Up next in 10
Yo-Yo brings the heat with her new cooking show, "Downright Delicious with Yo-Yo," airing Thursdays at 8 PM ET on Aspire TV! In this exclusive interview on Sway’s Universe, the Grammy-nominated hip-hop legend opens up about her journey from the music industry to hosting her own show, blending her love for cooking with community and soul. From her early days touring with Ice Cube to earning an honorary doctorate, Yo-Yo proves she’s unstoppable. She shares heartfelt stories about resilience, faith, family, and finding purpose in every stage of life. Tune in to hear how this fearless icon is redefining success and inspiring the next generation. Don’t miss the laughs, the energy, and the exclusive behind-the-scenes look into her vibrant new chapter!
Subscribe for more exclusive interviews, hip-hop insights, and inspiring stories on Sway In The Morning. #SwaysUniverse #DownrightDelicious #YoYo #HipHop #CookingShow
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
01:23 - Yo-Yo’s Journey
11:22 - Downright Delicious with Yo-Yo
15:56 - Yo-Yo Talks About Unpaid Royalties
18:39 - Lessons from Music Business Applied to TV
21:30 - Caller Q: Strategy for This Time Around
25:10 - Caller: Aaron
28:10 - Hip Hop Museum's Black Tie Gala
29:30 - Game: Downright Delicious with Yo
30:10 - Relationship with Receiving
32:40 - Cafe Mocha Radio's 15th Anniversary
35:00 - Last Game of Dominology
35:57 - KJ: Owning a Comedy Club Journey
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
You got to love it, Heather. You can't define her. You cannot define her. You cannot pigeon hole her. You cannot put
0:07
her in a box. She will forever ascend. When I look at her accolades, Boys in
0:13
the Hood, Sister Act 2, Disney Plus Saturdays, uh, what else? Love, what is
0:19
it? Uh, uh, Love and Hip Hop Hollywood. I mean, when I look at her Grammy nominated music career, give her a big
0:25
round of applause for that. Okay. When I know that she's a two-time recipient of the presidential lifetime
0:32
achievement award, give her a big round of applause for that. When I know she holds an honorary doctorate of
0:37
philosophy and humanitarianism, give her a round of applause for that. When I know that she's an honorary member of
0:42
Zeta Fi Beta Incorporated, give her applause for that. She's hosting her own
0:49
her own show, Downright Delicious with Yoyo, airing every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
0:54
Eastern on Aspire TV. You know, she was meant to be where she's been for the
1:00
past decades. And look at her, Heather. She looks exactly like she did when she was on the
1:06
Arsenal Hall show. She looks exactly like she did when she was on tour with
1:12
Ice Cube. She looks exactly like she does when she said, "You can't mess with
1:17
my yo-yo." Welcome her back to the show. Give it up for Yo-Yo.
1:23
Oh, [Music]
1:30
listen. Listen. You better clap for yourself. Oh, God. Praise God. Right.
1:36
37 years. 37 years. I got you a down ass girl on your team.
1:41
It's the body of Christ. 37 years. I started when I was 17. I am 54 years
1:47
old. My whole life. Wow. My whole life in it. Wow. Put my whole body in it. Put your
1:52
whole body in it. Put my whole any It's the remix of Yo-Yo. Who could get a Who could be 54 with a new cooking show?
1:59
You. Come on. Remix. Remix. Still feeding them. Still feeding the
2:05
soul. Wow. In a different way. Still feeding the soul. Still feeding the souls. Still community
2:11
oriented. Still able to connect to the community. Still able to be viable to re to to
2:17
rebuild, you know, to rejuvenate yourself. I mean to get your kids to respect you. Them
2:22
disrespectful ass kids. Come on, man. We respect you at your level. You know them pegged ass kids.
2:28
They act like you didn't do nothing, right? Yo, no. They respect it now. I get respect.
2:33
Yeah. They say, "Yeah, we want We don't want to disturb your peace. I got to You got to respect that." Why? Why is that? Are they seeing you in
2:39
their spaces now? They I shut that [ __ ] down. Party over. Okay. New new new vibes. New vibes coming into
2:47
just just recreating, you know, that transition. We talked about it. Everybody's went through it.
2:52
From me to be 17 to 30, from 30 to 40 to that 30 to 40 was really, you know, I
2:58
mean, that's sink or swim. I mean, you know what I mean? 30 to 40 is a sink or swim. Yeah. You either got to know where you
3:04
going. So that 30 to 40 was hard for me. And my kids felt that that that struggle. They felt that um that
3:10
transformation and that me um that um that uh what did I have to do? That
3:17
surrendering. Yes. You know, because that transformation was spiritual for me. From 30 to 40 was very spiritual. I
3:23
had to really do some changing in my life. And that mean separating myself from friends. That was being lonely.
3:29
That was feeling like nobody was for me. That was feeling like everything that I did, everybody was just wanting to be on
3:35
the bandwagon. You know, I had to kill me to rebuild me. You know what I mean? Give my name a new meaning. So, it was a
3:42
lot of that going on. And now my kids saw my strength as I rose from that. And
3:47
they saw, you know, even though they didn't feel like it was depression, it was depression for me. A little bit of depression for me. But they see me rise
3:54
from it. They see me praising in that house. I mean, I didn't played a lot of music in that house. But they heard some
3:59
me on my knees praying out loud, walking around. Yo. Yo, let me ask you this, man. Nah,
4:04
let's just give us a round of applause because if we're honest with ourselves and especially you came through the
4:10
music business, entertainment, there's never been a time that we were for certain
4:15
that there's never been guarantees and you could be yo-yo Grammy nominated
4:21
going on world tours, being on all kind of TV shows and getting in your 30s and don't know what the next two years looks
4:28
like. Two weeks. Two weeks looks like. And but to the audience, you still yo-yo. Amen. Yeah.
4:34
But how how low did it get for you? You know, you know what? It it I mean, my life was tsunamied.
4:41
My life was tsunamied. I mean, you know, everything that I built, everything that Sylvia Rome built for me, everything
4:47
that Ice Cube built, every relationship I ever had was tsunami because I started asking God for help. And God said, "When
4:53
I start when I start giving you seeds and allowing seeds to grow, it's got to be
4:59
my garden." You know what I mean? So, I had to be willing to leave what was behind me
5:04
behind and to accept what was in front of me. And I was okay with that. So, that was a lot of yeses to people I
5:09
didn't know and directions I didn't even believe I could even go in. And that was just me trusting. That's
5:15
why I love the word yo-yo fearless on my social media because that fearless was I had to trust God.
5:21
I had no choice. So, that fearless became I started calling myself fearless because I was afraid but I knew I had to
5:28
trust the process. Yeah. Yeah. What I love about that though, see when we surrender in that
5:33
way, um God will absolutely do the things that
5:38
only he will get credit for. Amen. You can't even begin to wrap your head around. Like I got it was God. Like I
5:45
can't make sense of this. Listen, my auntie used to spoil me. They call it handicapping you. My my favorite
5:51
auntie would handicap me. And God told me one day he just said, "And tell her that's enough."
5:56
And I was like, "My Auntie Patricia like Oh, she would rub my back. She would pick my kids up from school. She would
6:03
come from hell to, you know, she would come from bubble [ __ ] valley to LA to do
6:08
whatever. I I can't tell her. God said, "Tell her that's enough." I was like, "Auntie,
6:15
that's it. The only person I could lean on, I had to tell her, too. That was enough.
6:20
I had to stand solely in Christ. That's it." And I mean, you know, it's,
6:26
you know, some people only when you only when you go through it. Do you understand? Do you understand? Yoyo is here. And let
6:32
me tell you something. Throughout it all, I have never been in a space with
6:37
Yo-Yo where you wasn't energetic, positive. We dance every time I see you.
6:44
And I was like, I'mma see you. You know, listen. That's what I love about uh the hip-hop museum calling hip-hop home. the
6:49
hip-hop museum, you know, it's like coming home because I grew up with you. Yes.
6:55
I mean, I you are really I've seen you more than I probably seen my brother. Yes. Yes. I mean, as crazy as that sounds.
7:02
She used to be in Oakland, too. Yeah. My brother moves to I'm just saying, but these people have been in my life and and our experiences have been
7:10
energetic. They've been celebratory. They've been able we've been able to move in this space together. You too,
7:16
Heather. Like, you know, you're you're my sister. Amen. I mean, how could I not see you and give you love love on you, right?
7:23
Absolutely. Both of y'all was intelligent '9s women and Heather, I mean, that transition,
7:30
right? No, absolutely. It was it was a huge transition because I started in music, went to television. I didn't know MTV
7:37
didn't know what Real World was. Come do this documentary. We're following seven artists around, moving to a house. All right, cool. I need to check. Go in.
7:44
Boom. You know what? You blow. And then you go through that again. The 20s, 30s,
7:49
40s, 50, you it's no way to explain it all but God. And you but you have to
7:55
stay in it. And I think that's the thing that Sway and I talk about a lot. It's so many things against you where that
8:01
final brick hits you in the head and it's like I'm out for the count. Like I I I I can't I can't get back up.
8:06
And that's what I love about it because I'm able to really walk the journey. That's it. I mean, you know, because just think if
8:12
I had stopped at 30. I mean, you know, I wouldn't understand what 40s was like or even to have that kind of experience,
8:18
you know, that, you know, because people want fame so much. People want fortune so much. I mean, I mean, money to me has
8:26
a meaning now. I mean, you know what I mean? It it it's worth something. It's I know that it's not just for me and my
8:32
family. I know that in order to grow and to level up as people say that you have to want to want more, you have to do
8:39
more, right? And people think that's like a corny statement, but the fact that my kids know that my growth isn't
8:45
just for them allows me to go higher. Because before, had I not went through the journey, I would have been thinking,
8:51
you know, [ __ ] this is just for me and my kids and my mama. As long as we can eat, we good.
8:57
You know what I mean? But the blessing is not just for you. When you start asking God for more, God say, "Well, my people need you."
9:02
Y and and and my people need you. So, you got to be able to give a piece of
9:08
yourself. I tell my husband that all the time that agape love is real for me. It's real for me. I mean, I really I
9:15
really love and it it works because now God gave me the kids. I used to say, "God, the kids not even know who I am." You know, when
9:22
all these subvocal conversations I'm having, kids don't even know who I am. Put me on Disney. How about yo yo on
9:27
Disney, baby. Yo yo was on Disney. Come on, man. That's around Disney money is different,
9:32
too. That Disney money that that Roy just came in. And I said, "Start the car.
9:40
Start the car." Do you find yourself now at this place able to navigate um cuz I'm married as
9:46
well. You find yourself able to navigate marriage better like now like because
9:51
you in that space now where as I'm happy I got married later. I got married at
9:56
30. Yeah. You know, it was good for me then. I can't see myself um if I got married in my 20s. I'm not sure if my
10:03
marriage would have lasted. I'm not sure. You were different in your 20s. Why would you be saying ain't nobody
10:08
here for that marriage? I'm happy that I'm happy that I have a partner that knows me who trusts me. I mean, you
10:15
know, and the fact that I don't have to change for love. I mean, there is some changing, you know, I'm
10:21
What do you want to eat? I'm thinking I go grab it real quick. But she chef, damn, give me a break.
10:27
But I know that's a part of my responsibility, making sure that my man eats. And so, um, I I'm I think, you
10:34
know, it's it's really about just juggling life. I I look at love like I look at family, like I look at my kids.
10:42
I mean, everybody deserves a piece of me. And in order for me to truly be at
10:47
at in wellness and success and to feel whole, I know I have to give a piece of
10:52
me to them. And so, that that piece of me to them drives me crazy cuz of course I'm add a
10:58
true artist. I'm I don't want to sit down. I don't want to watch a movie, you know what I mean? I want to go bowling.
11:04
I want to go shoot pool. I want to go to football game, you know what I mean? I want to keep that [ __ ] cracking, right? Um, but to sit still for me, it it's
11:11
like, damn, this is boring. Like, who are they going to die? Like, I'm googling this [ __ ] like, wait, who
11:17
are they going to die? Like, let's get to the end already. Yeah, that's that's how it is.
11:22
Yo, yo-yo hanging out with us and we talking about downright delicious with Yo-Yo. Couple of things you've done more
11:28
recently I want to talk about, but tell us about this show. Downright delicious. I'll be whipping in
11:34
that kitchen. Every dish that I be making be what? Fingerlicking. Whether slops, roses, steak, semi cakes, a
11:39
penny, pasta. Who got your kitchen hotter? I'm Mama Mia's daughter. And I did not come to play because I'm in my
11:44
happy place. Uh uh uh. I'm in my God gave me this gift. All right. God gave
11:50
me this gift. I know. It's so It's so I know. Thank you, Father. God, I know. I Yes. And I always have to say that, but
11:57
God gave me this gift. Nobody knew I love to cook. I love to cook. I always cook. I'm an entertainer. You come to my
12:02
house, I'm cooking something. Um, some of my friends, you know, before it was the burritos. I remember I told
12:08
Cube I was uh I too short them gave me some money to make them these burritos
12:14
and the Lynch Mob came on the tour bus and ate all of their the burritos up.
12:21
I've been cooking since tour days when we had a kitchen. You was cooking on tour. I was cooking on tour when we would stay at the
12:27
residence in. I would cook in the residence in and bring the food on the bus. And so I've always been cooking and
12:33
it was just a it was an inside passion. But like I said through my 30s and my 40s trying to find myself. I found
12:40
myself um wanting to be alone but doing something instead of you know I became an avid reader. I would read a lot but
12:47
then I was like I wanted to do something else. And so cooking I just wanted to stretch my imagination with cooking. I
12:53
would get these recipes and I would just go look for different [ __ ] that I never even seen before. And I would and it
12:59
would take me to another a whole another store. We don't have it here. You got to go to the Asian market. You got to go to
13:05
the Jamaican market. You don't have the spices here. They don't have these. So I I just think the love, you know,
13:11
searching while I was in search of self, I found the love of more recipes. And
13:16
that just really brought me peace and cooking stuff that my family never cooked. I mean, you know, just even
13:22
going to New York. I mean, there's just certain things we don't we don't cook. Yeah. Yeah.
13:27
You know, and so, um, it just it's it's different. My family loves it. I love it, you know. And then these are the
13:33
rest these are the same recipes and the same cooking that you can get from a fivestar, uh, restaurant. And I you have
13:40
it at home with me where I'm beating your ass in Domino's. You remember that? Spades.
13:46
You got your Domino's. You And did you notice he's matching? Like cuz I didn't understand his outfit
13:52
today. I was like, "What exactly are you doing?" Oh, Steelers versus the Raiders. Yeah, that's your surprise. I brought
13:58
Domino's citizens for yo-yo cuz Listen, I beat him last time. You did? Wait a minute. And me and Tracy
14:03
reminded him of that. It's on camera. It's on camera. So, so that's what that's where it came
14:09
from. My cooking came from me entertaining, beating people ass in dominoes,
14:15
whooping ass in spades. Okay. All right. Playing music. And and and and so the
14:20
you know you in my kitchen you can you can smell garlic and hear a beat. Right. Right. Right. Right.
14:26
You can smell garlic and hear a beat. So that's that's pretty much where it came from. I linked up with Powerhouse
14:32
Productions. Shout out to Roelle and Roelle Brown and Sonia who I love so much and we were friends before and
14:38
Rochelle would actually cook for um my daughter's father because my daughter was going to school um out there and so
14:45
they would cook she would cook for them and um she learned about my my love for cooking and before I mean it took us a
14:53
couple of years and uh on a a trip to Jamaica I get a
14:58
call like yo guess what your show's been picked up and really We just did it off
15:03
the humbug. Yeah, that's dope. That's crazy. Yeah. And Aspire, I mean, that's what what Aspire is all about. You know,
15:09
me landing on Aspire TV, Aspire TV's logo is see yourself here. And it's
15:15
really about black families, um, black love, it's about strength, it's about
15:20
unity, it's about entrepreneurship, it's growing, it's about education, all of the things that I'm about. So, Aspire TV
15:26
was the best platform for us. I love this. Yo-yo is here, man. We talking about downright delicious with
15:31
yo-yo. gifting you those Raider dominoes. I'm about to come on. Temp, man. I'm get that. They fresh out the pack. I just
15:38
want you to know. Okay, those are yours. You know, we cannot We cannot knock them. Come out. Bring them out. You ain't
15:43
nothing. Well, round two, huh? Yeah, we can do it right while we talk. I mean, we got the business out the way,
15:49
you know. Don't try to play me out. Yo, yo, let me ask you this, man. I was
15:56
uh reading this thing about um you just brought this up. I brought brought it to mind. um Jinx and these guy and Cube
16:03
trying to they're going after royalties unpaid royalties from you you from the music that you guys did
16:10
and Sir Jinx is like man they owe me this amount of money I want to get full forensic accounting
16:16
the whole nine are you in that same boat with that no I mean I could be but I'm not
16:22
okay I mean just but I mean you know it's just like a it's like a like the Raiders I had to leave them just just a lost cause I just kept like
16:29
you know I love the Raiders at one time. Damn. Lost Cause. You heard it. Why? As she stares at your emblem on your jacket.
16:35
Oh. Yo, it's cold, boy. I love it. Wow.
16:40
Cuz I'm a Steelers fan and I love the Raiders. No, but it's it's I can't go after old money. I mean, you know,
16:46
sometimes it'll it'll it'll have you searching and I've been there. I've been there. I got a royalty statement and my I don't see my name and I'll get the
16:52
calling like, "What the hell?" And that's just too much energy. And I would love it. But guess what? I made my bed.
16:58
I I laid in it. And I think the beauty of it is is forgiveness. Forgiving my past, forgiving my situations, you know?
17:06
That's like tuition for me. You know what I mean? I paid the I paid my dues. And what I lost, I just have to
17:12
be okay with it because we were all growing at the same time. We were all learning. Cube was young. Cube didn't
17:18
really understand. He had people directing him at the same time. And just to keep [ __ ] with him is just is just
17:24
um you know, leave him alone. It's okay. I mean, you know, it is what it is. If if you're that great, make some more
17:30
music and keep it pushing. Yeah. Okay. I could appreciate that. But I'm, you know, we we all
17:36
I know, but I know, but listen. I mean, listen. I mean, go do it. Go do it. Do it. Do it. And but it's stopping you.
17:42
Yeah. It's stopping your growth. I mean, it's like you hear these mothers who uh killers have killed their kids or
17:50
somebody in their family and they have to go back and forgive these people. Forgiveness is a part of growth. I mean,
17:55
and if not, it'll haunt you for the rest of your life. If I mean, you can chase money all you want to, but have you read
18:02
that book, Who Moved My Cheese? The cheese is gone, boo. The cheese is gone.
18:07
But the lesson But the lesson is learned. So, the lesson is learned. Move on. But move on. I mean, you you you find a 37
18:15
year old case. Yeah. You understand? Why go to a a shoot and
18:20
you don't like your makeup just to complain to the makeup artist? You looked at your face too, didn't you?
18:26
Do you understand? Like you want to blame the makeup artist. You let her f paint your face like that. I'm not familiar with the who's actually
18:32
suing who. Sway. Um Sir Jinx and Cube. Um they're going suing UMG for paying royalty.
18:39
Cube is Cube is suing. I'm not sure if Cube is suing him, but I know Cube is my homeboy. He put me on. I'm going to leave Cube alone.
18:44
But I but that ain't even the point. The the point that I wanted to make is now you're in TV, right? And and that's a
18:52
whole different business model. Yes. What have you learned from that's transcended from the music business
18:58
going into TV when it comes to your to the business dealings? Well, well, I I've I've learned that um
19:04
I've learned that, you know, slow motion is better than no motion. Okay.
19:09
I learned to stop having a repres a middleman represent me. Um, I've learned
19:15
to create my own relationships. I know to show up. Um, I created my own
19:20
business within my business. So, it is my business. And, um, yeah.
19:26
And, you know, I've learned to forgive. I've learned that, um, my past does not
19:31
haunt me. I'm successful because I can get up every day and and create new
19:36
ideas. That's what an artist is. And you know for the young people who are out there who are looking just for a easy
19:43
gain, we did that already. You know, now we know what to do with our money. We don't have to fake about we have
19:48
investments. Now we really are putting, you know, we have diversity stuff set aside because we've studied it. We know
19:55
to do the homework. We know to do the research, you know, and putting somebody else in front of me have me chasing it
20:01
my whole life. Even to chase that money, I'd have to hire somebody to chase that money. Yeah. Yep. I love it. Yo. Yo, give it up for Yo-Yo
20:09
here up here in in elevated. We going to open up the phone lines. 8887423345.
20:16
You want to talk to Yo-Yo, call us up. We getting downright delicious right now. Let's open up them bones domino
20:22
bones off. Let's go, man. Hold up. I got Yo-Yo in the boneyard right now. Hold on.
20:27
Yeah. Gearing up. Karaoke tonight. We going to see you there. Citizens will
20:33
talk about his loss. He got a reminder.
20:38
We'll remind him tonight 45 to 30. Okay. Who got 30?
20:44
Yo, Yeezy. I mean, he do. I have 40. I got 30. Yeah, man. Citizens, we're still
20:49
actually getting up. We G here live with Yoyo now talking about her brand new show, Downright Delicious with Yo-Yo.
20:54
But they actually picking up. This is round two. They started this uh bone series last game. Sway lost. He bought
21:01
his own pack. Brand new pack this time. What? I'm just stating the facts. I mean, yo, real luck. Yo,
21:07
what happened in last game? I lost. Okay, so I let her win, though. I wasn't going to
21:13
let yo-yo. I can't just have yo-yo. Make the Greek.
21:18
She up another 30. What does that mean? What's your strategy this time around, Sway?
21:24
Talk us through it. Uh, domino. That's my strategy to domino.
21:30
And I will We'll see what happens. We actually got Kev on the line live on the way out. citizens. Kev is on
21:35
the line calling in from North Carolina. Number five. Okay. John, can you take this call from Kev?
21:41
Kev, how you doing? Kev, what up, man? I'm good. What's up? Hey, y'all. My question. I ain't got to
21:48
How we messed it up, Kev? Good morning. How we messed up your question? I remember from the last conversation,
21:53
Yoyo and Sway had that beef about the Bones, and I was like, I wanted to see who remembered the uh record from the
21:59
last time they met, but y'all had already started talking about it. Yeah, we playing right now. So,
22:04
and so here's the thing, Kev. We did the interview. Here's the thing about Sway. He always
22:10
remember when he wins, like you will not you will hear about his win all week long. Like, oh my gosh. But when he
22:17
loses, it's a sneak attack. So, he came out today with this brand new
22:22
real quick. So, we going to see what happens by the end of this show. Yo be running around talking, too.
22:28
Right. Right. Right. Right. I want my I want credit. But make sure you check out Yoyo's show um uh Kev on Expire every single
22:36
Thursday. Yeah. Go ahead. I want to speak to YoYo real quick. I just want to speak. I've been listening to the whole interview and I've been
22:42
keeping up. Yo, what's up? Yo yo, how you doing today? I'm doing amazing. How about yourself?
22:47
I'm great. I'm great. Um yo, I just wanted to call in and compliment you and congratulate you on your your health,
22:53
your durability, your sustainability, and just overall life. I I guess you can
22:59
kind of look at me as a little brother from down the street that saw that older girl growing up. Yes. And looking at you now, like I said, I'm
23:05
41 and I remember you from back in the day. So, just just hearing you speak about, you know, what you've grown into
23:12
and just your life. I'm proud of you, girl. So, keep going and keep living. Keep doing it.
23:18
Thank you. I appreciate that. This You got some trick bones up there. Where the hell you get these damn dominoes?
23:23
Playing Jam. He don't switch alias. playing Jaman. You ain't I turned my back to talk to you, Kevin,
23:30
and I don't know what he did. He He did the okey do on it. But Kev, make sure you check out the show this
23:35
Thursday. Have you seen the show? Have you seen I'mma check it out? I'mma check it out this Thursday.
23:41
Yep. At 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Aspire TV. We appreciate you, Kev. You a citizen in
23:46
the morning. We love you so much. Thank you. Thank you for listening. Citizens, right now what's happening is uh we're playing dominoes live on air.
23:54
Live on air. And Yoyo got about 15 dominoes in her hand. So she can't really
23:59
can't figure out what's going on. I know. That's okay. She's playing this the real game. Yo. Oh, the last one wasn't real.
24:05
The last one just to get you to come back. But I do while I got you right here, want to invite you to be one of our
24:11
ambassadors for our new league. We got a new league now. Now I like that. What kind of
24:17
league? Dominology. He's serious. For real.
24:22
You ever hear Cooty and Chica? They they did the Kanye documentary back in there. Yeah. You know Cody and Chica?
24:28
Um Cody Chica just lost their sister, right? Cooty did. And rest in power to his sister. Yes. Yes. Yes. Um that's my
24:35
brother. Yes. So Cooty Chica Citizen Chance who is building the app out right now. Kenny
24:41
Cool. Oh, I love it. And they saw us play and I said, "I'mma see yoyo soon. We should have yo ask yo
24:47
to be a part of this. We going to do charity events. We're going to get kids out. I know you like working with kids.
24:52
I know you do. You give people food. You do all of these different events. And I felt like
24:58
um I needed to let you win that first game. Wow. To to keep you interested. Wow. And to get you back to this game right
25:04
now. And that's the punishment you feeling. Wow. He's lying. That's And this is what he does on a
25:10
regular basis. We got Aaron on the line calling in from Rhode Island. Aaron, what's good with you, John? Could you
25:15
bring What? Hey, but I'm for real about this. How's everybody doing? How's everybody
25:21
doing? Good morning, Aaron. We're doing great. Good morning. Yes. I just wanted to I'm
25:27
calling from Rhode Island. I wanted to give yo-yo your flowers. Let me tell you, I'm 47 years old. You know, I grew
25:34
up in hiphop as well. And I have a younger sister's about eight and a half years younger than me. Her name is Kaye
25:40
Reese, and she's in the movie industry now. Um, but you have inspired her so
25:46
much. She's kind of like a mix of you and Queen Latifah, like you know, a mix of both of y'all together, right? And
25:52
um, you know, I just I'm so happy to see you still doing your thing, you know, at
25:58
this time of your life and how you've made a new transition into a whole another, you know, avenue. Man, it's
26:04
just it's beautiful to see you doing your thing and how you are continuing to inspire people like my sister and other
26:11
young women that that you know are growing up, you know, whether they're mixed or if they're black and and to see
26:18
that continual transition is great, man. I just wanted to give you your flowers.
26:24
I appreciate that. Thank you so much. I really do appreciate it. I love working with the youth. The youth keeps me
26:29
young, keeps me rejuvenated. Um, and it it it it helped me build my foundation.
26:35
So, I mean, all of the times you've watched me come up, I was really living on quicksand. Wow.
26:41
I was living on quicksand, but I really have a foundation now. And, um, you
26:46
know, really unstoppable. I mean, really, when they say the sky's is the limit, I really truly feel that.
26:51
Um, you know, what do you say? Um, um, uh, yeah, the city. What's the boy
26:57
song? What they want to say? They talk about me like every day. Every
27:03
day, you're Jamaican. Keys to the city. Oh, yes. Keys to the city. I have to do all of that. I'm
27:09
older now. But yes, the keys to the city. I I really feel like I have the key to the city because community,
27:16
music, hiphop really have laid a foundation that could never I mean, it's taken me into rooms I could have never
27:22
taken myself. Cooking helps me continue to feed the souls and the community and education, working with the youth and
27:28
giving away scholarships with the Black College Expo, National College Resource Foundation. I mean, I just think it it
27:34
it all makes sense. And then people get a chance to see me cook in the kitchen with MMA Mia. My mother is really Yeah,
27:42
she really is the life of the party. She's my sidekick on um on the cooking show. So, a lot of people who see my
27:48
mother all the time love to see her on there. So, thank you. Yes, I appreciate that. tell your your younger sister. I
27:53
said, "Good luck. God bless you." And God truly has his hand on you and I'm so glad to see it. Just continue to
28:01
stay blessed, be blessed, and and walk that path, man. You are doing such a great job out there.
28:07
Oh, thank you so much. Well, hey man, thanks for the call, man. And it when he spoke on this, I I recall
28:12
you hosting the Hip Hop Museum's Black Tide Gala. Yes. which was so incredible to see that
28:19
that we are here at this time and age and now we're honoring ourselves. What was it like for you to be a host being
28:24
from the West Coast? It I it just made me feel I mean to see so many of the legends I mean to own it,
28:31
you know, to be uncertain about something and to have journalists ask you over and over again, is hip-hop here
28:38
to stay? to actually see the growth of hip hop, to see brothers when they were 17 who are 50 donating $2 million,
28:46
bringing their relationships and their sponsorships to the table. Um, you know,
28:52
the speeches. Yeah. The speeches that they gave. I mean, Fat Joe, he had five
28:57
minutes to speak. This dude spoke 10 minutes and brought somebody from the streets to do a rap.
29:03
He brought um locksmith from the Bay Area. Brought up Locksmith from the Bay Area. He brought up lockmith to do a whole
29:09
rapist. But that's what it was. It was no containment. The energy was so loud. It
29:17
was so raw and so real that it just flowed the way hip-hop flows. The way hip-hop flow. Yoyo is here, man.
29:24
We're talking about downright delicious with Yo-Yo every Thursday at 8:00 p.m. on Inspire. Yo, that's about 44 points I
29:31
just got out your hand if you want to collect it. Okay, you ready for this? Yeah, I'm ready. We almost finished it.
29:37
Go ahead, Trace. 20 cuz he going to keep counting his points, you know. But just think about a quit. I mean, just I'm not a quitter. You You can be
29:43
that close and I still win. You got remember last time? You remember last time? I do. I do. So, what's the score before Tracy asked
29:50
her questions? Uh, Yoyo has 60, guys. How many did you have? 110. You know, I'm not doing too good.
29:58
Oh, go ahead, Trace. Yo, yo, please beat him this round cuz I
30:04
send him home packing. Yes, I could. Well, yoyo, I gotta say I appreciate
30:10
your energy. So, your energy is a meal in itself. So, thank you for feeding all
30:16
of us. And I think about how for a lot of black women um are constantly feeding
30:21
others literally and figuratively. And sometimes for us, it can be difficult to
30:27
actually be on the receiving end. And I wondered what your experience with receiving has been like and what your
30:34
advice would be to women who are used to giving all of the time and find a sense
30:39
of identity in that way but feel uncomfortable with actually receiving whether it's a compliment, whether it's
30:45
a meal, whether it's a gift, whatever. What's your relationship with receiving?
30:53
Well, I I give so I I I know I know it's coming. I mean, that's part of my
30:59
selfish give is the get. Um, and and praise God for that part because the
31:05
lessons I've learned is um um I mean I I I can take a compliment. I
31:12
can take criticism. I mean, and that's probably growing up being in sports. Um that constructive criticism has allowed
31:18
me to continue today. I mean, and women, I mean, you know, I I I did go through my yes phase um and then I had to get
31:26
into my no phase. Um, which you know the the the I birthed a baby. I mean, you
31:32
know what I mean? When I when I was pregnant, trying to produce the seed of my new life, it was a little different
31:38
for me. But now I'm I'm able to say no. I know where I'm going. My money is not
31:44
free for everyone. My time is not free for everyone. Like I said, my money has meaning. I have a meaning now. Um, I
31:51
have, you know, I have a purpose. And so many people live their whole life with no purpose. A lot of people want to give
31:58
up because they haven't found their purpose. And I just say my whole thing is to women is first of all, you have to learn
32:05
how to be a friend. Um and and and in being a friend, you have to be a friend of yourself. You have to forgive yourself. There's so
32:11
many steps. There's so much work you have to do before you can even take a compliment, before you can even take
32:17
something from somebody, you know? Um I can receive everything because only the right people are around me. You know
32:23
what I mean? And the people who I don't know who come across, I can be in a room full of
32:28
snakes and never get bit. Why? Because I'm already covered. I already prayed for protection,
32:33
you know. But that's the work I did for myself to continue my growth. And like I said, I got girl power all over me. You
32:41
know, the intelligent black women's coalition. We back. Yes. We back. Women are our age now.
32:46
Yeah. 100%. And you are receiving the Cafe Mocha Radio's 15th anniversary salute film
32:52
award. you will be celebrated as an icon and innovator November 6th at Howard
32:57
Theater. Uh this Cafe Mocha has meant a lot to the culture and I want to know
33:03
how does that make you feel? Well, you know, I've been on Cafe Mocha now for I think 13 years and u Cafe
33:09
Mocha honoring women behind the scenes, in front of the scenes. So to be honored and to be a part of this um celebration,
33:16
it always feels good. Yeah. I mean I love it. I mean all I'm going to do is talk about my new cooking show every Thursday.
33:23
on Aspire on Aspire TV and I want you guys to watch it. It really it really it really
33:29
is a great show. You get to see my mom on there, all of my celebrities. Was that the initial that wasn't the initial um format for the show when the
33:36
show first started? Was your mom wasn't My mom is just my sidekick anyway. Well, listen, she does her own promos and she
33:43
says, "You have to say with yo-yo, but she keeps saying with Mama Mia." I said, "No, no, no. You have to say, you know,
33:49
we do it like five takes." Like she's like, "No, but with Mama Mia." And I'm like, "No, but you It's the show. You have to say with
33:55
Yo-Yo, mama." But my but my mother makes the show. You if you watched her. Yes. There she goes.
34:02
If you see my mother on um Look at Mama Mia. Girl, go man. You got to be happy
34:07
to be doing this with your mom. With your mom. I asked God if I said if you give me one more chance,
34:13
I promise to take my mom with me. I felt like I left my mom. And my mom was one of my biggest supporter. And I didn't
34:18
real realize that until I was talking to somebody at a a party and the guy said, um, I want to ask you, I wanted to meet
34:25
you that came from the DNC convention from they were from Alabama. He said, "What's one thing you wish you could
34:32
have done that you never did?" And here these was, this was back when uh Clinton was running these young black boys from
34:38
Alabama. I was trying to think of the smart, you know, smartest answer I could come up with. I'm thinking like, damn.
34:43
You know, he's like, "You want a beer? I'll go get a beer. Come back." And while he was gone, I'm thinking like, what's the one thing? What's the one
34:49
thing I wish I could have done in my career that I didn't do? And almost like a whirlwind came over and say, "You left
34:56
your damn mama." And so God gave me another chance. She is. I love that.
35:01
There it There it is. Downright delicious with yo yo, every Thursday 8:00 p.m. on Inspire TV. Yo, we love
35:07
you. Now that I'm in LA, Heather's in Well, first of all, can we recruit you
35:12
to be a part of the dominology movement? I would love to. I would love to be a part of this. You can recruit me any
35:18
anytime. Yes, anytime. And my baby over here, KJ. KJ in the building.
35:23
No, King doesn't play. Okay. I thought you looking for backup over here.
35:29
No, he doesn't play. He has KJ, what's happening with his club over at Club Truth in um in is it Lynchburg?
35:36
Yeah, Lynchburg, Virginia. Club Truth. VA comedy. Yeah, VA comedy. So, he does comedy.
35:41
He does comedy. You own the club or I own the club? Yeah. Oh snap, man. Congratulations, brother. Tell let's
35:46
let's do that again then. All right, KJ. What up, baby?
35:52
How you doing, man? Man, I can't complain, man. We out here breathing. That's a beautiful thing. That's an amazing thing.
35:57
Now, talk tell us about ownership. How did you get to own a comedy club? Well, I own a a a mess. My real estate
36:05
portfolio is huge. I own some hotels and some other stuff, but I've always been a fan of comedy.
36:11
And um I've always wanted to be a comedian. Everybody since I was a kid said I'm just so funny. I light up a
36:17
room. I make people laugh. And one day I just said, you know what? I'm going to I'm going to buy myself a
36:22
club and make it a comedy club. And that's what I did. Where is it located? It's in Lynchburg, Virginia. Who's some of the names that have
36:28
floated through there? So we we open we we haven't had any major uh comics there
36:34
because uh I just want to give uh these new guys, you know, because these guys are funny,
36:39
man. Yeah. And even the people on the internet now are funnier than the comedians. Okay. So So So my whole purpose was to to
36:47
bring new talent, you know. I wanted to get that established. We working on some we working on some big name. But you the biggest, baby, you
36:53
the biggest. Tell them you're the biggest and the baddest. had conversations with a lot of guys, you know, Bruce Bruce and a lot of
36:59
different guys, but I want to get Earthquake out there too, man. Earthquake is funny. I want to get that, you know, that up and coming, you know,
37:05
going, you know, and so if up and coming to get to your club cuz they'll travel for it. Is it
37:11
somewhere online they can go? Oh, absolutely. They can go to uh clubtruthva comedy.com
37:16
website or Facebook or any other social media platform. I'm looking at it right now. Clubtruth
37:21
ycomdy.com. You guys get on that hustle. KJ right here. He just gave you the green light.
37:27
Um I'mma tell Darnell to pull up too. He going to be cuz he coming to the karaoke event we having tonight around here. We
37:34
going to do it here. Downstairs we got 5:00. We got pizza, you know, libations.
37:40
Okay. You know, couple performers are coming through. It's going to be fun. Come
37:45
through. And we have comedians coming through as well tonight. Um yeah, Johnell Rollins is he said he wants to sing.
37:51
Congratulations. And I and I and I determined the the the conversation, the jargon, portfolio,
37:58
you know, he didn't say he own one bill, he owns a portfolio. So learn what that means because we need to own portfolios
38:05
of investments, right? Um yo, we could stop the game right here if you like. I love you.
38:11
And call it a even. Okay. You want to do that? We can do that. Okay. All right. Since you decided you
38:17
you part of Yeah. You a part of dominology dominology now. Yeah. Yeah. And don't feel bad cuz everybody in my
38:22
crew been beaten by me. So, all right. Wait, wait, wait, wait. And I don't do Raiders dominoes either. You can have
38:29
the Don't Don't give me Razor domino. I'm a Steelers girl. Okay, my bad. All right. He tried every little trick he could
38:36
manage. N man, give it up for Yo-Yo. I love Yoyo. Make sure you guys follow me on Yoyo
38:42
Fearless. Yoyo Fearless. You are awesome. You are so awesome. You're so incredible.
38:48
Congratulations. And shout out to Roelle and Sonia. Yes. Shout out to Powerhouse
38:54
Productions. My girl, iconic, yo. Yep. Thank you. Nothing short of it. All right. And we appreciate you. Thank
39:00
you.