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My First Kicks Khronicles with Prozech
81 Plays1 month ago
This week we are joined by Prozech, hailing from the UK. Prozech and I talk about my appearance on his podcast. How he grew up loving sneakers but never knew about sneaker culture. How sneaker culture found him and what is was like for him to venture into this world. His recent achievements and also the work he is doing in the community. Also we touch on my terrible english accent and much much more.
Where to find Prozech:
Socials: IG: https://www.instagram.com/prozech/
Youtube @PROZECH
Website: https://linktr.ee/prozech
Kick Khronicles with ME!
Part 1: https://youtu.be/pgy_fop2Ezs?si=qo2apsrythn_XPOq
Part 2: https://youtu.be/_kqhpEA0xxw?si=Nv_0IF9_ELVMh8h2
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Intro Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/ Outro Music by Gordon Bombay: https://thegordonbombay.bandcamp.com/
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Transcript
Introduction and Collaboration
00:00:14
Speaker
Hey, Pose, I want to the podcast. What's up? What's up? What's up, man? pato So on our pleasure to be here. Nah, man, it's a dope for to have you on after doing your podcast. Make sure everybody check out my episode of Kicks Chronicles. You know, I was on it. he did We did a two-party because we we did not want to stop talking. Yeah, we were going we were definitely going in and pull. So definitely check that out. Survey to wherever you get full costs. Anywhere you get this full cost, you might want to check it out. Type it in. Chronicles with a K. You get me. It's going to be in the description of this podcast. I'm going to make sure. but One and two.
00:00:51
Speaker
But this first started as me hitting you up to jump on my podcast first. And now we we did the reverse and and ah just some added context for that. But for people who aren't familiar with you, how about you introduce yourself? Absolutely, man. Well, first and foremost, yeah, once again, pleasure to be here. My name is Prozac, or Prozac, depending on what side of the pun to get you. I'm a content creator and podcast star.
00:01:18
Speaker
just a lover of the long form, you get me, and a conversation list. So I have a podcast, it's called Kicks Chronicles, where we, it's a sneaker and lifestyle podcast, where we essentially just speak to a guest about how they fell in love with kicks. And some of you sort of eagle-eyed and eagerly, that should probably say, among us, are probably thinking, that sounds kind of familiar in terms of a premise.
00:01:43
Speaker
ah um I promise there's no plagiarism. yeah That's the reason why we're pretty tight right now because we realize that great minds do you think alike and things like this do happen. But yeah, essentially, I've had some amazing guests, some of the guests that have actually been on this podcast have actually been on my podcast as well.
00:02:00
Speaker
And you know what? All I could do is be thankful about the opportunity that I currently have to sit in the seat and speak to the legendary Hughis Haas of the My First Kicks podcast. Yeah,
Podcast Styles and Identity
00:02:12
Speaker
buddy. Well, I mean, look, it was fun being on your podcast. And and even after, ah hopefully everybody that's listening to this will check you out, check that episode out. But like even after that, I still think we have two different podcasts. Yes.
00:02:25
Speaker
i fact but And I think that cemented it too. Yeah, 100%, 100%. And I think that's even, I think that's even, that even, that shows even more that even if you have a similar premise, the difference between people ah the is the people. It's the devil. It's everything. You have your style, which is amazing. I have my style, which is amazing. right so Go and check it out. So it's one of them things where that's the difference, man. So you can have two, and then then I think about, you know what? In the UK, we have a million football, AKA soccer, podcast, yeah a million, right? They all do the same thing. They you all say the same things. But no one's better than Arsenal TV. now just's like
00:03:12
Speaker
hear me found blood hey blood yeah hear me fan
00:03:17
Speaker
I don't know if he does this every week. He has not been sanctioned by me. ah
Humor and Storytelling
00:03:23
Speaker
see These Jason Statham impressions are wild broskeek.
00:03:34
Speaker
read I mean, I didn't tell the story on on your podcast, but I'm going to tell you, I became i worked that with the Dylan Lauren, who's Ralph Lauren's daughter. ralph larence Yeah, Ralph Lauren's daughter. I said it right. At her candy store out here right for several years. I was there for a minute. right So this one dude pulls up. he becomes the cat There's a cafe. And he pulls up. And he's like the first British friend I've ever made in my life.
00:04:00
Speaker
And um ever since he said the word bittas, I have only said it that way. from And then he was like, do you like drinks with bittas in it? And I was just like, what's bittas? And then he was just like, you know, bittas, they make things bitter. And like you know he was explaining it to me, but he had to say it in the English, like in in like New York, regular regular American dirty English, where he's like bitters. And I was just like, Oh, bitters. And he was just like, I was like, I've never I don't even know what that is. And he's just like, I just need you to go get me something. and I was just like, all right, fine. And then when I got in, we became real cool after that. Shout out to him. He started his own i a Brazilian jujitsu gi, like companies called nation athletics. And, you know,
00:04:49
Speaker
Um, me and him go way back and we've we've been friends ever since. And, but yes, because of that, I was always just like saying, like, you know, spot say, you know, like, don like, I, I, every time I'd see him, I just start breaking down a British accent. And he said, it was well, this was like years ago, but he said it was valid at that point. I guess it deteriorated, or and maybe it was just my binging of Jason Statham, because this is before I ever know who Jason Statham was, right?
Sneaker Memories and Cultural Impact
00:05:15
Speaker
and i And then after that, now it's just, i you know, I just started talking like like I'm in a Guy Ritchie film now, so yeah. No, you're definitely ah definitely giving Jason Statham, bro. Whatever you had in the beginning, bro, you've lost that, like, with respect, obviously. Now you're fully, like, I don't know what the latest one was, the beekeeper, you're fully that guy, bro.
00:05:35
Speaker
Yo, yo, oh my God. If you watch The Beekeeper, rewatch The Beekeeper, yo. I was watching it, and there's a scene where they forgot to cut out the camera guy in the scene. Bruh, you gotta watch it. I swear to God, I swear to God. Yo, if anything, I will clip this, I will clip this, and I will find that. But there's one scene, I'm watching it, right? And I'm like, I'm watching it, and I said to my girl, I'm like, um like did you see the cameraman? And she's like, no. And I was just like,
00:06:03
Speaker
I was like, there's a straight up, like you see the cameraman backing up as he's opening the door. And she's like, I didn't see that. So I scroll, I roll back and you see it's like three seconds, bam. He's just like, he's just like still in the movie. He's just like moving it back. And I was just like, this is ridiculous. How you forget to cut this out? And there's one on streaming. No, those those that those are the type of things that I really love, man. I see it were those kind of mistakes in films, man.
00:06:28
Speaker
I pick up more luck, man. I pick up more luck. I remember I saw, i remember i saw like I think it was like Shutter Island or something like that, where like, I think it was either Leonardo DiCaprio or one of the other characters goes to pick up a glass and literally as they pick up the glass, there's no glass in their hand and then it cuts and then there's a glass in their hand. I said to my mid black, did you see that? Did you see that? And I'm literally going back and forth on this thing. might just Well, shutter Shutter Island is a psychological thriller, so could be ama maybe they're playing games with you. Could be. Could be. You know what I'm saying? um The psycho. Like an inception. du this The top's still spinning, man. You know what I'm saying?
00:07:18
Speaker
But you're here to answer the question that I ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kicks? What's that first pair of s sneakers you absolutely need to have? So the first pair of kicks, man. First pair of kicks, wow.
00:07:31
Speaker
I'll probably say like, I need to take this back. I need to take it back to like primary school. Okay. You like, I suppose that's what I don't know. Is that kindergarten? I don't know how probably primary school. but Is it, uh, how old are you in primary school? At this time, probably like 10, 10, 10 years. That's a, that's um,
00:07:51
Speaker
Public school is like public public schools like one grades one through five. Yeah, probably like, yeah, I mean, like, let me see, like, I'm in fifth grade. There you go. That's in fifth grade, right? I'm in fifth grade. And up until now, I'll say it like this. Yeah, I come from an African household.
00:08:10
Speaker
born ah ah born and bred in Ghana, I was born in the UK but she is a full-fledged Ghanaian woman, you get me with those kind of sensibilities and that kind of personality, you get me like, so in her household, um there were three things that were important, it was God,
00:08:27
Speaker
food and education in in that order, right? And like kicks did not factor into the importance, you know what I'm saying? Like of the day-to-day activities, you get me? Like you got what you got and you rocked it, you get me? like And that goes great. she did She did nice me a couple of times without me realising it. But once I became aware, I also became aware that what on my feet I was, I was, I was playing the dangerous game, especially in London, bro. Because when you're in London and your, and your books, we call them books, or we call them crepes kicks or whatever. When your kicks are looking crazy as number, it's a wanting, but if you've got them no name kicks or them off-brand kicks,
00:09:07
Speaker
Bro, you won't learn that day, bro. You know what I'm saying? People are not going to allow you to rest, you get me? Like, and I was just tired. At this point, I'm tired. I'm in fifth grade and I'm tired. I'm about to go to secondary school and I'm tired because I'm tired because I've been fighting these battles, bro. I feel like I have to give her credit for me being as quick quitted and as ah articulate as I am because I've had to fight these verbal battles and some physical battles.
00:09:34
Speaker
or based on Based on the kicks I'm wearing, like for such a long time, la I was like, you know, man, this is actually long. So I think maybe around the year, like fourth grade, let's say fourth grade, I had to start putting some pressure on them because I needed a nice pair of kicks to to round out like my my my my primary school experience. I needed a nice pair of kicks. And what was really, really popular in my in my sort of era and my time growing up were the Reebok classics.
00:10:03
Speaker
very, very modest shoe. History will have you believe it's a very modest shoe as well. But at that time, the Reebok Classic ruled the streets of London. like In fact, I'll probably go as far as to say the Reebok Classic was the most popular shoe in the UK at that time. You're getting me obviously no internet and all that sort of stuff because you're getting me times are different back then. But yeah like it was everywhere. back And everybody had pairs except for me. So I'm thinking, you know what, bro?
00:10:32
Speaker
um And I used to do this thing, I used to get the the catalogs, I used to get whatever, and I'd go through the catalog and I'd be marking all the re-box. And I'd be seeing all the different colorways and I'm like, oh. And my my size, I think I was probably about a size seven, eight at that time. Yeah, it was about 50 pounds. He's a pretty penny and in they in them days, man. It's a big but some big money, man. It's no joke, you get me? So I was like, you know what?
00:10:56
Speaker
How am I going to do this? How am I going to do this? So I just started applying that pressure, bro. Just started applying that pressure, bro. ah doing the Doing the washing on time, doing all the chores, you know what I'm saying? Like making sure was I was i was like doing my best to get me, like, waking up on time, never being late attendance on lot. Everything just like, just no just no holes in my game.
00:11:18
Speaker
you get me for a strong year. Just to keep on applying. Plus, ah whole like I'm saying it. I'm saying it by the way. I need that. I need that. Moms, I need that. I need that. and She's getting agitated because Africans, you can't tell them too many things. You can't repeat yourself too many times before it becomes beef or you get me. so like I have to play it nicely, but she knows what I'm about.
00:11:40
Speaker
and by the grace of God, yeah. Shit, like, literally the last week of primary school. We're about to go on a trip to Amusement Park, and she gets me a pair of Reebok Classics. Ooh. Boy, boy. I'm saying, like, I'm about to be lit, bro. I'm telling you, bro. And the thing is, the box, the box is sick. It's like a blue box, and I'm like, oh, my days is my size. I can see it. I open up the box, yeah. It's a white pair with gold stripes. Mm.
00:12:13
Speaker
Some white pair with gold straps. And I said, bro, if my mom didn't just get me the most zesty pair we were able to mankind, bro. Do I need this at 10 years old, bro? Do I need people thinking I'm flamboyant and outlandish? um i thought yeah That's fine, though.
00:12:37
Speaker
The gold shafts weren't doing it, bro, but the truth is, yeah. What is it about it that, I mean, in your 10-year-old brain, what is it about it made it zesty? The gold made it zesty? The gold was wild, bro, because it was like, almost, it was like, I look at me sort of flexed. And that's not me, like, I do love a little bit of gold, you get me? God is good, but like, the...
00:13:02
Speaker
that particular shoe that particular shoe like in my mind I had I had the black with the gumsal yeah in my mind I had visualized that right there was others I had the I had the white with the gray with the gray sole and the gray strap you get me like Because the thing is when you don't have a lot, right, and we mentioned this during our podcast, you build fits in your head because I've seen every single colorway. I've gone through the catalog. So I've built all the fits in my head and I've seen all the clicks. So I'm like, I need the shoe that gives me the best. Yeah, the options. It gives me the best bang for my buck and gold won it.
00:13:41
Speaker
I just did not envisage. the trust I'd never seen a guy wearing the gold strap up to that point. I was going to break new ground. And at that stage, did I really want to be that guy? Did I really want to be the first, the pioneer of the gold strap? Did I want to be known as that? Did I want that to be my monocle?
00:14:00
Speaker
So I was like, you know, it's long, but bro needs must, bro. I had to make it work, bro. And this is it. My God knows. my I had to just, you know, I'm gonna make it work. I'm gonna do my thing. They were classic. They're legit. They're not fake.
00:14:13
Speaker
but I'm saying we cluck that. So I was like, you know what, man, we're going to have to rock it. And to be honest, it wasn't even that bad. I have to be honest, it wasn't even that bad. Not many people gave me gave me trouble over the coach track. It was kind of just in my head because I'd already visualized what I wanted to do with it. Well, you know, I wore them things into the wheels for love, bro. The thing was talking. It was speaking different languages. Tongue came out. My foot came out. Everything came out, bro. But we worked that thing all the way up.
00:14:38
Speaker
yeah I'm gonna give a little detail about the yeah Reebok classes to the listeners here. I haven't done one of these in a minute, so excuse excuse ah my rustiness on reading here. Blending high fashion and street style. The Reebok classic, Leather N Core, which is this is the newer version, the more more recent that you're able to buy right now.
00:15:01
Speaker
ah version of the shoe pays homage to the iconic Reebok Heritage, boasting a soft leather upper that adds a refined look. These shoes also feature an Eva midsole for an incredible bounce with every step. The high abrasion rubber outsole delivers the grippiest stride and returns confidence with each step. celebrate clean and classic Celebrate the clean and classic style in the Reebok Classic leather.
00:15:30
Speaker
n core I don't know what's this end core part but um this shoe is definitely I want to say one of hip-hop's like forefathers, in my opinion, right? you Yeah, definitely got it's definitely it's definitely got that sort of elder statesman kind of. Yeah, like the 80s, when people were like, hip hop started out in the park, you know, like that. Hey! You know, you got Puma Clides, and then you got your Reebok classics, you know. but I always feel like, you know, Shelltoes was definitely in there. Reebok classes were definitely the women in hip hop shoes. Like, it's those and the ah
00:16:12
Speaker
A lot of women, there was one high re-walk. Yeah, with the two straps on it. Yeah, I can't remember the actual name. I feel like it may have been called The Workout in America by now. I think it is The Workout, yeah. But yeah, no, that actually was fire as well. It was very popular over here as well, man. Yeah, re-walk did their thing, man. I can't deny it, man. Funny thing is, yeah, the way that I used to walk them times,
00:16:37
Speaker
i like because you're talking about the EVA and the other stuff like yeah I just remember by the end of that shoe like the that the corners of my heel were so worn down.
00:16:51
Speaker
Like the shoes just leading the whole time. Like I just really i realized, i must i I don't know what what it is like whether you've got like an open gate or a shut gate. I don't know what it's called now, but like I definitely had like a lot of, ah lot of um I was putting a lot of pressure on the outside of my foot. So I remember working that heel all the way down to that EVO, that e that EVA definitely got worked out.
Growing Up and Sneaker Hustle
00:17:16
Speaker
yeah best you I mean, yeah, that's a one of those shoots like that, the Cortez, like those were just the the one, like, ah rubber, piece of rubber. And you know you'd see people, when they when those are killed, I'm like, how are you walking in those? Sliding. Sliding, bro. Sliding. It she rains and you like, I don't know if I'm going outside today. Bro, you can't go outside, bro. You're sliding, bro. You're doing the electric slide. You are doing the usher.
00:17:45
Speaker
ahead Ari, you talked about, so I'm very curious. i i mean i'm one I'm also a first born ah immigrant. I think that's what it's called, right? Where you're the first born outside of the country of origin. But I'm always i'm curious about like how did they accept your love for sneakers? like What does your parents think? Especially when you know when you first got into the culture and like learning about it, like
00:18:16
Speaker
the when you're, you know, you put them through the I need him, I need him. But now we're talking about high school, you and you are trying to like apply the pressure, but not the i you you know, you still like I want to be part of this, but I'm not want to be part of this where you don't, you know, you still so what was your what was your method and how did they take it? Yeah, that's a great question. I think um I was a little bit different once again, obviously, because um I come from that background, my mentality was I didn't really ever want to put too much pressure on my parents. ah When I say parents, I grew up only with my mum. I met my dad a lot a lot later, but I never really wanted to put pressure on her because I knew how hard she was working. I knew she was putting a lot of effort in to get me to the level that I was. So I started working from at the age of 13.
00:19:04
Speaker
like working from the age of 13 and I would contribute to the household but also obviously I'd save some money and get myself laced as well so like I made sure to to sort myself out I didn't really put too much pressure on my mum to try and get me to get me right although I remember my first year in secondary school like literally the first pair of kicks I didn't have enough money to buy the kicks I wanted so I ended up with some shoes on kicks And boy, yeah, um i was I was back at square one, bro. So it is. But the thing is, what that took me was, yeah, man. What that took me was like, you can't you can't rely on yesterday. for What have you done for me lately, bro? And you need to make things last. And this is it, bro. I killed those shoes. I was like, there's someone, and then the following year, I killed those kicks.
00:19:53
Speaker
So they weren't available for me. And she didn't read me, she didn't, she didn't give me that reload. So I needed to figure my thing out. So by the start of secondary school, I was back to square one, you get me, but I'll probably at square zero, negative one, you get me like, but um but by the time, like going through secondary school now, um and I was working, I was being able to finance things,
00:20:14
Speaker
I was able to cop as many rebut classics. In comparison, rebut classics weren't super, super expensive. So in comparison, like a 110 or like an Air Max, it's a cheaper shoe. It's a cheaper silhouette. Really, really popular in my area. So it gave me enough credibility, but also was affordable enough for me to buy as many pairs as I needed.
00:20:35
Speaker
to get through that out the year so you could wear, you could get the black version plus. we had a So we have a shoe that we call the Workout, it's slightly different, but the male version of the shoe in the UK, that shoe is similar to like an Air Force One. um And in Bermondsey where I grew up, you will see a lot of people wearing the white and black version, it's almost like the Uptowns, right? They wear the black and white version of that.
00:20:58
Speaker
a lot. and i'll do it and well it to go to school where it's whack bum boomm but And you'll see that competing with the Air Force Ones nowadays because Air Force Ones are everywhere but back in them days it was it was the Reebok workout. And the classics were still doing their thing as well. So, yeah, during that time I just basically looked after it myself.
00:21:17
Speaker
um But I started branching out a little bit in secondary school. i can year nine I think in year nine, I got my first pair of Nike's, proper Nike's. I think I got my first pair of Air Max 90's. Year 10, I got Air Max 95's and then yeah like Air Force Ones and things started popping off from there. I started wider than my my my sort of appetite in terms of in terms of various different sneaker brands and silhouettes.
00:21:44
Speaker
And that and like once you started getting several boxes, what what was your mom's reaction? Well, first and foremost, like they want to make sure that you're not you're not you know you're not paying for this using using nefarious means. So that's that that's the first question. How did you pay for this? And I'm like, you see me going to work. And they're like, yeah, but I got to ask, right? So when they started seeing several boxes, and I never i never had like massive ah amounts of shoes. I never had lap huge amounts of shoes. But I had more shoes than anyone else in the house. Definitely rose questions. But I would always caveat that by highlighting the fact that I contribute to the household. I'm paying a couple bills in there, man.
00:22:30
Speaker
yeah So you might want to hold out. I'm paying that Sky TV. So he's one of them ones where I had leverage. I'm buying some kicks, but I'm also covering you as well. we We're working together, you get me? Not you being like, you want me to cut the TV off, mom? I cut the TV off. The thing is, what like obviously, you guys would know, but at that stage, it was basically me and my mom alone in the yard. but magola may all of my siblings at that stage before I met my dad were a lot older than me, like 20 years plus older. So they'd all moved into their own homes or whatever. So it's just me and my mum. It's almost like I was a ah an only child. child yeah and So it was just me and her. So she had her whole focus on me apart from obviously work and stuff. So when I was doing all this, she did have a lot of questions for me, but ultimately
00:23:17
Speaker
I think, yeah, I mean, we were working together. We were working together. I have contribute. And, you know, for African money, talk for it. Uh-huh. ah did the ah So is 13 a common working age? like it Was all your friends working too? or was that How are you able to find a job at 13? I hustle, bro. i will I'm saying I get busy. I get busy. I've been like that since then. Maybe it's the African mentality, the hustle mentality. Nobody owes me anything. that Nobody owes me anything.
00:23:49
Speaker
that
00:23:51
Speaker
I have a daughter now, and she will never know what it feels like to wear off-brand kicks. She just will never know. like Partly because I'll keep her lace, but also partly because Nike have covered the whole... Nike, that's all the big brands. They've got kicks that cover the whole spectrum in terms of your financial budget. Back in them days, it just wasn't like that. You needed big bread to be able to buy these naps and some of these bigger kicks. so like Um, yeah, the thing, the the time was different. So I had to, I had to hustle, bro. I knew my mom had a finite amount of money. She was working hard and she was working long hours. Um, so I knew like being in a bigger dude as well, like I could kind of, once I got to the age of 13, for most people, I definitely didn't look 13. I probably looked a lot older than that. So I could get away with working in those kinds of environments and people not looking twice.
Influences and Transition to Streetwear
00:24:42
Speaker
Plus I was always quite studious.
00:24:44
Speaker
and responsible, so I always made sure I never really got in trouble or anything like that. So I just got my head down and started working, man. I started working in an Indian restaurant, i not cooking Indian because I have no idea, just just doing the deliveries before the delivery. You were there in the back making chicken tikka.
00:25:00
Speaker
like you could
00:25:03
Speaker
All the non-brits. Like 14, I got you. I got you. I got the i got the um the premiere going right now. real hunt you So yeah, man's in the back doing the madness. But yeah, I was just doing deliveries and that from the age of 13. I used to do the leaflets as well. I used to do a thousand leaflets for 20 pounds.
00:25:24
Speaker
thousand leaflet I don't know what leaflets are. like is that Leaflets are like, um if you've got like, yeah, those menus that they put through the letterbox. Okay, okay. Yeah. So I do a thousand, a thousand, a thousand of those for 20 pounds. Jeez. And so what I quickly realized is, bro, there's no way I'm going to a thousand different yards. So every house is getting two facts, right? And then but only put out 500.
00:25:52
Speaker
And then that quickly became five. Every house got five. The guy tried to make me shook and say, no, we'll come and check the houses. Yeah, we'll check the houses. I was like, after after about a week, I realized no one's coming to check the house. No one's got the time. Because I was putting it work, bro. And I was doing this all on foot. So it was like, no one's got the time to be coming and checking anything. So i was I was just like, I was just slamming every every house with as many as I could get. But yeah, I was just putting that work in, man, as much as I could. and then I do that and then I worked in other places. I worked in so many different places, man, so yeah. No, that's dope. um um So then what was your first taste of sneaker culture out there? I'll probably say my first taste of sneaker culture officially was like way after that, way, way, way after that. Because ultimately, at that stage, I mean, we it must have been happening, sneaker culture was going on. um But we're talking sort of like,
00:26:48
Speaker
ah the late 90s, early 2000s, and in the UK, for me, ah just being sort of a young person, it just wasn't as prevalent. And and I wasn't around in in no circle. So even though I was an admirer of Kix, from a very young age, I didn't really have the insight. I didn't really have the insight info. I didn't really have people giving me that information. Social media wasn't as massive a thing at that time. have but just to try and For some people to try and date me,
00:27:16
Speaker
um ah
00:27:19
Speaker
facebook came in when i was in university right yeah insane for real. We're a similar age, right? It's like it's it's like like the world was a different place in time and the ability to share information and be able to like all these things about like forums and night talk and all of this jazz, like cookie tongues that we had over here. Like I didn't know anything about them and I didn't have anyone around me. I didn't know anything about them and I didn't have anyone around me that spoke about that and that stuff. My introduction to the culture
00:27:51
Speaker
came during lockdown. Interesting. Crazy. So you've been you've been a sneaker, but I mean, we've talked about the term sneakerhead, but you've been into sneakers, but would not the adjoining community, right? Exactly. and And I completely, that's that's completely correct. I think for me, and that's probably a good thing.
00:28:15
Speaker
Why would you say that? It's probably a good thing because I was able to... My love for sneakers sure yeah it there was There was no benefit in terms of clout attached to it. I wasn't showing... You hear me? Which I think nowadays is a different thing, right? For sure. But I think that's what it's evolved into. But like yeah early ah the early days, right? yeah you have You know who the clout chasers were, right? And you people would call them out. Be like, oh yeah, I don't...
00:28:44
Speaker
i don't i don't I don't follow, for example, listen, no hate, friendlations, I love you. But people be like, friendlations, he just bought his way into the culture. you know like that's what That's what's happened in the forums versus, and then people would debate that, right? Because it'd be more of of ah a tunnel of like The people, there would be a side of people who just genuinely mess and messes with the person. And then there's a, then there would be another side where people would just like, they're going to use that as like this hate to try to put their name up. Right. And be like, I'm the tastemaker. You guys should be listening to me. Right. Now, now we live in a world where everybody thinks they are the latter. They think that if they can just, you know, be loud, the loudest in the room.
00:29:33
Speaker
people are going to listen to them, right? And when everybody's screaming at the top of their lungs and they're all saying the same thing, nobody's listening. 100%, 100%. One thing I will say, though, and I completely agree with where you're coming from. One thing I will say is, even though I wasn't super crazy into the culture at that time, what I inadvertently did do between um college and university was fall in love with Japanese streetwear.
00:30:01
Speaker
So Japanese streetwear kind of was my gateway into streetwear as a genre of fashion, but also sneakers and understanding a bit more about the different silhouettes and the different brands within sneakers at that time. So I'd fallen in love with Ivisu.
00:30:18
Speaker
um And then that was
00:30:29
Speaker
that was like for me, that was the pinnacle of streetwear at that time. And that's what I was aiming for. And you bought pieces? Like, yeah, I was getting, I was getting- Oh, you got money. Oh, you got money. Okay. well ill But I'm saying I ah but i get busy, bro. I got my money. So like, i' I'm buying, I'm buying EVC, I'm buying EVC, I'm getting bits and pieces, right?
00:30:48
Speaker
um then if Eastwood just like dies to death, in right it just goes. And this happens while I'm in uni. So I started seeing this happen, and even though I love the craftsmanship and I'm seeing what's happening with it, um i'm like and they actually ended up opening in a store. and but um or where is it? Savile Row actually ended up opening the store in Savile Row. It's no longer there, but they did their thing and I respect you for that. And they're slowly- I hope you kept everything. I was going to say, I hope you kept everything. Nah, bro. Nah, bro. Because in Japan, bro, they are going for bread, man. This is it. This is the foresight. The foresight has always been a bit of an issue for me. Anyway, but what I ended up doing, right, you're going to say the same thing when I ended up sort of transitioning to Bape, transitioning to Bape. And a lot of that,
00:31:37
Speaker
was as a result of like music that I was listening to, Neptune's Pharrell clips, like all of that sort of stuff, ah Kanye especially me as well. So like just seeing like a different thing where everyone was rocking an EV suit, I was like okay and now I need to up my
Career Path and Sneaker Culture Dive
00:31:59
Speaker
game a little bit and switch it up a little bit.
00:32:01
Speaker
So I yeah switched it up to Bape and I went by getting my first pair of Bapesters in university. And when I got them, obviously the first thing, I got a white on white pair, first thing, I ended up getting a white on white pair, then a mottacolor pair, then I got the Roasters as well, but I got so many different pairs. ah But ultimately the first thing that people were saying was, well, what these are fake.
00:32:25
Speaker
these things. The great thing though is there was an American guy at my university called Paul, shout out to Paul, he had everything. So when I say this guy, obviously he's American, right but if you could draw like an American at that time,
00:32:44
Speaker
like he was the caricature of an American, as in the baggiest, the baggiest. Yeah. As in, the as in the I'm saying, like the throwbacks, food back, bro, like everything, every jersey you could think of, i the the the blackiest genes like like, and then every other day is Air Force Ones.
00:33:09
Speaker
be different things. I'm saying D-Rags. before we ah Before in the UK, we didn't even really know what D-Rags did. You didn't even know what they were, right? Now it's everywhere, right? He was rocking D-Rags, he's got the waves, and he had some long chain with it. I'm saying like he did his thing, bro. And like, because we loved the music, I mean, it was like a visual representation representation of the music. Plus he was authentic. I couldn't deny it. He was literally American. He wasn't like one of those African-Americans.
00:33:34
Speaker
It wasn't like one of those Africans that came from Africa and just like an American, he was literally from America. So it was like, we had to give him that respect. And yeah, seeing him put certain bits and pieces together, like I definitely loved that vibe. So yeah, the babes definitely blew up. And then but I started working in a shirt shop that was very close to the busy workshop in London. um And I was there every, I was there every lunchtime. I was literally there every lunchtime. So I'm buying pieces every two or three days just buying bits and pieces. And I kept ah a lot of those. I did sell a few of them, but that was that's probably my biggest collection. I had been my biggest collection was my Bape stuff. And yeah, man, yeah, that was pretty much it. And then I started like getting the kicks, I started getting there the roadsters, the Bapesters, and I started getting the the Converse collabs, and I started getting various different bits and pieces.
00:34:23
Speaker
and It's interesting that you're you're your introduction was more of the higher higher brands first, then led you to Bape versus being like Kid Cudi or Pharrell. It's interesting. That's a different yeah it's a different lane. I think it was probably because of a lack of information.
00:34:45
Speaker
and just looking at music videos and music yeah and and having the aspiration to try and replicate some of those looks and some of those styles. So yeah, that was probably it. And the thing is, in the UK, the style in the UK, I hadn't got to a stage where I was able to... And that's that essentially, I wasn't embracing the UK style at that point. And i I think, obviously, maturity plays a little bit of a role in that you get to a certain stage where you realise,
00:35:14
Speaker
everything being baggy that kind of doesn't make sense but sometimes it being baggy is quite comfortable so you kind of just start finding a medium and start finding what's comfortable for you and at a certain point i was able to do that but um i went through my phases man i went through my phases i definitely had my my babe and my avicii phase uh i'm saying i had a couple throwbacks i had a couple couple mutual nest pieces you get me like we did our team Um, but I yeah hadn't gotten't graduated into, to, to Jordans and and anything of that nature that happened a little bit later. Okay. yeah Yeah. So, so then you're traversing through university and what was your major during during that time? ah Business and marketing. and And what made you want to get into that? So I originally wanted to do, um, I really originally wanted to do biology, but my grades weren't good enough to do biology.
00:36:08
Speaker
So I ended up going to a uni doing, what was it called? Applied Sciences or something like that, some bug name. It was basically, but the i' like I was going to say that, you know, the guys that just basically don't make it, they give you this, right? And it's like, if you do well in this, then you're really allowed to go to study biology, right? So do well in this for a year and graduate and they will let you do biology. And I was like,
00:36:33
Speaker
you guys are mad and the classes were terrible. It was just a terrible, terrible situation. It was like a foundation degree, right? I think that's what I used to call it. So I said, you know, I'll buy this, right? And I took a year out and I sort of just really asked myself what I wanted to do, bro. And I realized, man, like, and I was it was interesting because I think it happened coming back from the club and I don't really go clubbing and stuff like that. Now I kind of changed my life in that regard. But like, I think I was coming back from the club with my boys and They were all in uni. I wasn't in uni. I was working. I was working at like the job centre. I think you guys call it maybe like
00:37:09
Speaker
the social security office or something like that? No way, I don't think, the job center and social security office is like where they just process people's social security. Like ah for social security is like over here is like this number, it's a government ID number, right? Okay, so it's not an actual place that, well, like we have- You're thinking about like, ah but funny the i planning point No, unemployment is literally like another, it's like a government assistance. throwway is is yeah So like you're helping people get jobs? Absolutely. So for that year, obviously I finished college, but I hadn't gone into uni, but my sister was a manager.
00:37:57
Speaker
in one of these offices. And we have like these offices in every borough, different variations of these offices. They help people get a job, but they also give them their money every couple of weeks to help them while they're looking for work.
00:38:10
Speaker
and also their benefits, right? So she ended up linking me up with one that was quite close by, I got the job, and um during that time I had had a ah had money, right? I had money because I was working, but I also was just looking into different things and trying to work out and use that time to really be quite critical and understanding who I was and what I was really good at. Also what I really enjoyed, what I was passionate about.
00:38:34
Speaker
And it came down to just me loving um that sort of entrepreneurial journey, creating something that is nothing and it then potentially becoming something that people use, and people like look at, people watch, people do. I wanted to create something that grew and became something and a business ultimately to benefit myself, my family and generations, hopefully. So that was really where it came from.
00:39:02
Speaker
And then, yeah, um I said, you know what, yeah, if I'm going to do that, I need to do business. And then marketing, I feel like marketing is the art of speaking to your customer. That's it. And being able to understand that language is really, really important in all aspects of business. So I was like, boom, I'm going to do marketing. So I did business with a marketing salon.
00:39:21
Speaker
um And yeah, did okay. And yeah, ended up and so not really using it. Far from when I did business, I did my own business. I've done my own businesses. But in work, I never really used it. It's funny how that goes. You go to university, you actually do a degree in something you want. I mean, you don't actually use it. The job that you get out of it. I think that's ah it's definitely a common story. you know I just recently had somebody, my previous guest, ah Sydney, she really went from going to school for marketing to starting her own marketing company.
00:39:58
Speaker
like ah yeah super dope um but yeah i think that's more rare it's only because yeah the careers are never linear right unless you pick like a like unless you pick like a skill in this school right for a lawyer those those are pretty like set up like this but i think i think i think they're Like if you go, if if you go right, you just recently got your agile certificate in project marketing and project management, right? But if you went to school for project management, you can use project management and you can get several different types of project management absolutely jobs. you know um
00:40:41
Speaker
Like you can project manage. I have a friend who's a project manager for JetBlue and he he makes terminals. Like he's like, he's makes like ah airport terminals. and And then if you tell, if you say like, oh yeah, I'm a project manager, you could say that to somebody else and they'd be like, yeah, I'm project manager, but I just work um helping creative directors, you know, ah design an ad or something like that, you know? So yeah.
00:41:05
Speaker
It's different, it's different. By the way, i'm well played for the research, man. That's good, man. You've been checking my stories, yeah? Yeah. that that's That's fresh off the press, man. That agile thing was kicking my butt still, so I have to thank God for that one, man. Yeah, look, we hear the applaud flower, applaud wins and celebrate flowers. Oh, no, no, we're good, man. that's I appreciate that, man. Yeah, of course. Absolutely. That's the definitely, yeah it was ah it was it was a hard slog. But yeah, you know what? You're absolutely right.
00:41:35
Speaker
It's not normal for people to come out and just go straight into into what they they they worked in. But like, my first job at a uni was, I was a journalist. Okay. Yeah. So it was completely like different, like completely different. I mean, and my I was my first real job. I did like a load of like, temping and stuff like that, admin stuff. But like, my first real job was being a journalist and um And it was, I was working for the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones. And it was like- Straight finance. Straight finance, straight finance and economics just straight, like as, as and no color whatsoever, just straight facts. ah taking We're taking numbers, trading reports, boom, boom, boom, putting those up. People are trading off the back of it and it was just like,
00:42:28
Speaker
literally the most A plus B plus C type of journalism you could ever get. um But it was actually interesting because it opened my eyes up to that to the whole idea of being able to be a commentator, speak, have companies that you cover, have a thing that you watch and that you look at and that you're observing on a regular basis and it kind of been the the through lines of that coming to now where I'm like,
00:42:56
Speaker
i observe the culture and i watch the culture and i'm seeing what's happening within the culture and get the opportunity to speak to people about that that's definitely i think where some of the green shoots of that started no yeah that's dope i mean you never know where you're going to be inspired right and you never know when the inspiration hits but you talked about you know 2020 being in that moment where you felt like This is, I'm like looking and seeing this culture through this window, right? So what was it that pulled you in and finally was like, all right, I got the things in you. For real. Do you know what it was? It was easy. It was easy.
00:43:36
Speaker
it was Yeezys. Now obviously i I see all those those boxes over there. Yeah yeah i'll go i'll go i'll go i'll ah i like I've got a little bit of a Yeezy collection. um I definitely want more before it's all said and done um but yeah I've got a little I've got a little thing there bro but like essentially what happened was during during lockdown I realized that okay um I love these actually it was just slightly before lockdown I was like I really want a pair of Yeezys and the thing is like Yeezys had started in like 2016, so I can't remember exactly what the date is, but they'd started a little bit ah like in the mid 2010s, right? And I'm like three or four years off of that. So the wave runners have come out. um Obviously the whole not easy thing has already happened. That's already done. That's in the dust. I'm fully in the Adidas era. Sorry, Adidas easy era. That's where I'm jumping in at, right?
00:44:34
Speaker
So the wave runners have happened. I saw the wave runners happen at first. us And I was like, those shoes are whack. All of a sudden, I've nearly bought three or four pairs of them. Now, it's like things have changed. And it just took me a little bit of time to understand what the what what the shoe was really about and what the but the brand was really about. Then I made the mistake of actually putting them on, especially the 350s. Not the early 350s, it was the 350 V2s by the time I got to it. And I was like,
00:45:03
Speaker
bro, the level of comfort I had not experienced. I was also a big ultra boost guy, like I think ultra boost in the air, like I've got ultra boost everywhere, like I've got old pairs, new pairs, like I've got pairs. Yeah, ultra boost, I've got pairs that I've not even worn, right? So like the whole boost technology thing really Like i I became very, very interested in the whole technology because I think I had an issue with one of my feet and I just really wanted a comfortable pair of shoes. And I had, I like the idea of a breathable upper, a really spongy, soft midsole with a little bit of grip. I knew that they had that continental thing going on as well on on the ultra boots, especially with the early models. And I think it was a really cool looking shoe. And once again, Kanye really championed it.
00:45:50
Speaker
and then obviously then graduating to the V2 and V50 and just seeing the various different colourways that are coming out and the simplicity of the design and just being pared back but kind of like a little bit sort of deconstructed in a way with certain bits exposed and stuff like that. I was like Bro, this shoe is actually fine. And then the fact that it was kind of super comfortable, but yeah, very cool. It was giving me everything I wanted. So I just maybe I just made the the decision that I'm going to get a pair of Yeezys. Then realised, and this is how I became introduced to the culture, realised that you can't just go into a store and buy a pair of Yeezys at this time. Nah, not a bad time for sure. Nah, it's just just not a possibility. It's not a real thing. So I'm learning.
00:46:39
Speaker
how people get Yeezys. So I'm realising when I walk on the street and I see people wearing Yeezys, if they're not fake, if they're real, um these people have had to either line up, these people have had to even like jump through hoops on the on the confirmed app or the Adidas app at the time.
00:46:54
Speaker
They've had to do some various different activity to get these shoes other than just turning up and giving people money. And I was like, my mind was blown. So I just deep dived into the whole thing about different types of drops and understanding sort of how shoes or how sneakerheads got shoes at that period, how people that wanted kicks actually were able to get kicks. Once I clocked it and understood it and like, I was like, well,
00:47:22
Speaker
So this has been going on while I'm like, by this time I'm married and all this sort of stuff. like All the time while I've been married and focusing on paying like bills and stuff, like this whole culture has blown up to the point where grown men are lining up outside at four in the morning to try and cop kicks. And I didn't know about it. I'm like, what's going on? How did I miss all of this? So I just deep dived the whole thing and started getting into it and realized, you know what?
00:47:46
Speaker
man, let me make up for the last time, i so I'll cop my Yeezys, and we're getting my first pair of Yeezys, absolutely loved it. I stole that price tag. Oh, well, that's a great story as well. I ended up getting them from Enclovian. And at that time, I think Yeezys were 180. If I'm not mistaken, I think they were 180, but I ended up getting them for, I think it was 160. Okay.
00:48:14
Speaker
but because End automatically applied a voucher. Can you imagine? like They automatically applied a voucher. I couldn't believe my my my good fortune. It was almost like it was sent from God. And the drop was literally one or two days before or after my birthday, i you know yeah like November. so and it was the utility it was i know to static blacks ah blacks but It wasn't a reflective
Content Creation and Podcast Evolution
00:48:43
Speaker
one i think theyre just called the It was like the ah and it wasn't just such a very, very clean, calm shoe, a shoe that once again I could use
00:48:54
Speaker
ah across the board, black shoe, I'm saying it's matte black, but it's still black enough for me to use it across the board. I wore it everywhere. I've still got them now. um And yeah, since then, i I've been able to copy a lot of uses. It's funny, because I've never sold on uses, man.
00:49:12
Speaker
like I used to have a co-host for the podcast, shout out to my boy, Ify, and he bought me a pair for my birthday. Cause he was like, you need to have a pair. So I was just like, all right, fine. So he bought me a pair. I got the ash blues, I think that they're, that's what they're called. Cause I was like, i find I was like, I showed him one. I was just like, I like this one and I got them. They hurt my feet, man. So they just, like yeah. Were they ash blues, were they 700s or were they, um, uh, three fifties, three 50 V twos, cheese, man.
00:49:43
Speaker
Ash blues. Yeah. But I do want the Yeezy boot. There's a Yeezy boot with the blue on the bottom. Oh, yeah. The gray and blue. ah gave one those The Yeezy boots went super hard. A lot of people love the boots. Because that speaks back to the to the whole Yeezy season thing. um And like even like the that came out originally and stuff like that, ah I feel like the that the high tops and some of the boots that they had originally were so, so sick.
00:50:11
Speaker
But yeah, they just started beating that 350 horse to death. Yeah. yeah and now And now it literally is. On top of that, we got we got rants and stuff. But um you know so that was your first taste. And what really made you want to fool on deep dive into like being part of this and ah starting your own thing and wanting to have conversations around you know the UK across the pond?
00:50:40
Speaker
ah like what was your What was your main motivation? I think it was a combination of of of a few things. Obviously, my journalistic background, my love of long form. I'd fallen in love with podcasts at that time. I'd fallen in love with podcasts and the idea of being able to sort of almost like have your own radio station, but not necessarily have to be on 24 hours a day, being able to listen to somebody for an hour, two hours. I was heavy into wrestling. I think we connected over that as well. I was heavy into wrestling. I used to listen to a podcast called
00:51:10
Speaker
the smart wrestling fan, I think it was called smart wrestling fan, SWF. um And that was probably like a two, three hour podcast. And I was just like, can you imagine, right? Are you wrestling alone? Yeah, it was much it go through absolutely everything. And I was like, whoa. And it was only years later, I was like, bro, I can't do this. this is and and I think they're still going as well, so shout out to them. They probably will, yeah, shout out to them. But yeah, it was like, I'd fallen in love with the medium of podcasting. Obviously, I once again had my journalistic background, so that that sort of
00:51:51
Speaker
that sort of ability to deep dive and research into a subject and really sort of like get, and I'm a kind of a nerd in that regard in the sense that when I really like something, I just go. Yeah, jump right in. Yeah, I just go super deep into it. My wife was, I mean, we were just talking about that recently, like I am that type like when I really really like something I don't do it halfway I just go all the way with it so yeah it was all of those things plus the the love of streetwear and a love of kicks and it was also then realizing you know there's an opportunity because at that time
00:52:28
Speaker
social media like, and this is obviously just slightly prior to lockdown, but social media is now becoming a viable destination for you, a viable option for people that want to to to have another stream of income or maybe even make this that their whole income, right?
00:52:48
Speaker
So this is gradually becoming a reality. People are YouTubers, people are coming out with really cool and novel ideas, putting them on YouTube or putting them on social media and becoming big and just being able to do that for the rest of their lives. And brands are identifying with them and and supporting them and championing them. And that's like Bro, I need to, I'm an entrepreneur at heart. I always think about what can I do to try and make an impact, to try and do something. So I was like, you know, I need to think of a thing. I need to think of a thing, right? And I remember it was like 2016, that idea of I need to come up with something. I need to come up with something. I was thinking about it, thinking about it, thinking about it.
00:53:25
Speaker
And I actually had a friend that I was working with. Shout out to Ben. I had a friend I was working with. And literally in 2016, I was talking to him about this. And we used to sit right next to each other. And we used to work at the in a financial company. And and no I was talking to him about this. And literally, a few years later, he started a channel ah called Cow Free Kicks. ah ah he became So he became one of like but the first pure vegan sneaker commentators like on YouTube wow only talks about vegan kicks, right? um It's called Calfree kicks, that's the reason hence the name, right? But like, I think he's on like over 10k now and I was like, bro, like, and this is me a few years later after he'd already started and I'm clocking
00:54:13
Speaker
I should have started something then, but I didn't know what to start. And then the idea of, okay, I've got this personality I don't mind talking to. like Maybe I should start reviewing kicks. Because that would be an easy way for me to get kicks in. I'll i'll be able to review them.
00:54:29
Speaker
and like then sell them if I don't want to keep them. And then I could use the money to buy the next pair of kicks because the resell was up at that time. So right yeah um so like I was like, that could be my little go round. I could ah could buy the shoe, do a little bit of content on the shoe. If I want to keep the shoe, I can keep the shoe. But if I want to sell it on, I can sell it on and use that next money to get the next shoe and keep it going and keep it going. And that's essentially how I started the channel doing like reviews and stuff. And then it gradually turned into and the podcast.
00:55:00
Speaker
And the channel originally was called Kix Chronicles, because I wanted it all to be. I wanted to do both at the same time. But then I realized Kix Chronicles didn't really make much sense when I was reviewing Kix. So then I kind of just switched it up and just had sort of the Prozac as the reviewing the Kix part and then the Kix Chronicles as the podcast. And then, yeah, man, I kind of separated the two and just had it all on one channel. um And then, yeah, man, we started the podcast.
00:55:31
Speaker
And look, I mean, you just recently hosted your, a live version of it with ah eBay, right? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I suppose, yeah, in a way, um, because I, uh, hosted, so I've had the opportunity and and the privilege to to to host, uh, a couple of, uh, sneaker events. And the last one was kicks and coffee. Um, my bro, um, Joe Palmley.
00:55:59
Speaker
who runs Kicks and Coffee at the Brommey Inn for the last event and for this one and this one was sponsored by eBay so they signed off on everything so I was able to do a live Kicks Chronicles at the event unfortunately and this is both mine and his fault we were unable to record it he would have been sick to record but um I have had a previous episodes at the previous Kicks and Coffee Festival.
00:56:31
Speaker
and plan to have more in the future. I feel like we've been able to build a really really cool friendship and and he reached out to me just when he was sort of formulating the idea of Clicks and Coffee and um it's probably sort of the latest ah sneaker convention that we have in the UK. The vibe is so clean and pure and it's just beautiful right because it's not so focused on sellers, it's not so focused on big activations, it's kind of a real nice mix of both And it's super chilled. And yeah, man, I just fell into a great spot to be able to to be someone that you can rely on in that way and give that opportunity to. So I've interviewed some really, really cool people in that space and been able to deal with some great bands. And as I said, work with brands like Soul Supply in the UK, which are like one of our biggest sneaker-related brands, but also, yes, obviously eBay is pretty big as well.
Brand Collaboration and Community Support
00:57:26
Speaker
Yeah. I mean the magnitude of different, like how brands are looked at in what's I always find it very interesting, right? Like how brands are looked at here and in other countries. Cause like, for example, I mean, we would bring it back to wrestling, right? You go, if you watch new Japan, right? You see, for a huge example, right? Is.
00:57:47
Speaker
Prince of David will pull up and for for Versace be in Versace ads and nobody would know who the hell he is over here, right? He's not getting the same brand sponsorships in the US, right? I feel like it's brand sponsorships are so much harder or like they're not They're not so willing to work with the community, right? Unless you are of so certain stature, right? But for them to sign off on you being able to do something on that stage, right? That's a big look because people are like, oh, you know.
00:58:20
Speaker
Oh, like it can be seen as like, oh, eBay knows this guy, right? And even if it's just aesthetics, like, or you know, that looks good and you get more followers off of that. Yeah, for real, whether it's optics, reality, or stay in like a version of the two, I'm um'm easy and I'm cool. Because my mentality, number one, like I said at the beginning, ah nobody owes me nothing.
00:58:42
Speaker
So if I'm in that spot, it's by the grace of God, and I'm going to make sure I'm going to do my absolute level best, you get me? So in that in opportunity to so to to run the podcast in that environment was a blessing. And um and yeah, get ready my social media is going to be laced with a lot of those photos. You get me because it's such an honour and an opportunity. Like I've had, but like working with eBay has been great. working with like offspring as well and am I looking great as well. like i've just got like I feel like I definitely have had a little bit of a um a hand up and this is one of the reasons why I really like mess with the sneaker community um on both sides of the pond. I've really been able to see like a lot of camaraderie. I haven't seen
00:59:36
Speaker
but negative you're side of it in that regard. I've seen a lot of camaraderie and people supporting the pod. You get me? And although obviously you always want things to be bigger, you always want more listeners, you always want more followers, you always want things to grow. But I'm super, super happy with what we've been able to do in the time that we've been doing it because Like, as I said, no one owes me nothing, bro. Like, if you listen to me for five minutes, 10 minutes, you listen to the whole thing, bro, it's a blessing, man. I just take it like that. And yeah, man, we'll keep on rocking regardless of whether there's five or 10 or 15 million people watching.
01:00:10
Speaker
a We'll get there. We'll definitely get there. You're definitely going to get there. And and you know it's good to see that the UK community, yeah, well, we're working. But yeah it's good to see that the UK community is definitely you know getting around people of color and and also just especially
Inspirational Message and Closing
01:00:29
Speaker
immigrants as well. We live in this current world where everybody's looking at in in any big, big alliance country. Immigration is looked at as like frowned upon or like shouldn't be here, but it's like,
01:00:42
Speaker
you know we Obviously, our parents moved from dire straits to try to make a living, and you know we got to give that same um grace to all everybody that else that wants to have that chance as well. you know so Absolutely, man. We definitely have to give people their opportunities, man, because yeah Nobody owes nobody nothing. We have to be working hard and grafting and getting me working smart as well. So there's a lot of opportunity for those that want it, man.
01:01:16
Speaker
yeah me So yeah, yeah, definitely. Yeah, definitely. There's opportunity out here. If you really want time, you can go out and get it. Facts. Um, so now we're towards the end of the podcast. My guy, uh, I always ask another question and that question deals with a little bit of visualization. I want you to think back to 10 year old Prozac. Um,
01:01:38
Speaker
Prozac, sorry. ah ah yeah yeah um i going through ah And i want and um I want you to think about that moment when he was just about to open that box with the Reebok Classics in it. um And now you're you, transported back to your younger self behind them. And I want you to tell them what you would tell them as they open that box. That's such a deep question. over all Do you know what I would tell him? I would actually tell him. I would tell him that you are you're opening a box and it's you're opening a box and it's sneakers and it's cool but this is the beginning of an amazing journey that you're gonna go on and you're gonna meet some amazing people and you're gonna have some awesome conversations. You're gonna be in some big rooms where you're not gonna feel
01:02:37
Speaker
Worthy, you're gonna feel like an imposter. um You're not gonna feel like you know enough. You're not gonna feel like you've been doing what you're meant to be doing for long enough. um But honestly, just keep being you. Just keep being that nerd. Just keep loving what you love with all your heart and passion and keep on being a light, bro. Just keep on being a light, man. Just keep on being that positive you. And yeah, man. And the poppy fact will go.
01:03:07
Speaker
um what The Poppy Fat will go eventually, you get me? You will get a bit hench but you just gotta keep it off. Try and keep it off to you. You just spoke a whole different language to me, bro. What did you just say? i say like You will lose some weight. oh You will lose some weight, you get me? wrong But like you're a big guy so don't get too fixated on the weight. You get me? relaxed Try and go gym a bit more, you get me, man?
01:03:32
Speaker
Like, maybe I'll tell him about intermittent fasting at that time. He's getting me when I might help. I might help. He's getting me. I might help. So keep down and teach him intermittent fasting? Like, all right, look, you're feeding windows. I'll tell you. I'll just tell him, just develop a lap of school math fitness power. Just do that. And yeah, before apps have been created. But yeah, no, I'll probably start with the first thing. Yo, let everybody know where to find you.
01:04:01
Speaker
One more time. Yeah, yeah so i um ah my name is Prozac. That's P-R-O-Z-E-C-H um on all platforms. So yeah, TikTok, Instagram, yeah, even on Facebook and obviously on YouTube as well. um The podcast is called Kicks Chronicles and that's Kicks, spelled the regular way, and Chronicles spelled with a K. and That comes out every week on Sundays, ah available everywhere you get podcasts. um Yeah, it's been an absolute pleasure.
01:04:32
Speaker
Be in here, man. Absolute pleasure being here, man. Please, guys, make sure to... to to to do all the things you're meant to do. Please make sure to like, comment and subscribe on this podcast. But also make sure to tell to to show Has Love because he's doing God's work right while now man. He's doing God's work man and we need we need we need all the love we can get man when we're doing this work man. It can be a little lonely at certain points. You're talking to people but you're putting in a lot of work by yourself.
01:05:02
Speaker
get me, man. So we need to show love, man. Of course, of course, man. And then you know where to find me. I am who's awesome. All social media is follow the podcast on my first kicks pod. Follow the podcast. on TikTok with My First Kicks. ah if you're what If you're listening to this, I'm gonna need you to to hop onto YouTube, hit up My First Kicks on YouTube, hit that subscribe button, hit the like on this video. If you're watching this, hit that like, hit that like, and share this, leave a comment. It always helps with engagement. You know what it is, leave a review for your first time listening. um And if you have a My First Kicks story, hit me up, myfirstkickspodatgmail.com, or even if you have any questions or advice that you need.
01:05:41
Speaker
I would like to start adding that to this podcast. Yo, thank you so much for hopping on Prozac. and a bla Been a blessing, man. Been a blessing, man. Make sure to to check out our part one and part two on my podcast as well, man. For sure.
01:05:59
Speaker
what Yeah, hear my story. Yeah, great, man. His story you want to hear, right? want to hear hear When story. When I hear his story, you get me. It's also very opinionated. I know my listeners love when I'm opinionated, because I don't really get to talk a lot about myself on here. But I'm on there. That's why I go. on I guess i own the other podcast, so y'all can hear more about me. You know what I mean? We have it. Thank you again for jumping on. And for everybody out there, you know we say each week, wear your kicks. Peace.
01:06:28
Speaker
a