- 8 months ago
Fandom To Stardom with david the OH! oliver
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hey, hey. Guess what, ladies and gentlemen? This is Fandom to Stardom. We're reaching
00:12from you to the people of Afro-Punk, Blurcon, the whole Blicky Blackie. We're here. If you
00:22don't know, I'm going to intro you all the people, but basically I am Jamal, Jamal
00:29Harris, and basically I would be the moderator of this happening. And with that, we have these
00:37wonderful, exciting, and just beautiful people in this whole group and everything. And like I said,
00:47it's Fandom to Stardom where we actually bring your fandom into stardom. I know you're trying
00:53to understand what does that mean. That means if you love being dressed up as Batman, and we see
01:02that as a way that we can get you dressed up as Batman into a TV series, a movie, a stage production,
01:09heck, even on radio. If that's a possibility, we possibly can get that done for you with no
01:17hesitations. And with that, I'm going to introduce the one and only, the man that created this
01:24group, David Oliva. What's up, y'all? It's your man, David Oliva. Let me be loud and proud to you,
01:38the LAO man. So look, I started this group with the idea of like, I've been seeing a lot of people
01:44getting bad information on how to get their careers
01:46or their businesses off the ground.
01:48And there was a whole lot of people I was meeting in the Comic-Con
01:50world as well as the regular world
01:52that needed this information. And I kept saying,
01:54why charge for something
01:56that's free? If I really believe in you,
01:58let me find something that can really get it
02:00going and get people interested.
02:02So when I was trying to figure it out, it was really called
02:04nerdism to start them. I didn't
02:06want to really label it nerdism because it's not
02:08normal. Because now being a nerd is
02:10the norm. It's the only superhero
02:12movies and things. So when I
02:14came up with it, I was trying to figure out what to do
02:16and thanks to Corey and Enrique,
02:18they inspired me to go ahead and step it up
02:20and take it to another
02:22notch and bring it actually out to the world
02:24instead of just doing it on my own
02:25through acting classes and business seminars
02:28and that way people can really see me.
02:30And so to you all out
02:32there in the community, if you want to learn
02:34anything that we all
02:36touch on and then some, because this is a lot
02:38that we touch on, whether you're in front of the camera,
02:40behind the camera, behind the big desk
02:42or behind the little desk, we're
02:44here to help you get it. Turn your fandom,
02:46whatever that may be, into
02:48starting, whatever that may be for
02:50you. Define your own success.
02:55Baroness Brie,
02:56she, like I said, diva
02:58too, but yet still she says
03:00it with a smile. And I tell
03:02you right now,
03:03she has
03:06the whole package and everything.
03:08I mean, she is a mommy.
03:10She works hard
03:12at what she does. She's an author.
03:15I can't even tell you
03:16how much this young lady does and everything.
03:18You know what?
03:20Baroness.
03:22Baroness.
03:22Yes, sir.
03:23Take it away.
03:24Take it away.
03:25Please take it away.
03:26Hello, everybody.
03:27Thank you for having me.
03:29Fandom to Stardom has
03:31definitely changed a lot
03:33for me. I was actually
03:34a very shy mom
03:36and enjoyed
03:38cosplaying
03:39in my spare time.
03:41I came across
03:42David and Jamal
03:43at Blur Con
03:442018
03:45and I think
03:47Katsu Con.
03:49But, you know,
03:50you see these guys
03:51and they're off the hook.
03:52They dance.
03:53They do film.
03:54They just doing everything.
03:56They're the energy
03:56of a party.
03:57And I'm like
03:58a little timid mom
03:59in the corner
04:00dressed up as
04:01like Black Widow.
04:03And Dave's like,
04:04you can't have
04:05all of, you know,
04:06this costume going on
04:07and be in the corner
04:08just shying away.
04:09And I'm like,
04:10yeah,
04:11just like you can.
04:11That's what I do.
04:13So, you know,
04:14I decided, you know,
04:15to find out more
04:16about what these gentlemen
04:16were about
04:17and more than anything else,
04:19they boost my confidence.
04:21So, right now,
04:22I have been working
04:24on a podcast.
04:25I'm a podcast host.
04:26Podcast is called
04:27Fabulous Fuckery.
04:28I write.
04:30I have bylines.
04:31Hold up, hold up.
04:32What was that again?
04:33What was it called again?
04:34It's Fabulous Fuckery.
04:36Woo!
04:37It is the self-care
04:39destination
04:39for creative entrepreneurs.
04:42And it's a lot of words,
04:43but we're going to get
04:44through the bad times
04:45by accepting the good times
04:47and always being fabulous.
04:48I like that.
04:50That's good.
04:50So, also,
04:52I'm sitting here
04:52thinking about it.
04:53I write,
04:54I've written,
04:54I have bylines
04:55with Essence Magazine.
04:56I'm in the process
04:57of pitching some other
04:58larger magazines.
05:01They're always pushing me
05:02to go harder.
05:03And I also,
05:04Jamal spilled the beans,
05:06but I have a book
05:07coming out next year
05:08in 2021.
05:10I'm definitely
05:11getting that book.
05:14So, yes,
05:14but no,
05:15but all of it started
05:16by just cosplaying,
05:17being myself,
05:18being my nerdy,
05:19geeky,
05:19normal self,
05:20hanging out at cons
05:21in the corner.
05:22And these two gentlemen
05:24pulled me out the corner,
05:25told me to be myself,
05:26and I actually
05:27upstaged David
05:29on a couple of videos
05:30that we've shot.
05:32So,
05:33learn how to be yourself
05:35is all I can tell you
05:36is what
05:37Phantom of Stardom
05:37has done for me.
05:39Well, that's good.
05:40I mean,
05:41ladies and gentlemen,
05:42right there,
05:43if you wanted to know
05:45what Phantom of Stardom
05:47helps and assist
05:49and create
05:50and so on,
05:51right there,
05:53right there,
05:53the young lady
05:54known as
05:55Baroness Brie.
05:59And her,
05:59and,
06:00and trust me
06:00when we,
06:01when I say this,
06:02ladies and gentlemen,
06:03when she says shy,
06:06I just still don't understand
06:07how she's shy
06:07or timid
06:08or anything.
06:08I'm like,
06:09you're dressed in
06:10black type,
06:12leather looking outfit.
06:15Like those,
06:16you're like,
06:16you have a whip
06:17and yeah,
06:18okay,
06:18you're,
06:18you're a timid
06:19and shy.
06:20Whatever.
06:23My boy Enrique
06:24is from Puerto Rico.
06:26He is the man,
06:26the one and only,
06:28um,
06:28as you heard,
06:30he inspired
06:31my boy David
06:33to get this together,
06:34but he also does
06:35his thing.
06:36He does the things
06:37with the comic books.
06:38I am a comic book
06:40fanatic.
06:41My father introduced
06:42me years ago.
06:43This man,
06:44I feel stupefied.
06:46Okay.
06:47He's the man.
06:48So,
06:48you know what,
06:49Enrique?
06:50Get it off,
06:51my brother.
06:53Mi gente,
06:55ute!
06:56I hope everybody's
06:57doing good.
06:58My name's Enrique Fernandez
06:59and I'm a long time geek.
07:01I've been doing this
07:02since,
07:02my God,
07:031988 was my first convention.
07:05I went to Bencon.
07:07And so,
07:08you know,
07:08one of the things
07:09that's always fascinated me
07:10about,
07:10about this whole convention scene
07:12was that you look at
07:13what conventions
07:14looked like in 1988
07:15and it was almost
07:16exclusively
07:18old,
07:21bald,
07:22unattractive white men
07:24that I'm talking about
07:2598,
07:2599% of what was there.
07:27That's what you saw
07:28at conventions.
07:29And so,
07:30I got out of that scene
07:31probably about 15,
07:3220 years ago.
07:33I mean,
07:33I was really into comics
07:34and I discovered girls,
07:35kind of got out of comics
07:37and,
07:38you know,
07:39college and all that.
07:40I,
07:40you know,
07:40I always had my sort of
07:42interest in geekdom,
07:43but like,
07:43I kind of closeted it.
07:45I was a little embarrassed
07:46to admit that I liked
07:47superheroes
07:48and action figures
07:50and those sorts of things.
07:51And frankly,
07:52the scene wasn't very
07:54welcoming.
07:55You know,
07:56it,
07:56you know,
07:56up until a couple of years ago,
07:58the scene wasn't very diverse
07:59and there weren't a lot
08:00of women involved.
08:01And so,
08:02you even looked at
08:03who the creators were
08:04and the creators
08:05were mostly men
08:06and mostly,
08:07frankly,
08:08mostly white men.
08:09So,
08:09a lot of the characters,
08:10a lot of the stories,
08:11a lot of the,
08:12what was coming out
08:13in fiction
08:13wasn't really made for us
08:15and it wasn't made
08:16with us in mind.
08:19I'd love to go into
08:20a discussion about
08:21how great
08:22the demographic shifts
08:25in comic book creation,
08:27popular culture creation,
08:28the massive difference
08:29as they made,
08:30but that's a conversation
08:31for another day.
08:32Right now,
08:33what I'm doing
08:33is I'm a comic book vendor
08:35at conventions.
08:36It's my side gig,
08:37but it's something
08:37that I've been doing
08:38since 2014
08:39and I absolutely love it.
08:41It's a great way
08:42to meet people.
08:43There's a wonderful
08:44social element to it
08:45and,
08:46you know,
08:46look,
08:47you do make a couple
08:47of dollars,
08:48but frankly,
08:49you know,
08:50I just love comic books
08:51and I love geekdom.
08:52So,
08:52for me to be able
08:53to do anything
08:54to help to spread it,
08:55to help to get people
08:57who might be
08:57a little intimidated
08:58to learn about
08:59comics.
09:00Those are things
09:01that I absolutely
09:01love to do.
09:03Going back to
09:04the era of Star Trek,
09:05always talked about
09:06what it is
09:07that we could be,
09:08how we could
09:08better ourselves
09:09and I think comics
09:10are starting to give us
09:10that in a way
09:12in which our voices
09:13are starting to be
09:14represented.
09:15Certainly,
09:15I highly recommend
09:16Jordan Peele's
09:17Lovecraft Country
09:18for anybody
09:19who's looking for,
09:21you know,
09:21what these products
09:24look like
09:24when we create
09:25our own characters
09:26and tell our own
09:27stories.
09:28So,
09:29that's why I'm here.
09:30I want to be a part
09:31of that.
09:31I like that we are
09:32starting to tell
09:33our own stories
09:33and this group
09:34is part of that
09:35initiative.
09:36So,
09:36if you are interested
09:37in telling your story,
09:40creating your character,
09:41frankly,
09:42if you want to sell
09:43your own comic book,
09:43come talk to us
09:44because I have a booth
09:45every year
09:46that I set up
09:46at Blurred Con.
09:47I've been doing it
09:48since Blurred Con
09:49year one
09:49and until they kick me
09:51out of there
09:51or they tell me
09:52that I can't set up
09:52that booth there,
09:53I will be there.
09:54And I think,
09:55you know,
09:55that's my role
09:57right here
09:57is I want to get,
09:59you know,
09:59somebody who says
10:00I want to read
10:00a comic book
10:01but I've never
10:01been into them.
10:02I'm looking for you.
10:03I want to make you
10:05a geek.
10:05I want you to be
10:06one of us.
10:07One of us.
10:08One of us.
10:09One of us.
10:10So,
10:10one of us.
10:12That's what I'm
10:13talking about.
10:13So,
10:14very proud to be
10:15a part of this group.
10:17Very glad and thankful
10:18for what Corey
10:19and David Dio
10:19put together.
10:20Jamal,
10:21you've been amazing
10:21in terms of
10:22putting the
10:23energy with us
10:24and we've got
10:24a great team.
10:26So,
10:27I definitely recommend
10:28if you want to be
10:28a part of this,
10:29come join up.
10:30Meet up with us.
10:31We're very friendly.
10:32We're very outgoing.
10:33And so,
10:34even if you're shy,
10:35you know,
10:36all of us are geeks.
10:37So,
10:38we understand
10:38what it is
10:39to feel a little bit,
10:41you know,
10:41rejected sometimes,
10:43maybe feel a little bit
10:44unwelcome.
10:44This is a group
10:45that is going to
10:46make you feel welcome
10:46and we want you here.
10:48That's what I got.
10:49Ladies and gentlemen,
10:51this is
10:52Malika and Yousef.
10:54They make it.
10:55Kora Koopa,
10:56they do it all.
10:57They make the costume.
10:58Hit it,
10:59my sister and brother.
11:00Hey!
11:01So,
11:05we are
11:06Kora Koopa.
11:07I am
11:07Malika Hussain.
11:08And I'm Yousef Hussain.
11:10We're Kora Koopa.
11:11And we're married.
11:12Yeah.
11:12For like,
11:13oh,
11:13really?
11:13It's like five years?
11:14Almost six years now.
11:16Wow.
11:16And this is not about
11:17our marriage life.
11:18Right.
11:19Anyway,
11:20Kora Koopa,
11:22we are a small business
11:23where we're dedicated
11:23to creating costumes,
11:25cosplays,
11:26accessories,
11:27jewelry.
11:28We can make things
11:29for animals.
11:29We make things
11:30for our son,
11:31who happens to be a turtle.
11:32But yeah,
11:33we do a lot of things.
11:34We also make props
11:35that light up, too.
11:38Specializes
11:38and plus sizes
11:39for those.
11:42That's pretty much
11:42how we got started.
11:43Yeah.
11:44You know,
11:45I'm a six-foot big guy
11:47and yeah,
11:49it's kind of hard
11:49to find clothing
11:50to fix me.
11:51The struggle is real.
11:52The struggle is real.
11:53So my wonderful wife here.
11:56So, you know,
11:57we started the cosplaying,
11:58you know,
11:58back in Otacon 2015.
12:01And we both went
12:02as like basic stuff.
12:03Like I went as Ox King.
12:04And I was just
12:05a regular Lolita.
12:06That's not a cosplay.
12:07It's a J fashion.
12:08Yeah,
12:09it's a lifestyle.
12:10It's a lifestyle.
12:11So we had to take
12:12that love and passion
12:13and make it into
12:14something that we call
12:15our own.
12:16So as you can see here,
12:18this is actually
12:18made by her.
12:21And, you know,
12:22we just come up
12:22with the ideas.
12:23So we're basically
12:24like a team.
12:25We work together.
12:26Like I'm the one.
12:27I'm the sewer.
12:28We're both the crafter.
12:30I'm the needle and thread.
12:32He's the technology guy.
12:33He's responsible
12:34for making things light up,
12:35to make things move around.
12:37You know,
12:37maybe to make,
12:38you know,
12:39not maybe,
12:39but definitely one day
12:40make things,
12:41make sounds,
12:42you know,
12:43something pop in your face,
12:44you know.
12:46So we're growing,
12:47we're learning,
12:48and yeah,
12:48we're definitely taking clients.
12:50And, you know,
12:51so if we could do it,
12:53literally starting
12:54from like nothing
12:55and having no idea
12:56what to do,
12:57like she just kind of started,
12:59she used to do hand sewing.
13:01I used to do hand sewing
13:01from seven to 2015,
13:04seven years old
13:05all the way up to 2015.
13:06So seven to 21.
13:07And I didn't even think
13:08anything about it.
13:09You know what I mean?
13:10And then it was like,
13:12it was because of
13:13the lack of diversity
13:16when it comes to
13:17these costumes
13:18and cosplays.
13:20I had no choice
13:21but to like,
13:22learn it.
13:23Okay.
13:24You know,
13:24just get up
13:25and just see,
13:26like,
13:26and it wasn't as easy
13:27as I thought it would be.
13:28I would say,
13:29oh,
13:29you could just,
13:30no.
13:31You had to like,
13:33know the machine,
13:35know how to fix it
13:37without,
13:37you know,
13:38breaking the bank
13:39which is another thing.
13:42And yeah,
13:42it started from there.
13:44And then,
13:45and honestly,
13:46you know,
13:47we were doing small stuff,
13:49you know,
13:50she was doing,
13:50you know,
13:50small little projects
13:51and there was one day,
13:53you know,
13:53at the Cherry Blossom Festival,
13:54I was wearing a kimono
13:55and we bumped into David
13:57and David was like,
13:59hey,
14:00that's awesome.
14:01Like,
14:01that's a pretty big kimono.
14:02Where'd you get it from?
14:03And I was like,
14:04well,
14:04she made it for me.
14:05He was like,
14:06are you serious?
14:07Like,
14:08can she make me an outfit?
14:10And I was like,
14:11yes.
14:12we'll try.
14:13And yeah,
14:15and we tried
14:16and yeah,
14:16we did it.
14:17And,
14:17you know,
14:18again,
14:18thank you,
14:18David,
14:19you know,
14:19or,
14:20you know,
14:20just kind of giving us
14:21that push that we needed.
14:23Seriously.
14:24You know,
14:24if,
14:25you know,
14:25it was just that catalyst
14:26that,
14:27you know,
14:27just helped us
14:28kind of find,
14:29you know,
14:30like Brie said,
14:30you know,
14:30our confidence,
14:32you know,
14:32something that we,
14:33you know,
14:33we thought that we had
14:35and yeah,
14:36we actually did have it.
14:37We're still expanding so much.
14:39Like we have so many people
14:40who reach out to us.
14:42We know we did our first
14:43cosplay photo shoot this year,
14:44which was so epic.
14:46It like so crazy.
14:47Everything was happening
14:48so fast.
14:48Yeah.
14:49So please follow us,
14:50you know,
14:50and yeah,
14:51if you're interested
14:52in costume design
14:53and you want us to,
14:55you know,
14:55maybe even create
14:56your own costume,
14:56you know,
14:56reach out to us.
14:57And another thing
14:58is I want to mention
14:59is like,
15:00don't be afraid
15:01to ask questions,
15:02you know,
15:03that was like one
15:04of my things
15:05as coming into,
15:07coming into like
15:08Phantom Startup.
15:09I was always like
15:10so scared.
15:10It's like,
15:10oh man,
15:11am I going to sound stupid?
15:12Am I going to sound weird?
15:13Like,
15:13it's okay to be weird.
15:15We're all a bunch of weirdos
15:16and that's good.
15:18And we're the good ones.
15:20Oh,
15:20this is Face High.
15:21I'm just going to take that back.
15:23I'm,
15:23I'm,
15:24oh,
15:24I'm just eccentric.
15:26Yes.
15:27Don't,
15:28I'm not,
15:28this young man right here,
15:31I'm going to tell you right now,
15:33he's cool.
15:35He might not look at,
15:36when you see him,
15:37he's like,
15:37okay,
15:38because he's painted up
15:40as a hero.
15:41And if you can't know,
15:43now you should know.
15:44This man right here,
15:45Corey,
15:46I know him from H.U.
15:49Basically,
15:50he's a great guy.
15:51He loves what he's doing
15:52and a lot of people
15:53can't say that.
15:54And you know what?
15:55I can't say no more.
15:56Yo,
15:56Corey,
15:58kick him in the grill,
15:58bro.
15:59Oh my,
16:00yes.
16:01How y'all doing?
16:02This is,
16:02this is fantastic.
16:03Yes.
16:04My name is Corey Morgan.
16:05I am a face and body artist.
16:08I,
16:08I'm a face and body art instructor
16:11with one of the largest
16:11face painting and body art
16:14organizations in the world.
16:16I actually am one of the only
16:18black male instructors
16:19that,
16:20that,
16:20that actually does this.
16:22There's a few of us,
16:23but there ain't many.
16:25I'm also a,
16:26I'm also a cosplayer,
16:27but I'll go into a couple of,
16:29you know,
16:29to each of those.
16:30You know,
16:30I started face painting back in
16:32like 2007.
16:34I took my daughter to a birthday party
16:36and it was a lady there
16:37who was doing face painting
16:39and,
16:40and I've been drawing all my life
16:41and I just looked at it.
16:42I'm like,
16:43I could do that.
16:45I,
16:45why am I not doing that right now?
16:47She's making money at this
16:48and I could do this.
16:50And I went and got,
16:51I introduced myself to her.
16:54She showed me where I could get
16:56my own supplies from
16:57and I went
16:58and I got my own,
16:59you know,
16:59beginner set of face painting supplies
17:00and started practicing
17:02and right away,
17:02I was the best face painter I knew.
17:05And unfortunately,
17:07I was the only face painter I knew
17:10and when I started looking at
17:11what the real pros were doing,
17:14I realized that I needed
17:16about three months more practice
17:18just to be terrible at this.
17:20And it,
17:22but instead of making me want to quit
17:23because I just saw how great they were,
17:25it encouraged me
17:27and motivated me to be even better at it.
17:28So I just kept working at it,
17:30kept practicing,
17:31kept grabbing my daughter to,
17:32you know,
17:33to paint,
17:33you know,
17:33to paint,
17:34to practice on her.
17:36And,
17:36you know,
17:37eventually I've really discovered
17:38my own style,
17:39my own niche,
17:40especially when it comes to doing
17:42like the comic book superhero
17:43type designs.
17:44I've been a comic book nut
17:46all my life.
17:47I've been painting
17:47superhero designs
17:49enough that I've wound up
17:50with a literal worldwide following.
17:52Started teaching classes on it.
17:54I've taught around the country
17:56a couple of years ago.
17:58I went to England
17:59and taught multiple classes
18:01around Europe
18:01and just really picked up
18:04on this thing
18:04and I just fell in love
18:07with doing face and body art.
18:09Cosplaying.
18:10Started cosplaying in 2015.
18:12My oldest daughter,
18:13was making,
18:14because she's,
18:15my oldest daughter,
18:16Noelle,
18:16she's 20 now.
18:17She's like a genius.
18:18She's studying
18:18computer science
18:20and electrical engineering,
18:21robotics engineering,
18:22but she also taught herself
18:23how to knit,
18:26sew,
18:26and crochet
18:27and was making
18:28her own costumes.
18:30And I always thought about,
18:31you know,
18:31if I could cosplay,
18:33I'd do something.
18:34Maybe I'd be the Falcon
18:35or Black Panther
18:35or something.
18:36And then she started,
18:38she was serious about it.
18:40I said,
18:40you know what,
18:40let me do that.
18:41I'm actually going to put,
18:42put together a costume.
18:44The first costume I did
18:45was Mr. Terrific
18:47from DC Comics.
18:49Yes.
18:49It was a Black male superhero
18:51whose main,
18:52whose main attribute
18:53is his intelligence,
18:55which to me,
18:55that's,
18:56that's,
18:56that's really important.
18:58Not just being able
18:59to shoot electricity
19:00or lift buildings,
19:01but to be smart,
19:02to be intelligent
19:03and be able to use that
19:05to your advantage.
19:06The fact that you have kids
19:07and full-grown adults
19:09who will stop you
19:10in the middle of the street
19:10to get a picture with you
19:11because you are always,
19:12you are somebody's
19:13favorite character.
19:14Pretty much.
19:14And I just branched out.
19:16I've been doing,
19:16you know,
19:17the,
19:17you know,
19:18you can see behind me there,
19:19those are just a few
19:20of the costumes
19:22I've,
19:22I've got going on.
19:24Many of them were made
19:26by my daughter.
19:27Others are commissioned
19:27and,
19:28and designed by myself.
19:30Yeah.
19:30I'm,
19:30I'm a 50-year-old
19:32father of two.
19:34I've been married
19:35for 24 years
19:36and one of the things
19:37that I try to do
19:38along with a lot
19:39of the other cosplayers
19:40that are my age
19:41is try to bring
19:41that family aspect to it,
19:43that role model aspect to it.
19:44You know,
19:44lend a voice of wisdom
19:45to the craft.
19:47It's a fantastic hobby.
19:49It's a fantastic industry
19:51and I enjoy it to death.
19:53Corey,
19:54keep knowing
19:54what you're doing, man.
19:56Again,
19:57you know,
19:58I'm proud of you.
19:59Let's just know that.
20:00Proud.
20:01Proud of you.
20:02Let's take over real quick.
20:03Okay, okay.
20:05Okay, okay.
20:06But I got to introduce
20:08my man the right way.
20:09Y'all got to know
20:10what Jamal Harris means
20:11to the rest of this team.
20:13He's the heart
20:14behind what we do.
20:15You know what I'm saying?
20:16I'm your friendly neighborhood
20:17loud, foul, mouth, asshole.
20:19And he's always
20:20the cool, calm,
20:21collected one
20:21over there in the back.
20:22As you heard many of them say,
20:24it was always challenging
20:25because here I'm coming,
20:27yeah,
20:27what do you do?
20:28Okay,
20:29do it.
20:30And then Jamal's like,
20:31yeah,
20:32so what do you mean, man?
20:33Yeah, we got you.
20:33So he handles photography
20:36and videography,
20:37but I'm going to let him
20:37tell you how he connected
20:38to the group.
20:39Jamal,
20:40take him.
20:42Tell him.
20:43Tell him.
20:44I'm Jamal.
20:46No, basically,
20:52I'm the guy
20:53that's very fortunate
20:56to be in a group
20:57of people
20:57that I'm just proud of.
21:01David,
21:02I've known for years.
21:06Corey, years.
21:08And I'm just being introduced
21:10to the Baroness.
21:13Wonderful to meet
21:15such a,
21:16you know,
21:16wonderful spirit.
21:17My boy,
21:18you're freaking out.
21:21Love it.
21:22I mean,
21:22just to have someone
21:23to be in,
21:25you know,
21:25be a knowledge
21:26of the comic
21:28and the,
21:29oh my goodness,
21:29the history.
21:30And I didn't feel
21:31awkward speaking about it.
21:33Love it.
21:34And of course,
21:35he calls him,
21:36David calls him
21:36the Wonder Twins.
21:39I just,
21:40okay,
21:41whatever.
21:44Malika and Youssef.
21:47Wonderful souls.
21:49Beautiful people.
21:51Wonderful talent.
21:52And I met that from,
21:55oh, stop it.
21:57And I met the,
21:58you know,
21:58I saw that the moment
21:59I met them
22:00and everything.
22:00I saw what they did.
22:01And I saw what they did
22:02for David
22:03and creation-wise
22:04and everything.
22:05And I already knew
22:06from the start
22:07and so on,
22:08hey,
22:08they have it.
22:09For me,
22:10I do the thing,
22:11I do the photography.
22:12I do the videography.
22:15And with that,
22:16it's because I like
22:17capturing the people.
22:20Not just because people
22:21say,
22:21oh,
22:21I can take a photo
22:22and they bring up
22:22a camera.
22:23You know,
22:23oh,
22:24look at my,
22:24look,
22:24look,
22:24I got a,
22:25I got a cell phone.
22:26Look at me.
22:26No.
22:28It kills me.
22:30But no,
22:30it's capturing
22:31the actual,
22:33person
22:33in that moment.
22:35And that's
22:35the biggest thing.
22:37And for that regard,
22:39the videography
22:39as well,
22:41David is showing
22:42me more of that.
22:44If you,
22:44like you said,
22:45my background,
22:46martial arts,
22:48comic books,
22:51whatever.
22:52If you don't notice
22:53the thing in the background,
22:55you see a Doctor Who.
22:56I've been a Doctor Who
22:58admirer for decades,
23:01decades.
23:02And the reason why
23:03is because
23:03imagine being
23:04in the hood
23:06and the only TV station
23:08your grandmother
23:09will allow you
23:11to look at
23:11is PBS.
23:12And I had
23:13nothing but Doctor Who
23:15and,
23:15you know,
23:17the grassy junior high.
23:19Oh,
23:19no.
23:19So literally,
23:21you know,
23:22you know,
23:24you know,
23:24can I help
23:25all that?
23:26So I grew up
23:27on very limited things,
23:28but,
23:29you know,
23:30they say it's called
23:31me a Black nerd
23:32or whatever.
23:33I guess I was a nerd
23:34for many,
23:35many decades
23:36because that's all
23:37I watched
23:38and so on
23:39because I was loud.
23:40It's like,
23:40I had to study.
23:41I had to go clean up.
23:43I was like,
23:43no,
23:43you got to go.
23:44I literally,
23:45and this is the funniest part,
23:46my grandmother would say,
23:47no,
23:47you can't watch television
23:48until you do your chores.
23:50So that meant
23:50I had to get up
23:51and literally go
23:53mow the lawn,
23:54watch clothes,
23:55do the dishes
23:56or whatever.
23:57And I'm looking at her like,
23:58can you help me?
24:00Can you help me,
24:01brother?
24:01And then I was able
24:03to watch a cartoon
24:04or PBS
24:06and watch Doctor Who
24:07in repeats.
24:08So that's me
24:09in a nutshell.
24:11And again,
24:12all these people here,
24:14I'm connected to them
24:15just because of just,
24:16again,
24:17Fairness Bree,
24:18talented.
24:20Yusef,
24:21Malika,
24:22talented.
24:23My boy,
24:23Corey,
24:25talent.
24:26Talent.
24:27Like I said,
24:28Enrique,
24:29wow.
24:29And for my boy,
24:31David,
24:32D-O,
24:33all of them.
24:37I'm just grateful
24:38for him,
24:39period.
24:39And again,
24:40he is talented
24:41and I love him.
24:43So there you go
24:44in a nutshell.
24:47Guys,
24:49that's the squad.
24:51And I'll touch on me
24:52real quick
24:53because you heard
24:53my name mentioned a lot.
24:55And they're like,
24:55I know they're not
24:56floating his head.
24:57So no,
24:57I didn't pay him
24:58any money.
24:59This is
24:59real quick
25:02for you
25:03that don't know.
25:04My resume
25:05is very long
25:05and I'll touch
25:06on it a little bit
25:07and then I'll get
25:08into why these
25:08lovely people
25:09came around
25:10because the whole
25:11thing,
25:11as I said earlier,
25:12is that
25:13I wanted to get
25:14the information
25:15to people like yourself
25:16because we all
25:17need a team
25:18in order to be
25:19successful
25:20and do what
25:20we got to do.
25:21And it was always
25:22a problem for me
25:23when I saw that
25:24people didn't have
25:24a team of solid people
25:26who wanted to work
25:27with them from the start.
25:28Not when they got
25:29the money,
25:30not when they got
25:30to a halfway point,
25:31not when they got
25:31to the finish line,
25:32but from the start,
25:33go through the ups
25:34and downs and trials
25:35and tribulations
25:36with them.
25:36That's what I wanted.
25:38So in short,
25:39I'm mostly known
25:41for acting,
25:42dancing,
25:43singing,
25:44martial arts
25:44and stunt work
25:45and now hosting
25:46things to this
25:47wonderful team
25:48right here.
25:48I'm jumping out
25:49in front,
25:50we're hosting
25:50the festival.
25:51And I'm also
25:52taking my years
25:54of training
25:55as production person
25:56because I started
25:57off doing
25:58production coordinator
25:59for different people,
26:00TV shows,
26:01festivals and so forth.
26:03And then I also
26:03was doing music
26:04as a house music person
26:06and funk person.
26:07So rapping
26:08and singing
26:08was incorporated,
26:10but I always
26:10had this knack
26:11for putting together
26:12solid teams,
26:14kind of like
26:14an HR person.
26:16And in doing that,
26:17I got trained
26:18and I took some time,
26:20developed the skill set
26:21of writing,
26:22editing,
26:22directing
26:23and producing
26:24and really understood
26:25what those titles meant.
26:26And then I was teaching.
26:28So then it became
26:28more of a theme
26:29where, hey,
26:29wait a minute, man,
26:30let's get it out
26:31to the community.
26:32And so people
26:32started coming to me
26:34and like they always say,
26:35to make a great Omni,
26:36got to crack a few eggs.
26:37So I went through
26:38several different variations
26:39of this team,
26:40different names.
26:41It used to be
26:41the fuller modern
26:42when I was dancing
26:43at BET.
26:44I had dancers
26:45and singers coming together
26:46when it was supposed
26:46to be a show.
26:47The original group
26:48that I had
26:48that was doing
26:49the music side of it
26:50was called Intense.
26:51And we actually took
26:52as far as going
26:53to the Apollo.
26:54And in that regard,
26:55people started asking me,
26:56well, man,
26:57how are you working
26:57a full-time job?
26:59You're taking care
27:00of your parents,
27:00over them stroke victims,
27:01taking care of their house,
27:02your house,
27:03and you're still going
27:05back and forth
27:05to New York
27:06to travel
27:06and do all this work.
27:07I said sacrifice,
27:09determination,
27:11understanding what
27:12my level of success
27:13meant to not just
27:15everyone around me,
27:17but me.
27:18Because I had to be clear
27:19on what that was
27:20because I was going
27:21to sacrifice.
27:22So you got to know
27:22what you're sacrificing for.
27:24Because there's going
27:24to be them days
27:25where you're going
27:25to be out there,
27:25why am I doing this?
27:27And so bringing it back
27:29to the people
27:29who do both cosplay
27:31and everything,
27:32as you heard,
27:33they all are unique
27:34in their own,
27:34you know,
27:36situations.
27:36I'm the one
27:37that's kind of
27:38left out of center.
27:39I just put Dave
27:40in a costume.
27:41I just know a couple
27:42of comic book characters.
27:43I put some makeup on
27:44when I got to do some stuff.
27:46I know how to put
27:46some clothes together.
27:47I know how to talk smack
27:49on the radio like Bree.
27:50You know what I'm saying?
27:51I know I take some good videos
27:52and pictures like Jamal.
27:53So I'm your hoshposh
27:55of talent and creativity.
27:58And I said,
27:58I need extensions of myself.
28:01And going out here
28:03and creating this team,
28:04it was by fortunately
28:06that you heard me say earlier,
28:07Corey was working
28:08with somebody else.
28:10And it took a year
28:10before me and him connect
28:11to realize what was going on.
28:13I met Enrique
28:13at the 25th anniversary,
28:15I believe,
28:16for The Last Dragon,
28:17where I came dressed
28:18as shown up,
28:19which freaked everybody out.
28:21And Enrique didn't know
28:22who I really was,
28:23but everybody was talking
28:24about me.
28:24And some people knew me
28:25from the club scene.
28:26So I'm known for doing
28:27the split.
28:28Y'all see that in a second.
28:29And it was him
28:30who pushed us
28:31to get into Blur Con
28:32when I posted on there,
28:33hey, what are you guys
28:34doing about panels?
28:35Because what Yousef
28:36didn't tell you
28:37was him and Malik
28:38was supposed to do
28:38a panel on cause plans.
28:40And if you haven't
28:41picked it up now,
28:42their religion is Muslim.
28:43And oh,
28:44let me touch on diversity.
28:45I have Latino,
28:46Black,
28:47half Black and White,
28:49Cherokee.
28:49All of us are here.
28:50And then in our team
28:51of network,
28:52we have transgenders,
28:53we have gay,
28:54we have bisexual.
28:55We have everything
28:56because we don't believe
28:58in nothing
28:58that has color,
29:01race,
29:01money.
29:02It's all about your talent
29:04and what you want
29:05to give to the world
29:06and the world
29:07should see you.
29:08And as a person
29:08who was held back
29:09for 20 years
29:10working with people
29:11who didn't really know
29:12what they were doing,
29:13I said no.
29:14I need a good solid team
29:15of professionals
29:16who you don't know
29:18but you're going to know
29:20and you got to respect them.
29:21So that's where
29:22this came about.
29:23And then of course,
29:24with Verena's
29:25same principle.
29:26She saw us at an event.
29:27We saw her.
29:28She made one tragic mistake.
29:30She saw me battling.
29:31Somebody on the dance floor
29:32and said,
29:34hey,
29:34can you be on my podcast?
29:36Big mistake
29:37because I saw her personality
29:39and I said,
29:40hey,
29:41what do you do?
29:43What do you name?
29:45All right.
29:46And then we met up again.
29:47She's all,
29:48you know,
29:48I work for now
29:49and I work here
29:50and I do that.
29:51And I said,
29:52excuse me,
29:54what happened to the hot chick
29:55in the hot leather pants
29:56with the afro?
29:57Where'd she go at?
29:58Because she was fire.
30:00You know,
30:01she was fire.
30:02I don't know who this chick is.
30:03You at your job.
30:04Cut that out.
30:05What's the name of the show?
30:06Fabulous fuckery.
30:07And I said,
30:07well,
30:07we got to extend that,
30:09you know?
30:09And then with Jamal,
30:11Jamal's always at the club
30:12working with other people,
30:14taking photography
30:15and making their stuff
30:16look great.
30:16And I said,
30:17nah,
30:17I need him
30:19to come work with me
30:20so the world
30:21can see his artistic view
30:23through his lens,
30:25you know?
30:25And then again,
30:26back to Enrique,
30:28yo,
30:28as you can't tell,
30:29this dude's in the psychopedia
30:30walking.
30:32So I have to put this brother
30:33out there
30:34and he helps out
30:35whenever I need it
30:36without even having to be there
30:37all the time.
30:38So it's like,
30:39when you got real support
30:40and you ain't got to say it every day,
30:42that's what you keep.
30:43And of course,
30:44Corey's like,
30:45I don't even want to say
30:46the word spokesman,
30:47but he's the representative
30:48of what we do
30:49as a collective
30:49because he's the one
30:51that's out there.
30:52I'm just loud.
30:53He's out there.
30:54You know what I'm saying?
30:55I won't argue with that.
30:57To get Wonder Twins,
30:58that's why we nicknamed
30:59them the Wonder Twins
31:00and according to Bree,
31:02we are
31:02the Justice League.
31:04You know what I'm saying?
31:05The Super Friends.
31:06Super Friends.
31:07Well, I like,
31:08okay,
31:08Super Friends.
31:09But I'm old,
31:11okay?
31:12Because I'm,
31:13I'm Patman.
31:15You're a loud man.
31:17That's what
31:17did you say?
31:18Oh, man.
31:22They would think
31:23I was Superman,
31:23but I'm all Superman
31:25because remember I said
31:25he's the nice one.
31:27I'm the asshole.
31:28So I'm,
31:29I'm Patman.
31:30You know what I'm saying?
31:31So I'm always dead.
31:32Oh, wow.
31:33Yeah, I know.
31:34And then Corey is cyborg.
31:35You know,
31:36no,
31:36Enrique is cyborg.
31:38Enrique is cyborg.
31:39And Malik and Yusef
31:40are the Wonder Twins
31:41but they don't have a dog.
31:43They have a turtle.
31:44Yep.
31:45So...
31:45He bites.
31:46And he's sleeping right now,
31:47so we'll let him rest right now.
31:50Because he bites.
31:50Because he bites.
31:52Right.
31:52And because of them,
31:54the name is stuck.
31:55You know what I'm saying?
31:55So Bree, of course,
31:56is Wonder Woman.
31:58You know what I'm saying?
31:59And we let Corey just be cyborg.
32:00No, he's not cyborg.
32:01What's the other boy's name?
32:02Flash.
32:03You know what I'm saying?
32:04So he's zip, zip, zip.
32:06You know what I'm saying?
32:06He's always dead.
32:07He's like,
32:07wait here.
32:09You know what I'm saying?
32:09Right now,
32:12he looks like him.
32:14He's exhausting.
32:14We're about to get into it.
32:18And I want the team to talk about it,
32:20if y'all don't mind,
32:22some of the success stories
32:23that y'all may have had individually
32:25and or as a collective
32:26since we all got together.
32:31Anybody can go first?
32:32Well, let me put it this way.
32:34I'm going to point it out
32:37that this is a success story
32:39in itself right now.
32:40Right now,
32:42ladies and gentlemen,
32:43this is a success story
32:44because we are all coming
32:46from different avenues
32:47of business and so on
32:49and everything.
32:50And in life,
32:52you know,
32:52avenues of life.
32:53So I want to kick it off
32:55to my peoples,
32:59the wonder twins,
33:02Malik and Yusef.
33:03Go for it, go for it,
33:03go for it.
33:04Hit us off with,
33:05you know, something.
33:06So I guess this year,
33:08before the lovely,
33:09you know,
33:10Corona came into town,
33:12right?
33:14We actually had a photo shoot,
33:16which is our first
33:17professional photo shoot,
33:18which was filmed by
33:20or shot by
33:21your truly Jamal.
33:23Jamal Industries.
33:25Yeah.
33:26Yep.
33:27Look at that.
33:28Look at that.
33:28Look at that.
33:29Look at that.
33:30And he took
33:30wonderful pictures.
33:32You know,
33:32we got some actual
33:34models from
33:35Instagram, right?
33:36She's the
33:38social media person.
33:41I live behind my turtle.
33:42He's the one
33:43on Facebook.
33:44Okay.
33:48But yeah,
33:49that photo shoot
33:50was awesome.
33:51And after that,
33:52I believe we've got
33:53a huge crowd, right?
33:54Yeah.
33:55Like our numbers
33:56increased drastically.
33:57Okay.
33:58A lot of people know
34:00or they know
34:02who we already know
34:03about Kora Koopa.
34:04They've like,
34:04oh,
34:05the turtle couple.
34:06I'm like,
34:06yeah,
34:06that works.
34:07The turtle couple.
34:08Yeah.
34:10Wow.
34:10I take it.
34:11Yeah.
34:11I take it.
34:13We're looking for it
34:14in the future
34:14to put in more,
34:16making our turtle
34:16more cosplays
34:17if they want to
34:18mention the turtle couple.
34:20So,
34:20it's an honor.
34:22But you know what?
34:22Let me add on
34:23to your success story
34:24because when we
34:26connected up,
34:27yeah,
34:27they were shy,
34:28they were mild-mannered,
34:29and they were doing
34:30what they had to do.
34:31But one of the things
34:32I saw with them
34:33was once they got
34:34on the subject matter,
34:35they truly got excited.
34:37They truly were
34:38into it.
34:39And I just kept saying again,
34:41why hold back?
34:42And once they saw,
34:44they did the first outfit
34:44was for me,
34:45was the Monkey King.
34:47And that went over
34:49like boom
34:50because even,
34:52y'all remember
34:53Kid and Play?
34:54Oh,
34:55yeah.
34:56Yes.
34:56There was a picture
34:57that I took with Play,
34:58and Play knew exactly
35:00what it was when I said,
35:01he said,
35:01all right,
35:02King,
35:02everybody else
35:03thought I was
35:04Forrest Whitaker
35:05from Black Panther.
35:07I mean,
35:07literally,
35:08everybody else
35:08called the Play album.
35:09I'm like,
35:10really?
35:11I don't.
35:12All right,
35:12Corey,
35:13yo,
35:13I know for anyone
35:16to know this,
35:17I've known this young man
35:18for some time,
35:19but in himself,
35:21he is,
35:22it's a sales story
35:23himself.
35:24But more of that,
35:26he's done other things
35:27that I'm just finding out.
35:29And you know what,
35:30Corey,
35:31here's what the knowledge.
35:32I'll tell you what,
35:33my favorite success story,
35:35though,
35:35has to be David
35:37Oliver getting me
35:39on television
35:40twice.
35:41I was going to say that.
35:42I was going to say that.
35:43It had to be twice
35:44because it took two times
35:46for y'all to actually
35:46see me on camera.
35:48Man,
35:49there was like seven people
35:50on camera,
35:51and there was eight of us
35:52on,
35:52there was eight of us
35:53in the room.
35:55This lady who was,
35:56who was actually
35:57doing the commentary
35:58stood directly
36:00in front of me
36:01and every,
36:02and I'm behind her.
36:03Every time I moved,
36:04I moved to the left,
36:05so did she.
36:06I moved to the right,
36:07so did she.
36:08I couldn't prove
36:08I was on television
36:09that day.
36:10It was ridiculous.
36:11I mean,
36:11it's not like I can
36:12push her out the way.
36:13She's the one
36:14that's doing interviewing.
36:16I can tap her on the shoulder
36:17like,
36:17excuse me,
36:17can you move her out the way?
36:19Right.
36:20It took a whole other year
36:22for me to get back
36:23on camera
36:24where we did
36:24the promo
36:26for the Funk Parade
36:26the next year,
36:28and I had my,
36:28I was in my,
36:29my U.S. Agent Falcon
36:30costume that year.
36:32The next year,
36:32I was in my,
36:33my Captain America costume,
36:35and it finally,
36:36I had the whole,
36:37I had the whole scene
36:37to myself,
36:38and they had,
36:39Andrea Rohn came up,
36:41and we got to take
36:41pictures there,
36:42so that was so much better.
36:44Folks at work
36:45finally saw me
36:46on television.
36:47They didn't believe me
36:47the last time,
36:49because they couldn't
36:49see me on screen.
36:50And then what you know,
36:51the funny thing about it,
36:52when he did it,
36:55everybody had to
36:56take a picture with him.
36:57And then because of him,
36:58they brought Bluricon in
37:00about a week or so
37:01before Bluricon
37:02happened that year,
37:042018.
37:05So it was like
37:06a good thing for everybody
37:07when that happened.
37:08You know what I'm saying?
37:09Oh, yeah, yeah.
37:10And now,
37:11let me touch on Enrique,
37:13because with Enrique,
37:14when we connected up,
37:15like I said earlier,
37:16it was randomly
37:17at an event,
37:18but when he started
37:20talking about
37:20when he wanted to do
37:20the comic book stuff
37:21and how he wanted to
37:22expand his presence,
37:24not just the comics,
37:25but him,
37:26that's when it was like,
37:27okay,
37:27let's put Enrique out,
37:29and whenever we do events,
37:30you know,
37:31we put his stuff out
37:32all the time,
37:32and then we put him
37:33up on the page.
37:34A guy hit me up
37:35all in the blue
37:36saying,
37:36hey, man,
37:37how can I sell
37:38my comic books?
37:39And I'm like,
37:39dude,
37:39I'm not the man.
37:40I'm going to introduce
37:41you to the man.
37:42So I'll let Enrique
37:44tell his story.
37:46Yeah, you know,
37:46it's been a fun time,
37:49and yeah,
37:50David and I met
37:50at a,
37:52what was it,
37:54The Legend,
37:55The Last Dragon,
37:5625-year anniversary.
37:58Tamac was there,
37:59and I went there,
38:00I think I can admit
38:01to all of this now,
38:02I went there
38:03because the woman
38:04who was producing it,
38:06the mutual friend
38:07of ours from Philly,
38:07I had a huge crush
38:09on at the time.
38:09Now,
38:10I think I can admit
38:10to that now,
38:11but David and I
38:12started chatting,
38:12he was dressed
38:13like show enough,
38:14and so we ended
38:15up doing this great,
38:16and we'll share
38:17that later.
38:18There's a photo
38:18of the two of us
38:19posing in martial arts
38:20poses looking like
38:21we're sparring
38:22against each other,
38:23and so out of that,
38:24a friendship was born,
38:26and in terms of the group,
38:27I mean,
38:27I've been doing this
38:28comic book band
38:28since 2014,
38:30but it's a lonely thing,
38:33and so it's nice
38:34to have a group
38:34of friends,
38:35it's nice
38:36to have people
38:37that you can rely on,
38:39and it's good
38:41to have folks
38:41to be able
38:42to share the experience
38:42with,
38:43which for me
38:43has been a real treasure,
38:45and having witnessed
38:47the panel at Blurred Con,
38:50I mean,
38:50it was really something,
38:52and the one thing
38:53that I get out of this,
38:56that I've understood
38:58out of this,
38:58is that desire
39:01to tell our story
39:03is there,
39:04and that need
39:06to find the right means
39:09and media
39:09by which to be able
39:10to communicate
39:11our message
39:11and our stories,
39:13it's definitely there,
39:14but a lot of the folks
39:15who have the ideas
39:16don't know how
39:17to connect with the media.
39:18Like I said,
39:19for me, Enrique,
39:20you're definitely,
39:22for what you've gone through
39:24to get where you are
39:26now today,
39:27hey,
39:28you are a success story
39:29in itself,
39:30and that's just part
39:31of what this group
39:32says to everyone.
39:34It's like,
39:34hey,
39:35this is where we are.
39:38Let us help you
39:38bring that
39:39to your life as well,
39:41and that's a good thing.
39:43Your story goes along
39:45with Bree's story
39:46because even though
39:48Bree has been doing
39:49her own thing
39:49and she's been out there,
39:51she touched on it earlier,
39:52but what I saw
39:53was the need
39:54for all of y'all
39:56to go outside
39:57your element
39:57and go back
39:58into my element,
39:59which was street
40:00performing,
40:00because that's
40:01where I started
40:01and we had a chance
40:03through the guy
40:04named Eric Suggs
40:05who has Baltimore
40:06City Book Fair
40:07and he's like,
40:09can you guys come out
40:10and do an hour here
40:11and an hour here?
40:13But we,
40:14being who we are,
40:16took it from that
40:17on Friday night
40:18and took over
40:19and then Saturday,
40:20we completely took over
40:22and took them
40:22into a six-hour festival.
40:25But I want to talk
40:26about the successful
40:27Bree,
40:27because now
40:29she was outside
40:29the studio,
40:30outside of what
40:31she does for work
40:32and the way
40:33she handled the crowd,
40:36my God,
40:37I had to stand back.
40:38So,
40:39I mean,
40:39I got up,
40:39got my microphone
40:40and I just started
40:41kind of heckling people
40:42as they were wandering
40:43past,
40:44getting people
40:45to come and talk
40:45to us,
40:46getting people
40:46to stay focused
40:47for,
40:48you know,
40:49a 20-minute
40:49little mini show,
40:50but it was just
40:51talking about
40:52current events
40:53and there was
40:54an older couple,
40:55it was a lady
40:56and her kids
40:57and she's like,
40:58it's cold,
40:59I want to sit down.
41:00So she came,
41:00she said,
41:00y'all got a heater
41:01in here?
41:02And so we had a heater
41:02and she's like,
41:04y'all talking
41:04some good shit.
41:05And,
41:05you know,
41:06I was like,
41:06oh,
41:06okay.
41:07So,
41:07you know,
41:07she was enjoying
41:08herself and she's
41:09talking and she's
41:10hollering at me
41:10and I'm talking to her
41:11and I said,
41:11man,
41:12when you like the mic?
41:13So Dave went
41:13and took her
41:14the microphone
41:14and,
41:15you know,
41:16we're sitting there
41:16and we're just chit-chatting
41:17and she was like,
41:18I'm a fan for life.
41:19And I'm like,
41:20you know,
41:21just talking to people
41:22about real life stuff
41:23and having fun.
41:24So that is something
41:25I would have never done
41:27on my own.
41:28That is something
41:29that this group
41:30definitely gave me
41:31the confidence to do.
41:33Our whole thing
41:34is get dressed and go.
41:36Since meeting
41:37the Fan of the Stardom People,
41:38I've done the brilliant
41:39Baltimore.
41:40I have spoken
41:41at four or five
41:42podcast conferences.
41:45I have been featured
41:46on 15 different podcasts.
41:49I am now
41:49finishing this book.
41:51We're in the last edit,
41:52y'all,
41:53so it's going to be
41:53coming soon.
41:54These are things
41:55that I've always
41:56wanted to do,
41:57but David made me
41:58do a wish list
41:59of things that I saw
42:01for myself
42:01in the next one year,
42:02two years,
42:03five years.
42:04We get together
42:05and make greatness happen.
42:08So I'm looking forward
42:08to When Outside Does Reopen
42:10where we can get
42:11in y'all faces
42:13and tell y'all
42:14about Fandom to Stardom.
42:15Come listen
42:16to our podcast.
42:17Come watch
42:18our Instagrams.
42:19Watch what we're doing.
42:20Even in the middle
42:20of a pandemic,
42:21we're still kicking ass
42:22and we want y'all
42:23to come do it with us.
42:25And you know what?
42:26Let me piggyback
42:27on what she's saying
42:27and this is for you guys
42:29over at Blurricon
42:30that run Blurricon.
42:31Once again,
42:32we'll say thank y'all
42:32for paying attention
42:33because our biggest
42:34success story
42:35started with you all
42:37in 2019
42:38when we did
42:39our first outing
42:41with the concept
42:42of this team
42:43and sure enough
42:44before we even
42:45realize it,
42:46we had a packed room
42:48and nobody knew
42:51what was going on
42:52but it was like crazy
42:54and the number one element
42:56that people walked away with
42:57was the network
42:58that was done
42:59instantaneously
43:00in that room
43:02to create not only
43:03like new businesses
43:04but job opportunities
43:05and right now
43:06we have two success stories
43:08where one young lady
43:09because of her thing
43:10with doing stuff
43:11with lightsabers
43:12I got a chance
43:13for her to submit
43:13for a video game commercial
43:15another one
43:16because of what he's
43:17going through
43:18in his life
43:18I got him a chance
43:20to get into
43:20a credit card commercial
43:22and now
43:22they have partial representation
43:24in New York
43:25with a legit management company
43:27so it's things like that
43:29and we had to thank
43:30Blurricon
43:31because again
43:32we met these people
43:33yeah and so
43:34Bree was in the audience
43:35and what she saw
43:37from her perspective
43:38was again
43:39she had her known
43:40group of people
43:41that followed her
43:42Malika had hers
43:43Yusef had his
43:44Enrique had his
43:45and Corey has his
43:46but when we came together
43:48and we saw
43:49how the room was packed
43:50and Bree was like
43:51yo I gotta get on this group
43:52I told her
43:53okay
43:53and we talked about it
43:54because it was a thing
43:56Blurricon was able
43:57to allow everybody
43:59to see
43:59the concept I created
44:01and with this team
44:02of people
44:03they saw themselves
44:03they saw shy
44:05they saw insecurity
44:06they saw overconfident
44:08they saw overzealous
44:09they saw wonder
44:11they saw greatness
44:13they saw everything
44:14they could possibly see
44:15and then the bonus was
44:16we showed them
44:17hey
44:18it's difficult
44:19to keep going
44:21but it's easy
44:22to start
44:23and success
44:25comes with that
44:26and that's what we did
44:28and that day
44:29was electrifying
44:30so again
44:30thanks to Hilton
44:31and Ashley
44:32on Blurricon
44:33for listening to Enrique
44:35for listening
44:36to my craziness
44:37and saying
44:38Dave
44:38bring fandom
44:39and stardom to you
44:40so we're not
44:42going to hold you guys
44:43up any longer
44:43what we're going
44:44to do right here
44:45I'm going to let
44:46everybody
44:46sound off
44:48give it a social media
44:49and where you can
44:50find them at
44:51and a tidbit
44:52of advice for you
44:53so the next time
44:54you see us
44:55you know what time it is
44:56go ahead
44:57kick it off
44:57there wonder twins
44:58y'all hit them
44:59with the pow
44:59alright hi
45:00you know
45:01it's very nice
45:02to meet you
45:03those of us
45:03who do not know
45:04we are Cura Koopa
45:05please follow us
45:06at the Cura Koopa
45:08company on Instagram
45:09and the Cura Koopa
45:11company on Facebook
45:12as well
45:12yo
45:14spell that for them
45:15K-U-R-A
45:19K-U-P-A
45:22Cura Koopa
45:23Cura Koopa
45:25I always mess it up
45:27so don't follow me
45:28that's them
45:29Cura
45:30the word
45:31from
45:31which means
45:33to create
45:33in Japanese
45:34Koopa
45:35with
45:35more to Koopa
45:36the turtle
45:37the Mario turtles
45:39hey Enrique
45:42where they can get you at man
45:44and what's your advice
45:45do a thing
45:45listen you can find me
45:47on Facebook
45:48Enrique Fernandez
45:49you know
45:50there's a couple of us
45:51there's another one
45:51who's an artist in Spain
45:52but I'm the only one
45:53based out of Washington DC
45:54so I'm fairly easy
45:55to find on Facebook
45:56feel free to hit me up
45:57in case you've got
45:58questions about
45:59how do I price my comics
46:01how do I sell my comics
46:02how do I set up
46:03a booth at a convention
46:04those sorts of things
46:05happy to work with you
46:06happy to help out
46:07in any shape
46:08way or form I can
46:09if you want to tell
46:10your story
46:11you're seeking folks
46:11that you want to tell
46:12your story with
46:13feel free to reach out
46:14to me
46:14and I'll get you in touch
46:15with some of my
46:15colleagues here
46:16yo Brie
46:17tell them where
46:18they can find you
46:19you know what I'm saying
46:20and most importantly
46:22what's your tidbit
46:23of advice
46:23I'm gonna give you
46:25my tidbit of advice
46:26first
46:26you cannot
46:28mess up
46:29what the universe
46:29has gotten for you
46:30so as soon as you
46:32find your purpose
46:33you can't mess it up
46:35it's just all about
46:36timing
46:36you can find me
46:38at
46:38www.baronessbree.com
46:41b-a-r-o-n-e-s-s-b-r-e-e
46:46and that's dot com
46:48you can find me
46:49at Baroness Bree
46:49on Twitter
46:50Instagram
46:50Facebook
46:51Tumblr
46:53Pinterest
46:53and
46:54something else
46:55nope
46:56hey Corey
47:00how can they
47:01find you man
47:01and what's your
47:02tidbit of advice
47:03alright there's a
47:04couple of ways
47:04to find me
47:05you can find me
47:06on Instagram
47:06at Corey
47:071914
47:09C-O-R-E-Y
47:111914
47:13my Facebook
47:14you can reach me
47:15at
47:16my face painting
47:17page
47:17is Corey's
47:18face painting
47:19C-O-R-E-Y-S
47:20face painting
47:21common spelling
47:22those spaces
47:23my cosplay
47:24page
47:25is straight
47:26out of cosplay
47:27like straight
47:28out of Compton
47:29without the Compton
47:30S-T-R-A-I-T-H-T-O-U-T-T-A
47:34C-O-S-P-L-A-Y
47:36that's it
47:37my advice
47:38know what you're worth
47:40know your worth
47:41don't let anybody
47:42tell you
47:43what you're worth
47:44because they don't
47:45know you
47:45they don't know
47:46your struggle
47:46they don't know
47:47what you've gone through
47:48you know all that
47:49you know what you've put in
47:50so you know
47:51what your time
47:52what your talent
47:53what your ability
47:54is worth
47:55don't let anybody
47:56tell you different
47:57hey Jamal
47:59your turn brother
48:00tell them where they
48:01can find you
48:01and what's your
48:02tidbit of advice
48:03you can find me
48:05at
48:05Jamal
48:06imagery
48:08that's
48:08J-U-V-O-L
48:11underscore
48:12imagery
48:13at Instagram
48:15and
48:16basically
48:17my advice
48:20for you
48:20live your life
48:22live life
48:23live your dreams
48:26do not
48:28let anyone
48:29stop you
48:30from living
48:30your dreams
48:31don't let yourself
48:33stop living
48:34your dreams
48:34because one thing
48:36is
48:36if you don't
48:37live it
48:37you'll never
48:39know the beauty
48:40of you
48:40so
48:41live your life
48:42live your dreams
48:43and on that note
48:48guys
48:49I'd like to
48:49introduce myself
48:50once again
48:51I'm David
48:52the old
48:52Oliver
48:54and that's
48:55David
48:55T-H-E-O-H
48:57I am a word
48:58not a letter
48:59and it's all
49:01together
49:01David
49:01the old
49:02Oliver
49:03T-H-E-O-H
49:04put David
49:05the old
49:05together
49:06and you can find
49:06it on Instagram
49:07and Facebook
49:08and if you want
49:09to get in contact
49:09with the rest of the team
49:10all at the same time
49:11find our page
49:12on Instagram
49:13called
49:13Fandom
49:14to starting
49:15that's
49:15F-A-N-D-O-M
49:17the word
49:18to
49:19which is
49:19T-O
49:20starting
49:21and you can find
49:22us there on
49:23Instagram
49:23or Facebook
49:24and we'd be happy
49:25to answer your questions
49:26if it ain't one of us
49:27it's all of us
49:28and you can send us
49:29whatever you got
49:30and then also
49:31my advice to you guys
49:32as you heard
49:32numerous times
49:33throughout this conversation
49:34get dressed
49:36and go
49:37because there's
49:38nothing else
49:39worse
49:39than to have
49:40a regret
49:41when you see
49:42somebody else
49:43getting
49:44what you should
49:44have got
49:45once again
49:46thanks to
49:47Blurricon
49:48Afropunk
49:49and everybody
49:50who's been listening
49:51this is
49:52team
49:53family
49:53stardom
49:54give it up
49:55for yourselves
49:55guys
49:56thank you
49:58thank you
50:00thank you
50:01I'm
50:02very good
50:03thank you
50:04thank you