This week on Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe chops it up with stand-up comedy powerhouse Ali Siddiq—one of the realest storytellers in the game.
Known for his viral YouTube specials and sharp wit, Ali pulls up for a hilarious, raw, and thought-provoking convo that runs deep.Right out of the gate, the two dive into wild stories—from brown liquor blackouts to athlete altercations. Ali breaks down what happened when he got curved by Patrick Ewing for a photo (“That man hurt my feelings!”) and clowns on Shaq still owing him $1,000 for sitting through his debut rap album.But it doesn’t stop there —Ali gets into it with hot takes about hip-hop. He keeps it 100 about why he doesn’t rock with Drake, calling out what he sees as culture jacking from Houston and saying he could give Drake AND J. Cole buckets on the court. (Yes, he said that.) He also shares a moment of nostalgia and love for the Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” and recounts the time he crossed paths with 2Pac way before the fame, back when Pac was rolling with Digital Underground at a rap convention.
Ali holds nothing back, speaking on his decision to build his career in Houston rather than follow the Hollywood blueprint. He gets personal about his childhood, life behind bars, and how pain, loss, and survival built the foundation for his comedy. His grandmother’s influence, boxing as a metaphor for life, and staying rooted in community all shine through. Things get tense when Ali touches on a past misunderstanding with Katt Williams. After being unexpectedly blocked from re-entering a venue during one of Katt’s shows, Ali unpacks what that moment meant—and expands the convo to talk about joke stealing and respect in the comedy world.
He doesn’t name-drop to stir drama but stands on integrity while still saluting Katt’s talent. And yes, Ali’s got something for the fans. He’s dropping two new specials: “My Two Songs” on May 16 and “Rugged” on Father’s Day.
This episode is full of laughs, real talk, and major gems from one of the sharpest voices in comedy today.
