May 13, 2025 • 54 mins
After over three years, Life as a Gringo comes to a close. In this final episode, Dramos reflects on the journey—from launching the show as a passion project to building a platform that gave a voice to the unheard. He opens up about the personal growth, the lessons learned, the community built, and why it’s time to turn the page. Plus, he answers listener questions, sharing what’s next and how this ending is really just the beginning of a new chapter.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Alright, let me let me talk about here we go.
He said, you live in life as a Gringo, where
you questioned when you feel in every time you mingle,
they say, you do this with none of that my
life as a Gringo. Yes, hello, and welcome to l
episode there Life as a Gringo. That's how emotional. I
(00:38):
can't do the whole episode of Spanish. I promise Brenda would.
I was going to do span this last episode of Spanish.
I'm practicing a bit though that wasn't terrible. I don't
know why. Also, I'm in the room by myself, and
I still got nervous about speaking Spanish out loud. Uh,
But we're here. Final episode of Life as a Gringo.
I did originally intend to just do a full Vanish
(01:00):
episode is like the last one. But also as I
think about it, I feel like I'm not going to
be as present and as in the moment and be
able to really express what I'm feeling as we end
this show if I'm doing it in another language that
I'm not comfortable speaking, and I have to kind of
overthink it. So I gave you, you know, a little
(01:21):
tease of what that would sound like. But we're here, guys.
This is it. Yeah, I was kind of like, I'm
not gonna lie as procrassing and even recording it. But
as I was kind of like you know, getting ready
and like walking into the studio and doing a couple
of little things around the studio, I was going through
(01:41):
some wide range of emotions here and I'll kind of,
I guess I'll just freely talk about it, you know,
for me hint this segment also, we'll bring back the
asking Dingo segment one last time. Answer a few questions
that you guys had or comments, whatever concerns. What I'm
gonna call it. We're here, man, let's let's just get
(02:06):
into its me Hint, this sek I I will say
it is. It is strange knowing this is the last time,
(02:27):
and uh, keep this in keep this into the in
the video because I think my studio is in dire
need of like some TLC. And if you're not watching
the video version of this, it's just me like fucking
with my mic right now because it's all over the
place and I can't get into the right position that
I wanted to be in, and it's it's I think
(02:50):
my studio is like dude, it's time. You know, we're
ready for a refresh of what we've been doing. And yeah,
I guess. You know. It's funny because you you you
have these these pivotal moments in your life, and you
(03:11):
know these moments that like you know, you're ready to
kind of do the next thing right. And I think
this is also why people backpedal, like you know, or
go back and like, oh, I'm leaving this person, I'm
leaving this job, and then like they get sentimental, they
get nervous about what thinking about everything and all that
it takes to restart again, almost right, And you can
(03:32):
kind of second guess yourself a bit. I I can't
say I'm second guessing the idea as I'm still fucking
with my microphone here. The idea of closing this chapter.
I think it's the right thing. I think. I think
I've I've said everything I wanted to say on this
(03:52):
this particular platform, and I just want to start. I
guess this is an idea. It was fresh in my head.
And one thing I'll say, I'm really grateful. One thing
about growth I will say over these last few years,
you know, as I've transitioned to different chapters. Probably the
last big chapter was leaving the Breakfast Club and then
(04:18):
also leaving not as much but being on air in
New York on the ZE one hundred, which I still
DJ for, but being actually like a radio personality, leaving
that I wasn't as present to just like taking it
all in, right, and even if I felt like I
had outgrown those roles and they weren't aligned with where
(04:42):
I saw my life and where I wanted it to
go and where I wanted it to be. You know,
I think that, you know, sort of looking forward made
me take it for granted a bit and not like
really just savor the moment, you know. And I will say,
with this experience, I I truly do. I truly do
(05:23):
I savor it, Like I really do understand the magnitude
of it. You know. It's not it's not lost on
me anymore, you know, I think. And it's so funny
(05:45):
because I'm like, I'm talking about being present and I'm
like sending a text message ironically to one of the
producers over at Michael Dura for something that potentially involves
the next phase of the next the next thing. Right,
It's ironic that I'm getting it I recorded this last episode,
but it's a it's it's great to sort of have
(06:11):
gotten to a place where I'm like excited for the
next step, but I'm not. I'm not ungrateful taking for
granted all that I just did. And man, I feel
myself like getting a bit emotional talk, you know with
that statement. But like I was, you know, setting up,
(06:32):
and like I have I have two sets here in
my studio and one of them is on wheels, so
I have to wheel it out of the way to
open up the life as a Goodingo set. And I
was just saying to myself, like, this is the last
time you're gonna be wheeling out this set, and behind
it will be the life as a Gondingo set, you know,
(06:52):
cause I have to take this down and get ready
for other things. But you know, I was like present
to that, right, and that I felt really special and
really amazing and and I'm grateful and like that's that again.
I'm saying that to myself, like how this journey has
allowed me to have that growth that allows me to
(07:13):
live with a bit more intention and not take for
granted things, right, And even I don't know a year
ago if I would have had that the same level
of awareness and presence to the moment. You know, I
definitely didn't have it with the Breakfast cub I definitely
didn't have I kind of was like so in my
own mind over it that, Like it took an It
(07:35):
took a few months for them me to realize, like,
oh shit, I didn't like process the morning process that
comes along with leaving something, even if you're ready, but
leaving something that was such a big part of your life,
you know, and it's it's probably safe to say life
as a gringo probably, I mean, without a doubt top
(08:05):
five moments of my entire life. I'm hesitant to rank
it ahead of certain things just because those things had
to happen in order for me to get here. But
you know, in terms of like one thing really just
immediately changing my life, it was getting this podcast, you know,
(08:27):
and what I wanted to say, what I had in
my head as I was like reflecting on all this
is like bigger than just me. I want everybody to realize,
like this was a win for the underdogs, you know,
like the way all this happened and the fact that
(08:50):
the show even got made, Like you know, again, like
I mentioned this in the other episode, like, I didn't
think a I was shocked that I got a contract,
but be I thought it'd be done after one season,
and here we are. We got renewed for every single
option that the contract had, right, three seasons. Was like
(09:12):
the max deal, right, And never in a million years
thought we'd do that. It's really insane, you know, And
you know, I'm a testament to I think, just the
hustle on the grind and fighting for what you want.
And even with this show, like I didn't create a
(09:37):
show that was based off of some trendy idea, and
I had opportunities to be a part of salacious shows
that had a lot of viewership. When I left the
Breakfast Club, I had a chance to be a part
of very superficial platforms, and I chose to do this
show that as much as I think there's a lot
(10:01):
of us out here, it was very much so a
niche concept, but I thought it was an important one,
and it was an honest one, and it was one
that I related to and had my whole heart into,
you know. And it's a win for the little guys man, Like,
it's a win for honesty. It's a win for not
(10:23):
following the trends, for being yourself, for making something of substance,
you know, in a world that rewards so much superficial bullshit,
we successfully, for almost four years, had a community and
(10:45):
supported together, you know, you and I collectively you listening
are a part of this. Supported a vision and a
program that was trying to put some good into this world,
was trying to connect people, was trying to make people
(11:05):
feel seen. And I'm proud of that, you know. I think,
like you know, when I leave this earth one day,
hopefully in a very long time, I'm going to be
proud to, like, you know, for anybody who's interested, or
my future children, or my niece and nephew and whomever,
(11:28):
that they can like go back and hear this, and
it's something I'm proud of them. I want them to hear,
you know. It's something that I feel like I left,
as small as it might be, I left some sort
of mark, or at the very least, I put something
positive out here into the world. Right I contribute to
the world in a positive way, in some way, shape
(11:50):
or form. And I'm really proud of that, you know,
I really really am. And it's it's weird all, you know,
all the connections everything I made, like it's it's the
people I met. And like selfishly those interviews, like some
of them men, Like I was talking to people and
(12:11):
I'm the host of the show and all these things,
but like some of the people we had on here,
like it was therapeutic, you know, it was things I
needed to hear in that moment. You know, it was
reaffirming that I'm not alone, you know, in what I'm
feeling and what I'm going through. And it's just special,
(12:37):
you know, it's very it's very special, and it's just
funny because I you know, I can remember where I
was when the contract came in. I was in a
hotel in New York. It was a snow We were
having a big snowstorm here in the city and I
was at the breakfast club at the time, obviously, and
whenever we would have a giant snowstorm, they would but
(13:02):
you know, like the essential crew for the different radio stations,
they would book us a hotels that were you know,
walking distance from the radio station to make sure we
were able to get in you know that that next
morning and do our jobs and the next day. And
it was we were in the midst of one of those
like really bad blizzards or whatever, and I think I'd
(13:23):
woken up from like a nap after leaving the Breakfast
Club in the morning prior and in the hotel room,
and I got the contract, you know, and it was
it was like what it was the first moment where
(13:45):
I don't know, you know, because I think I'm trying
to like analyze where it is in my life and
like how to properly place it and where we're to
give it credit, you know, because I think obviously getting
into radio was the first foot in the door, but
it was like, you know, you're the lowest possible person,
the total pull there, right and not even complaining. It's
(14:06):
a blessing. But and then the next big moment was like,
you know, becoming the resident DJ for the flagship station
for iHeart here in New York. It's Eve one hundred,
and that opened so many doors for me as a DJ,
but I still was like living with my parents and
doing like I wasn't like, you know, able to survive
(14:27):
off of that alone. And then getting with the Breakfast
Club was obviously a really big deal, but that still
just felt like a stepping stone and life as a gringo
was like the first time where it was like I've arrived,
right and regardless, you know, because there was a part
of me that was like, oh, it's just a podcast,
(14:47):
and like I would listen to the naysayers, like who's
even going to listen to this podcast from dramas, you know,
and like oh cool, he got his own podcasts. Everybody
has a podcast, right, But it was like, dude, the
biggest audio company in the world just bet for me.
A lot of money on and energy on me as
(15:12):
a personality, Like just me, It's on my shoulders. Now.
I'm not anybody's sidekick. I'm I'm the end all be
all with it basically, and not only that, I'm taking
a stance and an angle that I'm now putting on
(15:34):
for a part of our community, our community as a whole,
but specifically a sector of our community that feels unheard,
and I have to wear that cape, you know, and
you know I have to say, like I really did.
I wore that with honor, you know, Like I'm honored
(15:55):
in whatever way, in whatever capacity I've made anybody here
feel or whatever it might be, Like, I'm honored that
I got to be a part of that in some way,
shape or form, whatever. If I just injected a little
idea into your head, I'm honored that that I got
to participate, you know. Yeah, And it's just I don't
(16:19):
really keep saying it's fucking crazy. But I don't know.
I you know, I I didn't really have like an intention.
I guess in this last episode, I just sort of
like similar to the last one. I guess it's like
part two or whatever it is. But like, I don't know, man,
(16:44):
I think I again as ever reflect. I think really,
like I think about life as a gringo, and it's
like it's like the little engine that could type of
shit right, Like it's it's it's how the fuck did
we get here? You know what I mean? Like it
doesn't feel real, and like there's the part of me
(17:08):
that imposter syndrome, and there's a part of me that
compares myself to you know, my peers who have been
doing this for way longer, and you know, are on
bigger platforms, and I'm like, oh, I'm nowhere near them,
but this is special. For almost four years, like I've
been able to just live out my dream and I've
(17:30):
been able to wake up every day and just fucking
you know, this is my life. I talk on a microphone.
It's crazy, Like it's fucking nuts. And again, like I
don't I'm not saying that to aggrandize myself. I'm saying
that to be like, dude, like this shit is possible
as far as like whatever your dream is, this is
possible for for for anybody, right, as long as you're
really aligned with what you love to do and what
(17:51):
you think you're talented, that it's possible. It I don't
just mean podcasting anything. Now, it might take long, it
might take an X amount of work, and you might
have take X amount of sacrifice, and that up to
you if you're willing to do that. But if you
are willing to sacrifice everything for it, then it is possible.
And you know, I this podcast. I have joked that
(18:17):
it's like my diary and all these things, and like
truth be told, it is right. It's something that I
not only do as a career, but like I think
I probably needed I might have needed this more than
you listening, you know, to have this outlet every single
week to talk and to meet people and to just
(18:38):
have conversations and express myself, like I'm forever grateful for that,
you know. I don't know, man, I don't I like,
I'm trying to just sort of like interpret whatever feeling
emotions are coming over me, whatever's come for my brain,
and say it into this microphone, you know. But I
(19:00):
think the biggest thing is I just want to say
thank you, like everybody that's been involved in this process,
you know, and you know, from the Microdurap network and
Giselle and Jasmine over there, and Claudia who was originally
one of the producers here and Pablo who took over,
and you know, just everybody I've met along the way. Dude,
(19:24):
it's just been like it's been it's been a wild
it's been a wild journey. And I don't know, I
think it's it's really funny. There's a couple of things
that come across. I was thinking about this earlier today too,
(19:45):
and I apologize I'm scared with my thoughts a bit.
But I started my first podcast. It had to have
been two thousand and nine, twenty ten, right, which I
think we launched in twenty twenty one, she talk about
eleven years later, I got my first paying podcast, right,
(20:08):
But we were recording a podcast, me and my buddy
Aaron in my parents' basement and we couldn't even get
it on like Apple podcast or anything at the time.
It was hard. It was just on SoundCloud and we
did like three episodes and that was it. But I
think back to that kid, I'm like, man, never in
(20:31):
a million years would he have thought, fucking eleven years
later he would be able to make a living doing that, right, Like,
And that's making me emotional thinking about it, right because again,
that's a kid broke in his parents' basement, man. But
that was the kid that, like, I really have to
(20:51):
give credit to because he took risks. I quit my
first full time job around that time. I was a
full time with Guitar Center and they literally were offering
me a managerial job. But I quit right when they
offered me a job, and I was like fuck this,
I'm I'm I was surviving at the time off of
DJing private parties on the weekends. Now, luckily I lived
with my parents, so I have, you know, room and
board and meals and everything. But that kid took a
(21:14):
big risk, right and it led to here like that,
it really is a precipice for why I'm sitting here
is that kid, and it's it's really crazy, you know.
And then and then I think back to the kid,
you know, the kid who in twenty twenty one launched
this podcast man and everything that led up to it, Right,
(21:37):
that was a kid who's like finally, for the first
time in his life, really beginning to get clear on
his own identity, like really starting to dial it in.
(21:58):
And it's it's really funny. Like the thing with life
as a gringo, It's like Gods places in my life
not only to get me out of a situation that
I felt like I had outgrown, but this podcast and
(22:19):
the journey that it took me on really helped me
find myself. And that's like monumental, right, Like think about
how incredible that is, right, And that's a blessing in itself,
Like not only is it like this dream job, dream opportunity,
(22:41):
but like on a personal level, it made you into
somebody else that you are now so proud to be
and far more fulfilled and far more aligned. You know.
And listen, there's been opposite downs throughout this entire process,
but like, when I really reflect on it, it's this
(23:01):
chapter is going to be like one of those things
I look back on and it's like, yeah, like demand
in front of you that time doing what was just
you know, a podcast like it helped mold this person, right,
and I'm proud of who I am today, I really am.
And without this podcast, like I think about who I
(23:23):
would have been the path I was going down, and
it would have been just so the trajectory of my
life would have been so different. And that's that's just
it's like I can't wrap my brain around that entirely.
But and I think that's what Like if within that thought,
(23:48):
if I was like talking to somebody, which you know,
I am talking to you, like a takeaway from that
cut out, even just the money part about it, like
the fact that I was able to make a living.
I mean, that's important, but it's not. I don't it's
not the most important, right, This journey was necessary because
it helped me find myself. And that's so much of
what I push on anybody who has ideas and goals
(24:11):
and dreams. You can't focus on the monetary aspect of it.
If it happens, great, but there's still value to be found,
even if it is just a quote unquote hobby or
even while you're still in the building phase, like the
journey you go on as a result of exploring your
(24:34):
ideas and your creativity in time will transform you into
so much better of a person just by proxy of
surrounding yourself with something you love and you enjoy doing
and that challenges you. It really, that's what life is
going to go. Has been like bigger than anything, right,
(25:03):
and it's crazy to kind of see the growth, you know,
and I've just you know, I feel really grateful at
this moment, man, I really do. It's like, I don't
know how this happened, you know, as much as I do.
I don't know how this happened. How did I get
(25:23):
the opportunity to do this? You know, for almost four
years I got to do this, I got to host
this show. I got to bring my concept to life. Man. Yeah,
it's it's uh, I don't know, it's wild. I'm proud
(25:49):
of I'm proud of what we did. I really really am.
I'm really proud of what we did here. There's something
special about this, and I feel like I can say,
like if somebody was like, right now, all the things
(26:09):
you've done, what's the one thing you would point them
to that showcases who you are and the lasting impact
you'd like to have on this world. And I would
be like, just listen to lives to think of, Like,
that's me, that's my soul in audio form, and it's
(26:32):
the various transitionary versions and phases of me over the
last four years. But it's a man that I'm extremely
proud to be and a platform that I'm extremely proud
to have created. And yeah, I don't know, I just
(26:58):
I feel a lout of gratitude right now. I'm really
grateful for I'm grateful for the presence of mind to
feel that gratitude, right, Yeah, it's a beautiful thing. Well,
we'll take a break here and then we'll do some
ask a getting Go, but first we'll bear back ask
(27:26):
all right, So admittedly I haven't done Asked Getting Go
in god knows how long. I'm actually a bit ashamed
of that. If I one regret, it's that season three,
I feel like I I stopped doing asking Getting Go,
which I loved that part of the show as well.
I'll be real with you guys, you know, I think
part of of what I'm also like, I don't want
(27:50):
to say a lack of emotion. But there's a part
of me, there is a part of me that I
guess has processed a lot of this as well already,
because I you know, I was really feeling a lot
of burnout over this last year, and I think just
preemptively knowing this was the end, right and sort of
(28:14):
navigating that emotionally but personally career wise, and like, hey,
what the fuck am I going to do after this? Right?
And I know this is about you. I'll get to
in a second. I promise it's not just about me.
I'm gonna make my way back to asking to go.
But I think, as I expressed, you know, kind of
in the me hit this segment, like this isn't just
(28:37):
a podcast, it's not just a job. Like there's so
much of my identity tied to this, right, Like these
episodes are my honest like my heart, my vulnerability, meet
my human being, my soul bared out in in audio
form for the most part, you know, obviously some episodes
(28:57):
more than others, but like this has been such a
big part of me and something I can lean on
that I'm like so incredibly proud of in so many ways,
from you know, the connection that's built with people, the
message and also being the underdog and figuring out a
(29:18):
way to like live out my dream where I'm just
proud of this on so many levels, and it's like
part of me is almost like who am I without it?
To a degree, right, And you know, obviously I I
think I'm at a place in life where I feel
really comfortable with myself, but there still is something to
be said about, you know, this being such a huge
part of my life and again a lot of my
(29:40):
identity being tied to it. As I know that that's unhealthy,
but it's inevitable you have something so personal that you've created. So,
you know, for me, over this last year, like social
media has felt exhausting. You know, I was, uh, I'm
(30:03):
trying to be tangent here, but fuck, it's my last episode, right,
I I had I had seen something like TikTok. I
don't know if it was talking about aquariuses or whatever
it was, but like just in something I related to
about certain personality types and they were talking about how
when they're overwhelmed, when they're going through it, they have
(30:26):
to kind of like disconnect and be alone to ground
themselves and to kind of get back down to baseline.
And it's not a sort of commentary on not having,
you know, not not a commentary on the people around them,
or you know, not wanting to share time with the
(30:50):
people around them, or you know, or whatever it might be.
It's more so that's how they can process the overwhelming emotion.
And I think for this last year, I was just
incredibly overwhelmed around the idea of what's next. And I
would hate that people would always be asking what's next,
what's next? And I just hated that, and it would
(31:12):
just like felt like this heavy burden. And I haven't
been super social over the last year. Up until recently,
I've been horrendous at texting people. It's not just you
if you have been texting me. I've been terrible at
being interactive with people on social media, you know, and
those who are more than just you know, listeners of
(31:34):
the show. But you guys are my community. And I
used to pride myself on like being available all the
time and the dms and things like that, and for me,
navigating what the fuck is next was so much of
a burden. I had to kind of just disconnect from
everything else, and social media was a part of that.
And I think the Aska Genego segment because I used
(31:57):
to do their outreach on like Instagram and stuff, like
my mind was just like that feels too heavy right
now to even just like be in the mindset to
preemptively go on social media and get all you know,
I don't know. And as still as that sound, it's not.
It's obviously it takes thirty seconds of my fucking day.
But with the burnout, with like the overwhelm, every little
(32:18):
thing felt like too much almost, you know. And that's
the only regret I have of I guess this experience
and this this last year, you know. But then again,
you know, it leads to conversations like this one. And
I've had a lot of I think vulnerable moments in
season three sort of talking about these different ranges of
(32:39):
emotions I've been going through. So that's why I asked,
Gonna go wasn't as frequent or existent, you know, particular
here in season three. It was just like it was
a lot, you know, now, what I said, let's uh,
let's just get into it, you know, I just posed
a little thing out there and as always do, we'll
(33:00):
we'll read a few But like I just told people
any questions, comments, concerns, you know, let me know and
shout out to bread Jay Life Coaching. Brenda my my
budd who I met here on this from this podcast.
She's a listener, became business partners. We did a lot
of amazing things with just Be and the Just Be
(33:21):
Social Club. And that's another crazy thing about like this podcast,
the relationships is built, you know, speaking of she asked, uh,
will to Just Be Social Club ever return? Are you
still interested in partnerships with folks? So anybody doesn't know
the Just Be Social Club is a mastermind group. I
(33:41):
did two groups. They both were a year long, and
we met every single week via zoom and that was
an amazing experience because like the majority of the people,
even those groups were started out as like listeners of
the podcast, and then you know, we did this whole
thing together and we would just meet up and like
(34:03):
I'd have different prompts that would make us sort of
think about things and have conversations. And it was amazing
to see in real time people's growth just from meeting
up and being surrounded by others who are trying to
do better, you know, for themselves. And I'm proud of that,
you know, and I would love to bring it back
in some capacity. You know, I don't have the bandwidth
right now to do it. How I was, you know,
(34:27):
the weekly meetups and we would have these little one
offs and all these and amazing things, and it was
all virtual. What I would love to kind of do conceptually,
and I'll let you guys know, kind of wide open
about this, the idea have in my head as a
(34:51):
sort of I want to do these kinds of things
in person, right and just be has been this amazing experience,
but I think I'm transitioning out of that as well.
And it lives forever, right, the memories and everything like that.
But I'm trying to really integrate everything I do and
for it to be in alignment, right. And music is
(35:14):
such a huge part of my life and so much
of what is bringing me joy right now, I feel
like everything kind of has to be in alignment with
somehow being allowed with music as well. So my concept
what I would love to do, I want to do
real in person events. And I started my radio show
Notes You Went Out Radio, which is like just me
djaying records. I like my SoundCloud, and I would love
(35:39):
to do real in person events with that where we
have like dancing and fun, but it's like a social club, right.
The concept really I don't explain this terrible but worth
explaining shit, but conceptually it's basically like more than just
fucking you know, I don't want to I'm tired of
(36:01):
like just I love it, but I'm tired of just
also being at a club and that's all you're doing, right.
I like the idea like back in the day, or
you know, a grandparents' days, they had these social clubs
they would do to My grandparents used to go to
like social club every Friday night or whatever it was.
They would play dominos, they would dance, they would eat.
It was like their thing to do. And it's like
back in like the fifties sixties when you would go
see music groups, right, and it wasn't like DJs at
(36:23):
the time. It was like live bands. It was a
whole thing, right. It was dinner, it was entertainment, it
was dancing. It was an entire experience. And I would
love to sort of transition into that, like where we
do like family style dinner and you get to socialize
with other people of the community and build those relationships
and then from there we get to like the party
(36:43):
aspect of it. Right to me, that's me bringing the
whole worlds together. It's kind of like what the master
of my group was, which, yeah, it was you know,
we had intentions, we had a blueprint as to what
we were teaching, but really it was like you bouncing
ideas off of people. You build the relationships with people
you can to with people who are trying to do
similar things to you as far as growth goes, and
(37:03):
that was it. Like, that's like the social component was
really you know, the bigger takeaway from it all, And
that's what I would love to do in person, a
hybrid of it all. I think maybe one day, as
I get a little bit older, I could probably I
can say myself transitioning back into something a little bit
more in the personal growth thing. I don't close the
(37:25):
door on anything, but I think moving forward, I would
love to do it more as an imperson type of thing,
right even like you know, like Bad Bunny's doing his
residency in Puerto Rico and like people traveling over there.
For me, I would love to do something like that.
And then it's like, oh, we have our nights of
like dancing and have fun. I could do the music thing,
but like it's also based upon deeper connection or like
Diplow has a run club and any DJs after. I
(37:47):
love these hybrid ideas where I could also involve my
love for music. So I think conceptually that's on my
mind of I guess the next evolution of it and
how to really make all the sides of me in alignment,
and also how to contribute in a positive way using
my love for music as a vehicle. Let's see. At
(38:09):
the NA billionaire asked what's next for you? And it's
funny that I'm giggling to myself because I was like, oh,
I hate when you asked me what's next. I've gotten
over that now because I'm I'm like, now I am
on a clear path as to what is next. Right,
it doesn't feel like like a fucking burden. I'm I'm
(38:31):
frustrated except what I want to be able to tell
you guys. You know, also I had said this, and
I'm repeating myself. I think again, I don't like talking
about things until the inch is dry. So like, if
my contract was one hundred percent done and we had
like all the info, I would as far as like
(38:52):
you know, roll out and shit, I would one hundred
percent to share it openly. What I will say is,
if you enjoy, you know, a post podcast, if you
enjoy the conversations and the interviews I do, this won't
be the end. And really, what's going to happen Barring
(39:15):
any sort of you know, unexpected hiccup, life is a
green gole will evolve into something new. And I'm being like,
I hope, I don't really like ominous about what the
fuck I'm talking about, but like we're vague, but I
(39:38):
can say it's not the end. It's the end of life.
It's a getting go, but it's not the end. If
you enjoy what I do and the types of conversations
that I have, you know it's going to evolve into
another concept. And I believe this concept has the ability
to be something that the conversations and the content and
the value are endless. And that's what I'm really excited about.
(40:02):
I could say that life is a getinggo. I think
had a ceiling, has a ceiling, and I think again,
that's why I feel comfortable like being like, all right,
and this is kind of the end, you know, I
don't want it to become redundant. I don't want it
to become like we're just here because we're supposed to
be here. I feel like, you know, this next concept
(40:22):
is the evolution because it's it's boundless and that's what
I'm looking for. It allows me to scratch those itches
of creativity and dabble into different things. You know, you know,
so there's that there is there is that, there is something.
There is a new evolution of life is getting I
can tell you that. So you know, if you fuck
(40:44):
with this like it like this is like you know,
goodbye for specifically, life is a thingle but like if
you enjoy what I do and get something out of it,
there's this won't be the end. Now. The goal is
for that new chapters start towards the end of the
summer now against a moving target because there's certain things
(41:07):
being worked out behind the scenes. But I could say
that I could say that this new new chapter allows
me to explore what's next as far as like culture,
(41:27):
like that, I'm really excited to like just have more
innovative conversations and meet more innovative people and things like that.
I'm trying to I'm trying to like give you info
because I want to give you info, but also because
I have to be so vague it just doesn't make sense.
I feel like what I'll say is again, there's a
(41:48):
new evolution of life is going to go, like this
is not completely like the end, like you know, and
we're starting from scratch. Life is going to go is evolving,
and I can say that, all right. This one is
just a silly one. What is it? Dammy Campster nine?
(42:12):
If you got I understen, I appreciate this because you
like my fashion. I appreciate you. He just asked me
what my favorite jacket is that would rock all the time,
And this is a shameless plug for jes B. I
love that jacket I wore the other day. A few
of you send me pictures in it. It's like the
windbreaker I have. We dropped it for It was like
(42:32):
a part of the Protect Your Peace line and I
rocked out a lot, especially during the summer or where
it rains. I'm just like, you know, sometimes you just
got to create things for yourself, right, and hope other
people fuck with it. But I don't know, there's there's
(42:53):
no better feeling than like creating something and then it's
just like tangible in your in your hands or you're
tangibly doing it. You know, that's like the greatest satisfaction.
And so many of us get caught up in the
like creation phase of like planning or wondering if people
(43:16):
are even gonna like it, and then we don't even
like end up bringing it to life. We don't even
get to like hold our creation, you know. So I'm
proud of whenever I'm able to bring something out of
my mind into life. And that was one of them,
especially like that I did all the designing myself on
so I'm like teaching myself photoshop, like you know, on
a higher level than I ever have, like, and I'm
(43:36):
proud of pushing myself for that. I'm proud of these hats.
I'm wearing a hat my pertr Rico and Nowhere hat.
We're doing pre orders on dramas dot Com. You can
see it on my Instagram at EGI Drama Sift into it.
But all right, so and another real answer, I have
this this denim jacket, Levi's vintage denim jacket from Lauren Hill,
(43:58):
and it's from her tour, Her Miseducation of Lauren Hill,
and I love it because obviously it does get a
lot of attention. People love that that jacket, it's just
so cool. It's a cool like just damn jacket, like
very simple but has like her tour thing I got
off of eBay for like probably sixty bucks at the time,
which sounds like a lot of money before like the
(44:20):
vineance shit went crazy. And I just think that album,
by the way, I brought it up because I think
there's like, as I try to, you know, make a
message of everything we do, Miseducation of Lauren Hill, that
album is a is a person in this case, a woman,
a young woman in the early twenties who was experiencing
(44:43):
heartbreak and was unafraid to bear her entire soul into
her art. And that's why it's a generational album, right,
That's why I like, I even understand like she walked
away from music. It's like, how the fuck you top that?
(45:06):
And that's a lesson of just unapologetic honesty and vulnerability. Right.
So many people connected to that album because they felt
that raw emotion and it was a reflection of mirror
of what they were going through. And you think someone'st
like care for be care for me, you said you
can for be caref and be care for me. He
said your cry from crying. You said you die from
(45:29):
and live from lived, Like I'm butchering it, but like
I don't even like life is a good I'm like, yo,
I'm proud of this shit because like this was this
I was more honest with y'all than I was with
than I am with most people in my everyday life, right,
or with people i've dated. Like this is real vulnerability, right,
And I think you could be proud and walk away
(45:50):
and no, I gave it my all. My heart is
out there, right. I guess that's why you just brought
this up. But yeah, don't know. I think you just
got to put yourself out there, man, in whatever you're doing,
put out the most honest and vulnerable part of yourself,
because that's what it's gonna connect you with people. That's
what it's gonna have the greatest impact. Again, your favorite art,
(46:13):
like that album, it's just the most real, Like you
could hear this woman going through pain of heartbreak, you know,
probably her first real heartbreak, and it's there and documents
it and it's so special because a moment in time, right,
and so many people myself included, have been able to
listen to it and resonate with it and find peace
(46:37):
in it. You know, Yeah, I don't know. I just
think art is special. I think creativity is special. I
think what we feel in our hearts and our real
emotions are important, and we never know the type of
impact we can have or we underestimate, I should say,
(46:58):
the type of impact we could have. Just I like
being our honest self and being vulnerable to others, and
sometimes that's all somebody else needs in order to like
heal or to feel seen right, which that leads to healing.
I feel like, so, yeah, that's that ask getting go
one last time. Thank y'all so much for participating in
(47:20):
that's but that's said, let's hie everything we talked about
today for one last time, and it's like we call
conclusions to but first we'll take a quick break and
then we'll be right back time for comp soon. One
(47:42):
last time. Man, it's crazy conclusions to. I don't think
I need to summarize all that I talked about. I
think I've been talking in the same manner for the
last couple of episodes that I really do I genuinely
want to say thank you to anybody us listened to
this podcast, to those of you who have expressed anything
(48:05):
in some sort of way and taking the time to
DM me or listen or hit this like rate whatever
it is, like, you know, we're in this together in
so many ways. You know, it's not lost on me
(48:26):
that those of you who show up and tune in
and participate and enjoy this podcast like you're a very
big reason as to why I got to live my
dream for almost four years. And I forever thank you.
(48:46):
I really, I really do mean that. I know a
lot of people be like I really do mean that
this is my first ever successful endeavor like my like,
(49:07):
my first ever like with me and the lead successful endeavor,
like on a real scale. I don't mean perceived success.
I mean real success in terms of like this has
fed me for the last almost four years. And obviously
(49:27):
I busted my ass and I show up every week
and do my job is the best of my ability.
But you guys are a part of that as well.
You showing up and listening like is the reason why
I can walk away and say this was a success.
So I genuinely, I genuinely just want to thank you
(49:52):
from the bottom of my heart. I'm so grateful that
anybody has taken the time to listen to me on
a reg their basis, listen to me one time, like
I just checked it out, Like it's it's a blessing,
and it's something I'm going to continue to remind myself
of as I tackle the next endeavors of my life
(50:15):
and when those moments of imposter syndrome inevitably creep in,
I'm gonna think about all of you who have supported
this podcast and remind myself that I am capable of
successfully bringing my ideas to life and I can live
out my dreams, you know, and and then I have
(50:36):
a place in this community, in this world and this
career path and everything, you know, So just thank you,
I really genuinely, I really do mean that so much. Man.
I again, I know it's a cliche. I felt like
everybody whoever has any sort of platform or anything will
say that, but like it's not lost on me, you know,
(50:59):
Like I don't if you were right, if you like
had met me at a younger age or whatever and
writing somebody was guessing where my life would go, I
don't think they would have thought this right. I could
have never planned this. It's amazing and I'm really super
grateful and shout out to the whole Michael Tura team
for believing in in my vision at a really early
(51:21):
stage and for going on this ride with me for
almost four years and trusting me and just allowing me
to develop and do my thing. And I'm so grateful
for them, and you know, and I'm proud of myself.
(51:41):
I think that's the thing. I would put the the
punctuation mark here, right. I walk away from this very
proud of myself and just honored to have been able
to do this for as long as I have. It's
(52:05):
been a blessing, Thank God for it all. And like
I'm anxious to even like say the goodbye statement right now.
But but yeah, I remember again this is in the end.
Life's gonna go, is gonna involve into something else, and
I'll be back sooner than later, and hopefully you'll you'll
(52:26):
join me on that next journey. And also we have
those like bonus episodes dropping, a little mini episodes. They'll
be dropping over the next few weeks. It might not
be next week, but you'll you'll see a pop up
on the feed. So a couple of little extra things
that are like bonus episodes or whatever. But yeah, I
(52:51):
guess this is it. Huh. One last time, signing off
as far as life's goes, right, But thank you guys.
So watch again. This kid that once felt like an
outsider in his community now feels so comfortable and so
much like so it feels so seen and so much
(53:12):
to that is because of you. I'm just proud of
what we did together over the course of almost four years.
So thank you. I love you all. I genuinely do.
I love what I've been able to do. I'm grateful
for it forever. It's been a blessing. I just will
say thank you. All right, one last time. I will
(53:37):
talk to you soon. I don't know what it's gonna be,
but I will talk to you soon. Until then, you
want to follow me on social media at dj Dramas,
stay in contact, but yeah, until til we reconnect via
the next chapter, stay safe and we will talk soon. Peace.
(54:03):
Life as a Gringo is a production of the micro
Thura podcast network and iHeartRadio.
Alright, let me let me talk about here we go.
He said, you live in life as a Gringo, where
you questioned when you feel in every time you mingle,
they say, you do this with none of that my
life as a Gringo. Yes, hello, and welcome to l
episode there Life as a Gringo. That's how emotional. I
(00:38):
can't do the whole episode of Spanish. I promise Brenda would.
I was going to do span this last episode of Spanish.
I'm practicing a bit though that wasn't terrible. I don't
know why. Also, I'm in the room by myself, and
I still got nervous about speaking Spanish out loud. Uh,
But we're here. Final episode of Life as a Gringo.
I did originally intend to just do a full Vanish
(01:00):
episode is like the last one. But also as I
think about it, I feel like I'm not going to
be as present and as in the moment and be
able to really express what I'm feeling as we end
this show if I'm doing it in another language that
I'm not comfortable speaking, and I have to kind of
overthink it. So I gave you, you know, a little
(01:21):
tease of what that would sound like. But we're here, guys.
This is it. Yeah, I was kind of like, I'm
not gonna lie as procrassing and even recording it. But
as I was kind of like you know, getting ready
and like walking into the studio and doing a couple
of little things around the studio, I was going through
(01:41):
some wide range of emotions here and I'll kind of,
I guess I'll just freely talk about it, you know,
for me hint this segment also, we'll bring back the
asking Dingo segment one last time. Answer a few questions
that you guys had or comments, whatever concerns. What I'm
gonna call it. We're here, man, let's let's just get
(02:06):
into its me Hint, this sek I I will say
it is. It is strange knowing this is the last time,
(02:27):
and uh, keep this in keep this into the in
the video because I think my studio is in dire
need of like some TLC. And if you're not watching
the video version of this, it's just me like fucking
with my mic right now because it's all over the
place and I can't get into the right position that
I wanted to be in, and it's it's I think
(02:50):
my studio is like dude, it's time. You know, we're
ready for a refresh of what we've been doing. And yeah,
I guess. You know. It's funny because you you you
have these these pivotal moments in your life, and you
(03:11):
know these moments that like you know, you're ready to
kind of do the next thing right. And I think
this is also why people backpedal, like you know, or
go back and like, oh, I'm leaving this person, I'm
leaving this job, and then like they get sentimental, they
get nervous about what thinking about everything and all that
it takes to restart again, almost right, And you can
(03:32):
kind of second guess yourself a bit. I I can't
say I'm second guessing the idea as I'm still fucking
with my microphone here. The idea of closing this chapter.
I think it's the right thing. I think. I think
I've I've said everything I wanted to say on this
(03:52):
this particular platform, and I just want to start. I
guess this is an idea. It was fresh in my head.
And one thing I'll say, I'm really grateful. One thing
about growth I will say over these last few years,
you know, as I've transitioned to different chapters. Probably the
last big chapter was leaving the Breakfast Club and then
(04:18):
also leaving not as much but being on air in
New York on the ZE one hundred, which I still
DJ for, but being actually like a radio personality, leaving
that I wasn't as present to just like taking it
all in, right, and even if I felt like I
had outgrown those roles and they weren't aligned with where
(04:42):
I saw my life and where I wanted it to
go and where I wanted it to be. You know,
I think that, you know, sort of looking forward made
me take it for granted a bit and not like
really just savor the moment, you know. And I will say,
with this experience, I I truly do. I truly do
(05:23):
I savor it, Like I really do understand the magnitude
of it. You know. It's not it's not lost on
me anymore, you know, I think. And it's so funny
(05:45):
because I'm like, I'm talking about being present and I'm
like sending a text message ironically to one of the
producers over at Michael Dura for something that potentially involves
the next phase of the next the next thing. Right,
It's ironic that I'm getting it I recorded this last episode,
but it's a it's it's great to sort of have
(06:11):
gotten to a place where I'm like excited for the
next step, but I'm not. I'm not ungrateful taking for
granted all that I just did. And man, I feel
myself like getting a bit emotional talk, you know with
that statement. But like I was, you know, setting up,
(06:32):
and like I have I have two sets here in
my studio and one of them is on wheels, so
I have to wheel it out of the way to
open up the life as a Goodingo set. And I
was just saying to myself, like, this is the last
time you're gonna be wheeling out this set, and behind
it will be the life as a Gondingo set, you know,
(06:52):
cause I have to take this down and get ready
for other things. But you know, I was like present
to that, right, and that I felt really special and
really amazing and and I'm grateful and like that's that again.
I'm saying that to myself, like how this journey has
allowed me to have that growth that allows me to
(07:13):
live with a bit more intention and not take for
granted things, right, And even I don't know a year
ago if I would have had that the same level
of awareness and presence to the moment. You know, I
definitely didn't have it with the Breakfast cub I definitely
didn't have I kind of was like so in my
own mind over it that, Like it took an It
(07:35):
took a few months for them me to realize, like,
oh shit, I didn't like process the morning process that
comes along with leaving something, even if you're ready, but
leaving something that was such a big part of your life,
you know, and it's it's probably safe to say life
as a gringo probably, I mean, without a doubt top
(08:05):
five moments of my entire life. I'm hesitant to rank
it ahead of certain things just because those things had
to happen in order for me to get here. But
you know, in terms of like one thing really just
immediately changing my life, it was getting this podcast, you know,
(08:27):
and what I wanted to say, what I had in
my head as I was like reflecting on all this
is like bigger than just me. I want everybody to realize,
like this was a win for the underdogs, you know,
like the way all this happened and the fact that
(08:50):
the show even got made, Like you know, again, like
I mentioned this in the other episode, like, I didn't
think a I was shocked that I got a contract,
but be I thought it'd be done after one season,
and here we are. We got renewed for every single
option that the contract had, right, three seasons. Was like
(09:12):
the max deal, right, And never in a million years
thought we'd do that. It's really insane, you know, And
you know, I'm a testament to I think, just the
hustle on the grind and fighting for what you want.
And even with this show, like I didn't create a
(09:37):
show that was based off of some trendy idea, and
I had opportunities to be a part of salacious shows
that had a lot of viewership. When I left the
Breakfast Club, I had a chance to be a part
of very superficial platforms, and I chose to do this
show that as much as I think there's a lot
(10:01):
of us out here, it was very much so a
niche concept, but I thought it was an important one,
and it was an honest one, and it was one
that I related to and had my whole heart into,
you know. And it's a win for the little guys man, Like,
it's a win for honesty. It's a win for not
(10:23):
following the trends, for being yourself, for making something of substance,
you know, in a world that rewards so much superficial bullshit,
we successfully, for almost four years, had a community and
(10:45):
supported together, you know, you and I collectively you listening
are a part of this. Supported a vision and a
program that was trying to put some good into this world,
was trying to connect people, was trying to make people
(11:05):
feel seen. And I'm proud of that, you know. I think,
like you know, when I leave this earth one day,
hopefully in a very long time, I'm going to be
proud to, like, you know, for anybody who's interested, or
my future children, or my niece and nephew and whomever,
(11:28):
that they can like go back and hear this, and
it's something I'm proud of them. I want them to hear,
you know. It's something that I feel like I left,
as small as it might be, I left some sort
of mark, or at the very least, I put something
positive out here into the world. Right I contribute to
the world in a positive way, in some way, shape
(11:50):
or form. And I'm really proud of that, you know,
I really really am. And it's it's weird all, you know,
all the connections everything I made, like it's it's the
people I met. And like selfishly those interviews, like some
of them men, Like I was talking to people and
(12:11):
I'm the host of the show and all these things,
but like some of the people we had on here,
like it was therapeutic, you know, it was things I
needed to hear in that moment. You know, it was
reaffirming that I'm not alone, you know, in what I'm
feeling and what I'm going through. And it's just special,
(12:37):
you know, it's very it's very special, and it's just
funny because I you know, I can remember where I
was when the contract came in. I was in a
hotel in New York. It was a snow We were
having a big snowstorm here in the city and I
was at the breakfast club at the time, obviously, and
whenever we would have a giant snowstorm, they would but
(13:02):
you know, like the essential crew for the different radio stations,
they would book us a hotels that were you know,
walking distance from the radio station to make sure we
were able to get in you know that that next
morning and do our jobs and the next day. And
it was we were in the midst of one of those
like really bad blizzards or whatever, and I think I'd
(13:23):
woken up from like a nap after leaving the Breakfast
Club in the morning prior and in the hotel room,
and I got the contract, you know, and it was
it was like what it was the first moment where
(13:45):
I don't know, you know, because I think I'm trying
to like analyze where it is in my life and
like how to properly place it and where we're to
give it credit, you know, because I think obviously getting
into radio was the first foot in the door, but
it was like, you know, you're the lowest possible person,
the total pull there, right and not even complaining. It's
(14:06):
a blessing. But and then the next big moment was like,
you know, becoming the resident DJ for the flagship station
for iHeart here in New York. It's Eve one hundred,
and that opened so many doors for me as a DJ,
but I still was like living with my parents and
doing like I wasn't like, you know, able to survive
(14:27):
off of that alone. And then getting with the Breakfast
Club was obviously a really big deal, but that still
just felt like a stepping stone and life as a gringo
was like the first time where it was like I've arrived,
right and regardless, you know, because there was a part
of me that was like, oh, it's just a podcast,
(14:47):
and like I would listen to the naysayers, like who's
even going to listen to this podcast from dramas, you know,
and like oh cool, he got his own podcasts. Everybody
has a podcast, right, But it was like, dude, the
biggest audio company in the world just bet for me.
A lot of money on and energy on me as
(15:12):
a personality, Like just me, It's on my shoulders. Now.
I'm not anybody's sidekick. I'm I'm the end all be
all with it basically, and not only that, I'm taking
a stance and an angle that I'm now putting on
(15:34):
for a part of our community, our community as a whole,
but specifically a sector of our community that feels unheard,
and I have to wear that cape, you know, and
you know I have to say, like I really did.
I wore that with honor, you know, Like I'm honored
(15:55):
in whatever way, in whatever capacity I've made anybody here
feel or whatever it might be, Like, I'm honored that
I got to be a part of that in some way,
shape or form, whatever. If I just injected a little
idea into your head, I'm honored that that I got
to participate, you know. Yeah, And it's just I don't
(16:19):
really keep saying it's fucking crazy. But I don't know.
I you know, I I didn't really have like an intention.
I guess in this last episode, I just sort of
like similar to the last one. I guess it's like
part two or whatever it is. But like, I don't know, man,
(16:44):
I think I again as ever reflect. I think really,
like I think about life as a gringo, and it's
like it's like the little engine that could type of
shit right, Like it's it's it's how the fuck did
we get here? You know what I mean? Like it
doesn't feel real, and like there's the part of me
(17:08):
that imposter syndrome, and there's a part of me that
compares myself to you know, my peers who have been
doing this for way longer, and you know, are on
bigger platforms, and I'm like, oh, I'm nowhere near them,
but this is special. For almost four years, like I've
been able to just live out my dream and I've
(17:30):
been able to wake up every day and just fucking
you know, this is my life. I talk on a microphone.
It's crazy, Like it's fucking nuts. And again, like I
don't I'm not saying that to aggrandize myself. I'm saying
that to be like, dude, like this shit is possible
as far as like whatever your dream is, this is
possible for for for anybody, right, as long as you're
really aligned with what you love to do and what
(17:51):
you think you're talented, that it's possible. It I don't
just mean podcasting anything. Now, it might take long, it
might take an X amount of work, and you might
have take X amount of sacrifice, and that up to
you if you're willing to do that. But if you
are willing to sacrifice everything for it, then it is possible.
And you know, I this podcast. I have joked that
(18:17):
it's like my diary and all these things, and like
truth be told, it is right. It's something that I
not only do as a career, but like I think
I probably needed I might have needed this more than
you listening, you know, to have this outlet every single
week to talk and to meet people and to just
(18:38):
have conversations and express myself, like I'm forever grateful for that,
you know. I don't know, man, I don't I like,
I'm trying to just sort of like interpret whatever feeling
emotions are coming over me, whatever's come for my brain,
and say it into this microphone, you know. But I
(19:00):
think the biggest thing is I just want to say
thank you, like everybody that's been involved in this process,
you know, and you know, from the Microdurap network and
Giselle and Jasmine over there, and Claudia who was originally
one of the producers here and Pablo who took over,
and you know, just everybody I've met along the way. Dude,
(19:24):
it's just been like it's been it's been a wild
it's been a wild journey. And I don't know, I
think it's it's really funny. There's a couple of things
that come across. I was thinking about this earlier today too,
(19:45):
and I apologize I'm scared with my thoughts a bit.
But I started my first podcast. It had to have
been two thousand and nine, twenty ten, right, which I
think we launched in twenty twenty one, she talk about
eleven years later, I got my first paying podcast, right,
(20:08):
But we were recording a podcast, me and my buddy
Aaron in my parents' basement and we couldn't even get
it on like Apple podcast or anything at the time.
It was hard. It was just on SoundCloud and we
did like three episodes and that was it. But I
think back to that kid, I'm like, man, never in
(20:31):
a million years would he have thought, fucking eleven years
later he would be able to make a living doing that, right, Like,
And that's making me emotional thinking about it, right because again,
that's a kid broke in his parents' basement, man. But
that was the kid that, like, I really have to
(20:51):
give credit to because he took risks. I quit my
first full time job around that time. I was a
full time with Guitar Center and they literally were offering
me a managerial job. But I quit right when they
offered me a job, and I was like fuck this,
I'm I'm I was surviving at the time off of
DJing private parties on the weekends. Now, luckily I lived
with my parents, so I have, you know, room and
board and meals and everything. But that kid took a
(21:14):
big risk, right and it led to here like that,
it really is a precipice for why I'm sitting here
is that kid, and it's it's really crazy, you know.
And then and then I think back to the kid,
you know, the kid who in twenty twenty one launched
this podcast man and everything that led up to it, Right,
(21:37):
that was a kid who's like finally, for the first
time in his life, really beginning to get clear on
his own identity, like really starting to dial it in.
(21:58):
And it's it's really funny. Like the thing with life
as a gringo, It's like Gods places in my life
not only to get me out of a situation that
I felt like I had outgrown, but this podcast and
(22:19):
the journey that it took me on really helped me
find myself. And that's like monumental, right, Like think about
how incredible that is, right, And that's a blessing in itself,
Like not only is it like this dream job, dream opportunity,
(22:41):
but like on a personal level, it made you into
somebody else that you are now so proud to be
and far more fulfilled and far more aligned. You know.
And listen, there's been opposite downs throughout this entire process,
but like, when I really reflect on it, it's this
(23:01):
chapter is going to be like one of those things
I look back on and it's like, yeah, like demand
in front of you that time doing what was just
you know, a podcast like it helped mold this person, right,
and I'm proud of who I am today, I really am.
And without this podcast, like I think about who I
(23:23):
would have been the path I was going down, and
it would have been just so the trajectory of my
life would have been so different. And that's that's just
it's like I can't wrap my brain around that entirely.
But and I think that's what Like if within that thought,
(23:48):
if I was like talking to somebody, which you know,
I am talking to you, like a takeaway from that
cut out, even just the money part about it, like
the fact that I was able to make a living.
I mean, that's important, but it's not. I don't it's
not the most important, right, This journey was necessary because
it helped me find myself. And that's so much of
what I push on anybody who has ideas and goals
(24:11):
and dreams. You can't focus on the monetary aspect of it.
If it happens, great, but there's still value to be found,
even if it is just a quote unquote hobby or
even while you're still in the building phase, like the
journey you go on as a result of exploring your
(24:34):
ideas and your creativity in time will transform you into
so much better of a person just by proxy of
surrounding yourself with something you love and you enjoy doing
and that challenges you. It really, that's what life is
going to go. Has been like bigger than anything, right,
(25:03):
and it's crazy to kind of see the growth, you know,
and I've just you know, I feel really grateful at
this moment, man, I really do. It's like, I don't
know how this happened, you know, as much as I do.
I don't know how this happened. How did I get
(25:23):
the opportunity to do this? You know, for almost four
years I got to do this, I got to host
this show. I got to bring my concept to life. Man. Yeah,
it's it's uh, I don't know, it's wild. I'm proud
(25:49):
of I'm proud of what we did. I really really am.
I'm really proud of what we did here. There's something
special about this, and I feel like I can say,
like if somebody was like, right now, all the things
(26:09):
you've done, what's the one thing you would point them
to that showcases who you are and the lasting impact
you'd like to have on this world. And I would
be like, just listen to lives to think of, Like,
that's me, that's my soul in audio form, and it's
(26:32):
the various transitionary versions and phases of me over the
last four years. But it's a man that I'm extremely
proud to be and a platform that I'm extremely proud
to have created. And yeah, I don't know, I just
(26:58):
I feel a lout of gratitude right now. I'm really
grateful for I'm grateful for the presence of mind to
feel that gratitude, right, Yeah, it's a beautiful thing. Well,
we'll take a break here and then we'll do some
ask a getting Go, but first we'll bear back ask
(27:26):
all right, So admittedly I haven't done Asked Getting Go
in god knows how long. I'm actually a bit ashamed
of that. If I one regret, it's that season three,
I feel like I I stopped doing asking Getting Go,
which I loved that part of the show as well.
I'll be real with you guys, you know, I think
part of of what I'm also like, I don't want
(27:50):
to say a lack of emotion. But there's a part
of me, there is a part of me that I
guess has processed a lot of this as well already,
because I you know, I was really feeling a lot
of burnout over this last year, and I think just
preemptively knowing this was the end, right and sort of
(28:14):
navigating that emotionally but personally career wise, and like, hey,
what the fuck am I going to do after this? Right?
And I know this is about you. I'll get to
in a second. I promise it's not just about me.
I'm gonna make my way back to asking to go.
But I think, as I expressed, you know, kind of
in the me hit this segment, like this isn't just
(28:37):
a podcast, it's not just a job. Like there's so
much of my identity tied to this, right, Like these
episodes are my honest like my heart, my vulnerability, meet
my human being, my soul bared out in in audio
form for the most part, you know, obviously some episodes
(28:57):
more than others, but like this has been such a
big part of me and something I can lean on
that I'm like so incredibly proud of in so many ways,
from you know, the connection that's built with people, the
message and also being the underdog and figuring out a
(29:18):
way to like live out my dream where I'm just
proud of this on so many levels, and it's like
part of me is almost like who am I without it?
To a degree, right, And you know, obviously I I
think I'm at a place in life where I feel
really comfortable with myself, but there still is something to
be said about, you know, this being such a huge
part of my life and again a lot of my
(29:40):
identity being tied to it. As I know that that's unhealthy,
but it's inevitable you have something so personal that you've created. So,
you know, for me, over this last year, like social
media has felt exhausting. You know, I was, uh, I'm
(30:03):
trying to be tangent here, but fuck, it's my last episode, right,
I I had I had seen something like TikTok. I
don't know if it was talking about aquariuses or whatever
it was, but like just in something I related to
about certain personality types and they were talking about how
when they're overwhelmed, when they're going through it, they have
(30:26):
to kind of like disconnect and be alone to ground
themselves and to kind of get back down to baseline.
And it's not a sort of commentary on not having,
you know, not not a commentary on the people around them,
or you know, not wanting to share time with the
(30:50):
people around them, or you know, or whatever it might be.
It's more so that's how they can process the overwhelming emotion.
And I think for this last year, I was just
incredibly overwhelmed around the idea of what's next. And I
would hate that people would always be asking what's next,
what's next? And I just hated that, and it would
(31:12):
just like felt like this heavy burden. And I haven't
been super social over the last year. Up until recently,
I've been horrendous at texting people. It's not just you
if you have been texting me. I've been terrible at
being interactive with people on social media, you know, and
those who are more than just you know, listeners of
(31:34):
the show. But you guys are my community. And I
used to pride myself on like being available all the
time and the dms and things like that, and for me,
navigating what the fuck is next was so much of
a burden. I had to kind of just disconnect from
everything else, and social media was a part of that.
And I think the Aska Genego segment because I used
(31:57):
to do their outreach on like Instagram and stuff, like
my mind was just like that feels too heavy right
now to even just like be in the mindset to
preemptively go on social media and get all you know,
I don't know. And as still as that sound, it's not.
It's obviously it takes thirty seconds of my fucking day.
But with the burnout, with like the overwhelm, every little
(32:18):
thing felt like too much almost, you know. And that's
the only regret I have of I guess this experience
and this this last year, you know. But then again,
you know, it leads to conversations like this one. And
I've had a lot of I think vulnerable moments in
season three sort of talking about these different ranges of
(32:39):
emotions I've been going through. So that's why I asked,
Gonna go wasn't as frequent or existent, you know, particular
here in season three. It was just like it was
a lot, you know, now, what I said, let's uh,
let's just get into it, you know, I just posed
a little thing out there and as always do, we'll
(33:00):
we'll read a few But like I just told people
any questions, comments, concerns, you know, let me know and
shout out to bread Jay Life Coaching. Brenda my my
budd who I met here on this from this podcast.
She's a listener, became business partners. We did a lot
of amazing things with just Be and the Just Be
(33:21):
Social Club. And that's another crazy thing about like this podcast,
the relationships is built, you know, speaking of she asked, uh,
will to Just Be Social Club ever return? Are you
still interested in partnerships with folks? So anybody doesn't know
the Just Be Social Club is a mastermind group. I
(33:41):
did two groups. They both were a year long, and
we met every single week via zoom and that was
an amazing experience because like the majority of the people,
even those groups were started out as like listeners of
the podcast, and then you know, we did this whole
thing together and we would just meet up and like
(34:03):
I'd have different prompts that would make us sort of
think about things and have conversations. And it was amazing
to see in real time people's growth just from meeting
up and being surrounded by others who are trying to
do better, you know, for themselves. And I'm proud of that,
you know, and I would love to bring it back
in some capacity. You know, I don't have the bandwidth
right now to do it. How I was, you know,
(34:27):
the weekly meetups and we would have these little one
offs and all these and amazing things, and it was
all virtual. What I would love to kind of do conceptually,
and I'll let you guys know, kind of wide open
about this, the idea have in my head as a
(34:51):
sort of I want to do these kinds of things
in person, right and just be has been this amazing experience,
but I think I'm transitioning out of that as well.
And it lives forever, right, the memories and everything like that.
But I'm trying to really integrate everything I do and
for it to be in alignment, right. And music is
(35:14):
such a huge part of my life and so much
of what is bringing me joy right now, I feel
like everything kind of has to be in alignment with
somehow being allowed with music as well. So my concept
what I would love to do, I want to do
real in person events. And I started my radio show
Notes You Went Out Radio, which is like just me
djaying records. I like my SoundCloud, and I would love
(35:39):
to do real in person events with that where we
have like dancing and fun, but it's like a social club, right.
The concept really I don't explain this terrible but worth
explaining shit, but conceptually it's basically like more than just
fucking you know, I don't want to I'm tired of
(36:01):
like just I love it, but I'm tired of just
also being at a club and that's all you're doing, right.
I like the idea like back in the day, or
you know, a grandparents' days, they had these social clubs
they would do to My grandparents used to go to
like social club every Friday night or whatever it was.
They would play dominos, they would dance, they would eat.
It was like their thing to do. And it's like
back in like the fifties sixties when you would go
see music groups, right, and it wasn't like DJs at
(36:23):
the time. It was like live bands. It was a
whole thing, right. It was dinner, it was entertainment, it
was dancing. It was an entire experience. And I would
love to sort of transition into that, like where we
do like family style dinner and you get to socialize
with other people of the community and build those relationships
and then from there we get to like the party
(36:43):
aspect of it. Right to me, that's me bringing the
whole worlds together. It's kind of like what the master
of my group was, which, yeah, it was you know,
we had intentions, we had a blueprint as to what
we were teaching, but really it was like you bouncing
ideas off of people. You build the relationships with people
you can to with people who are trying to do
similar things to you as far as growth goes, and
(37:03):
that was it. Like, that's like the social component was
really you know, the bigger takeaway from it all, And
that's what I would love to do in person, a
hybrid of it all. I think maybe one day, as
I get a little bit older, I could probably I
can say myself transitioning back into something a little bit
more in the personal growth thing. I don't close the
(37:25):
door on anything, but I think moving forward, I would
love to do it more as an imperson type of thing,
right even like you know, like Bad Bunny's doing his
residency in Puerto Rico and like people traveling over there.
For me, I would love to do something like that.
And then it's like, oh, we have our nights of
like dancing and have fun. I could do the music thing,
but like it's also based upon deeper connection or like
Diplow has a run club and any DJs after. I
(37:47):
love these hybrid ideas where I could also involve my
love for music. So I think conceptually that's on my
mind of I guess the next evolution of it and
how to really make all the sides of me in alignment,
and also how to contribute in a positive way using
my love for music as a vehicle. Let's see. At
(38:09):
the NA billionaire asked what's next for you? And it's
funny that I'm giggling to myself because I was like, oh,
I hate when you asked me what's next. I've gotten
over that now because I'm I'm like, now I am
on a clear path as to what is next. Right,
it doesn't feel like like a fucking burden. I'm I'm
(38:31):
frustrated except what I want to be able to tell
you guys. You know, also I had said this, and
I'm repeating myself. I think again, I don't like talking
about things until the inch is dry. So like, if
my contract was one hundred percent done and we had
like all the info, I would as far as like
(38:52):
you know, roll out and shit, I would one hundred
percent to share it openly. What I will say is,
if you enjoy, you know, a post podcast, if you
enjoy the conversations and the interviews I do, this won't
be the end. And really, what's going to happen Barring
(39:15):
any sort of you know, unexpected hiccup, life is a
green gole will evolve into something new. And I'm being like,
I hope, I don't really like ominous about what the
fuck I'm talking about, but like we're vague, but I
(39:38):
can say it's not the end. It's the end of life.
It's a getting go, but it's not the end. If
you enjoy what I do and the types of conversations
that I have, you know it's going to evolve into
another concept. And I believe this concept has the ability
to be something that the conversations and the content and
the value are endless. And that's what I'm really excited about.
(40:02):
I could say that life is a getinggo. I think
had a ceiling, has a ceiling, and I think again,
that's why I feel comfortable like being like, all right,
and this is kind of the end, you know, I
don't want it to become redundant. I don't want it
to become like we're just here because we're supposed to
be here. I feel like, you know, this next concept
(40:22):
is the evolution because it's it's boundless and that's what
I'm looking for. It allows me to scratch those itches
of creativity and dabble into different things. You know, you know,
so there's that there is there is that, there is something.
There is a new evolution of life is getting I
can tell you that. So you know, if you fuck
(40:44):
with this like it like this is like you know,
goodbye for specifically, life is a thingle but like if
you enjoy what I do and get something out of it,
there's this won't be the end. Now. The goal is
for that new chapters start towards the end of the
summer now against a moving target because there's certain things
(41:07):
being worked out behind the scenes. But I could say
that I could say that this new new chapter allows
me to explore what's next as far as like culture,
(41:27):
like that, I'm really excited to like just have more
innovative conversations and meet more innovative people and things like that.
I'm trying to I'm trying to like give you info
because I want to give you info, but also because
I have to be so vague it just doesn't make sense.
I feel like what I'll say is again, there's a
(41:48):
new evolution of life is going to go, like this
is not completely like the end, like you know, and
we're starting from scratch. Life is going to go is evolving,
and I can say that, all right. This one is
just a silly one. What is it? Dammy Campster nine?
(42:12):
If you got I understen, I appreciate this because you
like my fashion. I appreciate you. He just asked me
what my favorite jacket is that would rock all the time,
And this is a shameless plug for jes B. I
love that jacket I wore the other day. A few
of you send me pictures in it. It's like the
windbreaker I have. We dropped it for It was like
(42:32):
a part of the Protect Your Peace line and I
rocked out a lot, especially during the summer or where
it rains. I'm just like, you know, sometimes you just
got to create things for yourself, right, and hope other
people fuck with it. But I don't know, there's there's
(42:53):
no better feeling than like creating something and then it's
just like tangible in your in your hands or you're
tangibly doing it. You know, that's like the greatest satisfaction.
And so many of us get caught up in the
like creation phase of like planning or wondering if people
(43:16):
are even gonna like it, and then we don't even
like end up bringing it to life. We don't even
get to like hold our creation, you know. So I'm
proud of whenever I'm able to bring something out of
my mind into life. And that was one of them,
especially like that I did all the designing myself on
so I'm like teaching myself photoshop, like you know, on
a higher level than I ever have, like, and I'm
(43:36):
proud of pushing myself for that. I'm proud of these hats.
I'm wearing a hat my pertr Rico and Nowhere hat.
We're doing pre orders on dramas dot Com. You can
see it on my Instagram at EGI Drama Sift into it.
But all right, so and another real answer, I have
this this denim jacket, Levi's vintage denim jacket from Lauren Hill,
(43:58):
and it's from her tour, Her Miseducation of Lauren Hill,
and I love it because obviously it does get a
lot of attention. People love that that jacket, it's just
so cool. It's a cool like just damn jacket, like
very simple but has like her tour thing I got
off of eBay for like probably sixty bucks at the time,
which sounds like a lot of money before like the
(44:20):
vineance shit went crazy. And I just think that album,
by the way, I brought it up because I think
there's like, as I try to, you know, make a
message of everything we do, Miseducation of Lauren Hill, that
album is a is a person in this case, a woman,
a young woman in the early twenties who was experiencing
(44:43):
heartbreak and was unafraid to bear her entire soul into
her art. And that's why it's a generational album, right,
That's why I like, I even understand like she walked
away from music. It's like, how the fuck you top that?
(45:06):
And that's a lesson of just unapologetic honesty and vulnerability. Right.
So many people connected to that album because they felt
that raw emotion and it was a reflection of mirror
of what they were going through. And you think someone'st
like care for be care for me, you said you
can for be caref and be care for me. He
said your cry from crying. You said you die from
(45:29):
and live from lived, Like I'm butchering it, but like
I don't even like life is a good I'm like, yo,
I'm proud of this shit because like this was this
I was more honest with y'all than I was with
than I am with most people in my everyday life, right,
or with people i've dated. Like this is real vulnerability, right,
And I think you could be proud and walk away
(45:50):
and no, I gave it my all. My heart is
out there, right. I guess that's why you just brought
this up. But yeah, don't know. I think you just
got to put yourself out there, man, in whatever you're doing,
put out the most honest and vulnerable part of yourself,
because that's what it's gonna connect you with people. That's
what it's gonna have the greatest impact. Again, your favorite art,
(46:13):
like that album, it's just the most real, Like you
could hear this woman going through pain of heartbreak, you know,
probably her first real heartbreak, and it's there and documents
it and it's so special because a moment in time, right,
and so many people myself included, have been able to
listen to it and resonate with it and find peace
(46:37):
in it. You know, Yeah, I don't know. I just
think art is special. I think creativity is special. I
think what we feel in our hearts and our real
emotions are important, and we never know the type of
impact we can have or we underestimate, I should say,
(46:58):
the type of impact we could have. Just I like
being our honest self and being vulnerable to others, and
sometimes that's all somebody else needs in order to like
heal or to feel seen right, which that leads to healing.
I feel like, so, yeah, that's that ask getting go
one last time. Thank y'all so much for participating in
(47:20):
that's but that's said, let's hie everything we talked about
today for one last time, and it's like we call
conclusions to but first we'll take a quick break and
then we'll be right back time for comp soon. One
(47:42):
last time. Man, it's crazy conclusions to. I don't think
I need to summarize all that I talked about. I
think I've been talking in the same manner for the
last couple of episodes that I really do I genuinely
want to say thank you to anybody us listened to
this podcast, to those of you who have expressed anything
(48:05):
in some sort of way and taking the time to
DM me or listen or hit this like rate whatever
it is, like, you know, we're in this together in
so many ways. You know, it's not lost on me
(48:26):
that those of you who show up and tune in
and participate and enjoy this podcast like you're a very
big reason as to why I got to live my
dream for almost four years. And I forever thank you.
(48:46):
I really, I really do mean that. I know a
lot of people be like I really do mean that
this is my first ever successful endeavor like my like,
(49:07):
my first ever like with me and the lead successful endeavor,
like on a real scale. I don't mean perceived success.
I mean real success in terms of like this has
fed me for the last almost four years. And obviously
(49:27):
I busted my ass and I show up every week
and do my job is the best of my ability.
But you guys are a part of that as well.
You showing up and listening like is the reason why
I can walk away and say this was a success.
So I genuinely, I genuinely just want to thank you
(49:52):
from the bottom of my heart. I'm so grateful that
anybody has taken the time to listen to me on
a reg their basis, listen to me one time, like
I just checked it out, Like it's it's a blessing,
and it's something I'm going to continue to remind myself
of as I tackle the next endeavors of my life
(50:15):
and when those moments of imposter syndrome inevitably creep in,
I'm gonna think about all of you who have supported
this podcast and remind myself that I am capable of
successfully bringing my ideas to life and I can live
out my dreams, you know, and and then I have
(50:36):
a place in this community, in this world and this
career path and everything, you know, So just thank you,
I really genuinely, I really do mean that so much. Man.
I again, I know it's a cliche. I felt like
everybody whoever has any sort of platform or anything will
say that, but like it's not lost on me, you know,
(50:59):
Like I don't if you were right, if you like
had met me at a younger age or whatever and
writing somebody was guessing where my life would go, I
don't think they would have thought this right. I could
have never planned this. It's amazing and I'm really super
grateful and shout out to the whole Michael Tura team
for believing in in my vision at a really early
(51:21):
stage and for going on this ride with me for
almost four years and trusting me and just allowing me
to develop and do my thing. And I'm so grateful
for them, and you know, and I'm proud of myself.
(51:41):
I think that's the thing. I would put the the
punctuation mark here, right. I walk away from this very
proud of myself and just honored to have been able
to do this for as long as I have. It's
(52:05):
been a blessing, Thank God for it all. And like
I'm anxious to even like say the goodbye statement right now.
But but yeah, I remember again this is in the end.
Life's gonna go, is gonna involve into something else, and
I'll be back sooner than later, and hopefully you'll you'll
(52:26):
join me on that next journey. And also we have
those like bonus episodes dropping, a little mini episodes. They'll
be dropping over the next few weeks. It might not
be next week, but you'll you'll see a pop up
on the feed. So a couple of little extra things
that are like bonus episodes or whatever. But yeah, I
(52:51):
guess this is it. Huh. One last time, signing off
as far as life's goes, right, But thank you guys.
So watch again. This kid that once felt like an
outsider in his community now feels so comfortable and so
much like so it feels so seen and so much
(53:12):
to that is because of you. I'm just proud of
what we did together over the course of almost four years.
So thank you. I love you all. I genuinely do.
I love what I've been able to do. I'm grateful
for it forever. It's been a blessing. I just will
say thank you. All right, one last time. I will
(53:37):
talk to you soon. I don't know what it's gonna be,
but I will talk to you soon. Until then, you
want to follow me on social media at dj Dramas,
stay in contact, but yeah, until til we reconnect via
the next chapter, stay safe and we will talk soon. Peace.
(54:03):
Life as a Gringo is a production of the micro
Thura podcast network and iHeartRadio.
Host
DJ Dramos
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