Bloggers & Friends Podcast X DJ O.G. ONE

We are joined by Portland's very own, DJ O.G. ONE! We talk about everything from community, leadership, and culture to music, balancing a family, and entrepreneurship. Tune in and join the conversation!

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & Guest Intro
• 5:00 From Watts To Portland
• 8:30 Discovering DJing As Storytelling
• 15:30 Dance, Joy, And Reading The Room
• 22:00 Leadertainment & The Be Fluid Philosophy
• 31:00 Accountability, Identity, And Community
• 41:30 Gentrification And Rebuilding Connection
• 51:30 Event Culture, Access, And Belonging
• 1:00:00 The New Wave Of Storytelling In Music
• 1:10:30 Local Spotlight And Vulnerability In Hip-Hop
• 1:18:30 Perfectionism, Practice, And Getting Started
• 1:26:30 Family, Seasons, And Sustainable Hustle
• 1:38:00 Dame’s Return And Leadership

Transcript

SPEAKER_02: 0:03

Hey y'all, I'm Janelle Yarbrough and welcome to Bloggers and Friends. This is your podcast for discussions around relevant topics and experiences that resonate with the culture. For those of you who roll with me, you know we talk a lot about embracing the possibility of change. We'll continue to touch on that and lots more. Sound good? Work. Let's get into it. Hey, hey, y'all. Thank you for joining us today. I hope you all are well. I am excited for our show today as we are joined by a very special guest. He wears many of hats and impacts lives in spaces and industries with his talent, compassion, and vision, a celebrity DJ, a producer, an entrepreneur, an activist, a mentor, a leader within various communities and industries, an elite force and entertainment, uh, who has built a reputation as the DJ who doesn't just play music. He moves people, moves culture, and leaves legacies. He's a husband, a father, a father figure to many, and a friend to many more. Um, we have with us today the one, the only DJ OG one. Yay! I wish I was talented enough. I wish I was up on my game enough to have some applause in the background. I don't have my sound game up yet, but I'm gonna get there. I'm gonna get there. It's so great to have you today, OG. And it's so funny. Is there's a little life lesson in this one for me, right? Because um, oh goodness, what were we? Uh there was was it the last episode that I had posted a clip from that I did with with uh with with Durante and you commented under it. That's how this episode came to fruition. But I I have there's certain people that I have in like the the my back pocket that I'm like in a minute. Um, and in that moment when you reached out and you were like, When I was like, Janelle, you you have to stop shortchanging yourself, like because it always seems like a like I want to get to this place or I want to get to this space or I want to grow just a little bit more. And um, and that was a moment where it was just like slap upside in my head, just do it. You can only hear one of two things. People say yes, people say no, and um, and so um it's it's really great to have you here today.

SPEAKER_03: 2:44

Yeah, I don't I don't think it will ever be a time where I I can tell you no. Hey, there's very few people that I would say no to. You would be one of them.

SPEAKER_02: 2:58

You know, um people you care about and you you see and you honor them in a certain way, and and you want to have the right moment, right? And so even Durante, there was a right moment, and he, you know, um for me, and and that was you know the moment that was that the the PDX hip hop awards that is inspired me to say, uh, we we've got to talk about this more, you know. And so there's a moment that I look for with people. Um, and and so sometimes they, you know, come about organically, and sometimes it's like just in in certain scenarios that I'm like, oh, we we gotta talk more about this, you know? And so um, so I appreciate you being here today.

SPEAKER_03: 3:41

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02: 3:42

Yeah. So I know you, of course, DJ and uh uh OG Wen and I go way back. And um, it's so funny. I was thinking about um our story and and and back to when I very first came to know you, and it was actually through um young people that you were mentoring, um, because I was needing music cut and I didn't know how to do it yet on my own. And um, I believe it was Leslie Newton um that connected us, and that's how we started, and then um we did that, we were doing those things together, and then um Dana and I had Urban Arts, our dance company, and then you became a board member for that, and then it's just been ongoing connection in the community and um through events and and work. And so for people who don't know you in the way that I might know you, we have listeners from all over. Um, you're not from Portland, but you've built a life in Portland. Tell us how you got here.

SPEAKER_03: 4:47

Ooh, ooh, that's that's a huge uh I know, I know. Yeah, that's a huge one. Uh the short version of it. Uh um, I grew up in Watts, California. Uh, I came to Portland in '88. Uh originally, my uh, you know, the plan was to run in the Cascade runoffs, uh, because I was uh uh an athlete at that time. I was doing some music, but I was mainly focused on athletics, and so that was the plan uh when I came to Oregon. But uh unfortunately some shifts happened that I had no control over that kind of threw my life in a whirlwind. But uh Portland became the place that I wanted to be planted in.

SPEAKER_02: 5:32

Yes, yes, and and how how did we come to a space where we are like DJing as if is it from or not it for me because you do many of different things, but it I feel like it's kind of the catalyst of many of things, right? It branches you out and is is kind of like the foundation of where all of your other endeavors stem from. And I could be wrong on that, but no, no, correct me if I am.

SPEAKER_03: 5:56

No, you're right. You're you're absolutely right. I think DJing for me, because I was always into music, music, you know, since I can remember as a child. Um, so I knew I wanted to be engaged in music, but when I was younger, I thought that it was gonna be just what like being a musician because my dad was a musician, and you know, I played instruments and things like that. Uh, but it wasn't until the uh, and I was that kid in the neighborhood that had all the cassettes in the in the music. So people would come be like, hey, can I borrow your cassette or can you make me a uh a party tape or whatever before I had even had like any turntables or anything or even knew of anything other than a regular record player? And so uh so I had that in me, but it wasn't until hip-hop uh came on scene in the mid-80s for me that when I saw uh the DJ and the ability to control an audience, and and when I say control, really in the sense of taking people on a journey, like allowing them to escape. I knew it was an escape for me personally, it was a coping for me music-wise, but when I seen that, it was like yeah, it just clicked. It was like that was that was it. I wanted to be, I wanted to do DJing, but I didn't even see it then as being a profession, like like something that I wanted as a career. It was just like, no, I like doing that, yeah, you know, and so uh, but it wasn't until I came to Portland that I really locked in, like, no, I'm gonna really be this DJ.

SPEAKER_02: 7:45

Yeah, that makes me think about um that makes me think about, I mean, obviously being a dancer, like my connection to music and and and the way that I come into music even, like how I hear certain out uh, you know, certain songs that I wouldn't have heard before. So I mean, there's such this unique relationship between uh between like the DJ, the artist who makes the music and the dance world, and how it's like this ecosystem of of of how it it it interprets and brings this music to people in general, right? And um and how much the DJ matters, because it's like that's the difference sometimes in me in my younger days when I would, you know, uh uh in social scenes that would tell me where I'm trying to go. Where I'm trying to go. Even I was thinking about um the other day, um uh the verses that's coming up, right? Um, um, I don't know if you've seen that that yet, but um, it's like no limit to cash money. And oh my gosh, I imagine the way that I'm gonna be in front of my television, losing my mind. Um, you know what I mean? And and for what their DJs do, for what the artists do, the songs that they choose for it, and and and how that really um can move people and and even thinking of just living in blackness, right? Like the joy, like that is a piece of our black joy being able to like for it's it's being lost in this space where we are moved by this magical, you know, spirit is is it's it's it's it's magical to me, really.

SPEAKER_03: 9:45

Yeah, and you and you think about it, uh and I know consciously a lot of people don't might not necessarily think of it this way, but I know for as a creator, both dance-wise and and as DJ-wise, it's all about the story for us. Yes, it's about the story, you know. Your story is through movement. Yes, for me, music when I DJ, it's about uh telling a story. Now, most of the time, my story is I'm interpreting the story through how the audience moves. Some people call it reading the room, yeah, yeah. That's what it is. I'm reading the audience's story and saying, okay, how do I tell your story through the music I'm getting ready to play?

SPEAKER_02: 10:39

So the one of the taglines for for urban arts was interpreting the art of life through dance. And part of the inspiration for the creation of that dance company was to be able to provide you know, young people the opportunity to receive professional level training who would not have normally had access to it. So it was a way of us um honoring our craft, um, mentoring others, um and um and providing them some pre-professional pathways um to to live out their dream and and um a space of healing, right? When we get to tell those stories, when we get to live in that space of movement and creativity, when we get to be who we are in our fullness, is the it's that zone. When people talk about zoning out, like that's that zone, right? And and and so um what are the stories that are important for you to tell through through your art?

SPEAKER_03: 11:50

I think for me, and again, it's those unspoken, it's those unspoken things. Um I know for me it's safe, safety is always a thing for me, and not just like physical safety, but like you're safe to be expressive in environments with me when I'm playing music. Like I want people to be silly, I want people to be emotional, I want people to be happy, I want to be people to, you know, uh have spaces of reflection, you know, when they're in the spaces when I'm playing. So um it's why I pay it, I pay close attention to you know how body, how people are moving, even if it's I'm at a reception and and and people are sitting down at a table, I'm watching who's bobbing ahead, and just you know, or just like some people I've seen closing their eyes, like you know, grandma and them just like and they give you that meme look like, oh no, he didn't, like those type of things are like, okay, I'm tapping into people's whatever that song represented for them, a moment in time in life, it's it gives them a space to be able to sit in it, you know. Uh yes, and and that's the joy to me, the ultimate joy uh as a DJ for me.

SPEAKER_00: 13:20

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 13:23

Don't ask me why right now in this moment.

SPEAKER_02: 13:26

Oh Lord, I'm thinking about, and I know you don't remember this time because I know you don't remember this because you've had many of shows and many of events, but I'm thinking about this one time. Oh, where I don't even remember. Portland has had such a remake of all of their like club style, you know, uh venues. Oh my goodness. But I remember um it was right like I want to remember, and I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna do that here. Um I want so bad to remember the name of this place, but me and my friend came um and you were DJing, and we went because you were DJing, and um there must have been maybe five feet of wide open space somewhere, might have been four. We must have lost our minds in here, and nobody else in that in there mattered. We were losing our minds together. Her and I, um, shout out to Kalima. Her and I, we were in there losing our minds, and in that moment, I know that you were playing for that space, right? For every single person in that space, we probably felt like you were playing for us because we were losing our minds, and I just remember, and I was like, Oh my gosh, I hope he don't kill me later because we were just like nobody else in that space mattered, and um it just it just felt so good, which is why I remember it to this day because we were just vibing out, and I was like, Oh my gosh, I hope we're not embarrassing him.

SPEAKER_03: 15:05

No, and here's what's so interesting. I remember, I remember I'm trying to remember the place it was at, but here's what's so crazy. I look as a DJ, I look for those spaces and those moments, and it can be three people in a space, and they're just going in and other people might just be trying to be cool and everything, but for me, I'm playing for y'all. Yeah, I'm playing, it's like okay, okay, y'all be cool and and and bougie or whatever y'all want to call it, but I'm playing for them three, them two over there, right there. And then as long as they keep moving, I'm I'm going there with music. It's all it's all it's always good.

SPEAKER_02: 15:51

I love that. So, well, let's talk about some of the other endeavors that have like branched off from that. Um, what are some of the other I mean, I know in general you have leader tame in and then you have something that may not be new, but it's been newer to me as I've been seeing it more, should I say, and that's the B fluid. Can you talk more about those things?

SPEAKER_03: 16:10

Yeah, yeah. So um, as you know, you know, all the work that I've been doing over the years and mentoring and um as well as business and you know, being heavy in the industry.

SPEAKER_04: 16:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 16:21

And so for me, um, probably since 2017, I want to actually 2016 uh is when I first kind of I felt like I hit a wall in terms of like I've done all these high profile, you know, situations in my my brand as a DJ excuse me, um, it was solidified. Uh, but then I had this whole thing of you know the leadership side of me and the community part of me that I was feeling like, okay, well, how do I merge the two where it doesn't seem like it's separate? Does it feel like I'm doing a community thing here, and then I'm doing uh you know, celebrity thing or the OG1 thing here, and I really struggled. I struggled for a while. Like, uh how do I make sure that both of those are fluid, yeah, you know, between each other, and that's where the the name leadertainment came from. I was like merging leadership and merging uh entertainment together because ultimately for me OG1 exists, the brand of OG1 exists because of the work that I want to do and have done in communities. And you know, you think about uh I've been able to leverage very effectively the OG1 brand to impact the lives of people, not just okay, hey, to be the best DJ and the rock parties. I've leveraged all those experiences to be influential in the space of the leadership stuff. And so I was like, okay, well, I want to create experiences uh that are fun, engaging, that has a celebrity feel, but has the impact of leadership and community that I want to have. And that's where leadertainment uh was born. Then from there, you know, again, just studying the industry and looking at okay, what are the you know, some of the things that make some of the influencers most impactful? And I started looking at, you know, I start first started saying looking at okay, what separates me from other DJs that are celebrities in the industry? And it was the thing that separated me is my connection to community, the the impact on lives I've had that really had nothing to do with music, though it looks like it's music. You see, I mean music has been the connector, but it really has been who I am, how I show up in the world. So, how do I brand that effectively? And where it doesn't feel like it's something outside of me, but it feels very much who I am, so I don't have to put on, I don't have to put on something to show up in space that I can just be who I am, yeah. And so um I looked at DJ Khaled, and when most people think of uh DJ Khaled, you know, they think about some of the music collabs he's done or whatever, but the from a branding standpoint, when someone if someone says, We the best, yep, you think about DJ Khaled. Well, better or worse, it's like we the best, okay? You don't hear nobody else saying that, yeah, DJ Khaled as a brand. So for me, it was like I need to have that for what I do, yeah. And so move different, win different, be fluid became my we the best, and so I needed to make sure that it aligned with my values, uh, what I stand for, where it wasn't just something that was uh egotistical or anything, but it was cool and had enough swag where it made people like, okay, people want to move different in order to win different. Yeah, and so for me, it was like, Well, how do you do that by being fluid? Well, what does that mean? Be fluid is an acronym for bold, engaging, faith, love, unwavering, intentional, determined, and taking the principles of that, and you can apply that in literally everything you do from your personal life to your professional life. You see, uh, if I learn how to have if I have faith in what I'm doing, if I bring love to what I'm doing, if I'm unwavering in the values that I have, and then I live those things intentionally and determined to get the outcomes that I desire. That's being fluid.

SPEAKER_02: 21:27

Come on. Come on. Yeah. So it's it's it's life philosophy or or the way a person shows up, right? Like this is your your, you know, um, it's a it's an acronym, but also could be a mantra for a person in waking up. And and and I always say, like, are you waking up being who you think you are? Are you holding yourself accountable to to the way that you do the person you desire to be, right? It doesn't mean we're showing up in perfection every day, but are you waking up being who you think you are and holding yourself accountable to that vision? And it and who's holding who who knows this of you and who's when you fall short, like how do you acknowledge that or what do you what what do you reflect on to take you back there to correct daily? So I love things like that.

SPEAKER_03: 22:20

Yeah, yeah. I always tell people I said, I can't hold you accountable to anything except for who you say you are. I can't hold you accountable to my expectations of you, uh, what I think you should do. I only can hold you accountable to who you say you are.

SPEAKER_02: 22:37

And that, but that there, like that, even um, and and I I I love having these conversations with people who also have um backgrounds and like mentorship, like really pouring into people's lives because that's who really gets this, right? But it also, I mean, not that someone else can't, no offense, but um uh but it also is about people really taking the time to know who they are. A lot of people just show up and they check the boxes. Am I doing the things? Did I wake up? Did I go to work? Did I take care of my kids and my did I see my friends? Did I, you know, but who are you? Like, who are you as a person? Like, how do you how do you see yourself? Who do you what what is the vision for you? Um, and a lot of people don't know what that is. A lot of a lot of people don't know how to fill in those blanks. They know how to check the boxes, right? Um, and so I think like this thought work, um, you know, just like you said, I I I I can't I can't hold you accountable to, you know, it's who do you who are you to you? Who do you desire to be? Um, not who how you want to show up based on um what other people's perception of you are, but like who do you desire to be? Who are you as a whole authentic person, you know?

SPEAKER_03: 24:06

Yeah, and having that space, uh, because even within that, you know, the calip, the accountability becomes if you open yourself up to it. And I think that's the other thing um I learned to be open to is being accountable. Like, you know, if if I say who I am and what my vision and and how I show up in the world, and I fall short, giving permission for people to be able to say, hey, that's that's not who you say you are. So then it gives me a space to be able to say, okay, now I have to question, is this really who I am? Because if it's not, then I can make the adjustment and say, Well, I need to make sure that I adjust that and make sure that it aligns with who I am. But if it is who I am, then I need to make the adjustment and say, okay, yeah, I I kind of, you know, you know, made some, you know, uh a misstep on that. And so then I can step up as opposed to culturally now uh our culture has driven this wedge between uh being held accountable uh and staying out of my business.

SPEAKER_02: 25:27

But we say, you know, but people say we want community, but you know, that's commune, commune, and it's so I was just gonna say it's the loss of community because I remember when my kids were growing up, um we would walk through the mall, and like the this is when people went to the mall because now they're like ghost towns, but um we were we would be at the mall and we'd see all these people, hey Bill, hey, hey, hey, and my kids would be like, dang, do you know every like we can't walk through this mall and you not know people? And I said, Yeah, these are all the people who are responsible for for raising you, right? Like, so when you're out here in these streets, like you are representing our family, and and anybody who knows me can check you. Yeah, so and not that you know that that's that's the way I grew up, is that you know, I wasn't simply raised by my home, I was raised by my community, you know, and um you know, due to many of circumstances, but I'm grateful for that, and I'm very grateful for that. And and that's what I feel like we are missing. Can't nobody tell nobody nothing anymore.

SPEAKER_03: 26:44

No, no, stay out, stay out of my business until you know it becomes a situation where we're reacting to something. And then again, we we use, you know, collectively, we use certain catchphrases like family. You know, we're all family, we're all community until it's the moments of holding someone accountable or telling them the truth about something, you know. Um, then it's like uh, you know, you can't tell me nothing or stay out of my business, as opposed to looking and that evaluating and say, you know what? Yeah, you know, we say we're supposed to be this, and I say I'm I'm a part of a community and and these things. So my community has the right to speak to me when I am not showing up how I say I am or who I say I am, and trusting they're doing it because they want the best for me, right?

SPEAKER_02: 27:44

But I think this is also um uh uh speaks to a little bit of the gap when we started losing our true elders, like there uh Durante and I talked about this a little bit on my uh last episode, also the bit like grandparents started getting younger and younger and younger, and there wasn't that like older wisdom. And I'm again, I'm not shading the younger grandparents. I promise you, I'm not. I'm just saying what I see in our community, right? Like there, there, there wasn't that grandmother's hand, like that oh wise, soft, gentle, beautiful, but firm. There there's that gap. And so um I think that there also became this loss of trust um in people because um people didn't believe that people were really out here in, you know, speaking to them um because you're concerned about their best interest. You're you're you're you know, and Portland is not unique in the way that it's been dismantled. But but I actually wanted to to to touch on that with you today because um I think you know there's some of us who have seen the whole shift and change, you know, Portland's changed a lot over the years. Um, you know, hello gentrification and um and the way it's ripped apart our communities. How have you been able to stay connected to like the the hearts and the minds and and and the people um when community has shifted to from, should I say, from where you live to who you know, right? Just a mindset versus a a space of living. Like, how have you been able to stay connected to that?

SPEAKER_03: 29:56

Well, you know, I think it's because of my focus. My focus has Always it's certain things that uh and I have I've had this conversation everywhere from down with people that represent the city all the way to you know, of course, our people in our in our neighborhoods and yeah communities. Um it's relationships, you know. I I focus on the people, you know, and it doesn't matter if you know the people stay centralized in Portland or they got shifted out to you know the east side, uh or um the same thing in terms of value, it's it's doesn't change in terms of the people. And so I think again, when I talked earlier about the reactive, uh, you know, how our people tend to be reactive instead of proactive, uh, and even that divide or uh uh I think happens on both ends, just from my observation being important for so long, um, is that you got on one end, you got uh young people that tend not to trust, you know, the adults uh a particular way, or you know, I'm just gonna go do my thing and I'm not going to seek counsel. Um a lot of that comes from you know being rejected by elders. Yes, you know, elders are in a position to be able to pass on that wisdom, but when you have uh elders that fear, fear young people and fear that if they pour into them that somehow it diminishes their power and influence.

SPEAKER_02: 31:39

Come on.

SPEAKER_03: 31:40

And um so they you know, they you know push young people away or or or kind of say, you know, you know, I'm not trying to invest in them. Young people, young, and when I say young people, I'm talking about young adults, yes, young people, yes, uh, they feel that, you know, because you know, our community, we're we're we vibe, we we set your vibe and your energy, and you can be saying all the right words and everything, but we be like, mmm, something is off there. I don't believe you, you know. Uh yes, exactly. I do not believe the words that are coming out of your mouth, and so when that is the uh the energy that is in our city, I mean, and I've had personal experience where I've had very influential um leaders uh in our community that you know flat out, you know, have told me to my face that I will be nothing but uh uh another DJ. Told me to my face and it sent it around because they could not control my brand. They cannot control my brand was not contributed to their influence, and so they feared my influence in the community. And it and I remember how it felt for me. It broke my heart. It's like, man, all the work that I'm I'm doing in the community, and and this is how you see me. Instead of seeing me as an asset, you see me as a threat. And so when I saw that, I was like, man, so if I'm feeling that, I can't imagine what young people are feeling in our community, which is why I've always put relationships, whether it's young people or adults, is like, no, I'm gonna show up, you know, for the people, and I'm gonna be real, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna show up in truth, I'm gonna show up in love, uh, because that's who I choose to be, regardless of the things that are happening in politics, you know, the whether it's the politics in our government, whether it's the politics and leadership in our community. Um, and you know, and I'm quite sure I'm very confident that you ask most people when they engage with me, um, that that's the feeling that they get. And it's not, you know, fabricated. It's you know, it's who I am because that's how I want to feel, you know, when people engage with me, you know, I want to feel that from them. So I can't I can't demand something that I'm not willing to give.

SPEAKER_00: 34:15

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02: 34:23

I think about the power in um relationships, right? Like, and and I I call it like relationship capital, right? Like you you build these authentic relationships with people. Like I want to learn about people, I want to learn about people's stories, I want to learn about your motivations, I want to learn about your your talents, I want to learn about who you are as a whole individual, um, because then I can speak your language, right? Then I can appreciate your story, then I can appreciate, you know, or be conscious of um of things that a person has been through and be sensitive to that. And then it it gives me language, right? And I think that people are um so transactional that they don't care about the like they don't care about learning your language. Do do it my way, I see it this way, this is the right way. It's like a right and a wrong way versus there are many of ways, right? And and if our objective is a shared objective, how do I speak a language that best gets us there? Right. And I'm not talking, I'm I'm talking solely based on relationships, I'm not talking about like, you know, you know, code switching or changing who you are to get to that. I'm saying, how do you read and understand people? And in, you know, as we're talking about young people or people within the community, how do you make them feel seen? How do you make them feel heard? How do you make them feel valued? And that is in the way that you build relationship with people, and that is how they begin to trust you. If you can't even see them or hear them, then then you don't really know them, right? It's like someone saying, love, see no color. Well, it absolutely does because if you don't, then you don't see me as a whole in who I am, you don't see me, and that in itself is a slap in the face. So, so if I don't know or see or take interest in a person's individual story, um, and how they've become who they are and and who they are desiring to continue to become, how can I even pour into them, partner with them, understand them? How do we even begin to get to a place where we're moving towards the same objective? That's how I feel.

SPEAKER_03: 36:59

Yeah, and I think you you made a key point because it really boils down to truth. Yeah. Even in transactional, and it's it's it's something that I had to learn over over years because, you know, uh, when we talk about relationships, I have always approached relationships as the, you know, I set the standard in terms of like I can't expect someone to be loyal, uh, to be trustworthy or any of those things if I'm not being that in the situation. Yes, yes. But I had to take a shift. I had to really take a shift and shift my mindset that not from you know me changing anything about how I approach relationships, but I had to shift the the expectation. And then I had to shift it in terms of my mindset, in terms of some people don't even have the capacity to give that back to me.

SPEAKER_00: 38:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 38:01

And so I had to deal with the truth of there's some relationships that are transactional. Um, and it's nothing wrong with having a transactional relationship if you're honest with that's what it is. The problem becomes is when we try to make uh a relationship relationship, a relationship that's transactional, a solid relationship of loyalty. And it's like, no, I can be loyal to a transactional situation because I know it's transactional. I don't call it what it is, but you know, which is why I said, you know, in our culture, a lot of times we use certain, you know, phrases uh just loosely, uh, and there's no accountability to it. So, like, you know, I perfect example. If I take take our relationship that we've built over the years, we don't talk every day or anything like that. But if you call me, I'm picking up that phone and it's like, oh, this now, okay. And like I said earlier, I don't see a situation where you know, unless like you ask me something and I'm booked for something, I can't just literally can't do it. But if you call me, oh gee, hey, can you quote? Can you I'm like, okay, yeah, when, where, because that's the relationship, and it's not transactional, you know. I mean, you showed up for my family, and you know, my son's autism walks and things like that. Y'all, you didn't have to do none of that stuff, but because of the relationship, you showed up, you showed up. But for me, I've treated some relationships that are transactional like I would treat my relationship with you. And then when it showed to be not that, then I was angry, and then I had to take accountability and say, nah, it's unfair for me to be angry at that person when that person didn't give me a track record of being that person. So why am I angry at them for something that one they don't even have a capacity to be? So once I settled that in, I was like, okay, no, I don't need to hold people accountable to you know who they say they are. So now if you tell me no, we family, then okay, well, you just set the you know parameters of saying, okay, this is what I expect of a family. What does that mean to you? You know, uh, so I make sure that I'm I'm clear and I don't hold you accountable to a misinterpretation of what that even is. And I think that's a lot, you know, having those candid and real conversations within our community, uh, I think is lost. Yes, it's lost because you know of that trust, you know, that trust, uh, but it's really the trust we have within ourselves. That's really really comes down to is like we don't trust that we are solid enough within ourselves that we don't have to fear our brothers and sisters, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02: 41:09

And it goes kind of back to the the knowing of self, right? Like there's a whole lot of people, and and I know people that come from like great, great parents, great families, and they still don't know themselves, right? And I think it's it's it has to be such an intentional act. I mean, it goes we've we've uh heard this for years. If if if you don't know who you are, somebody's gonna tell you who you are, right?

SPEAKER_03: 41:35

And so and so it's there has to be like this intentionality in terms of parenting to to to fill up your your baby's cups, and and when they walk out your door every day, they know who they are, and you reinforce that as they grow and as they continue to become, because if you don't, you know, they're left wide open to somebody else telling them, and um and I that's what leadertainment, you know, again, with me doing leadertainment, that's what for me it's all about, you know, creating those cultures and experiences because you know, based on our discussion, you know, where do parents that weren't equipped with that in order to tell their children, you know, uh and lead them in the right direction, where is that as a community that we get those jewels in those gyms to equip us to be able to handle our kids and be able to pass on to our kids? And so for me, it was like, no, if we don't create it, if we don't create platforms like this where we can have the discussions, experiences where socially people can go out, our people can go out and connect and not just not just preoccupying our space with the fun part, but we can have fun and leave out with some substance as well, you know. Uh, and that's really what I've been pushing for uh with leader taming and and curating some experiences and the some events, you know, where we have like happy hours where we can come connect and have music flowing, but then love a good happy hour, you know what I mean? And and and but then you know, have some real conversations like where it feels organic, where it's not doesn't feel classroomish, it doesn't feel like you know you're being preached to or anything like that, because most of us culturally pick up things when we're at the barbecue and we at the family, you know, situations, and yeah, and it's like so. Now we need to have insert these conversations intentionally in those experiences so it becomes our cultural norm.

SPEAKER_02: 43:48

Yeah, you know what? I've been hearing there's been this really interesting um conversation floating across um social media about um it always starts off like, Hi, I'm um a black woman who moved to Portland, and here's my experience, right? And so I listen to those because they're interesting to me. Um, and one of the things that they they talk about is um that it at first glance, it feels like there isn't a black community because we're talking about again where you live, right? And um, each of them have talked about each of them that I've listened to that have come across my yeah, my timeline. I don't know what other everybody's I I've learned led. Everyone's on different sides of social media, and it's fascinating. Um, but um, but they've all talked about to some degree that there is community here, but you have to seek it, and it's more event-driven um than it is about where you live. And so, like you are having to go to spaces to build that community versus just walking out your front door like it used to be. So there um that has been a really interesting topic, but what you just said made me think about that, right? Um, you're creating these events and these spaces for community. Um, and um um what are it? I'm I'm gonna put you on the spot a little bit here because as that conversation is happening, people are always asking and wondering, like, where can we go? What like what can we? And so is there are there events that happen regularly that you could call out for people to tune into, or are there people that you can say, follow this person, follow that person? Of course, follow, follow you, right? But but are there other other things that um or events that happen regularly that you can recommend? Is it or is it just more about uh you know paying attention to people and what they're doing in hosting?

SPEAKER_03: 46:01

I think it's a combination of both. Uh uh, and I do uh believe that again, you you as you know, uh being in Portland, there used to be a time where we all knew, oh, you we know this is popping off everything. We knew that this is where you know people meet up, this is where this major event is happening, where we it wasn't so much even just about the event, it was like, no, this is where the people are gathered. Yes, yes, you know what I mean. And so some of that has been lost. Um, and you know, there are things that are happening. Uh, I think of uh like I just found uh a situation out in Beaverton where it's black people in Beaverton and they have these events and everything, and I hit them up. I was like, hey, like y'all need to like connect with people more to market this so people know, you know, how to, you know, where you're gathering and where they can connect with other people. Because like you said, it is we don't have the the black community uh as it were in Portland in terms of like, okay, I could walk out the door and I got you know 10 of my neighbors that are you know that look like me.

SPEAKER_02: 47:13

And I could go to Urban Park on the weekend and it's and it's a park full of people that's packed. I could go downtown and I could go to the Red Sea, I could go to the Greek, I could go to uh what is it bar 76? I could go to all of these metropolis, like I'm getting old school on them now, but like Jones, we had that.

SPEAKER_03: 47:30

I mean, we have where now um it's not quite like that. So it has been driven with mainly events um that have been happening to get the people, you know, get people together, and or it's been uh agenda driven, like you know, again, being reactive, something happened, somebody got shot. Okay, now we have and it's like, no, like where's the spaces where we get together just because, and it's not necessarily a show or anything like that. It's like no, we're getting together because this is where we're gathering, you know, to get together. Um, and so I I think there's some some things that are that uh there's some efforts to start bringing some of that back, particularly in Portland. But uh, you know, most of our people out in in Gresham, you know, they're out on the east side uh of things, but I don't see I haven't seen any um efforts to really create that is the most of the center round event. Again, people can follow me for stuff, but for me, I'm all over the place. Yeah, I'm all over the place in in everybody's community, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04: 48:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 48:53

Uh because like you know, I asked somebody um uh just recently, and I said, Hey, do you think you know, do you think I rock for Portland? And it was like, no, without a doubt, you're quite, you know, no, no doubt about it. And I said, But I've lived in Beaverton for 20 plus years now. And they looked at me, I said, Yeah, I said, so it's not about where I stay, it's about where where my engagement is. And I said, and so you do the reality is that you do have to, you know, seek those uh those spaces out where our people are, whether it's the events or whatever, you have to be actively uh uh engaging in that. But because you think about it, we do it in other areas. We want to find with the you know, the the you know, that new sneaker that's about to release and stuff. We're very intentional about that.

SPEAKER_02: 49:46

Oh my gosh, that community is okay. So I love it for them. But the fact that my daughter is laid up in her bed in her bonnet still with probably crust and dust in her eye, waiting for the lottery for like it's too much for me. I just want to go, I just wanna go buy my shoe. That's a whole culture, that's a whole community of like sneaker lovers that I'm just I'm not tapped into that because it's it's it's more than what what what I got in me, but like it's just sorry, off subject, but I'm on like yes, so you're so intentional about that, right? And being engaged in that and finding out about those releases because sometimes also what I noticed about Portland is like it's like solving a riddle to figure out where this event is that I saw floating across social media, and then I gotta go research, find people, find people, look in the comments. Did somebody say it? Like, where is this? Um, and so I mean, I don't that might be a new thing. I don't know if that's the way uh people are promoting their stuff now, but it's also like yum, whoever's listening, maybe it is intentional that you're doing it that way, but that is enough to make me not. Just tell me where it is, right? Just tell me where it is, right? Just don't make me hump for it because I want to be there. I'm good people, I'm gonna be a vibe when I get there, but just like help a girl out. Like when I gotta do too much work to get somewhere, I can get there. I can drive a little ways to get there, but like, come on. Yeah, that is funny. That is funny. No, that's that's that's um uh and this I heard you talk about this a little bit. You had made a post um when the PDX hip hop week was here about um uh which alluded to, I think a little bit about what you were talking about, and that you were um doing events related to this all over the place, and that um the awards event um being at um uh the research research, yes, yeah, um beautiful venue, by the way.

SPEAKER_03: 52:00

Just had the Lessel concert there last night.

SPEAKER_01: 52:03

Oh, and we love him. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_03: 52:07

It was like, yeah, it was crazy. He loves it. He loves the spot. I think he's gonna come back, you know, next year.

SPEAKER_02: 52:14

He is on my list of people. Um I don't know if I should call it this, but I'm gonna call it this for lack of a better word. Um, there is like this refreshing. Um maybe it's more of a return to than an unearthing of what it is right now in music. Um to where we're getting back to like I feel like the cultural roots of music, whether it's regional, where it's um um whether it is um just specifically and carried on black culture. But let me tell you something. There are a few artists that just have my spirit right now. LaRussell's one of them. Um, and what it is for me, for him, it's it's as much about who he shows up being as it is about his music, right? Um it is as much about his creativity, his um innovation, and how he is owning himself, yeah. Right? He he's like like okay, so that's part of it. And his like call and response to his audiences, his engagement of how they are very much a part of what he does, just is just rooted in community to me, and I love it. And then also there are a few other people who are um who have these new projects who are getting back to storytelling, who I listen to their albums and I I feel what I feel the culture in their albums. D smoke.

SPEAKER_03: 54:02

Yeah, that's my guy.

SPEAKER_02: 54:04

Tiana Taylor.

SPEAKER_03: 54:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 54:06

Um, this might be a little controversial, but when we're talking about storytelling about life experiences, Cardi B, um, and Mona Leo. I don't know if you had a chance to get into her new album. Um not yet. Okay, get into her new album. Is is is definitely that Houston, that Houston joint. Um, but it is it is I had I listened to it all day yesterday because part of me, I was I was like trying to find the words for why I liked it the way that I liked it. You know what I mean? It was um it felt familiar and it felt um it felt culturally connected and it le like I I'm I'm hearing the story that she's telling. I I like it and and and you know I love music in general, obviously, because uh of of you know my background, but um a lot of music, I've just liked the beats for a while. And like the vibe of it, right? Like, and I'm not knocking anybody's artistry, but it's like I'm like, oh, that's a dope, ooh, or like the way that it makes your body move whether you want it to or not, right? Like that's kind of been where music has been for me, or it's been catchy, you know. Um, but these albums, I'm like, no, but did you hear him say listen that D Smoke album every part of it, every part of it, like every his storytelling, his lyricism, his the the the beats, like the production, every the the um the layers of it yeah just took me.

SPEAKER_03: 56:06

It's like turning the pages of a good book, like ah but you notice the consistent thing uh across the uh what you mentioned about all those artists is one the vulnerability that they don't carry the industry persona of you better act like this in order to be accepted, you know, for better work. I look at Cardi B hurt her this last album, I think is probably her best work.

SPEAKER_04: 56:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 56:37

Um and you know, though, you know, from uh being a grown grown person, I can look and be like, yeah, you know, my sister got some growing to do. Yes, you know, but I also look and and and say, okay, man, you know, I wonder who her go-to person is from a woman's perspective that she can get that mature uh counsel from as she's growing in her craft. Uh I think the more she ends up tapping into that, you it's gonna be reflected in her music and and how she continues to grow. D Smoke, I know personally, you know, um from doing you know show with him. I'm actually going to be doing the show uh that's coming up uh on the 30th uh with him. Uh but just sitting and talking to him and knowing his brother Sir, yeah, who I've uh got a chance to perform and and and connect with. Um that brother, I mean, he's who he is. Like he's who he is, and that's what I get from him, but I mean, it's who he is. He ain't trying to act like nothing, he's just I'm who I am, and I'm gonna show up that way, love it or hate it, you know. Um so yeah, I think that is a lost thing because again, like we were talking earlier, if you don't, if you're not secure in who you are, then other people will create that the identity for you.

SPEAKER_00: 58:11

Yes, yes, mm.

SPEAKER_02: 58:14

I could probably keep going on and on about him in that album, but I'm not going to. But if I was a girly out here that gave album reviews, yeah, yeah, nah, he's solid.

SPEAKER_03: 58:27

He's solid.

SPEAKER_02: 58:28

Yeah, he's a complete body of work. I felt this way about um his last album also, though. Um that it was just like it it touched every part of my soul, right? Like it that and I don't even know.

SPEAKER_03: 58:43

I know that sounds like yeah, you know who's another one like that for me from a of a woman's standpoint, Rhapsody.

SPEAKER_01: 58:56

Oh, yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 58:58

We love Rhapsody, yeah. Rhapsody is another one that obviously. We love Rhapsody, it's just they're like it's crazy. Like she's so dope.

SPEAKER_02: 59:08

Yeah, yeah, she's so dope. And I you know what I love uh what when I love seeing her most? I love seeing her most when she is in these spaces of conversation, um, with with men who we know kind of dominate that industry, right? And she just like let and they and and they let her flow. Oh, and she goes all oh, it's my favorite. She's so dope. She's so dope. Like okay, I'm gonna go on 15 minutes about something. So let me quit. Let me quit.

SPEAKER_03: 59:36

Because music is a whole locally, locally, and and what I'm getting ready to say is probably gonna be a little controversial, but locally, um who's along those lines to me here that's that's crazy right now is when when is Is she a white woman out of Lake Oswego?

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:04

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I've seen her, and she just did a spot with Lillard, right?

SPEAKER_03: 1:00:09

Yeah, is that her own? Yeah, I hosted her. I I did her mixtape, but one lyrically solid, but just you know, she's young, she's young, but she is probably one of the most vulnerable MCs from our region that I've ever heard. Like the openness, um addressing issues, yeah being a a a woman, like being being vulnerable to say, you know, hey, I grew up like this, and and I understand my whiteness, uh, you know, and uh, but that doesn't take away that I'm dope. You know what I mean? It will go with the best of them, uh, and someone who understands relationships.

SPEAKER_02: 1:01:01

Say more.

SPEAKER_03: 1:01:02

Yeah, who understands relationships and and you know, uh, so I'm I'm really happy, you know, that you know, we have somebody like that in our space, you know, uh, regardless of you know that she's a white person, you know, uh you know, for us, if you dope, you're dope. Just like Eminem, he's dope. Like, yeah, say what you want to say, but Eminem is dope, you know, you know, but um, but yeah, she's she's definitely one to look out for in this in this region because she represents like, nah, I am who I say I am. I'm okay with addressing issues and being vulnerable and and being not liked, you know. Um, I'm not trying to act like anything. I'm gonna talk about my sexuality the way that is organically me. Yeah, you know, um, and so uh yeah, so I'm really proud, really proud of her and uh looking forward to you know uh her stuff elevating as well.

SPEAKER_02: 1:02:09

That's awesome. Um I I think about kind of just in what you're saying, um, just even about uh vulnerability, and I think about the power in vulnerability, right? Like I always tell people, I'm gonna tell my story, I can tell my my my background isn't isn't private. Like I don't I'll I'll tell all all the goods because who's gonna check me? Like who's gonna who gonna and like right? Like nobody can make me feel any kind of way about the things that I've been through in life, but I also feel like it's a superpower because it allows me to connect to people. It's it's part of what allows me to connect to people and have um such a deep sense of empathy for other people, also, is is the things that I've experienced in life. And so I think that vulnerability can be scary because sometimes people are you're really judging yourself and you're scared of what other people will think of you. But but if I could give anybody, and I'm not even gonna say young people, because honey, uh, there are people older than me that can take this advice.

SPEAKER_03: 1:03:24

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:25

Once you stop caring about what what you think other people think of you, man, life is gravy.

SPEAKER_03: 1:03:36

Yeah, I would tell people I'm more scared of not showing up being who I am than I am of people's opinions.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:45

Come on. I I I love that you said that because there are parts of me that I'm like, I'm like, how do I tap into this at a larger level? How do I I'm I'm more just like what you said, I'm more afraid of not reaching my full potential or not tapping into all of the things that that um that are honoring who I am and the gifts that I've been given. I'm more afraid than that than I am about like, you know, which is why I said earlier when we started this, like I just try to change my stuff. Like I need to just do instead of trying to get the perfect scenario, the perfect, just do it, just do it, just do it, right? But it's not because I'm worried about what you would have thought if I reached out or what someone else would have thought if I it's about me wanting to create these things and and and and in that effort to tap into all of the ways that I desire to show up in spaces and in the world, it's not about somebody else, never, never about somebody else, like always about me. So if people could learn, yeah, it's how it's I see it.

SPEAKER_03: 1:04:53

What you're saying is how I see it. And I look at what you're saying as it relates to you and how you deal with dance. And I've seen how you've coordinated and and and choreographed stuff. It's it's and I do the same thing as relates to the craft that I do. It's like we want it to be perfect, we want the moves, and that you reach that point, you make that that kick, okay. That arm, okay. Yeah, that arm movement, the the hair, yeah you know, we want those things to be perfect, but coming to the understanding that well, part of it is in order to work on the perfection, we have to get in it. Yeah, we can't get there until we move. Yeah, and sometimes we have so much plan in our head, like I know how I want to execute, I want to actually, it's like, okay, but I actually have to get out on the dance floor and work right because I be out here being in my own way, is really what it is, right?

SPEAKER_02: 1:05:54

There's the like Kev on stage. This is what this and this is what I said when I very first started this podcast, because I was like, I want to make sure I have the right equipment. I want to make sure that I have the thought, and I want to make sure, and I want to be able to say, like, right, my pursuit of perfectionism, uh, perfectionism was was was like blocking all my blessings, right? Like gift and the curse, right? And my sister had sent me this, this um this post that he had made, and she was like, Yeah, just do it. And I was like, boop, done, right? Like, and this goes back to um keeping the people around us who could hold us accountable to who we desire to be, who we think we are. Like um, man, like without that village of people that says Janelle, I'm like, oh, you're right. Let me let me straighten up or let me okay, fix my crown. Okay, let me put this on, let me do this. Oh, you're right. I'm second guessing myself. Oh, geez, second, okay, Janelle. Right? So having the people around you also that like constantly are lifting you up and able to give you that side eye, kind of what we were talking about earlier, that keep you going or keep you in check in line with who you desire to be. Man, there's nothing they can they can compare to that. Nothing.

SPEAKER_03: 1:07:10

It's priceless.

SPEAKER_02: 1:07:12

It is absolutely, it is so I have to ask you this because um you are um, we talked about all the I'm gonna wrap this up. We're over. You guys, I do this every time. The gift of Gab over here. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_03: 1:07:29

Hey, take your time. You got me.

SPEAKER_02: 1:07:30

You're um, but we we talked about all of these mini hats that you wear, all of this incredible work that you do in the industry and in the community. Um, you have a whole family, yeah, right? Like, like I was saying before I press record, y'all. I was saying to OG, like I never see, I never envision him having a day off because uh, you know, outside in, this man's always working, always doing something, right? And so, how do you balance um being so many things to so many people in the community in the industry, and also being who you need to be for your family? Like, how does that work? Juggling at for sure.

SPEAKER_03: 1:08:13

Oh, well, I did to be honest, you know, I've had to learn um how to um be balanced in the imbalance. Um, as you know, uh from what you've done, uh, particularly surrounding dance, there are seasons where it's heavy, like you're total focused on getting it done, getting the the the everything surrounding the presentation done. And during those times, there's things that you're sacrificing. There's time away from your kids and your people, and you ain't going out, yeah, because you're you know, crafting this thing. That's imbalance. Um, what I've had to learn, and I used to feel bad because even the stuff I did in community, like you know, being there for other people's kids and things like that, like I spent time, you know, initially for years, um, I'd spend literally hours and hours and days away from my family, uh serving other people and other families, and I don't regret any of it. Um, but it took me away from from my my kids. I did I wasn't going to my kids' basketball games or recitals and things like that. My wife had to, you know, kind of carry that while I was out helping other people's, you know, families and in community.

SPEAKER_02: 1:09:45

Shout out to Diane, we love her.

SPEAKER_03: 1:09:46

Yeah. And so um, and and that had an impact, particularly for my older kids, it had more of an impact. Um, but as the years went by, I started understanding that um about being having a balance within the imbalance, and and that was being more strategic in planning.

SPEAKER_04: 1:10:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 1:10:13

Because as you know, if if if you don't plan it, someone will come in and plan some things for your time. Right. And so I had to start understanding, you know, uh, the word selfish in uh a different way of saying, no, I have to be selfish in being able to say at this time I can't, I wanna, I would love to do these things, but I can't. I can't because I have to make sure that I invest the time into you know my family, my wife, my kids, and and so I spent some time having to recover really from it because I sacrificed my family for um uh it wasn't even for like, you know, like somebody I'm sacrificing, I'm trying to financially get my kid. It's like God, you know, these were all good things. These were all good things. I wasn't chasing money or anything like that. I wasn't even chasing fame or anything like that. It was like I will felt like I was doing the things that I've been called to do. But I think even when you have things that you're called to do, that you should do it as an overflow of taking care of your foundation. And I I had to become better at that. Uh biblically, if it talks about love your neighbor as you love yourself, but oftentimes people forget that second half when it says, as you love yourself. Yeah, we usually love the out the the first part and and and and uh are lacking in the the other. So the more I became aware of I needed to make sure that I'm taking care of me, and part of me is my my family. And um, so it's it's understanding and and communication, you know, and being able to say, hey, you know, I'm going through this season of where it's heavy lifting on the work side of it, um, instead of me just barreling in and you know doing all the stuff, but I'm not communicating, you know, to my wife or my kids saying, hey, this is what I'm doing right now, so they can see my actions through that filter of okay, dad ain't just, or my husband ain't just walking out the door doing that stuff. It's like, no, there's some purpose and intention uh behind it. Uh so yeah, it's just you know, understanding that you're going through seasons, but being able to be uh communicate effectively and saying, hey, here's what's going on. That way, people, you know, your family and my kids and my wife uh are not left having to assume that, oh, he don't care that I'm not uh about my game, or he don't care about this. Uh all my kids are grown now, so and some of them are now you know stepping in the profession that I'm in now. So now we're even having some different communication because now they're like, Dad, I had no idea that you had to do all this to prepare for a DJ set, or you had to deal with all this and dealing with negotiating contracts and and perception or jealousy of people and this and this, and and and I'm looking, I'm like, Yeah, and y'all don't even have kids yet, right? Or y'all ain't been married yet. So imagine having to balance all that. So uh it's been really cool to be able to have that perspective. But I always encourage people don't get don't over um don't overthink it, don't, don't feel bad, but become better um communicators with the people that you care about and saying, hey, you know, I'm I'm heavy lifting this season, then there's gonna be some seasons where it's like, no, now we good. We now we can go on this vacation, we can do these things uh and be intentional about it.

SPEAKER_02: 1:14:00

That's awesome. I think I just I ask that because I think it's so important for people to hear, because um I think that um people can have the illusion that it's just so easy all the time. And part of building community is to understand and learn from the stories of others, right? And this is what helps us not feel alone in our own experiences. And so I like to ask those questions because um, you know, I'm all about preserving our families, and I think that sometimes we have to share the house, right? Um, and in in order for other people to say, oh, okay, or like so this doesn't have to be a big issue, or like so I in in in this scenario, right? Like, I don't have to choose, like this could be a family effort, and like, and to see the evolution of a person as to how they got there, it might not have started off easy peasy in that way, but now we've worked and developed a system, you know, over time that that that that happens to work for our family. So I think it's just really important to share those things. So thank you for sharing that. And I'm gonna ask you some other questions than I'm like two more things. Come on, let's go. This has a I'm not gonna hold you hostage. Um, but these are these are less, these are less um, these are more surface. Last few, last few surfaces.

SPEAKER_03: 1:15:30

You can go as long as you want it. You got me.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:33

Are we how excited are we to have Lillard back in Portland?

SPEAKER_03: 1:15:37

You know, you know, it's so crazy. Uh, you know, kind of being behind the in the background, uh, you know, because I've done stuff with his family and and I know Dang personally. Uh so you know, while stuff was going on in the media and even him leaving uh those uh couple of seasons, you know, it was stuff that I was privy to that it was like, okay, man, if people only knew this was happening. Um it's you know, him coming back to Portland is absolutely no surprise to me because of the things that I know and the conversations I've had uh with him, his heart has been here. Um uh but you know, again, it's when it comes to basketball business, you know, in control of everything. You know, and so uh uh so him coming back, or when they talked about possibly, I was like, oh yeah, he he coming back, he'll be back home. So yeah, so it's it's it's crazy. Even though he's not playing, yeah, you know, um having his presence back in the city already has changed just the vibe. It's totally changed the vibe, and and I'm loving every bit of it, you know. So yeah, I'm I'm I'm glad he uh he's back home.

SPEAKER_02: 1:16:54

You know, he's another one. Um so I I'm a lover and observer of people who who are um strong and effective leaders because that's also another side in in in the work that I do, um, leadership development and um um you know the development of teams. But um I have always been a fan separate of basketball of his, right? Because of who I see him to be. I can't speak to who he actually is as an individual because I don't know him personally, right? But who I feel like I see him showing up to be um is very much a leader that stands on his word. Um, he he seems to be a person of loyalty and integrity and um and watching that play out. I think anytime you can watch a team, right, as a spectator and a fan who is like, give this man what he needs, right? Give, give, put, put the people on this team that he needs, you know, right? That's me as a fan saying, build this team around him. Like, come on, Portland, we gotta do better. We want better, we gotta do better. Um, and not knowing all the ins and outs of the sports world, right? That's that's that's my ignorance. It's just me as a fan fussing, but to being able to watch him lead that team through thick and thin, not only celebrating it and and and standing on business when they're winning, but also standing on it when they're not winning. And um, and he is something for this city. Um he is something for this city, and I think that it is so great to have him back here. Um, and and it felt like we lost something, uh, you know, when when when he left, but I too felt like he would be back. And um I'm very glad that he is, but I think that he's also when we're talking about people showing up, I keep coming back to this because I just think uh uh I I am um very invested in the idea of of people really learning themselves and knowing themselves and have people that they can reference for that direction also. But I think that um Portland likes the old school Blazers, the the the Clyde Drexler, Kevin Duckworth era of Blazers, right? And so I think for him to be able to show up and be and be for as much as we can tell, he's showing up authentically, right? He's being who he is, he has a story, he's not shying away from that story, he's gonna stand on the story, and that's part of who he is, right? But then he's also showing the evolution of a man, right? And and how you don't have to be that, you can evolve, and that is a part of you, and it comes with you, and it's part of what makes me who I am. So I I love that I am this person, but also the evolution of a man and a leader, and I've always appreciated that about him. Um and I I love that we have it back, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 1:20:13

Um, you know, being around Dame, uh, and again, you know, knowing who his family is and his mom and uh Miss Gina, shout out to Miss Gina, um, and seeing where he comes from in terms of like the people that are in his circle, um, and just seeing how he moves. Uh, I I've I've had a lot of respect for him, you know. Uh, but I agree with you. I I've been able to see just him growing as a uh as a young man, you know, and you know, particularly because I, you know, I'm an elder to him. Um, so I see him as a young man that is still still trying to, you know, still growing, even though he's in the spotlight of leadership and he's trying to do uh the right things and show up the right way. Um might not always look pretty to some people, you know, behind the scenes or whatever. Uh but um but it's real is real. That's the thing. It's real. And uh I was just telling somebody just recently because he just put his uh his new project out. And and I was telling him, I said, well, if you want to know what's been going on with Dane for the last couple of years, go listen to his last project. I said, because he's putting it all out, he's telling you what's been going on with him, and I I love that he uses the music platform to be able to like say stuff that he might not even say in interviews, but he'll say it on the record. So he could get a pass, he could get a pass, he could get a pass on it.

SPEAKER_02: 1:21:55

That's how I felt about like so. This one I've downloaded, but I haven't listened to it fully. Yagi is this current one, right? And then yeah, um, his album before that, though. Yeah, let me tell you, I listened to that for months straight.

SPEAKER_03: 1:22:07

Yeah, fire, months straight.

SPEAKER_02: 1:22:10

Now, I'm not always a fan of athletes flipped, uh, or I shouldn't say that athletes that also do music or dabble in music because they have the money to, right? Listen, I I there has never been an athlete who I've been like, I love their music, right? That last album, listen to it for months.

SPEAKER_03: 1:22:33

Yeah, solid, yeah, solid. Uh but yeah, yeah, he um he is uh definitely uh what you see is what you get from from that guy again, you know. Uh you know, but again, I see him as a young man still um growing into the his leadership potential, um, and and seeing how he's been handling the pressure, uh, not only just from an athletic standpoint, but being someone and you're making that type of money on that level. Uh, I have those conversations. Like, I I can't, I don't even know if I've ever really talked you know much to Dame about anything basketball related. We're usually talking about you know stuff surrounding family or or or music or music, like hey man, uh you know, if anything, I have I be on Dame about hey man, like his last his last album. Uh I was just like, hey man, so like are you gonna really push it out there? Like, like if you're gonna really like you put everything into creating the album, but one for me sitting on you know uh the recording academy board and being a part of the Grammy stuff now, I'd be like, Man, like you need to submit this album for you know Grammy stuff, and so I'd be more mad at him about that stuff, be like, hey man, stop playing. Like if you're really like you're really nice with it, like you're not like okay, he okay. It's like, no, bro, like you are really nice with it, man. Stop playing. Uh, so that's kind of like our our behind the scenes, you know. Yeah, but but nah, he uh he's he's definitely nice with it.

SPEAKER_02: 1:24:18

I love it. And and I think even it's hearing you talk, like you know, his his leadership potential, like his full leadership potential, right? Like, I think the important thing for for people to who are listening to this conversation to to hear is that we're constantly evolving and becoming and growing and like never stop, right? Like, this is one thing that I love about even being blessed to be in the space to have conversations like this, right? Is that I'm growing and learning from every conversation that I have with every person that I have on this podcast, right? And um, and to never feel like you've arrived. You've arrived because there's always somewhere else to grow. There's always a cavern cavern in your spirit, in your soul, somewhere that that can still be explored and expanded upon. So, like just just as you hear us talking about these things, and you know, we talked about you know, Cardi and like, you know, there being potential for her to work, like that's for all of us, right? Like we all have this space to grow. And I just want to just further, further push the idea of um perfect your village. Yeah, like like really, really shape your village, really shape the people that are around you, really shape the people that have access to you, really shape, like form that community that is gonna continue to lift you, um, encourage you, um challenge you, yeah, challenge you and inspire you. I went through a period where I was like, I am I'm just not inspired. Like I needed something different and really and I'll talk I'll talk about this. I said this on my one with Durante, and I'll talk about more where I've been over this last year, but um on a future episode, but I really lacked inspiration, and um and I know that sounds like doom and gloom, like dang, like nothing. No, I understand, but as a creative, right? Like constantly looking for that inspiration and what moves you and inspiration, and I'm a Pisces on top of it, like come on, like you know, like we we live in a creative bag in our mind, uh the Lulu and all, like we live in this space, and so to not to not have uh what feels like inspiration um is almost like uh uh a human not having food, like there's nothing nurturing the creative spirit, and um, and so I think it's really important to have people around you and creating experiences for yourself that are continuing to inspire you. Last question is about um the WMBA. Ooh, are you locked in with them or not?

SPEAKER_03: 1:27:18

So um, yes and no. Yes and no.

SPEAKER_02: 1:27:22

So this is nosiness because they need to lock into you, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 1:27:26

So yes and no. So from a DJ standpoint, uh, and it goes back to leadertainment, yeah. Um, and just my transition, like my ultimate goal is to um develop leaders um um like myself, you know, the stuff that I do, but in uh people's lanes, in their lanes of choices, uh, but just the whole B fluid, you know, concept. Um and when I say leaders, not necessarily I'm I'm not necessarily talking about leaders as in terms of leading other people, yeah. But it really boils down to leading individuals that are taking lead in their lives. Now, how that that's expressed is gonna be you know based on people's passions and and and their vision for themselves. But one of the things as a DJ was like, okay, well and at some point I might decide that I don't want to DJ anymore. So what am I pouring into the next generation of DJs that allow them to walk into spaces and be respected on the level that I'm respected on? So if I don't give that game away to other DJs, then I can't turn around and complain and be like, man, yeah, they might be nice on the ones and twos, but their character sucks. Or they're not able to sustain a career, a long uh career because people just don't like working with them, even though they're skilled. So uh uh when the remix uh came, the G League, uh I decided instead of me uh taking up the space of say, okay, I'm gonna be the G League DJ too, with you know the blazers, uh, and then here in the WNBA, oh okay, I can be the W NBA DJ as well. I said, no, let me train some other DJs to uh develop the character, the characteristics uh needed in order to preoccupy those spaces. So I did uh DJ workshops, uh get in it's called Get in the Game. And so I held a couple of those, and so from that uh spawned you know a few, you know, uh quality DJs, both male and female, and uh as they identify, yeah. Um so I look, um, as you know, OG2 is now. Yeah, DJing. So he's doing uh uh concourse at the Blazer Games while I'm in the in the in the arena. Uh and he's DJing the uh the G League. Uh he's one of the remixed DJs for there, and then he's also doing stuff with you know Timbers as well.

SPEAKER_01: 1:30:20

Come on.

SPEAKER_03: 1:30:21

Yes, and then I got him, I got DJ Asbin, uh, which is part of the uh LGBTQ plus A plus community. Yes. They're uh the official DJ for the Timbers and the uh the uh Thorns as well, and then also as uh doing Concourse stuff with the Blazers and things like that. So I've positioned a number of DJ, DJ Ladiax, um uh DJ Avalanche, and a couple of more DJs that I've trained them now to be able to fill in these platforms if needed, where I don't have to be uh the go-to uh person all the time, but I can be the pulse and influence of uh the quality of DJs that show up in those spaces.

SPEAKER_02: 1:31:09

Yes, I love that so much.

SPEAKER_03: 1:31:13

So to say that, so to say that I've pre I've trained a few, particularly uh uh women DJs to be able to take that position as uh WNBA uh DJs.

SPEAKER_01: 1:31:25

I love that. I love that. Yes, uh huh. So that whole thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:31:35

Uh-huh. I would love to see, um, especially if they have um your check mark behind them. I would love to see a female DJ um doing doing the the WMBA games. Um, I love the obviously I used to dance for the WMBA, so I have an extra soft spot, but I love the WMBA. They are balling. Okay, balling. And I'm super excited for them to return to the city of Portland, especially under their original name, the Portland Fire. I was I was nervous, yeah. I was nervous we was gonna get in our weird bag as much as I love how weird Portland is. I was worried that they were gonna get in their weird bag and do something weird there. So I I am Portland caterpillars.

SPEAKER_01: 1:32:26

Exactly, exactly. I was so concerned, bridges, right, right, just anything.

SPEAKER_02: 1:32:35

Oh my goodness. Oh, it I was so happy that they they they came down to earth on that and they said bring back the Portland fire, like the nostalgia attached to it all. Listen, I danced for both the NBA and the WNBA, and as much as I love them both, there was something different about the environments of those arenas um for the WMBA. And it um it, I think um the connection to the people was different, and you would see the same people, right? So it's like again, when you're talking about these communities that you're building or relationships that you're bidding, it's not someone that I'm like, I'll call you tomorrow, but it's just like familiar face, yes, you you're back, yay. You know what I mean? And um, it's just exchange of energy that was just awesome. So I really loved the WNBA season, super excited to have them back.

SPEAKER_03: 1:33:26

Yeah, and I'm hoping that that they'll develop to have the same uh spirit in terms of fan base as the Blazers have, in terms of like, we know, like the Blazers come hell high water, the fans are gonna be the fans. They're gonna show up, they're gonna continue losing, they're gonna show up, they're loyal. Uh, and I think um with the ladies, that uh it has a potential, particularly with where things are right now in terms of the attention that women are getting in basketball, um, I think it has a potential of that. Um I just think that um, and I'm only really speaking of Portland, we know at the end of the day, um it's about what attracts dollars. And so uh because Portland to me has always been a relationship city, a city of relationships as opposed to being driven by industry that I'm hoping that that the uh fans will see women in basketball being important enough to invest their dollars and coming to the games.

SPEAKER_02: 1:34:45

Oh, I think they will.

SPEAKER_03: 1:34:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:34:47

I think they will. I have really I think we had um I think we had strong turnouts back then, but obviously not big enough to maintain it in in the city. Um, but I think that there is a different eye on women's sports right now. And I think that that they are um finally being taken seriously as professional athletes, uh and they're entertaining um in a different way than what I feel like they were seen as back then. Um, and um they are exceptional athletes, and I think that um that the world has now joined them, you know what I mean? And I think the city of Portland makes sense. Um like it makes such sense. And I'm hoping that um that our NBA players will show up at these games, which I think they will because we see them in other cities at other games, and so I think it's about creating those bridges, um, you know, to to also continue to amp it up. So I'm excited.

SPEAKER_03: 1:35:54

I think I think Dame is gonna be a big key to that.

SPEAKER_02: 1:35:58

Come on, I'm here for it. I hope so.

SPEAKER_03: 1:36:00

I think he's yeah, because he's he's shown that before we even had a team that, you know, I think about the Olympics uh and some of those uh situations, uh, that he's shown up in support of women's basketball and things like that. And I think uh him being in leadership um uh in a leadership position on our team, uh, I think a lot of players will follow suit. You know, a lot of the younger players would be like, oh, that's what Damon's doing. So yeah, you know, he we should be doing that too.

SPEAKER_02: 1:36:34

Yeah, yeah, I hope so. Well, OG, I feel like I could literally sit here and talk to you for hours because I feel like there's so many subjects that I could just like end.

SPEAKER_03: 1:36:45

Hey, that's part two. That's part two of part three. Yay, yay, that's just nothing but a call an ass away. Anytime you want me to DB to show up, we could. I mean, because like you said, we could talk about some things. Yes, yes. So next time next time I'm on, we need to get into some like some yes, deep, deep deep stuff.

SPEAKER_01: 1:37:05

Come on, I'm here for it. Always, always.

SPEAKER_02: 1:37:09

Well, thank you so much for being here with us today. It is always, always, always a pleasure to um uh to have your ear, to um hear your wisdom. Um and um, you know, I I know you get to hear it often, but um, as a community, as a city, we're so grateful for you and all the seeds that you've planted, all the work that you've done, all the lives that you've touched, and the vision that you continue to have to impact the people um in this city and and beyond this city, right? Um, so uh thank you, thank you, thank you. Um, and um can you uh shout out your website to the people so they know how to reach you?

SPEAKER_03: 1:37:54

Yes, yes. Uh DJ O G1.com. That's Dj O G O N E dot com. And it's the same thing for social media at DJ O G One on uh on X and Instagram.

SPEAKER_02: 1:38:09

Yeah, give him a follow, subscribe to his website, get all the updates, see all the wonderful work that he's doing, and and get engaged. Um we we love y'all. We thank you all for tuning in. Thank you so much and be well.