Charlamagne talks mental wealth and shares his take on Detroit

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - TV, radio host and commentator Charlamagne was in metro Detroit. He talked exclusively to FOX 2 about mental wealth, and his thoughts on Detroit's toughness. 

FOX 2 spoke with Charlamagne at Inception Detroit a 21st Century Mental Health Gym and wellness spa in Farmington Hills.

FOX 2: "When you hear the word Detroit what comes up to your mind?"

"What up doe," said Charlamagne. "Hard-nosed city, full of hard workers - people that really get out of the mud in a real way. That's what I think of, when I think Detroit."

FOX 2: "When you wake up in the morning what do you think about the responsibility that you have with your voice?"

"I think the biggest responsibility I have, is for me, as a human being, just being the best version of myself," he said. "And you know ask somebody who has tried to live their life out loud and be as transparent as possible. I know whatever is going on in my life, if I just take the listeners on that journey it will help them with their growth. Whether it's (as a) father, whether it's being a husband, investing in my mental wealth."

FOX 2: "Why is mental wealth more important than the kind that is green that you put in your wallet?"

"Because the one that's in your wallet you can have as much money in your pock as possible, but if you don't have everything right up here (points at head) it doesn't matter," he said. "Who wants to be rich and unhappy? The money doesn't make any of those problems go away. Like when you ever hear of brothers or sisters say 'more money, more problems' a lot of those problems have to do with what's going on in here. The money doesn't make you happy but investing in your mental health definitely will."

Charlamagne, born Lenard Larry McKelvey, also shared his greatest piece of advice.

"If you are down, trouble doesn't last always. That's one of the reasons we're here at Inception," he said. "Giving all the people the tools and resources to help them get out of those funks. Of course we know about prayer. But I pray and I go to therapy. Don't always just run to a bottle of liquor or run to some weed. It's not about self-medication it's just about finding positive tools and resources that can help people reach that level of happiness that they're seeking. "

FOX 2: "Did you ever imagine that you would be where you are today?"

"The reason I imagined that is because I believe that anything your mind can conceive, you can achieve," he said. "And your thoughts become things. that's why it's very important to invest in your mental wealth. Because you have all these negative thoughts in your mind, when your mind is playing tricks on you and your anxiety is playing tricks on you telling you what you can't do that can hinder you from what you actually can do."