1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: Charlemagne the Guy. This is close to a household name 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: you should get in modern day radio. He's an entrepreneur, investor, 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,479 Speaker 1: and mental health advocate. He's also passionate about black people 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: taking ownership wherever we play. A two thousand nineteen Nielsen 5 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: reports stated that African Americans spend more time consuming video 6 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: on their smartphones compared to the total population, saying black 7 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: people spend nearly thirty hours a week on websites and 8 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: apps on their smartphones, more than three hours more than 9 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: all consumers as a whole, and we over index on 10 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: YouTube and Facebook. I asked Charlemagne the Guy about what 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: it takes for black people to not only see technology 12 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: as a medium for consumption, but a new wealth opportunity, 13 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: a place where we can build. I think the biggest 14 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: land might actually is the information right, Like, how many 15 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: people are really thinking about being in the tech world. 16 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,959 Speaker 1: We're quick to download the latest you know, at will 17 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: download Twitter, the Instagram, the facebooks to TikTok's, you know 18 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: whatever it is where where where? We're so quick to 19 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: be consumers, But how many people are actually learning coding? 20 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: You know? Like, how many people are taking advantage of that? 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: So to me, I think the biggest land mine is 22 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: just lack of knowledge on what it is we're actually 23 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: consuming all the time. You know, it is realizing that 24 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: you don't have to just go in there and you know, 25 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 1: you know, buy some clothes, you can own the store. Like, 26 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: I think that's the biggest thing. That's the biggest land 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: mine is just lack of information like who's gonna be 28 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: the the cool black tech guy that makes other black 29 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: kids want to be in the tech world, Like who's 30 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: gonna be the man that they see make a couple 31 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: of billion dollars and be like, oh, I need to 32 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: get into techtus. We're visual people, you know. You see 33 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: one Lebron, everybody want to be Lebron. You see one 34 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: Drake now, everybody want to be Drake. So it's just like, 35 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: who's gonna be that in the tech world. That's why 36 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: you know, people like Robert Smith was so important, you know, 37 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: That's why people like you know, even a Byron Island 38 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: is important because I just feel like black kids need 39 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: to see them and realize what are their stories? You know, 40 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: how did they get started? What fields were they in too? 41 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: That made them who they are? Because you know, we're 42 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: like I said, we're visual people, so once we see 43 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: them and we'll be like, oh, well, maybe I need 44 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: to be in that space. The biggest thing that we 45 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: can have is ownership. Nowadays. This isn't a new concept, 46 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: like this is an old concept. This is what you know. 47 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: Elijah Muhammed has been talking about owning your own you know, 48 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: doing for self, like like, this is what Marcus Garvey like, 49 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: this is what they've always told us that we need 50 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: to do. I just think that we're the first generation 51 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: that actually has the resources and the knowledge to be 52 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: able to make those ownership dreams or reality. I'm Will 53 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: Lucas and this is Black Tech, Green Money. Now I'm 54 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: gonna introduce you to some of the biggest names, some 55 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: of the brightest minds and brilliant ideas. If you're black 56 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,119 Speaker 1: and building or simply using tech to secure your bag, 57 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: this podcast is for you. People are saying that there 58 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: is value in creating the tools, and I think full all, like, yo, 59 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: let's go after let's get after it. But I think 60 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: that the way that this Internet and people are able 61 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: to give money and break themselves in the Internet, I 62 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: think that that's just opened up so many doors for 63 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: people as Brian Michael Cox, music producer and songwriter responsible 64 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: for more than a hundred million album sales, thirty five 65 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: number one hits, and twelve Grammy nominations, including nine wins. 66 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: While he's less known for his business and entrepreneurial prowess, 67 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: people are starting to take notice. He owns the production 68 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: company and in that music label to send the first 69 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: a clothing line Nerds Get the Girls, and partner with 70 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: Studio Linked to create both the vs T, which is 71 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: a virtual synthesizer, and a masterclass where he teaches production 72 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: and songwriting lessons. Brian has been the friend of mine 73 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: for closer twenty years, and I wanted to get his 74 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: thoughts on the deep relationship between music and technology that 75 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: many of us may not fully appreciate, and how black 76 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: people are in the perfect position to create new distribution 77 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: channels for our creativity, channels that we can own. You know, 78 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: if we think back to the you know, the earlier 79 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: stages of like recorded music, you know what I mean. 80 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: People don't like to use the word technology when it 81 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: comes to like things from the early twentieth century, late 82 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: two dight century, but that l a a nineteenth century, 83 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: but that was technology, so if you know, when people 84 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: had the advent of record players, the advent of vinyl, 85 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: the advent of you know what I mean, the all 86 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: the way down to the you know seventies, you know, furniture, 87 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: stereos and I mean, all that stuff is technology. So 88 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: you think about how we used to record music. We 89 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: used to recording music straight to vinyl, you know what 90 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: I mean, and they would take that vinyl president and 91 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: go duplicate that vinyl, you know what I mean. Um. 92 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: Then it evolved into you know, recording, you know, recording 93 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: studios with four track recorders and eight track recorders, the 94 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: sixteen tracks and then do what I mean um throughout 95 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: the years. So every ten years there's always been an 96 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: advancement of technology. It's anonymous with music, you know what 97 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: I mean. So you think about the sixties. If you 98 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: if you are familiar with the Beach Boys, and there 99 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: was a record you know that they made that was 100 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: like changed the whole wave of how people recorded music 101 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: because the leader the Beach Boys was laying on all 102 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: these sounds, because they had all this access that they 103 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: never had before, two different tracks and multiple tracks, um, 104 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:26,720 Speaker 1: and he was able to put all these different things 105 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: into this you know, into this into this music that 106 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: changed the way people made music. Um. You know, technology 107 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: has always been synonymous with music. Um, you fast forward 108 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: to you know, in the seventies where it's eight track 109 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: nal cassette becomes a huge thing because now people are 110 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: able to do portable you know, it's the portable cassettes. 111 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: You know, people have Walkman's the whole thing. And in 112 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 1: in the eighties when they introduced us to this, to 113 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: the compact, this concept and how that changed the whole 114 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: you know, landscape of the music business and all of 115 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: this is technology that always that's been developed. You know 116 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: that that has been developed you know what I mean, 117 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: or or been in development for decades, you know what 118 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: I mean. It just kind of as as things start 119 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: pushing forward. I feel like technology leads to music. Right. So, um, 120 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: when things become super digital in the in the late 121 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: seventies early eighties, technology lad that you know what I'm saying. 122 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: So you go to the studio. Now you're able to 123 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: record things digitally. There's digital audio tape, there's digital you 124 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 1: know recording uh consoles, there's digitally you know, there's digital 125 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: outboard gear that's making the sound crisp you know, more crisp. 126 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: All of that has to be developed, you know, do 127 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: all of that was developed to enhance uh or to 128 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: progress the the trajectory and recorded music, and then how 129 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 1: do we put this stuff out? So then if us not, 130 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: technology has to lead the way of how the things 131 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: are released. And I feel like, because we've been especially 132 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: me being a music business, we don't really view it like, oh, well, 133 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: we're part of the technology business, but what we are 134 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: if we understood exactly, we don't mean how things go, 135 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: why things are the way they are. We're part of 136 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: that business too. And I feel like now we're in 137 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: a space where people are starting to really really realize 138 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: that technology and music have always been synonymous and now 139 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: we can see it being synonymous through the advent of 140 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: the internet. Um in the way that people are able 141 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: to release music, market music. Um. You know, there are 142 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: no more gatekeepers per se. So I think the gatekeepers 143 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: it's kind of what what kept us from noticing the 144 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: actual connection that technology and music actually have, you know 145 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: what I mean. But now there's no gatekeepers now, man, 146 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: It's like it's it's it's literally the wild, wild West 147 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: right now, you know what I mean? And I don't 148 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: think it's ever going to go back. I think you know, 149 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: you can't really put up you can't really control the 150 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: World Wide Web. Man. Yeah, let's let's talk about that, 151 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: that trajectory of production, because you know, I've had the 152 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: pleasure of seeing you work in the studio, and you're 153 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: working with you in the studio, and you know, if 154 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: you to your point, you know, if you rewind fifteen 155 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: twenty years, you know you're working with dats and you know, 156 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: because you know all that kind of stuff, and now 157 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: it is you are equally almost have to be good 158 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: at programming as you are if you have to, if 159 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 1: you know how to play at all, you don't even 160 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: have to know how to play an instrument. You have 161 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: to know how to program, program and instrument. So talk 162 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: about technology from that lens and the music production side, 163 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 1: Like how much time are you learning? Are you spending 164 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: learning new software? Oh? I mean, I'm I'm I'm like 165 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: right now. That's the beautiful thing about Quarantine, And I've 166 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: been able to really dive into software that I was like, Oh, 167 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get to what I bought it. I'm gonna 168 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 1: get to it. But when you're actively working, you kind 169 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: of just use what you've been using, and for me, 170 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: you know it. The shift from Logic two Ableton was 171 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 1: a hard shift because I was in the middle of 172 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: projects when I made that shift, you know what I mean. 173 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: So learning able to and the missed me making you 174 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: know us your album? Want to miss me making a 175 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: Monica album. It was difficult because I couldn't totally. I 176 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: couldn't totally just shut Logic off because I was in 177 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: the middle of making records. But I want to learn 178 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: this new thing, so I would take time to learn 179 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: able to to do you know, do my little online 180 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: classes and all that, you know what I mean. But 181 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: I couldn't totally just shut logic off. Um. In this quarantine, 182 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: I've been able to just shut things off and say, yo, 183 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: I want to learn fl So I'm gonna shut um 184 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: Ableton off for two weeks because I don't really have 185 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: any proper day lines, and if I do, I'm using 186 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: pro tools, which I would never not use. Proteols like 187 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: my tape machine, so I'm using pro tools. So if 188 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: Jermaine send and me, you know, um, you know stems 189 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: from his ANPC to do overdubs, and I just do 190 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: that stuff in pro tools, and I just protess just 191 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: like a live you know, a live tape machine versus 192 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: versus programming and proteols. Even I'm still programming, but the 193 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: way that I approach it, it's like, oh, I'm using 194 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: pro tools as a tape machine. So I'm playing things 195 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: live down in the protels, I'm over the side down, 196 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: do my copy and paste, send it back to j D. 197 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: And That's how I've been working. But as far as 198 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: my my actual digital audio workstation, I've been trying to 199 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: stay away from Ableton. I've been really trying to lead 200 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: on i FL so I could learn. You know, it's easy, 201 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: It's really easy. But the hard part was being able 202 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: to shut ableson off, you know what I mean, So 203 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: being able to show ableson off. I've been able to 204 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:01,079 Speaker 1: really dive into FL and now I'm diving in the 205 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: cue base this week. Um, So it's like, really, you know, 206 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: it's it's helpful when you're not in the middle of 207 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: projects per se, you know what I mean, Or you 208 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: have the end of project where the end of Busher's albums, 209 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 1: so everything has been in pagement overdubs and drops and 210 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 1: stuff like that. It's not a whole lot a lot 211 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: of writing. You know what I'm saying, which is basically, 212 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: I'm just in production mode when it comes to the 213 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: susu alum right now, um, and I do all that 214 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: stuff in pro tools. So so you're spending in OrderIn 215 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,959 Speaker 1: the mind of time, just just learning how to work 216 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 1: new software, navigate, navigate, solt there, which is programming. And 217 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: I don't think we we don't. We don't correlct the 218 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: two because we're being creative and we use as a 219 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: tool like, oh, this is just our tool to create music, 220 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,959 Speaker 1: but it's literally programming. And the way that I view, 221 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: like people who use fl I view it kind of 222 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: like how kind of how when I was coming up, 223 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: right when we was coming up in elementary school and 224 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: the middle school, you know, Steve Jobs is something very 225 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: very revolutionary right by you know, you knew that you 226 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: couldn't really compete with Corporate America at the time. You know, 227 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: you know IBM was was the was the standard. You know, 228 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: Dell was the standard. These were the standard PCs and 229 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: Corporate America. Right, so if you introduce Apple to Corporate America, 230 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: they you know, there was some resistance. But what do 231 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: you do You say, Okay, we're going to raise up 232 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: the next generation of computer users. So if we can't 233 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: get into these big corporate offices and put a put 234 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: us corporate officers who put our systems to elementary schools 235 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: and middle schools and the high schools, you know what 236 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: I mean. So my first computer I ever worked on 237 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: a regular basis was an Apple to e. You know, 238 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: as a little kid, that keyboard, that Apple two keyboard 239 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: is the same exact keyboard that we use right now 240 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: on our back and pros, you know what I mean. 241 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: So what happens that as the program as a kid, 242 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: like my first computer I touched was an Apple two 243 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: years So as they developed and you get older and 244 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: you and you go to different schools, you you you 245 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: you go from middle school to middle school to high school. 246 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: By the time I got to high school, McIntoshes were 247 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: every high school that I you know, that we that 248 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: I knew. So in my high school, I used mcantoghies. 249 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: So you graduated high school and you know, my twelfth 250 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: grade years when I when love grade years, when I 251 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: first started using like music software, Apple was the only 252 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: company that was really making software for music, you know 253 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: what I mean. Yeah, So, so as a creative I'm like, well, 254 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: I'm using Apple. So to this day, as afforded two 255 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: year old person has been amused me for twenty some years, 256 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: all of the used Apple products, you know what I mean, 257 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: if they you know, unintentionally or it might have been 258 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: attentional on his part, but on our part on intentionally 259 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: creating their own consumer right. SOFL is that same exact thing, right, 260 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: So think about this now, I use Apple, I'm an 261 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: Apple user, right, But the average person in the corporate world, 262 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: they're using PCs. Right. So if you have a PC 263 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: in your in your corporate world and um um um, 264 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: and you're my age and you might have gotten married 265 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: young or you might have you know, a young child 266 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: is seventeen eighteen, you know, fifteen years old, you know, 267 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: and I only compute at the houses a PC and 268 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: they want to make music. WELLFL was giving, they were 269 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: it was free. I feel used to be free. Yeah, 270 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: I'm saying when you were you back in the day, 271 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: ten years ago, fifteen years ago, FL was free. It 272 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: was a free download. So if your mom at a 273 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: PC and you couldn't afford a Mac, of question, you 274 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: couldn't get a Mac because Mac was popping. You know, 275 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: you pick tootho app with your mom. That's computer already. 276 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: I'm a download FL and I'm gonna start making my 277 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: little beats on FL. And people kind of shunned FL 278 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: initially professionals, you know, because it was it was like 279 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: a game, almost in a video game, the way that 280 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: we viewed it then, right, But what we didn't realize 281 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: was happening is that they were basically building the future consumer. Now, 282 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: all those kids that were making beats on FL fifteen 283 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: years ago are top hop harder producers. Now. FL is 284 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: the number one dog, you know what I mean. And 285 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: the business right now, all these kids that are going 286 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: to do is program. A lot of our musicians they 287 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: just learn how to program, and they still don't even 288 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: understand that that's what they're doing. I think that the 289 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: kids trying to connect to that's to let people know that, yo, 290 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: you're a computer programmer too. Yeah, so you can actually 291 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: not just make beats and program. You can create this ship, 292 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: you can create something. You can actually do something with 293 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: this that's way bigger than what you e meant you're 294 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: even thinking you're doing, you know, So that's that's good. Yeah, 295 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: And that was my next question because I remember when 296 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: Fruity Loops was like men, you like, that's trash or 297 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: whatever you needed you needed a big building with big NPCs, 298 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: big keyboards, or you was not really doing this thing. 299 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: The music industry impresses it when it's convenient, right, So 300 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: there's a level of embracing it now because you can 301 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: get records done for a fraction of the costs we 302 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: were making records, I mean, but in the same breath 303 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: we were making records for the practics and the cost 304 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: that I pressed this is you making records for you know, 305 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: I mean, so it's just a now, um, it's just 306 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: they they recognize and when it's convenient, you know what 307 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: I mean. Now you can go get you can make 308 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: a hit record for under that the hounds and hours, 309 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, if you you know, you've got 310 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: to get the right creative person, you know, because everything 311 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: you need in your laptop man, everything you know, your 312 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: tape machine, your sounds, your you know what I mean, 313 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: your environment, isn't it? You can now and then you 314 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: can make the music, write the music, make the music, 315 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: record the music, mix the music, master the music. Then 316 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: if you want to just be some super creative ship 317 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 1: and you and you know, you can afford the camera, 318 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: but to say you can afford the camera and all 319 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: that ship, then you could say, let me look at 320 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: a camera or use your phone, you know, people using 321 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: their iPhones making music using the iPhones, and then you 322 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 1: can and then you can you can edit, you know, 323 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: you can make your video, edit your video, you can 324 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: colorize that joint, all of it. You can do everything 325 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,719 Speaker 1: that you want with this laptop. And now you can 326 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: put it out so that as you can say, yo, 327 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 1: I'm going to go to tune core or go to 328 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: dist your kid or whatever. Put my package together, put 329 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: the album out, of the video, out all that ship. 330 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: Like literally, if you could do every single thing yourself, 331 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: which I think about when I was coming up and 332 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 1: trying to send demos to like you know and ours 333 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: and stuff like that, like bro, like it was impossible. 334 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: It literally isn't possible. If I could just make music 335 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: and put music out the way that these kids can, 336 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: I would have so many albums out back then, you 337 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: know what I mean. But it's just it wasn't available, 338 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: but now it's available, and the record of the major 339 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: label system has become almost a little bit obsolete, or 340 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: it could be it could become obsolutely I think that 341 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: where major labels to be uh uh coming handy? Is 342 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: there like banks now? You know, I wonder if it's 343 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,120 Speaker 1: especially you know, in the types of environments were living 344 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 1: now people are working from home. You know, is the 345 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: big studio a thing of the past in a way, 346 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 1: and maybe for for the past several years, it's been 347 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: you know, on the on the dowards slide, but I 348 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: remember taking taking a hit. It's taking a hit. And 349 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: you know, I remember when you could you could just 350 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: have a studio in your house and that was looked 351 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: down upon. You needed to be at Doppler or you 352 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: needed to be at you know, all these big studios. 353 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: And to your point, people, you you can do all 354 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: this on your laptop. So do you see, um a 355 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: transition happening to where we're going back to the basics 356 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,439 Speaker 1: of like, look, we're getting the garage set up or 357 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: the basement set up, and we're just gonna do all 358 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: this stuff in this smaller footprint. I mean it is, 359 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,679 Speaker 1: I mean that's where we at. I feel like the 360 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: studio business is definitely taking a hit. Um. You know, 361 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: you can see definitely see in New York City really 362 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,919 Speaker 1: really heavy in New York City because that's where student 363 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: business was a real thing up there, and it's not anymore, 364 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Um, In Atlanta, a lot 365 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: of people just have their own studios, so it's you know, 366 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 1: people are you know, people stop kind of booking studios 367 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: some years ago. Now, I mean, you still could book 368 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: studios here, but it's not like the business wasn't really 369 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:52,479 Speaker 1: like the past couple of years. It's been like anyway 370 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: because everybody has their own spot, right um l A 371 00:19:58,040 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: is the only place where the studio business is still 372 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 1: you relevant, and I think because there's a lot of 373 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: just you know, when you're doing movies and you're doing 374 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: you know, when it's a big town like that, it's 375 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: a you know, a lot of what they're doing is 376 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 1: UM based on that. I think. I think that for 377 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:15,959 Speaker 1: the most part though, when it comes to making music, 378 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: people people make their own masters at the crib, the 379 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,199 Speaker 1: quality is high because the you know, the access to 380 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:30,879 Speaker 1: UM to to being never an immediately manipulate the sound 381 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: properly is it's easy now, you know what I mean, 382 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: It's easier to get access to that type of stuff. 383 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: So UM, the senior business definitely took a hit man, 384 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. You know, I'm I'm still 385 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: a person that enjoys going through the studio um because 386 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: that's just where I come from, you know what I mean. 387 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,120 Speaker 1: But why these kids they don't you know what I mean? 388 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 1: Like like if you ever seen these kids go to 389 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: the studio, like you know, they don't even understand. They 390 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: only use student for the speakers. Literally, like how high 391 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 1: school the studio and I would have to rent all 392 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: this gear if it was a process, you know what 393 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: I mean? Like these kids, it's an ox cord laptop 394 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 1: and speakers. That's it. Don't even the board, don't get 395 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: touched nothing, and just plug up is the stereo you know, 396 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: fader on the board with the ox cord and they 397 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: do beats. They make their beats like that and this 398 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: is chump wow. You know it's really it's really a 399 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: new day from gods to that. The Black Growth Network 400 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: from Blavity, Inc. Provides Black small business owners and entrepreneurs 401 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: with the funding, resources and network needed to stabilize and 402 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 1: growth the business. And you're invited to join our network 403 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: of startups, angel investors, and vcs, which can open the 404 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: door to even more funding and opportunities like pitch competitions. 405 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: We're building black economic empowerment together. Check it out now 406 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,880 Speaker 1: at Black Growth Network dot com. That's Black Growth Network 407 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 1: dot com. If you are subscribed to the Afro Tech newsletter, 408 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: are you really about that life? All the exclusive content 409 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 1: and subscriber only promotions can only be secured by becoming 410 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: an afro Tech insider. Join for free now and joint 411 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: dot afro tech dot com. Cox has been in the 412 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: music business in more than twenty years, and he's seen 413 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: a lot of people come and go. He's navigated a 414 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: stellar solo production career and still today produces alongside one 415 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: of his mentors, Jamaine Decree. He's a highly regarded DJ 416 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,159 Speaker 1: uses his digital platforms to further embed his name in 417 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: the conversation in these leveraging his relationships and cultural capital 418 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: for business success. So I think about, um, the things 419 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 1: that you've been able to accomplish in the business world. So, 420 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: I mean, you've successfully in a couple of different verticals, 421 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: transition from not just being seen as a creative but 422 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: also a businessman and like so a couple of years 423 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: ago you had the trophies of Virtual synth Um, the 424 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: producer mind Master class and nerves, get the girl's shirts, 425 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: you know? And so how how have you seeing your 426 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: road and being respected as a businessman and not just 427 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: a creative I mean, for me, I feel like I 428 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: just I'm a person that had utilizes all the tools 429 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: that are there. Right, So I kind of feel like 430 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: one day I woke up and said, Yo, you know 431 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: I have some some you know, I have some traction 432 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: or I have some bandwidth when it comes to social media? Right, 433 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: how do I turn? How do I make this benefit 434 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: what I'm trying to do? You know what I'm saying? 435 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: How do I make the social media and the world 436 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: wilde where benefit what I'm doing? You know what I'm saying? Um? 437 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: And how do I get these people who come to 438 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: see me? Um? How do I engage them? And how 439 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: do I make them say? You know what? I how 440 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: bout that? You know what I'm saying? Like, what what 441 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: do they want from me? Right? And so being that 442 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 1: you know, the music business you know can be um, 443 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: it's also a very very you know, uh, this lifestyle 444 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: could be a lifestyle business too. So it was like, 445 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 1: what do I like, you know, you know, I wear 446 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: what do I wear? I wear? T shirts? And sweats 447 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: all the time, So let's figure out. Like I was 448 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 1: like trying to do a clothing line, I'm like, I 449 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: don't want a little line, Like what does that like? 450 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: You don't it doesn't feel authentic? What's authentic to me? Right? 451 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: I will teach as the sweats for the most part, 452 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: So let's let's start there, you know what I mean. Um, 453 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: And that's where Nurse the Girls came from. Um um, 454 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,679 Speaker 1: and just the whole lifestyle ship is just like, Okay, 455 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 1: me creating a vs T and virtual synth makes sense 456 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:22,199 Speaker 1: because people come to my Instagram or my Facebook or 457 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 1: my Twitter to see me create or to hear what 458 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: I'm creating, and that's what people buy into, you know 459 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,679 Speaker 1: what I mean. So it's like, okay, well, let me 460 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: create a tool that I use that I know people 461 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: are gonna go, you know, because I mean I do 462 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:41,479 Speaker 1: what happens. I started doing these brand partnerships and started 463 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: saying how I was selling somebody else's brand, you know 464 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,360 Speaker 1: what I mean, And they were like really really really 465 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: on me, like you know, whether whether it was working 466 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: with a KAI, whether it was working with Native instruments, 467 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: was working you know what I mean? Artist other brands 468 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: and and and looking at their bottom line, you know, 469 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: uh shift because people are like, oh well if Brian 470 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: is then now I'm gonna buy it. It sounds like, okay, well, 471 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 1: let me create something that that I own, that people 472 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 1: would that people could use that I own, and I 473 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: use that people would use, and we came up with 474 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: I didn't do. The partnership is still a link for 475 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: trophies and it's been great because you know, it's a 476 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:29,679 Speaker 1: business that a lot of producers I think a lot 477 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: of people don't even think about, you know what I mean. Um, 478 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: And we're doing well, we're doing great numbers. And then 479 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:38,119 Speaker 1: of course my partnership was still only led to us 480 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: doing Producer Mind, which is some always wanted to do. 481 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: I was wanted to grow massive class was trying to 482 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: figure out how to do it, and we came with 483 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: the constitute Producer Mind. From that, we have my own 484 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: only myself. We guys. They told him we gots got 485 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 1: storage and we have some people on that that's really 486 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: you know, killing it. So you know, it's just I'm 487 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: I'm just you know, you have to be in a 488 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: space where you have to have multiple strain aims of income. 489 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 1: But I also want to do things that are that 490 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: are compatible. Two to the brandom of trying to build 491 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 1: you know, particularly to like your your vs T. I 492 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: was I had this um talk with Charlemagne the God, 493 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: and we were talking about how we've been incredible consumers 494 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: of the technology that's come out of Silicon Valley and etcetera. 495 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: And his point was, you know, we have to start 496 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,719 Speaker 1: creating these so not just being the biggest you know, 497 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: influencers on TikTok and Instagram, but we need to be 498 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,440 Speaker 1: in the room building those things. And you did that 499 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: with the vs T. So, but do you think other 500 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: people in your industry have recognized that, Yo, this is 501 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: there's a bigger opportunity here than just making a record, 502 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: but creating the things that helped create records. I think 503 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:51,360 Speaker 1: now for sure, you know what I'm saying. I think 504 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: the past maybe you know, two or three years, people 505 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: are saying that there's value in creating the tools, you 506 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Um, And I think people are like, Yo, 507 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: let's go after let's get after it, you know what 508 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:08,679 Speaker 1: I mean? Um, I guess it just it would take 509 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: it takes time for people to you know, just kind 510 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 1: of see past there immediate you know, fruntal vision, you 511 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: know what I mean, Sometimes it takes time for you 512 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: to see the panoramic view, you know. Um. But I 513 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: think that with the way that the way that this 514 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: Internet and people are able to give money and break 515 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 1: themselves in the Internet, I think that that's just opened 516 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:33,959 Speaker 1: up so many doors to people, you know what I mean. 517 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: I think that's opened up a lot of people's eyes, um, 518 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: and they're trying to figure out, even if they don't 519 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: know what they're doing, at least they're trying to figure out, 520 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, what if this panoramic do 521 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: look like in uh? Um? So I do believe that 522 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: I believe I believe that people are trying to figure 523 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: it out. Could could we see a day where we 524 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: have like micro distribution platforms because I think about you know, um, 525 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: you've had the Spotify ees of the world, You've had 526 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: the titles and the Apple Music and even like on 527 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 1: my Apple TV. You know, like Disney broke off to 528 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: create their own app, and now then you can't just 529 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: get that on um inside the other apps that were there. 530 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 1: Could could you imagine the day where December first has 531 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: its own distribution outside of a Spotify or an Apple 532 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 1: or a Drake Ovo or Kevin Gates, Brad Winners, a 533 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: social cause. You could you imagine the day where or 534 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: what has to happen to for that to happen to 535 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: be successful. I feel like we never saw Spotify or 536 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: Apple Music coming, you know what I mean, We never 537 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: saw a title coming, you know. I mean I feel 538 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: like I feel like based on like with Jimmy, I've 539 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: been with jim being realized that the record business was 540 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 1: over as we knew it, the regulars, we as we 541 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:55,239 Speaker 1: knew it was over. When he went to go meet 542 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: with the guy from Intel, was like, Yo, how do 543 00:29:57,680 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: we stop piracy? How do we just win? You know, 544 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: Lime Wire? And you know all the shop was just 545 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: running rampant, and the guy, the guy Intel told him, 546 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes man like businesses, businesses change man Like 547 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 1: sometimes it's not a bad idedn't get out. I'm saying, like, 548 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 1: it's not a bad idea. It's not a bad idea beginning. 549 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: You don't want to be the last guy selling the CD, 550 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: you know, man um So he was on that way 551 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: before any of us knew what was happening. Right, So 552 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: now we're in this stage of the business where this 553 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: is this is this is it. This is where people 554 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: consume musics, where they get it, you know. So of 555 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: course the way that the music is distributed, you can 556 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: disrupt that ship at any given point, you know what 557 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: I'm saying. Like, for example, Dame Dash has his own Netflix, 558 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: his own version of Netflix right right now. Now, how 559 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 1: many subscribers he app we don't know all that, right, 560 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: we do know that he has his own Netflix. Basically 561 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 1: he's creating his own content for it, and it's all 562 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: new content, is all content you only get on his ship. 563 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: So really, that model already exists. It's just he hasn't 564 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: blown up yet. You know, it's somebody's got to break 565 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: that mold though to your earlier point exactly, so who's 566 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: going to be the first want to do it? Damn 567 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 1: Dash the first want to do it? And who's to 568 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: say that he won't have a show. Finally, that makes 569 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 1: people say, yo, like that's why we Netflix, Netflix have 570 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: Aungers New Black. That's what made people come to Netflix, 571 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. There was content that people 572 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: wanted to see that they could only get on Netflix. 573 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: That's how people was like, well, I gotta strip the 574 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: Netflix if I'm gonna get on New Black, I gotta subscribe, 575 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. So Dam is on the 576 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: right path. He's only one step away from creating something 577 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: that people are going to want to watch so bad 578 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: that they're going to they're gonna go and subscribe. Same 579 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 1: thing with Title. Right, Thinking about Title, the one thing 580 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: that Title does, that Apple Music and that Spotify and 581 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 1: none of us because people do, is that there's original 582 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 1: content that you can't get nowhere else, whether it's drup Champs, 583 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: whether it's you know, Elliott and beat out with it 584 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: with the Rap Radar podcast, whether you know what I mean, 585 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 1: that people want to see. So if you want to 586 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: see if you're not gonna see on Apple Music, you're 587 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: not gonna see it on Spotify. You're not gonna see 588 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: another thing You're only gonna see on Title. So guess 589 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: what If you want to see Drink Champs, you know 590 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 1: on before everybody else sees it. If you want to 591 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 1: see the Rap Radar podcast, if you want to see 592 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: the exclusive Beyonce uh content, exclusive jay Z content, if 593 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: you want to see that Street is watching is on Title, 594 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: Like you can't get them no world, see what I mean? 595 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 1: You know, So it's like if you want to see 596 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: that ship, then you gotta you gotta go to titles. 597 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: That's why titles. You know, they are gonna be a 598 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: force with this thing because they understand that that they 599 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: create content that people want to go see, you know 600 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. So it's not like going on YouTube 601 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 1: and just to see of all kinds of ship that 602 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: you can see whatever you want to see. It's like, 603 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 1: so you have to beat less things. So the question was, 604 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: will there be people with their own distribution, you know, 605 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: outlets when it comes to digital. I think it's already happening. 606 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 1: And people just gotta believe in themselves to just jump 607 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:39,160 Speaker 1: out there, Like Damn Dash believes in himself. Crazy because 608 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,080 Speaker 1: he's out there by himself right now, you know what 609 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: I mean. But he sees it. He's like, yo, if if, 610 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: if Netflix can do it, and nobody knew geta funk 611 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 1: about Netflix. Nobody know by Netflix until they have some 612 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: content people wanted to see it that I want to 613 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: get your take on, like generational wealth and longevity, because 614 00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 1: you know you're not You're not talked about this before. 615 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: It's like, it's not always about being like the hottest 616 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: thing in the moment, you know. And I but from 617 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:10,440 Speaker 1: the industry perspective, the people who last in this what 618 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: has been the things that they've leaned on to last? Well? 619 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 1: I got, you know, some really really incredible advice that 620 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: I got early on that you know this is that 621 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 1: this thing is um. This thing is a marathon. You 622 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:28,160 Speaker 1: know what, I man, it's not a sprint. Um. And 623 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 1: I related. I connected with that statement, um, because I 624 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: you know, I wasn't much of an athlete. But when 625 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 1: I you know, the one sport that I was really 626 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: good at was track and I ran a long distance 627 00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:45,880 Speaker 1: and people will be like, yo, how how do you 628 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: How can you run across country? How can you run? 629 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:50,960 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? And for me, it's just 630 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: it was about pacing, and you pace yourself. You know, 631 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: you know where to pay yourself. You gotta know whin 632 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,440 Speaker 1: to kick, you gotta know when to fall back, you 633 00:34:58,480 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 1: know what I mean. You know, the thing about a 634 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: cross country is patience. And when somebody, you know, somebody 635 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 1: told me that early on in my career, like, yo, 636 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 1: in your life is a marathon. I got connected with 637 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 1: that because it was like, Okay, it's like running across country, 638 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, no, when the kick, you 639 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,879 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. You know when they fall back, 640 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 1: pace yourself. You know, you can feel when your legs 641 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: start shifting, when you start losing energy and your legs 642 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,759 Speaker 1: and you have to but you have so much further 643 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 1: to go, and you want to win. You know, you 644 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 1: want to win the race. But you're like, yo, if 645 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: I pushed now, I know at the end, I won't 646 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:36,959 Speaker 1: have it. So let me, let me, let me fall back. 647 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:39,399 Speaker 1: These three guys may feel like they're beating me right now, 648 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 1: but in about three minutes after I get the proper 649 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: after I recoup. You know what I mean. With this 650 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 1: light jog I'm doing, I'm a kick and when I 651 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 1: kick him out, you know what I'm saying, And then 652 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: I don't go, you know. So it's just, um, life 653 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: is a marathon man, and it's just you have to 654 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: know when the kick, when they fall back. And then 655 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 1: another thing is that Quincy Jones said something the documentary 656 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: that was I was. I mean, I've watched the documented 657 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: a hundred times and I think out of all the 658 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: time I watched it, this thing sticks out the most 659 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: every time I watch it. He says that take care 660 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 1: of the valleys. You know what I'm saying, The hills 661 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: will take care of themselves. Mhm. Right when you're up. 662 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:30,840 Speaker 1: When you're up, you're up. Everything that you want, everything 663 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 1: that you need in life will be imported to you 664 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,760 Speaker 1: when you work. You know what I'm saying, Because everybody 665 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:42,959 Speaker 1: wants to be with a winner. The problem is when 666 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 1: the valley's hit, and we all have values. The problem 667 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: is when the value and that's what sheally a bad 668 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: attention to. And that's the thing that I feel like 669 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 1: people when you start making money, when you start really 670 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 1: really doing you know, well in this business, um a 671 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,359 Speaker 1: lot times you're gonna pay attention to when valleys hit. 672 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,880 Speaker 1: We don't know, you know. We think that the Highs 673 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,399 Speaker 1: are gonna be Highs forever, you know what I mean. 674 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:10,520 Speaker 1: The checks will keep coming. I'm gonna keep doing these projects. 675 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna keep you know what I mean. It feels 676 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 1: like it's never gonna stop, and then all of a sudden, 677 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:18,960 Speaker 1: it fucking stops, you know what I mean, And it stops, 678 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,800 Speaker 1: and you haven't prepared for the valis. You haven't taken 679 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 1: care of the valid um. You left everything up there 680 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 1: at the Highs and now you're in the valley and 681 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 1: you ain't got shipped and you're trying to figure your way, 682 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 1: you're trying to figure your way through. Um, those are 683 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 1: some hard lessons how I learned, you know what I mean? Um, 684 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:43,640 Speaker 1: I'm looking for me. With the advot of the Internet 685 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:46,719 Speaker 1: and the aving like Instagram and social media and things 686 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:50,480 Speaker 1: that nature, during my valleys, I was able to find 687 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 1: another way to be relevant, you know. Um, but it's 688 00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:59,799 Speaker 1: still hard still, you know, it's still difficult, you know, 689 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 1: in because when you're such you know, such a high 690 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, for such a long time too, 691 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, and then the day we 692 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:10,680 Speaker 1: feel like, okay, well, year five, it's gonna definitely I'm 693 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 1: a hit about Oh no, you're eight. I don't know, 694 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:15,920 Speaker 1: you know the ten years you know what I mean? 695 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:20,040 Speaker 1: You know, ten years, twelve years without really hitting a 696 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:22,439 Speaker 1: super low, you know what I mean. You feel like 697 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:26,160 Speaker 1: you're almost feel invincible in that low hits. If you 698 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:30,279 Speaker 1: haven't prepared for it, then you know it's gonna be 699 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:32,880 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a difficult, difficult path for you, you 700 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:35,960 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Easter Ray has this quote where 701 00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: she said, you know, come up with the people around. 702 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,239 Speaker 1: You don't always try to get this put on, you know, 703 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: thinking we have a tendency to try to network up, 704 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: but it's really about networking across and those are the 705 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 1: people you need to build with. What do you say 706 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,120 Speaker 1: for people who only want they want to get to Brian. 707 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: If I can get to Brian, then I can then 708 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: I can get there. Right. If I can get this 709 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: person to hear my demo, I can make it. I 710 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:05,480 Speaker 1: feel like there's value in that to a degree, right, 711 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:14,239 Speaker 1: because somebody can always help you, um, manifest your dream, 712 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:15,719 Speaker 1: you know, I mean a lot of times it may 713 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,720 Speaker 1: take somebody who has a little more leverage in whatever 714 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 1: fields you're trying to get into, you know what I mean. Um, 715 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:28,439 Speaker 1: But I will say this, the majority to help I've 716 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:30,800 Speaker 1: been able to I've been getting in my life for 717 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:34,960 Speaker 1: the past fifteen sixteen years have been directed from people 718 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:38,720 Speaker 1: that I came up with. Whether it's the Shakazulus, whether 719 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:42,839 Speaker 1: it's the Delicia Butterfield's, whether it's the you know Johnson's, 720 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,759 Speaker 1: whether it's you know what I mean, Chris Higgs. Like 721 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 1: these are people who Chris Hicks was a little heat 722 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:52,279 Speaker 1: helping me. He put me on. But if we look 723 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,239 Speaker 1: at it. You know, we talked about it all the time, 724 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 1: like we were learning that we're learning together, you know 725 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,360 Speaker 1: what I mean. You know, I didn't go to a 726 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:01,960 Speaker 1: cloud day this, you know. I mean it was like 727 00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:05,799 Speaker 1: we were you know, Chris and Noony and Ryan they 728 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:09,720 Speaker 1: we were all learning together, you know what I mean. Um? 729 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 1: So I look at the people around me and the 730 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:17,120 Speaker 1: people who's who helped me, the Ryan Glovers, the new Needs, 731 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:23,359 Speaker 1: to Chris Hicks, to Terry Rosses, Um, we were all 732 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:28,920 Speaker 1: they were definitely ahead of me, but they were Jimmy Ivy, 733 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,440 Speaker 1: you know, they couldn't just kind of check and just 734 00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 1: saved my life. We had to literally work, you know, 735 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 1: learned together, and I needed them to guide me to 736 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:43,800 Speaker 1: get to those places, you know what I mean. Um 737 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:47,400 Speaker 1: So I would say that, and then I looked at 738 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:56,279 Speaker 1: my peers like a Folicia Butterfield, Christie Henderson, Um, you know, um, 739 00:40:56,360 --> 00:40:59,239 Speaker 1: and any help that I need, I could just reach 740 00:40:59,239 --> 00:41:01,440 Speaker 1: out for them. I mean, that's my network and we 741 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:04,879 Speaker 1: came up together, came from nothing. That's my network. So 742 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:07,919 Speaker 1: I always tell people your net worth determination net worth right, 743 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,800 Speaker 1: so at the day, yeah, you could like it, moving 744 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: up is a is a good thing, you know what 745 00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:17,360 Speaker 1: I mean, if somebody can help you, who's who's who's 746 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:20,719 Speaker 1: in position to help you? If if a you know, 747 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 1: if you're able to get to a puff or get 748 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:29,880 Speaker 1: to a you know, be cox whoever right, you know 749 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:32,360 Speaker 1: there's a that's cool, you know what I mean. But 750 00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:36,200 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, I can help you 751 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:39,800 Speaker 1: get the point B. But the people that you surround 752 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: yourself with all the worts is going to be your 753 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:47,640 Speaker 1: your direct you know, your direct anchor. You know what 754 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:51,319 Speaker 1: I'm saying, Because you don't even call me for every 755 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 1: little thing. I can't call Claude Davis for every little thing. 756 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:56,400 Speaker 1: So I can't call you Ivan or not. You know, 757 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:58,760 Speaker 1: I can't call you know what I mean, anything anything. 758 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:00,920 Speaker 1: I gotta issue in that want to bounce off anybody 759 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:06,120 Speaker 1: as I bounce off. I could call Chris Easy. I'm 760 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:10,000 Speaker 1: called Alicia Easy. I could call j Q Easy. I 761 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:12,239 Speaker 1: could call John Tay Easy. You know, I mean, these 762 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 1: are all people that we all came up together. So Scooter, 763 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: who's you know, he's the guy, but but we came 764 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:22,400 Speaker 1: up together. So my relationship with Scooter is very different 765 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:24,879 Speaker 1: than the Irish person relationship Scooter. So if I need 766 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:29,280 Speaker 1: anything from any type of perspective, I could just call him. Um, 767 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:32,880 Speaker 1: that's a relationship that I've built that nobody knew school 768 00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:35,080 Speaker 1: you know, who knew that he was gonna be the 769 00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 1: guy here the becoming you know what I'm saying. But 770 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 1: that's the ship that I had. And we were friends 771 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:45,560 Speaker 1: before all of that, and he holds that near and 772 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:50,920 Speaker 1: dear because he knows that I don't. I'm not I'm 773 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,560 Speaker 1: an opportunist when it comes to him. We're actually friends 774 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 1: because we both didn't have shipped coming up, you know 775 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:59,319 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, And we came up, you know. I mean, 776 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 1: so you know the importance of having people around you, 777 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:07,960 Speaker 1: of creating your network around you is I mean, it's 778 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:12,080 Speaker 1: necessary because you might you know, if you don't, you know, 779 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:14,800 Speaker 1: when the valley is hit and you out there by yourself, 780 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:19,719 Speaker 1: who yeah, my valleys hid. I was. I was in 781 00:43:19,719 --> 00:43:21,600 Speaker 1: a good space because I was out there by myself. 782 00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:24,600 Speaker 1: I have people who came up with and we can 783 00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:26,360 Speaker 1: help each other, lean on each other, you know what 784 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:29,759 Speaker 1: I mean. Brian Michael Cox my brother, I know your 785 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:32,200 Speaker 1: long time man. I appreciate you. You've always been a 786 00:43:32,239 --> 00:43:34,279 Speaker 1: real I feel like I grew up around you, so 787 00:43:34,719 --> 00:43:37,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate you man more than you know. Well. I 788 00:43:37,280 --> 00:44:06,840 Speaker 1: appreciate you, my brother. Thank you. Black Tach Green Money 789 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:09,520 Speaker 1: is the production of blackt The afro Tech is produced 790 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,160 Speaker 1: by Morgan Dabon and me Will Lucas, with additional production 791 00:44:13,239 --> 00:44:18,680 Speaker 1: supported by Love Beach, STEPHANIEA Vogu and Rayveneerport. Special thank 792 00:44:18,719 --> 00:44:21,560 Speaker 1: you to Michael Davis, some cars of van Yan you 793 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:24,239 Speaker 1: know like the wine and yes that's his real name, 794 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:28,360 Speaker 1: and Creka Green. Learn more about Brian Michael Cox and 795 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:32,520 Speaker 1: other tech disruptors and innovators at afro tech dot com. 796 00:44:32,680 --> 00:44:35,040 Speaker 1: Go get your money, peace and love,