Ever found yourself at the crossroads of creativity and the search for identity? Darrell Sheares, the dynamic creative who's been there, joined me at Cups Cafe for a conversation that's as rich and bold as the coffee we sipped. We meander through Darrell's artistic metamorphosis, from graphic design roots to the lush landscapes of audio engineering and music production. This isn't just a chat; it's a raw look at how upbringing influences creativity, the challenges that can spur or smother it, and the joy of crafting something that resonates deeply with both the creator and the audience.
As we wrap up, we dip our toes into the waters of AI, debating its role alongside human ingenuity in storytelling and cinematography. Darrell and I unpack the significance of preserving the human touch in an automated world, fostering identity beyond our professional roles, and the responsibility we hold to guide the next generation through sharing our experiences. So refill your cup and join us on this journey that transcends the digital divide, reminding us of the creativity that courses through every aspect of life and the importance of each story in inspiring others to embrace their own path to self-expression.
Follow Allen C. Jackson - @2cupschronicles
Ever found yourself at the crossroads of creativity and the search for identity? Darrell Sheares, the dynamic creative who's been there, joined me at Cups Cafe for a conversation that's as rich and bold as the coffee we sipped. We meander through Darrell's artistic metamorphosis, from graphic design roots to the lush landscapes of audio engineering and music production. This isn't just a chat; it's a raw look at how upbringing influences creativity, the challenges that can spur or smother it, and the joy of crafting something that resonates deeply with both the creator and the audience.
As we wrap up, we dip our toes into the waters of AI, debating its role alongside human ingenuity in storytelling and cinematography. Darrell and I unpack the significance of preserving the human touch in an automated world, fostering identity beyond our professional roles, and the responsibility we hold to guide the next generation through sharing our experiences. So refill your cup and join us on this journey that transcends the digital divide, reminding us of the creativity that courses through every aspect of life and the importance of each story in inspiring others to embrace their own path to self-expression.
Follow Allen C. Jackson - @2cupschronicles
I'm so grateful for another day to help stimulate the mental time to strategize. Put a lot of wishes in code. I could feel the moment radiating through the convo. Talk is cheap. Turn your faith into work. I drink my second cup and put my hands in the dirt. Two cups, drink it straight. Drip from the earth. Caffeinated conversation. You heard him here first. Welcome back to cups cafe. I'm your host, alan C Jackson, and joining me today for another high quality caffeinated conversation is none other than my main man, darryl shoes. How you doing my brother?
Speaker 1:well in yourself, man oh, man, a lot people don't know. Man you're behind the wheels or still, so to speak, helping keeping this thing on the tracks of man. You call yourself a Swiss Army knife man.
Speaker 2:If you just give me a little, our listeners and views a little background about yourself yeah, man, so I'm just at the end of the day, I'm just a creative guy and I started off as a designer doing graphic design and stuff, and then I came to the realization that my gift wasn't graphic design, it was creativity. And you know, my creativity wasn't dictated by by the medium, you know.
Speaker 1:I mean so.
Speaker 2:I've been able to evolve and pivot in a lot of ways and I'm now just kind of really focused on helping my brother, that is, who was who was on here and pushing his, his music career and essentially just the things we're doing in the community help impact with that so that's the main focus and, you know, able to bring everything that I am all my gifts and talents to that to help push it forward and definitely just help people and our people lead better lives that's awesome, man.
Speaker 1:I know a lot of people don't know. I mean, this is not your first stint working with with music or musicians. You yourself are a musical guy. You play instruments yeah and you come from a family, a very a talented gift to individuals yeah, it's a little bit about that, yeah, man.
Speaker 2:So I mean I, you know, when I was young, my dad, like he kind of kind of made me play. Okay, you know, I'm saying, and so that's how I got into it, fell in love with it and I realized that my my love for music was more so how music sounds versus actually playing, because I've been able to be friends with some great musicians over the years and you know, in my brother that is, he's literally the best guitarist that I know right and so I realized what it takes to be a musician at a high level.
Speaker 2:I'm like I don't have that kind of commitment, but you know, I got. I got convicted because I used to tell people all the time yeah, I was a musician in my former life but it's like okay, I can still sit down in front of keys and still play.
Speaker 2:And so just recently, my pops, he, my god, dad, he, he told me that you know, god told me that, hey, you need to, you need to get back to a to play, to play. You know, you ain't gotta go play at church, or you know, playing on records. But God gave you the gift you need to, you know you need to stay sharp on it, so yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean that's that's awesome that's what I know. When I was when I'm thinking about, you know, having our conversation I was wondering, like, like you say, you played from a young age, age kind of made to do it, but was it something that your parents, like, saw with your graphics, or something that they saw with your music, or they just automatically just knew that you were something special, about what you had in you and how they were able to bring that?
Speaker 2:out. I really don't know. Okay, you know, I mean we've never had that conversation, but I know that when it came to those things, you know I'm saying like they, they didn't stop me from doing it right like I've kind of got more encouragement in those areas. Then it came to like, like sports you know, I'm saying it's like hey, yeah, I want to play football, right. Well, I'm gonna be down here at the church.
Speaker 2:I got Bible said I'm gonna be here, you know say and so, yeah, it was definitely, you know, encouragement in those areas and so I never, I never felt stifled in exploring my creative endeavor. So, okay, that was a benefit like for me.
Speaker 1:I feel like my creativity came out later in life. I think I feel like it was suppressed, like I live with my grandparents and, excuse me, my grandfather was super duper old school, right. Everything revolved around work and I think that's kind of how I built my foundation of you know one foot awake, one foot of work, with work always being a key component in my life. Yeah, but I remember I had, I was taken to the trumpet man. I I kind of like fell in love with this trumpet we had. You know, the people come to the schools and they start giving you lessons and I was taking lessons. I'd be in the basement for an hour, just, and then, yeah, I came home from school one day and the trumpet was gone and I said what happened to my trumpet? And my grandfather, just like that horn ain't gonna pay no bills and that was that was in the conversation. So I always equated creativity to being something like aloof or abstract or a hobby.
Speaker 1:But not something that that you could spend your life doing. But then when I got older, kind of like, I went through some some things and got had to pull some things out of me and I was able to bounce back. So like I say, like, so what was that? That creative like thing in you that said this is what I want to do like for the rest of my life?
Speaker 2:um, I think it's because, like, I started my first freelance business when I was like 15, 16, something like that. So when I was in high school, you know I was, I was the graphic design, you know doing a lot of church stuff. You know done some, I was even done some club stuff I was, I was in clubs before I was even old enough to be, you know, I mean so you know, it's just, it's just always been that thing. But and now what like graphic design is so widely accessible, right?
Speaker 2:like I feel like anybody, the more I learned about graphic design, mm-hmm, I realize anybody can do it okay and because, at the end of the day, it's just expression, it's communication, mm-hmm, and so.
Speaker 2:But because I got started so young, I'm like, okay, yeah, like this is a normal thing, like you can make money from being creative, but what I, what I had to learn and what life has taught me and then even become a partners with with that because we became partners in touchdown, mm-hmm and is the fact that, okay, the creativity is definitely important, but the business is more important, right?
Speaker 2:right and so because I was able to make money easily, you know, just designing, I didn't develop great business acumen, okay, you know, I'm saying it was just a fact that. Okay, I got paid for my talent right. And you know, I remember one day we were in a car, me and T, and I'm because I used to always be the guy I'll be, you know running around with my Mac book. Yeah, I'm always doing something like something out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I remember one day we was in the car I think was coming back from Detroit and he was. He was like he closed my laptop. Listen bro. He said who are you outside of that thing?
Speaker 1:Hmm.
Speaker 2:Who are you? Are you with no Photoshop, no illustrator?
Speaker 1:no end design.
Speaker 2:Who are you outside of that? And I could not answer that hmm, and this was maybe Now. This is probably 11, 12 years ago, okay.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I've been on a journey Figuring out how to answer that ever since, because so much of my identity, open to Even just even here recently, has been in what I do right producing some producing something you know what I mean and in turn, it has caused me to Not foster relationships the way that I should, and I heard a quote, maybe about a month or so ago, and they said that Success is 20% skill, 80% relationships.
Speaker 2:Okay, I feel that you know I'm saying because I mean and I made a post a little while ago it's like Visibility beats ability, because if you're the best at what you do and nobody knows it, are you actually really the best? Okay? You know I'm saying and so I've spent a lot of. I've spent far more time honing in, developing skills and mastering some and just knowing how to do others, but in the same token, having built, you know a lot of meaningful relationships.
Speaker 2:That's why I'm grateful for you, bro, like I Mean aside from you. I mean, I've been there every step of the way since started this podcast. You know I'm saying, behind the scenes, anytime you in here with a guest I mean here, you know what I mean and watching you Execute on this thing. We got weekend, week out. You know we don't pay attention to the numbers, it's a thing of hey, you're doing this because of a creative expression right, and then you're having conversations with people You've shown me you know the relationships that you have a these people out here.
Speaker 2:They may not know. I'm using my platform to introduce them and that aspect of it has been an inspiration to me, right? Yes, so as I sit here and look at that screen, this is I seen myself, right? You know, at first, when you text me and ask me about being on here, I'm gonna tell you.
Speaker 1:I said I gotta gotta pray about that one.
Speaker 2:But and when I did it, just it came. Confirmation came in conversation, just a. You got to start using your voice, man, and so for me I forget I even got on that. It's just one of those things where you know I have those creative skills, but now it's about Communication at this point, and using all the things that I've learned to help people definitely.
Speaker 1:So let me ask you this like Do you think the the difficulty maybe in in fostering relationships because at such a young age Maybe so many things you were doing were were transactional?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, I Think more so because I Remember, like I remember my mom's telling me years ago. She was like like you don't never meet no strangers, like like when I was a kid, like everybody was my friend. Yeah you know I'm saying I was a very much so social butterfly. But then you know, I kind of went through some, some family dynamics that you know my dad being a pastor and stuff and when I was young 20s I decided to leave my dad's church, okay, and our family went through you know yeah ups and downs with that.
Speaker 2:You know I'm saying and I I struggled in that navigation. I knew it was something that I needed to do right, just because of the way I kind of got ignited in my relationship with God and I'm like hey, above all else, like I, what I have learned is the fact that Whatever keeps me the most others, and I didn't know what. This journey, how?
Speaker 2:Tell her it was gonna get me to God. But you know, it's one of those deals where I Don't know. I mean it's just when it comes to the relationship building. I think when I went through that, people that I thought were my friends.
Speaker 1:Okay, they didn't show up.
Speaker 2:Okay, right, and so I leaned into those that did mm-hmm and it caused me to be like forget everybody else. Yeah you know I'm saying because when I needed people the most, the people that I was expecting to be there weren't there, and the people that I Kind of least expected to be, they became my family, took me in and, you know, treating me as their own, unconditionally right. I was a mess after that.
Speaker 1:You know, I mean I was man.
Speaker 2:I went through all kind of crazy stuff. I was because my identity, you know, I'm saying I had to had to refine it.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean. Search kind of for who you were. You know exactly, you know what you could do, you knew you were talented. You know he was gifted you knew you had. I know a lot of times like I, I kind of went through similar that Maybe not. You know we sit down talk about it off camera, but I remember Things when I was small came easy. So I, um, I found myself, like later on, like in high school and and different things like that, I found myself dumbing down like purposely.
Speaker 1:Yeah because I didn't want Like to make others feel like I was trying to outshine them.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I think part of that came because when I was small, you know, I was like I'm talking about kindergarten man every question teacher had I was always the one with my hand up, like my hand stayed up. Yeah, the entire time and finally she told me she's like put your hand down. I know, I already know, you know the answer.
Speaker 1:So it was like hmm, it was like a shocker man. I cried, went home. My mom actually pulled me out of the school. But From that point on, every time I felt energized, like I was about to just you know, take on the world. I could hear in the back of my mind like yeah put your hand down.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know man.
Speaker 1:So that's something that I took with me. I didn't really identify it, man, I was like 45 Wow. You know what I'm saying was like yeah, but I got constantly here like try to stop trying to be sure, I'll put your hand down, like be humble, be this, be that, it's like you know.
Speaker 1:And if you put, you put your own frame work around it, your own biases, like yeah you could just confirm it to yourself, like no, I'm just supposed to be, you know, pushing somebody else. I'm supposed to be, you know, helping, I'm supposed to be in the background. But then my frustration I don't know if you ever went through this was when you know it's something inside of you that you supposed to be doing. Nobody else can yeah.
Speaker 2:Manufacture that the way you see it. Yeah no doubt, man. I mean, you know the thing for me, mine was kind of the opposite. Right Like I, I Stop seeing value to the level you know of the things that I could do.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Just because, at the end of the day, when I looked at my life, I'm like well, I'm not living a life that I desire to be from, I'm not making the money there. You know I'm saying like. I mean, I talked to my grandmother not too long ago and she was like she used to tell everybody when I was younger, like all, my grandson will be a millionaire.
Speaker 2:Okay like, like, no question. And she tells me that to this day. You know I'm saying it's like she, she runs a kitchen for the poor. What? Now she's a I'm. I'm just waiting on you.
Speaker 1:You know that.
Speaker 2:I mean, but for me, because you know I've gone through my traumatic experiences is caused me to and I'm at a different place now but it's caused me to devalue the skill sets in which I have, because I felt like it wasn't enough. Mm-hmm and I think that led me on the journey to okay, trying these different things and now I get to this point now where I see all these things work together. You know, I'm saying I mean that's, that's by what the end of?
Speaker 2:the day Mm-hmm and so now I had a place of primarily number one being an audio engineer. I Absolutely love it, I mean it's when I walk in my house. I flipped that switch my whole studio.
Speaker 2:You know, I'm saying like that's that's where it's at, but then, but this aspect of what we're doing with that is music Mm-hmm, it's. It's one of the biggest joys in my life being a part of that, because we're building something that's really impacting people's lives, right, right, we put out his first album back in 2020 and you know it's, it was like a we gonna figure out how to do this thing right. But then after that it's like okay, you know, we, we in it now okay.
Speaker 2:And so that's question was like okay, how do I get my music and my and my brand as an artist in front of the most diverse group of people? Okay, and, and I'm gonna get back to- know, where we were.
Speaker 2:But we were like okay, so Sporting events, mm-hmm. I mean, you got people from all walks of life. Everybody comes together, you know to, to be in these moments and okay. So what contribution came? First we thought about halftime shows, but it was. I was. People don't already know the music mm-hmm, halftime show you know, I'm saying so.
Speaker 2:Then it was the national anthems. Yeah, that's it, because that would always be playing the national anthem. You know what I'm saying? In the studio it would be like a warmer thing or just something he would just do. And so we was like, okay, what's the biggest thing we can do right here at home in Toledo? Oh, let's do the mudhands, bet. And so we came up with a whole strategy. We recorded him doing it in the studio, sends it to the people at the mudhands. He's like, yes, let's get him to do it, all right.
Speaker 1:But the whole goal of it was okay.
Speaker 2:let's not just do it Because, like, our mindset isn't just Toledo. We're going to impact Toledo, but we're trying to think, okay, how do we get national? Then how do?
Speaker 1:we get global.
Speaker 2:Exactly so. We're going to do this national anthem with foot of mudhands, but we're going to capture this thing Right, so that way we've got something physical we can send to wherever else we want to go. So done that. It was stellar. A lot of views and stuff on YouTube and stuff. But now we want to do NBA. That loves basketball Okay, he's falling in love with football a lot more. But we said, okay, let's get to the NBA. Yeah, so we just went to work trying to figure out. Okay, how do we? Because?
Speaker 2:none of these NBA teams, they front office, like information ain't out there.
Speaker 1:How do we find, how do we get these people's emails?
Speaker 2:So we would just figure it out before we know it. People got to respond Okay, yeah, is he available for this day? He's available for this day. So the first one we done was with the Miami Heat. Okay, and that was experience of a lifetime.
Speaker 1:That was a great time. Oh man, Amazing bro.
Speaker 2:But the funny thing about it is we do it and the act is done. We stay for a little bit of the first quarter. We leave, okay, we only stay for the whole game, we go back to the hotel he's making. He makes some tacos. We watch the game. We watch the game on TV because it's like bro, we done it and like you know how it is like when you're joining, get to going, but then we get.
Speaker 2:We get several other teams to reach out Like we haven't done every team that reached out to us to do it Right. And I say us just because you know we team.
Speaker 1:But when it comes out, when the lights come on, that man get out there with that guitar and he do it, he do.
Speaker 2:But the fun thing was we went to Phoenix and that year that was the finals rematch the the Bucks and the Suns. And but that same night the Brooklyn Nets wanted him to come too. So we had to wait and frozen the kinds of right, and so we ended up doing Phoenix because that was the biggest game it was going to be on.
Speaker 2:TNT all of those kinds of things. And you know there's other stuff that happens in between these these things. But doing that and seeing that man perform in front of a sold out 18,000, 18,000 people proud.
Speaker 2:I mean and we're still at the ground level of this thing you know how many people wait to play in front of I mean, that's where we're starting, definitely. You know that's awesome, and so for me, you know, when I get to finding value in what I do, it's the fact that, okay, me and my brother, we get together, we put our minds and our gifts together and we can do that.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Okay, oh, there's a lot of value in what I can do and what I can bring to the table. Exactly Right. You know what I'm saying? Because, at the end of the day, I mean he's a generational talent but and so he could get anybody to help him. You know what I'm saying. Push this thing forward, or whatnot. But he sees something in me like hey, bro, I know you ain't never done this, but I know you can do it, I know you can do it.
Speaker 2:And so that has helped me and that's why I'm so, so focused on relationships now and making sure number one your inner circle, is ones who, who lift you up and build you up, because, at the end of the day, if it wasn't for the people I have around me, who's closest, to me, I would still be somewhere just sitting in front of a computer making graphics.
Speaker 2:Now I feel you, you know what I'm saying and so now the evolution of of what, what our unit has become and what the plan is for where we're headed is. It's really amazing. I know this will probably air next week, but at the time of recording this last night, we had our second mindful meetup, which is a partnership with the Toledo Metro Parks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a beautiful space down there too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, now we've moved it to the Glass City Enrichment Center, which is another one of the newest buildings. There hasn't been much happening down there, but this is the Enrichment Center right here. What we're doing with this meditation music, it's literally amazing. Yesterday was so much fog and stuff out. We thought about you know. They called and wanted to see if we wanted to cancel it. And they asked me what I thought I'm like. Well, hey, we said, if only two people show up, we're going to be there.
Speaker 2:And, at the end of the day, what this is. Somebody may come because they, they know we all need it. But hey, I need this tonight. I need to be around some people, I need to get my mind right, whatever, and I'll. For the first probably 20 to 30, we were still setting chairs out bro you know what I'm saying. And when I looked at that I said, bro, I don't know the majority of the people in this room.
Speaker 1:And then I was like, yeah, me either. That's powerful. But and so when?
Speaker 2:people. So you knew it was a need, because people hurt and they can't People hurt. And the first one it was amazing it was it was at Market Hall. You know that that performed and you know nice, we got community partners and stuff available with. But last night was very special because for those people to be coming, to be showing up and we look around, we don't know the majority of those people there. It's like, oh, we got a movement going on.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And it's helping and enriching people to to be more mindful man, because our world needs it. I mean the reason why and I don't even watch the news anymore but, I, hear about certain stuff, man, and it's like people's minds now right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I mean people.
Speaker 1:I mean that's 100%. I mean I listen, you know, to that, you know his mindful music and some other ones, but I remember when I didn't know that that was a thing you know. Then I got into like the low five and you know, trying to just trying to chill for a minute. But your thoughts, man, we get bombarded with so many images and sounds and and so quick, quick clicks and 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 10 seconds, and it's like you really do need to take time and detach from all of that and have something that could help you focus on just just kind of centering yourself 1000%, bro, I mean.
Speaker 2:and for me, like I think, I'm, I'm, I'm the prototype number one. I heard Denzel Washington say, like what's the long lasting effects of too much information? And I have consumed so much out.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying and sometimes my mind just gets mobarded with all this information I have in my head and it caused me like to starve, I get.
Speaker 1:I can get lethargic in my movements. You know what?
Speaker 2:I'm saying and when I throw that music on, just take a minute breathe. You know what I'm saying, Because I mean, I was the same way I ain't never, even when that first started meditating.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I hear you bro Like, but I'm you know what I'm saying, and so he's helped me with that.
Speaker 2:And it was like, bro, just throw the music, you're going to just breathe. You know what I'm saying. And I was like, well, I can't stop my mind from going Right, no, that's not what you. If your brain stops, you did you know what? I'm saying but you a lot of thoughts to pass through and you know, once thoughts get to come in, you go back to okay, I'm breathing in breathing out you know what I'm saying, but At the end of the day, man, it's all about finding what works for you.
Speaker 2:Definitely, you know what I'm saying, and I think that music is one of the greatest entryways into it because, at the end, of the day all you gotta do is throw it on. Just sit there and breathe.
Speaker 1:It's not guided.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker 1:Somebody talking to you the whole time.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you get distracted by somebody talking to you the entire time. I feel you, but you know what I mean. It's a beautiful thing, bro.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so transition a little bit. But let me ask you this, as being someone that is familiar with audio and how things are supposed to sound, and video and how things are supposed to look, and graphics, what's pleasing to the eye, and then you go into music and instrumentation when you just go to walk down the street, all these things bother. You, like if somebody doesn't do it well, or if you hear something like in a song and you know it's just not right, man, listen.
Speaker 2:I'm a member of and I probably shouldn't say this, but it is what it is I'm a member of the Potter's House in Dallas. I stream online every week. Sometimes it becomes like we had Bob's study the other night. It becomes hard for me to engage with what's going on when there's feedback going on.
Speaker 2:It gets very hard for me to like when things are because my mind goes okay, what's the solution, what's the problem? Oh, ring out the monitors. You know what I'm saying? Ring out the monitors or turn the lapel mic down in there. So you know what I'm saying? Because, at the end of the day, that has become a passion because I spent time learning these skills. But so now the way my brain just works is figuring out how somebody done something as well, and so, like when I go to movies and understanding storytelling, I can kind of tell okay, this is how this is going to end you figure out who to make.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to mess with movies for everybody, but you know what I mean. It's just the way my brain works and it's been that way since the beginning. How I got into graphic design, I seen a flyer on the ground. You know everybody used to put flyers.
Speaker 1:I've seen one of them. I'm like what the heck is this?
Speaker 2:Right and I seen it was for a church or what and I was like, well, oh, my dad's church needs some of this. You know what I'm saying. So I figured out how to crack Photoshop and shout out to Pirate Bay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I remember all of them cracked, but you know what I mean, I spent time figuring out how to do those things and so whenever I see anything, I want to figure out, okay, how do they do that? Or at least find my way of getting to that same result, and so like, that's how it's been with videos and all of that. So, like all the content and stuff we do for dads, we're like all the music videos and all of that. Hey, we figured out how to get it done.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, and so that's just kind of where my brain works. So sometimes it's hard for me just to enjoy stuff because I'm freaking out. How is that?
Speaker 1:So if you out with like a young lady or something like that, like are you the guy that you can't enjoy Like you're just feeling grumpy if you go to him, you take it to a movie and it's just not right.
Speaker 2:No, no, no. So I'm a person and I've evolved to this place where I'm really able to look at a lot of things objectively.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Right and not get emotional about it, except for feedback at church. But I'm able to look at things objectively and you know, fortunate enough for me, I've kind of identified like the kind of woman that you know, I even entertain. So there is a level of intellect and intellectual conversation that happens Substance. Yeah, yeah. So at the end of the day, if you get bothered by me and out about something, you ain't the one, right, right, yeah, that's probably not going to happen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this ain't going to work because I nerd out on everything, Right, but yeah, you don't want to hear what you think about it. I don't know. I mean, you don't want to hear nothing about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:No, I want to know. Okay, what do you feel when you?
Speaker 1:see it. Yeah, I feel it.
Speaker 2:But I've fallen in love with cinematography, not even from the standpoint of just producing. I think because we have produced some things, I have a greater appreciation for it. So I love going to see movies and stuff like that Because it's taking storytelling, which I think is one of the greatest things in the world I think every like Nike is in a. You got very nice Nike sportswear on the day. But it is an apparel and shoe company, it's a storytelling company those Jordans you got on your feet.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:They told the story of Michael Jordan that made us want to buy Jordans.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:And so the world moves, based on story, and so I think film is one of those ways that you know you're able to tell a story, but it's visually compelling. Like no other like I thoroughly if nobody's seen the Color Purple, you gotta go see the Color Purple. Color Purple was just like great music, beautifully shot and then very much so. Compelling story.
Speaker 1:I saw it too. I was telling my wife.
Speaker 2:I said this is some good video, yeah bro, yeah, man, and so I do appreciate those kind of things.
Speaker 1:So let me ask you this Like so we both came up. You started a lot younger than I did, but when part of the production was in the grind of hours and just manual tweaks of everything but not with the AI I see a lot of people get a little bit fearful Because you know, anybody could just kind of like throw their stuff in Cap Cut or everything, just so template it. But as a creative like, does that make your process faster and you appreciate it, or is it irritating, Like you?
Speaker 1:feel like they're taken away from the craft.
Speaker 2:Nah, listen, I love AI with a passion Because, at the end of the day, ai isn't meant to replace humans, it's meant to help, and if you resist it, you're going to be stuck behind. You're going to be the blockbusters. You know what I'm saying Because at the end of the day, we're for every evolving, technology is for every evolving, and as soon as we're able to embrace it, I believe the faster we'll be able to move. So I mean and that's why I don't identify as a graphic designer- I don't identify as a videographer.
Speaker 2:I identify as an audio engineer for sure, because, while there are AI tools for that, when it comes to music and stuff you can't replace, the ear yeah you can't replace the ear, but you can't replace the soul and things. You can't replace feeling. Right, you know, when I mix now and I got these SSL control services which allows me to do what the OG engineers, like the Bruce Soudin, who work with Quincy Jones and Michael.
Speaker 2:Jackson, like you, mix with your ears. That's what he said. That's why it's called an engineer. You know what? I'm saying and not just looking at the screen, looking at Pro Tools, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Watching the peaks and the air, yeah, like.
Speaker 2:I don't know the majority of the numbers that I land on when it comes to EQ. Close my eyes and I feel the EQ. Ok, what does that sound like? You know what I'm saying? And, at the end of the day, AI can do that. Ai, it's all numbers, Right. So it's going to see the peaks and the frequencies. Ok, here you go.
Speaker 1:Right. I want to know that you want to. I want to yield right there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it works a lot. It works for this bubble gum music that's being made. But when you make a music that comes from the soul, it's supposed to reach the soul. A computer can't replace that. No, I feel that. But at the end of the day, this is why, like that question, bro asked me about 12 years ago who are you outside of that? It was a very important question and it was really kind of foreshadowing to now, because I have identity outside of all those things. At the end of the day, all the things that I've learned, all the knowledge that I've been able to gain over the years, it's my job now to start to impart this and the other people start training up children, introducing them, because of the majority of the stuff besides reading, writing and basic math, I ain't learned nothing in the stuff in school.
Speaker 2:Matter of fact, when I went to Penn and Career Center my senior year first.
Speaker 1:I wasn't expecting that one.
Speaker 2:For real man. My senior year I was teaching my fellow students about design because I knew more than an instructor. Shout out to Ms Uzak, but you know, what I'm saying, and then the second half of the day I was going to work.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, man.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, and so, at the end of the day, it's been a God-given gift in this creativity. He gave it to all of us you think about in the Bible. What's the first thing God wanted us to know about God? It's the fact that he was created and the beginning. God created the heavens and earth. Then the next thing concerning us he made us. In his image. Heard a guy say God, he made us to make things and created us to create things.
Speaker 2:I like that, and so we all have that genus, just a matter of whether or not it's fostered, because we're all made in his image, so we're all creative people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think a lot of times people get caught up on all that. We need income, we need to pay our bills. I think that's the thing we lead with. Is this what I'm going to do? Make money, not with? How does this make me feel when I do it? You know what I'm saying and I know a lot of the younger generation. Like I said, I'm stuck in the middle because I love creativity, but then I know that there's things that have to be done to pay the bills. So when I work with young teenage boys now, they have a hard time understanding doing something that they don't want to do as far as that first job, or you, 16, 17 years old you're not going to land you your dream job.
Speaker 1:Some people do, but the majority of us have to start somewhere and it's just been so hard for me to get them to understand that you have to do this so you could feed that.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying so.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you have run into that in any of your teaching.
Speaker 2:So I don't know. I do know why, but we need to dispel the myth. Now, when it comes to your creativity, it's not just about art, right? So in your line of work in the group number one, you started your group home, but it came from a place of creativity. You seen a problem. I'm going to create this group home Right In your face with solutions. I mean with problems every day that you have to create solutions for Right. That's being creative.
Speaker 1:I like that.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying. It's not creativity, it's not just about art Creativity. More times than not, when it comes to solutions, it's a matter of creating a solution to a problem Right. And so, at the end of the day, miles Monroe got arrested, so that man preached sermons 20, 30 years ago that resonate and are just words to live by.
Speaker 2:Talked about how there was a problem that you were created to solve, right, and so, at the end of the day, we all have something that we could use. That could be something you know. You could form some kind of business. If you got a oven, you can bake a cake or learn how to write. If you know how to bake, okay, you're solving a problem of hunger, or, you know even satisfying a sweet tooth for somebody Right and that's creative.
Speaker 1:I like that. I like that because I know when I within like say, like group home space or working with teens, like I've done some things like within the home that you know some people might say were a little bit innovative, but it was like solving a problem that I saw as far as how adults interacted with children that that is home, but they may not feel like it's their home.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I kind of bridge that between okay, this is our home, so how does our home feel? It's not just about you know, when I was little we had the rooms that in people's houses could nobody go in, the plastic on the furniture. And you felt like you know, like a guest, or like he was in the shrine almost in certain spaces. So I'm like no, this is my make this space. So when you come in here, you feel like okay.
Speaker 2:I'm comfortable. He want me here, you know so no doubt I mean, and again you're creating a space.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's what creative creativity essentially is bringing something into the world that wasn't there before. So even with this podcast, I already tell somebody, like I do, because it's a creative out there for me.
Speaker 1:What are you?
Speaker 2:actually creating. You're creating conversations that wouldn't be here otherwise, because this is the first time I've been on anybody's podcast and this is what happened if you didn't send that text.
Speaker 1:No, I appreciate you being here too, man, and it's the way that you know your approach to to like to creativity. I think that it's it's it's not only you know creative, but it's also practical. Yeah, I also always like to give people a sense of whatever I do. If you want to do it, you can do it too. Like you know, somebody might ask me well, how did you do this? I'm like, I'm very transparent in my processes. You know I'll tell you if I'm doing something because it's a business and I want to make money. I'll tell you if I'm doing something just because I like to do like like I look at. I've always had a. I can sit and listen to other podcasts, like I can listen to things without seeing them, but I can always, but I still see them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I have a conversation with you right now and I can listen to the conversation and when you talk I can kind of see how you, how your face is, but I'm not, I'm not watching you. So, you know, I've always had that kind of I don't want to say neck, but just that feeling.
Speaker 2:So you, you do, you see my blue blockers when you, I will, okay, I will.
Speaker 1:And so that's so. I guess what I'm trying to say is I want to be able to have conversations and bring for information, and my big thing, and like it's becoming one of my big things that you don't have to be famous to have information, you don't have to be you know. Kind of like I came up, you know, when I came to church and stuff. It was like the preacher or whoever's our friend is not gonna be the one that the majority of people are gonna be influenced by. No doubt, you know, it's gonna be that person that they can relate to. I'm like, okay, I know him, me and him went to school together, so he doing it. I know he's just he's a regular guy, so I can do it too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But then just giving out the steps of, you know, the dedication, the consistency. You know, for me that's been key because I always have a great idea, but once you know I used to. You know, have t-shirt ideas, not produce one and I'm done with it you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:No, I got you, but now it's like that consistency of being able to do something over and over again and finding being able to do it better and finding bringing out more, like some things I learned about you today. I wouldn't have had none if we didn't have this conversation.
Speaker 2:No doubt, no doubt.
Speaker 1:And it just makes me excited, like how much more you know the Bible says there's treasure in earthen vessels. So how much more conversations that we could talk to just people about just to pull out those treasures.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir, and stir up those gifts, man so yes, sir, no, absolutely, man, and I completely agree. I mean, conversations are so important, man, and the more we can just have it with individuals. I mean, you know, there's only one race right, and that's the human race.
Speaker 2:But we have different cultures, different and you know, at the end of the day, just even within our culture, you know, we've had, aside from actually aside from the women in your family, it's been all men that come in here and we need to have more conversations, and one just amongst black men, right, and having meaningful conversations, getting deeper one another.
Speaker 2:And, you know, because there's always something to learn, one of two things you can learn from anybody with to do and what not to do, but there's always something you can take away from any conversation, and that's one of the things that I'm big on. Moving forward in my life is having more conversations.
Speaker 1:You know, the conversations I like to have, like it's like this, like so. The conversations I like to have is like there's no ask at the end of it, no doubt. There's no bargaining, there's no, no doubt. So now, what you know, if there's a call to action, then the call is just to know more about. You know, the conversation not at the end of this conversation, signed right here. You know, at the end of this conversation, you know, buy this at the end of the conversation.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna do that, but no like just having a conversation where you can let your guard down, because I know there's not gonna be like a transaction, no doubt, no doubt.
Speaker 2:I mean because in the misconception is the fact that, you know, nobody likes to be like sold to Well, that's what they say, right. But if that was the case, especially within our community, we are the biggest consumers in the world.
Speaker 1:We like some marketing.
Speaker 2:All right, no doubt about it, but more times than that we're trying to convince somebody of something when it comes to like selling them when it's it ought to be. For lack of better words, persuasion right.
Speaker 2:They should be thinking. You already know that you need this. This is why you should get this thing here right. But that's a completely separate thing from just genuinely connecting with somebody right? And because it's a difference between business and personal right Like from personal connection, but oftentimes they get intertwined. But in business, some of the most transparent relationships you will have will be the ones where people are just calling to be transactional and you have to respect those relationships. Everybody you encounter isn't meant for you to have them over for dinner have them over.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, Because people are moving right.
Speaker 1:People are.
Speaker 2:they're on a mission. You know what I mean, whatever it may be, especially people who operate in business. So there's something transactional there, but you have to be able to identify who are those people that okay, you're just my people.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:We connect, we do life together. What not? You know what I'm saying and I think the beauty of what we've been able to create between relationship with you me you know what I'm saying. Even with that, it's the thing of, yeah, we do business together, right, Like we produce this podcast together, but we were able to connect. I mean, you've helped me out in tough times, just whether it be conversation, looking out, whatever the case may be, Because you're like a big bro figure. You know what I'm saying, and the fortunate thing about it is we're also able to output some great things as well.
Speaker 1:Sure, no doubt, man, no doubt. So, as you know, because you've been hearing this for a long time, you know they call me two cups, you know, one for the wake, one for the work the wake is what inspiring you at the moment? What is waking you up in the morning? We all have things that keep us up at night Us maybe not so much anymore, because we come on mature and have to deal with those. But you know, people in the world have so much keeping them up at night.
Speaker 2:But what is that thing?
Speaker 1:that waking you up in the morning every day, and what is the next step for the work?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, and you know the thing is, man with this coffee right here, man you kind of got an element like Nori and then with drink chance.
Speaker 1:He gets you going and with this coffee you going, I'm ready to talk.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, but no man, the thing that gets me up every morning. Now, at this point, I'm on a journey to becoming the best manager I can possibly be for Thaddeus and his music. I believe wholeheartedly in the mission and vision behind that and the fact that it's about people at the center. He's not one of those hey, look at me type of guys. You know what I'm saying. The majority of the things, like when we shot the first music video, he was barely even moving his mouth and stuff he was like I don't know what we doing.
Speaker 1:We're in New York.
Speaker 2:We're in the middle of, not Times Square, the garden up there. I don't know I'm losing, but nonetheless he just wasn't really into it. But I believe wholeheartedly in what's inside of that. Really he believes wholeheartedly in me, and so that's the thing that I'm waking up, doing every day. It's like, okay, how can we push this thing forward? Because at the end of the day, it's purpose work, and so that's the thing that I get up every morning.
Speaker 1:That's powerful. So if you had some advice to get to see me on Creative before we get out of here, you know what would you tell them?
Speaker 2:Be consistent. Find a way to use your creative gift every single day.
Speaker 1:I like that.
Speaker 2:Every day don't just exist. You know what I mean be intentional about creating something every day and if there's a specific skill you're trying to learn, learn about it, because there's three steps to learning anything Learn about it. Then learn how to do it, and then learn by actually doing the thing, and you learn by doing it until the point of mastery to where you can do it like it's time you shoot. You don't have to think about how to tie your shoe.
Speaker 2:Tying your shoe doesn't require any effort, unless you know when she get older you kind of gotta hold your breath till you get done. But you know what I mean. You want to reach that level of mastery to where you know I can do this without thinking about it.
Speaker 1:So say those steps one more time.
Speaker 2:Learn about a thing. Learn about it Then. Learn how to do it. Learn how to do it Then learn by doing it.
Speaker 1:Learn by doing it. All right, that's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:I'm taking that with me. My man, all right, but once again, man, I just appreciate you, just, I mean coming from behind the board, man, and just sitting down, man, and just taking this time to share, you know, your voice with our audience, man, and this has been Two Cups Cafe one for the wake, one for the work. I am your host, alan C Jackson.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:I would just really appreciate you guys share it like subscribe or consume it. You know on YouTube or everywhere that podcasts are available audio. Until next time, two Cups, two Cups.