In the magazine, we gave you One Q and One A with the Internet’s favorite funnyman. Here’s the full conversation with our own Clover Hope.
How do you come up with the ideas for your spoofs? Does it just pop up?
I honestly couldn’t tell you the process. Once I see something and I think it’s funny, I just kinda brainstorm and if it’ll make a good spoof or a good sketch, and of course based on my impression of these people ’cause I already have a Russell impression, a Jay-Z, a Chris Brown so if it’s something that’s in my repertoire and I can nail it I just do it.
Shouldn’t you have your own show? Have you been approached about it?
Yeah, that’s in the works right now. I can’t talk too much about it but it’s definitely something… That’s what I’ve been working on alongside the stuff that I’m putting out online.
Well, everybody misses Chappelle.
Right, he left a wide-open lane so I’ma definitely aim to fill that void. It’d be the same as what I’m doing online. It’d be a sketch show in that Chappelle type lane.
Would you ever do Saturday Night Live? You know they need some Black people.
Yeah, it’s a weird thing over there ’cause they’re such an institution so I don’t know. It would just have to be the right business conversation for me to do it.
What do artists that you spoof say about your spoofs?
Jay loved it. I met him and he was like, “Yeah, you be doing that Jigga Man, love that.” Russell called me the same day, loved it and he wanted to do some more work so it’s a good situation. The people that spoof become fans of the spoof because the angle on it is I don’t really be disrespecting them. I just showcase them as them in funny situations.
The Drake one was funny ’cause no one was really doing it and it was so spot on.
Yeah, he really did that on Funk Flex. I couldn’t believe it. That was a sketch. I never saw anyone rhyme off their phone but that was funny.
Did you actually meet Jay in person or was that an over the phone thing?
Nah, it was backstage at one of his concerts. Actually at the Inauguration, the night before Barack was sworn in, I was in DC backstage. He walked up to me and we actually did a drop on my YouTube page so he explains the whole thing how he was flattered by it and he showed the love.
Did you speak to Nick Cannon about that Eminem beef?
Nah, to me that’s not even an issue. We all know Eminem is dope at what he does but part of what he does is battle people.
What’d you think about that?
Honestly I didn’t think anything about it. It’s none of my business. I don’t get involved in that stuff.
Do you still talk to him?
Nick? Yeah, that’s my man.
Have you tried a Barack impersonation?
Yeah, I have a Barack in the works. It’s coming. It’s a lotta other cats that’s trying to do Barack right now so I’ma let them phase out and do they thing and then I’ma just knock people over the head with it. It’s a couple cats that have the voice but they don’t really look like him. I think I already kinda look like him so we’ll make some things happen.
Where does the name Affion come from?
My mother got that name and the place of origin, I’ve been told, is Nigeria. And it means “love.”
Have you put an album out? I know you were doing some rapping and your own music.
Yeah, I spit too but it’s nothing that I’m actively pursuing ’cause I hate the rap music game right now.
Why’s that?
It’s just garbage right now. It’s nothing out there that’s really inspiring me with the exception of Jay. The usual suspects, the veterans, they’re pretty much holding it down—the Ludacrises, the Talibs, the Commons, you know. That’s real hip-hop music but rap, the stuff you see online all the time, BET, it’s like, Alright I’m done.
What artist do you wish would just disappear?
I’m not gon’ say any names. I’ma keep it real political.
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Clover Hope is a Senior Editor for VIBE.