1 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: guest is James Cuthbert, president of L L cool Jay's 5 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: Rock the Bells. Cuthbert came on board the media and 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: commerce company in October to help rev up operations. The company, 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: named for one of L L cool J's early hits, 8 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: has big ambition in three sectors, content, commerce, and experiences. 9 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: Cuthbert sees Rock the Bells as parts studio, part lifestyle brand, 10 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: and part cultural resource. Rock the Bells's mission is to 11 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: elevate classic hip hop through a modern lens. Cuthbert's passion 12 00:00:50,440 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: for the product is evident in the conversation ahead. Welcome 13 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: back to Strictly Business. James Cuthbert, President of Rock the Bells. 14 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: A very intriguing company that was launched a few years 15 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: ago by L cool J and has grown really fast, 16 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: and James came in last October to kind of help 17 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: manage and manage that growth of the organization. James, thanks 18 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: so much for joining us, and thanks both so much 19 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: for having me excited to be here. Well, the big 20 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: news for Rock the Bells in the last month is 21 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 1: that you have gone out and raised about eight million 22 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: dollars in private investment funding for the venture. Can you 23 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: tell us with this now, with this source of this 24 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: influx of capital, how do you intend to deploy it? 25 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: Where do you see the growth opportunities for Rock the Bills. Yeah, 26 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: I mean I really feel like the you know, the 27 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: opportunity is limitless. Right. So when we think about Rock 28 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: the Bells um with this idea of you know, being 29 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: the pre eminent voice of classic and timeless hip hop 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: and hip hop culture kind of all it up to 31 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: be intertwined one of the biggest factors on global popular culture. Um, 32 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: So I think there's a you know, there's a there's 33 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: a ton of opportunity for Rock the Bills holistically, and 34 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: then in terms of kind of a capital that we 35 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: just got in. I'm really excited about, you know, the 36 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: strategic investors that we've lined up. So it wasn't just 37 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: looking to go get money from anyone. That's bringing in 38 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: the right people, who our value adds, who have given 39 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: us already given us a ton of advice, who strategically 40 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: help us with pushing our business board in terms of 41 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: like what we'll do with the capital use one. It 42 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: allows us to bring on a dynamite team UM in 43 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: order to do kind of the mission of when the 44 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: elevating classic hip hop across our three pillars of content, 45 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: Commerce and Experiences. It's gonna be important that we have 46 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: the right human beings. I like to say, good human 47 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: beings who love classic hip hop. We're good at what 48 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: they do and also at the right inflection point where 49 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: it started to makes sense without But at the same time, 50 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: the other thing we're gonna be doing is focusing on 51 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 1: closing some of these brand partnerships and working with brands 52 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: want to authentically play in the space. We think about 53 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: the bells as a cheap code. If you want to 54 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: leverage poppic you know, hip hop culture, we can help 55 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: you do it in the authent that can additive way 56 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: to the culture so you can have to be seen 57 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: in the right lighte UM, and we can really elevate 58 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: this thing together. There's three under you know, underscoring pillars. 59 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: You can say of the company, we have content, Commerce 60 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: and Experiences M and we think of the way that 61 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: those work together of forming like a flywheel we think 62 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 1: of the future of content is commerce and commerce is content. 63 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: When you think about going to an experience, you think 64 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: about the creation of that experience of the content you make. 65 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: It's a festival, you probably have a convention where you're 66 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: selling things. So all those three things played together. So 67 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: we're being we're very mindful when we build the business model, uh, 68 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: to understand that we wanted to launch those three things 69 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: at the same time. Obviously, or you know, there's a 70 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: cadence in terms of how those things roll out. But 71 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: when we think about it, we probably would have launched 72 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: with the experience to start, but you know, we launched 73 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: in the middle of COVID, so you know, this company 74 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: was kind of born, kind of working remotely and finding 75 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: creative ways to continue to push forward. So we decided 76 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: to start with the content and commerce businesses. On the 77 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: content side, we do short, medium, and long form content 78 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: again all with the you know, underlying thematic of elevating 79 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: classic hip hop, building cultural bridges from people who kind 80 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: of grew up with classic hip hop to people who 81 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: have yet to fully discover the mythology that sits on 82 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: our kind of la classic hip hop. Uh. You know, 83 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 1: the long form would be anything from a documentary to 84 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: a full full featured film. UM episodic content where we're 85 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: telling different stories on a regular basis, which we'll have 86 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: launching early May we start launching some of our episodic 87 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: video content and then short content that you might see 88 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: across our social channels. UM. So that's how we kind 89 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: of how we think about content again, all with the 90 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: guys of elevating classic hip hop. And then on the 91 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: commerce side of the business, we have a we have 92 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: a storefront on our on our dot com custom drops. 93 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: We partnered with kind of like really cool people throughout 94 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: culture to bring together some some really cool and innovative 95 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: merch and we're also getting into licensing as well, also 96 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: taking to rock the bells I P and working with 97 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: some strategic partners and finding someone so cool. Ways to 98 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: kind of get us out in the world is to 99 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: work at Coca Cola used to say, you want to 100 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: be with an arm's reach of desire as a coke, 101 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: and if you think about it, there's you know, no 102 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: matter where you want in the world, it doesn't matter 103 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: what remote location, you can always get a coke that 104 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 1: was prepared purposeful. And we think about hip hop, hip 105 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: hop is already i'mniir president and everywhere. So when we 106 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: think about that commerce spreads, we think about being able 107 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: to be able to access that through different categories of license, 108 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: merch and then lastly experiences. Um, you know, we would 109 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: have already had a full festival in convention, but we're 110 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: working on doing some stuff virtually this year that going 111 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: into next year, we'll we'll look to kind of as 112 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: the world continues to open up, invite people into this 113 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 1: world so they can really kind of immerse themselves. And 114 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: will that with that festival. Would it be branded Rock 115 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: the Bells? Would that be for sure? Yes, it would 116 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: be branded Rock the Bells. And obviously there's still someone 117 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: some good work to do as we bring out a 118 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: kind of a head of experience that we kind of 119 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: flush out that team, uh in that vertical but excited 120 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: to kind of get them going and really bring people 121 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 1: a breakthrough experience. I was I was blessed with an 122 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 1: opportunity to work at Red Bull for some time and 123 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: then they're known for their experiences things life, so I 124 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: felt like that that kind of gave me a very 125 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 1: interesting boost and kind of a look at best in class. Uh, 126 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, experiences look like, especially how to bring in 127 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: the brain or the ethos to life in that case, 128 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: you know, you know, giving you wings and and literally 129 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: you know, whether it's your Red Bull gives you wings. 130 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: So it's kind of like bringing those, um, you know, 131 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: those experiences to like us that rock the bells. We 132 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: want to bring you into the world either the world 133 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: you grew up with that you're passionate about and you 134 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: kind of like you were outside when all that was happening, 135 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: or a world that you had yet to fully discover 136 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: that you can kind of like join in and really experience, um, 137 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: you know, you know that moment and create new moments 138 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: around classic hip hop. Mm hmm. Well, I think the 139 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: rain bull example is so apt here because I think 140 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: there is no question that it was very savvy marketing 141 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 1: to music fans sports fans that made that stand out. 142 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: And you know, there's a whole shelf full of energy 143 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: drinks at the supermarket, but something made Red Bulls stand out. 144 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: And I think that that music marketing really went a 145 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: long way to getting that brand out there. So that's 146 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 1: a really interesting exemplar for you. I want to go 147 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: back to talking about content. Where are you showcasing your 148 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: content right now, do you are you looking for syndication 149 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: partners or do do you do it on the Rock 150 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: the Bills dot com destination? Yeah? Yeah, So currently it's 151 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: it's on rock the Bells dot com and our social handles. UM. 152 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: As we continue to develop that content, we're gonna be 153 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: developing syndication partners and incremental points of distribution for that content. Sales. 154 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: Step one is building that engaged audience for ourselves, so 155 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: leveraging a lot of our own platforms, whether that's YouTube, 156 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: whether that's no Instagram, Facebook are dot com. But also 157 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: we're gonna be partner with brands right away to create 158 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: braided content, so will be Rockville's content along with some 159 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: of these partners and giving them a way to authentically 160 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: speak to this audience UM and speak through the lens 161 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: of classic hip hop UM yet to their audience as well. 162 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: So that's the stuff that you'll be seeing coming out soon. 163 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: But for sure have already had conversations with different distribution partners. 164 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: Our biggest distribution, at least on the audio side is 165 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,559 Speaker 1: obviously Rocket those Radio. One of the most popular challenge 166 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: we have on Sirius XUM. But on on the on 167 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: the pure video contact. We're building up our own audience, 168 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: partnering with some brands, and then where we have some 169 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: we have some things cooking on the distributions, and I'll 170 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: talk about when they land. Tell me, I know you 171 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: have a sense of a ballpark sense of the time 172 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: period that you that you're talking about when you say 173 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: classic hip hip hop, you can give a sense of 174 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: like that time that time frame that you're thinking of. Yeah, 175 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 1: so you know we think of usually three so kind 176 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 1: of the birth of hip hop all the way through 177 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: kind of like the you know, the early to mid 178 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: two thousands, so it's a pretty substantial period of time. Um, 179 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: you know holistically that we kind of consider hip hop. 180 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: And then you know, the cool thing about classic hip 181 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: hop is just like classic anything else because every year 182 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: you kind of graduate new folks into it. The one 183 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: thing we all do is something older. So like what 184 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: the model that we're building is. You know, there's gonna 185 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: be a time when you have folks like a little 186 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: Way and it's gonna be classic hip hop. You have 187 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: other folks. If he doesn't already have you know, uh, 188 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: if you don't already consider him, you know, having classic 189 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: and iconic things which he does, but to fall into 190 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: that classic area, the genre will keep graduating new folks. 191 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: So we're gonna continue to kind of grow that grow 192 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: that pie an opportunity over time. And if you think 193 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: about it the way we think about this uh, this 194 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: brand holistically, it was like the early eighties. The first 195 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: time the term classic rock was coined, I believe in 196 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: a radio station in Ohio. So just imagine if somebody 197 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: had wrapped their hands around classic rock and created one brand, 198 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: and you think about all the billion and hundreds of 199 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: million dollar brands that have spurred out of that, whether 200 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: it's Jimmy Buffetts, Margueritaville, or however cafes, and it kind 201 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: of goes on and on and and hip hop has 202 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: grown up to be have a much larger influence uh 203 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,079 Speaker 1: than rock. UM. So we are you know, the and 204 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: that we believe we have the the right, We have 205 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: the right folks. We've included the culture in our business 206 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 1: model UM to really elevate and tell those stories because 207 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: we keep love at the center of everything we do. 208 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,199 Speaker 1: That's a good message for this world right now. And 209 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,079 Speaker 1: on that theme, I know that you have been starting 210 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: to talk to brands and working with brands. How do 211 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: you square a classic hip hop and art form that 212 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: came up as a you know, speaking truth to power 213 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: in the larger world, talking about cultural and racial social inequities, 214 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: an art form that has advanced that so much and 215 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: given voice in such a strong way. Is that is 216 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: that something that Madison Avenue of One wants to tap 217 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 1: into because they get the authenticity. I think twenty years 218 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: ago we probably wouldn't be having this conversation, but time 219 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 1: has passed. Can you talk about like the kind of 220 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 1: things that that brands and marketers come to you and 221 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: want to reach in tapping into your demographic Yeah, I mean, 222 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: you know, you know, and I've been a marketer for 223 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: for for the fair part of my career. Marketers want 224 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: to draw, want to be relevant to their consumers. They 225 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: want an authentic way to reach them and talk to them. 226 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: They want to think about the things that matter in 227 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: their life, and they want to find a way for 228 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: their brand to matter as well. But they also have 229 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:23,839 Speaker 1: kind of gotten a little bit a little bit more 230 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 1: wise and understanding that when you step into something else, 231 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: someone cares about whether it's cultures, could be cooking, it 232 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: could be anything. Um, if you don't do it with authenticity, 233 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: and it comes off that you're trying to leverage and 234 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: kind of like use the culture um and and not 235 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: give anything back. You're immediately seen as not authentic. So 236 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: when you're temping, you're stepping into something like a hit 237 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: classic hip hop or even hip hop culture which literally 238 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: started by you know, with the with the idea of 239 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: really given a voice to the voiceless. It was a 240 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: whole culture creative for people who culture were stripped away. 241 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 1: So if you think about kind of the power that 242 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: sits underneath that uh um, you know, brands want to 243 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,319 Speaker 1: tap into that authenticity, but you know they don't necessarily, 244 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: you know, going down that path by themselves doesn't necessarily 245 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: make sense. So you come with the partner like Rock 246 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: the Bells, who was born out of the love for 247 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: the culture, was born from the literally is you know, 248 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: one of the only companies fully you know, founded by 249 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: the creators of the culture. Everyone from cool Hirk is 250 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:23,599 Speaker 1: one of our icons, who's who's kind of like, you know, 251 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: you know, an icon and has some equity in this company, 252 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: to eminem to you know, to big Dad again. You 253 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: kind of you gotta list the names we wanted the 254 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 1: culture to be a part of what we're creating, so 255 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: we can drive authenticity and brands that can be authentic blends, 256 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,599 Speaker 1: Brands that can find a way to play into you know, 257 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,959 Speaker 1: culture that's happened and also that's happening now are ones 258 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: that are gonna have success. So like the one of 259 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: the examples of the four core elements of hip hop, 260 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: you have the rappings of the music, you have the 261 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: DJing so party scene, you have breakdance. You won't have 262 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: TikTok without breakdance, and then you have kind of groof 263 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 1: cit yard in our fashion. You can kind of put 264 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: in that that in that bucket as well. And if 265 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: you start with classic hip hop, I can find you 266 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: an authentic way to start in a start with break dance, 267 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: and I can get you to TikTok. You can start 268 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: with the kind of an m C of a classic 269 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: mcene I can get you to today. You can start 270 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: with an amazing you know uh you know, uh, you know, 271 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: you know, fashion fashioneer like a dapper Dan, and then 272 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: you can you can kind of you can also build 273 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: a bridge to somebody a hot young designer today, any 274 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: anyone on any runway today, you know, yeah, pretty much. 275 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: So that's you know, if you want to be authentic 276 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: in the space, there's no more authentic place to start 277 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 1: them to start. I know. I spoke with l col 278 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: J I think last year about when when Rock the 279 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: Bells was really coming together, and he acknowledged that even 280 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 1: he was a little surprised at the reaction just how 281 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: many people were interested in looking at things on the website, 282 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: you know, stories that were posted, memories, historical videos, older 283 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: just just remembrances from some of the partners in the company, 284 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: and that that really showed him that there was there 285 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: was a lot of potential in in someone like himself 286 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: who could bring just automatic authenticity to the space. Yeah, 287 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, I think that's the one thing 288 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: that we found. And you know, this this kind of 289 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:17,959 Speaker 1: goes into any corporate environment, kind of goes back to 290 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: kind of what I believe is when you when you're 291 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: in something for the right reasons, when you truly love 292 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: a space, and that comes through, people see it and 293 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: it's refreshing. So you have classic hip hop artists that 294 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: oftentimes have been told many not all, but but many 295 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: have been told like I'm looking for this newer artist 296 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: there I don't really understand how you can potentially fit 297 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: into the same and are senior counterparts and rock they'll 298 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: still put the you know, a classic rocker right next 299 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: to the new, hot, young artist, but oftentimes the classic 300 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: hip hop artists won't get the same look. And when 301 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: there's a company who you know, when there's a company 302 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: and what I wan't even say, like a movement or 303 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: a purpose driven company which wants to elevate classic hip 304 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: hop through a modern lens comes along and we pull 305 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: up the white glove treatment for culture and for the people, 306 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: and we show that respect that we want to tell 307 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: their authentic stories. Um, there's a natural affinity affinity that's 308 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: starting to happen because we're not in this. We don't 309 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: the people who I'm hiring and myself and now we're 310 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: not doing this because this is the only way we 311 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: can make money. Um, when we're not where I believe 312 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: this will be incredibly financially successful. But like, we're here 313 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: because we love the culture and we want to elevate it. 314 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: And we believe when you have a healthy core or 315 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: a classic hip hop and you elevate that through a 316 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: modern lens, you actually inspire the next generation of creativity. 317 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: Think about young people today, Think about you know that 318 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: that the younger generation today, all the pressures they face 319 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: from Instagram in all these different places. Um, when there's 320 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: a wider swath of creativity that you can look at, 321 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: I can look at a Lauren Hill in a Missy Elliott, 322 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: and I can also look alike and uh you know, uh, 323 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: you know, a Megna Stallion and some of them younger artists. 324 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: Now there's just a wider swath of creativity than I 325 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: can choose from, and there's there's really richness in that variety. Um. 326 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: I listened to all of uh, and I enjoy all 327 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: of it. And when you see that variety, people can 328 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: find themselves along that parallel. Uh. And they don't ever 329 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: feel like you need to sacrifice who they are to 330 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: try to kind of like know for clicks or likes, 331 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: Like No, I can actually just you know, express my 332 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: true voice. Uh. And and it gives people a cheek 333 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: cold to just be themselves. Um. And I think that's 334 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: when hip hop was said as best, when people are 335 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: just being original, being themselves. A lot of that's happening 336 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: today as well. And I think building an authentic bridge 337 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: between the cultures connecting those communities together. UM, not saying 338 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: this is old and this is new and like all 339 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: that's done. Like no, we're one culture, one community. Were 340 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: mothers and daughters, were fathers and sons, and we can 341 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: do much better when we're build together. We'll take a 342 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: short break here and be back with more from Rock 343 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: the Bells President James Cuthbert. And we're back with more 344 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: from Rock the Bells President James Cuthbert. Do you have 345 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: a sense of kind of who you're or who your 346 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: target demographic is, who who is the kind of the 347 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: core of your listenership or your consumer base at this 348 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: point for Rock the Mills, Yeah, yeah, we do. So 349 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 1: what we see is then, and this is actually really interesting, 350 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: is we have this core core whore that's kind of 351 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: you could say, maybe mid thirties to mid fifties. That's 352 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: kind of like I grew up with this. I was, 353 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, at those you know, critical years in my life. 354 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: I was at those teenage years, uh, you know when 355 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 1: this culture was happening. Where I was in my twenties 356 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: when this culture was happening, So I was out all 357 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: the time listening to the music. Um, and that's kind 358 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: of imprinted on Who I Am. Uh, and I directly 359 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,120 Speaker 1: correlate myself. I think, you know, I am hip hop. 360 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 1: It's it's who I am. It's a part of kind 361 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: of like my journey. Um. But then we also are 362 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: seeing we have this whole other cohre of folks, and 363 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: we see a large percentage actually a fairly large percentage 364 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: of the listenership even on Serre sex sem it's actually 365 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: under twenty five, you know. And I kind of, you know, 366 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: I kind of call this kind of like, you know, 367 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: the guy on a skateboard drinking cranberry juice. Uh, you know, 368 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: you know, stringent over's kind of life. You know, what 369 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: what what's that song that is playing? It's kind of playing. 370 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: There's this sense of discovery, right, So there's this like 371 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: you know, you know, for for folks under twenty five. 372 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: There they didn't grow up with linear television, didn't growup 373 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 1: with linear radio. So they're finding, discovering, and then they're sharing. 374 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: And often you'll see videos of people discovering Tupac for 375 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: the first time. We're discovering El cool J for the 376 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: first time. We're discovering Big that he came for the 377 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: first time. UM. And there's this sense of discovery and 378 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 1: sharing that's happening all the time. And they're also oftentimes 379 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: the children of some of those gen X parents that 380 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: grew up. So it's like, you know, you know, hip 381 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: hops getting ready to turn fifty in a few years, 382 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: so that's you know, that that swath of time. You know, 383 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: the people who are at that time like they have 384 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: kids that are now you know, obeyed, so you actually 385 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: have this really it's just it's really interesting when we 386 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: look at the numbers and the demographics of like it's 387 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: this this mid to older millennial and gen X, and 388 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: then you kind of have this younger cohord as well, 389 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: which which is which is which is kind of the 390 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: life blood for any brand because nots generation, but we're 391 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: also satisfying this core was all of this potential? Was 392 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: this what attracted you to the job? Um? What attracted 393 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: me to the job is because I love I love 394 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: hip hop. I'm my first language is hip hop. So 395 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: I used to DJ and do freestyle battles and make 396 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:17,239 Speaker 1: music and kind of, uh, you know, I've always been 397 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: in and around hip hop my whole life. Um, so 398 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: I saw it start to integrate with my kind of 399 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: personal career. Um, as I went through it, and I 400 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: was I was blessed to work on the Sprite brand 401 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: for some time and launch a campaign where we put 402 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: rap lyrics on cans of people like Drake and people 403 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: like rock Can and people like Biggie and Tupac and 404 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: Jake Cole and missy Um. And what I saw what 405 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: I did that is it actually just it worked. There 406 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: was something about sparking intergenerational conversations. It moves the neatle. 407 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: You sold more spray, is what you're saying. We drove 408 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: double digit velocity gains on the kind of our twenty 409 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: plastic bottles and then our tall Boy cans as well. 410 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: And what I saw is like it's driving organic velocities 411 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:58,479 Speaker 1: in the in the channel where they made the most 412 00:19:58,520 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: money that they make a lot of money in the 413 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: beings retail channel and the communist retail channel overall. And 414 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: it won because it was authentic to the culture. It 415 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: lifted up their voices and it spread across the entire culture. 416 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: It wasn't just here's the hottest young thing. It wasn't 417 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: just here's classic. There's something in that bridge where you're bridging, 418 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: you're bridging the community, you're bridging the culture you're having 419 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: like an uncle talk to his son's Oh rock ham is, 420 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 1: let me tell you about rock Cam. You have the sunset, 421 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: Drake is the best thing that you know, best artists 422 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: I've ever heard of the world. And they're like that conversation. 423 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: Um is good for culture. It's it's good for hip 424 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: hop um, and it's also good for business. It sounds 425 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: like and it sounds like you're going to make it, 426 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: make it so. Um, how was it given, you know, 427 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,439 Speaker 1: given like to say, hip hop's about to turn fifty, 428 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: the A A R P isnt uh membership card is 429 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: in the mail. That's a humbling moment. I can speak 430 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: from personal experience on that one. Um. But given you know, 431 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: given the the given the amount of time that it 432 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: has been around, the influence, the multi generation national aspect 433 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 1: of artists and listenership. Was it when you went out 434 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: to talk to you know, the Wall Street elite, the 435 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 1: investment bankers that we're gonna write checks? Was it? Did 436 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: they get what you were doing? Did you have to 437 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 1: explain it? Well, I mean I think you have to 438 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: explain it everybody. Sorry, of course you know so, so, 439 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,640 Speaker 1: I mean, I I think you know me I had 440 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: been through this process on a smaller scale, working at 441 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: places like Coca Cola. UM. Coca Cola is still a southern, 442 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: somewhat conservative company. UM. And I told them I wanted 443 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 1: to put rap lyrics on like you know, hundreds of 444 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: millions of time. Well, guess what my my lawyer, legal 445 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 1: friend at the Times, Guy Bill, was telling me. He 446 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,159 Speaker 1: was like, James, He's like, you know, this is the 447 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: highest risk because once you print these cans, it's not 448 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: like we can rub off. You can't rub the lyrics 449 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,239 Speaker 1: off it. I was like, trust me on this one, 450 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 1: it's gonna work. Um. And it worked incredibly well. But 451 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: when when we're speaking to folks that you know, especially 452 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: kind of when we're pitching and kind of going through 453 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 1: the raised process and where you know what we're really 454 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: pitching is just like this, this culture is real. The 455 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: examples of classic hip hop when elevated, there's so many 456 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: of them. You think about the fact that you know, 457 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: breakdancing will be an Olympic sport. Um. You think about 458 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: everything Snoop has done with him and Martha Stewart. You 459 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 1: think about fifty cent in Power having one of the 460 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: biggest shows. You think about Si Rock with Puffy or 461 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: Beats by Dre with Dr Dre, or you think about 462 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: you start throwing out example after example. You think about, um, 463 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: you know the soundtrack to you know, Michael Jordan's documentary 464 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: that he did, Or you think about Coachella using classic 465 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: hip hop acts. Do you think about Versus and everything 466 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: that you know they've been able to do with that property. Um, 467 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: there's all these examples of when you elevate classic hip 468 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: hop cultures to a modern lens. Um it works. Um, 469 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: So like, man, if we can do this consistently, I've 470 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: see all these I see these green shoots happening in 471 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: all these areas, and we actually bring the culture together 472 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: to do it as one. Um. You know, you know 473 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: it's people start, it starts to click. They understand the 474 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: bigness of hip hop. Um, they understand classic rock and 475 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: like made, I could have got owned a company that 476 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 1: you know, dominated classic rock and really brought the entire 477 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: all the rockers together under one roof. Um, you know 478 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: what would that company be worth today? Um? And I 479 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: think then it's then it starts to click. And then 480 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: you look at the business model and we have very 481 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 1: sound footing in terms of how we built that from 482 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: the ground up, how we're building this you know this uh, 483 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,239 Speaker 1: this business systematically, UM, but most importantly, how we're we're 484 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: going to provide for the culture at the same time. So, 485 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: but as we continue to grow this brand, what you're 486 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: gonna where you're gonna start to see more souls like 487 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: this isn't just a radio station, um that you know, 488 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,479 Speaker 1: this isn't just a concert series or a store. Um. 489 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: You know, you know, this is a brand that aims 490 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: to champion hip hop and champion every single person who 491 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: loves it. So it doesn't matter what's your raised color, decrease, 492 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: sexual orientation, none of that matters. As long as you 493 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 1: love this culture, there's gonna be a seat at the 494 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 1: table at Rocking Bells. UM. You mentioned that you had 495 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: as part of your investment round you you brought on 496 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: some strategic partners. Can you talk about what who those 497 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: who those are and what they bring to you. Yeah, 498 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: I mean there's a there's a fair amount of I'm 499 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 1: not necessarily going to details on the individual investors, uh, 500 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:06,639 Speaker 1: just just just being mindful. But well, what I was 501 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: say in terms of kind of the skill sets that 502 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: we did bring in, and we brought in people with 503 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 1: you know, whether it's being able to help us from 504 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 1: an HR perspective, being able to help us from a 505 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: financial perspective, being able to help being able to help 506 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: us as we think about recruiting talent, but as we 507 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: think about long form contact UM, as we think deeper 508 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,440 Speaker 1: about the culture of people that we brought in. So 509 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: we're literally I mean, as we think about, you know, 510 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: developing experiences. We brought people in UM and investors and 511 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: groups and all of them in their different ways our 512 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,640 Speaker 1: value add Have he been given some type of advice, 513 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: have reached out, have helped us on the deal. UM. 514 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: You know, they've been incredibly UM. We're incredibly honored to 515 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: have the group of folks that we do have. So 516 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: when we thought about strategic investors, we thought about the 517 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: needs of the business, and as we lined up the 518 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: investors they take, they take pretty much all in the boxes. UM. 519 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: So I we feel completely supported, UM and privileged to 520 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: to have them invest in us, and we will deliver 521 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: on the other side. Thanks for listening. Be sure to 522 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 1: leave us a review at Apple Podcasts. We love to 523 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: hear from listeners, and be sure to tune in next 524 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: week for another episode of Strictly business