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Ya'll Didn't Have Kanye with Izzy Izzo
0 Playsin 13 hours
This week I am joined by the voice of NY, Izzy Izzo. We talk about growing up in Brooklyn and how sneakers played a role in his life. Having a father from Sudan and what kind of outlook it gave him. His decision to create content and what gives him confidence. Why we both are so New York and a ton more.
Follow Izzy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/izzy.izzo/
Follow The Pod: Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Sign up for the Patreon: https://patreon.com/MyFirstKicks
Intro & Outro by Sango: https://www.instagram.com/sango_/
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Transcript
The Voice's Role and Generation Differences
00:00:00
Speaker
You know niggas flamin' for poker I get it. Y'all niggas had y'all time, but we have a voice too, you heard? Rugby. rugby is just as good as any other polo era you feel me it's cool to have your own little situation and that's why call me the voice because i speak for my not only for my city my generation and i'm not afraid because like with the ogs is like they also weirdo trying to mold you something yeah i'm about to say something crazy ah yo man this is gonna be yeah yeah but but they they try to like force their perspective on you and that's admirable because you know you don't pass down the quote unquote gems but like we have our own preferences and uh uh inspirations like y'all niggas they have kanye
Balancing Content Creation and Mental Health
00:00:49
Speaker
fucking spike i love spike lee but kanye yeah i mean the only other person like because jordan couldn't dress at all like even though he had some fits but he wasn't a fashionista like name a fit jordan had on that was crazy
00:01:14
Speaker
what's good everyone welcome back to my first kicks the podcast where i use sneakers as a through line to get to know the guests in front of me i'm your host haas and this week i'm joined by the voice a new york is he is oh that's me that's you the world brother yo thanks for having me bro this is long overdue nah yeah thanks to We got to talk about how you did not answer any of my text messages. ain't going to lie. To be fair, I'm going keep it a buck, bro. Since I make content full time at work and my personal life, like my phone is like my op. ain't going front. I don't want to see no text. i don't even I don't want to see nothing. But I have to be on Instagram and social media yeah to stay up to date. You feel me? But phone's K, bro. false K
First Memorable Sneakers and Sneaker Culture
00:02:01
Speaker
gangster nah but it was funny because like I wasn't even texting him to be like yo pull up I was like yo know here's a halal spot that you should definitely check out that's near your office my mother is what are ah my mother i love her to death you heard
00:02:14
Speaker
If she texts me some shit like that, she might get left on red too. I'm give it a buck, girl. Don't take a person who, bro, like I just be moving and grooving. I be seeing shit, but I be so caught up with, feel me, just trying to get shit done. You feel me?
00:02:27
Speaker
And just like take time for myself. The little time I have for myself, I just be, you feel me? Nah, yeah. If you grinding twenty four seven man, it's just not. like The work comes first. You see Hov last night. I mean, you saw, you oh you saw Hov last night. I didn't see Hov last night. Nah, yeah. Like, that puts shit in perspective. Like, you got to put the work first, you got to.
00:02:48
Speaker
I mean, you young, though. You younger than me, right? I'm 32. How old are you? 38. You ain't 38. Oh, yeah. You look mad good. Hey, yo. Damn. Damn. Pause. Hey, yo.
00:03:02
Speaker
I'm leaving that in. Nah, hey, yo. That's another pause. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, all right. Back to back. Back back. We gon' cancel each other out. It cancel. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Plus, minus. Yeah. Zero. Start that shit over. Gangsta. But now, for real, you gotta put the word first. You heard? I mean, I feel you. It's tough, though. Like, I mean...
00:03:21
Speaker
Because we we basically doing so like in terms of just like our work ethic is similar because it's like and I recently was thinking about this, too. It's just like I have a nine to five, the nine to five at the end.
00:03:31
Speaker
You go, all right, now i'm doing my five to to five to whatever. Facts. Yeah. And so, you know, that can be edited, you know, that can be doing, you know, well, this podcasting. Right. And it does take a toll if you're just continuously doing it time after time. And I'll be like you too. i'll be I'll be leaving people. I'll just disappear as much as I can. You know what's the funny part, bro?
00:03:51
Speaker
like I'm super like sensitive when it comes. I'm like i'm just like aware of how can how that can make somebody feel. But to be honest, what trumps that overall is my mental health. Yeah, 100%.
00:04:04
Speaker
At first I was explaining to niggas like, yo bro, please don't. Now I don't give a fuck. Either you respect me as a human or it is what it is. But on camera, I fuck with this guy. Nah, nah, nah. We fuck with each other. Yeah, It's love. I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bro, man, I'm sorry. Apology accepted. Love, love, love. Nah, but you made a valid point because I recently went through the, like, my best friend hit me up. He was like, yo, we good? And I was just like, bro, like, we always good. I just love, like, my thing is, there's so, like, there's, I was trying to make this video about, like, there's this saying of, like, we all have the same 24. I'm like, no, we don't. Not a lot of people don't have the same 24. That's a fact. You know, like, personal life, when you come home, How many hours you have by yourself to actually like turn your brain off? Nah, you're dealing with stress. You're dealing with, you know,
Content Creation Pressure and Personal Representation
00:04:56
Speaker
if you family in the crib. Wifey. I mean, wifey. I'm the love. You know? Shout out to wifey. Shout out to my baby. Word. Yo, and shout out to wifey too.
00:05:04
Speaker
My wifey. You shout out to my wifey. I was walking out of here. In the middle of the rain too. was playing. But like, it's hard to like be in this current content space. Everybody's like, just got to put stuff out. We just got to keep doing, got to keep going. And it's just like, nah, bro, there's mad time that goes into actually putting something out that's going to be something that represents you. And I think a lot of people don't think about the representation of themselves. They just think about putting the thing out and continuously putting it, putting it out. But it's just like, are you getting better? you do it like because your videos in the beginning was just like well one were fire off the jump but I think yeah for you it was a little bit before but I'll let you tell you something but I think when I'm talking about when I found you okay thank god thank god thank god thank god y'all I'm not talking about young, Izzy. Nah, I'm talking about like couple years ago, my shit was ass-tastic. I mean, you got to start. You got to start. You have to start somewhere. But I think it's just like, that's the thing. You kept getting better. And even in the last video you just posted, this shit was fire too. So it's just like you added. You see that turnaround time, right? that time. time was crazy. I'm not going to lie. woke up and got cracking. I got home for some more context. It was a Jay-Z concert. I'm covering it for Complex. You feel me? Shout to my boy Ince. You feel me setting that up? Shit was a movie, but I got home like two in the morning. was like, yo, that's crazy. I got home two in the morning. I woke up like six and some change, whatever case may be. Then my little due diligence and I got cracking.
00:06:37
Speaker
shout to joe yeah Shout out to Joe. Joe has been coming up
Fashion Influences and Individuality
00:06:41
Speaker
in mad random conversations about work ethic and how much he cares about the work. Joe Lapuma.
00:06:47
Speaker
JLP, sneaker, GOAT, giant. If you don't know if you are watching this part, you don't know who Joe Lapuma is, Come on, JLP? You bugging. crazy. You bugging the fuck out. But yeah, that just that standard, you know?
00:07:01
Speaker
And it's easy to be like, I'm doing good enough. But, you know, there's no progress going to come out of that. Nah, exactly. you know, like working with Jolo Puma humbled me and made me realize. And Noah and, oh, Jordan. and Jordan. Shout out to Jordan. Shout out Jordan. Shout out to the whole team. They all going crazy. Everybody going crazy. Yeah, shout come out to boy, Mike. you heard shout out to Bri shout out to everybody shout out to the whole team Aria Chris everybody he on the style pile yeah yeah family you heard I mean been on the podcast yeah he's been on the podcast he's going crazy Aria soon too all right aren Aria is snapping you heard just doing anything but it humbled me and made me realize like it's always another level you feel me yeah and by the way I ain't trying to flex already that happened last night to Jay-Z shit for Complex we had like full M's on Instagram alone
00:07:48
Speaker
Crazy. I like that. put it put We like that. Yeah. Putting the from the company on your back. But ah you hear it I hope you've been enjoying this week's episode with Izzy Izzo. And of course, if you want to help out the podcast and you're watching this on YouTube,
00:08:03
Speaker
Hit the subscribe button, hit the like button, leave a comment on this episode. It will go a long way and get it into other people's algorithms. And if you're listening to this on Apple or Spotify, leave a five star review and an actual review on Apple Music or just five star and a comment on Spotify. It goes a very long way and helps out the podcast. But of course, if you want to use your hard-earned money and help the podcast out directly, i have a Patreon, patreon.com slash myfirstkicks. It's one tier, $5, $5, and you get the day the episode a day early.
00:08:40
Speaker
you also get to write into the podcast and you get a newsletter, you get extra content, you get as much as I can do and provide by you becoming a patron, Patreon member. So go to Patreon, patreon.com and become a patron.
00:09:01
Speaker
But let's jump back into the episode. You're here to answer the question that I ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kicks with that first pair of sneakers you absolutely needed to have? I feel it. Pause. That's okay. I need to relax. yeah But you know what's the funny part? right. The first sneaker...
00:09:18
Speaker
that I remember, not like, that I remember, like that changed my life yeah
Overcoming Bullying and Embracing Individuality
00:09:23
Speaker
yeah was the flu game 12s. I was in like, I forgot what year, but like, I was on a basketball team in elementary school. damnu who I was trash, gang. I ain't gonna lie. My mom was like, this nigga need to be, you know how they go. Put him in the classes. Put him in karate. Nigga what?
00:09:41
Speaker
But i always loved basketball, but i wasn't as good. I got better, but that's besides the point. They said I needed high top shoes because like ankles or some shit like that. guess that was a thing back in the days because everybody everywhere everybody wearing the low cuts now.
00:09:54
Speaker
But at the time, they was like, I need a pair of high tops. So I went to Vim's on ah St. John's and Schenectady couple blocks over. I'm from St. John's in Albany and Kingston. This is the Bronx. This is Brooklyn. Brooklyn. This is actually where the lowlifes.
00:10:08
Speaker
The block where I caught my first sneaker is one of the headquarters for the lowlifes. If you don't know where the lowlifes are. Thurston Howell III in the print? Yeah, shout out all of them, bro. Shout out Thurston. They know. They can tell you. Seijal, Schenectady, Utica. It was events across the street.
00:10:23
Speaker
Grabbed my dad. You feel me? He a taxi driver. You feel me? ah Straight from Africa. Shout out to Sudan. You heard? Yo, shout out. Or Free Sudan, Free Palestine, Free all Free all the oppressed. You heard it. Muslim and all Muslim. But gangster. I'm like, yo, I didn't even know what they was, bro. I was a nerd. I was like, hello, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon out. Let's go. I seen these sneakers. I'm like, what the fuck is these, gang?
00:10:46
Speaker
I'm like, dad, I need them. Hamid, no. Oh, that's my real name, by the way. My real name
Navigating the Creative Industry with Authenticity
00:10:50
Speaker
is Hamid. yeah I'm Izzy Izzo, but today I'm Hamid. He like, yo, this shit is too much bread, gang. Honey and some chain. How much was it? It was like 120 something. I think 120. Kid size? Kids, yeah. Probably like 100. It was over a buck for sure. I remember it was like $127 or $134. Shout out to Vims. I remember because I'm cheap too. um Even though was my dad money. But I remember him having a heart attack. yeah I'm like, okay, but i love these shoes. I pull up, gang, to practice. yeah Lay up line.
00:11:20
Speaker
Niggas, oh, he got that shit on, bro. I've never felt like that. yeah Actually, no. The first time I ever felt like that is when I went to daycare in a FUBU denim suit. Oh, war what? What?
00:11:32
Speaker
nigga, Tista's like, oh, you fly as hell, my boy. I'm like, yeah. Rob Markman, You get an extra five minutes on your nap time. Tia Hillman, Dang, I'm like, yo, that's where it like it's safe like these moments, like those 12s.
00:11:43
Speaker
And then niggas is telling me, niggas on the block, like, yo, you got the heat. This is why this is important. The flute game is when he got sick and boom, boom, boom, he was in the championship, shit like that. yeah Respectfully, I give a fuck about Jordan. I care about them sneakers, though, you heard? Word. They about the company to go for you to comment on that one. That niggas ain't even old enough. if you a't why If you my age a little bit younger, you didn't even see Jordan play. Yo, for real. I saw Jordan play.
00:12:06
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I definitely did. You did, but nigga. I'm still a Knicks fan. God bless you. So I am too. Come on. You already know. You was there. out Knicks. You was there. I ain't no Knicks fan, no. I'm going to keep it a buck. But let's get back to all right these sneakers, bro. That shit changed my life. And ever since then, bro, I remember like asking around, going on like nice kicks, like those little blogs or websites. The forums too?
00:12:31
Speaker
Were you on the forum? Soul Collector? ISS? oh I ain't gonna lie. I was like... Nike talk. Yeah, Nike talk. This gum is fucking me Hold on. Because can spit this out one time? Yeah, go spit it Nah, nah, nah. Fuck it. I'll just swallow this shit. Pause. Hey, yo. Come on, bro. Back to these 12s, yo.
00:12:51
Speaker
That shit changed my life. And ever since, I've been acting on my mans. And also the Jordan cards. Oh, yeah. Those Jordan cards. The retro cards. Yeah, yeah. don't know why they stopped doing that shit. But I always studied that shit like um a fucking whatever the kids mean. Be like the gameplay books. Remember the Pokemon gameplay books? Yeah.
00:13:08
Speaker
That's how I used to look at the Jordan card. What's a one? What's a two? What's a three? and i And then they'll have all the the colors and I'll be like, yeah, I wish they they do need to bring those back. They did. I think... Nah, they brought the instructions back or for the twos.
00:13:22
Speaker
But in the most recent pairs, like, yeah, not even any of the reimagines got them. Yeah. I think like... Nah, yeah. They need to bring that back. Or even like a collaborator or somebody. Just be like, yo, let's put a retro card in the damn shoe. That's what I'm saying. Free the people. Put them in there. Yeah, facts. Because that shit was like a study guide. Because I used to go across ah go around Brooklyn their shit and shit just looking at niggas' fees. Oh, I think those are the fives.
00:13:44
Speaker
You feel me? Like of like a Pokédex yeah yeah Ever since like you know I started learning about um the sneakers in general you feel me? That's what I really locked in you feel what I'm saying? Shout out to the Jordan 12's probably top five sneakers of all time you that it For you? Or you think in general?
00:14:04
Speaker
Top five got to be, in in general, for me... No, mom in general, for me, it's crazy. For me,
Evolving Nature of Content Creation
00:14:10
Speaker
i don't know if you're asking this question, but my top five is... Yes, i did. That's what I'm saying. So, it's the flute games. I'll put that up there. I'll say Black Cement 3s. Okay.
00:14:20
Speaker
Are you going... oh you i was thinking models, but you're just going straight. Like, every Jordan, you like top five. Yeah, I'm talking about like colorway and model. like Yeah, yeah. Being very like... Yeah, you're very specific. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So...
00:14:33
Speaker
Flu Games, Black Cements. I never had them before, but I'm going to get them next week. The True Blue 3s. Damn, that's 2 The Brand 4s. And last one, going to go Concord 11s. Okay. Yeah.
00:14:50
Speaker
I would probably, just because we might as well just do this together. ah For me, Cement 4 is number one. Yeah. Shoot, this is tough.
00:15:03
Speaker
Damn, I probably thought about this more. Honestly, this people are going to hate me for this. Off-White 5 is number two. yeah I love Virgil, but you tripping. I just love that shoe for some reason. It's just like it hit it it just hits it's pain. it's It hits spain every note for me. But my opinion is better off whites than that.
00:15:23
Speaker
That's my opinion. It's your list. That's number Exactly. or Exactly. It's just, yeah. But it's just like, it's it's one of those shoes where it's just like, ah every time I put them on, I'm like, yeah, I feel i feel special. ah Black Cement 3s, number three.
00:15:36
Speaker
Have to. Have to. Damn.
00:15:41
Speaker
Four? Honestly, I might put another four on there. Bread fours.
00:15:48
Speaker
And then fifth, um I might have to do Chicago Ones. That's pain. Yeah. That's pain. you You know what I was thinking about while you was listening to these things?
Content Creation vs. Journalism
00:16:02
Speaker
it's like Another conversation needs to be had is what year is better. Because honestly, this is a hot take. I'm going to get smoked for this. As always, don't give a fuck. You got smoked for that video with this. How many times I'm uncancellable? Uncancellable. You niggas can't cancel me. But look, I'm to this first. Some 88 models is dirt. Yes.
00:16:24
Speaker
Some, oh, that's not a hot take. Nah. Damn, okay. Some 88s or OG models, it's like, nah. You on the podcast where I agree with that take. Okay. A lot of these, a lot of so like, if when you hear OG people talk, Yeah. I think there is like this, and and I might get flamed for this. I think there's like this rose colored glasses of like, the shoe was better back then. And now Nike doesn't know how to change the shoe. But I'm like, yo, our feet hasn't... When's the last time you've seen a foot in 1988? Like, or like Like, our feet have changed
00:16:59
Speaker
like Over all this time, our feet have changed. Pavement has changed. Some people have not put their foot on the ground in years. Facts. And so their feet are mad soft. And so it's like, yeah. Like in 85, dudes is wearing, they're wearing hard bottom shoes and they switch it to some Jordans. Like you and Yeah, yeah, yeah. Y'all wasn't, y'all wasn't, uh, experience. Y'all didn't get it yet. Yeah, exactly. So there's so much tech, there's so much new stuff that made our feet not as stiffer and more looser than what we were used to back then. So to me, when I think about the, the, like the materials back then, I think about it more as just being like, that's what they just had. That's a fact. And so,
00:17:40
Speaker
Like people are like, oh, the reimagines aren't what they would what they were before. I'm like, bruh, they're probably way better and more comfortable. I was going to say that. Wait, hold on. Let me go back to the OGs. Because you know niggas flaming for poker I get it. Y'all niggas had y'all time, but we have a voice too, you heard? Rugby.
00:17:59
Speaker
here Rugby is just as good as any other polo era. You feel me? It's cool to have your own little situation and that's why niggas call me The Voice because I speak for my, not only for my city, my generation. And I'm not afraid because like with the OGs, niggas is like, they also weirdo shit trying to mold you something. I'm about to say something crazy. ah Yo, man, this is going to be... Yeah, chill. Yeah, but but they they try to like force their perspective on you and that's admirable, because you know you're gonna pass down the quote unquote gems, but like we have our own preferences and and all ah inspirations. Y'all niggas they have Kanye.
00:18:40
Speaker
Fucking Spike. I love Spike Lee, but Kanye? Yeah, I mean, the only other person, like, because Jordan couldn't dress. At all. Even though he had some fits, but he wasn't a fashionista. like Name a fit Jordan had on that was crazy outside of, well, the only thing I think I'd probably give him credit for was the, and it wasn't even that that dope, is ah the Olympic joint, where he just draped the flag over him. yeah.
00:19:03
Speaker
ah Michael Jordan's like a ah Adam Sandler. Like he can't dress, but the shit just wavy. I ain't go front. I mean, big pants. It's like Ronaldinho. Oh, I just seen that shit in my head. That shit was disgusting. Ronaldinho, same thing, bro. Like God on the god on the on the pitch. Yeah. But that man was love of big pants, bro. That's a fact. But but going back to the point, like y'all niggas didn't have, you feel me, the influences we had and shit like that. Don't get me wrong, they had greats. like You know what you feel me? Run the Run the MC, Slick Rick with the Bally's and shit like that. Niggas was really always stepping.
Personal Growth and Self-Discovery
00:19:39
Speaker
Walt Clyde. Yeah. lot A lot of lot of, but that's like...
00:19:42
Speaker
Like that style evolved into what we got now. Yeah. Or we were especially when we were growing up, evolved into what Kanye was able to be do. Exactly. And that's our point of reference. I cannot speak to something that's fucking decade, a decade before I was born. Yeah. I can't. Yeah.
00:19:59
Speaker
I could try and act like I can. I mean, don't get me wrong. It's some areas that I gravitate to, but like you lived it. So it hit harder for you and that's okay. But this rugby kicker. Uh-huh.
00:20:10
Speaker
It's pain. Yeah, it is. It's pain. Yeah, I remember asking, because I used to work for Dylan Lauren. ah Oh, wow. Yeah. daughter And I was like, yo, I really love a rugby. Can I get a rugby? She didn't hook me up with that. She hooked me up with the polo bear sweater.
00:20:26
Speaker
That's pain. I still got that joy. paul i That's another thing. like you know I'm going to let you leave about to go over the tangent. I'm sorry.
Building Authentic Relationships in the Creative Industry
00:20:35
Speaker
Nah, you're good. ah Well, we're quick though because I i do want to touch on like how OGs speak to young dudes and how we perceive ourselves as like now the up and coming OGs now. right And so you're making a lot of these videos where you are you're standing on it too. I'm from Brooklyn. Remember that. Yeah, and I was always curious like when I watch your videos just like where is how did you where did that grow out of like where was there like a situation? from yeah Yeah, for sure because um growing up I used to high-key get bullied about just how I was you know I was mad playful I'm on the block yeah yeah, happy, Niggas like yo we all other shit we on bad time. We all bad timing. bad timing. I remember, like for example, niggas used to call like the pizza man on a Chinese store. You feel me? Niggas is broke, but it's like a broke nigga game.
00:21:28
Speaker
They used to call them. I don't know if you picking or putting down, but niggas used to- Yeah, I know what you're doing. We to do that too. Pull up, offer a couple orders and just beat the shot at them. Yeah, yes. And I used to just be on a stoop like, y'all niggas is tripping. Yeah, y'all crazy. That shit, it don't sit right with just my natural state as a person, as a human. You I'm saying?
00:21:46
Speaker
And niggas try to like isolate me and try to call me like pussy or passive. And that evolved into me being overly confrontational. yeah And that's toxic as well. So that's where you see, you know, I learned lessons from both.
00:22:03
Speaker
ah Extremes Extremes yeah Through like You know my journey And you know My younger years And shit like that Especially like working In professional environments Where I can't be Confrontational I could be confrontational But not in the way That I'm used to Like growing up in the trenches And shit like that And that turned into who I am now where I can speak my mind without offending whoever I'm talking to, understand the perspective and have a dialogue and say, it's okay to, especially as a Muslim man. yeah
00:22:33
Speaker
You know, like my my dad's side is all Muslim, but
Reentering the Creative Scene and Embracing Passion
00:22:38
Speaker
they all in Sudan in Egypt and shit like that. I grew up in a Baptist Christian family. You know, I was always a black sheep. wow And I used to... Even in school, like um a lot of niggas was dripping the Pele Pele's, which I you know i love Pele Pele. Shout out to my nigga, Bobby and shit like that.
00:22:54
Speaker
But at the time, that wasn't my drip. I wanted to dress like Pharrell. And niggas literally, I don't know, you probably have to blank this out. Niggas call you gay for wearing skinny jeans. Nah, we don't have to blank it out. don't know how you do i i know. I wanted you to get monetized. Nah, we good on a monetization.
00:23:13
Speaker
Yeah, like niggas would call you gay or just weird and shit like that. Niggas trying to make me feel like I'm a loser or lame, but when I look in the mirror, I don't feel like that. no I feel like that nigga. Y'all niggas don't get it. like I remember bitches,
00:23:27
Speaker
I remember bitches calling me ugly and I'm like, these bitches got no taste. yeah You tripping. I'm handsome as fuck. My mother told me that. yeah My grandmother told me that. This other, you know, I'm married, so I'm not about to get into all the details, but yeah I don't feel like that. You feel what I'm saying? But niggas try to, and aren that could be their honest opinion. That could be something, you know, projection or some shit like that. But nigga, this how I feel.
00:23:52
Speaker
And I'm not fucking hiding away from who I am. That nigga is tripping. That that confidence. and And I don't know, because like... You tell you saying all of this, I'm like, damn, yo, I think we really grew up very similar. Yo shit, you all right? Yeah, it is too. Especially when you're fashion. Yeah. Especially, where we from again? Corona, from Queens. Oh, you from Queens. Yeah. Brooklyn and Queens is very similar where, so it's like fly niggas, but the overall demeanor of the city is like either get money or bust your gun. Yeah.
00:24:23
Speaker
You feel me? It's 50 cent or Nas for Queens. Yeah, for sure. You feel me? I mean, that's why I didn't go yesterday. But, and then he pulled up and then he pulled up and I'm tight. Look at him being petty. Nah, I'm just playing. Shout to the just didn't a ticket. The joint was gone. And then I couldn't pull any favors. literally, my boy was like, whatever, I'm just saying. My boy was just like, we was chopping it up. He was like, yo, if you need anything, I got you.
00:24:48
Speaker
I just can't do hove tickets. I was just like, that's how you do it? I was like, that's was like, you got me everything else? And he was like, yeah, yeah. I was just like, that's crazy. And you know you listening. And you know going hear this part. Shout out to bro, man. understand where you come from. You're like, yeah, I just let me see. You just got to get your muscle up. That's probably my boss you talking to. Nah, nah, nah. I'm chilling. I'm chilling. But the way we... I definitely feel like...
00:25:14
Speaker
And it is part of that, but what I think, I think that is missed now, that like we aren't seeing, or people find it like we're abrasive if we do it, is that we don't care what other people have to say. And and i think like that's like a lost art
Curiosity in Creativity and Personal Growth
00:25:31
Speaker
now. I think everybody's caring what people are are are talking about. don't agree with that. I feel like niggas is overly not caring because like for me, think so I think so because niggas is doing out of pocket shit.
00:25:43
Speaker
Niggas is going to extremes to be different. And it's not really themselves. They just want to say that I'm different. No, because that's where i'm I'm coming from of like, I think people are going outside to outside to be different because they want that appreciation from people. So they want that attention. But Yeah, you know I feel it. And that's my struggle as as you know ah ah up and coming OG or whatever case may be. Because like a lot of this shit I just don't appreciate. like Just like the thirst to be to for attention, let's be frank. Right, yeah.
00:26:17
Speaker
Where so, like, in our generation, like, it was still was like, that's not true, bro. Right. like Like, if you're trying to be, like, a Soho nigga or a gangster, it's like, niggas will pull you to the side like, that ain't true, bro. Yeah, exactly. That ain't true. Yeah, because, like, growing up in Corona, like, Latin Kings was going crazy. Yeah. So, you know, I was seeing that side, too, of, like, people pulling up. And, like, I jumped in a stolen car one time. Damn. And then after that, I was like, never again, bro. I was like, I didn't get caught. But like, I was just like, yeah, this is not the life for me. But it's just like, you do have to step into those things to figure, you do have to go through what you have to go through in order to find yourself. That's a fact. And um I think,
00:26:59
Speaker
like As long as you come out the other side, there's not a lot of people that that like they go through these things and then they just don't come out the other side. They just either stay in it and then they never find themselves. They're still stuck trying to figure out how they fit themselves in this square peg that they thought that they were supposed to be Let me take it from there. What he's describing is the OG niggas that we was talking about earlier. Them niggas, they don't know how to grow because I have big bros that's very...
00:27:25
Speaker
understanding and appreciative of what we got going on, even if they don't really fuck with it, but they had that, you know, and that's why they get embraced by the younger niggas, you heard? And the old heads that's really tripping about me liking rugby over some shit that I didn't grow up again. and i don' have I don't know. I don't i know about about it, but didn't experience it. yeah Like my nigga, get over yourself. Get over yourself, bro. i'm Jumping in once again to remind y'all, I have shirts, I have merch.
00:27:52
Speaker
I got a shirt, yo. If you want to cop this shirt, these are all printed, ready to go. Shoot me a DM or email me at info at MyFirstKicks. The shirt is $40 plus shipping. We can figure that out in the DMs or in the email.
00:28:08
Speaker
But if you really want to represent the podcast, I got a shirt. I got merch. And you see it on the bottom left, how to reach out to me. So do that. But let's jump back into the episode. I think i think it's just like...
00:28:21
Speaker
Because like even even like the though there was ah the video where you would talk about you was doing the Mystic and the Juices. Oh, the Bev's. Yeah, the Bev's. And people were still in the comments. And look, I get it. I get it.
00:28:34
Speaker
like These videos create the engagement because it's everybody's opinion. It's like, yo, you know? But I think I come from this train of thought, and this is why it doesn't bother me, where it's just like people will be like, oh, yeah, you can't dress. i'll be like, all right, I wasn't dressing for you. don't care. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All the opinion that matters to me, even my my opinion trumps this person, it's my wife. yeah I want my wife to like, damn, you so sexy.
00:28:58
Speaker
You feel saying? You so handsome. I don't give a fuck about no other woman or especially another man. That's crazy. It's crazy. What the fuck? Yeah. So it's it's just funny because like, yeah, I was talking to my boy about that too, where it's just like, yeah, people be like, yo, you don't know. Like, I just posted a video. I had Wayno on. And so I was talking. Shout out Wayno, my dog. And so I posted a video about like, you you will be judged, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was just like, if you got on Dusty Kicks, then I know that like the conversation we're about to have It's not gonna be yeah on the the type of conversations I'm usually having. You know what I'm saying? So I already know like you know the perception of that, right? And so I posted that and some dude was just like in the comments be like, oh, it's coming from some dude that can't dress. I'll be like, I'm just like, okay, you got you got it off. You happy? Like- Eat a Frank. That's what i really want to say. get them comments OD, so I feel you in that game, but eat a Frank, you heard? Niggas ain't worried about you, you know? That's what many niggas like me and Haas do. We look at your comment, we say mentally, internally, we say eat a Frank and we go back to work.
00:30:00
Speaker
That's what you need to do, my brother. Which camera?
Intentionality in Creative Work
00:30:02
Speaker
That one. This is the one. That one. that one You. Eat a Frank and keep it pushing. And by the way, niggas was speaking of that video with the beverages, niggas is talking like, oh, a quart of water is a quart of juice.
00:30:16
Speaker
My block, we call it the quarter water a quart of water. We call it the juice, the barrel that you bite into. in Yeah, yeah. Jugs. Pause. Pause on that whole situation. But we call those juice, a quart of juice on bob block, my generation, whatever the case may be. Nigga, you know what the fuck I'm talking about. It's just like niggas can't fathom another reality that's not that's different from theirs. Right, yeah.
00:30:41
Speaker
But then it's like, you keep, everybody's like, yo, there's no regional there's no regional anything anymore because of the internet. But then when we have the regional thing called out, they be that's not it. but yeah Obviously, it's regionally, that's what regionally is, bro.
00:30:55
Speaker
Oh my gosh. it was like It was so funny because on that on that clip, B.Dot commented like, y'all wasn't drinking Sunnydale. And I commented, just like, Sunnydale? Who's drinking Sunnydale? On the Complex video? I wouldn't know. I blocked, bro. ain't going to lie. Yeah, yeah, yeah. why? That nigga always be in my comments talking crazy. I'm going say it now, man. Ain't no beef, but you gotta relax. Form a guest. Yeah? Oh, former guest? Yeah, yeah. I mean... Ain't no beef, but he's a gangsta. Ain't no beef, though. Gangsta, like... Gangsta. You feel me? That nigga always be in my comments, and don't like that, you heard?
00:31:27
Speaker
Gangsta, like... He used to be in my comments. He blocked now. He in a shadow realm. Yeah, shadow realm. He fighting on Pegasus. Yeah. He fight Pegasus. But like, yeah, he one of them ones, I'm keeping a buck that they didn't really agree with what I got going on and I respect that, but my thing is like, it like came like the tone. I mean, i could i could you can't tell, you can't- You can't tell tone over text, yeah. kind of could, but- I mean, depends. If it's just like, yo, if it's like, suck my dick. Like it starts off- Rob Markman, Yeah, but some niggas play like that, but even, but long story short, I don't know the tone, but it was also like, oh, you don't know what you're talking about. All right, my nigga, I
Regional Differences and Personal Perspectives
00:32:10
Speaker
got niggas that, I got big bros that's your age and older that feel the same way that put me to the side like, yo, that wasn't the situation.
00:32:17
Speaker
ah Mad time Jim Jones fucking DM me like yo this the truth about because I said Maurice was a Harlem thing he said nah think Detroit or whatever the case may be we got that from Detroit he pulled me to the feel me granted like we not besties but like we have some type of rapport we in the same space we black concert creators whether you Jim Jones he make content respectfully we all do that's a salute that's what you're supposed to be doing right now and like seeing niggas like B.Dot um I mean, I never held him to a high regard like Jim Jones, but nigga, you are clearly a senior. yeah
00:32:51
Speaker
That's just not like the example I want to put for myself. And also that's not the energy I'm not dealing with. With a regular troll is different, but with a nigga that knows little something, it's kind of corny. I do. I mean, think that's definitely, we're in the space where we're going to battle that regardless. Right. And like, I do like B-Dot. That's my dog. I think, I think. Shout out to bro. Ain't no beef. No, there's no beef. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I do think, but like overall though, it's just like, yeah, I mean.
00:33:19
Speaker
I've dealt with a ton of OGs telling me like, y'all don't talking about. I'd be like, right, so then tell me. It don't even matter if you're an OG. It's not me versus the OG or young versus the new, because I'm an OG to my little bros. You know what I'm saying?
00:33:33
Speaker
Especially in the D, as a Muslim, it's like you learn to pass it along. yeah What the fuck? When you learn it, you just go rock in the chair. I'm so smart. I know everything. want to Go outside, touch the people, who talk to the little bro.
Adapting to Changes in the Creative Industry
00:33:47
Speaker
Or talk to your big bro. You know how much older heads I gave advice and you know how much younger heads gave me advice? You feel me?
00:33:54
Speaker
Shout out to Baby G. Shout out to 268. I wish they didn't explicitly give me advice, but I see what they doing and they motivate me to be a better... Man, that's what it's about, right? For sure. And I mean, like growth comes in many, many different forms and it you should be, you got to be able to, to receive and give and pause. um And so, okay, just because of you, just because of you. Normally I just rock through, but like,
00:34:24
Speaker
Like you gotta be, it to create conversations, right? exactly You're creating conversations. Like a lot of your stuff is just like, you know, you saying things and and you doing the research and it's like, it's not, it's not like this is definitive. This is, it is. yeah And it's like, people take take it as that. But I also think that's just a detriment of the internet. Like, yeah. We've got a lot of motherfuckers on the internet being like, I know, ah scifi let me throw it in chat, GBT.
00:34:49
Speaker
And now i now let me just read this script. y'all It pisses me off, man. And it shows in the work. And that's another thing. like I genuinely do my due diligence because it's not because like I care about what niggas say like like I just told you, nigga. Nah, not touch you.
00:35:05
Speaker
I'm getting emotional. Like I was saying earlier with the 12s and like the sneaker cards and shit like that, like I'm just naturally intrigued. you know and I feel like that's a common theme with all the people that are exceptional in what they do from, like shout to JLP again, like from the Jolo Pumas to the Kanye's to the Jay-Z's. like that That's one of the a distinctive character within all the people I look up to. they generally or naturally and like, you remember, I mean, I was doing content for like three, four years, bro like for free. yeah I'm just getting paid to this shit. Shout to Complex, you heard?
00:35:42
Speaker
Like that was just a natural drive of just wanting to know and be cool i love cool shit I love fly shit I love fire stories I love stories yeah I love stories bro I
Redefining Roles in Content Creation
00:35:54
Speaker
genuinely love stories and you know that's a product of I mean that's like the catalyst or whatever yeah catalyst is good word for for like my what I put out there cause I just read some shit and I talk about it yeah The like curiosity. That's the thing.
00:36:11
Speaker
Like that's what me. That's like me, obviously. would Be like, I'm always curious. I'm curious about people, curious about the things I'm like super in love with and stuff like that. And it's like we need more of that. I don't think I think we've gotten to this point where.
00:36:27
Speaker
ah there's so much information being thrown at us at all times that we don't know we don't take the time to be like alright let me find out if this is right exactly you know cause like back in the day and i don't know if this started with you but like Like, even just for for example, like Source. When I would go through the Source and I'd be like... That's music shit, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I i was more so like DVD nigga, but... All right, my bad. All right, I'll move up forward. bad. Nah, you valid. I didn't know you wasn't fucking with the magazines. My bad. I just see the covers. I ain't buying that shit. I... Or reading that shit. But but like that caused my curiosity for music. So I was always like, all right, I know about this rapper. there ah like This is the first. Let me go check out. I would used to go to Virgin Megastore. don't know remember Virgin Megastore. course, Times Square. Or that area. Yeah. And used to have the- Try your demo songs. I'm old. No, I'm joking. I used to do that. And I would go there. And then i'll that's how I would start my digging. And then I'd go home. And then, you know.
00:37:25
Speaker
You do that, do the little, hit the kazah real quick. You know what I mean? You know, it's the fire, you know, it's the fire part about that too. Like i was just reading, like, just reading shit online and shit like that. That's how, I was reminded, that's how Nico started. Yeah.
00:37:38
Speaker
Like just reading cool shit. He found out about Hiroshi, if I'm not mistaken. He's like, wow, this nigga's cool. And next, you know, Last Orgy 2 came out, et cetera,
Community and Collaboration in Creativity
00:37:47
Speaker
et cetera. We just naturally curious and we just like cool shit. ah Fucking, all of the GOATs started with some type of,
00:37:55
Speaker
Curiosity And talking about it Today they call it Content creative Yesteryears They call it Editors Or editorial It still exists today I mean I don't think I wouldn't say content I think Well Like content What the fuck am I You're a content creator. I'm a content creator, but I feel like we have this talk Complex all the time. like I feel like I do journalist work. No, if for you do. So, what is that? Oh, I'm sorry. content creator could be just a nigga just tap dancing on TikTok. I know, yeah. So that's that's what I'm... i ah Look, i've gone I've gotten very... a lot A lot of people mad at me several times. so i used i Regular. c yeah Regular. But I posted on Twitter, I was just like... ah Content creators are another word for Uber driver because you're just trying to get the algorithm to pick you up. Right.
00:38:44
Speaker
So that's a quote from Adam Conover. And so he said that. And it really resonates because what content creators were in the early stages of it, like that word wasn't like people who just pick up their phone and be like, yo, you know, oh, let me tell you this this fake story. And then in the middle, which is what it is now. Oh, I check out Rainbet. Like, you know, like, know, you know, it's like, so that wasn't what it was before. Like this weird, like psyops, that small psyops where they're trying to get you to buy something. Right. And so before that, like when we would have documentaries and DVDs and stuff like that, like we never called that content. We just call that either like the thing that it was. And so, yeah, I agree. So like now content creator is this catch all term and I hate it. Yeah, because it's like specific pockets that capture.
00:39:38
Speaker
Like for example, they had Smack DVD and all that shit. like That's the new, our content, like content like myself and like I fuck Papa Yang shit a lot. Shout out. Shout out my dog. What do you say? wait How you start off this shit? Don't tell me. Don't tell me. Don't tell me. Hold on.
00:39:56
Speaker
A'ight, y'all. A'ight, y'all. Joe like Chris too, pause. All right, y'all. We got talk about this Louvitar. He he's tough. I ain't going front. Future guest. He should be pulling soon. Papa Yang, pull up. You heard. Shout out to all Bar Nun. Shout out to Bar 2. Yo, shout out to Bar. That's mad random. No, it's not random. It makes sense. But yeah, that's the OG. No, long story. Any which way. yeah yeah papa Papa Yang put me onto Bar. Oh, really? Who's from Brooklyn. I'm Brooklyn. yeah And a nigga from the West Coast put me on to OG from my city. For the Cortese video? For the Cortese. And that, well, I don't think it's, maybe it's the Cortese video, but he just highlighted bar, his style, and stuff
Balancing Passion and Career in the Creative Industry
00:40:35
Speaker
like that. But in which way, that's the power of the shit that we do. yeah yeah It just naturally... and
00:40:41
Speaker
I would say though, and so this is what I'm saying. When it comes to content creation and now it being like this catch all term, um you got to like, if you're going to say you're a journalist, like you make journalistic videos, just say you're a journalist. Like you'd be like, yo, I'm a journalist. Yeah. Shout out to my bio. Yeah. Says fashion journals. Exactly. There you go. So you got to drop the content creator shit. Like, just be like, nah, I'm a... If you come into me, you come into me specifically for this. Because if you go... If you introduce yourself to somebody, you'd be like, hey, I'm Izzy, Izzy, I'm a content creator. They're going to like, what's that?
00:41:13
Speaker
I'd be like, you know it's the funny part. I'd be like, I make content. Nah, man, you selling yourself short, Nah, it's not even about selling myself short, to be frank. Like, it's like...
00:41:25
Speaker
This might sound crazy, but I don't really care to know for other people to know like too much about me. But I don't think that's given too much. If you're like, you just know, I think. Hold on. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So it's like, all right, boom. Yo, you make content. Yeah, I'm a content. Or whatever the case may be. I establish that I make content, whatever case may be.
00:41:48
Speaker
And then if niggas is naturally curious, I'm like, yeah, I make fashion content. i do like doc styles and reviews and current events and shit like that. Vic coverage, et cetera, et cetera. But um for me, like that intro doesn't mean much to me because i don't, don't,
00:42:05
Speaker
it's like when I've been in those spaces and I'm like, oh, I do fashion. I feel like, first of all, I picture myself. And second of all, it brings the wrong type of people around me. Oh, for sure. And you see me in social settings. In my opinion, I feel like I'm very reserved. I be chilling. like I don't...
00:42:21
Speaker
I like to talk to people, but like, I'm like a little, feel me? Just like to myself. ah yeah That's how I grew up and shit like that. It's nothing personal, but this industry, it's like a lot of piranhas. Look, bro, we or we talk about transactional relationships on here a lot.
00:42:36
Speaker
That's what you're going to get in here. That has to happen. Everybody's looking to get something out of you, especially within these spaces. It just has to be tasteful and it has to be genuine. Yeah. and i mean I mean, I get what you're saying. I get the- I'm probably overthinking this shit. You are. yeah Literally- Shout out to the pre-workout that I had this morning. You took pre-workout before this? I mean, I- oh Before you did- That's out of turnaround town. You feel me? Rituals, rituals. Shout out rituals, yo. Shout out to Richie. How many push-ups is that?
00:43:05
Speaker
Shit, know. Right now, I'm at like 18 to like 20-something. All right, bet, bet, bet. used to get cracking though. Look, man. It's a start. It's a stars a start. Come on, man. Come on, man. gonna do push-ups right now. Watch out. Nah, nah, nah. Nah, nah, nah. Nah, right now. After. Yeah, in fact. But like, I think it's just like the way we intention, right? If you if we go, if we moving with like intentionally, and it's fine to be like, you know, you go up to somebody at an event or like,
00:43:31
Speaker
You know, you'd be like, yo, what's good? ah I'm busy. And then they go, hey, what you do? Right? And you just go, you know, ah you know fashion journalism. And then that's it. Boom. If they want to know more, you don't have to tell them anymore.
00:43:43
Speaker
They just be like, yo, just check out my stuff after that. Like you, you instead of just being like, I'm a content creator, you... you You cut out maybe like four or five questions with just that. Like you're not giving them too much. You just gave them enough. And now they can continue doing the research. You'd like, yeah, just, you know, like. That's another pause. But I would say too, just realized in this conversation that that ass don't give a fuck. All right. God damn. Like, like, no, no, no, no. I'm talking about like two, Rob Markman, about the perception like, oh, I'm a fashion journalist, I'm a country journalist. Like- Rob Markman, no, but I'm thinking about more for- Rob Markman, one less or more gangster. I didn't get this, I mean, I'm still growing, super early, but I didn't get to where I'm at right now by doing that. I just put in the work and niggas be like, yo, that's Izzy.
00:44:29
Speaker
Yeah, what do you make content. If you know, you know. If not, it's cool. You're going find out. this is all New York. This is New York. This is the New York, like, jumping out of you, bro. What you mean? Hopefully that's a good thing. Nah, it's just the, it's the, because I, I'm, there are moments where I do move like that too, where just like, I don't give a fuck, but it's just like, I do think we do, like, we have to make this space better. Right? And in order to do that, I think people should be more intentional instead of just being like, yeah you know, like I think then we lose, that then we then we can kind of like skirt the whole like, oh yeah, people are just trying to get something out of me. like Or like, oh, they're just trying to build a relationship to get to work to do something. Nah, yeah. I feel like, yeah. And i think in order for us to do that, we got to kind of treat everybody, like we technically,
00:45:19
Speaker
We're all in a profession, right? We're all yeah yeah in some sort of industry within this, right? Or we work and maneuver around this, right? um And like you wouldn't do that at a job.
00:45:30
Speaker
like You wouldn't be like, you know you go to a job, you know you work in a job, and you... That's a good point. you know And you're like, nah, i gotta we treat everybody like, you oh, I want to know... Oh, what do you do? Oh, I'm a project manager. all right.
00:45:43
Speaker
You know, what do you see? But at job, at a job, you low-key selling something. When I'm chilling out and about, I'm not selling nothing. I'm chilling. But I don't think at ah at a, you making conversation, right? But you not giving them, you not telling them,
00:45:56
Speaker
Yo, this is what I did yesterday. You know, like you- But that that's what naturally happens though, bro. Because like I seen it happen, like niggas go run down. You know what's mad funny? When I introduce people to like my friends that's in this industry, I run down their resume naturally. I don't know why. Yeah, I don't know why. My friends hate it. Like, yo bro, stop doing that shit. Rob Markman, I'm doing that shit. Rob Markman, I don't know why. I'm just like, yo, I'm such a fan of the people that I'll be around. Like, yo, this thing is so cool. You need to be around this guy. Rob Markman, But you got to be like, you want them around you too? Because now if you hanging... Rob Markman, I'm human. I'm still trying to figure this shit out myself. I think this is a valuable conversation because people are going to listen to this that are working their way through this as well. Being inspired by your content or being inspired by my content. And trying to figure out what it is to live in a city and trying move around this thing. Because it's new to me too. haven't been... Like, I was outside back in the day, but I wasn't outside like I am now. Like, I'd come out to, know, I'd come out to stuff. But to be honest, like, back in the day, I'm one of those people where it's like, if I find something, I'm diving feet, like, head feet first. My whole body's in there, right? So, like, back in the day, I was big into music. So, I would just go to shows.
00:47:18
Speaker
constantly i was going I was going to shows maybe four or five times a week. Damn. like Just watching. And then would try to get a chance to talk to the artists. Talk to the artists. And it's like, you know, like I was... Before they blow up. A lot of these people just end up blowing up whatever, right? You know? Like I met Lizzo outside of Knitting Factory one day. That's fine. You know? what like is is this like But it was just like me constantly wanting to be around music, right? Now, my life is consumed by a sneakers and streetwear.
00:47:43
Speaker
So I'm around sneakers and streetwear all the time. And I'm still trying to dabble back into music. But now, it's... where it's I'm at ah at a cross-section where all this shit is connecting, where I'm like backstage at a Mene concert. Like, you know? like yeah So... like Me telling this stuff is all because it's just like... I was intentional with the conversations I had. like and When I met Sango, when I met my boy Sango...
00:48:06
Speaker
telling him about, you know, like, yo, I would love to, you know, do this, do this, do this, do this. And he's just like, that's fire. And then fucking three months later, yo I got you a conversation with blah, blah, blah. like, yo, what the fuck? Like, you know, like, yeah so I think, I think it's, it's once you, once we, once create that space where people can talk to each other and know what everybody's doing.
00:48:29
Speaker
Like whatever service, you know, you'll be like, yo, I got a story for you. You know what I'm saying? And that's why love exchanging perspectives because you definitely just opened my mind to a whole nother possibility. Also,
00:48:41
Speaker
listening to you talk, I realize why. I'm realizing why. I'm like, this guy is different, but why? makes him special in that sense? And that's because, like, I've been reserved for so long. yeah I've been there with you. Yeah, like, I've been outside heavy, you know, like, super heavy, like, from the Tumblr era, even before, like, i was outside 13 years old. I joined the team.
00:49:05
Speaker
You know, you know what team is. Yeah. Like, you niggas used to have teams and shit like that. Yeah, yeah, I was like in Mad Mixie cruise and shit like that. was like super involved in that, in the Brooklyn scene.
00:49:16
Speaker
I was super involved in the fashion scene. And I just ran across a lot of fake ass, weird ass people. Yeah, for sure, bro. And... Honestly, I was into fashion and music and shit like that.
00:49:27
Speaker
And I just dropped everything to like fucking, I don't know what I was doing, honestly. It just had like ah like ah like a blur period. or I went to college. I was an accountant major. Hey, let's go. e Fact, shout out to... I was pretty good too. I had like a... um When I stopped going, I had like a 3.5. You didn't finish? Nah, hell no. Because I'm like, this shit, this shit I'm forcing it. I'm being something...
00:49:52
Speaker
Okay, so I looked at fashion and music as a waste of time. Because at the time, it wasn't a lot of niggas was getting put on. It was like only like Ian Conner, Luka Sabat. Jesus Christ. Yeah, but that's the people that just naturally I was around. Like Joey Badass, Luka Sabat, Ian Conner, just chilling in soul and shit like that.
00:50:09
Speaker
and that's like 1% out of 100. I'm wasting time. I'm getting fly. I didn't see a career path for this. I'm not i'm getting fly, spending all my money. ah I make a little two bands, three bands, whatever case may be, and I blow it on the weekend over for some clothes just to say niggas. Niggas like my outfit, I bag a bitch, what's up for Allah? God forgive me. I'm sorry. But, um, or whatever the case may be. And that shit, uh, just that whole scene.
00:50:37
Speaker
Yeah. Developed a lot of negative emotions for me. So now reentering this scene and like embracing my love for fashion, cetera, and culture, whatever the case may be.
00:50:50
Speaker
It's like those feelings still I'm learning this in real time as we have in this conversation like those feelings still exist and I need to handle them and approach them and stop being dismissive about who I am and you know ah Just like another chapter of embracing myself. I mean, you gotta you gotta take the lessons you learned yeah from that time instead of just being like, oh that's the past, I'm leave it there. Or letting it like paralyze you. And that's what I was talking about my story, like because that's essentially what it is. I could had could have had so much, developed so much intentional relationships and purposeful relationships if I had that perspective. That's what was like a gut check. Like, why am i why why don't say I'm a fashion journalist? But also, I want to say it's nothing wrong being a concert creator, too.
00:51:38
Speaker
Kaisinat is really... But he's not a... He's a... He's a concert creator. We are all concert creators. You're making content as we speak. Look, man. We're making content. I know. Look, I don't... It's an art to it, too. Yeah. But I think... It's entertainment. Yes. Yeah. I just think it's like... I don't like it being a catch-all, right? I think it needs to be a lot more intentional because... If we're going to say, we're going to say Kaya Sanat's a content creator, I would say he's a streamer first. They just create content out of his streams. No, that's Kapp. I'm sorry to cut you off because I studied his little guy.
00:52:10
Speaker
I know. He's there. That's crazy. I was, I literally, I'm a nerd, bro. I watched him and co and and and Kevin Hart and Drewski have a sleepover. Yeah. In late 20 year old Yeah It's get kind of that cringe But I've been watching him develop into that It it was skits on Yeah for sure Vine or whatever the fuck was cracking Facebook and with Ron Sooner I see him develop from YouTube to whatever platform to that constantly challenged himself He was a concert creator He still is a concert creator Jay Z's a rapper Talib Kweli talelibwali is a rapper yeah Future's a rapper Three different niches
00:52:49
Speaker
I mean, yes. Three different, they the same, the same job. that's not, but that's not, but that's not, but that's but that's not, but that's not, but that's not, don't be, on Hold hold on, hold on. Do you me or no? Hold on, but that, but look, this is what I'm saying. People will be like, Jay-Z's a content creator. Because if they're, if they're saying like, yo, they, the music is content, now they're making, there's a content creator. I never heard that. Bro, I've never heard nobody say that shit. Bro, there's people?
00:53:13
Speaker
You see... I'm sorry. Chip Jones is a content creator and a rapper. Because he's exceptional in making content. Cam'ron is a content creator and a rapper because he's exceptional in making content. And you could call him a journalist as well with the because he's very... his his Yeah, he's insightful. When it comes to sports, he has expertise. And when it comes to culture in general, he has expertise. yeah um Dave Dash. Yes, but you're you're talking about...
00:53:38
Speaker
Are you talking about the stuff that gets the views is the content? that Because that's what I'm saying. A content creator is somebody that uses social media to entertain and TKTK, et cetera, et cetera. Okay. Whatever the case may be.
00:53:55
Speaker
Like, even though, like, I'm talking about, like, I would consider my shit, like, slightly docu, like a doc series yeah with some aspects.
00:54:07
Speaker
current events I would say like i think I mean I would say I mean this is what we talked about the first time I met you I was like I would say like video essay type where it's just like informational informational but also have a lot of videos that's like um charisma driven or personality driven yeah for sure that's the content creator that's what I'm talking about you have to have that persona, that stage presence. So I agree with you. We agree on that's what a content creator I'm sorry. And you have stage presence too. It's different from Izzy Izzo. You're not animated to me. I mean, like me, like I'm bugged out. Like I was a class clown high school. You a chill nigga. You a real queen's chill reserve cool nigga. I'm just, I'm inviting is what I say. You're inviting. Whatever word. You're cool. You're cool as hell. But it's entertaining for...
00:54:55
Speaker
Your crowd and my crowd and and one person could like both of us. For sure. But yeah. There was no pause for that. I'm being careful. These people in the comments, they got me traumatized a little bit. I ain't gonna lie. But I think it's just like, when it comes to what you're saying is exactly my vision of what a content creator is. What I'm saying... is that that's not what everybody's... You know? Like, i get it if if content creator was like a... po Like, if you're like on LinkedIn, content creator, they'll be like, oh, so you do videography for photography. You've done like... Oh, you edit you you edit your videos. You make your... video Like, you know, they they catch it. but you But it's a catch-all, right? So it's like... yeah You don't have your, you're not, you're, what we're thinking about it as is like, yeah, that's right. I wish more people would, uh, who do this purposely call that content creation. yeah But instead people would be like, yo, uh, a photographer is a content creator.
00:55:52
Speaker
Yo, a person that made a documentary is photographer. Yo, a person that made a whole album is a content Yeah. just never entered that space cause I never heard nobody say that. That's where we differ. Bro, I'm a star. It's not where we differ. It's where we hate. We agree on the hate on this. That's what I'm saying. Because there's people that call me a content creator because of just the podcast.
00:56:11
Speaker
And I'm like, no. Yes, I create content. right But if you were like, yo, what do you do? I'm a podcast i'm podcast host.
00:56:22
Speaker
Right? Okay. You know what I'm saying? like if that's That's what I'm saying. like You got to... Like we, I wish I could be like, yo, yeah, I'm a content creator, whatever, bye. Right? Like maybe Haas's, right? yeah You know, like Haas's, like my who is Haas page, right? That's a content creator page, right? And then, but if it's like, yo, my first kicks, it's a podcast. I'm a podcast host, right? Like. You you know what I'm about to do? I'm about to go in my content creator bag.
00:56:47
Speaker
Y'all let us know in the comments. Yes, please. Who is right? ah What is what? What's a content creator? And what's a journalist? We trying to figure it out. Well, y'all trying to figure it out. I know who i am. I know what I am.
00:56:58
Speaker
Y'all tell us who y'all think we are. Yes. You gonna clip that. Yes. That's what we make the brand. Yeah, you heard? Yo, Follow Hotswold. That was easy.
00:57:11
Speaker
Nah, but Gayser, like... And that's the beautiful part about like the content creator, like how you just list it. Like, yo bro, this shit is so fun. like And people don't know there's so much that goes into it. like I talk to some of my peers and I'm like, damn, nigga, you script. like You write scripts. yeah You you ah talent. You're on camera. You research. You edit. You shoot.
Challenges and Fulfillment in Podcasting
00:57:32
Speaker
This shit is like five jobs in one, but I love this. I love this shit. I mean, everybody's not built for that shit, right? So don't do it. Yo, I'm with you. I'm with you, bro. If you ask me, yo, it's funny because everybody that asks me, yo, I want to start a podcast. I just go, no, don't. Nah, do it.
00:57:49
Speaker
And if you if you like that, it was show nah I you gotta nah this is what nah bro go go talk look look this is what I say this I say I like this show yeah you gonna be back yeah I wanna come back but this is what I say I say don't do it and if I if I deter them off of that and like if it's not just like if it's not like they just come back to me and be like yo I got a really good comment like yo I have a really good idea then it's just like alright so then you are ready like it's like Like my biggest thing, and i don't know if maybe this is just the way I grew up and the negativity that's always been surrounded by me is people always told me no all the time. And I always had to prove people wrong all the time. Right. So I've always had a chip on my shoulder. So if if ah a small no, if a a small don't do it will stop somebody from doing something that you didn't really want to do it.
00:58:40
Speaker
Yeah, but but that's ah my perspective and my opinion. that's not the That's not the tomorrow I want to build. No? Hell no. No, like, try.
00:58:53
Speaker
Keep trying. And if if it's meant to be, it will happen. If it's not, you got to learn when to look in the mirror and say, this is not for me. Because, like, um um i mean I picture um a reality. I mean, I'm the love for destiny and how my life works.
00:59:05
Speaker
it's playing out but picture reality where somebody said i believe you bro come pull up yeah let me help you out yeah let me let me show you the ropes like we we coming off of nose fueling us and alhamdulillah thank god like it pushed us to the next level but how much we could have fucking cured cancer if somebody would just fucking took the right person under the wing type shit and just like embrace them and like That's how you feel. Because I be thinking about like raising my kids. like yeah You want to fucking tap dance? I think that shit caught you. But go go for it.
00:59:38
Speaker
you know don't Even if you're like, dad, don't want to this shit no more. Now you you say you want to do keep going. And if it's not translated, you have to look in the mirror and say, hey, this is not what I want to be. Just like ah how I did with accounting.
00:59:51
Speaker
what Like how how I did with a lot of fucking, we're rapping with a lot of shit that I i pursued. Like had to say, hey, this is forced. I don't really want to do this. I was liking this for a temporary emotion. You know what mean?
01:00:05
Speaker
That's the difference between my efforts regarding that and why in fashion and shit like that because I can't escape this shit, bro. Yeah. You heard? And when I fully embrace it, said, this is what I want to do. That's when everything, I mean, by the will of Allah.
01:00:20
Speaker
And yeah, just like a lot of tragedy and just weird shit that I want to speak about on this podcast. Even though you made me comfortable enough to, I feel like this is like a third recession. You see me look in the sky, you know, with my cat died in front of me, nigga. I was, nah, gangster. And that's another thing. so Stop putting everything on the internet. That's right. Facts. Please don't. Yeah, yeah. Facts. oh See, telling them you no.
01:00:44
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, but we're like, yeah, it's not wrong. Next time somebody asks you, yo, how's want to do a policy? I'm like, okay, just you want to do this? This is the equipment need to do and try it. And if they wasted their money, that's a lesson learned.
01:00:56
Speaker
If they wasted their time, that's a lesson learned. But you need to be more, said person needs to be more intentional and also feel like it's okay to try something new. It's a learning lesson.
01:01:07
Speaker
um but Let me push back on that real quick, though. And then I got a last question for you. I'm going push you back on that real quick because I've done that version of it already. And I think... So podcasting specifically, I'm not talking about content creating, right? I'm talking about podcast specifically.
01:01:23
Speaker
It got to the point where everybody thought they could do it, right? and And I think and they some people need to hear the no first to stop them to be like... am am i Do I really have a vision for this? right Because when it comes to to podcasting, and especially within this space, a lot of people are just hearing what other people, or even specifically like my shit, where it's just like, people be like, I could do that.
01:01:49
Speaker
Let me go do that. And it's not on some inspirational shit. It's I can do that better than him. And so, oh, i you know what saying? So they come to me, they come to me and they ask for advice because they go straight to the source and I'm an open person. And I go, why did you want to do that? Like, I'm hitting them with it. It's not a don't do it. No, but it's a we don't need more of these
Fostering Creativity and Uniqueness
01:02:11
Speaker
podcasts. Like, I'm like, don't know that, though. not No, no, no. Hold on. OK, I'm sorry. ah but When they come to me, I'm like, we don't need more of these specific podcasts. What's your vision for it Oh, okay. You know i'm saying? Like what you offer into the game type shit. Exactly. Like, yeah, yeah. We all about moving. Like I said in in um in your Clark Kent post, I was just like, I never met, I met Clark one time, but like, you know, one thing that he taught from me, he taught me from afar was if you're, if you're in a culture, you need to be pushing it forward. you need to be an addition. You can't be a subscription. I learned that from Drake. I seen a random interview. Drake was like, you got to bring something to the table. It's fried. You've cooked. Yeah, man. It's potluck, bro. It is. Yeah, it's potluck. Now, you you know what's the funny part too? This is real quick. huh
01:02:54
Speaker
A lot of people tell me they want to do what i was what ah whether that's clothing brand. Rituals is coming back. Yo, rituals need to be coming back. Yeah, that shit going to come soon. Sha Allah. But with like content, whatever it case may be, I give people the recipe, the ingredients, but you got to cook it yourself. yeah And now that shit nasty, you can't tell me I i ain't help you. yeah It just meant you not that's not meant for you. yeah It's my shit. But I gave certain niggas the recipe and ate.
01:03:20
Speaker
Zoomed out. But I think it's just like you can tell when somebody's about it. right And i need more we need more people to to have that radar. i think that's But it's a big New York thing. like I can tell when somebody's really about it.
01:03:34
Speaker
I got you. I can tell you when somebody's about it for real. And it's just like, nah, like sometimes, yeah you know, it's just like you you get that feeling. But we're towards the end of the podcast and I got one last question.
01:03:46
Speaker
Answer it real quick. yeah okay But that deals with a little visualization. i want you to think back to when you was about to get those flu game 12s and now you're older, you behind your younger self. What would you tell your younger self as they open that box?
01:03:58
Speaker
You should have bought another pair. Facts. Facts. Yeah, you should have double-dubbed. It's coming back. And a 10 and a half. Yeah. Specifically
Promoting Guests and Small Businesses
01:04:05
Speaker
in put them shits, freeze them shits. Freeze. Yeah, facts. Keep in the back. I love my first kicks. Yeah. The pod and the flu game 12s. I appreciate that. Let everybody know where to find you, bro.
01:04:15
Speaker
I'm Izzy Izzo. Izzy, I-Z-Z-Y dot, I-Z-Z-O on all platforms. You can find me on Complex. Complex. You should know what Complex is. You feel me? Tap in. You heard shout out to my nigga Haas. Yo.
01:04:26
Speaker
New York. Yeah. The voice. You know what'll find me, who is Haas on all social medias, follow the podcast of My First Kicks Pod. Hit ah hit me up. Info at MyFirstKicks.com. I want to hear your My First Kicks story. And if you want to cop,
01:04:37
Speaker
A pair sneakers. Yo, shout out to Omi. If you want to cop a ah My First Kicks shirt, hit me up. $40 for shipping. um And hit up the pod. Follow the pod. Yo, subscribe to Patreon. Patreon.com slash MyFirstKicks. $5 only one tier. You get the episode a day early. And yeah. That's how I'm entering this shit. Yo, thanks for tapping. Go buy some merch, you broke-ass nigga.
01:05:03
Speaker
I hope you enjoyed this week's episode with Izzy Izzo. Man, this episode was super fun. You know by the end of this, we had such good conversation that I can't wait for Izzy to come back. That's going to be another good one once he's back again. And I really hope y'all enjoyed this because, you know,
01:05:21
Speaker
We definitely had some really in-depth conversation about content creation and also what it is to grow up in New York City and really be about like sneakers and fashion, streetwear. And I do have...
01:05:38
Speaker
You know, a subsect of people that are not from New York. And I know a lot of my fan base or the people that listen to this ah are from New York. um And I'm trying to explain that a lot more, especially like, you know, having people from different states and different countries on and trying to really map out.
01:05:57
Speaker
the influence that sneaker has had sneakers have had on anybody and anyone that I found find interesting or is doing some really dope stuff. And it just.
01:06:12
Speaker
I think sneakers are such a an interesting topic, right? When it comes to sneakers, um, I think everybody has a pair that they just like so are seeking after him and or have sought after at one point in their lives. And that creates this realm of curiosity that I don't think...
01:06:37
Speaker
You know, a lot of things do because there's so much culture within him sneakers that once you like fall down the the rabbit hole with it, it just gets deeper and deeper. That really happened with me with the khaki SB and you know, I've talked about it on here a lot before. But It's something where it opens up this world for you that you don't really know about until you are actively participating it and in it. And the same thing that goes with music where it's like, yeah, you listen to it and you know you go to a concert. But, you know, once you start actually really seeing how musicians do things and how they actually, you know, put their whole like life into you know the art, it's it really gives you a different perspective. Like, I'll go back to sneakers wear.
01:07:37
Speaker
I remember going to the stores back in a day and going to DQM and just hearing about the process of how it was made and going to Supreme and, and talking to people outside and, and Soho and, and having these conversations where you are really encompassing what it takes to really be part of the scene or really be part of the thing that they're building or selling. and,
01:08:05
Speaker
You know, a lot of these conversations don't really happen now because I do think that if people are having these conversations is more an understanding of how they are doing it for themselves instead of just like, how do I become a part of this? Or how do i become, you know, a resource to help, you know, this struggling small business ah down here in the Lower East Side? Or like, how do this, how do how do we continue to keep
01:08:37
Speaker
you know, boutiques alive and, and not let big box sneaker stores kind of like take all the goods from, you know, a small sneaker store in a different state. Like that, like these are questions that, you know, people who feel like they have the insight or people that feel like they, you know, they've got something to say are are not really asking the people that are actually spending their lives work and, ah
01:09:08
Speaker
like their hard earned money or efforts into into this thing where the sneaker store or this boutique and they're not really like asking it in terms of just like hey I'm trying to figure out how I can help you right because I want that your doors to stay open right we we're continuous continuously always looking at it as this as like you know I give you my money, I should have you know more say in what I do or more say in what you do with your business. and you know i think that we've felt fallen into this commonplace of just this, I see more about what's wrong with things instead of
01:09:57
Speaker
actually going to the business person or manager or whoever ask asking them, like, you know, how can you help? Right. Because I've seen many stores shut down. you know, it's sad. Like we were in the state where it's just like, you know, being a business is super hard now. Being a like a small business is so hard now we're having, you know,
01:10:26
Speaker
conglomerates who are happening, you know, with this mergers are happening. Big businesses are just merging together and becoming monopolies. And and, you know, who who's going to feel the brunt of this the most? We are right. The prices and the the prices of the sneakers are going to go up. You know, the prices of streaming is going to go up. The prices, any type of you know,
01:10:51
Speaker
thing that costs us to that I feel like it's like a hobby or collecting or or, you know, something that we love prices of tickets for shows, movies, you know, tours like all this stuff goes up.
01:11:06
Speaker
Right. Because the top one percent is now dictating how everybody else makes this right. But When we buy into the community store versus the bigger corporation, then we actually see progress and we can actually make change that is around us. And I think this is not said enough because people are always looking to just be like, yo, what's the easiest way I can get the thing that I want? Right. Right.
01:11:34
Speaker
And that's where we we, you know, I'm pretty sure, you know, if anybody that gets down to this part of the podcast where, you know, i'm I'm talking about it from a different perspective because I've asked a lot of these questions when I'd go to like a Renard's, when I'd go to like DQM back in a day or when I'd go to ah Like I'm even trying to think like I because Supreme would nobody is Supreme would talk to you. So that wouldn't matter.
01:12:05
Speaker
But I I made concerted efforts because I wanted to learn more, not necessarily just try to, you know, open my own store. I never had a dream of that, but I wanted to continuously be ah try to find ways to, you know, incorporate it or bring somebody there or, you know, continuously try to help.
01:12:29
Speaker
a small business stay alive. And that also comes from like me working in a small business, me working for in this episode, I talk about, you know, working for um Dylan Lauren. And that was like this the first my first taste of working within a small business and seeing how that's operated. And yes, you know,
01:12:51
Speaker
but the cash flow was a lot different than say like, you know, uh, a lambs or, or an awake or something like that. Right. It's a, it's a lot different than that, but the, the way that I saw how it worked was something that I will look and see in a concerted effort of like how other brands work, because,
01:13:19
Speaker
When you are invested in a small business and you want to see it thrive, it does help the community. And that's very, very important. So much like me preaching to y'all every week about, hey,
01:13:35
Speaker
help out and help me out on a Patreon. This is me trying to create my own little small business, right? Selling t-shirts, you know, I'm trying to, you know, hopefully get this in front of enough people that I can like tour this thing or I can make it a destination for, you know, ah somebody, a collaborator who's dropping a sneaker, or a small sneaker company, you know, can actually come on here and I can help them sell pairs. Like,
01:14:01
Speaker
this is not supposed to be like something thing where it's only about me, me, me. And I've always positioned it this way because I feel like a lot of people who have been in in a position to kind of usher in the next voices or kind of highlight and help people. They do make it about themselves first in order to get that point across. And I don't, I think we do.
01:14:28
Speaker
I need to, I needed to be different and I am different and this is what this is So I love sitting across people and hearing about their journeys and use the sneakers as a through line in order to get more information to help everyone and to help them as well. Because once you make that connection, you create that community, especially with this,
01:14:54
Speaker
especially with this podcast and especially with the people that are that i always come into contact each and every week that listen to this podcast and take something from it I know there's a lot, there's a lot to give here. There's a lot to grow here. And there's, that's why I'm going to always keep going because this is more than a passion project. This is more than just, you know, a labor of love. This is something I feel can be a resource for years to come. And
Creating Conversations and Community Support
01:15:24
Speaker
I hope that people that tap in also, you know, feel that way when they listen. So
01:15:31
Speaker
if you have a small business that sells sneakers in your community, definitely look into it. And if you have any small creators that you really fuck with, definitely, you know, share their stuff, support them, create a conversation. it doesn't have to be this one way street of I like your stuff or, you know, I, I show you support blah, blah, blah. Like,
01:15:57
Speaker
Building with anyone and everyone that is around you is extremely important. And I always try to do that. That's why my DMs are always open. That's why I'm telling y'all, if you want a shirt, DM me, because that can start a conversation that can lead to somewhere.
01:16:13
Speaker
And we never know unless we take a chance. So. Hit your boy up. We'd love to hear from one of the listeners, each and every one of y'all.
Reflecting on Podcasting and Content Creation
01:16:23
Speaker
And I hope y'all enjoyed my little rant at the end because this was a very insightful and and thoughtful pro ah podcast episode. Me and Izzy really you know taught touched on some things and self-reflection. And and we really touched on a lot of...
01:16:43
Speaker
Things that I think are extremely important. And I really made this outro very long. So let's jump straight into the Patreon shoutouts. So let's start it off. We got Adam Neustadter. We got Ross Adams. We got Derek Lipkin. We got Adam Butler. We got Jesse Just CG. We got Plox. We got Derek Hawkins.
01:17:03
Speaker
We got Jordan Kaiser. We got Samia Grandpia. We got Sean hates you, Brett, AD sneaks and M dot. I appreciate each and every one of y'all for signing up for the Patreon. There's only one tier, $5 tier. You get a shout out the end of the episode. you Get the episode a day early.
01:17:23
Speaker
Currently about to edit this bad boy out so I can drop it on Thursday. And all y'all can do that by signing up for Patreon at patreon.com slash my first kicks.
01:17:34
Speaker
I was going to talk about my time at Warped Tour. I'll save it for next week's episode after ah that outro because I got went really long for this, but. Check out the shirt. It's fire. Like some fire.
01:17:48
Speaker
Funny. um But enough of my rambling. You can check out these two episodes here if you're new here. Or you can subscribe to the podcast. Hit that button right there. And you know what we say each week. Wear your kicks. Peace.