WEBVTT - Atron Gregory Full interview 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:04.000 This podcast is sponsored by Better Help Online Therapy. I'm 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:07.760 Michleine Malouf and I'm Nadyadessi licensed therapists and hosts of 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:10.800 Getting Better Stories of Mental Health. Join us for discussions 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:13.880 with Megan Trainer, Chris Bosh, Rebel Wilson, and more, from 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:17.840 discussing motherhood to immigrating to general mental health. Our guests 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:20.720 are awe inspiring. We all struggle with the same things, 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:23.640 so let's talk about it and de stigmatize them. Find 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:26.799 our new podcast, Getting Better Stories of Mental Health on 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:32.920 iHeart Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Still living in manually taking notes, 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:34.639 there is a better way to start the new year 0:00:34.680 --> 0:00:38.000 with auto dot ai automatically get meeting notes. Auto dot 0:00:38.000 --> 0:00:40.839 ai works for virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:42.640 Google Meet. Sign up on the web for free or 0:00:42.680 --> 0:00:45.199 download in the app stores auto dot ai. That's O 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:48.720 T T E R. Dot Ai. Did you know? Amazon 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:51.839 provides ways of working that fit your lifestyle. They know 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:56.000 you value your time outside of work, juggling families, school, friends, 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:58.760 or other activities. That's why they offer a variety of 0:00:58.760 --> 0:01:01.600 shifts that work for you. There are full time, part time, 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:04.840 and even temporary opportunities that can work with your schedule 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:08.120 with great starting pay and sign on bonuses. If you 0:01:08.160 --> 0:01:10.840 want a career that fits and adapts to your lifestyle, 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:14.360 had the Amazon dot Com slash apply. Amazon is a 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:24.240 proud equal opportunity employer. Well right now, walking to Money 0:01:24.240 --> 0:01:27.240 Making Conversation, I'm your host rou Sean McDonald. Each Money 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:31.319 Making Conversation talk show is about entrepreneurship and entertainment. I 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:34.240 recognize that we all have different definitions of success. For 0:01:34.319 --> 0:01:37.520 some it's a sizeable paycheck. Mine is just helping people 0:01:37.560 --> 0:01:39.920 wake up and inspiring them to accomplish their goals and 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:42.959 live their very best life. These are my passions and 0:01:43.000 --> 0:01:44.280 that's what I want to do for you. I want 0:01:44.319 --> 0:01:46.600 you to stop tripping over those smaller challenges, you know, 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:48.520 the little hook up them, the hiccups that you have 0:01:48.600 --> 0:01:52.520 out there. Stop they're bigger obstacles out there. Don't don't 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:56.240 don't get detoured by little small things that really it 0:01:56.280 --> 0:01:58.440 has nothing to do with the path that is being 0:01:58.480 --> 0:02:01.200 laid out for you to be six that'stful. The Moneymaking 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:05.480 Conversation interviews provide relatable information to the listener about career 0:02:05.520 --> 0:02:09.920 and financial planning, entrepreneurship, motivation, leadership, overcoming the arts, and 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:13.800 how to live a balanced life. June his Black Music Month. 0:02:13.960 --> 0:02:17.919 My guest is a legendary artist, manager, executive, producer, and 0:02:17.960 --> 0:02:21.280 the music executive. His talent credits include a diverse array 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:26.680 of artists including Tupac Shakur, Stanley Clark, n w A, 0:02:26.720 --> 0:02:31.679 Digital Underground, and the world Class Wrecking Crew. He continues 0:02:31.720 --> 0:02:35.000 to manage both Shock Ge leader of Digital Underground, as 0:02:35.040 --> 0:02:37.960 well as the group the and the catalog of my 0:02:38.080 --> 0:02:42.960 Man Johnny Guitar Watson. Wow, please welcome to my man 0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:44.880 to the moneymaking conversation. You've got a lot of talk 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:47.880 about what you cannot have a conversation with somebody that 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:51.400 has Johnny Guitar Watson in two parks in the same 0:02:51.400 --> 0:02:54.040 conversation and ray Sean McDonald well does not get excited 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:58.600 about that. Please welcome to moneymaking conversation, my man, Adrian Gregory, 0:02:58.680 --> 0:03:02.400 how you knowing, sir? Doing good? Thank you for for 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:06.400 expending this invitations to money making conversations. I absolutely appreciated. 0:03:06.480 --> 0:03:09.880 And uh yes, Johnny Guitar watching the two in the 0:03:09.919 --> 0:03:13.959 same conversation along with Stanley Clark and the Solo Piano group. 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:17.840 There's a there's a lot going on on multiple varieties 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:20.480 of genre. Well, you know, first of all, you know 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:22.320 I'm talking about the past. We're gonna talk about the 0:03:22.320 --> 0:03:24.680 current because you gotta go on currently, you know. But 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:26.519 but you know, when you when you when you meet 0:03:26.520 --> 0:03:30.520 it your talent to I know that I managed Steve Harber, 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.280 currently managed to manage Steve hard from two thousand officially 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:36.840 from two thousands sixteen, I currently managed Steven A. Smith. 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:40.800 So you're a talent, and so as as a talent, 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:43.440 as a manager, it takes a lot, especially when you're 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:46.120 dealing with personalities and it's kying to. I always tell 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:48.240 people just kind of stay ahead of the ignorance when 0:03:48.240 --> 0:03:51.040 you're managing people, because you never know what's running through 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:53.360 their mind or what's gonna happen the next day, especially 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:56.600 with social media out there and they can just start posting. 0:03:56.640 --> 0:03:57.760 So back in the day you got to do a 0:03:57.760 --> 0:03:59.840 press conference. You know, if you want to come out 0:03:59.840 --> 0:04:02.640 there to start talking today, then you just wake up, 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:05.000 not even wake up, they just roll over in bed, 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:08.680 just start type. You know, which means as a talent, 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:12.480 talk about what it takes to be a manager, but 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:14.360 more important, what it takes to be a manager, and 0:04:14.440 --> 0:04:16.159 not trying to put you on the spot, but you 0:04:16.320 --> 0:04:19.800 had so many diverse, so unique, so many different new, 0:04:19.839 --> 0:04:24.280 unique talents. Talk about that experience, Well, first of all, 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:27.440 I'd like to say, um, I watched First Take every morning, 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:31.720 so I appreciate what you know. But but but to 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:34.280 answer your question, what it takes to be a manager 0:04:34.520 --> 0:04:36.880 and so on, the words with artists is to really 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:40.599 understand them, to talk to them, to get to know them, 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:43.800 not not just handling their business. Handling their businesses it's 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:46.960 really the easy part, but getting to understand who they are, 0:04:47.520 --> 0:04:52.600 how they operate, what they think, being able to understand 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:56.440 what's important to them, and not not necessarily what's important 0:04:56.440 --> 0:04:58.479 to business or what's important to you, but what's important 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:02.600 to them. Because now, I mean I've managed Shocked shot 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:07.640 g for what thirty years now, and just recently he 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:11.440 said he said to me, I trust you, And I'm like, wow, 0:05:12.080 --> 0:05:15.839 that that was something because I know what's important to him. 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:19.760 I know if someone comes to me and want him 0:05:19.760 --> 0:05:21.880 to do something, I can almost tell them yes or 0:05:21.880 --> 0:05:25.080 no without going to him. But but you always go 0:05:25.200 --> 0:05:28.720 to your artists. You don't make a decision without going 0:05:28.760 --> 0:05:30.359 to them first. Even if you think you know what 0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:32.840 the answer is, it's it's not your place to make 0:05:32.880 --> 0:05:35.320 that decision. Is that their place to make that their decision. 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:39.200 So it's it's really really important to understand who they are. 0:05:39.760 --> 0:05:42.880 And as you know, I also represent the Johnny guitar 0:05:42.920 --> 0:05:45.799 watch and catalog as an example, it's important to understand 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:48.000 what the family wants, what's important to the family, what 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:51.880 they'll what they'll accept, what they won't accept. But with 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:56.560 the same token, you still talk to the family regardless 0:05:56.600 --> 0:05:58.719 of what the offer is, regardless of what you're thinking is, 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:00.880 regardless of what you think, you may know about what 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:04.240 their thoughts are, because their thoughts can change, and and 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:07.080 so it's important to know what it's portant important to 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:09.680 know what they want. But it's always important to take 0:06:09.880 --> 0:06:13.560 everything to man. There's nothing I don't take to to them, 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:15.680 and because of that I have I have their trust. 0:06:16.360 --> 0:06:18.640 We don't always agree, and that's okay because at the 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:21.480 end of the day, is their catalogs or their career. 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.480 And you suggest things soon that's what your job is. 0:06:24.520 --> 0:06:27.279 To suggest things to them, give them alternatives if you 0:06:27.279 --> 0:06:29.480 don't If you guys don't agree on something, and then 0:06:29.520 --> 0:06:31.520 have a discussion about it, and at the end of 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:35.040 the day, you're you represent them. So when you finished 0:06:35.040 --> 0:06:38.840 with the discussion, if what they want is is more, 0:06:39.320 --> 0:06:41.320 is more important than what you think is right. It's 0:06:41.360 --> 0:06:43.680 all about what they want. It's really important to say 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:46.279 that because and also you gotta have answers. What you 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:49.000 can't do is manage somebody and keep saying I don't 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:52.400 know or let me let me check. You really have 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:55.440 to be on top of your game. Correct. Oh, absolutely, 0:06:55.480 --> 0:06:57.760 you have. You have to go. You have to go 0:06:58.080 --> 0:07:00.480 in the business in general, and this is money making 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:04.799 conversations in general. You have to know the answers almost 0:07:04.800 --> 0:07:07.480 before they're asked of you, before you ask the question. 0:07:07.839 --> 0:07:10.200 And it's it's like, it's not gonna be absolute. You 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:12.640 need to do the best you can to be prepared, studied, 0:07:12.720 --> 0:07:16.040 research about whatever topic you're gonna be talking about. Yeah, 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.480 Steve always, he's always you know everything. I go, Yes, 0:07:19.520 --> 0:07:21.720 I do, because if I don't know everything, then we're 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:23.600 gonna have a problem because you're gonna ask me. So 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:26.800 that means that you know because people always ask me, 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:29.280 what ro do you watch? You watch television that much? 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:31.080 I go? I watch a lot. I read a lot. 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:34.720 I just know that I can't shut down because as 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:37.640 a manager your information, you have to be a trail plazer. 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:39.560 You have to be able to advise, you have to 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:41.920 be able at least have a conversation by so many 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:44.480 different layers, especially based on the type of talent that 0:07:44.520 --> 0:07:47.680 you're representing. And that's really the key to all of this, 0:07:47.880 --> 0:07:50.960 and so is that you have to be I'm not 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:53.000 trying to say you have to be super smart, you 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:56.760 just have to be knowledgeable. Yes, knowledge well, and that's 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.080 and that's exactly what you're saying. You have to you 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:01.800 have to read a lot. You you have to consume 0:08:01.840 --> 0:08:08.720 a lot of information, whether it's whether television, radio, podcasts, now, um. 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:11.880 You know. For for myself, I've been around a long time, 0:08:11.960 --> 0:08:14.760 so I've been on a huge learning curve over two 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:17.320 or three two or three years with this whole digital age, 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:21.040 and it changes daily, It literally changes daily. So the 0:08:21.040 --> 0:08:23.320 conversation you and I are having right now, if we 0:08:23.320 --> 0:08:26.160 were having a specific conversation about some type of marketing 0:08:26.240 --> 0:08:31.080 promotion or or show or anything of that nature, by 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:33.880 the time went off the conversation, it may have changed already. 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:36.520 It really has. It really really telling the truth there 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:38.880 for a fact, I remember just just a story because 0:08:38.920 --> 0:08:42.480 he's like me. We we transition. We started when you know, 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:45.000 just email, when the emails, you know, we grew up 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:47.120 in the cell phone era and then the Internet. But 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:50.480 I remember when uh, Steve Harvey that we was we 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:52.120 had a deal. We went up to New York two 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:55.040 thousand and five, two seven, and WBLS up there in 0:08:55.080 --> 0:08:57.640 New York, and then we moved to Atlanta. And between 0:08:57.679 --> 0:08:59.880 two thousand and seven and two thousand nine was when, 0:09:00.320 --> 0:09:02.480 you know, social media was starting to grow. And I 0:09:02.640 --> 0:09:06.280 kept noticing that, you know, all the CNN or whoever 0:09:06.320 --> 0:09:08.800 on news had their little handles, their little handles, you know, 0:09:09.040 --> 0:09:12.240 follow me, follow me. And I was still resisting because 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.800 we had like a nine hundred thousand fan club email base, 0:09:15.960 --> 0:09:17.920 so that was working for me. That was working for me, 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:22.160 and so but I just knew that this social media 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:25.280 had to happen. And and the reason I bring that 0:09:25.360 --> 0:09:27.760 up because it was in two thousand and twelve. The 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:31.200 reason we got our talk show was because I grew 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:33.920 his social media, and I grew on social media so 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:37.760 much that it competed with Dr Phil. You know, Katie 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:40.280 curic All our competition. The only person that was beating 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:44.040 us in social media at the time was Llen Degenerous. 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:46.719 And so so that's what you're saying right there, you're 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:49.480 saying Richane, you know, you not only have to know 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:51.240 what you need to know right now, you have to 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.040 be willing to change. And also when you change, you 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:57.120 have to be willing to see what what that what 0:09:57.200 --> 0:09:59.760 that change is gonna impact your your customers. So when 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:02.680 he said he trusts you, that says a lot because 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:04.360 guess what, it's a lot of things that are going 0:10:04.400 --> 0:10:07.040 on out there that can question him whether you're up 0:10:07.040 --> 0:10:09.199 to date or whether you are you on point? Are 0:10:09.200 --> 0:10:11.960 you start? So you still wired into the changes. That's 0:10:11.960 --> 0:10:15.439 a blessing man, that's a compliment to your talents. Well, well, 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:18.920 thank you, and you're absolutely right. You do have to change, change, 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:22.080 adapt and grow and when you don't know something, don't 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:24.079 be afraid to reach out and ask. I mean, I 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:27.319 consult with a lot of different people in a lot 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:30.760 of different areas because it's it's you know, there's so 0:10:30.800 --> 0:10:33.200 many things that are going on, whether whether you're dealing 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:37.520 with the law, what you're dealing with with uh uh 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:41.000 ledgers and accounting, whether you're digital dealing with the digital media, 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:44.960 digital media and social media, you have to be willing 0:10:45.040 --> 0:10:48.400 to to not know. Also, you have to be willing 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.920 to reach out to people who know more than about 0:10:51.960 --> 0:10:54.800 something than you do. And that's important, and that's important 0:10:54.840 --> 0:10:57.319 as a manager. You cannot be afraid to not know 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:01.840 when so when you go back to your client, you say, 0:11:02.120 --> 0:11:04.360 I can share this information with you. This is what 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:07.000 I've found out because I've reached out to someone who 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:09.760 knows what they're doing. They work on this every day 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:12.400 because we can't work on every little thing every day, 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:15.520 so we have to reach out to people. But you know, 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:18.360 the interesting part about your career and the brand Atrian 0:11:18.440 --> 0:11:21.440 that you've produced is that, I know, man, when you 0:11:21.480 --> 0:11:23.920 have black talent, a lot of people don't want to 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:27.240 mess with your talent. You know, they either have reputations 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:30.400 or they feel that they have limited growth potential or 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:33.800 and then as you grow that brand and other people, oh, 0:11:33.920 --> 0:11:37.160 I see now start to try to take advantage of 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:40.560 their relationship or manipulate the relationship to their advantage. And 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:42.840 then we have black music, mom, you know, which we 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:46.560 know to recognize the role of black music. When you 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:50.040 hear Little Richard his death recently, and and you reread 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:52.440 the Franklin and all these legends that are out there 0:11:52.520 --> 0:11:55.440 that are pastors and are still alive, the Paddle La Bells, 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:57.960 the Old J's, you know, all the individuals still like 0:11:58.000 --> 0:12:01.720 that producing great music. What's the hoarding of June being 0:12:01.760 --> 0:12:05.640 Black music month before we go to the next break? Well, 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:09.720 you know, I think it's important that we focus on 0:12:10.840 --> 0:12:14.960 black music, but as I really personally, I don't like 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:18.400 Black Music Month. I think every every month should be 0:12:18.400 --> 0:12:22.640 black music about absolutely, you know. You know, especially I 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:26.319 think it was last year rap took over, which is 0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:30.080 a print primarily black art took over all of music 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:33.199 as far as as far as value, as far as 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:37.640 amount of sales and streams, et cetera. And so, you know, 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:40.040 I think it's important to have focus and take time 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:41.840 so everyone focuses on it. But I think you need 0:12:41.840 --> 0:12:43.720 to focus on it all year round. I think they 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:47.360 need to needs to be events all year round focusing 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:51.120 on black music. Absolutely. We're talking to my man Atrian Gregory. 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:53.800 We're gonna be right back, Uh. I want to ask 0:12:53.880 --> 0:12:56.520 him about Tupac, and then we're gonna go Martin. I 0:12:56.600 --> 0:12:58.200 just got it. I can't be talking to the man 0:12:58.200 --> 0:13:02.400 who had two pack in his hands and not and 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:04.640 not just saying who I consider the greatest rapper of 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:07.280 all the time Rushan is putting yourself out there because 0:13:07.320 --> 0:13:10.600 I believe that be right back with Atroan Gregory money 0:13:10.600 --> 0:13:15.400 making conversations. It's finally here, the season of celebration. 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And because everything is hosted in a single, 0:14:24.280 --> 0:14:26.640 easy to use platform, it can be as big or 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:29.640 small as you want, remain convenient for anyone who wants 0:14:29.640 --> 0:14:32.400 to attend, and give you access to data you never 0:14:32.440 --> 0:14:35.760 would have known otherwise. Visit hoppin dot com to learn 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:40.320 more and get started. Still living in and manually taking notes, 0:14:40.600 --> 0:14:43.160 start the new year with auto dot ai to generate 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:47.320 automatic notes for meetings, interviews, or lectures. With auto dot ai, 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:50.680 you can search the meeting notes, insert images, playback the audio, 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:52.920 and share them with your friends or coworkers. You can 0:14:52.960 --> 0:14:56.840 capture action items, remember meeting details, and keep everyone informed. 0:14:57.000 --> 0:15:00.000 Auto dot ai works for in person or virtual meetings 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:03.000 like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google meet. Sign up for 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:05.520 free at auto dit ai or download the app for 0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:08.200 free auto dot ai. That's O T T E R 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:11.440 dot ai. This is ro Sean McDonald and you're listening 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:14.360 to money making conversation on the phone was Atrian Gregory 0:15:14.640 --> 0:15:18.280 um legendary manager, talent manager. I would not even put 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:20.440 my class myself in the class of him being a 0:15:20.440 --> 0:15:23.000 manage because this roster because I'm gonna just telling you 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:26.480 someone you when you're managing people, it's really you have 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:31.520 to be their friend. There, their parents there, the emotional 0:15:31.600 --> 0:15:34.200 leader there, there the confidant. You have to be when 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:36.200 they're down. You have to always stay up, you know, 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:38.440 and when they come to you for advice, you have 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:41.360 to have answers. You can't take anything personal. When they're 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:43.800 having a bad day, you can't take that personal. But 0:15:43.840 --> 0:15:45.920 you also have to guide them in the direction of 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:49.360 I was seeing the best opportunity for them. You can't 0:15:49.360 --> 0:15:52.840 make solo decisions. Is their career. Your ego could never 0:15:52.880 --> 0:15:55.480 get so big to say I made them. I always 0:15:55.520 --> 0:15:57.640 tell people, hey, I'm great at what I do, but 0:15:57.680 --> 0:15:59.920 if I didn't have the talent in front of me 0:16:00.240 --> 0:16:01.840 to be able to do what I did, you wouldn't 0:16:01.840 --> 0:16:04.840 even hear or even know of Rushan McDonald. So a 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:09.720 tupox corp um like the reason why why do the wish. 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:11.960 Why do you say that he's one of the greatest, 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:19.800 uh political speeches, socially rap, socially conscious, rap, uplifting rap. 0:16:19.800 --> 0:16:22.800 I consider Brenda's Got a Baby one of the great 0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:25.240 one of the all time great rap songs. Keep your 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:29.840 head up, um, how do you like it? One of 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:33.640 the great party songs. Um. Just just just an array 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:36.680 of music and talent from a young man who left 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:40.400 this world far earlier than we that I wish or 0:16:40.440 --> 0:16:42.720 anybody would have liked to have seen. So just talk 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:45.600 to us about managing of talent as unique. He was 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:50.280 an actor, poet, and h a vision area. Talk to 0:16:50.360 --> 0:16:55.200 us right quick, Atrian, Yeah, I think that boy that 0:16:55.320 --> 0:16:57.400 that that's a lot. And he was actually all of 0:16:57.400 --> 0:17:02.800 those things. And he came from a panther family, as 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:07.000 as some people may know, and so they they spent 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:10.840 a lot of time studying and learning and teaching him. 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:16.120 So he had a wide variety of of ways of 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:18.160 looking at things. That's why you could have Brent's Got 0:17:18.160 --> 0:17:20.160 a Baby, you could have Trapped, you could have how 0:17:20.200 --> 0:17:22.600 do you want It? You can have all those different songs, 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:25.439 you know, and and in this time it is just 0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:30.639 so interesting to me because I remember when Tupac was 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:34.639 accosted by the cops and and experience that we had 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:37.840 then and and you know, he was accosted by the cops, 0:17:37.880 --> 0:17:41.119 he was slammed on the ground, he was beaten up, handcuffed, 0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:43.639 and then we had to go to court to prove 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:50.480 prove a jaywalking ticket at jaywalking tickets. And you know, 0:17:51.800 --> 0:17:56.000 black young men really have to understand that the power 0:17:56.040 --> 0:17:58.520 of the police. And I know they're trying to change 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:00.919 some of that now and and and absolutely needs to 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:04.639 be changed. But the cop came over to Tupac and said, hey, 0:18:04.680 --> 0:18:07.919 he walked across street, you're jay walking. And Tupac, being expressive, 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:10.200 was just moving his hands and saying, why are you 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:12.439 askling me about this? Where you're hassling about this? And 0:18:12.480 --> 0:18:15.880 the guy didn't like a young man standing up for himself, 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:18.240 But that's what that's what a panther kid does. And 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:22.199 Tupac was absolutely a panther, black panther kid from from 0:18:22.200 --> 0:18:26.159 from that space. And so I just think it was, 0:18:27.359 --> 0:18:31.040 you know, important that his family taught him what what 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:34.720 they taught him so that so that he could then 0:18:34.880 --> 0:18:37.679 go on and be who he was able to become, 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:40.639 you know, through through a lot of people's support and 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:45.520 including myself. That's amazing. Now, I was looking to through 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:48.720 your bio and your catalog and information and different names 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:51.199 popped up. A name popped up that may be the 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:53.280 same name I know, And I love this young lady, 0:18:53.560 --> 0:18:59.680 Stephanie Frederick. Yes, yes, St. Stephanie Frederick is an awesome person. 0:18:59.720 --> 0:19:03.480 ACTS spoke to her this morning. Um, she's an executive 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:09.560 producer producer. Um. Year years ago she was a on 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:18.040 on air. Um uh Texas I'm from Houston, Texas. Yes, 0:19:18.720 --> 0:19:21.639 and um, yes, Stephane. Stephanie is absolutely great. She has 0:19:21.680 --> 0:19:26.600 she has a great company, F GW Productions. Uh. They 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:28.760 do a lot of things. Even when when she does 0:19:28.800 --> 0:19:32.760 the Oscars. Every year that stephanitiely does Oscars, she brings 0:19:32.800 --> 0:19:36.080 a young person to just tell her. How many people 0:19:36.119 --> 0:19:38.720 do that? Just hang out with her and experience that 0:19:38.800 --> 0:19:41.720 experience of experiencing the Oscars, what it's like to work 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:43.600 in that world, what it's like to be on the 0:19:43.640 --> 0:19:47.200 red carpet. I mean, how many people do that within 0:19:47.240 --> 0:19:50.720 their company? I mean I think that's just incredible. Oh, 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.480 you know, I've been knowing stefinitely. Uh. When I have 0:19:53.560 --> 0:19:56.480 to go way back to like ninety two when my 0:19:56.560 --> 0:19:59.000 comedy club, hip hop comedy stopped and she used to 0:19:59.040 --> 0:20:01.520 come there, and you know, she was on Fox News 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:03.960 at the time, and uh, you should tell me I 0:20:04.480 --> 0:20:06.960 could be great, I could be special. So I know 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:09.120 the value. I know that person that you're talking about, 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:11.960 how many people, not many? And I know that you 0:20:11.960 --> 0:20:14.040 know she she's a firm believer of paying it for 0:20:14.400 --> 0:20:18.600 and she does not allow a male dominated industry to 0:20:18.640 --> 0:20:21.479 stop her from being great. And that's when and I 0:20:21.520 --> 0:20:23.000 just had to bring that up. I saw you one 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:24.960 of the one of the individuals, one of the people 0:20:25.000 --> 0:20:28.560 on your roster, and that's important that you again another 0:20:28.640 --> 0:20:31.800 diverse roster again. You don't hang and say this is 0:20:31.840 --> 0:20:34.479 who I can only be. I can be more. Now 0:20:34.520 --> 0:20:41.159 let's talk about mellow moods. What exactly is that mellow moods? Well, so, 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:43.480 so what happened a few years ago, just to give 0:20:43.480 --> 0:20:48.919 me a little a quick history. I um, I started 0:20:48.920 --> 0:20:52.040 putting out some more rap records again, and realize that 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:54.080 I've gotten a little older. I don't you know, I'm 0:20:54.119 --> 0:20:58.960 not anymore want go hang out in the clubs. But 0:20:59.080 --> 0:21:02.640 I love music. It's just it's just my love. That's 0:21:02.680 --> 0:21:05.280 what I do. So I wanted to find something that 0:21:05.320 --> 0:21:09.240 I could do that was that was good and that 0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:13.320 brought peace and harmony to people because not a little older, 0:21:13.760 --> 0:21:15.920 you know, I need I need to wake up listening 0:21:15.960 --> 0:21:18.800 to pock And and Stanley Clark and a lot of 0:21:18.800 --> 0:21:21.119 other you know music that I like to listen to 0:21:21.200 --> 0:21:23.639 digital underground, but in the evening, I need something to 0:21:23.640 --> 0:21:27.639 go to sleep to. So it's all, there's all to 0:21:27.640 --> 0:21:29.359 go to sleep. Pipe, It's all to go to sleep. 0:21:30.480 --> 0:21:33.960