0:39So we really appreciate that. Um, the premise of the panel today is really about hope, celebration, and collaboration, right? So my whole shit is about uplifting Black people, you know. I don’t believe in all that shit, all them fake narratives they put out there about like we won’t work together or we can’t stick together or we won’t give each other a chance don’t really exist.
1:01The 3 men that’s on the panel are definitely like superstars to me. They are people that I see every day putting in the work, um, and they are for me an inspiration, not only to me as a Black man and an entrepreneur, but also more specifically as a person who come from the struggle, you know what I mean?
1:19And like, it’s this bullshit narrative out there that like when you up here, like you can’t open up the door and reach back type shit. Or like if you got a million followers and a n**** got a half a million, like you can’t f*** with him, you know what I’m saying?
1:30But that shit is over with, you know. The whole premise of the 7 Streams is to wake you n***** up like a cup of coffee. That’s what it is with me, you know. Top of the morning, you know. And, um, um, I really can’t thank y’all enough for showing up for me.
1:46So what we’re gonna do today is we’re gonna have a conversation with these men about their personal journeys, about some of their struggles, and also some of their successes. And, um, what I really want people to see specifically in this moment is all the Black people that show up for one another when we have our events, right?
2:03Yes, for sure. So like, and we forward-facing Black people, like we not trying to, we don’t got no, uh, what you call them shit, like brand deals, or like it’s not sponsored by, ain’t no ad gonna run across the wall, no shit like that, you feel what I’m saying?
2:15And it’s really about possibility and visibility. How can I see it and now know that I can be it? If the next m*********** did it, then it’s possible for me. And you know, I always tell the men, you know, the next man got to swing a dick just like you.
2:30And whatever’s possible for him is also possible for you too, you know what I’m saying? So what we’re going to do is we’re going to kick off the conversation with just giving, giving you guys some sort of background about the people who are here today.
2:41And we’re gonna have about 3 or 4 questions for each individual, and then we’re gonna do a Q&A, and we’re gonna get into, you know, some bullshit with the donuts. So, the first person I want to start with, I want to start with Rusty.
2:55So, and another thing I want to be clear about, about this panel is like, I don’t know none of these men, like, personally. Like, we ain’t been friends for years, and it’s no fake shit, you know what I’m saying? Basically, I just tap in with n***** on the grind because I love them.
3:09Mm-hmm. They circle back with me, they f*** with me, I ain’t paying them It’s no gimmicks, there’s no ulterior motives, there’s no backdoor shit. It’s just straight like, yo, I f*** with you, could you give me 5 or 10 minutes of your time?
3:23And I know you’re extremely important, so let’s build, let’s have a conversation about you, your life, and how I can add value and amplify your message. And the reason why that’s so important too is because a lot of times, especially when I talk to the men, it’s a lot of ego involved.
3:37So a lot of n***** is like, Well, how’d you get this deal? Or how you friends with that person? I just reached out to a n****. You know what I’m saying? Like, stop acting too cool for school, n****. You might get somewhere in life.
3:49You know what I’m saying? So, it’s really about humility. I think everything in life is about holding the door open for the next man and him holding the door open for the next man. I always tell y’all, every day that we wake up, you living in the middle, which means that you can pick somebody up and somebody can pick you up.
4:05So, like, this is a time where these n***** can pick me up and they put me in a space where I can add some value to our community with this conversation. So we’re going to start with Russell. Hey, what’s going on, y’all? How y’all feeling?
4:17Is this working? All right, so, you know, I’m from this city, of course, South Philly. I grew up there. My name is Russell Barnes. Um, I, I made some mistakes early on. I wouldn’t even call them mistakes. It’s just things that I wanted to do and I did it, you know what I’m saying?
4:36I went to jail behind it, came back home, was trying to do the right thing, went back to jail for something that I ain’t had nothing to do with. But What that happened is it just built me up to who I am right now.
4:46When I came home from jail in 2020, I looked at Instagram from the rip as a business promotion. That’s it. Everything else, you know what I’m saying, whatever come with it, I never get on there and troll nobody. I’m not worrying about what this person not doing or doing.
5:00My main thing was, all right, this is for a business platform, and that’s what I turned it into. So basically, I was able to get over a million followers On all of the platforms and built a 6-figure business, you know what I’m saying?
5:14Now basically what I do is I’m trying to teach the people that’s training in person or the people that’s training in general how to actually turn it into a business instead of a hustle. So, so let’s talk about that. Yes, sir. So, so you spent 14 years in prison and you came home, and I know it’s really difficult for you to transition into the community, but When I see your page and when I see the work that you’re doing, you appear to be an anomaly, like an immense success, because we also struggle sometimes with returning back to prison.
5:46And how did you really overcome that? And what were the mental, what was the mindset that you had? And what action did you take immediately? I had no choice. After doing 14 years, my mom passed away when I went back the second time.
6:01My whole mindset and my goal, and then I had a son. That was my first child. So my whole mindset and goal was I can’t get out here, allow him to get used to me, and then go back. So I really had no choice.
6:14No matter how bad things was going, it never mattered to me. I just stayed focused on the goal. I got up every day when I, when I didn’t feel like it. Every day I got up and was like, yo, this is what I’m doing.
6:26And, and that’s one of the principles that I try to teach the men, right? Because a lot of times, specifically amongst the younger men, they struggle with mental health. You know, they struggle with anxiety, they struggle with doubt, and they struggle with fear and uncertainty.
6:38And the things that came so innate to us, because we, I’m an ’80s baby, right? So if anybody here is over 40, you know, we from around the same age, you know, the ’80s. We grew up like, we grew up rough as shit too.
6:50You know what I’m saying? You couldn’t really have no excuses. You really had to get to it. And like, why was like sometimes just so you don’t get your ass whipped. Mm-hmm. You know what I mean? And, and that’s what I wanted to talk about, him having his why, right?
7:04So he had a child on the way and he had hit a crossroads because he came home and he felt like he had no other reason other than just to push forward because of his responsibilities. And that’s key with men, you know what I’m saying?
7:15Because a lot of times we’re seeing men out here having kids recklessly, you know what I mean? They get a job, they quit the job, they blame the smallest level of discomfort on their mental health, and the next thing you know, the m*********** just giving up.
7:27And one of the main principles that we talk about is persistency, the ability to move forward despite obstacles, despite distractions, you know what I’m saying? One thing that I want y’all to know within the midst of your journey is that you’re always going to hit a roadblock.
7:42You’re always going to hit a detour sign. Like, nothing is peachy keen. Like, we’re not rich white folks. Right. Like, that’s just, don’t even, that don’t even exist. I think the number one thing that you need to do is have a level of preparedness that the problems are going to come.
7:55and being willing to take them on. So like when I hear you talk about your why, that means a lot to me because from coming up how I came up, we subconsciously had whys already innately in us because we from the ghetto. But that’s what you guys are gonna have to figure out, like how are you gonna find your deep why and what’s gonna push you forward despite it all.
8:15So thank you for that. No, absolutely, man. I appreciate you having me. Yeah, um, so yeah, so elaborate upon that. So So you get started, and then now what’s the first step for you? Figuring out the business. So when I first came home, I was able to get a gym within 4 months, another gym within another 3 months, something like that, and then another one, right?
8:37But I wasn’t growing. I was making money, but I wasn’t growing. I didn’t, I wasn’t knowing what I was actually trying to do. Okay. So basically what I had to do is I had to take a step back, and with that, I had to learn, and I just I did whatever I had to do to learn.
8:54I spent thousands on top of thousands and thousands of dollars and hours learning my craft and investing in myself. And I think that’s, you know, that’s the part that I feel like a lot of people were scared to do, that I was scared to do at first.
9:08Yeah. But then I did it. So you doubled down despite the fear? Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that’s kind of like some of the things that like me and Cool was talking about the other day, right? He was talking about like having like a lot of followers but not having the dollars to match it, right?
9:25And like being in this space where you can have a level of immense popularity but then like your bank account depleted, you know, you struggle with certain issues. So like how you said, like you was growing but you wasn’t growing, right? And a lot of people struggle with that because like, you know, you got the thing, you know, you got the talent, you know, you got the product, you know, you got the service, and this shit just won’t crack.
9:45And I think For me, what really helped me during that time was like, I’m going to be honest with y’all, you got to have a like, f*** it, I’m willing to go to jail for this shit type mentality. Yes. Just really just keeping it a buck, you know what I’m saying?
10:01That’s just where I was at, because when I was on all the safe shit, the receipts and the permits and trying to file all the licenses and shit, man, that shit ain’t working for a n**** like me. You know what I’m saying? So that’s another thing that I think is extremely important, like how we were saying, like doubling down.
10:19So I want to talk to you about your journey a little bit when it comes to like doubling down. I’m gonna give you my mic if your mic don’t work. It works. All right, so I want also like to piggyback off of what Russ was saying, right, about like he was growing but he wasn’t growing.
10:35Have you ever had that feeling? For sure, for sure. I kind of, I kind of, all right, so I’ve been doing this since probably like 2012 as far as music, and like the journey’s been so crazy, right? Because it’s like when I first started, I kind of, all right, so I started in 2012.
10:53By 2013, I already had a cosign, like, he gave me a cosign, right? So I kind of, a year in, I’m already a little popular. I started like I was super like nonchalant, kind of standoffish. I ain’t really kind of deal with nobody but my block, the neighborhood, you feel what I’m saying?
11:10And that kind of hurt me more than, it’s like this thing in Philly, right, where it’d be like, m************ be like, yo, you kind of diggy. And if you, I like super had that. Like, I don’t got it now. But I super had it, and it like I’m playing catch-up now because I had it early on.
11:27Early on, I might have been the hottest thing smoking, but I was like, all right, I walk past n***** even if I f*** with them because I’m like, that’s dick eating to even speak. And that mentality kind of crazy though, bro, when you think about it.
11:38Like, even speak to another human is dick eating. Yeah. Like, you feel me though? When you really think about it, when I get older, I’m like, damn, that’s kind of f******, bro. Like, you feel me though? But I think that me learning now, and I’m like Now it’s like I just speak, like, even if you feel me, I just speak to a person that even didn’t, even if they didn’t speak to me.
11:54Yeah, yeah. Like, I’m one of those kids, but I didn’t learn that until now. So, so, so, and I’m glad that you touched on that. So, that’s called a lack of social progression, right? So, like, for example, right, as Black people, we have a lot of habits that are innately within us that’s meant to hold us back.
12:08Like all the, like, like I stated, myself energy, or I just, like, focus on me and what I got going on, or like, like you said, I ain’t gonna be overly gentle, or I ain’t gonna dick eat, right? Like, all that shit is set up for white people to win because them m************ is having mixers and talking to strangers and passing out business cards and like, they don’t even, But that’s how we grew up, right?
12:29So like, for example, like me, I kind of take the opposite approach and that’s how I was able to grow my brand, right? Like how you said, like I reached out to y’all in the cold, you know? I never really cared about that.
12:41So I think that when it comes to that topic of like socialization of oneself as individuals, right? We can’t fear what we haven’t experienced, and we can’t fear what a m*********** think of us, right? So like, I could come down here and a m*********** be like, yo, this n**** is 7’3 and fat, and he Joey Simmons in a pop-up.
13:01Yeah, n****, ’cause I’m happy to be Black and free. You n***** got it f***** up. To the core. When we establish a level of innate joy and happiness, you can give that energy to your community and it comes back around. I grew up rough, rough, rough.
13:23So like, for example, I’m from South Baltimore. Yeah. Um, fentanyl crazy now my way. Like, can you hear me? Oh yeah. Fentanyl crazy now my way. I can’t really, like, say that it was a lot of joyous moments outside of me when I was a kid, but I was genuinely happy.
13:42You know what I mean? I was smart, I read, I always explored, always believed that there was something better for me out there, and I didn’t allow my outside circumstances to dictate my internal feeling. You know what I’m saying? A lot of us, like, we be growing up in the house, your mother calling you bitches and whores, they putting hands on you, you know what I’m saying?
14:00It’s a lot of trauma going on in the Black community that caused you to kind of take it and run with it, right? So, this is what I tell them, man. Y’all gotta excuse my language, right? So, like, when men have a bad interaction with another man, then they’ll carry that and be like, yeah, that’s why I don’t f*** with n***** from North Philly.
14:16You got one bad experience, now you don’t f*** with a whole neighborhood. Right. That’s stupid. Like, that’s not gonna get us nowhere, you know what I’m saying? But, like, they’re fine. Have some bad sex and keep f******. Mm-hmm. Huh? You feel what I’m saying?
14:30Or they’ll run a red light, get a ticket, and still drive with no license. And the premise of it is that life is about taking chances and giving people chances. That’s the only real way that we all gonna get to the top. Some people gonna f*** you over.
14:44Some people gonna lie. Some people gonna play games. The art of it is not to be perfect, it’s to get to your destination. So how I always describe life to people is like, if you on the road, you run into a stop sign, you run into a red light, a dick could cross the road, but you know where the f*** you going.
15:02You don’t really know how many times your tire spun, but you got there. And that’s what n***** gotta focus on. Like, my whole shit is like, yo, keep the main thing the main thing. And sometimes being number one is playing number two. Yeah, right.
15:14I got a strong relationship with Wild ’N Out. I haven’t known [name] long. I’ve known [name] like 2 years. And how I met [name] was another friend of mine, the People’s Gallery, Maurice, he had a platform. And I seen [name] on the street and I know Maurice wanted to get him on the fashion tip.
15:33So I was like, yo, my friend wanna meet you. I know exactly who you are. I don’t play dumb or none of that. Like, yo, you [name]. I think you magnificent. You great. My friend would like to meet you and get you on his platform.
15:44[name] go on the platform with Maurice. I don’t say shit about me. I don’t get on like nothing I got or none of that type of shit, right? And I see him in the world a couple of times and he just always got good energy though, always, right?
15:56So he said, man, you got great energy, what you do? But we in SoHo. I said, yeah, I own this shop right here in SoHo. He said, shit, I’m gonna come in there and I’m gonna f*** with the donuts. So he came in there, he had the donuts, and like, like you say, the joke shit, right?
16:10Like, I ain’t mind that. Like, I ain’t mind like, yo, thank you for coming to handle you got large platform. Thank you for highlighting me in my business. I know who the f*** I am. I don’t like none of that shit don’t matter.
16:22Like as long as I ain’t really put me in a situation where I gotta harm you, like I’m open to anything where I can grow and build. So the only thing we really gonna have in this modern-day AI age is unity, is socialization, is opportunity.
16:36So like, I’m glad that you brought that up. I didn’t want to elaborate on it so long, but I think that like that, that was, that was key that you grew out of that, and I want to give you a round of applause for that.
16:52So, Kamal, I’d like to ask you a question. So for those of y’all not familiar with Kamal, I think he’s phenomenal. Um, I done played his music on the 7 Streams a couple of times. He is a great artist and a great human being in general.
17:05But the thing that I think about that’s so unique about Kamal is that he’s so humble and he’s so great, right? So his story is he is a rapper also from Philadelphia, but he’s also a real estate owner and a consummate businessman, right?
17:20So a lot of the conversations that we have are just about life and business and in general, right? So Kamal represents a fabric of people who are forgotten, right? Because he don’t got 100,000 followers on Instagram, but he really got that shit. Like, he got that shit like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:39And he don’t make a lot of money from his art, but he really owns 3 residential properties. Right. He really is on the path to being a self-made millionaire. He really is doing everything with his wife. He really also has a 9-to-5, and that concept comes from what I call having what you’re working in and what you’re working on.
18:00Right. You know what I mean? And what I mean by that is like, a lot of y’all got 9-to-5s. I don’t look down on a 9-to-5 because I was hustling. I got lucky. Like, I was hustling, I invested my drug money, illegal money, and got, you know, I was scamming, all that type of shit, you know what I’m saying?
18:16And got on. I got lucky. But like, it’s much harder to do that than, it’s much harder to do the 9 to 5. Yeah. Because like, yo, when you working, like, you really f****** working, bro. You know, it’s not a game. You’re taking care of your family, you’re taking care of your kids.
18:29So I want to talk to you about your journey, and I want to talk about ownership and economic empowerment in your community, right? So how did you get into the real estate?
18:43Y’all can hear me? Yes. First of all, thank y’all for coming. Appreciate it. You’re welcome. My name is Kamal from West Philly. Born and raised. Shout out to y’all. But when I was young, my pop passed in 2007. Before he passed, he was an accountant off of 59th and Baltimore.
19:06And before he passed, he was like, What would you want to do? Uh, it was like a couple Christmases before that. He like bought me and my brother all this like music equipment and shit like that. And I’m like, I want to do this.
19:18He was just like, all right, well, you gotta understand what come with it, whatever. So he passed in, uh, 2007. Fast forward to now, I’m still doing the music, but at the same time, bills need to be paid. I’m not getting paid, you know, off of music just yet.
19:33But when he was living, he also had real estate. He was an accountant. He had real estate, and I just picked up that from him. So I’m like, all right, well, shit, if I gotta figure it out, he was making money. I was fed.
19:44I had S dots. I had butters. So it’s like all that shit back then he had. I had the girls mall, all that shit. So all that shit, I’m like, damn, I want I want the version of that. But you know, for me and Bob, when it comes to that, it’s family.
19:58So the way that I got into real estate was. Uh, I moved out of my family’s, I know it’s long-winded, I’ll get to it. I moved out of my family’s crib, I got my own crib across the street from the crib that I, like, the apartment that I rented was a new development that was coming up, and they was looking for somebody to lease the whole building.
20:18Mm-hmm. So, you know, if you’re leasing, you get incentives, you get all the money. So you, you really a hustler, you go after it. It’s like a real estate agent. So I started my career in real estate there. I just felt like I had to fast forward.
20:31I left that company, stacked some cheese off of the commissions that I, off the commissions that I was making. And from there, me and my wife, she was sitting on some cheese, I was sitting on some cheese. It was time for us to get married.
20:43So we was just like, damn, do you want to blow this cheese on this wedding? Like, do you want, you want the ballroom shit, or you want to stay down until we come up? So we was just like, f*** that shit, we gonna do it small.
20:54And then, uh, a year after we got married, we bought our first investment property. So we bought 8 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms off of Broad and Dorsey. So we still got there.
21:10And of course she was in my ears like, you know, it’s time for the, it’s time for the dream house. I’m like, no, not yet, we gotta build. So fast forward, we, uh, we used the equity from that crib bought another one and did the same thing.
21:22So now we up 3. So right now we in like a nice little townhouse, like way out there, f****** Sesame Police car shit. So still no dream house just yet, but we got a business where when we lay down and we go to sleep, we don’t got to worry about nothing, and the money is making itself.
21:42So, so this is, and the money that we make off of the businesses Of course, we tuck some for the next property, right? But then I’m able to then use some of that money for the music, right? And then start to grow the music from there.
21:56And it’s just been rap and real estate really since, since I was young. So appreciate it. That’s beautiful, man. Thank you for that. I appreciate it. And, um, what I want to say about that particular, uh, story that Kamal got is I focus on the 3 S’s: saving plus sacrifice equals scaling.
22:12Right. If you can put yourself in a space where you can deprive yourself of life’s pleasures, you can get to where you gotta go. True happiness is the ability to subordinate what you want today for what you truly want tomorrow. So like the second story, um, when I came home, I lived in my father’s basement for like 6 months.
22:29Um, I was actually personal training at the time. Um, I was talking to Russ about that the other day, and, um, I was f****** with the weed, you feel what I’m saying? But even when I got a plug and I got a line on the grass, like, it was crazy.
22:42I still drove a Mini Cooper. Like, I went and bought a Mini Cooper. I had like a bullshit studio apartment. It was in a nice neighborhood, I believe. Like, like, nice neighborhood but like cheap, you know? Yeah, like, right, you feel me? So, um, I had a bullshit studio apartment and I kept that for like 3 and a half years.
22:58And that’s what I always encourage y’all to do. Like, saving plus sacrifice equals scaling, right? Like, f****** pressing these dumbass n***** who don’t got shit. Like, that shit don’t really amount to nothing. Half the shit you be wearing today, you don’t want in 4 or 5 years.
23:11You get cars, next thing you know, insurance highs and bitch, you gotta gas it up. You’re dealing with all these m************ problems. And it’s like, yo, I could just run to financial freedom. Yeah. Um, I don’t know what happened in our community where like the next n**** opinion became so important, right?
23:27Because I don’t know how we’re talking about N**** tease you for wearing bullshit, you punch him in the face, and that’s just that. You know what I’m saying? But to, to, to second what, what Kamal was saying was like, the real pivotal moment in his story was when his wife said we could go get the dream house, and he said, no, we got to stay down.
23:46And I think that’s the importance of relationship and balance, right? And that’s another thing that I wanted to get into and segue into, like relationships and How meaningful are those to you guys? Because y’all in relationships, y’all do business with your wives, you work with them, and, um, obviously like Russ, like you got a family, you came home, and a lot of pressure has been on you as a dad and as a husband in general.
24:10So how has that worked for you? How has the pressure worked? No, how has that family dynamic, like being a dad, having to make certain decisions decisions outside of yourself. And then, you know, obviously, like, you could be selfish and say, because a lot of fathers don’t take care of their kids, you could say f*** it, but you commit to the commitment, right?
24:31Like, I see you online with your wife, you forward-facing. Like, you know, n***** be going out with they people with emojis over the face and shit.
24:41And you’re not in that space, right? And those are one of the things that I’m proud of because everybody know I know my relationship, and me and [name] been together for 7 years, and we move as a unit. And, and for me, I’ve always prided myself on that.
24:56Like, I hate the stress of trying to juggle like 3 or 4 different women and lives and all that type of shit. So you seem to be walking like, and Kamal seem to be walking in the same stride as myself. So how was that for you?
25:08I love it, you know what I mean? I embraced it from the first. Yeah, that’s what I wanted. Yeah. You know what I mean? That’s what I prayed for. So when I got it, I did what I had to do. You dig me?
25:19Yeah, yeah. I mean, provide everything that I gotta do, I do it. And I never complain about it because I actually don’t. No matter if things is going left for a second, no matter what’s going on, this what I put my, this the position I put myself to be ahead.
25:34So you know what I mean? What type of advice would you have for for men who may struggle in their relationship or just trying to get it together and get to the other side? Because I mean, for me, before So Beat You, I only had 2 girlfriends, so I used to be like crazy outside type boy, you feel me?
25:52Like, so I know that that’s, that was a transition for me. So what advice would you give like some of the men in the crowd when it comes to, And women. Okay, okay. And women. Any crowd, when it comes to, um, stability and a healthy relationship?
26:11Stay patient with the partner. If you chose that person, you gotta stay patient with them, you know what I mean? I think that that’s the major key because everybody feel like everything is so instant nowadays. So it’s like, yo, I got options, but you really don’t.
26:25You do, but you don’t, you know what I’m saying? It’s just you’re gonna go to the next option and get another issue that you wasn’t Dealing with, with this person. Yeah. So if you love this person enough, you feel like you, all right, I can deal with this, you know what I’m saying?
26:38But ain’t no telling where I go over here, what I gotta deal with over here, that I’m gonna be ready to walk away from too. So it’s just all about what you willing to walk away from and what you willing to say, all right, then I can deal with this.
26:49And that’s right. Yeah, I appreciate it. I appreciate that. Appreciate that. So, I wanted to ask you a question, right? Because we were talking the other day on the phone when He was like, yo, one of the things that’s really slept on amongst us as men in general is mental stability, you know?
27:05Because like, so like when people see us up here forward-facing, it’s like, yo, they all successful. Because you know, n****, n**** big, especially with me, like, n****, you already got money. Like, you know, n****, well, you already got it figured out. And like nobody really had it all the way figured out or got all the money.
27:20That’s why I say we in the middle. Right? So you talked about like just being successful. Like when I see your Instagram, you do crazy work, bro. Your shit is phenomenal. Like you always working. Like the reason why I asked all of these guys to be up here was because like they did the work.
27:36So that’s another thing I want to talk about. Like it’s a lot of n***** just talk because they got lips. It’s a lot of n***** like you give them a microphone and like they got all these m************ opinions and they don’t do shit.
27:45But the thing that I really admire about You is like, you really do the work. You constantly got music, you constantly doing content. Same thing with Mo, he constantly working on a real estate project. Russ, you can’t, this n****’* APAC, you know what I’m saying?
27:59You can’t, you can’t duck the work. So like, how is that for you when it comes to your mental health balance and just being a successful man and dealing with all the work? I feel like I’m getting better with it now that I’m older.
28:11I feel like in the beginning Like, me being 18 and I’m just starting off rapping, and then it’s like I turned 19, I’m damn near 20, and I’m on BET. My mom like, yo, they paid you to be on BET? It’s like, that shit don’t work like that, you feel me though?
28:27Like, I kind of dealt with so much shit in the beginning stages of just people thinking that you actually got more than you actually got, you know what I’m saying? Like, even now, it don’t even stop now though. Like, even now they’d be like, you got too much.
28:39Like straight up, that’s not how that work though. You know what I’m saying though? And then you would catch yourself like trying to take care of so much shit to kind of like if you moving with ego, you want to try to like step into the role of whatever they saying.
28:55You feel what I’m saying? You’ll catch yourself going pop. Like I don’t want pop twenty nights just trying to you feel what I’m saying? Trying to maintain that image of on an ego tip like. They think that, so you feel me? That’s what I’m rolling with.
29:07And then I just feel like as I get older, bro, I learn like a lot of shit that used to be like icy to me. That shit don’t even matter no more. Like whatever. But I feel like I kind of, I’m not gonna say it’s too late, but I learned like now versus, I think I’m 32.
29:21I started when I was 18. You feel what I’m saying? I’m learning all this shit now though. Like what’s wrong, what’s right, you feel me? What not to do, what to do, you feel what I’m saying? Like it’s a Energy thing too, though.
29:32Like, as a as a part, so outside of rap, just me as a person, I’m a I got super good energy. I’m goofy, all of that, right, bro? But I feel like sometimes, like the trauma from your neighborhood or just shit you’re going through that has you so standoffish where people can see another side and be like, man, I don’t know how to take the n****.
29:49You feel what I’m saying? And I think that I put that image out for so long, for years, that now I’m trying to undo. Do it. You get what I’m saying? Show people like, damn, I’m actually hard. Sometimes where the first impression be the best impression, where a m*********** be like, no, bro, I already tried years ago.
30:04You know what I’m saying? So you’ll catch yourself playing catch-up on that too. 100%. And in your journey, right, uh, like you said, like growth and evolution, have you been able to discover new forms of happiness? Like, do you got any new hobbies you enjoy or any, or anything that you found yourself like, damn, I wouldn’t have did this shit when I was 15?
30:21What changed from doing that? Uh, I’m gonna say being a dad. I think that was like super icy for me. Yeah, because like me and my pop had like a super like weird relationship coming up. So like my girl had, she had miscarried probably like, like a year ago, year and a half ago.
30:41She had miscarried. It was a girl, right? And when she miscarried, probably like 2 months after She got pregnant again and it was a boy. And I just felt like that was the universe, like, no, bro, it wasn’t meant for y’all to have a girl, it was meant for you to have a boy so you could kind of make up for what you feel like your pop didn’t do, if you get what I’m saying.
31:00So I just think that like now just being a dad, it just feels different for me where I’m like, damn, everything I ever felt like my pop didn’t do right, yeah, I could kind of do right. You can fill the void. I can fill the void though.
31:11But just fill the void and it’s like I learned like I used to chase love, like chasing the feeling of somebody f****** with me, like, hey man, go love me, or this person love me. Now when I go to their parents, they be like, my son don’t really know.
31:24It don’t matter if I’m famous, if I got money, if I got this amount of money, or if it’s low or if it’s high, he love me regardless. And I think that’s, you feel me? I think that’s who the universe blesses with. For real.
31:39So self-fulfillment is, is a part of his journey, right? Being in a space where he comfortable with himself and he willing to like turn cheek to some of the f***** up qualities that he had that got him where he at. Always tell a n**** like, yo, the f***** up qualities gonna have you at the bottom all the time.
31:55They gonna have you at the bottom every time. Like a shit-ass n**** gonna be a shit-ass n****. Bad morals and values gonna end up dead in jail. You know what I’m saying? Being standoffish, you gonna be in isolation. You know what I’m saying?
32:07So principles prevail. So, you know, what I want to talk about was like just on my journey, the principles that I applied that helped me get to where I got to go, right? So, and maybe you guys can use them in your life.
32:20So the premise of the 7 Streams is about hope, collaboration, and celebration, right? And it’s kind of in the order of the collaboration leads the celebration, which provides you with hope. So you kind of in the midst of it right now, right, with the pop-up.
32:36Like, I know it’s a lot of n***** who probably know each other here or who probably could have collaborated and didn’t. Or I know some people here seeing people they ain’t seen in years, right? And that’s the collaboration part. But the celebration is what, is what we’re going to do while we’re here.
32:50And then I think if we put ourselves in a space where we can always have hope to inspire one another, to celebrate one another, then I think the culture in general could be more fruitful. You know, we could put ourselves in a space where like if the energy is good, you typically get a good byproduct from that.
33:09You know what I’m saying? Like without events and like all my shit, I go across the country, bro. I be with all kinds of n***** like Bloods, Crips, GDs, BDs, you know what I mean? And we don’t, I don’t hire security like, and I tell my girl, My girl be a little nervous sometimes, you feel me?
33:25But it be like, ’cause I know n***** know I got good energy. N***** not letting up my name. I ain’t on shit, I’m legal. What I’mma do? I ain’t gossiping about a n****. I ain’t gonna throw a n**** under the bus. I’m not shady.
33:39I’m not acting tough. I’m just waking up every day trying to inspire my people. So that’s the premise of this whole meetup. Hope, celebration, and collaboration. So the hope is that we all come in here, we celebrate one another, we collaborate, and then the goal is for you to go out into the world and do it.
33:58So when I do a lot of my pop-ups, a lot of people gravitate towards my energy, and it’s a segue for like a, uh, Zewiditu just looking at me crazy. I must be, I take too much time, Zewiditu? No. Oh, all right. It’s a segue for like, yo, we should get up afterwards, right?
34:15But like, you’re one n****. Like, I can’t get up with everybody in the world, like, you know what I’m saying? But it’s really about like, damn, that n**** just said some funny shit because it’s a n**** I could have been DMing. I didn’t DM, you know what I’m saying?
34:30And then all you thinking to yourself like, yo, it’s a n**** that I want to DM and ask him for opportunity. But a lot of n***** really miss that. So like, say for example, like, you know, I’m gonna just use some practical shit.
34:40Like, you selling hair, like you selling bundles and shit. right? And I’m like, all right, I’m selling bundles, I got 50,000 followers and I make $4,000 a week, right? It’s another n**** selling bundles, he got 100,000 followers, he make $10,000 a week. That n**** can educate me, so I’mma DM him and be like, yo, I love to provide you with sweat equity and work with you.
34:59And then underneath him is a n**** who like, yo, I’m only making $2,000 a week. I could mentor and give that n**** some advice to get him to the 4. I love you. You see what I’m saying? So like, you in the middle.
35:12Like, I made 5, a n**** who made 10, I’m gonna hit him up and be like, yo, I’m gonna work with you. A n**** who made 2, I’m gonna hit him up, be like, yo, I wanna help you out. You kind of create this ecosystem.
35:22Like, I’m not big as [name], but I’m not as small as a n**** who got like 10,000 followers. So I feel like, like, as long as you create an ecosystem of value where you able to give a n**** some sort of So value, like, you know what I’m saying?
35:34the value, the value is always this. It’s not just money. It’s education, experience, time, and labor. The n**** who got all the money don’t got all the time. That’s why they got the assistance. You know what I’m saying? The n**** who got all the time probably don’t got no money, but he got the labor.
35:49So it’s really like, how do you really crack the code? So principles gonna help you crack the code. So a lot of things I was talking to a n**** yesterday, he’s like, yo, what apply for you might not apply for me. about very much.
36:01Yeah. So I’m gonna give it to you real quick, right? So everything starts with a vision. So as I had a vision of a life that I wanted, it took initiative for me to come upon it, consistency so that I can stay at it, but persistency as to not be distracted, authenticity to listen to my voice, as well as discipline to block out the noise, ambition that forever kept me driven, These are the 7 principles that made my life worthwhile.
36:36If we become principle-based, we can accomplish anything. Right now I’m in a space that I don’t own. It’s a Black man who allowed us to be in this space today. Humble Black man, he back there behind the cafe. [name], give him a round of applause.
36:54And I’m gonna give you my story and then we out of here. Zewiditu next to me, so I’m not gonna wrap this shit up, right? So, so Qai from Qai City. So where Qai at? Qai City South. Qai City South, yeah, yeah, yeah.
37:08So Qai like my little cousin and shit. She was like, Lil Darryl, you should pop up at this space, right? American Grammar. I’m like, all right, cool, you know, because people, people who love me I take him serious, you know what I’m saying?
37:22So I’m not like no celebrity, like fake type n****, you feel me? So she was like, you should check out this guy, he got a great bookshop, cafe, retail space. He’s actually, he’s in the education field. And then Fred, I don’t think Fred, but Frederick Scott, he’s another friend of mine.
37:35He’s outside. Oh, Fred outside. Yeah, Fred co-signed it like too, like, Dirk, I think you should f*** with him, right? So man’s only had the day off last week. I ain’t know this n**** last week.
37:46Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had a day off. I was like, f*** it, let’s go to Philly. Let’s pull up on a n****. If the n**** cool on the spot, cool. F*** it, we doing it, right? We walked in here, we probably talked for maybe like 30 minutes, and I was like, yo, I’m telling you the truth.
38:00Like, I’m like, yo, I want to pop up in your spot. I want to pop up here. I want to add some value. I want to bring some Black people to the space. I want to have some people in Philly that don’t know about you come in and enjoy this space, and I want to do something phenomenal for the the culture, right?
38:13And I don’t got no, like, I ain’t send a n**** no contract. No, no, no. Maybe [name] might send him an email. I ain’t send no email. I don’t use emails. I never emailed a n****. So anybody ever email me, I definitely ain’t answering.
38:25Like, I don’t need that shit. So he was like, yo, you could come in here and you could do it. Maybe like 2 or 3 phone calls back and forth, how I was going to set the table up and shit, the menu. He curating the music, um, he got the beverage And we just did this shit.
38:40Yo, everything that y’all n***** see me doing, I’m doing with strangers. All the n***** that I know, because I was born in South Baltimore, raised in West Baltimore, I don’t f*** with none of them n*****. Like, you ain’t never see me like in my hood, 60 or 50 young n***** behind me, telling n***** be outside.
38:53I don’t do none of that shit. That shit corny. I believe in myself as a man. I’m confident. Half of them n*****, when we go over to jail, they can’t fight. They gonna join the gang. They gonna do some sucker shit. to try to fit in.
39:04When I do my time in the penitentiary, I’m gonna show you my paperwork. I’m gonna walk the tier as a man and be by myself. And I’m saying all that to say, like, yo, just be yourself. Be centered in yourself. Spend a lot of time alone.
39:16Read. Focus on introspection. All of these guys up here at some point in their life had pivotal moments where they had to make decisions that were contrast to how they were raised. Whether it was Kamau saying, like, yo, you know what, I’m gonna keep my father’s legacy going.
39:31on, despite the fact that I want to rap. I put the real estate first. Whether it was Kur saying like, yo, f*** all the Joe shit and all the, you know, Diddy and shit. This is who I am and this is what I want to do, and fatherhood is cool to me.
39:42Whether it was Russell saying like, yo, I’m gonna come home and I’m gonna be a man. I’m responsible for my kids and I’m gonna do the right thing despite me wanting to innately get around them. It really ain’t rocket science. I ain’t really smarter than none of the n***** in here.
39:54I ain’t super sharp. I spent a lot of time alone in the principle-based. I never been broke as a grown man, I’m not gonna lie. I never been f***** up, I never been popped. I always had principles that got me here. The same principles that I’m using legally, I used illegally and made even more.
40:14So when Ty put me on with that n****, it was just a handshake. I called these n***** maybe like 4 or 5 days ago and they just said they was gonna come and they came. What’s your name? It’s not this whole, like, 7 streams cloudy donut thing.
40:27I think it’s a Black celebration, hope, and collaboration thing. So what I want you to take with you today is to find the means to live your m************ dreams. But more than just Derrick and Seven Streams, you guys have a great opportunity to talk to people on this panel that are from your city.
40:45I hope you talk amongst yourselves. This is an opportunity to build with one No, seriously, I want to thank everyone for coming. That’s the first thing. Yeah, um, it’s encouraging when people show up. Yeah, yeah. And a lot, a lot of what’s happening on the streets is about, it’s talking about how How you get through the periods where no one’s showing up, believing in yourself.
41:06And, um, a lot of these entrepreneurial exploits, no matter what you do in life, if people are achieving, they worked hard, incredibly hard. And one of the things that’s been surprising for me about this entrepreneurial context is how hard it is to find collaborators.
41:20Yeah. Man, I done offered people so much free whatever. And if you look in this space, homie right here, I just told him, he’s gonna holla at me, a furniture maker. Everything in here pretty much is a sketchpad that we working with, like some, some map here.
41:34And it’s so hard to find Black folks to do stuff. I’m talking about incredibly hard. And I don’t want to contradict some of the things that have been said, but if you put out one open track or another, you tell people you’re gonna pop up, community organizers, politicians, rappers, teachers, nurses, You don’t, it don’t matter.
41:54The space is here for people to use, and people do not follow through. And so when a, basically, a perfect stranger rolls up and he’s committed to the community, like, I’m here. And everything, we know, like, I’m rigid on some levels. I am.
42:10And I’m not the easiest person to work with. But if you’re committed to the things that I’m committed to, I’ll work with you as much as I can. And our limitations, require us sort of working through some of the conflict and some of the tension, that’s real too.
42:25But in, in this space where Black folk are trying to do things creatively together, I just encourage you to follow up, reach out, take the note, and keep it moving because it’s the yeses that will be very important. And this is like very important for me just because it’s encouraging.
42:41And so I thank you all for coming through. Thank you. Even if you don’t come back, like, support somebody else. All these Black businesses, all these people doing their thing in Philadelphia. And I see people walk by all sorts of shops with products made and sold by people that they on some level say they don’t mess with.
43:01Yeah, crackers. You know what I’m saying? Nah, it’s a real thing. Nah, it’s real. Look at the f***. Nah, it’s real. So, so just thank you all for coming out. Um, no, no, I’m with you. Yeah, no, most of them though. And, and, and, yeah, give him a clap.
43:20So no, like I said, like the second day, like the best thing we can do for [name] is sweat equity, right? So we in his space today, n***** should be tagging American Grammar. Anybody who trying to do an event, it’s the f****** spot.
43:33The n**** let me come in for free. I’m just being honest with you. But that’s cause Swagway, he knew I’mma bring the traction, I’mma overcommit to the commitment, I’mma make the content, I’mma bring the people, people gonna buy product, they gonna show up.
43:45That’s how this shit gotta work. It’s real easy. So on the count of 3, can I get a 7 Streams, y’all mind? Yo, don’t be trying with none of that dry-ass shit. All that n**** 2 Cool 4 School type shit, n****. When you in LA, all that fake shit over with, n****.
43:58Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1, 2, 3. 7 Streams! Thank y’all, man.
44:20You what? If I get a copy of the video, like send me, send me, send me.
