Jonah Hill Talks New Film Mid90s, Hip-Hop, Skateboarding & Repping The Era Unapologetically

[Music] you're watching The Breakfast Club [Music] morning everybody is DJ envy Angela Yee Charlemagne to God We Are The Breakfast Club we got a special guest in the building yes sir Tony Oh oh my god welcome sir this is give him a moment I have to show respect no joke I'm not gonna treat you special at all okay thank you disrespectful it's nicotine gum man I'm trying to quit smoking yeah yeah okay so let me just start yeah this is my favorite show okay no you just said that when I walked in out he told you that wasn't rude I don't say that to all the trust I don't go on like Kevin and bean I'm like yo this is my favorite show like big boy I grew up in LA I got to give love to big boy I grew up with city but I live in New York for the past six years and every morning I listen the show and it is a true honor to be here and it's an honor to be on a show that celebrates hip-hop for me doing press my film mid-90s has a lot to do with hip-hop and we'll talk about it but but something for me that over the course of my career is these big studios didn't want mainstream people coming into hip-hop stations they didn't care and they didn't want people to come in like they didn't think it was necessary even though I'd asked and so for me I think it's really dope that times are changing because I always wanted to come in to only the hip-hop stations that's all I listen to so I'm a huge fan and like it is actually really dope to be here for two things number one Big Boi makes way more money than anybody I can't help I was born in LA but I live in fact and number two the reason that has changed is because this generation of white man has decided you know what I rock with hip hop and I rock with the culture so I'm going up to that station you know what I mean yeah bed sharing and Charlie pulls to the world like I know y'all throw your middle finger to the no disrespect to them but please don't love me bro I'm 34 years old I grew up I grew up listening to mom's even in [ __ ] Tribe Called Quest no I listen you know Jay roux and OC like like no disrespect to them those are young kids like I've never listened to a non rat like my first record is like wild pitch compilation like I don't you know like I like like like yeah I just don't know anything out and so for me it's important to represent the culture in my film you know mid nineties no joke a big reason I made this film first so hip hop like skateboarding is always misrepresented in film it's always shown people driving through the hood or popping champagne some exploitative you know dumb stereotype correct and for me it was really important to make an elegant honest emotional film that showed hip hop for what it is for me which is the emotional backbone of my childhood so like what tribe was to me or like what the Beatles were to my parents right Meagles are better than the Beatles by the way which one wrote yesterday the Beatles are me good but but for me that's this movie does that and it shows hip hop in like a true that's how I grew up that's how my life was framed that's the lens I saw life through skateboarding it felt very authentic just because I know you're such a big hip hop head and I I got a chance to see some of the screener and I heard Big L on there I heard a child Called Quest on there I'm listening to the music on there and I'm like I know he had a great time putting this part you have that using tears in the trailer thank you growing up I think that the wacky song on the album but now I told you like I loved this road don't realize how hard how much how emotional that song is when you get older but when you're young he's like skip straight to cream press get right decree explain how did you get into hip-hop especially being from the west coast like a sofa screener and in the music that you've been talking about you would talk about mob dee big okay super cool quest so I so New York my brother he passed away may he rest in peace he was a big hip-hop head he was six years older than me so I was like sneak into his room in like what and like listen to all the CDs so like before far side before 93 - you know before souls in mischief there wasn't good like Artie West Coast hip-hop it was just gangster rap so if you were true like hip hop head like my older brother you were East Coast you dressed like you were from the East Coast you listen to like Grand Poobah and and and you know like Dottie acts like you were you weren't like you weren't like reppin the West Coast it's hard because we weren't gangsters like you couldn't NWA Def roll era maybe yeah like I couldn't like I'm not gonna wear a puffer Raiders jacket and like front like I you know that that that just wasn't cool you know and so like so tribe you know q-tips one of my best friends and like he was one of the first people to see this movie him and Frank Ocean and my sister saw the first cut and it was important to me just as skateboarding showed the legends and be like I made this not from a place of authority but from a place of deep admiration and respect for forgiving me music that changed my life you know so before like all the art like hieroglyphics and all that stuff you know East Coast was the only thing you would listen to you know because we didn't have it was only gangster rap and we weren't gangster so it's like that was that Jonah no I mean like ski through skateboarding you definitely burst me out of like part of what the movies about is you find this tribe of people right just like through hip-hop you would find this tribe of people where it's like a family outside of your home and that's what it's about this lonely kid finds these skateboarders and he connects with them because it's like it's a time in your life when you're 1213 your friends are more important than your family it's like they are your family and the family you build and that's what this is so it's like even they don't care about skating it's about a kid working his way up through the animal kingdom and he's his little kid and what's amazing about it is we're skating with hip-hop so skating bursts me out of my bubble so I had friends from like you know I remember them personally like Hispanic dudes from like East LA when he said I wasn't like a hipster place to live now you know what I mean and so thank God for skateboarding because it burst me out of a bubble that everyone should be burst out of you know I mean how did you feel when all these a pop artists started a co-opting skateboard culture I don't you know Nick L Smith who's in our film he plays ray he's um he's on supreme and I'm wearing I'm rocking his Adidas right now shout out to the cow but let us see let us shout out to the killer got some knock horns on okay put your leg up I'd be like [Applause] awkwardly put my leg on there out of respect to you guys so so not like the new generation yo okay so I'm 34 our whole generation in the 90s was like don't try trying his lame everything's lame everyone's laying but but what's cool about this new generation is some of their more open you know like the younger kids are more open like mikkel be like I love skateboarding I want people to enjoy it you know what I mean look I was never a good skateboarder but I was a hundred percent dedication 14 percent skill but I skated my life for six years you still changed my life like I'm not a good MC or a good producer I mean I kind of made fire beats but I still had a MPC and was making beats for six years you know Michael Jordan's not gonna be the person to make the great basketball movie it's some nerd who's obsessed with Michael Jordan who will make the great basketball movie and for me skaters can feel however they want I'm sure it feels weird that their culture is getting culture vultured and stuff like that you know but ultimately let's move on like let's be more open people and let's let people if people are down for something let them celebrate it who cares it was a moment where Lil Wayne was like the face was like a split second those skateboard but it's I think it's cool it [ __ ] I think it's re I think it's cool okay I think it's cool at Lil Wayne like to me just as someone when the skateboarding was like so outsider it was so not mainstream right so that's why I connected to it because it was just anti it's same with rap it was like the way you treated Authority it was like [ __ ] you know what I mean and you were a kid he'd have to taste [ __ ] and it was like amazing same with rap it was like don't take [ __ ] like you're you're a worthy person like you are your own person and and I love that about skating I love that about hip-hop and that gave me a lens that I saw life through and I loved that boy in skateboarding like I think everything should just be all mixed together man like let people have fun like life is so hard if he loves skating let the man skate like come on like he was a rapper that you had a rap name back in the day you say MPC so you made B's did you rap yeah of course I did that name this is like an official this is an exclusive oh boy what with the rap name it was bad I had a beat and I didn't ever rap man Eminem C name but I made a lot of beats and to be honest at least my gait my sample game was my digging game was tight he was nice I was at fat beats like all the time I was it's it's really embarrassing it's spin drum-like syndrome but spin the third movie it was wack no but you know what I worked for so I interned for I was in the backpack rap so after it like when hip hop went crazy like Nelly all that stuff I was like peace out like mainstream hip hop and so in LA there was like this deep like backpack scene like what Eric's styles of beyond you know planet Asia stuff like that and so I interned for an indie rap manager and this is a crazy story so my manager now this that team manager this guy Rick yarn and Ian Montone and they're great and Ian Moore works in music and Rick manages like Leonardo DiCaprio myself and Barnes I'm his least successful client and Ian does mostly music but I wanted to work with him and here's why I interned at an indie hiphop backpack manager right hmm answering phones I'm 1415 right everyone's a jerk to me like everyone's a jerk everyone's like put him on the phone you know and I answer the phone and this one guy Ian was a lawyer at this time hmm he wasn't even a manager yet he would always go how you doing man how's it gone you know like you have they treating you all right over there and and it meant so much to me know that when I blew up I was like he manages like the White Stripes and like people like that and I was like I want that dude to work and Wow you know you know it's not a true character of a person based on how they treat me what I can't do nothing for it how someone treats someone that they can get something from speaks nothing to their character you might as well not have even happy right it's who how you treat people that you don't need anything from right and that that stuff stays with you your whole life you know someone in the movie is a lot about that like this kid that make me meet this kid ray who's played by the cow just gives us it's his first time ever acting like this stunning performance and it's just about that moment where someone just not in the corny way because there's always weird words in a corny way when someone genuinely cool takes the time to just be your homey all right and it's not sweaty and corny and lame it's just like that's a cool cat and even in a subtle way they just take a moment to like check to your okay that stays with you the rest of your life and that's what this movie captures in my opinion as you keep bringing it back to the movie I'm a big fan but I'm here to work acting you say skateboard and then you say producer you say record label how did you turn and say you know what I'm gonna leave this music issue alone and start acting so I always wanted to be a filmmaker my whole life always wanted to be a writer director and when I was starting so like I want to make movies for the culture like now we're at a time where the culture is so big like skatey and hip all the things that I love now can be in a film whereas before that had to be some shitty little part of a film done poorly now it's like we're here and you guys are a massive part of bringing that forward you know like we're here we're the adults at the party now you know so I'm a kid I go to New York and I want to be a writer and director and um I would write plays and I was so bad with the actors cuz they would not do it right and I go and I didn't have a good bedside manner I'd be like [ __ ] you're doing it like like I wrote it you know like it was bad and my friend was like yo like he was a good friend he was like the actors don't like coming in and reading for your plays because you don't speak to them correctly I didn't know how so I took an acting class to learn how I'd like to be spoken to mm-hmm and I was so insecure that I got such positive feedback for acting I went on a 15-year detour because the teachers were like it was the first time teachers were like besides writing were like wow you're really good at something and when you're a kid who wasn't that good at stuff like that stuff you know you take it you're like okay I'll take whatever I can get right you stopped writing just that I would write but but what happened was I loved acting but I went on this 15 I had just beautiful 15 year career have it I got the best film school in the world you know if you're on a film set I'm right and you're an actor if you want it you haven't of you have a front row seat at Harvard you know experience is the best teacher literally I love I'm like I love how you talk about this stuff because to me it's so important if I was like 14 listening to this right now like all we get out of it is an education that's what I feel like like I love the education like when this is when we turn the mics off I'm gonna ask you guys so much about your how you got here and why that is and like as an actor you just get a front row seat to it I was reading that you would write your own episodes of The Simpsons yeah when you were growing up yeah have you ever tried it like submit that for an episode are they any good you still have them my mom hasn't been at home for sure I gotta get me four moms but like like I don't they're probably bad but I mean they're like from when I'm 8 to 18 basically so that's what I would do when I was a kid so so when I was a kid my parents were like well let me just finish this so I wanted to be film maker so but if I look at my heroes people like Mike Nichols Barry Levinson people who started in comedy and became great filmmakers right they waited till they had something meaningful for their first film you only get one chance of your first film right I didn't want to walk in here with some [ __ ] you know like I wanted to come to you guys and go I mean this is what I am this is my heart I've Stan by it and I waited and that's mid-90s like that's my heart you know I feel like this film is therapeutic for you because I was reading an article in vulture and you said for most of your young adult life you listen to people telling you that you were fat gross and unattractive but the past four years you realized how much dad hurt mm-hmm was making it was because he was making the movie and reflected yeah because I get to be myself like this feels is me literally coming to the world like as myself you know I spent my 20s it had this beautiful career like I'm fortunate for it but it was kind of like me and other people's worlds you know when you're an actor you're you're a color and a painting right and I've been a good pretty good green for 15 years but if the director wants to paint purple over it that's what they're gonna do so to me it was like I need to paint a picture like acting is to be seen in writing is to be heard you know and directing is to be heard and so for me I did feel like yeah it's like that funny comedian and people could just like trash me or you know like because I was funny or because of that it's like you could I don't have feelings you can't just you could just murder me you know and it's like no like I'm a really sensitive person and people are sensitive and that [ __ ] hurts and so for me it's important to tell kids like yo like you don't have to take that [ __ ] you know and for other people being mean it's like yeah it's funny okay but like you're hurting people just the same way you're hurting people if they're you know for any reason it's just why don't we be a little bit nicer and for me I'm coming out here with my film this is my voice I want to make films for everybody here for the culture I don't want to make films for people our age our generation and like I'm out here and I'm myself and I'm not gonna be anybody else so did you feel like people were like you were a joke in Hollywood like you'd be around in circles with Liotta and Leo's like hey no no see that no no my friends were always my friends and would never disrespect me they were fiercely fiercely fiercely you know like that's what I'm saying no it's like no one would do that that is a human being that is connected to you people do it on their computers because they like our [ __ ] you know what I mean and they're mad at their own lives and that's fair it's fair you know we're all angry about something you know so what made you feel that way what made you feel gross just like well just like article like it was more like writers you know and then if I was doing an interview like this let's say I wouldn't have the confidence in myself to speak as confidently as I'm speaking now I try and make a joke or I tried something and they would they would I was young I was like a kid so I was always talking people 10 years 15 years older than me and they're talking down to me and like that she didn't isn't flying with me anymore you know what I mean and so I'm proud to be the person that I am and I I think making this film mid-nineties like I made a film that means something to me and once you realize you can do that you're unstoppable because this is some [ __ ] I was writing in my room this is my best friend when I'm like angry sad lonely I'm in my room writing mid-90s and now I'm here on The Breakfast Club talking about my first film as a writer director because I included so much of the hip hop that I loved in this film I swear to God if I hate that same line on another show but you just changed the name you can tell when someone's full of [ __ ] or when they're not man I just say that I don't care yeah like I to me I respect you guys yeah it's it's it is cool man because you're usually here promoting some other [ __ ] letting someone say whatever they want and it's like no I wrote this I directed it I care about it it's truthful and I love it and like let's just be nice to each other it's way [ __ ] easier way to go through life you know great moments in it so I'm sure it's the kind of movie as I've been watching it that people will go back and see something different in it every single time and they had the kids playing a game that we used to play in here but we don't play it anymore okay would you rather yeah remember we used to play would you rather when you meet the kids yeah it's an aggressive film so this is a film that plays at Lincoln Center at the New York Film Festival but also like the supreme screening you know it's like that's what I was designing to do so we could all enjoy it but also like someone who's an old person could like connect with just the emotions of it right but it is aggressive so they walk in there the kid walks into the skate shop and the first thing he overhears because part of IU or if you're at the fat beats and you're at the record store part of it you just you want to be in the group and you either have that subversive sense of humor or you don't and so he walks in and they're playing would you a pretty insane game of would you rather and it's the big first big like laughs it's a movie it's really fun I'm gonna take you to write this three years 20 drafts Wow yeah being hard on yourself yeah yeah am i yeah to me it's like writing is everything you know writing it writing is that's the OG [ __ ] because you're like directing someone else wrote a script you know acting someone else wrote a scripting not the sets are like writing is a white blank sheet of paper right it's you versus that and no one can ever take that away from you because there was nothing there and now we're here talking about a film so for me it's like spend the time writing over and over and over and don't just like you think you're ready you're not ready like give it to the homies who were mean give it to like the ones who with my friend friend of mine who wrote eight mile read the script and gave me notes and he goes I'm just letting you know I give friendship ending notes because I was like bring it you know you have to be ready to get murdered and that's what makes movies good I don't care if you're like Martin Scorsese or you're the Coen brothers you show homies that that murder you you know it's like playing a record for somebody to be like someone has the balls in your crew to go like trash oh look you don't don't really mean Jesus Christ you like the king of honesty but like you know what I mean like it's like if q-tip makes a record and you plays it for someone and they have to go yo dude like this isn't your best record you know that's how all great art gets made and so you just are hard on yourself and you don't let it you don't let yourself get a pass how much the script changed from what it was when you originally were working on it so what we see on the screen tremendously like like massively like 20 drafts literally 20 drafts so was it a whole different movie at first like was it always this was always the premise it was this was always it but the way I put it is like a first draft right it's all trash but if there's like a little heartbeat you like know you should keep going so it's like everyone's first Drive is going to be pretty trashed like but if there's that little heartbeat that today you're like oh [ __ ] we got a live one you know so it's like am I gonna put three years into this is it hard writing about the 90s now because the culture is so different in times and so different people sensitivities are so different it's like the 90s was wrong well the movies wrong I mean the the move I made a really strong choice and I stand behind which is these kids speak really homophobic language they treat women in a disrespectful way and talk about them in a disrespectful way and I made the choice and I stand behind it I'm not celebrating it I'm telling the truth that was a very I'm not but I'm not a moralist you know like I'm not I'm not here to be your dad like I'm not here to tell you how to feel and what to think I'll show you the truth and I personally think it sucks I think it's horrible the way they speak but like it's not my job to be the judge why are artists all of a sudden like the moral police like you make the decision you know I'm showing you how it is I put in there as a mirror to show how [ __ ] up it yes and it's good to learn from because you'd be watching that stuff I'm looking to all music and you'd be like just like I miss Big Al by the way but like you know what I mean it's like ah my job's not to tell you I'm a filmmaker I'm a storyteller like I'm not I'm not your parent you know and I don't think art has that place maybe some people want to you That's not me you know so to me it's more effective to show it how [ __ ] up it is right you know but there's some guy did computer this new Jonah Hill mid-90s movie because movie is so homophobic and misogynistic and problematic well honestly it's been amazing because people seem to get it like people get my point like it's pretty obvious I'm not stupid like I fought this through for years and I made a choice in Scott Rudin our producer you know he is a gay man and he was like I wrote a scene where they were kind of like when people are saying the f-word and they're kind of like um one kid goes like you know maybe she we shouldn't be saying this and I said two words and he wrote back to me would you guys have this conversation in 1995 and I was like hell no and he's like in your line you know he's like tell the truth and let people see how gross it is you know and I believe that like I think holding up a mirror is way more powerful than changing history right do you think your younger self could have survived his social media era no I can barely survive it now I think only kids the best part was I only said it in the 90s because we didn't have phones so you had actually had intimate conversations with your friends about life because you didn't have Instagram to go on your phone you know like and I took the kids phones away when we were shooting and it was the best cuz we all [ __ ] talked to each other you know like like how nice is that imagine like you're sitting waiting for the bus or you're gonna go skating like subway or some [ __ ] and you're like something comes up in your head about your family life or something and then you just go ah [ __ ] I'm on Instagram you know you don't have that conversation any longer and you know I'm guilty of it I try my best I try to like put restrictions on it it's like working out it's like anything you like you have good minds here bad months where you're like bad on your Instagram and [ __ ] but like it's poison bro it's a verbally abusive relationship that we are choosing to be in every day like there's nobody like there's nobody around you that you it allowed to curse you out and talk same every day but true you open your phone every day and if somebody saying something negative T I mean that's always gonna be that way you know like I think about people I admire and I have friends and colleagues who are like doing the same thing I'm doing putting themselves out there like that and I look at their experience you know i Bradley Cooper's a friend of mine he just made it stars born we were making our first movies at the same time and we're friends and I'd lunch breakfast with him yesterday and I'm like for my experience she's having like the chocolate it's like homerun dude you know what I mean and he can even see pieces of like negativity like you're saying of someone do that and so no one gets a free ride dude you know I'd like people to understand [ __ ] it like no one's ever gonna understand but like just try and be nice like I'm trying to make a movie to to make you guys happy I'm not trying to be some important person I want to make stuff because my only joy from life is connection either connection with friends or creating you know that's it I love doing it I feel like everybody like there's so many different people from so many different walks of life there's just a love movies period that you started that's the first one that we've seen that you've written and directed but I feel like it's brought so many people together like it doesn't matter if you're you know somebody that can't even relate to what a super bad is it still is a hilarious movie even if that's not an experience that you had or watching the movie like ward dogs and seeing you do a whole different type of character like everybody I feel like even if you get some criticism I feel like overwhelmingly people tend to have like the choices that you've made that's really sweet and I think I'm not like some victim like I'm not out here like I've got Jonah Hill day I got to make my movie like I'm not trying to be like poor me at all for real like I get out of dope life like but I'm just saying everybody has it and that's in the movie literally there's a scene in the movie the best seen in the movies wouldn't the Callen and Sony the two kids were you saying you wouldn't trade your [ __ ] for anybody else's you know so we all look at each other's lives and I go dude [ __ ] Angela's got image she's beautiful she's got great jobs Baba you know it's like you go inside anybody and they're fighting a war in their head you know you're in trading places with anybody you wouldn't trade your [ __ ] for their [ __ ] so that's what this movie is about is like you think you have it bad you think someone else has it better that's what Instagram is Instagram is you looking at someone else's life and thinking they got it figured out why is it my [ __ ] like that cuz it's all the highlight reels they not showing you two shots they missed it's a highlight hundred percent it's a highlight reel and it's also it's also projection you know it's also like this is how I want you to see me let's just keep it real everybody's got sadness everybody's got heartbreak everybody's got joy everybody's got anxiety everybody's got wonder it's like we're human beings like no one's just sick all the time no one's dope all the time no one's wack all the time we go moment to moment and that's like [ __ ] benign I'm not trying to be like some preachy dude but like over the years at and through making mid-90s I was like you know I'm an adult now like okay I'm 34 to 35 I'm in charge of all these kids what do I want to show them you know what I mean like what kind of example I got that chance in Superbad I was the kid the young kid getting put on I'm putting these kids on what kind of example do I want to give them do I want to give them an example of like I'm a bitter whole or don't want to give them the example of like yo if you write your ass off you can make your own movie no no I'm listening to you talk and I'm wondering that you start the process of losing weight for health reasons or because you wanted to feel more confident because you was listening to what people were saying about you I'm just trying like every other you know everyday you go put one foot in front of the other that's it you know I don't know the way you tried to lift your leg up I don't know bro honestly look what I have right here the wall approved me how flexible you are though you made it a Hollywood what are you listening to musically now because you all the groups that you mention it what are you listening to musically now now I got the kids to finally admit that the boom bap era shits on the soundcloud era like I got the young kids the finally admitted I was like because they're like 11 to 23 so that G all day they're listening in the soundcloud [ __ ] and I get with it like like you know there's music I like from that world but I mean obviously I listen to the golden era like you know DJ premieres my god you know q-tips my god like Gang Starr raises Paul rock who's your top five top five get her alive yes hmm I can't go into order that would take me like I would want to think for a month Big Al's Big Al's on there yeah I love Big Al tribe it's a tribe can I put tip and Fife as one like tribe together okay so big al tribe Mobb Deep Gang Starr hmm I need six wu-tang and because there's someone I'm leaving out that's really important to me oh it clearly it or not Oh Jay root I love Jay the damage was really big for mating you listen to anything I [ __ ] with and I'm like happy for him in Royce's success like I like stories like that like their band and run the jewels like people blowing up like later in life it's like you know we all get a hold their breaths like we ain't gonna be tight we're not 20 anymore and it's nice to see someone that makes good art blow up right that's sick you know what lessons did you give the young kids in your movie about loving themselves at a young age you know these are kids yo these are not actors you know I found these kids a lot of them are from you know you know the Cal's from Compton you know these kids are from all over LA and they're not like just some like privileged kids you know and they've never been empowered to be artists you know they're skaters people are like get the [ __ ] out my stop skating in my front of my house or whatever so I was just to me the important message was to say like I'm empowering you as an artist I want to bring out what you want to say as an artist and like how you want to be like and just make them feel safe that like and by the end it was so beautiful they were like they took acting really seriously they're not playing themselves they're playing these parts they didn't improvise I thought they were gonna improvise and they didn't because they wanted to be great actors so there was a scene for example the only thing that we wrote in I wrote with McHale and almond there's a scene we were shooting a taco standing the cows talking to me about what it's like to be a black skateboarder right and he's saying any people are [ __ ] up to me cuz I'm a skateboarder but then it's like extra cuz I'm like black right I thought about that and I was felt so bad for my friend like I was like let's [ __ ] that my friend has to go feel that way on a daily basis so I go to sleep and I wake up in the middle of the night and we're shooting a scene the next day wherever the scene we're shooting what everyone's talking about race and they're playing a game like about stereotypes it's this scene that I love and in a tribe song playing and it's one of my favorite scenes but I was like you know what I want my friend to be able to say his experience in this film and for this film to hold that without me but it's not my story so I was like yo - my first ad I was like y'all let's take a break for our and mean the Kalin Olin went outside and they wrote what they wanted to say about their experience I helped them shape it and put it into the film and now it's in the film and Nickell gets to talk about his experience that's not my experience but he gets to say that to the world and that's the empowerment I mean like you really you can write it we've put it in the movie bro you know and that's sick to me and like another my favorite scene is with the kids in a homeless guy which I had del the funky homosapien play the homeless guy to me that's my favorite scene in the movie because when you're skater you're out there in the streets you're like you're not you know there's all kinds of people and you know homeless people right and if that's how I'm skating wasn't mainstream so people it's like rap wasn't like it wasn't like you know societally cool to be a rapper in 1994 like you know for us it was but like society [ __ ] on it so it's like there's [ __ ] on skateboarders so skateboarders don't cheat on homeless people you know what I mean and how much soup were the ultimate people that society shuns right so these kids have this like just a nice human conversation with this homeless guy and it's my favorite scene in the whole movie because it's like they have the respect to treat people like human beings because they know what it's like to be treated not like human beings and that [ __ ] makes me happy to put that in a film and then have like [ __ ] far side it's like that's what I've wanted to see I just made what I've wanted to see my whole life like you just allow the directing and writing so much like this is it for you more than being in front of the camera whatever like speaks to me you guys write a movie in the parts great I'll act in it if I you know my goal is just to like make stuff that actually means something and not to be corny like I hate I'm the I'm the biggest caller out of corniness but I'm really trying to think about if I was $14 I seen The Breakfast Club right now what would actually inspire me to get off my ass and start writing something it's a story like mine you know is like you can make [ __ ] happen you know if you hustle you really can make [ __ ] happen my final question for you as a white man who loves the coach of hip-hop so much how do you use your privilege to combat prejudice that we experience on a social level that's a really good question and mostly I need to be better you know what I mean like I do my best in the film you know my film I could have most of those you know two of the leads of my movie or african-american non-actors once Hispanic in one's white to her white you know so for me this movie was a representation of like my multicultural life of skateboarding but I need to do better you know what can I do like for real like I wanna know what I can do to check my privilege and help people out you know what I mean like I you know one of our producers is Mikey Alpha is a young african-american dude he's 23 Zico producer of the movie I didn't want it to be like a bunch of white people making a movie about all these cultures you know but yo I'm not [ __ ] Saint like tell me for real like what is a good way for me to to be of service as opposed to just being privileged dude um one way if through your art like you're doing if you say yeah you're hiring people of these codes you're talking about yeah because one of the problems to me is like you have all these culturally clueless people in these boardrooms talking about things they pop yeah about but that's that I guess that's me but because I'm white I need to be more inclusive in general but I mean a lot of my colleagues are african-american you know it's like but but in women and in Hispanic but and just call them [ __ ] out when you see it I mean that's a mean that's always I mean we see some [ __ ] go on in society call it up you have some of that spin Jerome fire no but for me for real it's like even that's what I was saying like when I was young right I'm in these big comedies in it it's I'm put there right I'm putting this box right and you're in a boardroom and it's all these wack-ass like 50 year old white people basically and they're like how do we sell 21 Jump Street and like you go to like mainstream white rady and I'm like why aren't I on Big Boy why aren't I on you know like well it's like it is [ __ ] up you know and I've been in those corporate boardrooms I have a reverse career I started at Sony for like 10 years and now I'm at a 24 so it's like I have the reverse where it's like all inclusive all about making [ __ ] better but you know I'm a [ __ ] white straight dude I get it like I I get it like I've been handed [ __ ] just based on that yeah right and so I want to be of service and I want to be the best I can be and anyone who wants to help me do that I'm all ears big help from everyone except for Kanye I love his music don't know what the [ __ ] is going on right now they saying you gotta go well you know I'm not going anywhere bro what are you talking about as long as you guys want me here like I'm not leaving like this is what I've been like for real this is so sick to me man to talk about hip-hop music to talk about like I literally feel like I do watch you guys every day it's like weird I the same feeling ready like Stern you know where you're like seeing you guys is surreal and like a really nice feeling but it's legit like that's my line I love his music I don't know what the [ __ ] this is about that that's like as clear as I can say it I like had to come up with a sentence because I love his music I don't know what's going on that's it yeah you know what do you guys say same thing love his music I love his sneakers I love his clothes but I just don't know what's in his mind well you know we're in a world right now that's what you're saying is like art versus artists right this is like a huge topic right if you're an artist are you a moralist right so can he make great art and have political views that we all hate like what's the it's personal to everyone when your music was rooted in strong political views for the black and brown community he was such an advocate for the black and brown community for years right right so to sort of literally you know go right when everybody else is on the left is weird what do you think that is like why do you think he's doing it I think it's the same thing that we loved him for like we mom like anti yeah and I think now he doesn't want to backpedal because you know how bad is that when you like start telling a story you know is wack if you like oh no I gotta finish it and I feel like he's so removed from what we go through on every day like his life is just I don't know what kinda does he doesn't do the same things that we yeah yeah yeah I I mean I don't get it cuz it's not my life but I can understand it you know and I don't have a problem with him engaging with Donald Trump but you know when you in the Oval Office be on your feet don't be on your knees suck his dick you know real boot looking honestly can't watch it cuz it upsets me I didn't watch this stuff because that's my dude like I grew up Trump ocaña that's canceled for sure like like you know I'm 34 [ __ ] Kanye came out that's our generations dude right I it's it's my Michael Jackson it's like literally that important so it is kind of hard to watch this [ __ ] it is hard to watch this [ __ ] because you know I love his music express love for you to if I'm not mistaken we've like almost worked together a bunch of times throughout the years but this [ __ ] I can't get with that's it simple as that you know like have love for the dude love his music but this [ __ ] I can't get with what about Yeezys can you wear you Z's or does that matter I I'm a I'm a can't talk about it yet I know your ID I can't talk about it I was trying to get but let's just say Jonah ones coming if you see me pull up with the three-strikes like commenting like checks over straight able to show awkwardly put my hard to get people to take you serious in acting after doing so many comedic roles of course yo let me tell you something man I think you go through this a lot too because I watch your evolution right now you know what I mean like I clock it I clock everybody when everybody's doing and everyone's playing chess I see what you're doing it's amazing right thank you sir I love it I [ __ ] love it I'm a big fan real and like people the best thing anyone ever said to me is that true confidence is living in uncertainty and that's my biggest struggle and if I think it's everybody's biggest you know if you get married you wanna be married forever it's perfect right I take a job I'm never gonna get fired you know you just want certainty right so no one gives a [ __ ] about us like we think people give a [ __ ] about us but they don't they got their own lives going on so they see me and they see me in Superbad and they're like they put me in this box and it's like that's what this is all right go on to the next thing in my life you know what I mean and if I'm different than what they think that's uncertainty and that's weird to people and they're like they don't know how to deal with it because they're only giving it a second of attention but they're like that's the funny guy from Superbad so if I'm like yo no I'm like other things too it's like no no dude just stay in that thing it's safer it's easier for me you know and then I'm like no I want to be filmmaker that's what I was like no no dude just say you're an actor just like stay over there like you know it's like people don't like change they like you're not allowed to grow our evolved right bro we're human yeah like we ought we only are today you know we're not yesterday and we're not tomorrow we're only today this is the person I am mid-nineties is what I made you know so it's like it was I would say frustrating but like frustrating it's called an uptown problem bro it's like you know what I mean like I know it's enough town problem it's a privileged problem it's a shame tomorrow problem you never heard that yes a problem it's a town problem like like but for me it's like I'm not what you think I am on me right and I'm gonna tell you who I am you're also a sex symbol now I see people I have the biggest crush on you I have a girl that I have a girl what you're wearing all the time and they're like look at the fashion stuff is dope like like it's it comes from the culture like I remember being a kid and going to supreme in like 94 my grandpa lived in New York and when my brother and I would get off the plane we'd go to Supreme you know what I mean like from the because you can only get the shirt at supreme so to me it's crazy that supreme is like on rappers like that like you were saying it's wild to me we did a screening for supreme last night because McHale is on supreme and supreme now is like it's like I don't even know the holy grail for kids it's like it's like what's it called J Crew it's like everywhere you know what I mean it's like but it was like if you had a shirt back to LA bro you were lit like if you came back from New York or the supreme boxer it in like 96 you're like 12 you just roll in you know when you get that new shirt you roll in and you're just like waiting for everybody to notice just like so much love so that's the [ __ ] like we all crave we all wait in line we all want something special you know and when you're sneakerhead like like it wasn't it wasn't like they didn't have these stores where you could just go get sneakers you had to go to like Bakersfield because they weren't gonna sell out the dope sneakers there you know we didn't have internet it's like it was a scavenger hunt it was joy it was like a true you were in on it if you were in on it and I think for me to get recognized for fashion that's just another part of individuality and what you rocked you watch too that watches a man - Plain Jane thank you you talk about grofe and you know not being afraid to change did you do that on your own whether it's me like I'm having a therapy and I really want to put that out there because like people in the spotlight when I was growing up didn't talk about therapy and I think it's dope especially in the african-american community nikhyl and I talk a lot about how like they're stigmatized on stigma on therapy and mental illness and stuff like that like like dude therapy saved my life like if I didn't have I'm gonna talk to you about stuff I don't know where I'd be and I'm sensitive I'm a really sensitive dude so this [ __ ] when someone says something mean it affects me really deeply right I'm not like stone you know I feel like their view made me more sensitive that's good dummy I feel like I was I was I never cared our generation grew up of like for a man for a man to be like I don't feel [ __ ] I don't know you know like had to be hard I'm just doing my thing like it all rolls off me and that creates a lot of monsters like that that is part of the problem that's been created what we're dealing with and reckoning with right now is that because men need to discuss their feelings they need to like open up because you're else you're gonna do something crazy and like to me I just thought like I was gonna do something crazy but therapy writing and directing mid-90s like it shifted something in my life you know we should be allowed to be vulnerable without being called [ __ ] for bro I wrote this magazine that's like really yeah we did this zine and I'm really proud of it but I'm you know that's the most it's a companion piece to mid nineties but like I interview premier q-tip Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth my favorite artist Raymond Pettibon and all my sister all these people about what that snapshot of you is inside that you're you're you know [ __ ] you up even 20 years later you know and for everybody it's different but everybody has one and so for me it's like it freed me to go like I don't like the way people are treating me I don't like I'm gonna be myself so I'm gonna go in The Breakfast Club dressed how I want with the movie I want to talk about being the nice person and sensitive person that I am and treating people with respect and hopefully getting that back yeah I mean my whole new book is about that it's all about you know being mentally healthy dealing with anxiety going to therapy about being vulnerable my anxiety is crazy all the sauce you have crazy anxiety rational anxiety what do you do well now I got like a series of exercises well I just like to be still like working out or life's like like mental exercises mental exercises you know I do I do work out and stuff like that but a lot of breathing exercises but I think the thing that helps you with my anxiety the most is knowing the source of my anxiety that gives me a panic attack that the rational ones why don't know where the book is coming from what is it you think like what gives you the most anxiety worker oh I had a panic attack this week because Angela Yee reported a story about human trafficking with that ad in Michigan or somewhere they found a hundred and thirty-five kids yeah oh my god then I looked on my phone or somebody talking about some human trafficking in Virginia and then I started thinking like [ __ ] I thought it on the way to school so my mind just starts raising like what if something happens like it could be anything that said yes miss Shan oh that's real man like I I guess I don't have that kind of parent I so relate like it's real dude and I think back in the day we'd be on the radio not talking about how you get anxiety sometimes and I think that's [ __ ] dope like I think that's cool for kids to hear because we didn't hear growing up when we were listening to the radio right we didn't hear like yo I feel that way that that person on the radio feels that makes me feel less alone that's sick you know you know I'm okay you know I want I want kids I want kids but you know it's like this movie was like my kid like I had to make it was my best friend is my kid like right it's like so weird it's like so weird that we even even know what it is you know cuz it's like that's my baby and then like now it's like belongs to the world but I love kids I got two nephews 911 and the kids in the movie are like little brothers I got like we were just talking on the way here my little bro Sam is that easy about there he's um Adam Levine and I are like family like our dads grew up together and a family and a lot of famous friends bro Adam Levine Bradley Cooper what am i working movies people at my job it sounds like you're being like lame but but like it's like you being like yo I know DJ envy you know it's like we were your coolest [ __ ] in your ear you're locked in bro like I like that man is cool you guys are all like so what do you wait not to have your own kids at all well come on I love you I've heard you do want kids so bad besides being a filmmaker it taught me like having these kids in the film and having them become artists in like loving them and not anything after you're like you feel responsible like they call you like with problems and [ __ ] like it grew my ass up you know and I have two nephews now that I'm heavy in their lives and that grew my ass up you know and it's like I wasn't ready before if I had kids before man like I wasn't emotionally ready to be a leader and in same with directing like if I had done it before now it's not even like I wouldn't have made a bad movie I would have made a worst movie that was less emotional but I wouldn't have been a good leader and that breaks my heart like the best thing about our movies you ask anyone on our set any person who walked on our set they were respected and had an amazing time and that's the environment that you create and that's as important as the product that people leave your work space and go I felt safe respected and loved and liked and these kids these are kids they're never been a movie they're scared shitless I'm like so I'm like yo make these kids feel loved and like appreciated and so I think now is the time we're like I can actually think about like man I'd love to be a dad that'd be so sick that's a great lesson to teach kids to cuz always say like when you you leave a work environment the best thing somebody could say about you is he was a pleasure to work with absolutely that's how you get so many opportunities later I'm amazing and as an actor I've definitely not been that way you know if you're in character or something or the sets got a crazy vibe and it's impossible it feels unsafe and cozy and like not respectful but the main I went to him an [ __ ] no I would say I'm I could get like anxiety attacks and like feel crazy because it's like people are not making you feel safe to be this character right so when he was writing plays and he was yelling at people no I'm not kidding when you're insecure if you're hurt and insecure people who are mean are people that are hurting inside hurt people hurt people it's like so really corny saying but it's true it's like I've never said a mean word in my life when I'm happy with myself like you own it so you gotta just feel bad for the other person that they're going through it you know and but to me I said to my crew I said yeah look we're here to make art I would die for this movie I would rather die than embarrass you this is my child my love and you are all now like part of it so you're my family if anyone feels disrespected you come to me and it's a rat like the second you feel any sort of disrespect everyone here deserves to be respected first and foremost and it's easier for me because as an actor you're just dropped into a situation as a filmmaker you hire every person so I could hire all these amazing people and artists you know what I mean like every person there was like someone over my 15-year career I've like loved the most so I was like oh it's like you build a family it's so cool what was it like for you guys all watching it together for the first time when it was finished it the first screening was the first thing was my sister beanie felt seen who's a sick actor she was a baby bird yeah she's she's brilliant next year being like watch out I'm glad I can be a director because there's a better version of me that's female that's coming next thank you she's my best friend so I wanted to show we should the first greeting was like my sister I'm like yo come watch the movie I have a first cut come to the editing we have like a screening room in editing facility and she's like oh my god I'm coming cuz you know for Best Friends she'd hear me talk about every day and I'm like yo she said has anyone else coming and I'm like yeah q-tip and Frank Ocean and she's like oh shut up and then she gets there and it's just the three of them watch the movie and she starts crying I believe the choosing bears she didn't to cry in front of Frank Ocean so she ran out down the hallway and that was the first time we showed the movie because I was like I want q-tip Franky's to taste God we all know Frank Frank Ocean is I'm fortunate enough to spend some time around them he is the tape I disagree but I love I I'm also a huge fan of yours I agree but like I think his taste is impeccable like he has great taste so he keeps it real he doesn't like [ __ ] that sucks right he will be honest and q-tip he's one of my closest friends my brother and like it's weird to have a friend that he is my like John Lennon also you know so I was like Krakow it's definitely bigger than the Beatles by the way we'll continue I mean Tribe Called Quest to me is like bigger than anything you know so to me it's like I was like I'm going right in to get torn up you know if there's any [ __ ] I want it they're gonna tell me right away I really wish you two said that about Frank Ocean that would've been awesome what I'm going to get torn up first of all I'm sorry if I talk too much but I'm it's a joy to be here it's a joy to be heard by everyone listening mid-90s comes out October 19th in LA in New York in October 26th everywhere it is my heart if you want to see something that means something to me go check it out I would love to see you get with a black creative and make like a black comedy in the vein of the Superbad and get them to the Greeks I just love that style of comedy well if you see the film if you see the film the funniest scene in the film is Jerrod this is your honor and to me I think it's George best scene in a film right because he's to me is so dope he's so on one he's so ill like I would love to make a project which rot like that to me I directed him in a way that I felt I got the best out of him and to me he's he is a special talent in a way that we could create together and we and I like him I just like him he was a good dude some Hood [ __ ] with that style of comedy well what watch the movie dude there's a lot of like there is a like it is from the perspective of being out there and a lot of it was like from my friends who were black and Hispanic how they were treated by black and Hispanic people being skateboarders like there's a line from Jerrod to me of like what why people don't skate like Surf's Up you know it's like somebody was like oh you could say that yeah cuz Sheryl Crow looking [ __ ] and and a lot of it has to do with like just like subtle racism especially in the 90s in LA and the mom sees the kids and thinks they're kind of like gang members because they're different and it's like it's a beautiful message at the end I don't want to give it away but like you know like everyone judges [ __ ] people everyone does I don't care like [ __ ] racist people they're the worst disgusting people on the planet like say [ __ ] Manny's trust me oh yeah [ __ ] man it's like like I mean you're just you're disgusting person if you a racist right so like mustard mustard boys for life baby mustard boys in the building [ __ ] that but but you know what we're all guilty of judgment right you know at any time I'm judging someone I'm threatened in some way if you look down if I'm like an [ __ ] it's like he's maybe like he's better-looking or you know it's like there's some reason for it and we all got to be better I gotta be better everyone's got to be better like I don't judge race obviously I don't judge you know sexuality anything like that but like we're all guilty of labeling people based on [ __ ] we see right away as opposed to getting to know people and I think that's something everyone could you I need to be better at that you know [Music] literally I live in New York I might just join the cast of the show if you guys would have me for like once a month know I grew up in LA so shout out to big word the Baker boys I did listen y'all a big boy yo but both of the Baker boys don't get enough love they were ill dude there and and KDAY of course but but I moved to New York like five or six years ago and like this is what I listen to every morning to me it's a ritual and I would go to school in the morning I would listen to Big Boi or at Baker boys like like that's how I drove that's I started my day so like you guys start my day every day we didn't like respect Thank You Jonah one day we'll make as much money as big boy no if I was in charge of radio you guys would be paid a billion dollars there you go it's The Breakfast Club good morning [Music]

Channel: Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM

Views: 1,781,870

Keywords: the breakfast club, power1051, celebrity news, radio, video, interview, angela yee, charlamagne tha god, dj envy, jonah hill, mid90s

Id: nFj7PCuQj7E

Length: 60min 7sec (3607 seconds)

Published: Thu Oct 18 2018