00:00
Dude, it just comes with the territory. That's when you're when you're creative, man, you you're gonna be crazy.
00:05
You gotta accept the craziness.
00:14
Do you wanna talk about Kanye? I do wanna talk about Kanye.
00:18
Yeah. So I only watched the first episode because I have this rule. I've got two rules.
00:24
The the first rule is if there's a movie that involves animals as the protagonist
00:29
protagonist
00:30
I don't know where you're going with this.
00:33
I don't watch it. I don't watch and I don't watch
00:36
the animals always die. So I don't watch it. I have a rule. I don't want, like, If there's a war movie and it's set in a period where they had horses like BRAheart or or the patriot and the horses die in the war, I don't watch it. I I just it's too much for me. I don't like seeing horses die. I don't like seeing the line get trampled. I don't watch that shit. The second thing is if it's generally either scary or sad. I don't watch that either. I'm not paying money to get freaked out. Right? I'm paying money to be happy. I I
01:05
yeah. Like, my life sucks sometimes anyway. I don't need to like I wanna pay money to like make it not suck. So I knew that in episode two, that was when his mom died. So I was like, nope, I'm not gonna watch that. So I only watched episode one.
01:18
But by the way, I've I've watched chips since his mom does diet, that that part.
01:22
So They made it I thought they made it they're playing the song Hey, mama, like, over the preview page. And I was like, So you haven't seen any of the scenes with his mom? Because those are the best scenes.
01:31
Well, yeah. Well, she's like he's like, I bought a she's like, you don't own a house, but you bought this chain and she goes, okay. I like the chain, Kanye. Yeah. It's nice. This is nice.
01:42
Yeah. She's very supportive of them. Yeah. So I'm busy. So,
01:47
Okay. So let's talk about the mob. Alright. So this kind of documentary is frankly
01:51
great, and I'm kinda mad. More friends didn't tell me you gotta watch this. Like, I could see why maybe some people don't like it, but this is, like, this is up my alley. This is this is my alley. Dude, the did you see the idea about how basically, it was just a guy. You because you asked yourself, why is this Where's this footage from? Why is this guy just walking around? Like, He's got a cam it's like a camcorder on his shoulder. Why is this guy with Kanye when he's like on the street? And basically, this guy was like,
02:19
I saw,
02:20
I forget the movie that he saw. It was called, like, hoop dreams. There's a movie where, yeah, hoop dreams. It follows four, young, like, high school or kids or eighth grade kids. Like, let's see if they're gonna make it to the NBA. And he's like, I was inspired by that. And I thought Kanye was gonna be famous. And so I just decided to follow him around. And this is before YouTube was around. So it was weird that a guy was with, like, a shoulder camcorder. To totally weird. What what luck for all of us?
02:43
That that guy so so shout out to Kooty, the guy who did it.
02:47
It basically and and by the way, I think they explained this more later. I haven't seen the whole thing. So I might not know something that's, like, said in the in the documentary, but, like, I've only watched the first couple parts. So
02:58
he basically sees Kanye. He's, like, this guy's cool. And then drops everything
03:03
and is like, I'm gonna film this guy. I'm gonna film this random guy from Chicago
03:07
who wears a retainer and he's trying to be a rapper. And he's like, a cool producer,
03:12
but, like, you know, who knows. Right? Like, you know, most people don't make it. As Kanye says, in the documentary, he goes, Yeah. Where I grew up, there's a whole bunch of guys who were
03:21
who were just finna get signed. And guess what? They're still finna get signed. They're just that almost finna get signed.
03:27
And so, like, you know, that seemed like the the most likely path, but, like, that's amazing. So the this documentary is amazing because he's got footage from before everything.
03:37
When he when he's when he's got nothing, when nobody believes in him, and he's, like, you know, trying to make it. And because because of that, he's got all this footage, and other people also view it as harmless. It's like, oh, I don't know why is this guy got a camera? What are you doing with a camera out? It's like, oh, I'm filming a documentary for Kanye. Alright. That's weird. Alright, man. I guess come on in. Like, you know, who knows?
03:57
And so you see JayZ,
03:59
you see Ferrell, you see all these, like, legends in the game early on because in in studio because they just have this footage. It's amazing. The it
04:08
was awesome. I love this documentary. It it was cool that he looked up to a couple guys like most def and common.
04:15
And now those folks aren't even in the same stratosphere as what he is now. Exactly. He's just And He surpassed them. They asked for his honor. And he would yeah. And they were like,
04:25
Alright. Fine, Kanye. Fine. I'll I'll I'll come I'll come with you to this thing. Right. And it was awesome. And
04:31
it's
04:32
easy to say like, when it now. I'm like, oh, this is so obvious. This guy, like, has the it factor. And of course, that's easy. But there was a few there was one scene where he was in a record label like reception room, I think. Yeah. And there's this woman just standing there and he was like, hey, can I talk to whoever? And she kind of ignored him. And then he just started rapping. He's like, well, let me show you my rap. And he's plays
04:52
he plays all falls down. Right. I think.
04:55
And which is, like, the hit of hits, and he's rapid. And she's, like, cameras up for a minute, and then eventually she just, like, starts making phone calls. And she's, like, working. And then she's, like, excuse me. I'm, like, has to walk by because there's some other door And he's playing all falls down before it, like, became a thing. And,
05:11
and it made me think of two things. One, That's crazy that he kept getting after it. And two,
05:18
even though all falls down is a total hit, I understand how if you heard it. It's just some crazy guy. You'd be like, oh, that's stupid. Yeah. And it really makes me respect people whether it's people who invest money in a product or people who find an artist or find art or a trend, people who can spot something and be like, I think that's it. And if we position it in the market this way, this is gonna be a home run. And it really shows you how hard that is because that woman, and there was like three different ladies walking around the were one hundred percent fans of that song. They were, like, per in the they were, like, looked like young people that were in the music industry and they're working the way up. They one hundred percent were about that song when it came out. Then they it it didn't click. And that is what I try to imagine. I'm like, what what is my all falls down today? Did I skip over anything today? And I found my asking that after I saw that documentary. Hundred percent. Because you just see people who were writing them off, people who were just too busy doing their work that they missed
06:11
This absolute gold mine that's, like, literally, he's
06:14
putting it in your face saying, please, please, like, check me out. Right? And, like, and it's easy, like, When something's popular, it's easy to appreciate its greatness.
06:24
When something is just some random guy in your way, it really takes someone special to spot that talent, and it made me wanna be that guy. Right? It made it made me wanna be that parent. So, like, I wrote down a bunch of notes, which is weird because, like, who writes notes while documentary, but I was like, There were things that stood out to me that were, like, real life lessons or just amazing moments that were in this. So I'll give you one. He's rapping with his mom. His mom his mom was a English teacher. And she's like, what's that one you used to say? Like, I was at the playground, and then they said, go boys came around, and then she's, like, doing it and he does it. And she's, like, oh, I love that one Kanye. Like, an audience of one. It's, like, all he really had at that point was one fan. It's, like, his mom. And she's, like, that's a million dollars right there. She goes, I always used to tell you that. Right? He said, that's a million dollars right there. And he laughs. He goes, I ain't got a million dollars yet. And, like, now he's a billionaire. Right? And so it's like and she's like, no. I'm telling you that's a million dollars. And then he he tells her some good news. He's like, mom, MTV is gonna film me for their, like, You heard it here first thing for emerging artists, like unknown artists.
07:26
Can you believe they're they're gonna film a documentary. My my my can you believe that? And she goes, I can believe it the way you are. She goes, you write in tracks. It's like watching Michael Jordan shooting free throws. And then she goes, and then she goes,
07:39
She goes, you know, you you worked so hard. You kept going. You keep going. It's bound to pay off. So, yeah, I believe that Kanye. People like you, you're special, Kanye. And, like,
07:48
And she and she's not saying it.
07:50
There's no difference when you say something fake You're doing a really good job with this. Yeah. This is good. You've got me bought in. This is really good. And so so she was you know, there's a difference when somebody says something like, oh, you're great
08:02
versus, like, when somebody genuinely believes in you and they're not just trying to pump you up, And they just have a quiet confidence about him. Like, she wasn't going overboard, and she wasn't saying, like, don't worry. You're gonna make it. She was just saying, like,
08:13
Of course. I believe it. Like, yeah. I'm not surprised.
08:16
And she wasn't critical. So he comes back and she goes, Kanye, when are you gonna buy a house? And she he goes, oh, I don't know yet, but check this out. And he pulls out this chain. I don't know what was on it, but he was like, I could have bought a house, but I bought this instead. And she goes, well, That's it's alright. It's pretty nice. Good job. I like that, Kanye. Yeah. Yeah. I like it. And she's and she's like so again, so supportive,
08:39
and such a believer. And that's like a, you know, a thing that moms do, but it's just like, you know, that's a mad respect on that. And, and and so Most moms don't do that. The way, I don't think most moms do that. I I feel like, you know, you know, like, a lot of people, like, dude, I have the best mom. And it's like, well, you know, trust me. There's a lot. I I I I think that there's a lot of shitty parents out there. I and then then I think that most parents are just
09:01
the most parents are just are okay. It's just like a distribution, just like everything else. And she was very special. And -- Right. -- single mom too. Right? No dad. Single mom. And, hey, you know, he opened up her fridge. And there's, like, literally, like, Like, wine and milk. There's a wine well, there's a quart of milk and a and a and a and a quarter a quart of Roset or something like that. Why Zinfandel
09:22
And then, like, he's and then he uses that, like, in his song later or whatever. And so there's a couple other things. So so he goes,
09:31
he so I'm just gonna can I read you to some of these notes? I just just blown away. He's going. So there's one scene where he's he's
09:37
or no. She goes, she she's trying to warn him. And so she goes,
09:41
you have this confidence to kinda like,
09:44
you know, but once you make sure you stay humble and and, like, obviously, that's, you know, been a challenge for Kanye over time as he's like, I am Jesus now. And so and she's like, remember, a giant looks in the mirror and sees nothing.
09:56
And, like, I still, to this point, I don't know what that meant. And kinda clearly, we also didn't know what that meant at the moment. And then she tries to explain. She goes, She goes, don't she goes, don't make yourself less of a star. A star is gonna look like a star. You can't be a star and then say I'm not a star. You can't have you got and she goes, you gotta have some oomph about you. And I just love that. Like, that's a there's a that's a phrase to live by. It's like, I have some oomph about me. Like, that can mean anything in any situation, and it's the right thing. And then she goes, she goes, don't just go to the mirror and say, no, I'm not all Thank you very much. So I'm not I'm not all that. I'm not a star. Like, yeah, you'd be a star or be humble at the same time. And she goes, you and he goes, you're saying I don't do a good job of that. She goes, no. You do a good job of that. You gotta make sure you keep keep doing a good job of that. And, like, those are, like, you know, kinda, like, that's a seed that's been planted. Right? And so Gosh. She's great. So there's that one, then there was, like, all these moments where
10:48
alright. The the importance of identity. Right? So
10:51
he says from the be so at the time, he's known as a great producer. He produces the beats that Jay Z uses on his big blueprint album, and people know him as that everyone loves him as a producer. Everybody wants him as a producer, but he wants to be a rapper. Yeah. He was upset about that. He's upset. And so he goes into this one. He's in the hallway at the record label. Which which, by the way, a lot of people forget, do you realize how much he produced before he
11:11
got famous. No. That's crazy. It's
11:14
pretty crazy. Like, the big one was h of the is o. Right. And there was, like, there's, like, dozens more. I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but there dozen more were you like, wait. You did that. And he did it before he had his own thing. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. And he was great at it. And then he's like, he talks about it. He's like, yeah. People want my beat, say, oh, oh, I want oh, can can I get one? Can I get I need a beat? Give me a beat. He's like, and then they then they hear my song, they're like, yo, I haven't heard this. Where'd you get this? He goes, that's my shit. I use that for me. And he's like, He's like trying to, like, on one hand, he needs to sell beats to pay for life. But every time he does, it's a step away from where he wants
11:48
be in a way, like, to be a rapper. And so he's in this hallway and the this guy's trying to hype him up because he's like, oh, you got the documentary crew. So he puts his arm around him. It's like the the the man director at Rockefeller Records. And he's like, you know, this right here at Kanye West. He's the best rapper producer in the game. Best rapper producer in the game period. And then Kanye's like, kinda like upset. And he's like, what? And he goes, why you gotta say that, man? That's like saying I'm the best kid rapper in the game. He's like, what, man? I say you're the best rapper producer in the game. He goes, I'm just a rapper. If I'm the fiftieth best rapper, just say he's the fiftieth best rapper. Don't call me the best rapper producing the game. That's whack. All them a whack. I'm not that. I'm a rapper. And, like, think about what's going on at that moment. Right? He's like fighting to get a record deal where most people are in desperation mode. Like, they'll take what they can get. And instead, he's got this identity, and the whole world is trying to pull him to just be a producer because that's what's in it for them. Like, that's proven.
12:41
And that helps, you know, helps them make hits. And, you know, why aren't you just happy? Pat you on your head, say you're a great producer. And he had this identity in his head so strong that I think ninety nine people out of a hundred in his position
12:52
would just become a
12:54
producer
12:55
because the whole world is pulling him in that direction It was a faster,
12:59
to success.
13:00
And the money was there, and the success was there, and he didn't have to grind as hard
13:05
as he did to try to prove himself as a rapper. But he had in his head. No. I'm a rapper. And if I'm the fiftieth best rapper, I'd rather be the fiftieth best rapper than the best rapper producer. And I just it was such an example to me of, like, people will stay consistent with their identity. And so you kinda gotta ask yourself, like, what is my identity? Like, If I said, Sam, are you what's your job, Sam? What do you do?
13:27
Right now, my job is I do pocket. If I just say, what like, who are you? What do you do for work? What do you do for a living?
13:33
I'm a business person. Okay. You're a business person. So if all of a sudden, I doesn't matter what HubSpot offers you. Right? Like, okay. You're vesting out your deal. You you that's great. But let's say any company comes to you and say, Sam, we'd like to make you the vice president of marketing operations at biggest company in the world, and you're gonna get this and that
13:50
you're not gonna do it because it's not assistant with your identity. You're like, I'm a I'm a business person entrepreneur. Yeah. So entrepreneur, I can't be an employee if I'm an entrepreneur. There's just not they're two separate things.
14:02
And, like, in the same way, you know, you're you're not gonna do heroin because you're not you're somebody who doesn't do heroin. You don't even have to weigh the pros and cons of it It's just really not a discussion for you. It's not part of who you are. It's not like I'm trying not to do it. It's not. I just I don't do that. I do do this and I don't do that. And so those lines you draw for yourself are so important on identity.
14:22
And I would argue. So the there's this book called four eight Alls of power. Have you read it? No. I've heard of it. Alright. It's awesome. So he's got this one chapter
14:30
where he says you always have to reinvent yourself, and he gives a bunch of examples about that. And the reason you wanna reinvent yourself is the person who you can't peg down typically can become the most powerful because there's something about changing yourself that it does a couple things. First,
14:45
this whole act as if thing, it's real. So if you, like, act like you're gonna be an expert
14:50
artist or something and you work harder, you can eventually become that. But you kinda gotta act as if Second, it kinda reinforces habits. So you feel like, no, I'm a healthy person. Therefore, I don't do unhealthy things. And third, it gives you this aura of mystery
15:03
and people who have mystery surrounding them typically are powerful. Right. And, and and there's a ton of good examples about this. Like a really interesting and easy one because she does it so
15:13
clearly is Lady Gaga. So, like, oftentimes she'll reinvent herself. So at first she was this, like, kinda just normal, like, white lady playing on the piano. If you see her, like, when she's a little bit younger, then she becomes like this weirdo person where she, like, puts meat on her body. Then she transforms and becomes,
15:31
she starts playing jazz with Tony Bennett. You're like, what the heck lady? Gaga's doing that. What the hell is
15:36
that? Now she's like, just got done doing some acting and she was a great actor. So, like, constantly reinventing themselves. I think Arnold Schwarzenegger has done a really good job at that. We just caught Yeah. You just you gotta reinvent yourself consistently.
15:47
And Kanye has done that where he's actually changed himself. And I think inventing reinventing yourself you actually need to make the decision. You gotta be like, I am this.
15:56
Now I am this. Exactly. That's okay. And then You're gonna choose that identity.
16:00
And after a while, then you could be like, Alright. Great. I that season was this season had a beginning in the middle and now it's come to the end. What's the next season of me? And you can actually pick and choose what those inventions are. And I've when I read that when I was a little bit younger, that kinda changed my perspective on things. When I went to the Tony Robbins of it, it was a perfect example of what you're talking about. So he he tells the story. He's like, you know, he's like, yeah, there was this kid I was working with, I was kid I met, and kid was overweight and he wanted to be fit. But he was talking about, oh, you know, it's hard. I'm working so hard on time to exercise blah blah blah. And he's like, he wanted to be in a relationship and we saw a woman, beautiful woman. I said, well, go talk to her then. And he didn't wanna go talk to her. He said, well, why would she want a guy like me? I'm too young. She looks older than me. You know, I I don't have a good job. She probably wants a guy who, you know, who's got something going for him. I'm looking at my clothes. I don't look good. So he didn't wanna go talk to her. And so he he talks to all these aspects of his life, his health, his relationship, career. It's like, what do you wanna you're you're working as a busboy right now at a restaurant? What do you wanna be going and doing? I I wanna be over there. I wanna run that dealership over there. You know? Alright. So why don't you go apply for why would they hurt me? I got no college education. Right? Like, coming up with all the reasons why, like, labeling himself all these identities that he's not. Right? I'm overweight. No college education. Too young, too dumb, too fat, too whatever. Right? And people do this all the time. And so
17:16
he's like, he draw he he basically talks about the turning point for this kid. He's like, it drew a line. And he said,
17:22
no experience.
17:23
Like, no experience. What are you talking about? I'm yeah. No experience. Yeah. Yeah. I don't have I'm not duckin' all the old ways, like, all those other motherfuckers. Right? Like, I got fresh ideas. I got the
17:33
energy
17:34
of a young stallion. I'm not like some fifty year old guy who, you know, is dragging into work every day. Yeah. I got no experience. I got the best experience. No experience. Right? Or, like, why would this woman wanna be with me? Really? Because I got that, you know, and he just turns it around. Like, what's the truth? Is the truth that you have no experience or the truth that you have fresh ideas and young energy, and you'll you'll hustle harder than anybody else to prove to prove yourself because you have this is your your track record. Right? And so he he does that for each one of the things. And then it's like, oh, you know, at the end, it's sort of like, you know, that kid's me and he shows a picture of himself before and where he was living and how he was working and he turned himself around. That's good. And he says in this thing, he goes, you know, right now, you guys see me on stage.
18:11
And I got this I have I have energy and confidence, and I have all these, like, this insight of wisdom or all these things that people praise me for. He goes, that what people don't realize is I created this Tony Robbins motherfucker.
18:22
I created him. And, like and I just thought it was so powerful of a way of thinking. Like,
18:29
you can create that
18:31
that thing you wanna be, that that the ideal version of you, you get to create that. And the people who've done it, they just created it. They chose that identity, and then they just lived up to that day by day. And, like, you know, there's a the Kanye is, like, a, you know, a great example of, of, like, literally speaking it into existence. He says a ton of stuff on there. Like, people gonna know me without my last name. It'll just be Kanye at some point.
18:51
And he's And I
18:53
go ahead. No. No. Go go go for it. What what when I was watching that, it also reminded me of this other thing. And here's a really small example. So you, Sean, are your your I don't know what you are. I I I
19:06
don't creative
19:08
is one word, but that's not the most effective word. I would say your
19:12
whatever
19:13
it requires to be a good, like, storyteller and podcast host. That's what you are. So it's like a mixture of creativity,
19:19
performing, and a bunch of other stuff. And what I've come to accept is
19:24
like, so I always joke that Sean is always like, usually two minutes late. He's usually always two minutes late to stuff. And at first that made me angry. Don't make me angry anymore now because what I know is in order to be good, in order for you Sean to be Sean and be good at these things, That means by nature, you're gonna be the opposite of good at these other things. Right. Like, that's just what it that's just what it comes with. Like, so, like, if you want someone, like, it's like, well, you know, you can't be this amazing athlete and have time to do all these other things. Like, in order to be an amazing athlete, you gotta train all the time. So, like, I just accept that, like, well, I want him to be good at this. Therefore, accept that. Maybe sometimes I'll just he'll just be two minutes late. And when Kanye acts like a crazy person online
20:04
and he says all this crazy shit about Kim Kardashian and types and all caps on Twitter and shit. People are like, this guy's crazy. Like, what's he doing? And I'm like, well, that's what we need of being crazy is good. Like, that's why we got all this gold. And I love those crazy people. And you and so what I've learned is, like, in order to be great, you're gonna be
20:22
messed up in some other in some other categories.
20:25
The, the bistrobee's thing I was talking about at the beginning. He said something just like this. He goes,
20:30
Joe Rogin asked, like, you know, what was it like? You know, what what did your friends think or whatever? He goes.
20:35
He's like, at first, my friends just thought it was weird. Like, nobody that wasn't a popular thing to make videos. And then they just got sick of it because all I ever wanted to talk about was making YouTube videos. Would ask me about other stuff or try to talk to me about other stuff. I just didn't have any interest in anything else. I was just obsessed with making great videos. That's all I wanted to think about. And, I remember there's a there's an interview with Connor McGregor. It goes on BBC. It's, like, one of the bigger, like, it's, like, not just like an MMA guy covering Connor asking about MMA. It was like BBC World or something, like, that was gonna interview.
21:05
And they asked him some question or there was, like, some small talk, you know, about, like, about, like, the news or the game. And he's like, oh, yeah. You know, both teams play hard. He just says something generic, and then the camera cuts at his documentary crew's filming because I have no clue who those teams are. He's like, I don't follow any. I don't follow sport. I don't follow news. He goes,
21:23
I think it's I don't know anything about anything, and I don't wanna know anything about anything. I just am obsessed.
21:28
With my with my craft. I have lost my mind to my craft. And, I've seen that. And and so, you know, it's like this kind of inspiring thing that you see as, like, a common
21:37
What are the common denominators of greatness? You I wouldn't say you have to do anything because there's many ways to win,
21:43
but these these things do show up often. Right? They sort of rhyme with success. Is, like, these are this obsession, the sort of singular obsession with something, or identity seeing yourself as becoming something, even when the rest of the world doesn't see it. Having that one believer, like your mom. Right? Like so, like, if I was gonna say, like, the lessons from Kanye, which I think is what the steps is turning into, which, like, you know, number one is, like, you know, the power of that one believer, like his mom. Number two is like the power of identity.
22:10
Number three is,
22:12
is like
22:15
so he has this moment where he goes.
22:17
Some somebody said something they go,
22:21
they go, you know, do you think it's harder for you because you're from Chicago and because you have this background as a producer so people don't take you seriously as a rapper?
22:29
He goes. He just goes. He goes, the way I feel is anything that anybody ever tells me is a disadvantage. I'm a make it my advantage. And then he basically if you watch the documentary, that's exactly what he's doing. He's like, okay, I'm pigeonholed as a producer. Well, I'm a make the dopus beats for myself
22:46
And I'm gonna use my beats as currency. So he's like, yeah, I supply beats to Jay z. Guess what? I get Jay z to do a hook on my first album. She's not gonna do for, like, some random no name rapper, but because I build this credibility,
22:58
I'm gonna I'm gonna use that as my currency or, like, He gets in this car accident and his jaw is wired shut.
23:04
And he's like, I'm a turn that to my advantage. So how did he turn a disadvantage? Like, for a rapper to have a jaw wired shut? Through the wire. He creates a song called through the wire, rapping about his time. And then, like, you know, the first line is, like, you know,
23:17
about drinking ensure, like, you know, other people make pancakes to drink scissor, but, you know, just the syrup because he can't eat solid foods. Right?
23:24
So he writes his hit song when he's got the broken jaw. And he only he also says his other heroes. I was laying there. I couldn't do nothing back there. There's no no, like, cell phones or anything. So he's, no, no smartphones. So he's just, like, saying sitting in the hospital doing nothing for seven days. He goes, I was laying there and I decided
23:39
I'm gonna be
23:41
the best dressed
23:42
rapper in the game. He's like, because he's watching music videos, they they put music videos on there, but they couldn't put the volume high. So he couldn't, like, bump to the music because he was just watching other rappers.
23:52
So he turned the disadvantage into a revenge, which was he realized all these rappers dress the same way, and it's this one style. I'm gonna just And back then And that was a fashion billionaire, you know?
24:02
And back then, rap fashion was horrible. It was just like it was like a basketball jersey and like baggy jeans. Yeah. It was the worst. So he did a good job. Let me ask let me ask you a question real quick.
24:13
Don't say their names because you might have to insult them. But the three wealthiest people you know -- Okay. -- what is what around what do you think their net worth is each?
24:24
About
24:26
the ones, like, I know, like, I know well, like, somebody, not just, like, somebody I've met, you know, someone who's, like, a friend.
24:32
Who you know about some of their personality traits and their personal life? Yeah. I would say, like, somewhere between, like, three hundred million and seven hundred million. I, like, I know them Like, I know about their, like, real life, not just like the surface level stuff.
24:44
Of those people,
24:45
how many of them
24:47
have this trait of being obsessed and and to the point where if a normal person, a non wealthy person saw their life, would be like, dude, you're weird. Or the way that you're handling this is wrong, you know, you're how how many would say something like that? One hundred percent of
25:02
one hundred percent of them. What are what are examples of of yeah. So one of them,
25:08
they worked so hard on their business. They were so obsessed.
25:11
That, like, their family members used to come to the office and say, you gotta come home. Like, you just you're working too hard or afraid. And when they sold their company, like, forty five days later, they had, like, a heart surgery.
25:21
They had, like, worked themselves that hard during that time. Another one,
25:26
I remember the day after they became worth over a hundred million dollars. I was I knew them well.
25:32
That that same night, they were up till three in the morning working on their, like, new project that had, like, no, no, like, you know, less than a hundred customers.
25:39
And, like, clearly, they'd already made it. And it's, like, for them to stay up fixing bugs in this, like, test flight
25:45
product
25:46
that was, you know, at three in the morning that day, like,
25:49
Most people would be chilling hard for it to go on a bender for a year, like, wired very differently.
25:56
Third person,
25:57
They're not just obsessed in their work life. They're obsessed with kind of anything.
26:02
So they they, like it's like if they get into, like, some random hobby or sport. They just take it to, like, a level that's not, like, common or, like, they're a hardcore gamer. Or they they just, like, get real they have it in a obsessive personality. It's not just an obsession with work or money. That just happens to be the game that pays out in a points called dollars.
26:21
But they just became obsessed with any game that, like, catches the catches their their their interest.
26:26
Yeah. That that rings true to all the people I that I know. Do you have an example? I'm trying to
26:32
Yeah. So,
26:33
our our mutual buddy,
26:37
I wonder if I could I'm actually not gonna say his name. So, well,
26:41
I'll say it. Yeah. I could say it. Jack Smith. So he's, like, he The building of the chair. Right? That's that's an example.
26:48
Well, I'll give you a different one. So he's obsessed with if he buys anything,
26:53
he'll buy thirty of them. And at his house, I've seen it. He's got a Google spreadsheet he tracks every item in every category of thing that he's bought, and he ranks it. So if you ask him about chocolate, he actually has a spread with literally a hundred pieces of chocolate. He goes, I tested all of them. Here's the best one,
27:11
that I think is the best. When we got married, my wedding gift from him was roughly a thousand dollars of stuff that he considered the best. And it was so weird. Like, the best socks, the best underwear, the best lotion. And he's so obsessed with this that Amazon multiple times has banned him from having an account. And so he has to create different credit cards just to continue getting an account. And he's up So he's just obsessed with stuff. Right.
27:36
And he's he's incredibly wealthy and he probably got he probably got wealthy when he was twenty eight, really young. But he's just crazy obsessed with stuff to the point where, like, I I just I just that's I just accept that's he's just an oddball. Right. So, yeah, that that's one example. Let me give you another one that I thought was kind of,
27:55
like, one of the lessons.
27:57
The let lesson number, I don't know where we're on now. Less than five from Kanye.
28:02
Clothes mouth don't get fed.
28:04
So I I don't know if you've seen this scene where he goes into he he kinda, like, just like, he
28:10
the there's, like, a point where, like, the the record label
28:13
is not, like, paying for, like, the studio time because, like, they're they kinda, like, put him on the shelf. They're like, oh, they they weren't sure about him. They don't wanna put the money into, like, promoting him and getting him to record and all this stuff. So he's like,
28:24
pulling in favor some way somehow so he goes to, like,
28:28
he he asked Jamie Fox who he's, like, made beats for before. He's like, hey, I wanna come over. You got the studio in your house? Yo, you mind if I just record something real quick and, like, boom, uses the studio and then gets Jamie Fox to do vocals and that becomes the vocals on one of his tracks. Slow James. Oh, it's dropped out. Yeah. Slow slow jams. Then there's one with JZ. He gets into the studio with JZ. JZ's recording.
28:46
He's like, yo, you, you mind if I wrap for you real quick? And he's like, you know, okay. Yes. You know, I'm not gonna say no. And he just freestyles on the spot with no backtrack.
28:55
Four j z to his face, like, a one on one, like, basically just rip a one man or fighting a poem to another man. It's, like, kind of an amazing thing that's happening.
29:04
And then, so is JayZ, you see him, like, start to nod his head. He just starts to like. He's like, I like it. I like it. He he lets him do a hook on JayZ's. Like, lets him do a verse on JayZ's track. And then JayZ says out loud in the studio, he goes, I had no idea. He goes, but that's he he goes, that just shows you. Close mouth don't get fed.
29:21
And, like, and then they and then they catch on the documentary. The guy, Cootie, they the recording guy, he goes,
29:26
JZ is like leaving. And the Cootie shoots his shot too. He goes, He goes, hold, man. What do you think about Kanye West? And he goes, he's a Kanye West, man. He's he's got it. He's gonna be big. And he goes, and then he goes, he goes, you think so? He goes, I'll put my money on it.
29:40
And he walks out the news. He does, like, the JZ laugh and walks out the studio. And they capture that and they're like, yes. We got, like, basically an endorsement from JayZ, that's gonna help us keep going. And it's just one instance after another of, like,
29:53
In the moment of truth,
29:56
he didn't sit around and wait. He shot his shot and, like, you know, close mouth. Don't get fed. And I just think that's, like, how how did How did you remember all this? Were you literally just with a pen and paper taking notes? Oh, my phone. I was I would write notes. I just write, like, I'd write, like, literally, it says closed louth because I misspelled it at typing fast Clothes Louth, don't get meth. If you don't don't get fat, JC.
30:15
And then I and then I thought about it. Right? Like, because because this This is on your on your iPhone apps. Note time. Yeah. Note And do you do this for all your all things? Like, yeah. I just have notes for everything. Like, I have I have a thing called jokes, and I'm, like, slowly building a a stand up comedy set over time. Like, eventually I'll collect enough funny things. I'm like, oh, that could be a joke. I'll put it there. God, I find that to be amazing. I because I watched the same thing, but you remembered so much more than I did. I was just up I was into it, man. I I just saw so many lessons. And I I remember, like, there's so many moments of my life. Like, I bet you have one too where which is, like, Do you have a closed mouth don't get fed moment? Like, does one jump to mine or those? I'll tell you mine. And and I I bet you you have one.
30:55
I probably have a few,
30:57
but I I've I you know, as you can expect, because I got big mouth. I typically have always I I've done a good job of speaking up. What's yours?
31:06
Like, when I was in college, I,
31:08
at the time, I thought I was gonna be a doctor. So I was pretty mad. I took to m cats. I was ready to graduate and go to med school. And just for fun, I took a blow off class. The easiest class offered on Duke campus was called Getting Rich.
31:19
And, obviously, that changed the direction of my life. And one of the classes, so the teacher was basically she would bring in somebody who had made it in some world and they would come and just talk to us. So this guy was a Was this the most popular? You told me about this. Was it hard to pass it into because it was like highest highest rated of easiness, of fun, And, like, that in on rate my professor dot com, that that professor had a chili pepper next to her name. That means she's Oh, she's hot. So it was, like, all the the high scores
31:43
So I got in and I and I was sitting in class one day and there the guy was a hedge fund guy, I think.
31:48
And he was talking about his career. He's like, alright enough about me. Like, what about you guys? Who's doing something cool? Who's who's got a business that they're trying to trying to who's got a business that they're that they're running,
31:57
or who's got a business that they wanna launch. And he started looking around the class. He basically scanned from left to right He goes, pitch me. Like, that's what I do. I invest. So so pitch me. Hey, there's some less left right. No one is crickets. Nobody's,
32:09
you know, you never seen it quite a group of smart people. And nobody's nobody has their hand. I'm at the very edge of the class on the right. So I kinda had the advantage of I had a moment to, like,
32:18
assess the fork in the road. Yeah.
32:20
And the the night before, me and my friends had had that dumb idea for why is it there at Chipotle for sushi?
32:26
Oh, dude, we can make Like, it was a Chipotle on campus and we want or there's a there's subway on campus and we we wanted to build a version of that fast casual thing for Susushi. I thought it was a funny idea. I had been pitching it the night before to my friends. Where I was safe. And now here was this guy saying, pitch me an idea, and nobody's saying shit. And then I had this thing in my, like, back to identity. I had this thing which was, like,
32:47
You know? You're the cool kid or something? Not the cool kid. I mean, I definitely wasn't cool kid in school, but I just felt to myself, like, I'll take the I'll take the shot. Like, in your in basketball terms, like, in the moment of the in the clutch moment, I'm not gonna be afraid to shoot. I might miss, but I'm not afraid to shoot. And so I did it. I raised my hand. And he goes, alright. Finally, what you got? And it pitched the idea and he goes, that's a terrible idea. He just, like, blew me off and, like, but he's, like, but you know, let me tell you, like, he's, like, even if you go and do that, and he, like, gave this lesson, which was, like, this is America. It's the only country on earth where you get rewarded for failing. Like, you can go fail at a business, and people will give you positive credit for trying. He's like, most countries, this is not how it works. And he goes, he goes, you know, the other thing is a lot of you guys might wanna work at a hedge fund someday or investment bank or whatever. Guess what? The first three four tier resume is all gonna look the same. It's only the bottom, the other section. That's gonna have anything different between you and
33:37
the kid who also was honorable student did good on the SATs and then, you know, graduated with a three three five GPA. So, like, that's the only way that you're gonna get differentiated. So you go do your sushi restaurant, it'll lead you, you know, it it'll help you in what you wanna do even if it fails. And that's, like, pretty much exactly how it played out.
33:54
This was a good conversation because of how much you care.
33:57
I I thoroughly enjoyed this. I just I barely said a word, but I enjoyed it. What do you think, Ben? It's so evident
34:04
when one of us is, like, incredibly passionate about the topic.
34:08
Yeah. And,
34:10
what do you guys feel? Like, is the Kanye Pod in the zeitgeist? Like, do you think that most of your friends are watching it right now? Well, everyone knows what it is, I think. I think a lot of people are watching it. Like, I've I've talked to maybe, like, I don't know, a six, you know, it's one of the big things on Netflix. There's always, like, Oh, you watching the thing on Netflix? That's at the top? Yeah. Like, I am Yeah. Wait, Ben. You you you haven't seen it? I have seen it. Yeah. I watch this. Yeah. I I think that I'm the I'm the only one of us who finished it actually. I watched the the third part is, is not as good as as the first two, though. So you got the first part was great. So have you are you guys watching euphoria?
34:44
No. But I've I've seen I've seen a couple episodes at the beginning. Dude, that shit got me shook. You gotta watch that. Like Yeah. Apparently, if you're a parent, like, it's just, like, you know, nightmare scenario.
34:54
Well, it's this this lady
34:56
what's her name? She's like half white, half black, zedalia or something. Zedaea.
35:01
Zedaea, and she just knocks it out the park, man. This girl is so freaking good. It just it was it was wonderful acting. She killed it.
35:10
I was really ins. I Sarah and I both cried watching it.
35:14
That's got like a bunch of seasons. Right?
35:17
Like two or something. Okay. Yeah. I think two. You gotta watch that. It's so good, man. This lady's such a good actor. Then why'd you ask if it's in the zeitgeist? You you think it's or would you suggest it? Yeah. I just, like, I
35:28
would think that it would kinda reach, like, maybe not Tiger King because that was, like, a phenomenon, but I was hoping because I loved it so much that this documentary would be, like, the thing on Netflix.
35:38
And I was found
35:40
that, like, a third of my friends have seen it. That's true. It's not like as popular, but his craziness is pop. Like the whole thing that he's doing with that with the guy who's dating Kim, what's the what's his name? Pete Davidson. Pete Davidson. That thing is like even that's because that's kinda overshadowing it. Yeah. That could be right. Uh-huh. His crazy's coming out hard.
35:58
I think part of the reason I liked it is part of the reason it's like, getting that big, which is essentially for the first episode, for the first part. He just, like, has old footage of Kanye and kinda just lets it run with, like, a little bit of narration.
36:11
And it's so it's not that much of, like, a narrative story arc that sucks you in. He just kinda, like, lets you be a fly on the wall. Ben, knowing what you know, you had a podcast called raising a genius,
36:21
Is it possible to raise a genius?
36:24
Like, I I I didn't, you're you're I I didn't like that podcast because you didn't do the best job of, like, just telling me the answer. So, like I listened to that also. He did get tell the answer, but I feel like
36:34
it was too narrow. It was like the guy raised three chess champions. Okay. I get that you can raise chess champion. And he played chess. Yeah. Does that mean you can raise a genius or that you can out practice people at a game of chess? Right? Like,
36:47
you know,
36:48
I think those are two different things.
36:50
Well, so can he can can the encouragement that Donna, whatever, Donna West, can the incur encouragement that she gave him
36:58
be a huge factor or a small factor?
37:03
I think it's a factor.
37:06
The PullGAR method, this guy, LASL PullGAR had a very specific method, and I don't think it would work all that well for wrapping because it is
37:14
oriented towards, like,
37:16
outcome driven.
37:18
Like, it'd be good for raising,
37:20
like a guitar player or a chess champion or, swimmer, or, like, those kinda, like, very discreet. You can teach people exactly, or a tennis player would be really good. But, like,
37:32
a rapper or something more creative. I don't know if you can, like it's almost like if it's creative, it has to come from within. You can't have someone else come out and, like, try and raise it. But do you think that that her encouragement of him made him confident or he was born confident?
37:48
I think watching
37:50
That documentary,
37:52
it was crazy to see some of the mannerisms that were the same between her and Kanye I was like, oh, there's something genetic about this. Like, yes, it was her encouragement, but it's also, like, whatever he has he kinda got from her probably would have had it anyway.
38:06
I read this book called the blueprint gene and it kind of changed my opinion where like eighty five percent of everything is genetics.
38:13
That's kinda where I am now. I'm like, even if she was rude to him, maybe he still would've killed it. Dude, but she was rapping. She was good.
38:21
She was just, like, reciting his rap Well, yeah. My mom would not be able to do that. If she was in she she was in English. She said, right? So clearly she was interested. I mean, it's very related. Also, he said he's been, like, making beats since, like, sixth or seventh grade, like, eleven or twelve. And so it's the same sort of thing. It's like, yeah, by the time twenty five, you're gonna be really fucking good at something you've been doing for, like, over fifteen, you know, over over ten years, basically, at that point.
38:45
And at, like, a formative stage where you know, when you're twelve and you get obsessed with something, you can kind of just, like, do it pretty much non stop and get really good at something because you could pick stuff up so fast. You don't have any other things to go do.
38:58
Right. No. That it was a good documentary.
39:01
There there was it got me thinking a lot. That that was a good that was a good one.
39:05
I'm just not gonna I just I couldn't watch the rest because I I knew she was gonna die and it and it was I was being it made me sad just watching them together. It may I got I choked up a couple times seeing them together. Yeah. It was She was, like, touching. Yeah.
39:18
Yeah. She was the,
39:20
the third part is, like, kinda thing because it goes it's like a twenty year time jump and then goes into, like, a lot of stuff he's going through now and kind of the weirdness and running for president and, like, all that.
39:30
And, like,
39:32
at the end, CUdy's just kinda like, yeah, man. I don't know. Pretty weird. You know, like, he doesn't really have anything to say about it. I think he's just, like, kinda affled as well. Dude, it just comes with a territory. That's why when you're when you're creative, man, you you're gonna be crazy.
39:45
You gotta accept the craziness. He's so crazy. Do you remember when he went to Trump's office to show him his version of Air Force one?
39:53
Like, he's he, like, drew up with Air Force. What should it look like? He's he's always man. He's a genius. He is a true genius.
40:02
Alright. That's the episode.
00:00 40:13