- 7 weeks ago
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00:00What's up gentlemen? Good morning. What up though? What up though? What up though? Welcome to Detroit City.
00:08Jalen Rose, a few things always don't get to stick out the way they should.
00:21ESPN also had a nationally syndicated sports show.
00:27Um, he has returned now to ESPN, uh, in a bigger role than the one that you, that you left
00:37before. Uh, so his broadcasting, I remember doing the NBA championship. He was just getting
00:47started in the broadcast and he stepped to me and said, Mace, we're going to do this
00:52interview. I'm just getting going. So me and you, and I'll never forget that. I appreciate
00:59that. I appreciate that. But let me, let me, before I let you say anything, before I let
01:04you say thank you for all of the national love you gave me, not once or twice or three times
01:13or four, when Pistons are playing terrible, they're still trying to find their ways. He
01:21still kept me pumped up. Like I was this mega superstar. I'd watch ESPN Papa. You'd see it.
01:29I'd look at Facebook. He said something else about me. I listened to his radio show. He said
01:34something. And he made the guy, his partner on the radio show. He said, you don't know him,
01:40but I'm telling you. And it just said, okay, that's your guy in Detroit. Jalen, thank you.
01:45Thank you, brother. I love you. And I appreciate you. It's an honor to be here. And it's always
01:49been an honor just to represent this city. And you just took me down memory lane of how you
01:56also are a game changer in many ways. And I talked about that on the way in here, how when
02:02you attend an NBA game now, that experience is different because of you. And you're very
02:07humble about this. But like many Detroiters, people copying our lingo, copying our style
02:13and our flavor. And you are somebody that you can't attend an NBA game without hearing your
02:19influence, even if you're nowhere around. I appreciate that, man. Ty Mobkins.
02:24Yes. Same thing. I think I was between radio shows. If I wasn't work, I don't think I was
02:31working. And I would go to the mall, right? I wasn't looking for him. Here comes Ty out
02:38of some store. I said, hey, Ty, I speak. He kept going, oh, no, no, come here, come here.
02:42Man, I'm going to get you these shoes. Here, take these. And then you come back next week.
02:47And then I'm going to put you in this jacket. We're moving stores. When you get there, I
02:51got these clothes just for you. I'm like, Ty, I'm not on the air. I know. But we're going
02:56to keep you out there, Mace. I said, well, Ty, listen, I told you I'm not working. I'm
03:00low on the cash. I know. But we're going to get it. You'll pay whenever. Which I never
03:05did. Ty, he hooked me up with merchandise. And again, the same to you, man. Thank you
03:14for what you did. Well, this is really to celebrate the city. And me and Jay, this is
03:2340 years right here. Yeah, I know. You used to talk about Jalen Rose all the time.
03:28Yeah, yeah, yeah. All the time. Long time ago. I call. He still answer. Yes, we are. And
03:35this is a celebration, right? Today is a celebration. Today is something that when they say the full
03:40circle moment, because you raised us, Mace, and I tell you this all the time. I'm a firm
03:45believer in giving people their flowers while they can't smell them. Sometimes we, as a
03:51people, do a poor job in paying homage and respect to people while they can smell the flowers.
03:56We wait for the unfortunate to happen. Yeah. But Southwest High came about almost 40 years
04:02ago when me and this young man, and he's always been the same way. Got on the Livernois bus
04:08going to 6921 West 4th Street. And his first words ever to me, I mean, I'm looking at these
04:14headphones now, and they kind of remind me of the headphones he used to wear when we used
04:17to be on the bus. Remember the Walkmans? Yeah. Yeah. He used to have black electrical tape
04:22on the ears, because, you know, the ears would break off quick. Yeah. And ironically, he had
04:27on a Philadelphia 76er starter jacket. And his first words to me were, you know I'm going
04:33to the lead, right? And I'm like, okay. And we've just been like this ever since.
04:38So, and we're going to get to why we're here. Yeah. This is only taking a couple minutes.
04:45My introduction to Jalen Rose was not at the University of Michigan. I may have saw maybe
04:54two games, but I wasn't into college basketball. I was into them because they created the baggy shorts.
05:03So, that was my interest. And that they were all basically, basically from the Detroit
05:09area. So, it was cool. But no. No. No. No. Saturday afternoon, NBA playoffs. Game starts
05:19at 410. 330. They tease. They're doing this story on Jalen Rose. His thug life. Like, oh,
05:31yeah, really? I'm like, man, they should stop doing that kind of thing. But this should be
05:39interesting. So, I'm watching it. And this is how I met Jalen Rose. I'm watching it. The
05:47commercials come on. I got my food. I want to say this. They set it up as this notorious
05:57thug from Detroit. In fact, the teaser had him leaning on a car like he stole it or something.
06:06So, I'm like, oh, I'm into this. Soon as they say his name, introduce him and then he started
06:15to speak. He did a dissertation on the black community, the needs, the structure, how the
06:27government has misused us, what we can do, why we need to be educated, and here's where
06:35we could go. When he ran the state of black America down on national television, on CBS,
06:45when they went back to those announcers, they went silent. That was the thug they didn't
06:56want to see or hear. The one with the gun and the no t-shirt or whatever in the waist,
07:03no,
07:03no, no. They got a Dr. King, Jesse Jackson. They got all of that wrapped up in this Detroit
07:13kid who gave the state of black America and a solution to solving the problem.
07:21CBS never spoke of it again, nor did they run it again. Were you aware of that?
07:28At the time, there were so many things happening just as collegiate athletes that we didn't realize
07:35that were so notable that have been, you know, so game changing. Like even just when you mentioned
07:44the long shorts that went with the black shoes and black socks, it reminded me of when the season
07:51was over, we were required then to check out of the dorm. So I'm a member of the Fab Five
07:58and we just
07:59played in the NBA, NCAA finals. But once the season ends, I'm back in the hood. And we all know
08:07what
08:07comes with that. Like Biggie said, either you sling, crack, rock, or you got a wicked jump shot.
08:12You know, like for real. So, so the way I idolized, you know, athletes, I idolized people in the streets
08:20as well. And they have a lot of things in common for those who, you know, don't understand, like
08:30there's a thin line between going both ways. And you, the picture that you just referenced,
08:36I was leaning on a 10th anniversary Honda that it just came out. It was white. And the craziest thing
08:44is I look back at my journey and I'm so happy that players get paid off of NIL. People think
08:49that Michigan
08:50helped me get that car. And that's just not true. I actually won that car. Shout out to Dennis
08:56Archer Jr. I think it's statute of limitations now. I was really good at playing dice, just
09:01like I was really good at playing basketball. And so he took me to a dice game. True story. And
09:11we was playing rest in peace to Chris Wilson, who was Porter Phil's son, who had the
09:20dealership on Woodward and right around the corner from here, as a matter of fact. And
09:25I went to a dice game and I won a few thousand dollars, including money from him. And so I
09:33went to the house. I had not in my pocket, woke up my mom, like, I need you to take
09:38me to
09:39the Honda dealership before you go to work. You know what I'm saying? I didn't steal it.
09:43That's right. You know what I'm saying? Like, this is how I got it. And I literally got that
09:48vehicle. The next day, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson and I were on the road driving at the Freak Nick.
09:54Wow.
09:56Wow.
09:58And the documentary Freak Nick, once it came out, that's why I'm in it.
10:05True story. That's a great story. And so like, and that's why we're excited about, you know, Southwest High. That's
10:14why I'm really excited about partnering with my good friend and Tom Gores for Same Page Entertainment.
10:20Well, before you, let me, let me, let me set, let me set the stage on that. Um, there is
10:27a miniseries that will be released on Tubi.
10:32It's out right now. I watched it this morning.
10:34It's out today.
10:36He just lost right now. He just lost a couple hours ago.
10:38Wow.
10:38I was like a kid in a candy store. I woke up at 6 a.m. this morning and watched
10:42it.
10:42Southwest High, the concept came, Ty, you, you, you, you generally mentioned it came from just, you know, you guys'
10:52childhood friends.
10:53Uh-huh.
10:53But when you take it to the cameras, whose idea, thought pattern was behind that?
11:00One thing me and Jay do, right, we got this thing called in the lab. That's why when he came
11:05in today, he asked you for a paper and some pen and all that.
11:07Because he, he, he has thousands of notes written all over. Like, like you go to his house, everything is
11:13right and is right and is right.
11:14So we was in the lab and for years we've been talking about doing something. Regardless what it is, in
11:20our lives, our journeys took us separate ways, right?
11:22We was high school friends and everything like that, but life took us our separate ways. He had his career,
11:26I had mine.
11:27And the time was just right where we said, hey, we need to do something. Okay, what you want to
11:32do?
11:32And then we talked about doing a miniseries. Well, let's do this and let's do that. What do you want
11:36to call it?
11:36Well, hey, there's only one name. We can call it. And then there you go. We got Southwest High with
11:41it.
11:41So because we went to the, you know, Southwestern High School. Right.
11:47So we just took the EERN off and then made it Southwest High.
11:51And I mean, Dennis Reed helped bring everything to life with the camera work and the writing.
11:56Me and Jay assisted in a lot of things too. Like me and Jay, like it, this just not Ty
12:02and Jalen sitting back and letting everybody produce it and do that.
12:06Like me and Jay put in a lot of work, a lot of work to get this done.
12:11Speaking of the work too, you, you play a high school principal.
12:17You have the Jalen Rose Academy.
12:20Yeah. Well, that's what I was going to speak to.
12:24That's my neighborhood. And I walked that park. That was like my workout routine.
12:29And I remember when that school was, you know, empty. Nothing was happening.
12:35And my dad, just to take you back, that tennis court, that's where my dad took me to learn how
12:40to play tennis.
12:41Like I grew up there and that was like a prestigious school in our neighborhood.
12:45Like people really liked that school. Right.
12:48And then it went silent. Like nothing wasn't happening.
12:51Then all of a sudden you came and I got to tell you just personally that that meant a lot
12:57to me because that's something that was part of my childhood.
13:00And I see you doing nothing but excellent things with it.
13:03So, well, thank you.
13:04My pleasure. Thank you. Thank you.
13:06The point about the Academy, it ain't new no more.
13:09Right. Right. Yeah.
13:10And I mean, it has done nothing but rock it straight ahead and up and over.
13:18And Jalen, what made you want to do this?
13:24This is long before LeBron James or any of that.
13:27And you did it out of your pocket.
13:31That's right.
13:32I've always been passionate about this city and about education.
13:37And one of the things that's even being said currently by a lot of public figures who live in the
13:43suburbs are telling people how education is not important.
13:48And that's just inaccurate.
13:52And one of the things about being an athlete that people underestimate is that we're required to be educated also.
13:58We're required to be eligible.
14:00I went to college for three years.
14:01I graduated.
14:02I was on the honor roll in high school.
14:04I made the dean's list in college.
14:06Wow.
14:06Like, those are things that just, as a student athlete, never get discussed in a lot of ways.
14:11It just continues to be a part of your journey.
14:15And so, for me, it was how can I give back in a meaningful way?
14:19And thank you very much for that story.
14:21I love and appreciate you.
14:23And the thing, we were just riding up here and roll past JRLA.
14:33Oh, yeah?
14:34Okay.
14:36The facility, and I want to make sure I give a big shout out to Henry Ford Health that I
14:41partnered with them, that we're going to open up hopefully in 27, 27, 28.
14:47I need to raise $25 million.
14:50I need to raise $25 million.
14:52I need to raise $25 million.
14:54But it's right around the corner.
14:55It's on 8 Mile and Mendota.
14:57Say it.
14:57I know exactly what you're talking about.
14:58Yes, so that will become the upper school, the high school, 9 through 16 in theory.
15:06And then the current building will be a middle school, which it was designed to be.
15:10And riding up 8 Mile today, I remember making that right turn on Hubble 16, 17 years ago.
15:19And all-stars was a thriving business.
15:22Come on.
15:22Yep.
15:23The strip club.
15:23And I can't act like I didn't contribute.
15:26You know what I'm saying?
15:27The strip club.
15:28Yeah, I've probably been there once or twice.
15:30You know, just to see, you know, how the kitchen was.
15:34You know, things of that nature.
15:35We had food, man.
15:36We had food.
15:37Exactly, exactly.
15:38But to your point, Vandenberg at the time was an eyesore.
15:43Come on.
15:44Windows were broken.
15:45Yes.
15:46You know, all of the pipe, the plumbing was taken out of the walls, everything.
15:49She lives it, so she knows.
15:51And so to see, like, the transformation, not only for the community and the jobs and the
15:56opportunities that it creates and just trying to create a safe learning environment, but
16:01also just all of the young people that have thrived.
16:03Like, we've graduated 1,000 young people.
16:05Yes.
16:06We have 400 currently in the building right now, and we're really committed and uniquely
16:12at JRLA, and this is something I really want to point out to all young people that's very
16:17important.
16:17What makes us special is that we help you post-secondary, which means once you graduate
16:24from 12th grade, we're still providing resources for you, whether it's a two-year, four-year
16:28college, trade school, military, cosmetology, whatever they decide to get into, because after
16:34high school, the job's not done.
16:35That's right.
16:36Right?
16:37You can barely get a job at McDonald's with a high school diploma, and there's this argument
16:42about go to school or get a trade.
16:45Newsflash.
16:45Do both.
16:46Come on.
16:47Do all of the above.
16:48If anybody's questioning, I want to introduce you to a word called hustle.
16:52You ever heard of it?
16:53That means multiple ways to eat.
16:56Your dream not happening today may not happen tomorrow.
16:59It may take five years for it to happen.
17:01So how are you going to make ends meet?
17:04How are you going to find ways to be successful along the journey?
17:07Your dream job not happening overnight.
17:09I remember shoveling snow, pumping grass.
17:13Come on.
17:13I mean, shoveling snow, cutting grass, pumping gas at the gas station.
17:17Yeah.
17:18Like paper route.
17:20Come on.
17:20Like doing whatever we had to do, you know, and multitasking.
17:24So that's what I encourage young people to do, and that's why I'm excited about Southwest
17:27High, because it highlights so many sides of young people in Detroit.
17:31And the resiliency of teachers as well.
17:35That's a really tough job.
17:37You just dropped off your kid this morning at eight, and you're not going to see your
17:39kid again until five.
17:41Those educators are required to not only put your young person in position to learn, but
17:47be their therapist, be their babysitter, be their nurturer.
17:50So those are extremely important jobs in society.
17:53So we're just highlighting all of the work that's happening on all sides of education.
17:57All right.
17:58So now the dots connect.
17:59First time I meet Jalen Rose, he's doing an interview.
18:03He's in a playoff game, by the way.
18:05He's not talking basketball.
18:07He gives the state of black America to all of America.
18:12Was it real?
18:13The school says it was real.
18:16His money says it was real.
18:18But what's certified, what's made it really real is the degree of the graduates and the
18:29success of the academics made it all real.
18:34The dots go back and connect.
18:37With that being said, you are now in business with Tom Gores.
18:44What is it that the two of you are doing that Detroit can stand up again and be proud of?
18:53We bonded being community champions.
18:56If you really look deep into TG's story, he was bootstraps raised in Flint and turned himself
19:04into one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world.
19:10And we really have a passion of trying to influence young people in Detroit in a positive way and help
19:16build this city.
19:17And that's where it started.
19:19And initially, Platinum Equity, Detroit Pistons have been an amazing sponsor and supporter
19:26of JRLA, providing resources, internships, tickets to games, writing checks, opportunities,
19:33sponsoring our golf outing.
19:35Like Tom Gores and his team have been amazing stewards of what we're doing at JRLA and for
19:41the city.
19:41And so our friendship continued to grow and mature.
19:45And we just decided now it's time to highlight the amazing voices and storytellers here in
19:51the city of Detroit and try to bring quality content that's Detroit born and bred to the
19:58masses.
19:59What is the project called?
20:00The name of the company is called Same Page Entertainment.
20:03And as you mentioned, it's founded by Tom Gores and myself.
20:07We're going to be based here in Detroit.
20:09It's not going to be one of those things where people shoot about Detroit, but it's in L.A.
20:14No, it's going to be here in Detroit.
20:17And we're going to be financing.
20:19We're going to be directing.
20:21We're going to be writing, producing documentaries, films, docu-series.
20:26Matter of fact, we got one out right now.
20:28You could go watch it right now.
20:31It's called Southwest High.
20:33I watched it this morning.
20:36I know it's up there.
20:37I know it's up there.
20:38I watched it this morning.
20:40And so, I mean, I'm just really excited about the opportunity again to continue to just
20:47highlight the amazing talent that we have in and around the city of Detroit.
20:50Okay.
20:51And we're going to hold you just for a few minutes.
20:53I want to both ask you both the same question.
20:57Ty, I remember you going through it during the pandemic.
21:03We kind of saw each other almost every other day.
21:07Yeah.
21:07And it really, really took your emotional spirit down.
21:14What is your relationship to God and how did that point of being at one of your lowest points take
21:27you to this morning to one of your highest points?
21:31Well, the one thing about it, right, and especially life and even with God, he'll take you through it to
21:37take you to it.
21:38Say it.
21:38So, shout out to El Belto Baptist Church, the great Lauren C. Glass.
21:44That's right.
21:45Dice Clark.
21:45So, for the last year, I've been consistently going there, right?
21:50You talk about the pandemic.
21:51That was probably one of the lowest parts of my life because this is just how the universe works and
21:58everything happens, right?
22:012021 was probably the worst year of my life going through the pandemic.
22:05And Jay would tell his story about that year as well, too.
22:08I lost both of my parents within seven months and had COVID and they didn't know if I was going
22:14to make it or not.
22:15And when we would see each other, we live in a society now where it doesn't matter who and what
22:22you are, we laugh in public just enough to go home and cry in private.
22:27Come on, say that.
22:27So, mentally, like, I suffer from anxiety.
22:30I suffer from depression.
22:31And it reminds me of a scene of, remember the five heartbeats when Robert Townsend, who played Duck, and it
22:37was towards the end when he said, you know,
22:41sometimes you'll get your greatest victory when you feel you're worse, when your heart breaks the most.
22:46So, heartbreaks and setbacks has never been new to me, right?
22:51Sometimes the setback is a setup.
22:54And sometimes when people turn their back, it's God really turning you around to come back to his vision and
23:00his purpose.
23:03And spiritually-wise, man, I'm at an all-time high now.
23:06And it took me to where we're at today.
23:10Yeah.
23:10You know, I'm sitting here with one of my longest friends, 40-plus years here almost.
23:14And we got a series that we're proud of.
23:17Like, this is something that we, like I said earlier, Mace, we just didn't talk about putting out something.
23:24We wanted to make sure that the lost art of a family sitting down watching something.
23:32This is a family-friendly show.
23:34Like, never before have you seen a cast like this that looks like us.
23:39And not to even try to go there, but I got to go there because one thing Jalen tells me
23:44all the time,
23:44that we don't throw our accolades out enough.
23:47Like, that man right here, this man right here is a New York Times best-selling author.
23:53And sometimes that gets shown away because of his career, of the NBA.
23:58But he's an educator.
23:59He has a master's.
24:01He did graduate.
24:02He got all this, right?
24:03And guess what?
24:05On that same bus route at the same high school, it produced an Emmy Award winner.
24:10I've won an Emmy Award that we don't really talk about enough.
24:15Because we feel, in our community, in our era, we're showing off.
24:21But if you look at other areas and other communities, even when they don't win, they say Emmy nominated.
24:27Right.
24:28They're showing off.
24:29They're showing off.
24:30So, spiritually, Mace, I have come a long way, and I still have so far to go.
24:34And that's why I'm an advocate for this.
24:36That's going to be one of the movies under the production company, too.
24:40Yes.
24:41About how that happens to more people than not.
24:45Yes.
24:45And you'll be able to tell people how to get through.
24:50Tell me about the character first.
24:51No, go, Jalen.
24:53But I wanted to piggyback off of what you said, because this is something I sneakily have done a couple
24:59of times on purpose.
25:02Highlight young people in their teens.
25:05Because normally, when you even watch television or movies, they're not set in high schools.
25:13Right.
25:13When they look like us, they're normally small kids.
25:16Yes.
25:17That is right.
25:18And I did the exact same thing with JRLA.
25:22We independently started a high school and took it 9 through 16.
25:27Now we're going to build backwards.
25:29Normally, in education, it happens the opposite.
25:32That's right.
25:33People start elementary school.
25:35Why?
25:35Because that's a different young person that you're nurturing in third grade versus the issues that you're going to deal
25:41with with a young person in the 11th grade.
25:43I asked him about his spirituality.
25:46I'm asking Jalen Rose about his now.
25:49I'm very God-fearing.
25:53And uniquely, being a public figure, while I have it in my spirit and in my voice and in my
26:01how I try to treat people and move with karma.
26:05And, you know, it reminds me of my favorite MLK quote, rest in peace, Jesse Jackson.
26:10Happy Black History Month.
26:11That's right.
26:12You say faith is taking the first step without seeing the entire staircase.
26:15Ooh, say that.
26:16And so that's how I move.
26:20And when I'm on TV, I'm probably not, you know, Bible-thumping or, you know, standing on the table about
26:28it.
26:28But if somebody's faith is higher than mine, God bless them.
26:32On a basketball court, big game, sold out.
26:37Game has ended.
26:38And Jalen Rose comes over to get me.
26:42We walk to the center of the court.
26:47He calls Tom Gores over.
26:49Do you know what Jalen Rose wanted?
26:53Did Jalen Rose want to say, man, this is great.
26:58Do this.
26:59Do that.
26:59You know what he wanted to do?
27:01You know what he did that day?
27:04With 20,000 people starting to walk out, he did a prayer.
27:09Mm.
27:10You remember that day?
27:11I do.
27:12He did a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer of gratitude.
27:21And that he wanted to do, and that prayer went on for about five or six minutes.
27:27People thought we were laughing and giggling because we were huddled.
27:33And Jalen led this five to six minute prayer.
27:37I'll never forget that.
27:38Thank you for that.
27:39And there's so many reasons I love Tom Gores, but you just gave me a perfect example of what
27:46makes him special, not only as a friend of mine and a business partner, but also just
27:52a success story and the owner of the Detroit Pistons.
27:57When they're losing 28 straight, me and you still going to be at the game.
28:01Yeah.
28:02Right?
28:02And as a matter of fact, I'm going to go to more games then.
28:06And you have demonstrated that.
28:08Then versus when we're the number one team in the league.
28:12Yeah.
28:12That is so true.
28:13A lot of people don't know that's literally my favorite squad.
28:16I grew up in the family.
28:18My father was the number one pick in the 1967 draft.
28:22Yeah.
28:23Played with Dave Bing, my godfather.
28:26So Isaiah Thomas is now living in Detroit.
28:31So you see him out.
28:32He should never pay for a meal ever in life.
28:35You know?
28:35Like, these people, I stand on the shoulders of giants.
28:39I worked at Bing Steele in high school.
28:41On the Steele press.
28:43And so, like, the Pistons, that relationship is sacred.
28:47And now that TG owns the team and the team is doing so very well.
28:52And by the way, K MVP this year.
28:55Sorry.
28:55Yes, sir.
28:56Like, for real, for real.
28:58I know.
28:59It's the same thing when I talk about Michigan.
29:02Like, going into this season, I was like, Michigan got literally a chance to win it all.
29:05People are like, oh, it's just Jalen saying it.
29:07They don't realize.
29:07I fill out a tournament bracket every year.
29:09I don't always pick them.
29:11At least not on my main bracket.
29:12I pick them.
29:13You know what I'm saying?
29:15But, yeah, like, Detroit, like, it's our turn.
29:18You also, and then we're going to turn our attention back to the characters you guys play.
29:24You also, and you mentioned it, you would come when we were not winning.
29:29When you were at your peak with a number one syndicated radio show and number one in television
29:37and a have-to-have-on during the NBA playoffs and finals, that's when you came the most.
29:47It was just not Jalen Rose coming.
29:50You were telling Detroit, come.
29:56I'll be there.
29:58Come.
29:59It's not what you think.
30:01This is us.
30:02You dress up, show up, and come to all those games.
30:06The weather would be crazy.
30:08It would be 4,000 people sitting there.
30:11And they'd go, like, that's Jalen Rose.
30:14It's right there.
30:16And you're right.
30:18Those are the games that you came to.
30:20You became a marketing ambassador on your own dime in time because we had nothing that would draw.
30:30There was not even a player that drew more attention than Jalen Rose.
30:37People came saying, I bet you Jalen Rose will be there tonight.
30:41He's always at the game.
30:43Not the players.
30:45They did not mention the players.
30:47People would buy a ticket because they thought Jalen would be there because they thought that was the thing to
30:51do with the Detroit Pistons.
30:55So, hats off to you for that.
30:57That was big.
30:58I remember.
30:58That's why it hit me that, like, now that it went in, I don't see you enough.
31:05And thank you for the acknowledgement of really being the first entertainer and or athlete to have a podcast.
31:14And I was bossing up every morning on that show.
31:18Yes.
31:18Anybody who ever watched it, it's 10 years, 15 years of footage.
31:22I did it before every show.
31:24You know what I'm saying?
31:26We're 98% of the world who's never been here probably like, what is wrong with him?
31:30Why is he on my TV wearing a blazer and bossing up at the same time?
31:34Yeah.
31:34And had all Detroit paraphernalia behind him.
31:38Hanging on the wall, sitting on the, he'd wear a pistol jacket.
31:42No, Jalen, put on a leather jacket and a pistol jacket.
31:46It wouldn't even be season.
31:48He'd have it on.
31:50And how about this?
31:51I remember working the draft the night that Cade got picked.
31:55Yes.
31:56Yes.
31:57And we were on the stage together.
31:59We took the picture, talked to him about the city.
32:02And I let him know everything that's happening right now.
32:08I let him know that he was going to be one of the best players in the game.
32:11He's going to lead us to a championship.
32:12But more than anything, that this city going to be ride or die for you if not only you just
32:21represent, but if you win, oh.
32:25Cade Cunningham mentioned that about nine days ago.
32:28The relationship that he had with Jalen Rosen.
32:31They look like brothers, by the way.
32:34Ty, what role are you playing in Southwest High?
32:37Well, thankfully, my brother linked me on, and now I'm executive producer for this.
32:43Oh!
32:44For the record.
32:45Yes.
32:45And for the record, we changed Cade's name.
32:50His name is Cade Cunningham.
32:53Cade Cunningham.
32:54Cade Cunningham.
32:55I love it.
32:56That's Cade Cunningham.
32:58I love it, because he is him.
32:59Yeah, he's him.
32:59I love it.
33:00That's beautiful.
33:00I was going to say it's a Cade Cunningham.
33:02So for Ty's role, I want to shout out Dennis Reed.
33:09Yes, sir.
33:10Dr. Dennis Reed.
33:11Yes.
33:12Team DR2, 1919 distribution.
33:16I want to shout out our same page team, Molly and Aaron and Lissette and Chanel and Michelle.
33:23Like, there have been a lot of people that have put a lot of time, energy, and love into this
33:29project.
33:29And that's why it was important for us to not just drop, but to do a rollout.
33:35And this is, again, a celebration of our city.
33:38Say that one more time.
33:39We're not just dropping.
33:40We're doing a rollout.
33:40Rollout.
33:41I love it.
33:42Yes, indeed.
33:42And this is a miniseries, by the way.
33:44Yes, you'll be able to watch each episode the next five Mondays, starting today.
33:51Wow.
33:51Yes, indeed.
33:52Every Monday.
33:53Go ahead.
33:53Every Monday.
33:54Hey, you know, they say birds of a feather flock together.
33:58And me hearing Jalen and your connection with him, Ty.
34:02I know Mason went back when we opened, talking about how you hooked him up with clothing.
34:07But I remember.
34:08And conversation.
34:09And conversation.
34:10But I remember when I first met you, we were doing our.
34:14Wait, wait, wait.
34:15This is the clean part, right?
34:16Yeah.
34:17This is the clean.
34:18No, no.
34:19This is not the clean.
34:20No, no.
34:21Okay, go ahead.
34:22This is the clean.
34:23Talk about it.
34:24Talk about it.
34:24Talk about it.
34:25You had a clothing store in Northland.
34:28But when you came into our radio station, you weren't so worried about advertising the clothing store.
34:34It was all about you were doing interviews and jobs.
34:39You wanted to hire young people.
34:42And your whole thing was, remember, how you should come dressed for an interview.
34:46Of course.
34:46That you were passionate about that.
34:49Of course.
34:49Giving young people a chance.
34:50And then I'm hearing him say, you know, young people, helping young people.
34:54I applaud both of you.
34:56And I understand the connection.
34:58Like you say, God is no joke.
34:59He knows me to connect.
35:00Period.
35:00No, no, no.
35:01Sometimes delay doesn't mean denied.
35:03Come on.
35:03And one thing about Jalen, I tell him all the time, like, man, listen, man, you, you, you, you got
35:10a heart as big as the city.
35:12And it rolls off of us.
35:14Like, like, we really, even you, Mace, like, like, you got to understand, Mason, like, you, it was important for
35:19us to start this off here with you.
35:21Mm-hmm.
35:22Because you, and I tell you, it's two people.
35:25We went to bed with the electrifying mojo.
35:27Come on.
35:27Come on.
35:28We woke up with John Mason.
35:29That's right.
35:30You helped us get ready to go to school every morning.
35:32And I miss Ducey.
35:33I don't know if Ducey.
35:34He's trying to get back.
35:36I'm trying to help him.
35:37I love him.
35:37He hard on this.
35:38I don't know.
35:39There's no place where he chose this, but I tell you.
35:42This has come full circle.
35:45It has.
35:45This guy is the true definition of if I eat, we all eat.
35:50Yes.
35:51And that's his love language.
35:52Yeah.
35:53And this guy really can cook.
35:55Listen, speaking of cooking, and Angie was with me one day.
35:59I said, Angie, I got to find a place to live.
36:02Mm-hmm.
36:03I'm moving.
36:04So this guy says, I want to show you a place.
36:06She goes, okay, okay.
36:08So we hook up with the guy, right?
36:10He goes, Jalen Rose used to live here.
36:12I'm like, I don't want to go in.
36:14I know.
36:14He said, no, no, no.
36:15It's a nice place, man.
36:16I said, no, no, no.
36:17I can't go in there.
36:18Yes.
36:19He says, what's the issue?
36:21I said, Jalen used to live there?
36:23I'm not going in there, man.
36:24Well, I think we left the first time.
36:28He begged us and begged us to come back.
36:30I went in for about three minutes.
36:32Okay.
36:32I saw it.
36:33Out.
36:35It's still sacred.
36:36You understand what I'm saying?
36:37Mm-hmm.
36:38The spirit, because he lived there.
36:40Mm-hmm.
36:41I'm not going in there.
36:43Mm-hmm.
36:44That's where he lived.
36:45The guy says, there's nothing in there, man.
36:47I promise you.
36:48There's nothing.
36:49But it took three times to walk through.
36:53I walked through three minutes.
36:55He said, but wait, I can show you.
36:57I said, I seen it.
36:58Okay.
36:59I'm good.
37:00I'm good.
37:02But it was amazing.
37:05No doubt.
37:06I was like, he living nice.
37:08No doubt.
37:09But it was very difficult.
37:12It took him three times to get me to go in there.
37:15It's just sacred to me.
37:17I appreciate that.
37:18And, like, this city is just so incredible.
37:23And I was going to do a social post, and I was just trying to figure a way to word
37:29it
37:29without sounding so arrogant as a city.
37:34But it's true.
37:35Like, the biggest compliment I can pay the 313 is everywhere we go, our influences, our
37:42fingertips is there.
37:44Our fingerprints are there.
37:46Everywhere we go, our fingerprints are there.
37:48How we walk, how we talk, how we dress, our lingo.
37:53Like, it's a real thing.
37:55And we should be proud of that.
37:57Yes.
37:58I agree.
37:59Yes.
38:00How about this?
38:00How about this?
38:01This series also produced a soundtrack.
38:05Mm-hmm.
38:05Oh, no kidding.
38:06So, and it was only one person we can get to do that, and that was Royce the 5'9".
38:10Nichol Nines song.
38:12Big shout, Nichol.
38:13So, our job was to create this, right?
38:16So, that's why Jalen said, we don't just drop, we roll out.
38:19We have merch.
38:20We have content that you can go to our social media page and see the behind-the-scenes stuff.
38:24Because we just don't do stuff regular.
38:28No.
38:28I don't.
38:29I know you don't.
38:29I know J don't.
38:30From the first day he walked across the stage when they called his name on the draft.
38:33We don't do anything regular here in Detroit.
38:36And it's a term, and it's true.
38:37And it's not to be arrogant, but everybody in Detroit is famous.
38:41There you go.
38:41I love you.
38:42We walk around with that.
38:43So, make sure you check it out.
38:45We have a soundtrack, and our thing was to get Detroit artists to produce music.
38:49We grew up in the best era ever.
38:51We came in on the tail end of Motown.
38:54We came in at the start of hip-hop.
38:56We came with fashion.
38:57We came when radio was radio.
38:59Television was television.
39:01When it went off at 1.30, the National Anthem started playing.
39:04And the snow came on, the TV.
39:07But now you can watch things 24-7.
39:09You can go to Tubi right now, as soon as Mason go off the air at 10, go to Tubi,
39:15and you
39:15want Southwest High.
39:17Everybody.
39:18So, I want to ask both of y'all real quick.
39:21Why did y'all want to take the series to Tubi, and then the whole, it's kind of a two
39:24-part
39:25question, the whole dropping a show every Monday.
39:28Why was that important to y'all to do that?
39:29Because like you said, you don't see that no more when it comes to TV.
39:32So, now dropping it every Monday, that makes people want to come back.
39:35So, why was that important to y'all?
39:36Why Tubi Independence?
39:37Say that.
39:38When you're watching Michigan play on Thanksgiving now, or you're watching the Super Bowl, you
39:45notice that Fox bought Tubi.
39:48I did not know that.
39:49I did not know that either.
39:50So, that's going to be a property that continues to skyrocket.
39:55Yeah.
39:55So, you want to be a part of something that's growing.
39:58Why not a movie, and why the miniseries?
40:02You do the miniseries because you get a chance to tell five different stories versus one two-hour
40:11movie.
40:13Mm-hmm.
40:13And we're going to roll it out each Monday to not only build the anticipation, but also,
40:21like, give us an opportunity for people to catch up and just, like, really get a chance
40:26to, like, enjoy it.
40:28Mm-hmm.
40:28So, I remember when, whether it was Power or BMF or whatever those were coming out, I
40:34was up at 3 a.m. watching it.
40:37And that's what I did with Southwest High.
40:40Ah.
40:41Mm-hmm.
40:41And so, and again, this is Detroit born and bred.
40:47What's your role?
40:49My role is Principal Nolan Thomas.
40:53Yes, sir.
40:54I'm the retired NBA player who played his final season with his hometown Pistons.
41:01Oh, wow.
41:03And returned because my assistant principal and my good friend, who all went to high school,
41:11we all went to high school together, encouraged me to come back and help them save the school
41:16before it closed down.
41:17And did you or did you not want to do it?
41:20I did not want to do it.
41:21No, he didn't.
41:22We had to, I was like, dog, you going to do this.
41:24That is amazing.
41:25You know he's doing it.
41:26I did not want to.
41:27Remember the A-team where Mr. T didn't want to fly?
41:31Right.
41:31And they had to tranquilize him to fly?
41:33That's insane.
41:34Oh, you going to do this.
41:36That's when his big brother had to kick in.
41:38When you do Jalen Rose Academy and you walk through, even though you're the creator, the
41:44owner, and all of that, you already appear as the principal.
41:51And you talk to the families and you know the students by first name.
41:56And it doesn't matter what family comes walking by.
42:00You can be talking to one family.
42:02Turn on your heels.
42:04Know the student for the next family.
42:06You've always been doing this.
42:09Yes.
42:10It's really a labor of love.
42:11And I'm just so blessed that the community trusts me enough with their sons and their daughters.
42:18And that's what they say when I'm standing at the curb, whether it's the middle of winter or whatever.
42:22Like, I'm dropping them off to you, Jalen.
42:24I'm like, all right, I got it.
42:25I got it.
42:26When you were young, did you like kids?
42:29I love kids.
42:30I did and do.
42:31And, like, having so many young people that you're helping to mold in different ways, it gives me a chance
42:41to play a different role.
42:42So, to your point, yes, I'm the founder of the school.
42:46And if you're listening to this radio right now, you better be.
42:49And you better be making sure you watch Tubi and watch Southwest High.
42:54The high school you went to, you probably never met the founder.
42:58Oh, that's true.
43:00Right?
43:00A lot of people don't even know who their school is actually named after and why.
43:04Yeah.
43:05Right?
43:05So, that gives me a different space automatically.
43:09I have an incredible staff and an incredible principal in Jasmine.
43:13So, now I get to be, like, the grandparent versus the physical parent.
43:18But in Southwest High, it's like a modern-day version of Lean On Me where I'm like Joe Clark.
43:24Yeah.
43:25It feels like that, damn it.
43:27This is going to be fucked up.
43:29This is going to be fun.
43:30This is going to be fun.
43:31And I know you guys got to go to Fox 2.
43:34No, no, no.
43:34We, Mason.
43:35We blow the show with you, Mason.
43:37So, Jalen, Ty may have never told you, but Ty, Angie, and me, we've hung out a few years at
43:46the golf tournament.
43:47Yeah.
43:49Yes.
43:50Clip version, Mason.
43:51Y'all, y'all, see, when I come back, we got to sign this thing.
43:55I don't know, I don't know where y'all are going with these stories.
43:57We begin the food and everything.
44:00My, my, and there's so many memories.
44:03Oh, yeah, Mason goes straight to the food.
44:04Yeah.
44:05Straight to it.
44:05And I said, Ty, what do they got here?
44:07What do you, he said, you got to try this.
44:08But my funnest memory thus far, and I've got a lot of them, we had a chance to meet Larry
44:18Johnson.
44:19Yes, I remember.
44:20Right in my mind.
44:21And I told him, I said, listen, man, I was just kind of getting in the radio when you were
44:28doing that, and you made me comfortable creating characters because you created that character.
44:37And it was nothing but fun.
44:42And for a guy as big as you, as good as you, and you did that fun character, I said,
44:50man, I want to create something like that.
44:53There are so many people we've met.
44:55And so Larry Johnson influenced, when you, like, passed the baton, the Fab Five idolized you in LV.
45:03Mm-hmm.
45:04Wow.
45:04Oh, sorry, let me connect, let me connect some Southwest High School dots.
45:11Mm-hmm.
45:12Anderson Hunt.
45:13Anderson Hunt.
45:14The Final Four MVP.
45:17Detroit.
45:18Detroit Southwestern High School.
45:19Mm-hmm.
45:21And so when I went to my visits, for example, I took a visit, at that time you would take
45:28visits to where you see people having success.
45:31Right.
45:31From your hometown.
45:32So I took a visit to Syracuse, Derrick Cohn.
45:37Right.
45:38Michigan State, Steve Smith.
45:41UNLV, UNLV, Anderson Hunt.
45:43And so I figured that that's another time for another day.
45:49Like Ty said, I come back and tell those off.
45:51When the mic's off.
45:53Yeah.
45:53Yeah.
45:54But, but, but, but, but, but, like, as the Fab Five became Rebels with a Cause, we stood on the
46:02shoulders of the John Thompson Georgetown teams and the UNLV squad.
46:06So we looked up to them.
46:07And so it was awesome for him to be at the golf outing.
46:11Man.
46:12Yeah.
46:12And come and show love.
46:13And I'm glad you got a chance to meet him.
46:15Oh, my gosh.
46:15Definitely come back this year.
46:17It's probably going to be later in July.
46:18We work with Platinum Equity to try to nail down the date.
46:22I don't play.
46:23I like to sit out.
46:24Relax.
46:26Eat.
46:26And that's what I've done every single year.
46:29And whoever, since we're, since we're talking public, and I'm going to let you guys go because I know you
46:35don't have to fuck you.
46:35Maze, we're going to close the show with you.
46:37But whoever, the young lady that takes care of the business for you.
46:42Michelle.
46:43Yeah, Michelle.
46:44That's my MVP.
46:45Man.
46:46You never email me, text me, or call me without talking to Michelle.
46:50That's it.
46:51Over 20 years.
46:52But she takes care of it.
46:54Yes.
46:54It happens.
46:55I was playing for the Bulls.
46:57We had a community event.
46:59And, you know, it's a team.
47:00So it was like 15 players, like four or five coaches.
47:04And I'm looking around.
47:05I'm like, she's managing like all 20 people right now.
47:09Woo.
47:09And I was like, how much they pay you?
47:14I'm dead serious.
47:16And I hired her from the team.
47:18Wow.
47:18That's how.
47:19Yes.
47:20Wow.
47:21One thing about that man, he's always thinking.
47:24He always, because he's always elevating.
47:26And this guy right here, man, you'd be surprised on a daily basis.
47:31Like people always talk about who calls my phone.
47:33If you stand next to him long enough, you'll be surprised who calls his phone for advice.
47:37For advice.
47:38I will say this.
47:39Not just to kick it, but for advice.
47:41Two weeks ago, we take a caller.
47:44On the phone, we ask the callers, give me your name.
47:48Caller says, my name is Jalen.
47:51I was named after Jalen Rose.
47:55I say to that caller, did you see the Facebook post that he put up about the creation of his
48:04name?
48:04He said, no, but my mother must have known it because she named me after Jalen Rose.
48:12Did that not happen?
48:13That happened.
48:14Two weeks ago.
48:15Yes.
48:15Another fact rooted in Detroit.
48:17The name has now become a common name.
48:19And I tell the story actually with a heavy heart because a couple of weeks, I lost my uncle Leonard.
48:27And in 2021, just like Ty, I lost my mom.
48:31And when she was driving to the hospital to give birth, she combined my biological father, James, and my uncle
48:40Leonard's name because he took her to the hospital to give birth.
48:44And rest in peace to both of them.
48:47Jalen is now a common name.
48:49And one of the things Ty told me that I never really thought about until he said it, he was
48:55like, that's not a shotgun decision.
49:00You know, that's not a one-night stand.
49:02Like, you got to really, like, respect, appreciate, have love for somebody if you're going to name your son or
49:08your daughter after them.
49:11And I joke with Shaq and Denzel that they're all-time greats at what they do, but I got more
49:17kids named after me than they do.
49:20And then Mace.
49:21Mace.
49:21Mace.
49:22And all of the Shaq and Denzel's are black.
49:25Yeah.
49:26You know what I'm saying?
49:27You got some girls that are jailing.
49:30You know what I'm saying?
49:31It's a unisex name.
49:33You know what I'm saying?
49:34So, Mace, I want to say this.
49:36And because one thing about us, me and Jay, right, you talked about spariology earlier, right?
49:43Yes.
49:43But let me say this.
49:44We always acknowledge God.
49:45We always say, thank God, man, amen, amen, amen.
49:48And we always tell each other we love each other because as men, especially in our community, right, that seems
49:56like a taboo and like, oh, man, no, no, don't tell me that.
49:59You have to because you never know what a person is going through and what they're going through in their
50:03journey.
50:04And I just, I tell Jay this all the time.
50:07So, there's nothing new what I'm about to say now to him.
50:10But just think about this, right?
50:14For four, going on five decades, this man has been relevant.
50:20Yeah.
50:21From the 90s to the 2000s to the 2010s, now we're halfway through the 2020s, about to go into the
50:282030s.
50:29This man has been relevant.
50:32You tell me somebody else has had an impact on pop culture for us than that man right there.
50:39So, that man deserves all of the roses, all of the flowers.
50:43There you go, man.
50:43Thank you, brother.
50:43I appreciate that.
50:44I appreciate that.
50:45And even though it's called Southwest High, because we went there, but this is for Detroit.
50:52Absolutely.
50:52This is for McKenzie.
50:53This is for Cooley.
50:54This is for Redford.
50:56This is for Northern.
50:56People are going to have fun with this.
50:58This is for everybody.
50:59This is for Detroit.
51:00E-Course, River Roots.
51:00Yes.
51:01The whole Delray.
51:03This is for all of us.
51:05And everything that I say we do, and you as well, you as well, is really just a celebration of
51:14Detroit.
51:14That's all it is.
51:15I take every opportunity I can with my life to try to figure a way to highlight what we're doing
51:21here in this city.
51:22You do.
51:23You absolutely do.
51:25I never change my driver's license.
51:27My account, like, you know you can just have a Florida license and save on your taxes.
51:30You know, you can, you know, and then I had job opportunities.
51:34Like, well, you could go live in L.A.
51:35Or you could go live in New York.
51:38I'm never leaving.
51:39That's amazing, because you could be living in L.A.
51:42You know I was going to hit it.
51:43I got to tell you this.
51:46Although one of them has moved to NBC, three of the iconic broadcasters are from here.
51:58One is a reporter, the guy I introduced you to, who is the senior editor and writer for ESPN.
52:08Jalen Rose is the other, the must-have Jalen Rose.
52:13The other completed the Olympics last night.
52:15Mike Tirico.
52:18That's Detroit, just like we did BET, they did ESPN.
52:23Coming out of Detroit, man.
52:26Mace, two things Detroiters don't play about is the side of town they grew up on and the high school
52:34that they went to.
52:35Say that.
52:35You would get into fights.
52:37That's right.
52:38So that's why Southwest High is for all of us.
52:40Yeah.
52:40It is going to be fascinating, man.
52:43And I just want to encourage everyone out there to stay inspired.
52:47This is a really tough time in our country.
52:50People are doing really bad.
52:52Yes.
52:52Losing their insurances, losing their jobs, being snatched up by masked people.
52:59So, like, it's a very, very unique time in our climate.
53:04So I just want to, you know, send love and encouragement to everybody out there, you know,
53:10and it's to find ways to stay in prayer, stay in faith, and continue to endure.
53:16You got that from the principal, Mr. Thomas, at Southwest High School.
53:21You'll see him as soon as you turn on Tubi today.
53:25At 10 o'clock, as soon as Mason is over.
53:28We're not stopping no money.
53:30As soon as Mason is over, you turn on Tubi and then close it, Mason.
53:34When you feel like you're in the end of your rope, you tie a knot.
53:39Keep hanging and keep remembering, ain't nobody bad like you.
53:43Don't say damn, say it wrong.
53:44Soft words, soft, soft words, tie my kids.
53:47Soft words, soft, soft words.
53:49Thank you, man.
53:50Love you guys.
53:51Wow.
53:52Yes.
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