Mike Tyson, a boxing legend, is renowned for his close friendships with famous people in a variety of fields. He frequently hung around with some of the biggest personalities in entertainment, sports, and politics at high-profile gatherings and parties. This indicated that “Iron Mike” was quite knowledgeable about the state of the entertainment business.
In addition, Tyson became good friends with James Brown, the famed soul singer, when he was inside. Brown, who had already done time in prison, adopted a mentor-like position with Tyson and offered him advice when he was behind bars. Additionally, 28 years after his release from prison, the former champion delivered a ground-breaking discovery on the singer.
Mike Tyson reveals what James Brown thought of Michael Jackson
In a recent episode of his podcast Hotboxin, Tyson opened up about a conversation he had with Brown regarding two of the biggest pop icons of the time, Michael Jackson and Prince. He claimed Brown didn’t think that the two were as important as they were made out to be in the media. Moreover, he added that Brown thought of himself as a mentor to the two musicians.
“I knew James Brown kind of well. Even though he came out of prison, he didn’t think Michael Jackson and Prince was big with it. It ain’t nothing for me. This is my Mente. I’m their mentor, you know? They live for me,” said Tyson.
Despite Brown’s remarks about two of the biggest names in music, his mentorship and friendship with Tyson remained strong throughout the years. The two remained in touch long after their release from prison, with Iron Mike often speaking fondly of Brown and the impact he had on his life. However, Brown was not the only celebrity that met Tyson during his stint in prison.
Tyson reveals the famous people who came to meet him in prison
In an interview with NORE and DJ EFN, Tyson detailed his time in prison and the people who came to visit him. He revealed that people like BB King, Brown, Whitney Houston, and Florence Henderson all came to show their love and support for the former heavyweight champion.
“When I was locked up, I had such an onslaught of visitors. I had everybody- BB King, James Brown, Whitney Houston, everybody came. Florence Henderson, I can’t even name no more, just so many people came to visit me when I was away,” he said.
In addition to his friendship with Brown, Tyson has also been close to other legendary musicians such as Tupac Shakur and Madonna. Moreover, his relationship with Tupac, in particular, was well-documented, with the two sharing a deep bond that lasted until the rapper’s tragic death in 1996.