1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Welcome to the episode of butter Nomics. I'm 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,440 Speaker 1: your host, Brandon Butler, found in CEO of Butter atl 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: And Today. Man, we got somebody special in the building. Man, 4 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:11,120 Speaker 1: we got the one, the only, mister Greg Mike, Greg Mike. 5 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,159 Speaker 1: How you doing, sir, I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. 6 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: Appreciate it. Oh man, thanks for pulling up. And I 7 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: got to ask now because we're gonna have a long conversation. 8 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: It's gonna be good. But I need to know do 9 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: I need to address you as Greg Mike everything? I 10 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: gotta say the whole thing. I can try call quest 11 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: or like, did I just call you Greg? Mister Mike, Like, 12 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: how do you want me to do it? Whatever? 13 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 2: Whatever is comfortable. But now most people just Greg or 14 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 2: GM or whatever. Greg is easy? 15 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: Cool man, it's not. 16 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 2: It's a shortened it's a shortened name for my legal name, 17 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: which is a mouthful. So it's a lot easier than 18 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:38,319 Speaker 2: the legal name. 19 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, I just had to ask people. Man, Like 20 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: I said, I got some people and say, you gotta 21 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: say the whole thing. I'm like, it's just the first 22 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: middle name. 23 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 2: Man. 24 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: Cool. Hello, appreciate you pulling up. Man, Look, you do 25 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: a lot of work around, a lot of amazing work 26 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: around Atlanta, your artists all over the place. You can't 27 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: miss it. I've seen it for years, been a fan 28 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: of it. So I'm really glad you had a chance 29 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: to pull up. Im gonna have a great conversation day, man. 30 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: So thanks coming to button Nomics. 31 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: Appreciate it. Stoke to be here. 32 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: So look, man, one of the things we you know, 33 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: instead of telling people tell us about yourself and all 34 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: this kind of stuff, what I like to do. I 35 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: have to ask chat cheapt to write a bio about 36 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: all our guests. And I read you the bio that 37 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: chat ChiPT has about you, and you tell me, is 38 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: chat cappin? Is it on point? Is it missing anything? 39 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna read you when I wrote it and 40 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,119 Speaker 1: said who is mister Greg Mike and Atlanta? What chat 41 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: cheapt said about you? And I got the good version too, 42 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 1: So it came back to some good stuff like you got. 43 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: You got a couple pieces on here, man, Some people 44 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 1: just have like one or two lines. Okay, so you're 45 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: ready for this. Let's hear it all right, let's do this. 46 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: Greg Mike is one of the artists who helped Bill, 47 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: who helped shape the visual language of modern Atlanta. He 48 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: grew up on graffiti, built a whole universe of characters 49 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: that people recognize instantly, and turned that style into a 50 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: global brand. His signature character, Larry Loudmouth shows up on 51 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,639 Speaker 1: walls from the belt Line to Miami to the Swiss Alps, 52 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: and his work has been featured in museums, festivals, and 53 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: major collaborations across art, music, and tech. He's founder of 54 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: the ABV Gallery and ABV Agency at Creative House He's 55 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: started back in two thousand and eight that now works 56 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: with brands like Nike, Coca Cola, Google, Facebook, the Atlanta Braves, 57 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: and artists across the world. ABV is a gallery, a 58 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: production studio, and home base for his expanding creative world, 59 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: including murals, installations, merch art, toys, and digital work. He 60 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: recently opened a new ABV Gallery inside a converted church 61 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: in East Atlanta Village and launched a new chapter of 62 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: his work with the New Chapter Exhibition. His pieces have 63 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: been collected by people like Justin Bieber, Diplo, Swiss Beats, 64 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,359 Speaker 1: and more, while staying rooted in Atlanta's culture and neighborhood. 65 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: At this point, he's not just an artist, he's an entrepreneur, 66 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: a builder, and someone who understands how to take an 67 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: idea that starts on a sketch pad and turn into 68 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: a full business ecosystem. That's mister Greg. Mike, what do 69 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: you think about chatchibt Man's an all points and missing anything? 70 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: What's up? 71 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: That was very nice? Yeah, and I mean I think 72 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 2: they pretty much covered everything. Definitely some interesting facts there. Yeah, 73 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 2: I mean that's a lot. 74 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: The Swiss Alps that jumped out to me talking about 75 00:02:58,240 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: the Swiss Alps. 76 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, Swiss Alps pay there for a festival called Vision Art. 77 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Seeah Man, there was a lot of interesting stuff on 78 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: the Swiss Alps. Tell me about that. How that happen? 79 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's probably one of the wildest. You know, you 80 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: get a lot of people that ask there, like, you know, 81 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 2: what's your favorite project you ever worked on, or where's 82 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: the craziest place you've ever painted? And I think the 83 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: Swiss Alps is definitely top of that list. And that 84 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 2: was one of those where just you know, random email 85 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: comes through from a curator just found the work online 86 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: and a festival called Vision Art Festival in Switzerland. It 87 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: happens on the top of a ski resort where they 88 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: do it during the summer and artists go up on 89 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: the mountain and they paint like the cinder blocks that 90 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: hold the ski lifts. So that was just one of 91 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: those like, you know, pinch myself kind of moments, like, Wow, 92 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: I guess this whole career thing's working out. You know, 93 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: I'm sitting on top of the Swiss Alps looking down, 94 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: you know, I'm seeing cows and you know, it's the 95 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: middle of the summer, and looking down at the village 96 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: and looking up at the snow capped mountains on the 97 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 2: other side of the Swiss Alps, and yeah, I think 98 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 2: it was just one of those one those like really moments, 99 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 2: you're like, all right, we did it, you know. 100 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: You know what's always interesting to me is I've done 101 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: a lot of different things in my career, and I've 102 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: been a lot of places, and there are moments when 103 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: I take a step and I kind of think to myself, 104 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: It's amazing what knowing how to use a keyboard is 105 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: done for me. And it sounds like that's kind of 106 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: one of those moments for you, right, It's amazing with 107 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: just knowing how to make art and be creative. It's 108 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: able to take you all across the world. Have you 109 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 1: ever had a moment like that? Yeah? 110 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 2: I try to, you know, And this is something that 111 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 2: I'm like constantly dealing with. And I was literally having 112 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 2: a conversation with similar with my wife this morning. Is like, 113 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: it's so easy to get caught up in the grind 114 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 2: and the hustle. Yeah, you really do have to like 115 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 2: force yourself to take those moments, because I feel like 116 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: you get so caught up in this like whirlwind of 117 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 2: like trying to like move the goal post forward, and 118 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 2: then you hit those goals, and then you never sit 119 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 2: back and like take a breather and really enjoy and reflect. 120 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 2: So as I get older, I think I'm trying to 121 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 2: do more of that because I think when you're young, 122 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: you just have such big aspirations and dreams and then 123 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 2: before you know, twenty years later and you look back 124 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 2: and you're like, all right, checked all those boxes, but 125 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 2: he you know, doesn't make am I happy? 126 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 3: Like? 127 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 2: Where am I at? This? 128 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: And that? 129 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 2: So? 130 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: So how do you so when somebody asks you what 131 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: you do? How would you explain what it is you do? Now? 132 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean a lot of times people, you know, 133 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: you meet somebody for the first time and they're like, 134 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 2: what do you do? And I mostly now just say 135 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 2: I do stuff in the art business, the art world, 136 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 2: because you know, I think just saying I'm an artist 137 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 2: is very limiting when I do have the gallery and 138 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: the Mural Festival and all these other things that chat 139 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 2: said nicely about me. But yeah, that's usually the intro, 140 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 2: which usually spawns a bunch of different questions on what 141 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: do you mean what do you do in the art world? 142 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 2: So yeah, I mean it's all I mean the way 143 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: that I look at it as like art and business, 144 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 2: like the art of business too, on how those worlds collide, 145 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 2: like creativity and business together. You know. 146 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I always talk about I think I'm in the 147 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: business of creativity. 148 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know. 149 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: I look, they don't want me to open up photoshop 150 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: or start being creative. I'm dangerous, not in a good way. 151 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: But I do think one of my superpowers is removing 152 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: obstacles for my team and helping them kind of figure 153 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: out like what we're trying to accomplish, and then also 154 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: just like creating space people to like, you know, just 155 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: do their own best work. Even though I probably suck 156 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: at doing that kind of stuff. You know what, Now 157 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: you're not from Atlanta originally, right now. 158 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 2: I was born in Danbury, Connecticut, northeast, and then my 159 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: parents split when I was pretty young and I moved 160 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 2: down to South Florida like West Palm area, and spent 161 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 2: most of my childhood years down there, high school and 162 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 2: all that. 163 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 3: Were you like a creative child or yeah, always creative, 164 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 3: always drawn to creativity, you know, into art, music, all that, 165 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 3: just everything creative as a youngster and you know, got 166 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 3: into graffiti and skateboarding, and I think that was like 167 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,160 Speaker 3: really what opened up my eyes to like street art 168 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 3: and the artwork. 169 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 2: And I remember as a kid, just like you know, 170 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 2: living in Connecticut. We were pretty much in the south 171 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: south West area Connecticut, and I used to take the 172 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 2: train like the you know, down to into New York 173 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 2: City on the weekends and I would just like stare 174 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 2: out like the windows of the train just see like 175 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 2: all this graffiti, and my mind would go crazy, like 176 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: I'm like, how are these people paying this? What does 177 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: it say? What does it mean? And uh, that just 178 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 2: opened my eyes to just like street art, graffiti art, 179 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 2: and like yeah, I just think it's like such like 180 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 2: a cooler aspect than just like a traditional painting or 181 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 2: a landscape piece, you know, And I've always just like 182 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 2: fell in love with it. 183 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's something I've I've I've learned somewhat a little 184 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: bit about graffiti. It's very interesting to me, like even 185 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: just like how it's done and like how it's placed. 186 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: And you know, people I guess like tagging on top 187 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: of other people's stuff, And I still understand how those 188 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: guys get up on top of those signs and stuff 189 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: like that. That's the one thing I will never understand 190 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: is just how does somebody get all the way up 191 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: here and do that? 192 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 2: Ladders and now people are using harness and rock climbing gear. 193 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: I'm crazy. 194 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's next level. But you know what a. 195 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: When when you came to Atlanta, Like what made you 196 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: think that, like this is a place that you could 197 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: really start to expand yourself creatively. 198 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, honestly, Like you know, I grew up when I 199 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 2: grew up in South Florida, I've always been super into music. 200 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 2: You know, I still dj I started djaying in college 201 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 2: and you know, used to mess around freestyle and all 202 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 2: that back in the day with my friends, like growing 203 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 2: up South Florida loved Outcasts. Outcast was like, to me, 204 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 2: super magical and like just the world they created like 205 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: visually in auto you know, through music and sound, and 206 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: they used to always talk about Atlanta and in my head, Atlanta, 207 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 2: you know, with these like at aliens, and they crafted 208 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 2: it as like this magical, out of this world place. 209 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 2: So like as I'm like, you know, thirteen fourteen fifteen, 210 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 2: as a kid, you know, bumping outcasts in my room 211 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 2: through like some you know, makeshift speaker system, I just 212 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 2: was like getting you know, like almost like brainwashed, like 213 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 2: you got to go to Atlanta. Atlanta, It's like it's, 214 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 2: you know, out of this world. So I think honestly, 215 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 2: to me, a lot of that was like them painting 216 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 2: that picture of what Atlanta was. And then growing up, 217 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 2: I went to Florida State for art, and I used 218 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 2: to just come up here on the weekends just because 219 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 2: I got like kind of burnt of the whole like party, 220 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 2: college football scene, and I was like, there's got to 221 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 2: be something bigger out there. So I was like, you know, 222 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: I look at the map, like what's the next bigger city. 223 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: And then obviously knowing about Atlanta as a young kid, 224 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 2: I was like, let me go to Atlanta. So I 225 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 2: used to shoot up here on the weekends. And I 226 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 2: think that was just like the eye opening awakening for 227 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: me because you know, I think I was, you know, 228 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 2: sophomore in college. All these other kids are just partying 229 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 2: and I'm focusing like on my art and how I 230 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: can start businesses, and like I said, like the creativity 231 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 2: aspect of it, how those worlds mesh together. I started 232 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 2: going to the museums, going to the boutiques, going to 233 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: you know, shows, festivals, and I just like fell in 234 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 2: love with just Atlanta and just like how unique and 235 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 2: diverse and like, you know, just the city. It's unlike 236 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 2: any other city in the world that I've ever been to. 237 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: You know, it has everything here, you know, and it's 238 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 2: like it still has that. I think it reminded me 239 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 2: a little bit too, of like up North, where it's 240 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 2: like with all the trees and like, you know, it's 241 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 2: like the city within the forest. You know. It had 242 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 2: a little bit of like up North Connecticut, New York 243 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 2: vibes with like all the you know, the trees and 244 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,439 Speaker 2: you can drive thirty forty five minutes outside of the 245 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,959 Speaker 2: city and be in some mountains similar like New York 246 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 2: if you go to Upstate New York. But then it 247 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 2: also had like that South Florida like city Miami vibe 248 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 2: of like you know, big buildings and you know felt 249 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 2: like a real like you know, real city you know 250 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 2: at the end of the day. So I think that's 251 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 2: why I like fell in love with It was like 252 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 2: a perfect mix of like all the things that I 253 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: was into, and it was just like I just looked 254 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 2: and saw that there was like tons of opportunity for 255 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 2: everything that I wanted to do creatively. You know, there 256 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 2: wasn't any street art or urban art you know galleries 257 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 2: at the time. I think when we opened, we were 258 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 2: like one of the first hand handfuls of like small galleries. 259 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: It just because that art movement hadn't really like exploded. 260 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 2: You know, there was a there's always been a great 261 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 2: graffiti scene here, but I think once like street art 262 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,439 Speaker 2: and murals and all that stuff got popular, you know, 263 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 2: there needed to be like a home for that. 264 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I think it's interesting too, like Evan 265 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: haven't grown up out here. And I mean again, I'm 266 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: obviously people, I'm the biggest outcast fans in the world. 267 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: I mean shout out to dream Big and graduations on 268 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: the Hall of Fame actually have done work with them 269 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: in different things, and it's even it's even funny too, 270 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: like just connecting with them sometimes like why is Big 271 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: Boy calling me? You know what I mean? Or like 272 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: why is Killer Mike calling me? Right now? That's that's 273 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: the crazy part about Atlanta. But you know, you said 274 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: something that was really interesting where you kind of saw 275 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: an opportunity, And I think that's one thing I would 276 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,559 Speaker 1: even kind of take a step back and kind of 277 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: call out, right, I think a lot of times, even 278 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: even as magical home as special as Atlanta is a place, 279 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,719 Speaker 1: when you grow up here, sometimes you take some things 280 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: for granted. And one thing I've kind of noticed is, Yeah, 281 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,239 Speaker 1: when people come from other perspectives, they just see opportunities 282 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: that we don't necessarily see. And I feel like it 283 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: kind of feels like that's what you're going to say, 284 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: and right, like like there was there were some pieces here, 285 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: but it felt like you kind of came in with 286 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 1: a little bit of a fresh perspective and you really 287 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: kind of saw some of the opportunities other people might 288 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: have overlooked. Is that is that accurate? 289 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think just being like in the scene and 290 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 2: like being a part of it too. You know, you 291 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 2: start to realize because I started traveling a lot from 292 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 2: my art. So I would go to San Francisco, i'd 293 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 2: go to La I go to Miami Foriarbasil, and I'd 294 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 2: come home. I'd like be on these like crazy emotional 295 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 2: like highs where I'm like, you know, I'm hanging at 296 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 2: the hanging at these galleries with all these street artists 297 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 2: and it's like feels like family, and you're riding these 298 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 2: like emotional roller coasters, and then you come home and 299 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 2: you're like, Okay, where's that in Atlanta? You know what 300 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 2: I mean. It's like I felt like if I I 301 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 2: was like, why do I have to go to these 302 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 2: other cities to experience you know, these street art galleries 303 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 2: and urban art galleries? You know, why not just create 304 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 2: something in our backyard? And I think that's where it 305 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 2: came from. And that's like been a big thing with 306 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 2: my whole Like, you know, business career is I don't 307 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 2: have I can't look back. You know. I do have 308 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 2: goals and things, you know, I'll write vision boards and 309 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 2: things like that, but I don't have like a business 310 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 2: plan that I started, you know, twenty years ago. When 311 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: I started that said Okay, this is exactly how everything's 312 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 2: mapped out. I feel like for me, it's been like 313 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 2: it's all just like feeling it as it's going right 314 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 2: and growing organically and not rushing into things where it's like, 315 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 2: you know, you start a gallery and then that goes 316 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 2: well and you grow it small, you know, take small risks, right, 317 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 2: but then it's like you're like, Okay, there's not a 318 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 2: mural festival that also does music, so I'm like, maybe 319 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 2: we should start that. But I feel like it's been 320 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 2: those like small baby steps that just happen organically and 321 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 2: naturally where it's like you're not just like pulling it out, 322 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 2: you realize there's a need for it, right, versus just 323 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 2: like coming up a little wild idea. 324 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I think it's kind of like what 325 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: we were talking about even before we you know, before 326 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: we started recording, right is. I know for Butter, I've 327 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 1: kind of felt a similar way. 328 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 2: Right. 329 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: I think there are things that I see that I 330 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 1: feel like needs exist, and I've kind of started to 331 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: use this platform to kind of help put those things 332 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: into existence. And I think that's the beauty of the 333 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: human mind is the ability to manifest things that start 334 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: as a thought. Like everything started as a thought. Literally 335 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: every single thing that you see you interact with started 336 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: in somebody's mind and they and they manifested into reality. 337 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: I think that's the beauty of the human mind and creativity. 338 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: It seems like you've kind of done a similar thing. 339 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: How did you kind of start to create this whole 340 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: creative world with all these the visual language and the characters, Like, 341 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: how do I all all that start to come about? 342 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 2: So I've always just like even when I was doing graffiti, 343 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 2: when I was growing up as a kid, I was 344 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: always more interested in like the characters. You know, graffiti's 345 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 2: mostly about letters and style of how you're tweaking letters. 346 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 2: But I was always interested in like characters. And I 347 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 2: think that just like from like as a young kid, 348 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 2: you know, growing up and being like stuck in front 349 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 2: of a TV screen when your parents have to work 350 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 2: all the time, and you know they're like here you go. 351 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 2: I mean the same way you know, parents throw iPads 352 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 2: in front of kids, now keep them busy. I mean 353 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 2: for me, it was nineteen nineties, you know cartoons, right, 354 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 2: you know, I grew up on the Disney cartoons, love 355 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 2: going to like disney World, you know, fall in love 356 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 2: with Walt Disney's whole world that he built. That was 357 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: more than just like a visual on a screen, right, 358 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 2: It's like it becomes like a whole three D world. 359 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 2: So like, I think for me that was a big 360 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 2: inspiration point. And then yeah, I think just seeing all 361 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 2: that mixed with the characters that come from like the 362 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 2: graffiti world, and then seeing like all the skateboard graphics 363 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 2: back in the day, I just started drawing my own 364 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 2: characters and it was like, you know, just that like 365 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: ADHD you know, repetitiveness of like just keeping my mind 366 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 2: and drawing characters. And a lot of times, like even 367 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 2: you know, in the graph world, it's like you're writing 368 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 2: your name over and over and over. It's almost like 369 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 2: an obsessive compulsive behavior a little bit kind of I 370 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: always talk to people about It's like, have you ever 371 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 2: been on a phone call and you'll just sit there 372 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 2: and you're writing your name or doing your signature over 373 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 2: and over and over again. And then you get off 374 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 2: an hour long call and you look at the notebook 375 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 2: and it's just like random doodles and your name, signature, whatever. 376 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 2: I was like, I feel like that's a lot of 377 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: like when I was drawing my characters, was just coming 378 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 2: out of that where it's like you're absorbing so much information. 379 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: I always feel like my brain is constantly recording, and 380 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 2: there's like that red light that's like beeping, you know, 381 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 2: on the side, like you know, and I'm always you know, 382 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 2: looking at things visually. Whenever I'm traveling, I'm processing all 383 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 2: that stuff, and then when it comes to the art world, 384 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: I'm releasing all that stuff. And it just happened that 385 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 2: I started drawing these, like these characters and continue to 386 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 2: draw a repetitive character, which then turned into like the 387 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 2: loudmouth character. Yeah, And if you look at it, there's 388 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 2: obviously like a lot of like inspiration from like the 389 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 2: rubber Hose animation stuff, that Walt Disney stuff, the nineteen 390 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: nineties graphics, skateboard graphics, things like that all meshed together, 391 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 2: and that's kind of where my aesthetic and style came from. 392 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 2: But it was never like planned out, you know, my characters. 393 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: But there's definitely like nods to like some of those 394 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 2: you know, retro cartoons and stuff. And I think it's 395 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 2: just like repetitiveness of creating characters, and now it's like 396 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 2: become this entire world now, which is everything from vinyls 397 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 2: to you know, soda brand and merch and collapse and 398 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 2: all that stuff. 399 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, and like one thing I even noticed about 400 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: a lot of the work that you do is it's 401 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: it's bright. It's like you know, it's it's you know, 402 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: it's again not to like connect street art like negativity 403 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: or anything like that, but like your character's usually smiling, 404 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like was that you know 405 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: the colors are bright there, cluse people wn't necessarily always 406 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: like go to like did that part? Also? Was that 407 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: also kind of part the vision? 408 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean to be honest, like I grew up 409 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: and as a pretty angry child, you know, it's all 410 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 2: about like anarchy, and I think, like, you know, it's 411 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 2: all about you know, as a kid like getting into 412 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 2: like skateboarding and graph and all that, it's all about 413 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 2: like destruction. I think I hit a personal point in 414 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 2: my life when I was like okay, because I used 415 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 2: to draw a lot of like dark kind of disturbing 416 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 2: art and my parents were like, what's wrong with you? 417 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 2: You need to go to therapy. You need to go 418 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 2: to a counselor like, which I did. And you know, 419 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 2: I think there was a certain turning point where I 420 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 2: was like, Okay, whatever is if I start like putting 421 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 2: positive stuff out there and use my art as more 422 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: of a mirror and when I'm putting these murals up 423 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 2: and canvases, like, you know, looking at it as a 424 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 2: mirror and what I hope to see and not like 425 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 2: dwelling on the dark stuff that was inside of me. 426 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,719 Speaker 2: So I started like using more bright colors and started 427 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 2: drawing smiling characters and faces. And then like the reaction 428 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 2: that I got from public people were like they're like, oh, 429 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 2: this brings a smile on my face, and then they're 430 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:50,719 Speaker 2: starting to talk to me different, which then affects my 431 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 2: mood and makes me feel better, you know, and more positive. 432 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 2: And you know, I think it's like it's like anything, 433 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 2: It's like the energy you put out is what you're 434 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 2: going to get back. And I started to notice when 435 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 2: I changed my murals in my art from like looking 436 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 2: dark and disturbing to more positive stuff, you know, it 437 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 2: inspired other people and inspired myself and made me feel better. 438 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 2: So I think nowadays it's just I have to do 439 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: that because even me, when I look at it and 440 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 2: I see a smiling character, it brings happiness and joy 441 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 2: to my life. You know, there's people that say that 442 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 2: they drive by and they see my murals and the 443 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 2: bright colors and you know, brightens their mood on their 444 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,919 Speaker 2: way to work or whatnot. But I think that's important. 445 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 2: And like, especially as you start doing more public art 446 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 2: and people fly you around the world, do these murals, 447 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 2: Like I don't want to be painting stuff with people's 448 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 2: neighborhoods and I'm not from that are just gonna, you know, 449 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 2: make them feel down down in the dumps. Right, It's 450 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 2: like when I can bring some color and positivity and 451 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,400 Speaker 2: bright energy, I think is a win for everybody. 452 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely. Now, now, how did Arry Where did Larry Loudmouth 453 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: come from? Because that's like your most iconic known characters, 454 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: Like how did he come to the. 455 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, so again, like I was drawing this like character, 456 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 2: and I kept drawing this reoccurring mouth with this chip 457 00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 2: tooth and it just on repetitive you know objects. And 458 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 2: I remember it was time like this was the MySpace 459 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 2: days and you know social media, and I had to 460 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 2: make an icon and I used to I started the 461 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 2: whole thing with painting on the cans, and like now 462 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 2: that it's evolved into this mad pop like soda brand. 463 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,239 Speaker 2: I didn't have any money growing up as a kid, 464 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 2: and art supplies are super expensive, and I was, you know, 465 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:24,719 Speaker 2: drinking soda and beer and all this stuff, like right 466 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 2: out of college, and I had all these empty cans 467 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 2: that I was recycling and I was like, why don't 468 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 2: I paint this? So like that's where that came from. 469 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 2: Was I started painting all these soda cans. I did 470 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 2: a whole show of one hundred cans, showed it in 471 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 2: San Francisco at a gallery that my buddy was running, 472 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 2: and then they all sold out. And that was like 473 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 2: the jump start of my career, which was like again 474 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 2: never planned, just like used what I had at my 475 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 2: fingertips to make, you know, something out of nothing and 476 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:52,400 Speaker 2: created this and now it's like evolved into all these 477 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 2: other things, which is crazy. But back to the MySpace thing, 478 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 2: like you know, during this whole time, I was like, Okay, 479 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 2: I gotta start marketing. I gotta start branding. Let's use 480 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 2: social media. And I was moving like my soda can 481 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 2: character that was you know, a picture of a hand 482 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 2: painted can. I didn't even have it. I didn't even 483 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: really know illustrator a photoshop. So it was a picture 484 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 2: of a can that I'm moving around in the square 485 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 2: MySpace profile, you know, And the only thing that kind 486 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 2: of really fit on there was the mouth, like you know, 487 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 2: the nose was cut off. The I did and fit, 488 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 2: but the mouth kind of fit perfect in that square. 489 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 2: And same thing. I was like, I need to make 490 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 2: some stickers, and you know, all I could afford at 491 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 2: the time was like I wanted like a die cut 492 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 2: sticker of the can, and that was like, you know, 493 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:32,879 Speaker 2: an extra five hundred bucks, and I'm like, it was 494 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: like one hundred bucks. You can get one hundred stickers, 495 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 2: but they're basic squares. So the same thing, move the 496 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 2: can around on there, and the square fit perfect. Adjusted 497 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 2: a few things, and that's where like the square original 498 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 2: Loudmouth came from. Then down the road, Instagram and Twitter 499 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 2: decided to change into a circular icon kind of screwed 500 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 2: up my whole game. 501 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 3: But I. 502 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 2: But nah, it was perfect for a while. But that's 503 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 2: where the stickers came from. And then I started putting 504 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 2: them on the streets. People started to recognizing them, you know, 505 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,159 Speaker 2: they're all over and I think that's where like the 506 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: loudmouth came from. But for me, the loudmouth has always 507 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 2: been an expression of like I don't know as a kid, 508 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 2: it's a youngster again, like the aggression, not understanding how to, 509 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 2: like I guess, properly express yourself. Like it always felt 510 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 2: like I've always tried to say things but don't can't 511 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 2: always get the right words to express myself. And when 512 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 2: you look at that character, I feel like you see 513 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 2: a little bit of that energy where it's like it's 514 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:27,880 Speaker 2: almost like you're screaming. You ever have a dream where 515 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 2: like you're screaming, but like no words are coming out 516 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 2: of your mouth. Yeah, I feel like that's kind of 517 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 2: like a lot of times the energy that you see 518 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 2: in my art, where it's like maybe it's just mentally 519 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 2: like you know there's a lot going on and screaming 520 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 2: and but like you don't know how to portray that. 521 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 2: So like these images of these characters that are just 522 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 2: like almost screaming as a representation of those feelings. 523 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 1: That's interesting, man, So when was the first moment like 524 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:52,160 Speaker 1: you've been doing this stuff and all of a sudden, 525 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: you know, it's kind of because I think a lot 526 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: of times too, you get busy doing the work and 527 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: you're just kind of like making it happen. There's probably 528 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: like a moment where you I don't know, either you 529 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 1: see it slightly differently or you see it somewhere else, 530 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: Like what was that moment when you were like, oh, 531 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: like this is the thing? 532 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's like little bits and pieces, like 533 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 2: the Swiss Alps thing was one of those like wow moments. 534 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 2: You know, I just painted a whole installation of the 535 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 2: Salvador Dali Museum in Saint Petersburg, Florida, where I painted 536 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 2: an entire room, you know floor, you know, three walls, 537 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 2: three walls, the whole floor, And that was one of 538 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 2: those moments where I was like, you know, I grew 539 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 2: up like Dolly Warhol, Keith Haring. Those are like some 540 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 2: of my biggest inspirations ever. You know. I have books, 541 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 2: you know, in my house in my studio of all 542 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 2: these artists and then to get invited to be an 543 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 2: artist that's you know, to paint a mural that's inspired 544 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 2: by his work. Those are like those moments when you're like, okay, 545 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 2: you know this is this is this is working? 546 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: How long does it take to play something like that 547 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: when you get those kind of opportunities and projects and 548 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: you're looking at it, like, what is kind of the 549 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: planning process behind it? Look? 550 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 2: I mean that one was way more because you know, 551 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 2: I was going into like a world that I haven't 552 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: really I have never done, like a fully immersive three 553 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 2: sixty world like that where it's like the floor, all 554 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 2: the walls, you know, a crew of you know, four 555 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 2: people working with me to like get it done, because 556 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 2: a lot of times it's like you're racing up against 557 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 2: the clock because they have a big opening and it's 558 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 2: like you can't be you know, stuck with a brush 559 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 2: in your hand, and people are walking in the doors 560 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 2: and the murals half done or installs have done. So 561 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 2: that one took a lot of planning where it was like, Okay, 562 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 2: we need to know exactly how much pain we need. 563 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 2: We need to know exactly what every single wall looks like, 564 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 2: all the colors, all the brushes, all the tools. The 565 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 2: whole crew got to be people that I've worked with before. 566 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,400 Speaker 2: Can't be folks that are new to painting or new 567 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 2: to a job like this, willing to work you know late, 568 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 2: because you know it's like a lot of times we're like, Okay, 569 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:45,959 Speaker 2: we need to be at X by this day. If 570 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 2: we're not done by this wall by Tuesday at six pm, 571 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 2: we're not going to make it to the finish line 572 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 2: on time. So it's like you got to be working 573 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: with people that aren't you know, just like Okay, it's 574 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 2: five o'clock, I'm going to clock out, go to the 575 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 2: hotel and sip some margarita's. Like you know, it's got 576 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 2: to be people that are down for the cause and 577 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 2: understand the vision, that are down to ride with you, 578 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 2: you know, because a lot of times it is like 579 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 2: that where it's like you know, you're like, Okay, we're 580 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 2: working through the night tonight to like hit this deadline. 581 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. You know, one of the things I hear from 582 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: a lot of people that come on the podcast is 583 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 1: the importance of importance of having a good team. Yeah, Like, 584 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: what have you learned about building the right kind of 585 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 1: team as you've kind of you know, built your brand 586 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: and built your company around that. 587 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean I always say like, I would not 588 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 2: be in this place i am today without my team. 589 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 2: My team is you know, they're the greatest. And it's 590 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 2: taken twenty years, you know, and I have people that 591 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 2: have you know, that have been with me that were 592 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 2: interns that started when we're in a tiny little studio downtown, 593 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,479 Speaker 2: you know, fairly popular district, you know, and that are 594 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 2: still with me, still riding, still seeing the vision. And 595 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 2: you know, I think that says a lot, you know, 596 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 2: making sure you take care of people and give people 597 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 2: their space and encourage them to do what they want 598 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 2: creatively to. You know, everybody has dreams, so we try 599 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 2: to support that as much as we can, you know. 600 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 2: And I think of the great thing about having like 601 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 2: a gallery is like, you know, it's a place too, 602 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 2: like a lot of these folks are artists and you know, 603 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 2: giving them opportunity. And it's been awesome to see like 604 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 2: people that started off as interns now that have huge 605 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 2: art careers that are on our team. And that's just 606 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 2: like you know, the team supporting the team and the 607 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 2: team offering placements on the gallery walls when it might 608 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 2: be their first art show, or giving people time to 609 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 2: do other creative projects and you know, take time off 610 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 2: to follow those dreams too. But yeah, I've always been like, 611 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 2: you know, I try to make sure I think, like 612 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 2: you've got a vibe with people. At the end of 613 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 2: the day, you know, there's people that come and go 614 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 2: that just aren't the right fit, or you know, there's 615 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 2: people that grow out of the positions and you've got 616 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 2: to be okay with that too. But then there's also 617 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 2: people that are down to ride and see the benefit 618 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 2: of being on a team and how it can be 619 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 2: mutually beneficial. But I mean, teamwork makes the dream work. 620 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 2: It's the name of the game. 621 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: You can't do it without people, man Like, That's one 622 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 1: thing I've learned over the year is one hundred percent 623 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: need you know, good people around you and people that 624 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 1: believe in the vision, and like you said, kind of 625 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: bringing the right folks in they can really kind of 626 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,400 Speaker 1: help you take things to the next level. And even 627 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: you kind of think about, you know, the stuff you're doing, 628 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: like you kind of mentioned, you know, starting off and 629 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: then abb ABV come sorry, I'm country, ABV. I'm sorry, 630 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 1: I country all my words out of the same. But 631 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: like it's funny because I was as you were talking, 632 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 1: I was thinking about what Dre said during his rock hall, 633 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 1: you know speech about little rooms, right and how big 634 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:24,439 Speaker 1: things starting little rooms, and you just talked about you know, 635 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: y'all starting a smaller space and new grown. And I 636 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: remember I went to some of the earlier Vince y'all 637 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 1: had at the the old gallery, and now I have 638 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 1: a whole new gallery. Like how did that whole church 639 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: project the whole new ABV gallery come to play? 640 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. Again, it's one of those like organic things. I 641 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 2: don't think like ever I would have ever imagined of 642 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 2: owning a building, renovating a building, building out like a 643 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 2: creative compound like that, because I think it was just 644 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 2: it happened out of true like you know, just evolution 645 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 2: and growth organically, Like I keep going back to that, 646 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 2: but it's it's the truth. It's like, you know, I 647 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 2: wouldn't have ever jumped and took an our risk, you know, 648 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: that large unless we you know, had the small space 649 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 2: packed out events for you know, we were there fifteen years. 650 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:07,959 Speaker 2: You know, we were all huddled up there was we 651 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 2: were running you know, huge projects upstairs out of our 652 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 2: for our agency. You know, there was probably ten people 653 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: working up there in a small little you know, five 654 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:20,959 Speaker 2: hundred square foot little room up there. But I think 655 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 2: it's just like we got to a certain point of 656 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 2: growth and for me, I was like we got to 657 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 2: grow this thing. You know. People need more space, they 658 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 2: need to be they need to feel comfortable. And we 659 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 2: even heard like there was people that were like, I 660 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 2: can't come to your events anymore because they're two packed 661 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 2: because the room is you know, too small. So for me, 662 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,639 Speaker 2: I I'd always wanted to grow. It was just like 663 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 2: making sure it was the right fit. And then started 664 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,119 Speaker 2: looking at properties, probably like six years ago, and you know, 665 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 2: I was, you know, over here on the West Side, 666 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 2: but like everything like there was a little something off, 667 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 2: you know, like I'd go to a building and they'd 668 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 2: be like, no roof, and they'd be like, you can 669 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 2: put a roof on this thing, and I'm like, I 670 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 2: don't know if I want to get into the like, 671 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 2: you know. And then we came across that building East 672 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 2: Atlanta Village, you know, which was a chair and I 673 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 2: met the owner and she was super sweet and she 674 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 2: was just ready to kind of retire. And it's just 675 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:07,920 Speaker 2: like the energy felt right. You know. It's one of 676 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 2: those things like when you walk in and you're like, Okay, 677 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 2: this is it. This feels right. I see the vision, 678 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 2: you know, crystal clear, and yeah, it was crazy. It 679 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 2: was a four year renovation of the building, you know, 680 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 2: permitting all that, and you know, we want to make 681 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 2: sure everything was by the books and done right and 682 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 2: built out to the tee with like you know, from 683 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 2: an architectural standpoint, but then also like just from like 684 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 2: a flow standpoint, thinking of everything we needed. And it's 685 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 2: wild to see it. And now we've been here in 686 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 2: there over a year. You know. We just hosted an 687 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 2: event last weekend was for Summer Walker's album release party 688 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 2: with YouTube, which was a crazy one. It's things like 689 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 2: that again. It's like, you know, you you look back 690 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 2: and you're like, did that just happen? Like if you 691 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 2: would have told me that, like, you know, four or 692 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: five years ago, I've been like you lyeing, you know. 693 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 2: So it's cool to see these things happen. 694 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: And yeah, you know, one of my big things is 695 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: when moments like that happened, like you say, kind of 696 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: take it a second, to kind of just take it 697 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 1: all in. When when everything was done, when all the 698 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: renovations were complete, when the paint was dry, and before 699 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: the first event that you just kind of like just 700 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: walk into the space and just just like soak it 701 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: all in. 702 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I still have like even yesterday, I like 703 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 2: waited for all the staff to leave and they were like, 704 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 2: you're gonna lock up today. I was like, yeah, and 705 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 2: I'll just like go out in the middle of the 706 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 2: floor and like you know, in the main gallery and 707 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 2: just look around and just like take a moment for myself. Yeah, 708 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 2: I feel like you got to do that stuff. 709 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,479 Speaker 1: No, No, those moments are important man. Again, Like especially 710 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,479 Speaker 1: when you're in the work and all the things are 711 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: kind of happening, Like I said, you need those moments 712 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: like those are the ones that really really impact. I 713 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: know for me, I've been trying to be a lot 714 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: more intentional about doing those kinds of things. We we 715 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 1: did the four or four day parade, you know, it 716 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: was funny. That was my baby, and that was literally 717 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: an idea that I had like last year, and that's 718 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 1: always That's what that makes that makes that was what 719 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 1: makes Atlanta so interesting is the fact we were to 720 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: pull that off in a year. You know, thirty five 721 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: hundred people walked in it. But I remember, man, like 722 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: we had rented out the Civic Center as like our 723 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 1: loading space, and we also closed on Ivan Allen had 724 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: thirty five hundred people lined up and I said, let 725 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: me just go. Look. So I get I grab a scooter, right, 726 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: and like we had P Street sheet PA Street shut down. 727 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: I had all the intersections blocked from here all the 728 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: way to underground Atlanta. And I get in my scooter 729 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: and I'm just riding down P Street Street and it's empty, 730 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: and I mean the street is empty, but there's like 731 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: nobody on the streets. And I just thought to myself, 732 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: I said, damn it, nobody's gonna come to my parade 733 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: like I did all this work. I said, this is 734 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: gonna be me. And I saw my mom out there. 735 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: I said, be me and my mom at this damn parade, right, 736 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: And so I was I was a little I was like, okay, 737 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: it'll be fine. And I drove back on the scooter 738 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: and went back. I said let's start, and we started it. 739 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: And I don't know where these people came from. It's 740 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:45,480 Speaker 1: like people just fell out the sky. And as we 741 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: started going down, it was people everywhere. And I'm not 742 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 1: gonna lie, man, I shed a little thug tier one 743 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 1: or two like walking down there. Like as everything kind 744 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: of happened, right, you were like, I can't believe that 745 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 1: this idea that started right here in your mind, brought 746 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: all these people out to the point that like the 747 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: city is shut down. People a walk in like it 748 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: was a moment, you know. 749 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 2: I love that. No, that's like one thing. Like it's funny, 750 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 2: like when people get married, I always tell them something 751 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 2: similar because I think it was one of the greatest 752 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 2: pieces of advice someone gave me when me and my 753 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: wife got married. They're like, make sure because you know, 754 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 2: everything goes so fast. Like you know, They're like, make 755 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 2: sure in the middle of your wedding, like at the reception, 756 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 2: when everyone's partying, everyone's drinking, the music is blasting, take 757 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 2: a step outside with your wife. Go outside and like 758 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 2: walk away from the venue and turn around and look, 759 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 2: you know, and look at look at everybody. Everybody that's 760 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 2: there for you. Everything that you like led up to 761 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 2: this moment, because I feel like, you know, if you 762 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 2: don't take a minute to pause and like reflect and 763 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 2: see that, you know, everything just goes by and it's like, 764 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 2: you know, yeah, you need those moments. I mean, it's 765 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 2: the same thing like with business. It's like even when 766 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 2: we did the grand opening of the show, I did 767 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 2: the same thing. I was like, let's walk outside, look 768 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 2: at this line, look at these people, Look at all 769 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 2: these people that support you, you know, look at all 770 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 2: these people that believe in your vision. You know I think, yeah, 771 00:31:58,880 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 2: you gotta do that. 772 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. No, Now when it comes to business, like, how 773 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: do you all, you know, approach when brands come to 774 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: work with you, Like, how do you think about is 775 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: this the right kind of collaboration? And more importantly, you know, 776 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: how do you make sure that you know what you 777 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: want to do is what kind of makes sense? Because 778 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:14,800 Speaker 1: you know, these you know, these brands, the agency people, 779 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: they have lots of big ideas and it's like, okay, 780 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: but this is also my thing and in the way 781 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 1: I look, So how do you kind of work and 782 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 1: keep that balance? 783 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 2: Yeah? One thing, So, I mean, we have our creative agency, 784 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 2: which you know works with various brands, and you know, 785 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 2: we have six you know, over six hundred artists now 786 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 2: globally that we're working with on various creative projects. But 787 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 2: then there's also like the Greg mic brand, which is 788 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:37,000 Speaker 2: my personal art and stuff. So there's collaborations that happen 789 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 2: on that side too with brands. So one thing I 790 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 2: always say is like for the collaborations for anything like 791 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 2: Greg Mike branded with stuff, like, it has to be 792 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 2: something in my lifestyle, right, something that I actively use, 793 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 2: like or that I'm like would like to use, right, 794 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 2: because I do get brands all the time, that it'll 795 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 2: be some random obscure product. You know, I'm not going 796 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 2: to mention any brand names, but you know they'll come 797 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 2: to me and be like, hey, can you do this 798 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 2: and collab with us on this? And I'm like, if 799 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 2: it's not like actively a part of my lifestyle, then 800 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,479 Speaker 2: I'll say no to it, yea. And then usually at 801 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 2: that point, like it'll get past the agency, and that's 802 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:13,239 Speaker 2: an opportunity for other artists because there are a lot 803 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 2: of other artists that might be into those products or 804 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 2: might you know, utilize these products, that would be interested 805 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 2: in that opportunity. So it's cool because it's like, if 806 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 2: it's not a fit for the Greg Mike brand in 807 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 2: my art there's you know, I'm sure there's an artist 808 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 2: out there that might be interested in it. So we're 809 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 2: able to kind of like share those resources. But yeah, 810 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 2: I mean everything that I've ever collabed with, whether it's 811 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 2: like you know, you know Louisville slugger, I did a 812 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,479 Speaker 2: baseball that like grew up paying baseball, always dreamed of 813 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 2: like collaborating with the Polaroid camera, like got a custom polaroid, 814 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 2: Like grew up loving polaroids and like always taken, I mean, 815 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 2: always had them at the studio. So it's like it's 816 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 2: got to be that's it's got to check that box 817 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 2: because otherwise it doesn't come across authentic too, you know. 818 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 2: Like I feel like it's easy for artists, influencers, celebrities, 819 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 2: you know, like do these colaw labs and like people 820 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 2: are like, dude, come on, man, like that's a check. 821 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:05,280 Speaker 2: Like let's be real, Like you don't you don't use 822 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 2: that in your lifestyle. So and I think like people 823 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:10,240 Speaker 2: are so smart with the Internet and social media these days, 824 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 2: like they can tell, like they see you endorsing a 825 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,399 Speaker 2: product and they're like, that's that's just a money play, 826 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 2: you know. So and I'm very sensitive about my art 827 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 2: brand and because you have to be when it when 828 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 2: it comes to like fine art and selling paintings, but 829 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,920 Speaker 2: then also the brands that you're collaborating with, because it's 830 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 2: easy to turn off your collectors and that's like a 831 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 2: very sensitive area of like artists that do commercial brand 832 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:32,879 Speaker 2: plays as well. 833 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, now when you're now help me understand too, because 834 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: you kind of talked about the way the agency is 835 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:39,919 Speaker 1: set up, Like there's you know, the greg Mic side 836 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:41,839 Speaker 1: of it. There's also an agency, like like how does 837 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,000 Speaker 1: that side of the agency work? You have multiple artists 838 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 1: that you know, work with there. They kind of have 839 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: different approaches like how does that side of agency? 840 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 2: So to kind of break it down easiest, there's like 841 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 2: to think about it, there's three pillars, right, There's like 842 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 2: the greg Mic art brand, which is probably what most 843 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 2: people see the murals, like you said, on the street, 844 00:34:57,040 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 2: or collabse or merch. Then there's abv agent Sis is 845 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 2: a full service creative house, which like Focus is more 846 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 2: like in the art space, so it's like anything from 847 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 2: like murals, collabse, you know, stuff with the sporting teams. 848 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 2: And then there's the gallery, which is just straight fine 849 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:13,360 Speaker 2: art right like you want to come in. There's no 850 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,760 Speaker 2: commercial attachment to it. It's like you're an art collector. 851 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 2: You want to buy a piece for your collection, your house, whatever. 852 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 2: And the agency and gallery work with close to six 853 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 2: hundred artists, like over six hundred ours globally, all different styles, abstract, 854 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 2: representational realism, whole nine. And then the agency and the 855 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:32,359 Speaker 2: gallery are playing you know, back and forth with each other, 856 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 2: so like they're constantly tapping the gallery. So like if 857 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,319 Speaker 2: we have a client that comes in and they say, hey, 858 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 2: we want to we have a new campaign coming up. 859 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 2: We want an artist from this area of this style, 860 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:45,919 Speaker 2: you know, they can go to the gallery and be like, hey, 861 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 2: who do we have in our rolodex that's vetted, that's 862 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 2: selling work, that's you know, legit. That's not just like 863 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:55,000 Speaker 2: a cold call, right and or a cold email to 864 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 2: a random artist. It's like people that we know that 865 00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 2: are going to show up and deliver and we've worked 866 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 2: with them before for and built a relationship with which 867 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:04,759 Speaker 2: is cool, and like, you know, because we're tracking all 868 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,640 Speaker 2: that data too, like we know, you know, this artist 869 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:09,799 Speaker 2: has sold x amount of pieces, and then there's there 870 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 2: this style and there from this you know, territory or whatever, 871 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 2: and they're vetted. And I think that's too, Like what 872 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:18,879 Speaker 2: a lot of these big brands and and clients want 873 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:20,920 Speaker 2: to know, you know, it's like they don't want to 874 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:23,359 Speaker 2: do a deal with an artist and then find out 875 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 2: six six weeks later they're and you know, Costa Rica 876 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:28,680 Speaker 2: surfing and they can't get the job done on time. 877 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 2: So yeah, it's like it's cool how it kind of 878 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,320 Speaker 2: like all plays together. And you know, as I'm traveling 879 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,800 Speaker 2: and like you know, going to different festivals where there's 880 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:38,840 Speaker 2: you know, Swiss Alps, I'm meeting these artists form and 881 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 2: relationships and then relaying that information back to the agency 882 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 2: in the gallery like hey, you know, we're constantly like 883 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 2: on Slack and we have like a whole new talent 884 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,319 Speaker 2: thread where I'm constantly dumping in, like I just met 885 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 2: this artist, you know, went out the other night. I 886 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 2: met this artist at this event, you know, sick work. 887 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:55,399 Speaker 2: Check out their portfolio. Maybe they could be a good 888 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 2: fit for this thing we got going up or coming up. 889 00:36:58,200 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 2: So it's a lot of that, you know. I kind 890 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 2: of try to just you know, put my wings out there, 891 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:05,720 Speaker 2: you know, meet different folks, you know, and then feed 892 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 2: that info into the agency and gallery and they can 893 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 2: kind of run with it how they need to. 894 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 1: Yeah. Now, one of the biggest parts, especially with businesses 895 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 1: money yep. And I asked this. I'm about to ask 896 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: this question very intentionally because I think this is something 897 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,000 Speaker 1: a lot of creative struggle with, Like how do you 898 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:24,640 Speaker 1: approach pricing creativity, especially like this one thing when it 899 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:27,799 Speaker 1: comes to you know, obviously like selling fine art all 900 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:29,319 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff, right, but like when it comes 901 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:31,799 Speaker 1: to a brand approaching you and you're trying to kind 902 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,279 Speaker 1: of idiate around a concept, like just I think that's 903 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: one thing that a lot of people struggle with is 904 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:38,920 Speaker 1: figured out, Like, you know, am I overpricing and underpricing myself? 905 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:40,719 Speaker 1: How to like what's your kind of methodology to figure 906 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:42,520 Speaker 1: out if a brand wants to work with you? How 907 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:43,880 Speaker 1: do y'all kind of get to that number? 908 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:47,520 Speaker 2: Yeah? No, I think the art world's definitely interesting because 909 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:51,600 Speaker 2: like fine art world, I mean, who can say it's 910 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 2: all at the end of the day, it's paint on 911 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 2: a canvas, right, And like who can say that painting's 912 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,800 Speaker 2: five million? Or who can say that painting's one hundred 913 00:37:57,800 --> 00:37:59,799 Speaker 2: and fifty dollars? You know, it's you know, it's up 914 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 2: to I mean obviously there's markets that determine pricing. Like 915 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,400 Speaker 2: if someone pays you know, X amount of dollars and 916 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:09,239 Speaker 2: reoccurring at that that value, then yeah, your work is 917 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,359 Speaker 2: probably worth that. You know, if you're constantly selling at 918 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 2: a certain price point, Uh. I think, like it's definitely 919 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 2: interesting because like you know, obviously, artists that have been 920 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 2: around longer that are doing brand deals or agency deals 921 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 2: or commercial collaborations like you know, you do have to 922 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,440 Speaker 2: take the fact into you know, how long they've been 923 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 2: doing it, and you know what's their reach and what's 924 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:34,279 Speaker 2: there nowadays. You know, unfortunately, brands, you know, look at 925 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:36,640 Speaker 2: social metrics and want to know, you know, if I'm 926 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 2: collaborating with you, you know, what are these metrics going 927 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:40,360 Speaker 2: to look like? On the back end, share some of 928 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:45,320 Speaker 2: your previous metrics and historicals. They want to see a 929 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,919 Speaker 2: lot of that stuff. And it's kind of a mix 930 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:53,360 Speaker 2: between you know, taking that information, you know, previous metrics, 931 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 2: previous projects, costs, and then also building backwards. I mean, 932 00:38:57,600 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 2: I think at the end of the day, it all 933 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 2: starts from a ground up like cost space, like what 934 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:02,880 Speaker 2: does it cost you to produce this project? You know, 935 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 2: that's everything from for example, like a mural, like you 936 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:10,080 Speaker 2: have lift cost, flight, hotel assistance, you know, all your 937 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 2: hard costs. I think it's always a start from there, right, 938 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:14,839 Speaker 2: and then it's like, okay, what does the artists want 939 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,440 Speaker 2: to make and then like the agency has margins to 940 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 2: cover overhead and all those things to make sure we 941 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:23,320 Speaker 2: keep the lights on and pay our team. So over years, 942 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 2: you know, we figure out the formulas. But I think, yeah, 943 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:28,920 Speaker 2: the trickiest part is always like going to the artists 944 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:32,200 Speaker 2: or even with myself, like you know, how much what's 945 00:39:32,239 --> 00:39:34,959 Speaker 2: the artist fee? Right, It's like you have your hard 946 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,359 Speaker 2: costs and you have your margins built in to make 947 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 2: sure from a business respective you're making money and you're profitable. 948 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 2: But then it's always like, yeah, I think that's the 949 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:44,320 Speaker 2: biggest thing because a lot of things, you know, a 950 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:46,600 Speaker 2: lot of time a brand will come to us and 951 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 2: until we speak to an artist and be like, hey, 952 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 2: here's the gig, here's the scope, Like what do you 953 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:52,120 Speaker 2: want to make on this thing? We can't put a 954 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:54,359 Speaker 2: real budget together. Yeah, you know, we can put our 955 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 2: hard costs together. But if the artist is like, hey, 956 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,720 Speaker 2: I want to make sixty grand off this thing, versus 957 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:01,040 Speaker 2: I want to make fifteen grand, that's a whole different story. 958 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, Like it's you know, it's interesting, Like you know, 959 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:05,920 Speaker 1: that's always a funny part of the conversation. Right, It's 960 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:07,839 Speaker 1: always like, well, what's your budget? How much does it cost? 961 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 1: And it's like, yeah, but you got to understand too. 962 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:12,080 Speaker 1: Like I had I had a client and that came 963 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:13,799 Speaker 1: to me with a number for a project the other week, 964 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 1: and I just looking at it like I was like, 965 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 1: I want to do this, but I'm not gonna make 966 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,440 Speaker 1: any money off of it, just because I know what 967 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:22,959 Speaker 1: the art the hard costs are associated with this thing, 968 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:26,600 Speaker 1: and your number is gonna barely cover those hard costs. 969 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:29,799 Speaker 1: And plus, if I'm just being honest, you're just making 970 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:31,880 Speaker 1: that number up. I'm so tired of y'all coming up 971 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,319 Speaker 1: these like arbitrary round Like I tell people all the time, 972 00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:36,280 Speaker 1: it's so funny, man. It's like a lot of people 973 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 1: think they think, you know, five, ten, twenty. It's like, yeah, 974 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:42,040 Speaker 1: but there's nuances that kind of stuff. So even folks 975 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:43,920 Speaker 1: come to me with projects, I tell them, I say, look, 976 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 1: give me a number, and my my goal with the 977 00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 1: work that we do is to try to give you 978 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 1: as much value as possible for that number. Now, I'm 979 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:53,800 Speaker 1: going to try to meet it or meet somewhere. But 980 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 1: at the same time, I'm gonna tell you, if you're 981 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 1: telling me that this is what you got, I'm gonna 982 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 1: tell you this is what it takes yeah, and we 983 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:00,919 Speaker 1: can have that conversation. But yeah, I'm I'm way past 984 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 1: the days of you know, taking a loss on projects. 985 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:05,560 Speaker 1: Like you said, you got to build that margin in, 986 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:07,600 Speaker 1: you got to build those other elements in the lights on. 987 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think, I mean, it is a lot 988 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 2: of like education educating clients sometimes, like new clients. You know, 989 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:17,760 Speaker 2: it's like they think, oh, paint a mural, a giant 990 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:19,880 Speaker 2: you know, twenty foot thirty foot mural, Like they're not 991 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:21,879 Speaker 2: thinking of all that. They're not thinking that you need 992 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:25,920 Speaker 2: insurance for the artists, which we're covering right, Like, like 993 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:27,840 Speaker 2: there's so many things that go into it. They're not 994 00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 2: probably thinking you need a lift. They probably think you 995 00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:31,960 Speaker 2: just use the ladder that's in your back shed, you 996 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:33,799 Speaker 2: know what I mean. And the lift cost could be 997 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,360 Speaker 2: you know, ten grand, right, you know, paint could be 998 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,600 Speaker 2: five grand. It's like, yeah, I think a lot of 999 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:40,279 Speaker 2: times you have to kind of like break it out 1000 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:41,879 Speaker 2: and be like all right, I know in your head 1001 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:44,120 Speaker 2: you thought it was X, but like I'm going to 1002 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,239 Speaker 2: show you all these exact costs and we're not even 1003 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:47,239 Speaker 2: we're not even there yet. 1004 00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:49,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is just would cost to do this would 1005 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:50,279 Speaker 1: just to show up. 1006 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:54,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, so and a lot of people just don't know, 1007 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:56,640 Speaker 2: and it's like you kind of got to just you know, educate, 1008 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:58,800 Speaker 2: and you know, it's a learning process for some people. 1009 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,279 Speaker 2: It's like, you know, there's some people that just they're like, 1010 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:04,759 Speaker 2: here's my budget, make it happen. There's other people that 1011 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:06,319 Speaker 2: are you know, there's like this is all I got. 1012 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:08,839 Speaker 2: And that's a choice for the artists too. There's something 1013 00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:11,719 Speaker 2: and I'm sure, like you're saying, there's probably things where 1014 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:13,799 Speaker 2: you're like, Okay, I'm gonna look at this one as 1015 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:16,320 Speaker 2: a charity charity gig, and it's like I'm doing it 1016 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:18,480 Speaker 2: because I love it, and I maybe there's other opportunities 1017 00:42:18,560 --> 00:42:20,920 Speaker 2: or maybe there's a promise for future work or you know. 1018 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 2: I think you gotta kind of take those things as 1019 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:25,040 Speaker 2: they come and make those decisions. 1020 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, Again, like every project is different, there's some 1021 00:42:27,640 --> 00:42:30,480 Speaker 1: there's different reasons to take on different things, and it's 1022 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:31,959 Speaker 1: just something again I think that a lot of people 1023 00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:33,960 Speaker 1: struggle with because they don't necessarily have there's not a 1024 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:36,920 Speaker 1: there's not a class around how to price I tell 1025 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:38,759 Speaker 1: people a little bit subjective, but at the same time, 1026 00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 1: to your point, it is very much bottom up in 1027 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:44,560 Speaker 1: some capacities, right, Like, there are costs to do this work, 1028 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 1: and at a minimum, you need to figure out what 1029 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:49,000 Speaker 1: those costs are. You need to add on, like I said, 1030 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:51,160 Speaker 1: your margin, you add on what you're trying to make. 1031 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:52,839 Speaker 1: I mean that was that's one of the reasons. That's 1032 00:42:52,840 --> 00:42:55,200 Speaker 1: one of the things I really learned in working in 1033 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:57,399 Speaker 1: the agency space for a long time. And I tell 1034 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 1: people like, that's and that's when something Even with Atlanta too, 1035 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 1: I think Atlanta is a very I say, it's a 1036 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:05,799 Speaker 1: very like hustler focused city, and the problem with is 1037 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:07,279 Speaker 1: good and bad. The problem with that is you have 1038 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:09,160 Speaker 1: a lot of people that have never necessarily had like 1039 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:12,480 Speaker 1: formal training or formal work experience, and so they're kind 1040 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:14,560 Speaker 1: of like just figuring it out, and so there's always 1041 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:17,440 Speaker 1: that like push and pull. It's like, I know you're guessing, 1042 00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:18,920 Speaker 1: but let me also show you kind of how you 1043 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:21,239 Speaker 1: do it from a structured standpoint, Right. You merge those 1044 00:43:21,239 --> 00:43:23,279 Speaker 1: two things together, and that's where you kind of start 1045 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,680 Speaker 1: to figure out how it works for you because everybody's 1046 00:43:25,680 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 1: situation is different. One thing I would also ask you too, though, 1047 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:31,080 Speaker 1: is I gotta know, man, what is what does Greg 1048 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:32,000 Speaker 1: might think about AI? 1049 00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:35,680 Speaker 2: That's funny. I was just gonna say that, like literally, 1050 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:37,279 Speaker 2: I was just about that was about to be my 1051 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:41,200 Speaker 2: next comment. So, I mean, I think AI is obviously 1052 00:43:41,239 --> 00:43:44,319 Speaker 2: super powerful, and I use it for a lot of 1053 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:48,799 Speaker 2: my Like mundane, I mean, it's great for like you know, 1054 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:52,200 Speaker 2: adding up numbers and doing what Excel does in Google sheets, 1055 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:54,600 Speaker 2: or even like you're saying, like you know, what should 1056 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:56,880 Speaker 2: be the profit margin on this project here at my expenses? 1057 00:43:56,960 --> 00:43:58,799 Speaker 2: Things like that, like the beauty of the Internet and 1058 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:01,520 Speaker 2: that power and not like I think it should be used. 1059 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:03,880 Speaker 2: It's a great brain. I mean you can literally go 1060 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:08,080 Speaker 2: on chat and learn how to do whatever. Yeah, you know, 1061 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:12,520 Speaker 2: like our hvac coy our hvac was frozen the other day. 1062 00:44:12,719 --> 00:44:15,600 Speaker 2: I took pictures of what it looked like the making 1063 00:44:15,719 --> 00:44:19,720 Speaker 2: model upload those photos of chat GBT and then compared 1064 00:44:19,719 --> 00:44:22,200 Speaker 2: that against what this this guy that just rolled up 1065 00:44:22,239 --> 00:44:24,480 Speaker 2: and gave me a crazy quote that I that told 1066 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:26,839 Speaker 2: me I needed to replace X y Z, I need 1067 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:29,799 Speaker 2: this warranty. You know. It's like it's easy to fact 1068 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,879 Speaker 2: check things. It's easy to learn and fact checks things 1069 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:34,360 Speaker 2: very quickly and cut through the bullshit, you know, what 1070 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:37,239 Speaker 2: I mean. So I love using it for things like that, 1071 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 2: right to make like use it as a second brain 1072 00:44:39,200 --> 00:44:42,279 Speaker 2: to make you more powerful. I don't like the creativity 1073 00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:44,879 Speaker 2: aspect of it, you know, where there's now all these 1074 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 2: artists that are just making mock ups on you know, 1075 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:50,759 Speaker 2: and just painting those mockups and using a projector. I mean, 1076 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:54,839 Speaker 2: I think that's not a good looks you're that's insane. Yeah, yeah, 1077 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,439 Speaker 2: so I mean there's people because you know, it takes 1078 00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:00,200 Speaker 2: the soul out of creativity. And it's funny now, like 1079 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:03,320 Speaker 2: I read a statistic yesterday that said ninety seven percent 1080 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:07,360 Speaker 2: of the people cannot tell the difference between AI generated music. 1081 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,040 Speaker 2: I don't know if you've seen like Suno and like 1082 00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:13,560 Speaker 2: oh and you know, I've always been like super into tech. 1083 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:16,040 Speaker 2: You know, it's like been into you know that. You know, 1084 00:45:16,239 --> 00:45:19,320 Speaker 2: when anything new comes out, I'm always gonna investigate it 1085 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:20,880 Speaker 2: and see what it does and what its powers are 1086 00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:24,399 Speaker 2: and understand it. Right to be knowledgeable about it. And 1087 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:28,000 Speaker 2: looking at this Suno stuff, it's it's insanity. Like you 1088 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 2: can type in with one prompt and say make me 1089 00:45:30,239 --> 00:45:32,640 Speaker 2: a song that sounds like this. That's country that has 1090 00:45:32,680 --> 00:45:36,880 Speaker 2: these lyrics and within two minutes it can create something 1091 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:39,719 Speaker 2: that has potential to be like a Spotify, you know, Billboard, 1092 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:43,440 Speaker 2: you know, I think right now I was reading yesterday, 1093 00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:46,360 Speaker 2: like the biggest country song right now is an AI 1094 00:45:46,560 --> 00:45:51,759 Speaker 2: song on Spotify with an AI created person and the 1095 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:56,640 Speaker 2: whole song was made through AI. Also, there was like 1096 00:45:56,680 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 2: some AI A and R rep that that somebody just. 1097 00:46:00,239 --> 00:46:02,319 Speaker 1: Sign Oh yeah, I didn't see that one. Forget Yeah. 1098 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:04,839 Speaker 2: I mean like it's it's insanity, and it's like it's 1099 00:46:04,840 --> 00:46:07,080 Speaker 2: one of those things like you're not gonna slow it down. 1100 00:46:07,239 --> 00:46:09,759 Speaker 2: You've got to figure out how to use it to 1101 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:12,759 Speaker 2: your advantage. Don't use it as a crutch, don't use 1102 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:16,200 Speaker 2: it as you're all in. And I go back and 1103 00:46:16,239 --> 00:46:19,440 Speaker 2: forth on the creative stuff because like people do use 1104 00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:23,400 Speaker 2: references to make you know, murals, Like if someone's like, 1105 00:46:23,440 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 2: all right, I'm gonna paint a realistic image of a 1106 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:28,440 Speaker 2: bird sitting on a mountain with some trees and a turtle, 1107 00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 2: like back in the day when and back in the day, 1108 00:46:31,680 --> 00:46:34,120 Speaker 2: it's like maybe a year or two ago, Like people 1109 00:46:34,120 --> 00:46:36,280 Speaker 2: would go to Google images and they pull all those images, 1110 00:46:36,320 --> 00:46:38,359 Speaker 2: they put them together in photoshop, they create a mock 1111 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:40,239 Speaker 2: up and then they project and paint that. So it's 1112 00:46:40,280 --> 00:46:43,760 Speaker 2: like it's not that much different because people were still 1113 00:46:44,080 --> 00:46:47,200 Speaker 2: doing these like you know, utilizing references and images. They're 1114 00:46:47,239 --> 00:46:50,440 Speaker 2: not just creating characters out of their brain. Yeah, you know, 1115 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:53,120 Speaker 2: like people that paint realism. It's just more I think 1116 00:46:53,160 --> 00:46:55,399 Speaker 2: seeing people that are like cutting that whole step out 1117 00:46:55,719 --> 00:46:58,759 Speaker 2: and just typing it in and getting this incredible like 1118 00:46:59,160 --> 00:47:02,040 Speaker 2: rendering and then ainting that exactly kind of bothers me 1119 00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:04,399 Speaker 2: a lot, you knowing the same thing with the music thing. 1120 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:07,600 Speaker 2: It's like I'm nervous for like electronic music, Like I 1121 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:09,279 Speaker 2: love electronic music. I do a lot of work in 1122 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:11,279 Speaker 2: the space. I DJ a lot of like you know, 1123 00:47:11,320 --> 00:47:16,920 Speaker 2: house music, and I think that's like the most unsafe area, 1124 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:19,960 Speaker 2: gray area that I'm nervous about because obviously, like no 1125 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:24,200 Speaker 2: one's fact checking DJs to say, like are you producing 1126 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:27,279 Speaker 2: this live versus like a it's easy to like to 1127 00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:30,480 Speaker 2: do a live do a live DJ set and use 1128 00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:34,399 Speaker 2: all AI created music versus like a country music star 1129 00:47:34,640 --> 00:47:36,560 Speaker 2: or someone that sings rock, rock and pop and like 1130 00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:39,560 Speaker 2: fact check somebody because they're actually like singing on stage, 1131 00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:41,440 Speaker 2: you know. I mean, obviously there's some producers that are 1132 00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:44,480 Speaker 2: using the vpad and like whatever doing live drums and stuff. 1133 00:47:44,520 --> 00:47:47,359 Speaker 2: But like that's where I'm most scared because it's like 1134 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:50,239 Speaker 2: at that point, if you're creating like house music using 1135 00:47:50,280 --> 00:47:52,720 Speaker 2: Suno and it's all AI music and it's chart topping 1136 00:47:53,040 --> 00:47:55,000 Speaker 2: and you're just going out and djaying that, it's like, 1137 00:47:55,440 --> 00:47:57,400 Speaker 2: how can you where do you fact check that? 1138 00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:00,680 Speaker 1: Yeah? I saw them. So for the my Isaac Hay's 1139 00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:02,600 Speaker 1: a third, he was actually over here and he was 1140 00:48:02,640 --> 00:48:04,360 Speaker 1: he was doing some stuff I saw him online posting 1141 00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:06,440 Speaker 1: the other day because it was an artist. Yeah that 1142 00:48:06,560 --> 00:48:08,360 Speaker 1: like there was this whole story about like an AI artist 1143 00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:10,759 Speaker 1: that was created and like sign like a deal. But 1144 00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:14,680 Speaker 1: he was pointing out that because that artists AI generated, 1145 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:18,120 Speaker 1: anybody could use that same voice to make any song. 1146 00:48:19,040 --> 00:48:21,319 Speaker 1: So based on what he was explaining, he was like, look, yeah, 1147 00:48:21,320 --> 00:48:23,480 Speaker 1: he's like I went and got that artist's voice, and 1148 00:48:23,520 --> 00:48:26,120 Speaker 1: I went and made my own song in chat and 1149 00:48:26,160 --> 00:48:27,799 Speaker 1: now I got this artist singing. So he's like, it's 1150 00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:30,319 Speaker 1: not even protected. So I think right now it's very 1151 00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:33,200 Speaker 1: much the wild West, and it's interesting. I'm interesting to 1152 00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:34,759 Speaker 1: see how kind of things like land out. But I 1153 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:36,480 Speaker 1: agree with you, I think I think again I use 1154 00:48:36,520 --> 00:48:38,799 Speaker 1: AI all the time, but I use it as kind 1155 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:41,759 Speaker 1: of a thought partner for a lot of things. And 1156 00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:43,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I will admit I definitely use it to 1157 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:45,400 Speaker 1: help me like think about creative ideas. But at the 1158 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:48,520 Speaker 1: same time, there's still always a human element and we're 1159 00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:50,040 Speaker 1: always like looking at that and we're never just taking 1160 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:51,799 Speaker 1: that stuff in copy and pastes just putting on there. 1161 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,680 Speaker 1: From an artistic standpoint, you know, a lot of the 1162 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:57,040 Speaker 1: artists generated it is is based off of real art, 1163 00:48:57,080 --> 00:48:59,239 Speaker 1: though it is based off of you know, samples of 1164 00:48:59,280 --> 00:49:01,839 Speaker 1: other artists, So at a certain point it's like it's 1165 00:49:01,880 --> 00:49:05,680 Speaker 1: not even necessarily real. It's just you know, remixes of 1166 00:49:05,719 --> 00:49:07,359 Speaker 1: things that you've kind of seen. And I think that's 1167 00:49:07,360 --> 00:49:09,120 Speaker 1: the part we got to be really careful about, is 1168 00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:12,480 Speaker 1: it's a great thought partner. But from a creativity standpoint, 1169 00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:16,279 Speaker 1: I don't see AI replacing the creativity of humans anytime soon, 1170 00:49:16,320 --> 00:49:19,000 Speaker 1: and I think that's gonna always be our differentiator. 1171 00:49:19,120 --> 00:49:21,239 Speaker 2: Yeah. I put a post up like a few weeks 1172 00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:24,759 Speaker 2: ago that you know, pretty much like got a lot 1173 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:26,759 Speaker 2: of people talking, but it was it was more just 1174 00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:30,560 Speaker 2: like as everything becomes AI generated, people are going to 1175 00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:33,600 Speaker 2: be drawn more to the handcrafted. They're you don't want 1176 00:49:33,600 --> 00:49:35,760 Speaker 2: to see the brushstrokes. They're gonna want to see the drips. 1177 00:49:35,760 --> 00:49:38,480 Speaker 2: They're gonna want to see that this was, you know, 1178 00:49:38,560 --> 00:49:40,320 Speaker 2: not a print that was just made on AI and 1179 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:42,239 Speaker 2: then printed on canvas in your house. You know, there's 1180 00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:45,560 Speaker 2: no they want to know this story behind it. Yeah, 1181 00:49:45,880 --> 00:49:48,360 Speaker 2: I'm a firm believer that, like the way that social 1182 00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:51,560 Speaker 2: is going, you know, proof of content and like proof 1183 00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:53,880 Speaker 2: of creation is going to be huge where it's like 1184 00:49:54,160 --> 00:49:56,080 Speaker 2: people are going to be and we're already seeing it 1185 00:49:56,120 --> 00:49:58,040 Speaker 2: with like Twitch and live streaming and all this stuff. 1186 00:49:58,040 --> 00:50:00,359 Speaker 2: It's like, you know the way that Beaver just like 1187 00:50:00,480 --> 00:50:02,719 Speaker 2: set up a whole warehouse where it's just like you're 1188 00:50:02,760 --> 00:50:05,760 Speaker 2: seeing him live stream so you can see the behind 1189 00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:07,759 Speaker 2: the scenes. Like people are gonna want more and more 1190 00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:09,760 Speaker 2: of that, And I think we're going we're leaning towards 1191 00:50:09,800 --> 00:50:13,200 Speaker 2: a world where it's like if you're not live streaming 1192 00:50:13,239 --> 00:50:16,120 Speaker 2: the creation and the behind the scenes and the every 1193 00:50:16,200 --> 00:50:20,960 Speaker 2: day like there's no like you know, there's no validation 1194 00:50:21,040 --> 00:50:22,960 Speaker 2: that that was actually created by you. But I think 1195 00:50:22,960 --> 00:50:24,680 Speaker 2: it's gonna be like you're gonna want to have a 1196 00:50:24,719 --> 00:50:27,040 Speaker 2: live stream of Twitch of like Timberland in the studio 1197 00:50:27,160 --> 00:50:29,800 Speaker 2: making it beat and you know, so and so singing 1198 00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:31,480 Speaker 2: on top of it. So that like that's what people 1199 00:50:31,520 --> 00:50:33,360 Speaker 2: are gonna be drawn. I mean, they're already into that, 1200 00:50:33,400 --> 00:50:36,239 Speaker 2: but I think that's gonna just validate things way more. 1201 00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:39,279 Speaker 1: You have to show the work, yeah, you know, like 1202 00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:41,120 Speaker 1: like like you know, Gary Ve always talks about like 1203 00:50:41,160 --> 00:50:43,840 Speaker 1: you get a document and create, and I think for us, 1204 00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:46,560 Speaker 1: that's something we've even started implementing and a lot of 1205 00:50:46,560 --> 00:50:48,560 Speaker 1: things that we're doing even on the butterside, Like I'm 1206 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:50,239 Speaker 1: working on a new project and like a big part 1207 00:50:50,280 --> 00:50:52,839 Speaker 1: of based on even what you said, a big part 1208 00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:55,160 Speaker 1: of and I didn't even realize it until you said 1209 00:50:55,160 --> 00:50:57,319 Speaker 1: it like that, but now I'm thinking about it. One 1210 00:50:57,320 --> 00:50:59,440 Speaker 1: of the things I even wrote into the project was 1211 00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:02,600 Speaker 1: we had a cord BTS for everything, you know, because 1212 00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:04,319 Speaker 1: there's a whole opportunity with that. But I was thinking 1213 00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:06,200 Speaker 1: about it more form just the documentation standpoint. But to 1214 00:51:06,239 --> 00:51:09,440 Speaker 1: your point, it's documenting the process and the creativity to 1215 00:51:09,480 --> 00:51:11,320 Speaker 1: let people know this is really authentic and this is 1216 00:51:11,320 --> 00:51:13,359 Speaker 1: how it came to be. So I think to your point, 1217 00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:15,120 Speaker 1: like that's definitely something people start thinking about. 1218 00:51:15,320 --> 00:51:18,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, we don't. I mean we're always saying it, 1219 00:51:18,360 --> 00:51:20,360 Speaker 2: and it's like, I think it's so hard for like 1220 00:51:20,440 --> 00:51:22,920 Speaker 2: creative people, like even for me, like to be in 1221 00:51:22,960 --> 00:51:26,279 Speaker 2: the studio and have a camera set up while I'm 1222 00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:29,080 Speaker 2: painting the entire painting and moving around and stop and 1223 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:31,880 Speaker 2: then you know, going on cap cut and making edits 1224 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:35,680 Speaker 2: or you know, it's like that's not natural for artists. 1225 00:51:35,719 --> 00:51:38,520 Speaker 2: But it's like now it's just it's like this evolution 1226 00:51:38,640 --> 00:51:40,440 Speaker 2: of like you kind of have to do that stuff, 1227 00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:44,200 Speaker 2: you know, Yeah, as part of the creative process. Maybe 1228 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:46,759 Speaker 2: we're turning into old dinosaurs and like the new young kids. 1229 00:51:46,760 --> 00:51:48,560 Speaker 2: It's just like that's what you do, right, It's like 1230 00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:50,719 Speaker 2: everything you do. You got a film and you know 1231 00:51:50,719 --> 00:51:52,719 Speaker 2: maybe in the future it's going to be you know, 1232 00:51:52,840 --> 00:51:55,200 Speaker 2: you're recording twenty four to seven, three sixty five, and 1233 00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:57,799 Speaker 2: you know you're always on live stream. It's like you 1234 00:51:57,840 --> 00:51:59,319 Speaker 2: can turn it on and off when you want to. 1235 00:51:59,440 --> 00:52:01,680 Speaker 1: But it's like, you know, well you kind of see 1236 00:52:01,680 --> 00:52:03,280 Speaker 1: it now. I mean even with like twitch and everything. 1237 00:52:03,280 --> 00:52:05,560 Speaker 1: I mean first there was people streaming from the houses. 1238 00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:07,920 Speaker 1: Now they have the IRL bags or streaming outside. It's 1239 00:52:07,920 --> 00:52:10,480 Speaker 1: twenty four to seven. Yeah, the meda glass. You know. 1240 00:52:11,239 --> 00:52:13,719 Speaker 1: So the way I always think about it is I 1241 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:16,000 Speaker 1: look at it kind of through the eyes of children sometimes, 1242 00:52:16,520 --> 00:52:19,800 Speaker 1: so I think about my kids. I remember when my 1243 00:52:19,880 --> 00:52:23,560 Speaker 1: daughter was born, you know, I remember, I will admit 1244 00:52:23,600 --> 00:52:25,200 Speaker 1: I was a parent that gave my kid an iPad 1245 00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:27,800 Speaker 1: when she was little, but did like the games and 1246 00:52:27,800 --> 00:52:30,319 Speaker 1: stuff on it, right, And I remember there was a 1247 00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:34,319 Speaker 1: point in which she walked up to the TV and 1248 00:52:34,360 --> 00:52:37,080 Speaker 1: she tried to swipe the TV and I was like, baby, 1249 00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:40,799 Speaker 1: Daddy can't afford to swiping TV right now. But from 1250 00:52:40,840 --> 00:52:42,880 Speaker 1: my I was like, from my user experien I was like, oh, 1251 00:52:43,080 --> 00:52:44,960 Speaker 1: like her interaction is, you know, you can touch it 1252 00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:47,440 Speaker 1: and move and swipe things, right, you know. My son, 1253 00:52:47,560 --> 00:52:49,200 Speaker 1: So my daughter's thirteen, my son is eight. There's a 1254 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:52,799 Speaker 1: five year difference. My son. What I've noticed with him 1255 00:52:52,920 --> 00:52:56,319 Speaker 1: is growing up, he had Alexa and so he would 1256 00:52:56,320 --> 00:52:58,120 Speaker 1: just tell Alexa what he wanted and it would happen. 1257 00:52:58,440 --> 00:53:00,839 Speaker 1: He would say, play this song and do this. And 1258 00:53:01,080 --> 00:53:03,200 Speaker 1: even now he wants to watch TV, he just talks 1259 00:53:03,200 --> 00:53:05,200 Speaker 1: to the remote control, talks to his computer. Right, So 1260 00:53:05,239 --> 00:53:07,400 Speaker 1: his interaction with the world is like very voice driven. 1261 00:53:07,520 --> 00:53:08,799 Speaker 1: And so I kind of just think about like those 1262 00:53:08,840 --> 00:53:11,680 Speaker 1: kind of things, right, It's like that's the expectation that 1263 00:53:11,719 --> 00:53:12,880 Speaker 1: these kids are even coming up with. 1264 00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:13,080 Speaker 2: Now. 1265 00:53:13,239 --> 00:53:15,880 Speaker 1: Was like, you know what, what what did my I got? 1266 00:53:16,000 --> 00:53:17,600 Speaker 1: Talking to a friend of mine, he said, yeah, my 1267 00:53:17,800 --> 00:53:19,040 Speaker 1: son was just like, you know, we're just gonna search 1268 00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:20,560 Speaker 1: it up, Like we're just gonna type and search it up. 1269 00:53:20,560 --> 00:53:22,080 Speaker 1: It's gonna pop up, like I'm gonna tell the computer 1270 00:53:22,120 --> 00:53:23,880 Speaker 1: what I want to know and it's gonna come back. 1271 00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:25,400 Speaker 1: Or like even him me, my son is coming to 1272 00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:27,759 Speaker 1: me me and like Dad, I gotta write this thing 1273 00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:30,279 Speaker 1: for school, you know, open up chat GBT so I 1274 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:31,920 Speaker 1: can write it. And I'm like, no, you write it. 1275 00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:35,279 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna like you. That's the whole point of learning. Son, 1276 00:53:35,400 --> 00:53:37,359 Speaker 1: is not for you to go tell Chat to write 1277 00:53:37,440 --> 00:53:41,320 Speaker 1: me a paragraph about you know, the different the different 1278 00:53:41,360 --> 00:53:45,080 Speaker 1: tropical climates. Like you get the book, you create your 1279 00:53:45,120 --> 00:53:47,640 Speaker 1: own thoughts and you put it on paper. But I 1280 00:53:47,680 --> 00:53:50,160 Speaker 1: definitely think again, like to your point there, it's it's 1281 00:53:50,239 --> 00:53:52,280 Speaker 1: it's interesting to see. And I do think we're gonna 1282 00:53:52,280 --> 00:53:56,479 Speaker 1: be in a space very soon where everything is gonna 1283 00:53:56,520 --> 00:53:58,000 Speaker 1: kind of be expected to be online. And I know, 1284 00:53:58,080 --> 00:54:00,279 Speaker 1: for me, that's something I'm not necessarily that come with 1285 00:54:00,440 --> 00:54:02,400 Speaker 1: I'm getting better at even pointing the camera at myself. 1286 00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:04,640 Speaker 1: But like the idea of like just live streaming and 1287 00:54:05,000 --> 00:54:06,600 Speaker 1: putting yourself on there, Like it's just. 1288 00:54:06,560 --> 00:54:08,240 Speaker 2: It's it's normal. 1289 00:54:08,320 --> 00:54:14,000 Speaker 1: It's not normal at least not so man. It's it's 1290 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:15,920 Speaker 1: an interesting thing. Man, it's a good conversation. Look, man, 1291 00:54:15,920 --> 00:54:17,759 Speaker 1: as we get ready to wrap this thing up, one 1292 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:19,879 Speaker 1: of my questions I have for you. I know, again 1293 00:54:19,960 --> 00:54:21,480 Speaker 1: you love art and doing a lot of stuff. Who 1294 00:54:21,480 --> 00:54:24,200 Speaker 1: are some of your favorite Atlanta artists? Like who are 1295 00:54:24,200 --> 00:54:26,600 Speaker 1: the people that you get inspiration from here in the 1296 00:54:26,600 --> 00:54:29,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta area? Wow? 1297 00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:33,000 Speaker 2: What a tough question considering how many artists we work 1298 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:34,480 Speaker 2: with localists probably. 1299 00:54:34,200 --> 00:54:37,120 Speaker 1: Like I want to get you in trouble, Like, what's 1300 00:54:37,120 --> 00:54:41,560 Speaker 1: your favorite kid? Look, this this list is not exhaustive. 1301 00:54:43,120 --> 00:54:44,960 Speaker 1: Is there anyone that expires you or that you just 1302 00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:46,120 Speaker 1: like love the work they kind of do? 1303 00:54:46,200 --> 00:54:52,360 Speaker 2: Manh hmm, there's so many to list. I mean, I think, like, 1304 00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:56,279 Speaker 2: who's probably closest to me Artist Wolf Dog Ash just 1305 00:54:56,320 --> 00:54:58,839 Speaker 2: because I've seen his career, you know, from the ground up, 1306 00:54:59,200 --> 00:55:01,920 Speaker 2: like you know, seeing this success and he's you know, 1307 00:55:02,120 --> 00:55:04,440 Speaker 2: he's a member of the crew and the team you know, 1308 00:55:04,520 --> 00:55:07,080 Speaker 2: Nate Frost, who's also at a b V two seeing 1309 00:55:07,120 --> 00:55:10,880 Speaker 2: his evolution of his work. But then you know, there's 1310 00:55:10,920 --> 00:55:14,360 Speaker 2: there's so many great artists in Atlanta. Thomas Turner is 1311 00:55:14,360 --> 00:55:16,880 Speaker 2: another great one again, like you know, he came to 1312 00:55:16,920 --> 00:55:19,040 Speaker 2: me and you know, years ago and was working a 1313 00:55:19,080 --> 00:55:21,600 Speaker 2: bar job and I encourage him to jump off the 1314 00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:24,600 Speaker 2: cliff and follow his dreams. Now he's traveling around the world, 1315 00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:29,160 Speaker 2: you know, payting murals, you know that are insanely detailed 1316 00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:35,560 Speaker 2: and massive. You know, there's there's so many folks, uh Dax, 1317 00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:40,640 Speaker 2: legendary graffiti artists, who's also like in you know o G. 1318 00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:43,719 Speaker 2: You know, Dungeon family, Cat We've done a lot of work, 1319 00:55:43,760 --> 00:55:46,959 Speaker 2: which did his solo show. I don't know I could. 1320 00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:50,439 Speaker 2: I could stay here for days, you know, list them out, 1321 00:55:51,400 --> 00:55:53,440 Speaker 2: But I mean any any honestly, like any of the 1322 00:55:53,480 --> 00:55:57,760 Speaker 2: people from Atlanta the ab V shows, Like I'm obviously 1323 00:55:57,800 --> 00:55:59,839 Speaker 2: big fans of them. And that's whether you know, being 1324 00:56:00,080 --> 00:56:03,080 Speaker 2: on the gallery and we're supporting and working together. 1325 00:56:03,200 --> 00:56:06,759 Speaker 1: So absolutely, man, we'll look great. This is this is 1326 00:56:06,800 --> 00:56:09,879 Speaker 1: an amazing conversation. I appreciate you pulling up man. Before 1327 00:56:09,880 --> 00:56:11,640 Speaker 1: we get out of here, My last question for you 1328 00:56:11,640 --> 00:56:14,719 Speaker 1: would be, and I'm not gonna say if, because I 1329 00:56:14,800 --> 00:56:17,440 Speaker 1: know there have been, but if there was a Greg 1330 00:56:17,480 --> 00:56:20,440 Speaker 1: mic billboard somewhere in Atlanta that you could put anything 1331 00:56:20,440 --> 00:56:22,480 Speaker 1: you wanted to put on it, what would you put 1332 00:56:22,480 --> 00:56:24,640 Speaker 1: on that Greg Mike billboard? It could be a character, 1333 00:56:24,640 --> 00:56:26,319 Speaker 1: it could be a statement, it could be anything. What 1334 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:27,480 Speaker 1: would you put on that billboard? 1335 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:30,319 Speaker 2: So the one that's like bucket lists item that I'm 1336 00:56:30,320 --> 00:56:32,799 Speaker 2: really I'm going to figure out and you know, we'll 1337 00:56:32,800 --> 00:56:36,280 Speaker 2: probably make it happen after now that I'm putting into words, 1338 00:56:36,360 --> 00:56:39,480 Speaker 2: is we need to get that billboard. Get some art 1339 00:56:39,520 --> 00:56:41,560 Speaker 2: on the billboard when you're coming up the escalators at 1340 00:56:41,560 --> 00:56:44,319 Speaker 2: the airport. Okay, digital billboard. Yeah, I mean, I know 1341 00:56:44,360 --> 00:56:46,799 Speaker 2: we got Louta on there. M h. We got we 1342 00:56:46,880 --> 00:56:49,200 Speaker 2: got some other folks, but we need some artists up 1343 00:56:49,239 --> 00:56:51,360 Speaker 2: on there. So I might have to send a text 1344 00:56:51,480 --> 00:56:53,000 Speaker 2: to a few folks and see if we can make 1345 00:56:53,040 --> 00:56:55,640 Speaker 2: that happen. I don't think it's that far of a stretch. 1346 00:56:55,680 --> 00:56:57,520 Speaker 1: It's not a far of a stretch. I'm sure between 1347 00:56:57,560 --> 00:56:58,759 Speaker 1: some of the folks you would be. 1348 00:56:58,760 --> 00:57:01,239 Speaker 2: A picture of me. I just sort of Atlanta, some 1349 00:57:01,560 --> 00:57:04,360 Speaker 2: Atlanta art, not to the Atlanta arts because we are 1350 00:57:04,600 --> 00:57:09,120 Speaker 2: Atlanta is known globally now for our street arts, our murals, yeah, 1351 00:57:09,239 --> 00:57:11,080 Speaker 2: and the artists that are coming out of this city. 1352 00:57:11,200 --> 00:57:13,359 Speaker 2: So I mean it's always I feel like a lot 1353 00:57:13,360 --> 00:57:15,239 Speaker 2: of people think of Atlanta and they think of you know, 1354 00:57:15,600 --> 00:57:18,920 Speaker 2: the rappers, you know, the musicians. But like, you know, 1355 00:57:19,160 --> 00:57:20,680 Speaker 2: got to make sure we keep that art up there 1356 00:57:20,680 --> 00:57:22,880 Speaker 2: on the map too, because it's definitely making a name 1357 00:57:22,880 --> 00:57:23,840 Speaker 2: for itself for the city. 1358 00:57:24,440 --> 00:57:26,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I mean for a long time, that 1359 00:57:26,840 --> 00:57:29,120 Speaker 1: art of the young girl with her hands up, you know, 1360 00:57:29,200 --> 00:57:30,840 Speaker 1: coming up was a big piece, and that it that 1361 00:57:30,840 --> 00:57:32,680 Speaker 1: had gone away eventually. Yeah, we need some more art 1362 00:57:32,720 --> 00:57:34,720 Speaker 1: up in there. Yeah, you know that that's that's people 1363 00:57:34,720 --> 00:57:37,520 Speaker 1: need to understand more about Atlanta. So yo, man, Greg, 1364 00:57:37,600 --> 00:57:41,200 Speaker 1: Mike Mac congratulations on everything you've done, some amazing work. 1365 00:57:41,240 --> 00:57:43,560 Speaker 1: You're definitely in Atlanta legend and we appreciate you. Puting 1366 00:57:43,600 --> 00:57:44,600 Speaker 1: the protonomics man. 1367 00:57:44,640 --> 00:57:47,400 Speaker 2: Thank you. It's been a great time chatting. Appreciate asolutely. 1368 00:57:47,520 --> 00:57:49,280 Speaker 1: And with that's it, that's the pot y'all we out 1369 00:57:49,360 --> 00:57:49,600 Speaker 1: peak 1370 00:57:51,280 --> 00:57:53,080 Speaker 2: Awesome boom