In short
Podcast Episode Notes
Podcast Information Title: Nightcap Description: Nightcap is a nighttime sports talk show hosted by legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. They provide unfiltered takes on NFL, NBA, and college football, along with instant reactions to games.
Episode Details Title: Nightcap LIVE from the Herbst Theatre for Super Bowl LX Hour 1 Description: Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson are live from San Francisco at the Herbst Theatre, interviewing guests in preparation for Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
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Key Themes and Discussions
Opening Remarks
- Show Acknowledgment: Shannon Sharpe expresses gratitude to the audience for their support, emphasizing the special nature of the event and the sold-out show.
- Personal Connection: Shannon shares how the support from fans has helped them achieve success.
Bay Area Experience
- Chad Johnson's Adventures: Ocho shares his experiences in the Bay Area, including humorous anecdotes about driving and local food recommendations, particularly soul food.
- San Francisco's Warmth: Both hosts express appreciation for the city's hospitality.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026
- Inductees Discussed:
- Drew Brees
- Larry Fitzgerald
- Luke Keekly
- Adam Vinatieri
- Roger Craig
- Arguments Made:
- Shannon and Ocho discuss the merits of each inductee, highlighting their impact on the game.
- They also address the absence of notable figures like Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, debating the reasons behind this.
Hall of Fame Controversy
- Bill Belichick's Exclusion:
- The debate centers around whether Belichick deserves first-ballot induction, with arguments made about the influence of his coaching style and his partnership with Tom Brady.
- Shannon and Ocho criticize the voting process and suggest that personal biases may affect the decisions of the writers voting on the Hall of Fame.
Super Bowl LX Predictions
- Game Dynamics and Players:
- Ocho expresses confidence in the Patriots due to their coaching and recent performance improvements.
- Chad leans towards the Seahawks, citing their strong season and offensive capabilities.
Special Guest Appearances
- James Harrison and Joe Hayden:
- They join the discussion, sharing their perspectives on the Hall of Fame class and the upcoming Super Bowl.
- Conversations flow into personal stories and experiences from their playing careers.
Live Performance
- LaRussell's Performance:
- The episode features a live performance from rapper LaRussell, who speaks about his journey in music and community connection.
- He emphasizes authenticity and staying true to one's roots in the rap industry.
T.I. Appearance
- Discussion with T.I.:
- T.I. shares his thoughts on the evolving music scene in Atlanta and touches upon various projects, including his return to music and other entertainment avenues.
- He discusses the challenges of staying true to oneself amidst industry changes and reflects on his legacy.
Closing Thoughts
- Final Predictions and Reflections:
- Hosts and guests provide their final thoughts on the Super Bowl matchup and what to expect.
- Emphasis on the importance of community, authenticity, and passion in both sports and music.
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Key Takeaways
- Support from Fans: The importance of audience appreciation in sustaining success.
- Hall of Fame Voting Process: Politics and biases can influence the recognition of deserving individuals in sports.
- Cultural Commentary: The need for authenticity in music and sports, reflecting genuine experiences rather than manufactured personas.
- Super Bowl Anticipation: Excitement around the upcoming game reflects the unpredictable nature of sports.
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This episode encapsulates the blend of sports, culture, and personal storytelling, showcasing the unique perspectives of seasoned athletes as they engage with their audience.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOExploring San Francisco
6:01 to 7:48
Hosts share their experiences while exploring San Francisco.
“Ocho, so, I mean, you've been out and about in the city.”
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026
7:48 to 11:23
Discussion on the newly announced Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.
“So the flight to Miami is six hours, and I just got here two days ago.”
Reflections on NFL Accomplishments
11:23 to 11:50
Hosts reflect on the achievements of the 2026 Hall of Fame class.
“So give it up for those guys going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Hall of Fame Class Discussion
15:26 to 17:12
Discussion on the newly inducted Hall of Fame class and their careers.
“We were just going over this, uh, this hall of fame class, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Keekly, Adam Vinatieri and Roger Craig.”
Bill Belichick's Hall of Fame Status
17:12 to 19:26
Debate over Bill Belichick's qualifications for the Hall of Fame.
“But I think he's very, very deserving to go in.”
Perception vs. Reality of Coaches
19:26 to 21:42
Exploring how personal feelings towards coaches can affect their legacy.
“Like, you could be a blind man and see what he's done and know that he's supposed to be in first ballot.”
Transitioning to Podcasting
21:42 to 22:26
The co-host's journey from athlete to podcast host and overcoming fears.
“A lot of people don't like him, and it tainted their view about him as a head coach.”
Dynamic Between Co-Hosts
22:26 to 26:50
Insights into the relationship and dynamic between the podcast co-hosts.
“But he was going to put the person in a position that he needed to do the job.”
Super Bowl Predictions
26:50 to 28:00
Predictions for the upcoming Super Bowl and analysis of team strengths.
“I was, you know, I was going to be the person that was going to put him to sleep.”
Analyzing Team Dynamics
28:00 to 29:38
Discussion on team trust and coaching impact on performance.
“The one thing about the Patriots, they're not going to beat themselves.”
Show all 25 chapters
Quarterback Assessments
29:38 to 30:46
Analysis of quarterback performance and playoff pressures.
“I mean, Drake May and him, he hasn't been doing too good.”
Tom Brady's Neutral Stance
30:46 to 32:29
Debate on Tom Brady's allegiance and neutrality towards the Patriots.
“and everybody just automatically assumed, man, I'm for the Patriots.”
LaRussell's Musical Journey
39:01 to 42:00
LaRussell shares his journey in music and influences from the Bay Area.
“Soon as the plane land, I be getting to the chicken.”
Growing Up in the Bay Area and Musical Influences
42:00 to 43:40
Explore the guest's journey and inspirations from Bay Area legends.
“You know, and it was one of those moments that I was like, man, I might have something more special than I believe myself.”
From Independent to Mainstream: The Power of Labels
43:40 to 45:50
Discuss the transition from independent artistry to signing with a major label.
“I went to sleep one night, and I done had no songs on the radio, and I woke up the next day on 50 radio stations.”
Advice for Aspiring Rappers
45:50 to 47:20
Learn valuable advice on authenticity and community connection.
“What was some of the advice that you would like to give that you would pass along?”
Reconnecting with Music and the Industry
47:26 to 50:20
The guest shares thoughts on returning to music and the pressures of fame.
“You didn't make sure the people was good.”
The Evolution of Music and Staying Authentic
50:20 to 53:00
Discuss how musical styles have changed and the importance of authenticity.
“I think, man, I'm a fan first, and I really really love, I love the culture, I love music, and I myself know what I want to listen to.”
Future Plans Beyond Music
53:00 to 55:20
Learn about upcoming projects in film, real estate, and more from the guest.
“And I done damn near did all of that shit.”
The Journey to Comedy
56:00 to 57:28
Learn how a rapper stumbled into comedy and found his passion.
“That's where I go and I'm just another comic that's aiming to make people laugh.”
Atlanta's Music Scene Evolution
57:28 to 59:18
Discuss the transformation of Atlanta's music scene over the years.
“really talking about shit me and my wife had gone through and I got like my first laugh and I just was hooked.”
Challenges of Ranking Atlanta Rappers
59:18 to 1:01:06
Explore the complexities of ranking artists in the Atlanta rap scene.
“When they mentioned Atlanta Rappers, and we've got a bunch, You know, obviously yourself, Jeezy, T.I., Gucci, Luda, Future, Outkast, all the Dungeon family.”
Versus Battles and Personal Rivalries
1:01:06 to 1:03:06
Insight into potential versus battles and the dynamics within the rap community.
“The earth is my turf Shit I put on anywhere.”
Falcons' Future and Leadership
1:03:06 to 1:06:24
Discuss the Atlanta Falcons' prospects and necessary improvements.
“So now here we are trying to think about other people who would do it.”
T.I.'s Future Plans and Passion
1:06:24 to 1:09:04
T.I. shares his upcoming projects and personal priorities.
“So how soon can we expect the Falcons to be playoff contenders and make a deep playoff run?”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Chad Johnson:Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets,
0:11Shannon Sharpe:which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt, from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20 % year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work.
0:25Chad Johnson:It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the S &P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1 % bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing. Brokered services by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services by Public Advisors, LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool.
0:54Chad Johnson:Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures. You're listening to a podcast, so you're doing something else too, like maybe scrolling home listings on Redfin, saving places you like without thinking you'll get them because that's what house hunting has become. But Redfin isn't built for endless browsing. It's built to help you find and own a home. Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents, which means when you find a place you love, you've got a real shot at getting it. Redfin helps turn saved listings into real addresses.
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3:58Shannon Sharpe:Yes, yes. Bay, yay area. Yay, yay, yay. Good morning. Good morning.
4:06Chad Johnson:Oh, man.
4:11Chad Johnson:How we feeling? Y 'all good? Wait a minute. I can't fucking hear you. How y 'all feeling? Y 'all good? yeah bitch
4:23Shannon Sharpe:thank you so much thank you for everyone that showed up uh we greatly greatly appreciate that uncle and ocho we're nothing without you i love you i love you i i think it's it's moments like this that uh me personally i'm just going to speak for me and then ocho can speak for himself that i get an opportunity to realize just just how special you guys are. I don't have to get into what transpired in 2025, but for us to have a sold-out show tonight and the support that you've shown Ocho and I,
5:10Shannon Sharpe:Shannon Sharp will be forever grateful. Thank you guys.
5:18Chad Johnson:Listen, for those of you that I don't know, and I'm always playing around.
5:24Shannon Sharpe:You don't know nobody in this audience. I know. Hold on. Those he don't know.
5:28Chad Johnson:You don't think so? You don't think so? Hell no. Nah. Your homeboy. I know a few people, but I appreciate y 'all. I thank you. You know, you guys don't understand that you guys are the meat and potato for our success. I'm very grateful for everything that you've done for us through the ups and the downs. and the fact that we're able to still sell out a show here in San Francisco. I thank y 'all dearly.
5:55Shannon Sharpe:So hello, San Francisco. Welcome to Nightcap Live from the Earps Theater presented by PrizePix. We do have a La Portia bar at the back, so make sure you go grab yourself a drink. Get drunk. Ocho, so, I mean, you've been out and about in the city. You've had an opportunity to get around. You're live streaming. So what do you think about the Bay Area thus far?
6:15Chad Johnson:I love the Bay Area. I've been here. I love the Bay Area. I love the Bay Area. One part, one issue. I had one issue. Obviously, I took the little buggy cars, the little yellow buggy cars, you know, and they take you on a certain trail, and I went down. What's the steep hill you go down? Right to Rony Hill? Huh? Lombard. Lombard. I went to Lombard, and I was driving, and I accelerated, and I flipped. And so I flipped, and I rolled a little bit. But, man, listen, the Golden Gate Bridge, I tried to jump. And the guy told me, don't jump because, you know, some people, it's been casualties. And I told him I'm a professional diver.
6:54Chad Johnson:Yeah, you're a cliff diver. So, listen. Acapulco cliff diver. Yeah, you know, I did cliff diving in Brazil. So, I know how to hit the water the right way. You got to point the toes. When you point the toes, you're good. But, man, listen, San Francisco, oh, my God. I ate soul food today. Okay. You got to go. I went to Minnie Bells. Y 'all been in many bells? Boy, man, listen, the greens and the macaroni and cheese and the yams. Boy, it was right on.
7:22Shannon Sharpe:I'm telling you, you got to go there tomorrow. Well, they better be open at 730 because my flight leaves at 10.
7:28Chad Johnson:Will you leave tomorrow?
7:30Shannon Sharpe:Absolutely, I'm leaving tomorrow.
7:31Chad Johnson:Where you going?
7:33Shannon Sharpe:I'm going home. I don't know where you going.
7:36Chad Johnson:I want to stay here because I like it here. Listen, the flight, the flight, and I'm telling you where I'm staying, right? I got a few obligations tomorrow, but San Francisco has been so welcoming. The people have been very nice. Everywhere I've been. So the flight to Miami is six hours, and I just got here two days ago. Ain't no way in hell I'm going to fly another six back home already.
7:58Shannon Sharpe:It's probably about four and a half back home. Why do you say that? Because you got the wind at your back. You ever heard of the prevailing westerlies? Like when you come east to west, the wind is in your face, and when you go west to east, you have a tailwind.
8:11Chad Johnson:You bullshit. For real?
8:14Shannon Sharpe:I'll discuss it with you later. Okay. Okay, here's the class. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced this class of 2026. Going in on the first ballot, Drew Brees, quarterback, New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers. Going in on his first ballot, Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals. Going in, linebacker, Carolina Panthers, Luke Keekly. Luke. Going in, one of the greatest kicker, if not the greatest kicker, from the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts, Adam Vinatieri.
8:53Shannon Sharpe:And going in, the high-stepping Roger Craig.
9:04Shannon Sharpe:You like the—what do you think? Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Keekly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig.
9:10Chad Johnson:I love it. I love it. I mean, with those names, what they've accomplished, what they've done throughout their career. No Coach Belichick, no Mr. Kraft. Listen, their resume speaks for itself. Correct. Eric Fitzgerald, rightfully so. Luke Keekly, even though he had a short career, what he did during that time he played, awesome. Vinny Terry speaks for itself. Yep. Obviously, what, three, four-time Super Bowl winning the championship? How many times he won? Yes. Three or four?
9:34Shannon Sharpe:Four. Three or four. Either way. Yeah, he went four. Four, because he won one with the Colts and he won three with the Patriots.
9:40Chad Johnson:Okay, so, I mean, you can't argue with anybody that's been in there.
9:43Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. So, this is a great list. Obviously, a lot of news was made about who didn't get in. Yes. Mr. Kraft obviously didn't get in, which is a surprise to me. I don't know what he's doing to keep him out. Coach Belichick, I understand, you know, the flake gate, the spy gate, and a lot of the writers that vote for this, they probably feel at some point in time Coach Belichick wronged them. He was snide, condescending, or whatever the case may be. Cavalier with his answers or things like that. But at the end of the day, if you put him in, I guess they're putting him in, they're going to make him wait because they say he's unworthy of being a first ballot.
10:21Shannon Sharpe:And the argument that they use is that they say, well, what was he without Tom Brady? And my retort to them, what was Coach Noel without Terry Bradshaw? What was Coach Lombardi without Bart Starr? So most of the time, most coaches that go into the Hall of Fame, they have a Hall of Fame quarterback. This is not, you know, I'm not interrupting your normally scheduled program to break this news to you. Everybody knows, with the exception of Bill Parcells, the exception of Joe Gibbs. Joe Gibbs won the Super Bowl three times with three different quarterbacks. Coach Parcells won it two times with two different quarterbacks, Jeff Hotsteller and Phil Simms.
10:59Shannon Sharpe:But you can't hold who he, you know, who his quarterback is. I think it goes hand in hand. I think they work brilliantly together. I'm not so sure Tom Brady would have won as many Super Bowls without Coach Belichick, and we know Coach Belichick would not have won as many, if any, without Tom Brady. So it was a match perfectly made in heaven. But those are your 2026 class. Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Keekly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig. So give it up for those guys going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
11:29Shannon Sharpe:I mean, you played – I played against Adam. and I played against Drew Brees when he was with the Chargers. These other guys, Larry came in, I was gone. Obviously, I played against Roger because if I'm not mistaken, I think he was with the Raiders when I got there, when I got with Denver in 1990. But this is a very good class. Drew Brees, one of the top quarterbacks ever to play the game. Larry Fitzgerald, one of the top receivers to ever play the game. Keekly, like you said, he had a very short career, but he was a defensive player, defensive rookie of the year. and the next season he was defensive player of the year.
12:05Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, yeah, he's the real deal. Many times all pro. He was sudden. He was all over the field, a very good student of the game. He was a thumper, very well deserving. I think Adam Benetieri was a no-brainer because he is one of the greatest kickers. I mean, you can make a case him and the guy that was at Baltimore might be the two clutches kickers ever, especially in moments in which they come through big. All right, we got two very, very special guests under the tent pole. Here they are. They have their own show, James Harrison and Joe Hayden, Debo and Joe.
12:49Thank you.
13:01Chad Johnson:seriously. On public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI.
Read the full transcript
13:12Shannon Sharpe:It all starts with your prompt from renewable energy companies with high free cashflow to semiconductor suppliers, growing revenue over 20 % year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work.
13:23Chad Johnson:It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you backtest it against the S and P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1 % bonus when you transfer
13:41Shannon Sharpe:your portfolio.
13:42Chad Johnson:That's public.com slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing. Brokered services by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA, and SIPC. Advisory services by Public Advisors, LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures. Let's talk about modern home shopping. It's sort of become a fun side hobby, right? Scrolling listings at night, dreaming about kitchens you've never seen, or backyards you haven't even stepped foot in.
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15:23Chad Johnson:That's orderlymeds.com slash podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice. Eligibility required. See site for details.
15:46We were just going over this, uh, this hall of fame class, Drew Brees,
15:50Shannon Sharpe:Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Keekly, Adam Vinatieri and Roger Craig. Uh, you, with the exception of Craig, you were in the league when all of these guys were in the league. Any surprises? Drew obviously drew with the records that he had. Last Fitzgerald was consistent throughout his career. Luke Keekly, one of the best middle linebackers to ever play the game. Obviously one of the best big game kickers in the NFL history. Adam Vinatieri and Roger Craig, the first man to rush and receive for 1 ,000 yards in the single season in 1985. What do you think about this list?
16:18Chad Johnson:All deserving. You know, like you said, the only person that's out there is Bill. I don't understand that one. but everybody on there that's on that list deserves to be on that list. Why did it take so long for Roger Perry?
16:34Shannon Sharpe:I don't know. I don't know. When you talk about a guy the first to do something, he was on those championship teams. I think the thing is that when you look at, especially you look at Raj, and the guys that were in, he happened to be in the Eric Dickerson era. And he had to be in some of those guys that were rushing for 15, 16, 1 ,700 yards, and he never had that kind of season. He was just, you know, he was kind of like a Marshall Falker guy, a Christian McCaffrey guy that can do everything. You just didn't hand him the ball and like, okay, he's going to go for$1.5200 today. He did a little bit of everything.
17:08Shannon Sharpe:He might have 70 yards rushing. He might have 70 yards receiving. And so I think that kind of kept his numbers down. But I think he's very, very deserving to go in. What do you think about this list?
17:18Chad Johnson:I love the list. I actually played against, you know, a lot of those dudes too, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Keekly. I think nice hands, Larry. I'm super glad for him to get in. He's such a good dude, such a good person. He was so dominant for such a long time. And he wasn't the fastest either. Right. He was able to get open with his body.
17:34Shannon Sharpe:And if it was in his area, he was going to catch the ball. You mentioned you had an opportunity to spend one season playing for Coach Belichick. You're talking about a guy that won eight Super Bowls, six as a head coach, two as a defensive coordinator. His game plan in which you stopped the K-Gun, the Buffalo Bills offense in the 1990 Super Bowl is on display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What do you think are some of the reasons outside of his personality, what do you think are some of the reasons why he was unable to get in on the first ballot Hall of Famer? They've only been for George, Coach Hallis went in on the first ballot, Chuck Knoll went in on the first ballot, Coach Lombardi went in on the first ballot, and Don Shuler, Coach Shuler went in on the first ballot.
18:13Shannon Sharpe:So they've only had four first ballot Hall of Fame coaches.
18:18Chad Johnson:he got better numbers than all of them. He does. So him not getting in there is just basically I think it's an opportunity for them where they're like you know what it's time for me to get my get back. It ain't no fun when the rapper got it going. I didn't like how you talk to me or how you didn't talk to me. I don't like how you you know your relationship with the media because that's a lot of the people writers who actually are doing it and it shouldn't be guys like that. It should be guys that are in the hall of fame it should be guys guys that are first ballot and you're coming up for first ballot i believe it should be first ballot hall of famers that are voting on that right it shouldn't be somebody that has been just writing about the game looking at the game and then when the time comes you know what i want to settle a score right i don't i don't like the fact that the writers of the people the 50 voters that are allowed to vote for some of the players that are going in especially when it comes to something that's prestigious as the hall of fame i think it should be those that have played against you, those that have had the coach against you, and that you're giving 50 people too much power.
19:18And now they're abusing that power, said power, for something that is almost common sense
19:23Chad Johnson:based on resume and accolades, especially when they come to somebody like Belichick. That's what I'm saying. Like, you could be a blind man and see what he's done and know that he's supposed to be in first ballot. Yes. Right. So the fact that they have that kind of power and they like to play and move the goalposts, depending on who the person is. Yes. They're going to make an excuse for somebody they don't want to get in. Right. Those that they like, that conformed or aligned to how they felt they should have been, okay, yes, he's available.
19:47Shannon Sharpe:Well, this is not the first time, and I caused a fuss. I used to think that I knew what a Hall of Famer was, especially, you know, obviously, you know, when you don't play the game, you're like, okay, he should get in because you're just watching it on television. But after playing the game, and I see Derek Thomas has to wait five times for him to get in. I see T.O., who still one of three receivers to have 150 receiving touchdowns in a career. He was a five-time All-Pro, but three with three different teams. Only two other players can say that, and they're both first-team All-Pros. And then when you change the bylaws, they didn't change the rules to keep Coach Belichick out.
20:23Shannon Sharpe:They changed the rules to keep T.O. from getting on the first ballot. So now, I say, y 'all, now all of a sudden, you should have an open ballot. You didn't have an open ballot when T.O. didn't get in. And so, no, we're not finna do that. No. We're not finna do that. We're not finna change the rules. And just because you don't like who became the governor or who became the president, oh, now everybody got to show their ballot who you voted for. Get out of here.
20:45Chad Johnson:Yeah, no, I'm with you. I think the 50 voters, the gatekeeping, I don't like it's normally when you see Bill Belichick, if anybody's seen him coach, blind man, no, like you said, that's a Hall of Fame, first ballot. If he's not, who else is? Right. It kind of takes the validity away from it. I don't like the people that if he treated you a certain type of way, you didn't like the way he answered you from the media, all that. If you took the play gate, take all that stuff away. He still has four ships. He's still better.
21:11Shannon Sharpe:It still doesn't change whether or not he was a good coach. Whether how he treated you doesn't change whether or not he was good at his job. Now, he might be. There are plenty of people. Your boss might be a jerk. He's still your boss. I mean, so Coach Belichick might have been a jerk, but he's still a damn good football coach. And I think sometimes that gets lost. But it does. If we like said individual, we'll give them grace. If we don't like said player, even if they do a great job in a movie, I don't like you so the movie ain't no good. And I think that's what happened with Coach Belichick.
21:43Shannon Sharpe:A lot of people don't like him, and it tainted their view about him as a head coach.
21:47Chad Johnson:The people that don't like him are just the voters. Like, I went there for about four or six weeks, and I'm sitting down to go talk to him, and I'm like, this is going to be a different conversation. Like, is he going to be talking to me like he do in the media? And it's all a show, dude. Like, he is very open, very communicative. He says what he means, and he does exactly what he says. Like, it's plain and simple. And something else, like, his ability, dude, to take a player and put them in the position that he sees them being able to play best. Like, dude, we had, like, 12 different defensive sets.
22:25Chad Johnson:And it may switch out one person. and they switch out six people. But he was going to put the person in a position that he needed to do the job. To be able to make that play. Yes. Wow.
22:35Shannon Sharpe:So talk to us a little about the show. You got a show. And we talked a little bit about this today, that when Ocho and I, we went on vacation, and we're trying to find people to fill in and like, okay, maybe this is something that can lead long term. Maybe they'll see if they like to do it or maybe they don't like to do it, but this is something that they'll see, get an opportunity to see what it's like to do their own show. So when you got, when, and I remember when Ash said, well, when Debo said, I said, Debo who? I said, you know, I mean, he, he, he, he want to talk. He really want to do a podcast.
23:06Shannon Sharpe:He said yes. And so he signed up and then you, you got Joe. So what went into it? Why did all of a sudden you say, you know what? I think I want to do this.
23:15Chad Johnson:So I got a fear. So I'm a person that the reason I was so standoffish with the media and all that is because I was nervous. I was scared. and I was running away from something. So it wasn't me trying to be an asshole. I just was nervous of what I was going to say. Right. And this was another opportunity. Like, just out here, like, just talking right now in front of people like this, dude, if it was 10 people in the room, I couldn't put together two words. Like, and now, you know, I'm like, you know what? It's an opportunity. You know, let me see, you know, if I like it. It's not something that I'm really committing to, committing to.
23:49Chad Johnson:So I think I ended up doing it with TJ. Yeah. I ended up doing it with TJ. and it went well. I enjoyed it and I just really got to say what I wanted to say without having to worry about what team I was on or what this person or that person is going to say because I no longer had to go and answer to anybody. And through that process, like you said, I talked with Ashley and she's like, yo, would you want to – I'm like, yeah, for sure. Let's try it. I will give a lot of credit to my manager, Risa. She actually really talked me into it. She's like, come on, you can do it. They want to hear what you got to say.
24:30Chad Johnson:You ain't even got to really. They just want to hear what you got to say. They want to see you as a real person. So I'm like, all right, cool, let's do it. And Joe ended up coming from just, I went to a charity softball game. And it was, man, we had been looking for somebody for probably like two, three months or something. and nobody was like really fit and didn't like the people they brought up. You know, they didn't like a couple. Well, I had two people that I, you know, we just sat down and we were sitting there playing in the softball game for camp and we just chopped it up like we had been knowing each other for 30 years, like never missed time.
25:05Chad Johnson:I just saw you yesterday and I'm like, yo, what about Joe Hayes? And they're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And in that process, he was actually, you could take off from here, but he was looking at trying to do a podcast himself. Right. So, same thing. So, I was Debo a funny dude. We played on the same team, and he was very standoffish when I came to the Steelers because this was 2017. TJ came there. It was more like, you know, him and Coach. Just the whole situation. So, Debo was like Debo. He wasn't really talking to too many people. He wasn't being too friendly. So, he just – I would see him through the locker room, and I was just new to the team, and we were always cool, always respectful, always.
25:41Chad Johnson:What's up, Debo? How you doing? He was, you know, what up, Joe? Boom. All right. eating his food, doing his workouts, handling business. So Deebo was real cool. And when we met him again, we ended up linking up at Cam Hayworth's thing. I just think he's just a good dude. We just respected each other. And we have two totally different perspectives on stuff. We got two different angles, but we have a common ground of respect. And I rock with him. I think that's why it works so well because I watch y 'all sometimes. I wake up in the morning, and I don't appreciate y 'all ignoring me when I be in the chat talking.
26:15Chad Johnson:I'd be spamming the chat trying to get their attention and they just keep on talking I'd be spamming it, it'd really be directed at one person
26:27Chad Johnson:I'm right here right now though he ignored me you notice something notice what he said when he was playing he didn't really talk to the media because there was a fear and he was scared and he would run from it what do you think my middle name was in high school Bullshit Nah, my middle name was Media
26:49Shannon Sharpe:Media So he was running from you
26:52Chad Johnson:Matter of fact, when we played I used to punk him on the field, Joe I'm telling you Listen, man, he talking about me actually talking nice to him one time After they were finding my ass like crazy I was just trying to get some good conversation Nah, nah, nah If I did pop somebody and the ref heard the conversation I was having And I really wasn't the person that was aggressive. I was, you know, I was going to be the person that was going to put him to sleep. But for sure. Other than that. Yeah. Listen to what he just said. He was talking nice to me. Yeah. Talking nice to me. Like, I punked you.
27:26Chad Johnson:What you talking about? It's okay. It's okay. You don't have to be tough all the time. There are people tougher than you. Yes. Like me. No. I walked into that. But, you know.
27:38Shannon Sharpe:This game, we're a couple of days away from the big game. The Patriots, Seattle. Seattle's been one of the top teams all year. I don't think anybody, I don't, excuse me, the Seahawks have been one of the top teams all year. The Patriots, I mean, you think about it, they won four games last year. They get a new coach the second year for the quarterback, Drake May, and all of a sudden they just get better and better and better. The one thing about the Patriots, they're not going to beat themselves. It doesn't matter who the coach is. Obviously, Brable, he's kind of like Belichick, but he's a more personable coach, Belichick.
28:11Shannon Sharpe:And it seems the guys really, really love playing for him, and he's really ingratiated himself because he was a player. So he knows how to get the players to play at a certain level. Who do you like in this game and why?
28:26Chad Johnson:I like the Patriots because of the coach. I've seen, you know, what he did from the beginning that he got there to where he's at now. Now, I've seen in the progress of just the quarterback in the last two games where, you know, you see Drake, he's like, oh, I could take off from this. He's like, nope, I'm going to lay down. I remember last week I tried to do that and I phoned with Rob. Right. You know, it was situations like, oh, I could have made that throw. Nope, let me go ahead and sit down and take that sack because it was an opportunity where if he hadn't made that throw, dude would have stepped in front of it.
28:56Chad Johnson:Right. So I think, you know, the quarterback is really growing through the process. They're trusting each other. Like the team is trusting, the offense is trusting the defense and defense is trusting the offense. and special teams is doing their thing to put in. And I just feel like, you know, with him there, man, I just can't go against it. I just can't. I just can't, man. He did a great job. And that's just one year. Right.
29:23Shannon Sharpe:Great turnaround. Who do you like, Joe? I like Seattle. Okay.
29:27Chad Johnson:This is why I don't like you. This is why I got reasons. I got reasons. I'm not just out here saying things for no reason. I like New England too, but going into the playoffs, I mean, Drake May and him, he hasn't been doing too good. Sam Darnold, when they beat the Rams, I didn't know. I was up in the air with Sam Darnold. I would always blame like, I don't know. They ain't had no DBs, Joe. Shut up, D-Bo. There you go. I'm talking. I wasn't talking when you was talking. So Sam Darnold in that offense and now with Walker running the ball, the way he's doing, Jackson Smith and Jigba, those DBs, yes.
30:01Chad Johnson:My man, number three, I call him maybe Dermon James. Little Dermon James, he's unbelievable. So the defense, they're balling. If Sam Darnold is doing what he does like he did versus the Rams, they're going to win. Because, I mean, the Patriots, good, good, good team. But, like, Drake, man, I love them to death. But this playoff last week, you see them taking the knees. 86. Like, the weather was bad, but 10 to 7.
30:26Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, I think the thing is if Sam Darnold can avoid what he's not done this entire playoff run, which is turn the football over. He takes care of the football. They're going to be tough to beat. You turn the football over, you lose. You lose this ballgame. There was a lot of news. There was a lot of being said about. They asked Tom Brady, who is he rooting for? Tom Brady spent 20 years with the New England Patriots, and everybody just automatically assumed, man, I'm for the Patriots. He said, I just hope for a good game. I don't really have a dog in the fight. His former team is like, what? What you mean you ain't got no dog in the fight?
30:58Shannon Sharpe:You ain't got no dog in the fight. You got a whole kennel.
31:00Chad Johnson:Hey, he an owner now. He an owner of the Raiders now. He ain't got a dog in the fight. He's just trying to tell you. But I could see, you know what? I could see.
31:11Shannon Sharpe:All y 'all do is make noise. Y 'all never make no plays. Yeah.
31:18Shannon Sharpe:I could see if he was calling the game for Fox. And you want to seem neutral. But he's not calling the game. I can assure you, if I was on live television and we talk about it, I root for the Broncos. You're not supposed to root. I know I'm not supposed to, but I'm going to.
31:39Chad Johnson:You know what? That creates unnecessary news for him because now the headline becomes Tom Brady's rooting for the Patriots. That's too much. Now he has to play defense.
31:48Shannon Sharpe:Let me ask you a question. One, because of his position with the Raiders. Yes.
31:51Chad Johnson:Two, because there's a position as an analyst, it alleviates any issues. Dude, the position with the Raiders and the analysts should never have come together. That shouldn't even go together. That's a problem right there. It's Tom Brady, so we're going to let it go.
32:06Shannon Sharpe:If I tried to do that, man, they'd be on my ass. Do you actually think, let's be real, do you actually think Tom Brady's not rooting for the Patriots?
32:15Chad Johnson:He's rooting for the Patriots. Exactly. I would think so. I just want to say it.
32:19Shannon Sharpe:He said to make it seem like he's neutral. Like, you know, I really don't have a dog in the fight, bro. You spent 20 years there. Your fondest memories. He got a trophy outside in front of the stadium. A statue, yes.
32:32Chad Johnson:I mean, he's going to send Bravo something if they win that thing, though, for sure. You want me to hold that before you put it on my wrist? No, I don't. I don't. I don't. You won't see that back. That's for sure.
32:42Shannon Sharpe:Man, congratulations on all the success, man. Deebo and Joe, hey, your first year, you did unbelievable. Oh, yeah. It's only get bigger and better moving forward, man. Congrats. Congratulations. Joe
33:05Chad Johnson:What you mean Huh
33:27Okay.
33:28Shannon Sharpe:At home. This face-off is brought to you by Morgan & Morgan. When this is all over, someone certainly will need an injury attorney. So, maybe one or both. And what better way? the number one injury law firm in the country is Morgan & Morgan. And you know what? They happen to be a sponsor of this show, so we might can get one of you guys a discount. That's the devil right there. He talking to me. That's why I had to take that chain off. I don't know. Guys, who we got? We got Debo? Or do we have Ocho? That's crazy.
34:13Chad Johnson:Hey, hey, there's a lot of Raider fans out there. We know what y 'all do. Y 'all can't play just like this nigga can't fight.
34:29Shannon Sharpe:Appreciate you. Appreciate you. I don't know, Ocho. I don't know. He too little. He too little? Yeah, I mean, you are?
34:39Chad Johnson:Hey, he too, no, I ain't little. I'm too, I'm too.
34:46Shannon Sharpe:What's funny about this? Pull it up. What's funny about this?
34:49Chad Johnson:Get out of here. What's funny about this, man?
35:05Yeah. I sure hope we still get that discount at Morgan & Morgan.
35:12Chad Johnson:Hey, see, hey, hey, listen, listen. Now you know, you know in the Bible, they had a story, David and Goliath. Goliath was huge, but David won. That would be the same story in 2026 against him. All that muscle don't mean nothing. He throw two punches, he tired. Two, two, he got, I can't breathe, man, man, choke him out, man. All that don't mean nothing, man. Oh, you doing boxing or MMA? Listen, MMA or boxing. He can't fight. He too big.
35:48Shannon Sharpe:Well, I don't think you'd probably need to find out whether he can or can't.
35:52Chad Johnson:Oh, we going to set it up. We going to set it up. Chad, wouldn't y 'all like to see that?
35:58Shannon Sharpe:Yeah.
35:59Chad Johnson:Yeah, man.
36:01Shannon Sharpe:All right, we got a very special live performance. Here he is from the Bay. Bay rapper LaRussell.
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38:52Shannon Sharpe:I don't know, he might need my microphone. He might need me an Ocho to join.
38:57Chad Johnson:I should put spree wheels on a station wagon. I'm from the home of the East Bay Dragons, A little up north where I landed, baby. I ain't had nothing handed, baby. I'm never who I'm from to be candid. I don't ask for respect. I demand it. Soon as the plane land, I be getting to the chicken. A fella like me is slim pickin'. The man that you win, he the bargain brand. I'm Mountain Valley Spring, not the Target brand. Hello? Are you hard at hearing? You ever hopped out the car while steering? You ever geeked till you sweated out your white teeth? You ever cheese and took somebody white meat? You ever chicken to the view, not the sightseeing?
39:32Chad Johnson:I got flavor, that's why them people bite me I got flavor, y 'all don't like me I got flavor, sprinkle me, man I got, uh, yeah First, I threw like this Put a look on my face like I smell some Bounce to the beat till it start to hurt Then I dust all the smirk off me Dip to the ground as I cast the bass Then I wipe all the sweat off me I back up and I start to slide Popping my collar I break that thing down and do the dust myself off like I just don't care. Come on, everybody. Now's your chance. Fuck the hell I'm shaking. The thizzle dance. Dance. Say what? Say what? Say what? Ah! Say what? Say what?
40:25Chad Johnson:Say what? Yeah. Can you do the thizzle dance?
40:33Shannon Sharpe:San Francisco.
40:44Shannon Sharpe:Love, bro. Love, bro. What's that? What's that? Bro, unbelievable. Thank you. Yes, sir. Bro, I mean, obviously the West Coast rap. We know the West Coast. the bae don't get the love that it deserves. You know, you got 40. Rest is so back, Dre. You got so, at what age did you like, you know what? I'm going to give this rap thing a try.
41:13Chad Johnson:I started rapping when I was like 7. Wow. But I didn't believe I could really do it until I was like 23. Okay. At what moment hit you? What moment hit you? There was a moment for that it hit him, you know what, I can play at the next level. There was a moment for me where I understood, you know what, maybe I can give this a shot because I can play at the next level. At what moment in life did it hit you, this rapid thing, and I could really do this shit? I put out an album in 2018. Yes, sir. And my pops was giving it out. And one day I'm in the garage, I'm just working, and the UPS driver pulled up and he hopped out the truck and he like, nigga, what did your daddy give me?
42:03Chad Johnson:And it was my album. You know, and it was one of those moments that I was like, man, I might have something more special than I believe myself.
42:11Shannon Sharpe:Right. That was the moment that you knew. But when you talk about the Bay, obviously, everybody know 40 Water. Have you had an opportunity to mingle with 40 Water? Did he put you on top of any game?
42:22Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Water laced me, you know. Anytime I call, he answers, he picks up, and he laced me. He connects me wherever I need to be connected.
42:33Shannon Sharpe:Definitely. So, you with the 49ers? You the Bang Bang Gang? Or what are your favorite to you?
42:39Chad Johnson:I'm with the A area, you hear me?
42:41Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. So you all things A area? You the Warriors, you the A? All things A area. Wow.
42:55Shannon Sharpe:So when you perform, when you go to the East Coast, is the East Coast hip? They know who LaRussell is?
43:03Chad Johnson:Definitely. I sell out every coast. Coast to coast, north and south. Y 'all right in. I love that. I love that.
43:09Shannon Sharpe:I love that flavor. Who you room for on Sunday? Who you got?
43:15Chad Johnson:Well, me and my homies performing on Sunday, so I'm room for us.
43:19Shannon Sharpe:I got the home team with me. You're like, if it's not the Niners, I don't really care who wins. Win, lose, or draw. I'm good.
43:29Chad Johnson:As long as I'm there.
43:30Shannon Sharpe:I'm in there. Right, right.
43:32Chad Johnson:Hey, you said you started rapping at seven, right? obviously at one point you made a you made an album inspiration we all pull inspiration from somewhere that makes us want to do something that gives us motivation who was your inspiration especially here from the bay area man i'm i'm a major yeah definitely magic every everybody that put some sauce in the pot though you know i really took some from everybody i i was out the trunk hand-to-hand because of 40 and short, you know, and I was deep in life rap because of Pac, and everybody that put sauce in a pot, you know, I took what I needed from them.
44:11Chad Johnson:Right.
44:12Shannon Sharpe:Okay. You recently signed to Jay-Z's label. How has that been? It's been incredible.
44:18Chad Johnson:You know, I went to sleep. I went to sleep one night, and I done had no songs on the radio, and I woke up the next day on 50 radio stations.
44:31Shannon Sharpe:Damn.
44:35Shannon Sharpe:Is that one of the reasons why it's so hard and you need that machine, which is the record company, the label behind you to push? Because when you're independent, it's kind of hard to get that kind of airplay because you need people from coast to coast to hear you like, man, I like old dude, man. He's nice like that. But when you're independent, it's just hard to get that airplay.
44:56Chad Johnson:Yeah, the relationship is different. You know, when you're independent and you go to radio, that might be your first time. So it's their first time meeting you, their first time doing business versus with a label. They've done business for 100 years, you know. They already connected and respected. So it's just a different grind. You know, and I'm still independent. We spend our own paper and we come up with all our own stuff. We put out our own music. We just got a partner now to help.
45:22Shannon Sharpe:Right. I like that. Give me your Mount Rushmore, Bay Area rappers. Sheesh. Tupac. Okay. Pac. Mac Dre. Mac Dre. E-40. 40. Too short. Too short. Okay. That's a solid ass list. That's a good list. We're going to get you out of this.
45:47Shannon Sharpe:What advice would you give young and up-and-coming rappers that want to get into the game? Maybe take the approach that you took. What was some of the advice that you would like to give that you would pass along?
46:01Chad Johnson:Be authentic as possible. You know, I really got this far because I connected and resonated with my community. People see me and they see themselves. I'm not somebody that's up here. Or people still get to come up to me and dab me up and talk to me. And I'm not trying to flex on nobody. I'm really showing people the way. I'm out in my community. And I think we got into an era of society now where rappers is like, it's almost like we, it's just flexing. You know, it's just a whole bunch of shit that's like, I didn't grow up that way. You feel me? Like, I can't connect to you and I can't respect it because that's not what I've seen and witnessed.
46:39Chad Johnson:It don't make sense to me. You feel me? So just being as authentic as possible, the best thing you could be in this world is you. It's only one.
46:47Shannon Sharpe:Yes. Authentic. I like that. That's dope. LaRosa, ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Bro. He said that, man. Love. Yes.
46:58Chad Johnson:Thank y 'all.
47:01Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, area. Y 'all good? Before we bring up our next guest, Ethos makes getting life insurance fast and easy 100 % online. You can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage. In as little as 10 minutes, you can get a free quote for up to$3 million in coverage at ethos.com slash nightcap. That's E-T-H-O-S dot com slash nightcap. Application times and rates may vary. Now, we got... You didn't make sure the people was good.
47:38Chad Johnson:Go ahead. Y 'all good? You sure? I'm going to say this one time and one time only. Is there anybody that need a drink? All right. If you need a drink, your La Porte back there, huh? Yeah, they got Laporte. Laporte is back there. When you get back there, tell him it's on home.
48:02Shannon Sharpe:All right, we got a very special guest joining us. I hadn't seen this man since he cut his dreads. Legend. His locks. Here he is. Legend. All the way from the crib, A-T-L. Legend. P-I. Come on out, bro.
48:39What they do, partner?
48:43Chad Johnson:You back at it. You back at it like you never have. Hey, A-town business.
48:49Shannon Sharpe:You hear what I'm saying? Yeah. You stepped away for a minute. but you came back like you never left.
48:58Chad Johnson:I mean, you know, bro, I ain't even going to cap you down. Like, I feel a lot of the stuff that LaRussell was saying, I think he was speaking, like, pure facts, because at a certain point, you know, we got in this, you know, to change the standard of living for our families and, you know, to make a better life for ourselves, our children, but we ain't really had for all the fame and shit. You know what I'm saying?
49:23Shannon Sharpe:You wanted to force it down to fame.
49:24Chad Johnson:You know what I'm saying? And when I say that, you know, it take a while for us to get used to it. It take even longer for other motherfuckers to get used to it. And sometimes, man, it be hard for us to enjoy ourselves and just be, you know, like us. Because other people is so like, oh, what the fuck? Like, my nigga, just chill. Yeah. So I respect and I appreciate that you appreciate, man, cool, but my nigga just chill. And, like, what caused me to want to step away is because I just started to see, motherfucking just started to act like funny and just started making me feel uncomfortable. Right.
50:06Chad Johnson:So I'm like, man, let me just fade back for a little bit, you know. And, but I can't just stay away forever. So I think, you know, now it's time to just kind of reintroduce myself. How have you been able to manage and be consistent and have that level of consistency with success for so long. What do you attest that to? I think, man, I'm a fan first, and I really really love, I love the culture, I love music, and I myself know what I want to listen to. So I'm going to remain consistent, because I'm not going to put no shit out there I don't want to hear. You know what I'm saying? And that's just always been my That's been my key and just, you know, I stay grounded because I have a strong support system.
50:59Chad Johnson:I got real people around me. You know what I mean? They're going to call the motherfucker like it rolled. You know what I mean? And that allows me to stay true to myself and also stay true to what's going on out there so I can represent the people. See, that's a good thing. You heard what he said, huh? Yeah. You heard what he said, right? He stayed true to himself. But also, when I think about the rap game, when we was growing up, we were about the same age. Now, the sound of music has changed. Okay. How have you stayed true to yourself when music has evolved and it doesn't sound the same way it did when we was younger?
51:33I mean, bro, like, man, I still know what the fuck it pulled to sound like.
51:39Chad Johnson:Right. You know what I'm saying? Right. Man, this shit will feel them, bro. It ain't just like, oh, let me make something that sounds like something. Like I'm going to look for, for one, when I walk in the studio, I'm going to look for a track that represents what I'm feeling right now. My mood right this moment. I read somewhere that Sebastia said art is how, you know, we decorate space. And music is how we decorate time. You feel me? Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Let me write that down. Hold on. I'm doing right there, bro. Nah, for real. And so, shit, I'm just using these songs to decorate the time that I'm in.
52:26Chad Johnson:You know what I mean? Like, I can listen to songs that I did back, you know, in 2001, 2003, 2006. And I could almost taste the time. You know what I'm saying? because I remember what I was going through. And that's I think that's when the shit is done correctly. You can taste the time. You know what I'm saying? Like for instance, you close your eye right now and just think about nothing but a G thing. You feel what I'm saying? You could smell the reefer. You know what I'm saying? Because that's what the shit is. that what we do that's what it's for and that's all I aim you know that's my aim
53:17Shannon Sharpe:you are this final project let them know which you said is going to be your final album is it going to be your final album of 26 or we going to see you back again in 27 or 28 are you done with music
53:29Chad Johnson:I mean to be honest with you it's not that I'm done with music it's just that like when I came into this shit I had a vision and a dream. And I done damn near did all of that shit. You know what I'm saying? Due to the grace of God, you know what I'm saying? Thankful to all of the people who've been supporting and just been by my side. I've had the opportunity to do that. I ain't stopped dreaming. The dream wasn't to do the shit then, do it over again. So now, God has sent me here with gifts. Many gifts. This is one of them and I also have others that now that I've done what I intended to do with this I gotta allow it to open the door for me to do what I intend to do with the others.
54:21Chad Johnson:I don't wanna go back with no gifts. You know what I'm saying? I don't wanna make sure I used everything that he gave me while I was here. And it's just other shit that I got plans on doing. You know, producing, directing, writing films, real estate development.
54:37Shannon Sharpe:You gonna do acting again? You gonna get back into acting?
54:40Chad Johnson:Because there was a stretch that TIU was doing more acting than music. Absolutely. I got a film coming out right now. Okay. I got one on Tubi that I directed, wrote, directed. It's my film that I partnered with DC Young Fly and Carlos Miller and Lil Duval. It's called Departments. It's out on Tubi right now. I got the sequel in post-production coming soon. I got another film that is a romantic comedy. and it's a film that I also wrote directed I actually starred in this one it's called Thought She Was The One it's about you know you know nigga trying to find love in Atlanta you know what I'm saying
55:27Chad Johnson:and you know that's also a post production I got a you got the fish spot you and Killer Mike yeah me and Killer Mike we got banquet seafood absolutely so y 'all come on get you a fish sandwich. You know what I mean? Hold on. I know what I want to talk about. I got a trap music museum. I can't go. I can't blow past that. Comedy. Yeah. Tell me about the comedy. Man, comedy is peace. That's where I find my peace. Yes, sir. That's where I do. That's why, you know, I ain't really got the BTI. You know what I'm saying? That's where I go and I'm just another comic that's aiming to make people laugh. It ain't about celebrity.
56:09Chad Johnson:It ain't about none of that other shit. And I go up there and I find my piece. And I enjoy it. I don't give a damn how much y 'all enjoy seeing me do it. This is for me. Right, right, right. If you don't like it, don't look, nigga.
56:23Shannon Sharpe:You know what I mean? Let me ask you this. How hard is it? Because I could see like, okay, you're a rapper. If you wanted to do R &B or you wanted to do country or you wanted to do tech, whatever the case may be. Okay, Beyonce, she's a singer. She did country. you went to a whole different arena
56:41Chad Johnson:and said you know what I want to try that because normally it really wasn't that I wanted to try it it was that I fell in love with it you know what I'm saying like I didn't intend on doing comedy that wasn't like you know on my to do list one of my problems I support comedy my wife and I when we go on date nights and shit that's what we go do we go to comedy club okay we you know we spend a lot of time going to the Mike Yelp show the Cat Williams show the Dave Chappelle show you know what I mean 85 South show and I just happened to be at an open mic night and one of my best partners, his name K-Dub, and he was hosting the open mic and me and him arguing, talking about why the nigga on stage wasn't funny.
57:15Chad Johnson:So he was like, well, you mad. Well, get your ass up there since you know somebody. You know what I mean? So he introduced me and brought me on stage one day, just like...
57:23Shannon Sharpe:He didn't think you were going to get up there, huh?
57:24Chad Johnson:He didn't think I was going to get up there. You know what I'm saying? And I just kind of just told the story of my day, really talking about shit me and my wife had gone through and I got like my first laugh and I just was hooked. And I started going to comedy club, asking to get on stage, thinking of new shit ever since then. I did that shit every motherfucking day for about three, four months. Just because I love to do it. I wasn't getting paid. You know what I mean? The money came a little later but you know what I mean? I just love to do the shit.
57:56Shannon Sharpe:Where do you see Atlanta? And guess what?
57:58Chad Johnson:And when comics find themselves in the studio recording records because they just love music. Ain't nobody saying shit to them. You feel me? Talking about, oh, he ain't funny. Nigga, your shit don't sound good. We just roll with you because we fuck with you. You know what I'm saying?
58:19Shannon Sharpe:Where is Atlanta? Where is Atlanta's rap, R &B, hip-hop scene? Where do you see Atlanta? Because it's different. Like you said, the early 90s, 2000s, and here we are headed to 2030. Where is it now?
58:32Chad Johnson:I feel like the scene the music scene in Atlanta is mid-metamorphosis hey that's a big word there what
58:43Shannon Sharpe:okay so you knew who the fuck was on stage you knew what the fuck was going to happen
58:48Chad Johnson:eventually is the metamorphosis going to happen expeditiously yeah well we don't know that's what we don't know but we're mid-metamorphosis you know what I'm saying like we're at a point where you know when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it's an ugly face. You know what I'm saying? When it's in the cocoon, but you know, we got to bear with it. If you believe in it, you'll stick around long enough to see the beauty of the transition. You know what I'm saying? And that is where we are. I like that. I like that.
59:26Shannon Sharpe:When they mentioned Atlanta Rappers, and we've got a bunch, You know, obviously yourself, Jeezy, T.I., Gucci, Luda, Future, Outkast, all the Dungeon family. If, yeah, you got Gun and Thug, Savage. If somebody say, look here, T.I., we ain't going to let you off the hook. Give me your five greatest. Your five greatest Atlanta rappers.
59:58Shannon Sharpe:Who we putting up there?
59:59Chad Johnson:Well, I'm going to ask first, I'm going to ask why. Why am I doing this?
1:00:05Shannon Sharpe:Like, why would I do this? You know what I mean? Because it's like, give me your five greatest actresses. Give me your five greatest comedians.
1:00:12Chad Johnson:That's what we do. But see, this is why I feel like that is dangerous for us to do. For one, as black people who've been fighting to get out of a certain cycle of... Of comparison. No, not even just comparison of fighting for a position like only one of us or two of us or three of us can hold a position. And many of us that deserve a position can hold it. Why we got to stop it at a number? Like, no, it's just us. You can't get in. Like, everybody contributed. Everybody built this shit. Everybody made this shit what it was. So why I'm gonna stop it at now? I ain't gonna let you in cuz these are the ones.
1:00:58Chad Johnson:Is that how you look at it? That's how I look at it man. And for one, I ain't just no Atlanta rapper nigga. I mean, you know what I'm saying? I'm man. I'm man. The earth is my turf Shit I put on anywhere. I'd be back there with the Russell in his backyard. I put on out there. Okay You know what I mean?
1:01:17Shannon Sharpe:I did hear you say versus. Yeah, so who you trying to who you trying to see in a verse?
1:01:22Chad Johnson:Can't nobody fuck with me, Shannon. Hold on, hold on. Hold on. Can't nobody fuck with me. T.I., if you were to do a versus right now, none of the top rappers that you believe would be able to fuck with you. No Lil Wayne, no Jay-Z. That's exactly how I feel, and I'm going to tell you why I say that. Talk to me. I say can't nobody fuck with me because I am the absolute best at being me. ain't nowhere else you can get this shit right here but right here you feel what i'm saying and shit i ain't getting on there trying to do them i'm gonna be doing this shit right here and i'm the best to ever do this so have have have verses reached out obviously that that's whiz and and and yeah they the homies i mean they did but you know i'm saying it ain't nothing that made no sense um like for instance me and me and young was supposed to go right oh no no no jesus okay Me and Young pulled the gold.
1:02:20Chad Johnson:Hey, that would have been nice. That would have been nice. Yeah. Me and Young were pulled the gold, and then, goddamn, when I was talking to Swiss, you know, I was like, shit, man, yeah, I'd do it, but you know, really, the motherfucker that really would be the one, it ain't going to happen, but if you, Gucci, Young and Gucci, that the one. And then he hit me back. He was like, shit, don't even trip. I got, I got, I think we're going to get Gucci to do it. I said, well, you don't need me then. That's the one. Hold up. But didn't GV and Gucci already? No, they were before it happened. Oh, okay, before it happened.
1:02:55Shannon Sharpe:Before it happened, they were talking to me. Okay, okay, okay.
1:02:57Chad Johnson:But I'm saying, so right now. And then I called my man. I said who I wanted. You want Weezy? Nah, I said I wanted 50. That's what I said. He don't want no smoke, though. Oh, Lord. I called my man. He don't want no smoke. He ducking smoke. It's cool. So now here we are trying to think about other people who would do it. You know what I'm saying? Damn. You know, we mentioned Wayne, and Wayne wouldn't be bad. I respect Wayne. I'm a hot boy fan. I feel like that would make some sense. I don't think Wayne really into it, but you know what I mean? I don't think he into the idea of doing it at all. You know what I mean?
1:03:39Chad Johnson:That TI-50, that'll feed families, boy. That's a good one. Damn. Yeah, but I ain't in the hurry to do nothing, bro. I'm cool.
1:03:50Shannon Sharpe:You know what I mean? I'm chilling. I mean, because we've had some good ones. I mean, we had Earth, Wind, and Fire, and we had the Isley. I love that one. We had, hold on, who else?
1:04:02Chad Johnson:Yeah, Faulty and Shout was a dope one. That was fly. I just was out there with. Oh, Snoopy and D.M.A. Yeah, Snoopy and D.M.A. were hard. I just was out there. They did Mike Will and Mike Will and what the boy name? With Cash Money and what you call them, Danny? What the man named there? Mike. Huh? Hit Boy. Mike Will and Hit Boy. Yeah, that was a whole lot. Oh, you was in Vegas for that? No, it wasn't Vegas. It was in L.A. Yeah, yeah, we were there. That was smooth.
1:04:28Shannon Sharpe:Damn.
1:04:29Chad Johnson:Yeah.
1:04:29Shannon Sharpe:Tips, he want 50. I like that.
1:04:31Chad Johnson:Yeah, I mean, you know.
1:04:32Shannon Sharpe:So let me ask you a question. So it's 20 songs.
1:04:36Chad Johnson:Yeah.
1:04:36Shannon Sharpe:It's 20 songs. So let me ask you a question. So if all your songs, there could be something that you were featured on.
1:04:42Chad Johnson:I mean, I believe it could be anything that you had something to do with. Okay. Hold on. But I ain't tripping. Hold on. Did you finish the album already? I could be finished, but it ain't finished until it's out. Hold on. Hey, here's me. Well, Tip, you know I rap. Put your boy on now. I hear you. Yeah, you know I can. I hear you. Oh, Lord. Tip, come on.
1:05:04Shannon Sharpe:Tip, tip, tip. I'm going to have to leave Georgia.
1:05:06Chad Johnson:Hey, get what? Hey, check this out. Leave Georgia. Pull on up one time, man. Man, I just for the behind the scenes. Right. You know what I'm saying? No, you know, I can rap. I mean, well, come on and do it then. Yeah, all right. Come on, pull on up.
1:05:22Shannon Sharpe:We're going to have to disown you, Tip.
1:05:23Chad Johnson:Man, pull on up. Man, he versus him. We good. Yeah. He said we good. Don't do him like that. You never know what he got. Never know what that man got to say, man. Don't do him like that. Because the man got 100 jobs. He got 100 jobs. Shit, one of them got to pay eventually. That's it, right? That's the one that paid right here. Who you got winning the Super Bowl? Ah, man, to be honest with you, man, I think the Seahawks going to get it. That's what I think. That's just what I think. You know. Well, he didn't ask y 'all. He's him.
1:05:59Shannon Sharpe:Oh, I know what I want. Your Falcons. Yeah. You got a new head coach? They do. You like to hire?
1:06:06Chad Johnson:I don't really know, bro. All I know is he benched Shadou Sanders. That's all I know about that. I don't really know nothing about it, bro. But at the same time, that's not enough for me to form an opinion. Right. You know what I mean? So I got to at least give him time. I got to allow him to fuck it up. I can't.
1:06:25Shannon Sharpe:So how soon can we expect the Falcons to be playoff contenders and make a deep playoff run? Amen. I mean, because you look at what you got.
1:06:34Chad Johnson:You got to be John. You know what the Falcons, the Falcons fans, every next year, that's our fucking year. You hear me? Y 'all enjoy it, because next year, that's our fucking year. But, you know, we beat New Orleans two times this year. That's all that matters. We swept the Saints, we fine, man. We straight, man.
1:06:55Shannon Sharpe:Because when you look at your team, Tim, you got B. John, you got Drake London, Kyle Pitts. Lots of talent. Your defense got better and better. They got a lot of young talent. I mean, but you realize the NFC is becoming more and more and more competitive. It is. So it's time for you guys to take that next step. Do you believe your quarterback? Matt Ryan was unwilling. Michael Penix Jr. coming off that knee injury. You believe Penix is your guy? I mean, we need help.
1:07:21Chad Johnson:You know what I'm saying? We need some help. I think we need some help. But more than anything, what we need is we need to make better decisions within the executive staff. You know what I'm saying? And we need to make better decisions. I think with better leadership and us enabled to make better decisions, I think the talent will be able to speak for itself at that point. Tip, what's next? You've done directing, acting, comedy, music, left at peace, came back at peace because you love it. What's next for Tip? I'm going to put this album out, man. And then I'm going to kick shit, man. I'm going to continue, you know, to just find out what the people are looking for and find a way to give it to them.
1:08:17Chad Johnson:I'm going to also enjoy the time that I'm going to be able to spend, you know, with my wife, with my children, with my grandchildren. You know what I'm saying? It's time for me to really be able to enjoy the simple things in life that we worked so hard to earn enough money to be able to enjoy. I like it.
1:08:37Shannon Sharpe:You know you put an album out, Tip. You got a tour. You got that kind of energy to get a...
1:08:41Chad Johnson:Man, stop, see, now. Man, shit. You got that kind of energy to tour, Tip? I'm going to do about two, three shows, man.
1:08:52Chad Johnson:Come on, Tip. Nah, I'm just bullshit, bro. I'm just bullshit, bro. I'm going to do all the work it takes to make it happen, man. I'm going to do what it takes. Are we going to be on tour? My boy. Palais Boutes Francais. Oh, I speak first too. Michelle Oui Oui. Oui Oui.
1:09:12Shannon Sharpe:Merci, Berkou. Do you still get the same excitement when you go into the booth? Is it still like the first time you went into the booth? Yeah. Are you still excited two decades later? Man, it depends on the beat.
1:09:27Chad Johnson:It really do. I'm more excited about some beats than I am about others. Right. But you know what I'm saying? But I still accept the challenge of getting it done. Right. Yeah.
1:09:39Shannon Sharpe:Man, congratulations. You got a beautiful family. And you mentioned the kids, the grandkids, all the best. That's the homeboy, T.I.
1:09:46Chad Johnson:M.C.
1:09:47Shannon Sharpe:Ocho. Yeah. Appreciate you, bro.
1:09:52Chad Johnson:Love and respect. Appreciate you, bro. Y 'all get ready for our album. Are you trying to get weight loss support through telehealth, but it feels overwhelming and rushed? Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here, you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderlymeds provides access to proven GLP-1 medications like somaglutide and terzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork.
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From the publisher
Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson are live from San Francisco at the Herbst Theatre! Unc and Ocho are interviewing the biggest guest as we prepare for Super Bowl LX, featuring the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks!
Download the PrizePicks app today and use code SHANNON to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/NIGHTCAP
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