Mekhi Phifer: The Hustler

Q: Nice work if you can get it. You've never formally studied acting. Does it just come naturally to you?

A: Natural would be like I would never have had to learn. I went to school, but it was my own school--self-taught. I had to focus. I became so intrigued by the business, I just wanted to learn so much. Natural got me in the door.

Q: You grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood. When you were younger, didn't you deal crack for a short time?

A: Yeah. Truth be told, it was really for about one day. When you're out there on the street, you're young, impressionable. I was like 16. You see an opportunity to make a couple of dollars because you like girls, you want to take your girlfriend to the movies, to eat, but it seems like you're in such a bleak situation and money is scarce. Nobody around you is making any real money. I remember being out there one day hustling in Harlem and I thought, "What am I doing?" I saw my clientele: down-and-out, depressed, disease-ridden people. You're on the corner where you can get shot, robbed, arrested--and I never made no money!

You get fooled. You get caught up in the perpetual cycle of poverty, basically, and God bless that day--I just never did it again. I said, "I can't do this, I gotta be legitimate. I gotta make my money the smart way." And it's terrible because all the guys that I grew up with have been locked up numerous times or been killed or shot in the head. It was a fortunate thing for me to experience that and grow up in that environment--it gave me a certain strength.

Q: You've never met your father, right?

A: Not yet.

Q: Do you know anything about him?

A: I don't know if he's alive, I don't know anything.

Q: Did you miss having a father growing up?

A: No. It's interesting that people ask that. It's like missing somebody you never knew. I have a big family anyway, lots of uncles, all kinds of men in my family. I'm appreciative that I'm here, and there's no regrets.

Q: While making 8 Mile you and Eminem hung out a lot. Do you still keep in touch?

A: We're both very busy, but we spoke maybe about two weeks ago. It's all love, man. We both love hip-hop, we are both from the ghetto, to certain extents, and we've worked our way out of that situation. He's a regular dude who likes to do regular stuff. He has a work ethic and a great love for his daughter and his friends.

Q: So, did you grow up in that 8 Mile world of rap battles?

A: Yeah, oh yeah. Born and raised in that. You had to, out there walking through the streets. And I was damn good.

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