Taraji P. Henson Talks Empire, Family, Mental Health & More | expediTIously Podcast

it seems like we're always like we've made it until we've golden globe but that was in places that really don't want to say okay guys hey welcome to expeditiously I don't know if you have caught on yet but my next guest is someone whose body of work includes some of my all-time favorite movies and television series she's someone that we have grown up to love in her stand out rose from cookie and Empire to sugar and hustle and flow your vet and baby boy she has earned three Emmy nominations a golden glow' Critics Choice Award and three beads here Wars I normally don't announce awards but I had to lift up the work of this one okay she is our very own round away girl please welcome to expeditiously my sister the great to rise your P hence everything you've been quite the busy young lady what does this drive come from and not trying to be back there fear of being broke yeah needing some money is carlos vela would say I just I don't know I just um I got it from my parents you know my dad was a metal fabricator he fought and nah my mom was a bull you know she worked at Woodward and Lothrop no I don't it was bought out by Macy's got you and um big-time retail yeah thank you and she worked her way up from the basement putting tags on merchandise to hack owning her having her own office with employees under her so I watched that happen you know I watched her go from wearing she only had like one pair of dress shoes for the whole year to moving on up so when you're around that how do you not how is that not how does that that transfer to you I used to go on jobs with my dad so that all transferred right I mean I think that you know that same blue-collar attitude you know to me is what we've all been gravitating towards you know what I'm saying you have like I guess a down-home directness do you think that this is something that makes it more difficult for women especially black women to succeed in this business it's just hard for black women period mmm I don't care what business you're in is just really hard man that sounds tough coming from the most I mean accomplished successful most brilliant beings on the planet so to say this right you do one know why - I have - I could be I don't want to name-drop because I don't want to pick people out but you know we can see that made me just take Jennifer Lawrence cuz I love her and I don't ever want this to get out and you know saying but I'm just saying other actresses who are not black they make more money so that's why they have the privilege of doing maybe one or two projects a year or maybe sometimes you will see them one time of year mmm no why because they're paid but I got a hustle you see actors like me Biola Octavia working we're grinding because we're not making the money Regina King Regina can we have two baby we have two that's why it looks like we we work hard we have two yeah we have to work on I mean I think that um I wish I could do one [ __ ] movie and make 20 million in oh ten if I could just make ten million or one flick I'm chilling the rest of the year but I have to work like this we're gonna try and figure out a way to get that done and I know I know just the way I learned it from my guy tied up here you put your own money up and do it yourself I gotta make my own money first yeah you know more money more problems right so the more money you make the more bills you have the more people you have to hire so I'm working to pay the people I take care of people that I work but I need you know what I'm saying I'm having to work I gotta work can't take a break I can do I invest you gotta understand I invest I have my hairline nose droppings that's dope let's hear about that yeah you know it's dropping soon it's a soft launch December 29th Oh hard launches January 20 I can't give a lot of information but it's really big but what if I just wanted to be an actress I mean I know we're in the daytime now that you have to build a brand you have to branch off because acting is just not gonna sustain you forever to invest in movies with oh oh oh yeah yeah yeah we I wanted to run up okay finger white was baby okay so listen to me so this this is this has been my challenge we are okay you know how the civil rights movement start it is because of the death of a child named Emmett Till right that is why the civil rights movement even started that's right so why is it that we have a story about Martin Luther King we have a story about Rosa Parks we have a story about everybody centered around the civil rights movement except for the child's death hmm who sparked it I've heard rumors and rumblings and it's frustrating because I almost ran up on Beyonce and jay-z was like give me the money but hey check this out check this out no this is what I'm trying to tell you usually no matter how big our problems are the problem ain't the problem the lack of a solution is the problem so if you can identify the problem you just need to get it you didn't need to feel the room with enough people who can come up with the solution for their problem and the problem was it would no longer exist I think that you are a phenomenally talented gifted and accomplished actress and y'all support you in the culture you like all of our system and our teas and mamas and and girlfriends baby mamas and why I like you represent somehow every fashion of black woman in every relationship that any man could possibly have so I never want you to feel in any way discouraged I never want you to feel in any way like you're not appreciated I never want you to feel in any way like you are not enough because you lack nothing and we appreciate you for everything you've contributed to honestly I feel that from the people and so I've honestly made a conscious choice not to try to fit in where we're not wanted that's right like I'm tired of begging the Golden Globes and I don't beg but I'm just saying it seems like we're always like we've made it until we've go the globe but that was in places that really don't want us there you know what I mean and why is it that that's the end all and be all oh you're talented or you made it or you're celebrity or is your success that you're setting yourself up to get your feelings hurt each and every time you tried to belong to a club that doesn't want you right but we are always doing this well we always find ourselves hashtagging Oscar so why should we care we have enough time enough money to create our own they build up the beat you I mean let's make the n-double-a-cp Image Awards bigger than what it I mean you know what I'm saying like we have the resources to do it that's right but we're so busy trying to get validation seek validation from other places where we're just not nurtured mm-hmm dig admit and it's like a vicious cycle is almost insanity it's almost every year we wait for them to go yeah you you're approved and then when they don't we get in our feelings we get salty and it's always a hashtag but that's that we're we're being controlled by that IIIi am a firm believer and this is a philosophy that I try to base my life on and it is basically if you live for the Cheers you will die about the booze that part and be clear on what it is you're doing I might for the applause like I'm for changing I'm an artist to the bone hmm so whatever I do I hope it's affecting someone in a positive way I hope some images I'm portraying someone in the audience is going oh god that's me I need to work on that you know what I mean I'm trying to inspire the way art inspired me and kept me off the streets and kept me from going to jail on account me from doing bad [ __ ] that my friends were doing you know their art saved me so I know how powerful art is I take that really I'm very serious about my [ __ ] so because I know why my purpose in this mmm I'll take it very seriously that's when I choose the roles I choose you know I choose the roles that seem to be quite stereotypical because I know I can bring humanity to them I know I can make people go hmm oh wow I know this girl maybe I need to feel a different way about her well they can see why she's loud or they can understand why she has this attitude or this rage you know so that's why I try to play those characters because you know in the hands of the wrong actor they could just be a serial type nobody's gonna connect to another sassy black girl they got you know quick clap backs and sassy but they need to see why she's like that see that brings me to my next question I think they're not gonna do that because they're intimidated by that's not that's just me but I ask you why do you think Hollywood and I guess you could say Society has such deep rooted issues with black women and a realness that's the light that's a question of a light I just I mean what is it know like you know I mean like is it because you know they don't they don't want to feel the rejection of a black because the black like quick when you ain't good enough yeah when you have fallen short of the glory they're gonna make sure that you know then you hold yourself accountable is I think I think it's like the fear of facing that moment well any time you hate on a person or a particular group of people hate is stems from fear this is true so I can't answer what they're fearful of because we are nothing but good I mean we are not shoppers during slavery nurse their babies to the point where our breast was empty and we could not feed our own children so why you fear us so much and you have so much hate for us is beyond me because every movie we ever tell every store we ever show we always show us reaching across the table mm-hmm right you know being inclusive right you know helping even the enemy right brushing the the ones hair who killed the innocent man in his damn house you know that's in us yeah so that's their fear I can't answer I also feel like reducing themselves as to not offend anyone else I think that you know I think black women for a long time have had to kind of take a backseat or felt like they had to take a backseat so they wouldn't offend their bosses by having the right answers in the meeting or you know what I'm saying like like I think that that has been been predicated throughout history in so many different ways so we're now just you know saying I think you know now black women saying [ __ ] this [ __ ] I agree I see we are kind of firm we need to cut it out with the strong bout nothing I see where y'all come fro therefore with the black girl magic because it dehumanizes us nothing well I understand doubt it I'll I want y'all to do and make sure that you continue to do is recognize your allies you understand it cut none of us can make make it out here alone ok that's it I just think once we recognize our ally we can accomplish anything in the world we hope to it black women right well the first thing black women have to do is start embracing each other we have to stick together first right and in that that means you know supporting relationships I'm the type of woman if I know some I got a man it's off you know what I'm saying if I'm a no because that's karma you know it is because if you reckon home and you think your home is gonna be okay that's I mean come on Karma's gonna get you at some point hey I'm not I'm just sayin that's just how I operate so it's fine but but I'm saying that you can't absolutely but black we have to we first have to come together as a sisterhood because we are greater and we are more impactful in numbers but see Society has pitted all women against each other and then when you get down to the lower part of the totem pole where we dwell now we have nothing so now we're scrapping with each other over everything jobs men everything like I don't I think that and this is this is a very dangerous this is a very very very dangerous statement that I'm about to make but I'm going to make it because I am trouble man this is the video statement is the basis for the reason why I feel like women would never reach true equality okay say no but go ahead and the reason why I feel like that is because they weren't meant to be equal they were meant to be greater than you do gonna say I feel like women should be treated greater than you know what I mean that's why I feel um is walking in the room I'm all for her my seat is why when I make it to the door first I'm gonna make sure that I make it to the door first so I can open it for her like this you know that is what I feel you have earned the right and shown that you deserve and I think that preaching equality that's kind of like your okay manner here women are here and women are saying hey we should be treated equal I don't think this I don't think that's the else I think it's hey you guys ain't treating us good enough you know what I'm saying I think that's I think that's the approach to me you know I mean but that's neither here nor there I think that you guys have you know you don't like you you know don't clap too loud too soon [Laughter] that's beautiful for T to hear a man say no I've really feel like that man that Y be trippin like you know saying like damn like you know it's double standards because like to be honest with you for the most part my focus is supposed to be accommodating you guys and when they tend to not do so you asked for equality but that's not now you shouldn't ever seek equality because I feel like you should be you know greater than you know I mean you should just acknowledge a man y'all ain't living up to what y'all supposed to be doing so y'all need to get on y'all game but that's not equality that's still recognizing y'all should be treating us greater than that that's just mean how do you tell a man's ego that a man the reason why women are in the position that they're in right now is because of men I will accept that statement if you acknowledge that that goes for good and bad you did what I'm saying if you acknowledge that goes for good and bad I'll accept that statement but if you say the reason we are in all the worst positions and again what the reason that we're in the position that we here right now is because of black women I can go that's fine ain't never all with it what you mean reason why we in a position where because I don't know what that means exactly so the same way you feel when I see it is the same way I said women I said women this is the man's world this is a man's world this is the devil's work that's intellectually speaking okay great that's intellectually speaking let's talk about what it is now you see what happened when a woman tried to get in office she was sabotage by men wait a minute just wait a minute if we're speaking on this particular subject I think that she kind of we can say that all I voted for her and I wanted her to popular vote baby but there was a decision to do or not do something that she made that nobody else had no handiing but her and I feel like those are the decisions that kind of led to her not being in office I don't think there was a man that came in and did something I you know I mean she was up against the man who played dirty pilots are politicians play dirty politics that's why we that's why you know we called it politics does she stupid low with him mouth nope I'm right she did not she did not and nothing is worse than what we have so you know I'm saying I'm not going to argue on his defense I'm just gonna be honest about this this conversation that women are having about not being paid equally that's abortion [ __ ] no I'm saying that's [ __ ] if you do the same job as a man you work at the same place as a man you're just qualified just competent just as able as a man you should make the same money well that's not the case that brings me back to my point men put us in this position it's also men that they're fine absolutely I'm not saying all men's we I'm talking before you I'm talking about the forefathers that's what I'm no saint [ __ ] here at me down in photo absolutely I mean they [ __ ] us all over but at the end of the day a man a black man will get a better paying job before black woman will that's been my experience I'm telling you from my experience in this industry other people I'm not trying to argue I'm not trying to argue that point shape form or fashion however I think we must place value in the things that are truly important and valuable and you guys have something priceless that cannot be reproduced and I think that's your energy your digne saying you have an unwavering strength and undeniable energy that supersedes any amount of money any payment for any service and somebody got to stand on the line and say man to y'all treat me the way that I need to be treated and handle it the way I change will change soon come then you know my check before the problem is I think it is a check how is it not you if you may sacrifices like you have been in in some areas we make those sacrifices in other areas let's say financially you could invest in things and be more of a total kind of owner of it instead of asking to be higher I think that women too can do what Ice Cube do and we are but what I'm telling you is that we're not getting the same amount of money sweetheart I know this for sure I just finished the deal of my own I mean was that to star in a movie or was that to fund a movie and producing that pie availabe yeah all of us okay what [ __ ] man I don't think that's fair how could we be fair this changed the Cullens what color do you like my favorite is red my favorite is yellow so I mean green I mean listen man I know that the road gets tough and you've had you know a tumultuous day and I've had to mow choose a few months I mean I'm going through a lot and I ain't I refuse to complain my bag I carry my bad is when you're a public figure you just have to go into it knowing that everybody don't like you ain't number one you'll be fool to think everybody likes you and number two you will be a fool and you would be crazy in the brain if you go out here and try to please everybody yes just Jesus got nailed to the cross you do you see so so they say don't get me stuff if you get it to the story that's just like the moral of the story is no matter how good you are mm-hmm you will get nailed to the cross but we somebody okay you will get near to the cross by somebody who's unfit to criticize that part and just because they're not living their life under a microscope we can't pick apart their flaws like they can't ours it ain't even today in a day it ain't could they live it day living it like through a microscope it's just cuz they keep this [ __ ] under wraps and they're not understand they can say things yeah that no one will ever care about you say something yeah somebody disagrees and decides to create a hashtag right now we're [ __ ] or we're cancel you talk about the culture you talk about the luxury of being nobody in luxury of being nobody they have they have an exclusive anonymity they operate with their and you know they can have an opinion one day and have a completely contrasting opinion next week and nobody will know and nobody will care where we are hold we are held to all of our statements and positions no just don't try to please everybody tip you can't okay I just don't give a [ __ ] so much cuz you happy good person I'm doing good right by your family I care about the people who are exactly I can't by the people who around me man what and you care about your community because you do a lot of work for the community I do I do I do I do but what I'm saying is where my children mm-hmm my lady my friends my momma you know what I mean I care about what they think about me and I have another philosophy you can't give the most consideration to people with the least amount of information so usually the people who especially judging and criticizing or social media have the least amount of information about us they jump on the bandwagon they turn a headline into your whole life yep you know anything and that just ain't the way [ __ ] is so I removed their power from them by not paying attention to this sheet and I focus on the people around me if these people if I see if it's in my face then is real hmm but if it's only on social media I mean I got to pick up my phone here the app dive in the comment I got the scroll about three four times to find what somebody said something that was unsavory about me only to get some attention from me because that is probably the most important thing that will happen in their life this year and I mean I think that you know use the truth see here's the thing about the double standard with social media right yeah we get it we're adults and what about the children who don't know what to do with that that makes sense the kids don't know what to do with that we're adults we talk we from the hood that kids ain't from the hood they don't know what to do with that [ __ ] except Akane King grew up in boys so they don't have that tough skin like we got you got kids having psychotic breakdowns in freshman year at college because don't nobody like this but you do know what it happened right because they social media they drink why we were too easy on we were too easy we wanted to treat them with all of the love and care and a little extra special attention that we didn't have and that made them self but our parents did the same thing to us go in here okay each generation did better than the last right there make sure each generation said I'm gonna do for my kid when my parents could not do for the Lisa so even our parents did that what I'm saying is where we got [ __ ] up with social media cuz we just did the same thing our parents did to us we just gave them what our parents could not give them good could not give us but we're [ __ ] got screwed up is social media with social media came in we lost control we lost control we don't know who our kids are talking to we don't have as much control as our parents a my mother she would catch me in the bed with the covers over my head talk to my boyfriend her phone claim you know take your phone I throw we don't have that luxury we have lost control I don't think he's I don't think that is right to expect to have control know what I say when I say when I say control there are certain things that we cannot shield our children from where our parents could okay do you know what we had to do to look at a titty picture growing up I had we had to wait to the parents left my uncle had a stash in the bathroom we knew the bathroom but we had to sit there wait like good look kids today would laugh he was planning to watch to the pictures we looked at titty pitches they had a big satellite soon as they would leave we would turn that satellite absolutely right and they laugh but that's my point my point is is that we had to work to look for a tab at a naked picture wow you two are they talking to you well yeah wait till we leave the house yeah you can't even control the parental controls anymore this shit's out the window you just don't have the space to really parent your child that's really okay you can do the best you can and just pray because means also me that works it did yes social media faith without works is degeneration no it's a different generation but I feel like we have we have to appreciate the benefits of the generation as well as acknowledging the detriment they are much smarter yeah yes much they are very smart but weaker very right that's fine as long as they have us to support them they can get their strength you know what I mean they can get their stress passed down so that's what you say you always much tougher you're tougher on them so they already know how to get when they get it in the street yeah I already used to it that's exactly what I feel that's high that's why I am hey Mikey that's him [Music] I maybe I'll do that because I when they get that kind of energy in the streets I wanted to be it won't reach all right by and as a black man I have to prepare my children for everything we have to and a lot of people ain't gonna understand that I had to prepare for everything pretty Kenny had a saying that he not assembly it was something that he did for his child his son and basically he passed it down to me and I started doing it so he had his son touch the top of that he said man can you touch that right there at the top of that door and so his son jumped up and touched it Wow he said okay now that's good enough for a white boy you got to touch to see it [Laughter] gotta be better you have to be you have to expect because if not that's what a depression anxiety I feel like the problem is we've been training them to believe that they were equal we've been trained as a black child you start to see the difference okay you feel it I'm telling you at what age you think my son saw it about high school okay no because he went to a predominantly white school okay and you know he had a car so he would drive his friends and get pulled over and then his white friends will tell him that's [ __ ] why did they pull you over they had to bring it to his attention you know and then he started paying attention like and then he had like all his life he had white best friends and then to a certain point they kind of faded away because he knows not that therefore his friends was treating him differently he just knew that he was different yeah and so I saw nothing he doesn't have any white friends it's just a date kind of fade it all because the whole color rose-colored glasses came off it's like I am definitely treated differently that's right and I saw it happen me and his partner his very first best friend was a French kid and me as parents we they had such a great relationship we wanted to nurture it and we ended up going to different schools and we made a pact we were like we're gonna make sure that these kids stay close Birds they're good kids while habla and what happened was that teenage year yeah because different he realized he was different Trayvon Martin happened he realized you have a privilege that I don't mmm you know that weighs on a person I think my depression and my anxiety really kicked in after Trayvon Martin because as a mother of a black child I was like this is something I'm gonna carry with me for the rest of my [ __ ] life that's true I am going to worry about my loved ones until the day I die that's really I mean something that we can never get away from black people we all wait like right now I know my said my son isn't my son is in in Europe you know he's in Europe on tour and and and just worrying about what happens to him internationally my 14 year old son King now I'm great about him now 15 15 goddamn I'm sorry King I 15 year old son King he likes to travel and go over court with people and go do shows when people doing shows from ski-mask the slump God extinct ah she owns family in Miami - who is that he just went to go with Madison who else it was a gentleman who they had a show and I know you're worried I know you were when the baby no no it when the baby which baby it's a lot of baby done that little baby I'm not dumb babies a little baby and uh baby and then you got oh gee baby a big baby but what I'm saying but having no having that having to travel the world you know on to follow their own dreams and passions I can't stop him from going okay but exactly because he's black because at any given moment yeah right he can be picked out that's real at any given moment real but he read it for there you know something I feel like both I feel like in different ways both of my both of my kids who travel the most and have the most going on they ready for that King ready for that and more of it gets more of an aggressive tip kind of way and the my knee is is ready for and more of whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen pops you know you can't kill energy it's kind of like heaven it's like heaven to pop 103,000 their sons you know and they both they both carry they weight you know me so I try I try to just continue to calm myself down but lucky to have a father like you a lot of kids know how lucky to have children like them all of my children like you what I'm saying like father figure is very important in the household that's right and because I'm a single mother I know that and so they are you know I'm just saying that they're very blessed to have you voice record yeah I mean listen I know I know Chinese don't as an amazing I watched our incredible plastic mother the way you guys parents when she's mothering by herself what to do Colette me me too I'm a great parent when I don't have to like checking in with nobody else to get validation or approval for how I'm parenting when it's just my decision I can deal with it without no other encumbrance I am phenomenal but when I have to go to Tameka and say okay how you want to handle this if her idea is different from mine I suck but this is the beautiful thing about parenting and this is why you that's why it is so important to have both parents in the household because you need a sound board you know it takes a community to raise a kid right we take the true community means more than one person the truth so if you ain't got one parent you know I can't teach my son how to be me man I can teach him a lot of things your ability to ignite you can teach about to be respectful maybe you can teach how to be a respectable human there it is but a man a man I know I'm not a man I've never been a man don't want to be a I can't sees no I can't teach my little girl how to be a woman no I can't do it I could teach her how to be respect I can't show her how to clean I don't know how to clean a psychological level like there are things that my son experienced and will experience in life but I honestly have no answer I can't I don't know what it is I have a wet dream you know certain things that I can't you never said I just don't know how to teach him you know I could try to teach about to be a confident person right but then there's a different level when there's a man and then there's a different level today's levels to this [ __ ] he's a black male so I don't I've never been a black man I can fathom what black men go through try to maneuver in this country and in the world but I've never walked in a black man's shoes you see so when it comes to saying man son when it comes to this as a man I got a stop right there cuz I don't know you know yeah I think that I mean you you you you bring about a lot of great points and just this is off topic the sense you just said it do women have wet dreams yes how did this work the same way for yeah no you learn some new every day so yeah you have you've recently talked about suffering from depression as you spoke about it just now when did you recognize that you had depression how did you recognize it and was it like one event or a string of events I'm asking because I feel like you know over the past few months I've kind of been not myself so so what was it for you two made you feel that way and I haven't even really like you know diagnosed myself no no depression I just what's up you go what what you still gonna deal with them same problem depends on how much you get to roll oh I am joking I know you people who try to run away I'll try to run away from my pain my pain and I just kind of sit through it you know I sit on the other side I learned a lesson from it I think that's more important than remaining in a life with that pain you know I'm saying getting through the other side of that pain and getting the experience everybody's not equipped everybody came they believe they came it was that easy support system and what a strong support some people are just chemically imbalanced is low levels to it you know what was it led you to know I've been called the best party favor I've been called the life of the party I am the light at the end of the tunnel I'm a [ __ ] light in the tunnel hmm and so you return but I just because I know me I just started I just started feeling like suffocating all of a sudden out of nowhere these moods would come where I just felt dark right just low and I couldn't put a finger on I didn't know what was making me feel like as I just fell out sorts and a lot of it has to do with perimenopause and menopause and this is the thing that we need to start addressing everybody's and here's the deal there's nothing wrong with being young and it's trying to stay look beautiful and feel the best you can feel that's fine and great we're all running around trying to still look young but no one's addressing what's going on inside mmm right and if I'm going to address mental health in the way that I have in the bold way that I had by starting my own foundation and then coming forth with my own trials and tribulations how can I do that and not talk about menopause like only 50 next year there is no way around it yeah 49 where [ __ ] but but if I'm going to tackle mental health you know menopause deals with your mental so if I'm gonna do that I have to talk about it and that's real for me that is very real perspective very real and it's real for a lot of women we're just not talking about it that's what's up to me gonna be talking about menopause and I like sharing I'm ready I'm ready for it I can't tell you know cuz you know saying my action gets disturbed she turns into a different person when she get you know I mean you get away then well I guess I signed moments you're a moment I just wait I just wait to be summoned she'll be my side you walk around like Gries do I walk around like me raise a baby listen man speaking of speaking of baby boy okay people ask me all the time what my favorite song is now have you identified a favorite film and why I'll say one of the fake my favorite films would be Lady Sings the Bulls everything that I'm the favorite one that you oh that I was the favorite to Roger P Henson I guess I would have to say hidden figures because what it did for young girls of color letting them know and just girls in general letting them know they're smart and they can that was dope do math because I grew up with an understanding that math and science was only for boys nah man who said no one had the balls to say it to me but that was an understanding I cheated off so many people papers and son I know but that was an overall under so many beautiful I did growing up no one said it like you shouldn't but I it was embedded in me cuz every time I got to a science or math class you know the first day I would pick the seat in the back I mean English in all my other classes I would pick in the front I would pay to see in the back yeah you was very low yeah my another one amazing talk to me then people talk to me the dopest sheep pedigree like like when it first came out it came on DVD it cuz you know they dropped the ball when it was in theaters they really the studio didn't do you know what but now right we're streaming and and the culture just will be being refused refusing to be denied we might not get a denomination Jim no listen to me yes man in this industry Studios Bank things on those numbers Studios Bank things now this is why I'm saying that's why I'm so happy Tyler has his studio we need to do more right now in order for me to get the job I still gotta go to the studio man you don't who you gonna give me some money I will okay well [ __ ] we'll all right well we identify where I can get the rest of the money that I ain't gonna put up my you do and I think that that kind of an attitude you sit down with more people like for instance will Packer Kevin Hart Ice Cube Tyler Perry you have like you have it's a handful of us that can't even master P dependent know how deep into the culture you wanna dive like you know Nizam there's people who actually will support the culture with their finances and you just gotta identify those people and you know and get into it even Oprah you don't mean is so many different avenues that weren't in existence oh well that's 25 am now with the tale because it's I wish people they go they go just get a movie made a movie made like I told you before the problem usually is it the problem the lack of the solution is the problem yeah so if you say just get a move mate okay see most time like get the [ __ ] out of here get it move me what do you know but if you were to say get a move mate hmm how would I get a movie made who would I call what do I need mmm weird why over there what is still lacking you make you a real list with real names and you just start making calls and checking off the [ __ ] box I just have this feeling that people I don't know this is maybe I've been knocking on all the wrong doors I haven't knocked on the right doors what I'm telling you I do [ __ ] it's so discouraging I ask the people that you think man let's put up all the posters we got from all of the TI catalog and we gonna support taraji in this next we go goddamn oh let me escape tickets from the sold-out shows at least 1/4 of them I think those are the bold commitments that we have to make for one another in order for us to move forward telling our stories people in love for me I've heard we've learned more about the Harriet thing well I'm sure that they got to a position I'm sure the studio had a lot to do with that you see what I'm saying can't even tell your own stories without somebody's hands being in let me tell you something that's why Tyler built his own studio but to be honest with you though when they work all around the people if it weren't no black people involved no no no no no actors should have answered the phone you did go say yeah if it weren't right people involved to tell this story if you get up to the top okay the studio is involved but who did the studio place over the running of show for this particular project and ill that name if it ain't a Ville duvan ray du Vernay du Vernay very Duvernay I apologize give me if it ain't Ava Duvernay or someone or Lena wait or you know I'm saying someone who I can hold accountable Casey lemon is a acclaimed african-american female director she directed she directed Harriet mm-hmm well she might be a good read but what gives her like what would you say acclaimed like aside from being black what did she buy you talk to me she did talk to me and he's about you well let me just say maybe I'll change politics if you go play politics in Hollywood you got a play unless you're gonna do what Tyler did I'm just saying okay so you can make the movie who's gonna distribute it man I put that [ __ ] on YouTube and count on the strings I put that [ __ ] on youtube if I have to if I have to I take the donut I take the Rudy ray Moore route and I go start renting out theaters after I was in like scarcity is also a commodity hmm you know what I'm saying if you know banned everywhere else but here that [ __ ] is that's cooked that you is valuable period and I just think that we have to tap into one another's resources our relationships our resources laws now that brings me to like your Golden Globe acceptance speech - ooh - wrap it well you know I just got onstage and he was doing a countdown a man was staying on my train I hadn't even reached the mic I think the comment you made was I waited 20 years you're gonna wait - now what we're going through your head at that moment all I know how to be as me and I meant it I understand I said what I said I either should all turn IC times that when I go to these awards shows all the time and it seems to me that some people get the axe and some people don't I just gotten up well I'm not saying that that's what they did but I'm just saying I just gotten up on the stage and you're just gonna give me two seconds to speak I mean I'm exaggerating but I really had no time Phil I didn't get you enough Tara I guess I don't know I know okay there's no what you're saying I don't know let's retreat they retract that because I'm not saying that because I don't know I didn't sit up there and count the minutes okay all I know okay is that one I got up there I didn't have enough time I plan to go back is intimidation that women have on a lot of people in Hollywood and society I really you know what tip I can't go that deep but I'm telling you what was going through my mind what's going through you I just didn't have enough time to say what I had to say so you're me you all know guess what man [ __ ] that time or that you got going on y'all gonna have to come out here get me kicking the screen because as long as it took me to get here to speak but I do but the thing was if I didn't take a long time it's not like I had a scroll of a script like what you see it you support what you said we wish you we stand with you in solidarity man don't ever thank you alone that's the main thing I was but I wasn't that I just want to clear this up it wasn't that I felt like they gave people more time than me and just at that point I saw I didn't have enough time and I smoked on it that's all get wet though we support you and we want you to have as much time we ask you to know that that's probably why I haven't been nominated first yeah I say that respectfully to them what they got going on but we can't continue to depend on you know respectfully because we're always getting our feelings hurt we're left out right you know what I'm saying that's because we put so much on that that's right get off your phone - Myka what do you do what a co-star she want to be here because your girl pal was such a humble wife she's a good way it's such a humble way you could be so much more egotistical you aren't and I appreciate you for their humble way you you I see you got a ring now yes and now I do know that we don't really ever hear much about who you didn't know you know if you marry if you are married who you marry - how do you manage such a personal like being like the astronomical superstar I don't want people in my business like that I'm just not I'm very loving you stop I don't give them [ __ ] to go I don't give them fuel to add to the fire you see I'm just not like hey you know I had my moments we'll post each other here and there but that's sacred that's fuss right I don't want people in our business now I don't really I don't remember you say we see them y'all grew up together everything we don't know you what our and vice versa so y'all yeah no sorry what I mean no wow I was sixth grade I know but it's great it's far back see I know I might get back together very early you got a very little me necessary for when I was young I said man I'm gonna get that one hey you got her in this story Jason not Jeter Jason meals from making to do anything but if they ever do a story on marriage a blouse you have to play her you were killing that's my boo she wanted an actor to play it yeah use the girl but I don't know she's act nervous yes she is and I don't think it's time to tell her story she's got a loud more Life to Live that's what I see it man but I found a way to do it I found a way to do it now and I talked to you about you know I'm saying the price some projects is I got going on and we see that we want to merge our efforts together for the purpose of no yeah you know I'm a directing now okay wait to see what you get going on I'm an incredible direct I can't wait to see my incredible performance out of you - yeah come on with it come on what you gonna do what you gonna make what I would be let me do what you gonna do what kind of story you get ah you you said you have some project I definitely got some projects okay so you want me to let you see some of my scripts so much - okay Ben I say this now we were talking a little bit about you know you wanted to keep your personal life you know private in person and so on and so forth you not really like sharing with the world who you're involved with but when you look for me mmm already having me no no no wait wait wait wait wait no single no just give me in trouble now I'm in support of you and whatever Union even though it's okay when you look for me is it Jody and baby boy no lucious for me we're talking about the characters I know those are okay okay okay dysfunction everything people though those kind of seem like they say losses are DJ losses with it see you still going with the after and oh the same you know this so what's the difference in Lucia's in DJ and Jody what about Jodi uh Jodi was the best man you had in the movie he loves you and they were beginning they show his loyalty he walked out of it and me and her we have a conversation about when he walked that when he walked out on his that girl who worked with you who he door yeah yeah so we have our conversation about you know whether or not he did the right thing or like it went right enough I should say it went right enough but he had no being is over there in the first place but ready to say turn making the right decision in a bad situation his valuable should be taking into consideration you know why because he has love in his heart for that girl he loves he felt if I do this now I will hurt her right there for hurting myself right that's when you know you truly love something but you know what though I'm gonna tell you something even more so than that seeing that the ulterior motive and the driving force behind this person pursuing me is a hurt yes my significant in man you trying to get at her this ain't got nothing to do yeah and that's why isn't it right that's where we as couples or in relationship we have to be really smart about that and we have to protect our union because oh everybody's not happy that's right everybody's not happy cuz you're happily in a relationship they're miserable because they're not a misery loves company that's why I'll talk to people everybody about my relationship that's real because they projecting their fears onto me and they fail using wax absolutely and we also watch that movie we have a conversation about about the decision that your character made to allow Snoop Dogg's character to come and stay in their house and so we talked about that as well you know she just pushed past the door and came in and he was again he was a kill probation office yeah I'm at ASA when you're just getting out of jail first the last thing you wanna do it go back so all she had to say I'm gonna he came out with the [ __ ] not afraid to go back to jail you don't think he he was [ __ ] with Jodi he wasn't coming out on the straight and narrow did he go look for a job so you don't think she was somewhere complicity he's a killer she was afraid okay yeah I will accept that I will accept that now Empire has become one of the most critically acclaimed successful shows for our culture a heritage in history since what was the first Bill Cosby the Huxtables what about it that was the first one I got put in line with like I put this in a line with Lysa [ __ ] like Fame right you know what I'm saying and some [ __ ] is not necessary because beer cod was like a sitcom that [ __ ] was laughs and jokes a [ __ ] but what it did for the black culture and black family in the black what the black family looks like for the Diaspora International like it didn't just state domestic and for in a black family a black show with a black family to do that it hadn't been done since The Cosby Show right right right right right and I mean I just want to know because all of the talented actors actresses performers storytellers that you have on the cast like what have been the funniest behind the scene moments that you can share we used to have a lot of funny behind the scene was when Jesse was on set because he was the jokester I just remember this one time Terrance was sweet and I think I posted it okay and I had like this tie around my neck and I was dangling it over his face and through his hat I mean we've done I mean I just wish that they would compile a bloopers reel it's fine you could probably get a whole season I look they I'm trying I'm like a yacht in the business of making money because you got a whole nother box set I'm just blue man I think y'all y'all actually look like you have a lot of fun we do it's undeniable and I think that that energy comes across on screen and that's that contributes to the success of the show oh absolutely yeah I have a good buddy I'm sure he's a good buddy of yours too and he has kind of been the natural volunteered antithesis of empire Oh God his name is fitzy and I don't know how this whole thing started damn it's a power vs Empire and that's the part I don't know where that came from I didn't like it it was because we're in the industry where we are not seeing often our show had nothing to do with his show we're talking two different subject matters you know what I mean and that was I thought that did more damage than health then good for for I mean in what way because why are we pitting shows against each why are we putting two black-scholes against each other when it's hard enough to get a black show on the air mm-hmm and see that's when I'm getting pissed off because that's the crabs in a barrel [ __ ] mentality hmm I think it's more of a competitive spirit I mean this is not the place for it because the people on the outside I get what you say them shoes hey listen man don't say it in front of the white folk that mean I get it I can get it but it makes people choose size and this patty and it's stupid competitive why are we competing I mean you won't want stars we all can't be a while you don't compete because you can't be a woman if you don't come but where there's no competition I get it I was speaking from I'm speaking from fifties perspective because I we both win it but why why not compete with another show why you gonna compete with the black show mmm I think there are a million other souls with the compete way I get that too I get that okay so why show the Kapila I get to do that publicly it's embarrassing and it's silly is petty in his junk I don't think that I don't think fifty meant no harm in it and I ain't trying to really like jumping in and defend 50 but I know how it feels to say something and take a position that you really didn't feel harmful and you know it have it be used against you I already know how to feel so I'm just trying to speak on his bone not listen however I do understand what you coming from Oh yo from your speed in a desert is you just came and then again 50 do you know what the [ __ ] I had to do to get here like you know say like White's hair down another black person I could do a competition I get this I was never copped competing with that side I know la la or national the cherry I know those actors I want them to win I was proud of 50 okay I was proud of 50 I thought oh mama I'm so proud and look at what you doing you took you told him that I'm like you know I might get into it I have no ill will that's very cool Alyssa didn't I didn't hurt me in any way it didn't hurt to show in any way but it was sad it was sad that this was going on in the public because it makes us look trite but it makes us what white shows are doing that if you use me answer that question is that answer the question is that deburr rahmatullah what other shows ain't got to be white what other shows are doing that that's difficult that's a difficult have you ever seen that that convert that because we never I never responded back I responded back in a positive way I want it Nitori and the women on that show to know that this was no dick just I don't even know how we got that well you're right I mean you got fifty I need you to answer to this [ __ ] with this laughter this you still his sister he still your brother and you know I'm saying I'm stiff people like the jokes but know when to joke and know what is a classic I still and figure that I do not know when the joking when not to joke no I have no [ __ ] idea I just say to sheet because what that does is sends a message that we're in competition with each other that's not man Deena I hear telling me to wrap it up come on keep on photo shoot we are going we go up Street we're not gonna say the name there's a very nice place we have very private accommodation and you are welcome to join us and honey I'm just telling you this young lady her strength precedes her but I'm no strong black woman honey I am vulnerable I get tired I've raised up anger we're loyal we are never got no fur girlfriend Dina single Dina's raising her hand singing is a very good and that's why she in your circle needy girl I'm saying the one out of 75 people there's a very good like we support you we want you to support y'all thank you I feel you make me when I watched y'all show I get teary-eyed because you parent your children the way my dad did me and I lost him in those six so I literally I watched our show to feel a closeness to my dad as a daughter as a daughter growing up with a fatherless as you say it was like me what is the most challenging part yeah what is the most challenging part as a daughter the thing that you like man damn a my dad like this and I can't deal with it what the hell uh well my dad was a little different cuz he had some other challenging issues but yeah I mean you know he had some job I don't want to get all the way into it but he but it was a little different but at the same time like as I got old she's a lot of the things that you do she's not gonna saying right now but she will when she gets over okay that's how Pam so don't look for understanding right now right now okay yes man a you ain't gonna be okay who likes the no man I guess right yeah the because of what you set up right because of the standards that you set up gonna look back and she's gonna oh I feel like there's nothing I can do a short of putting her in a headlock and making her like sit around me all the time my dad's a work but she has so many different like well I should say she they tried so much more for these kids to do now BJ Warren in the gym air come sit round me man distraction that were not worth doing they won't they don't know what they need they don't know what to want yeah but they feel you know what they roll every this is about preparing them for think about what they will need five or ten years ahead of time and this is about making sure they have those things not making sure that their today is comfortable for them I don't care if it's comfortable if you got to get up early get up early right if you got to stay up late stay up late if you don't get to do you don't get to go play on video games so don't play a video game but you will get this work the earlier you start with that dough the better you have with getting them to want to do that but you gotta give you gotta give children what I try to do is give children that nurturing face usually after ten years old is when I really started you know the nature if a I try to get them they aren't like they adulterated like the uninterrupted time with me mama special girls because if you start early you don't have to worry when you get a little older they still won do they know what I found I had my phases I think I felt like when I was younger I was more mama and then when I got teenager my daddy understood a little more you know what I mean he made it seem like it was more lenient but he would you know what I mean well for girls you know it seemed like when they get older they mother and them always bump heads yeah yeah teenager yeah I sent my daughter a mean and it kind of listed the different phases of life and how they responded to their mother yeah and and it goes all the way from birth to death you know what I mean is like ages this from this this is how you felt this from this this is how you felt and I sent it to my daughter with her and her mom was having that phase that she was talking about and she comes like you know I didn't think about it like that and now you know her mama closer than she and ours yeah but you go through those phases no congratu-fucking-lations tip or did a great thing but I mean yes you go through phases and I think that all of those phases are enjoyable and they're all prevalent like - life lessons and growing and evolving and nobody thinks about the caterpillar when they look at the butterfly nobody does it nobody does now that's it and you admire its astonishing beauty but you don't know all this [ __ ] as you go through to reach it to that point but I don't know tell everybody what's next for to rise what's next so empires about to come to an end what after six seasons forever yeah we did and I think this is what you do you go out why are you on top you did what I'm saying you know and you know what I was able to accomplish with cookie she's iconic she's that's a wrong cookie a bad [ __ ] cuz she walked in the don't listen I don't do it time for you [ __ ] so you a listen ain't no goddamn taking my [ __ ] shine we mean you will acknowledge so all of the thought I didn't I didn't rat I didn't snitch I didn't tell on nobody I did what I had to do and now when I'm coming home you [ __ ] better deal with me accordingly yeah and but she's iconic yeah I made her iconic there's nothing anymore I can do with her you know she will be talked about long after I'm gone so now I'm looking for what else I can make iconic put you in a light not even just cookie I think all of most of your characters put you in the life that did says you look like you 11 [ __ ] head so I have to ask did you grow up getting into a lot of fights no no I was I was the friend I was everybody's friend I was the most friendly kid on the playground I was everybody's friend I made everybody feel inclusive I was a little squirt so I didn't go around looking for fights right but I could protect myself I was a little squirt and I do you fight well I did I was looking for friends but I was true you could not believe me you ain't no punk man I was - I know it was predator-prey it was where I was but I was the neutralizer tap tap do you tap that not yours I'm just tap tap that stay focused so you said you were saying to rise you know I was just saying I didn't look for face but I wasn't no Punk either right I mean I think that there's a psyche with it because when you expect to be taking advantage of then you become defensive when you become defensive then you begin to become predator I never expected anybody to take advantage of me but you know when you come from the hood you know people gonna try you yeah I just wasn't to be tried I want I didn't I'd have to do a lot of I don't have to fight a lot cuz a lot of people liked me they just liked me that's real you know a plus that was different we used only have the final it was like yeah that's a ROG he's a little different but she's you know that's our girl you know I was doing a little different one in the hood you know I'm still hood don't get it smooth I mean I don't think anybody could never take that somebody from now to eternity you shouldn't be you shouldn't be now what do you feel that you haven't done yet that still is lit I just directed a television episode of Empire and excellent I've fallen in love with directing I love casting I love giving young thespians a shot somebody gave me a shot to sit in the casting room and these kids come in and they're like nervous I know that I someone is gonna run home tonight and call their mother and blink like I remember those days and to be the catalyst to that that makes me feel good yes though it makes that warms my heart oh I'm moving in that direction I think I think as a storyteller the natural progression like kind of like the the most elder statesman ever creative that you can be is a director absolutely you know what I'm saying like okay i-i've been an actor I've been a writer I've been a producer I've been out and it all contributes to the growth and the evolution where you finally make it to the final stage and that's the director directing is so fulfilling I really like the bug bit me I'm gonna do don't worry I pay my dues I'm ready the only thing I like about directed they the first ones on sit in the lab one no no no because if I wear cruel call is at seven and if I'm the actress in the scene I gotta go to here makeup first I don't if I don't do here right so I'm cool call is at seven I show up at seven for crew call director if I'm an actor I gotta show up an hour early there's no hair makeup and you've done so many movies that was so good and came out and you work with so many phenomenal directors that I can't wait to see firsthand what if your life had a title now other than your last book around the way girl if you had to do it like a part to to around the way girl what would that title be don't know I don't know I don't know because I feel like I have so much like to live do maybe it'll be I appreciate that thank you for this shameless plug in honor of you yes in honor of you we have a what we have a tradition here to expeditiously and the tradition is to enlighten people and offer new extensive words for their vocab word of the week now the word of the week is usually about the person or about the discussion of oh wow the date so this word of the week I'm going to let Tamika do it I come here to work alright since she won't oblige I will say it the word of the week is fortitude fortitude the definition courage in the midst of pain or adversity when someone has fortitude it means that they have emotional power or reserves and the ability to withstand adversity now I may use it in a sentence just so you can go to work and standing around at the watercooler lunchtime and pretending like you had learned this word knew it all your life now through prayer and meditation taraji ahead the fortitude to carry on fighting and that's a fact you dig what I'm saying thank you so much for joining us your friend and an ally and a hero and we appreciate you and we value you and we lift you up thank you and any time you need us for whatever you need us for please call expeditious watch your favorite episodes of expeditiously right now on the expeditiously you to pay [Music]

Channel: expediTIously with Tip T.I. Harris

Views: 524,507

Rating: 4.8980083 out of 5

Keywords: T.I., Tip, Harris, Podcast, Hip-Hop, Atlanta, ATL, Rap, kodak black, tip harris, podcast clips, podcasts, expeditiously podcast, expeditiously, ti podcast, taraji p henson, taraji ti, taraji p henson expeditiously, taraji henson, taraji p, taraji p henson empire, cookie empire, taraji p henson interview, taraji p henson podcast, taraji p henson ti podcast, taraji p henson ti interview, taraji p henson yvette, taraji p henson acting career, tiny harris, mr and mrs h, tip and tiny

Id: HWBm3WqjoYs

Length: 83min 25sec (5005 seconds)

Published: Thu May 14 2020