Young

[Music] BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts I'm not gonna lie, this podcast may contain adult themes and strong language. Let's go. Look at me, tapping away, trying to see how many words I can write in a day. In two months I got a write 70,000 words. I don't know, sounds upset. But I got a head full of nouns and verbs and music. Music helps me calm down the nerves. [Music] See no records. [Music] You see the stars in the rain for me, you got a misspeed. It's the way we lie. So I'm a writer in a book, when I could make more money from writing a hook. When I got a podcast that's doing well enough and a woman to attend to since I fell in love. You'll. Oh, thank you very much, man. On one hand, I'm an artist at the top of his game, on the other I'm a philosopher with a lot to explain. He feels too much, especially in my mouth. I want to teach people how to make money from their passion, using my career as a guide in life. Some people can't do much with my advice, for others, my advice, my suffice. Plan A was to teach through music. Plan B was to do it through TV. I was working on both when I realized podcasting was the best way for the audience to receive me. That talk about seven years to figure out. I spent two of them seven years in a draw. I spent a lot of money on a lot of experiments. And this right here is what I offer is evidence. I feel like I know why this podcast has become successful. There's a formula to it, which I want to share with everyone trying to write something special. But it's impossible to tell you this formula without explaining certain things first. I'm talking about the business and psychology of working with words. Now, I don't want to waste your time as much as I don't want to waste mine. So we need to make sure we understand each other and that's going to take time. For those who want to learn more and want to support me, best place to start is the following story. A man called Ray was stabbed to death and there was no criminal conviction. His brother AJ swore to get revenge. But he lost his way to a heroin addiction. For AJ, life before this revolved around the wife and four kids. But the tragedy broke him down for sure and grief drove him out the door. For the youngest, it was a hell of a burn coming to terms with the fact that he would never return. The kid ended up on the street trying to feed himself when there was nothing to eat. When he was 15, his brethren found a way, a new opportunity several miles away. Gone were the days of selling vows of ye. Crack was moving 24/7 round the way. And yeah, mommy raised him right. But they were hurt and then she was walking day and night. The boy craved the comfort the dough provided. And not craving. Made him open-minded. His ends was full of drug lords he didn't want to work for. So he didn't sell that because it would start a tough war. The boy and his friend went further down the road, found in a boat, stuck around and sold. Do you remember any of your childhood goals? You don't wanna hear mine, mine was silly. His was to sell crack until he reached a milly. That said, since 15 he was busy. Everything changed, he forgot about the rules. Selling class A's now he dropped out of school. Anytime he left the house he bought out with tools, pulled up in a new car and hopped out with jewels. Most in his age group were getting into beef, fighting over real estate, flexing in the street. He was in the trap house seven days a week but he moved down south and he never made a peep. That's a lot of beef that he surely avoid. The more blocks needed work, the more he employed. He was good at school but he didn't see the point. People said it's such a shame about glorious boy. Just another trap star trapping. The only thing he did as much as that was rapping but with a talent like his, certain had to happen. First it was a hobby, as and when since he didn't work for anybody. Then he got a reputation for ramen well but the only words he cared about were buy and sell. As a teen he got used to dressing fly as hell and he understood that nothing just happens by itself. He didn't want funds, he wanted clientele. For this he would risk a lot of time in jail. Now where I grew up, the picture I painted so far is typical. Breaking the cycle of fabulous boys becoming drug dealers is difficult. I've never seen a government do it and I've seen neighborhoods across the world struggling through it. But the few times I've seen people turn that experience into something positive, they've done it with music. Anyway, back to the kid. When he was in Dippin' Out the Ends in his Volvo, he was making music with a friend called Rudolfo. Usually in twos and frees with friends from his post code, then he went back into go-small. But one of these local guys got a record till. Sprutter's name was Jonathan. The kid was back down south but Jonathan hadn't forgotten it. So as soon as he came home, Jonathan hollied him. The label would pay for Johnny to record the broad and he wanted to bring the kid. All aboard, this thing's about to take off, can you ignore the cord? The kid closed his eyes and he saw it all. He could give himself a chance to get out of the streets or keep on playing cat and mouse with police. Deep down he knew he was living a lie. So he decided to give it a try. You know what's so funny? Even though this was Jonathan's opportunity, the kid came with his own money. For five years, he'd never slowed on his grind. By now he was in control of his time. Couldn't say the same for Jonathan up when the label made the decision he wasn't involved. They didn't care if his project was called. They only cared about how many copies it sold. The lesson was clear, respect wasn't there. But that wasn't the only thing the kid learned. He studied the game like an intern, read and acquired, and he liked me and the library back in springtime. Just kept working and networking. Eventually when he came back to the ends, he found out Feds arrested a batch of his friends for what was to him and every day think. The sentences they received were devastating. He couldn't see a future in record making. Jonathan just got dropped from his label. For the kid, the street option was stable. So he dedicated himself to elevating his wealth. And even though the same drug turn in neighborhoods towards Oz was generating this wealth, he was ready to lie in the bed he made for himself. Even when his own friend tried to kill him, he still found a way to get away from his shelves. Knowing he was under investigation as well, he kept escaping from 12 with preparation and stealth. Where I'm from, this is a common dilemma. People went through this a lot in my era. If your options were making cash with your boys and making music for free, you'd make a rational choice. I don't believe there's no other way. Why is this so common for us? No one can say. As a teen, I was in a similar position. Crime was calling, but I didn't want to listen. Mainly because I lived with my younger siblings and I knew the streets could be unforgiven. Plus, I was doing well in school. My grades were incredible. I felt like I had what I needed to advance. Young people need that sense of security. Too many communities are leaving this to chance. But there are still those unsung heroes who put in a time and nurture the youth. So come and get back to the story of the kid and the struggle to take him from the curb to the booth. All along, his old friend Radolfo believed in the kid. Even when he had no hope. One day, Radolfo met a guy called Damien. Damien was building a name and entertainment. Like the kid, Damien got his training from the street. So Radolfo arranged for them to meet. Damien turned out to be a useful connect. Between him and the kid, there was mutual respect. Old drug dealers need an exit plan, which by now, the kid grew to accept. And even though their last hour's lavish and grand, Damien had him a plan to establish a brand. Selling drugs in a character trait is no one's natural state. So why is it a factor on so many estates? People have to trade. Work comes up. Cash gets paid. That's how a transaction's made. Some people make billions and tax evade. Others sell crack cocaine and invest in their music until their tracks get played enough to attract some fame. And transition into legal ambition. We hear a lot of music about crack cocaine. But most of us can't explain how it attacks the brain. To me, crack looks like a different kind of smoke. It looks like a spirit that grips you by the throat, jumps into your eyes and sits inside your soul. I watched you. Dad knew control. Walkin' around with no shoes on road. Auntie must have been heartbroken. Always thought, "What could make a man like him start smoking?" Now what if you were young and cash weren't attainable? Uncrack was the only work available. Could you stomach what it's doing to your people? Would you call that opportunity or evil? Damon made a choice just like the kid. That's why they teamed up like they did. They came from the same place as entrepreneurs. The look in their eyes said, "My money's gonna be longer than yours." They moved like celebrities with sponsors, awards, getting constant applause. The business model was unconscionable. But at seven figures, they felt like they conquered their ore. So like I said, Damon had him a plan to establish a brand. When he sensed opportunity, he grabbed it and ran. And he saw it in this young, rich, arrogant man with a talent for rap in a balanced act, trying to leave the streets before he's deceased, but in need of a scheme to clean his piece. Rap was the vehicle to tell their story. So the plan was simple. Sell their story. Record one album, sell 100,000, sign other artists and try other markets. Damon was convinced this guy was the hardest, but labels weren't offering a record deal. When he came around, they would act funny. So he said, "Cool, forget a deal. Let's flip this crap money into rap money." Thank you. He gets a soul for the 18 million records. He's got a lot of money. His first 25 years were like the opposite of his next 25 years. Why him? Why has no one else like him? I got so many ideas. I ain't gonna run through them all. It's fun food for fork, but my theories are unprovable. Just know that as boys trying to battle the relevance, Jay-Z was the closest thing we had to a president. He always carried himself like a head of state. Even when the industry treated him like a featherweight, he stuck to it because he believed he could sell a tape. And lyrically, everything he said was great. To this very day, he's the one we're trying to emulate. It's not just about the money that you generate. It's about the character you demonstrate. Jay-Z led the way in getting paid to tell it straight. I don't know about you, but I can't think of a better fit. So, let's go back to the start. If you met this guy called Shorin as a young drug dealer, how would you know he had a passion for art? Whose job would it be to nurture the potential that he himself couldn't see? Shorin used to be in the kitchen, beating on the table and rapping. And the wee hours of the morning. And then I brought him a bone box, and his sisters and brothers said that he would drive them nuts. But that was my way to keep him close to me and out of trouble. His mom's sorry, music had a hold on him. She used it to stay close to him and keep control of him. Any parent can find it hard to keep control that alone a working mom wants to father leaves his role. Yeah, AJ's departure took a toll, and sometimes only art can ease the soul. Mama raised me, Papa missed you. God, help me forgive 'em. I got some issues. And my daughter said, "Did you teach Jay-Z?" I said, "Who's Jay-Z?" I was Shorin Carter, my little Shorin. He was a skinny little kid. He never smiled. That was when his father had left. I know it was extremely bright, but he was quiet. His teacher, Saurin, was Shorin decided that education system would never make a difference to his needs, like getting paid for instance. Miss Loudon made Shorin feel special. English became one of his favorite classes. That little effort went a long way in shaping one of the world's greatest art. Kitchen table, that's where I home my skills. Jazz made me believe this shit was real. Jonathan, or Jazz O, another promising rapper from the Marcy Projects, was four years older than Jay and became an early mentor to him. Around this time, Jazz was struck by the immense potential and raw talent that young Shorin displayed. Jonathan Saurin, rapper to rapper, he saw that the kid had the competence for it. He was 19, Shorin was 15. Compliments had their confidence, Saurin, but Shorin didn't make time for constant recording. To him, earning from rap wasn't important. He was in the streets. And he could make much more money from Shorin and Torin. Labels turned me down, cutting for C. Clock saw me out, Dane believed. Redo, redo for, aka DJ Clark Kent. Used to record little Shorin in his apartment. He says Shorin was even in a different class than 16, spitting 16s on a park bench. But chasing money is a funny thing. There's never enough drinks for a first you can't quench. Young Jay-Z needed a nudge. Until it came, he didn't bunch. Why was Jay-Z not wanting to focus rap at one point in time? He was doing well. If you're doing well and you look at rappers and rappers on doing as well as you, you kind of look at them like, "This is Korn." Now, you actually introduced Dame Dash to Jay-Z? Yes. Watching him with his artist made me tell him, "You need to hear my boy." So when I finally convinced him to come to Brooklyn and he meets Jay, he's like, "This man, he's just like me." I don't know about you. But personally, I get anxious. Thinking about the baby Jay-Z's and my community. Could be rappers. Might be gangsters. Shorm was blessed with a mom like Gloria. How many others with a similar story are? How many have a talented friend like Jazzle? How many young Jay-Zs are seeing my dough? That $1 making cold hard sense. Did they have their own Clark Kent? By the time Jay-Z met Dame and Dash, he was slightly addicted to making cash. And I mean addicted in all seriousness. A lot of young hustlers experienced this when it's not even a question of selling enough and they're just so deeply enveloped in stuff that their family and friends ain't telling them nothing because they're addicts for the adrenaline rush. Especially the ones that have never been touched, believe in them forever be leveling up. Anyone in that position will tell you the world is never enough. So Dame and believed, Radolfo believed, Jonathan believed, the locals believed, Miss Loudon believed, Jay-Z's mom believed, you know who did it? The record companies. They were like, how is this guy different from every other rapper that claims to run the streets? They never saw Jay-Z becoming a somebody. So Jay and Dame decided to self-fund the dream. Incoms Kareem, another street guy who lived comfortably. Kareem was a member of Damon's crew, investing is what he came to do because he made his loot the way Jay did to. Dame pitched him the vision of what they could do. Kareem wasn't sure about Jay himself. Not until the day he got a real display of the skills in Jay's vocal presence when he battled the local legend, name Bigel. So the free partner's mapped out a route to success, broke it down and wrote it down. Jay was the artist, Dame was the manager, Kareem contributed and undisclosed the mouth. They made the opportunity some said they wouldn't get. Rockefeller records was now in full effect. It was always something in all of our lives that kind of changed, you know Dame when his mother died. Jay, when his father left him as a kid and me being evicted when I was 10 years old and living in a shelter for years. It was always that one thing in our lives that we had in common, that we knew that we wanted to take over the world to do something that was groundbreaking. Damon had him a plan to establish a brand, diversify from fashion to producing films. The first step was to drop Jay's debut album so they secured a distribution deal. The details of the deal were a bit confusing still, but we'll discuss that some other time. Following a release that following would increase, but until the outcome was green, there were colour blind. I know Jay's narrative like the back of my hand, mainly because I'm a passionate fan. And when you're passionate about something, it's not hard learning from it. Jay-Z gave me the blueprint to make my life story turn a profit. I've studied him closely, back to him mostly, just through having his music on repeat and watching him build a movement from the streets. See the success of any celebrity brings attention to the place that they're from. Rappers store a lot of information in songs, but listeners often opt out of taking this on, which is partly why Jay-Z's first album didn't get the greatest response. But anyway. My point is this. Sean Carter is an extreme example of something that happens every day. Children born into violent times, finding a way out by writing rhymes. But he was successful because of financial freedom, freedom he got from a life of crime. So what do we do about the young Jay-Zs out here that ain't ready to leave the life behind? If those kids are unsupported, they're gonna make the same choice as young as Sean did. It's hard to prevent people turning to crime when good behavior goes unrewarded. But not all of these young people can be rappers, let alone rappers on Jay-Z's level. Most don't make it. But some of us do. Like me. What made me special? If I had to pick three things, I would say family support, hella rap, and a whole lot of luck. No idea what that said. Because it means there's still no treasure map to the gold that I struck. Black culture is big business. How the fuck does talent development still come down to luck? Everywhere young black people are writing songs full of potential and need of the right response. Every single year they shape the mainstream in major ways and ways they ain't seen. We need an investment model and I think we can take that straight from Jay-Z. No, he's not perfect. But he's the perfect picture of my hopes and my fears. I hope for his level of growth with my peers. I fear the popularity of dog boy ideas. I hope to evolve how he managed to do. I fear the self-interest that the man in pursuit. I hope we face up to the challenging truth that the streets can both empower and damage the youth. I never wanted to be a famous person. My intention was to tell my story and to tell the truth. The realities of the situation are harsh and they need to be told with the poets of our generation. When most rap artists are popular they're 18 and 19 years old, their kids themselves. And they come from a rough neighborhood so they're a little more desensitized. Self-esteem is low. We're all taught that we're less than and we're not equal to everyone else in the world. And they're young. This episode was written by me, George the poet, produced by Ben Brick and George the poet, and all the mixing, all the recording, all the editing, that's all Ben Brick as well. You heard music from Nines with NIC featuring Tigs the Orphar, Lonnie List and Smith with a Garden of Peace. Jay-Z with dead presidents December 4th of my first song. Or other original music was written by Ben Brick. And we had some special guests. The former DMC World Champion DJ Blakey, scratchin' those Jay-Z samples. Big thanks. Thank you also to BBC Sounds, BBC Consell Orchestra, Miss Gloria Carter, Miss Loudon, Tory Mars, DJ Clark Kent, Karim Burke and Andrew Ma. Special shout out to Sandra and to my nephews. And most of all, thank you for listening. And remember, gtpcg.com