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>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
MY FIRST GUEST IS THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND MEDIA
PERSONALITY YOU KNOW AS A CO-HOST OF "THE BREAKFAST CLUB."
PLEASE WELCOME CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK TO YOU, MY FELLOW SOUTH CAROLINIAN.
>> YES, SIR.
>> Stephen: SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD THERE HAVE BEEN
PROTESTS IN THROW00 TOWNS AND CITIES.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF WHO IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW?
>> NOTHING SPROIZS ME.
IT'S A FEW PERFECT STORMS GOING ON AT ONCE.
I SAY IT RIGHT NOW, AMERICA IS BOTH EXPOSED FOR THE ILLUSION IT
ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
AMERICA ADVERTISES ITSELF AS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT BUT IT'S A
PRIVATE CLUB FOUNDED BOY RICH WHITE MEN FOR RICH WHITE MEN AND
THEY MAKE WILL RULES.
WE'RE CAUGHT UP IN THE WEB OF WHITE SUPREMACY.
NOTHING IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THE WEB UNTIL YOU HAVE MORE
WHITE MEN ABLE TO DISMANTLE THAT SYSTEM BY RELINQUISHING THING
WITH THE AND POWER.
BLACK POEM, WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO DISMANTLE THAT.
WE DIDN'T CREATE IT.
WE HAVE THE POWER TO FORCE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO CHANGE THE
WAY THE SYSTEM IS.
I'VE SAID IT A MILLION TIMES.
UNTIL AMERICA ATONES FOR ITS ORIGINAL SIN, WHICH IS SLAVERY,
NO GOOD IS COMING TO GOOD TO AMERICA.
THIS IS AMERICA'S KARMA.
YOU CAN'T ADVERTISE LIBERTY ASK JUSTICE FOR ALL BUT ONLY OFFER
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR WHITE FOLKS.
HOW MANY TIMESES ARE WE SUPPOSED TO WATCH BLACK PEOPLE BRUTALIZED
AND MURDERED AT THE HANDS OF THE POLICE.
OUR ANCESTORS WERE ENSLAVED AND BUILT THIS COUNTRY FOR FREE AND
DIDN'T GET ANYTHING FOR IT AND THE COUNTRY FEELS IT DOESN'T
HAVE TO ATONE FOR THAT?
NO.
THE REASON WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY TELL PEOPLE BLACK LIVES MATTER
IS BECAUSE OF THE THREE-55S RULE IN THE CONSTITUTION.
SLAVES WERE TREATED AS PROPERTY.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE IN THIS SUFFICIENCY WHITE SUPREMACY, I
THINK THEY STILL SEE US THAT WAY AND TREAT US AS SUCH.
YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST
NATIONS IN THE WORLD, YOU HAVE TO ASK WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO
GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR.
AMERICA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS ABOUT TO HIT 20% I THINK I READ
TODAY.
PEOPLE ARE WONDERING HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THEIR RENT, PAY
THEIR BILLS AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
YOU HAVE THIS PERFECT STORM OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DISGUSTED WITH
THIS WHOIT SUPREMACIST SYSTEM CALLED AMERICA AND IT DOESN'T
SURPRISE ME AT ALL.
I THINK AMERICA HAS BEEN PAST ITS BREAKING POINT AND I'M
ACTUAL LOW SHOCKED THIS IS JUST HAPPENING NOW, TO BE HONEST WITH
YOU.
>> Stephen: WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PROTESTS CAN BEST DO TO
FORCE SOME SORT OF CHANGE RIGHT NOW?
BECAUSE THERE ARE PROTESTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY HAVE BEEN GOING ON PRETTY MUCH UNABATED FOR OVER A WEEK
NOW-- AS FAST AS, THEY'RE ONLY EXPANDING, EVEN AS THE PRESSURE
COMES DOWN FROM ABOVE, THAT PRESSURE ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE
INCREASING PEOPLE'S WILLINGNESS TO GO OUT INTO THE VOTES, IN
THIS CASE VIOLATING CURFEWS OR STANDING UP AGAINST RUBBER
BULLETS OR TEAR GAS OR FLASH GRENADES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE-- IF THIS IS SOME FORM OF CIVIL WAR, WHAT
IS THE END GAME HOAR?
WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE?
IS IT POLITICAL ACTION?
REFORM OF OUR LAWS?
WHAT IS-- WHAT IS THE-- WHAT IS THE THING THAT WOULD SATISFY
PROTESTERS IN YOUR OPINION-- I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO SPEAK FOR
EVERYBODY?
BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT IS THE END OF THIS RIGHT
NOW?
BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE GROWING.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT-- YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
AFTER M.L.K. GOT ASSASSINATED AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A WEEK OF
RIOTS, AND THEN I THINK-- I THINK IT WAS, LIKE, 40-PLUS
MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE GOT DONE TO AMERICA IN, LIKE, OVER
100-PLUS CITIES.
AND LYNDON B. JOHNSON SIGNED THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IN 1964.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IF HE DID THAT BECAUSE OF THE RIOTS,
BUT I THINK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ANGRY, AND
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS IT.
AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE JUST SCREAMING TO AMERICA TO MAKE A
CHANGE.
LIKE, WE COPE TALKING ABOUT THINGS GOING BACK TO NORMAL.
NORMAL WAS NEVER WORKING IN AMERICA.
IT JUST WASN'T.
HOW DOES A WHITE SUPREMACIST SYSTEM WORK FOR EVERYBODY?
SO, YI THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS TO BE A LOT OF
ATONEMENT FROM THIS COUNTRY IN REGARDS TO LEGISLATION AND
REPARATIONS, TO BLACK PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR.
YOU KNOW, WE BUILT THIS COUNTRY FOR FREE.
>> Stephen: YOU AND I, AS A SAID BEFORE, BOWGHT FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA.
AND SOUTH CAROLINA HAS ITS OWN PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE CONDITION OF RACE RELATIONS AND THE SUPREMACIST SYSTEM IN
THE UNITED STATES.
BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS MOMENT?
WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT ALL OF THE
STATES BEAR?
OR DO YOU THINK IT'S WORSE IN THE SOUTH?
OR IS IT MERELY MORE OVERT?
>> I THINK-- I THINK-- YOU KNOW, THAT'S INTERESTING.
GROWING UP IN SOWK CAROLINA I ALWAYS USED TO TELL PEOPLE I
NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED OVERT RACISM.
I THINK I EXPERIENCED THE MORE COVERT RACISM.
BUT I KNEW THAT THE OVERT RACISM EXISTED.
JUST BECAUSE I DIDN'T PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE IT, I KNOW PLENTY OF
PEOPLE WHO DID, YOU KNOW.
AND I WAS JUST ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT LOOK RACISM IN THE EYE AND
FIGHT IT.
UN WHAT I'M SAYING?
I THINK-- I THINK-- I THINK THAT'S JUST BLACK FOLKS IN THE
SOUTH WAY OF DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW.
BECAUSE IF YOU THINK IT, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE'RE FROM,
SOUTH CAROLINA, WE HAD THE REBELLION IN 1739, AND
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, HE PLANNED A SLAVERY VOTE, AND MATT
TURNER AND NEW ORLEANS WITH THE GERMAN COAST UPRISING, THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ERA WITH ROSA PARKS AND ALABAMA AND STOKELY CARMICHAEL,
MARTIN LUTHER KING JURY-- THAT WAS ALL THE SOUTH.
I DON'T THINK YOU'VE EVER HAD A PROBLEM STANDING TOE TO TOE WITH
RACISM, LOOKING RACISM RIGHT IN THE EYE.
I THINK RACISTS AND BIGOTS AND WHOIT SUPREMACISTS THEY HAVE A
PROBLEM LOOKING BACK AND SEEING US, YOU KNOW.
WE SEE THEIR RACISM, BUT THEY-- THEY LOOK AT US AND ALL THEY SEE
IS PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S WHY NOW I THINK THE RECKONING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
IN THIS COUNTRY IS WHAT I SAID EARLY, JUST DOING RIGHT BOY
BLACK FOLKS.
NO GOOD IS GOING TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY UNTIL THEY COME RIGHT BY
US.
THEY HAVE TO ASTONE FOR THEIR ORIGINAL SIN, WHICH IS SLAVERY,
AND THAT'S ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN THROUGH LEGISLATION AND
REPARATIONS.
WE NODE ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR WHAT THIS COUNTRY DID TO OUR
ANCESTORS.
WE NEED ECONOMIC JUSTICE BECAUSE SYSTEMIC RACISM WAS DESIGNED TO
MARGEALIZE BLACK PEOPLE AND NOW WE NEED SYSTEMIC RETRIBUTION DO
REFORM OUR COMMUNITIES.
SIMPLE AS THAT.
>> Stephen: JOE BIDEN APPEARED "THE BREAKFAST CLUB" A LITTLE
MORE THAN A WEEK AGO AND HE MADE A COMMENT HE HAS SINCE
APOLOGIZED FOR.
HE SAID, "IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM FIGURING OUT WHETHER YOU'RE FOR
ME OR TRUMP, THEN YOU AIN'T BLACK."
AND, AGAIN, HE APOLOGIZED FOR THAT AND DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE
SPPORT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY FOR GRANTED AND NOBODY SHOULD.
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION IN THAT MOMENT?
>> I HONESTLY JUST THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE A GREAT-GREAT-GRANDDAD
JOKE.
AND, HONESTLY, MY INITIAL REACTION WAS EXACTLY WHAT I SAID
TO HIM AFTERWARDS.
I SAID TO HIM, "IT'S NOT ABOUT TRUMP.
IT'S ABOUT ME WANTING SOMETHING FOR MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S
REALLY MY FOCUS.
THAT'S REALLY MY MESSAGE.
I WANT MY ELECTED OFFICIALS TO GO INTO THE WHITE HOUSE AND
DISMANTLE THIS THING CALLED WHITE SUPREMACY AND REALLY DO
SOMETHING TO UPLIFT THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN A REAL MEANINGFUL,
TANGIBLE WAY.
I DON'T GET OFFENDED EASILY.
SO TO ME IT DIDN'T QUITE BOTHER ME BECAUSE I WASN'T ONE OF THOSE
FOLKS HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT HE SAID AFTER.
I DIDN'T LIKE THE AFTERMATH.
HE TALK DON LEMON I BAITED HIM.
I DIDN'T BAIT YOU.
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN VOLUNTEERED THAT FISH.
I DIDN'T-- I DIDN'T THROW NO BAIT OUT THERE FOR THAT FISH
WHATSOEVER.
I DIDN'T LIKE HIM SAYING HE WAS BEING-- TOO CAVALIER.
HE SAID WHEN HE APOLOGIZED I WAS BEING TOO CAVALIER.
THAT WORD IS DEFINED AS NOT SHOWING CONCERN.
>> Stephen: HE GAVE A SPEECH YESTERDAY IN PHILADELPHIA.
WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THAT IN TALKING ABOUT THE UNITED STATES
AND RACE RELATIONS?
>> I LIKED IT A LOT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER-- WHEN REVEREND G JEREMIAH WRIGHT
MADE THE COMMENTS AND PEOPLE PUT PRESSURE ON BARACK OBAMA BECAUSE
OF THE COMMENTS.
AND BARACK OBAMA WAS TALKING TO THE OLDER WHITE VOTERS--
>> Stephen: TALKING ABOUT HIS OWN GRANDMOTHER, I THINK.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
SO I FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, JOE BIDEN SHOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME
THING WITH, YOU KNOW, BLACK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW.
ESPECIALLY YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE.
AND I THINK-- I KIND OF-- I KIND OF GOT THAT FROM THAT SPEECH.
HE WAS TALKING THE WAY HE NEEDED TO TALK TO WIN THIS ELECTION
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT JUST SEEMS LIKE HE'S EXPECTING TRUMP TO
LOSE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO PLAY TO WIN.
BECAUSE A LOT OF US STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TRUMP WON IN 2016.
WE JUST KNOW THAT THERE WERE 4.4 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS WHO
SHOWED UP IN 2012 BUT DIDN'T SHOW UP IN 2016 AND A THIRD OF
THEM WERE BLACK.
THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW UP THIS YEAR.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO GIVE THEM A REASON TO SHOW UP.
THAT'S YI KEEP SAYING, MAN, V.P.
BIDEN, REALLY LEAN INTO BLACKNESS.
I KNOW HE WATCHES YOUR SHOW, SO IF HE'S WATCHING, HE NEEDS TO
KNOW THAT IF BARACK OBAMA WAS J.F.K., THEN JOE BIDEN NEEDS TO
BE LYNDON B. JOHNSON.
LIKE, HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AS PROGRESSIVE AS LYNDON B.
JOHNSON.
LYNDON B. JOHNSON MAY HAVE BEEN LABELED A RACIST, BUT HIS RECORD
DOESN'T REFLECT THAT.
LYNDON B. JOHNSON'S RECORD SHOWS A PROGRESSIVE ON RACE AND CLASS.
RIGHT NOW THIS MOMENT CALLS FOR IT.
WE NEED THAT KIND OF RADICAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGE, LIKE THAT
'57 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
THAT '64 CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS CHANGE.
THAT '65 VOTING RIGHTS ACT CHANGE.
LIKE THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT SMASHED JIM CROW.
SO WOE NEED BIDEN, ALONG WITH HIS TEAM TO CREATE LEGISLATION
THAT SMASHES WHITE SUPREMACY.
THAT'S IT.
>> Stephen: CHARLAMAGNE WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
DON'T GO AWAY, FOLKS.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD.