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>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK TO A "LATE SHOW," EVERYBODY.
BEFORE WE GO ON, LET'S SAY HELLO TO MY FRIEND AND YOURS, MR. JON
BATISTE.
HELLO, JON.
>> Jon: HELLO, STEPHEN.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU?
>> Stephen: OH, WITH ME?
UH, DOING A SHOW ABOUT -- UH -- SAD AND CRAZY THINGS.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
>> Jon: UM, I'M FEELING A LOT OF PAIN AND, UM, THINKING ABOUT
A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS BUT, IN GENERAL, I'M FEELING
OPTIMISTIC.
>> Stephen: WHAT MAKES YOU OPTIMISTIC, JON?
>> Jon: WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THE TRAGEDIES AND THE RIOTS IN THE
RECENT TIME HAVE CAUSED A LOT O PAIN AND BROUGHT UP A LOT OF
GENERATIONAL TRAUMA IN PARTICULAR THAT BLACK PEOPLE
FEEL AND I RELATE TO THAT DEEPLY, BUT I DO THINK THIS
MOMENT IS A MOMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS IT IN A REAL WAY.
THE THINGS THAT WE'VE FACED IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE GIVEN US SO
MANY ISSUES THAT WE HAVEN'T DECIDED AS A PEOPLE TO ATONE FOR
AND, REALLY, TO ATONE FOR OUR ORIGINAL SIN TOGETHER IS THE
ONLY WAY.
BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY.
ALL LIVES MATTER AND THAT'S WHY BLACK LIVES MATTER, AND THIS IS
WHAT THIS MOMENT IS BRINGING FORTH, IS BRINGING TO BEAR IN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY, IN A VERY REAL WAY, ADDRESS THE
THINGS THAT HAVE LED US TO THIS POINT.
>> Stephen: WELL, WHY DO YOU THINK THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW IS
BRINGING THIS TO A BOIL, OR BRINGING US THIS OPPORTUNITY
RIGHT NOW?
>>> Jon: I THINK THAT MY GENERATION AND -- PEOPLE OF ALL
GENERATIONS, BUT, IN PARTICULAR, THE NEXT GENERATION IS
INDICATIVE OF THE FACT THAT TIME IS SPEEDING UP AS IT'S CATCHING
UP.
PEOPLE'S MINDS ARE CHANGING, TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO DO MORE
IN A 24-HUER PERIOD WE'VE EVER BEEN ABLE TO DO, AND PEOPLE ARE
SEEING THINGS LIKE THE TRAGIC EXECUTION OF GEORGE FLOYD ON
THEIR PHONE AND CAPTURING IT AND ARE REALLY ABLE TO SEE THINGS
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH AND DEALING WITH, SIMILAR TO THE
RECKONING WITH THE #METOO MOVE THE.
PEOPLE'S MINDS ARE CHANGING AND THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO
LOOK IN THE MIRROR FOR THOSE OF US WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND OUR
ROLE IN WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HAVE A MORAL AWAKENING AS WELL,
AN ELEVATION OF OUR SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS, IF YOU WILL.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU, JON.
JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY.
MY FIRST GUEST IS A GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING RAPPER AND
ACTIVIST.
PLEASE WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW," KILLER MIKE.
HEY, MIKE.
>> HOW YOU DOING?
>> Stephen: WELL, MIKE, I'M SO GLAD YOU COULD BE HERE.
I REALLY WANTED TO TALK TO YOU AS SOON AS I SAW THE SPEECH YOU
GAVE IN ATLANTA ON FRIDAY, AND I KNOW THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SAW
IT, IT WAS VERY POWERFUL, ADDRESSING YOUR FEELINGS ON THE
MOMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DIDN'T ORIGINALLY PARTICULARLY WANT TO
BE THERE OR INTENDED TO GIVE THAT SPEECH.
TELL ME HOW THAT CAME ABOUT AND WHAT YOUR INTENTION WAS AND WHAT
YOU HOPE PEOPLE HEARD.
>> WELL, T.I. AND I, WE BOUGHT A 50-YEAR-OLD BLACK-OWNED
RESTAURANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE GREW UP IN CALLED BANKHEAD
SEAFOOD.
WE'RE BUSINESS PARTNERS AND WE ROLLED IT OUT WITH THE FOOD
TRUCK.
THE FOOD TRUCK ROLLS OUT, ONE OF THE PARTNERS POPS OUT AND SMILES
AND HUGS PEOPLE AND KISSED BABIES AND STUFF.
I HAD DONE THAT THE WHOLE DAY, THEN RAPPER NORIEGA CALLS AND
SAYS, I'M IN TOWN FROM MIAMI AND WANT FISH.
SO WE WENT TO THE STUDIO SO HE COULD GET FISH AND SMOKE JOINTS.
AND HE CAME UP AND SAID I GOT A CALL FROM THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT
THAT THE STAGED PROTEST -- WHICH WE SUPPORT THE STAGED PROTEST --
WAS TURNING INTO A RIOTOUS PROTEST AND HE WANTED US TO COME
AND QUELL THE VIOLENCE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE HAPPENING.
HE SAID, ARE YOU GOING TO GO?
I SAID ABSOLUTELY NOT.
BUT I WENT WITH TIP TO SUPPORT HIM BECAUSE YOU DON'T LET
FRIENDS GO INTO PLACES THAT WOULD HURT THEMSELVES.
SO I ENDED UP SAYING WHAT WAS PURELY ON MY HEART.
I WAS TALKING IN THAT SPEECH FOR THAT TESTIMONY SPECIFICALLY TO
ATLANTA.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE '60s AND '70s, BLACK CITIES LIKE
WASHINGTON, D.C., CHICAGO, DETROIT, EVEN PARTS OF
LOS ANGELES, BLACK PARTS OF LAMB L.A. AND MIAMI, THEY WERE
PROSPEROUS, FRUITFUL, THROUGH RED LINING AND NOT DEVELOPING
THOSE PLACES, A LOT OF CITIES HAVE FALLEN, AND ATLANTA HAS
MANAGED TO GROW.
WE HAVE BLACK LEADERSHIP, MAJORITY BLACK CITIZENS HERE.
WE LIVE AND CO-EXIST WITH OTHERS, BUT WE MANAGE TO FIND
IT.
NOW, IT'S NOT PERFECT.
NOW, I JUST WAND TO SAY THAT TO THE CITY THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS
RIGHT BUT JUST IN A WAY I DIDN'T WANT US TO LOSE HOPE AND DESTROY
WHAT WE HAVE BECAUSE HOPE EXISTS HERE AND I WANTED, YOU KNOW, THE
BLACK OFFICERS TO BE AWARE THAT THIS WAS IN NO WAY -- THAT THIS
WAS IN NO WAY UNAPPRECIATING WHAT THEY DO, BUT, AT THE SAME
TIME, I WANTED THE PROTESTERS AND EVEN THE RIOTERS -- BECAUSE
A LOT ARE JUST YOUNG, FRUSTRATED PEOPLE -- TO KNOW WE CAN DO IT
DIFFERENT IN THIS CITY.
THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON I SPOKE BECAUSE I WAS TALKING DIRECTLY
TO THAN THE.
IT RESONATES BIGGER, BUT I THINK BLACK AMERICA SHOULD TREAT
ATLANTA LIKE A LAND WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR US.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT ANYTHING HAS PROVEN POSSIBLE
HERE, YOU KNOW.
AND NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF CIVIL RIGHTS WITH DR. KING, IN TERMS
OF BLACK FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP WITH CITIZENS TRUST BANK, OR THE
RUSSELL FOUNDATION WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST BLACK REAL ESTATE
DEVELOPERS IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS JUST A PLACE WHERE HOPE IS POSSIBLE IN A WAY THAT IT'S
NOT OTHER PLACES.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT I KNOW YOU'RE SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO
THE SITUATION IN ATLANTA AND WHAT YOU HOPE FOR YOUR HOMETOWN.
BUT AS YOU SAY, IT DID RESONATE, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS THAT
SENSE OF HOPE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THEY DESERVE IT.
>> AND YOU SAID YOURSELF THAT YOU HATE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE
ANSWER, I THINK IS WHAT YOU SAID.
>> YEAH.
I DO NOT, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS, AND IT'S FOR PEOPLE
LISTENING, THE NEW GEORGIA PROJECT, "LIVE FREE," THE
FLORIDA RIGHTS RESTORATION COALITION, MOVEMENT FOR BLACK
LIVES, NEXT LEVEL BOYS ACADEMY, PARK KIDS, PEOPLE DOING WORK ON
AN EVERYDAY BASIS ON THE GROUND.
SO I NEED FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND I AM A MOBILIZER, I
WILL TRY MY BEST TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE TO GET INTO ACTION, BUT
THE ORGANIZERS ARE ON THE GROUND WHERE YOU LIVE.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS I NAMED AND MANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY NEED
YOUR HELP AND NEED BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
SO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ANGER AND EMOTION AND
PASSION OVERSPILL THAT WE SAW BECAUSE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO
IGNITE.
BUT NOW THAT YOU'RE IGNITED, I NEED YOU ON A WEEKLY AND DAILY
BAY SIS TO JOIN A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION WHEREVER YOU ARE
AND TO PROGRESS WHEREVER YOU ARE SO THAT, NATIONALLY, WE CAN BE
ALLIED AND PROGRESSING TOGETHER.
SO I AS A RAPPER AM NOT TRYING TO TELL POOR AND WORKING CLASS
PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
I'M SIMPLY SAY THERE ARE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK WE WANT TO SEE
DONE AND LET'S JOIN THE ORGANIZATIONS AND HELP THEM.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU GO TO THE NAACP OR THE STLC OR NEW
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE RPG OR NEXT LEVEL BOYS ACADEMY, PARK KIDS OR
THE FLORIDA RESTORATION PROJECT, BUT JOIN SOMETHING SO IT DOESN'T
FEEL SO LONELY.
JOIN SOMETHING SO THAT YOUR WORK ON A WEEKLY BASIS CAN START TO
ADD UP AND HELP AND JOIN SOMETHING SO THAT YOU CAN
BELIEVE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY CALL US BECAUSE
WE'LL BE STANDING NEXT TO YOU AS YOUR -- YOU ORGANIZED.
>> Stephen: POLITICIANS HAVE USED RACIAL DOG WHISTLES FOR A
LONG TIME, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES
WHERE THE HIGHEST LEADERSHIP IN THE LAND HAVE SAID THINGS LIKE
VERIER FINE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: THAT THERE'S A SENSE THAT A DOOR HAS BEEN
OPENED TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO EXPRESS WHAT THEY WOULD CALL
HERITAGE, WHAT THEY'D CALL MERELY THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: BUT DENY THE RACIAL REALITY OF THAT.
AND YOU TOLD THOSE PEOPLE TO READ ALEXANDER STEPHEN'S
CORNERSTONE SPEECH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Stephen: WHAT IS IT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT READ IT AND
WHEN DID YOU READ IT?
>> THE CLIFF NOTE VERSION BASICALLY SAYS THE NEGRO RACE IS
NOT OF THE SAME CALIBER OR SHARE EQUALITY WITH THE WHITE RACE AND
THAT IT WAS THE NATURAL ORDER OF GOD AT WE BE SUBORDINATED TO
SLAVERY.
IT SAID THE CORNERSTONE -- AND THIS IS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO I
READ ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE AND HAVE ADMIRATION FOR, AND
THIS IS FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE THE LIE THAT SLAVERY WAS
JUST ECONOMICS, IT WAS NOT RACIALLY BASED -- IN THE
CORNERSTONE SPEECH, ALEXANDER STEPHENS SAID THAT WE HAVE THE
INNATE RIGHT TO ENSLAVE THIS RACE OF PEOPLE BASED ON THE
NATURAL ORDER OF GOD, AND THEN HE SAYS THIS IS THE CORNERSTONE
OF THE CONFEDERACY.
THIS IS NOT THE SECOND BRICK, THE THIRD BRICK, THE FOURTH
BRICK, THIS IS THE CORNERSTONE BRICK ACROSS WHICH THE
FOUNDATION WOULD BE BUILT.
AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CONSTITUTION MADE US EQUAL.
>> Stephen: BACK WITH MORE KILLER MIKE.