Latest / Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals / Designing Detroit: Culture, Clothing & Community - Ep. 159 w/ JonxGenius

Transcript

Designing Detroit: Culture, Clothing & Community - Ep. 159 w/ JonxGenius · Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals

0:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Right, my purpose is always to tell a story through design.
0:02
[SPEAKER_02]: That's like how I define myself is I'm telling stories through design and I have the opportunity to do it at like what I consider to be one of the highest levels, especially here in Detroit.
0:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's everything.
0:34
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0:41
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0:45
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0:47
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0:57
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1:02
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1:06
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1:10
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1:25
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1:27
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1:35
[SPEAKER_01]: I look forward to seeing you at the Bamboo locations with that being said, let's get into that episode.
1:40
[SPEAKER_01]: What up, though, Black Friday's family.
1:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to another installment of Black Friday's podcast.
1:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Before we get into today's episode, I need to hit that like button, drop a comment, subscribe, send some videos to family friends, and love ones so we can keep this thing going.
1:52
[SPEAKER_01]: Now that we got that out of the way, I have one of our marquee creatives in the city of Detroit.
1:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Some know him as John, some call him as James, but most of you know him as John James.
2:00
[SPEAKER_01]: How you doing, my brother?
2:01
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm good, man.
2:02
[SPEAKER_02]: How you doing?
2:02
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm doing pretty well.
2:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for pulling up on this.
2:04
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm happy to be here.
2:06
[SPEAKER_01]: for sure.
2:06
[SPEAKER_01]: And we happy to have you.
2:07
[SPEAKER_01]: So given the fact that you've been able to be what I consider a staple in the creative community in the Detroit area, somebody who's been a champion for the city as well through their creativity and storytelling, being able to have your own brand and then being able to develop.
2:23
[SPEAKER_01]: merchandise line corner store goods and it also work with some of our champions at the city, people might be familiar with like big shine and be in type tap down with opportunities like that.
2:34
[SPEAKER_01]: I just want to first ask you what does it mean to you to be able to have those opportunities to tell your story of Detroit from your lens as a creative.
2:44
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's everything to me because that's what you want to do.
2:48
[SPEAKER_02]: That's my purpose, right?
2:49
[SPEAKER_02]: My purpose is always to tell a story through design.
2:51
[SPEAKER_02]: That's like how I define myself is I'm telling stories through design.
2:56
[SPEAKER_02]: And I have the opportunity to do it.
2:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Like what I consider to be one of the highest levels, especially here in Detroit.
3:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's everything.
3:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, working with people like Big Shine, uh, his team is amazing, being able to extend someone as a staple in Detroit, extend their story is something I love to do.
3:15
[SPEAKER_02]: So if I can do that and continue to do it, that's what I want to do for sure.
3:19
[SPEAKER_01]: And you worked on, uh, Detroit, too, um, album, uh, design or design surrounding the album if I'm not mistaken.
3:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I did.
3:26
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's probably my second favorite Big Shine project overall, second or third.
3:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I can't.
3:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I can't remember the catalog, but it's somewhere up there, but I say all that to say what was that experience like to be able to work on something that was so like probably consider one of his best projects.
3:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So that, that was special for me because I've had a few idols as a creative, and I've been fortunate to work with both of them and receive both of them as mentors, and as far as being Tony Hooligan and the second being Mike Carson, who was Big Sean's creative director at the time.
4:01
[SPEAKER_02]: He followed me on Instagram.
4:05
[SPEAKER_02]: I followed him on Instagram years ago, and I would
4:13
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, and I started to send it on my portfolio.
4:17
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to say at the end of 2019 because I was, I felt like I had finally developed the portfolio where I could send it to somebody like him, um, and my work was really starting to speak for itself.
4:28
[SPEAKER_02]: So that came about by just me being diligent and wanting to work with somebody like him and him recognized in that and He provided that opportunity for me.
4:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I got to give a shout out to Shawn's man Vito to who also Put my name in there and I mean, that was that was it was amazing
4:49
[SPEAKER_02]: to for them to want me to help tell that story is everything being from Detroit listening to a big shine since 2008 when nobody was listening to a big shine you know like yeah we was still in our our way of we were just really getting it to dope boys cash out in that era like team east side is starting to bud and things like that
5:10
[SPEAKER_02]: And you got a big shine, who would like to complete opposite right like Detroit is not that we we got blade ice would we got Eminem right we got Eminem, but like big shine was a reflection of
5:22
[SPEAKER_02]: What I felt like was me, my brothers, my peers, and it was just amazing to see somebody like that, take it that far.
5:30
[SPEAKER_02]: And so to be able to have things come full circle and work with him on that project, work with them, and it's team on that project, it was amazing.
5:39
[SPEAKER_02]: It was almost a once in a lifetime opportunity.
5:41
[SPEAKER_02]: First, for an album that special, because I know that album meant everything to him.
5:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So as you consider, how good the trade one was and everybody wanted to see cool.
5:48
[SPEAKER_00]: For sure.
5:49
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and could you introduce us to what would you name your children methods of creativity or creation like what what is your creative back so to speak?
6:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, my creative bag is I like to say that I can make anything look cool.
6:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
6:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Right.
6:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Like if you give me a concept, I can take that and you can you can be in your head and we gonna put it on paper.
6:13
[SPEAKER_02]: We gonna put it on a shirt.
6:14
[SPEAKER_02]: We can put it on a billboard.
6:15
[SPEAKER_02]: We can put it on a building.
6:16
[SPEAKER_02]: We can put it anywhere and we'll make it look cool.
6:18
[SPEAKER_02]: So.
6:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, just taking those ideas and bringing them to life in a visual way, so that's that's my back and that looks like anything.
6:28
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, and you're telling me before we started recording that you were self taught in terms of graphic design and being able to get that start.
6:37
[SPEAKER_01]: why you were still in college and then being able to start your brand in your business right after college.
6:42
[SPEAKER_01]: So what kind of drew you to that lane where were you always a creative that you always know how to like where you are just drawing and creating stories like how how did that start for you did a start at that moment in college or that time frame in college or did a start previous to that and then you were able to elevate it there.
6:59
[SPEAKER_02]: So, um, I like to tell the story that I started drawing, uh, because my father.
7:07
[SPEAKER_02]: My father, he knew how to draw a little bit.
7:09
[SPEAKER_02]: So he showed me and I took a liking to it and I just, I would draw every single day.
7:14
[SPEAKER_02]: I drew every single day.
7:15
[SPEAKER_02]: I would draw girls when it tweeted bird and we need to pull and boys when they like Dragon Ball Z.
7:21
[SPEAKER_02]: They want to go cool.
7:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Yep.
7:22
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, Sonic the Edgehog.
7:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So I started, that's like,
7:25
[SPEAKER_02]: where my art story starts, right?
7:28
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, this drawing stuff for kids for like a couple of dollars at school.
7:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I was always creative, but I didn't pursue it in a professional way.
7:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I just, it was just something I did, right?
7:42
[SPEAKER_02]: You don't, you know, you can play basketball.
7:43
[SPEAKER_02]: You need to get a basketball, but you don't know like, here's what you need to know to be a professional basketball player.
7:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Like I didn't have any of that.
7:50
[SPEAKER_02]: And to be honest, I didn't, I don't even know if I wanted it.
7:53
[SPEAKER_02]: I just enjoyed, you know, drawing and doing what I did.
7:55
[SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't until,
7:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, it wasn't until college, um, so I was roommates with my guy, many people known as Uncle Tay, Tay Hooligan, we were, we were good roommates in a college, and him and Tony are relatives.
8:13
[SPEAKER_02]: So we go to New York.
8:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And I've been, at this point, I've been saying Tony's work for years, he's doing everything.
8:20
[SPEAKER_02]: He had, I think at the time he was working at kids, he's working at Mark Echo.
8:23
[SPEAKER_02]: He's working with big crit, Joey Badass, and cinematic, and all these like people, right?
8:30
[SPEAKER_02]: So, we go to New York, we visit him.
8:33
[SPEAKER_02]: And as I'm admiring his work, he says to me like,
8:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Don't you know how to draw like aren't you creative like he literally says me why you're not doing this you can do this to and I went home the first thing I did after that trip was I ordered a MacBook off eBay used and torrented photo shop and illustrator and I just learned everything It just got on YouTube and just started learning.
8:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I will annoy him like sitting him stuff.
8:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I knew wasn't sweet, but I completed it and I wanted somebody to see it and we're no
9:03
[SPEAKER_02]: When I talk about that mentorship, he was my first mentor and how I got started and everything.
9:09
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's what set me on his path.
9:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Dope.
9:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And so now, before we get into my further questions, I want to have some fun on Black Friday's, which is my favorite part, Freestyle Friday's.
9:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, listen, thank you all so much for listening to this episode and any episode of the Black Friday's podcast.
9:31
[SPEAKER_01]: But I got to be honest with you.
9:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I really think it's something missing and I hate to draw that and notice it.
9:36
[SPEAKER_01]: The thing that's missing is your podcast.
9:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Why am I not listening to your podcast?
9:41
[SPEAKER_01]: You talked about making one, which a friend's years ago.
9:43
[SPEAKER_01]: You know that you need one to better market and promote your business.
9:47
[SPEAKER_01]: But yet, you still don't have one.
9:49
[SPEAKER_01]: This is why I created the pocket podcast and course to teach you how to be able to
9:56
[SPEAKER_01]: and tools that you have right into finger tips in order to create.
9:59
[SPEAKER_01]: And I created two different ways in order for you to do that.
10:03
[SPEAKER_01]: You could join my digital, do it yourself, on-demand video recorded pocket podcast and course.
10:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to literally step by step from idea on how you upload your very first podcast episode.
10:14
[SPEAKER_01]: And for my people who would like to have something a little bit more tangible, I have created a digital e-book that walks you through my podcast and journey.
10:20
[SPEAKER_01]: The things I've learned along the way, the tools and equipment that I use in order to create
10:25
[SPEAKER_01]: and elevate my show.
10:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Now look, I don't want to keep you too long, but I'm going to make this as simple as possible.
10:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Go ahead and head over to www.blackfrightx.com to learn more about the digital podcast course and also the podcast and e-book, or you can hit the links in the show notes to take you directly to each of those resources.
10:44
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, enough at that time to get back into that episode.
10:46
[SPEAKER_01]: We're talking about how you worked on the Detroit 2 project.
10:50
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure you into hip-hop because I didn't been in music Cause I didn't been in one of your events before so we're gonna need some bars from you John James what was going on some bars We're gonna need some bars, bro.
11:00
[SPEAKER_02]: No, I don't know
11:01
[SPEAKER_02]: I got no bars.
11:03
[SPEAKER_02]: You know what?
11:05
[SPEAKER_02]: I can give you something.
11:06
[SPEAKER_02]: I can tell you a story about my name Okay, I'm a this is cool.
11:10
[SPEAKER_02]: I can use in place of raving because You film me talk to us.
11:14
[SPEAKER_02]: That dream is dead So the name John James comes from two places, right?
11:21
[SPEAKER_02]: So when I was in fifth grade I got promoted to sixth grade.
11:25
[SPEAKER_02]: So I did fifth grade to first semester
11:28
[SPEAKER_02]: My teacher, I want to say her name was Mrs. Williams, like, Liz Kitt, he kind of smart.
11:32
[SPEAKER_02]: He got four point notes.
11:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I think we should move him to the next grade.
11:36
[SPEAKER_02]: I get moved to sixth grade.
11:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Kiss are like, he must be a genius, right?
11:40
[SPEAKER_02]: He got promoted.
11:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Whatever.
11:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Cool.
11:43
[SPEAKER_02]: That always kind of stuck with me.
11:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Around the time of big shots, you know, him breaking out at around like 2008.
11:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Kitt cuties coming.
11:52
[SPEAKER_02]: I just like to start at a blogger, right?
11:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, culture is booming.
11:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought I wanted to be a rapper, okay, and my rap name was John, that's the name.
12:03
[SPEAKER_02]: That was like my rap name was John James, so while I can't provide any barbers for you, I can't give you that story and say at one point I did when I had bars and I didn't have bars.
12:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I recognize that I was creative in other ways.
12:16
[SPEAKER_02]: How long did this dream last before you realized that you had it or it's not good at all?
12:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Because I have, I've always had good people around me, I tell my uncle that I was interested in rapping and he took me to his friend who asked, studio and all that, and I recognize that I didn't want to do it in real time, I don't want to do this.
12:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm too shy to do it, you know?
12:35
[SPEAKER_02]: I didn't want to pursue that and that dream probably lasted like two months.
12:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, but I kept the name.
12:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I kept the name like you said it worked out.
12:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah other for other creative medium just wasn't that the genius stuck with me and that that missed something to me.
12:49
[SPEAKER_02]: But not in the form of bars understood.
12:53
[SPEAKER_02]: So I apologize.
12:54
[SPEAKER_02]: You got bars.
12:55
[SPEAKER_01]: No, I ain't got no bars.
12:56
[SPEAKER_01]: No, it's for the guests to come up here with the bars, but I will ask you these rapid fire questions.
13:01
[SPEAKER_01]: That's all right with you.
13:03
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, so first, if you had a chance to do a capsule collection for any Detroit icon data or a life, who would that person be?
13:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Can we claim Stevie Wonder?
13:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, do we get the claim on?
13:16
[SPEAKER_01]: We can claim.
13:16
[SPEAKER_01]: He's technically from Saginaw, technically, but he was down here for a good portion of the time.
13:21
[SPEAKER_01]: He came Detroit young, so yeah, I feel like we can't.
13:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Steven Wonder.
13:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
13:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, see we wonder for sure.
13:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, do you have any ideas what you would do with that capsule?
13:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Man.
13:33
[SPEAKER_02]: So we do something for his classic period.
13:35
[SPEAKER_02]: We'd figure out a way to do some merchandise on activation for his classic period, which is like 1972 to like 1976.
13:42
[SPEAKER_02]: We could kind of extend it to 1980, but we're going to say 1972 to 1976.
13:47
[SPEAKER_02]: But man, if because they didn't have like merch, then, you know, like, he was on tour and he was doing things, but it wasn't to the level of what it would be now.
13:55
[SPEAKER_02]: So we could take that era and put it into something physical.
13:59
[SPEAKER_02]: That's what
14:00
[SPEAKER_01]: dope.
14:01
[SPEAKER_01]: What's your favorite hidden gem in Detroit?
14:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Favorite hidden gem as far as what how do we let's do what it could be places it could be a fool spot it could be artwork yeah okay whatever comes to mind.
14:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Favorite hidden gem.
14:19
[SPEAKER_02]: I am going to give a shout out to Adam Busu and Jack Adams, uh, Isherina because that was integral in my upbringing because I play hockey there for like six or seven years.
14:31
[SPEAKER_02]: So I don't think enough people know that black kid's play hockey, black kid's ice skate, and that is a hit and gym.
14:36
[SPEAKER_02]: You could still go to open skate at Jack Adams and learn how to ice skate.
14:40
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's a hit and gym.
14:41
[SPEAKER_01]: So a couple of things on that.
14:42
[SPEAKER_01]: I always tell people I never play hockey, but just watch it and hockey actually kind of lit Because it's always action people always moving around.
14:49
[SPEAKER_01]: They don't squirm much, but you're gonna see you probably gonna see a fight or two And yeah, yeah, you definitely gonna see a fight and they begin to it as far as the action go and then shout out the bustle because even now It was a dog at the kid.
15:00
[SPEAKER_01]: I had a membership for a little bit They had a ton of activities and stuff to do and then either a dog and I will go there to vote come in that district
15:08
[SPEAKER_01]: They still have a ton of things to do with it.
15:10
[SPEAKER_01]: They got zoomed glasses, they got... You can get a membership to play basketball.
15:15
[SPEAKER_01]: You can learn how to swim there.
15:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, yeah.
15:17
[SPEAKER_01]: But fool got everything you could think of.
15:18
[SPEAKER_01]: And like you said, the ice cream.
15:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
15:20
[SPEAKER_01]: That people don't really know about it.
15:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
15:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
15:22
[SPEAKER_02]: That was my placement.
15:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I was home.
15:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Shout out to Bustle for show.
15:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Where would you...
15:27
[SPEAKER_01]: If you had someone who was in town that wasn't from the city, the first place that you attacked them, and let's make that some food place.
15:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Where would you go to eat with them?
15:36
[SPEAKER_02]: That's tough.
15:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Where would I go to eat with somebody that's not from Detroit?
15:41
[SPEAKER_02]: This, this is a tough question because I feel like everything hinders on me knowing where all the good food's boss.
15:47
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
15:48
[SPEAKER_02]: I feel like I don't, you know.
15:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, damn.
15:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I actually take them to stand by okay.
15:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I take them to stand by because I know the staff there They treat me well I've been going there for years.
16:02
[SPEAKER_02]: You can get a good cocktail and good food and it's a vibe So I take them to stand by but okay.
16:07
[SPEAKER_01]: I got tried out.
16:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll never never try it myself as far as like food Isn't it Ali?
16:11
[SPEAKER_02]: They got good food.
16:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
16:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's what I'm gonna tick talk yesterday That's why I'm like okay that a burger.
16:16
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like that might be worth trying
16:17
[SPEAKER_02]: It's like, you know, it's like the crappy patty that if it was in real life, I'm serious.
16:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Like it's like, it looks the same and everything.
16:26
[SPEAKER_02]: It got like the Breosbun, like the single slice of tomato lettuce all that.
16:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So, stand by.
16:33
[SPEAKER_01]: for sure.
16:35
[SPEAKER_01]: And then last but not least, let me see, try and make sure I don't lose my training thought.
16:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, I had it, but it might be gone.
16:43
[SPEAKER_01]: So if it come back to me, I'm an active show.
16:46
[SPEAKER_01]: But moving along, uh, would love to what first, thank for participate in freestyle Friday.
16:51
[SPEAKER_01]: It's definitely appreciated.
16:52
[SPEAKER_01]: And would love to know, corner store goods.
16:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Talk to us about corner store goods.
16:57
[SPEAKER_01]: And how this brand came to be because I loved the messaging
17:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm an inclusivity to try to give people a sense of relevancy and at home wherever they are.
17:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so cornerster goods.
17:13
[SPEAKER_02]: was found it based on my grandmother, okay?
17:16
[SPEAKER_02]: My grandmother was a corner store owner, her and her husband for the better of somewhere between 20 and 30 years.
17:23
[SPEAKER_02]: My mom grew up in there, my uncle grew up in there, my aunties grew up in there.
17:29
[SPEAKER_02]: They grew up in this store.
17:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I used to go there when I was a kid when I still had it.
17:34
[SPEAKER_02]: So that just meant something to me.
17:36
[SPEAKER_02]: And,
17:38
[SPEAKER_02]: The name itself identifies everywhere around the world, right?
17:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Whether you go to New York, it might be a bodega, you might go to the South, it might call it a package store.
17:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, whenever it is like that corner store, you're gonna have a corner store, it's gonna be a staple, and I think it is a perlute of culture, right?
17:54
[SPEAKER_02]: For better or worse, there are negative connotations, there are positive connotations with it, and I like to duality it at, and I felt that corner store goods, which is a perfect name.
18:08
[SPEAKER_02]: Corner store goods has like allow me and my friends to just tell stories, right?
18:13
[SPEAKER_02]: Like that was the first vehicle that we had to like tell stories.
18:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So it means a lot.
18:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that brand means a lot.
18:26
[SPEAKER_01]: And what made you want to develop that brand?
18:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So I know you see, say, you got the inspiration from your grandmother who owned a corner store.
18:33
[SPEAKER_01]: What made you want to go out and actually develop a brand in order to do that?
18:39
[SPEAKER_01]: And I know you do so through merchandise, but if you have any other ways, do you do that through a corner store goods?
18:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Please, let us know about that as well.
18:46
[SPEAKER_02]: So with corner store goods,
18:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Which is looking for outlet, right?
18:51
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I started pursuing design in 2014 and by 2015, I felt like I wanted to put something out there.
18:58
[SPEAKER_02]: And I felt that merchandise was the easiest way to do that, right?
19:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, if you can get a design on a shirt, if you can get people to wear your shirt or t-shirt or hoodie or sweatpants, whatever, if they can see that brand or design, you can take that anywhere.
19:11
[SPEAKER_02]: You're not limited to a one demographic, because people are going to take that design everywhere.
19:17
[SPEAKER_02]: For me the easiest thing to do is close.
19:19
[SPEAKER_02]: I've always been in the street where I knew I wanted it to be a street where brand and that's how we got started and in terms of the streetware fashion brands like what do you
19:35
[SPEAKER_01]: What are some of the things that inspires you in terms of developing streetwear?
19:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Because I know we can get a lot of people say we get inspiration from hip hop and stuff like that.
19:44
[SPEAKER_01]: But for you, where do you kind of get that and put an inspiration from to develop your your clothing?
19:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, I pull it from the community.
19:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Whether it's visual or a little more abstract.
19:59
[SPEAKER_02]: I did a collection in 2020, at the end of 2021 and it was dedicated to my grandmother and my mother and my family and it was a title after Curtis Mayfields, um, to make us of you, uh, I wanted to create something that signify.
20:20
[SPEAKER_02]: that embody my grandmother, my family, and what it means like that togetherness, right?
20:25
[SPEAKER_02]: We released it around a holiday season.
20:28
[SPEAKER_02]: So what inspires me is like the community directly, people directly.
20:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes this music sometimes, you know, things like that, again, the making of you by Curtis Mayfield, but you know, that just kind of encapsulated everything I was trying to say about my family.
20:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So the inspiration comes from everywhere, was specifically the community.
20:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And given the fact that you have been able to build your own brand over these years, you've been able to work with some powerful brands that we talked about, big shine, and then also you have some partnerships that we'll talk about in a second as well.
20:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Then being able to see your, how your grandmother would be able to operate a corner store and be able to build a community brand around that, what for you, what makes a good brand, what makes a strong brand when it comes to, we can stick to clothing, but anything outside of that that comes to mind.
21:15
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll want to know your thoughts on that as well.
21:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I think what makes a good brand is a sense of self and knowing yourself and identity, right?
21:25
[SPEAKER_02]: If you have an identity, if you have a sense of self, you won't just do what everyone's doing, you'll do what makes sense for you and you are able to tell a very specific story.
21:34
[SPEAKER_02]: If you can tell a specific story, no matter what you do, that's what qualifies as a good brand.
21:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Right?
21:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, you take Nike, you take a deed as you take Reebok,
21:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Many people will say that Nike tells that story to best, right?
21:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Like they, they're selling the same products, but how can you tell that story?
21:51
[SPEAKER_02]: So if you can tell your story better than someone else can, that's what makes a good brand.
21:56
[SPEAKER_01]: And how have you been able to develop and craft that story over the years?
22:00
[SPEAKER_02]: For me, it just takes time.
22:02
[SPEAKER_02]: When I talk about that sense of self, I think that evolves in that changes because we change, we evolve.
22:09
[SPEAKER_02]: For me, it's just taking time to think about what I want to say.
22:13
[SPEAKER_02]: and then figuring out how to say it.
22:15
[SPEAKER_02]: So it takes time, but when you know what you wanna do, it's easy to do.
22:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Hmm.
22:20
[SPEAKER_01]: What have you learned throughout the years in business from, let's say, for example, your first drop to your most recent drop when it comes to being in a merchandise game, streetwear?
22:31
[SPEAKER_02]: That's tough.
22:34
[SPEAKER_02]: The first time around, you always get too much product, you know, you can overestimate what you expect things to be because you don't know anything from a business standpoint, right?
22:47
[SPEAKER_02]: So you learn the needs of people, you learn what people want from you and the more you put things out, the easier it is to understand it.
22:58
[SPEAKER_02]: The best way to start anything is just to make mistakes too.
23:00
[SPEAKER_02]: So, and I made a lot of mistakes.
23:03
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know a way, you know.
23:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, even stuff you think you learn, you do it again, you be like, damn.
23:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought we had this time.
23:09
[SPEAKER_02]: But it's just time.
23:11
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, for me, it's just been time to fail.
23:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm thankful that people have believed them enough to continue to believe in what I've put up.
23:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
23:21
[SPEAKER_02]: So.
23:21
[SPEAKER_01]: So I want to see if I can get some free game from you in terms of being able to establish a fashion brand.
23:29
[SPEAKER_01]: And so let's say that
23:31
[SPEAKER_01]: you get through the creative and you know what story you want to tell and what images or how you want to develop your merchandise.
23:37
[SPEAKER_01]: So once that part has been completed, what are the next steps that you take to go from design to have a neat, like someone purchasing a shirt or have purchasing merchandise from you?
23:50
[SPEAKER_02]: How do you get them to purchase merchandise?
23:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Merch and that's where you?
23:53
[SPEAKER_01]: From you?
23:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, let's go with that.
23:54
[SPEAKER_01]: And then I'll ask more technical questions.
23:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, how do you get people to purchase merchandise from you?
24:01
[SPEAKER_02]: you need community.
24:03
[SPEAKER_02]: You need to be able to get, and you need to be able to get in front of people.
24:06
[SPEAKER_02]: If you can get in front of people, people will buy what you had.
24:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Even if it's just your first thing you create, if people can see it, if you can talk to them about it, people will buy it.
24:16
[SPEAKER_02]: That's, I've always believed that, right?
24:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, if you can do a pop-up, if you can do events, if you can get in front of your family, you can start with your family.
24:24
[SPEAKER_02]: That's how you get people.
24:25
[SPEAKER_02]: It just really starts with one person, but it's about continuing to push, we have the power of social media and that is amazing considering people didn't always have that.
24:35
[SPEAKER_02]: You used to have to really start on the streets, right?
24:39
[SPEAKER_02]: But for me, you still have to do that, right?
24:41
[SPEAKER_02]: But that's what I mean when I say get in front of people.
24:44
[SPEAKER_02]: If you can get in front of people,
24:46
[SPEAKER_02]: they'll buy your product or they can at least you can at least show show something to people and you can get feedback you can know it's good you can know it's bad and that helps you move forward right so if you put out pride if you do a pop up and you don't sell as much as you thought you would you know what you can they can do with that product now you know so you go back you pivot and you keep moving forward but getting in front of
25:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And would you say that you started the pop up route or did you go directly to like ecommerce or maybe in the store partner with someone subtle first time I ever saw anything was online right so again a part of social media You want to put like a curse out together small campaign We used the resources that we had we took pictures.
25:35
[SPEAKER_02]: We used we used friends.
25:36
[SPEAKER_02]: You know you used friends to to model So
25:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Just using my resources and then using that to leverage the online marketplace.
25:49
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's how we started that.
25:51
[SPEAKER_02]: Then you get in front of people, then you know, that's how you do it.
25:53
[SPEAKER_02]: You start online, you know, so.
25:56
[SPEAKER_01]: And how did you, excuse me, so you started online, have you went to pop up, pop up, pop up, up, route before and done different like in-person and activation for your, your clothing.
26:08
[SPEAKER_02]: Many, many, many pop up events, many activations, people reach out to you if they like what you have, they want you to be a part of their event, we've done, you know, some good stuff, some bad stuff, but, you know,
26:21
[SPEAKER_02]: We've done everything like any and everything at some point, you know, so you get to a point you can be selective, you know, but early you got to just hit the ground right now.
26:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm curious because you said you've been a person bad event.
26:34
[SPEAKER_01]: So for people who may have like a merchandise or physical products, what would constitute as a bad event that you probably should be like, you know what, I might, I might wait until the next one or look for another opportunity.
26:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Just stay away from.
26:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Right.
26:46
[SPEAKER_02]: You need to understand
26:49
[SPEAKER_02]: the people there right like the demographic that are going to be at this place right does your product look good with these other products if there are other brands there do they look good with this brand right Stoosie and Supreme look good together, but you know, Stoosie and Gortex might never cross paths right they don't mean that they can't have the same clients but like Stoosie and Supreme you know that they are going to buy it so
27:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's just about aligning with people that align with what you believe, what your values are, so as a brand, anything else is, you know, you could be saying yourself up to be a part of something crazy for sure, and then so I would love to know how do you from a more behind the scenes standpoint, how do you identify
27:39
[SPEAKER_01]: your material, so like the stuff that you actually are going to sale, which are merchandise, so like do you have, do you go in source different wholesalers or people in order to do that for you are doing drop shipping, options, how are you developing the actual design, so the physical materials are the clothing.
27:57
[SPEAKER_02]: So physical, I've done wholesale, um, I've done cutting son as well, um, that is more we've done stuff that was handsome like over here.
28:09
[SPEAKER_02]: So I find that if you want to start the easiest thing to do is to wholesale, um, I've never done drop shipping.
28:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I like to have my product in hand.
28:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, and if I got my product in hand, I can get it so you know I can go out to people.
28:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I can say I have I can say I have it on me.
28:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Come pull up on me You know, you can't pull up on somebody drop ship and something and people most times they want to have it the same day You know, if it's local right people want it.
28:33
[SPEAKER_02]: It's fast as they can get it if they're buying it So if you can start wholesale start small you can start with small quantities and that's how you build right
28:44
[SPEAKER_02]: and it's like me a lot of learners it's important to have a hero product right it's important to have a staple piece that you can just continue to sail over and over and over again and if you can keep that on you you'll never feel
28:57
[SPEAKER_01]: And for that, for you, would that be the first or created in your dreams?
29:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Would that be okay?
29:01
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's like, I'll tell you, that's the first time I've done something like that where I just kept putting out a design.
29:08
[SPEAKER_02]: But also, it was because the design just felt like such a reflection of me, and it was easy to continue to push it up.
29:16
[SPEAKER_02]: and when are you going to drop the charcoal or black ones again because I tried to find them on the site and I see people wearing them and I give them a matter of time I see them because I always miss out so we're doing a restock this month so yeah okay we have a restock this month um I'm doing an event cozy by hospitality included December 22nd we have new product there okay so you can pull up there um and I have it online again too
29:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so you're doing that's the in person event that that's a chance to pull up and get it just put it to exercise for me I need that I need that that to work.
29:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's go quick.
29:51
[SPEAKER_02]: The two axes in a small.
29:52
[SPEAKER_01]: That was going to quick Okay, that's what I'm saying just put the just put it to the side don't even let it be available for purchase because yeah, I'm coming to get that.
29:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, say less fish.
30:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I appreciate that and then
30:03
[SPEAKER_01]: in terms of so you talked to us about how to how do you actually like source merchandise.
30:08
[SPEAKER_02]: So could you break down the terminology of wholesale cutting so and like what does that cutting so and what does that mean okay so wholesale is when you purchase from a supplier generally they are already here in America and they've already produced the products right no matter whatever silhouette it is it could be.
30:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, a fleece.
30:28
[SPEAKER_02]: It could be a crew neck.
30:29
[SPEAKER_02]: It could be t-shirts.
30:30
[SPEAKER_02]: It could be sweat pants.
30:31
[SPEAKER_02]: It could be pants.
30:32
[SPEAKER_02]: The product is ready and made to be used.
30:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Right.
30:35
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what purchasing wholesale is.
30:37
[SPEAKER_02]: They're selling it to you.
30:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, they produce it.
30:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Are really an air selling it to you at a discounting rate.
30:42
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not like a market rate technically.
30:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, and you personalize that garment and then you sell it for another price cutting some it's pretty much doing everything from scratch, right?
30:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Like so you have to Um, get the fabric.
31:00
[SPEAKER_02]: You have to get like a pattern maker.
31:01
[SPEAKER_02]: You have to get a cut of whatever product you did.
31:04
[SPEAKER_02]: You're gonna get made.
31:04
[SPEAKER_02]: If you're getting pants made They have to cut first.
31:08
[SPEAKER_02]: They have to cut your sample, right?
31:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Like how does this pair of pants gonna look?
31:13
[SPEAKER_02]: A lot of times that's going to take multiple samples, but once you have the code that you want, you can produce that pair of pants at whatever rate you want.
31:22
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's pretty much as far as drop shipping I've never done that.
31:28
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know I don't even know what that looks like I don't know what it looks like to not have product in my hand.
31:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and give it to somebody you know hand the hand So all I can speak for is cousin son and and post it, but those are the other two ways it just depends on what makes sense for you
31:46
[SPEAKER_02]: I think things like pre-orders can help you determine both, help you determine your market and that's the way to go.
31:57
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just figuring out which one works for you.
32:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Where do you want to start?
32:01
[SPEAKER_02]: You'll likely spend more money doing a cut and so on, right?
32:04
[SPEAKER_02]: You can spend anywhere from...
32:06
[SPEAKER_02]: 300 to a thousand dollars for a sample right like what are you getting done to that sample to where we need to or we need to do multiple samples until we get it right whereas when you buy something to wholesale it's just a cut that it is but the good thing about that is you have plenty of options with wholesale suppliers because they are all over the country all over the world and they want to stay one of them
32:27
[SPEAKER_02]: want you to buy their t-shirt wholesale because they think their t-shirt cut is the best at there is.
32:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So whether you want the weight to be this or that, it's a wise batch of items you can buy to get started.
32:39
[SPEAKER_01]: And when you do wholesale, for example, that would be you purchasing the cut as is, and then you taking the jogger set, and then you putting the heat press on it yourself, and whatever your designs are.
32:49
[SPEAKER_02]: You can, I don't do any of the printing.
32:53
[SPEAKER_02]: I design and I send it to get produced.
32:56
[SPEAKER_01]: And then people do that.
32:57
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'll be consider cutting some.
32:59
[SPEAKER_02]: No, that's still a host.
33:01
[SPEAKER_02]: You still work with a wholesale supplier, right?
33:03
[SPEAKER_02]: So you still buying the product, you purchase it.
33:09
[SPEAKER_02]: When you purchase a product is going to directly to where it's going to be, uh, modified.
33:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
33:14
[SPEAKER_02]: So if you're going to import or on it, if you're going to screen print, if you're going to silk screen, if you're going to do Chanel patching or whatever you decide to do to it, nine times out of 10, you want to send it directly to where it's going to go.
33:26
[SPEAKER_02]: But,
33:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Some people like to just have blanks on them and a screen print or do whatever they do at home.
33:32
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, I come in if you would have to do that because it's a lot more work.
33:36
[SPEAKER_03]: Mm-hmm.
33:36
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's a lot more work.
33:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Especially if you end up getting a big order.
33:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
33:40
[SPEAKER_02]: So.
33:41
[SPEAKER_01]: I ain't going to lie in contemplating getting a cricket a few times because you said you said you know what, I've contemplated getting a cricket or something along those lines a few times just because it's like, I don't have ideas for stuff and I'll be wanting.
33:53
[SPEAKER_01]: It's good for samples.
33:54
[SPEAKER_02]: It's good for, but not math for the output isn't crazy, right?
33:59
[SPEAKER_02]: You can do 20, 30 shirts, but like 200, 300 shirts as labor, right?
34:11
[SPEAKER_02]: And then it's variables, it's always variables, right?
34:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Like if you work a job or if you do this or that or
34:19
[SPEAKER_02]: it's always something in place of that that can happen to you versus if you just send it somewhere that's their job to produce it they're going to give you that line you know you're going to have it and then are you're I'm assuming you're melon all these off as well uh... yourself so or you're driving around city and doing that on the drop off and all right don't want to go on the car not so we ship to so like you know i ship
34:44
[SPEAKER_02]: That's, I mean, that's the easy part is shipping, but that, you know, you get help for that too.
34:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
34:51
[SPEAKER_01]: So what's mean your biggest drop today or your, what's you deemed your most successful drop?
34:58
[SPEAKER_02]: My most successful drop.
34:59
[SPEAKER_02]: I've had a few, but my most successful drop.
35:04
[SPEAKER_02]: It's been to, I'll give credit to two.
35:07
[SPEAKER_02]: So the first one was, and 2021, when I did the Black and City in America, to use, that's one of my favorite designs.
35:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I started doing three day designs with Snipes, and 2020, by way of, I want to say, Squid, DJ Killer Squish, she gave my contact to somebody else Snipes, and every like we want you to design one of these shirts,
35:34
[SPEAKER_02]: And I had a really really really good reception from from my design and I saw that and I'm like, yo, I can do this myself.
35:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So when 2021 came I decided to do that drop the black seed in America.
35:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Another one I missed out on.
35:50
[SPEAKER_02]: You know what?
35:51
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd restock that a lot.
35:53
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll restock that a lot.
35:54
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's all me there.
35:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I actually might have some of those at Twix.
35:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
35:59
[SPEAKER_01]: I need to put that to the side.
36:00
[SPEAKER_02]: They to the side because I don't think I've done a restock in like two years.
36:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
36:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So that design I don't I'm not I didn't coin the black seed in America, but I feel like I was first put on some merchandise I'll say that about Detroit.
36:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
36:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh Very proud of that design.
36:17
[SPEAKER_02]: I think a lot of people felt like that speaks to us as people in Detroit.
36:21
[SPEAKER_02]: It's black people in Detroit
36:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And then my second drop that I think is that I know it's been my most successful based on reception and numbers and things like that is my first you're crazy in your genius tease or that design I should say we're just wise but come like my hero product
36:38
[SPEAKER_02]: But that design has been so successful just because I know people relate.
36:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, people understand it like genius takes time and everybody doesn't see it, right?
36:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Like you might, you might see the work, but you don't see the long nights.
36:51
[SPEAKER_02]: You don't see us here recording a podcast late at night, even like so.
36:56
[SPEAKER_02]: And it is building towards something else that people don't always understand.
37:01
[SPEAKER_02]: I truly believe that people understood, understood that when I put the t's out.
37:05
[SPEAKER_02]: So that has been my most successful draft.
37:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't.
37:09
[SPEAKER_01]: So we've talked about fashion, we talked about the...
37:13
[SPEAKER_01]: fashion game and building a merchandise brand.
37:16
[SPEAKER_01]: So now I would love to be able to talk about one of the important partnerships that you have coming up or are currently activated with StockX and working with the other partners will be able to give some young folks opportunities and so I would love to be able to have you talk more about that and tell us about how you got tapped in with that.
37:34
[SPEAKER_02]: So that came by way of Olivia Pearson who as a publicist we reached out to me and told me that she said you're not done telling this story and I agree with her.
37:46
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm like I'm like I'm like I have some plans and then she she had even more plans so I always
37:53
[SPEAKER_02]: If I can ever do anything with my platform is to extend it to children, right?
37:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Is this extended to young people or people who haven't really started share or looking to pursue it?
38:04
[SPEAKER_02]: So we reached out to my guy, Malcolm McCance, who I grew up playing hockey with at Jack Adams.
38:11
[SPEAKER_02]: Who is the...
38:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to say the director of education at say the tree, which is a nonprofit, it's kind of like the after school program for all grade levels is very well funded.
38:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, I know the staffers have donated money to it.
38:25
[SPEAKER_02]: I know the pistons have worked with them, things like that.
38:28
[SPEAKER_02]: But I knew that I wanted to extend this concept to them, to the kids and StockX came
38:40
[SPEAKER_02]: They showed out, they pulled up, they spoke, they brought things, they gave gifts.
38:44
[SPEAKER_02]: And I just think, I recognize that stock X is like a pillar of Detroit streetwear culture.
38:51
[SPEAKER_02]: And I feel like I'm a pillar of streetwear culture in Detroit.
38:54
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that just makes sense to work together.
38:57
[SPEAKER_01]: for sure.
38:58
[SPEAKER_01]: And what type of energy did you feel from the young people as they were able to participate in this because I always go with ideology of exposure at least to expansion, especially for young folks and have an opportunity to mentor down and work with them.
39:14
[SPEAKER_01]: So what were some of the receptions that you got from those young people during this activation?
39:20
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, they just think it's cool, you know, like they are go is to show them that they have opportunities outside of only what's put in front of them.
39:30
[SPEAKER_02]: What's put in front of them is good and we need that too, but like they need to know that like,
39:35
[SPEAKER_02]: you can't start your own brand.
39:36
[SPEAKER_02]: You can pursue a graphic design.
39:39
[SPEAKER_02]: You can become a creative director.
39:40
[SPEAKER_02]: You can become a photographer and things like that.
39:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So just putting that in front of them.
39:46
[SPEAKER_02]: They loved it, right?
39:47
[SPEAKER_02]: So like they had the opportunity to learn how to design a shirt.
39:51
[SPEAKER_02]: They designed their own shirt and they had the opportunity to screen print it and everything.
39:56
[SPEAKER_02]: They got the opportunity to screen print it.
39:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd never even screen print it before.
40:00
[SPEAKER_02]: I worked with these
40:04
[SPEAKER_02]: they get to see something from start to finish that they made and they loved it.
40:09
[SPEAKER_02]: So, I mean, it was great.
40:11
[SPEAKER_02]: What age group were they?
40:13
[SPEAKER_02]: So, it was mostly high school.
40:15
[SPEAKER_02]: We had some younger kids.
40:17
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to say around like 12ish 13 but it was mostly high school.
40:20
[SPEAKER_01]: In terms of, um,
40:22
[SPEAKER_01]: that partnership with StockX is there's something that you plan on doing again in the future or was this like a one-off activation?
40:29
[SPEAKER_02]: No, we definitely want to continue to do it.
40:31
[SPEAKER_02]: If we can extend this, if we can we want to grow this collaboration just because
40:39
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not enough to just start with with 10, 15, 20 kids like we want to continue to show kids that they can do this right like the bigger the platform the more kids know that they have these opportunities.
40:50
[SPEAKER_02]: So this is something we want to continue to grow for sure.
40:53
[SPEAKER_02]: And what high school did you go to real quick?
40:55
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to spread your Douglas for a day for a day.
40:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay shout out to Freddy.
40:59
[SPEAKER_01]: They shut Freddy down or did they move?
41:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Say move man.
41:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay twice.
41:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay so they move they like on the North and now.
41:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, yeah, did you all have opportunities like that when you were in high school or if ready not everybody and so that's what's important about like Working with as many kids as I can right like because me and my boy cave on a few other students.
41:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, they wanted us to paint a mural of Frederick Douglass and our School mascot which kind of slips my Ibis iris.
41:28
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know the bird It's like it's like a bird from the south of that fly as I'm to the eye at a storm whatever
41:34
[SPEAKER_02]: It's probably the Ibis.
41:36
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, all right, you had it right the first time.
41:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, but they wanted us to paint the mural.
41:41
[SPEAKER_02]: And, um, so me and my boy K-Vine, this artist whose name I can't remember because it's been quite some time since I was in high school.
41:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, but that opportunity wasn't extended to all the kids, right?
41:54
[SPEAKER_02]: They only, they saw that me and K-Vine were artistic.
41:56
[SPEAKER_02]: They knew about us and they gave us that opportunity and a few other students.
42:02
[SPEAKER_02]: The more students you have in front of you, the more kids you have in front of you, like the more people you reach, it's always that way.
42:07
[SPEAKER_02]: It's like I say, getting in front of people.
42:08
[SPEAKER_02]: If we can continue to get in front of these kids and show them that, you know, they have these opportunities, then that's what we want to continue to do.
42:15
[SPEAKER_01]: No doubt.
42:16
[SPEAKER_01]: And speaking of, so speaking to your creativity, Derek, I thought I had mentioned to you before I had been to one of your events that you had at CREC Cafe, and then you definitely throw some dope events.
42:29
[SPEAKER_01]: And I've only been the one, but I've seen that you've done a series of events.
42:32
[SPEAKER_01]: So I wanted you to talk about those a little bit, and then how did you decide to get into curated experiences?
42:39
[SPEAKER_02]: um it's funny man um so I got approached uh by Amber social in the city um early last year when she was working with Willis Shobar on some of her events and she asked me if I wanted to do an event and I had been running I had tried to do this event in like 2021 and it was a
43:08
[SPEAKER_02]: terrible, right?
43:09
[SPEAKER_02]: I didn't communicate the event language and get enough like I really didn't do anything right.
43:14
[SPEAKER_02]: But um, and I like merged it with like a drop I had did.
43:17
[SPEAKER_02]: It was like going on.
43:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
43:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, so when she gave me this opportunity to do that willus.
43:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I finally had the concept better.
43:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm like, okay, we want to do B-size, D-Cuz want to be smooth on, then they get too crazy.
43:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Willis was the perfect location for it at the time.
43:35
[SPEAKER_02]: And my guy Isaiah, he goes by ZQGO, who actually is our in-house DJ.
43:43
[SPEAKER_02]: He's a partner of mine.
43:44
[SPEAKER_02]: We've been working together for a few years now.
43:47
[SPEAKER_02]: He came up with the name, you don't notice one, right?
43:49
[SPEAKER_02]: So you don't notice one.
43:52
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just I don't know you got to say somebody say like where are you going?
43:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to you don't know this one.
43:56
[SPEAKER_02]: That's a conversation right there.
44:00
[SPEAKER_02]: So after we got that, we just put it together and it just it just makes sense.
44:05
[SPEAKER_02]: I think I had Kim McFlydo the first one my boy Corey us been as well and we really just wanted some I wanted to go somewhere.
44:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not even gonna say we I wanted to go somewhere where I could go out and hear music that I want to hear so yeah I kind of did it.
44:20
[SPEAKER_02]: because I just wanted to go to that, you know, like I go to Chicago, I go to New York, and you go to these cities where they have like these super curated events that are recurring, and it's like, it's like a,
44:33
[SPEAKER_02]: you know, you want to be there.
44:34
[SPEAKER_02]: So I wanted to do the same thing and I wanted to give that to Detroit.
44:39
[SPEAKER_02]: We just needed a better vibe.
44:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't want to go out in here.
44:42
[SPEAKER_02]: The DJs play the exact same thing at the last DJ play because those DJs not coordinated.
44:48
[SPEAKER_02]: So we try to coordinate our DJs.
44:50
[SPEAKER_02]: We put them in a group chat, you know, we're sending songs.
44:52
[SPEAKER_02]: We're trying to curate a vibe so that people go and hear music that they either never heard or haven't
45:01
[SPEAKER_02]: It's bangers that just get lost over time, so if we can get people that space, create has been a great partner of ours too.
45:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Black owned, they take care of us, they let us.
45:14
[SPEAKER_02]: move how we want to in there.
45:15
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, so it's been great.
45:17
[SPEAKER_02]: We always get a really good turnout.
45:19
[SPEAKER_02]: The city seemed to love it.
45:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So we don't keep doing it.
45:22
[SPEAKER_01]: For sure.
45:22
[SPEAKER_01]: When is the next series?
45:23
[SPEAKER_01]: When is the next set of, you don't know this when y'all doing anything for the holidays or you know what?
45:28
[SPEAKER_01]: We just have one.
45:29
[SPEAKER_02]: The day after Thanksgiving.
45:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
45:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Really good turnout.
45:32
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, one's a catch, catch people in town.
45:34
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, visit a o-vob or something like that.
45:38
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, that's what people come up.
45:39
[SPEAKER_02]: For sure.
45:40
[SPEAKER_02]: We feel we saw.
45:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Our next one is likely going to be
45:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, likely gonna be today after Christmas.
45:46
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to say okay, so, but I'm I did another event From with cornerster goods Called the sauna the streets.
45:56
[SPEAKER_02]: That's something I wanted kind of restructure for next year I was telling you about the event.
46:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I went to today to know your rice event that the Wolverine Bar Association put together So last Kenny was ahead of that and
46:11
[SPEAKER_02]: I felt like I could have extended my platform more to something like that.
46:16
[SPEAKER_02]: And I feel like when I first came up with the concept of the sound of the streets for cornerster goods, oh.
46:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I just wanted it to be to like literally like what is the street talking about like what is going on in the streets and I think something like that where we can talk to people about knowing your rights, knowing how to engage with with law enforcement things like that and we can extend that with cornerster goods that's something I want to do in a new year.
46:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Fire.
46:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
46:39
[SPEAKER_01]: So speaking of that because
46:41
[SPEAKER_01]: throughout this conversation just being able to understand like you're living a few different creative dreams in terms of being able to have these dope events so people to be able to pull up to have your own merchandise line getting opportunities to design and then also do some meaningful events in the city as well such as the activation that you did for the young folk.
47:00
[SPEAKER_01]: I want you to
47:01
[SPEAKER_01]: If you had a one to know if you had a word for those creatives, that's like up and coming or maybe trying to get out of their own way to do their own thing, that's in the city or beyond and just want to know like what what advice would John, genius give to them.
47:14
[SPEAKER_01]: If you could go back and talk to your younger self and give them some advice start now.
47:22
[SPEAKER_02]: If I can go back and give my younger self advice, that's a question.
47:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's tough.
47:28
[SPEAKER_02]: I would have tried to stop myself from doing so much, you know, like, you can't even, you don't even know it's not, yeah, but also I think I, so like young people that want to sue a creative career, whatever path it may be is that, um,
47:45
[SPEAKER_02]: that that you can do it, like there is no, there are no limits or bounds to what we can do creatively, right?
47:51
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I didn't see myself doing an event or having an event where that I've been doing for over a year now, but if there was a need for it, I found a way to harness my creativity around it.
48:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I've found a way to harness my creativity around a period that I make as a designer.
48:08
[SPEAKER_02]: It's allow me to, you know,
48:12
[SPEAKER_02]: to be my true self right so I feel like if I could if I can talk to my younger self I just just tell myself they're like there are no limits on what you can do with your creativity so don't don't put don't put the put a box around yourself and say I can only make this I can only design that because for so long I felt that I had to project or portray a certain style or certain brand and you know you can't
48:35
[SPEAKER_02]: truly be free if you're limiting yourself.
48:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
48:37
[SPEAKER_02]: So just don't limit yourself.
48:39
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, like, we are literally boundless.
48:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Hmm.
48:42
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what I would tell anybody.
48:44
[SPEAKER_01]: And with all that that you have in terms of not putting those limitations on yourself and the different mediums that you're able to go in and out of how do you approach different opportunities to say this is worth my time in investing in and doing or maybe I might be good on that.
49:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Man, that's tough.
49:05
[SPEAKER_02]: I think about clients a lot, when I hear this question right now, I'm thinking about clients as a designer, right?
49:13
[SPEAKER_02]: It's tough to gauge what's truly worth your time because I like to help people.
49:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to help people, pursue their dreams.
49:20
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to help people pursue something, greater than themselves.
49:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, I think for me, it's just about the approach.
49:27
[SPEAKER_02]: Whatever it may be, whether it's a brand, it's a company or whoever a person, approaching me on working together or doing something like,
49:34
[SPEAKER_02]: how you approach someone is everything, right?
49:37
[SPEAKER_02]: So, that's probably all I can say because this is really a case about case basis, like, yeah, sometimes you don't know until you get in it.
49:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you would think something's good for you and now you work with this person and it's like, I shouldn't have did it.
49:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
49:52
[SPEAKER_02]: And you don't learn that until you win it with them.
49:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
49:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Like if somebody come to you and say, I want to partner with you, but you're going to spend on, you're going to spend all your money in your time and resources.
50:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
50:01
[SPEAKER_02]: People want to siphon off your creativity, want to siphon off what you have, your resources.
50:06
[SPEAKER_02]: You do have to watch out for that, right?
50:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I told you earlier that I have no problem telling anybody like.
50:11
[SPEAKER_02]: who I might use for a wholesaler, my printer, I love to send people to my printers because you're not getting in my way.
50:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Like what I'm doing this at for me, you're not getting in my way.
50:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not getting in the way.
50:28
[SPEAKER_02]: So.
50:29
[SPEAKER_02]: but, you know, it's people out there who try to poach, you know, the swag.
50:37
[SPEAKER_02]: For sure.
50:38
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, like, for real.
50:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
50:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And in a, in a, in a, in not a j, and there's just not genuine.
50:43
[SPEAKER_02]: That's probably the best way to say like, you're not being genuine.
50:45
[SPEAKER_02]: It's all going to be like,
50:46
[SPEAKER_02]: So yeah, we're not even going to do that for sure like you can you can really gauge it, you know when you have an conversation in real time.
50:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, like you as a wait.
50:55
[SPEAKER_02]: We didn't have people say that like
51:02
[SPEAKER_02]: you do and you know who do it and and they just let you do that and I'm like what do you say right now you know like right send me a email you know like that's normally do this let's let's get a video chat not that I'm like not that I can't talk to nobody on instagram and like that because I'm all the time I think it's up in a grocery store one time oh yeah I was like you like yeah you judge in it and I'm like
51:25
[SPEAKER_02]: I am like, what's the deal?
51:27
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, like, but he wanted to talk to me right then and I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like
51:54
[SPEAKER_02]: for so do it right in the right place like but not right now yeah and now now I'm not you know now I'm a different now I'm not that guy because I didn't I didn't told you like not right now right so what is it time to place but how people approach you like that they'll let you know everything
52:10
[SPEAKER_01]: no doubt.
52:11
[SPEAKER_01]: I agree.
52:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
52:12
[SPEAKER_01]: So John was next on the horizon.
52:14
[SPEAKER_01]: When can we expect the next drop?
52:16
[SPEAKER_01]: You told us when we might get the next you you might you don't know this one.
52:21
[SPEAKER_01]: So what was in your crystal ball and what do you see on the horizon?
52:25
[SPEAKER_02]: So man, am I crystal ball?
52:27
[SPEAKER_02]: What I've been working on is
52:29
[SPEAKER_02]: So when I first dropped the first you're crazy then you're genius to use that was I was looking to start a line kind of under my genius name right and that design people were so receptive to that I just it's like alright let's just keep putting this out so I'm going to extend that and expand on that idea.
52:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, that's next.
52:51
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm doing like I said.
52:52
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm doing a pop-up with hospitality and included, uh, their event cozy is December 22nd.
52:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, I'll be releasing there and then for corner store goods.
53:01
[SPEAKER_02]: We are, we have a lot of things planned for the new year.
53:04
[SPEAKER_02]: We have a lot of things planned.
53:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So we, we're going, we're going to really take that as far as we've always wanted to.
53:10
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what's next.
53:11
[SPEAKER_02]: You don't notice one.
53:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, our last one is, it's going to be in December.
53:15
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not when you want to miss
53:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we do capacity every time so you got to get there early, you know?
53:21
[SPEAKER_01]: So, yeah, that was nice.
53:24
[SPEAKER_01]: First show, sound like a lot of banger's coming up soon.
53:27
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
53:28
[SPEAKER_01]: And working to people tap in, which I know you said they can DM you if they think I questions, but other than running down, I know you have to grow.
53:35
[SPEAKER_02]: She's not working to people find you.
53:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm John next to you is everywhere.
53:39
[SPEAKER_02]: John next to you is on Instagram.
53:41
[SPEAKER_02]: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
53:53
[SPEAKER_01]: But so well John this has been great man.
53:55
[SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate you for coming through the podcast sharing your genius with us and being able to give us a glimpse into your world That a creative and really love the intention.
54:05
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll let you have but behind what you doing and make it Sure that that the city is at the forefront and or represented in all the things that you do so appreciate man I appreciate you man, of course, of course any time and everybody watching listen it.
54:17
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't happen with y'all soon peace