Are you Ready For A MasterClass On Hustle
The Rules Just Changed & Now It's Time To Revisit Your Hustle
Estevan Oriole interviewed by LA Times during coronavirus pandemic says about being hunkered . down, “ To me, this is like having a dog on a leash; as soon as you let me out, I’m going out there like a beast. I want to come out pounding the pavement . Most artists who are real hustlers and real go-getters have a competitiveness in them. They’re gonna be fine because they’re gonna come out fighting.
Thanks to Josh Levine for letting me tell my life story and my “why” on his podcast show. (see below)
The Culture Has To Be A Little Louder
Sometimes you don’t have to search very far to hear the universe talking. At the end of “LA Originals” the Netflix doc that debuted Friday, one of the interviewees said, “The Culture Has To Be A Little Louder” which is how I have been feeling lately. For some of us who call ourselves extremely fortunate and blessed, the lockdown at home has been some of the busiest days we have seen. After working for what felt like a week straight with no breaks sometime, I finally sat down to dig into pop culture.
Because my Netflix knows me better than I do, it knew to serve up the “LA Originals” in my menu. I immediately recognized the legendary photographer Estevan Oriol and “tattooist to the stars” Mister Cartoon. In the early years of my career in the music industry, my first big break was when Adrian “A-Love” Miller asked me to come join him at Immortal Records, influential LA record label started by Happy Walters. Happy (real name is David). Happy had a content compound in West Hollywood that was an “after-school hangout” for the LA scene. In addition to having a growing record label, the cornerstone in the building was Buzztone Management, managers to Cypress Hill, House of Pain, and probably one of the most important music producers on the west coast in the 90’s DJ Muggs. Our office was a moment of time on Robertson Blvd, with a stellar list of not just artist talent but executive talent. We had a great internship program (our interns included Mike Caren who was in high school, Def Jam’s Jon Stockton, actor Arif Kinchen, Film Directors Mc G and Ava Duvernay and even actor Terry Crews who was playing for the San Diego chargers and was a designer. Not to mention the young artists and talented who would spend countless hours soaking up game. Scott Caan (son of actor James Caan) and Alan Maman (now known as The Alchemist) were in a group called The Whooliganz would often be camped out in our Robertson Blvd compound. Even artists not signed to our label would be in our orbit like Xzibit and Dialated Peoples (Shout out to Rakaa and Evidence).
Usually 3 times a week we would have visitors from “la familia" of Muggs, Cypress Hill, Fundoobiest, Volume 10, House of Pain not to mention Happy’s fancy Hollywood / Music Industry friends. It was by far the most eclectic mix on an every day basis as we were truly the center of the new LA culture. Unsurprisingly you get to know the entourages well when you work behind the scenes of celebrity and so I also remember the Cypress crew. While I was young, inexperienced and this was basically my first job these guys made me feel like family. Estevan (or Steve-O as I knew him) and Mister Cartoon were part of the crew and they were always very cool.
Estevan and Mister Cartoon years later have become some of the most prolific designers / creatives in hip hop whose contributions are as important to hip-hop as any Jigga verse or Drake dance. The 90’s were prominent years for the West Coast, as the Death Row run had begun to really put Los Angeles on the map. LA is a visual place. We are in cars a lot. We like living a lifestyle. We have gang culture. Most importantly Black and Brown brothers are connected in a way that is unexplainable and part of the fiber of our beloved west coast. Nothing illustrated that more than being backstage at a Cypress Hill show, where I always felt at home. Later in my career I worked for Columbia Records and would find myself in the middle of America at a Cypress Hill show which made feel like home base.
A friend asked me, “did you see LA Originals, “ I answered, “ I lived it.” The film is a must watch this weekend. The story of Estevan and Cartoon is a history lesson that covers LA, 90’s Hip Hop, DTLA, Skid Row, Chicano Culture, Art, Brotherhood, Gratitude and Hustle.
Loved the films homies.
My Career Is A MasterClass In Hustle Soon To Be On A Virtual Campus Near You
While dropping out of college I remember promising my family that I would treat life like academia and that’s how my life story feels, like one big adventure in curiosity. I don’t do a ton of interviews these days but was happy to sit with my old friend Josh Levine to do the most in-depth interview I have ever done. Levine has always been a friend, we both went to UCLA at same time, both worked in the music business while in college and both from the bay area which always makes for easy connection for me. Levine has known me a long time, is in my Authenticated community and is a prolific interviewer. In the spirit of channeling my Mt. Rushmore of mentors Lebaron Taylor, Vivian Chew, Clarence Avant, Virgil Roberts and Yum ArnoldI feel like I gave away a lot of gems in here, hope you enjoy it.
(starts at 3:45)
Covered Topics
Growing Up In The Bay Area
Having Mentors Like Lebaron Taylor, Dionne Warwick and Clarence Avant
My Academic Approach of “Figure It Out”
How Hip Hop Is The Original Lean Startup
Learning About Venture Capital
How Relying On Your Hunches Can Send You In The Right Direction
Working At The Center Of Hip Hop + Venture + Startups and Brands
Ps: I always wanted to teach a class on a college campus and I had begun to put out the feelers for this summer in UK which I thought would be a great family excursion. If you want to do marketing/advertising, fashion, tv, sports, technology and venture capital we are building something special with Culture Signals, a talent accelerator aimed at 18-24 with an emphasis on identifying diverse and global entrepreneurs at an early age.