Maverick Carter & Paul Rivera Talk 'The Shop,' LeBron James Retirement, Jay-Z, Rich Paul +More

wake That Ass Up ear in the morning The Breakfast Club morning everybody it's DJ Envy jessar sham the God We Are The Breakfast Club we got some special guest joining us today yes indeed from the sh no said the Sha from the shop we got mavick Carter and Paul Rivera welcome fellas thank you for having us what's up what's up what's up how y feeling feeling fantastic thank you for having us yeah how long yall known each other we met in 2009 I'm going to say yeah at Nike P was working at Nike I started my career at Nike as an intern long time ago 20 something years MH P was then I don't know what year you started working there yeah 07 07 and then we met 08 09 around there but it's like dog ears when you spend so much time so what did y'all do at night is it Nik or Nike I never I never Nike I don't work there but people always say the check they they don't used to swoosh they always say the swoosh the swoosh say the check but I was at intern in 2001 mhm then I was a consultant then they employed me I dropped out of school and started working there and I worked in sports marketing yeah my last job at Nike which is how we met and got tight was uh I was the Global Marketing Director for the LeBron brand so in the off season we take Global athlete tours take Bron to China and Madrid and do all those things so as I said dog ears because you spend a lot of time together all that you know I read Rich Paul's book and Rich Paul talks about how you know uh braon didn't know what he wanted his team to do he just was like yeah I'm gon figure something out so that was your thing MAV let me go to Nike and my thing was uh I met a gentleman who is responsible for my career named Lyn Merritt a gentleman the general the general as we call him worked at Nike for 30 years amazing amazing man a black man who I met we started talking took a liking to me and was like offer me an internship and and to your point at that moment I was 19 so LeBron would have been 16 um I was like [ __ ] this is an opportunity I'm just in college this is an opportunity to further my education I was playing basketball and when I got there I was like I want to learn here and I was like this is my dream job we all know like you guys in my family I was like this is a good ass job to this [ __ ] comes with benefit that's parents say the job go get something done at the dentist if you need it that's all that matters it was a good ass job and I get to learn and I get to be able to provide something back to LeBron his team eventually when he becomes LeBron so that was the thinking how did you know LeBron since he was 16 and 19 each other I met LeBron when I was he came to my eighth birthday party he was five um my dad and mom were friendly with his uh stepfather and mom m because where we lived on in on the north side of akan it's a Hill Called Howard Street Hill I lived on in the in the housing on top of the hill top of the hill is like a low-income neighborhood where I live at the bottom of the hill is literally the project so at the bottom of the hill that's where LeBron lived and it's literally called the bottom because and I think about that now as I've gotten older like damn it's like if you ask LeBron and you he knows you're from AR where you're from he would say the bottom but he's referencing the projects that are at the bottom of this hill but it's also at the bottom of socio economic life and everything so he was from there I was from there so we live basically in the same neighborhood I just lived in the houses he lived in the projects at the bottom of the hill and how did y'all get tight since he was so many years younger than you we he was always taller so he didn't look so he he didn't look like he was five he looked like he was 12 no his ears look like he was 17 MH um and he was always exactly like he is smart and thoughtful so he could hang so he would hang and then he started moving around he actually left the neighborhood his mom him and his mom is a number he would have to tell you they moved like nine times or something before the fourth grade bouncing around and then we reconnected when he was in Middle School I was in high school by then he was like the best middle school player in the in the city so he was always good in basketball at that age yeah by the time he was 14 13 14 in akan everybody knew of him and his teammates by the way MH who became my friends and end up being my teammate and they came to the high school I was at give them give them the MVP uh oh that's funny I am still I would never bring this up unless he made me I I I always say this to LeBron I'm the only player who's ever played on his team who won the MVP and not him was was hej hilarious was he injured he was a freshman exactly he saw the story I was a senior he was a freshman and to credit he did average a point one more Point than me he averaged 18 I average 17 but I got player the year cuz he was a cuz they gave it to cuz you was a senior so you ain't deserving so he really mess with you messing with you when do you get your demeanor though M cuz you do you have a Royal heir like you Royal yeah you talk like a royal sometimes really Roy even Roy says I'm not I thought you were from over there too cuz I was like I got to go to work sweater just sweater giv Royal I'll take it though I'll I'll take that yeah nothing wrong with it my demeanor is a cross between my mom and my dad my mom is super chill um easygoing woman and my dad is uh doesn't shut up gets ignorant um and I had a thing with my dad that I really had to one time tell him my dad was this guy I once had to tell him I moved I was living on I was 26 had my own place renovated the [ __ ] and everything he was still coming in my house and like and like you know like you walk in the house you take your shoes off and you might do that on Monday and you might not touch those shoes again you're like I'm leave these at the door I might [ __ ] with him again later in the week he might come in my house and he's just say and I come out and he came in my shoes are gone so I had to tell him like yo my man listen I will always always be your son but I am not your kid anymore if you come in my house you don't pick up things and take [ __ ] without telling me you don't there's rules in my house and I'm fine if you don't like the rules you don't come here I'll visit you at your house if you don't like but my dad is that guy so that's how you got that Mark right there dad punching out now one of one of M's best qualities though like is what you're picking up on is he's very non-emotional and I mean that in a good sense in the business sense he can make very rational calm decisions I run hot he's normally got to talk me off the ledge but I think that's one of his biggest skills and that's probably what you're picking up on always calm always cool always can make a decision with the right considerations he doesn't really often you know a lot of us get emotional it's not his thing he's always had that since I've met him before so it feels like y'all always had like a really uh like like airtight click so how does somebody like Paul get in get in that mix um I don't know is that for you is for for me my I think you know it's it's always been to your point very airtight in the sense that we love each other we believed in each other and we took this journey of growing together that that was the key right me Lebron Rich Randy have all grown together in every facet of Our Lives we've been friends for you know over two decades now as LeBron being a pro-athlete we've all had kids kids have grown up we've seen uh grow grown to be husbands fathers boyfriends friends and then we also grew in business too but we always kept those two things running parallel to each other but separate meaning meaning I always tell people when me Lebron rich and Randy are together even to this day it's not business 247 it's it is very like okay guys we have to sit down and discuss this issue we're having or this thing we need to solve or this opportunity that's in front of us but then most of the time we're at LeBron's house playing cards eating food whatever hanging like like friends would and I think P fit that same thing too he fit that mode of like oh this is a guy that's like us has a very similar background to me me and P have a very similar background being that our dads both spent time in the federal penitentiary on the way to college on the way to yes or as I was told as a kid they were waiting for vacation yes and and but he also was intelligent and also knew how to grow and was always growing as a as a friend but also in business too so I think he fit right in to be a person that was a lot like us in the sense that as friends and as business partners we were growing and going the journey with us I don't know if you want to add anything you know I I think from day one I don't know if you remember when I first took the LeBron job at Nike you know I asked you um what I needed to do to be successful in this role um and you said I was already doing it by even asking the questions and I remember the one thing you said was don't ever lie to us right meaning and not even lying like like even on some business [ __ ] it was like if you know something's not good come to me and tell me yo M I know this isn't great but it's the best I got right now and he's like and I got you I'm always going to hold you down right and I think I've never taken um the relationship for granted um I've never you know mb's my best friend M's son's my godson um M's my boss and I don't confuse those things right I don't confuse those things M's my business partner he's the CEO of the company Chief brand officer um I don't ever confuse those things or take them for granted right so when it's play time and we're having a good time and we're drinking wine and too much wine or too much Lobos and doing the thing all day and when it's work time it's like yo I got to run some things by you what do you want to do and I think we all treat it that way he's treats it he treats it that way with LeBron year 21 you know what I'm saying I think there just a um the highest level of respect accountability and honesty with each other and even when an issue May pop up because you have those things you're discussing them early before they actually become issues I think that's been like great for us I always wanted to know like when you have somebody like a LeBron or even or in in any indust Street and that artist is your friend or you know LeBron the basketball player is your friend when he has a problem with somebody do y'all have a problem with somebody is it that type of brotherhood like if that was the case me and Sh have a problem with everybody I feel like I got a problem with everybody but in that case is that the same thing with with you guys business that's a great question in the sense that like that that comes up right meaning you know back in the day had a beef for Deshaun Stevenson and and um or it may be on the court right so I think it it if he has a problem with someone the first thing we do is first off we're not at all afraid to say if he's wrong doesn't mean we would tell you the world but we will say yo that's a little you you we were having this discussion yesterday laugh with with one of us who was saying something we were like yo you're wrong man you you you're going the wrong way on this so that's number one number two if there is a problem with LeBron has a problem when he had a problem with deshun Stevenson yes it became a problem with all of us that was a real issue like that was that was a real that was a that was a real issue because LeBron's not a [ __ ] Starter by the way LeBron that is not his nature huh 100% he's not he'll get in like if you want to go there he'll do it but he never starts anything he's really thoughtful and really observant and sees everything in fact I always tell him he he'd be a much better case worker than than basketball player he sees everything like he's the guy that like you know like you go to this house to have dinner he'll be like yo Envy three cookies you're like God damn man like you got a shf they're making cookies let me eat a cookie and like get the hell off my case but anyway so he sees everything but he's not a [ __ ] starter but like in that instance it definitely was a thing that Deshawn made a thing and then one day I was actually at I was in Spain actually it was a preseason game between the Wizards and the Hornets I was with Chris Paul we were out in Spain and they acted like they really want to do something to me like a couple of wizards players like where I felt like nothing happened but you know how you be like I was in a club in Spain that's his man that's his man right there yeah and it was desan and two guys I was by myself I was with Chris they maybe had left I was just hang it was packed in Barcelona and nothing happened but you know how they they made me feel like I had to go to the bar and order two beers and I don't even really drink beer and empty them out Royal that night I'm not a royal let yall know I'm not a royal okay Royal came out let the sweater pull you so so yeah if LeBron has a problem with someone on the court it could but sometimes it doesn't like you know cuz basketball thing could be like they had an issue some he filed somebody too hard they filed him it's an issue tonight and then it's all good after the game whatever but if it's a real thing that carries on then it could be because as as one of the goats in this in in the basketball league somebody's going to have a shot right they always take shots cuz they always want take shots at the guy that's on top so it must happen all the damn time and I know a lot of times he won't reply but do yall ever feel like well he ain't going to reply but I'm going to reply nah that's not our style no that's not our St my whole thing is just keep it consistent right like keep it consistent um and I think I I'll never speak for braon but I think even you guys right you know like it comes with the territory of being in the public eye so you know you deal with it I think it's when it crosses the line and it becomes personal you're doing those types of things um you know I came into I won't say the name you know this I I bumped into someone a media personality and they were talking super Reckless actually talking Reckless about you when you did the commencement speech right you can figure out who it was at USC and for me that crossed the line cuz it was like why you know that's not you know so when I saw the person I I didn't have a problem with them or anything like that but I'm also not cool with you and the person came up to me and was like yo what's good love everything yall doing I have a problem with that I have a problem with that and I just told him I'm like yo like don't do that he like what do you mean I'm like just keep it consistent like you talk and he was like nah you know that's just for the thing I'm like no that's not that's not what we do so I think to M's point we ain't never going to start we're not you know we're businessmen's with dads but at the same time just keep it consistent and um you know there are lines that shouldn't be crossed just as men last question about show you don't know who that was I gotta find out after this who it was I remember that one did Jay-Z song agitate that situation when Jay-Z did that freestyle yeah yeah yeah for sure that was thanks and J called me I'm never forget he was he freestyled that for sure he called me one night I was late at night I was in Ohio and Jay was on tour and he had just G up the stage in Oakland he too short Le he called me he was like he just he was like I can still hear him like breathing hard he just stage he was like yo I was on stage and he came up with that [ __ ] on stage in Oakland Jay came up with that got off stage AG called me was like yo I got this and wrapped it to me through the phone I was like [ __ ] that's and I knew right away like oh this is going to make this thing that's this thing is gonna and I was like let's go and he put it out I don't know like a week later and of course that of course elevators day there's a mad verse y haven't heard you until you got 16 no chance how how instrumental has Jade been in all growth as as businessmen and and just men period one of the two three most important people um in our lives both personally and professionally because we were fortunate enough to start hanging with Jay about the same time I had that internship I was 19 um bra was 16 when we first met Jay in Chicago um I always remember how long it was because the first time we met Jay we met bigs and Tata first and then we went up to see Jay in his room at the at the Ritz and when he came down the stairs he was rapping H to H to the is and he was like yo I just let and they started talking about he was like yo I got the hit I got the single for the album so he blueprint wasn't out yet right then and we everything not just Jay but his whole crew we we looked to them and modeled our thing like that's that's what we want to be like for sure and we modeled everything we did thought do think is modeled and thought about that and then we all became separately personal friends with Jay we all have personal separate relationships with Jay that have ebbed and flowed over years meaning that spend a lot of time but we move whatever but it's always been personal and professional professional in the sense that we modeled it and studied St and and learned and personally because we all became personal friends with him that can call him and go see him and Randy has a relationship with him and LeBron has a different relationship than I do and we all have these relationships with him that go back and forth we're all in the group text with him with P now so we're always talking and laughing and did did somebody hear this new song and what do you think of that talking music talking business talking life Sports is a big connection for us we own a suite at Sofi with Jay together so been extremely instrument and it's dope till this day you know when we do something business-wise we'll be like I see yah you know it's always dope like he's the big homie like so it's nice yeah he show let's talk the shop so why does Seasons be so short he's in charge of the shop oh now he he said I'm the boss I get those but he's in charge cuz y'all know people want more I mean and it's probably a good thing that you leave people like wanting more but they be short how many how many episodes we going see yeah so so you know that's the most consistent feedback we have for sure I think if I had to pick I'd want people to want more then be like why y'all still up here still talking yeah um you know we film charlamagne's been on an episode he had a great episode actually great Kevin har Kevin Love l n x little nzx and uh CJ gr right no grank wasn't on gr yes they both were yeah yeah so um you know what look the episodes we get lost in the episodes meaning you know and you can speak for it's like we're there we tape for an hour and a half two hours sometimes um but we found um the model Works a little better when we're shorter so we're you know 30 35 minutes I think M's only uh you know point on this thing is let's just make sure the content should dictate how long the episode is right so if we have a great Hour episode great if we have a great 27 minute episode great um but that's the most consistent feedback we get for sure but I think that to his point the the person who's has the hardest job and is the most talented job for the show is the editor because as you guys know at the edit of this show you're sitting in a room with five six people the conversation goes this way goes that way it goes this way it goes that way and the editor has to string that together so when you watch it it feels like one cuz in the room we're doing all type of [ __ ] last episode Nelly had to pee in the middle of it so to so to get that continuity and to string it together it's really hard the editor is amazing to be able to pull that together that's very hard because I may you may start a thought he may jump in you may jump in you may come back to that thought 20 minutes later like oh I got something to add to that and then you go to edit that together so that becomes a very hard job of making it seem like one it is one conversation but make it have continuity through the what made y'all start the shop like what what was the the reason for it were you tied bored or no I I will I'll tell you you know was similar to a conversation like this I was I found myself in rooms uh with people who I respect um and was learning you know I made the comment and I said I learned more in some of these rooms than I did in like my formal education right um and my point was like man I could have used a lot of this information when I was 17 right so it was like you know what can we create that allows people the 17y old versions of Prav um to be a fly on the wall right it was supposed to be a podcast at first and then I took it to Randy one of our other partners and as partners often and do he made the idea better and was like yo like we should actually make it like in a shop and have real Barber Shop conversations so I think the beauty of it is it was never intended to be a show it was never intended to be this franchise this brand as anything um it was trying it came from an inside of like man like what if we can broaden these conversations for our communities and younger the younger versions of us and it's grown into what it's grown into right couldn't be any prouder of it I want I want to ask you guys a question though our first episode season 7 you just referenced Nelly um as experts you heard Nelly say his era hip-hop was the toughest era most competitive you guys agree you guys disagree I agree with the names that he said yes hell yeah I agree uh it depends what you're talking about if you're talking about music and like business and sales wise yes lyrically I don't think so yeah know yeah if you talking lyrics I don't think that was the got toughest ER got you I think he was talking about selling you talking about selling probably yeah lyrically which era would you say I mean I would say the 94 probably like that whole 94 era when you first got Nas when you first got big when you first got Jay like that's when wuang like that's that to me that would be that eror so Jay thought before that the ' 80s the like late l80s Kane Coogi rap that wasn't my how old are you 45 yeah I'm 42 yeah I I I remember remember yeah I didn't live it I didn't live it Jay would say that he would say Raper um Kan that's what he said lyrically that's your to your question n i mean I'm from New York so that that that era was Heavy the co G raps The Rock Kims the Big Daddy canes but there was nothing like the Jays the big the Nas and and and we didn't live that late 80s era though they lived it like Jay was there he lived it we didn't live that era yeah biggie I mean during that time I mean because you could go back back and forth the lyrics I did mixt back then and I and I remember and I still rap you know still play it now but there was nothing like The Bigs the Jays the nas the when when when when that's how I felt yeah the out a little L later it was bow and Romeo oh good when I came they they were get in B one of your goats Maverick you can't front on that's Ohio you cannot front on bowwow CLA I am bowwow is fantastic and always been entertainer yeah I love it nice gowns nice Royal that's a royal answer you see yes it is I like that what was your answer to what Nelly said what was your thought um being from New York as well I I think I think that era I think uh I think think you think which one I think uh mid90s yeah I think so I think just but your point charlam is a right one it's like depends what the metric is we're talking about we're talking about lyricism we're talking about just successful record sold the problem you the reason why you can't do it on successful record sold because it's not Apples to Apples lyrics is Apples to Apples like who can really write songs because based on records sold well then you have to track hip-hop's growth as a genre like hip-hop was just bigger like yeah the the reason Nelly and Eminem and J could sell more than the people in the late 80s because Hip Hop was still undergound like you mean it's a little unfair to talk about but there was no streaming so it it made it difficult you had to go buy records you had to go to the actual store it was a lot different and back then it's they didn't have the releases like they do now now you could just write a record today and put it out tomorrow back then it was it was set up on a schedule it had to come out on a certain quarter and like you said besides Eminem you know Nelly Jay you had Nas you had DMX who was a that time had R was a beast at that like you had heavy HS maybe the biggest or the biggest Cash Money during that time stupid amount of yeah like you had those guys that was selling records and like you said they would never share a release date because you never wanted to share your sales with somebody so that those were the times Nell's interesting though because he was like the overachiever we no they nobody had that expectation of Nelly including Nelly if you ask Nelly was like I thought we'd make some some some money open up a couple liquor stores and the L even when he was selling that much you were like really yeah like you don't expect you didn't expect of him for sure you know I want to ask y'all something about the shop cuz I can't remember if it's the shop or all the smoke I can't remember which came first but it but it feels like y'all created the New Media landscape of athletes having their own platforms how important do you think that is to to to them contributing to their narratives and controlling their narratives now I think um um thank you for saying that by the way I listen that was I tell people all the time like when going back to the beginning of what you just discussed was um in 2010 when we got killed and ostracized for LeBron toing the decision and then in 2014 he essentially did the same thing but he chose a new medium instead of being on TV he wrote a letter and it was rece and he was also going back to Cleveland which helped but it was received much differently and then we started to company with that at the center of like athlete empowerment and and um really having athletes be in a place where they can tell this tell their stories the way they like and what how they feel and it and it's gone really far which is actually what we wanted we wanted all the smoke to happen and we wanted I am athlete to happen and we wanted new heights to happen all these things it's Fant fantastic we celebrate it we think it's amazing and and are here for it I think the idea of of controlling your narrative sometimes gets misused in the sense that like our ambition was always for to tell stories to tell Amazing Amazing Stories it's not about it's not about necessarily like a politician who needs to get boats and control your make people feel this way or that way about you it's like telling your story and some people can love it and some people may not but the fact that all these things have come now is amazing to us and we celebrate it and I think for us it was always about building a company and a place and a brand that was that represented Amazing Stories the ability to tell Amazing Stories and building a place that that could work with athletes and give them the proper resources to tell these Amazing Stories and we've been fortunate enough to tell a lot of amazing ones from Muhammad Ali to Neymar to Naomi oshaka to obviously lots of things with LeBron and when emies and we've been happy but the thing we're most proud about is that all these now other athletes are doing it too and we love that I wanted to ask because you mentioned uh when when they made the decision to go to Miami as a team it was different right because you guys changed the narrative for NBA right meaning most players they good players they stay on that team forever win lose bad draw but you guys hearing the narrative and saying hey these owners make decisions for us now we're going to make our own decisions to see where we want want to go where we want to play with and that changed the NBA forever how was that conversation as a team because I'm sure somebody on the team was like I don't know how this is going to come across cuz y boss up was like well [ __ ] it we GNA do it our way anyway I remember Rich Paul vividly being upset during the decision on Twitter heally I I I remember that completely um it's it gets interesting that what you just said but Rich yeah he was vividly upset he he was right by the way for the the the thing he was saying and feeling um but LeBron was right also and and you know those two things can be mutually exclusive you don't have to have a right and a wrong right you can two things can be right at the same time LeBron was right in the sense that here's the one thing LeBron LeBron has a quality that Jay-Z has I always tell people this LeBron always knows what's right for him it's a quality that I wish I had and we probably always he he just Nails it all the time always nail Jay is like that Jay always knows I'mma do this song I'mma do this feature not that feature you like why he can't explain it to you but if you ask LeBron man should I have chicken or fish tonight he's like how the hell do I know what you should eat like but he knows exactly in the most intricate hard time going back to Cleveland I didn't I was like I don't think this is right like he was like I'm not going back that I'm not going to the bottom anymore I'm done with the bottom I moved to LA I did not go back actually but I thought it was not right because of the of Dan Gilbert the owner in Cleveland like why would that man said that about he crazy why would you go go back and help him and he knew and he said something to me he said Mia we I'm in favor of progress over pride get rid of your pride you're making a prideful statement and I was like I am and I'm gonna make it again I'm like I would not do that I would have not ever went back to Cleveland he knew that was right for him so LeBron always was able to do that and I think you know to your point you said he changed what happens in the NBA but the fact of the matter is again a bit like hipop the NBA has just gotten bigger more talked about more players have like Kareem left the Bucks and went to like players have done that before that wasn't a new sh idea Shaq but it just became bigger you know the conversions of LeBron how big the NBA was we did the decision all those things combined made it seem much bigger but but LeBron always knows he has a sense like a sick sense of like I should do this and not that I mean that it was good that's his greatest Championship like that'sand going back that's the one I mean he would that's a good question like are all championships created equal your answer is no no absolutely not I I always said if LeBron stayed 20 years in Cleveland or 21 years and had that one ring I think they the argument between him and MJ wouldn't be what it is what do you mean I think people might give it up to Bron definitively oh God it that one ring means more than the four you think yeah absolutely and I think Paulo agree I think if he comes to New York and WIS wi in New York don't get me in trouble you know want to ask about the shot PA what's up bab that was a risk right putting a a active player and giving them a platform then um and letting them talk freely maybe so but to to M's earlier point Ron is so clear and what makes sense for him and I think it's never um risk if it's authentic to you right like if you believe in what you're saying I think braon has always been very clear on what he wants to say how he wants to say it and double down on it stand on business as the kid say um but uh it was one of the first of its kind I think look I think the shop is unique you know the barber shop as for men here the barber shop um isn't a a new idea right I think what was different from ours was the diverse rooms and voices we put in a room um and the conversations we have what you won't hear in the shop is like who's the best basketball player ever I mean it's LeBron but neither here nor there like uh you know you won't hear any of those things not the best he's greatest Deb no come on come on we'll we'll take it it's still Michael it's still Kobe Fair there's another there's another kid from akan you can put in there to Maverick he born in akan Maverick Carter Steph Curry not in the goat conversation yes no no no of all time Paul stop of all time yes Steph Curry revolutionized basketball great to be clear Steph greatest shooter of all time for sure yeah yeah um and he beat and he beat Braun 3 to one in NBA Finals Golden State beat No One Beat Braun he didn't play one yeah yeah thank you this going be a good Tes back of this my Royal shirt on I love that but no I mean look the the shop the conversation is there though yeah no but makes it what makes it different for me of the shop is just these conversations right the conversations we have and I think you know not TR but the product when you think about it is it all feels like an extension of the conversation we're trying to have with our community right we view the shop not just as a show anymore we view it as a brand but more importantly as a platform to have those conversations so like you know the Men's Grooming line was just an extension of those conversations it makes sense and you'll see more of it right you'll see you know we've taken the shot from a show to live experiences HBCU tour I saw you on one of the tours um live city tour products you know experiences all those things so you know we're treating it like a platform and want to make sure we're just authentic to like that barber shop experience absolutely how do you pick your guest cuz not any and everybody can just get on the shop you know what I mean like how do you guys scout out your guys well we start with the idea of of trying to get a room of people who will have a interesting conversation like very interesting conversation so not all musicians are all athletes like how do you get people from different walks of life cuz that is when you grew up going to the barber shop like we all did the whole point of it was when you went to my barber shop as a kid there'd be like the fireman the city worker the local drug dealer they were all there the conversation kind of ebed and flowed and took these twists and turns it would start off like talking about high school football then you might talk about NFL football then it might go into the politics of the city and what's happening with the mayor and you know there was always the guy in there who was preaching like we should be paying more attention to politics and education so we try and bring that to life that feeling of like these are all different people you have the the mom in there with her son so women were always represented in in in the shop so we try and always go like okay how can we create a a room of diversity different people and also people who won't just agree with each other um my grandmother had a saying that I still say this day I say it in the company all time if two people always agree one person isn't needed so we try and bring that in our company but also in the shop always like to have a it doesn't have to be an AR it's not an argument right it's like an interesting conversation where because to me I always say all my friends all the people I hang with are people that I almost eight or nine times out of 10 when I sit and talk with them they say something to me that I go damn I never thought about it that way those are the best type of conversation to me that means you I'm either learning something or you're pushing me to think about something differently doesn't mean I agree with you but it just means I never thought about it that way damn that's interesting I need to think I was having a conversation with a writer yesterday Wright Thompson I don't know if you guys know Wright Thompson fantastic writer from Mississippi um and he's he's written his book on emit till that I encourage everyone called the barn and it's it's very awesome this book He's written and we had a was supposed to be an hour conversation we were talking about his book He's wrote many books but this is his third book I think and he's a writer for ESPN a white dude from from uh from a little small town in Mississippi and I was learning so much and he was pushing me to think we went on for two and a half hours because I was just kept going like damn you're right I never thought about it that way think what about this how do and we were just going back and forth and didn't agree on everything and he was telling me about his and like those are the best conversations so we try and bring that feeling to the shop cuz that was the feeling we I had as a kid in the shop a lot of the [ __ ] that I know and feel my demeanor comes from the barber shop I grew up in Kareem's on on mild and Howard on the corner of mild and Howard I grew up going there that that everything about me comes from that place what's the difference between the shop and Mavericks with MAV Carter or even now LeBron show with JJ redit like what's going to separate those three shows great question LeBron on show I don't know if you guys have watched it a new episode comes today or tomorrow too too high level for me I about to say it is that is not for the Casual bath it is two scientists LeBron mind the game LeBron and JJ reck is like watching two scientists talk about you know mixing chem chemicals in in a laboratory or two wine SoMo talking about you know the the soil in which the so that is a very it's so deep in fact there's a you when you watch it there's a key for like when they use a term that you have to and listen I played basketball at a pretty high I played division one basketball in in the Mid-American Conference so I feel like I know basketball really well and I can keep up but when they talk I have to sometimes go guys what does that mean some of their terms and then when I then when they say the term I'm like okay I know what that is that show is about basketball JJ and LeBron are both super high level like genius level basketball but they do bring it to a level where JJ does mostly to a level that is digestible and if you love hoops and you want to get smarter about hoops and watch the game and understand it in a different way that show is for you gotta that show is for you and they that show came out last week the first episode they're going to do an episode it's going to get great they eventually will bring guests on like coaches other players but that show is going to be the place anybody in basketball who wants to go and show I also know basketball very well my show is a much different show um shout out to KP who runs uh the Spring Hill brand who pushed me to do it I did not want to do it um not because of any other reason besides I have enough jobs all [ __ ] ready um but it's all about bringing on people who one-on-one will force me to have a conversation where I go damn that's interesting so I had sha D Rimes on who I am a fan of her but I never watch all of her shows I am not like a a sha Delan who've seen every episode of Every show but I also go into every episode not you guys do this every day every single day I don't do it every day but I don't overly prepare and the reason I don't overly prepare is because I want to let my actual curiosity just guide me through that conversation just naturally I don't to know too much about you because I actually sit there I had Jay shett on who I had never heard of before he came on the show now I I learned so much from him and talking to him that's saw a guy yes a good man so that show is about bringing on people who are the most interesting people in the world to me and I'm I'm personally interested in learning from and hopefully the audience will learn as I learn with them and then the shop which is the the oldest version of it is obviously multi there's many people on the show and it's about community in the sense that we're all part of a one big Community but bringing people together that from all walks of life to push and Challenge and laugh about different topics let me what was what was your experience like on the shop as a guest oh I loved it it felt like exactly how you said it just felt like a kickback and you can actually get too loose and get lost in conversation you know and I got introduced to a fantastic wine sou been buying it ever since got to go one for me like the the greatest compliment I've ever been paid on the shop was when we had Jay on um and Jay was sitting to my left like Jess's and um we're talking and doing what we do and and Jay kind of looks over at me he's like yo when do we start recording and I'm like we've been recording for 20 minutes wow right and it's like it just let me know that we're having an organic conversation that you never hear similar to you never hear action you never we're having a conversation I think that's when you get the good stuff right you guys are the best at it it's like when you get the good it's just conversation doesn't feel like a Q&A or an interview was HBO necessary absolutely HBO was a fantastic partner HBO validated the shop because HBO in my humble opinion it's it's it's not the same anymore it which saddens me a bit HBO was the Louis Vuitton of of TV and media it was it was the the poror of TV IMM media it was Nike like it was the one of those Brands top when you were on HBO it meant like [ __ ] that's an HBO show when I said to you are you watching blah blah blah blah blah you go where's that like it's on HBO you're like oh okay yeah oh and all the other networks have had good shows and hits but HBO getting that snap it I told one time I told the CEO of HBO Richard plepper at the time I said us having the shop on HBO is like getting your own sneak Nike M and he said I'm going to use that in the Board Room I said that's what HBO means you ever show on HBO it's literally like oh I got a my own shoe from Nike so it definitely it definitely matters yeah people ask me I'm like you no one needs the New York Yankees but they validate you you're New York Yankee right and I think for us to answer your question Charlamagne like we learned a lot from them they were great a great partner for us um learned a ton in the Four Seasons we were with them um and I think we grew up as a business as entrepreneurs as a show and it was just time for us to you know take it on our own and grow our own audience and and explore other opportunities um but they were a great partner for us I think uh if we could do it all over again we've said we'd do it again we do you know they absolutely the right move at that time yeah and my last question it feels like 21 years has gone by very quickly oh man nobody nobody expected 21 years I don't you don't you don't not not at this this level so when did y'all start up when did y'all start setting up for Life After B basketball um uh probably in year four not not in the like not in a way of like what are we going to do when basketball's over more so like I tell people I left Nike and LeBron was like yo I want you to come help me fireing my agent come work with me did that for the first I mean not now any not anymore but probably as recently as like three or four years ago but definitely at the beginning I said I started to think my first name was LeBron's and my last name was friend hilarious that's how I got introduced LeBron's friend I was like damn my my last name is friend and my first name is LeBron four years ago they were still doing that n i mean not in a not in a way like like not in a way like that that's why I corrected myself like the beginning but still for sure some people go oh this is matter like they won't say friend anymore they dropped a friend which is but so I would say we didn't start talking about it in a way that was like what are we going to do when basketball's over we got to be very tactical and thoughtful it wasn't like that it was actually just more like pure human emotion and and and a bit ego too of like of like me Rich Randy going like we're going to work until we're no longer in introduces LeBron's friend like that was a big part of it that that that actually I think I still I'm almost sure I still have that chip and LeBron was completely he was the ring leader of it like yo I want you guys to it's funny he talks about now he's like I used he'll say to me now or to Rich I wanted you guys always to go be your own become your own men but I never knew it turn into so much I don't even see I need you to come back I didn't SE like I we used to hang like we don't because we work so much but so it was more like that like that feeling of like and then and then strategy and tactics obviously how we thought about it became a thing rich found his Lane and became the best agent in sports uh was never going to be my thing I liked being more of an entrepreneur doing other things and Randy found his Lane always being you know in charge of everything LeBron and LeBron's Chief of Staff but actually talking about post basketball the first time I had a conversation of of really post basketball LeBron the first time he said the word retirement to me was five weeks ago first time I've ever heard him say the word man we should sit sit down and talk about retirement I never he had never said that to me and we actually I was like oh [ __ ] I guess we should so we never and we sat down was like okay here's all the things to think about there's this there's media do you w to you're never going to call games do you want to do more stuff in media team owner and we're like let's just lay it all out and you can think about it but literally I was I can look back they were in Houston playing the Rockets because I flew to Houston I was in Houston already and I flew and I went and saw him first time we he ever mentioned the word retirement what do you what let's talk about retir the headlines are going to say Maverick says LeBron talks retirement so this might be his last season that's what the headlines are going to be after he heard Charlamagne the God say LeBron LeBron is actually going to play 10 more years to prove Charlamagne the god he's one of the alltime great no he is one of the all time great to three did you realize you was spoiled in that moment what do you mean when he said five weeks ago he was going to retire and you you ever a look be like it isn't normal that for somebody to play 21 years you know a normal it's it's not normal for anybody to do it's hard to do anything for 21 years at this level and when you add the level when you add the toll um I think if LeBron could play if LeBron didn't have to play Road games he might play 10 more year he could play 10 more what's really wearing on him is to travel leaving family leaving his house you know waking up in a hotel in Milwaukee and he's like why am I here again he would tell you like why am I here again and you a billionaire already I got a lovely house and a wife and kids in LA and I'm and he would tell you but the minute he walked into the arena and the lights come on he's like oh yes game time this is why I'm here but in that hotel in Indiana in March he's like the [ __ ] am I doing here why am I here I always tell people that's the hardest thing like to be that guy that long and to really still go out there and play basketball and like it's not it's clearly not about the money like if anybody thought he was playing for money clearly not but I think um I realized um I think I'm definitely spoiled because I've been up close and personal to see a person who is so dedicated so committed for so long so I've been able to see that and it's I was spoiled jaded a bit naive to like oh this is what how it's supposed to go it's not but then I think as fans I sometimes am like even when I'm in La sometimes like [ __ ] I worked all day La the traffic is a beast as we all know I got to drive all the way downtown but I'm like but it's [ __ ] LeBron James I'm going to watch LeBron James I'm going like that is when I think about that point that you brought up for sure but it's definitely a sense of like we all got spoiled as even all of us as basketball fans that he's going to be here forever or he played 21 he's played 21 seasons and not had one he's never had a bad season Never Never Had a Bad season not even close to a Bad season I think what y'all do is respect it it's not going to be appreciated until he walks away when he walks away they're going to look at the whole totality of everything that y'all accomplish and that's when they going to like really give give yall the just do I mean I think that happens with a lot of things right but why is that right I don't know CU it happens in a lot everything I don't think people respect each till is gone MH when it's gone but that's when you get a chance to really sit back and watch at we look at things in segments now like we're looking at it see but we look at the whole totality of everything that's been accomplished over the last 20 years but then we say does it continue because LeBron has two boys that are amazing in basketball does now does it continue now do you continue on that same lineage never be another LeBron James not even not it's it's it's nothing's impossible but the the things that make him who he is it's it's really hard to get that cocktail of things to make that person who he is well if the Nicks uh pick his son are you moving to New York that's last question have the Nick I love New York would that and me and you'll talk off all right all right come to New York all the time I would love to be in New York I appreciate you guys for joining us Maverick cter Paul Rivera thanks for us uh seventh season of the shop that's right the shop on YouTube and definitely check out all the uh grooming products that they have now have for Ms that bring their sons in the barber shop but you know there are you start helping them learning grooming because you know a lot of young boys and men think grooming and face care is for special occasions it's for every day every day wash it's fully adap right moisturize skin every day it's not for just when you go to the prom or the big basketball game it's daily so that's what you got to do okay and I can take the mirror yes and be the all be the face it's The Breakfast Club good morning wake that ass up early in the morning The Breakfast Club

Channel: Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM

Views: 105,851

Keywords: the breakfast club, breakfast club, power1051, celebrity news, radio, video, interview, charlamagne tha god, dj envy, jess hilarious

Id: TKgvQ9Wwo40

Length: 51min 34sec (3094 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 27 2024