From charity moves to the timeless tradition of good football and family love, everyone has their own special turkey day story – even some sad memories. In celebration of Thanksgiving – or Thankstaking, as illseed likes to call it – we asked some artists, actors and DJ’s what their most memorable moments were.
B.G.: Thanksgiving Eve, my man Soulja Slim got killed like three years ago, and every time Thanksgiving comes around I think about the day before Thanksgiving.
Big Kuntry (PSC): The first time we actually went to Bankhead to drop off all these turkeys and stuff. One part of Bankhead, Baker Road – y’all know who y’all is – [told us] “We already got turkeys.” Can’t even do nothing for the community, “We already got our turkey… we’ll take it though.”
Big Tigger: All of ‘em. Ever since I was small, that was one of the only “everybody gotta be there” holidays. Christmas was alright, Thanksgiving you were in the crib.
DJ Irie (Miami Heat, 99 Jamz): A year ago, when I was in Overtown with all the Miami Heat players giving out turkeys and playing music for the underprivileged in that area. An older lady came to me saying that “music feeds her soul.” She didn’t need any turkeys or fixings just music… Good ole music is what keeps her alive and looking forward to another, and she danced in front of the DJ booth for four hours straight until we had to turn off the music. I’ll never forget that.
Bobby Valentino: All of them, just being with my family because I don’t get a chance to kick it with them a lot. Just being with them every Thanksgiving is a great thing if I’m not working.
Dr. Teeth (director): The year my dad had a stroke, me and my sisters and brothers were in my sister’s small apartment and we had Thanksgiving together with my parents. My dad sat around and was just really happy to be with his family. That was about six years ago.
One Chance (Usher’s new group): One year we didn’t get to eat [when we were] at Jamaica’s house – our choreographer. We were living with her and grinding, hustling. We did eat a little somethin’ but it wasn’t like mama’s cooking. Thanks Jamaica!
Remy Ma: That was last year when I actually cooked a whole Thanksgiving dinner. Baked macaroni and cheese, potato salad… I made Cornish hens for everybody. I made everything my own self, and it was good.
DJ B-Mello (KUBE / KEXP Seattle): Like 10 years ago I spent the whole little holiday break working on this mixtape called Blends Pt. 3. It was my best selling, most bootlegged, most mentioned mixtape to date.
T.I.: The year I was released from prison on Thanksgiving…
Wood Harris (The Wire): The last one, because all of the other ones go away and I forget about ‘em. The last one my family got together at my brother’s crib and it was great.
Yo Gotti: It’s kinda funny, because I had a show on Thanksgiving. So my mama cooked, we got the food and was traveling with it. I had six or seven of my boys, we eatin’ in the truck on the way to the show out of town.
Young Dro: Over Tip’s house one day, the whole company, my family, his family got together.
DJ Drama: Being at my nana’s house, eating the best macaroni and cheese in the world, watching the Eagles/Dallas rivalary with the rest of my family.
Happy holiday to you and yours from the World’s Most Dangerous Staff!