Keepin' It A Hundo

Growing up in South Central LA, Gary Hamilton didn’t even start playing basketball until he was 16. He was lightly recruited, but ended up playing at UMiami. He’s now in his 15th season of pro ball and his 10th season in Japan. He has some game off the court too, which explains how he’s married to a beautiful Japanese woman. They also have 2 kids. Don’t sleep on what his 3 brothers have accomplished in their basketball careers. The resume of the 4 (Gary, Jordan, Daniel, & Isaac) of them is on par with just about any 4 brothers you’ll find. Jordan and Daniel played in the NBA and all of them currently play professionally. They all cut their teeth in the Drew League too. He went from rocking Snoop Dog Collection velours to silk kimonos as seamlessly as he transferred from Crenshaw to Dorsey back in high school. Check out my conversation with Lurchy!

I met Mike Bradley at the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas in 2004. I was with my good friend Elton Tyler. They both remember it fondly because they hadn’t seen each other in a few years. However, Mike didn’t remember me. Well I remember Mike dominating high school basketball in Massachusetts when I was in high school and Mike was at Burncoat High in Worcester. But I didn’t remember he averaged 40 points per game in high school. That would explain why every college in the country wanted him. He committed early to Boston College along with Elton, Jonathan Depina, and Sean Connolly. Long story short, BC is racist and none of them ended up there. Then Rick Pitino lied to him and convinced him to go to Kentucky, where he was part of a national championship team. But he never played for Rick. He had already started running/ruining the Celtics, but that’s another story. Ultimately, Mike transferred to Villanova and became an All American and a first round pick in the NBA Draft. He spent 6 seasons in the NBA and a few more in Europe. As impressive as his basketball resume is, I find his post career endeavors even more impressive. He and his wife Ellen have been traveling the world with their 3 children (Taylor, Kya, and Shae) and immersing them in cultures and places that will have a profound effect on them. They call it “world school”. So far the kids have been to 36 countries and they’re all under the age of 16. When they’re not traveling they are surfing and being homeschooled in Nosara, Costa Rica, where the Bradley family has lived for a few years. I love talking basketball and I love talking travel so Mike was a perfect guest for Keepin’ It A Hundo. Hopefully, he remembers me now.

When I saw Matt Hubbard dissect a frog in Mrs. Polgren's 7th grade biology class I realized at that very moment he was going to be a comedy writer. Although this may not be true, I recognized at a young age that Matt was going to be successful at whatever he chose to do. He was always kind, thoughtful, and self effacing. I'd be lying if I said I knew he would follow in the footsteps of Conan O'Brien and become the editor of the Harvard Lampoon while attending the prestigious Ivy League university. However, it wasn't a shock when he won 2 Emmy's for writing and producing the acclaimed NBC show "30 Rock". I was more surprised that Walter Patterson got mentioned by Matt in his Emmy Award speech, for punching him in the face in 8th grade. In our conversation we discuss all of this as well as his relationships with savants like Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino and about the time our 6th grade social studies teacher squirted whipped cream down Matt's pants.

JamesOn Curry has the dubious distinction of "shortest career in NBA history". He played 3.9 seconds for the LA Clippers in 2010. His tumultuous journey to the NBA began with him signing to play at the University of North Carolina as a freshman and finishing his high school career as the all time leading scorer in North Carolina high school basketball history. Despite his success on the court, UNC had pulled his scholarship after an arrest for selling weed at school. He ended up starring at Oklahoma State, where he left early and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. We discussed why his success at every level including the the NCAA tournament and the D League never translated into NBA success. JamesOn was also very candid about his legal troubles and the car wreck that changed his life in 2017.

Mike Procopio, better known as Sweetchuck, looks like a cross between Danny DeVito and Uncle Fester. He scored 4 points in his high school basketball career and Kobe Bryant trusted him to be his personal "basketball whisperer" for 4 years. From helping out with the BABC AAU team in Boston, to assistant coaching at Suffolk University, Sweetchuck is an unlikely basketball savant. He parlayed those gigs into a scouting job with the Boston Celtics and eventually a 6 year run as a player development coach with the Dallas Mavericks. We took a deep dive into how he gained the trust of some of the greatest minds in the game including Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale, Tim Grover, Dirk Nowitzki, Rajon Rondo and the late great Kobe “Bean” Bryant. And I had to ask him about the time Chris Herren tried to stuff him into a trash can and roll him back to Revere from Fall River.

Back by popular demand on Keepin’ It A Hundo, Indiana Pacers assistant coach Bill Bayno stopped by while quarantining in Miami. We discussed the affect the pandemic has had on the NBA and particularly on him. His mother Sophie passed away last month due to complications from COVID-19. This has been been quite a trying time for Bill. We also broke down the current state of America and how divided it is. And of course two hoop junkies had to discuss the MJ doc and how Bill got to know Jordan. This podcast is dedicated to Sophie Bayno.

In 1984 my first grade teacher, Mrs. Dea, asked me to be nice to the "new kid" in class. The "new kid" was Jai Eswara and we both loved 80's hip hop, the Celtics, and Fletch. Pat "Hendu" Henebury was in our class too so Jai Bahr, Hendu, and I have been tight ever since. After playing football together in high school Jai Bahr went on to Johns Hopkins for undergrad and eventually Harvard Med School. He is currently the Chief Urologist at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston. He is an extremely talented surgeon and one of the only doctors in the greater Boston area with an expertise in urologic trauma and reconstruction. Last month, he tested positive for COVID-19 so we discussed how that affected him and his family. We also did a deep dive into our trip to Japan last year. We discovered the best pizza in the world is made in Tokyo and Zima is alive and well in Japan. We also explain the time honored tradition of eating at Sushi Dai at 5am in Toyosu Market. He's the most intelligent dude I've ever met and he may be just as funny as he is smart. He's also one of my oldest and closest friends.

I was attending a wedding in New Orleans over the weekend so I reached out to NOLA native Nesby Phips to grab some lunch and record a podcast. He’s engrained in the community there and the music of NO is engrained in him. He grew up in Hollygrove and the 3rd Ward with hip hop luminaries like Lil Wayne, Curren$y and Mack Maine. As a rapper/producer he’s worked on albums with them as well. He’s also put in work with NO legend Juvenile and some notables outside of NO like Wiz Khalifa and H.E.R. We chopped it up in the 3rd Ward at Heard Dat Kitchen. He told us about his family lineage, being the grand nephew of legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and about the time he rode a horse named Shiloh at 4am, somewhere on the outskirts of Boston. I’m also fortunate to have his music as the theme music for Keepin’ It A Hundo. All of the music you hear on my podcast is courtesy of Nesby Phips and his instrumental album Phipstrumentals.

You can't make this stuff up. Todd Marinovich was born and bred to play quarterback from the womb. His father, Marv Marinovich, was innovative if not abusive. He carefully designed a strict diet and training regimen for Todd that was way ahead of its time. Todd had even achieved Marv's dreams and beyond, for a few years. Todd was named national high school football player of the year and was featured in Sports Illustrated when he was 17. That is when I became aware of him. I was playing QB for my Pop Warner football at the time. I wanted to be like Todd, so I stopped eating fast food. Todd went on to start at Marv's alma mater, USC, as a freshman. After just 2 years he was taken in the first round by the LA Raiders (also the same team Marv had played for) and started as a rookie. But Marv's dream wasn't exactly Todd's dream. After just 2 years, he was out of the NFL. He had always used drugs to cope with the pressure. Now he was a full blown drug addict. It got so bad that Todd was smoking crack and shooting heroin in the locker room at halftime of his CFL games. Not long after that, Todd Marinovich was a meth addicted skateboarder living in the streets of Newport Beach, CA. Now Todd is a father and an artist. He loves to create. He paints, he plays music, and he's clean and sober. He is one of the most interesting and complex people I've ever met. My conversation with Todd was nothing less than therapeutic.

Jermon Bushrod has been a model of consistency and perseverance throughout his life and into his NFL career. From a small town in Virginia to Towson University to a Super Bowl title with the New Orleans Saints, he established himself as one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. In 2011, he led the entire league in snaps played. That means he doesn't take plays off. It earned him his first Pro Bowl appearance and followed it up in 2012 with another Pro Bowl. He spent most of his 12 year career with the Saints, but also spent time with the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears. Last season, in his second stint with the Saints Jermon and his wife Jessica lost a child during the season. Being the dependable teammate that he is, Jermon returned to the team with a heavy heart and helped the Saints reach the playoffs. His teammates appreciated it so much they voted him as the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award. Jermon Bushrod is a real one.

My good friend EJ Manuel stopped by to talk about his transition from NFL QB to college football analyst. We get into his decision to retire and start a new career as well as some food, travel and NBA talk. Now I've eaten at a lot of interesting places, but I've never eaten at a restaurant that is pitch black with blind waiters. EJ has.

Boo put himself on the hip hop map when he was featured on Fiesta and the Fiesta Remix, with R. Kelly and Jay-Z. The song was #1 on the Billboard hip hop chart for 5 weeks and #6 on the Billboard top 100. It was also one of the anthems to my college experience and I always took pride in knowing he grew up with one of my closest friends, Courtney "Blacknoyz" Chew. Boo was also featured in several other R. Kelly songs, who Boo credits for putting him in the game. We had to have a tough discussion about his mentor and the man I once considered my favorite singer. I'm glad he's finally locked up. Let's hope he stays there. He was also signed to Cash Money and was featured on the Big Tymers platinum album "Hood Rich" with Lil Wayne and Birdman. The Chicago native eventually came back to The Chi and opened the best sneaker boutique in town. It's called Flee Club.

When I was 15 I went to the Boston Shootout and saw a kid my age, that resembled a man, dominating against guys that were 2-3 years older than him. And they were already headed to play at big time colleges. The Manchild’s name was Schea Cotton. That was the day I realized I had no future playing basketball. From that point on, I followed his career. I even had some of his pictures from Slam Magazine on my wall next to posters of Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Reggie Lewis. Schea Cotton was the best high school player in the country in 1995 and was destined for NBA greatness. But things didn't exactly go as planned and he never played a game in the NBA. Ron Artest called him, “Lebron James before there ever was a Lebron James...” He once dunked on Kevin Garnett 3 times in an AAU game and finished the game with 38 points. KG was a senior. Schea was only a sophomore. If they only had YouTube or social media back then. Needless to say, a series of unfortunate events and outside influences derailed his NBA dreams. He did go on to play 10+ years overseas and he is currently doing a lot of work in the community in his hometown of Long Beach, CA. Mentoring, motivational speaking and player development consume him these days. He also has a documentary coming out called Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story.

Bill Bayno is an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers, but I first heard his name when he was a young assistant coach on John Calipari's UMass staff in the early 90's. Led by Marcus Camby, they were as good as any team in the country. His success there landed him the job as the new head coach at UNLV. He also coached under the legendary PJ Carlesimo at Seton Hall and Larry Brown at Kansas, where they won a national championship. Despite all of that coaching success, Bayno was struggling with drugs and alcohol. Some of the most impressive things Bayno has done hasn't been as a coach, although his impact as a coach is undeniable. He has been sober since 2002. He’s adopted children. He was a D2 All American at Sacred Heart. He once dropped 53 in a Rucker League game. He had dinner with Larry Bird and gambled with Charles Barkley. And in 1976, when he rapped under the name MC Snow, he may have been the first white rapper ever.

Brandon Okpalobi is a disruptor. My good friend is hellbent on putting his stamp on the community. His foundation Dibia Dream is really making a difference in the city of Miami. Whether it's educating kids in inner city schools with his "STEM Saturdays" program or donating cars to single moms, his presence is being felt in Miami. His basketball roots that began in New Orleans at St. Augustine High School and continued at University of Miami, are also serving the community well. B Dot's career started as a walk-on for the University of Miami basketball team and ended with B Dot as a scholarship athlete getting minutes for The U. Jefe Dibia is coaching and runs Dibia Athletic Development in Miami, New Orleans and Bermuda. I swear Nigerian's are taking over the world. Please enjoy my conversation with the man who never met a nickname he didn't like.

You may know him as Calogero, but his name is Lillo Brancato. He became an overnight celebrity as a teenager when he starred in “A Bronx Tale” with Robert DeNiro. Not only could I feel a connection to the character he was portraying, but there was also a physical resemblance between the two of us and there there still is. He had a role on The Sopranos as well. Much has changed since his days as a movie star. He spent 10 years in prison and overdosed on heroin in Riker's Island, while awaiting trial for murder. He talks about how he overcame his drug addiction, his new addiction working out, and his mutual respect for black women.

This week I'm talking travel. My guest is Hawaii. I discuss my perception of Hawaii when I was growing up and how Greg Brady and Magnun P.I. helped shape that perception. I also delve into how I met my new best friend surfing. Grab a shave ice or a Kona Longboard and enjoy the show.

You may know Rachel Lindsay from The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. In 2017 Rachel became the first black bachelor or bachelorette on the ABC reality juggernaut. The Jackie Robinson of reality TV ended up finding true love on the show and is now engaged to be married in August. Rachel also hosts an ESPN radio show called Football Frenzy and has made appearances on ESPN's First Take, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Steve Harvey Show and several others. This episode EJ Manuel joins me to co-host the show as we discuss with Rachel her thoughts on Colton's virginity, Matlock and why they call her "Fireball Rach".

Nathan "ShoNuff" Carroll is a high school dropout turned real estate mogul. His marketing/business style is unique. Imagine you were going to buy a home and your realtor showed up with gold teeth in his mouth, smoking a Newport and he says, "I'm ShoNuff. Come rock with the flyest." That's how ShoNuff handles his clientele. Being around ShoNuff is like being in Miami during Hurricane Season; he's always making it rain. You can find plenty of this on his Instagram and you can also find him counting his hundo's off of a naked female's butt-cheeks. He's one of the only people in America that still cashes his paychecks instead of depositing them. From nothing to something, this is my conversation with the Flavor Flav of Fall River, Mass.

I promise you’ve never met anybody like Myron Rolle. Retired NFL player, Rhodes Scholar, former #1 recruit in the country, Freshman All American at Florida St, confidant of former President Bill Clinton, Harvard-bred, featured on a Bahamian stamp..these are some of the things that describe what Myron Rolle has accomplished, but it does not begin to tell the story of who he is. He has chosen the road less traveled. I forgot to mention he’s also a neurosurgeon at Mass General Hospital in Boston, one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world. In 2010 he was listed as the second smartest athlete in all of sports. He has been a positive role model for so many, especially in the black community and in the Bahamas. That would explain why Jesse Jackson once told him, “If Dr. King were alive today, he’d be proud of you.” I am honored to have him on my podcast. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Myron Rolle.

On Thanksgiving Eve I linked up with one of my closest friends, Mike Simmons aka Smooth aka Folio Sims aka Carpaccio. Mike runs a basketball program in Miami called Pro Day Academy where he specializes in player development. He’s as good as anybody in the game at what he does. We talked about his struggles growing up in South Central LA and how that has influenced him as a father. We talked about our love for basketball and how it took him from the hood to running the point for the University of Miami, next to a couple of future NBA players. And of course I had to ask him about his days as a ladies man on campus at The U. Palmolive, beef carpaccio, incense, hors d'oeuvres, Schea Cotton, & more.

To me she will always be the sister of my friend Too Tan Disco Dan, but to Yankee fans all over she is their connection to the team. For 7 years, Meredith Marakovits has been the clubhouse reporter for the New York Yankees on the Yes Network. She has worked her way up from the sidelines of arena football and minor league baseball to a stint with the Philadelphia 76ers and currently the Yankees. We examined her fortuitous career path, her dad's dance moves, and of course the time we played 2 on 2.

This conversation was recorded in an undisclosed location, under an agreement of anonymity. My guests included a 30-something year old bookie and his old-school "wiseguy" uncle. We discussed the legalization of sports gambling and its impact on their business. Uncle "Wiseguy" reminisced fondly about the time he went on trial for racketeering. And we even made a call to an associate of theirs to clarify a few things. Enjoy this conversation with a couple friends of ours.

The last time John "Shaky" Rains was on Keepin' It A Hundo he didn't hold back. He detailed his 40+ years living on the streets of Miami as a crack addict. He had recently stopped using and gained access to a homeless shelter. That was 6 months ago. We spent some time together last week to celebrate his birthday and discuss his current battle with addiction and his fight to stay off the streets.

Very few young men make it out out of Academy Homes, a housing project in Roxbury, Mass. Elton Tyler is one of the few. His story is not unlike many athletes that make it out of the hood, but the one thing that stands out about his story is he ended the cycle. His daughter Amina (my Goddaughter) will not grow up without a father, like he did. That is why I’m proud to call Elton Tyler my best friend, my brother. Sure, he was a great basketball player coming up in Boston, then at University of Miami, and eventually made a career playing professionally in Europe. And we have some great stories from years of hanging out, but a lot of those stories we can’t share on the podcast. Fortunately, some of them we can share. Here are those stories and the story of Elton Tyler.

I recently stopped by The Walbert Estate in Atlanta to talk to Mike Walbert about his company a3c aka All 3 Coasts. It's one of the premiere hip hop festivals in the world. This year the headliners include Wu-Tang Clan, Lil Wayne and Dipset. Last year, it was Nas. We talked about the growth of a3c and the direction it's headed, the influence ATL has had on hip hop, and of course how I will be on stage this year along with Jalen Rose when Wu-Tang performs at a3c.

James Caldwell is commonly referred to as a bounty hunter, but he would prefer to be called a fugitive recovery agent. I'm glad he's on my side because I don't want him coming after me. If you're not fortunate enough to be captured by James you can find him on the Netflix documentary series "Dope''. That's where I found him.

This is another story about an immigrant child that came to the US with nothing. Andrew Jang was adopted from an orphanage in South Korea by an American family. He was raised on a farm, in a rural town in Iowa, in a house full of adopted kids. This isn't exactly the recipe for a successful career in fashion. Despite his lack of interest in sports, his clothing line Adriaen Black fits and styles many of the top names in the NBA and NFL. He is a tailor, a stylist, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. Last year he donated half a million dollars worth of coats to kids at public schools in the Bronx. It’s safe to say Andrew’s passion for helping less fortunate kids can be traced back to his hardscrabble upbringing. "Fake it til u make it" is a popular saying. I did my best to try and keep up with Andrew in our conversation. Fashion and suit designing is not my forte. But I really enjoyed getting to know him and hearing his story. He’s an easy guy to root for. Here’s my conversation with my new friend Andrew Jang.

If there were more people in the world like Che Scott the world would be a better place. However, as we discuss in this weeks podcast, to live this way is very challenging. I would even go as far as saying he is living an alternative lifestyle. I have known Che since our days at the University of Miami. He has been preaching abstinence ever since and he has served as a great role model and motivator. Che is a chaplain for the NBA, providing prayer services for the players at Miami Heat games. He has authored two books, including "I Like Girls: The New Guy Code". He is also known for his Ted Talk. In this episode we discuss how to add value to women, why it is important for him to lead by example, and how difficult it is to say "no" to a woman when she wants to get in his pants.

Now performing on the Keepin' It A Hundo mainstage is Diamond, a stripper/professional dancer. She shares stories about her life on and off the pole. From getting stalked by a customer to the best way to deposit a trash bag full of $1 bills at the local bank. Is there sex in the champagne room? Listen to my conversation to find out.

Solvan “Slick” Naim is a talented dude. He raps, he writes, he acts and he directs. In his first feature film, “Full Circle”, he does all four. He’s also the younger brother of my good friend Habib. In the rap game he goes by the name “Slick Da Misfit”. Lately, he’s been directing episodes of several well-known TV shows including The Blacklist, Power, Snowfall, Blindspot and The Get Down. With all the deals he’s been signing it’s a good thing his brother is an attorney. In our recent conversation, in Beverly Hills, we discussed second floor elevator pushing motherf@#$%*s and what to do when a guy on a popular HBO show tries to holler at you.

Today's guest is Nick Friedman. He has spent the last few years coaching in the NBA G League and running a pre draft workout for NBA prospects. He is also on the coaching staff for the Haitian National team. Our connection is basketball and Boston.

Back in 2009, when Jimmy Bannos Jr. was only 25 he opened The Purple Pig on Michigan Ave in Chicago. Since then, this 4th generation chef has not only survived, but he has thrived. He has racked up many accolades including a James Beard Award and in January People Magazine named him one of America's sexiest chefs. More importantly, he has built a reputation in Chicago as an elite chef and The Purple Pig is one of the top restaurants in a great culinary city. I've been eating at The Purple Pig since it opened and it reminds me of my Grandma's food. That is the highest compliment you can bestow upon any restaurant. Great food isn't just about taste. It's about nostalgia. It reminds us of where we come from. My Grandma died about 6 years ago, but her food lives on thanks to places like The Purple Pig and chefs like Jimmy Bannos Jr.

Episode 14 of Keepin’ It A Hundo with Riddick Bowe is now available on Apple Podcasts. Riddick "Big Daddy" Bowe is literally and figuratively the biggest guest I've had on my podcast. He's 6'5" 300 pounds...allegedly. He is a 2 time heavyweight champ of the world and finished his career 43-1. He beat Evander Holyfield twice and he was the first man to ever KO Holyfield. He was also a big humanitarian like his idol Muhammad Ali. He did a lot of charity work including a trip to Somalia where he donated $2 million worth of medical supplies and food. Riddick Bowe is a living boxing icon. The Champ briefly joined the Marines after retiring at age 28. He also has had some legal issues since retiring, including an 18 month stay at a federal prison for kidnapping his wife and kids. In the podcast, Bowe speaks candidly about this incident. It has been quite a journey since growing up in the rough neighborhood of East New York in Brooklyn. His sister was mugged and murdered one night for her welfare check and he had a brother die of AIDS. Considering where he came from, this dude made quite a life for himself. My friend, Xavier Powell knows Bowe well and I couldn't have made this happen without him. I spent the day with The Champ. We did the pod, we ate lobsters, and I even motivated him to workout a little bit. Something he definitely doesn't like to do. The Champ is here!

Epsiode 13 of Keepin’ It A Hundo is my first international podcast. I took my podcasting talents to Mexico and had a very relaxing conversation with my “primo” Cesar Carrillo aka Young Al Capone. The podcast was recorded on a private beach at his home in Isla Mujeres. Sometimes all you need is a laptop, a microphone and a bottle of Mezcal to make it happen. Cesar defied the odds when he was taken in the first round of the MLB draft in 2005. Chicago isn’t exactly a breeding ground for baseball prospects. After growing up on the Southside, Cesar was drafted out of high school due to his dominance at Mt Carmel High School. He turned down the chance to go pro to pitch at the University of Miami instead. He started his career at The U 24-0, the second best start to a career in college baseball history. This led to the San Diego Padres taking him with 18th pick in the draft. Cesar played professionally in the big leagues as well as leagues in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Taiwan, and currently lives and plays in Mexico. Cesar and I met thru our mutual friend Too Tan Disco Dan at the University of Miami. Not only have been we been good friends ever since, but he has also been a Hundo Health & Fitness client. We will discuss the origin of his nickname Young Al Capone and if Little Leaguers should be playing whiffle ball or swimming on days they have games. He definitely made me laugh as usual and I’m not sure anybody has done a better job of Keepin’ It A Hundo than Young Al Capone.

Today’s guest on Keepin’ It A Hundo is Jeff Koen (pronounced Kee-Own). I played high school football with Jeff, but more importantly he now makes a living as a standup comedian and a part time dog sitter. Growing up Jeff was always the funniest kid in the room, unless Johnny Heck had a a six pack in him. We recently sat down at The King's Grant Inn on Rt 128 in Beverly to discuss how a spin-kick at Lynch Park changed his life, Joe's Pizza vs. Little Italy, and how his vindictive Sicilian grandma slapped him with a lawsuit. Please be advised names and locations have not been changed to protect the identity of those discussed on the Keepin’ It A Hundo podcast. We apologize in advance if anybody is offended. If you were mentioned in this podcast chances are we love you, but there is a also the possibility we do not and the only reason your name came up is because you did something you shouldn't have.

In 2002 I was in a bad place. One of my closest friends, Chris Campbell, had just died in a car accident on his way to pick me up. It messed me up pretty bad. I stopped working. I was suffering from severe depression. At the same time, a kid from Miami by way of the US Virgin Islands, named Raja Bell had been languishing in the CBA for the Yakima Sun Kings. He had been written off by all of the so-called experts, but was now in the first full season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He took a circuitous route to the NBA and along that journey we crossed paths. His sister, Tombi Bell was engaged to my good friend Chris, until the night he passed away. It was at this time the Bell family adopted me. I had no family in Miami and I was grieving. Without the love and support of this family I would not be where I am today. I firmly believe that. Raja has always embodied what it means to keep it a Hundo. He always played with a chip on his shoulder the size of St. Croix and he always speaks the truth. He is one of the first and best “3 and D” guys of his generation. He was one of the top 3 point snipers in the league and was named to the NBA All Defensive team twice. Most importantly, he is a man of integrity. They don't make 'em realer than this dude.

Jayne Caldwell and Quincy Hewitt started playing football in Australia. They loved playing so much that they moved to the US to play in the LFL, the highest level possible for women. LFL stands for Legends Football League, but many people know it as its previous name, the Lingerie Football League. They both play for the Chicago Bliss, a force every season in the LFL. Jayne is the quarterback and Quincy is her tight end. If you have ever seen a game then you know these women take football serious. Jayne and Quincy are great athletes, fierce competitors, and they're beautiful. My girlfriend plays for the Bliss as well, so I got to know Jayne and Quincy over the past couple of years. I recently caught up with my "mates" in Chicago to talk about the upcoming LFL season. We also discussed controversial topics such as the criticism the league has dealt with and creepy fans that request game worn socks and panties.

Jesus “Zeus” Hernandez is the epitome of the American Dream. He and his mother Idalia immigrated to the US in 1980, when they boarded a boat in Cuba’s Mariel Harbor, seeking asylum from oppressive dictator Fidel Castro. The Mariel boatlift is part of modern American history. It changed the entire city of Miami forever. It also gave a young boy an opportunity he never would have had. I did this podcast for Donald Trump. I know D. Trump listens to Keepin’ It A Hundo while he does his hair and when he lays down in the tanning booth. Zeus Hernandez is a self-made millionaire. He was fortunate to survive the streets of Allapattah, a crime-riddled neighborhood in Miami. He became a walk-on for the football team at Florida St and eventually was named All ACC first team, while winning a national championship. He is now a successful entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Total Home Health. He also has a home in one of Miami’s most exclusive neighborhoods. But most importantly, he is living his dream of being a great husband and great father to two boys. I met Zeus on the basketball court about 10 years ago and we have a mutual love for the game, but I have learned much more from him off the court. And contrary to popular belief, the first time I flew private was not with my old friend Birdman, it was with Zeus. Check out his inspirational story on Keepin’ It A Hundo.

Long before he was Blacknoyz, he was part of The Committee. That was our crew back at the University of Miami. I've been hanging with him since the 90's. This was back when nobody could touch The U. The football team was undefeated and won a National Championship in 2001. Not only were they unstoppable on the field, but they were undefeated on the intramural basketball court too. That is until they ran into a buzz saw that included Blacknoyz, the Booty Knockin' Moroccan and myself. Needless to say, I won an intramural championship with this dude. Blacknoyz aka Noyz, hails from the West Side of Chicago, and was actually an engineer. He taught himself how to use a camera and the intracacies of how to to shoot videos. Noyz is now an accomplished director. He's made music videos for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, Snoop Dogg, and Pusha T. So just like any other day we recently sat down, in Los Angeles, to discuss the nuances of hip hop, film and TV.

Part 2 of my conversation with Mikkey Halsted includes our discussion about why he would never work with R Kelly again, race as a social construct, gun violence in Chicago, and the time Mikkey gave J Cole work on the basketball court. We also reveal the top 5 Mickey's of all time and have a hard time trying to decide who would win a steel cage match between Yeezy and Weezy. We pick pick up our conversation where we left off last week. Mikkey was on a bus with his Cash Money Family and got into a fight with one of the top dogs. We mention a shark bus. There were two busses Cash Money artists rode on. There was the artist bus, which was the nice bus. Then there was the Shark Bus, which was full of ex cons and gangbangers. If you were on the shit list, that particular week, you had to ride the Shark Bus.

In 2008, Lil Wayne told XXL magazine that Mikkey Halsted was the man that inspired his music. Remember, at that point in time Weezy was on top of the music world. Before all that though, Mikkey came up rapping with a teenager named Kanye West. This was before Kanye was Yeesus. Mikkey was the best rapper in Chicago and everybody knew it. That’s why Kanye asked Mikkey to rap over his beats. Lil Wayne and Birdman couldn’t stop listening to Mikkey on their tour bus, so Birdman offered Mikkey and Kanye a deal with Cash Money Records. Birdman used some guerilla negotiating tactics to convince a young, cash-strapped Mikkey to sign. Kanye ended up leaving and going with Roc-A-Fella and the rest is music history. But that’s the short version. Today Mikkey sits down with me and tells the whole story. This is part 1 of that conversation.

In 2013, Bleacher Report listed him as one of the top 5 QB gurus in the country. Steve "Cutta" Calhoun is the mind and the arm behind "Armed & Dangerous Football", which is based in Southern California. He has worked with many of the NFL's elite QB's and receivers, including this years Super Bowl winning QB Nick Foles. Every summer, Steve works on the coaching staff at Peyton & Eli Manning's "Manning Passing Academy". The guy eats, breathes, and sleeps football. And he knows as much as anybody you'll ever meet about how to play arguably the most difficult and definitely the most polarizing position in all of sports. I met up wth my old friend Cutta last week at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis. This is part of our conversation from our day in Indy.

Ticha Penicheiro left Figueira da Foz, Portugal in 1994 to play basketball at Old Dominion University in Virginia. She never dreamed that 18 years later she would retire from a 14 year WNBA career as the all time leader in assists and one of the greatest players of all time. Her career brought her all over the world and she still works in basketball as a player agent. My friendship with Ticha has always been rooted in 3 things: basketball, travel, and food. We discuss these things and more.

After a standout career at Florida St, EJ Manuel was taken in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The Buffalo Bills made him the first QB taken in the draft. He went on to start as a rookie for the Bills. He spent 4 seasons in Buffalo, until last off season, when he signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders. He recently finished his first season with Oakland, where he is in a new role. He is the backup to franchise QB Derek Carr. But at 27 years old, EJ is just entering the prime of his NFL career. He has plenty of football left in him. Off the field, EJ is working on his MBA at University of Miami and he's also one of my closest friends. We recently sat down to talk about his life on and off the field and how he's the black AC Slater.

Terry Dehere developed a love for basketball growing up in Jersey City. He played for the famed Bob Hurley Sr. at St Anthony's, the #1 high school team in the country at the time. And by the time he left Seton Hall, he was the all time leading scorer in Big East history. He was then drafted in the first round by the Clippers and spent 7 years in the NBA. Jersey City has always been a big part of his Terry's life. He donated $75,000 to have Garfield Park, a court he grew up playing at, refurbished. He was also elected to the Jersey City Board of Education. I recently met up with Terry to talk about his basketball life and how watching him play when I was growing up led to me shoveling a lot of snow in the cold New England winters.

John "Shaky" Rains has been homeless and living on the streets of Miami for over 40 years. John discusses his rough upbringing in Wichita, Kansas as well as his time spent in a group home for troubled boys on a ranch in Texas and several years at a state mental hospital in Kansas. He also talks about his struggles with drug addiction which had him in and out of prison in Florida and how he survived living on the streets of Miami.