1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to the show. I am Rashwan McDonald, the host 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to 3 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: stop reading other people's success stories and start planning their own. 4 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: Listen up as I interview entrepreneurs from around the country, 5 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: talk to celebrities and ask them how they are running 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: their companies, and speak with nod profits who are making 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: a difference in their local communities. Now, sit back and 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: listen as we unlock the secrets to their success on 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,919 Speaker 1: Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Hi, I'm Rashan McDonald, our host 10 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: a weekly and money Making Conversation Master Class show. The 11 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: interviews and information is that this show provides off for everyone. 12 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: It's time to stop reading other people's success stories and 13 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: start living your own. My guest is the founder of 14 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: the Universe Soul Circus, an African American man who had 15 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: a vision of creating a circus with a large percentage 16 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: of people of color performing. Is based in Atlanta, Georgia. 17 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: Please he's working with the Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Mister 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: Cedric Walker. How you doing, Cedric? Hey, Sean, I are 19 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: you and thank you a lot? This opportunity, you know, 20 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: it's great. First of all taking the time to come 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: to my show. I know you're traveling around the world 22 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 1: and around the country of the United States. What city 23 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: are you in right now? That's in New Orleans, Louisiana. Wow, 24 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: that's a good Cajun food. Good food down there that 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: if everybody wants to Now you know you're traveling man, 26 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: and I traveled Like when I was ninety four, I 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: wanted to be a stand up comedian. I want to 28 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: a tease said. I thought I was gonna be the 29 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 1: next Richard Pride. I thought I would be next Adye Murphy. 30 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: Now in eighteen ninety four, you had an idea about 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: a circus. How can that happen? Please help explain it 32 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: to my audience, because it sounds incredible to me. A 33 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: vision will come to you like that. Yes, So we 34 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: were doing gospel plays. We actually had a play. I 35 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: was working on a play called Wicked Ways and with 36 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: Michael Matthews out of Detroit, and Wicked Ways was about 37 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: a lot of the challenges that our community faces. It 38 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: dealt with It dealt with kids growing up in the 39 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: inner city and getting into gangs. It dealt with fathers 40 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: raised and step signs as teenagers it dealt with professional 41 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: wives and mechanic husbands. It just dealt with a lot 42 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: of the challenges that our community faces. And I saw 43 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: kids in the theater. I saw whole families, and it 44 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: looked like I was in Pittsburgh at the Benadum Theater, 45 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: and it looked like I saw a father, mother, granddaughter, grandchild. 46 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: And I asked the play right, I said, man, this 47 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: is a gospel play. I know it's clean. I asked Mike, 48 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: and he said, it's because theater is the oldest form 49 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: of entertainment and went all the way back to be 50 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: or not to be. You could look on that stage, 51 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: on the Shakespearean plays and see yourself, and our community 52 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: is getting a chance to look at itself do these plays. 53 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: So that triggered the idea to create something that, because 54 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: we were very out entertainment was socially. It was comedy, 55 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: It was R and B, it was jazz, it was 56 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: you know, hip hop, right, it was dance. It was 57 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: kind of a mixed bag of everything. And I said, 58 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: how do we I got my team and I said, 59 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: how do we create something that touches everybody? So I 60 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: went to the library and every day eight I worked. 61 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: I worked, made part of my job reading about black 62 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: entertainment from the turn of the century. And what I 63 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: found was we trained animals in the varve billion days 64 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: black people trained horses and dogs and and so I 65 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: shared that with my team and and the idea was 66 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: from that the circus germinade. But it was all having 67 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: something for every generation of our family, something where father, mother, daughter, 68 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: granddaughter and grandson could all sit on the same beat 69 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: bent and enjoy each other, enjoying the shop. So that's 70 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: that's what started that, you know, you know when I 71 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: went because I know Michael, Michael Matthews is a great 72 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: guy and uh my many days of being under Steve 73 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: Harror morning. So we promoted a lot of his plays. 74 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: We probably bopped here's a couple of times in a 75 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: good way. And so when I talk about the circus, 76 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: you know, you did all this research, But it was 77 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: the naysayers out there, right, c oh man. My investors 78 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: all were in promably, both both black and white. I 79 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: had fun in Bundy guys, and they all just said me, 80 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: you are correct, Let well not go circus. Wow, you 81 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: know that was it just nobody believed. So I I, 82 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: you know, I did. I felt it. I don't know 83 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 1: where and what, but thede the course. But it was 84 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 1: challenging because we get stereotype, you know, we get stereotype 85 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: on technology, we get stereotype on the type of entertainment 86 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: of movies that we want to see. And also that 87 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: means the world can stereotype of. So I commend you 88 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: in pushing back and say, look, I feel that within 89 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: my gut and my research, this could work. And then 90 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: thirty years later, because you're celebrating your thirtieth year of 91 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: Universal Circus Zoul, I don't know if I'm gonna do 92 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: dog Conneia's version or we're going with the Rishaw version, 93 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: but either way it got a lot of soul than 94 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: the brother. And so the name, I'm sure you have 95 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: research when you did the name as well, correct Universal. Yeah, yeah, 96 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: the original name was Universal. I was back and forth 97 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: with my team Universal. I wanted you Soul from the beginning. 98 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: So when we got to l A, Universal Studio sent 99 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: us a cease and desist on Universal big top circuits. 100 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: So we were we asked them back, well, we want 101 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 1: to use Universe Soul, which was my original idea to use, 102 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 1: and they said absolutely, yeah, Well and sad. You look 103 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: around at the daff going told you now you gotta 104 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: be out here looking bad because you had to follow 105 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: my original idea, we wouldn't even be it. Now. This 106 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: is the good part of it, you know, because we 107 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: jumped a little bit. We had the idea, we got 108 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: the name. But you were traveling. How did you you 109 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: had the nay sayers about the whole concept centric and 110 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: how did you get to acts originally? How did you 111 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: start putting the circus together? 112 00:06:59,480 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: Well? 113 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: We we you know, when I wanted to do circus, 114 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: and part of my research was that's you know, circus 115 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs traveled the world and I couldn't wait to travel 116 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: the work it would have. It was going to be 117 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: a great experience. But that's what it took to do Circus. 118 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: But I do want to say that we started in 119 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety four in Atlanta, and initially it was an 120 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: effort to the initial concept and vision for it was 121 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: to uplift and celebrate the positive achievements and cultural contributions 122 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: of African Americans through a family attraction. And so that 123 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: was that was the you know, the impetus for what 124 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: people are seeing, and that still remains in the show. 125 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: What you saw, it's that feeling that they get once 126 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: they come under that big time. It's that soul that 127 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: we put in it that that didn'tentiate us. But yeah, 128 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: I went around the world, and it was challenging to 129 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: look for talent. But I saw it now. I said, 130 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: you know our audience, you know, we can't just give 131 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: them playing food. Now, gotta have that spice that I 132 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: can't I got it pretty real people, you know, black people. 133 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: I can't have a clothes line for a haigh wire 134 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: or magic you know. So uh So, No, I went 135 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: around the world and and just looked for and and 136 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: and it was amazing how many black performance circus performers 137 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: were doing phenomenal things that were out there. A lot 138 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 1: of manure uh in right here in America. The King 139 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: Charles True playing basketball on unicycles, just stuff that came 140 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: out of the hood came out and basketball on unicycles 141 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: was the only thing. We were the only ones that did. 142 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: So you had so many. Originally there was a girl 143 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: named Pamela Pamela Hernandez. Pamela was an African American from 144 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: la but she was one of the most respected air lists. 145 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: She would she was on Ranglin Brothers. But she'd be 146 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: in those arenas, but thirty forty feet in the air 147 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: doing trick. No, not under her, her and her partner. 148 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: And when when when I started listing the name the 149 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: acts that I wanted to bring the rest, and they 150 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: were black, and the rest of the industry, the whites, 151 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: the Europeans, everybody in the industry knew and respected these 152 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: black artists to the hides and oh, Pamela's gonna be there. 153 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be there. King Charles is gonna be there. 154 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna beat it. Wow. So it was amazing the 155 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: quality of black entertainment even back then in circus art. 156 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: We know it's really important as we tell this story, 157 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: and thank you for allowing me to ask these questions, 158 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: because I think the origin story or universe soul is 159 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: as important as what's happening now. Because in my life, 160 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: I first was introduced to your circus in two thousand 161 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: and five. I was managing Steve Harvey and we was 162 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: on WBLS in New York City and that circus when 163 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 1: I went into the first time, I didn't know what 164 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,599 Speaker 1: to think, you know, I went in there with curiosity, 165 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: but I walked away inspired because it was a circus 166 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: by us for us, that was the first thing that 167 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: really pushed me to positivity. And so I'm sure over 168 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: the years they have been different versions of the circus 169 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: as you go, because the circus I saw in two 170 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: thousand and five had an elephant, and the circus I 171 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: saw this past weekid recently didn't have an elephant or 172 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: any animals at the time. I think it was a 173 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: lion too that I saw at the time of two. 174 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: So talk about the trans position and the vision of 175 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: the circus over the years. So you know, just like 176 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan's said, you have to keep your eye on 177 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: where the ball is going, not where the ball is. 178 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: We try to and entertainment is a form, is an 179 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: art form that we'll society forward. So we try to 180 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: inspire that new direction and wherever it takes us. And 181 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: it's kind of more organic. It's just a platform for 182 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: young people to express new ideas through their their their artistry. 183 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,439 Speaker 1: So I mean, we've kind of it was challenging with 184 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: you know, to even think about or they to venture 185 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: into the show without the animals, but we realized how 186 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: the laws were changing, you know, the people were changing, 187 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: and we no longer could carry the animals from state 188 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: to state. Some state could, some states wouldn't. But but 189 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: but what we what we found out is that our 190 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: cultural artistry, our who we are and how much fun 191 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: we can have, and that that the family unit where 192 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: you're all we're all grandmother again, grandmother, father doing that, son, 193 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: all enjoying each other, h enjoying the show. We laid 194 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 1: into that, how do we be authentically us in a 195 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: performance that is for everybody at the same time and 196 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: and shares our culture. So a lot of the Afro 197 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 1: Beach music, a lot of the music you've heard in 198 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,839 Speaker 1: the show is kind of new ending music. A lot 199 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: of the new dance styles that American hip hop has 200 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: inspired around the world, whether they inspired it in China 201 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: or Africa, it came from our streets, came from America, 202 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: and it inspired the world. And so we we've incorporated 203 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: a lot of that inspiration. But just that NonStop energy 204 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: that is germane to our culture and our celebration sort 205 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: of like a family reunion under the big time. So 206 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: we just linked into our story and we continue to 207 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: do that as it involves. Let's speak of Cedric Walker, 208 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: the founder of a Universal Circus an inspirational voice in 209 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: our community because he had a vision, a vision he 210 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,319 Speaker 1: with a lot of other people did deny. He did 211 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: his research, he walked past the there and thirty years 212 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: later he celebrating the vision that we all can be 213 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: entertained by because the audience I saw was very diverse, 214 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: and not by accident, because I saw it in the 215 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: area of Atlanta, Georgia, which is the Atlanticxation, which is 216 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:57,199 Speaker 1: a mixed race, very upproparately mobile area of Atlanta, Georgia, 217 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 1: and the audience not over that. I knew it was 218 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: mixed race because the friends of mine as they went 219 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: to the show before me with wow, I didn't expect 220 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: it to be that diverse. Is that the goal now 221 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: or it just happens? 222 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 3: Please don't go anywhere, We'll be right back with more 223 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 3: money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making 224 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 3: Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan MacDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass 225 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 3: continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making 226 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 3: Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 227 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: Found all is to stay authentically black, period and how 228 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: will we do that? That is what transcends culture globally 229 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: being able to technically who you are. So you know, 230 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: we don't have a direction again except for the origin 231 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 1: of our show to uplift and celebrate the positive achievements 232 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 1: and cultural contributions of African American and student family entertainment. 233 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: So out you know, we're not going after any specific 234 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: arnory right run after the world. Awesome and thank you 235 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: for saying that. Now let's talk about these acts. The 236 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: bottom line is the acts. Now, this Chinese trap piece 237 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: act that you got the dazz with. My daughter, you know, 238 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: she's a I'm gonna be honest with you, she's one 239 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: of those people who came in there with doubts Cedric 240 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: because she's a Circus are late. You know, she peaks 241 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: circuts are late. She said, Dad, are you sure? I said, hey, hey, 242 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: these are my people. Now my boy Sedric, they go 243 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: take care of it. When she left my brother. She 244 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: is a one hundred percent universal fan. Okay, so know that. 245 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: But that trapeze act that put on it, she says, 246 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: that's better than anything she's ever saw anywhere, and she's 247 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: seen by fifteen of those shows. So talk about that 248 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: trap that the Chinese trapeze act, right, So we had 249 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: the we have to guess the grace and blessings of 250 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: driving scouts around the world, young scouts that are always 251 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: looking for what's new in different countries. And our scout 252 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: found this troop in a in their school, performing and 253 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: hadn't been out of the country yet, but had one 254 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: gold in every competition in China. And there's no fifteen 255 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: sixteen people flying through the air and no trapeze act 256 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: in the world. So I said, I have to have 257 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: that act. And so when the price tag uh with 258 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 1: the price yeah, the guy said it, we buys that. 259 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: He's crazy, and we bought as we wanted because that's 260 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: what circus is all about. It's just bringing unbelievable stuff 261 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: to the audience. Well, you know, the difference that really 262 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:08,439 Speaker 1: amazed me was a distance between them swinging it. I 263 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: was stunned by that distance. I was like, wow, I've 264 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 1: never seen this athleticism area or in leather sism like this. 265 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: So so again this is one thing. Another thing that 266 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: dazzled me, and a lot of things dazzled me. By 267 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 1: the way, Cedric the the was the I think they 268 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: the couple that was on the roller skates. Oh yeah, 269 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: from Cuba as the Alcabana Knights roller stating thing Cedria. 270 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: That right there, the g fource of them spinning. I 271 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: was I was taken aback, I was taking it back there. 272 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,199 Speaker 1: What is the training like when you get a couple 273 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:51,719 Speaker 1: like that, because it's danger involved, right, So everything you 274 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: see under the big tip, we carriated it. It's it's 275 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: been four or five years before it even hits out 276 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: stage and it could have been in school, in their schools. 277 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 1: We work with schools all over the world. We work 278 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: with schools in Ethiopia and Cuba and South America. We 279 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: work with schools in China, and we identify what we 280 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: want and depends on what level of of of training 281 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: they have achieved and what countries they come from, we 282 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: bring we send. We send trainers to Ethiopia, we send 283 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: trainers to West Africa, we send trainers UH to South America, 284 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: or we bring the performers here, send them to training centers. 285 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: Here's sort of UH. They get out of what you 286 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: would consider maybe high school or entry level, and then 287 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: we take them to that doctorate level in terms of 288 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: really putting the icing on the cake in terms of performance, 289 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: so that skating act came from two schools. There was 290 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: a dance school and Cuba where a sort of young 291 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: lady and acrobatic school, and they were combined and they 292 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 1: spent a few years training in Cuba. Then we brought 293 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: them here in Sally to Las Vegas to elevate their training. 294 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: Then we got them under the Big Top and created 295 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: a theme, the whole Cuban theme around them. So whatever 296 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: you see, I mean, we spent a good five years 297 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 1: of investment at about forty to fifty grand a year 298 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: just training these extents. You see our idea for our 299 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: artists work, and some of them we don't have to 300 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: train like the Caribbean. Right. The whole culture is you 301 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: know all about To me, that's one of the greatest 302 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: acts on our show, that their culture is designed to uh. 303 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: They you look at their faces in this smiling and 304 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,199 Speaker 1: that the happiest they performed, and they're going under fire 305 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 1: four or five rows. And you know, I mean, you know, 306 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: the culture in terms of the costuming the characters, Uh, 307 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: there's still well, everything means something, nothing is by chance, 308 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: nothing is just for flamboyancy on your eyes. It all 309 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: traces back to that culture in some meaningful way. So 310 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: everything is deep rooted that that you saw, well, you 311 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: know the amazing thing. Like I said, I just want 312 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: to share everybody my thoughts, my adventure. Go there and 313 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: see if the show is over two hours long. It's 314 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: not a thirty minute show. An hour show hour that 315 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:54,159 Speaker 1: it starts on time. Let me tell you all this, 316 00:20:54,880 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: universul Circus starts on time. Okay, because of the fact 317 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,719 Speaker 1: that a lot of people don't believe that because they 318 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 1: come in late. Okay, its circus is professionally run. Not 319 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: saying it wasn't, but people need understand you can miss 320 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: out on some great entertainment if you don't arrival time 321 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 1: because Universal Soul Circus starts all time. Now, let's talk 322 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: about the acts from Ethiopia, because I noticed, you know, 323 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 1: I'm looking at I'm exam I'm a little producer to 324 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: Centric and there was a lot of acts from Ethiopia. 325 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: Tell us about that. So etheo Opia is the leading world. 326 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:36,360 Speaker 1: They're leading the world and producing and providing black circus 327 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: or swampers. Wow, all over Europe, all over we had 328 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: the we have We're very proud that we got into 329 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: Ethiopia and the maybe nineties ninety six, ninety seven ninety 330 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: eight and started working with those circus schools and we 331 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 1: were the first to bring an Ethiopian act out of 332 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 1: Ethiopia to US circus touring in America. They had I 333 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: think that they had schools that were set up in 334 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: Ethiopia mainly to train kids. It was a program that 335 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: were and developed that was developed by some European circuit 336 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: well European circus entrepreneurs, and the idea was to help 337 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: the government keep the kids off the street. So they 338 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: were training them circus arts and it was cool. It 339 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: was a good idea, but the performers showed such great 340 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 1: enthusiasm and capacity until when I went there, I was 341 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,199 Speaker 1: totally blown away at the quality of of of some 342 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: and the shows were all about messages and they had 343 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: full circus shows that were you know, teaching kids about 344 00:22:55,520 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: age or teaching kids about you know, working. They taught 345 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: They had a lot of the But we we were 346 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 1: one of one of the first, and we've set invested 347 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: a lot of money in training in Ethiopia because the 348 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: kids show so much promise. Uh so we're very proud 349 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 1: of the work that they've done. We sponsor a big 350 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: festival there or one of the sponsors of the festival 351 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: they have, but there's some great We have a duo 352 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: aerial act that I've never seen and then thirty years 353 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: I've seen just about everything, but that duo, those two 354 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,360 Speaker 1: girls up in the air. You saw them, they were 355 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: They moved at a speed that no other dual aerial 356 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: act will move at. I think even dare to move 357 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: that fast, changing all those positions, thirty feet off the 358 00:23:53,119 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: ground with no no net net no, And you know, 359 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 1: I want describe in detail, but please go. What he's 360 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: saying is are just selling the significance of what they're 361 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: doing because it's impressive. And they were doing some things 362 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: our tear you said, I was going, is she about 363 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: to do that? Really? Okay? Now these sisters or they 364 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: were their twins, No, no, they work together. They come 365 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: out of the school. We have in the performance. We 366 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: have the hoop diving act, we have the girls in 367 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:32,680 Speaker 1: aerial act, and we have the three acts the Tea 368 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: Board and those are the three best strongest schools in Ethiopia. 369 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 1: We have their top acts. So those are the three 370 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 1: of the top acts from the strongest trainers and producers 371 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: and Atholpia and we were graced with that and blessed 372 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: because we were one of the early pondeers and helping 373 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: them with training and programming. Wow, beautiful as we go. 374 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: Like I said, it's nineteen eighty four. Ye division, we're 375 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: sitting here now thirty years later. What's on the horizon? 376 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: I mean, our culture is so rich and it deserves 377 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: so much and we've got it. There's a lot we 378 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: have to do. I think, you know, family and it 379 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: just didn't formally attraction industry. Ice shows that we have 380 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: yet to challenge. I mean there's a Bourbon street while 381 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: we have the street. I mean, there's just so much 382 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: that's that's what. It has to be authentic and it 383 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: has to be created authentically. But I have a lot 384 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: of ideas. I have ideas that should live way past me, 385 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: and I have a lot of challenges. This at the 386 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: tip of the iceberg with my friend that the fact 387 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: you allowed me to take time and your business schedule 388 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: because you run in a circus. Okay, I'm just running 389 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: a little small business with animals and chappeeside and all 390 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: kinds of human beings run around here trying to understand 391 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 1: what life is. You're the entertaining business. That's where you started. 392 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: You had the old run of animals, the whole Big 393 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: Top theme. You you did the gospel plays which are 394 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: very familiar with. But the bottom line said you just 395 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,640 Speaker 1: wanted to do family entertainment. Correct. Yeah, no, I thought 396 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: it was the need for it, you know, and I 397 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 1: saw it and we needed this. We need something that 398 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: uplifts our families and joins us together. It joins the generations. 399 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: It ties the young when of four year oldest watching 400 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: their parents sing soul karaoke to al Green and the 401 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 1: grandparents watching and doing the latest stint and the with 402 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 1: the fresh clouds in the ring, it just ties generations 403 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: to that. They really did because it was some little girl. 404 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: There was a song that they those rappers they started playing. 405 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: It was about thirty girl and little girls, and probably 406 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 1: a body in the fifth grade was singing. I went, 407 00:26:58,880 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: I don't know. 408 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 2: What they do it, but boy, it is really in 409 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 2: joyble to watch the connection because they just took off 410 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 2: and did the little dance and hit every word and 411 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 2: it was just fantastic. 412 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: But thank you for fighting me down there to see history, 413 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: my brother, because you're making history. Man. It was diversity, 414 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 1: the safety, the professionalism, walking in that door man it 415 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: was just a clean environment, safe environment. And again, ladies 416 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: and gentlemen, universe soul circus starts on time. Remember that. 417 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: Don't let nobody push no stereotype. I'm not saying this 418 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 1: out there, but people generally think that when you do 419 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: black things, you know cpee time, you know it gonna 420 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: start with It's gonna start not their circus, My brother, 421 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: thank you for the time, Thank you, thank you so much, 422 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: appreciate it. This has been another edition of Money Making 423 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: Conversation Masterclass hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to 424 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: our guess on the show today and thank you I 425 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: was listening to the audience now. If you were to 426 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 1: listen to any episode I want to be a guest 427 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 1: on the show. Visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media 428 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 1: handle is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and 429 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.