1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Couest. Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 2: All Right, well, ladies and gentlemen, this is a special 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 2: episode of Court Love Supreme, as all episodes are special 4 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 2: episodes of course Love Supreme. 5 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: No seriously, for a long time fans of the show. 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 2: Who already know like how nerdy and informative we are, 7 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 2: or at least that we strive to be at least 8 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 2: and putting you on game. This is probably why our 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 2: guest today is the perfect example and know how having 10 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 2: one foot being a well effective suit in the business 11 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 2: while equally having his other foot deeply rooted in creativity. 12 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: It's really rare to. 13 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 2: Meet someone on the other side of the camera that's 14 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: as much of a creative as artists are, but still 15 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 2: in the mode of being a suit. He is the 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: president of Live Nation Urban and as a business manager 17 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 2: for the last twenty years, he's literally guided the careers 18 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 2: of a bajillion acts from Jill Scott, Scott. 19 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 3: Storch, Lil Wayne, j Colen, Nicki. 20 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: Minaj, even a certain unnamed presidential candidate Slash Nuisance, not 21 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 2: to mention Philadelphia's finest. 22 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 3: The legendary Roots Crew. 23 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 4: Hello. 24 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: Hello, but you know pretty much if you've been head 25 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: scratching for the last ten or fifteen years, wondering how 26 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: in the hell does Questo? How can Questo match a 27 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 2: triple platinum artist going buff for buck with only a 28 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: single going gold in silent? 29 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: This man is really fully responsible. 30 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: Uh he can answer that question because lord knows, I've 31 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: been in the game since nineteen ninety two and there's 32 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 2: not many of us left here still swimming and thriving. 33 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: If you will, and we owe that to our guest. 34 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 2: I promised no inside baseball talk. This is supermanager, Sean guest, super. 35 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 3: Thank you, brother, thank you. I'm waiting for my supreme 36 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 3: y y you'll do that practice last night. 37 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 4: We can do it on zoom. 38 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 3: We can't do it on COVID nineteen. 39 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 5: But if we had about it that name, I'm like, 40 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 5: we can get a feature. 41 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 3: Then, you know, break it down. 42 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 4: His name was Sean G I think that's what it was. 43 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 3: Was your. 44 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 6: No, I don't know, you tell us please, lets you 45 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,399 Speaker 6: can start there the story, all right? 46 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, Seawanz's rap name was MC two cool mellow 47 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: cool cool cool mellowy. 48 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, Sean, Sean is really responsible. I guess you know. 49 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 3: I mean, it's no secret. 50 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: Shawn and Tarika cousins. 51 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 7: And I guess a lot of people don't know that. 52 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: Right, Okay, again, no inside baseball from question treating you 53 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 2: like a regular ask guest. Yeah, and so I guess 54 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 2: the legend is that the sibling rivalry nature of their 55 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: of their childhood. You know, Sean was like the star 56 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: of the family because he had a twelve inch single 57 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: that was popular Philly and you know that that really 58 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 2: lit a fire into Tarik, like you know, wait, do 59 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: they get a load to meat like that? That sort 60 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 2: of thing, and that's you know, so Sean is responsible 61 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: for really putting the fire under. 62 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 5: Hold on, I see what's about to happen here, you 63 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 5: go ahead. 64 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 7: Okay, IM about to say so. 65 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 3: So Tarika and I our cousins. Black thought is my cousin. 66 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 3: We were sort of raised more like brothers because his 67 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 3: mother was my first cousin, so he was my second cousin, 68 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 3: but we were obviously around the same age range. 69 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 4: And you know his mom, you know. 70 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 3: He's always stayed at the crib like my mom was. 71 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 3: The was the aunt was the South Philly aunt who 72 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 3: moved to Mount Airy where all of the entire South 73 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 3: Philly family would come up and hang and drop their 74 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 3: kids off. And Riek was always at the crib, always 75 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 3: at the crib. And from the time we were four 76 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 3: or five six years old, we were super competitive in everything, right, 77 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 3: whether it was riding our bikes, whether it was drawing, 78 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 3: like Trek is a super dope visual artist. And you know, 79 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 3: I'm the older cousin. I'm two years older than them, 80 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 3: so I I especially in those at that time when 81 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 3: you were younger, two years is a big difference. So 82 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 3: I was able to muscle him. I was able to, 83 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 3: you know, verbally muscle him, physically muscle them like yo. 84 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 3: So you know, we would have drawing contests, you know 85 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 3: what I mean, and we judge each other's picture and 86 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 3: you know, his pictures looking super dope in minds, looking 87 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,919 Speaker 3: like stick figures. But I'd like, I want, I want, 88 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 3: you know, So you know I used to always be 89 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 3: able to frustrate them and in different ways. And music 90 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 3: was another passion of us, like we you know, grew up. 91 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,119 Speaker 3: You know, I got my first record that I bought 92 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 3: was you know, the Fat Boys but a stick them, 93 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 3: you know, from Sound of Market, you know, brought it 94 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 3: up to the cribe, was at the crib. You know, 95 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: we're playing a record. So you know, a lot of 96 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 3: the experiences that I had being the older cousin, I 97 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 3: would come back and and explain or talk to him 98 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 3: or about it, and he would sort of live vicariously 99 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 3: through me. And then, yeah, it got to a certain 100 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 3: point where you know, I started rapping and and I 101 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 3: started to get a rep in Philadelphia, and I used 102 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 3: to travel around the city and got a record deal 103 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 3: quote unquote and put out a single. And at the 104 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 3: same time, you know, REP was always an artist, you know, 105 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 3: whether it was a visual artist, whether it was a poet, writer, 106 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 3: a rapper, you know, a singer. He could do it all. 107 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 3: And I got to a point where, you know, I 108 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 3: also played basketball in high school and I was shooting guard. 109 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 3: I had a record out and I was on a 110 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 3: basketball team. 111 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: Played basketball then. 112 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 3: No, no, not at all, not at all, not at all, 113 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 3: but but basketball basketball took me away from from hip hop, 114 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 3: like basketball took me away from because it was like 115 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 3: I started getting college scholarship offers and things like that. 116 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 3: So I stopped. You were that good, Yeah, I got 117 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 3: I got scholarship division too. I mean I wasn't. I 118 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 3: didn't know that you were in that Villanova you swhere, 119 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 3: But yeah, I got I got a college Scouts, I 120 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 3: got the ball, like yo, google me though, like. 121 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 7: I got to be a mayor me Sean. 122 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 3: Know that's I'll send you some clippings, like you know, 123 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 3: I don't know that life. 124 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 5: So twelve grade year, I put numbers the way Sean, 125 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 5: you basket forward and can we take it back, like 126 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 5: take it back to like the kind of house that 127 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 5: you grew up in, like what your what your parents did, and. 128 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 3: Oh we can start there. We can start there. So 129 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 3: so my entire family on my mother's side, I was 130 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 3: really close, you know, to my mother, and father was 131 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 3: in my life, but my mother raised us. 132 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: You know what I mean. 133 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 3: It was a household where you know, my father was 134 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: in and out. You know, he was in my life. 135 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 3: I'm not I'm not the one who's got it. He 136 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 3: was in my life, but my mother raised it. She 137 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 3: was She was the visionary, she was everything. And my 138 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 3: mother grew up in the projects in South phil projects. 139 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 3: I have three siblings thirteen, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen years 140 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: older than me. So they're much older than me. 141 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 4: Oh they were. 142 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 3: They were born in the projects in South Philly. My mom, uh, 143 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 3: she dropped out of high school in tenth grade. She 144 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 3: was pregnant with my sister when she was in tenth grade, 145 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 3: so she dropped out of high school in tenth grade. 146 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 3: Her my dad got married. They had two more kids, 147 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 3: living in the projects. My entire mother's side of her 148 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,239 Speaker 3: family is from South Philly, Fifth Street Projects of Seventh Street. 149 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 3: You know, South Philly is fifth Street of seventh Street, 150 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 3: and you know that was the sort of pre showing 151 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: existence was all South Philly. My mom was a hustler, 152 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 3: you know, she worked two three jobs. She saved up, 153 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 3: she bought real estate, and her dream was to get 154 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 3: her children out of South Philadelphia and she did that. 155 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 3: She bought a house in mount Airy and my closest 156 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 3: sibling was twelve years old, and they moved, and we moved. 157 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 3: They moved to mount Airy and I was born in 158 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: a mount Airy So I I was born on Sharpenext 159 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 3: Street in mount Airy with my entire family living in 160 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 3: South Philly for the first six years of my life 161 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 3: because my mom was working a couple of jobs, my 162 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 3: dad was working, you know, and my kid, my brother's 163 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 3: and sisters in school and we was ground and they 164 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 3: couldn't keep me. So my first six years of my life, 165 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: I lived in South Philly with Tarik's grandma, so until 166 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 3: I became until I was able to get become school age, 167 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 3: I stayed during the week in South Philly with Tarik's 168 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 3: Grandmam and my other aunt who lived like two doors 169 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 3: from each other, my Aunt Many and my Aunt Blanche, 170 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 3: until I turned six, when I was able to go 171 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 3: to school. That's when I moved to Mount Airy with 172 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 3: my mom and my family for the entire you know, 173 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 3: all week. So that was sort of my my early 174 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 3: existence was jumping between South Philly and Mount Airy during 175 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 3: the week and then you know, sort of staying with 176 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 3: my parents and my family on the weekend. 177 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 7: Which at the time was like the first right was. 178 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 3: The hood and the burbs. It was absolutely one thousand 179 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 3: percent this was this was mount Airy at the time 180 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 3: where there were white people there, you know what I mean, 181 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,239 Speaker 3: it was, it was, it was predominant. It was predominantly 182 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 3: white when my mom moved there. I mean, now you 183 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 3: know that that doesn't exist, but that's that's the Mound 184 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 3: area that we moved to when it's predominantly white. But again, 185 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 3: my existence until I became six and went until I 186 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 3: became school age. Was still in South Philly because my 187 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 3: mom and dad didn't have you know, didn't have no 188 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,559 Speaker 3: home health care, you know, kid money, money to. 189 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 2: Put me in some sort of some sort of you 190 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 2: know care. Wait, so I have a question that Trica 191 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 2: is going on record to tell the story. But were 192 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 2: you there in South Philly during the infamous fire episode? 193 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 3: So the fire episode? All right, So I moved When 194 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 3: my mom moved from South Philly, she moved to a 195 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 3: house on Sharp Next Mount. That was the house she 196 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 3: saved up. You know, she saved two jobs. She bought 197 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 3: that house again. My mom was a hustler. Let me 198 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 3: tell you one more thing about my mom. My mom 199 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 3: was death So she lost her hearing at sixteen, so 200 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 3: she dropped out of high school at fifteen, lost her 201 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 3: hearing at sixteen, and had three kids by the age 202 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 3: of twenty. But she was a hustler and super smart 203 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 3: and understood how to make moves and under and had 204 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 3: a vision for her family. So she got us out 205 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 3: of South We moved to a house on Sharpnext Street. 206 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 3: We were there for about I think four or five years. 207 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 3: Then she saved up and bought another house on Hoarder Street, 208 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 3: which is the street around the corner, and kept the 209 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 3: sharp Next Street as a rental property. Right, so we 210 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 3: moved around the corner, kept the sharp Nextreet as a 211 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 3: rental property. One of the first tenants in that Sharp 212 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 3: Next Street property was Tarik and his mother. So the 213 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 3: infamous house burned down story was the house that my 214 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 3: mother owned. Oh and it was in Mount Airy, not 215 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 3: in South Philly. So the story is Tarik lived in 216 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 3: this house. Tarik and and and his mom and his 217 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 3: brother lived in this house. I was over there. I 218 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:09,719 Speaker 3: was there. We were hanging, we were playing. We were 219 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 3: being cousins or whatever. And then I bounced and we 220 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 3: were playing. I don't know if y'all remember these little 221 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 3: green army men. 222 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, that was that was our thing. 223 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: That was our thing. 224 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 3: We used to set them up all around the crib 225 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 3: and you know what I mean. And again I'm the 226 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 3: older cousin. I'm like, wow, wow, wow, I killed you. 227 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 3: I killed you. You know what I want. But we 228 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 3: we we, you know, we got into the game and 229 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 3: I bounced and he continued playing, and you know, evidently 230 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 3: the story is he found a lighter and you know, 231 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 3: the army men were stuck in one particular position. You know, 232 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 3: that's the position you bought the man, whether they're on 233 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 3: their knees shooting or on the ground shooting. Te you know. 234 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 3: Being the intelligent kid that he was, he said, I 235 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 3: think I can if I burned this army man, I 236 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 3: can change his position, because it's going to be you know, yeah, exactly. So, 237 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 3: you know, he clicked the lighter, old school lighter, you 238 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:03,719 Speaker 3: know what I mean, clicked the lighter was burning the 239 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 3: army man. Of course, the lighter got hot and he 240 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 3: flicked the lighter down, and before you know it, you 241 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 3: turned around and the curtains is on fire. And he 242 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 3: runs downstairs and tells his mom, and then the whole 243 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 3: upstairs is on fire, and then the house is so, yeah, 244 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 3: that's the that's the that's the that's the ultimate story. 245 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 3: But yeah, I mere the house that the house that 246 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 3: caught on fire was actually my mom's rental property. Oh okay, 247 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 3: how those ladies in that house? 248 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:31,839 Speaker 4: Okay. 249 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 2: He tells the story that he just ran downstairs like 250 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 2: like you smell something burning, not at all, that's when 251 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 2: it happens. 252 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 8: So when you question, I had just about your mom 253 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 8: and she lost the hearing. Did you learn how to 254 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 8: sign to that? 255 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 4: Like, how did y'all? 256 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 3: That's the crazy shi? It is so here. So let's 257 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 3: you know, again unpacking a little bit. So my mom 258 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 3: lost her hair in at sixteen, her sister, Tariqu's grandma. 259 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 3: It was hard of hearing from the time I knew her. 260 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 3: I mean, she could hear when you like yell. Our aunt, 261 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 3: Dot was death. Dot had two kids that were both deaf, 262 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 3: and my middle brother was deaf. You know, So we 263 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 3: had all of that in the family. And I just 264 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 3: don't understand why I don't know silent you know why? 265 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 3: You know why because my mom didn't learn silanguage. My 266 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 3: mom read lips. Wow, I mean, my mom never learned 267 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 3: silentuge she and what I did. I was her communicator. 268 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 3: So my early business days was while she was doing 269 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 3: and building her real estate business. You know, I was 270 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 3: this eight year old on the phone translating with the 271 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 3: electric company or translating with the contractor. Like Mom, he said, 272 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 3: it's going to cost you know, six hundred dollars to 273 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 3: put this hot water heater in, and she'd be like, Sean, 274 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 3: get the fuck out of here. Time. It don't cost 275 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 3: me four hundred dollars and I'd be like, sir, and 276 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 3: she'd be like I heard her, but tell her we 277 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 3: could do four fifty. And I'm like, mom, he said 278 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 3: four fifty, She's like, no, four hundred, and that's it, 279 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 3: you know, okay for it. So I learned my first 280 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 3: sort of negotiating and and just handling business and understanding 281 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 3: the rhythm of those conversations because business right, yeah, over 282 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 3: my mom handling buying houses, buying property, negotiate with contractors. 283 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 3: I was the one doing it because she couldn't hear, 284 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 3: so she never really learned sign language, but she obviously 285 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 3: knew how to communicate. So I think because of that, 286 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 3: I never learned sol What was. 287 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 5: The height of her number of properties at like. 288 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 3: Her height, I think we had. I mean she used 289 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 3: to buy and sell, so it was never like a 290 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 3: buy and hold, like oh my mom had fifty properties 291 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 3: all over the city. It was it was a buy 292 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 3: and sell thing. But I mean I think she probably 293 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 3: you know, across my through my high school years, it's 294 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 3: probably like ten to fifteen you know, properties around the 295 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 3: city that she's either bought held, So whatever. 296 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: Are you still in that business or have you just 297 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: let them all go? 298 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 3: No, I know I still have. I still I still 299 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 3: got some property. And so you know I'm still likes. 300 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: Great because that'll call your parents in case some shit 301 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: happened to me. 302 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 4: Are your parents to they still alive? 303 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: Shot? 304 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 3: My mom passed away young. She was sixty four when 305 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 3: she passed. She passed away fifteen years ago. My father's man. 306 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 4: Yes, okay, gotcha. 307 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: So you also attended Millersville? Correct? 308 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 3: Absolutely, all right at the university I got Are you 309 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 3: the one that introduced Malkan to read to each other? 310 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 4: Or yes? 311 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 3: It was so I did. You're asking this question. I'm sorry, 312 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 3: So it was me. It goes back to me and 313 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 3: Tarik being competitive, right, so like I was saying, basketball 314 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 3: took me away from him, Like you know, he wasn't 315 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 3: making no money back in the day. 316 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know. I was doing. 317 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 3: Shows at the Why out fifty second Street. You know, 318 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: that was my trap. 319 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:15,959 Speaker 1: That was the house of the Why Circuit. 320 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 3: I did the Why on Christian down South Philly, Why 321 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 3: on fifty second Street. 322 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? 323 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 3: I always wanted I always wanted to be jazz j 324 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 3: just see, like that was my goal in life. 325 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 7: Right, what is that record deal with Sean? 326 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 3: It was with a company called Payhill Records with the 327 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 3: label was The label was a joint venture between mc 328 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 3: breeze and balally B. 329 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:40,239 Speaker 1: Again where is all right? 330 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 2: So for those that don't know, like balawie B is 331 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 2: like mid hip hop period, like between eighty five to 332 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 2: about ninety one. Blii B was like a legendary Philadelphia 333 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 2: label CEO, Like what was I always heard his name? 334 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 2: But was he like our was artists. 335 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 3: So it's funny because the label was you know, this 336 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:05,959 Speaker 3: is his dude name was Jim Hill. He was like 337 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 3: your traditional you know, corporate guy, non musician, non you 338 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 3: know probably what what what y'all thought I was when 339 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 3: you first met me, you know what I mean, like 340 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:23,199 Speaker 3: corporate shoe, no, no creativity. So it was his label. 341 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 3: He did a deal with mc breeze, who was an artist. 342 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 3: This combobulated later and and and you know all of that, 343 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 3: and Breese did a sub deal with balally B, who 344 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 3: also was an artist. So my label was run by. 345 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 2: Two artists and production deal exactly exactly. 346 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 3: I'm like, where's my royalties? 347 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 1: Dog? 348 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 3: I'm about to about to hit you up for that, 349 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 3: but but yeah, so so so you know I had 350 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 3: that then I started playing ball. College, just start calling. 351 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 3: I'm thinking about life. I'm like, let me take this 352 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 3: college scholarship. You know, I stopped rapping and I start 353 00:18:58,200 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 3: playing ball, so I go up to military. But I'm 354 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 3: you know, you still rap. You're still freestyling, right, You're 355 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 3: still in the car. Bea come on, you still you 356 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 3: never stopped fucking rapping when you rap? And you know, 357 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 3: I come home Thanksgiving of my sophomore year, and you know, 358 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 3: reeks over the family. We have our Thanksgiving dinner. You know, 359 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 3: we're in the basement or whatever, and me and we 360 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 3: always battle. We always battle, always used to battle. And 361 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 3: when I was younger, you know what I mean, I 362 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 3: would kill him. I mean yeah, I wouldkill him. He 363 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 3: was younger. I would muscle him right, like, even when 364 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 3: I lost, I won. But he's just start getting fucking bad. 365 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 3: It was like right around the time he met you 366 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:36,879 Speaker 3: and me were like, you just start getting better and 367 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 3: better and better. And when I came home from college, 368 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 3: we was in the basement and he was like, yo, 369 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 3: you want to battle. And I was like you go first, 370 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 3: and he was like all right, and whatever he said. 371 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 3: I was like, oh no, I don't rap no more. 372 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 3: That shits the sucker, you know what I mean. Like 373 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 3: I said, but listen, but I said, look, you might 374 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,479 Speaker 3: be good, you might be better than me. But I'm 375 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 3: playing ball man. I said. There's this dude up Miller's 376 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 3: named Malik. Like, Yo, you can't fuck with Malik B. 377 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 3: You can't. He was like who. I was like, Yo, 378 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 3: he's from Philly, he from westsel Wayne. You cannot touch 379 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,239 Speaker 3: Maliku B. And you know, that was it. That was it. 380 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,479 Speaker 3: That was Thanksgiving dinner. I said that to him, and 381 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 3: that was it. Fast forward. He's a senior in high 382 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 3: school at this time. Fast forward, him and a couple 383 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 3: of his homies from high school ended up going to 384 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 3: Millersville and they ended up, you know, applying and getting 385 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 3: accepted to Millersville. They go into the summer program. You know, 386 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 3: I'm up there working in the summer. I want the 387 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 3: first weekend that they're up there, I go to the 388 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,880 Speaker 3: you know, off campus party or whatever, and they're like, yo, yo, 389 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 3: I just met your cousin. Your cousin go here. I 390 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 3: don't know you had a cousin here. I just met 391 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 3: your cousin. I'm like, yeah, yeah, it's all good. He's like, 392 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 3: he's in the kitchen. I'm like, what are you doing? 393 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 3: He back there rapping and I'm like, all right, cool. 394 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 3: So I walk in the kitchen and it's Tariq and 395 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 3: Malik battle and Malick says to me, like, yo, your 396 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 3: cousin came in a party and asked who I was, 397 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 3: so Tarik in his mind, you know, from the time 398 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: when I said, yo, you this kid Malik and Millersville, 399 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 3: You're not better than him, it was like a missile. 400 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 3: He was like, let me find this kid mal like 401 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,919 Speaker 3: Moseean's talking about. And from that they literally battled the 402 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 3: entire It was like a two and a half hour battle, 403 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 3: just back and forth. From that point they were bonded, 404 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 3: you know, from from a rap perspective, that was that's 405 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 3: when the you know, that st that portion of the 406 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 3: roots were formed in that kitchen that summer in Millsville University. 407 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: Wait, there's the question. 408 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 2: You You'll be the perfect person to answer, because normally 409 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 2: our guests are New York UH based guests and they 410 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 2: always have a Latin Quarter experience. However, the Philly Latin 411 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 2: Quarter was a spot called after Minon and I never 412 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 2: had a guest on the show that could really explain 413 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 2: why the after midnight was so important? Even though I'm 414 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,959 Speaker 2: of age, I was not allowed to the after midnight? 415 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: What was? What was it like in there? Now? 416 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 2: I know after Midnight's building as the Spaghetti Warehouse because 417 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 2: it shut down, But like, what was was the after 418 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 2: midnight the pinnacle or the top place where you could 419 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 2: see hip hop shows at that time? Was that our 420 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 2: house of blues? Was that our or was it the 421 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 2: fifty second Street? 422 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: Why? Like, where was Philly besides block parties? 423 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 2: Where was Philly in terms of seeing a show that 424 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 2: wasn't at the spectrum? 425 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,199 Speaker 3: Right? So there was sort of two levels to it. 426 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 3: You know, you had your sort of i'll call it 427 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 3: the local regional level, but for certain shows you still 428 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 3: had some national acts. But that local regional level, which 429 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 3: is mean which means you can on any given Thursday, Friday, 430 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,360 Speaker 3: Saturday and Sunday you can go to a party. Right. 431 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 3: You had the YMCA's, you had the out in Winfield, 432 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 3: You had Circus City. You know, there was this circuit 433 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 3: of clubs that rock every week. But you got to 434 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 3: understand that Philly back then, the stars wasn't the rappers. 435 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 3: The stars were the DJs, you know what I mean? 436 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 3: So when you got the Flyers, you weren't going to 437 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 3: see you know, Prince Will Rock. That was Fresh Prince's 438 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 3: name before Fresh Prince Prince Will Rock. You know, you 439 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 3: were going to see DJ Jazzy Jeff, you were going 440 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 3: to see DJ cash Money, you were going to see 441 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 3: Lightning Rich, you were going to see DJ Spinbad. Like 442 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 3: those were the names on the flyers. And when at 443 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 3: all of these clubs, those are the people who sort 444 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 3: of made those rounds, and as young teenagers, we were like, 445 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 3: we gotta go see the DJ. It was almost like 446 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 3: a you know who cared who was actually rapping for them. 447 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 3: Like Jazz Jeff said earlier, I always wanted to be jazz. 448 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 3: Like Jazz Jeff is a god to me, Like it's 449 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 3: amazing that I can call him a friend. But because 450 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 3: when I was a kid, you know, I was like 451 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 3: following Jazzy Jeff, like you know what I mean, Like 452 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 3: he was an icon and during the time he had 453 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 3: Rock well he had I see, he had all these 454 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 3: random m seeds, but it really didn't matter. So you know, 455 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:18,679 Speaker 3: you had your DJ circle in Philly around all of 456 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 3: these clubs that all of the DJ's were the stars. 457 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: What's that well, Grand Master Vict Victor do play. 458 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 3: Absolute you know, yea Master Vic and the super m seeds, 459 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 3: you know what I mean, Like he was he was 460 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 3: a he was a star, you know. And Vic actually 461 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 3: went to my high school. So I would go see 462 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,640 Speaker 3: him at parties on Saturday, him and and his two mcs, 463 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 3: and I come back and he'd be walking through the 464 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 3: halls in high school and I'm like, oh, shoot, that's 465 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 3: Master Vick, you know. But yeah, So it was just 466 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 3: sort of energy in Philly around the DJs. And this 467 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 3: was and that was the club circuit, but after Midnight 468 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 3: brought was this sort of national u look from a 469 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 3: national recording artist perspective. All of the New York people 470 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 3: came down to play after midnight. You know, you gotta 471 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 3: figure even on the club DJ circuit, it was still neighborhoody. 472 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 3: Right when you went to the fifty second Street, why, 473 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 3: ninety percent of the people was from West Philly, you 474 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 3: know what I mean. When you went to you know 475 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 3: what I meant, the Christian Street wid ninety percent of 476 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 3: the people in South Philly. When you went to the 477 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 3: after Midnight, it was people from all over the city, 478 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 3: and you had performers from that you were listening to 479 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,880 Speaker 3: on Ladyb's Hip Hop Show and Memi's Hip Hop Show 480 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 3: and DAS. So it was like that was like our 481 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 3: house of blues. That was where the national acts would 482 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 3: come and play and you would see all of the 483 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 3: people in the audience from all over the city at 484 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 3: one place where we would all congregate. 485 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 7: Would your life be in danger? 486 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 5: Likely? 487 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 7: Latin Quarter? 488 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, your life in danger at all of these places. 489 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 3: You know, that's just part of that's part of the culture. 490 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 3: You know what I mean, girls, girls would get there 491 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 3: snatch and you know, guys will get there. You know, 492 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 3: the six's jackets taken and you know what I mean, 493 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 3: their name belts and all that ship. But yeah, I 494 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 3: mean that's you know, that's that's that's that goes along 495 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 3: with with the culture. You don't want if you don't 496 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 3: if you don't want to experience that, stay home. Okay, 497 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 3: I did anyway? 498 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 4: Wait what weren't you allowed to go? 499 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: I don't understand that. Yeah, come on, I. 500 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 2: Did it the first route show of Princess Lounge. 501 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:41,400 Speaker 1: I wore burking Stocks. Now you got anyway? 502 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, So okay, Now how you entered my life was 503 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 2: you you started my first ever bank account, Like, at 504 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 2: what point are you realizing that that basketball might not 505 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 2: be your future? And when does finance enter? And when 506 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 2: you were entering finance, were you thinking of entertainment finance 507 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 2: or were you just thinking like, I'll be a professional 508 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 2: and you know, make low six figures a year, get 509 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 2: a BMW, nice job and you know, wife or two 510 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 2: kids in mount airy life, Like, where was this paradigm 511 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 2: shift in your life where it's like, Okay, money might 512 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 2: be in my future. 513 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 3: Well, what you doing? 514 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 5: I was I was looking and laughing in my mind. 515 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 5: Sean was just about to say, Darren, but I'm gonna 516 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 5: exactly what I'm going to say. 517 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 3: That basketball stopped becoming important my freshman year when my 518 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 3: girlfriend at the time and at Millersville told me she 519 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 3: was pregnant. And at that point I had to grow 520 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 3: the fuck up. So it was yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 521 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,479 Speaker 3: So I had November of my sophomore year, my oldest 522 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 3: son was born. I was nineteen years old, a father. 523 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 3: I was a quote unquote statistic, a teen age father 524 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 3: who wasn't supposed to make it. And you know, you're 525 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 3: supposed to drop out of school, and you know, all 526 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 3: of your dreams are over and just support your kid. 527 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 3: But again back to my mom and actually her mother, 528 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 3: her mother and father. They both looked at both of 529 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 3: us and said, all right, cool, you know y'all got this, 530 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 3: but we're gonna take care of this for the next 531 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 3: couple of years. We're gonna take care of this kid 532 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 3: for the next couple of years. Y'all both gonna graduate, 533 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 3: and that's one thing that's not gonna happen. Y'all not 534 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 3: gonna drop out of school. So that support a lot. 535 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 3: But but also my mom said, but you're gonna get 536 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 3: you know, I was always a worker anyway, but you 537 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 3: know you're gonna take care of them too, Like this 538 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 3: isn't all on us, So you make sure you get 539 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 3: your answer job or two if you need it. You know, 540 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 3: you know you got you gotta take care of it. 541 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 3: So at that point I stopped playing ball. Stop playing ball. 542 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 3: I literally worked two jobs for my sophomore year to 543 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 3: to my senior year. One one was at a bank 544 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:03,720 Speaker 3: in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. One was at Kellogg's facility up there. 545 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 3: On the weekends, I would they would shut down the 546 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 3: the cereal uh whatever that is not treadmill, what do 547 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 3: they call the assembly assembly shut down the Cereal assembly line, 548 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 3: you know, on the weekends, and they bring people in 549 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 3: and all we do is clean. We cleaned from ten 550 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 3: at night to ten in the morning, twelve hours, two 551 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 3: days a weekend and get paid doing it. So I 552 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 3: had two jobs up at school and graduated in four years. 553 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 3: I was an accounting major, so you know, I didn't 554 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 3: know what the funk I wanted to do. Like, it 555 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 3: wasn't like I was like, I want to do finance. 556 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 7: You know. 557 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 3: I was an accounting major, so I you know, it 558 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 3: was like, all right, you know, let me, I guess 559 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 3: numbers are are where I'm where I need to be. 560 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 3: I started working for the phone company. It was Bell 561 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 3: Atlantic at the time, but it's it's Verison now, uh. 562 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 3: And you know, it just was like going through life 563 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 3: not knowing where I wanted to It was eliminating things 564 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 3: that I didn't want to do, if that makes sense. 565 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 3: So worked in the finance department with the phone company. 566 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 3: I was like, oh, this is where I'm supposed to be. 567 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 3: Once I got in there, I was like, oh, no, 568 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 3: this shit ain't for me, you know what I mean. 569 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 3: After the finance department of the phone company was like, oh, 570 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 3: people are going to get their NBA, Like, you know, 571 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 3: there's a I can get another degree and that's going 572 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 3: to help me make more money. Let me go get 573 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 3: my MBA, you know. So I went to move to Washington, 574 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 3: d C. I went to George Washington University full time. 575 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 5: While wait wait wait wait wait wait, so you'll parents 576 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 5: are still like, okay, so you want to get your NBA. 577 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 7: Sorry, Sean, go ahead and move to d C. 578 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 3: I moved to d C, but by that time I 579 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 3: had graduated college. She had graduated college. Darren was living 580 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 3: with her and her parents, but he was with me 581 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 3: every weekend. Wow, So I was traveling to get them 582 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 3: even when I lived in DC. You know what I mean. 583 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,440 Speaker 3: I would drive up to Blancaster, pick them up, bring 584 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 3: them the DC. He'd be with me on the weekends, 585 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 3: I take him back drive back to d C. So 586 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 3: he was with me pretty much every if not every 587 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 3: other weekend. But yeah, she was living with her She 588 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 3: was living with her parents at the time. So you know, 589 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 3: went got my degree, MBA and finance and investments. You know, Okay, 590 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 3: what are you supposed to do with that? You either 591 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 3: go consulting or you go Wall Street all right, let 592 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 3: me try this Wall Street thing, you know, went up, started, 593 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 3: got a job at City Bank, moved to New York. 594 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 3: I was a private banker at City Bank, you know, 595 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,719 Speaker 3: working with high networth individuals. I had an office in 596 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 3: New York. I had an office in Zurich, Switzerland. I 597 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 3: was spending probably two weeks out of every month in Europe, 598 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 3: two weeks out of every month in New York living 599 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 3: the dream, right, I didn't know, but I quickly realized 600 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 3: I wasn't living my dream, you know again, eliminating shit 601 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 3: that I didn't want to do. That's that was my 602 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 3: that point in my life. That was four or five years. 603 00:31:55,560 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 3: It was less about finding my direction. It was more 604 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 3: about eliminiting things that I didn't want to do. Again. 605 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 3: I was spending two weeks in Europe, and I had 606 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 3: a son in Philadelphia. Like, I'm like, yo, I'm trying 607 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 3: to be with my kid, Like, this ain't the life 608 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 3: that I want to be, that I want to have. 609 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 1: What year was this? 610 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 3: This was ninety seven into ninety eight, So you were. 611 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: In Europe from the time when we were grinding. 612 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 3: I was in Zurich. Yes, I was in Switzerland. 613 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 4: Damn. 614 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 3: Okay, I was in Switzerland. I mean, did you see it? 615 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 3: We were there two weeks out of two weeks out 616 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 3: of every month. No, we never it never it never, 617 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 3: you know, so that we never connected. 618 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 7: Are you are at this time? 619 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 5: Are you talking to to y'all, like talking about your lives? 620 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 3: And then yeah, I mean I mean an American attest 621 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 3: to this, like during this point in the Roots career, 622 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 3: Like I was the cousin that would come around and 623 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 3: hang in the dressing room and drink up they liquor 624 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 3: and eat their food and hang. 625 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 1: But then I was mail D call the original mail 626 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: D coll. 627 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 3: But I would bounce because I had to work in 628 00:32:57,840 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 3: the morning, you know what I mean, or I had 629 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 3: school in the morning. But you know, yeah, I was 630 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 3: definitely you know, still communicating and and and you know, 631 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 3: I always say I was because of that, because of 632 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 3: me and Tarik, because of the Tarik Malak introduction, you 633 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 3: know what I mean, all of that I was. I was. 634 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 3: I'm a root, you know what I mean, I was 635 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 3: a root at that point. I just was a root 636 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 3: in grad school and the root in Wall Street. 637 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: Well, I think we we met. 638 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 2: I think the first oh distortion, I forgot you're the 639 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 2: eye in distortion and static. 640 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 3: Yes are you not? 641 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 4: Yes? 642 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 3: I am. I was the star. I was the star 643 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 3: of the first two routes. 644 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I forgot about distortion. 645 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 2: I know you were in proceed, but I forgot that's 646 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 2: eye is the eye. 647 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: That if you just. 648 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 4: Right. 649 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 1: I totally forgot that joint. So okay. So at the 650 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 1: time when. 651 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 2: Me and Tarique are sort of elevating this thing past 652 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 2: just being a high school rap group and name only 653 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 2: and trying to get joints at the gallery, yeah, making 654 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:08,799 Speaker 2: like the early organic shit? 655 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:11,120 Speaker 1: Are you taking at seriously? 656 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 2: Like when Tarik's playing you like past the popcorn and 657 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:18,400 Speaker 2: like early organics things. Is is there anything sparking in 658 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 2: your head, like all right, he's doing something or did 659 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 2: you just think like, uh they corny? Nah? 660 00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 3: Absolutely taking it seriously, you know, absolutely taking it seriously. 661 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 3: When Tarn told me he was gonna drop out of 662 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 3: school and and come back to Philly with you and 663 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 3: concentrate on this group and he's taken malk I was like, yo, 664 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 3: go you. 665 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 1: Know what I mean? 666 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 3: Because again, for me, a part of me wanted to 667 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:43,360 Speaker 3: be that like you know what I mean, Like you 668 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 3: remember in high school I was rapid, but it was 669 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 3: at a time where nobody wasn't making money and it 670 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 3: wasn't no traveling. It was just like, you know, a 671 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 3: professional hobby for lack of a better term. So for 672 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,800 Speaker 3: me to see y'all at that point, you know, focus 673 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 3: and commit and elevating, you know what I mean. I 674 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 3: was the one on the phone fucking calling Kobe at 675 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 3: powernighty now like why don't you play the roots? Why 676 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 3: don't you play the roots? Why you know I work 677 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,120 Speaker 3: with y'all, you know what I mean? So it was 678 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,279 Speaker 3: I was I was absolutely taking it seriously and I 679 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 3: was absolutely sort of believing in you know, the future, 680 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 3: the vision, you know what I mean of what y'all 681 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 3: were forming at that time. Okay, so what did you 682 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:26,040 Speaker 3: have to do? 683 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:29,800 Speaker 2: Because I'm trying to get into how you got into 684 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 2: the profession that you are right now? 685 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: So I know that my correct. Are we your first client? 686 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 3: Yeah? I mean I can tell you. 687 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,359 Speaker 1: I'll give you two mess worry at the time when 688 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: you came. 689 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 3: Afore words words as to how I got into this business, 690 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 3: the words are Richard Nichols. 691 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:48,600 Speaker 1: Okay. 692 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:52,879 Speaker 3: So while I'm being the cousin that's smoking up, y'all, 693 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 3: weed and drinking y'all liquor, you know what I mean, 694 00:35:56,480 --> 00:36:00,360 Speaker 3: Me and me and Rich on the side, and a 695 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 3: relationship because I'm also the cousin that's in grad school, 696 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 3: and you know, I mean handling his business, you know 697 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 3: what I mean. So Rich as all of you who 698 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:12,279 Speaker 3: know Rich as a you know, he was a visionary 699 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 3: and he could see things before you could see him. 700 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: Right. 701 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 3: So I think during those times where I'm building, I'm 702 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:22,800 Speaker 3: just in the back and we're just talking and arguing 703 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:25,840 Speaker 3: about shit, and he's schooling me about life and you 704 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 3: know why, you know, nbas don't mean shit in the 705 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:31,359 Speaker 3: real world, and you know all of Rich's philosophies. You know, 706 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 3: he's really he's really testing me, you know what I mean, 707 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,480 Speaker 3: He's really testing me. And I remember it was nineteen 708 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 3: ninety eight. I was at the bank and he called 709 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:46,439 Speaker 3: me and he was like, Yo, where are you at? 710 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 3: And I was like, I'm at the band, I'm at 711 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:49,240 Speaker 3: my job. He was like, YO, come by the studio 712 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 3: after he was at some MEMBERSNY Studios is on fifty 713 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 3: fourth Street. My bank was on fifty third and Alex 714 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 3: So I walked up there, walked in the studio with him, 715 00:36:58,320 --> 00:36:59,800 Speaker 3: and I think it might have been like Axe or 716 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 3: somebody back in, one of the engineers. 717 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 2: Actually, and he had, you know, two bottles of red wine, 718 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. 719 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 3: We sat there, drank a little bit, smoked a little bit, 720 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:14,239 Speaker 3: and nobody else was in there. I think he was. 721 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:16,480 Speaker 3: He was He was mixing like a jazzy fa nasty 722 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 3: song or something like that, and uh, he was like, yo, 723 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 3: I hate this ship. And I was like, okay, what 724 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:26,319 Speaker 3: you what do you what do you hate? And he 725 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 3: was like it is fucking managing this ship, like I 726 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 3: hate it. And I'm looking at him, like what is 727 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:33,920 Speaker 3: he talking about? And he was like, you know, just 728 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 3: dealing with the agents, dealing with these dudes in their money, 729 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,800 Speaker 3: you know, dealing with the record label and budgets and 730 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,400 Speaker 3: and all of that ship. He was like, I fucking 731 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 3: hate it, Like that's the part of my job that 732 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:46,360 Speaker 3: I hate. And anyone in those rich you know was 733 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:50,520 Speaker 3: He's the ultimate visionary, the ultimate creative, you know, the 734 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 3: fifth beetle to you know, to to to to the 735 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:55,800 Speaker 3: really the you know, the third and fourth beatle to 736 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,480 Speaker 3: Tarik's first and second from a creative perspective and a 737 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 3: visionary respective and what he was saying to me was 738 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:06,359 Speaker 3: this part of my job is weighing me down. So 739 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 3: I just was like, how can I help you know 740 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 3: what I mean? He's like, all right, that's what we're 741 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:12,319 Speaker 3: gonna do. You know, he gave me Carol Lewis's number. 742 00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:14,000 Speaker 3: I remember he gave me Caro Lewis's number. He gave 743 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,799 Speaker 3: me somebody's number at the label, and and and and 744 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:21,359 Speaker 3: he gave me Miyoshi's number, and and he was like, YO, 745 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 3: call these three. I'm gonna tell him you calling them, 746 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:25,839 Speaker 3: and then you can take this shit over. And I 747 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,439 Speaker 3: was like, but Rich, I don't I got a dog. 748 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,640 Speaker 3: I got a job, Like I got a real fucking 749 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 3: job down the street, you know what I mean. He 750 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:33,839 Speaker 3: was like, don't worry about you gonna figure it out. 751 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 3: You're gonna figure it out. I literally left the studio, 752 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 3: as you know, Rich's partner that night. And you know, 753 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 3: I didn't know shit about the music business. But you know, 754 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:49,759 Speaker 3: I knew finance, right, and I knew business, and I 755 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 3: knew the rhythm of back to my Mom right. I 756 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 3: knew the rhythm of a negotiation and the rhythm of 757 00:38:55,640 --> 00:38:58,080 Speaker 3: a conversation. And I work at the bank, and I 758 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 3: know how to deal with these white folks, you know 759 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,239 Speaker 3: what I mean. So there's no different than you know, 760 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:04,319 Speaker 3: someone I'm dealing with the bank and someone I'm dealing 761 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:06,759 Speaker 3: with the label. So I sort of fell back on 762 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 3: the experience that I had my entire life, and Rich 763 00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:14,160 Speaker 3: gave me the opportunity to figure it out. And it 764 00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:18,520 Speaker 3: was months of me figuring it out right. And you know, 765 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 3: at a certain point it went from me doing two 766 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 3: hours of root work and ten hours of bank work, 767 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 3: and then at a certain point, I you know, be 768 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:27,400 Speaker 3: in my office to ten at night and realized, like, 769 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:29,400 Speaker 3: you know, I haven't done shit for my bank, Like 770 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 3: I just wanted the phone negotiating tour deals and figuring 771 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 3: out you know, mileage from from London to you know whatever, 772 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:39,120 Speaker 3: you know, what's the mileage and what's the gas called. 773 00:39:39,160 --> 00:39:40,560 Speaker 3: You know, I've been doing that. So I got to 774 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 3: a point where I was like, yo, I again going 775 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 3: back to my earlier point. I found what I'm supposed to. 776 00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:49,920 Speaker 3: I've eliminated all of these things that I wasn't I 777 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,320 Speaker 3: wasn't interested in, and I finally found my passion, or 778 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:57,719 Speaker 3: I should say my passion found me. And I had 779 00:39:57,719 --> 00:39:59,279 Speaker 3: to make a decision. You know, I was making six 780 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:01,680 Speaker 3: figures at the bath. I was twenty this is ninety seven. 781 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:03,960 Speaker 3: I was twenty five years old, twenty sixty, twenty five 782 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,960 Speaker 3: years old, making six figures at the bank. 783 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 1: You know. 784 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:10,799 Speaker 3: And but I went talked to my mom again, you know, 785 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 3: my my rock, and I said, Mom, I'm I'm gonna 786 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 3: work with I'm gonna work for Tariq and his group, 787 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:17,760 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. My mom was like, oh really, 788 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:19,920 Speaker 3: and she's like, it's a yeah. He's like, what you 789 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 3: gonna do? I said, I don't know, Like you know, 790 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:25,680 Speaker 3: I'm gonna be richest partner and we're gonna figure this out. 791 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:27,440 Speaker 1: And you know, my mom, being. 792 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,080 Speaker 3: An entrepreneur that she is, she was like, look, as 793 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:31,799 Speaker 3: long as you can take care of that boy talking 794 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:33,879 Speaker 3: about Darren, as long as you can take care that boy, 795 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,480 Speaker 3: you can pay your rent, go ahead, do you you know? 796 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:39,080 Speaker 3: So I said a prayer and jumped out on face. 797 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,879 Speaker 3: And I remember my first year I was making six 798 00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:44,319 Speaker 3: figures with in the bank, and my first year with 799 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:48,560 Speaker 3: the Roots, I made twenty seven thousand dollars and uh, 800 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,760 Speaker 3: you know, took a huge break, but I always appop 801 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:58,080 Speaker 3: last day that I worked the last day that I 802 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:00,440 Speaker 3: worked in my life. The last time I worked the 803 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:03,279 Speaker 3: job was that last day at the bank. You know 804 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,439 Speaker 3: what I mean, Like, that's the last job I've ever had. 805 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:08,279 Speaker 3: The last day I woke up and said I have 806 00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:11,239 Speaker 3: to go to work was that day in April of 807 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:13,080 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety eight when I left the bank. 808 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 2: The thing is, is that, all right? Can you explain 809 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 2: to our listeners what does it entail? 810 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:25,279 Speaker 1: Now? 811 00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:28,279 Speaker 2: I'll give the pre story at least with us, the 812 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:32,480 Speaker 2: way that we were living very hand to mouth. You 813 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:35,920 Speaker 2: would do a show nine times out of ten. You know, 814 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:39,400 Speaker 2: we get paid in cash, even though our system was 815 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:42,160 Speaker 2: a little bit different. It was more of a socialist system, 816 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:44,880 Speaker 2: like you get to repeat, you get to repay, you 817 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:46,160 Speaker 2: get to you know that sort of thing. 818 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:47,400 Speaker 1: And had like a little talance. 819 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:52,239 Speaker 2: But you know, the first time I got my advance, 820 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:56,359 Speaker 2: you know, you would have killed me, Like I spent 821 00:41:56,440 --> 00:42:00,839 Speaker 2: that shit in three weeks my van. Do you get 822 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:07,319 Speaker 2: what you get about? Let's see seven thousand dollars worth 823 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:11,839 Speaker 2: of records. Yeah, a bunch of pumas. 824 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 1: You know. I was, I was Billy Jean, I was I. 825 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:15,920 Speaker 8: Was about say when I sorry, you say he was 826 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:16,960 Speaker 8: giving booms money. 827 00:42:18,719 --> 00:42:21,200 Speaker 2: It was like a hundred bucks trying to watch it 828 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:24,520 Speaker 2: joynts like glow in the Dark, Like I was just 829 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,920 Speaker 2: you know, Sean hates this story, but that. 830 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:29,240 Speaker 4: Look he's pissed. He's already. 831 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:31,920 Speaker 1: Man, Man, it's the truth. 832 00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:34,320 Speaker 3: Like thirty years later, thirty years. 833 00:42:34,239 --> 00:42:37,839 Speaker 2: Later, right, you just you don't think about like I 834 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:41,640 Speaker 2: wasn't thinking about like am I Like back in nineteen 835 00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:45,720 Speaker 2: ninety three, Like nineteen ninety nine seemed like the future. 836 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:48,400 Speaker 1: Like oh we won't be here that. 837 00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:51,640 Speaker 2: That's thet I think, you know, even coming back from 838 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:53,920 Speaker 2: the proceed video, my dad was still like you got 839 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:57,359 Speaker 2: to get a real job. Like I didn't see this 840 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:01,120 Speaker 2: as a sustainable future. 841 00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:04,520 Speaker 7: So curious how he tuned it up. Yes, can you. 842 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:10,640 Speaker 2: Explain how an organization with at least thirteen people because 843 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:15,080 Speaker 2: we rolled like you know, there's a band, there's you know, 844 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 2: staff and all those things. Can you just basically because 845 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 2: a lot of people do want to know how the 846 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:24,360 Speaker 2: Roote's been able to be a thing, drive and be 847 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:28,080 Speaker 2: a thing when on paper we technically should. 848 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,440 Speaker 7: Now yeah, like what was those first changes that you made? Sean? 849 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:31,719 Speaker 5: Like you came in he was like, oh no, we 850 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:34,000 Speaker 5: gotta do this, we gotta I. 851 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:39,239 Speaker 2: Mean well, also would threaten to fire me if I 852 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:42,000 Speaker 2: ever fucked up. I don't know if we'll go into 853 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:45,719 Speaker 2: his clients that have no if you I mean shor 854 00:43:45,719 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 2: want to ask me shell shock, Like if I spend 855 00:43:47,719 --> 00:43:54,200 Speaker 2: anything over like my nineteen ninety nine budget, I'm still 856 00:43:54,239 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 2: like can I buy this bicycle? Or you know, I'm It's. 857 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:09,360 Speaker 3: Because again, coming into this business, I didn't I didn't 858 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,520 Speaker 3: grow up in this business, so I didn't know the 859 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:17,080 Speaker 3: norms and the roles and the titles and the things, right. 860 00:44:17,239 --> 00:44:21,319 Speaker 3: So when I started working with rich you know, I 861 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,360 Speaker 3: remember we had a conversation. We were in the studio 862 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:25,640 Speaker 3: one day and I asked him, I said, you know, 863 00:44:26,360 --> 00:44:29,080 Speaker 3: what's my title? And he was like, I don't know. 864 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:30,400 Speaker 3: You know, He's like, what's my title? 865 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:31,200 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? 866 00:44:31,360 --> 00:44:34,920 Speaker 3: And I was like true, I was like facts, And 867 00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:38,840 Speaker 3: we sort of settled on these titles of creative manager 868 00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:46,120 Speaker 3: and business manager, right, but it extend My role extended 869 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:50,760 Speaker 3: beyond what a traditional business manager did. Like a business 870 00:44:50,760 --> 00:44:55,840 Speaker 3: manager in the business is pretty much your accountant, you know, 871 00:44:55,960 --> 00:44:59,759 Speaker 3: or your financial advisor. That person builds your financial team. 872 00:45:00,239 --> 00:45:02,840 Speaker 3: It's the hub of your financial team. So that person 873 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:05,520 Speaker 3: is the one who interacts with your tax account and 874 00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:08,800 Speaker 3: interacts with your investment team, and interacts with your insurance 875 00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:11,400 Speaker 3: team and your bank and you know, all of the 876 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:16,520 Speaker 3: financial activity around your business. He's your CFO. For me, 877 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 3: that was an easy sort of title because that is 878 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:22,200 Speaker 3: the that is similar to the role that I played 879 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:24,680 Speaker 3: at the bank as a private banker. That's what I 880 00:45:24,760 --> 00:45:27,840 Speaker 3: was doing behind network individuals. I was the hub of 881 00:45:27,960 --> 00:45:31,400 Speaker 3: all of their financial activity and using specialists in the 882 00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:33,320 Speaker 3: bank and bringing them in. So I was like cool, 883 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:37,440 Speaker 3: But my role with the roots or was more. You know, 884 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,960 Speaker 3: I was also the person that was responsible for touring, 885 00:45:41,560 --> 00:45:46,560 Speaker 3: you know, tour strategy, toard budgets, toar execution, you know, 886 00:45:46,680 --> 00:45:48,200 Speaker 3: every aspect of a tour. 887 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:48,480 Speaker 5: You know. 888 00:45:48,560 --> 00:45:50,560 Speaker 3: Rich sort of handed that to me. And again that 889 00:45:50,719 --> 00:45:53,759 Speaker 3: that's not your traditional business manager, you know what I mean, 890 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:56,359 Speaker 3: it's sort of part of the management job. So where 891 00:45:56,360 --> 00:46:00,399 Speaker 3: me and Rich sort of had our delineation was all 892 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:03,760 Speaker 3: of the business aspects of management, dealing with the label, 893 00:46:03,800 --> 00:46:05,680 Speaker 3: Like most business managers don't deal with the label, but 894 00:46:05,719 --> 00:46:09,200 Speaker 3: I was dealing with manager recording, budgets and and and 895 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:11,520 Speaker 3: that type of thing. While Rich was dealing with making 896 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:12,120 Speaker 3: the records. 897 00:46:13,120 --> 00:46:14,160 Speaker 4: He was in the studio, you know. 898 00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:18,080 Speaker 3: So so those first couple of years was a period 899 00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:21,799 Speaker 3: of adjustment for both of us because I came in 900 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:26,279 Speaker 3: on my flat shoe, ignorant to the business shit. And 901 00:46:26,600 --> 00:46:30,680 Speaker 3: Rich although he was the you know, upon first sight 902 00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:32,960 Speaker 3: or if you get in an argument with him, you 903 00:46:33,040 --> 00:46:35,560 Speaker 3: know what I mean, you think he's the roughest, toughest, 904 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:39,400 Speaker 3: you know dude in the room, Rich was a softy 905 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:43,520 Speaker 3: like Rich was like doctor, yes, Like anybody can get 906 00:46:43,560 --> 00:46:45,520 Speaker 3: anything out of Rich, you know what I mean. So 907 00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:48,960 Speaker 3: for me it was like I was like, Doug, why 908 00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:51,600 Speaker 3: do we have all of these people around? Like He's like, oh, 909 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:53,719 Speaker 3: because we're developing this and this and that and this 910 00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:57,680 Speaker 3: and that. We literally argue back and forth about the 911 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 3: usefulness of individual or why are we paying this out 912 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:07,080 Speaker 3: of the roots tour money? Like why is this person 913 00:47:07,080 --> 00:47:09,440 Speaker 3: getting their rent paid out of the roots tour money? 914 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:11,840 Speaker 3: Like are they not self sufficient? Like is this? Do 915 00:47:11,840 --> 00:47:14,200 Speaker 3: we have a deal with these people? So I came 916 00:47:14,239 --> 00:47:18,400 Speaker 3: in and sort of instituted traditional business structure in a 917 00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:21,840 Speaker 3: non traditional business, or at least tried to institute traditional 918 00:47:21,880 --> 00:47:25,759 Speaker 3: business structure and a non traditional business. And it was 919 00:47:25,840 --> 00:47:33,120 Speaker 3: the yin and yang of Rich's creative vision as well 920 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:39,440 Speaker 3: as socialist mentality mixed with my or capitalist mentality and 921 00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:43,600 Speaker 3: hardcore vision that sort of formed this nice sort of 922 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:46,640 Speaker 3: pocket that we ended up in. Right, We ended up 923 00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:51,000 Speaker 3: with the Roots Crew, but I also made sure that 924 00:47:51,040 --> 00:47:53,839 Speaker 3: the roots were cool, you know what I mean. If 925 00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:56,160 Speaker 3: we just would have went with the Roots Crew, the 926 00:47:56,280 --> 00:47:59,319 Speaker 3: Roots probably wouldn't be here by now. So I made sure, like, yes, 927 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:01,960 Speaker 3: we got the Root Crew, you know what I mean, 928 00:48:02,200 --> 00:48:05,040 Speaker 3: which is, you know, planting seeds for a lot of 929 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:07,440 Speaker 3: other people. But I'm gonna make sure that the roots 930 00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:11,200 Speaker 3: are cool as well, because that is the bus that 931 00:48:11,239 --> 00:48:14,719 Speaker 3: we're all riding. And it was that sort of that 932 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 3: back and forth up front, which was a lot of 933 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:21,160 Speaker 3: back and forth, that allowed us to build the foundation 934 00:48:21,320 --> 00:48:23,520 Speaker 3: I'd say, by like two thousand and two, two thousand 935 00:48:23,560 --> 00:48:27,280 Speaker 3: and three, when we start sort of rolling post post 936 00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:31,239 Speaker 3: things fall apart, post Grammy, that sort of allowed us 937 00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:33,840 Speaker 3: to take this, you know, this, this beautiful journey that 938 00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:35,480 Speaker 3: we've been on for the last couple of decades. 939 00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:37,680 Speaker 5: Did you know you'd be the bad cop to Riches 940 00:48:37,719 --> 00:48:39,000 Speaker 5: good cop. I'm sorry, I'm here. 941 00:48:39,200 --> 00:48:42,280 Speaker 3: I mean at times I was most of the times 942 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:44,600 Speaker 3: I was the more. I was the financial bad cop 943 00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:48,719 Speaker 3: to Riches good cop, but I also was the creative 944 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:52,840 Speaker 3: and business good cop sometimes to Rich's bad cop. Like 945 00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:56,120 Speaker 3: we played ying and yang really well, especially with you know, 946 00:48:56,239 --> 00:49:00,359 Speaker 3: the the label side or promoters or you know, creates, 947 00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:02,360 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. We played we played our 948 00:49:02,680 --> 00:49:05,839 Speaker 3: good cop backcop really well. But definitely because of my background. 949 00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:09,040 Speaker 3: You know, I played the financial bad cop and and 950 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:11,720 Speaker 3: and Rich played the good cop just because he was doctor. 951 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:14,439 Speaker 3: Yes a lot of times. But but we we we 952 00:49:14,440 --> 00:49:16,640 Speaker 3: we balanced each other well. And I think you know, 953 00:49:16,719 --> 00:49:18,680 Speaker 3: at the end, we at the end, we you know, 954 00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:21,239 Speaker 3: we were both managers, you know what I mean. Like 955 00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:24,840 Speaker 3: I I just said business manager without knowing that business 956 00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:27,080 Speaker 3: manager was actually a role in the music business. I 957 00:49:27,200 --> 00:49:29,320 Speaker 3: just like, Okay, I have the business handle of the creator, 958 00:49:30,200 --> 00:49:32,200 Speaker 3: so I ran with that. But I think that that 959 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:34,799 Speaker 3: that's the reason why we were able to lay the 960 00:49:34,840 --> 00:49:36,839 Speaker 3: foundation for the roots and and and and I said 961 00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:39,200 Speaker 3: this before another in the in other interviews. You know, 962 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:42,480 Speaker 3: we were we were also realistic, yea, Like at the 963 00:49:42,560 --> 00:49:46,200 Speaker 3: end of the day, our goal was can these guys 964 00:49:46,239 --> 00:49:48,560 Speaker 3: make enough money so that they don't have to go 965 00:49:48,600 --> 00:49:52,040 Speaker 3: get a day job, you know, and and and make 966 00:49:52,080 --> 00:49:53,840 Speaker 3: money and live off of their art, you know what 967 00:49:53,840 --> 00:49:55,640 Speaker 3: I mean. That was our goal. It wasn't like let's 968 00:49:55,960 --> 00:49:58,200 Speaker 3: let's let's make sure that a mirror can drop around 969 00:49:58,200 --> 00:50:00,600 Speaker 3: in the maybox and Tarik can have twenty five cribs 970 00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:02,879 Speaker 3: around the country. It was like, Yo, can they pay 971 00:50:02,920 --> 00:50:06,279 Speaker 3: their rent? Can they give their mom some money when 972 00:50:06,280 --> 00:50:08,080 Speaker 3: she needed for a light build? Can they take a 973 00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:10,479 Speaker 3: lady out on a date, you know what I mean? 974 00:50:10,840 --> 00:50:13,480 Speaker 3: And and then can we go and do it all again? 975 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:18,000 Speaker 3: So it was like having realistic goals, understanding the what 976 00:50:18,120 --> 00:50:21,160 Speaker 3: a blue collar musician is I mean, because again rich 977 00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:24,200 Speaker 3: come from Rich came from that jazz world where it 978 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:26,920 Speaker 3: was you know, blue collar musicians, you know what I mean. 979 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:30,480 Speaker 3: So understanding that, you know, a blue collar musician is, 980 00:50:30,719 --> 00:50:33,760 Speaker 3: you know, living off of his or her art and 981 00:50:33,840 --> 00:50:37,800 Speaker 3: they're enjoying that versus going and having a substitute teach 982 00:50:38,680 --> 00:50:41,640 Speaker 3: and you know, playing the jazz clubs at night when they. 983 00:50:41,560 --> 00:50:42,520 Speaker 1: Can you know what I mean. 984 00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:45,560 Speaker 3: So it was that that sort of mentality that we 985 00:50:45,640 --> 00:50:49,480 Speaker 3: always had, and obviously those goals increased over the as 986 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:52,240 Speaker 3: we got more successful, you know, those But we've always 987 00:50:52,320 --> 00:50:55,320 Speaker 3: even to this day, you know, I'm you know, it's funny, 988 00:50:55,320 --> 00:50:57,200 Speaker 3: I'll be in these rooms and I love the roots. 989 00:50:57,239 --> 00:50:59,239 Speaker 3: I really do love the roots. And I'm like, name 990 00:50:59,360 --> 00:51:02,680 Speaker 3: fucking three root songs. You love the concept of. 991 00:51:02,640 --> 00:51:03,759 Speaker 1: The reats, you know what I mean? 992 00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:08,040 Speaker 3: Three root songs? You know what I mean. But again, 993 00:51:08,200 --> 00:51:11,480 Speaker 3: for us, that's always been our goal was, how can 994 00:51:11,520 --> 00:51:16,440 Speaker 3: we take these virtuoso you know, performers, you know, Tarek 995 00:51:16,520 --> 00:51:19,920 Speaker 3: and a mirror, how can we make sure that you know, 996 00:51:20,040 --> 00:51:22,440 Speaker 3: they can they can create a living off of their 997 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:25,200 Speaker 3: talent because they're super fucking talented and there's nobody out 998 00:51:25,200 --> 00:51:27,360 Speaker 3: there better than them. They may never create a hit 999 00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:32,239 Speaker 3: record ever in life, but that shouldn't define, you know, 1000 00:51:32,360 --> 00:51:34,880 Speaker 3: their future and their ability to earn a living off 1001 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:35,080 Speaker 3: of the. 1002 00:51:36,840 --> 00:51:43,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely so you mentioned the socialist system versus the capitalist system, 1003 00:51:43,640 --> 00:51:46,360 Speaker 2: of which you know, I think people think I'm super 1004 00:51:46,360 --> 00:51:51,120 Speaker 2: exaggerating when I said, like we we really didn't start 1005 00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:54,120 Speaker 2: as far as me and Tarik like really put ourselves 1006 00:51:54,160 --> 00:51:57,680 Speaker 2: on payroll until like later later or later in life, 1007 00:51:57,719 --> 00:52:03,279 Speaker 2: whereas absolutely before were it was very socialist, like okay, again, 1008 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:05,399 Speaker 2: your RNK gets paid and your car bill gets paid 1009 00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:09,200 Speaker 2: and that's how and you kind of came in and 1010 00:52:09,239 --> 00:52:11,640 Speaker 2: cleaned up shop, like, okay, well why are we So 1011 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:16,799 Speaker 2: do you, in hindsight do you feel as though that 1012 00:52:17,560 --> 00:52:20,000 Speaker 2: I think the socialist position sort of kept us pure. 1013 00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:25,880 Speaker 1: But did you agree with it? Because the thing is that. 1014 00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:28,839 Speaker 3: I agree with aspects of it, you know what I mean? 1015 00:52:29,239 --> 00:52:31,680 Speaker 3: I agree with aspects of it, but I think I 1016 00:52:31,719 --> 00:52:36,160 Speaker 3: think the way that things were set up, people were 1017 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,040 Speaker 3: taking advantage of it, and people were taking advantage of 1018 00:52:39,160 --> 00:52:43,280 Speaker 3: Rich and I think he and I think he realized 1019 00:52:43,320 --> 00:52:45,520 Speaker 3: that too. I think that's why I got that call 1020 00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:49,840 Speaker 3: that night from the bank. But I agree with aspects 1021 00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:52,600 Speaker 3: of it. I agreed with the sort of creative community 1022 00:52:53,280 --> 00:52:57,239 Speaker 3: that was being built. And for any community, the one 1023 00:52:57,280 --> 00:53:00,680 Speaker 3: thing that in any creative community, any you know, sort 1024 00:53:00,719 --> 00:53:04,080 Speaker 3: of a musical movement, you know, whatever you want to 1025 00:53:04,080 --> 00:53:06,719 Speaker 3: call it, you know, the one thing that's needed in 1026 00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:10,319 Speaker 3: order to breathe life into it is infrastructure. Otherwise it's 1027 00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:13,040 Speaker 3: just some one off musicians and artists, fucking you. 1028 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:14,280 Speaker 1: Know, creative. 1029 00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:17,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, he's just doing it right. It's not a community 1030 00:53:17,440 --> 00:53:20,520 Speaker 3: or a movement without any infrastructure. And what Rich had 1031 00:53:20,680 --> 00:53:25,280 Speaker 3: was the vision to say Okay, we're going to provide 1032 00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:30,640 Speaker 3: that infrastructure, right, and without that creative infrastructure, Without that infrastructure, 1033 00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:34,799 Speaker 3: the community slash movement, slash everything that was happening that 1034 00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:38,480 Speaker 3: beautiful times that we all had from you know, ninety 1035 00:53:38,560 --> 00:53:41,600 Speaker 3: seven to two thousand and four where all of this 1036 00:53:41,680 --> 00:53:44,800 Speaker 3: ship you know, really sort of took off. It wouldn't 1037 00:53:44,800 --> 00:53:47,600 Speaker 3: have it wouldn't have existed without Richard Richard Nichols pre 1038 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:51,719 Speaker 3: you know, creating that infrastructure. However, the problem when you 1039 00:53:51,800 --> 00:53:57,479 Speaker 3: have you know, infrastructure without structure is that infrastructure would 1040 00:53:57,480 --> 00:54:00,080 Speaker 3: have would have eaten itself alive because there would have 1041 00:53:59,960 --> 00:54:03,360 Speaker 3: been too many people eating at that same apple, you 1042 00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:04,640 Speaker 3: know what I mean. At some point you got to 1043 00:54:04,680 --> 00:54:07,000 Speaker 3: be like, I'm cutting this apple in half, Tarekan the mirror. 1044 00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:09,319 Speaker 3: This is your half, everybody else, this is y'all hair. 1045 00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:12,040 Speaker 3: If y'all can't survive off of this, oh so be it, 1046 00:54:12,200 --> 00:54:15,239 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. So that's where, you know, 1047 00:54:15,360 --> 00:54:17,799 Speaker 3: the the balance of being rich at least in that 1048 00:54:17,880 --> 00:54:22,680 Speaker 3: time was was that I provided the structure for the infrastructure. 1049 00:54:23,040 --> 00:54:27,000 Speaker 3: But if if it were just my way, it probably 1050 00:54:27,000 --> 00:54:30,480 Speaker 3: wouldn't have survived either because I was too hardcore. You 1051 00:54:30,520 --> 00:54:32,560 Speaker 3: know this is about Tarekan the Mirror, and I think 1052 00:54:32,680 --> 00:54:35,640 Speaker 3: that that without the commun I think y'all thrived off 1053 00:54:35,640 --> 00:54:36,680 Speaker 3: of the community as well. 1054 00:54:36,920 --> 00:54:39,080 Speaker 5: Think about that, there would have been no Black Lily, 1055 00:54:39,239 --> 00:54:40,319 Speaker 5: And think about all the people that. 1056 00:54:43,800 --> 00:54:47,520 Speaker 3: Black Lily know, even the you know, the whole you 1057 00:54:47,560 --> 00:54:50,480 Speaker 3: know tele comment like all of all of that, Not 1058 00:54:50,600 --> 00:54:53,480 Speaker 3: that they were core, but they were part of the 1059 00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:57,680 Speaker 3: the orbit that that everybody sort of you know, revolved around. 1060 00:54:57,680 --> 00:54:59,520 Speaker 3: So I think, you know, to your point of me, 1061 00:54:59,640 --> 00:55:03,880 Speaker 3: I think this. I agreed with a portion of you know, 1062 00:55:03,960 --> 00:55:08,040 Speaker 3: the socialists you know ideas, and I think they they 1063 00:55:08,200 --> 00:55:10,960 Speaker 3: were part of the reason why we've been able to survive. 1064 00:55:11,080 --> 00:55:13,200 Speaker 3: But you know, if we just would have stuck with that, 1065 00:55:14,200 --> 00:55:15,640 Speaker 3: I don't think we'd be where we are to that. 1066 00:55:16,719 --> 00:55:21,560 Speaker 2: Okay, can you talk about the growing I guess the 1067 00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:24,600 Speaker 2: first two ventures that we really put our eggs into 1068 00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:29,840 Speaker 2: those baskets was okay, Player and Black Lily. 1069 00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:31,320 Speaker 1: Now remember the beginning. 1070 00:55:31,760 --> 00:55:33,959 Speaker 2: I think I had to really sell you and Rich 1071 00:55:34,120 --> 00:55:39,160 Speaker 2: that this was going to be the future. I don't 1072 00:55:39,200 --> 00:55:43,560 Speaker 2: think Rich really saw, you know, what the hell me 1073 00:55:43,600 --> 00:55:46,440 Speaker 2: and Answer was doing, you know, in the bedroom. 1074 00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:49,480 Speaker 5: Trying was the easier sell Emir, which was the easier sell. 1075 00:55:50,920 --> 00:55:55,960 Speaker 2: Where because you know, I I was done before it 1076 00:55:56,040 --> 00:56:00,520 Speaker 2: was Black Lily was the Jam Sessions, and so you know, 1077 00:56:00,960 --> 00:56:05,640 Speaker 2: the second third week, you know what I'm saying, Like, really, 1078 00:56:05,719 --> 00:56:09,440 Speaker 2: I'm not exaggerating, like Beanie Seagulls putting out blunt ashes 1079 00:56:09,480 --> 00:56:12,520 Speaker 2: on the floor like everyone in the room is a 1080 00:56:12,600 --> 00:56:13,799 Speaker 2: bona fide celebrity. 1081 00:56:14,400 --> 00:56:17,239 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. Music really was the pizza guy, 1082 00:56:17,480 --> 00:56:18,120 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. 1083 00:56:18,200 --> 00:56:22,440 Speaker 2: But just at the time, they are regular people using 1084 00:56:22,600 --> 00:56:24,040 Speaker 2: my living room. 1085 00:56:24,239 --> 00:56:24,839 Speaker 1: As their hub. 1086 00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:26,320 Speaker 2: And I got to live on the block of neighbors 1087 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:28,439 Speaker 2: looking at me like I'm crazy, Like why y'all jam 1088 00:56:28,520 --> 00:56:30,040 Speaker 2: until two in the morning, that sort of thing. 1089 00:56:30,120 --> 00:56:33,719 Speaker 1: So I you know, I went along with the. 1090 00:56:33,760 --> 00:56:36,200 Speaker 3: Jam checked out. He checked out of the Jam Sessions. 1091 00:56:36,280 --> 00:56:37,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I call the police on us. 1092 00:56:45,560 --> 00:56:48,960 Speaker 2: So my heart was with Okay Player simply because like 1093 00:56:50,239 --> 00:56:54,960 Speaker 2: I just envisioned a future where there was a virtual 1094 00:56:55,000 --> 00:56:56,520 Speaker 2: playground that I could contact. 1095 00:56:57,880 --> 00:57:01,520 Speaker 1: And so, but it was a hard sell for Rich 1096 00:57:01,560 --> 00:57:02,000 Speaker 1: and Sean. 1097 00:57:02,120 --> 00:57:03,960 Speaker 2: And there have been many times where like they were 1098 00:57:04,000 --> 00:57:06,000 Speaker 2: just like dog, let's just go, like let it die. 1099 00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:09,520 Speaker 2: And so at what point did you get that this 1100 00:57:09,640 --> 00:57:12,759 Speaker 2: might be something futuristic? 1101 00:57:13,560 --> 00:57:15,680 Speaker 3: So we're talking. Okay, player, we're talking Black Lily. Which 1102 00:57:15,680 --> 00:57:16,520 Speaker 3: want you to talk first? 1103 00:57:16,560 --> 00:57:18,600 Speaker 1: Either or because I feel like that's so. 1104 00:57:20,160 --> 00:57:23,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, so for let's talk Black Lily first. 1105 00:57:23,320 --> 00:57:23,800 Speaker 1: Black Lily. 1106 00:57:23,840 --> 00:57:26,240 Speaker 3: Amir told the story one thousand percent correct. Like Black 1107 00:57:26,240 --> 00:57:29,160 Speaker 3: Lily started off as the Jam, the Roots Jam Session. 1108 00:57:29,240 --> 00:57:32,800 Speaker 3: The Roots Jam sessions are epic, you know, have been 1109 00:57:32,840 --> 00:57:37,440 Speaker 3: done for years, you know, in various places. Started in 1110 00:57:37,480 --> 00:57:40,200 Speaker 3: the Mirror's living room and you know sort of grew 1111 00:57:40,200 --> 00:57:45,000 Speaker 3: from there when the Roots Jam Session started happening in clubs. 1112 00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:48,360 Speaker 3: I forget the club that Malik Gioba used to have 1113 00:57:48,480 --> 00:57:52,240 Speaker 3: in New York. Remember we did that club the second 1114 00:57:52,320 --> 00:57:55,120 Speaker 3: forty second Street. You know, we went from there then 1115 00:57:55,200 --> 00:57:58,600 Speaker 3: we went down to to the Wetlands and but the 1116 00:57:58,680 --> 00:58:04,600 Speaker 3: problem was it it became all fucking male rappers, you 1117 00:58:04,600 --> 00:58:06,240 Speaker 3: know what I mean. It was like a line at 1118 00:58:06,240 --> 00:58:09,480 Speaker 3: the side of the stage of you know, dudes trying 1119 00:58:09,520 --> 00:58:09,920 Speaker 3: to get. 1120 00:58:09,840 --> 00:58:10,560 Speaker 1: Up and spit. 1121 00:58:11,200 --> 00:58:15,120 Speaker 3: And you know, in the community that that that the 1122 00:58:15,200 --> 00:58:18,040 Speaker 3: Roots had formed, you know, there were female artists, most 1123 00:58:18,080 --> 00:58:22,040 Speaker 3: notably the Jazzy Fantasties, and they would either never get 1124 00:58:22,080 --> 00:58:25,520 Speaker 3: an opportunity to get on stage, or they'll get on 1125 00:58:25,760 --> 00:58:29,440 Speaker 3: and you know sing you know, four bars of a 1126 00:58:29,440 --> 00:58:36,600 Speaker 3: hook while some random rappers you knows, or they'd get 1127 00:58:36,600 --> 00:58:38,960 Speaker 3: on at the end of the night after four hours 1128 00:58:38,960 --> 00:58:43,280 Speaker 3: of energy gone and people were leaving, right, So Rich 1129 00:58:43,480 --> 00:58:47,520 Speaker 3: and Mercedes and Tracy, you know, came up with the 1130 00:58:47,600 --> 00:58:53,160 Speaker 3: idea of doing their own jam session. And you know 1131 00:58:53,640 --> 00:58:55,840 Speaker 3: Black Lily. I remember it was you know, sort of 1132 00:58:55,880 --> 00:58:58,080 Speaker 3: a play on Lilla Fair because Little Fair was that 1133 00:58:58,160 --> 00:59:00,640 Speaker 3: thing back then. It was sort of on Lilla Fair 1134 00:59:00,680 --> 00:59:02,439 Speaker 3: that they came up with the name and the Jadge 1135 00:59:02,440 --> 00:59:04,880 Speaker 3: and Fantasy was also signed to the Rooch label Mode 1136 00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:08,120 Speaker 3: of Records and rather than you know, and it wasn't 1137 00:59:08,120 --> 00:59:11,240 Speaker 3: a huge like marketing budget that that that they were 1138 00:59:11,280 --> 00:59:13,680 Speaker 3: given at that time, so you know, they came up 1139 00:59:13,720 --> 00:59:16,400 Speaker 3: with the idea of saying, you know, rather than randomly 1140 00:59:16,440 --> 00:59:19,760 Speaker 3: spend our money on you know, radio promotion, which who 1141 00:59:19,800 --> 00:59:22,680 Speaker 3: knows what that actually gets you, especially when you're an 1142 00:59:22,680 --> 00:59:26,760 Speaker 3: emerging artist, how about we pull this money and again 1143 00:59:27,080 --> 00:59:30,200 Speaker 3: back to the C word, create this community. You know, 1144 00:59:30,480 --> 00:59:34,040 Speaker 3: let's build this this this brand, let's build this event. 1145 00:59:34,200 --> 00:59:38,320 Speaker 3: This weekly event that started off in New York, this 1146 00:59:38,360 --> 00:59:42,040 Speaker 3: weekly event, so you know, called Black Lily, which builds 1147 00:59:42,080 --> 00:59:46,560 Speaker 3: from the energy and style and and and and aura 1148 00:59:46,760 --> 00:59:50,880 Speaker 3: of the root Jam sessions. Right, so Black Lily was 1149 00:59:50,960 --> 00:59:53,880 Speaker 3: built off of that. It was, you know, here is 1150 00:59:54,800 --> 00:59:57,720 Speaker 3: the next iteration of the root Jam session. And it 1151 00:59:57,800 --> 01:00:02,640 Speaker 3: was funded by initially by the Jazzy Fat Nasty's marketing budget. 1152 01:00:03,080 --> 01:00:05,680 Speaker 3: And I remember that first that first event we had 1153 01:00:05,880 --> 01:00:08,560 Speaker 3: was at the Wetlands and it was probably like fifteen 1154 01:00:08,600 --> 01:00:10,960 Speaker 3: people there, you know what I mean. But it was dope. 1155 01:00:11,280 --> 01:00:13,120 Speaker 3: It was dope, you know, and we just continued on 1156 01:00:13,120 --> 01:00:16,040 Speaker 3: the weekly basis and the crowd started coming and people 1157 01:00:16,080 --> 01:00:18,040 Speaker 3: heard about it was free. That was that was the 1158 01:00:18,080 --> 01:00:21,080 Speaker 3: other part of it. Early on, it was free, you 1159 01:00:21,120 --> 01:00:22,680 Speaker 3: know what I mean. We just had the martest pre 1160 01:00:22,760 --> 01:00:25,919 Speaker 3: social media. It's like market you know, to get people there. 1161 01:00:25,960 --> 01:00:28,360 Speaker 3: But it was free. And that free event just started 1162 01:00:28,680 --> 01:00:31,400 Speaker 3: started growing and then it, you know, eventually moved from 1163 01:00:31,440 --> 01:00:33,280 Speaker 3: New York to Philly to the five spot, et cetera, 1164 01:00:33,320 --> 01:00:36,200 Speaker 3: et cetera, and you know, it grew to become you know, 1165 01:00:36,240 --> 01:00:37,800 Speaker 3: what people know is Black. 1166 01:00:37,520 --> 01:00:40,200 Speaker 7: Lily, but never more than ten dollars. 1167 01:00:40,680 --> 01:00:42,560 Speaker 3: It still never was more than ten dollars, and it 1168 01:00:42,600 --> 01:00:45,360 Speaker 3: became and it became you know, at a certain point, 1169 01:00:45,360 --> 01:00:50,880 Speaker 3: so post Jazzy Fat Nasty's budget funding it. You know, 1170 01:00:51,200 --> 01:00:54,640 Speaker 3: Richard Nichols commissions were funding it. Because again you got 1171 01:00:54,680 --> 01:00:57,360 Speaker 3: to realize this is the post, this is post Shawn 1172 01:00:57,440 --> 01:01:00,680 Speaker 3: g coming into the fold, right, So it wasn't like 1173 01:01:00,720 --> 01:01:02,640 Speaker 3: when we ain't using this Roots money to fund this 1174 01:01:02,720 --> 01:01:05,760 Speaker 3: Black Lively thing, you know what I mean. You know, 1175 01:01:05,800 --> 01:01:08,240 Speaker 3: we got enough, We got enough things that the Roots 1176 01:01:08,320 --> 01:01:11,680 Speaker 3: money is funding over here. So you know, rich you know, 1177 01:01:12,360 --> 01:01:15,040 Speaker 3: mainly rich quite honestly was using the commissions that he 1178 01:01:15,120 --> 01:01:17,800 Speaker 3: was making off of the Roots to fund that five 1179 01:01:17,840 --> 01:01:19,880 Speaker 3: spot version of the Black Lily. And to your point, 1180 01:01:19,960 --> 01:01:21,920 Speaker 3: like we would you know, we charged at the door 1181 01:01:22,000 --> 01:01:24,720 Speaker 3: ten dollars, but that was barely you know, covering back line, 1182 01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:27,400 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. So it was a we 1183 01:01:27,480 --> 01:01:29,960 Speaker 3: lost a lot of money, but you know a lot 1184 01:01:29,960 --> 01:01:32,320 Speaker 3: of a lot of big musical movements if you look 1185 01:01:32,360 --> 01:01:35,520 Speaker 3: at him in history, you know, they didn't make money, 1186 01:01:35,600 --> 01:01:38,680 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. They created, they created culture, 1187 01:01:38,680 --> 01:01:40,600 Speaker 3: but it wasn't it wasn't a profit center. 1188 01:01:40,800 --> 01:01:42,320 Speaker 7: It's like we got Jazmine Sullivan. 1189 01:01:43,320 --> 01:01:47,840 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, yeah, absolutely absolutely so, so that that's the 1190 01:01:47,920 --> 01:01:52,360 Speaker 3: history of sort of black Absolutely, they held us down, 1191 01:01:52,480 --> 01:01:55,360 Speaker 3: like yah is the family soul. We went on the 1192 01:01:55,400 --> 01:01:58,680 Speaker 3: Okay Point, so Black Lively was poppular. Then we built 1193 01:01:58,680 --> 01:02:02,040 Speaker 3: an Okay Player too, and we took all of the 1194 01:02:02,040 --> 01:02:04,720 Speaker 3: Black Lily artists on the Okay Player tour. So then 1195 01:02:05,080 --> 01:02:07,640 Speaker 3: what happens to Black Lily when they're all out on 1196 01:02:07,680 --> 01:02:10,960 Speaker 3: the road for two three months kindred the family soul 1197 01:02:11,240 --> 01:02:15,480 Speaker 3: between in Asia and their band, which you know, at 1198 01:02:15,480 --> 01:02:17,400 Speaker 3: the time, again they ain't had no money at the time, 1199 01:02:17,440 --> 01:02:20,400 Speaker 3: so they just picked musicians that were passionate about the 1200 01:02:21,160 --> 01:02:25,280 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And at the beginning, you know, 1201 01:02:25,520 --> 01:02:27,360 Speaker 3: I remember me and rich will look at him like 1202 01:02:27,440 --> 01:02:29,960 Speaker 3: they sloppy as ship, like not for teen and Angel, 1203 01:02:30,000 --> 01:02:34,360 Speaker 3: but their band, it was just sloppiness. But after four 1204 01:02:34,480 --> 01:02:37,960 Speaker 3: or five, six, seven, ten weeks, you know what I mean, 1205 01:02:38,000 --> 01:02:42,640 Speaker 3: everybody comes back off the road. They owned Black Lily. 1206 01:02:42,760 --> 01:02:48,000 Speaker 3: They defined Black Roots would come and perform at Black Lily, 1207 01:02:48,360 --> 01:02:50,280 Speaker 3: and people would be like, oh, that's cool, that's cool. 1208 01:02:50,320 --> 01:02:56,120 Speaker 3: Where it's where's Frendrick? You know what I mean? And 1209 01:02:56,400 --> 01:02:58,400 Speaker 3: they still I mean again, shout out to both of 1210 01:02:58,440 --> 01:03:00,520 Speaker 3: them because they still one of my fas groups, like 1211 01:03:00,560 --> 01:03:03,240 Speaker 3: I love I love them. But yeah, so that's that, 1212 01:03:03,360 --> 01:03:05,680 Speaker 3: that's the Black Lily story. I mean, Okay Player, you're 1213 01:03:05,760 --> 01:03:10,160 Speaker 3: right you when you and an Chad division. I stepped 1214 01:03:10,200 --> 01:03:12,800 Speaker 3: in early on because I just wanted to make sure 1215 01:03:12,800 --> 01:03:14,880 Speaker 3: there was some business structure there. Again, I didn't want 1216 01:03:14,880 --> 01:03:17,640 Speaker 3: this to be Okay a mere starting this business in 1217 01:03:17,680 --> 01:03:21,440 Speaker 3: his bedroom, and you know, he's going to eat into 1218 01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:23,680 Speaker 3: our roots profits and we won't be able to pay 1219 01:03:23,680 --> 01:03:26,640 Speaker 3: for our tour bus on the next tour because you know, 1220 01:03:26,720 --> 01:03:31,840 Speaker 3: he's buying everybody computers, you know what I mean. But 1221 01:03:31,960 --> 01:03:38,680 Speaker 3: what y'all built was immediately special. Again, the community that 1222 01:03:38,680 --> 01:03:47,800 Speaker 3: that that that that that formed around Okay Players absolutely absolutely, 1223 01:03:47,880 --> 01:03:52,240 Speaker 3: and and the relationships and the music and the artists 1224 01:03:52,280 --> 01:03:54,960 Speaker 3: and you know, I think Will I Am was like, yo, y'all, 1225 01:03:55,000 --> 01:03:56,840 Speaker 3: would y'all were the first Facebook? 1226 01:03:57,080 --> 01:03:57,640 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? 1227 01:03:57,760 --> 01:03:59,960 Speaker 3: Like he said something like that, y'all were the first Facebook. 1228 01:04:00,120 --> 01:04:02,080 Speaker 3: It was it was all about the community. It was 1229 01:04:02,160 --> 01:04:04,840 Speaker 3: less about you know, artists websites like That's how we 1230 01:04:04,880 --> 01:04:07,480 Speaker 3: went into it, right, it was like, let's build this website, 1231 01:04:07,520 --> 01:04:11,800 Speaker 3: let's build that website. But yeah, you know you and 1232 01:04:11,920 --> 01:04:16,320 Speaker 3: you and Ange your participation in Angie's you know sort 1233 01:04:16,320 --> 01:04:19,160 Speaker 3: of vision and and craziness, you know what I mean? 1234 01:04:19,520 --> 01:04:22,600 Speaker 3: Were able to were able to attract this sort of 1235 01:04:23,200 --> 01:04:26,560 Speaker 3: community that that that you know has has continued to 1236 01:04:27,040 --> 01:04:27,720 Speaker 3: grow and build. 1237 01:04:28,600 --> 01:04:32,200 Speaker 2: So how did what were the first steps into you 1238 01:04:34,280 --> 01:04:39,600 Speaker 2: really building coming outside of just keeping us, you know, 1239 01:04:39,720 --> 01:04:44,200 Speaker 2: keeping the lights on for us and then you And 1240 01:04:44,320 --> 01:04:49,160 Speaker 2: there's two there's two phases. Yeah, your your empire at 1241 01:04:49,280 --> 01:04:54,800 Speaker 2: least as far as tour managing other artists, like what 1242 01:04:54,920 --> 01:04:58,480 Speaker 2: was your first rate and tour managing artists that weren't 1243 01:04:58,560 --> 01:05:01,480 Speaker 2: roots bas so so. 1244 01:05:02,920 --> 01:05:05,560 Speaker 1: A business man, I don't again, I don't. 1245 01:05:05,760 --> 01:05:08,360 Speaker 3: And this this is and this is a study in 1246 01:05:08,400 --> 01:05:12,280 Speaker 3: my life. Like the title, you know, my title, I 1247 01:05:12,320 --> 01:05:15,000 Speaker 3: don't know what it is. Like I call myself a manager, 1248 01:05:15,080 --> 01:05:17,000 Speaker 3: you know, that's what I say, a manager because people 1249 01:05:17,080 --> 01:05:20,120 Speaker 3: kind of understand that, but I do more. You know, 1250 01:05:20,480 --> 01:05:23,680 Speaker 3: it's it's not your traditional man. Anyhow. My second client 1251 01:05:23,760 --> 01:05:25,560 Speaker 3: was a young lady out of Philadelphia that I've known 1252 01:05:25,600 --> 01:05:29,040 Speaker 3: since high school by the name of Jill Scott. Jill 1253 01:05:29,080 --> 01:05:31,800 Speaker 3: and I went to brother sister high schools. I went 1254 01:05:31,840 --> 01:05:34,280 Speaker 3: to Central, she went to Girls High. I knew her 1255 01:05:34,280 --> 01:05:38,640 Speaker 3: in high school. We uh, we went on a we 1256 01:05:38,680 --> 01:05:41,000 Speaker 3: went on a we even going a prom together. 1257 01:05:41,040 --> 01:05:43,040 Speaker 5: But yeah, okay, because she's already told this story so 1258 01:05:43,040 --> 01:05:44,160 Speaker 5: that we needed to sound the same. 1259 01:05:44,240 --> 01:05:49,120 Speaker 3: Y'all went to She went on a prom with a guy. 1260 01:05:49,400 --> 01:05:51,040 Speaker 3: I went on a prom with. 1261 01:05:51,040 --> 01:05:51,880 Speaker 1: A young lady. 1262 01:05:52,760 --> 01:05:54,600 Speaker 3: After the you know how after the prom you go 1263 01:05:54,640 --> 01:05:58,240 Speaker 3: to Great Adventures, right, So we were all at the 1264 01:05:58,280 --> 01:06:00,760 Speaker 3: prom together. Then the next day it was like four 1265 01:06:00,800 --> 01:06:03,520 Speaker 3: couples that were supposed to go to Great Adventure together. 1266 01:06:04,440 --> 01:06:07,160 Speaker 3: It was the three couples in me. My date didn't 1267 01:06:07,200 --> 01:06:09,960 Speaker 3: go with me, so it was, you know, I was 1268 01:06:10,000 --> 01:06:12,680 Speaker 3: the third wheel or whatever you want to call it. 1269 01:06:12,720 --> 01:06:15,880 Speaker 3: So you know, we hung out then, and you know, 1270 01:06:15,920 --> 01:06:17,840 Speaker 3: I sort of lost touch with Jill after high school, 1271 01:06:17,880 --> 01:06:19,240 Speaker 3: like you know what I mean. She was the girl's 1272 01:06:19,280 --> 01:06:20,880 Speaker 3: high jone. 1273 01:06:21,720 --> 01:06:23,600 Speaker 1: And I remember. 1274 01:06:24,720 --> 01:06:27,840 Speaker 3: Having a cassette to giving me a cassette with the 1275 01:06:27,880 --> 01:06:31,680 Speaker 3: original You Got Me beat and hook, and on the 1276 01:06:31,720 --> 01:06:34,600 Speaker 3: cassette was written the Jill song. I don't remember this 1277 01:06:34,600 --> 01:06:35,960 Speaker 3: on here. We used to be called the jail so 1278 01:06:36,240 --> 01:06:38,240 Speaker 3: the Jil song R it was, And you know I 1279 01:06:38,320 --> 01:06:40,160 Speaker 3: just ignored. I was like, oh, the Jill song, Yo, 1280 01:06:40,200 --> 01:06:42,080 Speaker 3: that Jill song, banging like yo, that Jill song. You 1281 01:06:42,080 --> 01:06:45,240 Speaker 3: gotta do that Jill song. Anyhow, at a certain point 1282 01:06:45,320 --> 01:06:48,520 Speaker 3: we were on tour and we were at whatever that 1283 01:06:48,600 --> 01:06:52,320 Speaker 3: venue that is across the street from Fenway Park in Boston. 1284 01:06:52,680 --> 01:06:54,640 Speaker 3: You know that little club Fante that's right across the 1285 01:06:54,640 --> 01:06:55,640 Speaker 3: street from Fenway Park. 1286 01:06:58,320 --> 01:07:00,000 Speaker 4: But it's not that it's not the Middle East. 1287 01:07:00,760 --> 01:07:02,120 Speaker 3: It might have been a Middle I don't know what. 1288 01:07:02,160 --> 01:07:05,400 Speaker 3: It's right across a Frienway Park, but I remember we were, Yeah, 1289 01:07:05,680 --> 01:07:10,400 Speaker 3: we were in bound Chack and I heard this voice 1290 01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:14,760 Speaker 3: from the stage and it was Jill singing you do 1291 01:07:14,800 --> 01:07:18,000 Speaker 3: you got me hooked? And I walked out and I'm 1292 01:07:18,040 --> 01:07:20,200 Speaker 3: looking at her and she's looking at me, and I'm like, 1293 01:07:20,600 --> 01:07:23,800 Speaker 3: Jill Scott, like you are the Jill song and she 1294 01:07:23,960 --> 01:07:26,360 Speaker 3: was like showing you know what I mean. And that 1295 01:07:26,480 --> 01:07:28,600 Speaker 3: was like the first time we connected was at soundcheck 1296 01:07:28,640 --> 01:07:31,240 Speaker 3: when she came out, you know, doing some doing some 1297 01:07:31,280 --> 01:07:35,240 Speaker 3: shows with the Roots. And you know, her husband or 1298 01:07:35,320 --> 01:07:38,560 Speaker 3: ex husband now was managing her at the time, and 1299 01:07:38,640 --> 01:07:41,920 Speaker 3: she had her and her lawyer had to negotiate with 1300 01:07:42,080 --> 01:07:46,360 Speaker 3: me the deal terms to get on that tour. And 1301 01:07:46,480 --> 01:07:48,400 Speaker 3: you know, I think she had, you know, a lawyer 1302 01:07:48,440 --> 01:07:50,400 Speaker 3: that was like, you know, she was a lawyer, but 1303 01:07:50,440 --> 01:07:52,120 Speaker 3: she wasn't an entertainment lawyer. It might have been her 1304 01:07:52,120 --> 01:07:54,160 Speaker 3: girlfriend or something, you know what I mean, that happened 1305 01:07:54,160 --> 01:07:56,960 Speaker 3: to be a lawyer, and she was asking for all 1306 01:07:57,040 --> 01:07:59,440 Speaker 3: kinds of shit Like I was like, yo, sweetheart, like 1307 01:07:59,600 --> 01:08:02,320 Speaker 3: do you understand what this is? Like I'm gonna give 1308 01:08:02,360 --> 01:08:04,720 Speaker 3: you this amount of money and this is how we try, 1309 01:08:04,880 --> 01:08:05,960 Speaker 3: like you know what I mean. She's like, well, she 1310 01:08:05,960 --> 01:08:08,200 Speaker 3: needs to fly between each other. And I'm like, yeah, 1311 01:08:08,160 --> 01:08:10,720 Speaker 3: we're playing House of Blues, Like what are you talking about? 1312 01:08:10,840 --> 01:08:13,960 Speaker 3: But because Jill was my friend, because she was my 1313 01:08:14,080 --> 01:08:16,920 Speaker 3: friend or you know, I had an own her, I 1314 01:08:17,000 --> 01:08:20,040 Speaker 3: called her and Lizell and said, Yo, I'm just gonna 1315 01:08:20,040 --> 01:08:23,400 Speaker 3: give you a piece of advice. Like this lawyer she 1316 01:08:23,479 --> 01:08:26,439 Speaker 3: has no idea what she's talking about, and she may 1317 01:08:26,880 --> 01:08:30,880 Speaker 3: ruin relationships. Like if it wasn't me, if it wasn't me, 1318 01:08:31,320 --> 01:08:33,800 Speaker 3: I would be like, fuck this girl. Let's just you know, 1319 01:08:33,880 --> 01:08:36,639 Speaker 3: we'll figure out how we do this. This girl is crazy, right, 1320 01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:40,559 Speaker 3: So I think her and Lizel appreciated that, and you know, 1321 01:08:40,640 --> 01:08:42,759 Speaker 3: a few months, you know, then you know, Jill became 1322 01:08:42,920 --> 01:08:45,840 Speaker 3: you know, she started putting her record together and Touch 1323 01:08:45,840 --> 01:08:48,200 Speaker 3: of Jazz and you know, all of that, and her 1324 01:08:48,240 --> 01:08:51,719 Speaker 3: record came out July of two thousand and July two 1325 01:08:51,760 --> 01:08:56,000 Speaker 3: thousand and I think later in the fall, like she 1326 01:08:56,040 --> 01:08:59,080 Speaker 3: would you know everything, she was grinding or whatever, and 1327 01:08:59,120 --> 01:09:01,120 Speaker 3: they called me and was like, Yo, can you come 1328 01:09:01,520 --> 01:09:04,000 Speaker 3: be a part of our team? And I was like, 1329 01:09:04,640 --> 01:09:05,560 Speaker 3: what do you want me to do? 1330 01:09:05,600 --> 01:09:05,800 Speaker 1: Again? 1331 01:09:05,840 --> 01:09:07,519 Speaker 3: It's almost like a Richard Nichols call. I was like, 1332 01:09:07,840 --> 01:09:09,200 Speaker 3: what do you what do you what do you want 1333 01:09:09,240 --> 01:09:11,200 Speaker 3: me to do? And they were like, you know, I don't, 1334 01:09:11,240 --> 01:09:13,519 Speaker 3: we don't know, we don't know what we're doing. You 1335 01:09:13,560 --> 01:09:16,000 Speaker 3: know you work with the roots. You know you know 1336 01:09:16,040 --> 01:09:19,280 Speaker 3: what you're doing, and we trust you. That was basic, 1337 01:09:19,439 --> 01:09:22,360 Speaker 3: the basic premise of our relationship. Needed the call and 1338 01:09:22,400 --> 01:09:25,400 Speaker 3: the start of our relationship. So again I came in 1339 01:09:25,840 --> 01:09:29,679 Speaker 3: leveraging what I knew finance, so you know, I stepped 1340 01:09:29,680 --> 01:09:31,320 Speaker 3: in and looked at the money and tried to make 1341 01:09:31,360 --> 01:09:34,240 Speaker 3: sure everything was structured right business wise. I came in 1342 01:09:34,320 --> 01:09:36,600 Speaker 3: and immediately took over all the touring because I was 1343 01:09:36,640 --> 01:09:38,760 Speaker 3: the roots guy. We were doing two hundred shows a year, 1344 01:09:38,800 --> 01:09:40,760 Speaker 3: like this is how you organize your touring, et cetera, 1345 01:09:40,840 --> 01:09:43,719 Speaker 3: et cetera. And I just came in playing my roles again. 1346 01:09:44,360 --> 01:09:46,519 Speaker 3: I never had a title with Jill. We always called 1347 01:09:46,520 --> 01:09:50,200 Speaker 3: ourselves business partners because you know, she went through a 1348 01:09:50,200 --> 01:09:53,240 Speaker 3: couple managers and then she's like, this managership ain't working 1349 01:09:53,240 --> 01:09:55,519 Speaker 3: for me. You know, me and Sean we just rock together. 1350 01:09:55,560 --> 01:09:58,679 Speaker 3: We're business partners. But people call me a business manager early, 1351 01:09:58,720 --> 01:10:00,920 Speaker 3: people to this day called call me her manager. But 1352 01:10:00,920 --> 01:10:03,720 Speaker 3: we're just business partners. We just we just build right, 1353 01:10:03,760 --> 01:10:06,760 Speaker 3: we build together. So Jill was my second client, and 1354 01:10:06,920 --> 01:10:09,200 Speaker 3: you know, thankfully, both the Roots and my first two 1355 01:10:09,240 --> 01:10:11,559 Speaker 3: clients I always say will be my last two clients, 1356 01:10:11,600 --> 01:10:13,479 Speaker 3: you know what I mean, We've been together, you know, 1357 01:10:13,880 --> 01:10:19,040 Speaker 3: multiple decades. My third client, though, is the one who 1358 01:10:19,680 --> 01:10:23,880 Speaker 3: sort of set my trajectory to where you know, the 1359 01:10:24,520 --> 01:10:27,120 Speaker 3: next phase of my business was. And that was you know, 1360 01:10:27,200 --> 01:10:30,439 Speaker 3: me getting a call from Don de West in two 1361 01:10:30,439 --> 01:10:36,200 Speaker 3: thousand and four when Kanye had college dropout and wanted 1362 01:10:36,240 --> 01:10:38,960 Speaker 3: to do a tour. You know, he wanted to do 1363 01:10:39,000 --> 01:10:41,960 Speaker 3: a tour. He wanted to do a college tour, and 1364 01:10:42,120 --> 01:10:45,559 Speaker 3: nobody on his team had ever worked with a tour 1365 01:10:45,920 --> 01:10:49,200 Speaker 3: touring artist. You know, his managers at the time, Gee Roberson, 1366 01:10:49,240 --> 01:10:53,080 Speaker 3: Who's hip hop, ol Branch hip Hop, they all at 1367 01:10:53,080 --> 01:10:55,720 Speaker 3: that point, they all they managed was producers. They had 1368 01:10:55,880 --> 01:10:58,760 Speaker 3: just Blaze. They had Yay. You know, remember Yeay was 1369 01:10:58,760 --> 01:11:01,439 Speaker 3: a superstar producer before he became an artist, so they 1370 01:11:01,439 --> 01:11:03,960 Speaker 3: were like the managers of all the superstar producers, so 1371 01:11:03,960 --> 01:11:07,000 Speaker 3: they ain't no shit about touring. The business manager that 1372 01:11:07,080 --> 01:11:09,519 Speaker 3: he had, Kellogg and Amberson, I believe, was the company 1373 01:11:09,520 --> 01:11:12,679 Speaker 3: in LA. They were filming TV. You know, they didn't 1374 01:11:12,680 --> 01:11:14,800 Speaker 3: have any music folks, so they didn't know much about touring. 1375 01:11:14,880 --> 01:11:17,400 Speaker 3: And his agent was a lady named Karen Lewis, and 1376 01:11:17,560 --> 01:11:20,120 Speaker 3: Kar told them you need to talk to this guy, 1377 01:11:20,200 --> 01:11:25,720 Speaker 3: Sean G. Because he can organize, strategize, he'll have your ship, right, 1378 01:11:25,840 --> 01:11:29,040 Speaker 3: So they flew me out to LA interviewed like three people, 1379 01:11:29,160 --> 01:11:30,400 Speaker 3: and they hired me on the spot. 1380 01:11:30,960 --> 01:11:33,760 Speaker 2: Can ask but be cause you mentioned that we did 1381 01:11:33,760 --> 01:11:38,000 Speaker 2: two hundred shows a year, where was that common knowledge? 1382 01:11:38,160 --> 01:11:41,280 Speaker 2: Like was that common knowledge in the business of like 1383 01:11:42,400 --> 01:11:46,840 Speaker 2: how the roots keep like able to you know, is 1384 01:11:46,880 --> 01:11:49,880 Speaker 2: that normal for a music act to do that many shows? 1385 01:11:49,920 --> 01:11:54,320 Speaker 2: Like what does a normal act do in terms of 1386 01:11:54,320 --> 01:11:56,240 Speaker 2: like what is it what does a gang start doing 1387 01:11:56,240 --> 01:11:56,960 Speaker 2: that time period? 1388 01:11:57,280 --> 01:11:59,719 Speaker 3: So so you got to think about the time period 1389 01:11:59,720 --> 01:12:01,720 Speaker 3: that we're in and the time period that we're in 1390 01:12:03,240 --> 01:12:07,240 Speaker 3: touring wasn't sexy, you know what I mean. Touring wasn't 1391 01:12:07,240 --> 01:12:10,600 Speaker 3: a thing, especially in black culture. You know, in the 1392 01:12:10,680 --> 01:12:13,160 Speaker 3: in the alt rock world, which is you know, alt 1393 01:12:13,240 --> 01:12:15,719 Speaker 3: rock slash jam bard world, which you know, a mirors 1394 01:12:15,840 --> 01:12:18,160 Speaker 3: was our model. That's the model that me and you 1395 01:12:18,280 --> 01:12:21,360 Speaker 3: rich In Tarik sort of built around. Was like, you know, 1396 01:12:21,479 --> 01:12:27,120 Speaker 3: the alt rock or jam band model, and fifty doing 1397 01:12:27,160 --> 01:12:29,240 Speaker 3: one hundred and fifty two hundred shows a year was 1398 01:12:29,280 --> 01:12:34,240 Speaker 3: normal with that world because number one, these bands grew 1399 01:12:34,320 --> 01:12:37,360 Speaker 3: up as fans of bands, you know what I mean, 1400 01:12:37,560 --> 01:12:40,799 Speaker 3: So it was part of their culture, their favorite bands 1401 01:12:40,840 --> 01:12:43,160 Speaker 3: when they were growing up and playing that guitar in 1402 01:12:43,160 --> 01:12:45,920 Speaker 3: their garage or wherever the fuck they learned their music, 1403 01:12:46,320 --> 01:12:49,160 Speaker 3: their favorite bands they experienced live, so it was live 1404 01:12:49,320 --> 01:12:53,000 Speaker 3: was part of their culture, our culture, you know, as 1405 01:12:53,040 --> 01:12:57,120 Speaker 3: as consumers of black music, you know, especially hip hop. 1406 01:12:57,479 --> 01:13:01,760 Speaker 3: Live wasn't a thing. So we were a huge anomaly 1407 01:13:02,080 --> 01:13:04,600 Speaker 3: within hip hop by doing all those shows. You know, 1408 01:13:05,320 --> 01:13:09,320 Speaker 3: hip hop tour was you know, uh uh bad boy 1409 01:13:09,400 --> 01:13:11,040 Speaker 3: versus you know what I mean, whatever, You know what 1410 01:13:11,040 --> 01:13:13,200 Speaker 3: I mean, it was if you're not in the big 1411 01:13:13,240 --> 01:13:16,200 Speaker 3: arena with with with Pyro and all of that, you're 1412 01:13:16,240 --> 01:13:18,040 Speaker 3: not really touring. You know what I mean. You're going 1413 01:13:18,080 --> 01:13:22,000 Speaker 3: after fresh Yeah, you're going after your big publishing checks. 1414 01:13:22,000 --> 01:13:24,479 Speaker 3: Are you going after your Adidas deal? Are you going 1415 01:13:24,479 --> 01:13:26,400 Speaker 3: to get another advance from a label? That's how you 1416 01:13:26,400 --> 01:13:28,679 Speaker 3: made your money, Like you weren't making money on the road. 1417 01:13:28,680 --> 01:13:32,040 Speaker 3: Who did that? So for us, we were an anomaly 1418 01:13:32,840 --> 01:13:35,920 Speaker 3: in hip hop. We were anomaly in black music by 1419 01:13:36,000 --> 01:13:39,320 Speaker 3: doing all of that. So from a from an overall 1420 01:13:39,439 --> 01:13:43,439 Speaker 3: artist perspective and fan perspective, they probably didn't recognize it, 1421 01:13:43,520 --> 01:13:46,840 Speaker 3: but the business people in the music industry recognized it. 1422 01:13:47,120 --> 01:13:51,760 Speaker 3: The label heads, the label execs, the agents, you know 1423 01:13:51,800 --> 01:13:54,640 Speaker 3: what I mean, they all realized, like, oh ship the roots, 1424 01:13:55,040 --> 01:13:56,960 Speaker 3: you know what I mean, they're doing their thing and 1425 01:13:57,200 --> 01:13:59,760 Speaker 3: they're a live bang like you know. So that's how 1426 01:13:59,840 --> 01:14:03,960 Speaker 3: I was recognized through Karen Lewis to be recommended to 1427 01:14:04,040 --> 01:14:08,320 Speaker 3: Kanye because of the business that we built by doing 1428 01:14:08,320 --> 01:14:11,160 Speaker 3: two hundred shows a year and making sure it's organized, 1429 01:14:11,400 --> 01:14:13,920 Speaker 3: making sure we're you know again, simple shit, we're on time, 1430 01:14:14,400 --> 01:14:17,920 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. We perform, you know, we 1431 01:14:17,960 --> 01:14:20,400 Speaker 3: collect our money, we pay our bills, and we wake 1432 01:14:20,479 --> 01:14:22,240 Speaker 3: up and do it another day, you know what I mean. 1433 01:14:22,320 --> 01:14:24,240 Speaker 3: That's sort of back to the blue collar, that blue 1434 01:14:24,240 --> 01:14:25,800 Speaker 3: collar musician, you know. 1435 01:14:26,439 --> 01:14:29,280 Speaker 1: I asked one more question inside of this question. 1436 01:14:29,800 --> 01:14:34,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, again, like if you look at marketplaces and maybe 1437 01:14:34,880 --> 01:14:36,280 Speaker 2: this is more of an agent question. 1438 01:14:36,479 --> 01:14:38,599 Speaker 3: Maybe this is the Caroll Lewis episode. I don't know, but. 1439 01:14:39,560 --> 01:14:45,800 Speaker 2: If, as far as I know, there's really around the world, 1440 01:14:46,280 --> 01:14:49,719 Speaker 2: who would you say that there's maybe at the most 1441 01:14:49,720 --> 01:14:51,120 Speaker 2: twenty three markets. 1442 01:14:50,720 --> 01:14:54,879 Speaker 3: For us for the for the roots use us as. 1443 01:14:54,479 --> 01:14:57,880 Speaker 1: An example, like how many marketers are there? 1444 01:14:58,360 --> 01:15:04,000 Speaker 2: And people to the past, like is it normal for 1445 01:15:04,040 --> 01:15:05,639 Speaker 2: an artist, because that's the thing I want to convey 1446 01:15:05,640 --> 01:15:06,080 Speaker 2: to people. 1447 01:15:06,479 --> 01:15:10,000 Speaker 1: Is it normal for an artist to play New York. 1448 01:15:09,880 --> 01:15:13,880 Speaker 2: City seven times a year and still sell out? 1449 01:15:13,920 --> 01:15:14,040 Speaker 3: Like? 1450 01:15:14,120 --> 01:15:14,679 Speaker 1: How are you? 1451 01:15:15,080 --> 01:15:17,439 Speaker 3: I just had this conversation with I had this conversation 1452 01:15:17,560 --> 01:15:20,800 Speaker 3: with an agent because again, you got to think about 1453 01:15:20,800 --> 01:15:23,719 Speaker 3: the time frame that we were in versus the time 1454 01:15:23,760 --> 01:15:26,439 Speaker 3: frame now like right now, it you know a lot 1455 01:15:26,479 --> 01:15:28,280 Speaker 3: of and because you know, I'm sure we'll get to 1456 01:15:28,320 --> 01:15:30,280 Speaker 3: the live nation side of my life. But because I'm 1457 01:15:30,280 --> 01:15:33,280 Speaker 3: working with artists from a different perspective, you know, it 1458 01:15:33,360 --> 01:15:37,360 Speaker 3: is short term gratification. It is Yo, I played the 1459 01:15:37,360 --> 01:15:41,000 Speaker 3: House of Blues last tour. Why aren't I playing you know, 1460 01:15:41,040 --> 01:15:43,240 Speaker 3: Hammerstein Ballroom this tour, and I want to be in 1461 01:15:43,320 --> 01:15:46,240 Speaker 3: Madison Square Garden by my next album, you know what 1462 01:15:46,280 --> 01:15:53,360 Speaker 3: I mean. And I'm like, yo, y'all tripping like happening. Yeah, 1463 01:15:53,400 --> 01:15:57,280 Speaker 3: you we from a roots perspective. We played the House 1464 01:15:57,360 --> 01:16:03,080 Speaker 3: of Blues for fifteen years and we're happy about it. 1465 01:16:03,120 --> 01:16:07,920 Speaker 3: In Halloween World, yeah, we increased all the financial was 1466 01:16:08,439 --> 01:16:11,920 Speaker 3: instead of trying to reach too far on venue size, 1467 01:16:12,200 --> 01:16:15,280 Speaker 3: we would just increase the ticket price, every ticket paying back, 1468 01:16:15,439 --> 01:16:16,880 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. So that's how we went 1469 01:16:16,920 --> 01:16:20,120 Speaker 3: from ten thousand dollars a show to twelve five. 1470 01:16:20,160 --> 01:16:21,880 Speaker 7: Better save it at New Year's Even show. 1471 01:16:23,120 --> 01:16:25,840 Speaker 3: So so that so that part of it, I mean, 1472 01:16:25,960 --> 01:16:30,040 Speaker 3: you know, we don't you know we there are there 1473 01:16:30,120 --> 01:16:34,599 Speaker 3: are probably you know, a good thirty to thirty five 1474 01:16:34,920 --> 01:16:37,680 Speaker 3: cities if you're a popular hip hop artist in the 1475 01:16:37,800 --> 01:16:40,880 Speaker 3: US that you can play. If you're if you're if 1476 01:16:40,880 --> 01:16:44,160 Speaker 3: you're Drake, you know, you can go into going to 1477 01:16:44,280 --> 01:16:47,920 Speaker 3: Des Moines, Iowa, and Eugene, Oregon, and you know what 1478 01:16:47,960 --> 01:16:50,760 Speaker 3: I mean, Tallahassee, Florida, and you know you can you 1479 01:16:50,760 --> 01:16:54,080 Speaker 3: can hit those forty and fifty you know, tertiary or 1480 01:16:54,080 --> 01:16:58,560 Speaker 3: whatever is beyond tertiary markets but for most successful artists, 1481 01:16:58,600 --> 01:17:01,080 Speaker 3: you're between twenty five and thirty markets in the US. 1482 01:17:02,200 --> 01:17:05,479 Speaker 3: In Europe, you know, you have multiple markets in the UK, 1483 01:17:06,000 --> 01:17:08,519 Speaker 3: you know, depending on again how big you are, from 1484 01:17:08,520 --> 01:17:11,920 Speaker 3: a from a from a pop culture perspective, from a 1485 01:17:11,920 --> 01:17:14,000 Speaker 3: pop culture perspective, depending how big you are, you have 1486 01:17:14,040 --> 01:17:16,200 Speaker 3: multiple markets in the UK. And then you have a 1487 01:17:16,240 --> 01:17:19,280 Speaker 3: handful in continental Europe, you know, in the continent. Like 1488 01:17:19,320 --> 01:17:21,920 Speaker 3: it's not like you're going too deep. You know, you're 1489 01:17:21,960 --> 01:17:25,320 Speaker 3: basically one city per country, you know what I mean. 1490 01:17:25,640 --> 01:17:35,520 Speaker 3: You're doing Amsterdam, you're doing. 1491 01:17:31,160 --> 01:17:35,040 Speaker 4: You might hit like Helsinki, like you might see you know. 1492 01:17:35,040 --> 01:17:35,320 Speaker 5: What I mean. 1493 01:17:36,160 --> 01:17:38,240 Speaker 3: Germany you can hit two or three cities, you know 1494 01:17:38,280 --> 01:17:39,439 Speaker 3: what I mean, And you. 1495 01:17:39,520 --> 01:17:44,479 Speaker 8: Got motherfucking uh like maybe kind of went up last 1496 01:17:44,479 --> 01:17:46,840 Speaker 8: time I went, but like you got that Berlin can 1497 01:17:46,880 --> 01:17:47,479 Speaker 8: go Berlin. 1498 01:17:47,800 --> 01:17:48,000 Speaker 4: Yeah. 1499 01:17:48,120 --> 01:17:52,160 Speaker 3: Yeah. So so you know it's there's there isn't a ton. Now, 1500 01:17:52,240 --> 01:17:55,960 Speaker 3: what's what's open the market? It's festivals, because you have 1501 01:17:56,160 --> 01:17:59,599 Speaker 3: festivals in these secondary cities in Europe now where you 1502 01:17:59,600 --> 01:18:02,680 Speaker 3: can go to Leon or whatever and they or you 1503 01:18:02,720 --> 01:18:06,360 Speaker 3: can go to to Portugal, you know, where you can't 1504 01:18:06,360 --> 01:18:08,360 Speaker 3: go do a hard ticket date there. You can go, 1505 01:18:08,400 --> 01:18:10,640 Speaker 3: So that's opened up. The amount of markets is the 1506 01:18:11,120 --> 01:18:14,519 Speaker 3: sort of festival economy over the last decade. But you know, 1507 01:18:14,560 --> 01:18:16,920 Speaker 3: there is a limited amount of markets. And for us, 1508 01:18:17,120 --> 01:18:18,920 Speaker 3: what we did is we continue to just go back 1509 01:18:18,920 --> 01:18:21,519 Speaker 3: and play markets because you build that audience one show, 1510 01:18:21,600 --> 01:18:23,519 Speaker 3: one fan at a time, you know what I mean, 1511 01:18:23,520 --> 01:18:25,519 Speaker 3: and when it's time to grow, You'll know when it's 1512 01:18:25,520 --> 01:18:26,280 Speaker 3: time to grow. 1513 01:18:26,400 --> 01:18:27,639 Speaker 7: And it should be noted by this time. 1514 01:18:27,640 --> 01:18:29,120 Speaker 5: By the time you get to Kanye, you're not a 1515 01:18:29,120 --> 01:18:31,960 Speaker 5: one man band, right Like, there's like the office. 1516 01:18:32,000 --> 01:18:33,240 Speaker 7: Maybe you've got some help, but are you. 1517 01:18:33,200 --> 01:18:37,080 Speaker 3: Still yeah yeah, yeah yeah, right around Jill, Right around Jill. 1518 01:18:37,320 --> 01:18:39,479 Speaker 3: When I picked up Jill, I started, you know, I 1519 01:18:39,560 --> 01:18:42,320 Speaker 3: hired two people, you know what I mean. I was like, okay, 1520 01:18:42,360 --> 01:18:44,880 Speaker 3: now I got Now I got a company. You know, 1521 01:18:44,880 --> 01:18:46,200 Speaker 3: when it was the roots, it was just me. I 1522 01:18:46,240 --> 01:18:47,400 Speaker 3: was just trying to figure out what the hell I 1523 01:18:47,439 --> 01:18:49,000 Speaker 3: was doing. When I got jail, I was like, oh, 1524 01:18:49,040 --> 01:18:50,680 Speaker 3: I got a business. I got two clients. You know. 1525 01:18:50,960 --> 01:18:52,680 Speaker 3: By the time I got to Kanye, you know, I 1526 01:18:52,720 --> 01:18:55,400 Speaker 3: never I never really stacked up to you know, a 1527 01:18:55,520 --> 01:18:58,800 Speaker 3: thousand people in sixteen offices. There's always been a pretty small, 1528 01:18:59,000 --> 01:19:03,160 Speaker 3: pretty small operation. But but but yeah, yeah, so by 1529 01:19:03,160 --> 01:19:04,599 Speaker 3: the time I got to Kanye, you know, I had, 1530 01:19:04,640 --> 01:19:05,720 Speaker 3: I had, I had some folks to it. 1531 01:19:06,080 --> 01:19:12,800 Speaker 2: Okay, so in building your clientele, which you know Drake 1532 01:19:12,960 --> 01:19:15,599 Speaker 2: is well, I mean more than that, I who name 1533 01:19:15,680 --> 01:19:19,080 Speaker 2: all your clients because I know Latifa And again I 1534 01:19:19,120 --> 01:19:22,160 Speaker 2: know you don't have a title, but as far as 1535 01:19:22,200 --> 01:19:26,000 Speaker 2: I know, if money is coming down the pike to you, 1536 01:19:26,000 --> 01:19:29,400 Speaker 2: you are in some You're under that management Unbroke. 1537 01:19:29,640 --> 01:19:32,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. It was. So that's why 1538 01:19:32,720 --> 01:19:35,439 Speaker 3: I say so with Kanye, I had this weird role 1539 01:19:35,680 --> 01:19:38,479 Speaker 3: of I wasn't as manager. I wasn't as business manager. 1540 01:19:38,520 --> 01:19:40,960 Speaker 3: I wasn't his agent, I wasn't as all of that. 1541 01:19:41,560 --> 01:19:44,559 Speaker 3: I was just a consultant in touring. So I you know, 1542 01:19:44,600 --> 01:19:46,920 Speaker 3: I worked with him. We we we worked on that 1543 01:19:47,080 --> 01:19:50,160 Speaker 3: very first college tour, which was the School Spirit Tour 1544 01:19:50,960 --> 01:19:55,240 Speaker 3: from college dropout. And you know, and when I say worked, 1545 01:19:55,280 --> 01:19:58,760 Speaker 3: I mean I felt it was more tour strategy. Like 1546 01:19:58,840 --> 01:20:02,360 Speaker 3: I hired the tour man, I hired the production manager, 1547 01:20:02,640 --> 01:20:06,040 Speaker 3: I hired the whole team, and I worked with the 1548 01:20:06,080 --> 01:20:09,080 Speaker 3: agent and worked with ya on the overall strategy. And 1549 01:20:09,320 --> 01:20:11,800 Speaker 3: you know, I started with him on colleges. And I 1550 01:20:11,880 --> 01:20:13,800 Speaker 3: think the last tour I did with him was Watched 1551 01:20:13,800 --> 01:20:16,200 Speaker 3: the Throne, you know, with with with with him and Jay, 1552 01:20:16,240 --> 01:20:18,880 Speaker 3: and you know, I sort of took that trajectory went 1553 01:20:18,920 --> 01:20:21,360 Speaker 3: from with him. I went from clubs to theaters to 1554 01:20:21,479 --> 01:20:25,120 Speaker 3: amphitheaters to arenas, the stadiums, you know. And I learned 1555 01:20:25,439 --> 01:20:29,879 Speaker 3: the big business of touring through my experience with Kanye West. 1556 01:20:30,320 --> 01:20:35,680 Speaker 3: As I started building that reputation other and building my relationships, 1557 01:20:35,920 --> 01:20:40,160 Speaker 3: other artists started coming to me for that work. So 1558 01:20:40,320 --> 01:20:44,280 Speaker 3: Ge Roberson, his next client after Kanye in two thousand 1559 01:20:44,280 --> 01:20:47,920 Speaker 3: and seven was Lil Wayne. And again this is two 1560 01:20:47,960 --> 01:20:50,479 Speaker 3: thousand and seven, two thousand and eight. Lil Wayne. You know, 1561 01:20:50,560 --> 01:20:54,439 Speaker 3: he releases Carter three, the biggest record in the first world, 1562 01:20:54,520 --> 01:20:57,080 Speaker 3: a million of first week. So he's no longer some 1563 01:20:57,080 --> 01:21:00,639 Speaker 3: some hood as hip hop artists. He's a driving culture. 1564 01:21:01,000 --> 01:21:03,559 Speaker 3: But his touring was on some hood shit, like he 1565 01:21:03,680 --> 01:21:05,880 Speaker 3: was still getting brown paper bags from the ship clubs, 1566 01:21:06,120 --> 01:21:08,240 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. So G was like, Yo, 1567 01:21:08,400 --> 01:21:11,280 Speaker 3: my guy just did the glow and a Dark tour 1568 01:21:11,720 --> 01:21:15,040 Speaker 3: with Kanye. We need to bring him over here. So 1569 01:21:15,120 --> 01:21:18,280 Speaker 3: G and Cortes hired me. Again, I wasn't Wayne's business manager. 1570 01:21:18,320 --> 01:21:20,840 Speaker 3: I wasn't Wayne's manager. I was just this guy who 1571 01:21:20,920 --> 01:21:23,240 Speaker 3: came in and built his touring business and we went 1572 01:21:23,280 --> 01:21:26,800 Speaker 3: from you know, strip clubs and brown paper bags to 1573 01:21:27,240 --> 01:21:29,080 Speaker 3: you know, I AM Music Tour, which was the first 1574 01:21:29,080 --> 01:21:31,200 Speaker 3: tour and we did I Am Still Music Tour after 1575 01:21:31,400 --> 01:21:33,479 Speaker 3: he got out of jail, and we've done America's Most 1576 01:21:33,479 --> 01:21:37,240 Speaker 3: Wanted and you know, built that up on that first 1577 01:21:37,280 --> 01:21:39,800 Speaker 3: tour with Wayne. You know, he had a bunch of 1578 01:21:39,880 --> 01:21:42,400 Speaker 3: artists that he was developing on this random tour bus. 1579 01:21:42,720 --> 01:21:45,840 Speaker 3: And on that bus was Drake, a young young gentleman 1580 01:21:45,880 --> 01:21:47,560 Speaker 3: by the name of Drake, a young lady by the 1581 01:21:47,640 --> 01:21:51,160 Speaker 3: name of Nicki Minaj, amongst others. So, you know, I 1582 01:21:51,280 --> 01:21:54,719 Speaker 3: started working with g and Cortes and I started working 1583 01:21:54,760 --> 01:21:57,880 Speaker 3: with Drake early on and built the sort of infrastructure 1584 01:21:57,880 --> 01:22:00,479 Speaker 3: for him and for me. My role was touring, you 1585 01:22:00,560 --> 01:22:02,320 Speaker 3: know what I mean, And I helped, you know, build 1586 01:22:02,360 --> 01:22:07,080 Speaker 3: with his agent, Rob Gibs, helped build his early touring career. 1587 01:22:07,080 --> 01:22:09,120 Speaker 3: I think the last tour I did with Drake was 1588 01:22:09,160 --> 01:22:12,720 Speaker 3: Club Paradise when I had you know, just just how 1589 01:22:12,760 --> 01:22:15,880 Speaker 3: the puzzle works. On the first European tour that I 1590 01:22:15,920 --> 01:22:19,000 Speaker 3: did with Drake. Drake chose an opener by the name 1591 01:22:19,040 --> 01:22:22,479 Speaker 3: of J Cole. You know J Cole and his management team. 1592 01:22:22,479 --> 01:22:24,720 Speaker 3: I had knewest management team. They knew my wife through 1593 01:22:24,720 --> 01:22:27,640 Speaker 3: the business and you know, on that Europe tour we 1594 01:22:27,760 --> 01:22:30,160 Speaker 3: built and they called me in in in London, they 1595 01:22:30,160 --> 01:22:32,559 Speaker 3: called me in there in their dressing room. Was like, Sean, 1596 01:22:32,600 --> 01:22:34,720 Speaker 3: I need you to help us. You know what you're 1597 01:22:34,720 --> 01:22:36,320 Speaker 3: doing with Drake, what you did with Wayne. I need 1598 01:22:36,360 --> 01:22:38,800 Speaker 3: you to help us. So I worked with Cole from 1599 01:22:39,080 --> 01:22:41,920 Speaker 3: the Friday Night Lights period on up through his first 1600 01:22:41,920 --> 01:22:43,880 Speaker 3: arena tour. I mean a lot of the roles that 1601 01:22:43,920 --> 01:22:47,680 Speaker 3: I played with artists because I'm building their touring, I'm 1602 01:22:47,720 --> 01:22:51,000 Speaker 3: also educating their team. So I sort of worked myself 1603 01:22:51,040 --> 01:22:53,160 Speaker 3: out of a job at certain points and times, you 1604 01:22:53,160 --> 01:22:57,919 Speaker 3: know what I mean. You know, when when Drake's contract 1605 01:22:58,000 --> 01:23:00,519 Speaker 3: was up with with with Cortez and Gina Man's company, 1606 01:23:00,520 --> 01:23:02,920 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And his management team who 1607 01:23:03,000 --> 01:23:07,040 Speaker 3: came on is as bright eyed, you know, you know, 1608 01:23:07,439 --> 01:23:11,439 Speaker 3: sort of naive Toronto kids, but super smart, you know 1609 01:23:11,479 --> 01:23:13,960 Speaker 3: what I mean. They come ask me questions. They see 1610 01:23:13,960 --> 01:23:16,479 Speaker 3: how the ship run like it's it's not rocket science. 1611 01:23:16,520 --> 01:23:18,599 Speaker 3: It's like if you're smart in your attention, you pay 1612 01:23:18,600 --> 01:23:20,760 Speaker 3: attention to detail. You can do this right. So at 1613 01:23:20,800 --> 01:23:23,120 Speaker 3: a certain point they're like, all right, cool, Sean, I'm good, 1614 01:23:23,200 --> 01:23:25,000 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. J Cole, same same thing. 1615 01:23:25,080 --> 01:23:27,160 Speaker 3: J Cole's crew. I love them, you know what I mean? 1616 01:23:27,200 --> 01:23:29,920 Speaker 3: I love them because they were super smart. They thought 1617 01:23:29,920 --> 01:23:33,160 Speaker 3: out of the box. They were always individuals, never really 1618 01:23:33,200 --> 01:23:37,360 Speaker 3: followed a pattern. Eve and Adam we would always talk 1619 01:23:37,360 --> 01:23:40,760 Speaker 3: about touring Envision and Rob Gibbs again their agent, and 1620 01:23:40,920 --> 01:23:42,599 Speaker 3: you know, at a certain point they were like, oh, 1621 01:23:42,920 --> 01:23:45,439 Speaker 3: you know, your resources are my resources now right. I 1622 01:23:45,479 --> 01:23:47,559 Speaker 3: know I know a rigor what a riggor does, and 1623 01:23:47,600 --> 01:23:49,800 Speaker 3: I know I can call the rigger, you know, who 1624 01:23:49,880 --> 01:23:51,960 Speaker 3: hung my light's last tour, So I don't need you know, 1625 01:23:52,080 --> 01:23:54,679 Speaker 3: But I don't mind that because I think that's part 1626 01:23:54,720 --> 01:23:56,800 Speaker 3: of you know, i'll use the L word, but it's 1627 01:23:56,840 --> 01:23:58,840 Speaker 3: part of sort of my legacy in the business. Is 1628 01:23:59,160 --> 01:24:03,519 Speaker 3: I am joy, Yeah, I am. I am teaching these young, 1629 01:24:04,200 --> 01:24:07,519 Speaker 3: you know, super smart future executives the touring game. So 1630 01:24:07,520 --> 01:24:12,719 Speaker 3: I went from Cole to Nicki, Wayne Cole, Nicki Drake, 1631 01:24:13,760 --> 01:24:15,200 Speaker 3: you know, and a few others. 1632 01:24:15,200 --> 01:24:16,559 Speaker 8: But that was sort of and also I think that 1633 01:24:16,600 --> 01:24:19,440 Speaker 8: you're is you teaching them how to do it for themselves, 1634 01:24:19,479 --> 01:24:22,760 Speaker 8: not by themselves, but you know, teaching them like, yo, 1635 01:24:23,000 --> 01:24:25,000 Speaker 8: you can do this for yourself. 1636 01:24:25,040 --> 01:24:28,000 Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying, with the resources that are available. 1637 01:24:27,520 --> 01:24:32,880 Speaker 2: To you, absolutely now without it being all got you 1638 01:24:33,000 --> 01:24:34,440 Speaker 2: journalism disc. 1639 01:24:36,280 --> 01:24:37,280 Speaker 1: No no, no, no, no no this. 1640 01:24:38,000 --> 01:24:45,160 Speaker 2: What can you talk about managing expectations? You can actually 1641 01:24:45,240 --> 01:24:47,760 Speaker 2: use me as an example. I mean, I would like 1642 01:24:47,840 --> 01:24:50,800 Speaker 2: to think that you know, you've only had maybe two 1643 01:24:50,960 --> 01:24:52,040 Speaker 2: or three of those. 1644 01:24:52,560 --> 01:24:56,960 Speaker 1: Four m a mirrorphone calls of what the fuck? All right? 1645 01:24:57,080 --> 01:25:01,280 Speaker 2: One time I misread a price on a ay on 1646 01:25:01,360 --> 01:25:05,880 Speaker 2: a particular or on a simple item a mattress and 1647 01:25:05,880 --> 01:25:11,240 Speaker 2: a mattress, Well, I okay, I graduated from the W mattress. 1648 01:25:11,320 --> 01:25:13,400 Speaker 3: Oh ship no rich put me. 1649 01:25:13,360 --> 01:25:22,160 Speaker 2: On to Hastens on a Hastens mattresses and they're extremely pricey. 1650 01:25:23,040 --> 01:25:25,840 Speaker 2: The thing was, they saw me walking in the door. 1651 01:25:26,760 --> 01:25:28,479 Speaker 2: They must have thought it was a football player played 1652 01:25:28,479 --> 01:25:28,640 Speaker 2: with the. 1653 01:25:28,640 --> 01:25:33,640 Speaker 1: Giants or whatever. I don't know. And you know I 1654 01:25:33,680 --> 01:25:35,760 Speaker 1: came in like I will be the first to. 1655 01:25:35,840 --> 01:25:39,439 Speaker 5: Tell you shut up, sorry you got a king, because 1656 01:25:39,479 --> 01:25:40,880 Speaker 5: I'm just looking at a queen and I'm like. 1657 01:25:40,760 --> 01:25:43,360 Speaker 1: Got that right? So they take what kind of kind 1658 01:25:43,400 --> 01:25:47,799 Speaker 1: of when you go into Hastins, they. 1659 01:25:48,840 --> 01:25:53,720 Speaker 2: They they they you're supposed to They're supposed to you 1660 01:25:53,800 --> 01:25:57,000 Speaker 2: try one bed, and I still feel like they lied. 1661 01:25:57,120 --> 01:25:58,320 Speaker 1: I feel like they lie. 1662 01:25:58,160 --> 01:26:03,120 Speaker 2: To you and make that initial cheap bed so uber comfortable. 1663 01:26:03,680 --> 01:26:07,000 Speaker 1: Then your mind's like, hey, let me try that one 1664 01:26:07,000 --> 01:26:08,160 Speaker 1: over there. What's that over there? 1665 01:26:08,160 --> 01:26:10,000 Speaker 2: And you're like, oh, this is sud you know, maybe 1666 01:26:10,080 --> 01:26:12,639 Speaker 2: two hundred more and you're give that one, and then 1667 01:26:12,840 --> 01:26:13,320 Speaker 2: they got you. 1668 01:26:13,800 --> 01:26:15,760 Speaker 1: Then they're like, all right, let's go to the next one. 1669 01:26:15,920 --> 01:26:16,760 Speaker 1: Let's go to the next one. 1670 01:26:17,000 --> 01:26:19,439 Speaker 2: These motherfuckers actually just brought me to the top of 1671 01:26:19,439 --> 01:26:23,679 Speaker 2: the line. Joined I didn't look at the price because 1672 01:26:23,720 --> 01:26:26,800 Speaker 2: again Rich is like, yo, I think, I think you'll 1673 01:26:26,840 --> 01:26:28,920 Speaker 2: you know, you have better circulation for your legs and 1674 01:26:28,960 --> 01:26:30,880 Speaker 2: d D d D if you get this Haystens bed. 1675 01:26:31,080 --> 01:26:34,120 Speaker 2: So I got in the bed, fella stick like you 1676 01:26:34,200 --> 01:26:37,559 Speaker 2: lay down for ten minutes and then I say, yeah, 1677 01:26:37,600 --> 01:26:40,599 Speaker 2: I fell asleep. Okay, great, I'll take it, and here's 1678 01:26:40,640 --> 01:26:44,719 Speaker 2: my office number, and I'm thanks. And I never looked 1679 01:26:44,800 --> 01:26:48,840 Speaker 2: at the price because you know, at that time, getting 1680 01:26:48,920 --> 01:26:53,120 Speaker 2: a W Hotel bed was a big deal because W 1681 01:26:53,280 --> 01:26:57,559 Speaker 2: Hotel beds were like seventeen hundred bucks again, which was 1682 01:26:57,720 --> 01:27:02,120 Speaker 2: expensive for w Hotel bed. I didn't realize that I 1683 01:27:02,320 --> 01:27:06,000 Speaker 2: just purchased a six figure bed. 1684 01:27:07,000 --> 01:27:08,720 Speaker 1: I got a hundred thousand dollars. I didn't look at 1685 01:27:08,720 --> 01:27:09,040 Speaker 1: the price. 1686 01:27:10,600 --> 01:27:13,519 Speaker 4: This is the whole night. This is bed, like the frame, 1687 01:27:14,200 --> 01:27:22,440 Speaker 4: everything has over the egg. That's all you. 1688 01:27:23,280 --> 01:27:23,400 Speaker 5: Get. 1689 01:27:23,640 --> 01:27:30,599 Speaker 2: Visit Monday right again, Babe Bill said that Hastings has 1690 01:27:30,640 --> 01:27:31,599 Speaker 2: two dots over. 1691 01:27:31,520 --> 01:27:32,320 Speaker 3: Two dots. 1692 01:27:33,720 --> 01:27:34,519 Speaker 1: J Z like j. 1693 01:27:36,040 --> 01:27:36,960 Speaker 4: That's all you need to know. 1694 01:27:37,360 --> 01:27:43,920 Speaker 1: You're gonna get charges out. It's like a white person dots. 1695 01:27:44,000 --> 01:27:46,240 Speaker 4: There's like ship like whoa. 1696 01:27:47,120 --> 01:27:48,519 Speaker 1: Anyway, So cut to. 1697 01:27:50,120 --> 01:27:54,680 Speaker 2: Eight o'clock in the morning the next day, yeo, you 1698 01:27:54,720 --> 01:27:58,680 Speaker 2: would have thought I ran everybody's mom over with the 1699 01:27:58,720 --> 01:28:02,160 Speaker 2: car the like really, it's come to this now, like 1700 01:28:02,200 --> 01:28:04,559 Speaker 2: we we give you an inch and this is what 1701 01:28:04,600 --> 01:28:05,400 Speaker 2: it is, Like did. 1702 01:28:05,280 --> 01:28:06,439 Speaker 7: You get to what the buck calling me? 1703 01:28:06,479 --> 01:28:08,760 Speaker 1: And like come on, no, they were it was he. 1704 01:28:09,160 --> 01:28:12,360 Speaker 2: The thing was is that Seawan's had some other clients 1705 01:28:12,360 --> 01:28:17,240 Speaker 2: that he's not naming right now that have done that 1706 01:28:17,280 --> 01:28:19,320 Speaker 2: shit like you get your check and you want to ball. 1707 01:28:19,160 --> 01:28:20,360 Speaker 1: The fuck out. 1708 01:28:20,640 --> 01:28:25,840 Speaker 2: And fifteen minutes into this curse out, I realized that 1709 01:28:26,120 --> 01:28:29,519 Speaker 2: oh shit, I just brought a one hundred thousand dollars bed, 1710 01:28:30,000 --> 01:28:33,559 Speaker 2: my bad and of course I got the price I 1711 01:28:33,600 --> 01:28:36,640 Speaker 2: can afford, or that they told me where my budget was. 1712 01:28:37,320 --> 01:28:41,920 Speaker 1: But the whole point was how do you manage expectations? 1713 01:28:42,120 --> 01:28:47,200 Speaker 2: Because you are managing acts and dealing with their money 1714 01:28:49,080 --> 01:28:51,719 Speaker 2: post two thousand, you know, it's way it's way past 1715 01:28:51,720 --> 01:28:56,000 Speaker 2: that baller stage. How are you Are you having conversations 1716 01:28:56,000 --> 01:29:01,120 Speaker 2: with them at the top of your business relationship? Will 1717 01:29:01,160 --> 01:29:04,880 Speaker 2: you tell them like if you color within these lines 1718 01:29:04,880 --> 01:29:06,720 Speaker 2: and live you know, da da da da da or 1719 01:29:06,840 --> 01:29:08,920 Speaker 2: you or is it just like you just get the 1720 01:29:08,960 --> 01:29:13,479 Speaker 2: Evans money from you know, Cincinnati, Ohio, and that's it. 1721 01:29:13,560 --> 01:29:16,400 Speaker 1: I'll see you later, Like how do you manage? 1722 01:29:16,840 --> 01:29:20,559 Speaker 3: Managing expectations is one of the key things to being 1723 01:29:21,200 --> 01:29:25,800 Speaker 3: a manager, a successful manager in music. I'm sure it's 1724 01:29:25,800 --> 01:29:28,320 Speaker 3: in film and TV or or in any sort of 1725 01:29:28,439 --> 01:29:32,640 Speaker 3: creative genre, right, you know, because when you're dealing with 1726 01:29:32,720 --> 01:29:36,840 Speaker 3: creatives and but and again, I didn't come in knowing 1727 01:29:36,880 --> 01:29:39,479 Speaker 3: this shit, like I've just learned it, you know, on 1728 01:29:39,600 --> 01:29:42,479 Speaker 3: the backs of my clients, like dealing with you and 1729 01:29:42,520 --> 01:29:45,800 Speaker 3: dealing with Tariq and dealing with Jill. You know, just 1730 01:29:45,960 --> 01:29:53,920 Speaker 3: understanding the motivational aspects, the aspirational aspects that each of 1731 01:29:53,960 --> 01:29:59,480 Speaker 3: you have, What inspires you, what motivates you, what buttons 1732 01:29:59,520 --> 01:30:03,240 Speaker 3: can be he pushed. It's psychology, right, It's all psychology. 1733 01:30:03,320 --> 01:30:06,639 Speaker 3: That's that's the most important part of being a manager. 1734 01:30:06,680 --> 01:30:09,439 Speaker 3: That's the most important part of being in any relationship, right, 1735 01:30:09,560 --> 01:30:12,280 Speaker 3: is understanding the give and take of psychology. So that's 1736 01:30:12,320 --> 01:30:15,920 Speaker 3: whether we're talking about a mattress or you know, we're 1737 01:30:15,960 --> 01:30:19,479 Speaker 3: talking about you know, damn I wish emir ended the 1738 01:30:19,560 --> 01:30:22,720 Speaker 3: show with this song versus that song, Like how can 1739 01:30:22,760 --> 01:30:25,600 Speaker 3: I have this conversation with him knowing that this is 1740 01:30:25,640 --> 01:30:28,559 Speaker 3: his world and his baby, but I know I'm in 1741 01:30:28,600 --> 01:30:31,840 Speaker 3: the crowd and you know what I mean. So it's psychology. 1742 01:30:31,920 --> 01:30:35,800 Speaker 3: It's understanding the give and take. It's compromised. Like one 1743 01:30:35,880 --> 01:30:38,240 Speaker 3: lesson that I learned and Kanye taught me, and I've 1744 01:30:38,240 --> 01:30:42,000 Speaker 3: taken this throughout my career. So again, this is you know, 1745 01:30:42,040 --> 01:30:44,880 Speaker 3: two thousand and six, I think seven whenever that year 1746 01:30:44,920 --> 01:30:47,040 Speaker 3: whenever we started to Glow in the Dark tour, and 1747 01:30:47,080 --> 01:30:49,519 Speaker 3: again I'm four years in with Kanye at this point, 1748 01:30:49,720 --> 01:30:51,679 Speaker 3: we've done three or four tours together. 1749 01:30:52,200 --> 01:30:52,840 Speaker 1: You know, what I mean. 1750 01:30:53,040 --> 01:30:56,000 Speaker 3: We have a level of trust. He knows me, you know, 1751 01:30:56,479 --> 01:31:00,240 Speaker 3: meaning how I think. So we're going on this this 1752 01:31:00,680 --> 01:31:03,200 Speaker 3: big tour, biggest service career, biggest tour of my career, 1753 01:31:03,280 --> 01:31:07,040 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And I go out and 1754 01:31:07,880 --> 01:31:12,720 Speaker 3: specifically go and hire the sort of logistics team. I 1755 01:31:12,800 --> 01:31:15,960 Speaker 3: put an all star team together of people. He had 1756 01:31:16,120 --> 01:31:18,360 Speaker 3: all his creator I ain't touched none of his creator shit. 1757 01:31:18,640 --> 01:31:22,680 Speaker 3: But he allowed me, as did Wayne and others, to like, 1758 01:31:22,800 --> 01:31:25,240 Speaker 3: all right, give me the team that's going to properly 1759 01:31:25,320 --> 01:31:29,400 Speaker 3: execute this. So I go out. I hire Curtis Battles, 1760 01:31:29,439 --> 01:31:33,439 Speaker 3: who number one is black and number two is what's 1761 01:31:33,479 --> 01:31:36,280 Speaker 3: Eminem's tour manager. And at that time two thousand and six, 1762 01:31:36,320 --> 01:31:38,960 Speaker 3: two thousand and seven, Eminem's on fire, He's on stadiums 1763 01:31:38,960 --> 01:31:41,639 Speaker 3: and shit. So I'm like, I got the top black 1764 01:31:42,040 --> 01:31:45,920 Speaker 3: tour production manager. I bring in the tour manager. I 1765 01:31:45,960 --> 01:31:49,120 Speaker 3: bring in all of the tech teams. I'm hiring all 1766 01:31:49,160 --> 01:31:51,960 Speaker 3: of the logistics. He's dealing with the creator. At a 1767 01:31:51,960 --> 01:31:54,960 Speaker 3: certain point, I start calling people. I'm putting it together, 1768 01:31:55,120 --> 01:31:57,920 Speaker 3: my budgets, going back and forth with the agent, you know, 1769 01:31:58,000 --> 01:32:00,960 Speaker 3: doing venue deals, calling the venues, arguing with him over 1770 01:32:01,160 --> 01:32:03,880 Speaker 3: you know, our point, and everybody went dark on me, 1771 01:32:04,640 --> 01:32:07,880 Speaker 3: like literally nobody would return my call. Curtis didn't return 1772 01:32:07,960 --> 01:32:10,719 Speaker 3: my call, Yay didn't return my call. Like nobody fucking 1773 01:32:10,720 --> 01:32:13,639 Speaker 3: return my call. And I'm like, what is going on? 1774 01:32:14,240 --> 01:32:16,080 Speaker 3: And it was like a two week period. I'm in 1775 01:32:16,080 --> 01:32:19,200 Speaker 3: the middle of planning. I can't get any information. I'm calling, 1776 01:32:19,560 --> 01:32:20,360 Speaker 3: you know, Miss West. 1777 01:32:20,439 --> 01:32:20,840 Speaker 1: His mom. 1778 01:32:20,920 --> 01:32:22,840 Speaker 3: She's like, hey, Sewan, now I don't know. Everything seemed 1779 01:32:22,840 --> 01:32:24,600 Speaker 3: cool to me. You want me to ask around. I'm like, no, 1780 01:32:24,720 --> 01:32:26,559 Speaker 3: I'm not gonna get you into it. Let me figure 1781 01:32:26,560 --> 01:32:29,559 Speaker 3: it out. After a two week period, Kanye calls me. 1782 01:32:29,560 --> 01:32:32,000 Speaker 3: He's like, Yo, can you come to La tomorrow. I'm like, yeah, 1783 01:32:32,439 --> 01:32:35,080 Speaker 3: you know, I fly to La, go to his crib, 1784 01:32:35,640 --> 01:32:37,519 Speaker 3: sit in the living room. He's on his computer and 1785 01:32:37,520 --> 01:32:40,040 Speaker 3: he turns the computer around and I'm like what's this 1786 01:32:40,320 --> 01:32:43,040 Speaker 3: And he's like the tour, this is the creative what 1787 01:32:43,040 --> 01:32:45,320 Speaker 3: do you think? And he walks me through it and 1788 01:32:45,320 --> 01:32:49,000 Speaker 3: I'm like, Yo, this shit is crazy and I'm like, yo, 1789 01:32:49,080 --> 01:32:51,599 Speaker 3: but what the fuck? Like how much is this cast? 1790 01:32:51,720 --> 01:32:55,080 Speaker 3: Like I haven't talked to nobody like and he was like, yo, 1791 01:32:55,240 --> 01:32:57,679 Speaker 3: I called everybody and said if you talked to Shawan 1792 01:32:57,760 --> 01:33:01,360 Speaker 3: g you're fired, and I was I was like why. 1793 01:33:01,520 --> 01:33:03,479 Speaker 3: I was like, why'd you do that? And he said, 1794 01:33:03,560 --> 01:33:07,280 Speaker 3: because I know. If I wasn't able to get my 1795 01:33:07,479 --> 01:33:10,519 Speaker 3: full creative vision, I would have talked to you along 1796 01:33:10,560 --> 01:33:13,160 Speaker 3: the way. You know, I would have made a left 1797 01:33:13,160 --> 01:33:15,040 Speaker 3: turn and I would not have been able to get 1798 01:33:15,040 --> 01:33:17,080 Speaker 3: my full creative vision out because you would have been, 1799 01:33:17,600 --> 01:33:20,240 Speaker 3: you know, asking me how much things cost and how 1800 01:33:20,280 --> 01:33:23,639 Speaker 3: are we gonna move this? And I got my full 1801 01:33:23,720 --> 01:33:27,519 Speaker 3: creative vision out. Now, now tell me what you think 1802 01:33:27,560 --> 01:33:31,640 Speaker 3: about it unless And it taught me like that was 1803 01:33:31,720 --> 01:33:36,080 Speaker 3: a really deep lesson on how to work and deal 1804 01:33:36,120 --> 01:33:39,240 Speaker 3: with creatives, because at the end of the day, y'all 1805 01:33:39,280 --> 01:33:42,519 Speaker 3: are the motherfucker you know, a mere fonte to reak. 1806 01:33:42,880 --> 01:33:45,280 Speaker 3: You know, whoever it is, y'all are the ones that's 1807 01:33:45,400 --> 01:33:48,280 Speaker 3: driving this car, you know what I mean. I just 1808 01:33:48,320 --> 01:33:52,840 Speaker 3: gotta yeah, yeah, exactly. I just got to make sure 1809 01:33:52,880 --> 01:33:54,920 Speaker 3: that it got gas in it, it got oil in it, 1810 01:33:54,960 --> 01:33:56,840 Speaker 3: and it's gonna get to where it needs to get 1811 01:33:56,840 --> 01:33:58,880 Speaker 3: to and it ain't gonna break down. And when you 1812 01:33:58,920 --> 01:34:00,639 Speaker 3: get there, you got some money in your pocket. 1813 01:34:00,720 --> 01:34:03,800 Speaker 4: Right, So, because the show is they're not gonna holler Shanji. 1814 01:34:05,320 --> 01:34:09,280 Speaker 3: Exactly. Or even if the show is good and you 1815 01:34:09,360 --> 01:34:12,600 Speaker 3: weren't able to do what you wanted to do creatively, 1816 01:34:12,720 --> 01:34:15,200 Speaker 3: you're gonna be unfulfilled. And who you're gonna blame for that? 1817 01:34:15,360 --> 01:34:18,200 Speaker 3: For being unfulfilled, You're gonna blame Sean g You know 1818 01:34:18,200 --> 01:34:19,760 Speaker 3: what I mean, you didn't let it out. So that 1819 01:34:19,840 --> 01:34:22,120 Speaker 3: lesson that I did with Kanye, that lesson that Kanye 1820 01:34:22,240 --> 01:34:25,200 Speaker 3: taught me I've taken throughout my career and working with creatives. 1821 01:34:25,240 --> 01:34:28,559 Speaker 3: It is managing expectations, but it's also a balance in 1822 01:34:28,640 --> 01:34:32,640 Speaker 3: making sure that look, I mean that not that matchless. 1823 01:34:32,720 --> 01:34:35,559 Speaker 3: But we could tell other stories here where you know, 1824 01:34:35,880 --> 01:34:38,280 Speaker 3: there have been things that you needed or you wanted, 1825 01:34:38,400 --> 01:34:40,559 Speaker 3: and you know, we talked about it, and I'm like, 1826 01:34:40,600 --> 01:34:43,519 Speaker 3: you know what, this is what this motherfucker work is 1827 01:34:43,600 --> 01:34:45,680 Speaker 3: ass off for. This is why he's up twenty three 1828 01:34:45,720 --> 01:34:48,160 Speaker 3: hours a day to be able to do what I 1829 01:34:48,200 --> 01:34:51,760 Speaker 3: think is dumb shit, but it's aspirational shit for you. 1830 01:34:51,840 --> 01:34:54,599 Speaker 3: So I can't I can't give you know, I can't 1831 01:34:54,640 --> 01:34:59,000 Speaker 3: overlay my thoughts on you know, your creative vision and 1832 01:34:59,040 --> 01:35:02,080 Speaker 3: what I just to put the barriers up, both creatively, 1833 01:35:02,400 --> 01:35:04,920 Speaker 3: business wise, money, whatever it is I got to put 1834 01:35:04,920 --> 01:35:07,400 Speaker 3: the barriers up so you don't fall off the highway, 1835 01:35:07,680 --> 01:35:09,280 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. But you're driving the car, 1836 01:35:09,560 --> 01:35:10,120 Speaker 3: you know what I mean? 1837 01:35:10,400 --> 01:35:12,479 Speaker 5: Hey, Sean, can you tell us the time, like when 1838 01:35:12,479 --> 01:35:14,800 Speaker 5: it comes to the roots in jail, what was the 1839 01:35:14,800 --> 01:35:17,200 Speaker 5: deal that you've made that really made you take a 1840 01:35:17,240 --> 01:35:20,120 Speaker 5: step back and like past yourself on the shoulder or 1841 01:35:20,160 --> 01:35:23,600 Speaker 5: really go fuck yes, Like I'm finally doing what I 1842 01:35:23,640 --> 01:35:25,800 Speaker 5: feel like is fulfilling them, and like we we've done 1843 01:35:25,840 --> 01:35:27,760 Speaker 5: this ship. Nobody else has done this ship. Like this 1844 01:35:27,800 --> 01:35:29,120 Speaker 5: is fucking phenomenal. 1845 01:35:30,280 --> 01:35:33,800 Speaker 3: I don't think there's you know, I don't. I don't 1846 01:35:34,000 --> 01:35:36,800 Speaker 3: think there's one deal, you know what I mean? Like, 1847 01:35:36,880 --> 01:35:40,799 Speaker 3: I don't think there's there's not like one big branding 1848 01:35:40,880 --> 01:35:44,640 Speaker 3: deal or one even the Tonight Show deal. Like I 1849 01:35:44,640 --> 01:35:47,559 Speaker 3: don't think there's one. What I get it? What I 1850 01:35:47,640 --> 01:35:52,479 Speaker 3: you smile? I thought? I mean even the whose picnic? 1851 01:35:52,479 --> 01:35:54,840 Speaker 3: We're not there. Like the thing about the Roots is 1852 01:35:55,200 --> 01:35:58,599 Speaker 3: the thing that keeps us going is we never fucking arrived, 1853 01:35:59,040 --> 01:36:03,000 Speaker 3: Like you know what I mean, Right, We've never like 1854 01:36:03,400 --> 01:36:08,320 Speaker 3: arrived to whatever that mythical place is that you think 1855 01:36:08,479 --> 01:36:11,280 Speaker 3: you need to get to. We're we're always motivated to 1856 01:36:11,960 --> 01:36:15,519 Speaker 3: either do more or diversified, you know when I. 1857 01:36:15,520 --> 01:36:17,479 Speaker 5: Say right, But they still had to be a moment 1858 01:36:17,520 --> 01:36:19,360 Speaker 5: where you went they didn't think we could do this, 1859 01:36:19,479 --> 01:36:20,760 Speaker 5: and we did that ship. 1860 01:36:21,040 --> 01:36:24,040 Speaker 3: Oh okay, okay, gotcha for the Roots. It was the 1861 01:36:24,120 --> 01:36:26,080 Speaker 3: Roots pet in New York. Okay, it was when we 1862 01:36:26,120 --> 01:36:29,560 Speaker 3: did when we did, when we did Bryant Park. I 1863 01:36:29,880 --> 01:36:33,479 Speaker 3: I I literally stood at the back of the park 1864 01:36:34,000 --> 01:36:37,760 Speaker 3: we were on with Wu Tang and you know, I 1865 01:36:37,800 --> 01:36:40,280 Speaker 3: looked up in the sky and I shot the rich 1866 01:36:40,400 --> 01:36:43,080 Speaker 3: and I was like, yeah, look, look what the fuck 1867 01:36:43,160 --> 01:36:43,840 Speaker 3: we did? You know? 1868 01:36:44,000 --> 01:36:47,160 Speaker 8: Because again I remember that night. Man, we talked that night. 1869 01:36:47,400 --> 01:36:49,519 Speaker 8: Uh you know, we I think I don't think w 1870 01:36:49,800 --> 01:36:52,000 Speaker 8: was on, but it was. Somebody was on. But we 1871 01:36:52,040 --> 01:36:53,800 Speaker 8: was talking and you was kind of giving me time. 1872 01:36:53,840 --> 01:36:55,960 Speaker 8: You was like, yeah, man, like this ship was work, 1873 01:36:56,080 --> 01:36:58,599 Speaker 8: like he was on, like you was. You was giving 1874 01:36:58,680 --> 01:36:59,960 Speaker 8: up like that. 1875 01:37:00,439 --> 01:37:02,200 Speaker 4: So I remember that being a big moment for y'all. 1876 01:37:02,280 --> 01:37:04,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, Ruth Picnic New York was probably that moment. 1877 01:37:05,080 --> 01:37:05,240 Speaker 1: You know. 1878 01:37:05,240 --> 01:37:07,240 Speaker 3: Again, it wasn't a deal, but it was that moment 1879 01:37:07,280 --> 01:37:11,200 Speaker 3: where it was like all right, you know what I mean, like, okay, 1880 01:37:11,880 --> 01:37:15,120 Speaker 3: you know we're there. But again, I think. You know, overall, 1881 01:37:15,439 --> 01:37:18,679 Speaker 3: it's the constant it's the constant growth, like the it's 1882 01:37:18,720 --> 01:37:23,120 Speaker 3: the what's the tortoise versus the hair mentality that we 1883 01:37:23,280 --> 01:37:28,479 Speaker 3: have that I'm happy when I'm happy when Alicia keyes 1884 01:37:28,640 --> 01:37:32,360 Speaker 3: twenty years into her career makes a fucking song called 1885 01:37:32,439 --> 01:37:35,800 Speaker 3: Jill Scott, you know what I mean. Like that makes 1886 01:37:35,840 --> 01:37:38,479 Speaker 3: me happy because that shows all of the work that 1887 01:37:38,840 --> 01:37:41,840 Speaker 3: Jill put in and I was able to assist. You know, 1888 01:37:41,920 --> 01:37:47,000 Speaker 3: it's being recognized. I'm happy when you know Questlove is 1889 01:37:47,120 --> 01:37:52,360 Speaker 3: DJing the jay Z and Beyonce Oscar party and killing it, 1890 01:37:52,840 --> 01:37:54,960 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And everybody there is like, 1891 01:37:55,200 --> 01:37:58,120 Speaker 3: oh my god, I'm twenty five, thirty years in Like 1892 01:37:58,160 --> 01:38:01,439 Speaker 3: it's just a constant ascension of people that you know, 1893 01:38:01,640 --> 01:38:04,240 Speaker 3: over the years, everybody always turned it. You know, who 1894 01:38:04,240 --> 01:38:06,880 Speaker 3: are these guys? What's up with her? The girl from Philly? 1895 01:38:07,600 --> 01:38:10,080 Speaker 3: You know, but you know they at the end of 1896 01:38:10,080 --> 01:38:13,240 Speaker 3: the day, as long as we constantly ascend creatively, as 1897 01:38:13,240 --> 01:38:16,160 Speaker 3: long as we diversified business wise, and we can make 1898 01:38:16,200 --> 01:38:18,920 Speaker 3: sure that we follow our own dreams and every time 1899 01:38:18,960 --> 01:38:21,679 Speaker 3: we achieve a goal, reset and go for more goals, 1900 01:38:21,880 --> 01:38:23,360 Speaker 3: you know it's gonna work out. 1901 01:38:28,040 --> 01:38:31,520 Speaker 2: All right, So I guess for you and me personally, 1902 01:38:32,640 --> 01:38:38,160 Speaker 2: you know, twenty fourteen was definitely a turning point once 1903 01:38:39,439 --> 01:38:44,720 Speaker 2: Richard died of of chemia, yep. And you know I 1904 01:38:45,360 --> 01:38:49,479 Speaker 2: definitely was going out my mind during that time period, 1905 01:38:52,240 --> 01:38:54,640 Speaker 2: and you know, I realized that it was just it 1906 01:38:54,720 --> 01:38:56,240 Speaker 2: was going to be a shift for all of us. 1907 01:38:56,360 --> 01:38:59,559 Speaker 3: You know, I was like, well, damn right now. 1908 01:39:00,439 --> 01:39:04,160 Speaker 2: You know, any creative musical creator, like usually I always 1909 01:39:04,160 --> 01:39:07,200 Speaker 2: have Rich to bounce off of, and there's always that 1910 01:39:08,040 --> 01:39:11,479 Speaker 2: eight am phone call that you have with Rich which 1911 01:39:11,479 --> 01:39:13,799 Speaker 2: is weird because Rich had am phone calls with everyone. 1912 01:39:13,840 --> 01:39:15,880 Speaker 3: So I'm trying to have am phone call every day 1913 01:39:15,880 --> 01:39:17,280 Speaker 3: were Rich. I don't know how he did this. 1914 01:39:17,680 --> 01:39:20,400 Speaker 2: Right exactly, Like in my mind, it's like Rich wakes 1915 01:39:20,439 --> 01:39:22,880 Speaker 2: you up at like eight seventeen and then you're off 1916 01:39:22,880 --> 01:39:23,439 Speaker 2: at eleven. 1917 01:39:23,520 --> 01:39:28,400 Speaker 3: But everyone has and so what in. 1918 01:39:28,320 --> 01:39:34,040 Speaker 2: My mind, I was just like, well, shit, like Sean's 1919 01:39:34,080 --> 01:39:37,880 Speaker 2: the suit to Rich's creative. Now Sewan's going to have 1920 01:39:37,880 --> 01:39:40,880 Speaker 2: to be a creative and I'm going to have to 1921 01:39:40,920 --> 01:39:44,920 Speaker 2: do things that I hate doing, like vocal takes and 1922 01:39:46,160 --> 01:39:53,800 Speaker 2: like sitting there patiently, like putting stuff together. So talk 1923 01:39:53,840 --> 01:39:55,960 Speaker 2: about the shift that because I guess that's the period 1924 01:39:56,000 --> 01:39:59,200 Speaker 2: in which you made the decision to I mean, at 1925 01:39:59,200 --> 01:40:02,960 Speaker 2: that point, you would you were you were developing sports 1926 01:40:03,080 --> 01:40:10,479 Speaker 2: Entertainment or s C s CFTE. Yeah, you had you know, 1927 01:40:11,000 --> 01:40:15,200 Speaker 2: basketball players, yet you were managing business, managing all these people. 1928 01:40:15,720 --> 01:40:21,000 Speaker 2: Can you talk about the transition from sort of amalgamating 1929 01:40:21,080 --> 01:40:26,120 Speaker 2: your your company into Maverick, which then goes into Live Nation, 1930 01:40:26,600 --> 01:40:27,320 Speaker 2: like how does it? 1931 01:40:28,000 --> 01:40:28,200 Speaker 4: Yeah? 1932 01:40:28,439 --> 01:40:30,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yep. But before doing that, I want to 1933 01:40:30,760 --> 01:40:35,160 Speaker 3: talk about twenty fourteen because you're right, you know, at 1934 01:40:35,200 --> 01:40:39,480 Speaker 3: that moment when we all realized that Rich was was 1935 01:40:39,479 --> 01:40:43,599 Speaker 3: was on his way out. The first thing is Rich 1936 01:40:43,680 --> 01:40:47,400 Speaker 3: being rich, you know he was he was prepping me 1937 01:40:47,439 --> 01:40:50,240 Speaker 3: for it. You know, Rich was prepping me for for 1938 01:40:50,400 --> 01:40:54,640 Speaker 3: years just you know, thinking back on it, just the 1939 01:40:54,680 --> 01:40:57,720 Speaker 3: conversations we were having and and you know, ship that 1940 01:40:57,760 --> 01:41:01,559 Speaker 3: we were talking about, and responsibility that were normally his, 1941 01:41:01,720 --> 01:41:03,960 Speaker 3: and the creative side that he would be like asking 1942 01:41:04,000 --> 01:41:06,080 Speaker 3: my opinion, and I'm like, you really want you want 1943 01:41:06,080 --> 01:41:06,559 Speaker 3: my opinion? 1944 01:41:06,760 --> 01:41:07,439 Speaker 4: You know what I mean? 1945 01:41:07,880 --> 01:41:09,840 Speaker 3: You know he would always say I was wrong with that. 1946 01:41:09,840 --> 01:41:12,040 Speaker 3: I gave my opinion, but he was just asking my 1947 01:41:12,120 --> 01:41:15,920 Speaker 3: opinion and things that you know what which photo looked good. 1948 01:41:15,960 --> 01:41:17,960 Speaker 3: I'm like, you want my opinion on that, you know, 1949 01:41:18,000 --> 01:41:22,320 Speaker 3: but he was prepping me for twenty fourteen. And I 1950 01:41:22,320 --> 01:41:23,920 Speaker 3: don't know if you remember, I had a conversation with 1951 01:41:23,960 --> 01:41:28,920 Speaker 3: you and Tarik. You know, I said, look, I'm going 1952 01:41:29,000 --> 01:41:31,760 Speaker 3: to step up and do a lot of shit, you 1953 01:41:31,800 --> 01:41:34,240 Speaker 3: know what I mean. But I am not going to 1954 01:41:34,320 --> 01:41:37,080 Speaker 3: step into the shoes of Richard Nichols. You know, from 1955 01:41:37,120 --> 01:41:39,519 Speaker 3: a creative perspective, I can do a lot. Then I 1956 01:41:39,520 --> 01:41:43,439 Speaker 3: can build this and you know, tours and festivals and 1957 01:41:43,840 --> 01:41:46,400 Speaker 3: ideas and hire people to come build your dreams. But 1958 01:41:46,479 --> 01:41:49,719 Speaker 3: I can't. I can't make reference. I can't do vocal takes. 1959 01:41:49,760 --> 01:41:51,880 Speaker 3: I can't. That's just not who I am, you know 1960 01:41:51,880 --> 01:41:53,320 Speaker 3: what I mean. And you guys are going to have 1961 01:41:53,360 --> 01:41:56,479 Speaker 3: to step up as well. It's not just me stepping up, 1962 01:41:56,520 --> 01:41:58,000 Speaker 3: So you're going to have to step up because this 1963 01:41:58,040 --> 01:42:00,679 Speaker 3: is a big ass void that we both got film 1964 01:42:01,120 --> 01:42:04,040 Speaker 3: and I think it is it is that sort of 1965 01:42:04,080 --> 01:42:09,719 Speaker 3: combination of my growth in the two of you individually growing. 1966 01:42:10,160 --> 01:42:13,880 Speaker 3: That is the reason why you know, six seven, eight, 1967 01:42:14,000 --> 01:42:17,160 Speaker 3: hopefully ten, fifteen, twenty years after rich you know, we're 1968 01:42:17,200 --> 01:42:21,000 Speaker 3: still sort of building, growing and driving. But as far 1969 01:42:21,040 --> 01:42:22,880 Speaker 3: as you know where I was business wise. I mean, 1970 01:42:22,920 --> 01:42:27,439 Speaker 3: it's funny because twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen was the year 1971 01:42:27,520 --> 01:42:31,000 Speaker 3: that I sold my a portion of my quote unquote 1972 01:42:31,040 --> 01:42:36,519 Speaker 3: management business into Live Nation, into Maverick, you know, and 1973 01:42:37,080 --> 01:42:40,839 Speaker 3: Live Nation was building this mega management company called Maverick 1974 01:42:42,200 --> 01:42:44,599 Speaker 3: and Guile Siri was the head of the Guile Siria 1975 01:42:44,640 --> 01:42:46,880 Speaker 3: the manager of You two and Madonna. He brought in 1976 01:42:46,920 --> 01:42:49,760 Speaker 3: Clarence Faulding, who was the manager of Jason Alden and 1977 01:42:50,080 --> 01:42:54,719 Speaker 3: Rascal Flats and Shanaia Twain. They brought in Adam and 1978 01:42:54,880 --> 01:43:00,000 Speaker 3: Larry Rudolph, who managed at the time Miley Cyrus and Britney. 1979 01:43:00,720 --> 01:43:04,040 Speaker 3: So you had black folks, yeah and and yeah. So 1980 01:43:04,320 --> 01:43:07,720 Speaker 3: at a certain point, at a certain point, these were 1981 01:43:07,800 --> 01:43:09,920 Speaker 3: all the deals that were done. And I guess someone 1982 01:43:09,960 --> 01:43:11,920 Speaker 3: within Live Nation said, you got a whole bunch of 1983 01:43:11,920 --> 01:43:15,600 Speaker 3: white men. You know what I mean, I got white Yeah. 1984 01:43:15,640 --> 01:43:19,240 Speaker 3: So they went after my partner, Gie Roberson, Remember Gie 1985 01:43:19,320 --> 01:43:22,439 Speaker 3: Roberson from Kanye I walked in, I met him with Kanye. 1986 01:43:22,840 --> 01:43:27,599 Speaker 3: They went after him and said, okay, you managed Kanye West, 1987 01:43:27,680 --> 01:43:31,760 Speaker 3: and you managed you manage uh Lil Wayne, like, you know, 1988 01:43:31,920 --> 01:43:36,400 Speaker 3: let's do a deal a little bit of a sidebar 1989 01:43:37,200 --> 01:43:40,200 Speaker 3: all of these tour deals that I was doing, you know, 1990 01:43:40,479 --> 01:43:44,360 Speaker 3: Kanye Wayne dre Nikki. I was on the other side 1991 01:43:44,360 --> 01:43:46,960 Speaker 3: of the table from a company called Live Nation, So 1992 01:43:47,040 --> 01:43:50,160 Speaker 3: I was doing these deals from with Live Nation, so 1993 01:43:50,200 --> 01:43:52,720 Speaker 3: they knew me as the manager, the black dude that 1994 01:43:52,880 --> 01:43:56,639 Speaker 3: did all of the big black tours. The guy who 1995 01:43:56,680 --> 01:43:58,880 Speaker 3: I was negotiating with on the other side was a 1996 01:43:58,920 --> 01:44:03,960 Speaker 3: gentleman by the name of now Hayman and the most 1997 01:44:04,000 --> 01:44:08,120 Speaker 3: successful black concert promoter in the history of the game 1998 01:44:08,680 --> 01:44:14,320 Speaker 3: bar none, and he sins right now. Managers Floyd Mayweather, 1999 01:44:14,400 --> 01:44:17,799 Speaker 3: and he's the most successful boxing promoter in the history 2000 01:44:17,800 --> 01:44:20,160 Speaker 3: of the game, bigger than Don King and Bob Aaron 2001 01:44:20,240 --> 01:44:21,479 Speaker 3: and all of them right now. 2002 01:44:21,280 --> 01:44:23,800 Speaker 4: To this Haman was he the one? Was he the 2003 01:44:23,840 --> 01:44:24,400 Speaker 4: one behind the. 2004 01:44:26,120 --> 01:44:30,000 Speaker 3: Superfess Rick James Michael Jackson like. 2005 01:44:31,479 --> 01:44:31,880 Speaker 1: Mary J. 2006 01:44:32,040 --> 01:44:35,280 Speaker 3: Blige, I mean, he's he's he's the guy. 2007 01:44:35,360 --> 01:44:37,120 Speaker 7: So let's get him on the show. 2008 01:44:37,320 --> 01:44:41,840 Speaker 3: Se so so, so I'm negotiating these big deals with 2009 01:44:42,000 --> 01:44:45,280 Speaker 3: al Owl's on the other side of the table, Like, Okay, 2010 01:44:45,320 --> 01:44:48,040 Speaker 3: this little motherfucker knows what he's talking about, you know 2011 01:44:48,080 --> 01:44:49,679 Speaker 3: what I mean, because you know he's like I never 2012 01:44:49,760 --> 01:44:52,479 Speaker 3: dealt with a young black man who knows touring like 2013 01:44:52,520 --> 01:44:56,880 Speaker 3: you do. So back to the Maverick thing. When Live 2014 01:44:57,000 --> 01:45:00,879 Speaker 3: Nation Slash Maverick goes and tries to buy gro Risin's company, 2015 01:45:01,280 --> 01:45:05,799 Speaker 3: Al Hayman tells Live Nation, Well, Gee Robson is great, 2016 01:45:07,040 --> 01:45:11,880 Speaker 3: but this guy showing g over here, he's the operator, you. 2017 01:45:11,800 --> 01:45:12,320 Speaker 1: Know what I mean. 2018 01:45:12,600 --> 01:45:14,880 Speaker 3: So if you're going to because at this time, me 2019 01:45:15,120 --> 01:45:18,320 Speaker 3: G and Cortes had similar clients, but we had three 2020 01:45:18,320 --> 01:45:21,240 Speaker 3: different companies. She had Hip Hop's in nineteen seventy eight, 2021 01:45:21,280 --> 01:45:25,040 Speaker 3: I had SEFG. Cortes had Bryant Management. So you know, 2022 01:45:25,240 --> 01:45:28,639 Speaker 3: in order to sort of complete that purchase, they said, Okay, 2023 01:45:28,680 --> 01:45:30,840 Speaker 3: we're going to buy Gee Roberson's company. We're going to 2024 01:45:30,880 --> 01:45:34,000 Speaker 3: buy Cortez Bryant, We're gonna buy Sean G because that 2025 01:45:34,200 --> 01:45:38,120 Speaker 3: is the machine that makes all of this work, and 2026 01:45:38,680 --> 01:45:42,920 Speaker 3: we're going to merge them together and then put them 2027 01:45:43,000 --> 01:45:46,080 Speaker 3: under Maverick. So that was that deal in twenty fifteen 2028 01:45:46,120 --> 01:45:49,160 Speaker 3: where I brought they brought into my car, sold half 2029 01:45:49,200 --> 01:45:50,639 Speaker 3: of my company to Live Nation. 2030 01:45:51,240 --> 01:45:53,640 Speaker 7: Are you interested in bedfellow Sean, I'm sorry, I was 2031 01:45:53,640 --> 01:45:53,960 Speaker 7: just thinking. 2032 01:45:54,000 --> 01:45:56,680 Speaker 5: I was like, so you got management mixed in with 2033 01:45:57,479 --> 01:46:00,000 Speaker 5: live shows and production, just production. 2034 01:46:00,320 --> 01:46:01,960 Speaker 7: I'm just thinking like Live Nation again. 2035 01:46:04,120 --> 01:46:08,200 Speaker 3: You mean from a Live Nation perspective, I mean said 2036 01:46:08,200 --> 01:46:12,080 Speaker 3: Michael Rapino is one of the smartest executives in the business, 2037 01:46:12,200 --> 01:46:13,840 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. For him, he calls it 2038 01:46:13,880 --> 01:46:17,280 Speaker 3: a flywheel, and for him it is. You know, when 2039 01:46:17,320 --> 01:46:20,160 Speaker 3: he started, when he took over Live Nation, Live Nation 2040 01:46:20,520 --> 01:46:24,000 Speaker 3: was a bunch of individual regional promoters, you know what 2041 01:46:24,040 --> 01:46:25,920 Speaker 3: I mean. You had your guy in New York, you 2042 01:46:25,920 --> 01:46:27,519 Speaker 3: know what I mean, and he had his company. You 2043 01:46:27,560 --> 01:46:32,080 Speaker 3: had Electric Factory concerts in Philly, you had cellar door concerts, 2044 01:46:32,080 --> 01:46:36,479 Speaker 3: and these were just the independent individual companies. What Repino 2045 01:46:36,600 --> 01:46:41,040 Speaker 3: was able to do was merge all of these business 2046 01:46:41,040 --> 01:46:43,559 Speaker 3: It was. It was actually Clear Channel prior to Repino. 2047 01:46:43,640 --> 01:46:45,719 Speaker 3: But you know what came out of the Clear Channel 2048 01:46:46,439 --> 01:46:50,680 Speaker 3: Divester was this merged entity of all of these individual 2049 01:46:50,720 --> 01:46:54,559 Speaker 3: regional promoters that created this one mega promoter business. But 2050 01:46:54,720 --> 01:46:57,559 Speaker 3: what a lot of people don't understand on the promoter 2051 01:46:57,760 --> 01:47:01,280 Speaker 3: side from the live show you you don't make no money, 2052 01:47:01,800 --> 01:47:03,760 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. From a margin perspective, the 2053 01:47:03,920 --> 01:47:06,559 Speaker 3: artist makes all the money, right, you know what I mean. 2054 01:47:06,840 --> 01:47:09,560 Speaker 3: If I have Fonte come in performing, you know what 2055 01:47:09,560 --> 01:47:12,600 Speaker 3: I mean, and I do a deal with him. Ultimately 2056 01:47:13,240 --> 01:47:15,920 Speaker 3: in success, he's gonna walk out with eighty five ninety 2057 01:47:15,960 --> 01:47:18,360 Speaker 3: percent of the money, you know what I mean. The 2058 01:47:18,400 --> 01:47:22,200 Speaker 3: promoter margins are five to ten percent. So what what 2059 01:47:22,439 --> 01:47:27,880 Speaker 3: Rapino did, which was intelligent, super super genius, was he said, Okay, 2060 01:47:27,920 --> 01:47:30,559 Speaker 3: I'm gonna build a flywheel around the shows. I'm gonna 2061 01:47:30,600 --> 01:47:37,000 Speaker 3: have shows which are the volume business, low margin but volume, 2062 01:47:37,120 --> 01:47:41,280 Speaker 3: thousands upon thousands of shows. But I'm gonna have venues 2063 01:47:42,240 --> 01:47:44,680 Speaker 3: and when you pay for parking and peanuts and popcorn, 2064 01:47:44,840 --> 01:47:47,320 Speaker 3: you know, at the shows, you know, I'm gonna make 2065 01:47:47,320 --> 01:47:50,240 Speaker 3: money off that. I'm gonna have media and sponsorship that 2066 01:47:50,479 --> 01:47:54,120 Speaker 3: sells sponsorship at the venues. I mean. So he's built 2067 01:47:54,640 --> 01:47:55,960 Speaker 3: a flywheel of business. 2068 01:47:56,080 --> 01:47:59,120 Speaker 8: It's that almost like McDonald's, like you know with famous 2069 01:47:59,160 --> 01:48:01,679 Speaker 8: McDonald's quote, he's like, I'm not in the hamburger business. 2070 01:48:01,720 --> 01:48:04,000 Speaker 4: I'm in the real estate business business, you know what 2071 01:48:04,080 --> 01:48:04,360 Speaker 4: I mean. 2072 01:48:04,600 --> 01:48:06,640 Speaker 3: But the Hamburgers is would bring you in, right, the 2073 01:48:06,720 --> 01:48:10,719 Speaker 3: shows bring you in. Yeah. So so so to your point, 2074 01:48:10,800 --> 01:48:14,080 Speaker 3: like you know, it's your hand is in different areas, 2075 01:48:14,080 --> 01:48:16,519 Speaker 3: but it's all sort of a flywheel that works together 2076 01:48:17,800 --> 01:48:20,679 Speaker 3: and you know that. But again I came in under 2077 01:48:20,920 --> 01:48:24,920 Speaker 3: the austices of ge Roberson's partner, and that was that 2078 01:48:25,000 --> 01:48:28,840 Speaker 3: was Maverick management. It's funny because you know, I can't 2079 01:48:28,880 --> 01:48:31,920 Speaker 3: guy about this, but you know, when I came in 2080 01:48:31,960 --> 01:48:35,840 Speaker 3: with the Roots and Jill Scott, we were like the 2081 01:48:35,880 --> 01:48:38,840 Speaker 3: folks that didn't belong, you know what I mean. Every 2082 01:48:39,040 --> 01:48:41,880 Speaker 3: artist was an arena artist. Every single artist in Maverick 2083 01:48:41,960 --> 01:48:44,480 Speaker 3: was an arena artist, except the Roots in Jill Scott. 2084 01:48:44,720 --> 01:48:48,479 Speaker 3: But over time, you know, they start just like you know, 2085 01:48:48,520 --> 01:48:51,040 Speaker 3: just like I said earlier, like over time, you know, 2086 01:48:51,200 --> 01:48:56,160 Speaker 3: the managers started to respect you know, oh ship the Roots, Yeah, 2087 01:48:56,320 --> 01:48:59,040 Speaker 3: oh ship Jill Scott, and you know they start calling like, hey, 2088 01:48:59,080 --> 01:49:01,479 Speaker 3: can I can cuss a lot coming help produce this 2089 01:49:01,680 --> 01:49:04,360 Speaker 3: or you know when I think the key that that 2090 01:49:04,680 --> 01:49:08,000 Speaker 3: the pinnacle of that sort of disrespect at the beginning 2091 01:49:08,080 --> 01:49:12,080 Speaker 3: but ultimately led to respect, was when you two called 2092 01:49:12,120 --> 01:49:14,400 Speaker 3: an ascid the Roots can open for them, or no, 2093 01:49:14,680 --> 01:49:17,559 Speaker 3: if the Roots can guess on their set at Madison 2094 01:49:17,560 --> 01:49:21,800 Speaker 3: Square Garden and you know they came out right in 2095 01:49:21,800 --> 01:49:26,040 Speaker 3: the middle of Madison Square Garden of course. So uh 2096 01:49:26,400 --> 01:49:28,080 Speaker 3: but yeah, so I mean that was that's how I 2097 01:49:28,080 --> 01:49:30,160 Speaker 3: got into a lot of nation. It was through you know, 2098 01:49:31,040 --> 01:49:33,639 Speaker 3: y'all need some black managers. And these are the three 2099 01:49:33,680 --> 01:49:36,280 Speaker 3: that you got to buy out. Though Jill. 2100 01:49:37,920 --> 01:49:41,640 Speaker 2: Uh sells out Madison Square Garden, does she not? I 2101 01:49:41,640 --> 01:49:44,400 Speaker 2: mean that's one of the like we have. 2102 01:49:44,960 --> 01:49:47,519 Speaker 3: We have sold out Madison Square Garden. 2103 01:49:47,640 --> 01:49:51,400 Speaker 2: Yes, but you know what I'm saying from that, Neil 2104 01:49:51,520 --> 01:49:55,200 Speaker 2: sold class of two thousand. 2105 01:49:55,680 --> 01:50:00,000 Speaker 3: Jill, Erica and Maxwell and Mary are probably the three 2106 01:50:00,520 --> 01:50:03,000 Speaker 3: and and and believe it or not, you know, Kim 2107 01:50:03,200 --> 01:50:05,479 Speaker 3: are probably the four miles. 2108 01:50:12,720 --> 01:50:14,280 Speaker 1: You know they're strong. 2109 01:50:15,720 --> 01:50:18,559 Speaker 2: But even man, you know, if tickets are going on 2110 01:50:18,680 --> 01:50:22,559 Speaker 2: cell not for look, Erica is you know, I've been 2111 01:50:22,560 --> 01:50:27,080 Speaker 2: down from day one. But Erica isn't going to sell 2112 01:50:27,120 --> 01:50:28,599 Speaker 2: out Manson Square Garden by herself. 2113 01:50:28,680 --> 01:50:31,680 Speaker 3: Or maybe we've never sold out by ourself. It's all 2114 01:50:31,720 --> 01:50:35,360 Speaker 3: about strategic packaging. We sold it out with Maxwell, you 2115 01:50:35,360 --> 01:50:37,000 Speaker 3: know what I mean, Jill and Maxwell. We did two 2116 01:50:37,040 --> 01:50:41,320 Speaker 3: Knights of Madison Square Garden together, all right. Maxwell and 2117 01:50:41,360 --> 01:50:44,000 Speaker 3: Mary sold out Madison Square. So it's about you know, 2118 01:50:44,080 --> 01:50:47,920 Speaker 3: part of part of the touring is strategic packaging. Yeah, 2119 01:50:47,920 --> 01:50:50,599 Speaker 3: we sold out Amphitheaters with Sugar Water with Jail, Erica 2120 01:50:50,720 --> 01:50:54,840 Speaker 3: and and and Latifa. You know, Erica sold out Barclays 2121 01:50:54,920 --> 01:50:57,599 Speaker 3: last year was Erica, Anthony Hamilton and I forget who 2122 01:50:57,640 --> 01:51:00,799 Speaker 3: else it was. You know, again, strategic The the beauty 2123 01:51:00,840 --> 01:51:04,479 Speaker 3: about that that world is you can strategically package and 2124 01:51:04,520 --> 01:51:07,000 Speaker 3: one plus one can equal three or four, and that's 2125 01:51:07,040 --> 01:51:09,960 Speaker 3: where you get to fifteen, sixteen, seventeen thousand. On their own, 2126 01:51:09,960 --> 01:51:13,280 Speaker 3: they're all probably like five six thousand, but when you 2127 01:51:13,320 --> 01:51:14,880 Speaker 3: put them together, it becomes an event. 2128 01:51:15,280 --> 01:51:17,280 Speaker 5: Didn't that line of thought kind of lead to why 2129 01:51:17,320 --> 01:51:19,040 Speaker 5: there needs to be a Live Nation Urban? 2130 01:51:20,360 --> 01:51:21,160 Speaker 4: Yeah? 2131 01:51:21,200 --> 01:51:23,720 Speaker 3: Absolutely. I mean, you know, once I was in Live 2132 01:51:23,840 --> 01:51:28,439 Speaker 3: Nation officially, you know, with the venture on management, I 2133 01:51:28,160 --> 01:51:29,599 Speaker 3: just I just air beat them. 2134 01:51:29,760 --> 01:51:30,200 Speaker 1: You know what I mean. 2135 01:51:30,240 --> 01:51:32,400 Speaker 3: I was like, yo, you know, y'all not really fucking 2136 01:51:32,439 --> 01:51:34,680 Speaker 3: with Black culture. You know, like at the end of 2137 01:51:34,720 --> 01:51:37,679 Speaker 3: the day, Live Nation at that point did big really well, 2138 01:51:37,720 --> 01:51:41,280 Speaker 3: meaning you know, Drake blows up, he goes to arenas. 2139 01:51:41,439 --> 01:51:43,640 Speaker 3: No one does big better than Live Nation. You know, 2140 01:51:43,840 --> 01:51:47,759 Speaker 3: jay Z, Beyonce doing stadiums, they do big very well. 2141 01:51:47,880 --> 01:51:54,919 Speaker 3: But incubating culture, building partnerships, building festivals that are curated 2142 01:51:55,000 --> 01:51:59,120 Speaker 3: for specific audience, i e. Black audience, they didn't do 2143 01:51:59,200 --> 01:52:02,400 Speaker 3: that at all. So after about a year meet Air Beaten, 2144 01:52:02,880 --> 01:52:05,559 Speaker 3: you know, the CEO and the chief strategy officer at 2145 01:52:05,560 --> 01:52:10,479 Speaker 3: the time. They, you know, gave me an opportunity and said, okay, cool, 2146 01:52:10,840 --> 01:52:12,519 Speaker 3: you want to do this. You know you think there's 2147 01:52:12,560 --> 01:52:15,719 Speaker 3: an opportunity. You're an entrepreneur. We respect you. We already 2148 01:52:15,760 --> 01:52:17,479 Speaker 3: have a deal with you. Go build it. 2149 01:52:17,920 --> 01:52:22,240 Speaker 2: And besides the roots picnic, what did you build? 2150 01:52:23,400 --> 01:52:27,160 Speaker 3: The first three deals that I did. The first deal 2151 01:52:27,520 --> 01:52:32,160 Speaker 3: was I flew to Dallas. I sat with a gentleman 2152 01:52:32,200 --> 01:52:34,599 Speaker 3: by the name of Kurt Franklin, and I said, Kurt, 2153 01:52:34,840 --> 01:52:37,880 Speaker 3: you are the jay z of gospel music. Why don't 2154 01:52:37,880 --> 01:52:39,840 Speaker 3: you have your own event? Why don't you have your 2155 01:52:39,880 --> 01:52:42,800 Speaker 3: own festival? Why don't you have your own series? He said, 2156 01:52:42,840 --> 01:52:46,840 Speaker 3: because no one's ever asked me. So we that year 2157 01:52:47,120 --> 01:52:52,320 Speaker 3: launched the Kurk Franklin Exodus Music and Arts Festival, which 2158 01:52:52,400 --> 01:52:57,519 Speaker 3: is the biggest, most successful gospel music festival in the country. 2159 01:52:58,040 --> 01:53:01,000 Speaker 3: And I and I say gospel because I mean Bishop 2160 01:53:01,040 --> 01:53:04,800 Speaker 3: Jakes has you know, the essence of gospel. But it's 2161 01:53:04,840 --> 01:53:07,719 Speaker 3: bigger than music, you know what I mean, It's it's everything. 2162 01:53:07,840 --> 01:53:10,840 Speaker 3: So his is much bigger. But you know, we've had 2163 01:53:10,880 --> 01:53:13,120 Speaker 3: every you know, we've had you know, all of the 2164 01:53:13,360 --> 01:53:16,639 Speaker 3: who's who of gospel has performed on it. And next year. 2165 01:53:16,760 --> 01:53:18,599 Speaker 3: This year we were supposed to but next year we're 2166 01:53:18,600 --> 01:53:20,720 Speaker 3: going to expand it to It's in Dallas now, but 2167 01:53:20,760 --> 01:53:22,600 Speaker 3: we're going to expand it to multiple markets. So that 2168 01:53:22,680 --> 01:53:27,360 Speaker 3: was deal number one. Deal number two is I called 2169 01:53:28,439 --> 01:53:30,920 Speaker 3: a fellow Philadelphian by the name of Troy Carter, who 2170 01:53:30,920 --> 01:53:34,120 Speaker 3: was running Spotify at the time. Spotify had this playlist 2171 01:53:34,120 --> 01:53:37,400 Speaker 3: called Rap Caviar, which was driving you know, I mean 2172 01:53:37,439 --> 01:53:40,080 Speaker 3: at that point, rap Caviard was what Mike Show DJs 2173 01:53:40,120 --> 01:53:42,760 Speaker 3: were to us back in the day, where it's like, 2174 01:53:42,800 --> 01:53:45,240 Speaker 3: this is how rap artists get broke. You know, you 2175 01:53:45,280 --> 01:53:47,280 Speaker 3: got to get on the Rap Caviar list they had. 2176 01:53:47,560 --> 01:53:51,519 Speaker 3: Troy was running the company and Tumabasa, good friend of 2177 01:53:51,520 --> 01:53:54,280 Speaker 3: mine was was he was Rap Caviar, he was the curator. 2178 01:53:54,439 --> 01:53:57,000 Speaker 3: So I went to them and said, you know, you 2179 01:53:57,360 --> 01:54:01,080 Speaker 3: are the new radio and really the only self sustaining 2180 01:54:01,120 --> 01:54:04,600 Speaker 3: profitable model in the radio space is radio shows, you 2181 01:54:04,640 --> 01:54:06,720 Speaker 3: know what I mean, the summer jams and the powerhouses. 2182 01:54:07,040 --> 01:54:09,519 Speaker 3: So let's build the live iteration of your playlist called 2183 01:54:09,560 --> 01:54:13,120 Speaker 3: Rap Caviar Live. So we built that fifty fifty venture 2184 01:54:13,200 --> 01:54:17,519 Speaker 3: between Melivenish Urban and Rap Cavit and in Spotify, and 2185 01:54:17,560 --> 01:54:19,639 Speaker 3: we took and built that music series. And the third 2186 01:54:19,680 --> 01:54:22,040 Speaker 3: deal that I did is I identified these two young 2187 01:54:22,080 --> 01:54:26,120 Speaker 3: brothers in DC that you know, had their finger on 2188 01:54:26,160 --> 01:54:28,559 Speaker 3: the pulse of culture. Had like this many sort of 2189 01:54:28,600 --> 01:54:33,800 Speaker 3: smallish festival that they did, did like seven eight thousand people, 2190 01:54:33,840 --> 01:54:36,920 Speaker 3: and it was called Broccoli City Fest Broccoli City. And 2191 01:54:37,000 --> 01:54:40,000 Speaker 3: you know, I came on my radar because as I was, 2192 01:54:40,280 --> 01:54:42,280 Speaker 3: as I booked the Roots Picnic every year, of course 2193 01:54:42,280 --> 01:54:44,560 Speaker 3: I'm on my own shit. I'm like, I'm the best curator, 2194 01:54:44,880 --> 01:54:46,640 Speaker 3: you know what I mean in this in the space, 2195 01:54:46,720 --> 01:54:50,080 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And agents and artists started saying, well, 2196 01:54:50,120 --> 01:54:52,240 Speaker 3: I play the Roots Picnic as long as I could 2197 01:54:52,240 --> 01:54:54,240 Speaker 3: play Brocoli City. So I went on a mission, like 2198 01:54:54,280 --> 01:54:56,080 Speaker 3: what the hell is Brockley City? And I went and 2199 01:54:56,120 --> 01:54:59,120 Speaker 3: met with the two brothers Marcus and Brandon too, really 2200 01:54:59,160 --> 01:55:02,520 Speaker 3: smart young brothers and from North Carolina. I'm both from 2201 01:55:02,520 --> 01:55:07,160 Speaker 3: from Yes, that's the homie. 2202 01:55:07,280 --> 01:55:07,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 2203 01:55:07,680 --> 01:55:09,840 Speaker 3: And I invested in them, you know what I mean. 2204 01:55:09,880 --> 01:55:11,880 Speaker 3: I didn't try to take over. I didn't try to 2205 01:55:11,880 --> 01:55:14,960 Speaker 3: make it Nation Urban Festival. I said, look, you guys 2206 01:55:14,960 --> 01:55:17,520 Speaker 3: got a vision, you got a finger on the pustal culture. 2207 01:55:17,720 --> 01:55:21,240 Speaker 3: You know your audience. What I want to do is build, put, 2208 01:55:21,360 --> 01:55:24,600 Speaker 3: get invest, and build the infrastructure for you so that 2209 01:55:24,680 --> 01:55:27,320 Speaker 3: you can grow and scale. And we went from seven 2210 01:55:27,400 --> 01:55:30,040 Speaker 3: eight thousand people to thirty five thousand people. I moved 2211 01:55:30,040 --> 01:55:32,480 Speaker 3: into RFK Stadium and built. 2212 01:55:32,160 --> 01:55:34,760 Speaker 1: And grew and this year we didn't go down. 2213 01:55:34,760 --> 01:55:37,400 Speaker 3: We probably would have had fifty thousand. It's the largest 2214 01:55:37,400 --> 01:55:41,760 Speaker 3: gathering Black millennials in the world because I'm the oldest 2215 01:55:41,760 --> 01:55:46,080 Speaker 3: person there by far. It's it's eighteen to thirty, eighteen 2216 01:55:46,120 --> 01:55:49,800 Speaker 3: to thirty, you know what I mean, period. And so 2217 01:55:49,840 --> 01:55:51,520 Speaker 3: that was the third That was the third thing. I mean. 2218 01:55:51,560 --> 01:55:54,880 Speaker 3: Since then, I've partnered with her Gabby, with the artist her. 2219 01:55:54,960 --> 01:55:57,200 Speaker 3: We built a festival called lights On Festival in the 2220 01:55:57,240 --> 01:56:02,040 Speaker 3: Bay Area. You know, We've I've taken a start producing 2221 01:56:02,120 --> 01:56:05,480 Speaker 3: the Miami Jazz and the Gardens Festival, and. 2222 01:56:04,840 --> 01:56:06,040 Speaker 4: In d C. 2223 01:56:06,560 --> 01:56:10,760 Speaker 3: I've do some you know, smaller emerging artists platforms you 2224 01:56:10,760 --> 01:56:13,880 Speaker 3: know Audio, Mac and others. But those are the first, 2225 01:56:13,880 --> 01:56:16,760 Speaker 3: Those are the first three deals that I did. Was 2226 01:56:16,840 --> 01:56:17,480 Speaker 3: were those three? 2227 01:56:18,040 --> 01:56:22,760 Speaker 2: Can you explain how you build a festival from the 2228 01:56:22,760 --> 01:56:25,320 Speaker 2: ground up like one of the one of the times 2229 01:56:25,320 --> 01:56:29,960 Speaker 2: where I dread the most as a Philadelphian, it's usually 2230 01:56:30,320 --> 01:56:34,480 Speaker 2: around March because that's when everyone starts hitting. 2231 01:56:34,240 --> 01:56:37,160 Speaker 1: Me up, like yo, can I get them with Roots Picnic? 2232 01:56:37,200 --> 01:56:40,360 Speaker 2: Can get And I'm like the oh, we start building 2233 01:56:40,400 --> 01:56:44,440 Speaker 2: the picnic two months after the Roots Picnic like August. 2234 01:56:45,600 --> 01:56:51,360 Speaker 2: So can you just explain what goes into building a festival, 2235 01:56:51,920 --> 01:56:55,160 Speaker 2: like the calls you have to make, the like this 2236 01:56:55,240 --> 01:56:57,320 Speaker 2: is done ahead of time? 2237 01:56:57,440 --> 01:56:57,760 Speaker 1: Is it? 2238 01:56:57,880 --> 01:56:57,960 Speaker 3: Like? 2239 01:56:58,040 --> 01:57:01,640 Speaker 1: How do you how hands on is it for you? 2240 01:57:02,320 --> 01:57:05,080 Speaker 3: I mean it never stops. It's twelve months a year, 2241 01:57:05,360 --> 01:57:07,880 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. You know, if you talk 2242 01:57:07,880 --> 01:57:10,000 Speaker 3: about the Roots Picnic, if you talk about Brocoli City, 2243 01:57:10,040 --> 01:57:11,480 Speaker 3: if you talk about some of the some of the 2244 01:57:11,480 --> 01:57:14,160 Speaker 3: events that we have that that that I have, it 2245 01:57:14,160 --> 01:57:17,160 Speaker 3: it there. There's a there's a process to it where 2246 01:57:17,160 --> 01:57:21,600 Speaker 3: it goes from like you said, ideation. You know, let's 2247 01:57:21,640 --> 01:57:23,880 Speaker 3: say a festival starts in the fall. I mean I 2248 01:57:23,960 --> 01:57:28,360 Speaker 3: mean festival plays in the summer usually you know, late summer, 2249 01:57:28,960 --> 01:57:33,640 Speaker 3: is you know ideation sometimes actually ideation takes two or 2250 01:57:33,640 --> 01:57:35,480 Speaker 3: three years, you know what I mean? Like for the 2251 01:57:35,600 --> 01:57:41,960 Speaker 3: Roots Picnic, most headliners we've talked about two years prior, 2252 01:57:42,040 --> 01:57:44,760 Speaker 3: Like we talked about Pharrell two years prior, and it 2253 01:57:44,800 --> 01:57:47,680 Speaker 3: took us two years to lock in the deal, you 2254 01:57:47,720 --> 01:57:50,640 Speaker 3: know what I mean. Same thing with Usher, you know 2255 01:57:50,680 --> 01:57:52,440 Speaker 3: what I mean, we talked about So so you know, 2256 01:57:52,520 --> 01:57:56,200 Speaker 3: that ideation process never stops, but you know, it starts 2257 01:57:56,200 --> 01:57:58,720 Speaker 3: soon as the previous year ends. Then you go into 2258 01:57:58,760 --> 01:58:02,040 Speaker 3: the booking process because as the festival economy and market 2259 01:58:02,240 --> 01:58:06,080 Speaker 3: has gotten bigger, there's more competition in the space. When 2260 01:58:06,120 --> 01:58:09,360 Speaker 3: we first started Picnic, we were we were the only 2261 01:58:09,440 --> 01:58:13,280 Speaker 3: ones that were looking for sort of alternative urban black 2262 01:58:13,480 --> 01:58:17,080 Speaker 3: R and B hip hop like nobody else, no other options, 2263 01:58:17,160 --> 01:58:19,120 Speaker 3: So we can you know, call and be like, what's 2264 01:58:19,200 --> 01:58:21,240 Speaker 3: up you want to play it? But now you know, 2265 01:58:21,320 --> 01:58:24,680 Speaker 3: between the sort of regular mega all things to all 2266 01:58:24,720 --> 01:58:28,680 Speaker 3: people festivals like the Bonus and the that yeah that 2267 01:58:28,720 --> 01:58:32,240 Speaker 3: are that are now being tinted black, between those and 2268 01:58:32,280 --> 01:58:35,400 Speaker 3: then the other you know, sort of culture facing festivals. 2269 01:58:35,480 --> 01:58:37,480 Speaker 3: Now it's a lot of competition. So you start that 2270 01:58:37,560 --> 01:58:42,000 Speaker 3: booking process, you know, nine ten, eleven months in advance, 2271 01:58:42,840 --> 01:58:44,960 Speaker 3: and you need to have you know, I got a 2272 01:58:45,240 --> 01:58:47,960 Speaker 3: I got a team of young people that have their 2273 01:58:47,960 --> 01:58:49,880 Speaker 3: finger on a postal culture as you know, a mire, 2274 01:58:50,000 --> 01:58:52,520 Speaker 3: I send out a group text to our entire team. 2275 01:58:52,760 --> 01:58:55,600 Speaker 3: Who y'all listening to? Who y'all want to? Tell me? 2276 01:58:55,600 --> 01:58:57,280 Speaker 3: Who you want? A mir Tell me who you want? 2277 01:58:57,440 --> 01:59:00,600 Speaker 3: You know, Dawn, you know anyone that's like, you know 2278 01:59:00,920 --> 01:59:03,760 Speaker 3: out there, like talk to me, send me main, send 2279 01:59:03,760 --> 01:59:06,960 Speaker 3: me videos, send me clips. Because you almost have to 2280 01:59:07,000 --> 01:59:10,960 Speaker 3: be a predictor of what's going to be hot at 2281 01:59:11,000 --> 01:59:13,840 Speaker 3: two periods, A when your tickets go on sale and 2282 01:59:13,960 --> 01:59:15,800 Speaker 3: B when you play, and those. 2283 01:59:15,600 --> 01:59:16,680 Speaker 4: Are two different periods. 2284 01:59:17,600 --> 01:59:23,200 Speaker 2: Probably your two story was napping U I'm gonna things. 2285 01:59:24,080 --> 01:59:24,640 Speaker 1: What's his name? 2286 01:59:26,120 --> 01:59:26,600 Speaker 3: Nack Lamore? 2287 01:59:26,680 --> 01:59:29,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, we got back Lamore right in the nicked time 2288 01:59:29,560 --> 01:59:31,320 Speaker 1: of Like I mean. 2289 01:59:31,320 --> 01:59:34,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a lot of stories like we got kid Cuddy, 2290 01:59:34,920 --> 01:59:37,160 Speaker 3: like you know what I mean, super early weekend, you 2291 01:59:37,200 --> 01:59:41,160 Speaker 3: know the weekend. Yeah, I mean, but again, that's a 2292 01:59:41,240 --> 01:59:44,280 Speaker 3: team that's a team based effort. It's not just Sean 2293 01:59:44,360 --> 01:59:46,680 Speaker 3: g or Meir Thompson sitting in our rooms, you know, 2294 01:59:46,760 --> 01:59:49,840 Speaker 3: saying this is hot. It's a team based effort, both 2295 01:59:49,960 --> 01:59:53,840 Speaker 3: official people. But then also you know, the last three years, 2296 01:59:53,880 --> 01:59:56,080 Speaker 3: my son has booked four or five of these acts. 2297 01:59:56,080 --> 01:59:58,040 Speaker 3: You know, my fifteen year old I'm like Sean who 2298 01:59:58,080 --> 02:00:00,240 Speaker 3: popping like, oh, you gotta get young boy. You got 2299 02:00:00,240 --> 02:00:01,960 Speaker 3: to get this person. You got to get that person, 2300 02:00:02,160 --> 02:00:03,720 Speaker 3: you know what I mean, Because it's a balance. 2301 02:00:03,760 --> 02:00:06,280 Speaker 5: So being a sons, can you just a quick callback 2302 02:00:06,360 --> 02:00:08,280 Speaker 5: because we talked about your first son, but can you 2303 02:00:08,320 --> 02:00:10,560 Speaker 5: just tell people what your your first son is doing now? 2304 02:00:11,240 --> 02:00:13,560 Speaker 3: Darren Darren's a sports agent and c. 2305 02:00:14,280 --> 02:00:15,920 Speaker 7: There you go living your dreams. 2306 02:00:17,280 --> 02:00:19,720 Speaker 3: Just moved to l a wow. 2307 02:00:20,320 --> 02:00:22,200 Speaker 7: From a baby having babies. 2308 02:00:23,720 --> 02:00:26,240 Speaker 3: But yeah, it's it's a never it's a NonStop processing there. 2309 02:00:26,360 --> 02:00:29,640 Speaker 3: It's just you know, it never stopped because once you book, 2310 02:00:29,920 --> 02:00:32,560 Speaker 3: then there's the marketing, you know what I mean. And 2311 02:00:32,640 --> 02:00:34,360 Speaker 3: you got to put the marketing plan together. You got 2312 02:00:34,360 --> 02:00:36,560 Speaker 3: to understand what the marketplace is saying. You gotta understand 2313 02:00:36,560 --> 02:00:38,120 Speaker 3: how you hit your audience. You got to understand how 2314 02:00:38,120 --> 02:00:39,920 Speaker 3: to break through the clutter. You gotta understand when other 2315 02:00:40,000 --> 02:00:43,440 Speaker 3: festivals are announcing. And then you know, once you get 2316 02:00:43,440 --> 02:00:46,200 Speaker 3: out of the marketing phase, hopefully you sell tickets quickly. 2317 02:00:46,520 --> 02:00:49,080 Speaker 3: And then is execution. You know what I mean. You're 2318 02:00:49,200 --> 02:00:54,680 Speaker 3: you're you're you're transforming empty fields into concert venues, into experiences. 2319 02:00:54,880 --> 02:00:57,800 Speaker 3: So it's more than just the stage it's the creative 2320 02:00:57,880 --> 02:01:00,680 Speaker 3: concept that goes along with how do you want these 2321 02:01:00,720 --> 02:01:04,880 Speaker 3: people to interact with all aspects of your site? Like 2322 02:01:04,920 --> 02:01:07,400 Speaker 3: it's not just who you put on stage, it's who 2323 02:01:07,400 --> 02:01:09,600 Speaker 3: are your vendors, where are you going to place your vendors, 2324 02:01:09,720 --> 02:01:12,280 Speaker 3: what are your prices? Who are your marketing partner, your 2325 02:01:12,320 --> 02:01:14,160 Speaker 3: brand partners? What are your activations? 2326 02:01:14,160 --> 02:01:16,080 Speaker 5: So Sean, doesn't all that go out the window now 2327 02:01:16,120 --> 02:01:17,920 Speaker 5: because uh, for twenty twenty. 2328 02:01:18,000 --> 02:01:19,960 Speaker 3: I mean, hell, yare for twenty twenty, but no, twenty 2329 02:01:19,960 --> 02:01:22,120 Speaker 3: twenty one, we'll be back yep. 2330 02:01:22,000 --> 02:01:29,360 Speaker 2: Okay, well all right, so it's April, Nah, it's May. 2331 02:01:29,800 --> 02:01:34,760 Speaker 2: It's May of twenty twenty. Like how much gray hair 2332 02:01:34,960 --> 02:01:36,240 Speaker 2: are you getting. 2333 02:01:37,800 --> 02:01:38,520 Speaker 1: During this people? 2334 02:01:40,000 --> 02:01:40,120 Speaker 5: Uh? 2335 02:01:41,040 --> 02:01:45,240 Speaker 3: I mean? And you know, with the Roots picnic, how 2336 02:01:45,320 --> 02:01:49,560 Speaker 3: much work we put into that second day like we 2337 02:01:49,680 --> 02:01:52,200 Speaker 3: had the first day, which we booked the shit out 2338 02:01:52,200 --> 02:01:54,840 Speaker 3: of Because part of the strategy for us and The 2339 02:01:54,880 --> 02:01:57,520 Speaker 3: Mirror has been driving this for years, is how do 2340 02:01:57,600 --> 02:02:00,440 Speaker 3: we get the Roots out of the headlining slot because 2341 02:02:00,440 --> 02:02:04,200 Speaker 3: if we ever want this to be Lallapalooza, we need 2342 02:02:04,200 --> 02:02:06,960 Speaker 3: the Roots to ultimately play the role of James addiction. 2343 02:02:07,160 --> 02:02:08,640 Speaker 3: You know, Perry Felt, you know what I mean, like, 2344 02:02:08,760 --> 02:02:10,920 Speaker 3: how do we get the roots out of it? So 2345 02:02:10,960 --> 02:02:13,080 Speaker 3: we finally figured a way to get the roots out 2346 02:02:13,120 --> 02:02:15,960 Speaker 3: of the headlining slot while still keeping them in the festival. 2347 02:02:16,200 --> 02:02:20,760 Speaker 3: We were selling tickets like hotcakes on our one day festival, 2348 02:02:21,200 --> 02:02:28,240 Speaker 3: and we Tarique Emir myself. We spent six months negotiating 2349 02:02:28,280 --> 02:02:32,280 Speaker 3: with Missus Michelle Obama to come and headline our day two. 2350 02:02:32,600 --> 02:02:36,960 Speaker 3: We were about to shock the world with that. So 2351 02:02:37,160 --> 02:02:41,120 Speaker 3: we finally had it deal done, putting together the creative 2352 02:02:41,920 --> 02:02:45,960 Speaker 3: and COVID hits, you know what I mean. And so 2353 02:02:46,200 --> 02:02:48,840 Speaker 3: it wasn't just the roots picnic. I had Broncoli City 2354 02:02:48,880 --> 02:02:52,520 Speaker 3: Festival sold out. It was sold out two months in advance. 2355 02:02:52,600 --> 02:02:56,160 Speaker 3: I had Miami Jazzmine Gardens that weekend in March when 2356 02:02:56,160 --> 02:03:00,160 Speaker 3: everything shut down, headlined by Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, 2357 02:03:00,360 --> 02:03:02,200 Speaker 3: Anthony Hamilton, Charlie Wilson. 2358 02:03:03,920 --> 02:03:06,360 Speaker 1: It was live Crew, y know. 2359 02:03:06,440 --> 02:03:09,640 Speaker 3: We were we were we were better than essence. We 2360 02:03:09,640 --> 02:03:12,880 Speaker 3: were better than essence that you know. But again we 2361 02:03:12,920 --> 02:03:14,960 Speaker 3: had to stop. So I had a ton of festivals 2362 02:03:15,000 --> 02:03:18,160 Speaker 3: that got shut down, and you know, ship, I was depressed, 2363 02:03:18,240 --> 02:03:20,640 Speaker 3: dog like, I was fucked up, you know what I mean, 2364 02:03:20,680 --> 02:03:24,080 Speaker 3: Because I spent I spent the first four to six 2365 02:03:24,120 --> 02:03:28,680 Speaker 3: weeks of COVID undoing my last ten months of work. 2366 02:03:29,640 --> 02:03:32,080 Speaker 3: It's like building a house and you get to the 2367 02:03:32,120 --> 02:03:33,800 Speaker 3: front door. All you got to do is put the 2368 02:03:33,840 --> 02:03:35,720 Speaker 3: front door in and then the bulldozer comes and knock 2369 02:03:36,080 --> 02:03:39,400 Speaker 3: knock it down. Was like fuck, you know, I just 2370 02:03:39,840 --> 02:03:42,400 Speaker 3: eight ten months building and ship. So it was it 2371 02:03:42,480 --> 02:03:45,400 Speaker 3: was super super you know, sort of depressing. You know, 2372 02:03:45,720 --> 02:03:47,960 Speaker 3: I was. I was depressed. I was upset, you know 2373 02:03:48,000 --> 02:03:50,240 Speaker 3: what I mean. I was, I was hurt, you know 2374 02:03:50,280 --> 02:03:51,840 Speaker 3: what I mean. It was all types of emotions. 2375 02:03:52,120 --> 02:03:53,880 Speaker 7: When did it change? When did that change? 2376 02:03:53,880 --> 02:03:54,440 Speaker 1: When spirit? 2377 02:03:56,520 --> 02:04:01,560 Speaker 3: I'll be real when we don't in with the route 2378 02:04:01,920 --> 02:04:04,160 Speaker 3: we dove in on our on our YouTube page, you know, 2379 02:04:04,200 --> 02:04:06,520 Speaker 3: we sort of we sort of rolled up our sleeves 2380 02:04:06,520 --> 02:04:11,600 Speaker 3: and and and got creative and started coming out Quest 2381 02:04:11,680 --> 02:04:15,840 Speaker 3: Love Supreme Live, Quest Loves DJ, you know everything that 2382 02:04:16,000 --> 02:04:19,320 Speaker 3: you know Tariq's you know, the Thought Interview, you know, 2383 02:04:19,480 --> 02:04:23,440 Speaker 3: our our emerging artist platform, like like we got the 2384 02:04:23,520 --> 02:04:27,800 Speaker 3: creativity is the thing that that sort of was like, 2385 02:04:28,080 --> 02:04:31,520 Speaker 3: oh shit, Okay, this isn't the time to be depressed. 2386 02:04:31,880 --> 02:04:33,840 Speaker 3: This is the time to roll up our sleeves and 2387 02:04:33,880 --> 02:04:37,920 Speaker 3: we become entrepreneurs again. Like I I talked to Tariq 2388 02:04:38,040 --> 02:04:42,320 Speaker 3: a Mere Jill More during that period because you got 2389 02:04:42,320 --> 02:04:44,879 Speaker 3: to realize, like it was like a well we machine. 2390 02:04:45,280 --> 02:04:47,360 Speaker 3: With my management client, it was like, Okay, we got 2391 02:04:47,400 --> 02:04:50,120 Speaker 3: tonight's show. I'm going to stay six months ahead of 2392 02:04:50,120 --> 02:04:52,280 Speaker 3: the guys, you know what I mean. I got an 2393 02:04:52,280 --> 02:04:55,560 Speaker 3: execution team keeping feene Teina Faris Monir, I got a 2394 02:04:55,600 --> 02:04:58,280 Speaker 3: team that handles the day to day. My job is 2395 02:04:58,280 --> 02:05:00,800 Speaker 3: to stay six months ahead so that when we get there, 2396 02:05:01,160 --> 02:05:03,000 Speaker 3: it's something there. So it was sort of like a 2397 02:05:03,000 --> 02:05:06,040 Speaker 3: well oiled machine. What this did for us was it 2398 02:05:06,160 --> 02:05:09,360 Speaker 3: forced us to become entrepreneurial and creative again. And this 2399 02:05:09,400 --> 02:05:12,560 Speaker 3: shit's been fun as a motherfucker. I'll be real with you, 2400 02:05:13,680 --> 02:05:15,600 Speaker 3: all right, So what does that future look like now? 2401 02:05:15,880 --> 02:05:18,880 Speaker 3: And I know people talk about, man when we get 2402 02:05:18,920 --> 02:05:22,440 Speaker 3: back to normal, but it's like, okay. 2403 02:05:22,240 --> 02:05:24,360 Speaker 1: So when so all right? 2404 02:05:24,400 --> 02:05:29,040 Speaker 2: So when when when the the line finally gets flattened 2405 02:05:29,680 --> 02:05:33,600 Speaker 2: in the United States and there's we're COVID free? 2406 02:05:35,800 --> 02:05:37,560 Speaker 1: Am I still. 2407 02:05:39,160 --> 02:05:45,280 Speaker 2: Going to blah blah blah club to DJ YadA YadA YadA. 2408 02:05:45,680 --> 02:05:49,680 Speaker 1: You know, what do I do with the thirty thousand? 2409 02:05:50,520 --> 02:05:50,800 Speaker 1: You know? 2410 02:05:51,800 --> 02:05:55,360 Speaker 2: Audience members that I've gotten on these six platforms, virtual 2411 02:05:55,440 --> 02:05:58,480 Speaker 2: DJing yep, Like is that a monetary future? 2412 02:05:58,600 --> 02:05:58,760 Speaker 1: Like? 2413 02:05:59,360 --> 02:06:00,240 Speaker 3: How absolutely? 2414 02:06:00,720 --> 02:06:04,760 Speaker 1: I think you go back? Or do you stay the course? 2415 02:06:06,040 --> 02:06:09,080 Speaker 3: We will never in the live music space, in the 2416 02:06:09,160 --> 02:06:14,000 Speaker 3: live entertainment space, we will never return to February of 2417 02:06:14,040 --> 02:06:17,960 Speaker 3: twenty twenty. Okay, that won't happen. That won't ever happen again. 2418 02:06:18,000 --> 02:06:18,760 Speaker 1: What does that mean? 2419 02:06:19,360 --> 02:06:21,840 Speaker 2: What that means is like the way that the Roots 2420 02:06:21,880 --> 02:06:23,880 Speaker 2: Picnic look when we last did it for the Things 2421 02:06:23,880 --> 02:06:27,360 Speaker 2: for All part twentieth, what would be different? I mean, 2422 02:06:27,400 --> 02:06:31,280 Speaker 2: I think Live Picnic twenty twenty two, Lite will return 2423 02:06:31,680 --> 02:06:33,600 Speaker 2: and Live will return at scale. 2424 02:06:34,040 --> 02:06:35,720 Speaker 3: I think that part of it is going to be 2425 02:06:35,800 --> 02:06:40,080 Speaker 3: driven by science and governments, you know, mainly science meaning 2426 02:06:40,200 --> 02:06:43,760 Speaker 3: you know, whether it's testing vaccine, whatever that ends up being. 2427 02:06:44,080 --> 02:06:50,080 Speaker 3: You know, you can't replicate the emotional connection of being 2428 02:06:50,200 --> 02:06:52,960 Speaker 3: in an audience and watching your favorite artists. And I 2429 02:06:53,000 --> 02:06:55,640 Speaker 3: think that will return. But I think the difference is, 2430 02:06:56,240 --> 02:06:59,680 Speaker 3: you know, COVID was the symptom, but what the live 2431 02:06:59,760 --> 02:07:04,440 Speaker 3: music industry is actually going through, It's not COVID. It's 2432 02:07:04,440 --> 02:07:08,960 Speaker 3: a technological disruption we're going through. This is the first 2433 02:07:09,360 --> 02:07:14,720 Speaker 3: true disruption of technology for live music recorded music went 2434 02:07:14,760 --> 02:07:18,000 Speaker 3: through it from LimeWire to Napster to that ended up, 2435 02:07:18,200 --> 02:07:21,560 Speaker 3: you know, that sort of six to eight year process 2436 02:07:21,600 --> 02:07:25,800 Speaker 3: of disruption ended up with Spotify, Apple Music title where 2437 02:07:25,840 --> 02:07:28,760 Speaker 3: we are now, right And if you guys remember that 2438 02:07:28,920 --> 02:07:32,520 Speaker 3: was a really fucking uncomfortable time when Napster was in 2439 02:07:32,560 --> 02:07:35,240 Speaker 3: and live people were like, the industry's gone. Record labels 2440 02:07:35,240 --> 02:07:37,560 Speaker 3: are never going to happen again. Why are we doing this? 2441 02:07:38,560 --> 02:07:41,480 Speaker 3: These consumers will never buy anything because they can trade 2442 02:07:41,480 --> 02:07:44,640 Speaker 3: files for free, all of that. But what ended up 2443 02:07:44,680 --> 02:07:49,520 Speaker 3: happening was the industry embraced technology at the end of it, 2444 02:07:50,120 --> 02:07:53,920 Speaker 3: and the business is bigger than ever right now. And 2445 02:07:54,000 --> 02:07:56,760 Speaker 3: that's the same thing that's going to happen live. What 2446 02:07:56,840 --> 02:08:01,000 Speaker 3: we're seeing with these live streaming platforms. We're seeing with 2447 02:08:01,280 --> 02:08:04,360 Speaker 3: the consumer engagement. If you think about the level of 2448 02:08:04,400 --> 02:08:08,760 Speaker 3: digital engagement from music consumers when Fante, if I told 2449 02:08:08,760 --> 02:08:10,720 Speaker 3: you you were going to be sitting on your fucking 2450 02:08:10,800 --> 02:08:15,560 Speaker 3: couch for two hours watching Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight 2451 02:08:16,000 --> 02:08:19,480 Speaker 3: play music and enjoy it, if I would have told 2452 02:08:19,480 --> 02:08:21,120 Speaker 3: you that in February, you'd have been like, what. 2453 02:08:21,920 --> 02:08:25,600 Speaker 8: Nigga, my my moment for that was versus was the 2454 02:08:25,680 --> 02:08:27,800 Speaker 8: primo and uh, and. 2455 02:08:29,160 --> 02:08:31,560 Speaker 4: That was the moment where I was like, yo, the 2456 02:08:31,600 --> 02:08:32,920 Speaker 4: world has changed. 2457 02:08:32,640 --> 02:08:37,120 Speaker 8: Forever like these but that engage my house watching two 2458 02:08:37,240 --> 02:08:41,320 Speaker 8: dudes play record and that's the most important in the 2459 02:08:41,320 --> 02:08:41,840 Speaker 8: world right. 2460 02:08:41,720 --> 02:08:43,800 Speaker 3: Now, and enjoying it and looking forward to it. So 2461 02:08:43,920 --> 02:08:48,040 Speaker 3: that level of consumer engagement, which probably would have taken 2462 02:08:48,360 --> 02:08:51,760 Speaker 3: a decade for us to get there, happened in six months. 2463 02:08:51,840 --> 02:08:54,080 Speaker 3: That's going to transition out of COVID, and you're going 2464 02:08:54,160 --> 02:08:57,880 Speaker 3: to see cottage industries that become major, cottage companies that 2465 02:08:57,960 --> 02:09:02,640 Speaker 3: become major companies that are building companies around that digital 2466 02:09:02,640 --> 02:09:06,320 Speaker 3: distribution and digital engagement. That's not going to take live away. 2467 02:09:06,640 --> 02:09:10,040 Speaker 3: It's going to add on to the live economy and 2468 02:09:10,080 --> 02:09:13,760 Speaker 3: you're going to now see a bigger industry. The pie 2469 02:09:13,800 --> 02:09:16,880 Speaker 3: is going to get bigger because now you have brick 2470 02:09:16,920 --> 02:09:21,800 Speaker 3: and mortar lies, remember Blockbuster and h and I mean, 2471 02:09:22,480 --> 02:09:25,520 Speaker 3: what's the what's tower record? You'll have You'll still have 2472 02:09:25,600 --> 02:09:29,280 Speaker 3: brick and mortar line. Now you want to have virtual 2473 02:09:29,400 --> 02:09:33,120 Speaker 3: line and together you're going to twenty twenty five, the 2474 02:09:33,160 --> 02:09:35,880 Speaker 3: live music industry is going to be two three times 2475 02:09:35,880 --> 02:09:38,680 Speaker 3: the size that it is now. Just like recorded music 2476 02:09:38,880 --> 02:09:41,280 Speaker 3: is bigger than it was, you know during the during 2477 02:09:41,320 --> 02:09:44,160 Speaker 3: the Limewires. It's what Eric, It's going to be a 2478 02:09:44,200 --> 02:09:46,160 Speaker 3: point it's going to be a point of uncomfortable. It's 2479 02:09:46,160 --> 02:09:48,800 Speaker 3: about to say that two or three years where you're 2480 02:09:48,800 --> 02:09:53,280 Speaker 3: going to see big major players like Tower. You're going 2481 02:09:53,320 --> 02:09:55,600 Speaker 3: to see big major players that were the ship in 2482 02:09:55,640 --> 02:09:58,680 Speaker 3: twenty nineteen and twenty in early twenty twenty in the 2483 02:09:58,720 --> 02:10:01,720 Speaker 3: live music industry. If they don't adapt, they're gonna be gone. 2484 02:10:02,840 --> 02:10:05,880 Speaker 5: So Sean, is what Erica did recently during the COVID 2485 02:10:05,960 --> 02:10:08,680 Speaker 5: is that the future the whole subscription live show thing. 2486 02:10:08,800 --> 02:10:11,720 Speaker 3: You think the beauty about it is. I don't know 2487 02:10:11,800 --> 02:10:17,000 Speaker 3: the future. I say it's fun ship. That's the fun part. 2488 02:10:17,200 --> 02:10:19,960 Speaker 3: The fun part is we are in the Wow wild 2489 02:10:20,120 --> 02:10:24,000 Speaker 3: West with Ship. Erica came out and said, well, all 2490 02:10:24,040 --> 02:10:27,680 Speaker 3: of y'all platforms, I'm gonna build my own platform. Is 2491 02:10:27,720 --> 02:10:30,520 Speaker 3: that is that going to be? Is Erica gonna end 2492 02:10:30,600 --> 02:10:33,400 Speaker 3: up being Spotify? Or is she gonna end up being LimeWire? 2493 02:10:33,640 --> 02:10:35,120 Speaker 3: You know, I mean, I don't know, you know what 2494 02:10:35,160 --> 02:10:38,720 Speaker 3: I mean? Like like Twitch, Twitch is you know, it's 2495 02:10:38,760 --> 02:10:42,040 Speaker 3: a huge gaming platform now has a music strategy. Are 2496 02:10:42,040 --> 02:10:44,080 Speaker 3: they gonna end up being Spotify orre they gonna end 2497 02:10:44,120 --> 02:10:47,360 Speaker 3: up being Napster. I don't know. But that's the great part. 2498 02:10:47,760 --> 02:10:50,080 Speaker 3: And again depending on how I came up, and this 2499 02:10:50,280 --> 02:10:52,080 Speaker 3: I always and you know what I mean. I'm not 2500 02:10:52,120 --> 02:10:53,840 Speaker 3: just saying this because you're on the phone. I say 2501 02:10:53,840 --> 02:10:57,120 Speaker 3: it in meetings with CEOs and presidents. I'm a root, 2502 02:10:57,720 --> 02:10:59,360 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. I came in this game 2503 02:10:59,400 --> 02:11:01,800 Speaker 3: of route and we figured out how to make this 2504 02:11:01,880 --> 02:11:05,120 Speaker 3: ship work. We figured out how to make a twenty 2505 02:11:05,120 --> 02:11:07,480 Speaker 3: plus year, thirty plus year career off of one and 2506 02:11:07,480 --> 02:11:10,800 Speaker 3: a half hit songs. When when it's time, when it's 2507 02:11:10,880 --> 02:11:16,040 Speaker 3: time commercial right there, you know, when it's time to 2508 02:11:16,120 --> 02:11:18,120 Speaker 3: roll in the sleeves and figure some shit out. In 2509 02:11:18,160 --> 02:11:21,880 Speaker 3: a period of time where it's discord and everybody's confused, 2510 02:11:22,120 --> 02:11:24,400 Speaker 3: you know, some people are gonna fall off the wayside. 2511 02:11:24,600 --> 02:11:27,960 Speaker 3: I'm having fun. I'm coming up with ideas, creativity. Let's 2512 02:11:27,960 --> 02:11:30,560 Speaker 3: figure this ship a Mirland. Why don't you dj? And 2513 02:11:30,680 --> 02:11:33,520 Speaker 3: you know from your barn in New York, you know 2514 02:11:33,760 --> 02:11:36,480 Speaker 3: to why don't it? It's this is the part here 2515 02:11:36,600 --> 02:11:40,080 Speaker 3: that it's fun because I don't you don't know what 2516 02:11:40,120 --> 02:11:42,680 Speaker 3: the future is, but you do know, it's not going 2517 02:11:42,760 --> 02:11:45,040 Speaker 3: to be where we were on February twenty twenty. 2518 02:11:45,240 --> 02:11:49,120 Speaker 8: And you get to create it. We're essentially absolutely absolutely 2519 02:11:49,160 --> 02:11:49,600 Speaker 8: and the. 2520 02:11:49,560 --> 02:11:52,360 Speaker 3: Winner might be some kid that's sitting in you know, 2521 02:11:52,880 --> 02:11:56,760 Speaker 3: his bedrooms homeschooling right now, Like he might be the 2522 02:11:56,800 --> 02:11:59,680 Speaker 3: next Steve Jobs of the next you know what I mean. 2523 02:11:59,800 --> 02:12:02,360 Speaker 3: And it ain't gonna be somebody that's the CEO or 2524 02:12:02,360 --> 02:12:04,160 Speaker 3: somebody that's the president right now. There's gonna be some 2525 02:12:04,240 --> 02:12:06,960 Speaker 3: kid that's sitting there doing virtual school right now, and 2526 02:12:06,960 --> 02:12:07,800 Speaker 3: that's going to come up. 2527 02:12:07,680 --> 02:12:08,280 Speaker 4: With the answer. 2528 02:12:09,120 --> 02:12:10,800 Speaker 1: All right, man, did I just hope? 2529 02:12:10,960 --> 02:12:15,240 Speaker 3: I just hope your Roots fan, whoever he is the Roots? 2530 02:12:16,440 --> 02:12:17,320 Speaker 1: So did I? 2531 02:12:17,800 --> 02:12:18,040 Speaker 3: Well? 2532 02:12:18,080 --> 02:12:20,840 Speaker 2: Wait, I forgot there's one thing that we forgot to 2533 02:12:20,880 --> 02:12:27,320 Speaker 2: mention you also going to a foray of developing with 2534 02:12:27,400 --> 02:12:28,640 Speaker 2: two one five Entertainment. 2535 02:12:31,400 --> 02:12:37,440 Speaker 1: You know, actually, like what what is I find myself. 2536 02:12:36,960 --> 02:12:42,000 Speaker 2: Trying to step away from platforms and get less and 2537 02:12:42,040 --> 02:12:44,839 Speaker 2: less jobs. But now that I'm listening to this story, 2538 02:12:45,720 --> 02:12:53,200 Speaker 2: you're actually quest low like just between lot Nation two 2539 02:12:53,240 --> 02:12:57,120 Speaker 2: one five Entertainment us developing these these movies, these plays, 2540 02:12:57,280 --> 02:13:02,080 Speaker 2: these television shows. I mean, at what point are you 2541 02:13:02,160 --> 02:13:04,120 Speaker 2: going to Chef Gordon the thing and just be like 2542 02:13:04,160 --> 02:13:08,000 Speaker 2: all right, Alice Cooper, let's just right off into the sunset. 2543 02:13:08,080 --> 02:13:10,920 Speaker 2: And you know, do you have do you have a 2544 02:13:11,040 --> 02:13:13,960 Speaker 2: master plan written out in which you just like all right, 2545 02:13:14,000 --> 02:13:15,840 Speaker 2: I'm cool, or you let your. 2546 02:13:15,680 --> 02:13:19,280 Speaker 1: Son take over? Or for me, is he is he 2547 02:13:19,360 --> 02:13:21,040 Speaker 1: on that level yet where it's like. 2548 02:13:21,160 --> 02:13:25,120 Speaker 3: Which which on the music side? You know, yeah, like 2549 02:13:25,360 --> 02:13:27,640 Speaker 3: it's my it's shown, it's my fifteen year old. Like 2550 02:13:27,680 --> 02:13:31,920 Speaker 3: he's he's he's built for this and he's he's telling yes, 2551 02:13:32,000 --> 02:13:34,480 Speaker 3: he's telling me about you know, this person doing his 2552 02:13:34,600 --> 02:13:38,080 Speaker 3: bundle and you know how it's super creating because everybody's 2553 02:13:38,080 --> 02:13:40,760 Speaker 3: bundling with their T shirts, but he bundled with this 2554 02:13:40,840 --> 02:13:43,640 Speaker 3: and that, and you know, we look at the numbers, 2555 02:13:43,640 --> 02:13:47,960 Speaker 3: look at the streams. He's he's not not not a 2556 02:13:48,040 --> 02:13:52,320 Speaker 3: proactive thing for me teaching him. He's just I see it. 2557 02:13:52,400 --> 02:13:54,880 Speaker 3: I smell it like Darren. I smell sports Like Darren 2558 02:13:54,920 --> 02:13:59,360 Speaker 3: wasn't into music and this my business. He took what 2559 02:13:59,480 --> 02:14:01,640 Speaker 3: he learned from me, what he saw. He's took my 2560 02:14:01,720 --> 02:14:04,879 Speaker 3: hustle and my grind and applied it to his passion. 2561 02:14:05,200 --> 02:14:05,720 Speaker 4: You know what I mean. 2562 02:14:06,120 --> 02:14:10,920 Speaker 3: Sean is absolutely built for this music game. Like that's 2563 02:14:11,040 --> 02:14:13,640 Speaker 3: that's you know, I see it. I'm like, all right, dude, 2564 02:14:14,240 --> 02:14:16,160 Speaker 3: I'm gonna be working for you, so you know what 2565 02:14:16,200 --> 02:14:18,200 Speaker 3: I mean. But yeah, I don't. I don't. I don't. 2566 02:14:18,240 --> 02:14:19,840 Speaker 3: I don't have a I don't you know, I don't 2567 02:14:19,840 --> 02:14:23,240 Speaker 3: have an exit plan meaning exit plan from a you know, 2568 02:14:23,720 --> 02:14:27,360 Speaker 3: I'm gonna go get my house in Hawaii. Like for me, 2569 02:14:27,360 --> 02:14:29,520 Speaker 3: it's about passion, Like if you all the things I'm 2570 02:14:29,560 --> 02:14:32,280 Speaker 3: involved in is because I'm passionate about it. Like their 2571 02:14:32,360 --> 02:14:35,240 Speaker 3: clients that have fired me, you know, like I said earlier, 2572 02:14:35,320 --> 02:14:37,160 Speaker 3: because I sort of worked myself out of a job, 2573 02:14:37,200 --> 02:14:39,560 Speaker 3: their clients that I fired. Like if I don't fucking 2574 02:14:39,760 --> 02:14:43,920 Speaker 3: wake up and inspired by you or you know, every 2575 02:14:44,000 --> 02:14:46,080 Speaker 3: day isn't gonna be inspiration. Some days I wake up 2576 02:14:46,120 --> 02:14:48,320 Speaker 3: and be like, man, what the fuck I'm here? Come 2577 02:14:48,360 --> 02:14:48,840 Speaker 3: on dog? 2578 02:14:49,080 --> 02:14:49,360 Speaker 1: All right? 2579 02:14:49,360 --> 02:14:51,920 Speaker 2: So when's the first phone call start? Like, when's the 2580 02:14:52,000 --> 02:14:56,440 Speaker 2: first like when does your phone start ringing? Obviously you 2581 02:14:56,600 --> 02:14:59,200 Speaker 2: have a rule in the house that no more phone 2582 02:14:59,240 --> 02:15:02,000 Speaker 2: calls after black blah black out, because I could be 2583 02:15:02,000 --> 02:15:04,200 Speaker 2: imprisoned somewhere and I know you ain't gonna pick up 2584 02:15:04,240 --> 02:15:05,520 Speaker 2: the phone. 2585 02:15:06,440 --> 02:15:08,320 Speaker 3: But that's part of that's part of hiring a team 2586 02:15:08,400 --> 02:15:11,480 Speaker 3: like you call near, he gonna pick it up. But 2587 02:15:13,120 --> 02:15:15,080 Speaker 3: years but fifteen years ago, I was that dude that 2588 02:15:15,160 --> 02:15:17,760 Speaker 3: picked up their phone, you know what. You know, I 2589 02:15:17,880 --> 02:15:19,960 Speaker 3: was the one riding up when somebody got locked up. 2590 02:15:20,000 --> 02:15:22,000 Speaker 3: But now that's part of growth. It's like, all right, 2591 02:15:22,080 --> 02:15:26,400 Speaker 3: y'all do that. But it's funny my phone calls, you know, 2592 02:15:26,480 --> 02:15:28,800 Speaker 3: now that I live in La I usually start my 2593 02:15:28,840 --> 02:15:33,960 Speaker 3: phone calls around seven. But when I'm being creative and 2594 02:15:34,040 --> 02:15:36,680 Speaker 3: my team, you know, always jokes to me. Sometimes that 2595 02:15:36,760 --> 02:15:38,960 Speaker 3: last email comes from me at three or four in 2596 02:15:38,960 --> 02:15:42,640 Speaker 3: the morning. Like my mind. As I've grown in this business, 2597 02:15:42,680 --> 02:15:44,600 Speaker 3: my mind has started to work more like an artist, 2598 02:15:44,680 --> 02:15:46,760 Speaker 3: unless like a suit Like I know, y'all always used 2599 02:15:46,760 --> 02:15:50,040 Speaker 3: to say, like, you know, creativity don't start until after midnight, 2600 02:15:50,080 --> 02:15:51,520 Speaker 3: and I'd be like what y'all talk about? Like you 2601 02:15:51,600 --> 02:15:54,680 Speaker 3: got to sleep. But as I've gotten older, that's when 2602 02:15:54,800 --> 02:15:57,080 Speaker 3: my creative ideas come because during the day, you know, 2603 02:15:57,120 --> 02:15:59,280 Speaker 3: I'm doing phone calls and zooms and shit like that, 2604 02:15:59,360 --> 02:16:00,000 Speaker 3: so I'm able to. 2605 02:16:00,320 --> 02:16:02,320 Speaker 8: You gotta wait to everybody else's asleep so you can 2606 02:16:02,400 --> 02:16:03,919 Speaker 8: really exact exactly. 2607 02:16:04,120 --> 02:16:07,000 Speaker 3: But yeah, my day usually starts at seven. You know, 2608 02:16:07,080 --> 02:16:10,840 Speaker 3: seven seven thirty with calls, and you know, especially during COVID, 2609 02:16:10,880 --> 02:16:12,680 Speaker 3: I'm able to work from home, so I you know, 2610 02:16:13,040 --> 02:16:15,800 Speaker 3: between calls and my kids, you know, the balance is good. 2611 02:16:16,800 --> 02:16:17,200 Speaker 1: I see. 2612 02:16:17,440 --> 02:16:22,400 Speaker 2: All right, Well, I'll be hitting you about adding more 2613 02:16:22,560 --> 02:16:24,040 Speaker 2: acres to my property and. 2614 02:16:24,160 --> 02:16:31,160 Speaker 7: Oh shit, and you gotta battle Jeff more acres, more acres. 2615 02:16:31,320 --> 02:16:33,960 Speaker 2: Oh no, I'm about to sun Jeff in the second. 2616 02:16:34,080 --> 02:16:40,240 Speaker 2: And anyway, no, I think you know, I had to 2617 02:16:40,360 --> 02:16:42,600 Speaker 2: learn some shit. And you know we've been. 2618 02:16:43,959 --> 02:16:48,840 Speaker 1: We've been business partners for what twenty plus years already. 2619 02:16:48,959 --> 02:16:51,680 Speaker 5: Ye, we can definitely name this episode the lesson like 2620 02:16:51,800 --> 02:16:53,680 Speaker 5: there's there's some lessons in him. 2621 02:16:54,160 --> 02:16:57,920 Speaker 1: Absolutely. Yeah, all right, well you know, Sean G. Thank you. 2622 02:16:58,240 --> 02:16:59,680 Speaker 1: I'll be bugging you later tonight. 2623 02:17:00,560 --> 02:17:02,840 Speaker 3: Oh good, Well, make sure y'all send me that edit 2624 02:17:02,879 --> 02:17:04,320 Speaker 3: because you know I ain't signed that so I can 2625 02:17:04,480 --> 02:17:05,680 Speaker 3: should tell y'all any time. 2626 02:17:07,200 --> 02:17:12,520 Speaker 9: Than let us never about the career of Davy l Yes, 2627 02:17:14,680 --> 02:17:17,960 Speaker 9: so fine, anyway, all right, and I just say, and 2628 02:17:18,040 --> 02:17:18,360 Speaker 9: I'm so. 2629 02:17:19,959 --> 02:17:21,440 Speaker 8: I told you this before, I told both you and 2630 02:17:21,640 --> 02:17:24,080 Speaker 8: me this, but it really is inspirational to just to 2631 02:17:24,120 --> 02:17:26,240 Speaker 8: watch and see what y'all brothers are built over these 2632 02:17:26,320 --> 02:17:29,200 Speaker 8: decades man, and you know, and I just think you 2633 02:17:29,280 --> 02:17:30,720 Speaker 8: for the opportunity, you know, for bringing me into this 2634 02:17:31,160 --> 02:17:33,840 Speaker 8: and uh, you know, you hit me. And it was 2635 02:17:33,920 --> 02:17:35,480 Speaker 8: just like, hey man, the mirror is doing this thing 2636 02:17:35,920 --> 02:17:38,920 Speaker 8: you on in And I was like, all right, I mean, 2637 02:17:39,000 --> 02:17:42,320 Speaker 8: you know what the ship was gonna be. But but 2638 02:17:42,480 --> 02:17:44,040 Speaker 8: you know, I just I just you know, ad my 2639 02:17:44,320 --> 02:17:46,160 Speaker 8: work ethic in the hustle, and you know, for I 2640 02:17:46,280 --> 02:17:47,920 Speaker 8: know how hard it is to build something on your own. 2641 02:17:48,000 --> 02:17:49,920 Speaker 8: So I was gonna just you know, salute you man, 2642 02:17:49,959 --> 02:17:52,439 Speaker 8: and just give your flowers and just say yeah, Sean. 2643 02:17:55,080 --> 02:17:55,920 Speaker 3: Definitely appreciate it. 2644 02:17:56,120 --> 02:17:57,760 Speaker 7: We all have our own Shan stories. 2645 02:17:57,760 --> 02:17:59,560 Speaker 5: I wouldn't have got my own radio show back in 2646 02:17:59,600 --> 02:18:02,199 Speaker 5: Philly fifteen years ago if Kobe Cole would asked. 2647 02:18:01,959 --> 02:18:04,199 Speaker 7: Sean ge who he was the host for this show? 2648 02:18:04,600 --> 02:18:05,080 Speaker 1: Wait what? 2649 02:18:05,720 --> 02:18:08,400 Speaker 5: Yes, That's how I got Sunday Morning Soul because Kobe 2650 02:18:08,600 --> 02:18:09,960 Speaker 5: was on the call with Sean and he was like, 2651 02:18:10,120 --> 02:18:12,480 Speaker 5: I want to do this specialty show about soul, and 2652 02:18:12,640 --> 02:18:14,519 Speaker 5: Sean he was like, who'll be a good hell Sprach. 2653 02:18:14,360 --> 02:18:18,560 Speaker 7: And how yeah, I didn't know that. 2654 02:18:19,360 --> 02:18:19,720 Speaker 1: I thought. 2655 02:18:19,879 --> 02:18:22,920 Speaker 7: You know, me and Sean had many a morning conversations 2656 02:18:23,000 --> 02:18:24,440 Speaker 7: on the way to work and stuff like that, like 2657 02:18:24,520 --> 02:18:25,040 Speaker 7: it was a bill. 2658 02:18:26,480 --> 02:18:28,480 Speaker 5: Yes, And he finally told me when I was able 2659 02:18:28,520 --> 02:18:30,360 Speaker 5: to have my allowance to buy my weed, which was 2660 02:18:30,400 --> 02:18:32,800 Speaker 5: also very exciting. I remember the day when he said, like, 2661 02:18:33,240 --> 02:18:36,800 Speaker 5: you can now put some money aside weekly for weed thinking. 2662 02:18:38,160 --> 02:18:43,440 Speaker 1: And I regret telling the story because now you that 2663 02:18:43,560 --> 02:18:43,879 Speaker 1: was great. 2664 02:18:44,800 --> 02:18:45,240 Speaker 3: That great. 2665 02:18:45,240 --> 02:18:46,360 Speaker 4: I'm gonna stop talking about you. 2666 02:18:47,840 --> 02:18:49,000 Speaker 7: I would have love for you to say I took 2667 02:18:49,000 --> 02:18:49,800 Speaker 7: it back, but that's. 2668 02:18:49,680 --> 02:18:53,360 Speaker 1: Fine, dots, No, I did take it back. 2669 02:18:53,560 --> 02:18:56,080 Speaker 7: Okay, okay, good, all right, dude. 2670 02:18:56,280 --> 02:19:00,120 Speaker 1: Sure this has been the more more informative that so. 2671 02:19:00,240 --> 02:19:03,840 Speaker 2: I already learned from Alan Weeds that managers aren't going 2672 02:19:03,959 --> 02:19:07,600 Speaker 2: to do the tail all ship on the so you know, 2673 02:19:09,120 --> 02:19:12,480 Speaker 2: I feel that this show is effective enough without talking 2674 02:19:12,480 --> 02:19:17,400 Speaker 2: about you know, artist fuckery that is going down. 2675 02:19:18,400 --> 02:19:20,720 Speaker 1: It wouldn't serve the episode a great way to build. 2676 02:19:21,600 --> 02:19:23,320 Speaker 1: I never say this enough you. 2677 02:19:23,560 --> 02:19:28,519 Speaker 2: You definitely take on the gray hair that I successfully 2678 02:19:28,760 --> 02:19:31,680 Speaker 2: avoided right now, and I have. 2679 02:19:31,800 --> 02:19:32,360 Speaker 4: A lot of it. 2680 02:19:33,840 --> 02:19:37,320 Speaker 1: Anytime I see my my my barometer for how. 2681 02:19:37,280 --> 02:19:40,560 Speaker 2: My life is going is based on how much gray hairs. 2682 02:19:40,680 --> 02:19:44,160 Speaker 2: Right absolutely, I'm like, all right, all right, it's a 2683 02:19:44,200 --> 02:19:47,320 Speaker 2: good month. I'm amazing all right, well on behalf of 2684 02:19:48,000 --> 02:19:55,400 Speaker 2: the team, Sugar Steve. We still FLI Chustine right now, Yes, yes, 2685 02:19:55,480 --> 02:19:59,000 Speaker 2: I see you, I see you. Pay bill and take 2686 02:19:59,040 --> 02:20:01,680 Speaker 2: a little and all right, yeah, thank you showing ge 2687 02:20:02,080 --> 02:20:04,600 Speaker 2: uh this appreciate and signing and off we will see 2688 02:20:04,600 --> 02:20:07,160 Speaker 2: you next week when the next Joe around request Love Supreme. 2689 02:20:07,360 --> 02:20:12,080 Speaker 4: Thank you, yo, what's up? It's a sponte. 2690 02:20:12,560 --> 02:20:14,760 Speaker 8: Make sure you keep up with us on Instagram at 2691 02:20:14,879 --> 02:20:16,959 Speaker 8: QLs and let us know what you think and who 2692 02:20:16,959 --> 02:20:18,280 Speaker 8: should be next to sit down with us. 2693 02:20:18,560 --> 02:20:21,680 Speaker 4: Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast, all right peace? 2694 02:20:22,920 --> 02:20:25,840 Speaker 1: How Much Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. 2695 02:20:28,040 --> 02:20:31,280 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 2696 02:20:31,560 --> 02:20:34,560 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.