1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: It hit me one day. I said, Keenan, you're not 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: fulfilling your true potential. You should probably be much further 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: along in your career than where you are. So for me, 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: I had to make a decision and prioritize what was 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: important to me, and so becoming an executive became more 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: important than me than doing thirsty Thursdays. So thirsty Thursdays, 7 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: you know you're going out and you bring it home 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty two hundred and three hundred dollars 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: on a Thursday. Whereas you know, if you really dedicate 10 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: yourself to becoming a true executive, you know you don't 11 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: have to worry about those things. 12 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 2: Everybody, Welcome to another episode of butter Nomics. I'm your host, 13 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 2: Brandon Butler, found in CEO of Butter atl And Today 14 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: we have another special guest in the studio with us, 15 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: the one, the only, the Maven himself, the Maven. 16 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 3: I like that, Keenan Johnson. How you doing, Keenan. 17 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 4: Man, I'm amazing happy to be here with you today. 18 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 3: Oh man, it's hard to have you up in here. Man. 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're the architect behind some of the most important 20 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 2: things going out here in the music business. 21 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 3: You've been doing the work. Man. How you doing though? 22 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 3: How you feeling in general? 23 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 4: Boston? 24 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: Man, I'm today, I'm feeling great today. I'm feeling actually 25 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: pretty great. I've been looking forward to doing this this 26 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: podcast with you for a minute. I've actually been watching 27 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 1: your journey for some time now. I don't even think 28 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:19,759 Speaker 1: you realize, Like I remember when you used to work 29 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: at some companies back in the days and you were 30 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: doing like presentations. You know, I forget the company you 31 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: were at. But I've been just watching your journey for 32 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: a long time. So to see you a pivot from 33 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: like doing you know, tech within a company to actually 34 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: building your own brands and actually, you know, being a 35 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: big contributed to the city. I'm proud of it one 36 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: and two. Just happy to be a supportive of everything 37 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: that you're doing. 38 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 3: Oh no, man, I appreciate you. Man, same thing. 39 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: You know, we were talking and I mean we'll get 40 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: into it because it's funny. You know, one of my 41 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 2: best friends he has never sold dope shirt and literally 42 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: until I actually started doing the research, I didn't even 43 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: realize that was your brand. Yeah, man, and he rocks 44 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 2: it all the time. I hope it is out he's 45 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 2: got a couple. I think he's got a couple different 46 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 2: colors of it. You know what I'm saying. 47 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: Most people, most people that bought that bought Never So 48 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: Dope in Maven Brandy, they they definitely dove in and 49 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: got multiple versions of of the NSD product, which is 50 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: still alive at maybe the mavingbrand dot com. When when 51 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: I initially, you know, came up with the idea of 52 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: Never So Dope, you know, it came from a place 53 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: of frustration, to be perfectly honest, I think I mentioned 54 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: to you, I grew up in Harlem, New York in 55 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: the eighties and nineties, and you know, I think the 56 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: narrative for people that come out of certain communities is 57 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: always one is sometimes one sided. Yeah uh, you know, 58 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: whether it's through the media, whether it's through music, whether 59 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: it's through just us perpetuating you know, narratives that may 60 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: not be one way. And as much as I grew 61 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: up with people that you know, chose a life for 62 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: crime at some point or another for whatever reason, I 63 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: grew up with a ton of people that never chose 64 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: a life for crime, that were blue collar people, that 65 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: were college students, that were people that you know, just 66 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: survived the struggle of the of the hood and made 67 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: it out. So for me, my frustration was just seeing 68 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: this narrative of you gotta be one way to make 69 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: it out. So for me, I just wanted to provide 70 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: a voice for people like myself that came from those 71 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: communities that made it out, to show the shorties that, like, 72 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: you don't have to go that route, Like there are 73 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: people that come from those same backgrounds that do well 74 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: in life, that achieved so many great things in life, 75 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: and they've never taken that route. So that's where never 76 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: So Dope came from. And you know, it was like, 77 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: you're at a point where people actually listen to what 78 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: you say. You have a lot of social equity out 79 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: here that people believe in you. They look at you 80 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: as somebody who's who's to be trusted. What are you 81 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: going to do with it besides just benefit yourself? And 82 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: for me, it was like, all right, well, maybe this 83 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: is my way to give back and actually like balance whatever, 84 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: you know, karma, I got out here in the universe 85 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: to make sure that I'm giving back to the community. 86 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 3: You know, when did you start that? 87 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: Twenty thirteen? The idea came about twenty thirteen. I had 88 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: been mulling on it for about a month. It just 89 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: hit me one day and then the Grammys were coming up, 90 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: and I was like, you know what, if you're gonna 91 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: do it, you need to you need to really try 92 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: to launch this at a moment where people are gonna 93 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: be heavy on social media. 94 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 4: So it was a Friday. 95 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: A Friday, I never built the website of my life, 96 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: you know, founded, you know, incorporated the domain, put up 97 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: the website, did an at home, little stupid photo shoot, 98 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: and you know, by Sunday when the Grammys permit, I 99 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: was posting about NSD during the Grammys. It was a 100 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: ton of social traffic out there. So while the social 101 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: traffic was going crazy on the Grammys, people were also 102 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: tapping into the Maving brand. Yeah, so it it lit 103 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: the match for what the Maving brand would be. You know, 104 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: here we are almost ten years later and it's still 105 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 1: we still do units on it to this day. 106 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. 107 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 2: What's it like when you're when you're always saying like 108 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: if you're out in the wild and you see somebody 109 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 2: like you're somewhere else, theyn't even know you're around, Like 110 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: you at the at a Hawk's game where you somewhere 111 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 2: out of state and you see somebody rocking it, Like, 112 00:04:58,320 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: what's that feel like? 113 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 4: It feels good. 114 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: I mean I feel like what came from a truly 115 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: honest place, resonated with the people who need to resonate with, 116 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: and it lands the way I wanted it to, you know, 117 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: and it you know, for me, like I said Brandon, 118 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: like I know I've done well in life off off 119 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: the culture, and the culture has always supported me. So 120 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: for me at this point in life, it's like, how 121 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: do you give back? Like how do you lend your 122 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: social currency back to the culture and make sure you're 123 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: not just taking from it? So for me, like seeing 124 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: people embrace it was like one of the greatest moments 125 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: of my life. 126 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 2: To be perfectly honest, It's dope, man, that's dope. I 127 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 2: mean I've had similar experiences again where like even the 128 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 2: little stuff we've done, it's like you see it out, 129 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 2: you see it in public, and like, you know what, 130 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 2: I just I remember what I had that idea, and 131 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 2: it's just so dope seeing it being like out in 132 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 2: the wild and seeing somebody rocking it. Or you know, 133 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 2: I've been at events and I've seen people like rockets 134 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 2: and roll like butter t shirts and back in the day. 135 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 2: Oh man, you've you've really been down since day one, 136 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: you know, Yeah, to see. 137 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: Something come from your mind and actually you know, build 138 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 1: out to a brand and something that ends up on 139 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: magazines and you know, celebrities, social media and you know, 140 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: just people advocating for what the message is. 141 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 4: It's really a beautiful thing. 142 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: And honestly, I will say, in addition to that, I 143 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: feel like I was ahead of my time and taking 144 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: that approach to things. You know, I feel like, you know, 145 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: for a long time, people in positions of influence, a 146 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: lot of times they'll roll with whatever is going on 147 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: in culture, whether it be you know, detrimental or not 148 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 1: to the culture. And a lot of the music that 149 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: you know that was coming out and has been coming 150 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,600 Speaker 1: out over the last ten twenty years, just being honest 151 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: for our culture has not been super productive to building 152 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: our culture up, and a lot of times people don't 153 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: speak on it. So for me, it was like, all right, 154 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: I'm in a music business and a lot of the 155 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 1: music that I promote may not be so positive. But 156 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: how do I balance out what I'm promoting this music 157 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: to what I'm actually you know, given to the people 158 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: in real life, you know so, and you know I 159 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: had some trepidation around that, like, you know, nobody wants 160 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: to be considered corny, Like you know, nobody wants to 161 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: put this social courtesy on the line, you know. But 162 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: for me, it was like, you got to do that, 163 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: you gotta do that, And here we are today. I 164 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: feel like a shift is happening in culture where people 165 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: actually speaking up people of notice that, people of high caliber, 166 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: or speaking up on things finally and saying this ain't cool, 167 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: this is not serving us anymore. And you know, it's 168 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: just good to be at the front. 169 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 4: End of that. 170 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, now we get into that too. 171 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: I mean, I have one grew up on the Chronic 172 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: by Doctor Dre and Outcast. 173 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:31,559 Speaker 3: I had both codes. That's my two favorite albums. 174 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 2: I took people all the time and in the first 175 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 2: Outcast album what I rock with all day long. But 176 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 2: to your point, I think we're starting to see a 177 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 2: little bit of a change, Like even when I talk 178 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 2: to my kids and the kind of music they listen 179 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 2: to and the kind of things that are being talked about, 180 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 2: like they're not talking about that same stuff. Like where 181 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 2: do you think that change is coming from nowadays. 182 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: The kids are just more diverse than they're thinking, you know, 183 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: they're they're spreading their wings and adapting to the world 184 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: in different ways. I think social media has opened up 185 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: the world in such a way to you know, there's 186 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: not just one lens to see the world through anymore. 187 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: There's so many different things coming at them, whether it's 188 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: you know, in school or social media or just in life. 189 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: You know, Like my daughter Forends just like she has 190 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: a wide range of friends, you know, and it's not 191 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: just the typical urban point of view being slammed at 192 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: her every day. Even though she's a very conscious black girl. 193 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: She's receiving all different messages each day, and she's she's 194 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: able to siphon through what actually is good for her 195 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: and good for her community and the people around her. 196 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: At this point, like my thought, I don't even like 197 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: to hear, to be perfectly honest, none of that wild 198 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: hip hop ish like when we're in the car, she 199 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 1: don't want to. 200 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 3: Hear none of that. Luck. 201 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: It's the same way I'm not gonna lie I turn 202 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: on Like if I turn on the radio stations that 203 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: play hip hop and R and B, she's after like 204 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: five minutes, like Daddy, turn this, And I've never pointed 205 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: her in that direction, like honestly, like I want her 206 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: to be able to make a lot of her choices 207 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: on her own and not steer her in my direction. 208 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: But to see her in her friends turning away from that, 209 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: I think, you know, the ship is happening because they 210 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: realized this is not really good for my mind. 211 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, like they're. 212 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: Feeling that early in their lives and they're not really 213 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: taken to it. And that's cool with me, Like I'm 214 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: totally fine with it. And I feel like the generation 215 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: now they're just a lot more keen to what they're 216 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: taking in. 217 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's a lot more. It's a lot 218 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 3: more diverse. 219 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 2: Like even the kind of stuff that my daughter tells 220 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: me about or she listens to, it's like stuff I 221 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 2: never because again, a lot of that stuff again to 222 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 2: your point, like nobody want to be corny, but we 223 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 2: didn't talk about anime back in the day. We didn't 224 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 2: talk about some of these things like a blur and 225 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 2: all that stuff, right, and now it's like, no, there's 226 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 2: there's spaces for everybody, right, And I think that you know, 227 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 2: to your point, you know, the Internet and the world's 228 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 2: kind of opened up so many different opportunities for people. 229 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 2: But like what about when you first got into business, 230 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 2: Like how did you first get in the music business. 231 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: My entry to the business was through the street team. 232 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: So when I was at Clark Atlanta, I knew that 233 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: I loved the music and I was a hip hop fanatic, 234 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: and my dad was in the music business as well. 235 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: But you know, I'm my own person, so I wanted 236 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: to my own way in. So I was when I 237 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: was going to Clark, my friend Jay Irvin, he actually 238 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: had this account for Loud Records doing street promotions, and 239 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: he needed somebody to be like the grunt, the person 240 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: to go out on the street and like really get 241 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: it in. So, you know, for about two years I 242 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: worked under Jay doing street promotions, putting up poster boards, 243 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: putting up stickers, servicing records to club DJs, being like 244 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,599 Speaker 1: the guy on campus that had all the new product, 245 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: you know. So for me, like having access to, you know, 246 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: product from some of the dopest music out of the time, 247 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: from like Wu Tang Mob Deep Alcoholics, I was able 248 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,319 Speaker 1: to like build a relationship with a lot of people 249 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: at the clubs, a lot of people in lifestyle places 250 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: and actually become like the go to for new music. 251 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: So after like two years of doing that for Jay, 252 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: I actually ended up getting the account, ended up creating 253 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: my own company, which was an FCC after two years, 254 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: and ended up having like a bunch of just different 255 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:00,080 Speaker 1: street promotion counts from there from that point on. 256 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 2: Now, over your career, like, what's some of the most 257 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: iconic moments of music you've been a part of? 258 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 4: Man, the master P era was probably the first one. 259 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: Fresh out of college, I worked at a Priority Records 260 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety seven and I worked all of the 261 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: master P albums from Soak the Shaka. It's like an 262 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: album every week, man, it was literally an album every week, 263 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: Sulk the Shaka, Mia ex Mystical, you know fiend, like 264 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: so long, all of that. So that that was my 265 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: entry point. So, you know, being in the South, the 266 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: South was still rising at that point, and P was 267 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: you know, the the you know, the standard bearer for 268 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 1: what the new South was going to be at that moment. 269 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: So it opened up a lot of doors for me 270 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: in my career because I was pelling in the hottest 271 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: product on the block, and that was that was like 272 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: my original first job that made me like like like 273 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: put me on the scene as like the next guy 274 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: on the scene here in Atlanta. 275 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 2: What was it like that time? Like I'm not one 276 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 2: of those like old Atlanta guys. I was like, oh, 277 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 2: it's just better. But I think it was just different, right, 278 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 2: Like people were moving different and especially discovering music was 279 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: different because street teams and promotion was like really important. 280 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 2: You didn't have you know, we didn't have even have 281 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 2: Napster back then. You know, we didn't have social media. 282 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 4: Right. 283 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 2: It was literally you're hearing stuff on the radio for 284 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 2: the first time, you know, getting you know, promo CDs 285 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 2: and you know cassette tapes. If y'all remember cassette tapes? 286 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: Are I still know cassette tapes? 287 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: We met? 288 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 2: You know, But like, like what was it like discovering 289 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 2: new music back at that time? 290 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: Man, A lot of the music the culture was just growing. 291 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: Like I feel like Atlanta, I like to call it 292 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: fertile ground. It was fertile ground for all new opportunities 293 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: within the culture. Like people were just figuring it out, 294 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: like being in school, we were figuring out how to 295 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: get in the culture through through the street teams, the 296 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: artists out here were figuring out through the club scene, building, 297 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, making their own music, selling music out the try. 298 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: The DJs out here were building their own communities and 299 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: and and just surrounding the music that was coming out 300 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: of the South. And we all became our own community, 301 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: just building on each other, upon each other. And I 302 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: think that's one of the greatest things about Atlanta to 303 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: this point. You know, it's always been about community, surrounding 304 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: each other, putting our arms around each other, and and 305 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: and being proud about what the city and Southern culture 306 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: was was was contributing to the to the greater culture. 307 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 4: You know. 308 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 2: So you were part of a lot of different careers. 309 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 2: But like even working with Kendrick back in the day, 310 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 2: now he's doing the Super Bowl, Like what was that 311 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 2: whole process like of working with Kendrick Lamar back in 312 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 2: the early days. 313 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: Man, I identify Kendrick early as as a generational talent. 314 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: I'm a hip hop had, you know, first and foremost. 315 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: You know, Like so for me, like there's one thing 316 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: with music that pays your bills that you have to 317 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: promote and actually have to make sure it's a priority 318 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: and it gets the attention that it needs to and 319 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: then there's projects that you're truly passionate about. And Kendrick 320 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: Lamar from day one was always a guy that I 321 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: was super passionate about working with, from section eighty days 322 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:07,839 Speaker 1: when before he was with Interscope to the point when 323 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: he got on Enscope with the swimming Pools record with Drake. 324 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 1: You know, from swimming Pools on, we were able to 325 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: like build this guy up and take a true blue artist, 326 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: you know that was not necessarily a pop leaning artist 327 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: or anybody that had all this razzal dazzle to him, 328 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: and build them up based on this true artistry, you know. 329 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 4: So for me being able to. 330 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: Help him see hit and tdec their goals through the 331 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: making him an icon and a household name, it's probably 332 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: been one of the crown and achievements of my career. 333 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 2: When you say you saw somebody like Kendrick in those 334 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: early days and you knew that he was a generational talent, 335 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 2: he would be an icon just like from a music 336 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 2: industry standpoint, like what is it that you saw in him? 337 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 2: It made you feel that way he. 338 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: Was talking about subjects that were so much deeper than 339 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: the surface level subjects that was dominating the music at 340 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: the time, like even on section eighty, like addressing a 341 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: lot of the issues to deal with, you know, what 342 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: women were going through. Like there was this one song 343 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: on a section need called Tammy Song, you know, where 344 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: he's talking about this young lady who's you know, prostituting 345 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: herself and the mental instability and decisions that she has 346 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: to make going through just trying to provide for herself 347 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: in life and how you know, just you know, approaching 348 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: subjects like that from a woman's point of view. I 349 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: was like, a lot of guys ain't even considering the 350 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: first of all, they're not even thinking about how a 351 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: woman is thinking and what their life is like on 352 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: a daily basis. But to be able to actually speak 353 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: to it in such a unique way, I was like, 354 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: this guy is different. This guy's different. And then the 355 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: music was also jamming, if I'm being honest, like, you know, 356 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: so to be able to combine you know, actual substance 357 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 1: with music that actually feels good and can make you 358 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: and con resonate within your soul, that's a special thing. 359 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 4: And everybody don't have that. 360 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I don't talk about this a lot, 361 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 2: but I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonn gon share 362 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 2: something little, little deep personal here for a second. So 363 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 2: a lot of people know this, but my dad was 364 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 2: in the music business also, and I kind of grew 365 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 2: up around it. He was acer you don't know if 366 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: you've heard of Renee and Angela back in the day. 367 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 2: Of course those are my god parents. Oh wow, you 368 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 2: know what I'm saying. So I would go to LA 369 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 2: all the time and hang out my dad and he'd 370 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 2: be working to see he was one of their producers, 371 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: and him and Rene are best friends to this day. 372 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 3: And so I grew up around a lot of that stuff. 373 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: I remember he even, you know, worked on some David 374 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 2: Hasseoff albums, So I know a couple of David Hasselhoff 375 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 2: songs just from being around and being in the studio. 376 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 2: One thing I remember I was I was hanging out 377 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 2: with them one day and I think it might have 378 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 2: been actually like Barry Gordy or somebody, but I remember 379 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 2: I overheard him talking and he said something that I 380 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 2: always remembered. He said, one of the things about timeless 381 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 2: music is when you listen to timeless music, the chorus 382 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 2: especially is a complete thought. I'll never forget that he 383 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 2: said that. Wow, and the example he gave was Stevie Wonders. 384 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 2: I just called to say I love you. He said, 385 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 2: that's the chorus, that's all. Yet it's complete thought, and 386 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 2: that's what makes it timeless. Then I listened to a 387 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: lot of stuff today. It's like, those are complete thoughts, 388 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 2: you know what I mean, that's just you know, just 389 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 2: out of here. 390 00:16:57,920 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 3: What do you think about an idea like that? 391 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: I mean, it sounds about right. Here's the funny part 392 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: about you even saying that. How many artists do you 393 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: hear say today that, oh I don't write that, it's 394 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 1: just whatever comes out. 395 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, And that's it. 396 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: Like, so, there's there's not a lot of preparation I 397 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: think being contributed to the to a lot I'm not 398 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 1: going to say all of it, but a lot of 399 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: the popular music today. 400 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 4: But I think the tide is changing. 401 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 1: I feel like, you know, going back to our earlier point, 402 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: these kids are craving for more. I feel like that's 403 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: part of the reason why hip hop as a whole 404 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 1: right now, the you know, frontline music for hip hop 405 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: is actually you know, on the downscreen right now if 406 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: you look at streaming trends, right and I think a 407 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: lot of it has to do with you know, where 408 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: these kids are. They want more, and they're demanding more 409 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: of their artists. So what they're doing now is they're 410 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: tuning out so to your initial point, like the music 411 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: that actually has some thought behind it, where people are 412 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 1: actually building out the story and actually, you know, trying 413 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: to mix something that that's going to be long lasting 414 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 1: is actually rising to the top at this point. Like 415 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: consider like a song like we Gonna Be Alright, like 416 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 1: by Kendrick, Like, yeah, that's a fully thought out situation, 417 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: you know, speaking to our condition but not succumbing to 418 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 1: our condition and and and overcoming it through song and 419 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: it being a rally and crowd for what our life 420 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: has to be moving forward, like don't as hard as 421 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,239 Speaker 1: things could be, we Gonna be all Right, like one 422 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: of the greatest songs I had to work in my life, 423 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: Like that was such a pleasure to work that. 424 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I'm be honest, you man, I blame Lil 425 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 2: Wayne for some of this too, but not for the 426 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 2: reason you might think I'm a blame Little Wayne, because 427 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 2: Little Wayne is one of the goats. Okay, Well, the 428 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 2: reason why I blame Lil Wayne is because he is 429 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:41,439 Speaker 2: so good at what he does. There was when like 430 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 2: when that whole little Wayne Dedication all that stuff was 431 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 2: coming out. Yeah, like for him to drop that much 432 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 2: music that consistently, I think we kind of got into 433 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 2: this space where people thought that it was more of 434 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,439 Speaker 2: a quantity game than a quality game, and when they 435 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: didn't realize was he was doing both more often than not. 436 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 2: He had the quantity and the quality. I think now 437 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 2: it's happened is you got artists just focusing on the 438 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 2: quantity and to your point, they're just trying to push 439 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 2: stuff out so they can be like that, but they're 440 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 2: missing the whole Well, you gotta actually have subjects things 441 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 2: to talk about, right, So they're trying to copy him, 442 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,440 Speaker 2: and it's like, hold on, you're missing the other side 443 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 2: of the formula here, because he had the talent and 444 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 2: all the skills to go with it where he could 445 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 2: drop twenty songs or remixes and all this stuff. 446 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 3: But all of them were you know, all of them 447 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 3: were dope. 448 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 2: They all talked about different things, and you just tell 449 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: the musicality and like his real talent was in there. 450 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 2: Like now again, a lot of these casts is just 451 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,160 Speaker 2: dropping stuff to just be dropping stuff. 452 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: Also you know, you got to think like Wayne earned 453 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: the right to do that because Rain is truly like 454 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: a real deal artist. And you also got to consider 455 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: what happened between the time when Wayne came up to 456 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 1: where we are today. The barrier entry to actually creating 457 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: music and putting music out went from one hundred to 458 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 1: zero in the last twenty years. Right So now the 459 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: market is just saturated with a bunch of people, some 460 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 1: that are actually true artists that believe in their craft 461 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: and believing what they're saying on these songs, to people 462 00:19:57,840 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: who are just out here trying to make a buck. 463 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 1: So I would guarantee to say the scale has slid 464 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: so far to the other side of people who are 465 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: not truly artists but actually trying to make a dollar 466 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: out of it, which I get if you're looking for 467 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 1: a way out of your situation, sometimes you just got 468 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: to do what you gotta do. 469 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 4: I understand that. 470 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: But it's just created a situation where the market is 471 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: just oversaturated and now people are just tuning out because 472 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: it's too much of the BS. The BS is such 473 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: a hot in high quantity right now, people are having 474 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: a hard time finding it, sifting through where the good 475 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: stuff is, you know. 476 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 3: And there's nothing funnier. 477 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 2: And they're watching some of these TikTok artists who all 478 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 2: y'all know is ten secons of a song trying to 479 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 2: do a whole concert and they know it going in 480 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 2: and all. 481 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 3: People can do is sing alone for like a half second. 482 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, because they're not singing to the song. They're singing 483 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 1: to a sound, right. TikTok is based off sounds moments 484 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: in the song, not actual a full blown song that 485 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: you've actually fell in love with. You fell in love 486 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: with a moment that's going to make you look good 487 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: on social media for a moment you haven't actually fell 488 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: in love, not with the artists, let alone the song. 489 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: So that's the difference now, and that's the tough part. 490 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: People's listening habits. Some music has changed so much because 491 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 1: of social media, and it's tough like anything. Brandon like, 492 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: I think over time, the scales they swing one way 493 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: and then they swing. 494 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 4: Back to the middle. 495 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 1: So, you know, I think we're in a cleansing process 496 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: now where this gen Alpha that as much as they're 497 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: into social and TikTok and all the things, I feel 498 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 1: like they're going to be the generation that leans more 499 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: back into the things that make them feel good and 500 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: taking time to find the things that truly are uplifting 501 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: to them and to the culture. 502 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely. 503 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 2: Now, even while you were, you know, doing the music 504 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 2: stuff and you were working in the industry, you were 505 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 2: also balancing that by doing like events and promotions. 506 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 3: And parties and stuff. Right, Like, how did you balance that? 507 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 3: That seems like a lot. 508 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 4: There wasn't no balance. What was that? What was that? 509 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 3: I mean? 510 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, all through my twenties, thirties and part of my forties, 511 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:56,399 Speaker 1: I was out here working for record labels. Most people, 512 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: honestly on the scene didn't even know I worked for 513 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: record labels at that time because I was or so 514 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: on the scene doing parties, you know, with my team 515 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: FCC super Friends, who a lot of people are familiar with, 516 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 1: you know, events all around the city, day parties for years, 517 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: Sunset Lounge, the CEU homecoming party every year, like just 518 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: a bunch of just tempole events in the city. For 519 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: a long time. There was no balance, brother, I was. 520 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,239 Speaker 1: I was out here trying to be a husband, a 521 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: party promoter, many executive and just keep my keep my sanity. 522 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: But you know, that's what you do in different stages 523 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 1: of your life, you know, and and frankly balance wasn't 524 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: my top priority then getting to this money was. So 525 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 1: you know, you go through stages in your life and 526 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: you know, kind of like we were speaking to earlier, 527 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 1: you you change over time. Now, my you know, the 528 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: things that important to me are not the same what 529 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: they were back in the days. I don't I don't. 530 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: I don't crave for those things that come from the 531 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: street anymore. 532 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 2: Do you think that, like when you were doing the 533 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 2: events and all that stuff, it impacted the kind of 534 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: work you were doing in the music industry or you 535 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 2: know that they those things kind to help each other out. 536 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 4: They went hand in they went hand in hand. 537 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: Like you know, the one thing about music and rap, 538 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: you know, rap is kind of a young man's game 539 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 1: and you need to stay in the loop on what's 540 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: going on coming out of culture, and much much of 541 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 1: our cultures comes from the street level, yeah, you know, 542 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 1: whether it be moving around the clubs or just you know, 543 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: just lifestyle things in general. You know, they oftentimes build 544 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 1: up from the street first and didn't bubble up to 545 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: pop culture. So for me, it was important to be 546 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 1: you know, fully ingrained to the Atlanta culture at that time, 547 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: and you know, Atlanta, you know, for the last twenty 548 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: thirty years has been the engine that's you know, propelled 549 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: hip hop. So you know, for me being a part 550 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: of that, I think that was part of my X factor, 551 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: you know, and my growth in my career and making 552 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: me so important to the companies that I work for. 553 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 2: Then what were some of the things that made you 554 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 2: feel like it was time to kind of make make 555 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 2: a little bit of a pivot and refocus back on 556 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 2: your career as an executive. 557 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 3: I know you kind of talked about the chat of that. 558 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: It hit me one day, I said, Keaton, you're not 559 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: fulfilling your true potential. 560 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 4: You're out here, you're. 561 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: A regional or national rep for a record label, but 562 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: you should probably be much further along in your career 563 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: than where you are. So for me, I had to 564 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 1: make a decision and prioritize what was important to me, 565 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: and so be becoming an executive became more important to 566 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: me than doing thirsty Thursdays. So, you know, thirsty Thursdays, 567 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 1: you know you're going out and you bring it home 568 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty two hundred and three hundred dollars 569 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: on a Thursday. Whereas you know, if you really dedicate 570 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: yourself to becoming a true executive, you know. 571 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 4: You don't have to worry about those things. 572 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, you don't have to chase those little small dollars 573 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: because the work that you put into become an executive 574 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: will sustain your life. So, you know, it came a 575 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: point where I just, you know, I had to put 576 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 1: it down, and it's hard putting down cold cash, like 577 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: and I say thirsty Thursdays, but I'm just saying promotions, 578 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: you know, in general in clubs. Yeah, cash money is 579 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: cash money for anybody. But you got to at a 580 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: point you got to make a decision to bet on 581 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: yourself and bet on you know, the things that important 582 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: to you. So coming to an executive became super important 583 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 1: to me at some point, and I was successful at it. 584 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,679 Speaker 2: I've always wondered to, like, as a music executive, like 585 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 2: what are you judged on? 586 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 3: Like what are the things that you're judged on? 587 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm sure some of it can get a 588 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 2: little get a little blurry sometimes, but yeah, you know, 589 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:29,119 Speaker 2: as a person, if they want to get in the 590 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 2: business or they want to kind of do that work, 591 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: what are some of the metrics and things they get 592 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 2: judged on that help them kind of go to the 593 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 2: next level in their career. 594 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 4: Well, I just speak for myself. 595 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: I mean I think it's a black executive, you gotta 596 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: display competence at all levels one, you know, I think 597 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,360 Speaker 1: for a long time, so many executives were getting put 598 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: on by their friends, especially during the heyday, early days 599 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,640 Speaker 1: of hip hop, when everybody were getting We're getting these 600 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: boutique labels, and they were putting their people on. And 601 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: then you look up and you have people in these 602 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: cease that weren't actually competent at the gate. They couldn't, 603 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,679 Speaker 1: you know, actually manage budgets, you know, they can't actually 604 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: speak to what the plan and strategies was to market 605 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,640 Speaker 1: and promote projects, you know at the end of the day. 606 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: So for me, I do my homework. 607 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 4: You know. 608 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,479 Speaker 1: I don't believe in going into meetings unprepared. And I 609 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: always know when I step into a room as a 610 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:24,160 Speaker 1: black executive, I'm probably representing my community as well, because 611 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: they're looking to you know, you know, just if we're 612 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: being honest, a lot of times they're looking for the 613 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: you know, the things that don't actually line up. I 614 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: never want to give anybody any reason to say he 615 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: doesn't belong here. So, you know, for me, competence, but 616 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: also being very authentic at the same time, being able 617 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 1: to offer a point of view that people who don't 618 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 1: look like us they don't naturally have because they don't 619 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:50,399 Speaker 1: come from the community. So being able to come in 620 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: and have an authentic voice back up with competence, I 621 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: think it's a big deal. 622 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 3: Okay, okay. 623 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 2: And over the course of that, like if you have 624 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 2: to say there's one big lesson that you learned against 625 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 2: you kind of made that transition and said, all right, 626 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,399 Speaker 2: I'm gonna lean in on this. I really want to 627 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 2: kind of get it, Like, what was a big lesson 628 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 2: that you kind of learned you went back into that 629 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 2: transition and kind of rededicated yourself to that part of 630 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 2: your career. 631 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: That's a that's a that's that's a tough one right there, 632 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 1: because I say that because man, for all the you know, 633 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:23,399 Speaker 1: the gains that I had in my career during the 634 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 1: last ten years, going back to that balance question and 635 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: didn't have balance, yeah, and balance ended up making some 636 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: of the things in my personal life suffer. So I 637 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: would I would just advise anybody on this journey chasing 638 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: their goals to always you know, take a step back 639 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: from time to time and and and and really look 640 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 1: at what are you doing this for? You know, what's 641 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: the end goal? 642 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 4: One? Two? 643 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: And are you making sure that you know the end 644 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,879 Speaker 1: goal is encompassing all the things that you want to 645 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: come from this and not just the business part of it, 646 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 1: if that makes sense. 647 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 3: No, fallow you one hundred percent. Man. 648 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 2: Now you're you're in this place now too where you're 649 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 2: getting You're you're relaunching or kind of you know, reinvigorating 650 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 2: the Maven brand, like out of curious, like where'd that 651 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 2: name even come from? 652 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: So Maven the short definition of Mayven is an expert 653 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 1: or connoisseur. So for me, you know, I always felt 654 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: like my presentation was someone that was beyond approach, a 655 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 1: trusted source, and a person that people never had a 656 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: bad word to say about. Like and that's not coming 657 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: from me, This is coming from people Like I speak 658 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: to people to this day, Like I was talking to 659 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: someone yes, and They're like, man, no one ever has 660 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: anything bad to say about you, And I was like 661 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: I would hope, So like like you know, for me, 662 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: I always wanted to my walk to be a walk 663 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: of integrity and never succumb to what they say you're 664 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: supposed to be as an executive in this business or 665 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: just anybody in the business. Like I remember a lot 666 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: of the guys when I was coming up and not 667 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 1: on really yet you know, during the street teen days 668 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: or before you know, I really got into games. You know, 669 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: for real, they weren't the nicest people, and they weren't 670 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: the most scrupulous people, and kind of just you know, 671 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: with the thought process behind never so dope, I wanted 672 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: to show that there could be another way about going 673 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:16,959 Speaker 1: about this. 674 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, you don't. 675 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: Have to be an unscrupulous mean part of my language, 676 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: asshole to be successful in this business. You can actually 677 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: be a decent person and still be a killer at 678 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,719 Speaker 1: what you do and walk a good walk in this thing. So, 679 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: you know, I was always cognizant that people were watching 680 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: my walk, and I always wanted to present in the 681 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 1: way that that people received it in a positive way. 682 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 4: So that's that's kind of where the MAVN part came from, 683 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 4: and what. 684 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 2: Kind of inspired you to put some life back into 685 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 2: it and kind of you know, bring it back even bigger. 686 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 3: Than it was before. 687 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, ill, so maybe it will encompass you know, a 688 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: few different things because life has changed. 689 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 4: You know. 690 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: The original thought behind Navin Brand was for it to 691 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: be an agency. 692 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 4: You know. 693 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: I would get these calls from time to time from 694 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: people you know, in New York, in LA we got 695 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: a brand they're looking to execute in Atlanta. We want 696 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: to put some people in a room. You know, we 697 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: need you to help market this. So, you know, I 698 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: did that a couple of times, like, okay, well maybe 699 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: you create an agency. So and then the never so 700 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: Dope thing came to mind. I was like, well, maybe 701 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: this would be a good way to get people's attention 702 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: with this provocative statement never so dope. So the whole 703 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: campaign was never So Dope was I was going to 704 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: send out the packages to all these different brands and 705 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: people in the industry that I knew, to get their 706 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: attention and have them reach back out and say what 707 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: is this about? 708 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 4: Like, what the hell you like? What is never so dope? 709 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 4: But it worked so well. 710 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: It ended up becoming what the focus of the brand 711 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: was Never so Dope at the time. 712 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 4: So here we are now in. 713 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 1: Twenty twenty four, Maven Brand would definitely, you know, reach 714 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: back into the original thought process of what the roots 715 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:02,239 Speaker 1: are going to be agency based as well as you know, 716 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: still leaning into the product side as well. 717 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 2: Now, look, I'm a big fan and a big you know, 718 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 2: proponent of the agency space I've been in for a while. 719 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 2: But I'm telling you, man, people don't understand. It's tough, 720 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 2: you know, but sure, but I think the thing that, 721 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 2: you know, the advantage you definitely have is you have 722 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 2: the relationships and the credibility, and like coming in with 723 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 2: that is monumental. Are there certain stuff you want to 724 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 2: focus on in doing that? 725 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: Man, I want to be able to mix you know, 726 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: great partnerships with community outreach as well. I mean community 727 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: outreaches is very strong for me. We were talking before 728 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: the before we started, and just where I'm in life, 729 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: I'm just looking for greater meaning in everything that I do. YEA, 730 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: making a buck is important, for sure, but my contribution 731 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 1: to the community and what my lasting impact is very 732 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: important to me as well my legacy. So you know, 733 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: I just want to be able to you know, combine both, 734 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 1: you know, in a way once again that's not corny, 735 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: that doesn't feel force fed. But you know, ultimately you know, 736 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: provides a way for people to you know, see that 737 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 1: there's another way of doing this. 738 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 4: You know, you can you can. 739 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 1: Do cool things that still impact the community, and you know, 740 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: and hopefully it just shows the short he's coming behind 741 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 1: me that as well. 742 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 2: You know, yeah, man, you came a long way from Harlem, man, 743 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 2: but I still hear it in you know what I'm saying, 744 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 2: like what what what parts of Harlem do you think 745 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 2: kind of inspired how you you know, move around Atlanta, 746 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,959 Speaker 2: because again it's so much deep culture there, you know, 747 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 2: music and everything else. Like you know, how do you 748 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 2: think that's inspired your journey you know through Atlanta with 749 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 2: everything you've done. 750 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 1: I mean, listen, both Harlem and Atlanta are kind of 751 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: like two black meccas, two places where culture, fashion and 752 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 1: cool meat. So for me coming from it from from Harlem, 753 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: Atlanta was the perfect fit. To be perfectly honest, you know, Harlem, 754 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: we're different than everybody else in New York is I'm 755 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: sure you've heard or you know, like hallm people were 756 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: known as the people with the swag, the people that 757 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 1: got a little extraponage to them, you know what I mean. 758 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: So for me bringing that energy to Atlanta. 759 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 4: Was was was? 760 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: Uh? I think it was good because you know, it's 761 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: a certain confidence in a in a hall, in person's walk, 762 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 1: so you know when you walk into these rooms, you 763 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 1: know that's a big deal. That's a big deal to 764 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: be able to project, you know, confidence off the rip 765 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: that that that draws people into you and make people 766 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: want to have conversations with you, you. 767 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:23,520 Speaker 2: Know, absolutely. And man, look before we get out of here, 768 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,400 Speaker 2: one last question for you. If you had a billboard 769 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 2: you could put up anywhere in Atlanta and you could put, 770 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 2: you know, a thought, a piece of advice on it, 771 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 2: a life lesson, something that you live by. 772 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 3: What would you put on your own billboard? 773 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 4: Wow, that's a really good question. Hm hmm. 774 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 2: Like BMF had it and they just put the world 775 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 2: as BMF, But like, what would you put if you 776 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 2: had a billboard you could put whatever you want to thought, 777 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 2: a statement, a life lesson, a law that you live 778 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 2: by guide in principle, what would you put on your billboard? 779 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,560 Speaker 1: You are your only competition, period. What you put in 780 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 1: is what you get out. If you're looking in the 781 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,239 Speaker 1: mirror every day and you can't look at yourself and 782 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 1: say I've. 783 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 4: Given it my all, you gotta you gotta you gotta hold. 784 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: That to yourself, hold yourself accountable for that. Yeah, we 785 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,959 Speaker 1: are what we put into it. Hey, man, I love it, Man, Keenan. 786 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:14,439 Speaker 1: Before we go out of here, man, please tell folks 787 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,440 Speaker 1: how can they support you? How can they support the 788 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:18,919 Speaker 1: Maven brand, Never sold dope, all that good stuff. Yeah, 789 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,279 Speaker 1: you can find me on all social media just by 790 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,280 Speaker 1: searching my name Keenan Johnson or Keenan the Maven. 791 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 4: The Maven brand. 792 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 1: Website is up and running still since twenty thirteen with 793 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: never so dope product, new stuff to come, new product 794 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: to come, new adventures to come. And yeah, man, I'm 795 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: just I'm happy to be here and I really am 796 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 1: appreciative of you invite me on the platform. 797 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 2: Thank you, and man, we appreciate you. Thanks for pulling 798 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 2: up y'all. Have a good win. 799 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,120 Speaker 4: And that's the pod one. 800 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,720 Speaker 2: You've been listing the butter Nomics and I'm your host, 801 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 2: Brandon Butler. Comments feedback. Want to be a part of 802 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,080 Speaker 2: the show, Send us an email today at Hello at 803 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 2: Butterdomics dot com. But NoMix is produced in Atlanta, Georgia 804 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 2: at iHeartMedia by Ramsey, with marketing support from Queen and 805 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 2: Nike music provided by mister Hankey. If you haven't already, 806 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 2: hit that subscribe button and never missed an episode, and 807 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 2: be sure to follow us on all our social platforms 808 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 2: at butter dot at L. 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