Joey Bada$$—actor, philanthropist, artist, and one of the youngest artists in residence at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute—recently appeared on BET Talks with host Miabelle to discuss his multifaceted career, mentorship program, and spiritual journey. The episode offered a deep dive into Joey’s commitment to creating opportunities, his reflections on the emotional toll of acting, and how reading and spirituality fuel his creative process.

Joey Bada$$ has long valued mentorship, crediting influential figures like RZA and Sophia Chang for guiding him early in his career. Inspired to pay it forward, Joey launched the Impact MENtorship program, aimed at supporting men of color through structured mentorship.

“I want to be able to look back 20 or 30 years from now and see future leaders and pioneers of tomorrow who were direct descendants from the program,” Joey explained, emphasizing the long-term impact of mentorship.

The program’s structure includes 12 annual sessions where mentors and mentees share knowledge and build connections. “It’s kind of up to our mentors to teach and share their information the way they choose to,” he said, highlighting the program’s flexible approach.

Joey also opened up about the emotional complexities of his acting career. His role in the Oscar-winning short film Two Distant Strangers—where he portrayed a character repeatedly killed by police—had a profound impact on him and his daughter.

“When I took that script in and I read it, I was like, yeah, I don’t know if I want to do this right now because I don’t know if I want to put myself through that trauma,” he admitted.

The role also affected his three-year-old daughter, who, after seeing the film, began to fear for their safety around police. Joey recounted, “She literally asked me... ‘Daddy, are they going to shoot us?’”

To regain control over his career, Joey is shifting focus to his production company, which allows him to create roles and stories he’s passionate about. “Rather than responding and waiting for the offers, I’m like, okay, what stories do I want to actually create that I want to play?”

For Joey, reading serves as both an escape and a source of inspiration. “Reading has always been that,” he shared. “It gave me some type of fuel to move my pen.”

On a spiritual level, Joey spoke about his ongoing journey to find stillness and listen to his inner guidance. “Spiritually, I am trying to find more stillness in my life so I can make more time to listen to what God is saying to me,” he reflected.