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The Trouble Traveled with DNA
150 Plays1 month ago
This week I am joined by the legendary DNA, we talk about growing up in Corona. How Pumpkinhead helped impacted both of our lives. Also how DNA fell in love with kicks. What he loves about sneakers and how he has evolved his collection. Starting battle rap, revisiting his iconic moments. The impact battle rap has made on his life and we also talk wrestling and so much more!
Where to find DNA:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/therealdnagtfoh X:
https://x.com/DNA_GTFOH
Linktree: linktr.ee/dnagmdw
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/
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Transcript
Childhood Memories and Early Trouble
00:00:00
Speaker
and my house And what was so diabolical is like I said, I didn't have a father, but I had my uncle. here and And the trouble traveled. Right? You know, you think you think because now we sliding off to the next location. We good. We valid.
00:00:15
Speaker
Nah, my uncle was cool with my friend's pops. So his pops decided to drop us off. And my guess who opens the door? of My uncle. I'm praying. This is like before cell phones is really, you what mean, booming. If they was, I'd have probably made a text or call to my grandma to try to enhance the situation to go in my favor. But back then, it's the luck of the draw. He pops up. Yeah.
00:00:39
Speaker
Oh yeah, yo, Kevin, you know what they was doing? So that that like that's like a story where the trouble travels. We traveled from there and that traveled all the way with my uncle and we was in trouble all weekend. That was tight, but it started in Left Rack.
Introduction to Episode and Guest DMA
00:00:54
Speaker
And like they were serious. like We was young and there was some older kids and they was like, yo, you lucky you look lucky your pops came to the door because we was ready to... I mean, they were staticky. That's funny though. That's how Left Rack is though.
00:01:12
Speaker
What's good, everyone? Welcome back to My First Kicks. And this week is episode 210. I don't know why I'm fumbling, but it's because I got one of the greats in the building, man. It's all good, bro. What's the word? Yo, welcome to the podcast, man. DMA, man.
Integrity in the Industry
00:01:26
Speaker
Appreciate you. Appreciate you for having me, bro. What's the word? Yo, you know, I've been trying to track you down for while. Rob Markman, hot minute Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not really trying to track me down, trying to get dates right, man. But you know what I mean? I feel like just in the industry that we in, yo, I just try to stand by putting myself in that position when I was trying to come up. And there's a lot of people that would make that empty gesture. You know, the person that tells you, yo, if you ever need anything, but then when you need something, they not there.
00:01:55
Speaker
Even though, you know schedules is busy, life gets the light. And I know when I, when first I had told you online, but then I seen you in person and I said it. So I like to be a man of my word. I'm never going to tell you. would have just been like, no. Or let me think about it. That ass. Nah, man. I'm a man of my word.
00:02:10
Speaker
Yo, I've been following you for a hot, like super long minute. ah Real quick, before we jump into the next yeah next thing, D's here. Shout shout out Nah, you're ready. I don't even need the intro. I stay in the background. Oh, yes, sir.
00:02:24
Speaker
So I'm about to blow your mind real quick. I think. i Hopefully. Pause. yeah yeah play yo Pause. Pause. All right. Sorry. Sorry.
Influences and Sneaker Culture
00:02:34
Speaker
But grind time days, you know, um when I was younger, i used to,
00:02:39
Speaker
be really cool with pumpkin head. Oh, wow. Wow. That's my guy. That's my guy. Yo, rest in peace, man. Um, so I was saving this story for when I had pen on, uh, but since you're here first and we, we got history with, with pH. Uh, so when I first started like really getting heavy into sneakers, I was, me and pH used to talk on aim like every day religiously and I run into each other at shows.
00:03:02
Speaker
And he was like, yo, I started this thing. It's called MCNY. like, NYMC? I forgot the name of it, but it was, like, him, Blitz, ah and Graham, and, like, there this is all, like, people part of the plague that they were just starting this website to feed into the culture of, like, hip-hop and sneakers, and he was like, yo, I want you to do, like, sneaker campouts, and i was like,
00:03:26
Speaker
I don't know if I could do that, man. Right. But he sparked that whole thing of like pH sparked that whole thing of just wanting to be part of the community, part of like doing this and being into sneakers. And, you know, when I first was just starting this podcast, like,
00:03:42
Speaker
This is post-PH passing. like i was just like, I got to at least come through for that one because he wanted me to to pursue this. For sure, for sure. That's the type of guy he was, though, man. He always wanted to... That's why I feel like he had the best seat in the house to be like a ah grand time league owner because certain people in life, you know as like the person that you see...
00:04:04
Speaker
in a nursing home and you ask them why, like why is this the job that you picked? And they just, that's just what they designed to be on earth for. They just like a giver. Like that's just who he was. he just wanted to see other people win.
Growing Up in Queens
00:04:15
Speaker
And um um I was around PH early on in my career, early on in life. Like I met PH h when I was 17, you know? And i even when I left grind time, he was not a fan of URL. Cause you know, at that time they were competition, but he would still poor ah pull up and support Just because it was me.
00:04:34
Speaker
Like, yo, just to let you know, yo, hey, I got your back. And, like, still give me pointers and critique my performances. You know what mean? yeah up until Up until when he passed. So, yeah. I mean, yo, rest in peace, PH, man. um i' miss him. Like, you know, I still i say still have his number saved.
00:04:48
Speaker
Yeah, me too. For sure. Yeah, man. but you Sorry, hard pivot, 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 sneakers you absolutely needed to have?
00:04:59
Speaker
Rob Markman, Yo, I don't remember the first pair of sneakers I had because it was some bullshit for sure. And when I say that, I can remember the first pair sneakers that I brought, but the first pair sneakers that my mom of them gave me, it was probably some, it was, I know was some bullshit. I don't remember. But the first significant pair of sneakers that I remember, which is where I'll say my first pair, it was the Citrus 7s. Yeah, let's go. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is back when sneakers was like
Advice to Younger Self
00:05:30
Speaker
115.
00:05:31
Speaker
Like, what we talking, like 2005, 2006? Yeah, yeah. And this is when they was doing Jordan was doing the different colors. Like, they were taking chances. Yeah, they were taking chances. And I remember the part about it was so dangerous for me is that um I was 15, 14, 15 at the time. So New York City having a suede pair sneakers, it it didn't go well. Like them shits was fucked up in like two weeks. yeah but But I just loved the color wave.
00:05:59
Speaker
And you know, it was easy to get fresh back then. So I had the Citrus 7s. I bought a citrus color t-shirt, a red t-shirt, a black t-shirt yeah and some baggy ass jeans. And it was it was a movie. But yeah, that's my that's my first pair like that. ah that ah like That's significant.
00:06:13
Speaker
What was like growing up, like where you get your fashion sense from? Like were you just, like was high school just full of just people just
Cultural Influences in Queens
00:06:21
Speaker
fly? I mean, it was really hip hop for me. yeah like you know what I mean? I just went through the eras of seeing hip hop and how people was dressing. That was my influence because my dad died when I was nine. So, you know, that probably would have been who I would have went to to see about it. But once it was he wasn't around, um it was really it was really ah hip hop. You know what I mean? So when G-Una was doing the...
00:06:43
Speaker
Big ass t-shirts. Everybody was in that era. I was in that era when they was doing the jerseys before Jay-Z. You know what I mean? Put it all to silence. I was doing that. So yeah, I was just kind of following what hip hop was doing.
00:06:55
Speaker
Markman, you grew up in Queens too, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we were doing Queens all day. Queens all day. Even when they was doing the Gino Greens, I had those. i still I posted a picture on my Instagram with the red Gino Green hoodie. So yeah, I was just always following...
00:07:09
Speaker
the hip-hop trends that's i mean that is wild because like growing up in queens because i grew up from across the street from left rack so like oh okay yeah yeah that's like close to queen center more yeah yeah right there that whole that kenny anderson told him me yeah huh yeah i mean i used to play ball out there yeah yeah it's real but the but like that there was that strip and i don't know what What part of Queens were you from originally? Corona. Corona? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. We right there. So then we from the- Yeah, they say left rack is Corona, but you know left rack niggas disassociated. Nah, yeah, you right. So i say left rack. So it's the same shit. So I say i say left rack just to bring it closer. Because i thought honestly, I thought you was from Jamaica.
00:07:52
Speaker
but No, no, no, no, no. a lot of people A lot of people be saying that because it's like G-O and it ties or whatever, because I'm a big fan of G-O, but nah, I'm from Corona. Yo, bro.
Encounter with Local Gangs
00:08:01
Speaker
That's crazy. I went to PS14. That's my area. I went to 227. Hey, let's go.
00:08:06
Speaker
go Yeah, yeah. That's the other side, right? Yeah, on Junction Boulevard. That's crazy. that didn't Now you must be up now. Because like that area was so wild when it when I was growing up that it was just like... you i didn't When you were younger, you don't realize that...
00:08:24
Speaker
you're walking through the projects yeah when you walk through Left Rack. But there's this video of I forgot who is like this German people just they just pulled up to the back of Left Rack and they're like interviewing Nori or something like that. And it's just everybody all of us used to just hang out in that area. yeah I don't know if you remember that that back part of Rack. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So what's crazy is my best friend was from left rack. So I was always in left rack. um So when I was in there one time, right, like we was bored and shit and um we was on the terrace or whatever.
00:08:59
Speaker
And we was, on I think we was in the Latimer building. And we was throwing rocks at somebody on the bottom. and and And you know, as a kid, you don't really gauge.
00:09:11
Speaker
Well, as a adults too, it's like a nigga that sell drugs that make money. He don't stop because he's infatuated with the idea of it. So, you know, you would think you get away with throwing a couple rocks at Rob Markman, you're good. Like, okay, we had our fun. Nah, we was just there for 30 minutes at a time throwing them until finally, clearly somebody realized where it's coming from, boom, signaled it. And we wound up, um and this is why I was so real about how parenting was back then or how it was because we got in trouble at my friend's house. yeah Markman, We was getting dropped off at my grandma's house.
00:09:42
Speaker
And what was so diabolical is like I said, I didn't have a father, but I had my uncle. Rob Markman, Yeah. Rob Markman, And the trouble traveled. Yeah. You think because now we sliding off to the next location. We good. We valid.
00:09:57
Speaker
Nah, my uncle was cool with my friend's pops. So his pops decided to drop us off. And my guess who opens the door? of My uncle. Now I'm praying. This is like before cell phones is really, you know what mean, booming. If they was, I'd have probably made a text or a call to my grandma to try to enhance the situation to go in my favor. But back then, it's the luck of the draw. He pops up.
00:10:20
Speaker
Oh yeah, yo, Kevin, you know what they was doing? So that that like that's like a story where the trouble travels. They travel from there and that shit traveled all the way with my uncle and we was in trouble all weekend. That shit was tight. But it started in left, right. And them niggas, and like they were serious. like We was young and there was some older kids and they was like, yo, know you lucky you luck lucky your pops came to the door because we was ready to, I mean, they were staticky. Rob Markman, Jr.: That's funny though. That's how left rack is though. That's just what is. Rob Markman, Jr.: What's so crazy right is like even with gang culture, even in Corona, right I'll tell you this one situation where I was going to be in a gang. and When I look back at it now, it was so gangster what happened. so it's ah It's a couple gangs in my ne in Corona that was big when I was growing up. It was FAM.
00:11:06
Speaker
um And then it was Patria. oh It was Latin King. Yeah, Latin King. it was a couple of times Latin King's four meetings in PS 143 and I got up out it. I remember one time I had a purple and green Denver Nuggets jersey. It was Turricloth.
00:11:18
Speaker
And them niggas came to do that meeting. I had to get up out there. I was like 11. Rob Markman, Yeah. Markman, But right, so this was like, um like I said, it's fam and Patriot. And for some reason, right, you know, I'm growing with all the Spanish niggas. Yeah. Rob Markman, So they like, yo, I'm about to, I'm like, what you about to do? I'm like 13, like, yo, I'm about to go to this meeting, this Patriot meeting, I'm about to be down.
00:11:40
Speaker
So I'm like, all right, nigga, fuck it, I'm go with you. He like, yo, you trying to join, turn Patriot with me? Hey, fucking nigga, this is Patria, right? So I go to the meeting.
00:11:51
Speaker
So the bassist, you know, it's regular shit. Like, yo, you got it ready to, you know what mean? um Throw down, do whatever, know what mean? Be on point, you know, regular regulations. So we leave the meeting. and I'm like, nigga, I thought that shit was going to be crazy. I'm with it.
00:12:05
Speaker
ah yeah So they like come back tomorrow. yeah So tomorrow, I forgot. I wish I remember this guy's name because everybody in Corona, they're going to know who what i'm talking about. But he had a cane. Right. So niggas watch this.
00:12:18
Speaker
I don't know where homie's at now. Hopefully he's good. But he had a cane and he was the like the lead at that time. And the next day he was like, yo, I don't know what niggas... He just started looking at niggas. He said, I don't know what them niggas told y'all niggas yesterday, but it's too many niggas here.
00:12:34
Speaker
This shit is not for all of y'all. going to tell you right now. And this shit, I'm going to be honest with you. You might go to jail. You might get shot. You might die. yeah Or you might wind up with like me, without a ligament.
00:12:49
Speaker
So after hearing that... Who here still wants to be Patrick? Because if not, this your only final chance to leave without any repercussions. After this, you got to get your ass whipped to leave.
00:13:01
Speaker
So who who wants to just voluntarily bounce? ah voluntarily boun sounds a bit I I was immediately imagining just the the the Simpson meme where it's like Homer backing up into the bush. Nah, I looked at them niggas. Like, nah, I'm good. now I'm good, had to.
00:13:19
Speaker
Rob Markman, but when you think about it now, and then I respected it, but now I'm like, I say all I have to say is that you don't get that no more. not That was gangster. That was gangster because you I'm a 13 year old kid that could be easily influenced and infatuated with the bright lights that got Niggas don't do that no more. Nah, niggas use a 13-year-old kid as a pawn. Next thing you know, this nigga's a part of Rico. His whole life is fucked up. Or or a mom is burying their child. yeah So that that was the message. And it was funny.
00:13:45
Speaker
And I was like, yo, it's real, but you don't get that no more. Nah, you definitely don't get that no more. Because for a nigga that's smart like myself, I'm like... I mean, even though you know that's dead, you ain't got somebody putting it in those terms and then showing you like, he's straight up single, wind up like me. I say, yeah, I'm out of here. Oh, man.
00:14:03
Speaker
mean, I don't know how many close calls I've gotten into, but yeah, I got out of there. i left that once i I moved to Manhattan, it was like, I forgot Queens existed. Shout out to my niggas too, because some of them stayed. Yeah, for sure. Listen, I grew up in Southside, so know what it is. A couple of them niggas stayed, man. It's crazy. It's her and Patria.
00:14:21
Speaker
yeah They still repping to this day. Yeah, they do. Shout out to them. didn't see a Gangland episode on Patria yet, though. I'm going to have to look that one up. Hopefully they got one. Yeah, fam, fam, Patria, all them, like I said, them tuned in.
00:14:40
Speaker
Them niggas is like that, man.
Sneaker Culture and Battle Rap
00:14:41
Speaker
So, like, I mean, we know about your history with battle rapping. And I mean, I hope, you know, I know. I know. I know. But if they listening to battle rap and don't know who Dean is, they shouldn't listening battle rap. They shouldn't be listening to battle rap. should just give that up, man. That's not your thing. Yeah, for real.
00:14:57
Speaker
But, like, I want to know your history with sneaker like sneaker culture. Like, how did you get part? Like, did you start seeing a lot of it and start joining it a little bit more? Or... Yeah, yeah. So like what's ah once I, what I said like with the Citrus 7s, like once I got into those, my goal was to just um keep, like I was infatuated. And then I seen another pair of sneakers and I was like, boom, boom, boom, boom. boom And then what what's so real, right, is that You know, at this time, but jordan Jordan started in 1984. This is the 2000s, so you got the whole 90s when they first dropping ever. yeah right So i'm I'm part of a special wave that I seen it drop a second time. what we We probably on like the fifth or fourth, fifth or sixth now. Yeah, especially them breads.
00:15:43
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. But on that time on that type of time, I didn't know... that it would ever come out again. So it's a point in time in my life. This is out this how it coincides with rap. yeah I sold every last pair sneakers I had for studio time.
00:15:58
Speaker
Right? On Craigslist. On Craigslist. And I had some crazy shit. I had like the old Air Max, Valentines days. I had the... own The 10s, but not the 10s that came out after, the ones that's coming back out this year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. With the cuff on the back. I had some crazy pair sneakers, and I sold all them for studio time.
00:16:19
Speaker
So my sneaker collection at 17, 18, I was like 50, 60 pair of sneakers in. at that time. yeah i even so Even though something wasn't good, I was still, you know, you know at that time, toothbrushing it up, listen taping it up, doing whatever just to come outside with it. Were you copping at that store across the street from Lefkowitz?
00:16:37
Speaker
No, no, no. I was in Corona. I was School of Hard Knocks. I was copping for Vaughn. Yo, School of Hard Knocks. They used to have all the drugs. So that's what I was getting them from. And then... I fell out of it at that time.
00:16:49
Speaker
And then um around 2013, 14, was gambling and then it's crazy, my homie here, my homie Rich right here right? got out Markman, You know what mean? we We were not going to go into detail with it, so we're not going to give for no free promotion, but it was a place we was not, because there's some other shit with that, but we was going to a certain...
00:17:06
Speaker
door And we was getting all the sneakers from there at the time. We had to connect. And then that's how i fell back in love with it. And this when they was dropping the phones and all that. So I was copying all the phone posits. I was dropping the Spider-Man ones, the Nick edition, the Jordans.
00:17:19
Speaker
And then that's when I was like, oh yeah. I seen that sneakers was coming back out. then after that point, I was just, I've been on it ever since.
Loyalty Over Material Gain
00:17:27
Speaker
You know what mean? Right now I'm like 300, 400 pairs of sneakers in. Rob Markman I'm close, man. I'm at 300. I think I'm at like 300. Rob Markman Yeah, I'm at like 300, 400. And then took a break again. Rob Markman Right. Markman Because I always got breaks. Took a break again and then probably like 21, 2021, 2022, be going hammer time. Rob Markman What happened was it was a drought.
00:17:48
Speaker
um And and this this is the real shit, right? How sneakers could go into some other shit, right? So my ah man Rich is here, right? Like I said, we had the plug at the sneaker store where was getting the sneakers early and all that.
00:17:59
Speaker
But something happened, not going to go into it, but it was like, yo, we're not going over there no more. And a lot of niggas were still going over there for the sneakers. Me, I'm like...
00:18:11
Speaker
I want the sneaker, but I'm loyal to my man. So that's how that's why that was my last break. And I was like, yo, like I always feel like that though, right? Like I don't look for problems to the point that people get it twisted that I'm not cool with having a problem.
00:18:24
Speaker
Like i that's one that's one of the illest things that I love that 50 said, like I don't want a problem, but I don't have a problem having a problem. yeah People don't know that about me because I'm a firm believer of if you don't,
00:18:36
Speaker
Look for something and the universe knows your heart is in a good place. You can't lose. So I say all that to say is I was willing to take that three, four year hit and I was still copping sneakers, but I wasn't getting them retail. i was willing to take that hit because the principle about the situation was worth more. So where now, shout out to my people at UpNYC, shout out to my homegirl Polka, Fat Joe and all them. I get all my shit retail. yeah So it all worked out in the long run. And I waited patiently yeah and wasn't breaking. so you you never broke your will. So, yeah, like but you see how deep we talking about sneakers, but all of that plays into the part about, you know what mean, copping sneakers. So, yeah.
00:19:15
Speaker
Yeah. So, like, the last two, three years, I've been back on that heavy. No, yeah, because I remember the video where you were like, because we talked about it at AEW.
Sneaker Collecting Obsession
00:19:23
Speaker
Shout out AEW. But it was like the video where the Joritos came out and you were like, I need somebody to help me out. And I was just like, the way came out, I was just like, damn, I wish I could help you. But I striking out like crazy. Yo, you know what's so crazy? I still, yo, and that be the thing with me too is that I'll leave some shit alone.
00:19:42
Speaker
when I'm out of that mindset. Like I wanted those shit so bad and I could get them right now, but i just this I just don't like, I feel like I'm getting robbed. So that's why I just won't go buy them. Because it's like, what what is it it? came out as a dunk.
00:19:55
Speaker
It came out for $130, $140, $150 tops, paws. And now it's like $700. And that's without the sneakers. be thinking those prices be out of pocket though. like come crazy Like, come on. And two cops I went crazy for yeah that i don't regret.
00:20:12
Speaker
is the Tiffany blues. Okay. ah dropped I dropped 800 on The Air Forces. Yeah. You dropped 800 on those? For the just black just regular colorway, not the Friends and Family? Friends and Family, wanted 10. They ain't getting that.
00:20:27
Speaker
But no, the blues, those, I needed those. I needed those. were very clean, man. But you what he said? He said, needed those. That'd be the difference in what people be willing to pay for and not if I need those. And this the thing.
00:20:38
Speaker
They was going for 15. Yeah, they were. Yeah, for sure. when they said eight, I'm like, They came out 350. Mm-hmm. Little 4, 4, 450 come up. Damn, it's still, they robbed me.
00:20:49
Speaker
But I was like, but I was cool. with That's one of those. I got my hands up. I'm happy. I'm happy with the robber. What's the other thing? The Orange Lobsters. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 700, dropped that It was a special box at least? Yeah. All right, all right. Still got the box, special box with the with the lobster dog on it and all that. Yeah, needed those. Orange Lobsters, huh needed those. Those two, I look at them every day. y'all do that. That's how I am with the sneakers. I go and look at the boxes and look like,
00:21:16
Speaker
To myself, because to my girl, all this, I'm going to bug the fuck out. yeah But to myself, I go, it's been times I was like, yeah, yeah, she's right. But those, I'd be like, nah, nah, needed those. So those two, those two, I don't grab. But the Jarritos, I couldn't, I couldn't never, the Jarritos, I couldn't never, I just couldn't never, like, make the attempt. I'm like, do I really like this sneaker like that? And I just couldn't do it.
00:21:42
Speaker
Haas, what you think you got jerked for? What you think you got robbed? Any i know robberies yeah in your collection? No robberies. I respected that. He went by. He said he went by nothing. That's not retail.
00:21:53
Speaker
I only buy retail. I respect the hell out of that. I only pay retail. Like. I'd go under retail. For sure. For sure. I'd go under retail. But you never you never go double, triple, double. Which is right now. The only time I've thought about it is these Galaxy phones. Because I really want them. but They want five.
00:22:12
Speaker
I know. And I feel like. <unk> like And I just caught the the union
Fashion and Hip Hop Culture
00:22:17
Speaker
the Union ones that just came out today. Online. Just on their website. Everybody, they would just do it. You got to let me. If you want a shoe, you got to let me know. i I'll give you. yeah I need it. I need it. So they, but they coming out and again in March on sneakers. So okay you should be able to cop. Biggest cop this year that I didn't even know was going to be dangerous was the bands.
00:22:39
Speaker
Yeah, man. Yeah. that's But you got you got the the invite, right? Rob Yeah. I got the band and them was crazy. No, but i was I was always just back and forth, right? Like I'll get one and then be sick about another. So I got the band and I'm like, yo man, the Reimagine is going to sit. I'll think about this. I had to pay over on them. But it was like a 40 pack.
00:23:01
Speaker
It was $40. So I was like, cool. I got them from somewhere else because up NYC was sold out. Then i got the reimagined. And then I've seen niggas buzzing with the galaxies. And I'm like, damn Because don't wear foams no more, but then I'm like, and it would be a fire just collection piece. y'all got them, sold out.
00:23:21
Speaker
And then when I looked up 500, I'm like, I'm not doing this again, bro. I'm getting one, then I'm second guessing the next one, and then when I double back, it's going. I'm like, nah. That's guess what vi keeps going, bro. You be like, damn it, yo. oh i should but but but But this Saturday,
00:23:33
Speaker
Flu Games. I'm locked in. Games, yo. That's going to be a good one. Yeah. I mean, now it's on my... You see, that's what I'm saying. Now I'm on my radar. They were already selling them this past week. Yeah, I A lot of people were scooping them Just letting them fly. Flu Games. Cool Grays.
00:23:47
Speaker
I need the Grapes next month. Okay. The Ferraris. Bam, you're going. Mellow 12s. Yeah, Mellow 12s. I might... Shattered Backboards is number... Shattered Backboards. Shattered Backboards, Gammas, and the Zebra 10s. Those are at the top of my list.
00:24:02
Speaker
Nah, the Gammas is off the charts. That's not the ones, I'm going to do whatever. I'm going to get it done. Those three is my biggest counts. Now the add-ons is the French Brews, the Grapes, like I said, the Ferrari Mellow 12s, Cool Grey 9s.
00:24:18
Speaker
Cool Grey 9s is in my top five. Top five, Jordan Copps, this year for me is, like I said, the Gammas, Shattered Backboards, yeah the Zebra tentse yeah Flu Games, Cool Grey ah If I get those five, the other ones is add-ons, but those five, I'm willing to- Rob Markman 1, 2nd, 2nd,
00:24:40
Speaker
and before especially because you know with this episode they go see yeah go be somebody i hate me i your damn dna i know you likeny i don't think they draw them cool grey nonns too much over like i feel like those overly But you know you know what's crazy though? A lot of these joints I had and even messed up the pair. Yeah. Or I never copped it, so I'm going to get it this year because they going crazy. Of course, yeah. Like bands, I never had a pair band. Yeah. For real?
00:25:02
Speaker
Never. And now you got the the most highest quality version. Starting off on the right point. Yeah, WW. Yeah, yo. I wanted them. But I hear like the leather, you got to break it in. Like it takes time. Yeah, you do. You do. At first I didn't like it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm still, and I'm honest with you.
00:25:17
Speaker
um' still I still got a heavy debate that the reimagines is better. Oh, yeah. That's what a lot of people are saying, too. Like that um the the the patent leather joints, right? That's the one you consider? are you considering ones that just came out. Oh, those are those are not reimagined. Are talking about the fives?
00:25:35
Speaker
No, the ones. black toes. black toes. Oh, okay. I know what you're saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm saying that that that. I don't think they're considered reimagined. with you I mean, that's what they said, though. I thought they just called Black Toes. No, they said the reimagined ones. Yeah.
00:25:47
Speaker
Oh, interesting. Yeah, Because like I know it has the blacklight thing where he's rolling to his best friend it. Yeah, yeah. But even I'm just saying the Lever. Yeah, yeah. At first, I was completely sold that those was better than the bands. But then I go back and forth. Yeah. Like me in the crib, I just be sitting there, dolo, touching the lever, looking at all the details, comparing it. That'd be my, my little sneaker. Like people don't know how hard I'll be going. yeah Yeah. Cause this, I mean, it's tough. I don't got a sneaker room, but like, yeah, I'll be doing, I'll be, i I'll be like, okay, yeah, this fire.
00:26:19
Speaker
You know, I'll pull them out. Look at it. Like I got the, the last cop I got is the Travis, the, the ah chocolate joints. though Oh, that's a good one. Yeah. That's a good one. And, That suede on there. I'm such a suede person. Yeah. That is like, yeah. So what? what but Let me ask you this, right?
00:26:35
Speaker
Both of y'all. What's your biggest, um after you get the sneakers, what's the first thing you get after? I mean, you gotta smell it first. That's the smell. you No, no, no. I'm saying like the next piece of clothing. Oh, I thought he talking about, you know, like when I get it, what I'm doing. Oh, no, no, no, no.
00:26:50
Speaker
I I mean, now it's been hats. I've been copping a lot of fittings. I'm mad at that. Yeah. I'm not mad at that. lot of Mets fittings. A hat and and and and a tee or crew neck depending on the weather. Yeah. It got a... But it's definitely a hat.
00:27:03
Speaker
Me, before I would say hats... But no, before I would say just strictly, you know what I mean The shirt, whether it's a hoodie or a jacket or whatever. Mainly, I'm going to still say that.
00:27:13
Speaker
Hats, I put that at two. But number one, I'm trying to find a crazy jacket, crazy shirt that goes with it. That's when I feel like it's complete. Because I feel like the jeans and the hat is something that's going to go with it. yeah the The actual jacket or shirt part, hoodie part, that's where it's going to take.
00:27:30
Speaker
That takes the work. yeah. takes it over to the top. yeah Especially if you've got like a crazy varsity. Exactly. I've been on a varsity kick like crazy, man. Me too. I just got that St. John's varsity. Yeah.
00:27:41
Speaker
See the one that they did with Ava Rex? Yeah, yeah. I'm waiting for that to come. That's the flu game outfit right there. Damn, that's crazy. The Joe Fresh. don't know if you've seen the Joe Fresh good varsity that he dropped with his New Balance. Mm-mm.
00:27:52
Speaker
yes and insane Yeah, send that to me. I like the varsity more than I like the sneakers. Shout out, Joe. Shout out, Joe. Did y'all just see the joint they did with Hellstar and Jewels with the Ava Rex? Nah, I haven't. Nah, I didn't see that. Crazy.
00:28:04
Speaker
I mean, Hellstar's on a tear. They- Nah, them Ava Rexes that they just did with you all, and it's the color too. It's some Easter shit. Oh, yeah? Like, literally, they might make me just cop my Easter outfit. You seen it?
00:28:15
Speaker
It's crazy. That's crazy. I'm very curious. Like, do you have pairs that you've worn in battles that you just look at and they just like cemented to like, yo, I worn it when I face such and such? And then you just, like, what are some pairs or stories that come with that?
00:28:31
Speaker
um the the The royal blue and gray phone posits, I still got them, even though I don't wear phones. that that's that's what i did too That's what I did it to to Will. That's to get smacked the fuck out of there.
00:28:46
Speaker
That is, yeah. Yeah, I got those in a bin. those got i thought he was going be like, I got a case. Nah, no. I got the jersey in the case. So i got the Brooklyn Nets. It's the short-sleeved Darren Williams jersey.
00:28:58
Speaker
Right? That's how long we going back. Darren Williams yeah jersey. And I wore that i wo a verse... um L. Will and I got it framed. Rob Markman- Yeah, that's an iconic moment, man. That's fine. Rob Markman- but those sneakers and then I still wear the s sneakers that battled Mickey Faxon. Those are the Orlando Magic 10s. Rob Markman- think that's lit. This shit sound like when NBA players talk about what playoff they wore, certain playoff games. That shit fine. Markman- monumental joints, I remember what I wore. Versus Disaster, it was a pair of Griffys, the um the green ones, the classics. Rob Markman- Yeah, the classics. I remember that. yeah
00:29:31
Speaker
but it That's I mean, when you when you pull up to a battle, like, do you check out people's fits or is it just like, you know, because I feel like everything's an upper hand because I mean, you know, it's so crazy, right? When you want to come up.
00:29:44
Speaker
Mm hmm.
00:29:46
Speaker
um it was a thing like, yo, i want I want to get fresh to go to a battle. But as the years started going on, like that's a disadvantage. Oh, yeah? Yeah, because you got to read the room.
00:29:58
Speaker
You're in the environment of people that not that not per se don't have money, but their whole idea of this thing that we call battle rap is an underdog sport.
00:30:09
Speaker
So when you look to the part It'll make them root for the other guy subconsciously already. yeah like i Like, Goods battled easy. And Goods has on a Louis Vuitton outfit.
00:30:24
Speaker
yeah Drip down. You know what I mean? Custom made. Red to the bottom. Chains on. Bracelets. Rings. All that. His crowd reaction was nowhere easy's.
00:30:36
Speaker
ah long T hat on before he got his T fix. yeah he connect Aesthetically, yeah that's that that's that's the guy we should be rooting for because he's coming up.
00:30:47
Speaker
He came up. right yeah So me, I was always aware that when I went into a battle, as years went on, I black-teed up. You know what I mean? I'm clean, yeah but i will I'm not... my Like, what I would wear to some shit when I'm getting fly, wouldn't do it there because I already feel like aesthetically I'm putting myself at a disadvantage because then you go, let's root for the guy that doesn't have that. yeah See, people people don't look at...
00:31:10
Speaker
the clothing and the sneakers like that. I would have no lie. You saying this, my mind blown. would have never even thought of that. But it's also because we're not in the crowd. We're not part of the reaction. But now you're not the crowd doing... This is something that battle rappers don't know and the crowd don't... Because it's not a thing. This is something...
00:31:25
Speaker
Probably five people came up with me, Goods, and a couple other people just, um I watch from a different angle because I'm studying it. yeah So in my mind, I'm like, okay, when they see somebody that is fly or dressed, he made it.
00:31:39
Speaker
So it's not even a thing they're doing on purpose. It's just subconsciously. I need to go with the person that looks like they don't have it. This person look like they have it. I got a hungrier dude. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. I got to help him. I got to help him come up.
00:31:51
Speaker
Exactly. So, yeah. Because everybody like the underdog. Yeah. Exactly. And it's interesting, too, because, like, I've been watching Battle Rap since the fucking 2000s. So it's like what being part of the rise of it, like, what was that?
00:32:04
Speaker
Like, how did that feel? Oh, man, it's it's amazing. At one point in time, though, it was um it was very it was very confusing because you got to think in the peak years of Battle Rap, there was no money to support the notoriety.
00:32:19
Speaker
So you're doing a million views, two million views. My battle with Disaster happened in 2011. I'm 19 at the time. ah It has about six, seven million now. At that point in time, it has two million.
00:32:30
Speaker
I'm still taking the train. Mm-hmm. And there's just people who are matching the the viewership to the success and the money that you should have. right So they'll see you in certain places. Like I was still in my neighborhood at that time because in my mind, when I look at my bank account, it doesn't say don't be here. yeah But the way people are acting and treating me, it says don't be here. yeah So that was that was the biggest. That's interesting.
Challenges in Battle Rap Industry
00:32:54
Speaker
Like in terms of the come up, it was it was a amazing experience to know that like we're a part of, you know, changing how it was viewed. Because before that it was a casual, you know, more like a hobby thing. We kind of um like I ushered in the generation that made it a career and something that you can um now make a living off of. yeah
00:33:12
Speaker
But that was our biggest um challenge, i would I would say, is that the money wasn't there. Just monetizing it then. In 2012, like, it was rare that somebody was getting five figures for a battle.
00:33:28
Speaker
Yeah. So it's just 10,000 a month. Right. Yeah. That's wild. And then now, you I mean, recently you did your own with the the the wrestling. Yeah. so So what happened is in 2020 when Yoro partnered up with... ah Caffeine, that that was the biggest amount of money that um that was ever put into the culture.
00:33:47
Speaker
So we we go from saying in 2012 that ah you you weren't getting somebody that could get $10,000 to battle. But when caffeine comes around, the new guy, the rookie, is getting $5,000. Yeah.
00:34:02
Speaker
to start. right so then So then, on average, the other bat the other battle rappers that have stature, you know I mean, entry level, starting negotiating level, is 20 or more.
00:34:13
Speaker
So the most money is being made. But the problem the problem in it after that is that a bunch of battle rappers thought that that number, that amount of money would be sustainable in the culture forever.
00:34:26
Speaker
So that's when you blow the money because you you think it's always going there. just do another battle. Yeah. and but and And then the problem is, right? So that's the thing that, that me, my biggest gripe with battle rap and battle rappers is that they'll present it to the other people that don't really understand it as if there's no money in there.
00:34:43
Speaker
When it more so should be, there is money in there. People just choose to do the wrong things with it. Because at that point at Caffeine, we were getting paid more than certain people that have hit records for for for certain shows per night.
00:34:57
Speaker
yeah You know what I mean? I'm listening to this like, yeah. it just just shows just It's just what were they doing you i mean with that money. yeah So I say all that to say when it ends, you know what mean? And the smoke clears and Caffeine. Caffeine was four years.
00:35:12
Speaker
then Then you see who did what they were supposed to do with it and they didn't. right So then me, my thing was like... That's why like when when my mom passed away, I took a break from battle rap because I wasn't going myself in that space and have anybody even play with that because that's a serious matter.
00:35:28
Speaker
But now i'm I'm at the point that I want to come back, but um it doesn't make sense. Rob Markman, know you've been teasing in your story. Rob Markman, No, no, no, no. Because I was ready to... Anytime I was trolling saying I was retired, but it was all just building to do the comeback for league to do it. But now I get it from the league's behalf.
00:35:48
Speaker
The bootlegging is at an all-time high. The artist feels like they should get paid more because of caffeine, but now they don't realize caffeine was a sponsor and battle rap never actually generated that money.
00:35:59
Speaker
That was just somebody saying, I don't care about the return on an the investment. I'm going to put this up for it. Oh, they didn't even care about the return. No, when they started caring about the return is why it ended because there was no return.
00:36:11
Speaker
ah So now you have a bunch of people that feel like this is the number I should be making. But that's not what's being made. no That's not what's being made. And then as, you know, pay-per-views go on and go on.
00:36:22
Speaker
they're bootlegged so how do you recoup the money right now such and such is used to twenty thirty thousand dollars a battle and that's just one but you're doing a whole card right because battle rap is not sold on two people so you do you do sixty thousand dollars times eight you got a half a million dollars Talk travel, flights. yeah You're doing a million dollar event. You're not making a million dollars back. no that's So with that being said, that's why I started taking matters into my and my own hands where I was like, okay, now Battle Rap has to get to a market
00:36:56
Speaker
in another way. And I think a lot of battle rappers only use the one form of battling as the way. But I'm like, wrestling has a whole culture. If you do the right type of battle and it gets viewed by the right eyes, that's a whole nother avenue, a whole nother... People think like, right now they'll say battle rap died, but I don't think battle rap died. Battle rap got...
00:37:16
Speaker
um it hit a ceiling for what's going on now until some another sponsor comes.
Battle Rap and Wrestling Influence
00:37:22
Speaker
But even if it died, quote unquote, and I say not in that form. Now, you take the same type of art form, but you put it to, like I said, wrestling battles, it gains a whole, that's something that people will watch and only know, oh, that that's the people that rhyme about wrestling. They don't know the battle rap that I know. Yeah.
00:37:39
Speaker
You see what I'm saying? So that's the reason why I started doing that. And I learned that at an early age because I was rhyming in Red Bull competitions, rhyming for ESPN, rhyming for BET. So I know that the art form lives however you want to place it.
00:37:53
Speaker
So with wrestling, I feel like that audience is just the right CEO or person that gets wind of that. That's going to go. That's going to be something. That'll be something in its own. So, I mean, it was like even just seeing the clips because ain't get to watch the whole got to watch. Yeah. But just even seeing the clips. AJ Francis was crushing this. The saga was crushing And I was crazy, too, to be able to actually get a wrestler to perform in, you know, in a battle rap space.
00:38:21
Speaker
And, you know, i mean, trust me with that and feel comfortable to do that. So for the fact that I was able to do that, it was um and it was just it was amazing to me. and Where's your your love for wrestling come from also? because Since we're here. I was watching wrestling as a kid. like I was watching wrestling with my when my pops.
00:38:39
Speaker
and um My pops and my cousin Michael wrestled peace to both of them. But... um I started watching wrestling like six. yeah So I was watching WCW. I would tap into WWF at the time, now E. And then I was there right when the attitude era started. yes So you got to think for somebody like me, I watched the best wrestling that some consider ever. So you know Stone Cold was my favorite wrestling. I always had a love for it. And then um then as I got older and I started pursuing rap, I kind of got out of it because Stone Cold retired, The Rock left. It kind of got...
00:39:12
Speaker
It went into phase. Rob Markman I also feel like they got waxed for a little bit. It got stale for a little bit. Rob Markman No, for while. Rob Markman And then Roman Reigns. Rob Markman You wait until Roman Reigns to come back? Rob Markman No, yeah, because I wasn't i was casually watching.
00:39:24
Speaker
So the year Stone Cold came back versus Kevin Owens, I watched. Anytime Undertaker had a match, I would watch. I would just watch for the streak. Rob Markman Punk got me back. Rob Markman Yeah, 2013. Rob Markman 2013. So I was a casual...
00:39:38
Speaker
ah wrestling fan and then um I want to say 23 years ago, twenty twenty the year I started the Attitude Hour podcast. 2022, my homie Warren was just telling me over and over like, yo, bro, I'm telling you, to shit is lit now.
00:39:52
Speaker
Roman Reigns is The Rock's cousin. He got it lit and I only remember Roman Reigns briefly from the shield. I'm like, you talking about that? I was like, nah, you got a whole new character. Yeah. And I started watching it yeah I was like, okay, did du this this is like reminding me of somewhat of the attitude I in. It's lit.
00:40:10
Speaker
And then we started asking a bunch of battle rappers, like what wrestlers do they compare themselves as? And then I started thinking to myself, I was like, well, shit, so a lot of battle rappers use wrestling bars, yeah but nobody made it cool to do. yeah So I'm like, let me start this podcast. And when I started the podcast, I was going to get...
00:40:29
Speaker
like belts and action figures and all that from the wrestling universe in Queens. And when I went out there, first day I'm in there, the owner is like, DNA, what the hell are you doing in my store?
00:40:40
Speaker
I'm like, yo, I just started this wrestling podcast. and I used to be a big fan of wrestling. I'm starting it back up now. And he was like, yo, um what you trying to do with it? I'm like, yo, I'm trying to get interviews. And he was like, well, I have signings. I interview all the wrestlers here.
00:40:54
Speaker
Yo, whoever comes here, I'll get them on your podcast. That's crazy. So it all happened organically. And after that. I was wondering how, because like I remember when you the podcast first started and when I was like, oh, snap. You guys filmed a couple episodes in there, right? So like I remember seeing the background because i I didn't go there a lot, but I would go there for the signings and stuff like that.
00:41:15
Speaker
As you can tell, I am a big wrestling fan. like i would I would go there and I saw the background. I was like, yeah, there's all the figures. like they He's at Wrestling Universe? And I was like, yeah, that's crazy. like Yeah, so it just happened like that. And then what's crazy, our first interview wasn't even with Wrestling Universe.
00:41:31
Speaker
it was just a leap of faith and it worked. I was like, yo, I got a blue check. Some of these people are going answer me off the rip. Because I know they wasn't going to know about Battle Rap. right And D-Von Dougley was the first one i answered. he Flew out to Orlando, got him on the podcast. That was our first big interview. yeah And then Wrestling Universe got us Rakeshi.
00:41:49
Speaker
um And then after that, we got Raven. um and and then we And then we started going. And then um and then we wound up emailing Godfather, and we got him.
00:42:01
Speaker
And then after that, it took off. And then, I mean, now we got Mick Foley on there, Kane, Derrick Bischoff, Bret Hart, Val Venus, Eugene, Jacqueline, Vince Russo. Last week, I just dropped Dom and Dallas Page. Shout out DDP, man. Yeah, and I'm i'm missing a lot.
00:42:19
Speaker
um Who else? D'Lo Brown. um I mean, you, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 30, 40, and Booker T, Kurt Angle. Yeah. Yeah, for real. I think that is like, it's dope because, I mean, being somebody, you know, person of color, trying do this within the sneaker space, I feel like with podcasting, it's always been synonymous that always just like white faces that are doing it and stuff like that. Yeah.
00:42:43
Speaker
When it comes to wrestling, like, you know, shout out to the A-show. Like, they those are like my my peoples that they also do like more topical wrestling. Like every week they do it. But it's just like it's always hard. I had of this one moment where I'm just like, oh, I just want to listen to like people that look like me that talk about this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know? and i think And I think the thing about it in our culture was always – yo, that's corny, it's fake.
00:43:07
Speaker
So you didn't really get people to get behind it. But now that you see more black wrestlers on screen yeah that are champions, that are popular with big ass fan bases, it makes people be like, okay.
00:43:19
Speaker
And then you got DNA on the battle rap side, Tay Rock, And then on the industry side, you got Westside Gunn with 4th Rope, you know, doing that smoke dizzying and all them. Shout out to them. We got some stuff that we're working on, too. You know what I mean?
00:43:32
Speaker
Future guest. And then and then you got AJ Francis, yep who is bringing us in that actually brought us into you know what mean, promotion to be a part of it. And then you got Trick Williams yeah bringing me and Arsenal out there and shouting us out on the thing, like the engagement of the connection.
00:43:48
Speaker
it's too It's too hard to, know what mean, go against it. where I feel like before it was like our space at the same time that I feel like we didn't get our credit, we also didn't really stand behind it. Like you would have very few. Now it's an epidemic of all of us, matter people of color like, yo, I really watch wrestling.
00:44:05
Speaker
Boom, you should check it out. This what's going on. Markman, Nah, Markman, that's the thing. I think we always liked that kind of shit though. Think about it. We grew up playing games. Rob Yeah, people- Markman, I just feel like people wasn't- Rob Markman, Yeah, we never was out there thinking like, oh yeah, yeah. Rob Markman, Like in battle rap, I just watched like, when I said it,
00:44:20
Speaker
The next thing you know, I just, because that be the thing when we were innovating. I'm like, let me see how does this is received. Like the moment I said it, after that, I just started hearing way more wrestling bars. So I'm like, it's not that- Rob Markman, Jr.: Because they said if you said it's cool, then they ain't going to get torched. What was the bar? That's what I'm saying. Once I seen it, it wasn't that I said I made people start doing wrestling bars. Of course not.
00:44:46
Speaker
I feel like I let the people know, yeah it's cool okay, we can do this. Do you remember the bar? What? The bar that that, because I'm trying to even remember it. What was the the wrestling bar?
00:44:57
Speaker
That I started hearing? No, I don't remember. No, yours. The one that you were like, I'm going to pull up. I'm going to just try this one out. you Oh, no, I was always doing Oh, okay. Yeah, I was always doing them but like, like right, like around the podcast time, I was battling, um, official.
00:45:12
Speaker
Uh-huh. And she was like, um, we was like in the same group before, like NWX before I ended it. So was an NWO bar. Yeah. Um, it was like, um, you lost the, what was it? Uh,
00:45:25
Speaker
It was something that I said, like you lost something NW, you lost that NWO, like NWO, something to that nature. Rob Markman 1, didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. Rob Markman 1, no, no, no, no. Because me, I don't write my bars down. Rob Markman 1, no, So I literally- Rob Markman 1, no, no, no. So I make them up in my head once I say in the battle. Rob Markman 1, no, no, no. Rob Markman 1, no, no, Rob Markman 1, no, no, Rob Markman 1, no, no, no, no. Rob Markman 1, no, Rob Markman 1, no, no, no. Rob Markman 1, no, no, no, Rob Markman 1, no, no, no And I was like, how you lose the battle, how you lose the money and W.O., you should have sprayed one of the titles.
00:45:55
Speaker
Because Tay Rock is gun titles and you know, Hulk Hogan sprayed the title. yeah So it was like, yeah, that was the bar that it when it rocked the room, I think after that, everybody was like, right. I'm gonna do i'mma do wrestling. And then that same year did one wrestling ball battle with Saga and Don Marino. Shout out to them for being, you know what mean, um the first people to do it and it worked.
00:46:16
Speaker
And then the next year, i believe it got popularized more because me Clips did it. It was me and Clip, me versus Charlie Clips, Chess versus Danny Myers, Sheed happens versus Snake Eyes.
00:46:28
Speaker
And then after that, that's when everybody's like, yo, this wrestling boss, it's crazy. crazy yeah So when I brought it back last year, that was the second time. right The first one was Halloween Havoc. The next one was No Mercy. yeah It's crazy because my brother, so i'm in I'm in a punk band. I'm in a rock band.
00:46:43
Speaker
And my brother, he love your shit. He love your shit. Markman- Oh, looking. to him. Markman- he in the band with me and the Look Alive, that's on Look Alive, the John Cena line. My brother do those punchlines because of that.
00:46:54
Speaker
Rob Markman- Yeah. Markman- Like, yeah. He said, cause he said in the song, and that's a song we had chart on Billboard, so that song is out there. Markman- Oh, that's fire. Markman- Yeah, yeah, yeah. Markman- He said, lock the culture with the chain, rookie John Cena. We took out to the cleaners. it' why And it was dope. And I'm like, are you talking about this? I'm like, yeah, my brother stayed dropping them fun slides. love you. So I'm like, one phrase I wonder if that's where that came from. That's what I'm listening I'm like, maybe that's where that came from, why he dropped all those lines.
00:47:17
Speaker
Oh, man. I mean, look, it's just wild. Because I think that hopefully there's sneaker battles. I mean, sneaker, sneaker, like battling with sneakers. That's tough. Imagine battling, but for the sneaker, though.
00:47:29
Speaker
Yeah, yo, bro, like me, I'm i'm with all of that. You're battling for the Haritos? I'm not, yo, listen, I'm with all of that, bro. I'm with all the end of it. Like, even right now, I've been going viral on Instagram just by doing those type of creative freestyles. Yeah, that's what I wanted to bring that up. Yeah. Like, bro, you are absolutely killing with those because it's just...
00:47:48
Speaker
I it's like I've never it's so creative like I can't like I give you all your flowers on this because it's just like it's so creative the the footage joint was crazy even even when the Mets was in the World Series going to the Yankees no that I was gonna say the Mets one I'm all I'm going for the for the Mets on this one but I'm saying the Mets playoff joint when he was in the front No, that's the Yankees. No, I thought you did the... You did one for the Mets before they went to... No, no, I did one for the Yankees before they went to the World Series. I got it wrong.
00:48:17
Speaker
But... You just wanted to say Mets. Listen, all right. But yeah, the Yankee ones was fired. I would do it. Yeah. I watched it. I just think that it's just like... It's so unique, in my opinion. Like...
00:48:30
Speaker
You are just like coming off these crazy bars. just awful I feel like they come like they either they come to you and you just look at something and it just sparks your attention, something like that? Or like what is that process?
00:48:41
Speaker
Nah, so what it was is like even when I was in the battle space, I was always being creative and innovative. Like I went backwards in the battle before. Obviously, I got the inspiration by Nas. I... um I did the give me a word to the crowd and the battle before. So I was always a creative person, but you know, I would let it have its moments where it lived and then I'll just go back to, you know, regular ramen, which is always good too. But you know, when you on Instagram and you got a bunch of people doing the same thing, ramen, you want to stand out.
00:49:06
Speaker
And I was off of Instagram for a very long time yeah because um I started my journey on TikTok streaming and it was going exceptionally well. And at the end of the year, shout out to Goods. He was like, yo, um yeah I want you to be a part of my cypher.
00:49:23
Speaker
And I hadn't rapped in a while. So I was like, like and when I say that, I was rapping, but I'm talking about like on a large scale. yeah So I was like, okay, I've been going from Battle Rap for like a year now.
00:49:36
Speaker
this is, of course, a ah highly battle rap generated platform because Goods is a ah legendary battle rapper as well. Let me do it. yeah And um they did a remake to the Somehow, Someway by Jay-Z.
00:49:47
Speaker
And anytime entered a cypher, I was all on a metaphorical standpoint, like, yo, punchlines, wordplay, schemes. But i was I was dealing with the situation with my mom and so many other situations that I was like, yo, the beat is telling me give him pain.
Creative Freestyle Videos
00:50:02
Speaker
And I wrote the verse like in a day and then I did it the next day and then he dropped it on December 31st going into the new year. yeah And like my videos wasn't hitting on Instagram. right So I was just discouraged. Like i don't post on this shit no more. Even rapping, I'm like, I can't even get a hundred K like,
00:50:21
Speaker
the fuck is going on with the algorithm? So i just really passed up. And when I did the freestyle, it was at 250K in like two days. So I'm like, the fuck? This shit is wildin'.
00:50:33
Speaker
And then it just kept going and going. And then I was seeing the engagement. Like Fab is under there. ah Michael B. Jordan, Tank the singer, like all type of people that's not from my, that don't follow me. So I'm like, okay, I'm hitting, I'm in a different algorithm. yeah Next thing you know, in nine days, I'm at an M. Uh-huh.
00:50:49
Speaker
So I'm like, I got to follow up. yeah I can't just drop it. ah WWE did the Raw Netflix one. yeah I do that freestyle. You know what mean? at first it's going slow. So i'm like, okay, it's a one-time thing.
00:51:02
Speaker
Next thing you know, that joint got three hundred k So I'm like, yo, now now I'm like, yo, the the joint that I was rhyming about my mom and my life, yeah I'm like, all right, that lives in a space of its own. right So I don't want to do another rhyme like that and compete with it because then they'll say that one was better. and right Like you can't really compete with that. You got to lead that in the space. So I'm like, let me do something creative.
00:51:24
Speaker
The hats. yeah So with the hat one, I'm just like, all right, I think I could do like 100 now, 100, 200. The WWE one did 300. That one takes off. New Era, Lids, yeah ah Fat Joe, everybody you could think of is under there. That's at a million.
00:51:40
Speaker
Yeah. So I'm like, okay. They going crazy. They going crazy for the freestyle. So then I came back and I went to the Knicks game. I'm like, y'all might as well do a Knicks freestyle. Did a Knicks freestyle?
00:51:50
Speaker
500K. So I'm like, oh, I'm on it. Yeah. I'm like, he on now. And it's Super Bowl. But me, me i'm just I'm just always been a hustler and strategic. I'm like, you got to strike when the iron's hot. If they feeding off of it, you got to keep going. mo yeah So after that,
00:52:05
Speaker
The Super Bowl was coming up and um I was seeing, shout out to my guy, Danny James. He's 20. He goes by the rap name of Lil D also. Pause. But he, um when I did the Yankee freestyle, shout out to my guy, Mr. Throwback. He was like, yo, this kid just came in yeah and did a Yankee freestyle.
00:52:24
Speaker
So you know me, I'm i'm territorial. I'm like, who the fuck is on my block doing what I'm doing? yeah Right? so So I'm like, send it to me. So he sent it to me. And I knew Lil D because I did a cypher with him a couple years back. ah So I'm like, oh, this is my guy. And it was fire.
00:52:38
Speaker
And then I seen him do a Nick freestyle. And I was like, oh, shit. so like And they inspired me because I used to do those type of freestyles. But when they didn't hit, I stopped. So I'm like,
00:52:48
Speaker
the what what people do that's so whack nowadays is when you see somebody doing the same thing you do, you go against it. right To say, mine's is better. uh And me, i like like I said about keeping your word, there's so many people that look me in my face, told me they was going to do something and didn't do it, right that I take pride in doing it.
00:53:05
Speaker
So I'm like, one, I want to show... This guy, because I don't know what he thinks, like how that that I'm on something. We both can live in the same space and do some ill shit. Right. Yeah. And two, it's going to look so ill if we do something ill together because we both killing it. Yeah. There's no need to try to go against them. So I hit him up. I seen him at the Knick game. I'm like, yo, I got an idea.
00:53:26
Speaker
When the Super Bowl happens, we should just pick either team and we should do a Super Bowl freestyle. I'm telling it's going to go crazy because we both doing the same thing. Right. So he was like, he's with it. Boom. It winds up being the Eagles and the Chiefs.
00:53:38
Speaker
We do the freestyle. We do it on a football field. Jerseys and all fitted. um Yo, that's the biggest freestyle I did. 2.5 million now. it had a million in two days. That's crazy. Snoop Dogg posted it. Alan Houston posted it. It was crazy.
00:53:53
Speaker
Rob Markman, And then we doubled back and did the All-Star game. And that one, we did it late. so it only did this Let me not say only. That's when you start getting spoiled now. Now I'm about to do a million, I'm saying only. No, it did a quarter million. So I'm just using the numbers to tell, because I'm saying that, to tell people like, yo,
00:54:14
Speaker
You'll look at somebody like me like, damn, you think DNA really cares about numbers or he's so successful and it just goes to show don't give up because you never know when that, like that was all organic and spontaneous, yeah how I got that motion with freestyles to where like you should always drop the content. yeah And I had a couple that didn't hit, but but I've learned now like, yo, I just got to keep going. So now every week I'm dropping um'm dropping a freestyle. So I say that to the person that is at home like, damn, my shit's not taking off. all of this All you need is one.
00:54:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I got a last question for you. And it deals with a little bit visualization. i want you to think back to, you know, younger DNA. And he's about to open that box ah with the Citrus 7s in. And now you're older. You travel back in time behind yourself.
00:54:59
Speaker
What would you tell your younger self? First, no butterfly flag. No, it's just you just give me yourself advice. What would you tell your younger self? Don't wear these shits outside, nigga. Finally, somebody said every time in my mind when you say that question, that's the only time I'm on side. Don't play with these shits, man. that's the yo that yo that that's the That's the biggest thing. That's the only difference from when I had sneakers as a kid to now. like Me, I value my sneakers, bro. You gotta ask him. I get hyped.
00:55:27
Speaker
Every drop, it's Christmas. Like, yo, I need it. I need it. I need it. I'm hitting poker. I can't go away, man. Every single day. She's not answering me. I'm getting nervous. I might not be getting these shits, man. What I'm going to do. like So I take it serious. And then, you know what mean? I'll be getting the right outfit and matching it. But yeah, like and I won't do certain things in them because I'm like, i I don't want to fuck these up. yeah But you know, as a kid, I'm doing all type of shit. Going out there in the rain with suede sneakers. Nuts shit. Playing manhunt, basketball.
00:55:56
Speaker
ah hu All type of crazy shit. So yeah, that would be my advice, yo, man. Don't play any shits,
Rob Markman's Social Media and Contact
00:56:01
Speaker
man. Rob Markman 1 001 001 001 um <unk> can find me on instagram at the real dna g t f four h on tiktok at dna gtf o h on twitter at dna underscore gtf for h if we talk about bookings book dna now at um gmail dot com yeah sir the yeah let me know where to find you you know where to fami is d three e that me god undersco on instagram Also for the band Oxymorons, that's two R's. Oxy M-O-R-O-N-S-S.
Discussion on 'The Unions' Sneakers
00:56:25
Speaker
Rob Markman, there got some sneakers, man. Markman, you can't this show have That'd be Rob man the classic threes. What's those that got on? Rob Markman, Rob Markman, The Unions. The Unions. Rob The Unions, okay. Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob Markman, Unions, Markman, yeah. Markman, The Unions,
00:56:35
Speaker
Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob Markman, The yeah. The yeah. Markman, The yeah. Rob Markman, yeah. Rob Markman, The Unions, yeah. Markman, The Unions, yeah. The Unions, yeah. Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob Markman, The Unions, yeah. Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob The yeah. Rob Markman, The Unions, yeah. Markman, The Unions, Rob Markman, The Unions, yeah. Rob Markman, yeah. Markman, The Unions, yeah. Markman, The Markman, Unions, Markman, The Unions, yeah. Markman, The yeah. Rob Markman, Unions, yeah. Markman, The yeah. Markman, Unions, yeah. Markman, The Unions,
00:56:52
Speaker
And you know where to
Podcast Follow and Merchandise
00:56:53
Speaker
find me. I am. Who is Hassan on all social medias. Follow the podcast of My First Kicks pod. If you've been listening to this, go to YouTube. YouTube.com slash at My First Kicks. We've been in studio this entire time. You can see DNA. You can see me. You can hear D. You can kind of hear Rich. Pull up. Yeah. And if you have My First Kicks story, hit me up. I would love to read it to a guest each week.
00:57:14
Speaker
Info at MyFirstKicks.com. Copper shirt. Go to the website, myfirstkicks.com. um And you know what we say each week? Wear your kicks. Peace. Well, do you want to hit it? You want to hit it? Good night. Rob Markman, hit the fuck out of here. Rob Markman, Oh, you that? Okay, see, I switched. That's what I got. Rob Markman, Not a good night. I like the good night. It's smooth. Rob Markman, Yeah, my new shit, I got smooth. I got corporate on them. My other joint got curse words in it. But, you know what mean? We here, y'all. You see my friend's basement, My First Kicks.
00:57:45
Speaker
Send all your information in. Let us know what your first pair kicks is that you like. Go to the website. I'm to go to the website and cop, you know what mean, a My Kicks t-shirt. And if not, man, y'all know my slogan. Get them the fuck out here.
00:57:56
Speaker
Yes, sir. I may put the beep there. Put the beep there. All right, yo. Thanks.