Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Today's podcast is sponsored by Sea Geek. If you didn't know,
see Geek is the official ticketing partner of the Brooklyn
Whether you're trying to go to a Nets game, Liberty Game, concert,
or any other event at Barclay Center, you really only
need Sea Geek. Welcome to Courtside Conversation. I'm your girl,
(00:32):
Ali Love. After years on the Heartwood as the in
arena host for the Brooklyn Nets, It's time for me
to take a courtside. We're here with artists, athletes, and
all of our favorite people to break down the game
called life. We're getting real about the grow up and
the glow up, so let's take a seat. Hailing from
(00:56):
our very own Brooklyn, New York, b k All Day,
our guest today is a TV host, stal expert, and
producer who has worked on networks from t n T
to n b A and Bleacher Report. You can catch
him on air supporting causes he cares about, or tearing
on his favorite team at a big game. We're gonna
take a courtside with one of the coolest guys I know,
(01:18):
Lands Fresh, and be sure to stick around because we
have a really cool post game chat with a Brooklyn
net Okay, Lands, let's get into this. So just so
you know, your first guest on this podcast, it's exciting
because we just got deemed Courtside Conversation. It's called the podcast.
I know you have no details, and for you to
(01:39):
come on a podcast and not even realize and recognized
like what the title was, what we're gonna be talking about,
I just want to say, thank you so much. That's
how that's how much love we are for each other.
So thank you for sure. I heard Brooklyn and heard
Alley love. I'm like done, done, done. Um. Just so
you know in terms of what this how we're shaping
these narratives and these conversations that our courtside is like,
(02:00):
we all have an affinity towards sports and or a team,
and most of what attracts people to sport is this
kind of concept of being a part of something right,
to be one of many, and to create the best
lives for ourselves as always aligned with a personal objective.
And so whether you are an athlete and artist or
all of our favorite people from the yets to championship moments,
(02:20):
I mean, from things that happen in our lives to
the pitch to the court to the field. We all
know that we just want that w and the win
can look different for everyone, but in the game of life,
it is available to us all. So thank you so
much for joining courtside conversation, um Lands. For us, you
are a TV personality, You're a host, I mean, you
are the man when it comes to style. You are
(02:41):
fantastic human being and you're a great friend. So I'm
excited to have this conversation of what it means to win,
and of course we explore your journey together. Let's get
to it, let's get it, get to it all right.
So I'd like to kind of pop off a little differently.
Instead of just getting into the narrative of your life,
which we will discuss and you know, get into the
to that stuff, um to the game time moments. I
(03:03):
thought we start off with a little bit of what
we probably called like our moment our, our fire wrappit.
Are you down for that? I'm down. No, this is
not just any fire wrappit. Okay, it's not called rappit fire.
It's called fire wrappit. Just know that those words are
intentionally changed. But there are a bunch of questions. So
(03:25):
when I say you need to come off the top
of the dome. You need to come off the top
of the dome. Okay, I got it, all right, Okay,
here we go. What's your zodiac sign scorpio? Favorite workout? Uh?
Tellton all right? Um? Who would play your younger self
(03:46):
in a movie? My younger self? My son would play
my younger self because he is he is the younger me.
There's a little light skin night in or night out? Uh?
Night in? Okay? Top three artists? Top three artists LIEU,
Wayne jay Z and I throw kid Cutty up there.
(04:12):
Oh I love that morning person or night out? I'm
owning person. Really you be up late though, you be
up late? Okay. Who was the last person you go? Ahead?
Last person texted? Uh was my mom? Shout outs to
(04:33):
the moms, though. Okay. You can have dinner with one
person dead or alive, and then when one person, um, say,
my boy, Kobe, nice light pe Kobe. Um, who's your
favorite person ever to interview? I'm gonna go with Kobe again.
(04:56):
How would you describe your morning routine? One word? Uh,
just early. It's it's it's early, very early. You have
when you have kids. It's early, all right? Which is
the best breakfast, lunch or dinner. Oh, breakfast, you can.
You can eat it anytime. I'm like a breakfast you know,
(05:19):
at lunchtime kind of guy, not brunch, but breakfast at lunch. Shot,
breakfast at lunch, not brunched. To be clear, was the
last thing you googled? The last thing I googled was, Oh, no,
maybe it's something, uh a book, a book. Actually I
(05:42):
just got I just got a new coffee table book,
um black ivy. Uh So I just literally just googled
that and I picked it up from Barnes and Nobles
this morning. Actually, wait, you went there's a Barns and
Nobles in in the world. Yeah, right on on Court Street. Oh,
in Brooklyn. Honestly, Like, I only remember that Barnes and
Nobles on fourteen Street, and then when it was when
(06:03):
it was gone, I was like, that's the end of
Barnes and Nobles in life. Like I've had never seen
the Barnes and Nobles in the wild except on fourteen Streets. Didn't.
I didn't even know what's gone. See. I'm more disappointed
about the movie theater, the Court Street movie theater being
taken down this year. The Barnes and Nobles still standing.
So I guess I guess remember at movie theater, but
I guess I wasn't looking for books when I be
(06:24):
in Brooklyn. Right, it was right next to the I
don't know how you missed that. But never never, all right,
this is your walkout song. One song that they play
when they introduced lands Fresh the song as they play,
Uh damn, it has to be. I can't. I can't
think of a particular song. But it's a song off
(06:46):
of off of black album. Off the black album jay
Z is a black album. You can just you can
just pick a song off for that. You can shuffle
and you're good. Yeah, what's the uh, I'm gonna give
you one. I'm giving one. Sorry. Let let me just
look through that real quick. I know it's fire rappit.
Let me let do it real quick and I'll tell
your rappit is the thing. No longer are the days
(07:06):
of rapid fire folks. Okay, it's gonna be uh my
first song. Okay, there we go, Gito or Dorito's Cheeto's puffy. Okay,
I'm kay. You are favorite animal? My favorite animals A dog.
(07:26):
I have a puppy dog. Yeah. And then last question,
your favorite designer, my favorite designer. Mm hmm man, uh
say Virgil? Yeah, you know, I was just thinking, I'm like,
I was gonna say anybody black, you know, Um, but
(07:48):
you look at my closet is pretty much you know,
like this is parent Preston, Like, I don't rarely wear
down black designers. So I'll tell you something like Virgil. Nice.
Well that was our rapid fire. Thank you so much
for It's a great way to get to know you
really quickly. Um, but let's get to know you a
little bit more slowly. Let's start from where you are now.
(08:09):
You've done a lot in your career. You broke down
a lot of barriers when it came to host, when
it came to court side culture in itself, and a
part of that for you was style. In the moment
that you are now looking back over your career, where
do you think this all stemmed from? I think, uh,
you know, for me watching sports, you know, I only
knew growing up, I only knew ESPN and things like that.
(08:32):
So it's like as a as a as a former athlete,
and you know person from Brooklyn, it's like we care
about you know, I cared about sports obviously, but then
being from Brooklyn, it's like it's just so much culture.
It's like, how can I not be how can I
not be cool? Right? How can you not be cool
being from Brooklyn? So that was the thing that I
carried around where we always But as I as I
kept you know, watching, you know, I grew up like
(08:55):
idolizing people like a modern Shoine, you know, and and
and and that cool side of sports. And that's something
I always really wanted. I always cared about. And then
once you started seeing those things go away, those those
shows go away, I'm like, man, you know, we need
we need more content like that. So it's like for
me being that person that was introduced into sports and
(09:15):
and and being able to meet these guys and and uh,
you know, the young athletes and the Kevin Durance and
those guys who some of my first interviews, it was
kind of refreshing for them to see me, you know,
like it was like, you're not the typical guy that's
covered sports. You know, you're rocking Jordan's, you look like me,
you speak like me. You know, I had to work
on my annunciation and things like that, as as I'm
(09:37):
sure you you know, you're perfected already, but I'm still
working on that. But it's it's just things like that
and just kind of like not being that guy you
know cool recognize is cool and I always say that.
So I was able to be put in a position
where no one looked like me and no one's doing
what I was doing. Um So I was able. I
was able to stand out. And then you know with
that came you know, more respect and responsibility and you
(10:00):
know just kind of you know, being up to me
to kind of like pave a you know, pave a
lane for myself and creating lane for myself because I
remember the first time I met you, and I think
it was at the the Next Bowling thing. Um so
that was like back with the wheels on the team,
and you know that was that was fun, you know,
and for me that was kind of like you know,
like I have friends who see that and they say, oh, man,
(10:21):
you were around this guy, that guy, that guy, and
you know, for us, it's just like, man, we just
want to do cool things. We just wanna change the
culture and we want to be you know. So I
couldn't even really think about it like that where I'm like, oh,
I'm around this ten time All Star or this person.
I'm like, man, I wanted to ask this guy about
his kicks. I want to ask this guy about, you know,
things that are different from you know, what he's normally
(10:42):
asked because they it's easy to ask, Oh, why are
you guys on the five game losing streak and things
like that, and then I would come in and be like, um,
so yeah, what are you what are you planning on wearing?
You know, what kicks are you wearing for the All
Star Game? And things like that. They were like question
that I like. So for me, it was just kind
of like removing myself from the from the moment minute,
I think, um, and I was just able to kind
(11:03):
of like be myself and I think that's, um, you
don't really get that chance a lot um, And I
think it was for me it was about understanding that
if you don't, we are in a rare situation that
we're able to be around the biggest athletes in the world.
But it's just a matter of like, you know, taking
that leap of faith and talking about the things that
you know they want to talk about. So I think
that's kind of where started started from me. And then
I just kinda you know. Once I got, you know,
(11:26):
my feet in the ground, I was like, all right, cool,
let's let's do this, you know, let's keep you pushing.
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(11:48):
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when you had the chance to put your feet out
the free throw line and take your shot, how did
you know that this was a viable career option. It's similar.
I love that you share the story of us meeting
(12:08):
because meeting you was kind of like home. I saw
somebody into your too, like kind of playing off that
it was for me real, recognized real. I had no
idea what I was doing. I knew you did know
what you were doing, but I knew that there was
a space that I could feel in terms of okay,
this is sport. As a woman in sports entertainment, as
someone who grew up like huge sports fan from a
family who were athletes, like, how how can I how
(12:31):
can I make my way into this space and talk
about things that are important to everyday fans like myself
that may not have ever played or doesn't know the
game as well, but appeal to all types of people.
And I remember meeting you and it was very comfortable
for me because one, as a black woman in this space,
it was like good to see another black person doing something,
a young person, and then you did it in yes
(12:53):
you you still are but even in that moment, so cool.
But in terms of this being a career opportunity, most
of us don't know what's available to us. I didn't
know it was available for me to become a host.
I had to figure it out or see people like
you at a young age to say this is an option.
So feed are on the free throw line. You're gonna
throw your You're gonna you know, take your shot. There's
(13:15):
a free throw is free at this point unless it's
unless it's game time, like you know, a couple of
seconds at the end fourth quarter. But free throw is
free is what I grew up when it came to
the game of basketball. Take you a free throw, and
that's what you did. But when did you know, as
you you know, on the line, when did you know
this was a career option for you that you can
make money, you can support yourself, start a family, and
(13:36):
actually go forward. Yeah, So for me, you know, it
would have to start back, you know, I mean just
going back to college where I studied to be behind
the camera. So I went to school for TV and
film production, and um, you know, I always wanted to
be like the next Spike Lead and next you know,
like I grew up on set on sets with Spike
(13:57):
Lead as my mom was a teacher but also at
risk of models, So like I grew up around it
and that's when I kind of like fell in love
with it. Um. So you know I wanted to be
like Hike Williams and Little X and you know, like
these folks. So growing up, sports was my was my avenue. Right.
It took me to school and you know, I played
and I competed, and you know I was, you know,
sports my life because it's like taught me so much.
(14:20):
But it wasn't until like like I said, I only
knew ESPN. So then getting into the business and working
in reality TV as a producer. I was like, all right,
you know what, I don't want to find a way
to get into sports. And then I found Blutch to
report and then you know, just when Blutes reports of
startup UH they were opening up their video production company
UH and UH in New York because they had started
in the Bay and you know, just being just being
(14:43):
there in the startup. You know, startup you get you
kind of get to do whatever you want, right You
kind of get to feel things out. You played multiple
position as you wear different hats, and for me, it
was kind of like, this is what we should be doing.
We should be doing this this kind of content. So
that once I started seeing these videos go viral from
these questions that I'm asking, whether it's me asking Kobe,
you know, is he gonna get ten assists and in
(15:05):
a in an All Star game and he, you know,
his reaction go on viral, or you know, me going
to Slaggy Pea's house and like looking at his shoes.
Before it was like actually a thing, you know, once
these things started blowing up and I started hearing, you know,
from the founders of the company, Dave Finocchio, He's like, man,
you need to be on camera and I'm like wow,
I'm like you know, wait, Lance takes me back to
(15:28):
that moment of how did you get this job? Like who?
Like what was that moment of like okay, securing that
even that spot to create. So I was the last
reality show I worked on was Project One Way All
started season one, and um, you know after that, I
was kind of like done with reality. I'm like I
can't do this. I worked for thirty days straight, no
days off. It was away from my from my son
(15:50):
like it was. It was. It was a lot, and
I was like, man, I need I need to find
something else. So in the meantime, you know, one of
my friends, um, Gary Ford's another Brooklyn guy you know,
played played with the Nest for a for a short time.
Um he was one of the athletes who had diabetes
who you know, overcame the odds and made it so
for me, I was just around him shooting things and
that's all That's the only experience I had, and like,
(16:12):
like I have my camera. I was editing some videos
for him and we were like working on a documentary
for him, and that was my only experience in sports.
So that was like during the lockout year, Lebron all
these guys came to uh to Philly for a lockout game.
I went there literally just sat under the basket, shot
the game, shot pictures, Um Chris, Paul Mellow, all these dudes,
(16:35):
Uh Lebron. It was it was. It was a crazy game.
And that's the only bit I had of sports anything.
So I'm literally just like job hunting and within doing
my research for trying to create this documentary and getting
more uh information about players who had diabetes and things
like that, people like Adam Morrison. Uh. I found Bleacher Report.
So then when I'm on a job hunt, I see
(16:57):
Bleacher Reports. So I'm like, oh, that's that site that
I was on. So that's kind of how I found that.
And I applied and the only sports thing I had
to send was my lockout game, So the lockout video
that I shot, and you know, they were just like,
oh man, this is dope. You know, come in, you know,
and I came in and I got the job. And
that's you know, like I said, at the time, it
was just Bleacher Report. Now it's huge, but this is
(17:18):
like before Turner, before anything, and you know, that's that's
how I how I got there. So when I went
to these shoots, I didn't go there as to these
you know nets events. I didn't go there as talent.
I went there to produce and to not be on camera.
Um Lo and behold my first story. My first shoot
on cameras with was with Kyrie um And the only
(17:39):
reason that I shot it with him was because he
was late. We had mutual friends relate to a full
locker event. We hadmutual friends, and I was like, yo,
Ris Kyrie, and He's like yo, he's like an hour late.
So I'm like, you know what, I'm here with all
these kicks, let me just do this little sneaker feature
on all these kids. And I know about So it's
like all these kicks that are dropping in two weeks,
you know, for foot Lockers Week at Great this, I'm like,
(18:00):
let me just do a video. You know. This is
the penny, this is the phone posit, this drop this thing.
You know. So then that ended up going viral at
the time, you know. So it's like five hundred years
and that's a video that I just went home, edited,
cut myself, stayed at the office, you know, a little later,
posted it and made my own profile on Blucher Report,
and like I said, I'm just a producer at this time,
(18:21):
and I posted it and it started going crazy. I
sent it to our social team and it's like, oh man,
this is great, We're gonna post this. And then you know,
I ended up interviewing Kyrie for what I was supposed
to be there for for, you know, the Beach Report side,
asking the boring you know, on the court questions, right
so um so yes. And then after that it was
kind of like, oh man, yeah, we need to do
more content like this, but it wasn't a thing where
it was like, yeah, we really we want you to
(18:43):
be on camera. Um. And then I just kept you know,
vanessing and doing my own things separate from what I
was supposed to be doing, Like I was gonna do
always gonna do what I came here to do, but
I would do a second video that I would cut
and edit myself, and then from there that's kind of
that's kind of how I got, you know, the free
range kind of like you things. When I had these
conversations were the founders and they were like, man, what
(19:03):
else should we do because at the time, you know,
Bleacher Reports competition where people like sp Nation Um, I
don't think Barstood was even a thing, and like they
had their uh their YouTube page, so we were like
a YouTube you know, outlet. So you know, fast forward
to that, as I'm doing more, I'm getting more, you know,
rain to do things. Turner acquires Bleacher Report. It's like
(19:25):
two years later and then you know, once Turner comes through,
you know, I have a meeting with David Leevy, who
was the president at the time and also spend time
with the Nets as well. Uh. He was like, yeo, man,
we moved on camera. He's like, we need you on camera.
We need you to do everything that you want to do,
like all your ideas. And then I started then I'm
want on T and T and NBA TV and now
I'm sounding signing a time a talent contract. So I
(19:46):
want to say that moment, going back to your question,
that moment for me where I was like, yeah, this
is something that's gonna change my life is when uh,
you know, I took a I took that free throw right.
It was like it cost me nothing but time away
from my friends to stay to stay after you know,
I always shout out this editor Fred Woodland, Um, he stayed,
he stayed there after, he was like, yo, man, what
(20:07):
you're doing. I'm like, I'm working on this thing. I
think we should be doing sneakers and stuff like that.
And you know, I edited and he took it home
for me and that was the first video. So that
was a Thanksgiving Um. That was a Thanksgiving weekend, right,
So like everybody so nobody's in the office, so I'm staying.
I stayed up. I stayed after and it's like, you know,
you hear the stories about putting that extra time, and
you know, like I said, I grew up a Kobe
(20:27):
fan and I knew what it's taking out one championships
in high school and college, and you know, I know
what it takes to put that extra time. But that's
for me. That's what I was doing at that at
that moment that Friday, at Wednesday, UM, before Thanksgiving, I'm
literally putting in two or three hours in the gym,
you know what I mean, perfecting what I what I
want to do that and that really changed my life.
So for that, that was like the moment where I
(20:48):
was like, you know, and I got that call, that
g chat or whatever from from the founder of the company.
He was like, yo, man, I'm coming into the office,
you know, next week we gotta talk about you being talent,
my talent. I'm like, okay, cool. So you know it
was that that was for me, that was that was
the moment. And then you know that was like what
almost ten years ago. That's crazy. Yeah, that's creative, creative innovation.
(21:09):
I mean, when you think about all the songs that
we love, like, I mean, we could quote any line.
The first thing that came to my obviously Miami three
h five or a gross right, we build it, you
bought it, renovated like we you know, I created the
space that you're applying to. That wasn't a job before
I was here. I created this space. I built it,
and now you get to apply to the job that title,
(21:30):
which is I mean, it's amazing. Nothing wrong with buying
the renovator. You gotta get in where you get in
and then you start from building from there. But what
what is almost? I mean I had got goose bumps
for in this story. It was truly inspiring to hear
because when you look at you and we talked about, oh,
that's the cool guy, you know, and before people know
your name, even my friends back in the day, it's
just more of like, oh, that's the fashion guy, Like
(21:50):
we know that's the guy with the style. He's a host.
And but before you got some of those titles right
and you you had to literally put in the work.
And what we forget is that the favorite rap song
where the lines that we live by, doesn't always apply
to the professional athlete or the professional artists. It applies.
It applies to all of us, right, all of our
(22:11):
favorite people, including you. Is that this is your moment
to take creative license too. If there's no space for you,
let's not get upset about it, but let's create it.
And what you did was take that creative initiative, creative innovation,
and you did it before you know there was even
a space for you to do so. So it's inspiring
and it's a reminder for me, even at this point
in my career that it's it can come easy. I
(22:34):
can buy it renovated, I can't look for it, or
I can just build it. And that's how many things
that we're proud to say or proud to have our
name on is established. And so one of the things
that came up while you were talking though, is not
gonna lie, not that I live in fear, but I
know it's very common as someone one who's in front
of the camera to someone who's creating something that they
(22:56):
know maybe it's not in a space yet. How did
you deal with fear? I think every athlete, every person
who wants that w when it comes to it these
game time moments, how do you deal with that fear
of what if they fired me? What if I take
too many creative liberties? Like what what is that internal
dialogue like for you? I think, um, I think it
(23:16):
kind of like goes back to you know, the reason
why I even jumped into sports and how you know,
I felt like I was doing a job. Like you
know a lot of people work, you know, to to
to survive and to and to make money, like we
all have to, you know, provide for ourselves. But you
know a lot of people settle too for jobs and
you know they're they're they're afraid to walk away for things.
(23:37):
So I think fear is it comes from the struggle,
you know, like like that's how overcome my fear because
I remember the struggle. I remember not working those thirty
days and not you know, feeling accomplished and looking at
the people who technically I could be. It's the next
step of my of my career where I'm like, I
don't want to be that person. I don't want to
be dedicating as much time to work where I can't
(23:58):
see my family, you know, where I like stressed out,
where I'm you know, like you know, it's I'm dealing
with reality people, you know what I mean, and their
attitudes and thinks. I'm like, this is not this is
not for me. So for me, you know, understanding that
there's there's some things that are just not in our control,
and I think just understanding what's in your control, you know,
(24:19):
just like I've you know, as a p A. You know,
I started as a p A, and like I've gotten
fired from jobs where it wasn't you know, for no reason,
where they just you know, And I always bring up
the story where this woman wanted to hire her boyfriend
because he had just lost his job and they felt
they like it was it was shady. But it was
like one of my like the lowest points, because I
was like, man, I did everything I was supposed to
do and I just got like, oh, you know, it's
(24:41):
like my son's first together. It was so I hope
they still together. She hired her boy, I know, right,
I'm like, and it's funny because I ended up seeing
another woman who was like at the company a few
years later and she's like, oh my god, I'm so
proud to you. I'm like, yeah, thanks, you know, but
those are the things that I'll never forget. So it's
like from that, From those situations, I think it's just
always a matter of one knowing you're worth to, you know,
(25:03):
taking care of the main thing. Because as a creative,
I always say when I started like influencing and doing
these side brands, I was kind of different from a
lot of my other friends were influences because they didn't
have a solid, steady job, right Like I had bluet
Report that was like my my main thing, so everything
I do was on the side. So for me, it
was just a matter of taking care of the main
(25:24):
thing and understanding that, but just learning the business, you know,
knowing knowing what can happen, not getting too caught up
in the lifestyle. You know that we that we could
get caught up in you know, like hold on, let's
let's time out. What does that mean? I mean for
those of us that don't know getting caught up in
the lifestyle. How what did that look like? What are
(25:45):
those options? I mean, I think it's it's so easy
to you know, it's like a gift in the curse
right of of having these friends who are professional athletes,
right and you know, if you're around them, you might
feel the need to try to look like them and
go out your way to to to live the lifestyle
that isn't yours. And um, that's one thing I never
(26:07):
really want to cater to. UM and I never didicated
to because you know, when I first you know, I
got my biggest check, I didn't go by a watch,
I didn't go by a chain like I bought the
place that I'm that I'm living in right now, you
know what I mean. So so I became a homeowner
in my mids mid twenties, you know, which is which
is huge and and that's that's that just comes from
(26:28):
just understanding you know, within time, within like things will
come within time. And it's like not getting caught up
in that lifestyle because then you you know, you really
start pushing things so that you are more worried about
if you lose this job because you're not being responsible
with your things and not being true to who you are.
And I think that's that's just one thing that I
just always wanted to I needed to maintain, you know,
(26:49):
like we were all We're all are different, like everyone,
everyone has a different lifestyle, you know, contrary to what
you'll see on Instagram. You know, we always say Instagram
is in real life and it's not. So I think, um,
for me, it was. You know, it's just getting caught
up in that lifestyle. And you know, we talked about
the late nights and things like that, and that's part
of it. That that's part of the job, right, that's
literally part of the jobs. People might not understand. But
(27:11):
you know people are like, oh man, you travel and
you know it's great. I'm like, I'm tired, right, Like
I'm not gonna say it on Instagram, Like, hey guys,
I'm tired. You know, I don't really want to be
doing this video, Like I got you know what I means.
But it's a lot, it's a lot of give and
take them. That's something that I just had to kind
of like to learn over the years, just just literally
just like hankering down and like making time for the
(27:32):
things that you care about and the things that deserve
the time. Um because like I said, it's easy to
get caught up in that lifestyle. So yeah, so it's
like for me, it's just like not getting caught up
in that lifestyle where I'm not in a position to
be afraid, you know, because I know I'm gonna do
what i need to do. I'm gonna do I'm always
gonna do my job. I'm always gonna do what I'm
you know what, I'm gonna being paid for whatever it is.
So it's like as far as fearce, Like, man, you
(27:55):
work for these companies, these big corporations, and they don't
want you to you know, people always say, no, you're
worth and it is so true because they don't want
and add tax facts for real, and it's like they
don't you know. I've been a part of companies where
they don't want to hear what you what you have
to think, They don't want to hear from anyone else
because they don't want to give credit, they don't wanna,
they don't want to pay people. More. So, I think
(28:16):
it's the more and more you research, the more and
more you understand where you want to be. Like at
that time when I was in reality, I knew I
didn't want to be there. I knew my intratectory wasn't there,
you know. And then it was a time where I
was that Bleacher report. I knew that's not my trajectory,
you know, as as talent, you know, I'm not like
other talent. I produced all of my content. Like there's
no one writing anything on the teleproplet for me, you
know what I mean. So it's it's it's a it's
(28:39):
a given day, and it's just like knowing you're worth,
knowing where you where you want to be. So it's
like for me when I when I when I talk
to these kids and I go to their high schools
and you know, these young kids, and they asked me,
you know how you do it? And I'm like, man,
the one thing you know, you you you gotta do
is research, not only about what's out there and like
what kind of content, because that's what I did. I
was like, all right, nobody's doing this, nobody's talking about that,
and that's where it started. But then you know, just
(29:01):
researching on yourself and like understanding like what you care
about and how you how you'd be most valuable, you know,
to this company and you know, so knowing your work
is is huge, but uh, I always say researches everything.
So Um, something you said about social like Instagram I
used for a while. I was saying in social media
and instagram is not real life or TikTok's not real life.
When I stopped recently saying lens is that it is
(29:23):
real life, Like if I'm spending my time in it
and on it and creating for it, then it is
real life. And I think just crossing that boundary to
understand like if this is life? Am I happy with
my life? Is this how I want to spend my life?
And I think that for me was a shift in
what social media or the role that social media played
and the time that it took up, because not only
do I look at it, is like this is real
(29:45):
life and I spend time on this, and that time's
valuable to your point, right, And so I had to
stop telling myself that social media is not real life.
I get that it's it's it's a type of narrative
that's told, but the time that's attached to it is
a part of my life. Um, but I want to
continue with this, like these game time moments. If you
can define struggle and within my within my career, any
(30:09):
capacity defined struggle for Lance, struggle is I guess struggle
is you know, understanding what you know. Struggle is not
being heard. I think I think that's that's like the
biggest thing. It's like understanding that. Listen, if I just
had this shot, I just had this chance, things would change.
(30:32):
And you know, for me, it's it's it's a it's
more it happened more often than less. Where I would
pitch an idea or I know something that's cool and
you know, no one really here. I wasn't in a
position to really get it out there. Um and you know,
it just it just dies. And I think that's that's
that's a huge struggle because it takes a hit on
(30:54):
your confidence. You know, you feel like you had it right,
and it's like not having not being able to be heard.
It's tough. It's tough to to rebalance. Like you hear
these stories about you know, people pitching shows, or you
look at Easter Ray and all of ste she's had
and you know, the Keller Cole and and things like that.
It's like being told no, shouldn't be it. But it
(31:14):
is a lot for people. It's for a lot of
people because it's tough to like be like, man, if
they're saying no, then maybe I need to change this,
Maybe I need to do that. And you know, criticism
is constructive. Criticism is great. But you know, I think
I think that's the biggest thing that's not being heard
and and not being respected, um in your space. That's
that struggle. And I think that I think that that
goes for everyone. So for me, those are the moments
(31:37):
in my life where I was like, man, like I
really know this what we should be doing, you know.
And then with my uh, you know, once I started
doing these great videos and you know, then you get
more trust with things like that. But even with that,
you know a few years ago, like I was dealing
with that at that point in my career, eight years
into my career, selling shows, creative you know, uh, successful campaigns,
(31:58):
things like that, because al with brands, things like that.
There's there's been times where I've been with companies and
I'm like, they don't understand that this is cool, but
you know what, I'm gonna end up doing it anyway.
And then it goes and I've done it and I'm
still doing it. So, UM, that struggle, that's struggle. UM,
You're growing up in front of the camera over the
years when you started your career, where you are in
(32:19):
your career, you're still on camera, still a public figure.
Your viewership has increased over the years. How do you
deal with that? UM? I think, uh, over the past
few years, and obviously you know, was a huge break
for everyone, UM where you know, we all had to
lock it right, We had no choice but to lock in. UM.
(32:41):
And you know, I always going back to like teaching
me a lot about myself, about the things that I
care about about, not necessarily needing to be on social
as much, you know, because as you know, like you said,
you say it's not real life, and I say it's
not real life because I'm gonna you know, I'm gonna
get off this camera and I'm gonna take off my
(33:03):
hat and you know, I moving around doing my thing. Right.
We don't got something problem, so like you don't see
everything right, you know what I mean. And and that's
one thing I always wanted to I wanted to separate
was my work from my personal life. Like I never
everyone like my Instagram is not for you know, my
my son and you know, mom wife, he like, it's
not that's not what that's for. Um. And obviously that's
(33:25):
always been a thing for me, so um I think, uh,
you know, for me, it was just knowing when to
take a break, knowing when you need to just settle
down and take a break, because you know, I'm as
you know as you are as well. You know, we're
on the road like twice twice a month, three times
a month, you know what I mean, And it's like
you have to have people in your life that understand that. Um.
(33:45):
So for me, it's just it's just a matter of
like understanding when you need a break, understanding when you
need to focus on things you care about. Like you know,
I was I go on social media breaks where I
would disable my Instagram where it's just like yo, I
just need to be away from it and just blocking
on things. And and it works every time because I
get I get the focus on, you know, the things
that I care about. You know, Like I've seen friends,
(34:07):
you know the other day and they're like, oh, yo,
you're of for Instagram right now. I'm like yeah, you know,
and they're like, oh, well, how does that affect your
I'm like, I don't work for Instagram, you know what
I mean, Like that happens, you know, Like I get
I get campaigns, that's cool, you know, but I turned
down a lot of campaigns, you know. So um, I'm like,
you know, you just need it and and and that's
that's the mindset that I think we gotta get out of,
(34:28):
Like we don't need that. Like you know, Instagram crashes
for a day and everybody's panic and like what am
I gonna do? You know what I mean? Like the
world crashes twenty and you know, unfortunately there were some
people who lost their jobs, had no means of income.
But it's like that that goes back to that whole
that whole fear thing and like being prepared and putting
yourself in situations that you don't have to, you know,
(34:49):
And I'm fortunate enough to do that where I'm always
thinking ahead, I'm always thinking forward, And that goes back
to that not being in that lifestyle, living that, not
getting too caught up in that lifestyle because tomorrow is
and promise like this ship all this can end like
it and we've seen it. We've seen it. When there's
no TV, no there's no you know, content being created,
it gets it gets tough for some people. You know,
(35:09):
during COVID, you know, I was creating content. I was
blessed enough to be shooting Samsung commercials and creating content,
you know with Samsung um. So you know it's for me,
it's just a matter of just always sticking ahead and
not really pitting on your eggs and and into embarrel
because you know, being at a company like Bleacher Report
for so long, for nine years, it's easy to get
(35:30):
kind of like caught up in that and be like,
all right, this is all I'm doing, This is all
I really care about. This is my you know, security,
This is my security. And then leaving there, you know,
leaving that, leaving a company like that, like people won't
understand that. They won't just like why would you leave?
We all like they're lit. You know, you've been rocking
there for so long. It's like because you know, it
goes back to that struggle when you stop, when you know,
(35:51):
when you stop being heard and things get more corporate
and and and it's and it's so business and the
creative is being jeopardized, and it's like, you know, uh,
you have to you have to kind of like do
what's best for you, and you know, for me, it's
worked out, um to the point where I leave that
company and then I have you know, when the greatest
point guards of all time, Chris Paul, reach out to
(36:12):
me and say, yo, man, I see you left this company.
Mind you Me and Chris like we just know each
other right, just yeah, Chris is great, by the way,
Like I agree. Yeah, you know, we know these players
from being around personally, from being around them for so
many years, twelve years. Like this story to me is
exactly what the connection is all about. Building that that
the courtside conversation is all about what you're about to share,
(36:33):
which I'm a huge fan of. So please keep going,
keep up. So yeah, you know there's players who I
go to their homes, I go on vacation with them,
I go to their weddings and things like that. Chris
isn't one of them, but he's one. He's someone who
I respect and respects me and we like spend time
creating content over the years and it's like yeo, man,
you know I'm invested in this network. Um, I wanted
to bring you on and I want you to head
(36:54):
up all creative and um, you know, give you equity
in the company and when we're gonna be building this
thing out. And I'm like, all right, I'm like let's
look and they're like like what if you know what
I mean? And and and you know from there, you know,
so now I'm I'm over at Players TV, which is
the um first UH athlete on TV network. And you know,
(37:16):
at this point, you know, it's been about two years
and uh, at this point, we're in almost three million homes,
we're in airports and hotels, uh ton of a ton
of apps and things like that. But we're just building
and I'm creating, you know, helping these players create content
for themselves and own their I P. And it's it's
you know, for me, it's I've always had the best
interests of the player. And I always say, I'm not
(37:37):
I don't do business. I don't do I'm not in
the businesses business. I'm in the business of people. UM.
And that's kind of like you look at it that
I literally just got my last job through a relationship,
you know, through someone you know, respect to me, and
and and and and and keeping that and it's always
keeping in mind that I'm not going to be a
company person. I'm going to be a person person. So
you know, even when there was there were situations where
contracts or things like that, I always, you know, back,
(38:00):
I'm like, no, we're not you know, I'm I have
access to go to Steph Curry's home and we're not
attaching a liquor brand to it, you know what I mean.
Those are things that I have to fight back for,
which I did successfully. But it's just like it's just
like things like that, just like understanding who the players are,
because it's it's all what no one understands is it's
a reflection of you. So if you have a relationship
(38:22):
with someone and you bring them there and you're connecting
them with a company, even though they're getting some money
attached to it, they're gonna come They're gonna look at
you crazy, like how could you assume that I would
ever do anything with the liquor brand of Curry? You know,
like like that. So it's like they don't understand where
it's like, these are relationships because you leave that company,
guess what, they're still gonna remember the way you did them.
And then for the next company that you actually have
(38:43):
ownership in or whatever, it is that how can they
trust you? So? Um So, yeah, with with players TV,
you know, that's it's it's kind of like a breath
fresh air. And for me it is kind of like
exactly where I want to be because you know, going
back to my conversation to me not just being just talent.
You know, I just love to create. I love to
help others create. I love to help everybody. Look could
so you know the people who I look up to now.
You know, at the time when I was growing up,
(39:04):
I was looking up to the Craig Sagers and you know,
when I was at Turner, they were like, hey, do
you want to do sideline? I'm like I don't. I'm
like I really don't. I'm like, I don't want to
chase around coaches and no, this is not my thing.
Um I want to do something cooler than that. Um So,
Like you know the people who I look up to,
um and in the industry or people like Nick Cannon
and Ryan Seacrest and you know, people are playing both
(39:25):
sides who can literally do both um and just chill
because you know, when it's all said and done, it's like,
I don't want to just do it for me. I
want to. I want to do it for everyone. So
it's like when I'm on these calls with you know,
Kyri's and Dames and deandres helping them create their shows
and the Travis Kelsey's and Kangarfe Juniors and legends, you know,
it's like for me, it's kind of like surreal, UM.
(39:47):
And now I think I'm kind of like starting to
like understand it because you know, it's it's it's easy
to hear your family saying, oh man, you just didn't
shoot with you know, Kobe and this person, and I'm
like still in shock. And now as you know, have
you know, ten years later, I'm kind of like starting
to understand it. And it's like, you know, it's it's
becoming more meaningful to me, UM to really do the
(40:10):
best job that I can do, UM and not let
people down, not let my people down. Let's step into
instant replay. That's the s f R. One success, one failure,
and one risk that you've experienced. So you can go
in any order, but usually it's the success, the failure,
and the risk. Uh okay, success, I guess I guess
(40:32):
it would have to be you know, taking that free
throw as you said, you know, that's that's that would
be my one success and just taking a taking a
shot on myself and editing you know, my own video. Um,
wasn't too much risk involved in that. So I wanna
say that's a risk, uh failure, failure, Um, I guess,
I guess if we have to go back to something
(40:53):
just a just a maount of me not uh properly
understanding the business, you know. So whether whether that's like
signing with a wrong agent, you know, an agent just
being hasty thinking, you know, I need an agent, or
you know, whatever it was. So I think it's just
like those those those are the things I would consider
(41:14):
they're learning experiences because because they say, y'all, you don't
you know, you don't have failures, you have you know, lessons, right,
That's what they say. So that's what I would think.
It would be just just me learning the business throughout
this time and just understanding, you know, who has your
best interests. And then the risk. Um, I think I
think it's always a risk, uh when you're trying to
(41:37):
do something new, um, trying to do something that hasn't
been done before. And that's so I always try to
do that. So um, yeah, just just doing things that uh,
I know it's cool even though I was told no. Um.
I'd say one of my biggest ones that I did
that turned out to be great was um ther Kicks
(41:59):
when I was at Report and I created the artis
and they didn't want me to and I did it
and then there was a meeting about me doing it
and we're happy with it. But now it's like literally
four million followers is bigger than their actual page. So
that was that was a risk because it was kind
of like risky to like go out there in the
company and make a page without permission after they pretty
(42:21):
much said no. Um. So that was that was a risk.
I mean, that's that's something they could have fired before
in hindsight, right, like it's like intellectual property or something
like that. So that was that was probably one of
the bigger risk I took. But um, you know, when
you know, you know when you know you know. My
last question because I do appreciate your time. You have
(42:42):
done so much and there's so much more you can
and are doing. How do you define like what is
your metric for success? When when do you look at
your life or how do you look at your life?
And say job well done. Um are you are you asking?
Like at that when it's all said and done, like
all I killed that? Like is that? Like? How do
(43:03):
you define success? What is it? What does success for?
For Lance Fresh, success looks like I think it's like
just doing you know, being able to do things on
your time. I mean everyone everyone always wants to be
a boss. Um, I don't really want to. I don't
want to be a boss like I want to be.
I want to be my I want to be my
own boss, you know what I mean. Like I'm not
(43:25):
like I don't want to like because and I always
say that and I am some people's bosses, but I
like it if I'm gonna be your boss, and I
need to have bought you on because I expect greatness.
I expect hustle, I expect what I how I move.
So that's why I say, you know, some people might
not understand that, it might not have that that effort. Um.
(43:46):
So for me, it's just like not having to not
having to to worry, I think, um letting you know,
having things like let me start over, like work shouldn't
be worth And that's what people always saying, like, man,
you like your work is just so fun. I'm like, yeah,
I don't consider it work like I consider it fun
for sure. Um, And I think that's when you're that's
(44:08):
that's success For me. It's like not having to feel
like I gotta get up and do this, like being excited,
like I was excited to do this today. I'm excited
to work on you know, the other other shows and
projects I'm working on. You know, I'm excited for meetings
like I had. I had a meeting with you know,
a call with like my agent, you know, lawyer today
and I was excited for that, you know what I mean,
(44:29):
because there's because there's there's there's there's good things coming
with that. So uh, for me, success is just like
not you know, doing things your way, not having to
ask for permission, you know, Like we go back to
that struggle and that that struggle is not being heard.
So successes being the voice, you know, it's not about
being heard, being the voice, being the decider um, you know,
(44:49):
being the one that I could, that could, that can
make moves, you know, and and and that's kind of
like what I've been working towards, you know, my whole career.
And it's like if you gradually get there. You get there,
you get there. Um. So yeah, So success for me
is I guess being that voice, being a decider and
you know, doing it your way. Well you keep doing
it your way. Land's fresh because we are all fans
(45:11):
and from what you create, we benefit. And I want
to thank you so much for joining me at this
court side and having this conversation because you're truly incredible
really of course and and and thanks for having me.
And you know, Al, I'm so proud of you. It's
like I get people hitting me up like, oh my god,
I see I see Ali loves follows you. How do
you know her? Oh my god, I go to her
flash and like, I'm like, yo, I'm proud. And I
(45:32):
always tell you every time I see you, I'm like, yeah,
I'm proud of you. Let you you boss stuff, you know. Um,
So thanks for having me and uh people, it's people
like you, and again it's very few of us in
this space, so knowing you for so long and opening
like meeting me with open arms and always there for me.
Anytime I have a question or request, can you hop
on my podcast as you've done out The answer has
(45:54):
always been yes, and we reciprocate that, and so from Afar,
I know the love and appreciation and is mutual and
it's it is an absolute pleasure, like, um, you know,
I'm here for you. Appreciate you, thank you, thank you.
They're bringing the hype to over eighteen thousand fans at
(46:15):
Barclay Center on any given night at a Brooklyn Nets game.
They are some of the most talented dancers, breakers, and
tumblers in all of Brooklyn, I mean really in all
of the world, and their energy is always on one hundred.
Let's go ahead and ticket post game for this chat
with the Brooklyn Nets and team Hype. What's up everyone, Um,
(46:41):
so we are doing a post game conversation. We have Kristen,
who is one of our Brooklyn Nets here at Barclay Center,
and I'm so thrilled because while these are short conversations,
I think the insight that you're going to provide is
so important. As someone who's a former NBA dancer and
started there, I have so much respect and I've seen
you first of many years now so many seasons, but
I have so much respect for what you offer on
(47:03):
the court. Really quickly, I'd love to know how did
you get into dance, and how did you choose dance
as your as your career. So I started dancing when
I was really little. I started dancing at three years old.
My mom put me in dance class. And you know,
I tried sports. I tried soccer, basketball, but I wanted
to dance. I knew that I just wanted to stick
(47:23):
with dance. UM. I grew up at my local dance
studio in White Plains. I took tap, jazz, ballet, and
hip hop. UM performed all over Westchester County, got lots
of opportunities to perform in New York City. UM got
to perform even at Madison Square Garden, and that's where
I really fell in love with Okay, I think I
want to be a pro dancer when I grow up. UM.
(47:46):
And then as soon as I turned eighteen years old,
I started auditioning, and I knew that I wanted to
be a professional dancer, especially for an NBA team. And
that's when I fell in love with the Brooklyn Nets.
So that's kind of how I got my start. And
I also danced in college at St. John's. So I've
just been dancing for my whole life now, Brooklyn Nets.
How long have you been on the team. I just
(48:07):
finished my fifth season. Yes, it's been a while. We've
seen each other for almost five years now. Incredible. So
let's talk about the audition. Auditions are coming up, and
I feel this is a great way to give insight
to those folks that are not only just auditioning for
NBA teams, um and not just for the Brooklyn It's
but it's just in general because I don't think that
many people speak to dancers. Most times in this podcast
when I say we talked to artists, athletes, and all
(48:27):
of our favorite people. As a former dancer, dancers are
some of my favor if not my favorite people. And
it's because you have that curiosity, you have that awareness,
you have that discipline that you learn through this art form.
So you're five seasons on the Brooklyn Nets and you
go into auditions. I don't know if I was at
your I don't know I was at some of the auditions,
but I remember, you know, just five hundred girls, three
(48:48):
hundred girls coming into a room to audition. Walk me
through the nerves of the first day, because it's a
multiple day audition. Walk me through the nerves and the
experience of the first day, I'm You're like, I'm definitely
in this. I want to become a Brooklyn at And
now it's in the morning. You've lined up, you filled
out your form, you have your number, yep, what is
Christen feeling all those things? Um, I just get really excited.
(49:12):
I think you know, it's a lot of build up
and you're super nervous as the day's lead up to it,
and then once that day comes, I'm usually super excited
and I'm like, all right, let's just do this. You've
been dancing your whole life. This is your bread and butter.
Just go for it. Um, just be confident and just
give it all you got. I mean, definitely, nerves are there,
(49:32):
for sure. And I always say if you're not nervous,
that means you don't care. And you know I care
a lot, so I'm always going to be nervous. But
I think that excitement kind of just motivates me throughout
the entire process. It's a four day long process, and
it's tiring, and it's a mental game as well as
a physical game. But you know, you have your teammates,
(49:53):
you have all of these amazing women and talented women
around you, and I think that's what's so awesome about auditions,
to you eat so many people and even if at
the end of the day you don't make the team,
it's still just such an amazing experience. So you just
go through all these different emotions, but at the end
you're like, wow, I really did that. When you so
there's a form of going across the floor, then you
(50:14):
break down and learn choreography. Was there ever a moment
and maybe this wasn't the first day, but throughout the
four days, was there a moment that you messed up?
And if so, how did you recover? Oh? Absolutely? I
mean I'm trying to think there's many times where I've
probably forgotten the choreography, especially on day two. That's like
where you get tested like crazy. Um, you learn a
(50:36):
combination pretty quickly and then you're expected to just go
right away in groups of two to four. Um, so
the nerves are really really high. But if you forget
the choreography, just keep going and just improv. That's what
they always look for. Um. I'm trying to think of
a moment where I really totally messed up, But I
would probably just say a lot of instances where it's
(50:57):
just a little bit of a blank memory. Blank. Um, yeah,
I remember one time. This was when I was on
the team, Like I was on an NBA team, and
I remember being on the court and we're in the
middle of a performance, like we're literally in the middle
of the dance, and it's a sixty seconds to seventy
second dance, and it's a moment where there's a ripple.
And so a ripple is for those who that don't know,
(51:18):
it's basically been one like a group of folks will
go first, a second group will follow second, and third
and so on and so forth. And so there was
a ripple happening, and I was the fourth ripple, the
fourth and final ripple, And the point of it was
we were laying down with our hands folded across our
chest on the ground, and the ripple was kip up.
A kip up is basically when you kick your legs
(51:38):
into the air and you land on your feet. So
one of my favorite parts of the thing. And when
I auditioned, I did not know how to do a
kip up, which was a part of my audition and
I had to learn. So at this point I've mastered
this really difficult moment, This is my second time season
on the court, so I'm seasoned. I'm a professional. And
I laid down and you're counting the music and Kristen
(52:00):
and friends, y'all, I decided to fall asleep, Like I
literally think I fell asleep, Like I don't know what happened,
but my mind just went to a different place and
I blacked out. And I'm still on the floor as
my group kIPS up. Everybody is standing and dancing, and
for some reason, I like open my eyes and I'm like,
I have to like literally put my hands on the
(52:20):
ground and get up and finish the choreography. And I
will never forget that moment of just I kept going,
I mean, you gotta do push ups. I know when
we when y'all mess up on the brooknets, you have
to do push ups so burpies after your mess up,
depending and the amount depends on how many how bad
the mess up was, and in my case it was
almost a hundred because it was so bad. But it's
(52:42):
Thow's moments that shape that shape you, that that allow
you in real time experience to pivot. What do you
think and at this point in your career, because y'all
are about to audition. So I assume you're going back
on the team, You're gonna you have to re audition.
Everybody's a re audition. What are what so far has
been one of the biggest lessons you've learned from being
(53:03):
a Brooklyn Net. Oh, I love this question. I think
the biggest thing that I've taken away so far is
just believing in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself,
everyone around you isn't gonna believe in you. So I
think that's definitely something that I have had to learn
as I've gone on my track, and um, you know,
(53:24):
starting out, I feel like you just grow so much
as a woman. So I would even say just confidence
and believing in yourself and just just don't stop. I
really think you're around all of these amazing women and
everybody has something to offer, and you learn so much
from all of them. But I would say my biggest
take away so far from being on the Brooklyn Nets
is always believing in myself. Well, I want to say
(53:47):
thank you so much for our postgame chat here at
Quartzete Conversation. I think that insight is so valuable to
those that are looking to audition or just need a
little boost and a pick me up of some great words.
So thank you so much. I appre shit your time
and it's always a pleasure hanging out with you. Thank you,
thank you Ali. Yeah.