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We Really Be Outside with Nems
141 Plays3 days ago
This week Nems is on the podcast, we got a chance to talk about his love for kicks. Getting his career out the mud and being himself. What it takes to be Outside and being selective. Growing up in Coney Island and opening up a store there. Working with and building the community that helped raised him. How a reseller did pulled a fast one him over some Brick by Bricks. How much sneaker culture has impacted him and a ton more!
Follow Nems: IG: https://www.instagram.com/nems_fyl
Twitter: https://x.com/NEMS_FYL FYL Store:
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Sign up for the Patreon: https://patreon.com/MyFirstKicks
Intro & Outro by Sango: https://www.instagram.com/sango_/
Backing Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/
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Transcript
Choosing Events Wisely
00:00:00
Speaker
thought I mean, I get known for being outside so much too, but like, how did, what's the art between like finding which spots you think you should really be in? And like, you know, some ladies just like, nah, yeah.
00:00:12
Speaker
Um, it comes from trial and error. You know, you see, it and it and it And it means a lot from who would come who's the invite coming from. yeah So if an invite's coming from somebody I know really ain't about shit, I'm like, nah. And then sometimes you're like, oh, nah, I got to be here. These are where the movers and shakers is at. That Timberland event last week, man, heavy. fucked up. That's what you about tell Yeah, you fucked up. Heavy on that.
00:00:39
Speaker
I connected with a lot of people that I knew of but never got to meet. And, nah, it was dope. Especially my man right here is on the come up too, Black Just. Yeah. With these. I met him at Got Soul. He was walking around.
00:00:53
Speaker
So his come up is in like the last couple months. Yeah. like That's a big come up from walking around at Gottsoul to having your official like Timbaland. um Same thing with with my man Loso. Loso. I was just about to shout out. Loso crushed that team. That team is fire. Did you? did you i had the I have the old beef and broccoli that he really did. Not like the factory made one. Yeah. When I first met him, he had those on. I was like, yo, those is crazy. and yeah I have no problem like with shit like that paying the artists. Like, Loso, I paid for that shit. um
00:01:24
Speaker
Just paid for them.
Introducing Gorilla Nems
00:01:31
Speaker
What's good, everyone? Welcome back to My First Kicks. This is episode 266. And this week, we got America's sweetheart. Yo. Gorilla Nems, yo, in the building. What up, what up, what up? Yo, man. appreciate you, bro. Like, yo, I don't know you remember the first time we met at ComplexCon. Nah, I don't. We've been a complex cause I want to bring this up. Which one though?
00:01:51
Speaker
This was like 20, 20. The one in Long Beach. Yeah. I've been to two of them. Yeah. Long Beach and the one of Vegas. And the Vegas one you actually knew who I was. Yeah. yeah but But the first time I had this picture of me and you and we dabbing, we dabbing and it looks like you've known me.
00:02:05
Speaker
yeah And I was like, and then this is the funny part. I posted it and and I was like, I said what up to Nems and he didn't he didn't tell me to fuck my life. And you were like, yeah I think you retweeted it. You go, grow up. You told me to like grow up. I was like. Yo, some people you meet, like, I be outside every day. Yeah, I know. You know what I'm saying? um And obviously so do you. There's some people that have a good energy when you meet them. youve ah Every time I see you, it's good energy. And I always remember also people who show up
00:02:40
Speaker
when I throw events. You showed up to All The Right shit. You showed up to my store before? Rob Markman I've been trying to out there. Markman Fuck your life, I take my statement back. But um yeah, yeah. Nah, be seeing you outside, man. And you will and you be in the the right places. like You don't be at just like any event. You be at the events where there's people there that are involved with the The community, you what I'm saying? I mean, it's huge. I mean, Premium Pete, like, good going to like... Yeah, that's my guy. Yeah, man. I mean, absolute legend. Coney Island legend. Coney Island. You know? So it's like, when he invited me to his 50th, I was like, crazy honored. And then when you pulled up, I was like, yo, this is... I have to... like That's what i asked you again.
Running a Business in Coney Island
00:03:19
Speaker
I was like, yeah please. Because like at this point, I was just like, I've been wanting to talk to you for a hot minute. and i hate doing podcasts. One, because I got my own podcast. But then also...
00:03:29
Speaker
The questions get redundant. It's kind of like, it's the same questions over. So when you was like, yo, it's my first sneakers podcast. was like, yeah, that's great. That's one thing I could talk about all day is sneakers. You know what I'm saying? Especially because now recently you've been going crazy. Markman, fact, because for so long I've just been buying and being involved, but now I'm actually getting my foot in the door with a lot of these companies where just like, here Nims, or like, yo, we got the exclusives for you, and now it's like, it's becoming more fun after years of putting in hard work. Rob Markman, yeah, mean, look, you got FYL brand, like, I got, yes, I got to come to the store,
00:04:10
Speaker
Rob Markman, it's deep, but I will pull up. I love Coney Island, Luna Park is- Markman, Coney Island made for the summer. Easter weekend is the opening day. It's like opening day baseball, opening day for Coney Island is Easter weekend, which is this weekend. And now it's lit. It's hard to survive for a business- Markman, I was wondering that. Markman, the winter time at Coney Island, because like, bro, nobody comes to Coney Island in the winter.
00:04:34
Speaker
Thank
Sneaker Culture and Personal Style
00:04:35
Speaker
you for checking out this week's episode with Nems. And of course, if you want to help out the podcast, don't forget to subscribe, like, and comment. It goes a very long way. And of course, if you want to help the podcast grow and help me grow within this, don't forget to sign up for the Patreon, patreon.com slash myfirstkicks.
00:04:54
Speaker
only got one tier, $5 tier. So let's jump right back into the episode. ah But it thrives in the summertime. But the summer you really get, what we, April? April, May. You really get like five good months, yeah you gotta survive seven months. That's why a lot of businesses fail out there. But I've made it like the headquarters, we do my podcast there, we throw events there. And also it's just like, I opened that store because at first I was hand to hand in the merch, I had a truck. um But once Bing Bong happened, people started... I would just be on the block hanging out and people would come by like, oh, this is the block. Joe Byron was there, this one, that one. And I was like, yo, we got to- Markman, The Markman, Yeah. You know I'm saying? got to open up the store over here. And it just, we've been in business three years now and it's going great. Rob Markman, I talked about this, but my first time finding about you was when you did the Gorilla Nems grenades.
00:05:46
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was like, yo, this is fucking genius. Like I've never- The banana clips? Yeah, the banana, because that's what it I was like, yo, this is this is genius, bro. Like i was I was like, damn, I want to cop. And they sold out so fast. Mad fast. Mad fast. I was like, damn, bro. um that speak That was a lot in part with this guy, Mike C., who I feel, if you guys aren't familiar, Mike C. is like one of the illest artists of our generation. And he's, you know, ah people know who he is, but there's a lot of people that don't. um
00:06:18
Speaker
We met through mutual friends. In the studio actually, what I used to record, it had a big picture of a banana clip that he drew, just like the one that we made, the figure we made, but it was like a drawing, you know what I'm saying? Well, art piece. Rob Markman- painting. Rob Markman- A painting. There go. Markman- A painting. And I always, in the studio, was like, yo, I'm Guerrilla Nims. And then once I started doing the merch, I was like, yo, who is this? And I got into contact with him. was like, yo, could I put this on merch? Like, could we do a collab? And then from there... It just became a dope friendship. And the guy is one of the illest. He always has the illest ideas. So that banana clip shit was mostly, you know, came from just vision. You got to have vision with whatever you do. When get a retro.
00:07:02
Speaker
No, we just put some out. We got some at the store. got to go. now yeah yeah I definitely got to go pick them up now. And I broke one the other day. I dropped it. Uh-huh. And I told Steph Wael, who works at the store, was like, yo, glue this shit together and we're going to make it mad cheaper. So if your money ain't up, you can buy the broken one. You get the wabi-sabi style. Yeah, yeah. Facts. But you're here to answer the question that ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kicks with Steph? First pair sneakers you absolutely needed to have.
00:07:27
Speaker
Oh, that I needed to have. Because I remember... One of the one of the the first pairs, yeah, you know what? Once I started getting into really like sneaker culture, it was the fucking Sean Kemp Reeboks. Ooh, yeah. the Not the Kamikaze. It was the Kamikaze? Kamikaze. Yeah, Kamikaze. I hated them. With the big... After I bought them, like in the pictures, yeah I was like, these are so fire. yeah When I actually got them, I fucking hated them. And it was like, yo, your mom's is buying you sneakers. Right, yeah. So it's like...
00:08:01
Speaker
It's a big decision to get, because you only getting two pairs of sneakers a year, when school starts and when summer starts. yeah So I think that was like my school start. I was so disappointed. I put them on, they looked like fucking wrestling boots. They they go they go mad high mid ankle.
00:08:17
Speaker
I was a kid, I didn't really know how to dress. yeah like They just looked so stupid. And I was just like, fuck, I'm stuck with these black and white? Yeah, the black and white. The OG colorway. Yo, I was so disappointed. My heart was broken, bro. Broken. Look, I do like that shoe, but in the Sonics colorway, I think the Sonics colorway, it did a... Nowadays, I can freak that shit. You what saying? look back then as a kid, you know, you don't...
00:08:43
Speaker
I was just thinking about this the other day. I was like, yo, I'm just now starting to get to where my style is my style. yeah um Well, I've been like that for a couple years now, maybe like 10 years. But as a kid, you're developing your style. You don't know what's what. you know i was ah I have a huge family, but I was the only child. what I'm saying? But i have- a feel I feel you. same way. Yeah. All my cousins were like my my my family. have a huge family. but um I didn't have an older brother. Like I had a ah one of my best friends growing up, he had two older brothers. yeah So he would come through, yo, Jabot Jeans, you Tommy Hilfiger. I didn't have any inspiration for but for that. And I was in the projects at Coney Island. So it wasn't that many fly dudes, Pauls. There was just like...
00:09:27
Speaker
You know, low income, people wasn't styling like that. yeah and um So to develop your style over time, and at that time, them shits was not my style. You know what I'm saying? I mean, I was very curious about that too, because I was thinking about it. Pete talked about, his episode, he talked about growing up during that time, but he said he would venture out and then come back. But Pete is older than me. Pete's like 10 years older than me, and he's like, he came up in the era before. Yeah.
00:09:56
Speaker
And he might have had older brothers, who knows, you know what saying? yeah What's up with those though? Oh yeah, the Greedy 4.0, I think the four point zero I think that's what they call them. was They either 2.0 or 4.0s, but it's like they mixed all the ah the popular Air Maxes onto the big bubble and added the suede on these. Rob Markman, Air Max 95 has become, it always, you know, classic silhouette, can't beat it, but it has become this last year crazy probably my favorite, oh yeah my favorite
Impact of Sneaker Collecting
00:10:24
Speaker
sneaker.
00:10:24
Speaker
Just not not any color way in particular, but just my favorite sneaker. I love that material. But I can't get jiggy with all those colors. Not too many colors for you? Yeah, it's too much. Like when I seen them, I was like, ooh, because I only seen like half the size. But I'm like orange with the neon, then with the fucking grape tongue. And then these are different colors too. Yeah, it's too much going on there, bro. But that material, I fucking love. I love that material. I think that like, so these are the second Air Maxes I've ever, Air Max 95s I've ever owned. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I grew up on Nike SB mostly. I never had a pair. No? Nah, that wasn't my style. I'm a fat guy, bro. Nike SBs, Jordan 1s, that kind of flat-footed model, I never liked them. They don't look good on me. I got cankles, bro. You what I'm saying? They don't look good with cankles. Yeah, I feel you. For me, for some don't think it's more foot how you, if you got an arch, then it sucks. Yes. But I'm flat-footed, so it was comfy as fuck for me. Perfect you. Yeah. So I'm just rolling, like, and they got the little air bubbles on the bottom, so like, you good with the Nike SBs? But having like something like this, I'm mad comfortable. I'm like, yo, what am I missing out on? Or like when Peter gave us the Brooks, and I'm like, I put those joints on? I'm like, yo, this crazy. Yo, Brooks up right now. Yo, it's just as far. I just seen, they had Peter posted a...
00:11:47
Speaker
Rob Markman- Yeah, ho was wearing them. Rob Markman- was like, yo, he's wearing the same ones I got. I was like, yo, I'm above the wave right now. So yeah yeah Brooks is is dope. I got a couple pairs of Brooks. I like, it's become now where I enjoy wearing sneakers that everybody don't got. Markman- Mm-hmm.
00:12:06
Speaker
Back when I was younger, it was like, yo, I gotta get these because everybody got them. Now, I like wearing shit because you get more compliments from wearing shit that nobody got. They're like, yo, what are those? Those are fire, da-da-da. That happened with the Soleil Benberries. Oh, yeah. He sent me a pair. I forgot which ones. The New Balances or the New Joints, the sponges? It wasn't the sponge. I think it was his Croc sneaker.
00:12:30
Speaker
Okay. Like, it wasn't the Crocs. The Juniper. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So he sent me those. I wore them on the block one day. i got a mad compliments. And I wasn't really even, i wasn't feeling them that much. Sorry, Soleil. That's my guy. Bless Soleil. When he sent them, I'm like, yo, this is fire. He's sending me dope stuff, and I had to wear it.
00:12:48
Speaker
But when I wore them and and the reaction to everybody, I was like, you know, maybe I was wrong. yeah and and And they mad comfortable. But 95s, bro, this year, they have- Crazy. They're going crazy. I've gone crazy, especially with Undefeateds.
00:13:01
Speaker
I got the fucking- You colors? I got the one of 600s, the New York- Yeah, the neon joints. Yeah, the neon joints. I got the La Brea ones, the one of 2,200. Yeah, the green joints. Shouts to Undefeated, man. You know why? Because there's some spots when I be outside, like Undefeated, I would just- they're always in the vicinity of where I'm doing something. So I would just stop there and buy shit and just talk with them. And then I developed a relationship, shouts to my guy Cash, where it was like, yo, I'm buying sneakers that ain't the exclusive just because I'm in the area. Yo, give me these, give me these.
00:13:35
Speaker
And then from developing them, they I'm like, yo, what's up? You gonna have them? Yeah, come through. We got you. that lot And it's like, yeah, now now I'm in there. I got the fucking, the Undefeated Timbs. Everything Undefeated that came out last year, I got even the 95s with the black and white ones, the black and shale ones. yeah yeah yeah I got everything, and Undefeated. I love Undefeated. undefeated i mean I'm glad that they opened up a store out here, that man. Because like I remember when I went to l LA, I went to the store out there and I'm like, there's like so much Kobe. It's very Kobe forward. I'm like, all right. don't think I've been to the LA store. It's fire. it's fire. I don't know if they remodeled it since then, but like I was there in 2017.
00:14:16
Speaker
I used to be on the forums heavy and always hear about Undefeated in LA. Yo, you gotta you gotta go. And then I remember they did ah like a Kobe 6, Undefeated exclusive.
00:14:26
Speaker
And I'm like, yo, I'm tried trying so hard to get him. Struck out. And I was like, yo, I'm gonna fucking just go there. So when I went over there, they like they were mad chill. And I was just like... I missed out so much of this like l LA scene, because like yeah in New York, you got SoHo, you just going to Supreme, DQM. I don't know if you was doing that back in the day. I go to Supreme now, because I could skip the line. I love it. I love it.
00:14:50
Speaker
Shouts to my guys over there. But nothing in Supreme fits me. yeah Their sweatpants fit me, and the sneakers. but And the hats. The hats, too. No, but I only wear my my hat. oh yeah That's one thing. People always try to give me hats.
00:15:02
Speaker
I wear everything else, shirts, tees, whatever, but my hat, I always keep the G logo on. Nah, you gotta. You gotta. Look, see, that's why I rocked here today, too. Everything I rock, got the G on it with Gorilla hair.
00:15:13
Speaker
um What else who else? Who else was popping this year?
From Hardships to Sneaker Enthusiasm
00:15:17
Speaker
Well, besides that, I do want to know like when the sneaker culture finds you. Nah, since as as long as i can remember...
00:15:29
Speaker
it's It's weird because you go from only getting two pairs a year, then mother's buying you. And then i was messed up for a while. I was homeless. I was a drug ah you know a drug addict. I was in and out of jail. I was living messed up for a long time. And and I didn't really care about it.
00:15:48
Speaker
But I do remember remember distinctly... um My man OTR from Coney Island, he lived in my building. ah He has a sister Sylvia, she's a lesbian, she always had the flyers sneakers. And we used to just be in there smoking blunts, but I was fucked up. you know i was i was Like I just said, I was robbing people. I was i didn't care about fashion at all. But I did them i do distinctly remember telling her, yo Syl,
00:16:16
Speaker
She had all her sneakers in her room and they always looked meticulous and fire, always had the new shit. was like, yo, Shell, if I stop doing drugs and I get on my feet, I promise you I'ma blow your connect your collection out the water. yeah Watch. and ah I see her all the time, but I seen a couple years and I was like, I was like, I told you, remember I told you that, man? and and And as soon as I got on my feet and was able to to know make money for myself and really, you know I got clean and I stopped with everything, it really took a hold of me. And this was like, I would say like,
00:16:52
Speaker
Like, 09, 2010, 2011, where it was like the lines. When the Concordes, like first Concord re-release, and it was going crazy, where you to wait on line every morning, 10 a.m. at Foot Locker, with the t-shirts to match. You used to get it with the, it had the number on the box. Rob Markman, who was some good, ah damn, what was some t-shirt companies that was going crazy at Markman, during that time? Oh during that time we had, used to, I always call out, you know, this is like during the time of like Karma Loop, so you had Crooks and Castle, Dead and Deep, you know, Hundreds going Rob Markman, Nah, but there was one, like they made,
00:17:29
Speaker
the sneakers for, mean they made the shirts to match the sneakers. it would be like the Magic instead of that, but it would say Fresh Phones with the Aqua. Yeah, yeah, you're talking about. That might have them still like saved my fucking. Trying think. It was like, was it like Kick This or something like Yeah, Fresh Kicks or some shit. Because like I used to go to Sneaker Pimps and they would always have a booth. Let me see. You could cop it would be like,
00:17:55
Speaker
they They always have like some terrible saying on it. Facts, some corny shit, but it matches the fucking sneakers so much. you You wearing a shirt that says, like you ain't fresh as me, and it's got like elephant print on it. You're like, aw, man. Yo, i has some ridiculous shits though i had some um i can't find I had some ridiculous yo, I just had some corny shit, but you look back at pictures now, you're like, yo, that shit was trash. What you doing with your life? I'm glad my photo bucket, I can't even access my photo bucket. yeah But around that time is when it really caught a hold of me. yeah like And I was like, every week I had to have It became like an addiction. like like I remember a couple times...
00:18:37
Speaker
I remember I had ah my girl at the time. I was like, yo, give me a couple dollars so I get the sneaker. I'm running low. You know what I'm saying? So around that time, though. Yeah. O9. was going crazy in O9. I mean, because like during that time, too, because like...
00:18:53
Speaker
Sneaker culture definitely blew up. Like 2013. Yes. two thousand I mean, i always say i always blow it up i always say the Galaxy Foam just like kind of just yll go away crazy. I was fucking fiending for those. I never got them.
00:19:07
Speaker
Did you get them now, though? You got them now, though. No, I didn't want them. Foams, I'm done with Foams. except I still got my Tim Duncans, though. ah huh i'm sure But I got the blue ones. I can't i didn't have the gray ones. The silver ones. Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah um They coming back out this year, right? From what but they say? i mean, I got inside information. But like...
00:19:28
Speaker
Yo, where the fuck did you, what's your story? Where the fuck you came from? Me? From here. I know, but you just said JD gave you those. What's your background? How you fucking getting this shit? just do this podcast. That's it? Yeah. I'm making a sneaker podcast, too. They giving out free sneakers. Yo, that's the fucking loophole people don't know. And it's like with me, the loophole, people be like, yo, Nims, I need you at this event. And my price is my price. Give them my price. They don't know. I mean, they're going to know now. I won't clip it. They got to find in the episode. Yeah, got to find it. They don't know that if they just be like, yo, Nims, we got these sneakers for you, they'll get me for $200. You know what I'm saying? They'll get me at the event for fucking $200, $300.
00:20:10
Speaker
two three hundred dollars but If they just trying to pay me cash, it's going to go at least 10 times that. You know what I'm saying? They don't know. That's the loophole. Yo, man, we got Yo, crazy. Yo, two pairs and we got positive pairs. Yo, fact. Yo, the shit that they be doing, like, some people know it and they and they catch me now. Like, Got Soul be catching me. Oh, man. SneakerCon. Yeah. with yo ah They had you on SneakerCon. They had you on stage throwing sneakers out into the crowd. Facts. Nah, think they paid me for that one. Rob know, but I'm just saying like, they had you out You was- Markman, Actually, did they? I don't remember, but that one was a fire because it was in Coney Island. Rob Markman, Yeah, was Coney Island. Rob Markman, Nigel was there, fucking some wrestlers was there. Yeah, Swerve was there. Rob Markman, Yeah, they had some dope people at that one, the Coney Island one. They wanted to bring it back. was speaking to the owner, forgot his name.
00:20:58
Speaker
You mean? Yeah. Yeah. And he was like, yo, we wanted to throw it back at Coney Island, but the stadium is, if it rains, yeah it fucks the whole event up. It's over.
00:21:09
Speaker
um But that event, and it was sunny that day. i remember that. That shit was dope. Yeah. I was there. I was like, I bike there on a city bike. I know you hate city bikes, but yeah. I hate just bikes, obviously. Look at me. You know what i was like I was like, fuck it. I'm ah um a city bike out there because my boy gave me a free ticket. From where, though? From Queens.
00:21:27
Speaker
She? Oh, yeah, remember you telling me that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was like, i was like let me do it. And then there's there's points because if you are out of range on the city bike, it just turns off. Really? Coney Island, there's no city bikes. there's like I had to stop before. And then hop on the train because I was like, I'm not going to stay on the train, go all the way through Manhattan and come back down. Facts. So was like, let me find out the way I can like cut through. so i was like, oh, I i mean, i was I was like, let me find whichever is the closest like f like stop that's still on the city bike. And so I did that. And it took me like an hour or something regardless. And so I biked sweating like crazy. And then there was like points where the bike turns off and I'm like, oh, shoot. So you have to like, I have to scooch back, go back the other way, turn around. I was like, yo, fuck this shit. Fuck that. Fuck that.
00:22:14
Speaker
But I did it because I was like, I can't i told my boy I would go. And I was like, all right, cool, I'll go, I'll go. And I don't like, I'm not a big, I don't like Sneaker Con. don't like any of them. Rob Markman 1,0193, I met this guy, Engineered by Dre, on the back, says I only want to work with friends. He's one of the dopest new guys. I met him at Sneaker Con in Coney Island, but he's from Detroit. So you make a lot of connections with good people sometimes. Markman 1,0193, For sure.
Sneaker Event Experiences
00:22:40
Speaker
mean, you go there for people. 1,0193, It annoying. Yeah. 100%. But if you're going to buy sneakers, nah. That's the wrong place. It's over. Yeah. You can't do that. They're going to you. Because like so like I said, Nike SB, but like they had a pair of sneakers I've been looking for for like years. I pick it up.
00:22:57
Speaker
I look at the price. The guy wanted like 700 on top of like whatever I yeah thought it would yeah So it'd like a $500 sneaker. I'm like, all right, maybe I'll pay like $4.50, whatever, and I could haggle it down, whatever. I look at the price and it's like 12 something. I'm like, this shoe is not even worth that much. fact And I was like, nah, this is crazy. like I'm not going to do that. like I can't do that. And so I put the shoe down, I just stepped back and I was just like, fuck out of here. Yo, somebody did me dirty at Got Soul. Matter fact, i want I'm going to shout them out right now. Did you dirty?
00:23:25
Speaker
Did me dirty. Was this the recent one? No, the one before that. They sold me... a fucking used pair of brick Nigels. Markman- Oh, brick by bricks? Rob Markman- Yo, I'm going to find them right now and I'm going to fucking shit on them. yeah They did me dirty. So I did the God Soul, so I go there and um I'm looking for the... I had the pair bricks when they came out. I bought a pair, regular. I got them for box price, everything.
00:23:54
Speaker
On my block, on the FYL store, I was breaking up a fight or something. hu And fucking all types of shit spilt on them. Penny. Like, just being a nice guy, making sure my block is copacetic. And they fucked him up beyond recognition. I'm not- Not even like a Jason Marks getting that out of it? So, with those things, always feel like once- The Jason Marks and all of that is good for little things. But they were bad. Oh. Rob Markman, and if tried, I did it with the Bordeaux 7s. I got the ones from 2011. Those my favorite joints. Rob Markman, Yeah, those. Those are my favorite too. Rob love them. The new ones look nothing like, the newer ones that came out a couple years ago, nothing like it. Different material. So I sent them, got cleaned and everything, but still it ain't the same. It ain't the same. So I was like, yo, I need another pair, but by this time it was already too late. I hit Nigel. Rob Markman, Yeah. Rob Markman, Yo, what's up man?
00:24:44
Speaker
I told him the story, bro, he sent me the ones. Rob Markman- Oh yeah, the low tops. Markman- The low tops, yeah. Markman- Which I don't like ones, I don't wear ones. His shit, those shits is fire. They're like already scuffed up a little, I loved them. um But they wasn't the bricks. So I went to God's Soul, in fact, this is the guy's name.
00:24:59
Speaker
The Instagram is cash4culture. Yo, cash4culture, you can suck my whole dick. I already told them this in the DMs anyway. So I'm thirsty for these fucking bricks now.
00:25:10
Speaker
I go everywhere, they save $100. $700. Nobody's going lower. Got sold, besides whatever they paying me, they was like, yo, we're giving you a pair of sneakers. They tried to give me the the cement force Ben had them, what I'm saying? I don't want another pair. So was like, instead of giving me, just give me the bread. So they gave me like $250 for them. So I'm like, all right, $700 so I could get a pair for $450.
00:25:33
Speaker
So I went to this car this Cash for Culture. They have the thing. It's there. I'm like, yo, how much you want for these? $700? I was like, yo, get me for six. I do a video for you, all of that. He was like, eh, eh, eh, eh.
00:25:48
Speaker
He's like, $6.50. I was like, all right, whatever. Now in my head, I'm like, yo, I'm going to get them for four. but huh I do the video for them and everything. Yo, go to Cash for Culture, da, da, da.
00:26:00
Speaker
I don't even look at them. They give me the box. They was right in front of my face. The one... Somewhere along them, maybe when I was doing the video, they hit me with the switcheroo. No way. I get them.
00:26:11
Speaker
ah They're sitting in my house now for two weeks. I don't even look at them. Yeah. Now it's time for me to break them out. Mm-hmm. putting them on, see the little lint, ah see ah I see a crease. oh no I look at the bottom, you could tell they were lightly worn. yeah I said, nah, these motherfuckers got me?
00:26:32
Speaker
No. By this time, it's already two weeks later. It's not like I could go back get These guys are in wherever the fuck they're, Texas. So I hit them out and said, yo, you bitch motherfuckers sold me I said, bro.
00:26:45
Speaker
I gave you $650 and a video. yeah No, that's, you know, they were $700 that but we gave you, you know, since you only paid $600. I said, bro, you fucking kidding me? that's insane I said, yo, send them back. I said, bro, I threw them shits out already, bro. Get the fuck out of here. I said, when I see you, it's going to be a fucking issue. You can suck my dick from the back. You know what I'm saying? And it just was just mad.
00:27:07
Speaker
I was, that never happened to me before. I even hit Got Soul. It's like, yo, you got people over here jerking, motherfuckers. You Yo, send it back. I said, man, fuck sending it back. I'd rather give em to a bum.
00:27:20
Speaker
I'm not sending nothing back. And they fucking got me. And I had to fucking pay another 700 to get a fucking fresh band. Oh, man. That's crazy. Fucking pricks. I hate when that happens. That's why, like, yo, that little sneaker, that shit be getting me tight, them little sneaker shows. Doing, like, sucka shit like that. Yeah. I don't, that's why I don't fuck with a lot of these shits. Cause like, I don't, I don't, I don't find it fun. If I, if I'm like, at the end of the day, like I feel like I'm getting got, like got soul, I feel like I'm getting got, you know, like I don't, I don't, I don't find it fun because it's just like, it just seems like, like people are just like waiting on you to be so thirsty. Exactly. And I'm like, I don't find that. They almost got me with the, uh, with the, with the jellyfish. Oh yeah. You like those?
00:28:02
Speaker
I like them. I like them. So what happened was ah I went for, I like the grape here lot. yeah right So um at Got Soul, somebody's walking, y'all, $1,100. was like, but i'm not paying $1,100. $1,100? Yeah, because they was like, this is the special Virginia box. I was like, you're bugging. I'm not giving you $1,100 those.
00:28:23
Speaker
ah My man, substitute teacher, Brendan Dunn, AKA the substitute teacher at ComplexCon, he was like, oh, give you a discount code for StockX. I was like, yo, homie, StockX.
00:28:38
Speaker
I'm not, don't mess with them, bro. It's hit or miss, man. The gif of like Giannis? Yeah, exactly. So, how but he gave me a little discount code, a little $250 off. And then there was something else. I had something. I forgot what it was. Somebody, don't know. was like around the time of my birthday. Maybe somebody gave me a fucking gift card or somebody gave me another.
00:28:59
Speaker
ended up getting them for like $300. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Which is the price. That's retail, yeah. And the discount code cut out the shipping and the stock X price. So I got them for like...
00:29:11
Speaker
I got them, I love them shits. Them shits is fire. Markman I can't do it, man. I don't know. It doesn't hit me. I like them. Rob Markman Those and the other ones, the squids, whatever they call them. Yo, I kind of like, I almost bought the squids. I was like, nah, I can't do it. Somebody's going to see me and be like, nah, those ain't the jellyfish. Rob Markman Pull the oaky-dunk them. Rob Markman Yeah, was like, I almost bought, even the guy at the store, I was in the Bronx, There's a dope store over there. forgot what it's called. Up NYC? No. No, not up. Which way we going? On like Fordham.
00:29:45
Speaker
Fordham? I'm trying to think. It's a dope like store. Like it's known. Yeah. But I looked up, I said, yo, let me get these in size 12 and a half, 13. I like to go size up if I don't know. I'm a size 12, though.
00:30:00
Speaker
If all you guys want to send me, send me 1612 Mermaid Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11224. You heard? Send them to the FYL store. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? don Send two pairs. I was giving out my real address. No, I wasn't. I thought it was the FYL store. And then send two pairs because so I can go and pick up mine. I'll sell his pairs. Yo, so um even the guy was like, you sure?
00:30:24
Speaker
Those ain't the... job I was like, you know what, homie? You're right. I don't want these shits, man. But I like them. I like them. Probably the first Adidas that i've I've actually messed with ah since Yeezys. Yeah.
00:30:39
Speaker
I mean, I got some AvaRex shell tops. You know what saying? But there's only so much you can do with a shell top. And that one has like that big flap right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, but that leather on that is crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. I can't talk anything bad about AvaRex. I love AvaRex. Yo, I mean, last time I saw you, you had that Snowman Custom too. that was a Pelle. Oh, that was Pelle. That was my first Pelle ever had. was? Yeah, I never had a Pelly back in the day. was more like Bronx, uptown. Yeah, was true. Brooklyn and we AvaRex over there. Yeah. But Pels, I- I feel like Queens too. Queens was rocking Pels? I feel like I feel like- Queens was- Like Jamaica. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So with that is Snowman, I saw him, he made one for himself. was yo, I need that. And he was like, all right, give me the jacket. So he was like, I know you fuck, you know, AvaRex. I'll do an AvaRex if you want. I said, you know what? I never had a Pell in my life. Yeah.
00:31:31
Speaker
And I went and I copped one and gave it to him and he did his thing with it. That shit is amazing. That Insane. I want the the fitted. The fitted? Did you drop that or no? yeah I got mad shit from Snowman. He did my store shit. I know, was but do you got do you gotta fit did you drop the the Snowman fitted? The G fitted? No, because...
00:31:49
Speaker
I've been trying forever to get the fucking New Era account. I still don't got the New Era account. um So i you know these I did with All the Right. I'm working on it. It's going to come. And when we do that, then we're going to drop some with Snowman. But we got this the snapbacks we had. sold out. gone Snowman is a dope artist, bro. He does crazy dope stuff. I think, and him being like, you don't know who he is until he tells you who he is. Yeah, facts. It's fire to me. I love it. It makes sense though, Snowman. Yeah. He's a snowy man. I know. Somewhere around that pulse.
00:32:22
Speaker
One thing about it, and I was talking to him about it, because he was telling me ah he was going to do like a new story. Because I was like, yo, you need to bring back doing the the ice machines again. Because that's what he was blowing up off of And I was like, yo, you got to do those again. And he's just like...
00:32:36
Speaker
Don't worry, I got you. I was like, let's go, yo. He'd be, because I have one of his stickers on my phone and he'll just like, every time I see him, he'll just replace the sticker. Rob Markman, Yeah, he does that with my store as well. My store, something will fade or one time somebody wrote with Marka, a little thing, nothing major.
00:32:57
Speaker
Come by Coney Island, does it. You know saying? That's
Creating an Authentic Podcast
00:33:00
Speaker
crazy. i don't How did you... Because being outside, I mean, I get known for being outside so much too, but like how did what's the art between like finding and which spots you think you should really be in and like you know some ladies just like... Nah. Yeah. um It comes from trial and error. You know, you see... it and it and it And it means a lot from who would come who's the invite coming from. yeah So if an invite's coming from somebody I know really ain't about shit, I'm like, nah. yeah um And then sometimes you're like, oh, nah, I gotta be here. These are where the movers and shakers yeah is at. That Timbaland event last week, man, Markman- up. That's you about to tell me. Rob Markman- Yeah, you fucked up. They're heavy on that.
00:33:42
Speaker
I connected with a lot of people that I knew of but never got to meet. And nah, it was dope. Especially my man right here is on the come up too, Black Just yeah with these. I met him at Got Soul. He was walking around.
00:33:55
Speaker
So his come up is in like the last couple months. yeah like That's a big come up from walking around at Got Soul to having your official like Timbaland. Same thing with with my man Loso. I was just about to shout him out. Loso crushed that Tim, yo. That Tim is fire. Did you- did you i had the I have the old beef and broccoli like that. He really did. Not like the factory made one. Yeah, when I first met him, he had those on. I was like, yo, those is crazy. and yeah I have no problem like with shit like that paying the artists. Like Loso, I paid for that shit. um
00:34:27
Speaker
Just paid for them. um Who else? Darkfield Night. Oh, who's that? ah They're called Distinctive Premium Knit. Yo. I gotta check that out. i wanted it They got there the same day as the Timbaland party. Beef and Broccoli shit, but they're like...
00:34:45
Speaker
It's like turf material. Oh, yeah, I've seen those. Yo. Crazy. I paid him a night. I DM'd him when I saw them. said, yo, need a pair. Some people be oh, Nims got you. He was like, all right, I'm going to send you link.
00:34:59
Speaker
I seen the price, I was like, I ain't trying to pay this much. But I also hate, because I used to sell my merch through the DMs when you give somebody a price and then they just, I hate that. yeah I hate that. So being you know being a person like that hates that, he sent it, I said, well, you asked?
00:35:18
Speaker
Markman, There you go. Rob There you go yeah But they came right then, they came, I was leaving house like 4.30, they came at 4 o'clock from UPS. I was like, perfect, I know nobody's gonna have these at the Timberland party. And knocked out the park with those. Markman, I'm pretty sure you was getting stopped. Rob Markman, Absolutely, absolutely. Even Hector from Timberland was like, yeah, it was crazy. I mean, yeah. Hector's doing some fire stuff. Hector's doing great work up there, man. He's he's really... couldn Look, that's like with Black Juz, with Loso.
00:35:49
Speaker
He's really seeing what's what and making the dots connect. Yeah. I mean, the Loso thing is so interesting. Hopefully, I get Loso on the podcast too. But like the Loso... Hector posted a post about it, which I didn't know the story about it. where He was just like... He saw ah what Loso was doing with the hats.
00:36:07
Speaker
and the flames and stuff. And he just like, maybe try something with the boots. And then he started doing those- Rob Markman Oh, I didn't know that. Rob Markman Yeah. was like, yo, he started doing the Tims with the flames. And then after that, he was just like crazy. Rob Markman Nah, that. saw it on the gram early. Maybe like two years ago, a year, two ago. Whenever first was putting them out, was like, same thing. Hit him with the DM. Yo, what's up? Yo, meet me here.
00:36:31
Speaker
him. Rob Markman, that's crazy bro. That's crazy. What I love about New York though is that we have those opportunities. I feel like you don't really get Nah, if you in fucking Idaho, it's not happening. You know what I'm saying? It's not happening. Rob Markman, But being outside is part of that, right? Yeah, that gets my DMs answered. You know what I'm saying? Maybe some people won't get their shit answered or...
00:36:54
Speaker
Markman, people recognize that you know I'm in the game moving and shaking too. um So it's a mutual respect and a mutual love and that's why it makes it dope too. Rob Markman, Yeah. I mean, that's what I get too. I was just talking to somebody recently because he well I have a friend that also has a podcast and so we bounce ideas off each other a lot. And you know he was telling me, he was just like, you know He records from DC and I'm just like, he's like, yo, Haas be outside a lot. I'll be like, yeah, because sometimes, and especially with a podcast, it's hard to get people to tap in when they're already pulled up. So it's like once you make a connection like a person in the face and name and they're like, I'll give it a shot. Absolutely. Absolutely. So it's like, I mean, what's dope about your podcast, though, is that it's literally outside. It's literally outside. Yeah. And outside is actually like an extra host. Rob Markman Yeah, it is. Because it's- Because I didn't want to do a podcast. And they came to me and was like, yo, we got some bread for Revolt came and they was like, yo, you want do a podcast? I was meh. But at that time, right around bing bong happening, I remember Exhibit came to the block.
00:37:58
Speaker
just to hang out. That's crazy. You know what I'm saying? He was drinking 40s on the block, playing me new music, and we just was sitting on milk crates and beach chairs for like two, three hours. And as a fan, now that I'm cool with this person, I was asking him shit. I had his first album, At the Speed of Light. I had Matt. I was asking him everything I always wanted to know, but it wasn't a part, it was just me as a fan. I was like, this dope. Then DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill came.
00:38:26
Speaker
but We did an episode with him, but he came before that. And he did the same thing. Opened up some 40s, drank him on the block, um and I did the same thing. and And so when Revolt came, I was like, yo, You wanna do this part? I was like, actually yeah, but it's gotta be just like we're chilling on the block. I'm not gonna ask no fucking clickbait questions. I'm gonna ask just everything as a fan. yeah So we don't always have guests, but I only have guests that I don't have to look up exactly anything. same same Like I have to be a fan. Like we had Ghostface, we had cannabis. Rob Markman, that cannabis one, I watched his that shit. That shit was crazy. Rob Markman, I knew As soon as they confirmed, it was hard. Bro, I had to go on a FaceTime one for like two hours, bro. He was on like a boat, yeah like a houseboat. Rob Markman, Yeah, He's wild. Rob And like, this guy's crazy. He's like, so I just want to know. I had to go. So I didn't think he was going to come through and he did. And I was like, yo, we're going to make this fun. Yo, he's one of my favorite rappers all the time. Rob Me Markman, But there's one video, I remember this is like post 9-11. Yo, this one video where he's rapping while in like the full army gear. You remember this? He was just spitting a freestyle. He's like, I got bars for you. And he starts spitting a freestyle. I'm like, what is going on? he yeah
00:39:38
Speaker
He's a character. ah be he's But he's mad cool too. yeah You meet him and he's mad cool, mad humble. almost too humble. Because when I was talking to him, was like, damn, this... like I was like, yo, why didn't you do this? He was like, yo, I just wanted to keep up with the MCs. Even like you, Nims, I want to keep... I'm like, homie, you're cannabis. yeah I rap like I do because of you. yeah be ah like and and And other artists. But it was like, yo, was...
00:40:06
Speaker
It's mind blowing to meet artists that, ah you know, it it makes sense after you meet them why certain things happen. Cannabis is a great person though. Besides one of the greatest MCs, still to this day, you listen to a Cannabis Freestyle from that era. yeah It's light years still better than shit that's coming out today. Insane. I still, I gotta run, now you're making me want to run back 2000 again.
00:40:30
Speaker
That was... CB. CB. 2000 BC. Is it BC? That's the second one? That's the one where he dropped on Baby Grand. That one kind of was better than the first one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Even though I listened to the... When the first one came out... oh What was the first... Oh, Can I Bust. Yeah, Can I Bust. Pause. Pause.
00:40:47
Speaker
Yeah. That first album... I hated it when it first came out, because i we expected a certain thing. But when I listened, I remember listening back to it a couple years ago, I'm like, this album's not that bad as I remember. yeah But the 2000 BC had some bangers. Because, i mean, I'm a huge Jedi Mind Tricks fan. yeah Well, i used to be. um and then What happened?
00:41:08
Speaker
The whole beef between Vinnie Paz and Just Allah and that whole crazy thing. I'm not tapped in with them. I know them. Well, this was like years ago. So this is like forum days. And then this is like when I was on OK Player, like religiously. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I was like really heavy into like Just Allah and Vinnie Paz. And then they like started splintering off doing Army of Pharaohs and all this other crazy stuff. But they ended up having beef at one point. And literally the forums were split. They were like, you either Vinnie Paz or you Just Allah. Yeah, yeah, facts. And I was like, Just Allah. Really? Yeah, only because the Cannabis album. Because Just Allah did all the beats for it. Oh, I didn't know that.
00:41:51
Speaker
Yeah. Wow. I didn't know that. That's crazy. ah I'm a crazy hip hop. No, I know a lot about hip hop, but I didn't know that. Yeah. oh shoot And so I was like 2000 BC was like, I felt like just a lost beats and, um, and cannabis was just like going crazy. Yeah. They went way better than the, the, why clap was doing it. Yeah. cause it's like, you need that. Like they,
00:42:12
Speaker
The beats was like out of there. yeah like They were like wild. And I was just like, this is what with the the samples cut into and the whole album of Buckingham Palaces for that first album. You know what I'm saying? But they tried to do too much. yeah um when When you talk about FYL and the store and stuff like that, like are you trying to bring
Expanding FYL and Uplifting Community
00:42:30
Speaker
sneakers? like well you Yes. Because I'm very curious about that. Absolutely. So um I was talking with... My man, um Al and Mike um from Saucony.
00:42:41
Speaker
um I was like, yo. Shout out Mandinos. Yeah, shout to Mandinos. I spoke to them. And I even filled out a vendor form to bring some Sauconies there.
00:42:52
Speaker
Sauconies, I feel like, is on the come up. a fuck with Sauconies. And the people that work there, I'm more i'm connected with them. yeah So I filled out a vendor form. I don't know what happened, but I definitely want to bring um sneakers there.
00:43:08
Speaker
I don't know. I would love to have Nike and Jordan, but... My store is small, so I would want to pick out which ones I wanted. And from what I hear in the beginning with a Nike account, you just got to take anything. Yeah, they're just like, you got to earn your keep, I guess. I don't know how how how that would work for me. um Especially in like, I mean, I know you know your demographic, like yeah that area of Coney Island, like...
00:43:32
Speaker
You know what's going to actually sell. Exactly. So it's like, Sock and Ease, I definitely feel like everybody's like, you know, they're on their feet all day. And asked them. And I asked Sock, I was like, yo, do you guys have any vendors in South Brooklyn? Yeah. And if they did, it wasn't many. It might if they even had, I don't remember the answer, but I was like, let's make it happen, man. We do a collab, we do this, this. So there's a lot of going on behind the scenes. I think it's going to happen over time.
00:44:02
Speaker
I think that like you definitely you're building what what I love about like because you do the post where it's like going back to school and you got the kids pulling up and like you give so much back to your community, especially like a community. Everybody's always knows about like, you know, oh, we got, you know, Astoria, we got the Bronx, we got Queens, we got Manhattan, everybody and and like certain parts of Brooklyn. But nobody really talks about Coney Island and like gives back to Coney Island as much as you do. I mean, we never had a rapper come out of Coney Island. So he's just been ballplayers. Stephon, Lance Stevenson, Bashy.
00:44:36
Speaker
So, and and they might have had, I remember Bashy had a store for a little while in the hood, but nobody has consistent, ah so nobody had a store for three years like I have. Yeah. And I make sure, just like with all the art that I put up on the block, I want to make that shit a whole different area. Like, we could gentrify the neighborhood without bringing anybody in. yeah Like, you don't need a million people to come or a whole different demographic to gentrify a neighborhood. Nah, the people from the neighborhood could do it themselves. That's why I have artists come from all over the world, do murals and do different things. And ah I always make sure, because Coney Island is a...
00:45:15
Speaker
People love to remember Coney Island for the summer, but during the winter, man, it's a whole community that's mad underprivileged. And there's mad crime and there's mad stuff and people that don't got. And yeah, there's non-profits giving out food, giving out this.
00:45:32
Speaker
Nobody's keeping the people fresh. right yeah And when you go to school, that does a lot for you to be fresh, man. So anytime kids come by, make sure they can get whatever they want. i We've had a New Balance come through and we've given out New Balances in the hood, book bags. Just whenever whenever somebody comes to me like, yo, Nem's You wanna do this, I'm always for it.
00:45:51
Speaker
yeah Always for You gotta to better your community. I love that, man. like That's the one thing we definitely need because yeah, you're right about gentrification, but i'm talking we talk about the other part of gentrification where people just coming in. because Yeah, because they made affordable. Because the older I get, I um i like gentrification now. I wanna be able to walk around in a fucking nice neighborhood. nice neighborhood But you don't need other people to come in to do that. No, yeah. as long as the That's the biggest thing. I don't think people really understand that, where it's just like, if you reinvest back into your community, you can make these changes that people are just coming in and just automatically- Now, don't get me wrong. I don't live in Coney Island anymore. um But as- But you're there every day. Exactly. As much as I can be, I'm there by my store. Because also, I'm the face of my store. And and and it's- ah
00:46:38
Speaker
It's good for business too, for people to think that they're going to come to the store and meet me. yeah Most of the time you can if you know my schedule doesn't always permit, but yeah when I have some off time, I'm by the store just chilling, hanging out, putting a beat chair there, just chilling out, playing music. It's good for the... you know it's good for I like that people from the community because I didn't have any rap. like I had to get it out the mud from Coney Island. like i couldn't I didn't have anybody I could go to like, yo, put me on. It was way harder than yeah somebody from fucking Queensbridge that got Nas, Marv Deep, fuck everybody from over there like putting, yo, let me do it. It's different. So I make sure that I'm
00:47:18
Speaker
ah accessible to a certain degree. You can't make yourself too accessible. ah yeah But definitely to a certain extent. No, yeah. It's just, it's, yes, you talk about getting out the mud and it's just like, it's crazy because you are this big, you're big, you're yeah yeah you're a big figure, you know? Like, I think i think you are, and this me giving you flowers, like, you you embody um just what a New Yorker is. Like, you know, it's not like on some some wishy-washy shit. you know it's like you you What I love about you is like you unapologetically yourself at all times. And I think that like you know you get to a certain point, people be like, all right, now gotta switch it up. And you're like, nah, go fuck your yourself. Yeah, straight up. um A lot of people think that that don't meet me in real life think that it's an act or it's something that I just put on for the for the internet or whatever. And then they meet me and be
00:48:09
Speaker
All right, this is really you. yeah um A lot of people meet me too and think I'm small. They're like, yo, I didn't know you was this big. I get that all the time. That's crazy. It's crazy.
00:48:20
Speaker
never thought that once. Mad people tell me that. They be like, yo, I didn't know you were this, besides big, but tall. They think you bagel boss height. Yeah. I don't know what the fuck they think. like, really? come across like that, but whatever the case. That's crazy. The one thing, oh, and also what I really love also too is how much like, Rob Markman, you're embedded in this like the New York Nico universe
Rejuvenating Coney Island
00:48:42
Speaker
too. Rob Markman, Yo, Nico's my guy man. Nico's a big part of my success man. always give Nico his flowers man. He's a dope person. Low key, a lot of people don't know that Nico used to direct music videos. directed a Jedi Mind Tricks video. Rob Markman, Yeah. Rob Markman, It's funny, I ran into him at the Marlon Kraft thing. Yeah. And so I'm like, yo, I didn't know who he was at that time. So I'm just like, I'm like, yeah, check out my podcast, you know, blah, blah, blah. And he goes, he goes, it was like, no, wait, it was like, yo. he hit you with the dude know who I am? No, no, no. He goes, I go, yo, I would love a follow too. Cause he was telling somebody, oh, I'll follow you. So then was like, I love a follow too. He's like, hold on, let me look at your podcast. So he looks at my stuff. He's like, yo, I filmed the video for Fresh Daily. I was just like, Yeah, was like, I had a ton of people that he used to film music videos for. And was just like, you have music video? And he was just like, yeah, I'm going to follow you right now. And then he follows me. I'm like, you're fucking New York Nico. Nah, Nico's good. And he's low-key a part of the culture. He's a part of the culture. And he shows love to real authentic New Yorkers, man, and I like that. Rob Markman- Yeah, the revival for the- Rob Markman- Yo, that shit is so funny, bro. Markman- Nico has involved me in a lot of good looks, even that sanitation commercial. Bro, that shit been rocking all year. My face was on bus stops in Coney Island. That shit was crazy. Rob Markman- That's crazy. Markman- And that all due to Nico throwing me the alley-oop. I got mad love for Nico, man. Is that a full circle moment? Would you consider that moment? Absolutely.
00:50:16
Speaker
Big time, big time. Being a sanitation worker for almost a decade to then retiring because Bing Bong and all of that shit happened and then you know becoming a face for their commercial or Don't Litter in New York where my shit's Rob Markman, bro, I would be watching TV, a Yankee game or a Knick game and the commercial comes on and it's me.
00:50:38
Speaker
It's crazy. Rob Markman, That's insane, yeah. Markman, my face on on billboards and you know as a at telling people not to lit up. 100% full circle. It lets me know and validation that I did the right thing. By pursuing my dreams Nah yeah I mean Bro you carved yourself Literally out the mud And you got like I mean I've been following your Your journey and listen to you Tell like all the things That you've been through Like for for a while now too So it's just like You know it's a huge honor Having you sit across From me thank you today You know so like It's so dope Because it's like Seeing what you Like music is not like the easiest thing. So it's like you carved your lane out of like several different avenues of being yourself too. Yeah, that's the best part. Yeah. So it's like you don't have to be like, damn, I got famous off of, you know, posting a picture that I didn't want to post. You know, you're like, you know? Yo, that's the best part about but because I've been rapping since early 2000s. was doing the Fight Club, everything. And I had record Did you time?
00:51:39
Speaker
I was was the king of the fight club. That's before fucking crime time. And then I came back in 2017 or 18 and did King of the Dot yeah um versus Head Ice. But um yo back then...
00:51:55
Speaker
I have record deals on the table and and offers and I always look back like, damn, why didn't that happen, man? What the fuck? um And it's so fortunate and it lets me know like, yo, it ain't when you want, it's on a higher purpose. size It's gonna happen when it's supposed to. Rob Markman Yeah. where It's so refreshing that the shit took off of me in this manner with Bing Bong, don't ever disrespect me to rap, because I came into the game now being myself. yeah And that shit is so refreshing. I don't have to put on a mask or be anybody I'm not. And you know I made people laugh at me being an asshole. like yo they They expect me to be an asshole. So even if I'm in a bad mood, I'm telling, yall don't ever disrespect me. ah go And they laugh. I love it.
00:52:41
Speaker
It's the best. That shit is so facts. Because I'm thinking about it too. I'm like, damn, you can't. Like, you could literally have like the bad, the worst day. And somebody, you've be like, yo, go fuck yourself. And somebody's just like, yeah. They'd be like, that's bad. Fuck your life. I just told him He's like, yo, you going to the pod? was like, yeah, fuck your life. You know what I'm it's dope to come into the to shit like that, man.
00:53:04
Speaker
I mean, it's wild. And like, I do love, because like now you're putting on shows too, and it's just, you got your fan base just being like, yeah, I fuck with them. Absolutely. And it's like, everybody's rocking FYL in the crowd too. That's the best shit. That's the best shit. It's crazy, bro.
00:53:17
Speaker
But i before we jumped on, I did talk about like, you know, I was listening to, ah you know, America's Sweetheart album on the way
Gratitude and Authenticity in Life
00:53:24
Speaker
here. And like, just going through the track list, like, I love how like, old school with the skits and everything. miss that era like that too. Rob Markman Absolutely. I'm from the old school where look through- Rob Markman The line of loads. Markman You put the CD in, you look through the booklet, you read who produced it, where they recorded it. That shit used to mean something it was just interesting to me. Rob Markman Or just skits. A good skit is Wu-Tang. People still talk about Wu-Tang Rob Markman Exactly. Markman put his bras on the dresser. Rob Markman Yo, just his balls with a spike back. Rob Markman Yeah. Rob Markman Yo,
00:53:57
Speaker
i'm ah I'm a hip hop, I'm a school student of the game, but I love you know the golden era. I'm real hip hop. I could tell you a lot of things, just like you put me on a lot of things. There's a lot of things I know that the average person, like I'm a hip hop nerd. and um So that all pours into the music as well. Rob Markman 1, I know you got the new album coming out Markman 1, me and Ron Browse. So that's another thing. With Ron Browse, He produced Ebonics. Big hell. yeah eat the Back then, I didn't know him. ah i I was just a fan of his work. And now to get to put out a whole project, April 24th, Nems, Wrong Brows, I Should Fucking Boom You. um
00:54:36
Speaker
it's It's like I'm living my dream. I'm living my dream. ah One thing that really stuck out on me on this album was like you talk about how you get up in the morning you write a gratitude list. Every day. I got to know more about that. So I don't actually write it. I don mention i was, but then as I get more busy, I i make sure I do a ah um a mental gratitude list every day. So as soon as I wake up, my ah oh I open my eyes.
00:55:02
Speaker
um I just do a checklist in my mind of what I'm grateful for. Sometimes it's the same thing. Sometimes it's different stuff. But it's so easy for me to wake up and just reach for my phone and get into that universe. yeah But before I do that, I lay in bed.
00:55:18
Speaker
Yo, I'm grateful to be under my my own roof. I'm grateful to wake up. I'm grateful that I could smell, yeah touch, see. I got all my senses. I'm grateful.
00:55:31
Speaker
Sometimes it's as simple as, yo, I don't have a cold. yeah When you have a cold, you're like, damn, yeah I appreciate being normal now. So it could be the smallest. I appreciate fucking...
00:55:41
Speaker
My house smells good. Or i appreciate, you know, whatever the fuck it is, man. it's it's It's a necessity for me to wake up and start my day with a positive. yeah And just being grateful because that makes everything else, it puts things into perspective. Because it's easy for me to wake up and be like, fuck, I got to do this. ah fucking I got to pay my mortgage today. I got to go to a funeral. room I got to do this. I got to this.
00:56:10
Speaker
No, fuck all that. yeah Start your day with ah with gratitude and it puts you yeah the rest of the shit into perspective. because but i woke up and I've woken up in jail cells. yeah I've woken up in project staircases and hospital beds where just waking up in my own fucking bed, I'm grateful. yeah Just for today. Tomorrow it might be something different.
00:56:33
Speaker
But day by day, start your day with a gratitude list. It it really changes things and and and and it starts the day dope. I mean, you,
Avoiding Overthinking
00:56:42
Speaker
you, that's beautiful, first of all.
00:56:44
Speaker
That's beautiful because I don't think people- I'm gonna disrespect me telling another man something's beautiful, man. you Look, all right, look. That's fire. There we go. There we go. I think a lot of people, especially because the way the world is now and the internet, everybody's immediately on their phones, immediately. Absolutely. And you hit with a ton of negativity. I always say, and now you're making me think about the way I like, how I'm always like, yeah, the world's made to break you. The world's made to break you. It is, but you can't let that break you. Yeah, exactly. You can overthink yourself out of a fucking blessing. Mm-hmm.
00:57:18
Speaker
Like that, you know? um i'm I'm lucky, I'm under thinker. yeah I'm not an over thinker. Like things come into my head that I just be like fuck it. Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. yeah and um But yeah, too much over thinking man is is yeah definitely not
Advice to Younger Self
00:57:33
Speaker
beneficial. Rob Markman for sure. um But we're towards the end of the podcast so I wanna ask you another question. i want you to think back to Younger Nems and he's about to open that box with the kamikazes in them, right? Now you're older you, behind your younger self. What would you tell younger Nims as he opens that box?
00:57:51
Speaker
ah Enjoy these. Enjoy these. Whether you like them or not. Your mother worked hard for them. yeah um And when you get older, man, you're going to be able to buy yourself whatever the fuck you want. yeah So go run around in these, fucking scuff them up, fuck them up. But also, keep them. yeah
Cherished Memories and Missed Opportunities
00:58:10
Speaker
Don't throw them out. I wish I kept a lot of shit that I... But I had I remember I went to WuWear when the WuWear was there.
00:58:19
Speaker
My mother broke there. Rob Markman- There was WuWear the...? no, no. went to Staten My mother broke me. Rob Markman- Oh, shoot. Okay. I moved to Staten Island. I lived in Staten Island for like four years from 13 to 17. I went to high school out there. went to high school in the Poconos. My mother bought a house out there for a couple of years. Then we went back to Coney Island. But we went to WuWear. Ray Kwan Cuban Lynx just came out.
00:58:42
Speaker
He was signing posters. Oh, my God. Of the Cuban Lynx. The inside where they have the Wu-Tang, they're all there. Yeah. Bro, he put Peace Travis, my real name. He was like, Peace Travis, one love, Raekwon. And had that poster on my wall for mad long.
00:58:56
Speaker
ah Official Cuban Lynx purple tape poster. Oh, God. And fucking... Through the years, i was just like, eh. got rid of it. oh man Facts. no Facts.
00:59:09
Speaker
That's crazy. I wish. I would've framed that shit right now, bro. Crazy.
Full Circle Moments with Raekwon
00:59:14
Speaker
Especially even because you had him on the podcast, too. I didn't have him on the podcast. Ghostface on the podcast. Ray Korn is now. Ray Korn tells me when he says, yo, Nims, I love you, bro. I even told him the last time I seen him about a story.
00:59:26
Speaker
My mother's car, she took me to get a haircut. It was from his St. Barber, the St. Barber shop they went to. ah She was waiting outside because was a kid.
00:59:37
Speaker
She fucking, her car, she turned it off. It didn't start again. She just went to the car behind her. Excuse me, you have a jumper cable? They was like, nah. But they called the cab. They was a yo, call the cab.
00:59:49
Speaker
I'll pay for it to boost this shit. yeah It was Raekwon. And I told them this recently. I was like, yo... You know, because you tell people always come to yo, Nems, remember seen you here, and stuff? Get the fuck out here. But now, you know, Raekwon, I'm friends with now. It's crazy.
01:00:05
Speaker
And I told him that story. he was like, yo, that's crazy. Yo, it's love, brother. You know what I'm saying? That shit is like, I even told my mother, too. I told him she was hype. She was hype. Yo, that i mean, bro, like, that's full circle again, bro. Full circle. Full circle. That's crazy, Living the dream. That's crazy, man.
Guest and Promotional Wrap-up
01:00:21
Speaker
I love that, man. Let everybody know where to find you.
01:00:24
Speaker
NEMS underscore FYL on all platforms. Shop FYL. It's www.FYL.NYC. And pull up to the store. We open seven days a week. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 1612 Mermaid Avenue.
01:00:37
Speaker
Yeah. You know where to find me, who is Hassan on social for media, is follow the podcast at My First Kicks Pod. Hit me up, info at MyFirstKicks.com, which are My First Kicks story. Hit up the Patreon, patreon.com slash MyFirstKicks. I got...
01:00:49
Speaker
One tier. Five dollars. All I need is five. Hook it up. You can buy sneakers. You can pay five dollars for Patreon. Yeah, please. Thanks. Appreciate you, man. My guy. Yeah. All right.
Patreon and Life Challenges
01:01:01
Speaker
I hope you enjoyed this week's episode with Mims. Man, this was a very fun episode. As you can tell, a different background on that work. I'm actually in the middle work, but I wanted to make sure that I get this done because I'm actually going to be heading to the gathering down at Staples.
01:01:19
Speaker
or staple and after work, so I had to squeeze this in and squeeze, putting, cutting and clipping the episode together and sending clips to NEMS and all that.
01:01:30
Speaker
So you're getting a rushed ending. You gotta do Patreon shoutouts, of course. So shoutout to Adam Neustetter. Shoutout to Ross Adams, Fresh Pro Etik, Adam Butler, Jesse, Jesse G, Plox, Derek Hawkins, Jordan Kaiser, Samia, Sean Hates You, and Brett. And you, too, can get shouted out at the end of every episode by signing up for a Patreon at patreon.com slash myfirstkicks. Only got
Podcast Reflections and Listener Engagement
01:02:00
Speaker
one tier, $5 tier. You get exclusive episodes.
01:02:03
Speaker
Got to record a new one this month, hopefully soon. um This month, well yeah this month has been extremely crazy uh got some bad family news uh which i alluded to in the past couple episodes so been dealing with that uh this week has been crazy alone because of the bad news and you know now i'm having to record this outro and intro and and mid-tro whatever you want a mid-roll um at work and so appreciate everyone for
01:02:39
Speaker
Checking out the podcast. I gotta to get back to editing it and putting this outro into the episode. And if you're checking this out, check out Mim's music and pre-save his new album, I Will Fucking Boom You, because it's going to be great. First song, first 48 is great. Quick correction, and if you make it to the end, and or if you're only listening to this, I want to make a correction.
01:03:07
Speaker
The Cannabis album I was referring to was Rip the Jacker. That was produced by Stoop the Enemy of Mankind and I got it all messed up. I was saying 2000 BC and that it was produced by Just A Law. But the Just A Law beef with him and Vinnie Paz was true. I was right on that. So if you watched it, you'll see the editor note that I put in there.
01:03:29
Speaker
But I tried to listen to that album recently, like literally as I was editing the the episode. yo that thing brought me back to 2001 and it's crazy uh i was listening to that album on uh compact rosario and thought i was going to become the next best thing in rap so here i am making a podcast talking to a really dope rapper my wow have the turns have tabled is what they would say so Don't forget, please, please, please help your boy out. Sign up for the Patreon, patreon.com slash myfirstkicks.
01:04:05
Speaker
Hit that subscribe button. How about the podcast? And if you want to check out more of this podcast, check out these two episodes here. hit best Hit that, hit that, that my first kicks button right there. And don't forget what we say each week, wear your kicks. Peace.