN.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOU WITH 20 YEARS SINCE "I'M SERIOUS."

- YEAH.

- SINCE I HEARD ABOUT THIS SKINNY, RAW RAPPIN' KID FROM THE WEST SIDE.

FROM ALL LIKE, WE FROM NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER.

- YES.

- BUT DJ, TOOT AND KP UP THERE AND JASON.

YOU ALWAYS KNOW THE BIG WORDS.

(LAUGHING) BUT I'D HEARD ABOUT YOU AND HEARD ABOUT TOOT WORKIN' WITHCHA.

KPA AND R, IT AND WHEN I HEARD THE MUSIC, I MET JASON JETER BUSINESS PARTNER FIRST, AND I REMEMBER JASON PLAYING.

I WAS JUST LIKE, WHOA, 20 YEARS, MAN.

I'M SERIOUS.

WE STILL HERE.

- YEAH.

- YOU STILL THE "KANG."

- IT'S A BLESSING.

- YEAH.

WHAT'S 20 YEARS BEEN LIKE IN MUSIC?

- AH, MAN, THE ONLY WAY I COULD, I COULD DESCRIBE IT IS, IS IT BEING MORE OF A BLESSING THAN ANYTHING JUST TO DO IT, DO WHAT I LOVE FOR A LIVING FOR SO LONG.

AND, YOU KNOW, TO STILL BE AMONG THE RESPECTED AND, AND TO STILL BE RELEVANT.

- PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THERE'S COMPETITION IN RAP, RIGHT?

SO IF YOU PLAY LITTLE LEAGUE BALL, THEY TELL YOU THAT OTHER GUY'S ON THE OTHER TEAM, HE'S GONNA WANNA TACKLE.

YOU GOTTA RUN THROUGH 'EM.

WHEN YOU'RE A RAPPER, IT'S A SIMILAR THING.

THEY SAY "THIS OTHER GUY'S, THIS AND THIS, AND YOU GOTTA BE."

AND WE GOT ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE PEOPLE HYPING FROM ALL SIDES.

I REMEMBER WHEN A LOT OF THE OLDER GUYS, AND NOT MUCH OLDER SOMETIMES, WOULDA HEARD "KING OF THE SOUTH, THEY GOT OFFENDED AND THEY WOULD TRY TO CO-OP AND SAY, "WHAT'D YOU THINK ABOUT HIM CALLING HIMSELF THE KING?"

I WAS LIKE, IF THAT'S WHAT HE CALLS HIS SELF, THEN ABSOLUTELY.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.

I NEVER WANTED TO BE A KING.

- [T.I.]

YEAH.

- SO I NEVER UNDERSTOOD EVERYBODY.

NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO BE UNTIL YOU CREATED THAT.

AND WHEN YOU CREATED IT, THAT WAS A PUSHBACK.

AND I LOVED THE FACT THAT TOO SHORT ACTUALLY ADMITTED AT THE, HE SAID, I WASN'T IT AT FIRST.

AND HE SAID, A YEAR LATER I CAME BACK AND HE WAS THE KING.

WHAT GAVE YOU THE AUDACITY TO DO IT?

AND BEYOND WHAT GAVE YOU THE AUDACITY TO DO IT, DO YOU FEEL LIKE SETTING THAT MARKER MADE YA, PROPELLED YOU TOWARDS SUCCESS BY SAYING I GOTTA DO IT?

- LET'S SEE.

OKAY.

- 'CAUSE YOU PROVED YOURSELF, RIGHT.

- I APPRECIATE THAT.

OKAY.

SO FIRST OFF, LET ME, MY NEXT ALBUM IS "KILL THE KING."

IT WILL BE MY NEXT AND FINAL ALBUM.

AND I THINK THAT TWO THINGS HAPPENED.

ONE, I MADE OTHERS AWARE THAT IT WAS OKAY TO SAY YOU WERE, KING.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

'CAUSE JUST IN ALL HONESTY, WE'RE ALL KINGS.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- JUST IT'S THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IT AND THOSE OF US WHO DON'T.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND I MIGHT'VE BEEN THE FIRST TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I THINK, BUT, BUT, AND IF THAT CAN PLANT THE SEED FOR, FOR OTHERS AFTER ME TO NOW FEEL LIKE THEY'RE UH KING, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT PROMPTED ME TO DO IT.

KP AND I WERE RIDING FROM LENOX MALL ACTUALLY ON THE WAY TO PATCHWORK TO RECORD "TWO GLOCK NINES" WITH BEENIE SIGEL.

"TWO GLOCK NINES" WITH BEENIE SIGEL WAS MY FIRST BIG FEATURE.

THE FIRST TIME I WAS GONE BE, YOU KNOW, RAPPING ALONGSIDE AN ALL-STAR IN THE GAME, IF YOU WILL.

AND ON THE WAY TO THAT SESSION, KP AND I WERE RIDING IN HIS CAR.

WE WERE LISTENING TO MYSTIKAL'S ALBUM.

I THINK HE HAD JUST DROPPED "TARANTULA" IF I AIN'T MISTAKEN.

ON HIS ALBUM, HE SAID HE THE "PRINCE OF THE SOUTH."

SO I CUT, I CUT THE MUSIC.

NOW I SAY, "WELL, IF HE'S THE PRINCE, WHO'S THE KING?"

YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT AN ANSWER.

AND THEN THERE WAS A BEAT OF SILENCE AND THEN KP AND I BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER, AND HE SAID, "YOU WOULDN'T."

I SAY "WELL, YES I WILL."

(LAUGHING) AND WHEN WE WENT TO THE STUDIO, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I SAID I WAS "KING OF THE SOUTH."

AND ODDLY ENOUGH, I NEVER REALLY FELT AS STRONGLY ABOUT IT UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED... - PUSHBACK.

- [T.I.]

TELLING ME THAT I COULDN'T DO IT.

- PUSHBACK.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND I ALWAYS RESPECTED MY PREDECESSORS, THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE ME OPENED THE DOORS, BLAZED THE TRAIL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I'M DOING NOW.

SO WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS I ACTUALLY HAD SIDEBAR DISCUSSIONS WHERE ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO I HAD ACCESS TO, WHO I RESPECTED, WHO I FELT THAT SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW I PRESENT MYSELF.

WHETHER OR NOT I PRESENTED MYSELF AS THE "KING OF THE SOUTH."

NOBODY SAID NO.

I SPOKE TO ANDRE.

I SPOKE TO BIG BOI.

I SPOKE TO KHUJO, T-MO, GIPP, CEE-LO.

I SPOKE TO BUN B. PIMP C WAS HE, HE WAS AWAY ON, YOU KNOW, ON MANDATORY VACATION.

- I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.

- BUT, BUT HE PROXIED, HE PROXIED HIS THOUGHTS THROUGH BUN.

I SPOKE TO SCARFACE - UM-HMM, - AND NO ONE SEEMED TO HAVE ANY, NOW EVERY, WELL, I WILL SAY THERE WAS, I WAS CAUTIONED.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I WAS CAUTIONED BY BIG AND SCARFACE.

SCARFACE WAS LIKE, MAN, I DON'T WANT TO BE KING.

YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD.

YOU CAN HAVE THAT.

AND BIG SAID, "WELL NOW IF YOU GONE BE KING, JUST UNDERSTAND YOU'RE PUTTING A TARGET ON YOUR BACK."

YOU'RE MAKING YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, SUSCEPTIBLE TO, TO, TO DISPUTE OR CONTROVERSY.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.

I DON'T THINK IN THOSE WORDS, BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE.

- THE TARGET ON YOUR BACK, YOU DID.

- YEAH.

HE DID SAY THAT.

SO I WAS, YOU KNOW, I WAS WITH ALL THAT.

I WAS LIKE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE THOUGH?

(LAUGHING) I AIN'T WORRIED ABOUT WHAT NOBODY ELSE, HOW THEY FEEL.

DO YOU HAVE AN ISSUE?

COOL.

ME KNOWING THEY DID NOT OBJECT OR THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY NEGATIVE FEELINGS OR KNEE JERK REACTIONS TO IT, THAT GAVE ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO PUSH THROUGH THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY.

BECAUSE THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.

- YEAH.

NONE OF YOU GUYS IN MY CLASS OR IN A CLASS BELOW THEIRS SHOULD EVEN BE SPEAKING ON IT.

AND SO I, YOU KNOW, I JUST PUSHED WITH THAT, WITH THAT ENTHUSIASM.

AND IT BROUGHT ME ALL THE WAY HERE TO TODAY.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE POSITION OF KING, I'VE LEARNED THAT THERE HAS BEEN ONE ENORMOUS TRUTH TO BIG'S CAUTION.

- UM-HMM.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

NOW I HAVE ACCEPTED ALL CHALLENGES.

I'VE ACCEPTED, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT CAME WITH THE TITLE.

BUT I ALSO ACCEPTED THAT IN ORDER TO BE KING, YOU CAN'T JUST SIT UP ON HIGH, UP ON YOUR THRONE, LOOK DOWN ON THE REST OF THE SUBJECTS AND ONLY WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF.

YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU HAVE TO KIND OF, YOU HAVE TO BE THERE FOR OTHERS.

- [MIKE] ABSOLUTELY.

- YOU HAVE TO BE THERE FOR OTHERS IN TIMES OF NEED IN ORDER FOR YOU TO CONSIDER YOURSELF KING.

- YOU HAVE STEPPED OFF THE THRONE MANY TIMES.

COME OUT OF THE CASTLE AND BEEN RIGHT THERE IN THE STREETS.

DOWN TO THE PROTESTS THAT WERE HAPPENING AT THE CNN CENTER AND EVEN STANDING WITH THE MAYOR.

- WHEN YOU DON'T GET TREATED RIGHT IN NEW YORK, WHEN YOU DON'T GET TREATED RIGHT IN LA, WHERE YOU CAN'T GET TREATED RIGHT IN DETROIT, WHEN YOU DON'T GET TREATED RIGHT IN ST. LOUIS, WHEN YOU DON'T GET TREATED RIGHT IN ALABAMA, ATLANTA HAS BEEN HERE FOR US.

- THIS CITY DON'T DESERVE THIS.

HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF OTHERS DO, BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS HERE.

THIS IS WAKANDA, IT'S SACRED, MUST BE PROTECTED.

- WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO SOCIAL ACTIVISM, AND WHAT KEEPS YOU THERE?

CAUSE IT'S OFTEN A THANKLESS JOB, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A TARGET ON YOUR BACK.

- WHAT BROUGHT ME TO IT WAS, THE THOUGHT OF ME QUESTIONING MYSELF.

MY QUESTION TO MYSELF IS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AROUND, OKAY, YOU HAVE ALL THESE THINGS.

YOU'VE DONE ALL THIS STUFF.

YOU HAVE ALL THIS ACCESS, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU REALLY DONE TO SHAPE AND MOLD THE WORLD THAT YOUR CHILDREN WILL HAVE TO LIVE IN?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

LIKE HOW HAVE YOU USED YOUR INFLUENCE TO IMPACT SOCIETY, TO BENEFIT YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AS THEY GROW TO INHERIT THE WORLD THAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND?

- YEAH - AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, WHEN I THOUGHT, I MEAN LIKE A HIT RECORD AIN'T GONNA DO THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

A PLATINUM PLAQUE OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE NONE OF THAT GONNA DO THAT.

AND WHAT'S THE USE IN BEING ABLE TO BUY YOUR CHILD A BENZ FOR THEIR BIRTHDAY, IF THEY GO GET SNATCHED OUT OF IT AT THE RED LIGHT, - YEAH.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ONE OF THE FORGOTTEN ONES.

- YEAH.

- I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, TO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY REALLY CARES THAT IT'S LIKE THIS WHERE WE ARE, - YEAH.

AND IN ORDER FOR ANY OF THEM TO HAVE HOPE, ANY PEOPLE IN THAT POSITION, A POSITION SIMILAR TO OURS, THE ONES WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT OUT OF.

IN ORDER TO GIVE BACK, LIKE YOU GOT TO CARE ENOUGH, YOU GOT TO CARE, YOU GOT TO HAVE A REAL GENUINE PASSION FOR WANTING TO DO BETTER FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT MOST.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT GOT ME THERE, JUST HAVING A HEART.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

JUST HAVING EMPATHY BECAUSE, I KNOW HOW I WAS IMPACTED.

I KNOW HOW PEOPLE AROUND ME WAS IMPACTED.

SO I JUST WANT TO DO WHAT I CAN, AND KIND OF JUST USE MY INFLUENCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

- YOU ACTUALLY HAD THE HONOR TEACHING AT, IT'S CLARK, RIGHT?

- YES, CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY.

- WHICH IS THE MOST WELL-CONNECTED GROUP OF KIDS.

THOSE KIDS, WHEN THEY COME OUT THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

- ABSOLUTELY.

SO YOU GOT TO TEACH TRAP BIZ, YOU AND TITLE PARTNERED TO DO THAT.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT ONLY FROM THE STREET PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM A, WHAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY LEARN FROM SOME OF THE BEST MENTORS.

CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN AROUND LA REED, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND KEVIN LAOS, YOU AND JASON JETER DID A PHENOMENAL BUSINESS.

I'VE SEEN YOU GROW BUSINESS PEOPLE WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION.

JASON JETER, HANNAH KANE, CLAY.

YOU ARE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF BEING IN BUSINESS.

I CAUGHT ON LATE.

LIKE I WAS AN ARTIST FOR THE FIRST 18 YEARS OF MY CAREER.

AND I HAD TO UNDERSTAND LIKE NO, BEING A BUSINESSMAN IS REALLY, YOU HAVE TO MARRY YOURSELF TO ART IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT LONGEVITY.

WHAT WAS TEACHING LIKE?

YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS YOUR REWARD OUT OF THAT?

- SO WHAT COMES TO MIND IS A PHRASE THAT WAS BESTOWED UPON ME BY A YOUNG PARTNER PARTNER.

- YEAH.

WHO WE CALL SLIME.

SO, YOU KNOW, I INTERVIEWED HIM FOR MY PODCAST, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS RUNNING, CALLED EXPEDITIOUSLY.

AND WHAT HE SAID TO ME IS, YOU MUST TEACH WHAT'S BEEN TAUGHT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU JUST LISTED, WHICH I, YOU KNOW, I TAKE PART CREDIT, I CAN'T TAKE FULL CREDIT FOR, BECAUSE I REALLY DO BELIEVE I'M JUST A VESSEL.

I'M AN INSTRUMENT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I THINK THAT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU NAMED HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL, AND COLLECTIVE ABILITY TO DO GREAT THINGS.

- YES.

- I WAS JUST PUT HERE BY THE UNIVERSE TO KIND OF INSPIRE, ENCOURAGE, ENHANCE, AND SUPPORT.

IF EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE, AND EVERYTHING THAT I'VE LEARNED, DOESN'T GET PASSED ON TO BENEFIT THE NEXT GENERATION.

THEN IT JUST DIES WITH ME.

- YEAH.

- AND THAT'S NOT A WIN.

THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK AIN'T NO PROGRESSION, AIN'T NO EVOLUTION IN IT.

YOU GOTTA LAY IT OUT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE ABLE TO GRAB ON TO IT, FOR THEM TO ENHANCE IT, AND ALLOW IT TO MANIFEST ITSELF INTO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THE NEXT PHASE OF SUCCESS.

AND THAT'S KINDA WHAT TEACHING, OR SHARING MY EXPERIENCES WERE LIKE.

CAME FROM A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT THAT I DID IN LOUISIANA.

AND AT THAT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT, A TEACHER FROM GRAMBLING AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, CAME AND SAID, HEY LISTEN, I JUST WANT TO GAUGE YOUR INTEREST ON TEACHING AT AN HBCU.

AND I WAS LIKE, ARE YOU SURE?

AND THEN SHE WAS LIKE, YEAH.

HER NAME'S MELVA, MS. MELVA WILLIAMS BY THE WAY.

AND SHE SAID, YEAH, SURE.

I SAY, MAN, I MEAN, I'LL EXPLORE LET'S YEAH, SURE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

AND I THINK WHAT WE CAME TO TERMS WAS, IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR ME TO START THAT JOURNEY IN ATLANTA.

- YEAH.

- AT THE AU.

- YEAH.

- AND WHEN SHE EXTENDED THAT IDEA OR OPPORTUNITY TO HER COUNTERPARTS AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY.

THEY SAID WITHOUT QUESTION, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND THEN WE JUST BEGAN TO BUILD THE CURRICULUM.

- YEAH.

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS ALLOWED ME TO SHOW HOW THE, FIRST OF ALL, SO THE COURSE IS THE BUSINESS OF TRAP MUSIC.

- YES.

OKAY, TRAP MUSIC IS MUSIC IN, AROUND, INVOLVING, AND TELLING THE STORIES OF, PEOPLE WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- OKAY.

NOW, IN ORDER TO TALK ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF TRAP MUSIC, IN ORDER TO TALK ABOUT TRAP MUSIC, YOU MUST TALK ABOUT THE SOURCE, WHICH IS THE WAR ON DRUGS, AND HOW IT HAPPENED AND WHAT CAUSED FOR ALL OF THESE STORIES TO BECOME RELEVANT TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

WHAT CAUSES SO MANY PEOPLE TO HAVE VISCERAL REACTIONS, AND TO HAVE REAL PALPABLE FEELINGS.

WHEN YOU HEAR PERCOCET, PERCOCET, MOLLY, PERCOCET, SO MANY TIMES WHEN THE RADIO, AND IT BECOMES A TOP 10 HIT.

AND IT BECOMES A TOP 10 HIT BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO IT.

HOW CAN THEY RELATE TO IT?

BECAUSE THE OPIOID CRISIS - ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUT IN POSITIONS THAT THEY DIDN'T PUT THEMSELVES IN.

IT'S A SYSTEM FAR MORE AUTHORITATIVE THAN THEY HAVE.

THE HELM OF, THEY ARE PLACING THEM IN A PLACE THAT THEY CAN'T NECESSARILY GET THEMSELVES OUT OF.

- YEAH.

- AND WHEN THEY HEAR SONGS LIKE DOPE BOYS AND TRAP NIGGAZ, WHEN THEY HEAR SONGS LIKE MASK OFF, OR, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THESE OTHER SONGS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY PROMOTE THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY.

IT'S REALLY THERAPY FOR THEM AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY AREN'T GOING THROUGH IT ALONE.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

BECAUSE THE WORST THING THAT ANYONE COULD FEEL IN LIFE IS, TO FEEL ALONE.

- YEAH.

- IT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT FEELS THIS WAY.

- WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO ADDICTION.

- EXACTLY.

- MOST ADDICTS, I MEAN, I'M THE CHILD OF AN ADDICT.

MOST ADDICTS ARE TERRIBLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION AND LONELINESS, BUT IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT WITHIN 30 SECONDS, YOU JUST LINKED IT BACK TO THE BIGGER PROBLEM.

AND IT'S BIGGER THAN US.

WE'LL TURN ON CNBC, OR CNN OR FOX TONIGHT.

AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT AN OPIATE CRISIS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, NO MATTER THE NETWORK THEY'LL CRITICIZE A RAPPER OR A MUSICIAN FOR PUTTING, BUT YOU LITERALLY JUST SAID, YOU HEAR MOLLY, MOLLY, PERCOCET ON THE RADIO.

- RIGHT.

- THAT'S A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

A DRUG COMPANY.

- RIGHT.

- PUSHED POLITICIANS.

- RIGHT.

TO ALLOW A DRUG LIKE OXYCONTIN TO BE PUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES.

AND NOW WE HAVE AN OPIOID CRISIS, AND IT'S BEING TOLD ABOUT, REPORTED BY THESE KIDS.

THAT'S AN AMAZING WAY TO REFLECT AND LOOK ON IT.

- I MEAN WHAT THEY DON'T.

- THAT'S AN AMAZING TEACHING MOMENT.

- WHY THANK YOU.

WHAT THEY DON'T DO ON CNBC OR CNN IS.

- FOX TOO.

- AND FOX NEWS.

WHAT THEY DON'T DO THERE, IS CONNECT IT BACK TO WHEN WE WENT INTO AFGHANISTAN, - ABSOLUTELY.

- YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

- WE FOUND THE BEST OPIUM IN THE WORLD.

OR THE CRACK ERA, WE WERE IN IRAN ON THE CONTRARY.

YOU LOOK AT CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE NEED TO FUND A WAR, WHAT DO YOU DO?

AMERICANS LIKE USING COCAINE.

COCAINE'S NOT VERY CHEAP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT COMES IN VERY CHEAPLY AND THE CRACK ERA STARTS.

- IN SOME WAYS, SOME BLACK SCIENTISTS WHO NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE, SOME CHEMIST FOUND A WAY TO TURN, YOU KNOW.

- COOK IT LIKE PEANUT BRITTLE.

- A $250 A GRAM SUBSTANCE TURNED INTO A $10 A GRAM SUBSTANCE.

AND I MEAN, TO BE HONEST, IT JUST ALL FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PULLING STRINGS AND PUSHING BUTTONS OVER OUR HEADS.

AND WE JUST DEALING WITH THE OUTCOME.

- I VIEW YOU AS A RENAISSANCE MAN, AS A GORDON PARKS LIKE FIGURE.

BECAUSE YOU'RE A BRILLIANT KID.

YOU CAME UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CRACK ERA.

ENTERTAINMENT WAS A WAY OUT OF THE STREETS TO YOU, BUT ARTISTICALLY YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST ARTISTIC MEN I'VE MET.

YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING FROM STAND ON THE CORNER AND TRAP AS A KID, TO ACT IN SOME OF THE BIGGEST MOVIES THAT WE'VE SEEN, AND NOW DIRECTING.

BUT PRISON, HAS BEEN A PART OF YOUR JOURNEY.

- SURE.

- UM, TWICE SPENT, WE MISSED YOU DEARLY.

- YEAH.

WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.

WELL, YEAH, PRISON TWICE SPENT.

- YEAH, YOU WENT.

YEAH, YEAH, YOU WENT TO PRISON TWICE.

- COUNTY JAIL, I WENT SEVERAL, SEVERAL STINTS.

- YEAH, YEAH.

WE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT COUNTS.

THEY KNOW YOU NOW.

(LAUGHS) - YEAH, SEVERAL STINTS.

- BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRISON, - MHM.

- I LOVE YOU LIKE A BROTHER.

SO IT HURT EVERY TIME YOU WENT AND, YOU KNOW, BEYOND.

CAUSE I SPENT SOME TIME AT GRAND HUSTLE BEYOND ECONOMICALLY.

- MHM.

- IT, IT, IT SLOWED EVERYTHING, BUT I LITERALLY MISSED MY FRIEND.

WHAT WAS PRISON LIKE AND HOW HAS IT CHANGED YOU?

- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO JUST MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.

PRISON IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PLANTATION.

- GOTCHA.

- OKAY.

NOTHING MORE THAN A PLANTATION FOR CHEAP, IF NOT FREE LABOR.

- GOTCHA.

- YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CORPORATIONS THAT UH, PARTNER WITH PRISONS AND, AND THEY MAKE THEIR, THEIR, UH, WHATEVER THEIR EXPORT IS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY MAKE IT FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR AND THEY SELL IT AT, YOU KNOW.

- LIKE THE FORKS WE USE?

- THE FORKS THAT WE USE, MATTRESSES.

- BECAUSE THE 13TH AMENDMENT SAYS THAT SLAVERY -- - SLAVERY IS ABOLISHED UNLESS IN PRISON.

- EXCEPT FOR PRISON, ALL RIGHT.

- YEAH, YEAH.

- SO IT TRULY IS A PLANTATION?

- YEAH, YEAH, IT TRULY IS A PLANTATION.

IT'S REALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW I'M SAYING, I REMEMBER LIKE, ONE OF MY FIRST DAYS THERE, I REMEMBER WAKING UP LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, EARLY.

I REMEMBER SITTING LIKE, DURING WHAT THEY CALL A MOVE.

AND A MOVE IS SORTA LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THE BELL RINGS AND YOU GOT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO GO FROM ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT.

AND IF YOU GET CAUGHT AFTER THE BELL, THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU GET A DEMERIT, A WROTE, A WRITE UP, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO, BUT, BUT, BUT, JUST SITTING, AND LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE BLACK MEN, CAUSE THERE'S MOSTLY BLACK.

THERE ARE WHITE PEOPLE THERE.

- POOR.

- NOT ENOUGH TO NOTICE.

- USUALLY POOR THOUGH, RIGHT?

- YEAH, I MEAN, SOME POINT NAH, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

BERNIE MADOFF WAS IN THERE TOO.

- OH YEAH, I FORGOT YOU WENT TO FEDS.

YOU WASN'T IN STATE, OKAY, YEAH, YEAH, OKAY, OKAY.

- BUT, BUT, I'M JUST SAYING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE PEOPLE, THESE FACES OF COLOR, IT ENLIGHTENED ME AND IT ALSO, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

IT KIND OF DISCOURAGED ME A BIT.

BECAUSE IT JUST FELT LIKE, IT AIN'T LIKE, IT'S, IT'S A PROBLEM TOO BIG FOR ME TO FIX.

- MM.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND I'M A SOLUTION-BASED PERSON.

I USUALLY DON'T TRY TO GET CAUGHT UP INTO FEELING ANY WAY ABOUT ANYTHING WITHOUT TRYING TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR IT.

- MHM.

- AND I JUST AIN'T, I AIN'T HAD, I AIN'T HAD NO SOLUTION.

THE BEST THING I COULD DO IS KIND OF LIKE SPEND TIME AROUND THE PEOPLE WHO I FELT WERE LIKE-MINDED.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, UH, I COACHED FLAG FOOTBALL, COACH SOFTBALL, TAUGHT A CLASS.

- SO THEY IMPRISONED YOUR BODY, BUT DEFINITELY DID NOT IMPRISON YOUR MIND AND IMAGINATION.

- ABSOLUTELY NOT.

BUT I TELL YOU WHAT IT DID DO THOUGH.

SO, I HAD A VERY UNIQUE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

UH, MY PRISON SENTENCE, UH, CAME AFTER A YEAR LONG COMMUNITY SERVICE TOUR.

SO TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR A DOWNWARD DEPARTURE FROM THE MANDATORY MINIMUM OF MY CHARGES, I HAD TO EARN THAT RIGHT BY DOING A THOUSAND HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, TOURING THE NATION, UM, SPEAKING TO KIDS IN SCHOOLS, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, YMCAS, YOUTH DETENTION CENTERS.

- DO SOME OF THAT WITH YOU.

- YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, AND, AND, AND SPEAKING TO KIDS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO NAVIGATE THEMSELVES THROUGH, UH, THROUGH, THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF LIVING IN THE INNER CITY, WITHOUT WINDING UP IN PRISON OR DOING THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THE SAME WAY WE DID.

AND, AND, AND AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, AT THE END OF THE, OF THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WAS REHABILITATED.

- YEAH.

- I HAD LEARNED LIKE WHAT I DID WRONG, YOU KNOW?

- YEAH.

I FOUND THE PERIL, OF THE ERROR IN MY WAYS.

- MHM.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

- MHM.

- AFTER I COMPLETED THOSE THOUSAND HOURS AND I WENT BACK IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE AND HE SENT ME TO PRISON, SO NOW IT WENT FROM, OKAY, I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO.

TO I GOT TO DO WHAT I GOT TO DO.

AND THEN WHEN I MADE IT BACK OUT, I DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME MENTALITY AS I DID GOING IN.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET A NEW CLUTCH ON THE FIVE SPEED?

- YEAH.

- IF YOU CAN DRIVE, OKAY.

SO THEN YOU GOT TO JUST.

- I PAY THE JAY TO TEACH ME HOW TO DRIVE.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

(BOTH LAUGH) - SO YOU GOT A NEW CLUTCH ON YOUR CAR, BUT THEN, YOU LET SOMEBODY DRIVE IT, WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A STICK, DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A STICK, THEY BURN YOUR CLUTCH OUT.

- CAUSE THEY -- YEP, YEP, YEP.

- SO NOW YOU GET IT BACK, YOU GOT GET YOUR CLUTCH FIXED ALL OVER AGAIN.

SO, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

THAT'S WHAT PRISON DID TO ME.

- MHM.

- AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I WENT BACK.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

BECAUSE ALL OF THE GOOD WORK, ALL OF THE FORWARD THINKING AND THE PROGRESSIVE EVOLUTIONARY PHILOSOPHY THAT I HAD DEVELOPED, - MHM.

- IT GOT SCRAMBLED IN WITH A BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW, SURVIVAL TACTICS THAT HAD TO TAKE PLACE.

- YEAH, YEAH.

- AND SO WHEN I CAME HOME, YOU KNOW, I WAS, I WAS LESS REHABILITATED AND MORE AGGRAVATED AND AGITATED.

- GOTCHA.

- I STILL DO FEEL THAT FOR SOME, PRISON CAN BE LIKE THE MILITARY.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, SOME KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE STRUCTURE IN THEIR LIFE AND CAME FROM A PLACE OF, OF DESOLATE, WHO AIN'T NEVER HAD TO KINDA, YOU KNOW, DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.

- YEAH.

- I THINK YOU COULD GO TO PRISON AND UNDERSTAND AND LEARN AND SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, - YEAH.

- THE WORLD DON'T OWE YOU NOTHING.

- WHAT I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT IS YOUR LEGACY.

BECAUSE WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THE KID THAT I'VE MET, MAN, WHO WAS, WHO WAS NOT BACKING DOWN FROM NO THIEF, WHO DESTROYED A COUPLE OF CAREERS.

THE BUSINESSMAN THAT HELPED PEOPLE WHO ARE TALENTED GET A BIGGER PLATFORM, THAT ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE UM, PERSON THAT'S PROVIDED DOPE ART, WHETHER TO MUSIC OR BOOK OR FILM, ULTIMATELY YOU ARE A GORDON PARK LIKE FIGURE.

YOU ARE TRULY A RENAISSANCE MAN.

WHAT IS THE LEGACY THAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE?

YOU KNOW, I IMAGINE YOU GOING TO BE AROUND ANOTHER 50, 60 YEARS OR SOMETHING.

- I WANT TO BE CONSIDERED AUTHENTIC AND, AND, AND HONEST AND TRUE TO MY, TO MYSELF.

AND, AND I WANT TO BE, HMM.

I WANT TO BE MY SON'S FIRST HERO AND MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST LOVE.

- THAT'S NICE.

- I MEAN, LIKE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE REST OF THIS STUFF FOR REAL DON'T MATTER.

- MHM.

- AND THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A BIG THING THAT PRISON TAUGHT ME TOO.

A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE GO BACK AND FORTH ABOUT, IT DON'T, IT REALLY DON'T MATTER.

- UH-HUH.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

YOU KNOW, WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO'S HOLDS A CERTAIN POSITION OF OPINION AND OTHER PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND MINDS, PEOPLE'S OPINION OF ME IS NO BUSINESS OF MINE.

- WE TALK ALMOST DAILY.

AND WE SAY TO EACH OTHER, SAY THIS TO ONE ANOTHER DAILY.

SO MUCH TO THE FACT THAT, THAT DAILY THING WE SAY TO EACH OTHER IS TURNED INTO A SHOW, BUT I TRULY LOVE AND RESPECT YOU.

- MAN, LIKEWISE.

- I TRULY LOVE AND RESPECT THE EXAMPLE YOU SET NOW - LIKEWISE, LIKEWISE.

- FOR YOUR CHILDREN, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS, BUT FOR THE WORLD.

AND I JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW, MAN, - MAN, YOU KNOW.

- I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMING BACK AND JUST TALKING STRICTLY ABOUT ART.

- I GET IT, MAN, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE MAN.

WHENEVER WE CAN SIT DOWN AND JUST HAVE OPEN DIALOGUE BACK, NOTHING IN PARTICULAR, WHATEVER COMES TO MIND, MAN, - YEAH.

(CHUCKLES) - IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME.

- WELL, WHEN YOU COME BACK, WE'LL TALK MORE, MAN.

I LOVE AND RESPECT YOU IMMENSELY.

- LIKEWISE.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- LOVE & RESPECT W/ KILLER MIKE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- - REGINA APPROACHES THE ALL-ELECTRIC CADILLAC LYRIQ.

IT'S A SUNNY DAY.

- NAH, A STORMY DAY.

- CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS - BRASS BAND.

NEW ORLEANS ♪♪ - SHE DRIVES HANDS-FREE ALONG THE COAST.

- MAKE IT PALM SPRINGS.

CADILLAC IS GOING ELECTRIC.

IF YOU WANT TO BE BOLD, YOU HAVE TO GO OFF SCRIPT.

- EXPERIENCE THE ALL-ELECTRIC CADILLAC LYRIQ.

♪♪ ♪♪