The No Trolling Podcast(NEW)
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The No Trolling Podcast(NEW)
Chaxy:"I Risked Everything to Drop a Podcast Episode!"||EP 89
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What’s up No Trollers 🔥
The last episode from the Nairobi, Kenya Tour and today we’ve got Chaxy, host of Mic Cheque podcast, entrepreneur, founder of UpSyd Digital, and one of the masterminds shaping Kenya’s podcast space.
We get into who Chaxy really is beyond the cameras… from childhood, growing up in Kenya, the moments that shaped his mindset, and whether the younger version of him would recognize the man he’s become today.
We talk fame, identity, and what success quietly takes from you
He opens up about building UpSyd, growing a team, turning content into business
We also get into the pressure of showing up consistently, the cost of building a brand, and why sometimes success demands more of your personal life than people ever see.
This one is honest, insightful, and for every creative trying to build something meaningful.
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & everywhere you get your podcasts.
(Chaxy's Socials)
Instagram -@thatguychaxy
Twitter- @thatguychaxy
SHOUT OUT to Upsd Digital Networks , if you a podcaster or you just enjoy making content
Filmed by: Rocky the mutator & jordan
Edited by : sean81jax
Chapters;
00:00 Trailer
02:16 Being Famous in Kenya
06:20 Intro
10:24 The Mastermind
13:52 Chaxy's work Ethic
20:31 Growing up in The Village
25:12 What made Chaxy
27:21 The mysteries of the world
30:30 Spirituality & Religion
36:16 Discovering Podcasting
46:29 The Decision that Changed my Career
49:12 The Biggest Lesson from Podcasting
52:48 Mic cheque using English
56:13 Building a Production Team
58:16 Mistakes Most creators make in Business
01:00:10 Mic cheque's 1st Live show
01:04:13 Mic cheque's 1st Tour in Kenya
01:08:13 Marriage & Kids
01:09:50 Tour in Tanzania
01:11:24 My Tzee side(NT game)
01:17:48 After the break
01:19:39 The No trolling Questions
01:29:18 Chaxy's Dream
01:32:39 Outro & Shout outs
I packed my personal life and every coin I was making was just coming back into this podcast. Like I love what I do so much that I do anything, I do whatever it takes. But I'd spend to the last penny of my existence just to make sure that we have a match check episode going up. And there's still more shows. Because my goal is to work on new shows every day. There's people that I have so much respect for in my life. It's someone like Bienn, Shinski. I have so much respect for them. And there's a way they'll tell me stuff and I'm like, damn. And they'll be like, listen, man, you guys are the most essential part of our culture now. Just being self-aware of the person that I really am helped me to remain grounded. Because I realize I'm just a player in a football team. I don't fit within the definition or context of religion or organized spirituality in that sense where there's belief in something specific and there's a promise for eternity, or if you live your life in a certain way, then other things. I remember the first like the first time I came to Ruby from the village, I was like, damn, bro, I feel like I belong here. I was just, you know, the kid from the village was this.
SPEAKER_04What has success in the podcast taught you so far? Bruh. We've nah no.
SPEAKER_03No crawling. We ain't calling, y'all.
SPEAKER_04So trollers, guess what? No trolling part is just a part that would tease me to bring you guys the coolest drink for all of y'all that are young at heart. I generally love the taste of the drink, and I'm pretty sure you guys are gonna love the taste of it as well. So make sure you grab the stuff a taste of the drink. Come on, you know what I'm saying? And also, 61% of you guys don't realize how to feel before you dive into the episode. I feel like the content of episode. I don't feel like you want to support us. If we support the pod, I definitely appreciate that. And when you do that, I promise you, every time we upload the episode's gonna be better for you. Me and my team are gonna be working tooth and nail to make that happen for you guys. Thank you. All thoughts, views, and opinions expressed on this podcast are entirely our own. They are for entertainment purposes only. I repeat, entertainment purposes only. We're not exposing, condoning, indicting, or telling you how to live your life. Now, enjoy the show. Huh? I love it. You look serious.
SPEAKER_01I like what? Just because I have an iPad that looks serious now? I think that the perception of the phone is like I see why people think that. But I'm like, a phone is also like you could it has everything your iPad has, bro.
SPEAKER_04I I told them, I I keep telling my audience, guys, it's not that deep, it's just a phone, and they're like, oh Sean, Sean, this, Sean, that.
SPEAKER_01They're still pressed about it.
SPEAKER_04They are they were, they were. Do you feel like you're famous, Jackson?
SPEAKER_01Some people know me. A lot of people.
SPEAKER_04What is something you lost after being started? We have been studying. Oh, sure. I'll talk to that. Yeah, what is something you feel like you lost when you became that popular, well known by people?
SPEAKER_01Um definitely some things, bro. Um privacy, okay. Um, random people staring at you. I mean, I I don't mind it to be very fair because I put myself on the internet so much, and I'm still working on new shows. So I'm still working on putting myself even on the internet. Of course, people are bound to recognize who you are. I don't think I've lost much to be very fair. Yeah, um I probably don't go out as much as I used to because I mean it doesn't work in the favor of my brand now, just being outside randomly for no reason, you know. But also my whole life I was I've been outside, so I feel like I'm missing, I'm not missing out on anything. And if I need to pop out somewhere, I'll be there, you know. I don't think I've lost much, bro. To be very fair, I still live my life the same way. Look at me, bro. I came in sandals, yeah. Um, I grow grow I I do grocery shopping normally. Yeah, sometimes I walk from the gym to my house. Like I still live my life, bro. I'm I mean I'm aware um that I'm a bit non now, but I don't care, bro.
SPEAKER_04Do you feel like you enjoy being famous?
SPEAKER_01Um I I wouldn't necessarily say I enjoy it, but I'm appreciative of all the good things that come that come with it. So far, I'd say I've benefited. I've definitely benefited. Yeah, and um I don't and I think the way I've also positioned myself and my brand is I don't have a brand that attracts a lot of like negative things that come with it, so I I've not had to deal with stuff. Okay, you know, the only I'd say like for instance, the only times maybe we've been even sort of say trending has been because of maybe an opinion we had we had on the podcast or someone who hosted that which is fine because my job is to have conversations. So if I'm going to trend because of a conversation we had, then my job is done. Absolutely ideally, yeah, yeah. But then I've never been saying the news for anything else. Okay, and you know, I'm I think I'm very careful. I know I have a very public persona, but I I'm a very private person, so I feel like I'm the same person.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. We actually we actually me and Chucky resonated on that because of just having this living this life of just yeah, we are we are an online personality, but we also want to cherish our own lives and not forget ourselves because I feel like it's so easy to forget yourself in the whole mix of all this, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And and when the lines become blood, when you don't know what should be private and what should be public, I think I don't think that's not for me. Yeah, it works for some people, it doesn't work for me.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01So everything people know about me is things I've said about me on the pod, yeah, which means it's things I'm comfortable sharing. Otherwise, what I do with my free time, who I hang out with, what I and where I live and what I do, that's literally you have to know me in person to know that. And I uh actually I want to keep that like that, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, all right, no trollers. What's up? Welcome back to another episode of the No Trolling Podcast. Do I remember the number of this episode? Yes. Six eighty-nine! Yeah, 89 episodes, bro. Come on, come on, hey, very soon, bro. I think I'm gonna do something for 100 episodes. Okay, because I feel like that's a threshold I've been wanting to cross a long time ago. Because I didn't I remember celebrating episode 50 as well on the show. Like I had a whole confetti. I messed up my setup, bro. Have you ever had a confetti on a set? No, oh yeah, don't ever try it. Ah, it's messy as hell, bro. And I had a carpet, so it was messy as hell. So, ladies and gentlemen, uh, welcome back on our episode in our Kenyan tour. Pretty, pretty sure you guys have loved the whole experience so far. So, um, I want to introduce my next guest. I've never actually never done that before. Like saying I'm introducing, I usually just do it, but I'm super super excited to have you, man. And guys, today, ladies and gentlemen, we have one of the greatest creators down in Kenya. He's a mastermind, he likes to call himself a mastermind. I'm gonna ask you about that, by the way. He's also a host of one of the biggest podcasts in Nairobi, Kenya, called Mike Check. I've had uh some of his co-hosts in early episodes, and now we have the anchor himself. He's also the founder of Upside, it's a uh production company as well, and they're the people who are helping us out right now that are making this tour happen. Upside, shout out to you guys, and yeah, man, welcome. Oh, that's me, yes, you yeah, man. So, how are you feeling right now, bro?
SPEAKER_01I'm happy, yeah, yeah, happy, grateful. I feel blessed, privileged.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you know, it's funny how me and Chalksie met, bro, is it was over the internet, bro. Just an Instagram DM, just showing him that, oh, I actually appreciate you, bro. And I'm all the way from Tanzania. What what was your first reaction to my DM, bro? Be honest.
SPEAKER_01Um I think I definitely just checked out what you do, and I was like, Yeah, I fuck with this straight up. You know, I I think like vibes don't lie.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01You when um because I do definitely get quite a lot of DMs, and some of them is people asking for stuff or um sharing their work with me. And normally if you just click on someone's profile, I feel like even at just that one glance, yeah, you can just tell a lot about somebody. Um, you know, your profile looked like you're putting in the work, bro. Quality was nice. Um from the clips I'd seen, look like we're having proper conversation. Oh, okay, there's someone who's doing what they need to do, bro.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's how we met, man. Here out here I am right now in Kenya. I'm super, I can't even believe I'm actually touring in Kenya. Like, if you asked me, Ichaxi, three years ago, or even five years ago, if I would be this person right now, I'd probably deny it completely. Why so? Like, I feel like I had so much I had a different life envisioned for myself, envisioned for myself. I was I was more of an IT guy, you know. I've always been that guy that's like study hard, you know, go get a job, and you know, you make it like that. You thought you were gonna have like a proper day job? Yes, okay. Uh basically coding, or if not a day job, probably like uh starting my own company just in the corporate world. Because I was always the type of guy who was following what my dad told me, and then I feel like oh my brother is the one who told me, like, hey, I know, yeah, it's good to follow what dad says, but what do you want, bro? I actually thought about that, bro. I was like, damn. So what do I want? Yeah. I started like going on this limbo of just trying to figure everything out, but uh yeah, here we are. Are you happy? I am happy, bro. Like, look at me, bro. Look at me, man. Like, I'm truly grateful to what this platform has taught me and where this platform is taking me. So, um, where did that mastermind come from?
SPEAKER_01I'm I'm trying to think of a nice analogy. So I think mastermind for me it came from the fact that um I've just always been the guy who makes things happen.
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've just always just been the guy who makes things happen. Um, I remember even when in high school, one of maybe I'd say the projects I'm really proud of was we came up with a school magazine and actually printed a school magazine. And think about designing a magazine, working on the content, doing the actual printing, trying to sell it, even though the school banned it, we couldn't even sell it. So we lost money and had borrowed money from different people to make it happen. So I've just always been the guy who makes things happen, and that's genuinely where Mastermind comes from. And that that that's um that has been very evident in just different facets of my life, even outside what I do. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04You and Mariah both had that high school story that that Mariah told me about her uh blog. Yeah, so it's so it's something you really like liked since back then, just making things happen.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah. Um, but even even in high school, and I was doing the magazine and DJing in some of the events in school, hosting events. This was not my dream. I'll be very honest with you. I picked this in uni, like content and everything.
SPEAKER_05Oh yeah? Yeah, yeah. Me too.
SPEAKER_01I was just doing it as a as a byteway. I just it's something I liked, and I didn't know I was gonna pursue it at all.
SPEAKER_04I ain't gonna lie to you. I had the same story, nigga. Like I I started I I started picking this thing in uni as well, like the podcast and everything. But content, I was I was I started off with TikToks. I I even told Mariah, like I started like I did slow more, nigga. I did slow more, I did those nice skin TikTok shit.
SPEAKER_01Then you licked your tongue like on video? Yes. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_04Sean did you still post that? No, no, I never licked my tongue in particular, but I did those No That's what you light skinned niggas be doing. I'm not light skinned like that, bro. Come on. But yeah, I was just it was it's cringe watching it right now. But back then it made so much sense.
SPEAKER_01Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_04I'm telling you, it So what are guys saying in the comments at the time? I don't even remember, bro, like if I'm being honest, but it was just like I said the like hard emojis, or just like just people be like, oh, I like the singing of that when you're lip singing a song, maybe. It's cringe, it's so cringe, bro. I can't watch the area now. And the funny thing is, did you pull them down or are they still on there?
SPEAKER_01No, they're still on there. Okay, so you clearly like it. No, you probably get back to it when you are 50.
SPEAKER_04The thing is, people started commenting on my old TikToks be like 2026. Anybody? I'm like, guys, man, guys, stop, bro.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna check out your TikTok. No, fuck all the way down.
SPEAKER_04Actually, you know what? I feel like I'm gonna, it's because it there are too many, bro. I can't even start deleting it. There are too many.
SPEAKER_01I did so much TikTok deleted them. Really, if it only but maybe they're not that bad. You know what? So maybe they're just a part of your past, which is fine. Yeah, I can say that. Thank you. I'm pretty sure some people have it on the other hand, and you enjoyed doing them at the time. Yeah, I did. I feel like that's what matters the most, though.
SPEAKER_04I'm proud of my past, of course. Yeah, yeah, keep them. What is something interesting that's been taking so much most of your time recently? Hmm. You feel like you want to share with us?
SPEAKER_01I'd probably say definitely in conversation, which is my uh second uh podcast, yeah, solo podcast. Yeah, um, just because genuinely, like I was telling you yesterday, that space when I walk into downstairs of a studio, yeah, yeah, yeah. Feels like a mecha for me, bro. I feel we have such essential and important conversations there. So that has been something that um has been taking a bit of my time, yeah. Um, I think also because I have to do the end-to-end, yeah, yeah. Right, from the pre-production to the production, still hosting it to the post-production of it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I know that all too well, man. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So that takes a lot of time, and then you know, back filming misfix with the boys, um, so episodes drop actually from this week. I'm quite excited for that. And there's another show. I mean, maybe I'll just it uh so there's another show that is in pre-production already that I'm working on with um a gentleman called Kimemia, it's called the Unfinished Story. Okay, which is something that I cannot wait to share with the world as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Those are I'd say the main things that I've been busy with. Yeah, um, you know, aside the busy calendar for my check. We have our first live event, end of this month. Yeah, it's gonna be in Eldoret, a city that maybe is if you drive to Eldored six hours, if you fly down for five minutes, so it's a whole out-of-town experience. Bro, we're doing something for Mothers on Mother's Day, we're going on a university tour, so you can imagine all that planning and a lot of. I totally just came from a meeting now that took a bit longer than planned.
SPEAKER_04So, truly a mastermind, bro. You know, I'm so impressed on how you work, man. They how how generous you are as well. It's just beautiful to see. I can't even imagine how many people you've helped, bro. Because I feel like you just have a genuine, genuine heart, man. Like, and I appreciate that you accepted me out of that. You didn't even know me, man. You just pull up, pull up. When I the first time I was in Kenya, I was like, yo, I'm down here. And I was like, Yeah, pull up, bro, pull up. And then you just opened me, welcomed me with open arms, and and for somebody that is not used to that, it felt really nice to actually experience it from somebody all the way from another country. Yeah, yeah. And just to give you guys context, uh, he's also a YouTuber, man. He has a channel called Misfix where he has his boys where they do different crazy stuff. And speaking of in conversation, I wanted to know what prompted that individual show, just like going solo, just like that.
SPEAKER_01So in conversation is actually older than mic check. Yeah, I already was doing in conversation.
SPEAKER_04I remember going to some of your content and I remember seeing you having like uh on the balcony tablet, exactly.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, exactly. So um in conversation is actually older than mic check. Um then decided to do mic check at the time because I also had a corporate job.
SPEAKER_02Ooh, what did you do?
SPEAKER_01I used to talk for Red Bull. Okay, so that was your life before podcasting? That was my life even when I was podcasting. So I was doing everything simultaneously. Okay. So I'd uh I had I had I had a full-time job um working with Red Bull. Um then I was doing uh mic check and a bunch of other things as well. I had business on the side, yeah. So there's at the time there's so much I could do, and I think I respect my craft enough to know when I can't when I can take in new stuff and when I can't. Like now I'm working on new shows, I'm like I should. I know it's time for short work on the new shows that I'm working on, and I'm able to squeeze them within my schedule. So I had to pick one and I picked mic check. Yeah, because I was like, my solo show, I can always go back to it. I can do it whenever I want to do it, right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so focused on mic check, pushed mic check. Um mic check now is like a kid who's already who can already run, walk, has started school, and then if you're a parent and thinking of maybe I should get another second kid, that kind of scenario. So mic check is up there, bro. Mic check has a whole team. You you you know the team. There's a whole team, there's a whole system. So I felt it was time for me now to go back to doing my own my own my own show. And um from all the shows, because I've done a bunch of solo shows okay on my YouTube. If you go to playlists, you see a bunch of concepts.
SPEAKER_04Yes, I even saw the one that you're driving around with the people.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. There's one in the bar making drinks and stuff. So what I did is earlier on is I shot different concepts, just proof of concept, and then I kept them on my YouTube. So what I'm doing now is I'm just going back to my old shows and executing. Wow. So mic check is up and running. I'm like, okay, time to bring in something else in conversation. Miss Picas back. I'm already telling about the fourth show, the unfinished story. And there's still more shows because my goal is to work on new shows every day. That's my goal to work on a new show every single day. Yeah, so the you know we're talking about four shows. By end of year, we might be talking about seven shows. Ideally, that's my goal. So, yeah. So, in conversation was um just the next project in line, and for me, it's more also just about evolving. Yeah, um, I I don't want to have an online presence that is just the same same thing, yeah. So I can't just be the guy who did who who has mic check running for 10 years, you know. So I just want to be taxi and then people know me for mic check, for misfix, for other things, not chaxi for or mic check. I don't want to be just known for one thing. And if I have all the ideas and they I'm able to do them, then you're gonna see a lot of shows. And streaming is still coming up.
SPEAKER_04You know, I've never thought of that like that, you know, just being known for one thing. Actually, you're definitely right, yeah. You know, because I because every everybody always tells me to do this, do that, do this, and I'm like, guys, I always I'm truly just want to focus on this, build this first, and then to venture.
SPEAKER_01But that's also a good way to look at it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Because like I feel like a lot of people get in the mix, mix of trying to do everything at the same time without growing their child first, you know. Like you said, you grow a child, take them to school, and then you're all right, I'm ready for another person now. So I feel like that's what I'm on. I'm on that journey of trying to like get my baby to kick, you know, start working properly, you know. I mean, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01It's an exciting journey, bro.
SPEAKER_04Speaking of babies, bro. Um how was your childhood like?
SPEAKER_01Childhood? Yeah, your childhood. My childhood, man. My childhood was a mix of many things. Um, because I was born in the village, um, spent the first eight years of my life in the village as well. Um, then I moved from the village to what I'd call a small town. Not really, not even a city. It's really a small town called So my village is um I'm from a tribe called Kuria. Abakuria. We're like a small tribe. We're literally at the Kenya of at the border of Kenya in Tanzania. Okay, yeah. So that's where I was born. I spent my first eight years of my life there. Then I moved to the next actually, the next town after Kuria was the town called Migori. Migori. Yeah, so I moved to Migori. Um, spent most of my um I'd say early teenagehood there. Then moved to another town called Kisi, which is not far from Migori. It's literally again the next town from there. Um, and I was there most of my high school, um, camp Nairobi properly after high school. That's when I started living in Nairobi. I'd visited before, yeah. And I remember the first, like the first time I came to Nairobi from the village, I was like, damn, bro, I feel like I belong here. I was just, you know, the kid from the village was in the city looking at the buildings and the highways, and thinking, like, shit, this has to be my life, and thinking, what do I have to do to just move? To the city, you know, so that's where the dream begins. And um the easiest route for me was to just ace my grades, like really work hard in school because the biggest the biggest universities were in Nairobi. So if I could guarantee myself a slot in uni in Nairobi, if I had good grades, I knew I could come to a uni in Nairobi, and that's exactly what I did. Locked in, aced my grades, got a chance to come study in Nairobi in university, and that's how I moved to Nairobi. Damn!
SPEAKER_04Well, I I've always been uh I've always lived in the city. Uh for me it was more so like I was just I was used to just seeing stuff like just because I was in the city. I was like I I grew up in the even though I wasn't born in Tanzania. Yeah. Yeah, I was born in Leicester City in the UK. And uh then it was just like I was born there, we lived there for some time, and my parents moved back to Tanzania. Yeah, and then yeah, my life just kicked off like that as a kid, I was just sit moving around.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you're the city city boys. Uh not city boys, bro. Of course not city boys, come on, bro.
SPEAKER_04Not like that. For a person who's grew up in the city, I never really enjoyed the city as much. How so? I I I really just liked my own space. I was a gamer growing up, so I just liked being inside and playing a lot of video games. And all my friends would be like, Yeah, let's go out to play. I'll just play in the neighborhood. I wouldn't like link up with friends from school and go somewhere. I never had that. I started linking up with uh some of my friends in secondary, like primary. I wasn't I was just gaming. Gaming, hard. Yeah, and I'm gonna get back to it. That's something also I wanna get back to in the future. You could make money from gaming now in 2026.
SPEAKER_01Ah, come on now. Fuck is he talking about? You just stream yourself gaming and you make money, bro. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04I'm I'm not I'm not I'm not saying I'm not gonna do it. I'm definitely gonna do it. Just just not right now at the moment. Yeah, I'm just I feel like I'm just gonna settle in a few things and I'm gonna get back to it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, have you ever gamed before? Um, not much. My childhood, my childhood was quite balanced, but um I think I was more of the kids who are outside. I played a lot of football. Uh yeah, yeah. Maybe probably watched a few movies, gamed a little bit. Um I probably even gamed more in my teen when when in in campus when I joined uni, yeah, played a lot of, but for me it was mostly just playing FIFA, so I wasn't really interested in GTA and then other games. I don't know, I know I've played of course I've played those games before, but I think that's because I wasn't really into gaming, I didn't spend a lot of time gaming. So the little time I had to play games, I'd play my favorite game, which was FIFA, you know. So I didn't really get to mess around and yeah, so I was always the kid who was out at the house, not the other way around. Also, in the village, there's not so much to do. So you gotta be outside. You gotta be outside, bro. There, what are you gonna do? You're you can you're not gaming in the village. You don't we didn't even have power growing up in the house. So, how are you even gaming? No TV. I think we had the TV later on at some point, maybe when I was six or something. So earlier on, you leave school, you go meet your friends outside.
SPEAKER_04Okay, yeah. What do you think made the Chuck C we see today?
SPEAKER_01Um, a mix of many things, definitely a mix of my upbringing. Um, I think the drive I have is um, yeah, definitely just coming from literally almost nothing and one wanting something. Of course, that gives you the drive that I have. So my myself is a mix of things. It's a mix of things. It's the schools I went to, it's the people I interacted with, yeah. Um, it's um the places I stayed, but most essentially has to be just the idea that I have to work hard, come to the city, and when I come to the city I have to make sure that I don't go back to the village. Yeah, wow. So that's yeah, that's what made me who I am, really. Well everything I've been through in my life. Hard work. Mm-hmm. Damn. How old is your hair? 12 years and some months, I guess.
SPEAKER_04Do they mean something to you? Okay, how how you just like oh you're just winging it? More than more of winging it to be fair.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, so I've had it for a lot of time, and people want to give it different meanings.
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01I mean, you know, for all these reasons. Um, some people um think my hair looks like Dadon Kimathe's. Dadon Kimati was one of our freedom fighters, so is someone that someone who has a very interesting story as well. And and he actually did have hair like mine. Um, yeah, something I actually have his tattoo here. This is this is Dadon Kimati. Can you see the hair?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I ooh, I do see it. Yeah, that's him. Okay, so I got this lady. You do have meaningful tattoos, huh?
SPEAKER_01Um don't be fooled, bro. That's not all memes.
SPEAKER_04At least you have one meaningful tattoo, like like because his body is full of means, bro. He has somebody shit and is all my thing.
SPEAKER_01I'm like Juxie, bro. Well, I'm not gonna take this body, so it's a coloring book for now.
SPEAKER_04Speaking of uh body and mind, and I wanna talk about spirituality. Do you feel like you're a spiritual person? It depends on how you define that in the sense of um how do you connect with the world or the earth or mother nature type.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I'd say something called the mysteries of the world. And how I describe the mysteries of the world is is that the things that we as human beings don't have answers to, yeah, and the things that we've never had answers to. So I I'm fully aware that that exists, and I definitely do think that there's other forces in play, but I don't fit within the definition or context of religion or organized spirituality in that sense where there's belief in something specific and there's a promise for eternity, or if you live your life in a certain way, then other things so I do I don't believe in I don't I don't fit within the context of organized religion. But I would like to believe that I'm very much aware that we are a very small part of this entire universe. Like we are such a small, tiny part, and the other forces that are in play that I don't know, um, I respect those and um aware that there has to be other forces that exist. We are such a small tiny fragment of everything else, but I don't have answers for that. But I'm also very content in the idea that no one definitely knows the actual truth. Yeah, and I don't think I'll be the first person to find out. So it doesn't bother me. I don't I don't see I don't sit around privately thinking about oh my god, so what if God is real or what if God is not real, or what do you think? Where did the world come from? Yeah, I know. I feel like or if God is there, so then who made God those things don't really bother me because no one has ever answered those questions. I don't think I'd be the first human being answered. It doesn't bother me.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I feel like I I had a guest one time who said like humans were so narcissistic, they feel like everything is centered around humans. And I was like, damn, that's an interesting prep perspective. Because that's true, man. Yeah, because humans always make themselves feel like they're the rulers of this world. We're not, yeah, we're definitely not, and um I'm just I'm just sometimes I'm blown away by the people I have conversations with and how they think about these things, and I'm like, okay. And I feel like I've I've grown to have an open mind. Because I I grew up in a Christian household, and you know, you told what to do, you do what they people want you to do just to fit in and everything. And uh for the longest time, and I it it didn't feel it didn't feel a hundred percent like original to me. It felt like I'm something I'm it's a forceful habit. Yeah now it's something I did as a kid, now I just do it as an adult.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, when did you start believing? So, first let me say this, and then I'll answer your question. Is that one I fully understand why um like religion and spirituality exist? Absolutely because even even us as Africans, we had rituals and things that you could define as spiritual in modern day definition of what spirituality is. So humanization has no the human human race has always had that, of course, and um I'm also very respectful of the fact that people believe in religion and they follow that, yeah. And I understand why religion fits and works in the wild the way it is, because bruh, it gives us order, order, hope. Yeah, um, I think also just the idea that when someone when someone believes that there's something bigger than themselves, yeah, then it makes sometimes life worth living. Because it's like if I give an example, bro. What are you gonna tell a mother who maybe just lost their kid who's like two years old? Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah, but then if they believe in religion and the if they can hide around the idea that this is God's will, this is bigger than me, and you know, and God is in control, and so gives them yeah, sense of peace. It gives them a sense of peace and gives them a reason to keep living. If you took that away, yeah, I don't know what happens to the human race. So I'm very respectful and aware of that.
SPEAKER_04And and I feel like that's why I sometimes I tend to appreciate religion because of that. It gives a sense of peace, of a peace of mind to some people who are needed, some people really need to believe in something.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And people would ask me then if you don't believe in that, then like what who do you look up to when things are not right? And I'm like, nothing. I just look in inwards. Yes, and they're like, What? What do you mean we just look inward? But I understand not everyone is going to have that frame of mind where they can just be with themselves and believe that this is it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I take a lot. I even tell people sometimes when I'm going through a tough time, I like I try to not depend on something but myself. Because I can only control what I do, and I can control what I think and what what I want to do to solve something. Because I they always tell me that oh, when type when times are tough, you pray to ask for answers. And I'm like, okay, that works for you, but what works for me is just trying to figure it out, meditating, just like just trying to figure it out on my own, not to depend on something else.
SPEAKER_01So you take more of a logical approach as opposed to a belief system. I feel so, so yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, recently I've been feeling like that. Yeah, and and I'm not saying that believing or not believing. I right now I'm actually in a limbo where I'm not sure if I believe or not, yeah, or where I'm a more of a logical thinker or not. But I know what I'm doing right now works, and I'm just doing it. I don't want to overthink it right now. You know, so it's I've actually when I ever since I decided that made that decision, I felt really peaceful inside. I felt like there's nothing I know like you know how when you have like that guilt in your heart, I don't have that anymore ever since I made that. Because remember, I I remember when I was a kid, if I didn't go to church, I'd feel so guilty. I feel like, oh my god, I'm sinning. Yeah, oh my god. But ever since I made a decision to just live my life, I was like, it's more peaceful.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Okay. I think for me, because I was born in let me say largely Catholic family. Oh yeah. But then my parents were not really keen on practicing. Yeah, I could maybe count on both hands how many times I ever saw them even go to church. So growing up, the church, church was there, and I did go to church as a kid, especially when my grandma was around, because my grandma's always like you know, grandma, we had to go to church. Absolutely, yeah. But even my grandma lived such a balanced life, you know. Like I'd see my grandma leave church and go to the club immediately. Go get drunk.
SPEAKER_04You saw your grandma go to the club?
SPEAKER_01I mean, so village you can't really call them clubs, but just go call bars, okay. You know, but yeah, but yeah, but that was normal. Okay, yeah, and she'd even sometimes just bring a drink home. It was normal. Before my grandma died, I'd pick her from school and would go drink, bro. It was normal. We'd go sit, eat, drink. So already I just came from it, it was loose. Like, okay, do it if you want, go to church when you want. It was not compulsory. Then I stayed with my cousins for some time, and then them they were born-again Christians, yeah. Those who have to meet in the living room, pray, sit worship and pray before they go to bed. Um, there's days when it was compulsory to fast and pray, such things. So I came from my immediate family that didn't care about all this religious and whatever family. Um, now people who are very staunch in their religion, they pray all the time. Yeah, they go for youth workshops, they go to church all the time, and all those things. Um, on 31st, what you do is you pray and fast into the new year, you know, such things. Yeah, and so I was exposed. So I've been exposed to all that, but I think now me getting into high school is when um I'd say actively. I was thinking about it even earlier, but I wasn't actively thinking about it. I think I was also pretty young. But now high school is when I was I just began to also just go on my own journey and question things, read as much literature as I could, understand um the history and Christianity and all that, such things, and then you know that's sort of formed the person that I am today in terms of what I believe.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and when did you realize like podcasting is it? Like this is my thing now.
SPEAKER_01Hmm, let me see. So I joined uni, and at that time I still I'm thinking I'll so my initial dream was to do aeronautical engineering that didn't work out, and then I was like, okay, maybe I'll do flying, that didn't work out, and then I settled for engineering telecommunications, so I ended up in uni for that. Um, I joined, and then in uni, I'm like, okay, what else? What I'm I'm trying to look around and see the other cool things or things that I'd be interested in to do. Uh then I did salsa for a few months. Genuinely, the salsa salsa thing is just because there was such pretty babes who at sea. Yeah, I'm like, I was just like, where do these babes come from? I think it was like every Wednesday. And then when one Wednesday, I'm like, nah, I'm gonna check where these babes come from. And then I realized they there was a salsa class. I'm like, sign me up, bro. So I signed up for salsa, did that for a few months, and then I was like, ah, now I know these babes. I wasn't really interested in this salsa. So then around that time, my friend challenged me uh to audition for TV. Oh, yeah, um, a station called Standard Media Group or KTN here had auditions for they were looking for presenter. So um my friends from high school actually challenged me, and I was like, huh, nah. But then he kept insisting. His name is Oscar. Oscar, you see Dr. Um, yeah. I saw him. I saw him when did I see Oscar, man? I saw Oscar beginning of this year almost. Yeah, yeah. That's the last time I saw him. But we we we speak, not not regularly, but we speak. Yeah, we're in touch basically. Uh so he insisted, and then I was like, you know, one of those, uh, maybe this nigga actually sees something. So I did the auditions, uh, auditions. I mean, first time I've ever auditioned or even thought of being in the media. I don't think I even understood how it works. I was just a fan from the outside. Um then I went through the first round. I think I I got to the top 40, yeah, top 40. And there's thousands of people auditioning. Oh then now that's when I remember going back home. I'm like, oh shit, maybe there's something in here. I remember what the judge told me, like, there's something in you, I don't know what it is. It could be shared, but there's something. And that message stuck with me. So some of the guys I met there were also from other universities. There was other university students. I remember one one of the one of this the guys from USIU um university was a DJ, telling me, like, oh shit, if you're in KU you guys have a radio, uh radio station. Because they were they were telling me about their radio station in USIU. So all of them were already presenters in their that's the university, right? Yeah. Okay. And uh so that group were already presenters. So they came together as presenters and they went to audition. So they're telling me about uh station in school. I'm like, damn. I never had, I never even knew our uni had a radio station. So that seat was planted there. I went back to school, looked for the radio, found the radio station. Literally, the day I went, they had a notice for auditions. They're auditioning a set of new presenters. I mean, because people clear school leave, yeah. So every now and again they do have auditions. I was like, okay, perfect. I saw the dates and the location. I went, did auditions, got into radio, and um yeah, so then I think that's now where everything begins. So we got into radio. Uh, I'd say there was a guy called Amos, there's a guy called Victor, and when we joined, most of the shows were taken anyway. But um, there's guys who were leaving. So around April, the students who finished went home for long holiday, and there were open shows. So we guys stayed back in school instead of going on holiday. We took up those slots. Yeah, it was like a community station. And at the time we realized that the station is there, people can tune in, but no one was tuning in. Like students weren't really keen. Yeah, so we decided to do a brainstorm session and think of how do we get students to start tuning in because if it doesn't make sense speaking to yourself.
SPEAKER_04Social media wasn't a thing back then, huh?
SPEAKER_01Not back. No, no, it was, but not as much as now for sure. You know, I mean TikTok wasn't there where you could clip yourself. Um, IG was largely for pictures, you know. So, in terms of format, unless you went the YouTube route, which wasn't big here. Yeah, so we we decided we came up with a plan. We were like, okay, students love celebrities. If we can find celebrities to interview, then we can find students tune in. So that's even how I met Tafari because um I locked in my first celebrity, and then I was like, oh shit. So I need to make a poster, and then if I make a poster, I can share it in all the school WhatsApp groups that I'm in. I could ask my friends to share in all the groups, whether it's school groups, whether it's um clubs, because there's people have different groups in school for different reasons. So, and then someone put me in touch with Tafari. That's how I met Tafari. And then Tafari made my first poster, and then that poster we shared uh was for an artist called Nonini, who's actually on my first episode of In Conversation when I got back the other day. That guy, yeah, he's a legend. So Nonini agreed to come on the show. I made a post of Nonini, I posted it everywhere, bro. That day, the phone could not stop ringing on radio. So our plan worked. Get celebrities, students love celebrities, make sure you make a nice poster and spread it everywhere, post it everywhere, ask your friends to share it everywhere. And I was doing the drive, so already from 4 p.m. a lot of students are finishing class. So I had that advantage that I was doing a show in the evening where students are done with class and they can tune in. Um, yeah, so I did that by October. I I got so bored. I felt I I think I think because I hadn't thought about doing radio, I went in with just one plan. Yeah, this plan to just host celebrities because it was working, but October was so done and tired of the same, same, same thing, and I decided I wanted to leave, but I didn't have a plan. So at the time I remember Erosh. You know Erosh from Misfix, he's one of the guys in Misfix. No, no, I know so. Misfix has myself, Charisma, yeah, Poji, and Erosh. So Erosh is the other guy. You know Charisma, you know myself, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04I then Jesus told me about two of them are art musicians.
SPEAKER_01Yes, so Charisma is a musician, and Erosh is the other musician. So Erosh was beginning his music career at that time, uh, and he was also on KU Radio. I found him on radio, but he was also one of those who are leaving. Um, so Erosh and I just kicked it. Initially, he didn't even like me when I joined radio. Because it was like, hey, this new kid was so loud, he's all over the place. I was just trying to find my space, bro. Um, but then I think there was respect because you can just tell I was passionate about whatever this new thing I decided liking was. Yeah, and um, so we started kicking it with Erosh. Um, I remember the first song he ever recorded, Cold Weather. He said sent it to me and was like, play it on your show. Remember, we premiered it on the show before it ever dropped anywhere, and we had such a good time. So we just started becoming like you know, homies. So when I decided to leave, I decided uh learning about what podcasting is. This is like 2015, that's how far ago that was. Yeah, so at this time, SoundCloud was actually quite big. That's yeah. Soundcloud was I don't know whether SoundCloud was big in Tanzania, but it was yeah, so think about that time when SoundCloud was was cool to be on SoundCloud, you know. Yeah, yeah. So I spoke to Erosh. I was like, bruh, uh, I think I want to leave radio, but I'd like to do something like radio-ish where we can record ourselves and then we upload on SoundCloud. We were not even thinking YouTube because this was going, this was just audio. YouTube was very far fetched for us. We were like, how do we even shoot? Yeah. So Erosh tells me, um, I have this roommate of mine who's also like A producer and musician, I can speak to him. Maybe he can record us. So this guy is Motoria. Motoria is one of the big musicians in the country as well. So I ended up meeting Mutoria now through Erosh, and then Mutora ended up recording us. And he would record us on a keyboard and a floppy disk, I think, or something.
SPEAKER_04Floppy disk.
SPEAKER_01Floppy, not I think there was something like a either a flash disc or something, but it was a keyboard. Okay. Like, but we had like a good keyboard that could record. So we had one microphone and we'd sit across each each other, and then we just talk on that one microphone. So that's for real, bro. Yeah. So we started uploading on SoundCloud. We didn't even have a name. We ended up calling it just kidding. Just kidding podcasts. So that's me and Rosh. Then we do just kidding for some time. Then my uh a friend of mine called Billy by buys a camera, and I'm like, oh shit, so we can start shooting visuals for it. And then that's literally how the journey begins. Tafari also bought a camera. So you and Tafari have known each other over 10 years now. Yes. You know, yeah. He bought a camera. And then I was like, oh shit, okay. Now let me start buying gear. I saved up, bought microphones, bought the that's how I bought the Black Magics initially at that time. This is 2017 or something. There about everything now just started evolving from there, bro. Shit.
SPEAKER_04So just to give you guys context, Tefari is one of these right-hand men in the whole upside company, man.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's my guy guy.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Damn, bro.
SPEAKER_01I don't know. So your question is how we got into podcasts. Yeah, so that's how everything begins. Then we uh Erosh and I just kidding, just wasn't working. We had a lot of creative differences and whatnot. So I was like, okay, cool. Um, people started doing now in conversation, then packed that, did mic check, check, then now brought in back a roche to do misfix. Yeah, so even misfix is just crazy. I sat down and was like, I want to do a show, like, of course, inspired by side men heavily. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was like, I just want to do something like Sidemen. And I literally just thought about it, I was like, so who are the people that are my friends that I'd want on the show? Yeah, yeah. And then I put down Charisma's name, Poji, and Erosh. Erosh was definitely going to be there because uh I'd kill the podcast I was doing with him, so I didn't do something else in there for me. And I called them, I called the boys, and I called them to the house, literally. Uh, I think I did like a barbecue, called the boys, and all of them were down, and that's how Misfix was born. Beautiful, man.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so that's how I got into podding. Yeah, um, what is a decision you made that changed your career completely?
SPEAKER_01Um definitely I'd say leaving corporate to focus on doing content, yeah, absolutely. That was one. And the other thing for me is I know deep down, like I love what I do so much that I do anything, I do whatever it takes. But I'd spend to the last penny of my existence just to make sure that we have a mic check episode going up. Bro, so I think just the fact that I know it's clear in my mind um that I give it everything, including all the money I have, yeah. I know that for sure makes a big a big difference.
SPEAKER_04I feel like that's the only way to do it, man. You gotta be able to risk every fiber of your being. Bruh, there's no other way, bro. I feel like if the nah there is there isn't, bro.
SPEAKER_01Bro, I bro, it's like I literally put my life aside. Even when we started doing mic check. Yeah, you know how content goes, bro. Before we started making money, yeah, and and now for guys who we're f we're filming weekly, at the time when when uh I'd lost most of the gear I had, so hiring gear every week, hiring studio space every week. Yeah and you're not making money for like the first two years, but you just it's like I literally put my personal life, I packed my personal life, yeah, and every coin I was making was just coming back into this podcast. Yeah, and there's not a single day when I woke up and I was like, nah, yeah, nah, maybe maybe, maybe, maybe this this thing is not going to work. Maybe I should invest in land, maybe I should buy shares. There's things I could do with the money, bro. Yeah, you know, maybe maybe I should get a nice car, maybe I never. I just mean put the money back, bro.
SPEAKER_04A funny story, guys. Me and Chuck's his podcast, Mike Check and No Trolling both have the same birthday. We started the same year, so crazy, bro. Bro, I'm like, and here we are together, and we actually did celebrate together when I came down here this time around. Yeah, and it's actually but when I saw that post and my no troll was telling me, Yo, you guys and Mike Check have the same birthday.
unknownI was like, What?
SPEAKER_01It's so incredible, bro. It's so quiet you bro. I'm telling you, that's bro. That's all I was like, vibes don't lie, bro. You know, I think when for me, when I have my gut feeling feels right, yeah. That's even asked me how how it was just easy to connect with them. I'm just like, it was easy for my gut feeling, and I have a very strong gut feeling, and it just felt light. I was like, bruh, this is so me. Like I could see I could see myself in a journey. That's it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Um what has success in the podcast taught you so far?
SPEAKER_01Bruh. We've uh genuinely we've we we have had quite some success to be very fair. Yeah, um, I think our biggest success is in the community that we've built. I think we've been able to intentionally build a very strong community. I think what it's shown me is that there is more to this, bro. You know, absolutely now the show has gotten to a point where it's bigger than all of us. Yeah, that's what Maya said. It's oh that's what she said. Yeah, it's bigger than all of us. So um it it it to me it feels like this show is playing a very significant role in this culture currently. And bro, I meet you know, I meet someone like you know, uh and you know, there's people that I have so much respect for in my life, someone like Bienn, Shinski. That I have so much respect for them, and there's a way they'll tell me stuff and I'm like, damn. And they'll be like, listen, man, you guys are the most essential part of our culture now. It doesn't feel like a heavy and the thing is I don't look at that and I'm like, shit, that's such a heavy responsibility. Nah, yeah. I just look at that and I'm like, oh damn, we whatever we've built is has resonated with people to that level. Yeah, and we've built a brand that people trust to that level. So for me, it's just a brand that I can't mess around with. I'm like, I take it so seriously. It's a fucking job. Yeah, it's a job. That's what I was telling you that, bro. Even if I have a a shoot, I'm not I can't even go out, bro. Yeah, unless I really have to. You know what I mean? So I take it seriously, I treat it as a as a job. If I need to be in studio by nine, I'm in studio by nine. Like I I know for sure this is bigger than we intended it to be. Yeah, and I can only imagine where else it's gonna go. So if there's one thing I've you know I've learned from the success we've had is that if you're still open and willing to keep finding, the answers will come to you. Just stay open and give it your best. So I'll give it my best shot and leave it to the universe to do the rest.
SPEAKER_04And uh upside, I wanna see where did that originate from originally upside.
SPEAKER_01So upside it it's upside digital networks in full. Okay, and it's literally a digital media house. That's the goal. So when I when um when I tell you that my goal is to work on new content every day, it's because it's for upside. It's like okay, if it's a digital media house, then I need a show going up at least one show every day, and you can build into even having multiple shows every day and different hosts, even host just like the one in South Africa is called Podcast and Chillers.
SPEAKER_04They have like a whole network, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, podcast and chill with MacG is a whole network, yeah. So them their focus is podcasts, yeah. And now how many do they have? I feel like they have six podcasts on that platform now. Last they checked, even more, probably. No, I think they have six or five. Um, so MacGee's, you know, his decided focus on podcasting, which you know, which which I believe is um, I mean, bro, podcasting is what is shaping culture now, you know. So so for me it's more than podcasting, you know. Currently, of course, fronting my shows and my ideas because it's easier working like that, yeah. But you know, as soon as there's money, good money coming in. The hope is we can commission other people to also bring in new ideas and perspectives on on the platform. But the goal is to have a new show on that platform every day. Beautiful. So it's a digital media house. Just look at it as MTV or something else, but that sits on YouTube.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, speaking of MTV, I just remembered the complex. I want to come back. I congratulate everybody. I found good complex, yeah. I I I congratulate everybody who came here once, Mariah, and now you, bro. Congratulations on complex. How did you feel when that happened, bro? Oh no, complex being posted on complex. Oh no, posted on complex.
SPEAKER_01You forgot, bro! I forgot I spoke. The thing is, so much happened sometimes. Yeah, bro. We were on complex, I think we're on rolling loud as well. Wow, the thing is, I remember waking up and I'm like, what? Complex, it's so strange. I promise you, it's so strange, bro. I forgot about it. It's so strange because we had we had Casey, who's um he he's of Kenyan origin, but he's a rapper, he's based in the States now.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And um, he was. I think what was posted was when he was discussing about Rihanna's new album. Um that who knows whether we'll actually get the album. But I mean, she posted herself in the studio the other day, yeah. And uh, he was just talking about his relationship with uh Esaproki as well, all the work he's done with Kanye and all that, and then that became interesting to American bro. I'll tell you this, bro. Content, everyone's okay. Let me not say everyone, but a lot of people who want to do commercially well in content, yeah, their goal is to get to the American audience. The American audience is genuinely the biggest one, the biggest, yeah, to be fair, content-wise, you know what I mean. So if you can get, and especially for us who come from Africa, where we make such uh silly money from the platforms, yeah, bro. The same number of views you get with a creator in the States, they could live off YouTube. Yes, us, bro. We make such shit money, right? Yeah, yeah. Now, if you had Americans tuning into a podcast, your revenue triples tenfold. Yeah, so think about that. So that's a big audience, and it is, and um, it was exciting, it just shows you the power of digital media, and that's the reason why I love YouTube so much is because when you post your stuff on YouTube, it could literally it has the potential to reach any single person in this world, yeah, especially with dubbing now. Yeah, so even for us, and I I have this converse with Mariah and Mars all the time. I'm like, if we can find a way to switch our content to 100% English, yeah, it makes it easier.
SPEAKER_04Mariah said that Mariah was like, Chaxi called me like this is why we should make this show full English, you know. Tell them all the time, bro.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I remember I was in I was at I was in Kampala the other day for a tanya show, and the number of checkmates I met in Kampala, so many checkmates, bro. And the same same feedback, they're like, Man, this episode we just we're struggling to exactly get saying, and I'm like, bruh, I don't know, man. Maybe maybe I need I need a gun to the heads of Mariah and Moass. Literally, someone with a shotgun, you know where where the cameras are, yeah. Yeah, one one Swahili we had a shot in the head. Because the thing is, Kenyans understand English anyway, so we are not losing any audience, yeah. But then it gives us the power to build and get into new markets.
SPEAKER_04Moas told me that um it it's it it could be possible if it's just the three of you, but what if you got a guest who has a Sheng origin?
SPEAKER_01That's I mean that's fine then, because I mean I know there's guests who come on that we have to speak in Shen, which is fine, but then if then let's begin with the one we have control over our Wednesday episode. Yeah, make it full English, grow that.
SPEAKER_04Okay, makes sense. Yeah, you begin somewhere, bro. Okay, how did you end uh end up building that powerful team that you have right now, bro? Because I admire that team a lot, man. Thank you. Not gonna lie. Yeah, I've I think I've told you this off camera, bro. Like I've told you many times that damn bro, I like how your team is so dedicated to making your vision happen. So, how did that come about?
SPEAKER_01Um definitely, I'll be honest with you, bro, being intentional. I've and I've I've I've um you know I've part part I've part ways with team members before, you know. Um and then I think when especially when that happened initially last year, I was like, you know, now I have to I have to because I'd sort of relegated that role and then things happened and I was like, shit. Now especially when it comes to teams, that is not something I want to relegate now anymore. So my approach has always been simple. Anyone can learn how to edit if they're interested. Okay, it's a skill. You don't need you this is not one of those things that you say that you're talented in editing. Anyone can learn how to edit, and if you want, if you're really interested, you can become one of the best editors. Absolutely. Because everything is available on the internet, right? So my approach has always been I look for the right profile. Like I I look for the right personality. Okay, and then I work backwards. So I don't mind uh spending months training someone, yeah. Which which has been most has been the case for most of the times. Yeah. But then I'm like, if I get the right personality, who's gonna jelly with the team, who's going to be driven, who's going to um exactly see the vision that I'm driving, um, then we can work on, we can work backwards. So I went for personalities straight up.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_01And then I was like, oh shit. I I like you as a person. Yeah, um, you're an honest person, you keep time. For me, it's those small things. Yeah. I'm like, okay, cool. And you're interested in editing, okay. Let's get you all the resources you need and make sure that you get your, you know, you get yourself up to speed. So my approach has been like that. I look for the personalities and then we turn it.
SPEAKER_04Okay, okay. Yeah. What do you think is a mistake creators make when turning their content into business?
SPEAKER_01Um, damn. I don't think there's one. There's there could definitely be more, but maybe what what comes top of mind for me is um when now it when when when now the business side kicks in, and then you move away from the reason why people liked you. Okay. Um, maybe uh examples would be let me see. So for for instance, say um say people like say say people started to know you because you're posting reaction videos, okay. And then that's really how people like you. Maybe it's how you react to stuff, it's the commentary you give. So soon as you as soon as you start becoming popular and start makes making making business sense, uh, say you want a pivot doing other things, maybe you also want to start your own pod and whatever. That's nice, but I feel like you should never leave doing what initially made you exactly. So, and I think also that's the same thing that happened to like Elsa, you know Elsa Majimbo, right? Yes, yes, yes. I was like, damn. She's back to it now. She is, but how many years has it been? You know what I mean? So I'm like, okay, do everything else, but then just keep posting those videos, eating your chips and making us laugh. Because that's how that's how you blew up. So I think for me is when the business comes in, just always remember how people know you and do it. So if people knew me for podding, yeah, as much as I'm doing Misfix, so it's like saying if Misfix becomes globally successful tomorrow, because that that show has so much potential. Yeah, absolutely. I see it. Yeah, I'm I'm not now going to stop podding, and because Misfix is doing well, I'm still gonna pod for the guys who love me for podding because that that's how I entered into the game. So yeah, yeah, I think the primary thing that people like you for, yeah, and how you build an audience to the point where you're able to talk business now should always remain. Uh I want to talk about the live shows, man.
SPEAKER_04Like I've always been impressed by that.
SPEAKER_01Checkmates hang out, you know.
SPEAKER_04I mean, that's coming up as well. And I want to know your the initial first feeling you had when you walked. I feel like on the second show, Mara told me the first one was just a little bit of people, but on the the second show was even crazier. And he she told she said you were celebrating 10k. Yeah, how was that? How did you feel being on stage and seeing all these people came to just see you there?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, surreal, bro. Um, surreal, but also for me, I'd say mostly happy. Yeah, because it's it's validating, it shows you that the product is working. Yeah, if people are willing to invest their money and time, then it shows you that the product is working. So announcing an event, preparing and hoping guys will because it's not a free event. They're ticketed. So when someone says I'll buy a ticket, um, I'll block a holiday, which means I'll come there, buy drinks, buy food, hang out. But most essentially, I'm mainly here to just see you guys talk. Like I just want to see you guys do what you do in studio, but in person, it's so crazy. I I still don't get it up to date. The fact that the fact that people paid come just literally listen to us speak, and that's why it for us was important to also start pivoting and offer more than just that. Yeah, so that when someone comes in, is okay. So this is how our our our concept works. During the day, the whole afternoon into evening is just pod stuff. Background music, we have a bunch of games. Let we were just on checkmates to come meet each other, play games, get a drink, get food, you know, um, maybe shop around from the vendors who are selling with the day. So it's just a day for community for guys to talk, meet, and and just have fun. Then we get on stage in the evening. It's a whole day thing. Normally we open gates like at 12.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01Then we guys get on stage like at 4:30 or 5.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01So that whole time, and bro, checkmates are so crazy. Let me tell you, bro, on the hangouts, if you say gets open at 12, just know 10, 11, there's a queue already. That's just how it works. I don't get it, bro.
SPEAKER_04And queue is a lineup for them, guys. Q means l lining up.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, like they're already lined up on ticketing, they need to get in. Yeah, um, and I I say this all the time. You walk into the hangouts during the day, and you may think it's a group of friends, you may think it's a class. But then it's just strangers who just met, bro. But all of them come in and they feel like, oh shit, it's our day, it's just a day for checkmates. So anyone I'm gonna meet there is a checkmate. So we can be good, and so we can talk about things we like on the show, we can discuss episodes, we can discuss guests, we can discuss. So you go in and you actually think these are people who've known each other, they literally just met. Wow. Because they're all there for just one reason. And this day is not, you know, you know, the difference between our our live shows and maybe say a concert. If I put up a concert with them, an artist, say I booked Alikiba today and I did a concert. I don't know what I'm expecting. Okay, they'll come because they are for sure they're here for the for the entertainment and everything, but they are here from different walks of life. Yeah, maybe some of them don't even connect at at maybe outside this event, there's nothing else that ties them together. Yeah, so that's the difference between other shows and our show. Our show is literally our fans strictly. Because when we advertise, we advertise for our fans, yeah. So we don't we don't have anyone there who doesn't know why they're there. I think that makes it quite unique, yeah. And then nowadays we're like, okay, so you've done all that, we do now after parties, that's why we have performances and everything else, so that it becomes a full-on thing. Yeah, and you know, the feedback is the same, they feel like we're not on stage enough. So we're saying from Eldorett this year on the live shows, we're gonna give you a good three hours of us on stage.
SPEAKER_04And you guys toured around Kenya, bro. Yes, sir. How was that?
SPEAKER_01Surreal.
SPEAKER_04Okay, you guys had the whole bus and everything?
SPEAKER_01Yes, we did. Ah shit, was also nice for the team because this is um, I think when we did our tour, was the first time where we had the whole team out of town at the same time for like five days. Wow, so it's also bonding for the team. Yeah, uh, I mean, the days before, of course, we go earlier because we want to make sure that the setup is done in time and all those things, but also this is a day for the guys we do activities if you're going on boat rides or whatever, it's just for the team to bond and then um now you know, do the show, come back to Nairobi. So those was those are so nice for the team, bro.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, man, I can tell like how much you guys were so into it. What what what was your favorite part like of the whole journey?
SPEAKER_01Genuinely, just seeing everything come to life because touring is also not easy, it's also not easy. Of course, of course, bro, the expenses, yeah. Because imagine so you have the whole team, and and we only had sponsors when we did our event in Nerubi. The rest of the other towns, nothing. So you have the whole team of ten or nine at the time, out of town for five days. Those guys have to be they have to eat every day, they have to be accommodated every day, whatever other fun things they have to do, those things cost money. Then now you go to the actual cost of the event, you have to get sound, you have to get a stage, you have to get everything costs money. So it's expensive, it's expensive, but it's worth it. Completely worth it. Yeah, it's completely building the brand. So for me, is the fact that we decided we want to do a tour and we did the tour for me that was satisfying. Very satisfying.
SPEAKER_04What's the difference between talking to that you guys talking on stage and in the studio? What's the difference?
SPEAKER_01The only The only difference is in the when you s when you speak in the studio, the all the all the reactions you get has to be in comments and DMs and likes and whatever. But then when you're speaking to a live audience, the feet the feedback is instant. They tell you what they want instantly. We always have audience mics, yeah. Anytime because I I my idea of a live show is the audience has to be involved, otherwise, then you just do it in studio. Yeah, so when we have a live audience, we always have like four or five mics in the audience, always at all times. So it's it's um I have something to say, and it's okay, you stand whatever you are contribute. So it's that. So we'll always start the show, do the show, get the vibe rolling, and then we bounce off now with the audience at some point. You know, sometimes we play games and stuff, so on stage and stuff. Yeah, we have, you know, we have we have we have some of them come up on stage as well. So have you ever done some crazy stuff on stage? Nah, we don't because we realized because you see initially, as much as we say our show is 18 plus, yeah, and that's actually our audience. 18 plus we went to Mumbasa and there were 16-year-olds. There's even a 16-year-old who was the who had who the mom had to bring. Because the mom was like, What is this thing you're going to? And but the mom was so cool. So we realized that damn man, the kids are tuning in. We've done, we've done, um, we've done two pod weeks in two high schools that we got invited to. Okay. And I'm like, high school. I didn't know I why are schoolers listening because we are so raw, you know how we keep it. We are so raw. Yeah. And we've not changed that, but then now we are more aware that we have such a young demographic, yeah. And it comes with a responsibility. So part of us is now there's even things when we started off. I was crazy as fuck on the call. Yeah, oh my goodness. I can imagine. I'm so tempted nowadays, bro. I got in, I'm like, nothing like very concerned about these kids. So, yeah, so we we don't do anything crazy just because we understand the beginning ends, and also we record all our live shows, so it's still going to end up on YouTube. Yeah, yeah. So that's why, but fuck them kids, man. If you are left our show alone, we'll be having so much fun. Do you see yourself having kids? Nah, I don't think so. Yeah, I don't think so. Marriage. Um, that either, bro. So, okay. Currently, I just don't have a reason as to why I should have kids. Okay. Maybe that could change in a few years. You know what I mean? So it's not like it's a complete had no, but I know if you ask me now, I'm it's it's it's still a no. Um, the whole marriage thing. Um, so I'm just not a fan of the traditional rite of passage. I think I want to have a partner for sure. Okay. I I think I want to have a partner for sure. Yeah, but I don't know if I want to do the whole marriage traditional. So if I could find someone who we could literally just agree on the things that we like and how we want our partnership to look like, that for me I'd be content. Uh, but you never know, bro. You know, this daughters of Jezebel, sometimes they come in and they confuse the fuck out of you.
SPEAKER_04So it's actually crazy how you was and Mariah have the same mindset on that.
SPEAKER_01No, Mariah is definitely getting married. Come on.
SPEAKER_04Mariah said she doesn't see it.
SPEAKER_01She lied to you then. That one I can tell you for a fact Mariah is getting married, and Mariah is getting married, Mariah is having kids, Mariah is starting a family. That I didn't know for she told you otherwise, Mariah lied. I can guarantee you. We are here, we'll see. Okay, Mariah is definitely getting married. I'm definitely, and I can't wait for Mariah's wedding. Please, please. Pila und your kiduchakunyima matu. Would you have a two in Chancellor? We wanna definitely, definitely. Yeah, I'll be honest with you, bro. Um, I think we're doing compeller this year. Um, just because there's promoters there who are interested to book us already, and this okay conversation going on, I'm never shared, make it makes it easier. Yeah, um my plan uh I should have come to that already.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I remember, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So um I know for for a fact I'm I wanna come this year, and uh I wanna come record a bunch of in conversation first. Yeah, also just meet a bunch of creatives, stab like like if you told me now Kampala is locked, like I feel like I know everyone there already, you know, and and also it was intentional. It took myself going there a couple of times, networking with the guys, meeting the guys, Joshua, whatever, you know, getting so I I haven't done that with Tanzania to be very honest. And so my first trip is even my first trip made just literally uh maybe I just come network, you know, meet meet the people that I need to meet, see the place, and then maybe now come back again doing conversation. I feel like it's easier to do that, yeah. And then now we work towards doing mic check. But I I see uh Tanzanian checkmates in the comments all the time.
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Actually, being told, like, I remember when I first uh came to Tanzania to Kenya, then I posted I was at the studio. Everybody's like, Whoa, you want mic check?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, people mic stuff, you're like, yeah, oh shit, yo checkmates in Tanzania. I'm like, yeah, I was like, shit, yo, meet Chuck tell Chuck see I love this podcast. I'm like, yeah, I got you, guys.
SPEAKER_04And I'm like, damn, it's actually beautiful to see, bro. So we'll do we have to do something, bro. Yeah, yeah, I'm definitely excited. So I want to play a game with you. Okay. So this game is uh is called my TZ side. So I want to do a Kenyan version. So basically, I just give you a statement to just to get to see if you have a TZ side or to see how cultural you are with your Kenyan side clashing with our TZ side. Okay, yeah. Let's go. What's one Kenyan food or or vibe that would dominate in TZ?
SPEAKER_01Hmm. So it has to be something that is Kenyan but is not big in Tanzania. Yes, it can't be something that we share. Like Pilau is in Tanzania as and also is in Kenya. Pilau is not in Kenya, it is. That's what I'm saying. So it has to be, it can't be that.
SPEAKER_04Because now Pilau is there and it's something that's not in Tanzania's. I'd say smotcha.
SPEAKER_01You can't have smoother. We don't. Oh my god, I feel like on business idea, bro.
SPEAKER_04Okay, actually, when I tried it for the first time, it was me, you, and Joshua. Joshua was like, Yo, try it, try, try it. I was like, Ah, man, like, I don't know.
SPEAKER_01We just left the club. Crazy. Look at us, responsible adults.
SPEAKER_04But I feel like because I've had Chapachi and sausage before, pause, but it's it was just I think it's a sauce. And the chumbari as well, it's the combination, it's the whole thing. It's just a different feeling, bro. Yeah, I really liked it. Okay, smother would work, bro. Okay, that business.
SPEAKER_01Not trolling smokers, not trolling smoke just sounds crazy.
SPEAKER_04All right. Um, if a TZ person came to Kenya for 24 hours, where would you take them first? The whole country or Nairobi specifically.
SPEAKER_01Nairobi. Let's say Nairobi. Okay, because the whole country is so broad, broad. If they came to Nairobi, a TZ person, do I know their interests or no?
SPEAKER_04Uh you you technically just know they're a tourist.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so if they came to Nairobi, hmm. Do you have game parks in Dar? Game parks. In Darisalam? How does it get national parks?
SPEAKER_04Uh we do, we do. In Darisalam, yeah. No, no, no, we don't. In Dar. In Tanzania we do though. No, uh Dar is too small to have that.
SPEAKER_01To have that, yeah. Okay. So I probably maybe the the national park, because you have a national park in Nairobi. Yeah, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_04When I have when I first came here and it was like the national park is in Nairobi, I was like, what?
SPEAKER_01In city, it's the only city in the world actually that has a national park. Exactly. Yeah, so that's very impressive, bro. For a tourist, that would be something they could do. Because I'm thinking the other things are maybe things that are already there. Because even if I said nightlife, okay, you'll experience Nairobi nightlife, but there's nightlife in that, anyways. Anyways, it's also it's just a club, yeah, just different. Maybe we do a few things differently, but generally it's the same thing, you know. Yeah, food wise, I think Namachwama is also in there, you know, it's yeah, it's similar. Um, uh, what else is uniquely Nairobi? Um, maybe what I'd say is the art centers in Nairobi. Factual, bro.
SPEAKER_04I'm telling you, even when I pulled up with Vintage Space the last time, you know Vintage Space? Yes, uh, you introduced me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, I did. We were so blown away with the creative scene in Nairobi, bro. What was that? We fell in love with Kenya immediately.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and there's so many of those habits everywhere. So yeah, if someone, especially if you're interested in ads, a little bit blow your mind away.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so I feel like that. Okay, that's something we should introduce in Tanzania. Yeah, that's uh you already answered the question.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, there we go. So for two out of two of them.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, come on, come on, come on. Um, what's one TZ habit Kenyans would roast immediately?
SPEAKER_01Would roast immediately, yeah. Um, yeah, uh, we just think you guys are too humble and too polite. You know, Shikamo's shouldn't say Shikamo. But okay, we just we know for a fact you guys are too polite, okay, and we roast about that all the time. That's why even when you guys had mandamano protest the other day, we're like, uh, they can protest, it's humble, you know, you know, and there's there's a thing when when you see like um like a cute baby, and you're like you know, I think that's how we look at Tanzania. We think you're too polite, too humble, you know. So that will roast immediately, and we drop that every day, anyways. So I'm proud of the guys who the guys went to the streets when I come to the buy rounds of shots on me. Trying to find all of them. Where are we going? Elements? Oh my god, he's trying to get me in trouble. No, I know you didn't say anything, but the opinions expressed on this podcast belong to the guest.
SPEAKER_04Wow, okay. One last question. If a person moved from if a person from TZ moved to Kenya today, what would something that would humble them?
SPEAKER_01Uh-huh. Okay, okay. I'd say definitely the way we speak. Because you'd assume it's Swahili, but as soon as I begin, soon as I land on the second word, you completely won't get it. So our shen is if you understand Swahili, you may hear the first one second word, and then you are like, What the fuck is he even saying? So I know that language would be a big problem for sure. Um, what else would shock them? No, humble them. You said humble them. I think I think language would be one, but I think also it would be just how fast this city is. Everyone is on the move all the time. Like, I've noticed that, yeah. If you went to like CBD, you'd be like, Why are they matching to? Like, what is going on? I saw that it's it's very fast-paced. Yeah, I think that would be yeah, T is quite laid back. Yeah, I mean that we are this all this side, all the places in Tanzania I've been. I'm like, hey, what do you mean a Russia speed limit 40? So should I walk? Because I I I could walk faster than 40 kilometers per hour. So I think this city is quite fast-paced, and things happen so quickly.
SPEAKER_03Hey gang, don't go anywhere just yet. We still got more of the Note Crawling podcast coming up.
SPEAKER_04We're back from the short break. Okay, uh, so guys, we're back from the short break. And if you've made it this far, I appreciate you. And hopefully, you have subscribed. And make sure you subscribe. We tune into our audio platform as well. Tune into a Patreon as well. We just started a Patreon for all exclusive content behind the scenes in our show. You'll see get to see the guest earlier on. You get early uh earlier access to episodes that are dropping, audio and video. So it's gonna be a fun time over there. So it's a of course you pay to be in there to be a patron of the community. So if you're feeling a little bit bougie and you want to spend a bag on us, hey, who's gonna stop you? But yeah, um, uh, how you feeling, man? How you liking the vibe so far? Chill, bro.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, I think I'm a natural yapa, so I could talk for a whole day, bro. You know, that's the thing. I could talk for a whole day.
SPEAKER_04You know, one thing I just thought of, you know, how can how a good booty can connect men who don't even know each other, bro?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, man.
SPEAKER_04It's actually crazy. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oof, like a pretty girl, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Just a pretty girl, a booty, anything, bro.
SPEAKER_01Let me tell you, bro. You begin speaking to someone who was sat next to you for two hours and you didn't say a word to each other. If you are somewhere public, that's how crazy it is.
SPEAKER_04And and us men, we we never really ask each other's names until I don't know. Do you ask people his name when you like start talking to them?
SPEAKER_01Normally, yes. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Normally I'll introduce myself and then let's say you you started talking because of like you saw a pretty girl. Like, damn, that girl's fine. And then a conversation just started off from that. Are you gonna remember? Oh, what's your name, bro?
SPEAKER_01As maybe depending, yeah. So so if you if the conversation goes on, yeah, it'll be like, oh, by then my name is Jackson. Yeah, yeah. It depends. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If it dies off after the girl leaves, then probably not.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, then just dev.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Alright, so we have this last segment we're gonna do. It's called the no trolling uh questions. Basically, these are questions from the fans, questions from people, and uh questions I see online that are interesting, interesting to me. Okay, so we have a catchphrase, no trolling, don't sweat it. So before you respond to any question I ask you from now, you say don't sweat it. And I'll say no trolling. So I'll be like, yo, Chucky, what's your body count? No trolling. And you say don't sweat it. Zero. Mine is zero in it. Yeah, right. Okay, um, what's the hardest part about staying consistent in the country space? No trolling.
SPEAKER_01Don't sweat it, showing up every day.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. The point the drive of waking up and every day showing up.
SPEAKER_01Yes, I mean, I see a lot of pods that come and go. I think the only difference is people just don't realize it takes a lot of work, bro. You get married to this thing. Like I I my life revolves around being in Snowball every Tuesday, whether I'm planning a trip to Kampala or to Da or to wherever. So the fact that you have to move your life around that much and show up for yourself every day, bro. So I think it sounds easy, but that's the hardest. What do you think they should focus on to build that consistency? Consistency. I don't know, man. I don't know if it uh what I'm struggling with is if that is something that is someone you can teach someone. I don't think it's something you can teach someone. I think it's easier when it just comes from inside you. Yeah, the fire. You the fire, like you love it enough um to show up every day for it. So because you can encourage someone to be consistent. You can, you can you can encourage them. You you can you know send them self-help books, send them movies to watch, rappers to listen to. But I'm like the drive, bro. I think that drive is not something that you can easily teach someone unless they really want it so bad. I think if I think generally as human beings, if you want something badly, you show up for it.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely, yeah. Okay, you're right.
SPEAKER_01Maybe there's a way, I've just never figured how bad.
SPEAKER_04I feel like there's no cutscenes to this thing, bro. I feel like you just have to. I even told people like you just have to l really love what you do. Like, and a lot of people pursue content as a side gig. You can start like that, but that won't survive as long. At some point, you have to cut ties with whatever you were doing to pursue the content space because this is also a commitment that is uh requires a lot of dedication and passion. So I agree with you, man. What part of your personality, your career, forced you to grow in no trolling?
SPEAKER_01Don't sweat it. Uh would have I think it would have to be just how open-minded I am. Yeah, yeah, me too, man.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cause I used to be very like I didn't know what I was, you know. I used to just feel like I I knew a lot, but then you realize you just you just you just know a little bit of everything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, drop in the ocean, little um, I think also bro we speak to a wide range of people in in the line of what we do, and I I speak to people that I don't even agree with. Like, I don't agree with 50% of the things they stand for. And for me, I have to be open enough to be like, okay, if I think it's a discussion that is worth having, then I still have it. So it's pushed that side of me a lot, bro. Yeah, and in just how I perceive people, how I perceive um belief systems, how I perceive just how we do things differently. Like we are so similar, but we're so different. And just being able to have these conversations as you know, it helps me to know that I have to remain as open-minded as possible. Absolutely. Yeah, I I I have to be willing to change something I believed in for the last 20 years if it actually does make complete sense. Absolutely. And someone is able to explain it to me to a way that I'm like, oh shit, I just never see it. I've never I've I've never seen it that way. But what you're saying makes complete sense.
SPEAKER_04So I feel like yeah, having an open mind has definitely pushed me to do stuff I wasn't comfortable with in the beginning, and it has made me uh grow even more as a podcaster. You know, yeah, open mind is definitely something podcaster will teach you. Uh what keeps you grounded with when everything is moving so fast and I'll show that. Don't sweat it.
SPEAKER_01Uh is it don't sweat or not don't sweat it? Don't sweat it. That's what I've been saying correctly. Um would be just just who I genuinely am, you know. I think as not even I think as human beings, deep down you know who you are. Absolutely. Regardless of what character you play out there, regardless of what perception you want people to have of you, when you sit down with yourself, you know who you are.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So I know why I'm doing what I'm doing. And I'm doing it, I think I'm doing it for the right reasons. Um generally interested in what I'm doing, and um I don't have an arrog I'm not an arrogant person. I don't have arrogance in me. And I'm aware when my when my ego is speaking or when my ego kicks in. So sometimes I'm able to be like, you know. So I think just being self-aware of the person that I really am helped me to remain grounded because I realize I'm just you know, I'm just a player in a football team. And if I don't play well, I can't be replaced tomorrow. There's always a a better player. But at the end of the day, it's not about how I play, it's about how the team plays. If I if I played the best game of my life, but the rest of the team didn't play the same, we still lose that game. Yeah, absolutely. And if the rest of the team didn't bring their A game, if I brought my A game, it makes it you know, it pulls down the performance.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, um, you know, I'm just again, I'm just a team player, bro. Yeah, though it's it's a whole system. What is something you're still trying to figure out right now? Not sure. Don't swear it. Um just how how to make this ecosystem work, especially even financially. Let me not say how to make it work, I know how to make it work, it's just how to optimize. Okay. So, you know, for me it would be simple things like um just having full control of the production. I think for me to be able to get to my goals of working on so much material, I have to be in charge of the whole production. I need to have my own space. Um, at least now I have most of the gear, that helps. Then maybe the next thing would be getting on studio space that can work for Misfix and Mike Checker in conversation and whatnot. So that is something that you know I'm thinking about a lot, uh having full control of the entire ecosystem.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, that requires me to work to produce content if you were to speak to somebody who's trying to start like the life of a podcaster or just podcasting in general in Africa, what would you tell them to do differently? No trolling. Don't sweat it.
SPEAKER_01Um I think my like I'm not big on advice just because I I don't think there's one way of doing anything. Absolutely. And I could literally give you my entire blueprint and you could do it, do everything exactly the same way I did it, but it wouldn't guarantee the same results. So mostly what I do is I can I can share my journey. And hopefully, if you learn from it, there's things you can implement that could help you. Because I know for a fact there's no one way of doing this. But there's someone, there's someone who could start a pod today five episodes in and they're already blown up. Someone could say could need 10 years, you know. Like there's things that have worked for Mike Check that may never work for Not Rolling ever. You know, and vice versa. So the only thing I'd tell someone who's looking to start is be yourself every day a hundred percent because you can't change who you are. It's easy being yourself because you wake up as you every day. Yeah. And if this is something you genuinely want to do, give it your all. Like give it your all, then leave the rest of the universe. But most essentially, just be yourself. It works like that. It's easier like that. You can only fake for so long.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01True. But if you're yourself, you'll be yourself every day, bro.
SPEAKER_04Every day.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Be yourself. Give it your best. Yeah. Stay disciplined. Just do the obvious things. Be disciplined. Stay consistent. Push yourself. Even if you are feeling 50% today, give that 50%. You know, if you're feeling 100%, give the 100. But show up. Show up. Even if you are you're on 10% battery charge, don't do not show up. Okay. Show up with that 10% battery charge.
SPEAKER_04Um before I let you go, Chaxi. I want to know what is your dream?
SPEAKER_01Don't show that. Don't sort it. I'm living my dream, bro. Oh yeah. Yeah. I think I'm living my dream. And everything else that I'm working towards is just progression of the same thing. You know, you know, my dream is um definitely have um, you know, the biggest digital midhouse in the continent. Because I love this continent. And I know if I have the biggest digital midhouse in the continent, it's going to impact the rest of the world anyway. Absolutely. So everything I'm doing now is building towards that, you know. Now is my mic check here. Who knows? Maybe next day we'll commission mic check Tanzania. Who knows? You know, maybe the year after that we'll commission mic check South Africa or whatever. So, um, or find just different voices in different countries who can whose content can sit on the platform. I'm curious about what happens in Chad Republic. Yeah, what do you guys do there? You know, I'm sure there's good voices there, you know what I mean? So, my goal is to have a platform that is established enough that now we can really genuinely commission good work from the rest of the continent. That's my goal. Am I working towards am I living my goal, my dream? Of course I am. Beautiful. Yeah, I'm just I'm just in the position I need to be now. Yeah, and I'm working towards getting to the next phase and the next phase, and then you know we see where where that takes me. But it's not something that bothers me. Okay, yeah. What bothers me when when when I what keeps me up at night, if I was to put uh say that is to work on the best material at that moment. Um, yeah, so I'm never a guy who's worried about the future, bro, at all. No, I'm more concerned about now. Like now, I know I was recording with you. I'm like, shit, I have to give Sean the best of myself. After here, I'm going to edit, I have to work on the best edits possible. Then after that, I have whatever shoots I'm working on. So I just want to work on whatever I'm working on, give it my best, and then I let the universe take care of the rest. So I don't sit down stressed about, oh man, so next year, where should I be? What should I do? No. For me, it's natural progression. It's like when it's time to commission content from other people, I'll know. I'll be like, oh shit, now it makes sense for me to look at what's happening in Nigeria, who are the people that would be nice voices to have on the platform from there, and then it's sort of natural progression. Yeah, but it doesn't, I I never I never stress about the future at all. Damn, I don't have control over it, bro. True, I have control of what I'm doing now, so let me do my best now, and then the future will take care of itself.
SPEAKER_04I I I live by that right now. Yeah, like I feel like I'm the type of guy who lives by just focusing on the now recently because uh I don't have in I'm not in control of the future. I don't know where I'll do will go when I die. I don't know what I'll do next year. So I just focus on what I'm in control of right now.
SPEAKER_01You could wake up next year and you're you don't want to do no trolling anymore. You your life you are genuinely interested in doing something else. Damn. You hope it doesn't happen, but it's I could I it could, you never know.
SPEAKER_04You never know. That's why we don't think of it. It doesn't stress me, bro. Uh I feel like that's the best way to end the show, man. Like, I feel like uh people have definitely learned from you, man. Like, no trollers are definitely grateful to have to hear from you. Appreciate it, man. Thank you for having me. Yeah, man. This was episode 89, guys. Uh appreciate you, everybody. I appreciate everybody that's joined and tuned in to this, man. And uh, I'm just still thinking about what you say, bro. Okay, brother.
SPEAKER_01See you seeing that hey man, but yeah, any last words, man? Um, I think any last words just be kind and be nice to people, that's all. Appreciate that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but alright, gang, until next time. Peace. All right.
SPEAKER_03Hey gang, don't go anywhere just yet.