Up next in 10
KEITH LEE JOINS SWAY IN THE MORNING FOR A POWERFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT FOOD, FAITH, AND THE JOURNEY TO BECOMING A GLOBAL PHENOMENON. From his professional MMA background to becoming one of the most influential food critics in the world, Keith shares the raw truth behind his mission to uplift small businesses and stay true to his roots.
In this deep dive, Keith opens up about his Detroit upbringing, the importance of family, and how he stays grounded while reaching over 17 million followers. This interview goes beyond the food reviews as Keith discusses his battles with depression and anxiety, offering a message of hope to anyone growing through their own struggles. He also addresses the headlines surrounding his Oakland food tour and explains why integrity will always come before a paycheck.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro and the Impact of Keith Lee
2:45 Detroit Roots and Dreams Coming True
5:10 Advice for the Youth: You Have to Start
8:30 Keith Lee Family Day in New Orleans
11:15 Walking in Gratitude and Purpose
14:50 Mental Health and Overcoming Depression
18:25 Growing Up in Detroit and Family Support
21:40 Lessons Learned from Being a Father
24:55 Emotional Calls from Fans and Supporters
30:10 The Spiritual Energy and History of Locks
33:40 Integrity and Turning Down a Million Dollars
37:15 Addressing the Oakland Food Tour Controversy
40:50 Top 5 MMA Fighters of All Time
42:30 J5 Thrive and Closing Thoughts
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0:00
Come on, man. This guy right here is an
0:01
inspiration on so many levels
0:04
to me. Had to be He
0:07
He represents who we've been as a
0:08
community throughout the centuries.
0:10
>> Yes. Yes.
0:11
>> A creative individual.
0:14
>> [applause]
0:15
>> He created something that was very
0:17
unique.
0:18
Um and what it appeared to be on the
0:20
surface turned out it became a whole lot
0:23
um
0:24
as he began to make impact in his
0:26
journeys. I discovered him on Tik Tok
0:29
and social media.
0:30
And here I saw this young man with these
0:32
beautiful locks
0:33
>> Mhm.
0:34
>> going from city to city and giving
0:36
people acknowledgement, you know, giving
0:39
people exposure that otherwise wouldn't
0:41
get it. He got over 17 million followers
0:44
in his social media. And for a
0:46
mom-and-pop store, it's amazing to have
0:47
somebody come in there on their on their
0:49
own energy and give you the type of
0:51
review where people really trust his
0:53
word.
0:54
>> Yeah.
0:54
>> Um because he's been honest throughout
0:56
the whole time. Sometimes it's hard to
0:58
swallow that truth pill, but the thing
1:01
is he stayed consistent with it.
1:02
[laughter] And now when you look at it,
1:04
he's been named creator of the year at
1:06
the inaugural US Tik Tok Awards in 2025
1:09
for his impactful content and his
1:11
community influence.
1:13
Um he's known for going to local
1:15
eateries, small independent mom-and-pop
1:18
stores, and giving them light. He
1:20
featured partnerships with major
1:21
companies like Microsoft Co-pilot
1:23
program. Um and this all started with
1:26
simply from Tik Tok videos. And he
1:28
studies martial arts. He's an MMA um
1:31
mixed martial art artist. And we've had
1:33
nothing but the best on our show um in
1:37
in the past, you know, I I came up in
1:39
the game with Ken Shamrock.
1:41
>> That is amazing.
1:42
>> Okay. Come on. Back man, we got the one
1:44
and only Keith Lee is here, man. Give it
1:46
up for Keith
1:50
>> Keith
1:53
>> Yeah, it's a dream come true, man. I'm
1:55
happy to be here.
1:56
>> Man, what
1:57
I mean a
1:58
dream come true, man.
1:59
>> Absolutely. Absolutely.
2:00
>> You're from Detroit.
2:02
>> Born and raised.
2:02
>> What up, doe?
2:04
>> Man, you grow up watching Sway. You grow
2:05
up thinking of being in this in this
2:07
chair. I never thought that eating food
2:10
would bring me here, but God don't make
2:11
no mistakes. Me and Heather talked about
2:13
it earlier. I think I'm everywhere I'm
2:14
supposed to be at when I'm supposed to
2:15
be there. I'm honored to be here.
2:16
Absolutely.
2:17
>> Well, now you know do you dream
2:19
differently now
2:20
that you've been walking in your dreams?
2:21
>> Absolutely.
2:22
>> How so?
2:23
>> I've always dreamed to to do things. I
2:26
had no idea what path I was going to get
2:28
there on. I always knew I was going to
2:29
do something. I just had no idea how I
2:31
was going to get there.
2:32
Um and I just thank God for every path
2:35
of the journey that I'm on. It's never
2:36
going to look how you think it's going
2:37
to look, but as long as it looks some
2:39
way, that's a blessing.
2:40
>> What do you say to the kid right now
2:42
because you
2:43
you did it by reviewing music and
2:45
tasting and eating food?
2:47
>> Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
2:47
>> Right. Who who would have thought that
2:49
it would have grown to be so big? Now
2:50
you got a lot of kids in their homes
2:52
right now that's thinking about their
2:54
dreams. What advice would you give them?
2:56
>> Uh so I have a tattoo on my chest that I
2:59
live by. You don't have to be great to
3:00
start, but you have to start to be
3:01
great. And I truly believe that. I feel
3:03
like if you don't start, you'll never
3:06
know how you going to finish.
3:07
>> Uh-huh.
3:08
>> And as long as you begin it, even if it
3:10
look like it's not something that you're
3:12
supposed to do or you don't know where
3:13
it's going to take you,
3:15
God don't make no mistakes. You're going
3:16
to be exactly where you're supposed to
3:17
be at, how you're supposed to be there,
3:18
when you're supposed to be there. I've
3:19
been a professional fighter for 10 years
3:21
and I thought my entire life I was just
3:22
going to be that.
3:24
So to sit sit here based off of what I
3:26
feel like I was called to do, which was
3:28
eat food and be a marketing platform for
3:30
restaurants that are around the country
3:32
that have great food, great customer
3:33
service, but they may may need the
3:34
marketing. We did it for absolutely free
3:36
and I believe if you do what you feel
3:39
like you're called to do, you're going
3:40
to be where you're supposed to be at.
3:41
>> Keith Lee is here, man. We're
3:42
celebrating Keith Lee's Family Day. It's
3:45
a festival that celebrates food,
3:47
culture, and small businesses May 16th
3:49
at the B.
3:50
>> In
3:50
>> In New Orleans.
3:51
>> Um when I tell y'all this is the dopest
3:53
thing that we've done so far. uh Uh I've
3:55
been in this space for 4 years and I
3:57
haven't put out anything, any product. I
3:59
tried merch once uh and I got in my own
4:02
head and got in my own way. Uh this is
4:04
the first thing that I've actually put
4:05
out that people can actually come and
4:07
experience. Uh it's not a money grab.
4:08
It's not something that we just did
4:09
quick. Something that we've been working
4:11
on for a year and a half and it's
4:12
something that I really put a lot of
4:14
effort and all of and my all into cuz I
4:17
value any single dollar that people is
4:18
willing to spend with us.
4:19
>> Mhm.
4:19
>> Uh I don't take that lightly. When
4:21
people are willing to go try any food
4:23
that we've ever uh tried, I take that to
4:26
heart and this is one of those uh
4:27
examples. It's a food, music, family
4:30
festival. Uh I think this festival is
4:32
different than any festival that that
4:34
ever existed. Uh we have a obstacle
4:36
course where my family's competing
4:37
against other families.
4:39
And we are doing it where we have music
4:41
for every different generation. So we
4:43
got Gracie Corners for the kids. Uh we
4:45
got Kirk Franklin.
4:46
>> Oh man.
4:46
>> Uh we got music from New Orleans legends
4:49
like Mannie Fresh.
4:50
>> Uh-huh.
4:50
>> Uh we got Hot Sizzor. Uh we got Lourizi
4:52
who's a young artist from New Orleans.
4:54
>> Oh he's been up here. He's been up here.
4:56
Yeah yeah yeah. You know he'll spit them
4:57
bars up here.
4:58
>> I feel like you can't I feel like you
4:59
can't Y'all so tapped into the culture.
5:01
I feel like you can't not tap into a
5:03
culture when you go to a new city. And
5:04
we going to a city not like New Orleans,
5:06
even though I'm not from there, I feel
5:07
like I'm from there. Like it's one of
5:09
those places like if you been there, you
5:10
feel like you cousins.
5:12
It's like uh it's a traveling festival.
5:14
It's inaugural. This is the first year.
5:16
New Orleans was the first stop because
5:18
it's the very first place that we went
5:19
to food tour outside of Vegas.
5:21
>> Mhm.
5:21
>> Um and to this day it's still my number
5:23
one. I love New Orleans to death from
5:25
the culture to the people.
5:27
Um and I just I I appreciate every
5:29
single person on this journey with us
5:31
and I feel like I It's something I live
5:33
by. The same people that you see on the
5:35
way up is the same way same people you
5:37
see on the way down. They either going
5:38
to pull you down or they going to help
5:39
you get back up if you falling. And
5:41
these people are the people that I
5:43
started with. This is the very first
5:44
place that I ever traveled to. Um and
5:47
I'm honored to go back and and bring
5:48
something to the community.
5:49
>> Keith Lee, man. Listen, get those
5:51
tickets. The tickets for familyday.com.
5:54
You can go to familyday.com.
5:56
f a m i l e e d a y dot com.
6:00
Man, it's so good to have you here,
6:02
Keith.
6:03
>> Likewise, man.
6:03
>> Man, and and and thank you for sharing.
6:05
We did have a conversation while the
6:06
music was playing because um Sway and I
6:09
actually celebrating 1 year being out
6:11
here in a couple of days, and Torch, our
6:14
producer, our super producer
6:16
extraordinaire back in New York, was the
6:18
first person to tell me about you. And
6:20
it was like, "Yo, HB, you need to follow
6:23
Keith Lee." And I was like, "Who's Keith
6:24
Lee?" And he he broke it all down. And
6:27
ended up out here a couple of years
6:29
later, and I'm at this same event, Sway,
6:32
thrown by Macro, where I met Lenny
6:34
Smith, who owns Actively
6:36
Black or was Actively Black. And this
6:38
beautiful young spirited brother comes
6:40
walking by, and I'm like, "I know you."
6:42
He's like, "I know you." And we just
6:44
started laughing and hugging like we
6:45
were cousins.
6:46
>> "What's up, Wati?"
6:48
>> [laughter]
6:48
>> For real. Like, he was like, "What's
6:49
up?" Like, "You need to be on the show.
6:51
You need to be on Sway in the Morning.
6:53
Take my number." And we exchanged
6:55
numbers, and you just felt that kinship
6:57
there. And I I never forgot your energy.
7:00
And I want to say to people out there,
7:02
Sway, cuz you said, "What would you say
7:03
to a young person?" I think when you're
7:05
out and about, you need to have a
7:06
certain energy about you, you know, a
7:09
certain amount of humility, you know, um
7:12
and be willing to exchange because, to
7:14
your point, you never know what it may
7:16
lead to. You know, he could have been a
7:18
certain kind of way. I could have been a
7:20
certain kind of way. And although this
7:21
took a year to actually have you here,
7:24
cuz we would text each other. I'm like,
7:25
"Where are you? Where are you?" You
7:26
know, it it ended up happening out here,
7:28
you know, almost a year later to the
7:30
day, you know? So, thank you, and God
7:33
bless you and your family and everything
7:35
that what you're doing cuz food also
7:36
brings people together. And so, I think
7:38
it's beautiful that you did this.
7:40
>> I believe in gratitude.
7:42
I I walk in gratitude. I walk in
7:44
thankfulness. I wouldn't be here without
7:46
Jesus. I wouldn't be here without God.
7:47
And I feel like if I don't appreciate
7:50
every moment that he's allowed me to be
7:51
in, then I'm taking for I'm taking it
7:53
for granted. In that moment I was truly
7:55
appreciative to meet you. And I again
7:57
I'm truly appreciative to be here, man.
7:59
And it's not from an opportunity
8:00
perspective, it's not from a
8:03
It is a way, but it for me it's the fact
8:05
that I'm able to walk in my purpose and
8:07
I'm able to walk in what I feel like I'm
8:08
called to do. And this is just a
8:10
testament to that.
8:11
And family day I would love for y'all to
8:13
be there.
8:14
>> Yeah, May the 16th. Yeah, yeah, May the
8:16
16th.
8:17
>> How do I know that date though? Did
8:18
somebody 16th or something happen in
8:20
May? We don't know.
8:21
>> season. It is It is Yeah.
8:23
>> DeVaughn [clears throat]
8:24
I feel like invited us to his show May
8:26
15th.
8:27
>> Did they
8:28
>> But we could do both.
8:29
>> We could do both.
8:29
>> We could do both. I want to I'm I'm
8:31
trying to do that. If we going to say it
8:32
on the air, we got to do it.
8:33
>> to do it. Yeah, let's let's make this
8:35
happen.
8:35
>> Yeah, let's go to New Orleans. What?
8:37
>> Okay.
8:38
>> I mean Kirk Franklin will be there.
8:40
That's his family.
8:41
>> It's literally just a family reunion. So
8:43
everybody that I'm inviting is people
8:45
that I truly can see being family.
8:48
People that I can see just walking
8:50
around. I don't want nobody that's going
8:52
to be under security, not enjoying it,
8:55
standing on a different side. I'm
8:57
walking around with my family. I'm
8:58
walking around with my kids.
8:59
>> Yes.
9:00
>> I'm walking around with all of my
9:01
cousins and we literally just going to
9:03
go and enjoy. I want this to be a family
9:05
reunion style old school welcome home
9:08
Roscoe Jenkins.
9:09
>> Yes.
9:09
>> Real
9:11
90s inspired [laughter]
9:12
real old school type of
9:13
>> I like that, man.
9:14
>> What's up, cousin?
9:16
>> I'm just going to walk up to strangers
9:17
and say, "What's up, cousin?"
9:18
>> I want it to feel, man.
9:19
>> Spade going to have a microphone and
9:21
getting drunk and Spade
9:22
>> Oh, [laughter] yeah.
9:23
>> That's Kirk going to be there. That's
9:25
his bro.
9:25
>> I'm already knowing it. I'm already
9:27
knowing it.
9:27
>> What up? What up?
9:27
>> As long as you enjoy it, that's all that
9:29
matters.
9:29
>> Absolutely. What I admire about you um
9:33
is we we've seen a lot of your success.
9:37
>> Thank you. Right? And we've seen what
9:39
happens on the surface, but we don't
9:40
always know what happens behind the
9:42
scenes. And to hear your story, the some
9:44
of the challenges you've had I know that
9:48
you've learned that they're not unique
9:50
to you.
9:50
>> Absolutely.
9:51
>> Right? And so for you to be so
9:52
transparent about some of the past
9:54
things, maybe even current, depression,
9:58
thinking suicide, all of these
10:00
challenges that you faced to watch you
10:04
walk through those challenges, navigate
10:07
them,
10:08
accept them,
10:09
>> Mhm.
10:09
>> embrace them, then rewire them.
10:12
But the fact that you share it,
10:14
>> Mhm.
10:15
>> you are healing a whole lot of folks who
10:17
don't have a platform.
10:18
>> You got to.
10:19
>> They don't have a voice. Right? Was that
10:22
always in you to do or once you start
10:25
doing it, was it the reaction that kept
10:26
you going?
10:27
>> Uh it's a testimony.
10:29
So I feel like when you go through
10:31
things, I I never go through anything, I
10:33
grow through through stuff.
10:34
>> Grow
10:35
>> And God allows me to be in those
10:37
positions to not only give him the glory
10:39
and show it's real and because without
10:42
him it wouldn't be possible. There's no
10:44
way that you could convince me that at
10:46
17, I was on the verge of suicide to the
10:48
point where I I attempted it. And I
10:51
dealt with seasonal depression. I still
10:52
deal with seasonal depression to this
10:54
day.
10:55
I started recording myself on TikTok
10:56
because I have anxiety and I was trying
10:58
to get comfortable in front of a camera
11:00
so I can do fight interviews and it took
11:02
me away from fighting and it took me to
11:04
a space where now I'm on camera 24/7.
11:07
You can't tell me that's not God because
11:09
if I had any control over I still would
11:11
be professionally fighting right now.
11:13
And this space that I'm in literally is
11:16
a result of me releasing control and
11:18
allowing things to happen the way they
11:20
supposed to.
11:21
And it again if if it was up to me, I
11:24
wouldn't be here.
11:25
>> Right.
11:25
>> try to get here, but I I think when you
11:27
when you try that's when you get into
11:30
the divine space and you you mess up
11:33
because our human brains want us to do
11:35
certain things but spiritually and and
11:38
and what God has put us to do is
11:41
completely different than what we think
11:42
we want to do. Um and I I believe if you
11:45
if we begin to kids we speaking to you
11:47
from speaking to myself
11:48
continue to do what you feel like you
11:50
called to do. It's easier said than done
11:52
um but again it's a testimony and that's
11:54
why I always shout it from the rooftops
11:56
of that I am a kid who has anxiety. I am
11:58
a kid who
11:59
uh
12:00
I was 8 and 5 as a professional fighter
12:02
which isn't a super successful record.
12:04
Uh
12:04
I'm not a a a guy who always had things
12:06
handed to me. Uh I come from a two
12:09
parent household that is extremely
12:10
loving. Um I come from a place that is
12:13
extremely
12:15
uh I am blessed but I'm I also come from
12:18
inner city Detroit.
12:19
>> Mhm. [snorts] Yeah.
12:20
>> come from a place of of having to figure
12:22
it out once I turn 18. Uh I said I
12:24
turned professional at 18. It wasn't
12:26
like
12:26
you are in the workforce I immediately
12:29
was like
12:30
>> You went to school?
12:30
>> thrown into it. Like you grown now. Like
12:33
go figure it out kind of thing. Um
12:35
And now I'm I'm blessed enough to have
12:36
amazing people around me. Uh my entire
12:38
family is here.
12:39
>> Beautiful.
12:40
>> Who's that that guy with the tats on his
12:42
um biceps?
12:43
>> That's [laughter] how you know this
12:44
first way?
12:45
>> That's
12:46
That's the head of my security but he
12:48
>> Hold on.
12:48
>> [laughter]
12:48
>> Is that your security?
12:49
Yeah he is. Okay.
12:51
>> That's my cousin.
12:52
>> That's your cousin.
12:53
>> But then I have amazing role models
12:55
around me like my mom-in-law. She's
12:57
here. She is one of the most beautiful
12:59
spirits I've ever been around. One of
13:01
the strongest people I've ever been
13:02
around.
13:03
And just a testament of no matter what
13:06
scenario if you are meant to be
13:09
somewhere you're going to be there and
13:10
she's an amazing person. I'm not going
13:12
to sit here and paint a picture of
13:14
perfect. I still deal with depression.
13:15
It's when I say seasonal it can snap out
13:18
of nowhere and then I would randomly be
13:20
in this
13:21
space of extreme doubt. I'll be in a
13:23
space of
13:25
I don't deserve this. I'm not supposed
13:26
to be here. Uh I'll get in the space of
13:29
of this is all going to get taken away
13:31
from me in a heartbeat. Uh even though
13:33
now I'm blessed enough to own my own
13:35
house, I still have those thoughts of
13:36
like somebody about to come take my
13:38
house. Uh
13:39
and and I won't notice it until it's
13:41
retrospect, right? I won't notice it
13:43
until I have a conversation and then
13:45
I'll go and reflect on it and I'm like,
13:47
oh, okay. You in one of those
13:49
>> You were dealing with it.
13:50
>> Yeah, you dealing with with one of those
13:51
spaces.
13:51
>> Did Did What How does having kids affect
13:55
that process? Do you feel like I don't
13:56
even have time to deal with this or Did
14:00
the kids help you?
14:01
>> I was about to say I was I feel like I
14:02
even got more time to deal with it now
14:03
because now I can process it through
14:06
conversations I'm having with them and I
14:07
can learn through them and and I can
14:10
teach them at the same time.
14:12
Uh it To me having kids slows things
14:14
down because I have to communicate. I
14:17
have to go through these emotions. I
14:19
have to speak through these emotions
14:20
because my daughters are very
14:22
introspective and they real intelligent.
14:25
And my 5-year-old will come to me and
14:26
she'll have full conversations and
14:28
she'll say, "Hey Daddy, are you okay?
14:30
How you feeling right now? Like, oh, you
14:32
just asked me to do this but you were a
14:33
little loud. I don't like how loud you
14:35
were. Why were you this loud?" And we
14:37
I'll have to break those emotions down
14:38
and have conversations with her. Uh cuz
14:40
I feel like I was the same way as a kid.
14:41
I was very inquisitive.
14:43
>> I'm I'm laughing because our producer
14:45
Torch, he has a 6-year-old and he's been
14:47
blessed with so much and I say, "Isn't
14:49
it amazing? You're a grown man and you
14:51
have all these blessings, but you have a
14:53
6-year-old boss and now you have
14:55
>> I have a 6-year-old boss. I have a
14:56
5-year-old boss.
14:56
>> You got a 5-year-old
14:56
>> I got a 5-year-old boss, [laughter] a
14:57
3-year-old boss, and a 5-month-old. Wow,
15:00
man. I'm in the trenches.
15:01
>> Yeah, you in the trenches.
15:02
I like for you to I appreciate you
15:05
sharing because to me anybody We have
15:07
people on this show that we are
15:09
interested in, we support, and that we
15:11
like, right? And looking at your
15:13
experiences, I know there's a lot of
15:15
people in our community that are parents
15:17
that that are dealing with depression,
15:19
that's probably dealt with suicidal
15:21
thoughts,
15:22
uh who have kids, and it's great for
15:25
them to hear your story
15:26
cuz they know through your story that
15:28
their story
15:29
is valid and that there's a way. You
15:32
know, there's a way to function. For
15:34
you, the core of it all is through God,
15:37
right? You know, and and maybe everybody
15:39
don't have those same beliefs, right?
15:42
But for you, that's what works. That's
15:43
what works for me. We got Jessica on the
15:45
line right now.
15:46
>> You helped me so much. I discovered you
15:48
on Snap. Just I was sick and I was, you
15:51
know, feeling depressed. I was watching
15:52
your videos and you're so inspirational,
15:54
the way that you are so kind and
15:56
gracious to people. Like you've uplifted
15:58
me in so many ways.
16:00
Just seeing your face, like your
16:02
positive energy, I feel it through the
16:03
screen.
16:06
Getting tears in my eyes, like you
16:07
literally make me happy when I see one
16:08
of your videos pop up. I got to watch it
16:10
cuz you always have such good words,
16:12
such good things to say.
16:14
I love what you do. You're amazing. Like
16:16
I had to reach out when I heard I was
16:18
listening to the radio, I listened to
16:19
this every day. I heard you and I I'm
16:21
just like I'm so proud of you for your
16:23
accomplishments. You deserve all of
16:25
that. And thank you for doing what you
16:26
do and for being who you are.
16:29
>> I appreciate you, Jess. You don't know
16:30
how much that means to me.
16:32
>> Wow, man.
16:33
>> From the bottom of my heart, you don't
16:33
know how much that means.
16:37
>> Wow, Jess. Jess, you What are you doing
16:39
May 16th, Jess? Jess, get a ticket. Come
16:42
on out. We going to be there.
16:44
>> I'm going to try. I'm going to try. I'm
16:45
going to try. I'm trying to be part of
16:46
the family. I'm trying to do it. I'm
16:48
trying to do it.
16:49
>> Let's make sure we get Jess a ticket.
16:51
>> You want to get her a ticket? If you
16:52
could get out there, we can get you a
16:54
ticket in.
16:55
>> Lonnie Lightle take your number.
16:57
>> All right, sounds good.
16:58
>> You down, Jess?
16:59
>> I'm down.
17:00
>> All right, I'm going to put her on hold.
17:01
Okay, hold on. Don't worry. And if you
17:03
come out there, we'll get you a ticket.
17:05
You don't even have to worry about food.
17:07
I'll treat you all day for food.
17:09
Okay?
17:09
>> I appreciate it so much. Thank you.
17:11
>> We going to make it easy on you, Jess.
17:12
All you got to do is get there, all
17:13
right? You super citizen.
17:15
>> Of Sway in the Morning.
17:16
>> go to Brooklyn. Our guy from Brooklyn on
17:18
the line. What up, Phil?
17:19
>> brother?
17:20
>> Peace peace and blessings everyone. It's
17:22
so it's so good to hear you. I just got
17:24
in the car. Heard brother Keith Lee. I
17:25
said, "I got to call him and and speak
17:27
to the brother for a second. Just just
17:30
to appreciate you because
17:33
every video I see where you visit a
17:34
restaurant, I see that you actually see
17:36
people. You know, you you you sit with
17:38
them. You see them. You bless them at
17:41
the end. And I just think that that's a
17:42
gift.
17:44
And so, thank you for for really shining
17:46
a light on those restaurants that need
17:48
your help. But also but just being
17:50
present and seeing people. That's really
17:52
a wonderful wonderful gift that you
17:53
have. And thank you for being obedient.
17:56
>> I appreciate you, Phil. Wow, man. My man
17:59
Phil. See you May 16th, Phil. Get a
18:01
ticket or buy it for somebody. Phil, you
18:03
got money.
18:03
>> Absolutely.
18:04
>> Wow, [laughter] Sway. I feel you. You're
18:05
super.
18:09
>> I'm blessed. I ain't going to lie. I'm
18:10
blessed.
18:11
>> Well, you got it. Listen, you got
18:12
serious XL. So, you you you paying the
18:14
era now. Yeah, you got it, Phil. All
18:16
right, man. You're a super citizen,
18:18
brother.
18:18
>> the morning.
18:19
>> We got Morgan from Long Beach on the
18:20
line. Morgan, welcome to the show.
18:22
>> Hey, Morgan.
18:23
>> Woo. Hi. Uh first off, I'm going to
18:25
start off by saying thank you, Sway and
18:27
Heather B. I don't think that y'all
18:28
realize that y'all use this platform to
18:30
make sure that y'all do God's work. And
18:32
I don't If nobody else give y'all that
18:34
glory and nobody I'm I'm giving y'all
18:36
glory because people think that
18:37
sometimes people as humans we don't
18:39
deserve that. But I'm telling you I
18:40
acknowledge the work that y'all is
18:42
doing. Keith, thank you so much for
18:44
getting on this platform to be able to
18:46
tell us that we have that we we serve an
18:49
amazing and awesome God and we do follow
18:51
your heart and you follow your spirit
18:52
and you follow YOUR PURPOSE, EVERY DOOR
18:54
WILL constantly be open. I don't think
18:57
that y'all know I'm on my way right now
18:59
to go advocate for myself because and
19:01
and and and listening to you, I'm down
19:03
here in tears. I just keep saying, "God,
19:05
thank you because YOU HAVE A FUNNY WAY
19:07
OF LETTING US KNOW that we are directly
19:09
that we are exactly where we need to
19:11
be." And something that you just said
19:12
that I would never forget is that you
19:14
don't go through things, but you grow
19:16
through things. And I think that right
19:18
there, if everybody had that mindset, I
19:20
think that everybody can live in their
19:21
purpose for like happily. And I And I
19:24
think that sometimes we go through
19:25
things and we think that life is beating
19:27
us up, but it's not beating us up. It's
19:29
just getting It's giving us character.
19:31
It's It's allowing us to make make sure
19:32
that we push through. It's giving us Oh,
19:34
it's it's it's a specific word that I'm
19:36
looking for, but I can't even find it.
19:37
But again, I just want to tell you guys
19:38
thank you.
19:40
Heather, I want to tell you you just
19:42
don't know how much you have helped me.
19:44
When I'm I want to say 2020, you let me
19:47
get on your own show. And I And you got
19:49
on there and you said I had a I have a
19:50
back to school drive that I do every
19:52
year. And when I tell you you sent over
19:54
500 backpacks to me that one specific
19:57
year. Sway, when I was in a senior in
19:59
college
20:00
you got on there and you said
20:02
Sway, when I was a senior in college,
20:04
you got I sat there and I remember me
20:05
telling y'all I said I don't know,
20:07
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TRYING TO FALL INTO
20:08
your purpose and you don't really know.
20:10
And I And the people that you had on
20:11
that radio let me know that the light
20:13
that you have can can never be dimmed
20:15
and what's meant for you will always
20:17
find you. And I just want to tell you
20:18
guys thank you so much. I know I talked
20:20
so much, but again, my name is Morgan
20:22
White. Keith, thank you. Heather B,
20:23
thank you. Everybody in that studio,
20:25
thank you because God is using y'all.
20:27
>> [snorts]
20:28
>> My cross.
20:29
>> We have a church in here.
20:30
>> We have [laughter] a church.
20:31
>> Yo, Morgan, we love you and keep
20:33
calling. We need to hear your voice and
20:35
we're proud of you. You're a super
20:37
citizen.
20:37
>> Yes, you are, sister. Sway in the
20:39
morning. God bless you.
20:40
>> God bless you. We going to come back
20:41
with Keith Lee. May 16th is the big day
20:44
at the UNO Lakefront Festival Grounds in
20:46
New Orleans. Keith Lee's Family Day. Go
20:50
to familyday.com,
20:52
f a m i l e e d a y.com. We're coming
20:56
back. We'll take your calls.
20:57
888-742-334-5.
21:02
Keith Lee is here, Heather.
21:04
My new little brother right here, man.
21:06
And a better
21:08
Okay, nephew. Let me make it nephew.
21:10
>> You have you got a lot of brothers. You
21:11
got a lot of nephews. That's special.
21:13
>> I like him. He's my little brother.
21:14
>> I ain't even 30 yet, so I can be both
21:16
nephew brother.
21:18
>> I want to be your brother.
21:19
>> I'm 29. Just turned 29.
21:20
>> Oh, yeah. You're 2 years older than my
21:21
daughter.
21:22
>> [laughter]
21:23
>> NEPHEW.
21:24
>> NEPHEW.
21:26
>> EXACTLY.
21:26
>> UH how long you what what made you go
21:29
what made you grow your locs? What's the
21:31
story? The origin story behind your
21:33
locs?
21:33
>> So, I was free forming for a while and
21:35
growing up I had a very strict dad and
21:37
he was very clean cut. He believed in
21:41
how you are viewed is how people respect
21:44
you and how people see you. And back in
21:46
I was born in '96, so back in the early
21:48
2000s it immediately was low haircut.
21:50
So, it was like I always had waves or
21:52
low Caesar or low taper. When I finally
21:55
got old enough to be able to have my own
21:57
decisions with my hair, I was like I'm
21:59
never cutting it again. So, I did free
22:01
form for maybe like a year year and a
22:02
half
22:03
and then one day I start seeing my
22:06
corners come a little lighter and I was
22:08
like, "Okay, this is the time. If I'm
22:10
going to do it, I'm going to do it right
22:11
now." And I really believe hair holds
22:13
energy
22:14
and I believe it holds what you I I I
22:18
think it's just a representation of
22:20
growth and to be able to be blessed
22:22
enough to grow it to where it's damn
22:24
near at my stomach now,
22:26
I'm forever thankful, man. I This is one
22:28
of those things where I really hold a
22:30
lot of pride into and you're the first
22:32
person to ever bring it up, which is
22:33
super dope.
22:35
Me and my wife locked up at the same
22:36
time.
22:36
>> Oh, y'all did? Okay.
22:37
>> Yeah, yeah, yeah. We locked at the same
22:38
time.
22:38
>> How long has it been now?
22:39
>> Uh 5 years.
22:40
>> 5 years. Beautiful.
22:41
>> So, it's just a representation of love,
22:43
man.
22:43
>> Well, I had mine at 17 when when I was a
22:46
youngster swiggity.
22:49
>> [laughter]
22:51
>> How long did it end up getting? You Did
22:53
you ever trim it or
22:54
>> I never trimmed them.
22:56
Um
22:58
My past my ass, you know.
23:00
>> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
23:01
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:01
>> Yeah, swiggity past my ass. you you you
23:03
you
23:04
>> [laughter]
23:04
>> That sound crazy. That sound crazy.
23:07
>> Yo yo let it go. But, mine were rooted
23:10
in
23:11
spirituality and culture. My Auntie
23:13
Celia was a devout Rasta and and she
23:16
encouraged me and to your point I I knew
23:18
hair carried a lot of energy.
23:21
It it holds a lot of energy and it
23:22
detects a lot of energy. They're like
23:25
uh
23:26
like whiskers on a catfish or tentacles
23:29
on a octopus. And every
23:33
every portion of your hair, every you
23:36
know, millimeter of your hair represents
23:39
a different time in your life. And so, I
23:41
realized when I had them for 17 I would
23:44
look at my some of the locs.
23:46
You could tell at the length it was at 8
23:49
years when I might have been stressing
23:51
on something. The loc was a little
23:53
thinner.
23:54
Right? You start
23:55
separating, right? Do you Do you go
23:57
through that as
23:58
>> 1000% yeah. Because you can feel each
24:00
part of your hair has a different time
24:02
frame in it and a different
24:04
timeline. Like you said, when you was
24:05
going through certain things, I can feel
24:07
how my hair reacts to how I'm feeling.
24:10
If like I said, if I'm in a depressed
24:11
mode or depressed state, I can feel it
24:13
being real dry and real tense. When I'm
24:16
feeling real well, it's it's nice and
24:18
bouncy and and you get that that vibrant
24:21
it retains moisture.
24:24
I said, being able to see my wife locked
24:26
up with us
24:26
>> Mhm.
24:27
>> I really want my kids to lock up, but I
24:28
always talk talk to them and always said
24:30
to my wife, "When they come to us and
24:32
they decide to make that decision, then
24:34
we'll make that decision. I don't want
24:35
to make that decision for them because
24:36
it's something that can take you a
24:38
lifetime and it's something that could
24:39
really take you on your own journey and
24:41
I want them to be able to
24:43
enjoy and experience that own journey on
24:45
their own time."
24:46
>> Our people, our hair, our stories are so
24:48
unique. It should be celebrated. You
24:50
know, you got civil
24:53
regulations against people with hair
24:55
like us. Why Why is that? What are you
24:57
blocking? Why is this hair so dangerous
24:59
to you? What are you scared of?
25:01
>> Absolutely.
25:02
>> That that Keith Lee has locks.
25:04
>> Absolutely.
25:04
>> Right. Think about that.
25:05
>> Like I said, my dad used to say it a
25:06
lot. I I understand it was it was taught
25:08
and it's not he's a lot accepting now,
25:10
but for
25:11
back then, he legit would be like, "You
25:13
cutting your hair. The second I see it
25:15
grow too high, I don't want people to
25:16
assume that you were a certain type of
25:18
way or I don't want people to assume
25:19
that you are with different values."
25:22
Even though I was bad as a kid, so me
25:24
having short hair didn't make a
25:25
difference.
25:26
>> [laughter]
25:29
>> Uh
25:29
so, I but I I think now that I'm blessed
25:33
enough to have a power to end my own
25:35
hair and my own decisions, that not only
25:37
does it carry a lot, but like you said,
25:38
it's representation for for other people
25:40
who look like me. Um and I think it's
25:43
super important to be in these spaces
25:44
and not look like a
25:47
stereotypical clean-cut because I am a
25:50
guy who with locks. I am a guy with
25:51
tattoos all over my hands. Uh I got
25:53
tattoos all on my chest, on my arms. Uh
25:55
my wife has tattoos everywhere and it
25:58
goes against the stereotypical norm and
26:00
it shows people and kids that look like
26:02
me that you can do whatever you supposed
26:04
to do when you supposed to do it and no
26:06
matter what you look like on the
26:08
outside, it's what's what's on the
26:10
inside and it's your character and it's
26:11
how you move and maneuver through life.
26:13
Uh and the the principles that you stand
26:15
on.
26:16
>> Mhm.
26:16
>> Keith Lee is here, man. Get your
26:17
tickets, familyday.com.
26:20
Go on the site now, f a m i l e e d a y.
26:24
You can see Toby and Wigway who got his
26:26
beginnings on this show.
26:28
>> dog.
26:28
>> Manny Fresh
26:29
>> my favorite moments on this show.
26:30
>> Yeah.
26:31
>> Yeah, absolutely. When he freestyled
26:33
with Fat up here.
26:34
>> Oh, my gosh, bro. To this day, I get
26:36
goosebumps when I watch it. Andre Day,
26:39
Manny Fresh, La Reezy, Kirk Franklin,
26:41
they'll all be there May 16th. Tracy,
26:44
maybe if you want to come with Heather
26:45
and me, let me know.
26:46
>> I would love that. The [laughter] wall
26:48
is going to be lit.
26:49
>> Please, honey. It's such a joy to see
26:51
you in the studio, Keith. It really,
26:53
really is. You were one of the swiftest
26:55
follows that I made when I first got on
26:57
Tik Tok years ago and I think your power
27:01
is all on your sincerity. You know, that
27:05
has made you one of the most influential
27:07
tastemakers in the country, no pun. And
27:10
it's so interesting like the contrast
27:12
because like Sway was sharing like you
27:15
always share about
27:16
your social anxiety. You have a spirit
27:19
that makes us want to socialize with
27:21
you.
27:22
>> [laughter]
27:22
>> So I just like God is such a comedian in
27:24
that way. But I want to touch on the
27:27
shift from content creator to
27:29
businessman cuz that's exactly where you
27:31
are at right now.
27:33
Please share with us
27:35
maybe like the checklist, the questions
27:38
you and your wife discuss before saying
27:40
yes to a certain partnership because I
27:42
know the level that you're at, the money
27:45
is getting louder and for a lot of folks
27:48
you spoke about coming from the inner
27:49
city of Detroit, money can be a
27:51
distraction and you're just like I got
27:53
to have it, I got to have it, I got to
27:54
have it
27:56
but it can be a path to misalignment. So
27:59
what are some of those questions so that
28:00
your integrity is present while the
28:03
money is as well?
28:05
>> My number one is family. So my family
28:08
has to be included in everything that I
28:09
do.
28:10
I don't do anything that separates me
28:13
from the group
28:15
because I'm not just it's not just Keith
28:17
Lee, it's the family cuz without me
28:20
without them I don't exist.
28:22
In moments of depression, moments of
28:24
uncertainty, I go to them for any kind
28:27
of
28:28
charging
28:29
socially or doing anything business
28:32
wise, having conversations, my wife, my
28:34
sister, my mom-in-law, my mom, my dad,
28:36
my brothers, those are who and my
28:38
cousins, those are who I go to. So
28:40
without them again I don't exist. So I
28:42
immediately keep them on the forefront
28:43
when I do any business deal.
28:46
Not only from that perspective, they're
28:47
just so talented and I think it's super
28:49
important to to have the talents that
28:52
are around me be shown cuz that again,
28:54
that's what we do within the community
28:56
and what we do within restaurants. Um
28:58
and
28:59
not only from a family perspective, my
29:01
number one thing that I I focus on is a
29:03
community that I've been blessed enough
29:04
to build. Uh I don't take it lightly
29:08
with any brand deal or any partnership
29:11
the amount of people who are willing to
29:12
go support anything that we do. Um so if
29:15
we go do something, let's say we go deal
29:18
with a restaurant, right? People will
29:20
jump on a plane and go try whatever it
29:22
is that like even this the family day
29:24
within the first day, we sold out
29:26
pre-sale in 2 minutes.
29:28
The VIP chef's table sold out in 10
29:30
hours and 90% of our tickets sold out in
29:34
less than 72 hours. And that's in New
29:36
Orleans. New Orleans is a very hard
29:38
place to sell tickets at because they
29:40
have so many festivals for free. You got
29:43
Mardi Gras where you can literally just
29:44
go to a parade and you don't have to pay
29:45
a single thing. Uh so to sell tickets in
29:47
a environment like that is
29:50
damn near unprecedented for a first-time
29:52
uh festival. Uh so that I don't take
29:55
that lightly. So I make sure that
29:57
whatever I genuinely do or genuinely
29:59
love has to resonate within whatever it
30:02
is that I'm doing. So I'll give you a
30:04
quick story. When we first started, I
30:05
didn't I think I was making
30:08
I think I was I I wasn't making no
30:09
money.
30:10
>> Okay. Okay.
30:10
>> [laughter]
30:10
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
30:13
I think I was making
30:14
>> I wasn't making I wasn't making
30:16
nothing.
30:16
>> I wasn't making no money. Uh and a
30:18
company reached out and they I told this
30:20
story before. A company reached out and
30:22
they offered me a million dollars and it
30:24
was a company where I didn't eat the
30:26
product at the time. And they were like,
30:28
I want you to eat this and I want you to
30:30
say it's a 10 out of 10. I easily could
30:31
have took that million dollars. To your
30:33
point, I easily could have been like,
30:34
absolutely.
30:35
>> They offered you a million dollars?
30:36
>> Absolutely. I could have easily been
30:38
like oh yeah, ain't nobody going to know
30:40
I don't like it for real. Um,
30:42
>> but in that moment again I thought about
30:44
my family.
30:46
And if I had something at this company,
30:49
would my kids come and try and eat it or
30:50
my kids bring it to the house and we
30:52
don't eat stuff like that, right?
30:55
If if I tell them like hey no, daddy
30:57
don't like that and
30:59
my 5 year old like why you want a
31:00
commercial? Why you eating it? Why did
31:02
you say you like it? I would have to
31:03
explain that to her. So that not only is
31:06
an integrity perspective but an honesty
31:08
perspective and the fact that other
31:10
people will go out and try it knowing
31:12
that I it's not something I'm proud of,
31:14
I couldn't do it. So I walked away from
31:16
it and it's something that I've never
31:17
regretted and I I don't think I've ever
31:19
regretted to this day. And now this is a
31:21
company that I'm actually in talks with
31:23
working with with any community and
31:25
doing things from a community standpoint
31:27
and doing things from a
31:29
a perspective of touching the youth,
31:32
touching the kids, touching the people
31:34
that are around us, doing things that
31:36
are are
31:38
and that's the intangible touching the
31:40
the
31:41
overall perspective of what makes sense
31:43
in the community and not just doing it
31:45
from a perspective of oh, I'm Keith and
31:47
I like this certain meal.
31:49
>> Great question Tracy. Keith Lee, man. I
31:52
love that man. Integrity,
31:54
moral compass, he don't bend.
31:57
My my nephew James, James you want to
31:58
ask Keith a question?
32:00
>> What's up James?
32:00
>> Got a quick question. Throw the mic in
32:01
front of James. Go on.
32:02
>> Hey James.
32:05
>> He is so adorable man.
32:06
>> James is 8 years old. Go ahead James,
32:08
what you got for him?
32:11
You know he does a lot with food and
32:13
stuff.
32:14
Anything?
32:17
>> What's your favorite food?
32:20
>> My favorite food is is probably steak. I
32:23
love steak and vegetables. Do you eat
32:24
vegetables?
32:25
>> Yes.
32:25
>> Yeah, I can tell you strong and healthy.
32:28
You got to eat your vegetables man. I
32:29
love your hair by the way.
32:30
>> Thank you.
32:31
>> You're welcome.
32:32
>> That was a great question.
32:34
>> That was a great question. [laughter] We
32:35
didn't ask
32:36
>> We didn't ASK
32:38
THEM THAT.
32:40
>> [laughter]
32:40
>> THANK YOU, JAMES. YOU JUST YOU JUST YOU
32:43
KNOW, made our show valid.
32:45
>> [laughter]
32:45
>> He legitimized our whole interview right
32:47
there with that question.
32:48
>> Looking at him
32:49
makes me not be able to wait till my son
32:52
get his age. Cuz I I got two girls and
32:55
they five and three. But I haven't been
32:57
able to see what I look like in in sun
32:59
form.
33:00
Yeah, that just made me excited.
33:02
>> Hopefully
33:03
And he sharp.
33:05
But Keef Lee, I hope this is the first
33:07
of a series of conversations with us.
33:10
>> Absolutely, I will.
33:11
>> I I don't know what happened when you
33:13
visited Oakland.
33:15
I just read a lot of headlines. I think
33:16
you guys
33:17
can talk about that. What I heard you
33:19
got sick or
33:20
>> Yeah, so
33:21
when we went, this and this is a a thing
33:23
that I feel like I have to stress is
33:25
that
33:26
my
33:28
number one objective in all of this is
33:31
community. If I have any objective,
33:32
that's that's what it is. It's to
33:34
highlight small businesses and it's to
33:36
highlight people who are underdogs and
33:39
don't have the platform and we don't
33:41
charge because I don't think it's
33:43
something that I'm doing genuinely. I
33:45
just think I'm a vessel of whatever I'm
33:47
I'm called to do. And
33:49
in Oakland, I thought it was more
33:51
pressing issues at the time that were
33:53
more valuable than me eating anything at
33:57
that moment.
33:59
And I thought the highlight should have
34:00
been on those issues and those pressing
34:02
moments.
34:03
And the people that we were talking to
34:06
in the conversation that we were having,
34:07
it stressed me how important and how
34:10
tight-knit of a community Oakland is.
34:13
And the Bay in general is a beautiful
34:15
place. It's a place of beautiful people
34:17
and I said this from jump that I loved
34:19
every interaction with every person that
34:21
I had there. And I value those
34:23
interactions way more than I value some
34:27
views on TikTok or I valued some views
34:29
on any platform.
34:31
Yes, I could have continued to go eat to
34:33
at a bunch of places, but I thought it
34:35
was way more important to say, "Hey, I'm
34:38
hearing from everybody that I'm talking
34:40
to that there's issues going on that
34:42
will that need to be addressed."
34:45
And to me, I didn't want the highlight
34:47
to be on, "Oh, he liked this place. He
34:49
liked that." Let's go deal with these
34:51
issues and then afterwards we can come
34:53
back and we can actually make some
34:54
change. And then we can go enjoy the Bay
34:56
cuz I think the Bay is a beautiful place
34:57
that should be enjoyed.
34:58
>> Absolutely.
34:59
>> And I think it's a place that should be
35:00
highlighted. And that's why I I love
35:02
Speise. Shout out to Speise. He went and
35:04
highlighted the culture and highlighted
35:06
the people and highlighted the inner
35:08
community that should have been
35:09
highlighted. And I will take
35:11
accountability that I could have done a
35:12
better job at that. And I will give the
35:14
Bay a second chance because I do love
35:16
the Bay from the bottom of my heart.
35:17
>> Man, I love that you said that, man. I'm
35:19
I'm from Oakland. I'm Oakland. I was
35:21
born in Oakland Hospital and graduated
35:23
from Oakland High. So, I'm I'm so
35:24
Oakland.
35:26
I got a O on my chest.
35:27
>> [laughter]
35:28
>> On my chest. And and and it's um the Bay
35:31
is no other place on the planet like the
35:33
Bay.
35:34
>> I agree.
35:34
>> It's the most unique place.
35:36
>> They call it the cousin to Detroit.
35:38
And um this is my friend Andretta. She's
35:40
a
35:41
PhD. What what are your titles,
35:43
Andretta? What what what
35:44
>> I'm a um
35:45
>> Andretta, can't nobody hear you from
35:46
back
35:48
>> Hi, everybody. I'm a I'm a professor. I
35:50
teach black studies. My university is
35:52
based in the Bay. Cal State East Bay.
35:55
Shout out to all the East Bay students,
35:57
Oakland, Hayward, Fremont, Berkeley. All
36:00
of our folks.
36:01
And we would love to have you back.
36:03
>> I will be there.
36:03
>> She grew up in a place called the
36:04
Acorns. And if you're from Oakland, you
36:06
she's a hero story in herself where she
36:09
was able to graduate from Stanford
36:11
University and and now she's doing
36:13
amazing things in education. But Acorns
36:15
Acorns is a very challenging
36:17
environment, but it had a lot of
36:19
beautiful assets at the same time. Like
36:22
you know, I grew up in East Oakland, you
36:24
know, and it's the same thing. And I I
36:26
was hoping that man, maybe there's a
36:28
place called the Puerto Rican street
36:29
cuisine on 23rd Ave the Ave where I
36:33
where I grew up, right? If you come
36:35
back, let me take you to a meal.
36:37
>> Understood.
36:38
>> Okay.
36:38
>> All right.
36:39
>> You know, shout out to La Russell. La
36:40
Russell is somebody that I've been in
36:41
contact with and somebody that I had
36:43
talked to. I was even talking to him
36:44
when we was there.
36:45
We we had a little conversation off
36:47
camera where we were saying we don't
36:49
record everything
36:50
and everything isn't for
36:52
everybody to hear
36:54
and
36:55
I could have easily say it. I've tapped
36:56
into the culture so much when it comes
36:58
to the Bay and talked to a lot of people
37:00
and had real conversations,
37:02
but I would rather just take the flak
37:04
and take the the criticism because I
37:06
understand that it was
37:09
it was a time and opportunity that I
37:12
could have went to a lot more spots and
37:13
it was a time and opportunity that I
37:15
could have highlighted the positive at
37:17
the time.
37:18
I just felt it on my spirit and on my
37:20
heart that if in that moment I wasn't I
37:24
didn't feel like I was the the messenger
37:26
for that.
37:26
>> Mhm.
37:27
>> I let it go and I I walked away from it.
37:29
I think there is a time and a place that
37:31
I could go back,
37:32
but I I don't force things. If if I
37:35
don't feel like it's it's that moment or
37:37
that time for me to do it and somebody
37:39
else is is better equipped at the time,
37:42
I'm okay with with all my hat in the
37:44
ring and and walking away cuz I I again
37:47
I value every single thing that that it
37:49
that comes to us
37:51
and I value every person that's even
37:52
listening to this and I don't take that
37:54
lightly.
37:55
>> We appreciate you Keith Lee. I'm glad
37:57
you said this these things and if that's
37:59
why I said if you decide to come back,
38:01
let me know.
38:02
>> For sure.
38:03
>> I got a few places I want to take you.
38:04
>> For sure.
38:05
>> All right.
38:05
>> And I know Oakland has a amazing food. I
38:07
I don't think that that is a
38:08
understatement. The Bay has amazing
38:10
food.
38:10
>> Absolutely, man. But man, thank you,
38:12
man. This guy is all right with me, man.
38:14
My nephew Keith Lee.
38:17
>> [laughter]
38:18
>> My dog.
38:19
>> Anything you want to say in closing,
38:20
brother?
38:21
>> Uh,
38:21
>> will see y'all in New Orleans. Uh,
38:23
again, this is a traveling inaugural
38:25
thing. This is something to not only
38:27
highlight businesses, but this is to
38:29
highlight community. This is highlight
38:30
family. Uh, this is to bring the black
38:33
family together and allow us to have a
38:34
space where we can have fun. Uh, we can
38:37
listen to music. We can eat food
38:38
together. And I will see y'all there.
38:39
And uh, next year it will be in a
38:42
different place. But this the mission is
38:44
the exact same. Uh, and the heart and
38:46
the love and what we pour into is the
38:48
exact same. And I'm honored that y'all
38:50
are willing to take time to to do
38:52
anything that is involving us. And I
38:54
will see y'all there. familyday.com
38:55
>> Okay, man. Keith Lee is here. We had
38:58
Anderson Silva here. We've had Jon Jones
39:01
here.
39:02
>> Shout out to him.
39:02
>> We've had Mighty Mouse here.
39:05
Uh, we've had a lot of mixed martial
39:07
artists here today. Who's your top five?
39:10
>> Ooh, top five all time?
39:12
>> Yeah.
39:12
>> Uh, Jon Jones, of course.
39:13
>> Number one?
39:15
>> In no order.
39:15
>> Okay.
39:16
>> Okay, Jon Jones.
39:17
Um, Israel Adesanya.
39:19
>> Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
39:21
That's my guy. I've never met him, but I
39:23
don't know.
39:23
>> Oh, that's my guy. I haven't met him
39:24
either, but that's my guy.
39:25
>> Okay, so he's your dog, too?
39:26
>> Yeah, that's my dog. I ain't met him
39:27
either, but that's my dog.
39:28
>> There you go. I love that brilliant
39:29
young man. Okay, who else?
39:30
>> Um,
39:32
even though it's early, I can see him
39:34
really being the goat. Uh, Ilia Topuria.
39:37
>> Okay.
39:37
>> Um,
39:39
>> So, the man who beat on Conor,
39:41
um,
39:42
they had the brother who was
39:43
>> Dustin Poirier.
39:44
>> Not Dustin. Um,
39:45
the one who retired.
39:46
>> Oh, Nate Diaz.
39:47
>> Not Nate. Uh, but I love the Diaz
39:49
brothers.
39:49
>> Uh, the the the the big he Conor came
39:52
out of retirement.
39:53
>> Khabib.
39:54
>> Khabib. Yeah, yeah, Khabib Khabib in my
39:55
top five, for sure.
39:56
>> Okay.
39:57
>> Uh, and then I got to put my brother,
39:58
Kevin Lee.
39:59
>> Kevin Lee's your brother, man. What up,
40:01
Kevin Lee?
40:03
Come on up to the show, man. All right.
40:05
Yo, man, I appreciate you, Keith. This
40:06
is the first of many. Ronnie, your whole
40:08
family.
40:09
Uh, thank y'all for coming. Thank y'all
40:11
for being here.
40:13
Uh, I met your security guy before,
40:15
years ago. Um,
40:17
oh,
40:18
that's your brother right there. said
40:20
Oh, that's you?
40:22
>> Don't
40:22
>> [laughter]
40:23
>> kid. Don't mess with our man here.
40:26
>> And they call you killer or something
40:27
like that?
40:29
What was your nickname killer for?
40:30
>> Yeah, I'm a killer, man.
40:32
>> Look at those knees. That's scary stuff.
40:34
That hurts.
40:35
>> Yeah, all of my losses were split
40:36
decisions. I've only lost one fight by
40:38
stoppage.
40:39
And every fight that I I fought, I was
40:42
young. I turned professional at 18. I
40:43
was fighting guys who had families and
40:45
kids. And being the brother of Kevin
40:47
Lee, who was a UFC fighter, who ended up
40:49
fighting for the
40:52
interim lightweight belt, is a blessing
40:54
and a curse because you He fought guys
40:56
like Charles Oliveira. He fought guys
40:58
like Tony Ferguson. He fought guys like
41:01
RDA.
41:02
The the heat the crop and and it was at
41:04
the time where lightweight was the
41:06
biggest and baddest division. He was in
41:08
talks to fight Khabib before Khabib
41:09
retired. So, it's a blessing and a curse
41:13
because I was Kevin Lee's older brother.
41:15
So, immediately when I came in, it was
41:17
like, "Oh, he can already go swim with
41:19
the in the deep end." So, even that guy
41:22
that I'm fighting there, his name is
41:23
Sean Bunch. Shout out to Sean Bunch. He
41:25
was an Olympic alternate. And he was 36,
41:28
I believe. And he had a full family at
41:31
home to feed. I was 23 in that video
41:34
or 24. And I think it's a blessing to be
41:38
able to do it. But at the time, yeah, I
41:39
was a kid, man. I was fighting grown
41:41
men.
41:42
>> Yo, man. Look at this guy, 36, route.
41:45
>> Yeah, he was grown.
41:46
>> All right. Man, man, this is this is all
41:48
interesting to me. I you know, I've I've
41:50
been growing up watching this stuff
41:51
since
41:52
And shout out to the Diaz brothers,
41:54
though.
41:54
>> Absolutely.
41:54
>> Yeah, man. They they're cool as heck. I
41:56
met them both.
41:58
Man, Nate man, Nate greeted me like we
42:00
known each other for years, man. And I
42:02
was like, "Yo, what up, Nate?" You know,
42:04
but uh
42:04
>> I feel like with with combat sports, you
42:05
learn
42:07
that none of it matters.
42:09
>> Yeah.
42:09
>> that you are are a just a a tool in this
42:14
in this game because it's you have no
42:17
control over what's going to happen. You
42:18
can train for 6 months. You can train
42:20
with the best trainers, the best
42:22
dieticians, sleep right. You can go in
42:24
there and get knocked out in 5 seconds.
42:26
>> [laughter]
42:28
>> So none of that matters.
42:30
>> None of that matters.
42:32
It's literally all about just showing up
42:34
and doing what you feel like you're
42:35
supposed to do cuz you can train and
42:37
prepare but whatever life has for you is
42:39
what life has for you.
42:40
>> Keith Lee, y'all. Man, make sure y'all
42:42
man it's an honor to have you and we'll
42:45
see you May 16th. Heather, we said it.
42:47
Therefore, it shall be done.
42:48
>> See y'all there.
42:49
>> All right. Tracy, you want to say peace
42:51
to the audience?
42:52
>> All right.
42:53
>> Yes, love you, Keith. Thank you so much
42:55
for joining us, bro. Keep soaring. It's
42:57
a pleasure to support you.
42:59
>> All right. We're going to conclude the
43:01
show. Hey James, our guest
43:03
correspondent, thank you for coming
43:04
today, man.
43:05
>> Thank you, James.
43:09
>> Thank you for having me.
43:10
>> Oh, absolutely.
43:12
>> Adorable. He's perfect.
43:15
>> You're going to come back again and help
43:16
us with another interview in the near
43:18
future, right?
43:19
>> Yep.
43:19
>> Okay. He got his own YouTube channel.
43:22
You want to do that or keep that secret?
43:24
What's your YouTube channel?
43:26
>> Um it's called J5Thrive.
43:29
>> J5Thrive.
43:30
>> That's fire.
43:31
>> J5Thrive.
43:33
Go go follow James at J5Thrive on
43:36
YouTube.
#Arts & Entertainment