In the 8th episode we talk to DJ Skeme Richards aka the Nostalgia King. Skeme is a global DJ, cultural ambassador, foodie, and pop culture preserver from Philadelphia.
We chat about growing up in Philly, Blaxploitation films, the passion of collecting, the impact of black culture, the key to successful entrepreneurship, finding the best burgers and beers, and much more.
You can find Skeme at:
www.nostalgiaking.com/
www.instagram.com/skemerichards/
www.facebook.com/DJSkemeRichardsOfficial/
www.twitter.com/hotpeasandbutta
In the 8th episode we talk to DJ Skeme Richards aka the Nostalgia King. Skeme is a global DJ, cultural ambassador, foodie, and pop culture preserver from Philadelphia.
We chat about growing up in Philly, Blaxploitation films, the passion of collecting, the impact of black culture, the key to successful entrepreneurship, finding the best burgers and beers, and much more.
You can find Skeme at:
www.nostalgiaking.com/
www.instagram.com/skemerichards/
www.facebook.com/DJSkemeRichardsOfficial/
www.twitter.com/hotpeasandbutta
Welcome to Souls of hip hop, a podcast for hip hop heads that aims to bring inspiring people together to share their wisdom, passion, and unique stories.
Unknown Speaker :My name is candy, and I am Dj Razor Cut.
Unknown Speaker :And together we are Soulidarity - connecting souls organically.
Unknown Speaker :On today's show we welcome Skeme Richards aka the nostalgia King
Unknown Speaker :Skeme is a global DJ, cultural ambassador, foodie and pop culture preserver from Philadelphia.
Unknown Speaker :Welcome to the show. We really appreciate you taking the time.
Unknown Speaker :Of course, come on, it's candy. Come on, of course.
Unknown Speaker :Everybody says that and I get surprised.
Unknown Speaker :Come on, of course.
Unknown Speaker :We've known each other a long time. But I don't know if you have kids. I don't know if you're married.
Unknown Speaker :I'm married. No kids, but dogs.
Unknown Speaker :What kind of dogs?
Unknown Speaker :I have a Cordie and I have a lab beagle mix.
Unknown Speaker :Can you tell us how it was like growing up in Philly?
Unknown Speaker :Growing up in Philly, I guess you can say it was comparable to most like urban cities on the East Coast, in a sense, you know, a very blue collar city. You know, segregation was definitely still in effect, even though it's not really the south, you know, racism in the south is different than kind of like racism up north in the sense. But there was still that that sort of racism that was going on in Philly. The mayor at that time, very racist, very racist, you know, and actually, it's funny because they recently removed the statue of his that people have been wanting removed from city hall for years now. They just recently removed it. So this guy like he was definitely racist, but you know, it was for a kid coming up in the 70s. It was riding bikes, plan street games, you know, going to school making sure I got an education because my parents was definitely strict on getting an education. ban is affiliate is like the home of graph and the birthplace of graph, you know, I was always saying graffiti in the city, you know, all in the walls on the trains, and seen DJs like I start seeing DJs, late 70s. And you know, and that was my introduction going into hip hop, but Philly was just, it was just a raw city with a lot of energy. You know, a lot of creativity came out of Philly, a lot of record labels fill up international records. They're known for disco. Like they were the ones who put the soul and disco music. So you know, Philly was Philly was great. We had our gangs in New York had gangs we had you know, we had all that but as time went on, Philly really chilled out and like just kind of got calm, it still has this like rough size and rough edges, which I enjoy because honestly, it's that that made me who I am today. If I wasn't born in Philly, I wouldn't be who I am today.
Unknown Speaker :That was actually our second question like how it has shaped you as a person? You already answered number two.
Unknown Speaker :I'm thinking my like little Skeme - I feel like who you are still is exactly how you were when you were little. Is that true?
Unknown Speaker :That's what it is, like, you know, educated like, Saturday mornings is all about, you know, cereal, like most kids cereal, you know, cartoons. But then of course, we ride our bikes to the comic book store, or there was a drugstore that was right around the corner where you can get milkshakes, you can get your medicine, milkshakes, ice cream, sodas, and comic books all in one spot. So we would need to go to the drugstore to get comic books, we ride our bikes to the comic shop and get comic books, you know. And then as I got a little bit older, I would go to the kung fu theaters to go see kung fu flicks on Saturday afternoons, you know, so that's my childhood is exactly who I am to this very day. I still watch kung fu I still watch Godzilla movies. I still, you know, read comic books. I'm the kid, I'm a I'm a big kid. And I think I'll always be the big kid.
Unknown Speaker :I'm always fascinated by people that lived in one place, like their whole lives because my family was in the military. So we moved every year, sometimes twice a year. And so I love hearing stories of people living in a place and just growing with that place as well.
Unknown Speaker :Right? Well, I mean, the thing is, I guess, because it shapes you now would have minds like traveling around. I feel like people who travel even as adults, people who travel have a wider view of the world. And, you know, I didn't travel like that as a kid. But as an adult, I feel like I've made up for it. Being able to go to all these places in the world, you know, and DJ and, you know, eat great foods and meet great people. So, you know, I made up for it as an adult, but like, as a kid would have loved to have been like, Oh, I'm so and so or like, we went to Germany this weekend. Or, you know, like, I would have loved that. But yeah, definitely being in Philly, made me who I am. And that's why I had the attitude that I have about everything like it's diehard. I'm winning, I'm never losing, you know, it's like, I'm going to be better than you every time Philly is definitely prepared me for the world. For the good and the bad of the world, who is more
Unknown Speaker :like that your mom or your dad? Neither?
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, neither one of them are like that. Um, I feel like I got that. Well, my Oh gee, that taught me to DJ, he kind of instilled that in me because his motto is never idolize people, like people that do what you do. Don't idolize them. They're now your peers. Right? And so when I go on stage, it's always if I go on first, I'm going to make the audience not want to see who comes after. If I go on last, I'm going to make everybody forget who came before me. So that's always been my mentality. And he's really instilled in me when I was younger, he instilled that in me to be like, yo, you're the best at what you do. Never let anybody tell you different. I just had that hunger and that like, like, I'm proving this and I don't even have to say improvements just like I'm gonna go out I'm gonna shine and you're gonna see the difference between me and whoever else is on the stage that night. Who was that? Oh, gee. So his name is DJ groove. And he started DJing in 78. First of all, he was Will Smith first DJ fresh prints because my neighborhood that I live in is called Winfield it was you know, Will Smith lives around the corner from me school he D lived you know, under the bridge from me steady be lived across the bridge from you. So my my neighborhood was like the triangle with everybody. So you know, I grew up with will. And you know, my he was his first DJ and they used to have a group in like 85 called the hypnotic three and the hypnotic three was DJ roof. Will Smith, Fresh Prince, but his name was prince will rock back then. That's a little history for people like like the principal rock, Jamie fresh. And Jimmy john. So it was like they had a group called the hypnotic three. So, you know, he just he taught me he was like, the he was the guy. And Phil, you know, he knew all the breaks. He was just a dope DJ. So yeah, he schooled me and made me who I am the day. And he was also the first dude that gave me a drum machine, you know, showed me how to do production. And this is like 8687. You know, he showed me how to do everything. But the crazy part is we didn't meet on the hip hop side of things. I used to go cuz my first MC was one of his dancers. I would go to his house while they was like recording songs and doing shows of preparing for shows. And this is this is probably 86. And I'm in the basement, and you know, they working on music, and I'm looking around and I'm like, oh, man, this guy's got like comic books in the closet, right? Because he had a class and the door was open, just like shelves of comic books. And I'm like, Oh, you know, I'm looking at comics. And he's looking like who are you? You know, like, Who are you? So we started talking about comics. And it started talking about kung fu flicks. And he's like, yeah, okay, you're right, you know, so that I just started popping up at his crib, just like unannounced. And we just built a bond, a bond and he took me under his wing. It was like, Yo, I'm gonna show you how to really do this, you know, and I had already been DJing. But he was like, I'm gonna show you how to really do this. You know, and I feel like that's missing now. That like master Sensei, student thing. Like, that's, that's kind of missing. A lot of people are like, Yo, I taught a class I got students No, you just taught a class. You taught a class unless they're local, and you're teaching a class every day of the week or, you know, flying in someplace and teaching a class you don't have students you had you taught a class. So I feel like that's missing with somebody taking people under their wings and being like, you're you're now my protege. I'm passing my style, my knowledge to you. And you're carrying that on?
Unknown Speaker :What was your first memory of hearing music? What was playing in your parents house?
Unknown Speaker :for black households, So you know, music was very prominent in our house. So like, you know, I was hearing everything from funk, soul, gospel, jazz, you know, disco. So, you know, whether it was Stevie Wonder Aretha Franklin to Harold Melvin and the bluenotes Teddy pendergrast. You know, like, there was a wide variety of what was going on in my house. You know, in my grandparents house, there was a lot of jazz and a lot of gospel in my in my grandparents house. Music was it was just all around and even on the school bus going to like elementary school, the bus driver had an eight track player on the school bus. So, you know, at 567 I'm listening to Teddy pendergrast. I'm listening to all of the soul joints on a school bus. Yeah, musics just always been a part of my life. And just around me in general.
Unknown Speaker :It's so interesting to me. How every time I listen to any of your mixes, I feel like I'm getting a history lesson.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, well, that's the point. That is the point. You know, like, because a DJ is supposed to educate the listener, first and foremost as the DJs number one job is to educate the listener, you know, and take them on a journey. And that's something that you have to you know, you build up within time, like not like a lot of people start DJing a day and they think that DJ No, like, you're supposed to be able to take people on a journey, you know, and it's a history lesson and you just can't know all this music in one one week. You know, this is something that like I've been hearing as a kid travels, I'll go to whatever country and I could put onto something from another country, so I'm just trying to pass on what I do, you know, introducing them something great. That's important. That's like, for me touching people musically is the most amazing thing in the world.
Unknown Speaker :I appreciate artists like you that you could tell you your passion to archive and preserve this music that many people are sampling. Yeah, breaking up.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, right. I mean, for me, because that's what I'm here for. I'm a preserver of culture, like, and I feel like I've always been a preserver of culture, and you have to pass this culture down. You know, you have to pass culture in general, I don't care what culture is you have to pass it down. You know, good or bad. People have to know where something comes from, you know, hip hop came from the gangs like, yeah, that was a bad situation that turned into a good situation. But it really clicked into my head back in I think it was like maybe 2010. I was in Russia. And I was doing a funk and soul party. And this guy, Mr. choc, he was like the first funk soul DJ in Russia. So I'm doing his party. And I think this was the second time actually, I was in Russia. So I'm doing his party. And there's like, there's a bunch of American students there. I don't know if they were on like a high school trip, because they were they were definitely young. And there was two black kids. And then like, everybody else was like, different races, like, and the two black kids run to the DJ booth. And they're like, Yo, what are you doing here? And I was like, I'm DJ and like, you know, and even like, what kind of music is this? And I was like, What do you mean, what kind of music this is? And I was like, hold that thought. I was like, let me finish my set. I'm gonna come talk to you. So I finished my set. I go to talk to them. I'm like, Where are you from? And one kid was from Virginia. One kid was from Ohio. And I was like, those are the two biggest states that made the best funk and soul music. How do you not know your own music? So I start breaking things down to them. And letting them I think I was playing James Brown when they ran up to the DJ booth. And they didn't even know what James Brown was. And I was just like, what? So I broke it down to them. I was breaking history down to a black music down to them. We had a long good conversation and I think they were going to like Germany after that for a few days with the class. And but it made me realize we're not passing on culture at all, because you guys come from the two biggest states that made this music. What was your grandparents? Your great great grandparents listening to in the house? You know, your Oh, gee, didn't school you want anything? You know, we always had neighborhood Oh, geez. You know, that was just like, oh, that's the old dude. That's, that's always wiling out. But he's always listening to the best music. So that made me realize I need to pass on this culture, and do it correctly and make that my life's mission to always pass on culture.
Unknown Speaker :When? How did your parents describe what you do? You know,
Unknown Speaker :it's funny. It might have been like, 10 years ago, when they really realized like, Oh, this is what you do. You know, because like, I started DJing in 81. So me having turntables. It was like, Oh, yeah, you DJ, but also went to work every day. So they were just like, Oh, yeah, you DJ, I'm
Unknown Speaker :kind of worried. What kind of work did you do? So I mean,
Unknown Speaker :I've always kept a day job. First of all, I never wanted to be a professional DJ. I wanted to make records I want to produce. I'm not gonna send everyone to be a professional DJ. I never wanted to make hip hop a profession, because it was something that I just always did. You know, it wasn't I mean, it was special, but it wasn't special. It was like, Yo, this is what I do. This is what we do. You know, we do. It's like, kids that skateboard. This is what you do. Because they're BMX. Yeah, you would like to get signed by a skate team, you would like to get signed by a BMX team, but I'm gonna skate every day, regardless. So, you know, like, all through the 90s. I was, I was DJing. I was producing. And I was going to work. I used to work for a pharmaceutical company, and an early 2000s. I work for BMW. Like, you know, I kept the day job while traveling and DJing. So my parents just looked at us like, okay, you DJ, you know, I have two sisters. And they're just like, Yeah, he's DJing. And they were like, Oh, you play that this bar last night? Or you played at this club last night? Why didn't you tell us? I'm like, No, no, no, it's just what I do. They knew I was traveling, and DJing. But they didn't know the extent of what I was doing. Because it was just like, Oh, you know, he flies out on Thursday, he comes back home and goes to work on Monday, like, okay, and I think it might have been like, I don't know, like, 10 years ago, or something like that, where they was like, you're gonna wait for how long? And I think I was in Japan for like, a month. And they were like, Huh, you're in but like, and then they, I think they knew it was like kind of serious. And you know, and then like, my last day job, I quit my job, because I couldn't travel and work at the same time as much as I was traveling. And, you know, then they knew it was serious. Then it was like, oh, Oh, DJ, you know, so? Yeah, so they really, they knew, but they didn't really know because it was something that was always around and they just always saw me DJ. For me like when I started DJing. It wasn't as much as I want it to be a DJ, it was more I was just really into digging records and collecting records. You're such a adamant collector matches of records with all different kinds of things. Yeah, what is it that really sparked that passion of collecting for you, I didn't start out to be a collector. It just grew into a collection. Because as a kid, I just never threw anything. You know, most parents like they, when you get older, they give your toys to your little cousins or something like that. For me, it was like they never gave anything away. Because I wasn't having that, you know, it was like, nope, you can't give this away. And I've just kept everything to life to all these years, you know, so it just grew into a collection. And it's just something that's just embedded in me of who I am, you know, just having things because I notice how I feel young in general. But having things just keeps me on that level of like, man, I want to be a kid forever. I have bills, but I want to be a kid forever. And it just grew into a collection to the point where, you know, people people think I'm a collector, but it's like, No, I just like things. You know, it's almost like the Japanese, you know, how the Japanese have this affection for things. That's in a sense, what it is like, the Japanese have things, you know, whether it's Hello Kitty, or whether it's you know, whatever, they have things. And so, yeah, that's just what it is to me. And it just everything transports me back to a simpler time in life before you had bills. And all you had to worry about was playing with toys, riding your bike, watching TV, whatever.
Unknown Speaker :How do you keep things organized? Or someone that is collecting? How do they not become like hoarders?
Unknown Speaker :As a collector? I know the value of things, right? Because quarters are just like, I need newspapers, I need the newspapers. I know. I know. Everything has to have in the stylistic attachment to it. Right. So that's, that's my focus. Like, if I had it as a kid, I wanted as an adult, if I couldn't get it as a kid. And now I'm an adult, and I have money. I'm like, I didn't have that as a kid. I want that now, you know, so everything has to have a certain attachment or a certain like connection to what it is. I can't just buy random things, you know, and everything coincide. So it's like, you know, whether it's Star Wars action figures from the 1977 So yeah, I had my old as a kid and I still have some now but now that I have money I combined in the pack brand new and their investment pieces. You know, everything's everything's an investment even though I don't place value on things. Everything's an investment, the concentrated focus on things. It's like, I know what I have. I know the value of things. I know the importance of things. Yeah, a hoarder just basically has it. Don't know why they have it. And just, you know, I just need newspapers. I need newspapers. I you know, so for me, it's like it's a concentrated focus on what it is.
Unknown Speaker :Right? There's an intention to each piece that you decide to keep and exactly what that means to you.
Unknown Speaker :Exactly. At some point is your goal to have a scheme Richards museum?
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, well, it's funny because I've actually been trying to do like curated shows of certain things like I've done different gallery events with my like poster collection, my blaxploitation and kung fu poster collection. So I've done gallery events, but it's, for me, it's like, if I'm going to showcase and do things, I have to do it, right. You know, I can't just be like, Hey, everybody come over and look, no, like, has to be done. Right? Because the presentation has to be there. So yeah, the goal is to try to do gallery events, or, you know, different spaces where it's like, okay, a certain theme, I'm showcasing this today or that tomorrow. It's funny, because a couple people I know wanted to do certain things. Um, john Jay from our 16. This was years ago, he wanted to do a whole gallery display of boys bedrooms, as kids and it would be like, if you collected Supreme, and your bedroom was just like all supreme stuff, he wanted to do different rooms of like, this is so and so's bedroom. And it'd be just like all supreme or like, this person collects this, and it'll be all so and so or the, you know, so. And it was like an astonishing thing. Because, you know, as kids we have, like, our favorite poster on the wall we had, so he wanted to do certain things like that, where it's just bedrooms, and it's just like your bedroom as a kid you collected this had everything on display. So it's about doing it and like getting a little funding to help do it. Eventually, I'll pull it off and do something, you know.
Unknown Speaker :Can you explain a bit further what blaxploitation is?
Unknown Speaker :Yes, so blaxploitation is a genre of film that started in the early 70s. And basically, it was Hollywood, giving black actors and black directors. chance, in a sense, right? The term necessary that wasn't necessarily called blaxploitation because the term blaxploitation stems off of exploitation films, which means they're exploiting a subject matter. So there would be like horror films that were like exploitation films or the blaxploitation thing just before it should just be called Black films. But they had to label it as something so it became blaxploitation films. And like I said, it was just basically Hollywood's way of giving black actors and actresses and directors, a spotlight and during this time in the 70s, hollywood was going downhill. So it was these black films that revitalize Hollywood in the movie theaters. So Pam Greer came out of the blaxploitation era. When you hear James Brown's black Caesar soundtrack that movie is a blaxploitation movie starring Jim Brown and Jim Brown is the legendary Hall of Fame NFL player from the Cleveland Browns, black belt Jones, the song black Butch Jones is from the movie black belt Jones, which is a blaxploitation film. Like I said, it saved Hollywood during that 70s era, because no one was really going to films because in the 70s, all the films that were in the theaters on 42nd Street, and it was either Kung Fu, horror porn, or Godzilla flicks that that was it. There was no Jaws, there was no Star Wars, there was no Raiders of Lost Ark. It was all low budget films, right? So blaxploitation was low budget cheap, let's make them let's turn them out and return it just want to save in Hollywood. The sad thing about it is once it's saved Hollywood, those jobs and those roles started drying out, and Hollywood like okay, screw you guys. Now we're rolling. You know? So once again, with black culture, they love us. And then when they're done with us, then they throw us to the side.
Unknown Speaker :So, and then they wonder why people get upset.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I mean, look at chef chef in Africa. That movie right there, like the chef movies is blaxploitation Isaac k soundtrack, like, everything went hand in hand. Without black culture, the world would not exist.
Unknown Speaker :If you were could be in any any movie. Which movie would you want to be in?
Unknown Speaker :I would have to be in some Pam Grier. I'd have to do a Pam Grier. Straight up. Yeah, but no, you know what, honestly, if I was in a movie, I think it would be like the five deadly venoms I would have to be in a kung fu movie. Because I love kung fu like where did the boys get they stopped from the kung fu films.
Unknown Speaker :Is that what you love about kung fu movies,
Unknown Speaker :the philosophy though, I mean, the philosophies that go on. see a lot of people just think the kung fu films are like, action, Kung Fu, but the message and the philosophy behind it about the struggle, like the Ching Dynasty era, the Ming Dynasty era where the people were being oppressed by the government, the Shaolin monks, their temples was getting burned by the government, because it was illegal to practice kung fu, and stuff like that, you know, so it was like, the whole message of it and the philosophy and as a kid, like I took martial arts, I took, you know, as kids as black kids, we all took martial arts in the 70s, there was martial art schools all over the city, black neighborhoods, like, that's what we did. So you know, as an adult, like, the philosophies and, and knowing the struggles of the Shaolin temples and the Shaolin monks and how they were getting burned down, it's no different now than the government saying, You can't do this or you can't do that. That's what the Shaolin temples in amongst we're going through, you know, and they're burning down their temples to stop a lineage of Shaolin monks. Once you get past the action, and you really understand the storylines that's going on, then you're like, I get it. Now. I see what was going because people just think it's Kung Fu. But if you listen to read the stories and understand, and then you do history on the Ming Dynasty, and the Ching Dynasty, and the rebels, you had the rebels versus, you know, the soldiers and the rebels was like, No, this is our culture, and you're trying to extinct us and wipe us out. So it's definitely deep. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker :I thought you brought up a great point to like explaining what was popular during that time in the movie theaters, and how blaxploitation kind of embraced that too, and took elements of each. That's why like, in a lot of blaxploitation movies, there's martial arts, there's nudity, and, you know, it's a representation of all the different things that were going on into this one nutshell,
Unknown Speaker :right? I mean, and keep in mind, blacks, and like the whole Asian community, like as far as like Kung Fu, and like Bruce Lee, we've always had that connection. As kids, we was walking around and kung fu suits as kids. You know, like that was that was what it was, if it wasn't for blacks, and like Latinos, but mainly blacks, if it wasn't for blacks, those kung fu movies would not be as big as they were and highly regarded as what they are because blacks made those movies popular because we would go see those movies 234 or five times, we're responsible for a lot of things. The greatest hip hop brand of all time, the most recognized recognizable hip hop brand of all time, Wu Tang, there is no greater, more recognizable brand and Wu Tang. And their whole philosophy came from the kung fu films in the Brotherhood. Why does black people identify with Bruce Lee's so much? Because Bruce Lee was discriminated against in Hollywood. Who was his biggest supporters or fans? Black people? All goes hand in hand.
Unknown Speaker :What did you think of the Dolomite remake with Eddie Murphy?
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, it was, but it was it was excellent. Like the original dolomit was was cheesy. I mean, Eddie Murphy was cheesy, but it's just 2019 cheesy. It's like well done to production. But Eddie Murphy played the role so perfect. That you would have thought it was dolomite. You know, like, he played the movie perfect. And I don't really like remakes of stuff, because I'm like, ah, y'all gonna mess it up. But this was one that he nailed it and knocked it out perfectly. I was like, Okay, this gets to pass.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, cuz I really enjoyed it too, as like, Damn, they did a good job. And the cast was really great.
Unknown Speaker :Cast was solid. The cast was so solid. So like, yeah, like they did it. They did it. Right. And I'm happy they did it. Right. Because Rudy Ray Moore is legendary, legendary comedian, you know, records like he's legendary. So you can't mess up somebody's legacy by doing a bad movie. You know? So yeah, they did it. Right. I think
Unknown Speaker :to those soundtracks, too. I think that's the addition of how important that the music was.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, that's the other thing like there were soundtracks back then like now. It's like, they're not naturally soundtracks. It's like, hey, let's get the famous rappers to do songs and make an album. Right. But back then it was like, No, we're bringing in James Brown, and he's going to watch the movie, and he's going to score the movie. We're going to bring Isaac Hayes in and he's going to watch the movie, and he's going to score the movie. You know, that was the good thing about movies, especially blaxploitation movies back then was you always had a soundtrack by somebody who was the guy who did funk soul music, that's important. That's that and I feel like that's, like a missed thing today in movies, the only movies that really have still those scores are movies like Star Wars, or Empire State backstage because they bring in the orchestra's, but other than that, like, you're not gonna see a Marvel movie with a soundtrack. And if it is a soundtrack, it's nothing that was played in the movie. It's just Hey, let's get these rappers to do songs and then sell this as a soundtrack.
Unknown Speaker :It's really important to underscore like how influential that was. We did a party series like a weekly night, we only played music from blaxploitation soundtracks. And we did it for two years, and it was successful, every name,
Unknown Speaker :right. But the and that's the funny thing. So when I went to Russia to DJ Mr. shock, Mr. Shock in the 90s, he was doing all hip hop nights, around 2004 I think it was, he started doing all funk soul like blaxploitation nights. So basically, he would get an underground spot. And he would show blaxploitation movies and then do a party directly after and these were illegal parties he was doing so imagine being an underground spot, watching a blaxploitation movie, and doing a party afterwards, of all funk soul, blaxploitation soundtracks? This isn't America. This isn't Germany, because funk soul was already in Jeremy, this is Russia, where they were already against black music in general. But this dude went out and was like, I'm gonna do these funk soul parties. And like, they didn't understand, but people went and it was like, Oh, we get it, we like it. And he built a scene there. And that's so dope to be able to go someplace and do something brand new. And and make it that thing.
Unknown Speaker :Again, like you said, it's just passing it on and having the courage to to share it.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, you did it. You did it for two years, two years. You did that every week. That's though, see, that's important right there. And it still goes on in certain parts of the world. But like, that's something that I feel like people need just to be diehard with it. And just be like, yo, we're gonna bring that era back. And just start out small and like small little bars and venues and and like grow it and build an audience. That's why it's so important for me that this continues on, which is why I play heavy funk, soul jazz disco nights, because that's important. And sharing that lineage URL. So last year, on next level, we went to Ethiopia. Can you tell us a bit about that experience? Yeah, that was uh, that was it. That was a crazy experience going there. Like I've been around the world and the only places that I hadn't been to yet was Australia, Africa and Antarctica, right. Like, like, that's the only place I really haven't been. So going there. I was excited because it's like, okay, new place. I'm already excited new place. And I land. The airport is chaos. And I'm like, I'm good. Because I'm used to chaos. I'm used to you Don't say like, I'm used to being a captain like, Alright, I'm good. And then you you get out the airport and then you just smell the air and you're like, Okay, and then like you just start seeing everything and seeing the people and then you notice how it's so different than any other place that you've ever been? And I was like, Okay, this is different. So I had to like really take that in and understand like this. This is a different placed in, say, Germany or say Switzerland or Amsterdam, like it's a totally different place. But once the first day I settled in, it was like, Yo, this is amazing, because the people are humble. They're humble people. They're amazing people, you know, they're hungry to learn. And it was just like, it was a great experience. And then once I started teaching classes, that was even better, because it was like, they already knew there was some students that knew, you know, DJing. And they were, they were good. They just needed that extra thing. But building with them, and then hearing their history, and then just what they're into, and then seeing some of their skills. I was like, Okay, this is gonna be great. And the building process was, so it was amazing. The building process was just so amazing. And I think but I think the most amazing thing out of that class, there was one female DJ. And I'm always impressed when there's one oddball out of the equation. And she held her own. Like, she was a scratch DJ. And I was like, represent for the ladies in this country, because there aren't too many female MCs DJs in Ethiopia. So I was like, you have to be the leader of this, you know, and she has mad talent. And I'm like, you know, what, do what you do? Like, it was great, like, the experience was great. But there was also like death, because there's conflict going on there as well. Right. So there's, there's two cities we were in, we were in Addis Ababa, which is the major city, and Michaela, which is the smallest city. So it's like, kind of like Philly in New York, like a two hour ride away. But they're at war. So you're in one, and it's all good, and you go to the other, and they speak a different dialect. And like, you really can't talk about things over there, because they're at war. So you're kind of in the middle of two sides. And you don't want to really be the mediator, you want to do conflict transfer transformation, which is basically like hearing the sides, and understanding the sides and, you know, kind of keep it moving. But it was that that's the hard part. And they've been at war for centuries. This isn't like a new thing. So that's the hard part. But for the most part, the food, the people, the experience, it was just it was just amazing, amazing time and just building with people and producers and DJs and MCs and like dancers and graffiti kids like it was a good time.
Unknown Speaker :What is the key to success for Nostalgia King? I mean, for me,
Unknown Speaker :I'm just into a lot of different things. Right? You know, some people have a concentrated focus on this is where to end to. I like culture. As a kid. I wrote BMX bikes, I was on the BMX team as a kid. You know, I wrote skateboards, like, that's what we did, we were just in a certain, you know, thing. So for me, being a DJ, I love music. And now I have to figure out how I can funnel my passion of music to the world. I could DJ. And I can also build a website, where I can dedicate reviewing records and reviewing music and pushing it out to the world. That's one avenue. And I realized, for you to be successful, you have to have a home base, home base, the home base is the style to King, right. And from there, I can do all my shoot all my interests through that site. So whether it's collecting, whether it's music, whether it's movies, whether it's art, I can funnel all those things through there. And having so many passions. And having that as that home base is like it's key. Because when I built that site, it was basically because I don't want to have to beg anyone to review my music. If I put out a mixtape, I don't want to have to beg someone to say, Hey, can you review my stuff? No, I'm gonna review it on my own site, you know, and I'm gonna help other independent artists push their music and push their art, you know, and that's what's lacking. And everything is people want to go to everyone else to do their job forum with me, I'm like, nope, I'll build my own foundation. And that foundation will become the source for every DJ around the world will become the source for everybody who's into certain things around the world. And being a DJ, you meet everybody around the world, you connect them to your site, you know, so a lot of people tell me they're like, yo, you are the connector of worlds, because you always introducing this person who does this to that person who do nothing about that. And now they're friends. The key to success is just staying humble. And like putting your best foot forward, you know, and you have to present a great product though. You know, at the end of the day your product speaks for yourself, if you're only as good as the last thing that you put out. Right so I tried to make sure everything is quality and a passion passion goes through it when people see you're passionate about something, they support it, but like having Lance haven't helped me do this Dr. King, you know, he's been rolling with me since 2006. And that's the thing having someone talented like Lance, to do graphic design to build websites like to do all my cover artwork on records and cassette tapes. Like that's amazing. You know, and having someone like him is just is the best.
Unknown Speaker :What drives you Work,
Unknown Speaker :I'm just trying to make the world happy. We're going through rough times right now, you know. And if people can just listen to music to get them out of those rough times, you know, and to make them think about something else for just a moment. That's what I'm here for. I'm here to set a mood for people. You know, whether it's you're having dinner and you need some jazz if you're, you know, you want to dance in the living room. And you know, that's what I'm here for.
Unknown Speaker :What advice would you give our teenage daughter who is an artist,
Unknown Speaker :she's an artist. So right now is the time where the most amazing art is supposed to happen. Look at the worst time in hip hop was the 70s. But look what came out of the 70s the greatest culture to exist, you know, like, now is the time when there's a hustle when there's a struggle, the most amazing artists supposed to come out right now. And this is her time to shine.
Unknown Speaker :I want to kind of flip it up a little bit because you know, we're having a little bit of beer and I know you like burgers. I just want you to describe like, you know, give me a little sense, you know, this is the audio thing I want you to describe the best
Unknown Speaker :delicious burger, the best burger First of all, when I go for burger, quality of beef is number one has to be cooked like medium, medium, well, the most, but medium is perfect, but like texture, and quality and grade of beef is the two most important things. And then the button, the button has to be the right button like you don't want a burger that's too greasy, too juicy, because you don't want the bun to get sloppy. You don't want too much fat content because the the greases were in the juices where it comes from the fat content, but you want a nice mix of like some beef, maybe some lamb or like what you know, you want a nice little mixture, and a little bit of like a rubella, maybe a little bit of onions. And that's it. A good burger should not have ketchup and mustard and stuff like that. Because if you like beef, you should be able to taste the beef. For me the best burgers in the world is fed a coup in Cologne, Germany. father's office in LA, whiskey village in Philly. And there's a spot in Japan called Whoopi Goldberg or
Unknown Speaker :no way.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah,
Unknown Speaker :yeah. Yes, it's ridiculous. So in like 2000 to me, and why not set out to have the best burger in all 50 states. That's where it started. And then once we noticed, we were traveling, it was like, Oh, we need the best burger all around the world. You know? So then the quest went on. Every time I stopped in a city or a country. I had to have the recommendation on what was the best burger in the city. I'm a burger connoisseur, a beer connoisseur and a ramen connoisseur. Oh my
Unknown Speaker :gosh, this house. We love ramen.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, it's like for me like ramen, like ramen and burgers. You know? And I've had ramen I've had like some of the best, best best ramen like like in cities. And like in Japan, like certain cities is known for different like original ramen is Fukuoka style ramen. And for Coke is like the city. I think it's the third largest city in Japan. And that's where original ramen comes from. Ramen burgers and beers. Yeah, I can live off that
Unknown Speaker :forever. People are always always fascinated by how young you look like how do you maintain health man by my healthy lifestyles,
Unknown Speaker :not everybody else's healthy lifestyle. Being a bachelor for years and like I would eat like, you know, frozen pizzas not eat like, you know, burgers, and but the thing is, it's something it's something genetically that I just I don't age. I'm never sick. Like, I can't tell you the last time I had a cold. I've never had the flu. I've never broken a bone. I've never had anything wrong with me at all. Age. If I show you a picture of a TV show you now you'd be like, what the hell is gone?
Unknown Speaker :And now you for what I do decades at least and you look exactly the same.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I don't Ah, so it's like, it's not even like, oh, you're eating good. Or, you know, it's, I'm happy. You know, I'm happy. I'm happy with everything I do. I get one gray hair one day, and then I look at it and it's gone. It must know like yoga. I don't belong here. You know, I don't have a healthy lifestyle. Like I eat good. You know, now that I'm older, I eat good or better. It's not like I'm eating the healthiest. Like I'm not eating vegetables and just like no, I'm, I get some broccoli with my steak, you know, some potatoes and so, so yeah, like I it's just, it's just me. But the thing is my grandfather and my uncle were kind of the same. They kind of look young, all their lives, but I think I'm aging better than than them at this point. It's just being happy and that happiness is just keeping me feeling young.
Unknown Speaker :How do you maintain health with the lifestyle that you have because an artist's life is different, and many artists do not live very healthy lives.
Unknown Speaker :You know? adrenaline, it's adrenaline for me like, I'm always like, when am I getting on the flight? What am I going to another country like? And I landed, I'm like, Oh, yes. What can I see? Like, it's adrenaline might like most people get good sleep like, now my sleep is usually I go to bed, two o'clock, three o'clock in the morning, I wake up at 839 o'clock. That's my norm. You know, most people are like, man, like, I mean for me to get eight hours of sleep, it's because I have jetlag from another country coming home. I can wake up at 738 o'clock in the morning after being up all night and be like, let's take on the world. Let's go, let's, let's do this. Like, the healthy lifestyle is just me. Just running and just being like, what can I do today? What? What can I create new? What can I discover new, you know, and it's that create and discover mentality that's just keeping me excited about life. Like, there's a lot of things to be not excited about life, right? There's a lot of problems going on in the world. But I'm always still excited about who can I meet today? Who's going to inspire me tomorrow, you know, no stress. So like, yeah, my healthy lifestyle is just, I feel like I'm seven. I feel like I'm, you know, about to go ride my bike at a second. Like, you know, I snap in and then I snapped out I'm like, Alright, let's do this. Let's see, what's what's going on today. You know, but gardening gardening. Really, that helps. When I when I don't feel like being bothered. When I go out, not mow the lawn. On Saturdays, I just I feel good, you know, and then you look and you you, you just look at us and you see your tomatoes growing and just, you know that
Unknown Speaker :that feels good. Taking it back to the hip hop roots. You're a member of the legendary Rock Steady crew. How did that come about?
Unknown Speaker :That's a crazy story. So this was 2003 2004. Maybe I was doing parties. And like, why not down rock will come to my parties and Philly. And then I did a party. I think I DJ that the gathering and philetus jam the gathering, and technique was there. Check started hearing me, Paul ski started hearing me. And they were like, yo, where have you been? Like, we need you to do these jams. And I was like, you know, whatever. I start doing them. And then legs came to Philly. And I played some songs. And he was like, yo, because no one was playing that on the scene. But he knew he was like, Yo, this is it. So then one day, I started hearing talk about them put me in Rocksteady. And I was like, Nah, I'm cool. I'm not trying to get down. I'm cool. And tech was like, Nah, man, you need to get, you need to get down like Nah, I'm cool. You know, I'm cool being me. You know, I don't I never needed a crew name to add to me to make me better or more important. So we were actually doing a Red Bull event at a club in Brooklyn called Brooklyn sugar. And like rebel has sponsored, it didn't have anything to do with big boys. But it was just like they sponsored this big event. So they had like, like, it was a three story club in the old sugar factory. And they had like, these dancers like spinning from the ceiling on ropes. I forgot what it's called, like, but they'll be swinging from like the the silk ropes and they'll be doing all the acrobatics. And they just had like DJs and all these other things going on. And I was there and like legs was there always peoples there. And they was dancing. And the next thing I know, they come up to me and I'm like, yo, you're the newest member. And I was like, I didn't even have a say so. Right? I didn't even have a say so I was just like, yo, you're the newest member. That's it. And I was like, Okay, I guess like, like, okay, you know, but it was an honor. It was an honor. And you know, it was just it was simple. Because you know, normally to get in rock state. There's a process, but it was more. So I had already been hanging out with everybody, and building relationships with everybody. And so it was just like, Oh, this is natural fit. He's a dope DJ. He gets along with everybody. Yeah, let's put him down. You know, so it was like an easy, it was an easy thing. But I didn't want to get down in the long run that name Rocksteady has gotten me into certain doors. It's got me places and i and i don't even use it. But people are like, okay, people know, Rocksteady. And they'll be like, Oh, you remember Ross state? Oh, and an opportunity to kind of roll out a little bit for you. So you know, it's been a blessing. It's definitely been a blessing. But I want people to know Steve Richards. And then you find out Oh, you're Rock Steady.
Unknown Speaker :Speaking of Ynot? I see him doing a lot of educational things in universities and things like that. I feel like it's important for what you're doing as far as you know, cultural ambassador, but you're also going into universities and sharing your knowledge there. What does a Skeme Richards class pertain?
Unknown Speaker :Well, let me like one of the first lectures slash classes I did was actually in Korea, at Hanyang University. And they brought me in and they wanted me to do a hip hop lecture. And I was like, nah I'll pass, I'm cool, because anybody could teach a hip hop lecture, right? Whether they're doing it correctly or not, everyone can teach it, but because you're going to go to do the textbook, this is where it started. This is who was involved This is. So I was like, No, I was like, I'm not gonna do a hip hop lecture. But I'm gonna do a black culture lecture. Because hip hop is black culture. So I'm gonna start before hip hop even began. So you know, I just go through the foundations of black culture, what it was like growing up black, you know, 6070s, what we went through is blacks, the struggles, you know, the music, the fashion, you know, without without black music, there would be no hip hop music, you know, the original people, it was James Brown, you know, so like, I tell people, I started with black culture first. And then if there's time left on the clock, then we talk about hip hop, but I need to tell you the importance of all of these things that black people created, why we enjoy what we do today. So yeah, it's just it's a historical timeline of fashion, slang, as hip hop kids in the 80s. We didn't just do hip hop all day. We did everything else. We played at the basketball court, we rode bikes, we chase girls, we did normal things. You know, we didn't we didn't run around and say we were hip hop all day long. I was like, No, we're doing normal kid and teenage things, you know. So I tell people, you got to do more than just break or do graffiti? Well, graffiti is a different thing. Because that's just art. You're just you're an artist, but like you didn't sit around and break all day, or you didn't sit around a rap all day. DJs did sit around a DJ all day, but it got redundant. But we did more than just that. You know, we had lives outside of the elements. Black Hole. This is fashion, slang. You know what we did? Because that's the inspiration. And then when I did it, I did a similar one in China in Beijing. And I had to tell them I was like, Look, y'all gotta understand Don't be Don't try to be New York be boys. You know, everybody wants that old school. I was like, No, don't know who the original B boys I don't know who inspired B boys. kung fu films. So have foundation had that New York foundation. But bring your Asian side into like, because those kung fu artists and those like those Peking opera artists were the original people is where, you know, we're we weren't inspired by so yeah, had the foundation, but bring your culture into that foundation and bring a part of you into that.
Unknown Speaker :That's so dope, that that's what you're sharing, because it's so important. When was the first time you were aware of race.
Unknown Speaker :So when I was in elementary school, I went to a private school. I grew up with black kids, white kids, like, that's my first couple years. That's who I grew up with. My neighborhood was black and Jewish. Even though I was aware of it, it was never like a something like, this is weird. You're different than me. Like it was never that because I was like, Yo, I grew up around different people. You know, it's almost like graffiti writers in New York in the Senate in the 70s is like yo graffiti writers was Irish, was they was black. They was Latino graffiti writers were known to be around different people. You know, people were black and Latino. So of course, you're not looking at any other race, you're thinking is different. But like, I don't think I've ever looked at something. and been like, oh, race, because it's just something that's always just been around me. Right. So I don't think I don't think it was like I was aware of it. It was just more so like, this is normal. Like, there's other people around. And even the Chinese corner store is like, you know, growing up in the 70s. That's all it was every corner store was the Chinese store to have a more Well, they're well rounded view, you have to grow up around different people. If I grew up around all one group of people, when I got into the real world, I wouldn't know how to interact and socialize with other people. I grew up with kids. That was smart kids, like even in school. I was dumb as a smart kid. But I hung out with the bad kids. I hung out with the nerds. I never really hung out with the jocks like the sports kids I hung out with, like the nerds, I hung out with the with the with the cool kids, I hung out with the rap kids, I hung out with everybody that will round it is what made me who I am today because I can look at things and be like, Oh, that's dope, like, I could see something. And maybe everybody else is black might not see why That's dope. And I'm like, man, y'all don't get that. Like y'all don't understand why That's dope, right there. Yeah, it's just I think just being around everybody growing up and just having an appreciation for everybody's culture. I love Japan, Japan is probably my favorite place in the world. You know, and when I go there, they're like, yo, you know more about our culture that our youth know about our culture. races, races always been there, but I just never focused on in a sense.
Unknown Speaker :Is there anything else you want to talk about?
Unknown Speaker :Honestly, I see a lot of interviews, read a lot of interviews. And I'm like, geez, these are boring. Like these are generic questions. When when some He says they're a fan of somebody and I'm like, Okay, cool. Tell me what do they do? Or what do they like outside of their profession? And if you can't tell me that, then I'm like, you're not really a fan. You know, like, we all know what this actor isn't accurate as basketball players a basketball player. But what do they do? What's their hobbies outside of so and so? You know, and like, it's funny, because I've been blessed that when I travel, people are like, Oh, yeah, schemes a DJ, but he, he's into this and he collects this. So any country I go to people, like, we need to take you to the record store. We need to take you to get the burger. Oh, there's a there's a toy collectible store here. We need to take you here. You know, so people know me outside of just DJing. And now DJing is like the last thing I want to talk about. I'm like, yo, where's the burger? Where's the good beer? Like?
Unknown Speaker :What kind of beer are you drinking?
Unknown Speaker :So right now Allagash is one of my favorite beers. Here the Chino this Japanese beer. hitachino is amazing, like amazing beer. But like, I like Germans. I like, I like pilsners. But like I think Germany definitely has the best beers. Definitely. I yeah, I think they have
Unknown Speaker :definitely the best beers coming to the US. It's been quite an experience. Because, you know, I grew up on like German and Swiss beers. And then I came here and it was like this explosion of probably just like at the height of the craft beer movement. You could go into a bar and they would have 400 different beers. Yeah. Crazy. The one we were just drinking is Jack Abby's Yeah. It's here from Massachusetts. Okay, this one in particular is a homage they pay to the German Pilsner. So this is called house lager.
Unknown Speaker :There's one in Germany, I don't think it's, I don't know if it's Cologne, it's somewhere close to Cologne. So there's scare sport mean, when he came to visit, he bought me two beers that were from a monastery. And they only make it once a year. And like, you have to go there to the monastery to get it. And you can only buy like a couple of bottles. You can't buy like cases, because they only make like 200 bottles. So he actually got two bottles and flew to America with the two bottles. And we drank it here. And it was like amazing beer and I still have the bottle. But it was like amazing. But like I think it's only once a year. You can buy this beer from the monastery. And it was like it's really good. Germany, Switzerland, Amsterdam, like there's that whole influx of like, beers are popping up now in these breweries. And yeah, cuz there was an arcade I went to this. In Amsterdam, it has like the best burgers too. And it's an arcade with their beer selection is so official that like they have beers from all over the world. And then like they brew their own beer there as well. So yeah, like there's Yeah, beers. If you don't like a beers, like, I can't be friends with you.
Unknown Speaker :What are you doing during these covid times,
Unknown Speaker :DJ culture, club culture is over as we know it for the time being, right. So I needed to figure out a way to still be mean, and still stay relevant during this time. And like my app was already in the works, it was already rolling. And it just so happened to launch a few weeks before locked down, which was, which was great for me. But not being able to travel, like a lot of DJs are hurting right now. For me, I know how to bounce it and flip it and keep it moving and figure out new ways. And the app that was important, the 45 that I released that's important. Putting out products and staying relevant. And doing things is important. So like, I haven't even really live streamed, I didn't want to do too much live things. But like on my app, I can go live. And I'm like, you know what, I could put my heart into this because people who have the app, this is something special for them. You know, and I everything I do, I want it to be special for people in the room at that time. You know, so every party is different. Some people play the same set party, every party, every party is different, you know, and that's what the app I want to do. I want everything to be special for people who really care and people who subscribe and like you really care about me you care about the music. And you know, what you're going to get here is exclusive, you're not getting anything elsewhere. You know, so that's, that's the app came at the right time. You know, and it's keeping me on my toes to do mixes, you know, because I'm knocking out like, like almost two mixes a day a week. So I'm doing two mixes a week, I'm doing the record pic of the day, you know, where I suggest the record, I feature like people dancing in their like kitchen or bedroom. So I've already featured to be boys on the app in the video section of the app of like them just dancing in their bedroom to like the act, you know, so I'm trying to bring that involve and get it like public involved with it. And also, there's a function where I can sell tickets on there. So if like if you're coming to one of my parties, you can pre buy on the app. Then when you come, you could just show the barcode, scan it, and it's paid. So it's like, I'm trying to have everything in house. That's, that's important. Everything in house, the music industry never gives back to the black community. Right? record labels have made so much money off of black artists. Right and never get they give bad contracts. And yeah, part of it is maybe you should have had a lawyer signed a better contract. But it's also it's like, you guys are shady just even offering them this bad contract. Right? So I can I can go on iTunes, or I can put my but why do I want to give iTunes my money? Why don't we Apple my money? Why don't want to give these corporations my money? No, I keep everything in house. The people who built the app, the record collectors, they have a record label. So they're in the scene. So I'm like, I read that to help you and you help me and then me Give my money to a corporation. You know, so like, we need to like, there's too many of us in this room. Now that's talented and creative. Where we should be bartering and trading. Oh, you got milk? Yeah. Well, I got rice. Oh, you build websites? Oh, man. Well, okay. Like even with Lance. And this is a prime example. I knew who Lance was I was seeing Matt jams. But when James Brown died, and I through a James Brown trippy party, Lance came to my party, him Steve, believe metal, all those guys. And I saw him and I was like, This kid's dope. Okay, he's dope. And then he told metal, he was like, Yo, I need to get down with your skin, because metal was already rolling with me. So it's like, I need to get down with your scheme. So I knew he was talented, I knew he did art or whatever. And I was like, Okay, you know what you want to get down with me? Do designs for me do some flyers. And in return, I said, Your first international flight, I'll pay for it. And we can go and you can see and represent me. So his first time going to international Switzerland circle kings, we need to get back to that stop giving companies your your money, you know, when you got locals that can do just as good a job. And that's the thing, like with my 45 most people release a 45 independently. And you know, they put it in like certain record stores that and they'll give them 100 copies? No, I'm gonna keep it in my house. And you can just come to my page of the labels page and buy it because my network and my voice is wide enough that I can reach all these different people without giving it to a distributed distribution company, and I'm taking money from my pocket. I could do it myself. And that's the importance of the stodgy King. Because labels are like a scam we're sending you, I haven't bought a new record a new release 10 years, because record labels send me every thing a release every independent label. They just send me everything. Right. And in return, I'm promoting it. I'm writing about it on the site, this selling records. That's how it's supposed to work. It goes hand in hand. But a lot of people are like, I need to get paid for this. Or I need to guess what, I'm good. I get paid DJ, if I can help somebody else, do something who I believe in. And I'm trying to do that, because it always comes back. Like I've done jams for people who had no budget. And they would just give me like, whatever little bit of money they had, you know, they would be like, okay, scan, we can fly you to Miami or we can fly you to LA to do a part to do a jam. But we don't have a real budget. You know, we can pay you $100 like 2001 two that like, you know, and I'd be like, Alright, cool, because I just want to go to LA anyway. So if you buy me a flight, I'm there. Fast forward. When people started getting money, they would be like, Yo scheme, we got a budget, you work with us when we had nothing. Now we have the money to pay you. And that's how I've built up my name and my status because I've worked with everybody, regardless of your budget. I mean, I flown to London for almost no money. But I wanted to go to London, you bought my plane ticket, you put me in a hotel, you gave me a couple dollars, that I wanted to go to London. And then when people got money, they were like, you know what you looked out for us? Now we can pay you like we should be paying you before.
Unknown Speaker :It wasn't that you weren't. It wasn't that you were not, you know, devaluing yourself it was that you were setting a foundation there for a long term for the long term. Exactly. Here's the thing with with that devalued thing, that early 2000s. I was working from BMW, so I had money. It was like,
Unknown Speaker :Yo, I can afford to fly, wherever. And I never want to be a professional DJ anyway. So it's like, whatever, I get to go to London for the weekend. But as things started rolling, and people were like, Yo, this guy's everywhere. How is he everywhere? I'm like, cuz I built relationships with people. You guys come in and get the money and go, I build relationships with people. And that's the difference between me and a lot of like, now successful DJ just like you didn't go relationships. Always have a paycheck. You got that one big paycheck and like they're not messing with you. More, right I read to get five medium paychecks than one big paycheck. And, and you know, hip hop didn't buy me a house, going to work at BMW bought me a house, you know, saying so now it's like hip hop helps to maintain my house or DJ helps to maintain my house but my house is paid for so I'm good. It's really about priorities, like, do you want to get burnt out? DJing? Or would you like to have that balance of like, I go to work, and I DJ because more money is more money, I'll go to work. And I'll DJ and I'll make more money on both sides. And then when you can let one go, then let one go. But don't just don't just want to be artists so bad that you're not really thinking logically like, um, gets a rainy day coming, you know, you got to have money in the bank, you got to have health care, you got to have certain things, you know, and people don't think about that. And that's another touchy subject in the within the dance community health care, you know, this dance community DJs like, there's so many DJs and dancers, I'm like, you don't have health care, like, you know, I'm saying this, and I'm just like, okay, now parties really need to get set. Because if you get hurt, now you can't do your art. You know, there's, there's nothing wrong with making money off your heart. Everyone wants to make money off they are. But it wasn't meant for everyone to make money off of their art. You know, we all have some type of talent somewhere. But it doesn't mean that we can all make money from that talent. So I tell you don't quit your day job. Make sure your priorities is in order. But the starving artists thing I'm like, Look, if we all do it for the love, I love this. It's why I'm staying young. But understand your worth at the end of the day, if you really have that talent, understand your worth, because that's the difference between someone taking you serious and someone not taking you serious is understanding your worth. And it's crazy, because one of the things I've learned from Crazy Legs, negotiation starts when someone says no. So when someone wants to throw you $20 and you walk away from that table, guaranteed. They're gonna be like, wait, wait, wait, hold on. Well, how about $60? You know, like, know your worth and everything.
Unknown Speaker :And that's a gems. I'm like sweating
Unknown Speaker :Where can people find you? Where can we download the app? Where can we buy your 45s - let them know.
Unknown Speaker :Nostalgiaking.com. Everything is right there. Honestly, you could go you can click on the get my app right there, you can go to my Instagram right there. Instagram is skin, Richards. And like that's the gateway to my world. So you can buy my 45 or tapes on the site. I have online store there. Anything you need to know about me is right there from the bio to photos to where I'm going to be whenever the COVID thing is over to just anything about me. So that's the start. But the one house that the house that's the house right there that you already have the key walk yourself right in, yay. We always end our interviews with What does hip hop mean to you? hip hop to me means life. It is life. It's gotten me where I'm at today. It's introduced me to you guys, because we would have never known if it wasn't for hip hop. Like hip hop is the biggest Connect of the world. That's what it means to me. It's the biggest connector of the world. Because religions are always at odds with each other. You know, races are always at odds with each other. But hip hop were eyes in the on the circles, you know when guys on stage on the mic. But we're one big family and a day we're just we're one big family. I might not like your style. But guess what, we do the same thing. So yeah, hip hop is life. Hip Hop is the biggest connector of the world. There's three things that connect people in the world, food, drink, and culture. Those are the three greatest things in the world when it comes to people.
Unknown Speaker :Thank you so much to our guest Skeme Richards aka that nostalgia king for taking the time and being so open while sharing your perspective with us.
Unknown Speaker :Some of the gems we took away from this interview were
Unknown Speaker :Having one gateway to your work allows you to showcase all your talents and cut out the middleman.
Unknown Speaker :You don't have to give up the secure job to create art. One can use the financial backing to build a strong foundation and prepare for future endeavors.
Unknown Speaker :Focusing on the things that bring you joy will keep you feeling young and energized regardless of your age.
Unknown Speaker :Our theme music was beatboxed by Denis the Menace and produced by Zede, a big shout out to the brothers from Switzerland.
Unknown Speaker :Also big shout out to our daughter Sasha. Today is her 16th birthday. We wish you
Unknown Speaker :lots of ramen boba tea and happiness for the new year. We're very proud of you.
Unknown Speaker :We love you very much.
Unknown Speaker :We would love to get your feedback questions and any suggestions you might have. You can reach out to us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook at soulidarityLLC via email soulidarityllc@gmail.com. If you liked
Unknown Speaker :today's show, please tell a friend about our podcast. Or as Phife Dawg would say:
Unknown Speaker :Tell your mother or your father sent a telegram.
Unknown Speaker :In our next episode, we welcome Joel Martinez, aka Teknyc.
Unknown Speaker :Tek is a b-boy, writer, educator, cultural ambassador, and spy award recipient. He represents Skill Methodz and Fame city kings.
Unknown Speaker :Thank you for listening to our podcast.
Unknown Speaker :No seriously though. Thank you. I am Candy. and I'm DJ Razor Cut.
Unknown Speaker :This is Souls of Hip Hop.