- TONIGHT ON "LOVE & RESPECT," A CONVERSATION WITH COMEDIAN, ACTOR, AND FORMER "IN LIVING COLOR" STAR, TOMMY DAVIDSON.

(UPBEAT MUSIC) - STAND-UP, PERSONALLY TO ME IS, JUST AS A PERFORMER, IS THE BOMB BECAUSE I'M NOT DEPENDENT ON ANYTHING.

IT'S ME.

SO YOU GET MY MIND.

YOU GET MY PERSPECTIVE.

I GET TO TAKE YOU ON A RIDE, AND IT'S AN ART FORM.

AND IT IS THE BACKBONE OF MY WHOLE CAREER.

- TOMMY DAVIDSON, COMING UP RIGHT NOW.

- [ANNOUNCER] "LOVE & 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.

- MM-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.

♪♪ - TOMMY.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO "LOVE & RESPECT."

- THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

- YOU'VE PLAYED A TREMENDOUS PART IN MY LIFE.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES I EVER RECALL SEEING YOU, I BELIEVE IT WAS A ROBERT TOWNSEND SPECIAL.

- OKAY.

OKAY.

- [MIKE] AND YOU WERE LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST GUYS OUT.

YOU WERE, I'LL NEVER FORGET.

YOU WERE DOING IMPRESSIONS.

AND TO BE AN IMPRESSIONIST YOU DON'T HAVE TO LITERALLY LOOK AND SOUND LIKE HER, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO CAPTURE THEIR SPIRIT.

I SAW YOU WITHIN A COURSE OF EIGHT MINUTES CAPTURE PRINCE, AL JARREAU, MICHAEL JACKSON AND RICK JAMES.

- YEAH.

YEAH.

- AND MY MOTHER WAS A BIG MUSIC FAN, SO I KNEW EVERY IMITATION WAS DEAD ON.

YOU HAD ME CRACKING UP THEN AND NOW.

I WATCHED IT AGAIN THIS MORNING.

IT'S STILL JUST AS FUNNY.

- I THINK SO TOO.

- WHERE'D THE IMPRESSIONS COME FROM?

WHERE DID LIKE YOU, YOU WERE DEAD ON.

- I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE EVEN CALLED IMPRESSIONS UNTIL I WAS LIKE A COUPLE OF YEARS INTO DOING STAND-UP.

CAUSE I ALWAYS IMITATED THINGS.

I'D BE AROUND THE HOUSE DOING AL JARREAU (IMITATES PLAYING MUSIC) MY MOTHER BE LIKE, "CAN YOU SHUT THAT UP, PLEASE?"

(MIKE LAUGHS) THEN SHE SAW HIM ON TV ONE TIME, AND SHE TURNED TO ME AND SAID "DO THAT AGAIN?"

SO, I KNEW IT WAS FUN TO DO.

- THE AL JARREAU MCDONALD'S BIT IS HILARIOUS.

♪ I'VE GOT A TASTE FOR MCDONALD'S ♪ ♪ - [BOTH] RIGHT ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE.

♪ - KEEP GOING.

- NO.

(LAUGHS) - COME ON.

YOU GOT THAT.

- [MIKE] I DON'T HAVE IT.

♪ I GOT A TASTE FOR MCDONALD'S.

♪ ♪ RIGHT ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE.

♪ ♪ I'M A TELL Y'ALL, I'VE GOT A TASTE FOR MCDONALD'S ♪ ♪ I GOT TO HAVE ME SOME.

OOH, GIVE IT TO ME (SINGS FAST) ♪ ♪ OH I LOVE TO TASTE IT.

THE SINGLE AND FRIES.

♪ BY THE TIME HE FINISHED, PEOPLE BEHIND THE COUNTER GOING (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) - [MIKE] YOU, YOU'RE TOO GOOD.

I CAN'T.

BUT I REMEMBER COMING BACK TO SCHOOL AND EVERYBODY IMITATING WHICHEVER THEIR FAVORITE WAS.

AL JARREAU WAS FUNNY TO ME.

HE WAS JAZZED BY THAT.

EVERYBODY LOVED THE PRINCE.

MY MOM LOVED THE RICK JAMES, AND THE MICHAEL JACKSON WAS JUST THE ICON OF OUR TIME.

YOU KILLED IT.

- IT WAS, SPEAKING OF ICON OF TIME.

THOSE ARTISTS WERE SO BIG AT THE TIME.

IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THAT NOW, THAT'S ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO.

SO THOSE ARTISTS WERE HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT.

SO I WAS REALLY, REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT FORWARD AND BRING THAT TO THE AUDIENCE.

- YOU CRUSHED IT.

AND THEN THE NEXT TIME I REMEMBER SEEING YOU POP UP IS ON THIS AMAZING SHOW THAT COMES OUT WHILE I'M IN HIGH SCHOOL, CALLED "IN LIVING COLOR."

♪ - IN LIVING COLOR.

WALK ON THE MOON, FLOAT LIKE A BALLOON.

♪ ♪ NEVER TOO SOON.

TAKE IT FROM ME, IT'S ALRIGHT TO BE.

♪ ♪ IN LIVING COLOR.

♪ ♪ AND HOW WOULD YOU FEEL KNOWING PREJUDICE WAS OBSOLETE?

♪ ♪ AND ALL MANKIND DANCED TO THE EXACT BEAT ♪ ♪ AND AT NIGHT IT WAS SAFE TO WALK DOWN THE STREET ♪ ♪ IN LIVING COLOR.

♪ ♪ YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANNA DO ♪ ♪ IN LIVING COLOR.

♪ (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) - LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GIVE ME EBONY TOWNSEND (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) - WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, MAN?

- WHO'S ASKING?

(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) - WHAT WAS CRAZY ABOUT "IN LIVING COLOR" IS WE WERE A GENERATION THAT HAD GROWN UP, MY GRANDPARENTS RAISED US.

SO I GREW UP WATCHING CAROL BURNETT SHOW.

GREW UP WATCHING, BARBARA MANDRELL AND HER SISTERS.

GREW UP WATCHING VARIETY AND SKETCH SHOWS.

- LAWRENCE WELK - BUT WE WEREN'T, BUT WE DIDN'T SEE US ON THERE.

AND NOT THAT THEY WEREN'T, THEY WERE GREAT SHOWS.

YOU NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT, WHY DON'T WE HAVE A BLACK VERSION?

AND THEN THE WAYANS FAMILY COMES IN, WHAM.

AND YOU GUYS, I LITERALLY REMEMBER IT JUST BEING LIKE HYPER SPEED.

YOU GUYS WERE MUSIC, YOU WERE FASHION, YOU WERE COMEDY, YOU WERE CULTURE.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT "IN LIVING COLOR?"

THE INVITE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ACCEPTANCE, AND WHEN YOU FINALLY SAID I MADE IT?

DID YOU FEEL LIKE, MAN, I DONE MADE IT, I DONE DID IT?

CAUSE YOU'RE ON TV AND IT'S A HIT SHOW.

- YEAH.

I FELT, THE FIRST TIME I GOT ON CAMERA ACTUALLY I FROZE.

CAUSE THE REALITY HIT ME, I HAD WORKED IN ALL THOSE YEARS, AND THEN I FINALLY WAS ON TV.

AND THAT RED CAMERA CAME ON, AND I REALIZED ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA SEE ME.

AND I WAS LIKE, I, I, AND PEOPLE WERE COMING OVER TO ME.

YOU'RE ALRIGHT?

YOU'RE ALRIGHT.

YOU'RE ALRIGHT.

FINALLY, DAMON WAYANS COMES UP TO ME.

HE SAID, "BOY, YOU WORKED TOO HARD FOR THIS."

"YOU GOT YOUR FAMILY.

HEY, YOU WORKED FOR THIS," "AND YOU DESERVE IT."

SO I JUST, I AIN'T TURNED OFF SINCE.

- [MIKE] I SEE.

- I HAVEN'T TURNED OFF SINCE.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) - GOOD EVENING, PUPILS.

WELCOME TO THE HOLLYWOOD SCHOOL OF SELF-DEFENSE.

NOW STAND TO GREET YOUR SENSEI, SWEET TOOTH JONES.

- RIGHT ON.

(SATIRICAL MUSIC) (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) ♪ (KARATE GRUNTS) ♪ ♪ CAPTURE WHAT I'M SAYING ♪ ♪ SOMEBODY GRAB YOU BY THE SHIRT YOU'RE LIKE (KARATE GRUNT) ♪ ♪ SHOW THEM YOU AIN'T PLAYING.

♪ ♪ KARATE, PROTECTING YOUR BODY, SUGAR BEAR.

♪ ♪ (KARATE GRUNTS) ♪ (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) ♪ STEP TO THE LEFT, STEP TO THE RIGHT, LIKE IT'S ALRIGHT.

♪ ♪ (KARATE GRUNTS) ♪ (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) - LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT "IN LIVING COLOR."

SO YOU GUYS, A LOT OF YOU GUYS KEPT TIGHT.

WHETHER IT WAS THE WAYANS, DAVID ALAN GREER.

I'VE HEARD JIM CAREY EVEN SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT NO WHITE SHOWS WOULD HIRE HIM.

HE GOT HIRED BY, SO HE'S ALWAYS GIVEN PRAISE.

YOU HAVE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH PEOPLE, POST IN LIVING COLOR.

RIGHT?

WHAT HAS KEPT YOU CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LIKE SO MUCH?

AND WHAT'S KEPT THAT FAMILY UNIT, BECAUSE IT'S PROVIDED TONS OF GREAT ENTERTAINMENT FOR US.

WHICH MEANS AT SOME POINT, EVERYBODY PUT THEIR EGO TO THE SIDE.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?

- YEAH.

I THINK IT WAS A COMBINATION OF MY LIFE EXPERIENCE AND MY EXPERIENCE OF BECOMING AN ARTIST.

ON ALL LEVELS AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT CAME FROM THAT.

BUT MAINLY TALENT.

MAINLY MY TALENT.

MY TALENT IS GOD GIVEN, AND THAT GIFT HAS TAKEN ME SO MANY PLACES.

AND POST "IN LIVING COLOR," GAVE ME A CHANCE TO USE MY OTHER TALENTS IN OTHER AREAS.

AND PLUS I LOVE PEOPLE.

I JUST LOVE PEOPLE.

ALL OF US REALLY TIGHT FROM BACK THEN.

AND WE SEE EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME.

CAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME CIRCLE.

WE'RE ALL DOING WHAT WE DO.

- [MIKE] I REALLY SEE YOU GUYS AS OPPORTUNITY OR THAT FAMILY IN PARTICULAR AND POST THAT, STUFF YOU'VE DONE.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER IN THE INTERVIEW, IS OPPORTUNITY PROVIDERS.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE SHOW WERE OF GOOD CHARACTER TOO.

- OH YEAH.

IT'S A GREAT FAMILY.

THEY KISS EACH OTHER ON THE CHEEK WHEN THEY SEE EACH OTHER, MAN.

YOU GET JEALOUS LIKE, OH MAN, I WANT TO BE IN THAT FAMILY.

- SO, YOU'RE PART OF THIS BIG FAMILY.

THIS FAMILY, IT'S AT THE BEGINNING.

IT'S A HUGE HIT AND THE WORLD KNOWS YOU FOR IT.

BUT I NEVER KNEW THAT YOUR FAMILY DIDN'T LOOK LIKE YOU.

- RIGHT.

RIGHT.

- [MIKE] AND YOU ENDED UP WRITING A BOOK, "LIVING IN COLOR."

- BY THE WAY, MY FAMILY IS A FAMILY OF KODIAK BEARS.

(MIKE LAUGHS) JUST TO GET THAT STRAIGHT.

(LAUGHS) - I WOULD'VE CALLED THEM POLAR BEAR.

BUT YOU WERE, - ACTUALLY GOLDEN MARMOSETS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.

GO AHEAD.

- YOU'RE 18 MONTHS OLD, YOU ARE ABANDONED AND YOU'RE ADOPTED BY A WHITE COUPLE AND WHITE FAMILY.

YOU HAVE TWO SIBLINGS THAT ARE WHITE YOUR MOM AND DAD ARE WHITE.

THEY DIVORCED AT FIVE, BUT WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

YOU KNOW, I'VE FROM ATLANTA.

I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THREE WHITE TEACHERS MY WHOLE LIFE.

I'M FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS STARTED BY WHITE FOLKS.

SO I DIDN'T REALLY GET TO KNOW WHITE FOLKS, WHILE I WAS IN MY TEAM.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN A FAMILY OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T LOOK LIKE YOU, BUT OBVIOUSLY LOVED YOU.

- RIGHT?

RIGHT.

- AND IN WRITING YOUR MEMOIR, IT WAS ALMOST A CHALLENGE FROM YOUR SISTER SAYING YOU NEVER TALK ABOUT OUR MOM.

- SO BE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THEM AS WHITE.

- [MIKE] GOTCHA.

- BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WHITE WAS.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I FROM 18 MONTHS TO FIVE, THAT WAS MY FAMILY.

SO WHAT I KNEW WAS LOVE AND I KNEW FRIENDSHIP AND I KNEW HONESTY.

LIKE MY FAMILY TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF STUFF.

WE, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS AND, YOU KNOW WE WERE VERY, VERY, VERY TIGHT.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BLACK AND WHITE.

- [MIKE] GOTCHA.

- UNTIL I, UNTIL I TURNED LIKE FIVE.

- AND WHAT HAPPENED AT FIVE THAT YOU... - WE MOVED FROM FORT COLLINS, COLORADO TO WASHINGTON DC.

AND WE MOVED THERE DURING THE RIOTS OF 68 WHEN, WHEN KING GOT SHOT.

- GOTCHA.

- SO WHEN WE MOVED IN, IRONICALLY, THE, THE RIOTS THAT I'M SEEING NOW, I SAW HIM AS A LITTLE KID.

- YEAH.

- THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS FIRES AND PEOPLE RUNNING EVERYWHERE AND TEAR GAS AND ALL THIS THING, YOU KNOW, AND ME AND MY SISTER, MY BROTHER GOING, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- WHAT HAVE WE MOVED INTO?

YOU KNOW?

SO IT WASN'T UNTIL A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER UNTIL THINGS CALMED DOWN MAYBE IT'D BEEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, WE WE WENT OUT TO TRY TO PLAY WITH THE KIDS.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, AND THE BLACK KIDS THAT I KNOW WERE BLACK THEN BEAT OUR ASSES EVERY DAY.

AND THEY WERE CALLING MY SISTER AND MY BROTHER WHITE CRACKER.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- AND THEY WERE CALLING ME WHITE CRACKER LOVER.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- THIS IS WHEN THE BLACK AND WHITE STUFF CAME IN.

SO I WENT TO MY MAMA.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- I GOT MAD.

YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE, YEAH.

WHY ARE THEY CALLING ME A WHITE CRACKER LOVER?

I LIKE GRAHAM CRACKERS.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW?

- YEAH.

I MEAN, I'M FIVE, WHITE CRACKERS ARE KIND OF KIND OF DRY.

YOU GOTTA HAVE WATER WITH 'EM OR SOMETHING OR YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME MACARONI SALAD OR SOMETHING.

YOU'D BE DONE DIED OF A WHITE CRACKER, YOU KNOW BUT YOU HAVE A GRAHAM CRACKER, YOU GO DOWN AND SLIDE ON DOWN WITH AN APPLE JUICE.

YOU SWEET.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YEAH.

SO SHE SAID, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE, YOUR COLOR CALL PEOPLE OUR COLOR.

THEY DON'T LIKE THEM.

AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL, WHAT COLOR ARE THEY?

SHE SAID, THEY'RE BLACK.

AND I SAID, NO, THEY'RE BROWN.

CAUSE I LEARNED MY COLORS FROM THE CRAYONS.

- YEAH.

- SHE SAID, I KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE CALL IT.

- YEAH.

- RIGHT.

AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S STUPID.

RIGHT.

YOU HATING SOMEONE FOR A COLOR.

THEY REALLY AREN'T.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE COLOR OF MY FAMILY WAS KIND OF WEIRD BECAUSE THE SOMETIMES THE CRAYON SAID FLESH.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- AND I WAS LIKE IT WAS KINDA SPOOKY, BUT I MEAN THAT'S WHAT - THE, YOU DON'T KNOW, THE OLD FLESH COLOR DIDN'T LOOK LIKE US.

- RIGHT.

IT WAS EXACTLY, - IT WAS, IT WAS MORE OF A BEIGE AND MORE TOWARD THE WHITE, LIKE A WHITE PERSON WITH A GENTLE TAN WOULD BE FLESH.

- YEAH.

YES.

YES.

SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF WEIRD, BUT ANYWAY WE EVENTUALLY MOVED FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE SUBURBS AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY CHANGE - YOUR ADOPTIVE PARENTS DIVORCE AT FIVE, YOU END UP IN DC YOU SEE THE PRODUCTS OF THE RESULTS OF RACISM AND THROUGH RIOTS AND THROUGH BLACK PEOPLE KIDS KIND OF PUSHING BACK ON YOU, YOU, YOU - [MIKE] YOU'RE NOT ACCEPTED OR YOU HEAR THE WORD FOR THE FIRST TIME YOU, YOU START TO LEARN.

BUT THEN AT SOME POINT YOU GET BLACK FRIENDS AND AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GUYS WITH YOU TODAY HAS KNOWN YOU SINCE YOU WERE NINE YEARS OLD, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TIGHT.

- [MIKE] CAN YOU, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS BLACK FRIENDSHIP OR BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS, WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?

OR WHAT IS IT LIKE?

DOES IT START TO TRANSFORM OR SOFTEN SOME OF THE BS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH COULD YOU TALK ABOUT FRIENDSHIP?

YOU COULD TALK ABOUT YOUR BLACK FRIENDS.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR HOMIES?

- YEAH, IT WAS, WELL ACTUALLY WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO TO DC WHERE I LIVED, I HAD ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRIENDS.

- [MIKE] GOTCHA.

- WHEN I WAS LIKE I'D SAY ANYWHERE FROM SEVEN TO NINE, YOU KNOW?

AND SO IN MY BACKYARD, I, I I HAD NIGERIAN FRIENDS, INDIAN FRIENDS, LATINO FRIENDS.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, AND WE ALL WERE FRIENDS, YOU KNOW?

NOT LIKE THE FRIENDS THAT'S ON TV THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BLACK FRIENDS.

- YEAH.

- BUT, BUT I'M I'M BUT THOSE WERE LIKE THOSE WERE LIKE MY BUDDIES.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, BUT AS AS I GOT OLDER AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD STARTED CHANGING A LOT OF KIDS STARTED MOVING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM, IN THE CITY.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- FROM, FROM, IN, IN THE INNER INNER CITY.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, I LIVED IN SORT OF A COMBINATION BETWEEN THE SUBURB AND THE CITY.

SO WE WERE KIND OF A, A IN BETWEEN POINT.

SO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COME WITH THAT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COME WITH THAT, ALL THE, YOU KNOW THE VIOLENCE AND ALL, ALL, ALL, ALL THE CRIME AND ALL THE STUFF THAT, THAT, THAT COMES WITH THAT.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW AND THAT INCLUDES A KID THAT GREW UP IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

THAT INCLUDES A WHITE KID THAT BLEW UP GREW UP IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND OR BUFFALO.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- OR PITTSBURGH OR ANYWHERE.

YOU KNOW, IN, IN THAT URBAN SETTING.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, IN THAT CITY SETTING.

SO, YOU KNOW, I I ADJUSTED WHEN I MET MY FRIENDS, IT WAS JUST MY FRIENDS.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE JUST IT WAS OUR CLICK.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, YOU PICK YOUR FRIENDS BASED ON WHAT YOU LIKE TOGETHER AND, AND YOU JUST, YOU YOU TICKLE EACH OTHER MAN.

IT'S IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW YOU GOT YOUR PEOPLE.

WELL... - [MIKE] YOU, THE FOUND A FRIEND IN THE CLIQUE OR EVERYBODY WAS PRETTY HILARIOUS.

CAUSE AT SOME POINT ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO STAND UP IN IN THE PENTHOUSE CLUB.

SO YOU GOT TO SEE - RIGHT.

- YOU GOT TO SEE NAKED GIRLS THERE.

YOU GOT TO BE FUNNY.

- TRUE.

YEAH.

ALL THAT'S TRUE.

IT'S JUST, IT JUST, IT JUST WAS MY EXPERIENCE.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT ALL NOW, IT'S, IT'S IT'S A NATURAL OUTGROWTH.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- TO STICK TOGETHER IN, IN THOSE SETTINGS THE EXTREME WOULD BE GANGS.

- [MIKE] YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE THE EXTREME AND, AND, AND - I WOULD ARGUE FRATERNITIES TOO - FRATERNITIES TOO?

OKAY.

- NOT TO SAY THAT GANGS AND FRATERNITY ARE STRICTLY COMPARABLE BUT I THINK THAT YOUNG MEN - THAT SAME PRINCIPLE.

YEAH.

- FOR CAMARADERIE, FORFELLOWSHIP FOR ACCEPTANCE, CELEBRATION OF A SHARED PRINCIPLES, IDEAS, JUST THAT GANGS ARE UNFORTUNATELY ARE NOT STEERED TOWARD EDUCATION - AND THAT'S ALL GANGS.

THAT, THAT, THAT INCLUDES PROBABLY THE, THE, THE AMOUNT OF WHITE GANGS.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- THAT EXISTED BEFORE.

LET'S SAY WORLD WAR II.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- IN PITTSBURGH.

AND IN, I MEAN, YOU WANT TO SEE SOME GANGS WATCH THE KINGS OF NEW YORK.

- [MIKE] YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

- [MIKE] ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

I FEEL YOU - YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S GANGS, AREN'T JUST A, A BLACK AND CONTEMPORARY PHENOMENON.

GANGS ARE PHENOMENON THAT THEY'RE OUTGROWTH OF POVERTY.

- [MIKE] ABSOLUTELY.

- I MEAN, EVEN MY KID KNOWS THAT IF YOU PUT IF YOU PUT 200 PEOPLE IN A ROOM FOR THREE MONTHS AND ONLY PUT ENOUGH FOOD FOR 20 WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

- YEAH.

- YOU SEE.

SO, SO THAT'S REALLY THE, THE, THE CONJUGAL REALITY OF IT.

- YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, BUT GROWING UP IN THAT SETTING DID FORCE ME INTO WHO I AM AS A BLACK PERSON BUT IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO WITH VIOLENCE.

IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO WITH CRIME.

IT HAD TO DO WITH CULTURE TOO.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- FOR INSTANCE, IN THE FIRST GRADE, WHEN I WHEN I WENT, IT WAS THE FIRST GRADE THEY WERE TEACHING US THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

- [MIKE] YES.

SO I THREW UP THE BLACK POWER FIST.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, AND I GOT IN TROUBLE FOR IT BY THE PRINCIPAL.

AND THEY ALL WALKED ME DOWN THE PRINCIPAL AND IT WAS LIKE THIS GUY, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK HE'S A COMEDIAN.

THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THAT.

I'M LIKE, MAYBE ONE DAY I WILL BE, YOU KNOW, I, SO I GET DOWN TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE AND HE'S LIKE, YOU'RE YOU YOU'RE THE FUNNY GUY, YOU KNOW?

SO HE CALLED MY MOM.

I'M LIKE, YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT, BOY YOU DON'T WANNA CALL HER.

SHE WAS, SHE WAS SOMETHING, BOY, SHE COME IN THERE.

SHE SAID, SHE SAID, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

AND THEY SAID, HE RAISED THE BLACK POWER FIST IN CLASS WHEN WE WERE DOING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND SHE SAID, THAT'S ALL HE KNOWS ABOUT HIMSELF.

THAT'S WHAT HE KNOWS.

YOU KNOW, HE KNOWS ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF HIS PEOPLE.

- YEAH.

- HE, HE LOVES JAMES BROWN, SAY IT LOUD, I'M BLACK.

AND I'M PROUD.

IT'S WHAT HE KNOWS.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- NOW HE WILL LEARN WHAT YOU HAVE TO TEACH HIM.

BUT IT'S LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, AND THEN I GOT IN TROUBLE LATER ON, BUT NOT TROUBLE.

BUT SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW?

AND SHE WAS KIND OF REALLY THAT KIND OF BALANCED PERSON.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- SHE SAID, SCHOOL IS FOR EVERYONE AND EVERY COLOR.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT WILL BECOME A MOVEMENT FOR EVERYBODY.

- [MIKE] YEAH.

- YOU KNOW - SO ALL BLACK SCHOOL I GOT IN TROUBLE FOR NOT STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - OH REALLY?

- BECAUSE CONSERVATIVE BLACK FOLKS BELIEVE IN THIS COUNTRY - I NEED KAEPERNICK ON THE PHONE.

KAEPERNICK, KAEPERNICK.

WHERE ARE YOU KAP?

- I WAS KAP A LITTLE TOO EARLY.

- HE'S FIRED.

DID KAP GET FIRED?

- THEY, THEY, THEY FIRED HIM - I THOUGHT THE NFL CHANGED THAT THOUGH?

POLICIES?

- WELL, THE RAIDERS OWNER JUST SAID IF IF THE GM AND THE CULTURE LET HIM, HE, HE HE'D HIRE HIM.

- OH, OKAY, OKAY - WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS - YEAH.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

- BUT PRE-KAP AND A LITTLE DARKER AND HAIR A LITTLE NAPPIER, A FOOT LITTLE SHORTER I WAS LIKE, I'M NOT STANDING.

TEACHERS, TEACHERS WERE LIKE, NAH, B YOU GONNA DO THIS.

AND YOU GONNA STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND CONTINUE STANDING FOR THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM.

- RIGHT.

RIGHT.

- SO - BUT THE NFL TURNED THAT AROUND AND CHANGED THAT AND EVERYTHING.

- WE'LL SEE, WE'LL SEE WE GONNA LET 'EM OFF THE HOOK - UNTIL THEY HIRE HIM.

- [MIKE] YEAH (LAUGHS) - YOU CAN SAVE A LOT OF MONEY-- - [MIKE] WELL, I MEAN NOT ONLY HIM, A FEW OTHER PLAYERS... - YOU CAN SAVE A LOT OF MONEY WITH THESE PROGRAMS AND ALL THAT AND JUST SHOW EVERYBODY THAT YOU'RE REDEEMABLE BY JUST HIRING THEM.

YOU KNOW?

- [MIKE] I AGREE.

- AND THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE.

- YOU'VE WORKED VIRTUALLY EVERY YEAR.

AND, USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE GET WORK ON TELEVISION THEY STOPPED TOURING.

SO, I DO THIS TELEVISION SHOW, BUT I'M FRESH OFF COACHELLA.

I'M PRETTY BEAT UP.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

(LAUGHTER) AND I KNOW THAT.

I STAY HOME FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS THEN I'M BACK OUT ON THE ROAD FOR THE NEXT HALF YEAR.

BUT, I LOVE IT.

AND I WANNA CONTINUE TO DO BOTH AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO DO BOTH.

EVERYONE DOESN'T DO THAT ONCE THEY GET ON TELEVISION.

YOU CONTINUE TO DO STAND-UP AND CALL IT YOUR PLACE OF SANITY OR, YOU KNOW, - RIGHT, RIGHT.

TALK ABOUT STAND- UP.

'CAUSE NOW AS MORE COMEDIANS ARE COMING OFFLINE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

EVERYTHING FROM TIKTOK TO FANBASE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

BUT, SAY, RYAN DAVIS IS A FRIEND OF MINE.

HE- I FOUND HIM ON INSTAGRAM, BUT HIS STAND-UP IS SHARP AND AMAZING.

TALK ABOUT WHAT MAKES STAND-UP A PLACE OF...

IT'S THERAPEUTIC FOR YOU OR A PLACE OF SANITY FOR YOU.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT DOING STAND-UP THAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK WHEN YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO?

- IT'S A PLACE I CAN PAY MY MORTGAGE AND MY CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS.

- STRAIGHT UP.

GIVE IT UP.

GIVE IT UP.

THANK YOU, MY BROTHER.

THE ROLL.

- I'M ON ALIMONY TOUR.

- THE ROAD.

(LAUGHTER) - I LOOK LIKE KERMIT THE FROG RIGHT NOW.

OKAY.

NO, YOU KNOW, STAND UP PERSONALLY TO ME AS JUST, AS A PERFORMER IS THE BOND BECAUSE I'M NOT DEPENDENT ON ANYTHING.

IT'S ME.

SO YOU GET MY MIND.

YOU GET MY PERSPECTIVE.

I GET TO TAKE YOU ON A RIDE.

AND IT'S AN ART FORM.

AND IT IS THE, THE BACKBONE OF MY WHOLE CAREER.

YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAD A PLAN.

WE HAD A PLAN.

WE HAD A FIFTY YEAR PLAN.

I WAS GONNA DO: START AS A STAND-UP.

GO INTO TV.

HAVE SPECIALS.

GO FROM THAT TO MOVIES.

THEN, GO FROM THAT INTO MUSIC, LITERATURE, DIRECTING, PRODUCING AND ALL THAT STUFF.

AND ACTUALLY WE DID IT WITHIN THOSE YEARS.

AND, NOW, I'M AT THAT CYCLE WHERE I CAN PRETTY MUCH DO ANYTHING THAT I WANNA DO.

- SO, YOU COULD DO WHAT ROBERT TOWNSEND DID FOR YOU, YOU CAN DO FOR OTHER PEOPLE?

- YEAH.

- [MIKE] WHAT KEENEN AND THE CAST, YOU CAN DO FOR OTHER PEOPLE?

- DO IT ALL THE TIME.

- YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WIFE.

- HOLD ON, LET ME PUT THIS HERE REAL... (LAUGHTER) - [MIKE] YOUR WIFE IS SMOKIN' HOT.

SHE LOOKS LIKE COCO, MAN.

- [TOMMY] AW, THANK YOU, MAN!

THANK YOU.

CHRIS ROCK SAYS, "SHE LOOK LIKE COCO IN HIGH SCHOOL."

- [MIKE] YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYIN'!

YEA, YOU SEE.

DEFINITELY COCO [INAUDIBLE 02:36] PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ICE-T IS MARRIED TO A VERY VOLUPTUOUS, BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHO HAPPENS TO BE WHITE.

YOU ARE ALSO.

SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE'S ON POINT.

Y'ALL ALWAYS LOOK SLICK TOGETHER.

YOU GUYS HAVE SOME- FIRST OF ALL, TELL ME ABOUT HER AND WHY'D YOU MARRY HER.

IS SHE SIMILAR TO YOUR MOM?

WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT AN INTEGRITY PRINCIPLE OR THE FACT THAT SHE'S JUST DROP-DEAD FINE?

- THAT'S PART OF IT RIGHT THERE.

- OKAY, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT PART ABOUT MY WIFE WAS THAT SHE WAS FINE.

- YOU KNOW, NO, IT WAS JUST IT WAS ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP AND THE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP THAT I WANTED.

YOU KNOW, AND...

I, YOU KNOW, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, EARLIER IN MY LIFE, I DIDN'T WANT TO GET WITH A WHITE WOMAN BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE WOULD THINK, OH, IT'S BECAUSE YOU GOT A WHITE FAMILY AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.

BUT, I'M SMART ENOUGH AS A MAN AND HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE IN RELATIONSHIPS AND WATCHING RELATIONSHIPS AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW...

I HAVEN'T MASTERED 'EM.

BUT, MY CHOOSING PROCESS HAD TO DO WITH WHERE I WAS IN MY LIFE AND WHERE SHE WAS IN HER LIFE, AND HOW I THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD WORK COMPLEMENTARY FOR THE TWO OF US.

YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BENEFIT THE BOTH OF US.

- AND, IN BENEFITING THE BOTH OF YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS SEEM TO HAVE BENEFITED THE WORLD IN THAT YOU CREATED TONGUE IN CHEEK, IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT, AND TIES THAT BIND.

YOU'VE CREATED A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS, IN MEANING, YOU CREATE TIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

RALPH LAUREN STARTED MAKING TIES.

IT'S NOW A COMPANY THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE BOUGHT BY LOUIS VUITTON ONE DAY AND A BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.

BUT, YET, BEYOND FOR-PROFIT, YOU AND YOUR WIFE DECIDED TO HELP MEN AND WOMEN, MEN IN PARTICULAR, THAT ARE GOING BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE, FINNA MINE THEY SELF OUT AND LA DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR.

BUT, YOU PROVIDE TIES AND YOU PROVIDE A LOOK SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE GOING IN FOR JOBS AND THINGS, THEY'RE GOING IN WITH A SENSE OF DIGNITY.

'CAUSE, WHAT DEION SANDERS SAY?

"LOOK GOOD 'CAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK GOOD, YOU PLAY GOOD AND WHEN YOU PLAY GOOD, THEY PAY GOOD."

- [GUEST] THANK YOU.

THAT'S THE D, RIGHT THERE.

WHAT'S UP, D?

- TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR COMPANIES AND YOUR CHARITABLE WORK THAT YOU AND AMANDA ARE DOING IN TERMS OF HELPING PEOPLE.

- IT'S JUST A BALANCE.

IT'S JUST A BALANCE.

YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER WORKED FOR HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

SO, SHE WOULD DO A LOT OF HOUSING WORK FOR SECTION 8.

SHE ALWAYS WAS INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SHE WAS LIKE AN ACTIVIST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SHE- SHE, SHE CONVINCED THE, THE- THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO NOT HAVE OFFICERS COME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD UNLESS THEY WERE CALLED, 'CAUSE WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT.

SHE ALSO CHANGED- SHE ALSO CHANGED OUR APARTMENTS INTO CO-OP PROPERTIES SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN BUY THEIR OWN APARTMENT.

AND, SHE ALSO WOULD BRING GROCERIES HOME WHEN WE WAS ON WELFARE AND START SENDING KIDS HOME WITH FOOD, YOU KNOW.

SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE ROOT OF IT.

JUST KNOWING HOW- KNOWING HOW HOW SPECIAL IT IS NOW AT 58, LOOKING BACK AS A 9 YEAR OLD AND I'M LIKE "WHAT ARE YOU GIVING HIM THAT FOR?"

THIS LITTLE KID WALKING OUT THE HOUSE WITH A CARTON OF MILK THAT'S BIGGER THAN HIM, YOU KNOW.

AND SHE'D GET MAD AT ME AND SHE'D SAY, "YOU DON'T TELL ME WHY'D I GIVE SOMEONE SOMETHING FOR.

YOU BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU GOT.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING?"

AND I WAS LIKE "YES" SO, THOSE WERE SQUEEZED INTO ME.

YOU KNOW, AND THEN JUST WATCHING THE WORLD AT LARGE.

LIKE, MY FIRST JOB AT IHOP.

I WAS- THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO LIVED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AN AFRICAN WOMAN.

AND, A WHITE CUSTOMER WALKED IN AND WAS LIKE CUSSING HER OUT, CALLING HER JUST ALL KINDS OF THE WORST STUFF.

YOU KNOW, AND THEN WHEN THE MANAGER CAME OUT THERE, HE SAID "YOU'RE FIRED" TO HER.

TO HER.

SO, I MADE A DECISION AT THAT POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE, I'M NEVER GOING TO BE IN A POSITION OR I DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION, I DON'T WANT TO, AS MUCH AS I CAN, BE IN A POSITION WHERE SOMEONE CAN CONTROL - ABSOLUTELY - MY DESTINY.

AND I ALSO ENCOURAGE AND HAVE WORKED FOR PEOPLE IN THE WORKPLACE TO FEEL AS SENSE OF WORTH BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, THE PRESSURE THAT THIS COUNTRY BRINGS TO THE TABLE IS ABOUT GETTING TO THE TOP.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

BUT, LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE BOTTOM.

- YOU HAVE A VERY MOSES-LIKE EXISTENCE.

AS A CHILD THAT WAS ABANDONED AND RAISED WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD HONESTLY CONSIDER THEIR POWER BASED IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT'S JUST AN AMAZING OUTCOME.

AND SO, THANK YOUR MOM.

THANK YOUR SIBLINGS.

YOU KNOW, THANK THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE YOU'VE HAD BECAUSE WE TRULY HAVE A TREASURE IN YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOR REPRESENTING ON LOVE & RESPECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

(LAUGHS) LOVE YOU, BROTHER.

- [ANNOUNCER] "LOVE & 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.

- MM-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.

♪♪ ♪♪ - THANKS FOR HAVING ME, MAN.

- ABSOLUTELY.