While most kids are playing with their PSP and enjoying a summer free of teachers and homework, comedian-slash-actor, Lil' JJ is honing his craft with his Almost Grown DVD. In stores on June 3rd, the Nickelodeon star has been in the public eye since winning BET's Coming To The Stage. Now, with the soon-to-be 18-year-old fresh off the success of his Just Jordan series, the babyfaced actor sits down with TheUrbanDaily.com as he talks about growing up in the spotlight, who his first vote will go to and answers who's a better comedian - Bow Wow or him.

TUD: BET didn’t see much of you after you won their Comin’ To The Stage comedy talent show. How was that transitioning period from relative unknown to your status now?

JJ: After I did the BET competition, I went into trying to do as much work as possible. I started off doing a lot of small stuff at first; doing a few films, but then I got my development deal over at Nickelodeon and it was on from there. Just Jordan is a hot show! [Laughs] BET eventually came back and we started doing business together. The show is on three different networks now, Nickelodeon, The N and BET. It’s a wonderful thing.

TUD: So, how have you grown in the spotlight?

JJ: I’ve grown up all around. Mainly, though, I’m trying to maintain my focus on doing more than what I’m doing now. I want to continue to do things to let people know that I’m out here and that you can check me out. You’d think that people are rollin’ with you in this game, but they’re not. You can’t believe how many times I’ve had people ask me about the last thing that I was doing, not knowing that I’m still working now and have more on the way.

TUD: Since you’re “almost grown,” yet have been in the game for some time now – what have been a few of the things that you never expected to see in this business that most people wouldn’t understand?

JJ: I think most people wouldn’t understand the whole rush to wait thing, man. People don’t understand how hard it is to be a nobody in the game. You don’t get that same respect from the people who are on top of it all. On the flip side, though, I’ve seen people who have had a lot of success and that co-sign by those major cats in the game, get those props and lose their confidence. I refuse to lose my confidence. This is my life and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with it, so I take all of the good with the bad and keep going strong. I’m trying to do it all – rap, dance, act and continue to do comedy.

TUD: So, what’s a lesson that you’ve learned in this game that you hold close to you?

JJ: One lesson that I always keep first is that you have to stay humble and keep God first. Without Him nothing is possible.

TUD: How do you turn that into comedy material?

JJ: Everything that I try to do, I try to keep it 100%, so people can relate to it. If I were to do a lot of fake stuff, people definitely can’t understand that. With me being almost grown, it’s pretty easy to turn my life into entertainment; especially with a lot of the stuff that I go through in entertainment and in real life. I can take some stuff that’s funny and make it even funnier.

TUD: Since becoming Lil’ JJ to people in the know – how was your first date different than a regular joe schmoe’s first?
JJ: [Laughs] Actually, my first date could’ve been all extra crazy, stupid, you know? I could’ve done some next level stuff. But I didn’t want the girl to look at me like I was “Lil’ JJ,” I wanted her to look at me as a regular guy, so we did a regular date…

TUD: It was a Popeye’s night, huh?
JJ: [Laughs] Yeah, man… Popeye’s chicken, we going to Wendy’s, those are the works [laughs].

TUD: There aren’t that many outlets for comedians nowadays, you have Def Comedy and Bad Boy’s of Comedy – so what should fans and newcomers alike expect with your DVD – Almost Grown Variety Show?

JJ: What you said pretty much is the main reason why I am doing this DVD. Without that many outlets, you have to have something to let the people see what you do. All the extra stuff that I can do, there’s no more Comicview for people to watch on regular TV, so the flip side to that, they think that I’m not doing stand-up anymore.

TUD: So, where does that leave you?

JJ: It leaves me to have to stay working in other areas. Without those outlets, such as TV, the movies and videos, doing the DVD, then I would be sitting around with nothing to do. The DVD lets fans catch me live and see my humor front and center. I gave it my all. I also executive produced the project. Hosted by my boy out of the Chi – Young Horace, it also features my little brother Trey from Atlanta and others who do their thing. Mainly, it’s me giving the fans a little look at my stand-up that they may not be familiar with from just watching me on Nickelodeon.

TUD: You’re from Little Rock, Arkansas, the home of Bill Clinton, right? What’s your take on the Clinton’s run for the presidency?

JJ: I’m going for Obama, man! That’s my choice right there, man. I’m really just listening to everything that people are saying and hearing what’s going on across the country. You know, you never know what could happen… somebody could come up and just change my mind. Right now, that’s who I’m gonna ride for.

TUD: What is it about Obama that you like about him?

JJ: I feel like that he’s just really serious about change. I don’t want anything to do with the White House that’s going on now and we really need something different. My homeboy was just joking with me about how Soulja Boy is going to be running for president.

TUD: Change the entire Pledge of Allegiance for Soulja Boy…?

JJ: [Laughs] Yeah, I pledge allegiance, yueellll, to the flag, yuuueellll, to the United States of Yuueellll [laughs]! Something has to change, you know?

TUD: Are comedians scared that their joke may be the one to cost Obama the election?

JJ: I don’t think so, man… A lot of comedians aren’t going for the negative jokes. As comedians, they know how powerful their words can be, it can help or hurt his chances, so people try to just keep it clean.

TUD: But the “there’ll never be a black president/what if” joke scenario has always been one in the pocket for black comedians from Paul Mooney to Dave Chappelle. Where’s the funny at?

JJ: Yeah! You have a lot of comedians who would do those jokes, you know, but a lot of them who did/do it, would also throw in the good. Really, right now, you have very few who are actually going to come out and say anything that would do any harm to Obama’s campaign. But you can really find the funny in anything that goes on. You had people who found funny in 9/11 and when Katrina hit. That’s way worst than anything that’s been going on between Obama and Clinton. You have a lot of things that you can find funny. You just have to know how to switch it up and as comics, that’s our job, so that creativity comes in handy when dealing with touchy situations.

TUD: Yourself and Brandon T. Jackson are the young guns in the game – who else do you see making noise?

JJ: As far as comedy wise, like I said earlier, my boy – Young Horace from Chicago is making noise. Isiah Kelly, he’s an up-and-coming comic, Brandon and myself are the four young cats in the game who I feel are going to stick out in this game. In the music world, honestly, there are a whole bunch of people who are doing it. It’s really a teen movement. We got to keep on pushing, you know? I wish that I could make it happen for everyone, but the grind is definitely non-stop. That’s why I respect Weezy. He gets on the track and does him the best.

TUD: Since you’re rapping, too, any chance of you two getting on a track together?

JJ: I would want to work with people who would enjoy working with me. That mutual respect and need to work has to be present.

TUD: You heard about Bow Wow quitting rap to become a stand-up comic on Entourage? Who’s funnier?

JJ: It’s crazy [laugh]. I had a feeling that he was going to do that [acting] because people gave him his props about the roles he was taking. If it came down to jokes, though, I’m the better comic. Stuff like that – acting gigs and all that – can happen, but that role in Entourage is made for him, so he’ll pull it off and make it happen. You have Brandon T. Jackson, who also could do that role, you have comedians who can do that role, but different stuff is made for different people. They’re [Hollywood] is looking for a certain look and they’ll fit it to their liking.

TUD: You’ve spent your childhood on what most would think is a permanent summer vacation of traveling and having fun. If you weren’t doing comedy, what could you see yourself doing to past the time? College?

JJ: I’d be in school. I still want to do school. I wouldn’t mind having things rolling in my career and continue to do what I do, but for school – I’d want to do college either at LSU or USC or online. I wouldn’t mind Florida, either. I like black colleges – like Howard, but right now I’m focused.

TUD: They say great laughter is pulled from horrible pain – what has been one of the hardest things in your life that you turned into comedy gold?

JJ: The hardest thing, I think, right now, would be the Almost Grown DVD. It’s hard to be in the position that I’m in now. When you’re at that stage that I’m at, you want to be a part of things that you’re end up being stuck in the middle. I want to do a role for the movie, but they’d say that I’m too young or too old depending on what it is. I was even thinking about getting the rid of the “Lil’” off my name, but there’s another comedian from Atlanta named JJ. So, if you hear JJ by itself, that’s not me doing shows.

Almost Grown DVD is in stores now.