 name another podcast like Check it check it check it. It's a unique hustle. It's your boy e ceo, and I'm here with the lovely amazing official miss Jamaica wait Well, go on you know my dad Man, hey man, listen man. We got some guys here today y'all they don't need no introduction I've been knowing them a long time guys these guys right here. You know, this is a clothing store we actually broadcast out of a clothing store and Who better to talk to us about the clothing and apparel industry than these two guys here man We got Q and Dre man. These guys go back way back with your boy E man These boys know some stuff man. They seem to skin in me then they seem to fat me they seem to muscle me They just hey, I'm just like the clump professor I Might switch up anytime. So man. How y'all doing man awesome man A little bit tired been on the road eight days eight days. Yeah eight is enough. Oh man. We got one more to go, man What a guy is that the longest y'all ever been on the road to do something like this? No, probably 1010 probably the longest. Yeah, man We got to go back down through there though. No, yes, okay So tell us about where you were raised you're bringing all of that. Let's start with Q first I'm from the Bronx. I was born born in Brooklyn raised in the Bronx I moved out of New York About four years so I live in a Charlotte, North Carolina now. Do you miss it to live? No, why? What's bad about New York? Now that I'm older. It's like I get you get more for your money You know and to be honest the gun laws First You just can't Okay, because I know it's dangerous in New York depends on what part right? They still carry guns regardless. Don't die. Well, the thing is all the criminals have them but the average, you know They still be sneaking and I don't have not the not the non-criminal can't the non-criminal because if you got one you automatically a criminal You get pulled over you go in the jail. Ain't that what happened to Jairu? Ain't that what happened a little bunch of little wine? Even if you have it in your car and don't take it out of the car with you Don't matter. You cannot have a gun on you. Really? You can't you can't even have a handgun In your house, you have to have like a shotgun in your house. You can't even have a handgun. Really? Yeah, man Well, let's carry a shotgun everywhere. So Brooklyn coming up as a kid man. Like I'm oh you from I mean I was born in Brooklyn, but I was raised in the wrong. You was born in Brooklyn raised in the brook Yeah, yeah, ain't that where? Fat Joe from yeah Which one's better cuz I always heard about Brooklyn Bronx and Queens be careful them three careful So which one's the best? It's not that one's better. They all different. They totally different Harlem's different You know man, he's from Mount Vernon, which is like right outside of the borough. My mom Vernon is like rich area, right? We basically boarded the board of the Bronx on three sides Yeah Yeah, it actually used to be a part of the city like I think back in the 60s and then It separated and became part of Westchester County. Yeah, I don't ever hear about I hear about my Vernon But not like I hear about Brooklyn Bronx or Queens. It's like in all the movies and all the everything That's all you hear people talk about That's all you gotta say is then he's part Jamaican Well, you know a lot of Jamaicans in Queens, too. Yeah, yeah, actually You know, they tried to take over Dallas The thing went down in Dallas whether Jamaicans tried to come down here and do some things and we had to have a meeting Okay, we weren't talking about a couple of restaurants and that's it Yeah, yeah, we said we got a few but we got a limit on how many we let One of my best friends actually left my Vernon and came to Dallas what about 20 years ago. Okay. He's still here. I'm still here What was it like growing up in that area for you was it like dangerous for you or I Mean, you know a lot of the Bronx is you know is the hood But I was raised in co-op city, which is um, it's a middle-class. Maybe my mom was a nurse My dad was a cop. So, you know, I don't have one of those stories to whereas we didn't grow up having anything I had and have a lot, but we had what we needed. You know what I mean? So I had a I had a good a good childhood. I would say, you know, of course we dealt with the crime We dealt with the shootings. We deal with all of that stuff, but I just you know I can't say that we were we grew up poor or anything like that. You say he was raised with your mom and your dad My dad was there up until I think it was about 10 or 11 years old, but I still saw him after that You know, they just split up. Oh, yeah, they split. They saw him like weekends and yeah. Yeah So you own a child. Oh, no, I got a brother and I got three sisters. You know this I'm the youngest youngest you the baby boy and the baby. So all of that split probably affected you the most Yeah, I would say so You know what is is that was certain things that my parents never Explained me see right. They never argued in front of me. Never they never cursed in front of me So it's like me is heard it because I went through that Well, I didn't understand it right when they was like why you I don't even know I didn't understand it. But to be honest it didn't really like totally stress me out You know, I just I don't know. I guess I was Didn't feel like your daddy was gone Leaving the country or the state even like he moved to Harlem Wow, yeah, and for you Yeah, I mean, you know just growing up my burning arm. I grew up raised by my mother money I ain't my own friend when you're in the mountain Let's get it. It's mystery. It's mystery But um, yeah, you know raised by my mom's um pops nose moving around doing this thing Why is that such a thing is like I'm well I can tell you why let me just break that And women it's a difference, you know Sometimes you stay there, you know, the Bible says that a nagging woman is like a leaky faucet So, you know, there's some things that that that are being said to where All I'm saying is patience is a virtue it is definitely a virtue But all I'm saying is there's gonna be issues the one thing we got to understand guys is that at the end of the day With with God all things are possible. I ended like that because you know, whether he was whether they was together where they Wasn't together. I think God puts things back together in his own way. Anyway, you know what I mean You guys are here a lot of guys crashed out that didn't even make it to be our ages your ages and y'all still here Come on, man, that says some y'all one Y'all don't hear me You can think of people that are not here no more because they crashed out lots of and it was friends of y'all Yeah, and you still here, you know, I mean, so God has a way of working it out No matter what you're upbringing is is like I mean, I think well my situation I think my posture is just he was just hustling doing this thing and you know He was getting getting getting money, you know, illegally, you know saying back then and he was just moving around and he just Found himself, you know kind of doing them thing doing this thing with like, you know multiple women It's six of us actually so was he ever there for you? Like I'm not gonna just monetarily, but actually there to talk to you and not that way either Like he just wasn't he just wasn't involved. I'm actually I'm actually I actually have a better relationship with his brothers Than him than him but that happens, but your mom was attracted to it at that time Yeah, I mean, I wasn't I wasn't I wasn't um, you know, I guess I I wasn't of age to really understand the dynamic of their Relationship because you know by a time I you know, I really you know grew up and understood that he wasn't he really wasn't involved at all You know, I was kind of just living my life, you know, so you know felt like okay Where's my dad like why is he never around or was it a normal because I can see if you're in an area where it's predominantly raised You know boys are being raised by women and you don't see that you be like, okay I don't miss anything because it's not like it's all around. You know, you know, what you know what to be honest You I think I think my family did a good job of um kind of like kind of shielding us You know from from from that part of our life, you know I was raised like not only my mother my grandparents as well And um, they they they created a solid house, you know for a solid on family environment home environment You know what we pretty much had you know what we needed again? Not everything, but we had enough And let me say this, you know, don't don't knock it, you know, it's cool because Even if your daddy was there's some of these dad has messed up as hell in the in the house. Yeah Yeah, let's talk about that for me just cause they in the house don't mean that the house is perfect There's still a big yellow elephant in the room that nobody talks about when somebody knock on the door you got to act in Order to make sure people feel like you guys are represented correctly when you're faking So quit don't don't try to come to me with the the dad ain't there and the dad is there and the mom is there and the mom Ain't there I seen better people who didn't have no parents I've seen partners of mine who was brought up in orphanages. I just talked to one yesterday And then the twin brothers who came up with our parents who? Hell got books doing better than a bunch niggas can't even write Yeah, but I see a lot of people But I see a lot of people who go through life and thinking that it doesn't affect them, you know, because he's never been there Whatever till you get older when you realize The reason why you took certain steps or you made certain choices was because of that Unknowingly, you know what I mean sometimes as we get older we reflect because when you're younger you don't see certain traits You don't see the reason why we do certain things but as you get older and you reflect you realize Oh, you know what that's probably the reason why I don't know, you know, you know it to your point I would say um, you know when I when I came of age and I understood, you know, you know What he was what he was really all about and his upbringing, you know, um, I understood that you know growing up for him He actually um, he was kind of he was actually a banding You know when he was younger and I understood that it all made sense because it was like he he never learned love You know, he was raised by other family members, but his mother, which is my grandmother. God rest us all and also God rest his soul He actually passed away from COVID Yeah, um, but but you know, I never I never held any of that, you know against him because I was actually raised in a very Loving way, you know saying on for my grandparents my mother And other family members being there, but but but I understood for him that um, that uh, that uh, yeah He never he never knew love, you know, sorry He felt he felt he felt abandoned and um He he could never he could never commit, you know himself to anything, you know for a long period of time Were you ever able to build a relationship with him before he passed? Oh, no, we know each other We are known very well, you know, I mean, it's just it's just that he was always moving around He would travel back and forth between, you know, the u.s. And Jamaica, you know, I figured that's a Jamaican side You're talking about don't don't don't don't even do that. Don't do that. Actually, I mean both my parents are Jamaican Okay And I think I think part of what help, you know me have a solid upbringing to my mom's like she grew up in the hood in Jamaica, you know me, so it's like she's wrong Kingston. Yeah, she grew up in Kingston. Yeah, I knew it So it's like She had to be the mom's and the pop so it's like, you know, when I was acting like she punched me in my chest Yeah, I'd be like, yo, yo get get yourself right. Yeah, I mean, yes, you probably want woman king. Yeah She was very she was very open, you know, she didn't she she didn't really like bite her tongue You know that much around us and you know kept it real, you know, so to speak and you know We and we just kind of you know grew up like hearing, you know Adult conversations at an early age Six all together what just me and my sister, you know, we're your mom Yeah, with my mom's and then and then I got other brothers and so were you the younger for your mom or the older? I'm the younger one. It's a both of y'all baby boys. Yeah entitled both No, but I want to say man, you know, just I like the fact of how consistent you guys been in the things I've seen you in man and just you guys just presence man always made me feel comfortable You know, I knew when I went to a show or something you guys I knew it was a show going down You know what I'm saying when I got off that plane and I was going up to the Vegas or something I knew the show was going down when I ran into you guys Man Yo, yo diet and the way that you work out man being a part, you know seeing your page and stuff Was you always this size or how did that happen, bro? I was I was where I started hitting weights at 14, right? But I started even I was doing pushes push-ups at like seven years old Yeah, it was like it's my life. I think I think I remember watching the movie rocky to with my dad Okay on TV and that's what started and I literally worked out forever. That was like seven years old I never stopped working up. It just came seven years old as soon as I turned 14, which was still too early I started hitting heavy weights. I started doing like Competitions like local about this about this affect you when you start to early 14 is a little early to lift weights like calisthenics is okay, which I do a lot of but um weights What do you do? You should do about 17 But what does it do to you when you start too early? You said too early? I mean they say it's done your growth a little bit But you know, it's hard on the joints because you're not fully grown your growth place and now you're not all the way grown yet So you need to get to that point to where did you see that kid on social media? It was a young kid and he was like Yeah, yeah, I mean me if I would have waited to 17 I probably would have some of the injuries I have now, but I'm still good. You know, I just I started earlier It was just some love and plus I was always short. I'm only five eight So I was always the short kid. So I was like, I'm gonna be the shortest guy. I'm gonna be the strongest Anybody ever just I think y'all that cuz he be I mean sure you get it. Just no one just don't come to me You said that white dude walk around and bump them big guys you've seen that Yeah But see me I don't really like I don't walk around like you know, yeah, and then it takes a lot for me to go off So yeah, you know, I can have a competition because I'm super calm like I'm That's guns as weapons Yeah, but I don't you know, I can I can have a confrontation with somebody and be like, okay, really? All right, you can walk away. You got it. Oh, yeah, no problem But then the point is if I give you all these chances to to stand down after that then it's called a police It's you know, then it's not stopped because then I'm just gonna dive on you Chances is like, you know, sir, please, you know me and just relax man. We here to have fun. It's okay Just you know, yeah, but they say some guys are big for nothing Like's not every guy who is big can fight or can do anything I was taking a little bit of martial arts when I was like 11 years old, you know My dad so my dad was in the military very early, right? He did he did 17 years in the army. Wow, then he did Then he came out and did six years in the Air Force Then he came out that was 23 years and then he came out and did 20 years as a cop So he told my 43 years of service. Wow. He was This is your biological father. Oh, yeah, okay. Yeah, so he was straight being there So, you know, it was always, you know, when you was saying we had a gun so that was never Did you ever go live with him? No, not live with him. No, I wouldn't want to live with him Because my dad was cool. He he had a bad attitude but not towards me I just was like, you know, he would somebody cut him off from the street He would pull out his badge and his gun like he was driven. Yeah, he was he was serious with it But not with me necessarily, you know, here's um How did you get in because for the height you are, you know models normally be like way taller Yeah, I see on your social media that you actually rip the runway. Yeah, so I'm like, how did that happen? I started with car cannot like that's my og so um in 1995 I started doing some modeling I think I caught the eyes of some of car can eyes people and they reached out to me and we started doing fashion shows in New York There's a TV show called video music box from Ralph McDaniels and he's like, you know He was like before BT before empty before all of those was playing videos and hip-hop and all that he was playing That so he started doing a fashion show called fat fashions When I first did that that's like if you're on that show you pretty much a celebrity almost wow So I had got on there and we just started doing all car canine fashion shows And you know, I was kind of known as like a car canine model even though I wasn't signed But I was just doing anything car canine and then one day after a fashion show I just came up to call, you know, and I didn't really know him known But we high and by kind of thing and I was just like cost it is my other thing is cool But um, you know, I'm looking for something in the company something long-term. He kind of looked at me like Yeah, you know, he was like nobody ever said that he's like I cool And then he had a guy named brother Arthur, which you probably never bought the brother out They used to be at the show yeah in the days. Yeah, he was kind of like a big brother to me He was in a nation Islam and he was like man. Just come to the office So I would show up to the office like what you need and we'll coffee what you need Yeah, in turn call was living in LA. Yeah, but he was like cutie again like He said so one day he called me he was like He called office and he was like I got something for Q to do So he was like he said call wake up in the morning about like four or five in the morning every morning, right? He was like he watches the time was like Good morning America or whatever that show is they have yeah. Yeah, he watched every morning He said tell Q to go down there with a car canine sign and hold it up. I want to see it I'm gonna be up. This is like he this is like six seven one. He's like, I'm gonna be up I want to see the sign car to now tell him to go down there and me I'm like I was like, you know what pay my dues. Yeah, I went down there for like two weeks Had to sign up boom. He be on TV. Oh And then so then one time Al Roka actually came up to me Yeah, he was like what's this sign right here I said, yo, you know, it's a clothing line. It's a black and old clothing line You know, he said I said if you give me your sizes, I'll bring you some clothes and stuff Oh, but instead of me thinking salesperson instead of him me thinking he's gonna be like, oh, yeah He was kind of like nah, and this was heavy Al Roka at the time. So he he was like, uh, no So next you know security care to me was like, yo, you can't be here no more He's still living I think he's getting out He's a snitch Man, you shut car cannot sign down down there. You know, I watch it man. Don't do this. I told him it's black Yeah, so then you know cause like I that was a good job, man And then I think like the following week he was like, man, he said, yo, get that motherfucker job Straight up. He was like get a motherfucker job. Then I started working. I became a rep They gave me a certain territory and in the territory was like new england territory Which is like five states in new england, which is like it was nothing up there at the time and I went out there And I just started opening the counts. I would go to the club Like, yo, where you get your outfit from? Dude, they gave me store started writing it down and then I would just spend like a week out there And I would just go to every store that people tell me they get outfits. I'm like, yo, car can I be like, car can I I was looking for this bone I opened up like 35 accounts in a year in the territory that we didn't I think we had five accounts in the whole territory Man, and that's how you know it kind of started and then I worked for call as a rep for five years And then I left there and then I started working for fat farm Yeah Well, you know who that is Then when um when I started when I left there me and call just became titan. So today he's still one of my best friends Yeah, yeah, yeah, I seen y'all together. I've seen y'all together a lot a few times So I left there and I was working for fat farm and I was on the footwear side the footwear license I was there for eight years Then from there went to rock aware. I was there um on the footwear side. You work with uh, how long I work with oody on the footwear side Okay, you're on footwear side on footwear side. So this was um, it's licensed. So, you know apparel is different It's a different company, you know, I mean it's still under the rockaway umbrella But it's a different company same thing with fat farm. So I did that. Yeah Drey, what was you doing just hanging out in vegas when I seen you Didn't I see you work you work for a cool and some old people didn't you Y'all worked for a cool for a pay to time. How you was a model. I seen you in some models Yeah, yeah I've seen you in a few of them fix don't play. I'll pull them up Pull them up. I was modeling, but I was like you was in the mix Rocking and rocking and joints with um, yeah, man. Yeah, those how'd you get into it? Wow. So I started I started in the business about um, yeah, man It's just like 2000 like around 2000 I was um going to school time I was in college and I was working at macy's and um while I was there, you know, um me me and a partner on mine Who worked there with me? He was like, man, you know, we kind of we kind of getting tired of this man Let's go it was cutting the hours and stuff like that. We was like, we gotta figure out how to get some bread So we was like, man, let's start our own t-shirt brand up So we just decided to get up one day and like, you know, take the train down on down to down to manhattan You know, we went to macy's at harrow square. Okay. I know where you at and uh, you know, we was like strolling Actually, before that we went down to 28th street. This is they said like Broadway. Yeah, yeah They said had these little like warehouses in the buildings when you go and they just be selling blanks like Yeah, yeah, so we was going in and we was like pricing out teas and whatnot and they was trying to get us on the price We was like, damn, this is expensive. You know what I mean? So anyway on the way back, we stopped at macy's Like, you know, let me just walk through here, man I ain't been here in a minute and we went up to on the young men's floor and they had just put in A sean john shop. Okay. So we seen this dude over there He had like dreads and he was kind of like folding the clothes and all of that He was rocking sean johns. He was like, yo, that must be a rep right there So we just went up there went up to him and you know, we asked him like, you know, you the rep for sean john And he was like, yeah mad cool, you know shook our hands and whatnot and he was like, yeah Just got on a couple months ago. Dada He's like, all right. How is it? He's like, yeah, I love it so far. He's like, all right. Cool. Cool. Anyway That happened. We just went you know, we just walked through went back home You know saying about a week later. He shows up at the macy's store I was working at in white planes him and his boss And um, they came to do a shopping store. He was like, yo, we met you like about a week ago. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah What's going on? Anyway, um, they got to they got to setting up the shop and you know putting out the merchandise and we pretty much Helped them the entire time and you know, you know got got them whatever they needed and um And uh pretty much by the by the end of the day when they was getting ready to leave Uh, uh, his boss offered me a opportunity to intern, you know, okay. Okay. I'm like me. I'm like, I'm like I'm like Sean John. I'm like what I got to lose. You know what I'm saying? Big at the time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was huge You know, it was it was getting big actually. It was really getting big. It's probably like it's like 2000. So anyway, um He was like, I bet this is probably like on a thursday. He was like, you'll meet me on saturday morning uh On for them road in the Bronx. I'm gonna pick you up there and we're gonna drive to brooklyn Fulling street We're gonna go to king's plaza and we're gonna go to green acres more Um, and we're gonna and we're gonna set these shops up. So saturday morning. Anyway, I was like, I ain't got nothing to lose man, you know And worst thing that could happen is, you know, I got opportunity comes out of it So anyway, um, I get up get up like 5 30, you know, meet them down in the Bronx You know, we get the drive and we get the full and street. We set up the shop out there Um, and after we finish we set up that shop went to go have lunch at juniors Which you know, those who know, you know, full and street where macy's is in brooklyn There's a juniors that they're into the block that um, that goes like just like at the intersection of like, uh Fulton and flat bush somewhere around it And um, we had lunch and he pretty much offered me a job Like what? I'm like, I'm like, hell yeah, I gotta take this thing. So um, so yeah, so so anyway We are the day went on and we did the other two installs We went to uh, king's plaza. We went to green acres did that and um, yeah, man He hit me up the next week and was like, yo, then I want everything Yeah, and so so, you know, I interned for about four months And then um after that after those four months like I was up in the office like often So I was going to school in the evenings and early in the day I would I would I would go there, you know what I mean? And um, just pretty much help out and I was going in so much similar to what q said like you I was going in so much like people started asking me. I was like, like, yo, did it hide yet? I'm like, no So, you know what I mean? But I was there and it was like, it was like, yo, it was like, yo, you're good, man Like we need to get you on the team Anyway, uh, you know after those that four month period, you know, I got I got I got I got called into the office You know with the with the big big boss and um, he's pretty much like, oh, we want to offer you opportunities to come and assist You know The the the person who Was an intern So I was like, sure, you know what I mean? And um, and you know, uh, uh, it pretty much started right there Man, you know, I mean and that's how I got in the business. I'm telling you man, you know, you guys are a man When you first like I said going to magic That's how I know you guys man And I got to ask you how this when y'all first went the first time you went I'm gonna both of y'all to tell me how was it and what the hell made you be there? Like what brought you to the magic? You know what made you stay there? What made you what made you go? I wanted your story then I wanted your story When I first got there, right? So who invited you don't die when I first got there No, so I I signed on the call kanai, right? So I was 20 years old Okay at this time when I finally got the job, right my first magic Of course, this is vegas. I turned 21. So magic was february My birthday's in january So I'm just able to get in and be in the casinos and all that So this is like crazy and then it was february. So I'm thinking this vegas is hot. It's like 40 degrees at night I'm like, what this ain't the biggest So then I get there and I have no clue what to expect No, I see this big-ass white caulk and I'm like, are we popping out here? And then it's you got to keep in mind you got to keep in mind. This is 1997 now Yeah, so There's hardly no black reps, right? So every any streetwear Well, really they called it urban back then right any urban brand. There was no black reps Right. So like 1997, right? It was caulk and I this was like just before fooboo. This was like Yeah, yeah, you know me this was before most of them Yeah, I think Maurice Malone was there. Yeah. Yeah, other ones was there at the time So we get there and it's the whole sale staff for caulk and I was black So I'm just like man, this feels good. But then you also can see like you can feel us like you they like You don't be like me. Yeah. So this was like almost the new era of Was cross colors and was this yeah, so yeah cross colors. Yeah, of course, you know cross colors, um I'm trying to think of these brands, man. Yeah at the time because then at the time So like the the the the shone johns the fat farms the rubles they started to come They wasn't there yet. Right. So they started to come about right time of here picking them back then Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course Yeah, yeah, no, you weren't rocking with y'all at all. Right. So, you know, they look at you bad, didn't you? You could just see I'm young. I'm 21 too. So, you know, but they still don't look at you like they just want you in certain places now Like it was like crazy. Yeah, it was it was crazy. So then Yeah, because I you know car can I really brought the party to vegas because that's when he started this was before now You know after that it was a party. There was 10 parties every night But caught it was the car can I was the only party in vegas during magic to go to it was a car can I party That was it until all of the other brands started coming in and everybody would do a party. Yeah, because we like to party Yeah, we we got it. But that would bring excitement. So then after a while I got people from new york like are we going to base for magic? I'm like for what? Like you ain't in the business. What you going for? We going to party. I'm like this is going to party This is getting crazy. But the first time y'all went did he had a party set up that first time or the first time? No The first time. No, he had to feel it out first. I mean, I'm that was his your first time and his first time was together No, no, no call was he was he had already been doing it already better. Yeah But when you got there, you get there are you kicking it? There was a party the first time you got there No, I think probably the second the second probably by the second time I think I wonder what popped him to did he ever tell you what popped him to do a party No, I don't know I mean it was just a lot of hype around the brand and all the celebrities were wearing it and Carl was close with like snooping all these guys. So it was just like it just made sense. Yeah, it just made sense to do it You know, what was the first um black brand ever? Do you know? well You know, you had you had cross colors. You had walk aware I know but the first first black Brand I maybe say cross colors. Yeah, also the guy's only name was called as well. I think call it was cross colors and call Yeah, yeah, but call actually signed on so there was no brand before that call from cross colors And then he got into his own thing But he actually originally was was uh called brought him in I gotta I yeah, because two poc love that they calling now. He's wet at calling. Yeah, I tell you start with that I'm gonna make sure you get called on the show one day too, man. I mean, but you know, you met Did you see did you meet two poc? I met two poc but not through call. I met two poc in new york, actually Yeah, I met him in the tunnel. Yeah, you was Did you walk up to him and say something to him? No, my cousin was uh, my cousin was a rapper. Um, Pudgy the fat bastard out. He's out of new york and he I was he's just I was amazed. He knew everybody. I'll tell you in the same night I met two poc easy e met the man biggie same night same club in the tunnel same night And I was that was the night that um the last night that easy e He was in the club and I think he passed away a couple weeks after that. Wow Did you look see, huh? Not at all not at all. Did you talk to any of them? When you say you met them mean like hey, my name is such and such. Did you meet them like that? He was really close with two poc So he he would have like long conversations with two poc But he just always made sure my cousin always made sure like that I that I shook hands He was like if you ever if I ever introduced you and you shake hands with somebody I love He's like I'm only going to introduce you to killers and somebody I love So if you shake their hands because I love them or they're killer Because these enemies that's a real that's real. Yeah, so so yeah, so I met a lot of them Back then but call man. He was just like That man's the og right there, man. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He really is because like I said when I seen him out there When I seen him out there, he was uh, he just you and him strolling along Who's that drills one night? Yeah, I seen y'all y'all's kicking it. I said look at them boys, man They got it going on man. That boy right there is pinnacle, man I'm talking about the clothing man. I just I used to wear a car could not like before all this when I was in the street So I really I loved his brand like I remember the last one I had was that brown You remember stayed in the closet You don't know what the longest I don't I think I finally gave away, but I'm gonna have to give me some You had you had the sandals to go with it too. They used to work Yeah, yeah, I love that car. Can I man? I used to love it. That was a huge deal. He did with sketches actually Yeah, I rocked it man. That was it was no deal like that. He had a big deal with sketches Man, so I heard y'all talking earlier about the the blocks the streets man. Y'all y'all so passionate about Yeah, you go down here to foot and such. It's like we don't give a damn about that in Texas Yeah, but but then I met people down there like I met this one guy. He's like I sell bags I've been on this block for 30 years. I'm like damn You know, he's seriously. Yeah, I'm serious. He was serious about that block So for you to leave new york, that's a big deal. You know to go you live niggas down this block forever Am I right? So, you know what that's the that's the beauty of being in this business and um having the opportunity to travel You know saying like I mean other things. Yeah. Yeah, I could say I could say this They might be like maybe nine ten states that I haven't That haven't been to you know saying you gotta tell me your first magic though Don't try to get out of my first magic. I mean first magic. I was I was I was wet man behind the edge You know me like I didn't even I didn't even expect it to happen when it happened literally happened Like I left like two days before I knew I was going Oh, um, because because my boss who actually brought me in at the time He left the company So I kind of like had to like fill his shoes Until they found somebody to replace him So it's like they didn't have anybody else to kind of you know represent that department at the show So it was like yo, we need you to go and at that time I'm dealing with like I was dealing with department stores at that time I wasn't even on the sales side. Yeah, yeah, yeah You know I used to be um involved with like merchandising shop development stuff like that So I'm working with like department store, you know presidents and gmm's and dmm's and region This one it was all together like it is now just at that one building. Yeah. Yeah It was solid, but it was more people way more people Yeah, right So um, so yeah, man, it's like, you know, I had to deal with like all of those guys and you know So my first show like basically the way the way shanjha was set up, you know for that particular time I don't know how long it went on because because I wasn't there for you know for I love the thing like two years later, but um, we had to go to go to vegas in suits Or or or the days of the show was we actually had to wear suits and at that time it was the show was four days It's a four day show So I think like the first day of color was like black second day was gray tan And then you had navy and I I I didn't have any suits You know what I mean? So so so you know the big boys the company um gave his assistant a credit card And it was like yo, you gotta take him out shopping This is like when I touched down and he was like, yo, we're going to the mall We're going to caesar's palace. We got to go shopping. Oh, you can you loving it with you loving it They took care of me. You know why they size you up and everything right? Yeah And this this is this is all done in like one afternoon Going into the evening. Yeah, and um, and then and then I was straight. Yeah, but um Give me that first drunk night when you got drunk and fell out. Oh man What happened in vegas? You know, you know what whatever happened on the shows there Because you know, I'm in a different place right now But um, but yeah, like my first like wild night came like really quick out there like um I just went out for dinner with the company Um, that same night we met we met puff. You know, yeah, you stay in this. I'm gonna go I don't remember what hotel you were staying in but I know it had like two floors in there The tv came up out of like a little chest in front of the bed and and it was it was fly You know what I mean? Like it was like, yo, yeah, this is real. Yo, you know So so so so we left that and um, we were everybody's like driving back to the hotel and um Um, no director marketing was like, yo, yo, what you doing? I'm like, I'm just going nothing I'm just going back to the hotel. He's like, yo, you want to come out with us? I'm like, all right. And um, they took me a crazy horse. I don't know if you know Oh, yeah, I know I'm crazy. Yeah took me a crazy horse. That was my first time going to an establishment like that establishment Yo, it's crazy and and we probably got there like maybe 10 o'clock at night they left at about I mean what be my first my first uh dance And um, they left it about maybe two o'clock in the morning. I didn't leave till like 5 30 You know and you had to be at the booth and I had to be at the booth So I just went back to the little shower and and came back. That's that's like that was it Yeah, that was a long time Hey, you did that too, though Isn't me that nice the club like and then She you got to go home and you still got alcohol coming through your pores It was like you shower up you go to the booth and they like you just come for the club To shower like it's come through your pulse Hey, man, so I mean do do what okay you guys are reps, man Like you you guys not just reps, but you guys know clothes, man So what are the brands that are popping out for you guys because everybody, you know from like I say kinyata Whether it be will the one here all these different guys, man Uh, they live and prove these brands, you know, um Ralph, you know all these different people, man I just what's going on right now with the clothing brand Well, I start by saying, you know right now right now. Um, it's a little bit different Then then then what we all came into, you know back in those days 15 You know 20 years ago, whatever On where it's like you had like a custom base who are dedicated to certain brands Like like okay, we'll throw some names out there like if you were a shawn john customer Or you were with shawn john, you know and and and that retailer knew that he could buy that whole collection And he's going to have that certain customer base That's just going to come in for that brand then you had a rock away a customer You know what I'm saying with all he rocked was rock away. I was his that was his thing. You had a parish or a niche Oh, I'm a scheme. I'm a scheme fat fogey. I'm saying right right right and and and that was that was that back then Today's customer really has no loyalty to any brands and there's so many more options Out there, you know what I mean at that time there was really like limited options You know what I mean, but now it's like trends trends move so fast You know what I mean that it's like it's it it's hard to get to really get a solid um A solid grab on the younger customer now, you know, the older customer is still the same He hasn't changed, you know, he's just he's just you know more advanced in life now yet You know, he's likely it got a family. He's got a solid job. He's holding now He's got a house. He's got he's taking care of responsibilities and but but but he's still attached to that era You know I'm saying that was his fit probably his favorite era, you know So he's like, yo, I still want this type of look, you know for my for my fashion Is that the same thing you're seeing? Yeah, I mean he said it. Well, it's really an item driven business now So it's not they're not supporting the brands, right? So they're not they're not saying I need this one brand They like you got stacked denim, right? I need stacked denim. You got an oversized tea. I need oversized tea They just you know, they'll get it from another brand. They don't necessarily necessarily have to have it from Whatever the trends are as long as you you have the look they're gonna buy the look whoever has it When I first got into these clothes and in this store been here for 16 years. I had another store Like four stores at one time, but These pictures I would put on each wall at each store Just so people would know that these brands were coming from a real genuine place Because of coming to a mom and pop they don't have that sense of security to say oh, is this real? And there you'll get that in these mom and pops and so You know, uh, I put those, you know situations up there How big of a part do the artists play now and I ask you this In helping those brands to to move is it still the same driven space with this internet world We live in or is it now you have to be looking at it from a different perspective? Well, it's a little easier, you know, because social media is free, right? Like before to promote We asked us we have to used to have to spend $10,000 for a page in the source magazine You know $20,000 for a page in a five magazine Now you can literally have one million followers and you post it and now you just reached one million people So it's much easier that way But there's still licensee deals which a lot of people don't know they think that sometimes You know, if a guy has a brand that automatically he's the owner and that's not necessarily the case You know, he might own the name, but if you're signing a licensee deal, then he's getting a royalty Right and the company is really doing most of the work, but he's the face of the brand Wow Any question? I'll say You sure? Is there anything that you can think of in this clothing world? Because you know, you are clothes and uh uh Want to say she picked a lot of stuff We know What we can do is we can tell you the brands that are hot right now that we're selling, you know as independent salesmen Just came out What you got For your audience is watching, you know We got things like smugglers moon premium denim You know some of the illest denim you're gonna find in the market beautiful washes You know comes with you know all the cool bells and whistles that you want to see You know stash pockets on the legs and you know, just really really good quality denim He also has a denim line on called doctrine. Okay. They does as well as stacked denim You know, um, we have our streets is watching You know, you always that that's that's the one there right right and and as I'm as I'm as I'm putting these brands out there Mind you, these are all black owned brands. Yeah. Yeah streets is watching my boy. Y'all know that boy Black When you're talking about all these brands one thing I've always seen when you go to the magic show Is that um depends on what's in style a lot of these brands replicate each other Um, whether it be off brands or you know premium brands or whatever because it's whatever is trending Is what a lot of these brands go with except from their core styles You know their core styles stay the same because people buy it all year round But whereas like fashion and trend, you know, because it comes in and goes out Why would people want to spend the money to buy the premium Name brand stuff rather than to go buy something else that is similar You know within used to be the way to whereas if you wanted You know Fat farm you going to get fat farm. You know what I mean? It's a little bit different They're just not supporting the brands anymore. They'll take the look and and you know Personally a part of me brain blames the retailers, right? Because before You had to have let's say the top five whatever it is the fat farms the caulk in eyes Whatever you had to have that right what the retailers started doing is they would buy You know The guy that looks like fat farm, right? So you're actually training your customer to now Be able to buy the other stuff. So instead of having the top five guys He would have you know, two of them and then sprinkle in all this other stuff That was non-named who just took from the top guys and just put it in at a lesser price But now you're training your customer because he's like damn this looks like that Is $50 less. Let me just get that. So then you train them. He's like, you know what? I don't get this so it started pushing brands in the way So if you look now there's not really that many collections left There's brands, but there's like a t-shirt here t-shirt there It's not really collections back then if you will look at you know Rockerware this whole wall will be rock aware, right? You get the jackets You get the sneakers you get the shoes you get everything you can think of will be that one brand I don't know if I can blame the um the retailer because for the main fact that You know being in this business for 15 years We had clients who come in and you know, they would want the rock aware from head to toe You could not even try even if you did try to say hey You can you know wear this other shirt with that it matches this rock aware. Yeah, you know This looks good with this but I'm out of this size And that's the reason why somebody might try to sell them a shirt from a different brand because they're out of this size You were a large, but I already sold a large here. Let me sell you a large in this other brand But The dedicated people would be like no, I ain't going who who mixes brands that was back in the days But now it's like oh no I get a rock aware pants and put on a Sean John shirt and as long as it matches Who's gonna look inside my tag or who's gonna look because brands are not labeling And this is where the clothing brand could say that they're at fault They're not labeling their outfits where people know that okay. Oh, you were in a rock aware pants with a Sean John shirt They're having these small tags on here. So nobody can tell the state of the business change exactly Things are not as gaudy. Like you don't want any brand And that's what's allowing the buyers to mix and match because of that main fact It became a price thing to be honest with you like back then, right? Let's just be honest for a second Drugs drugs drove the business right, right? You had just stole how many years? The whole time But we had those dope boys who used to come in and buy a lot of stores and stuff like that literally tell me right This could be a tuesday, right? They They're top dope boys that come to the store and be like i'ma i'ma close my door Nobody could come in these three guys shop, right? They all spend three thousand dollars each Maybe i'll close for the rest of the day. Maybe not, right? It really drove the business. So back then You can you know, there was no there was money tuesday was there's no day where you're not making thousands of dollars Now i can go and go into a store and sit and talk to a guy for an hour Not one person to come in here or three people could come in and nobody bought nothing I gotta I gotta say this man because I hear all this spiel You know a lot of knowledge in here a lot of knowledge like respect big respect But I think there's a thing that's going on also with the marketing strategy I feel like they're not putting it out the way they should with the way the resources we got now It could be done in a way that strategically Placed in a place where you have to like you said that million subscribers There are places man, whether it be uh bigger platforms than this one. You got the breakfast club. You got uh You got all these different not only podcast you got a pot joe rogan The my Mike Tyson even got one you have to start thinking outside of the box, right? Everybody watching certain things I think people are not hustling hard enough. I'm being real. I'm maybe I'm maybe I'm tripping I mean like if you get to these people and say hey, man, you do this, man I'm gonna do this I'm pretty sure they would do it but people not thinking like that no more They just basically just sitting back cold made a lot of niggas lazy, bro Like it's a lot of things that you could be doing because there's a new you got you got different people that are These these viral moments going into these people who are making them happen There are these people out there But if we marketed on that level to what's catered to what's going on today, right? What do you think would happen? I think I mean, you know, I'm gonna say that don't I mean cut you off Let me finish this once What was them them ones that they used they used to they was killing they were killing y'all too They the girls Cardi B wear them. What's that brands? No, no, it wasn't no big brand like that No, the one where they would come on they would get these clothes to these people and they was on the internet It was it was a Cardi B all of the different celebrities. They said it was just some regular clothes They would send them to them and they were fashion over. Oh, yeah Fashion over get hard in the middle That's what I'm telling you But hold on let's not get used to get confused fashion over pretty little thing or paying these people This is don't don't think that they're giving me stuff. I know that I know that they are paying these people to do this Like, you know, why don't these big brands pay? That's what I was saying as well. Well Not saying that they don't because you know what I'm gonna do the nature of the business has definitely changed But you see where I'm coming from right, right, right My thing is like to a certain extent like where we came from right call Was on the ground doing this himself, right hit the way that tupac water stuff It was basically set up. He went to go meet tupac, right In a room tupac is in there reading a script. He's not really paying call. No mind And then call us basically like You know, you know, what's it going to take me how much I got to pay you to to wear my stuff tupac was like You black You ain't got to pay me nothing Literally they became tight from that one moment That's B. That was pox statement. That's B. So think about that, right? Like you want to come up, you know You my brother. I'm trying to help you out. Like yeah, once you get big. Yeah pay me. But guess what? You want to come up just like I am let's help each other, right? He started wearing this stuff You see where it took, you know where it took call So that's what I'm saying. Like it doesn't always have to be about money, right? And some people aren't like that I'm not saying that But if you have the point where you already got it, then yeah, you're not gonna not pay me for some stuff I have to do for you, but you know, if you all want to come up then come on Let's do this. I just think the marketing got to be on that level We got a marketer because even on the rap music all this stuff is mentally being pushed to you Market wise i'm telling you I think we got to be on top of that if we're gonna keep these brands On another yeah, because you're right because that's sorry but when when you think about premium brands Premium brands used to do placement on rappers and actors actresses, whatever So but now it's become a thing where who's hot brand ambassadors the internet, whatever And you never saw them switch and did that except from as like he said the fashion overs and stuff like that But where the premium brands are concerned you hardly saw them doing that and that's what we're saying That's about it. Why not why didn't they switch with the curve? And and jump on that lane to line but I like to come back with the question to you, right? No, no, and this is this is real because think about it. Like why is it that? Gucci doesn't have to do it, but we should right? It's like you're asking the question right now I'm not saying you right. This is the question that gets asked all the time, right? So, you know, same thing we're called. They used to ask call. Why are you expensive? Your clothes are so expensive. All right. If I was a white man, would you be asking me that? So why are you asking me that? I'm black. I can't make expensive clothing You know what I'm saying? So, like, why is it that, you know, all these hot rappers can go buy Balenciaga Gucci and all this other stuff, but then you're not going to buy your own, you know, your own brother's stuff? Like, that's a question. Like, who can answer that for me? You know what I'm saying? Like, you want to look cool because you're going to buy the European stuff. Why not buy your own? Why not support your own? You know what I mean? Because they honestly don't care about you. No, it's true. You know what I'm saying? Like, we care about you. But, you know, how many people come in this store and do this show and a lot of them, but we know the ones that like Mike Jones and even Rainwater, like it's certain ones that they're not going to come in here. They're going to come buy something. They're going to, it's been a bunch of Sir Charles Jones. You can tell the ones who really, who they're going to support you just because you're black on business and they here to do this show. Right. They're not for to play with that because it's been guys drive over here just because of this show. I'm like, man, I just got to buy some guys here yesterday. I just got to buy some man cause at the end of the day, you know, y'all show love and y'all black and this is, this is a real thing. Another example is sorry to cut you off, but like, all right, if you're going into the Gucci store, you asking for a discount? No. No, right? So why should you go into the brother man store and ask for a discount? But when you think about that, you know, when we were talking, I thought about one other person. Um, I think it's more, I'm not going to say yes, it has to do with black and white, but it also has to do with, you know, status of the brand because look at Yeezys. Yeezys is a, it's Kanye, but they're not going into those stores or and be like, Hey, I need a discount on this or whatever store you're going to ask for a discount. You know what I'm saying? If you go into Adidas to get Yeezys, you're not asking for a discount. He knows that too. You know what I'm saying? Right? He knows that. But how many Yeezys are in black owned stores? Oh, that's a lot. It's not as much as you know, you see, but there's a lot. You go to Chicago to these partners store, I guarantee some Yeezys in there. You know what I mean? Cause it's out here. We all have to be a pardoning. I'm not saying, you know, retail. I'm not saying, you know, us, but just we all have to be a part of that. Like we gotta support each other. I don't mind. Like, yeah, I got Gucci, you know what I'm saying? But you know, I want to be able to support, you know, I want to be able to support us and we all should be supporting us. Right? Alrighty. Well, hey, man, let me see. How can people get a hold to you if they trying to open a new brand, trying to highlight, you know, get the real, you know, because you guys are, you guys are staples. You guys are the, you guys are like, like the Kenyatta's and like the Jerry's and like the Rav's. I respect all of y'all, man, cause y'all, y'all worked so much. Lisa who called me last week. I was so happy to hear from her cause I hadn't heard from her, but just different stuff. Like they're like, like, like, like you guys are those guys, man. So everybody just watching the show, gotta understand who these guys are, man. These guys are the guys that, who they just playing the self to be, man. Cock or not. Sean, John, these guys been in the game for a long time. So at the end of the day, just give me a spill on how can a person really link up, which if they trying to do something, they own a store, how can they, how can they get it? So we, you know, we learned the business, right? And what the business has taught us is that we have to have our own as well. So even though we're representing these brands, we now have our own business, right? So he has his business, which is called Green Room Sales. Okay. You know, I have Mines, which is Qualified Sales. It's a sales agency. So now, instead of working for one brand specifically, we contract multiple brands. And we put the brands in stores. So that's what we do. So, you know, for me, Mines is Qualified Sales. You can easily DM me on Instagram. It's at Qualified113. That's Q-U-A-L-I-F-I-E-D-1-1-3 on Instagram. Cool. Yep. And the easiest way to get a hold of me is by email. You can email me at greenroom sales number one at gmail.com. Again, that's greenroom sales number one at gmail.com. Well, man, hey, man, did we get everything? Did we turn everything upside down? Yes, sir. I just want to say I'm proud of you, man. I love you. Man, hey, man, hey, man, hey. I've been a subscriber already for a while, man. Boss talk all the way, baby. Listen, man, I love it. I love the progress, man. I love it. Man, you know, we always hustle and try to figure it out. You know, this Black Love thing, man, I haven't seen it for many years. Man, it been going on. People think it's, they don't, they think it's just boss talk. They like, you know, as soon as I started showing up, they never say, oh, here, she's going to leave him. I'm like, what? Damn, cut the camera off. Yeah. She a boss too. You know what I mean? Y'all locked in. Y'all locked in. It been 20 years, man, and we've been hanging in all this time, bro. So we just trying to do what's right. You know, we got kids. We got family. We try to be, we try to be family to the people that come on this panel too. So it's been a lot of people, like I always say, God put us here for a reason. This is my ministry. I get to talk to a lot of these young people, uh, people that are sitting in those seats, uh, three this year, died, got killed. One, two got killed. One died. One died from natural. And it was all young. Yeah. 22. You know what? 21. That's something. I pray for the youth. But when you, when you get a chance to speak to them like I get, so you have to give them something that's going to take them somewhere. This ain't just, this ain't just your average running a meal show. That's a fact. This is a show that get to speak to young brothers who may have some music who may not make it to next year. Yes, sir. I get a chance to talk to them. Right. And you mentioned earlier, you know, we, we, we are, we, we not saying that we up there in age, but we getting up there. Come on now. It's something to celebrate. It's something to celebrate. You can't, you can't see us in the stream and be like, oh, you better pray you make it to that age. You remember you say that to us when we were young. You didn't even think, no one there was talking about it. You better hope you like, you, oh, we like, you better hope man. You better pray you get to my age. I heard people say that now I'm that guy. I think about it sometimes. I'm like, I can't believe man. 40s man. We got kids and all of that. That's a blessing. It's like, you know, we, we, we just, we're just trying to pour into our children now, you know what I'm saying? Like the lowest hanging fruit, try to pour into them so that they could, they could go out and when they interact with others, they'll kind of take that same energy that we're pouring into them and pour it into their friends and you know what I'm saying? They create a more positive environment around them and that's, that's what we're doing in favor man. I gotta read this because you were talking about the three people that passed away. So I had the other day we interviewed LD, which is she's the manager of one of the guys who had gotten killed. And we had a group of kids behind her. Some of them were, was his brother and some of them was cousins and friends. So I just got a message from the mother of two of the kids that were here and she said, hi, my name is, and I'm the mother of AK and Jacobi, two of the kids that were at the interview with LD about strap. I just wanted to say thank you so much for talking to my kids about God. It was like, God answered my prayers because I've been praying that my kids would have a closer relationship with God, especially after losing strap. So thank you so much and God bless you. That's awesome. I, you know, that's what it's about. Mentoring is something that, you know, we do as well and please, you know, even her feel free man. You know, you got, you got these young guys who, who's some of them is just, they just need a little help, you know, a little guy that's needed a big brother. Please reach out to me. You know, something I love to do. That's like my passion. Me and him are, you know, we're men of God. Man, you know, we serve on a regular basis. So please mentoring is, is, is close to my heart. So if you guys got, you know, kids, anybody listening that we got some young men that need to just have a big brother figure, please reach out to me. Man, what's your, what's your handle again? Qualified 113 on Instagram. Yeah. I have a, you can email me as well, qualified sales at Gmail. Man, if it's anything we can do, same thing. We hear boss talk here. We in the city. We are here in Dallas, man. We are here doing our thing, man. But really God got us in these seats to be an example, to be mentors, to be a ministers, to help these people, man, to help not only the kids, but also the grownups. I got to say that because so many people say, uh-huh, man, but I read a book where you don't, you don't say I'm going to help this and I ain't going to help that one. Matter of fact, you got to help whoever God put in those seats or in your life because you might say something to that person that can erupt change in that person life just by you speaking, changing to them because there's power in words. So what you say matters. And if you speak positivity into somebody, it don't matter what age they are, they can change, man. That's a fact. Hey man, check it, man. It's been another great segment of Boss Talk, one over and one with a boss that's talking. And we out.