June 24, 2022 • 21 mins
Houston artist Youth Soul Love joins the podcast to speak about blending his love of music & fashion and how he balances the two to create his unique brand.
Host IG:@itstanyatime
Guest IG: @youthsoullove
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Money Movers. I'm your host Tanya Sam and welcome
back to Money Moves, the podcast powered by Greenwood, the
daily podcast determined to give you the keys to the
Kingdom of financial stability, to wealth and abundance. Our next
(00:23):
guest is an h Town, Houston rapper who was lending
his love of music and fashion while providing lyrics with Soul.
Money Movers, please welcome the fashionista Youth Soul Love. Hey Soul,
thank you, thank you for having me, Thank you so much. Well, welcome,
welcome to the podcast. We are so excited to have
you here today. First of all, you look great. I
(00:45):
know you're coming in with your own fashion flair. We
love it, we love it. Let's look good for you.
Of course, thank you so much. Of course, well, you
are well known for being a fashionista, but also your lyrical,
soulful music that you create. I want to take our
listeners back and talk about how you got here. So
take us back to Young Soul and let's sort of
walk through the aspirations and the trajectory of your success
(01:09):
to today. UM. Well you so love. Um has really
really started to really pick up success around. But I
can take you back on when I was just a teenager,
just just um, just trying to figure it out. UM.
I started off as like a lyricist. UM. I really
really pictured myself as creating these stories when I was
(01:30):
making music, UM from sixteen to seventeen, perfecting my craft,
just writing, writing, writing. I think seventeen eighteen is when
I kind of like finally first walked into the booth
and honestly recording my first song. It was trash, that's
not fair. My cousin was like, y'all get out of
the booth, what are you doing. You're not You're not ready.
(01:51):
So um, eighteen nineteen I really really focused um and
really really started taking this serious. But around this time
I was dibbling dabbling into fashion. Uman. It was always
my love, it was always like my passion. UM. The
the icons that I were watching at that point in
time in the early two thousands, they just inspired me
so much where I not only wanted to make really
(02:13):
good music, I also wanted to look good while doing it.
So one I would definitely say I got into a
boy group, a boy band, a boy rap group, whatever
you're gonna call it. It It was called above the clouds. Um.
We were just kind of picking up our name. Um.
We were going to studios in Austin, Texas and doing
(02:33):
different shows in Texas, and um, it really really didn't
work out. It was a really really great for all
of us. We got out there and did shows and
different things like that, but we were just young artists
trying to come up, trying to find our way. Um
so UM. At that age, I was just like, now,
I haven't really have to take this serious. I really
(02:54):
really have to really really perfect it and take it somewhere.
So I decided to leave the group. I actually started
to do my own thing. Um. I was going by
ys L at the time people Young Steps and Leone
because that was my name, but I really wanted to
switch it more so into something that was more positive.
So at the age of I would say twenty two, Uh,
(03:17):
youth soul love was created, and youth standing giving your
your giving back to the youth and putting your heart
and soul into everything you do and God's love. So um,
that's what really really I wanted to stand by and
stand on. So at the age of twenty three, I
was just pro grapper trying to get on, begging people,
(03:37):
taking pictures with with different celebrities and stuff like that.
I had no clue about the music industry. Um, but
I know I had a really really great stage presence
when it came to performing. UM, I felt I was
connecting with the audience. So I knew that this was
something that I really really wanted to do. But on
the aspect of everything, I was still going to college.
(03:58):
I went to h C c UM for fashion design,
and UM, I was learning all of these different things,
trying to just perfect my craft. It wasn't easy. I
would definitely say it was definitely something where financially I
was not ready for. I didn't know how much it
took to be an artist. Um. And then so I
think that's really interesting because you know, you're a young
(04:19):
kid here and you've got all these loves. You've got music,
which in and of itself is a love and a passion,
and fashion and those none of those things come cheap, right,
So how did you balance like, you know, this whole
thing that I think a lot of young people try
to do. They're like, listen, if you want to be successful,
you've got to walk the walk and talk to the the game.
You gotta have drip in this. Like, how did you
(04:39):
balance that and how did you sort of like make
that happen. Now, I definitely have to say I had
to humble myself. I had so many jobs from I'm
so embarrassed, but from mowing grasses in um, in the
in the some of the hood. Um My uncle, he
honestly gave me a great opportunity. He took over H
(05:00):
and R block. He started with his own independent text service,
and um it actually formed into an H and R block. Um.
So he got me to sit down be his secretary,
learn office work, learn how to talk, to communicate with
people honestly, talk to customers, and different things like that.
So I switched around different jobs. I always stayed at
(05:21):
the mall. I worked at the Zoom Means, the Abercrombie
and Fitches, the Hollisters and you know the But it's
still it's so funny because we all find ourselves going,
oh my gosh, the jobs I had worked, But it's survival,
you know, even waiting tables, um, just different things where
I knew. I was just like, hey, as long as
I can have the money to go to the studio
(05:42):
and just record, I'm okay, yeah, yeah, enough money just
to get into the car and go to Austin just
to do my performance. Because you know, when you're starting off,
you're not making money at this time, you're just up
and coming. So the age I was like, hey, I've
had enough of Texas. I really really need to um
(06:04):
learn more about this culture. UM. And what I've learned
from that time is everyone says hip hop was born
in the Bronx. Hip hop was born in the Bronx.
So as a Texas kid, I kind of like had
people that I was looking up to who were from
New York. So I just made the move to actually
try fashion week New York Fashion Week for the first time,
(06:26):
and um, I went there and I fell in love
with it. I fell in love with the ambiance, I
fell in love with the city. I felt inspired. I
didn't know how I was gonna make it. I was
just a kid who just had a dream. But my partner,
she had my bag sheet, she actually still behind me
and was like, Hey, let's go ahead and make this move.
I believe in you. I would definitely say this journey
(06:46):
has been based off great foundation of people who honestly
believe in my journey and believe in my craft, and
and they seen the vision from a young age and
I've kind of just floated through Their money was always
isn't an issue, but it never controlled my career, if
I could say that. And I think that's so important
because I've wrestled for over years. You always hear like
(07:08):
famous people Oprah, people like Oprah who's a billionaire, right,
would be like, it's not about the money, and you're going, Okay,
it's never about the money when you were a billionaire.
But sometimes, like you have to take a step away
from that statement coming from a billionaire and realize, like
you put the time in, you do the work, like
whether it's mowing waiting tables, mowing lawns to get to
where it is, and it comes so it feels like
(07:31):
when you can look at it like that, you see
the value of it, like when you look in hindsight
as well. I just knew that when I got a
chance and I got my moment um, that the money
wasn't gonna make the moment. The people were was gonna
make the moment. The energy, the be ready for your
(07:51):
performance time, be ready for your fifteen sexons to fame.
I just knew that if I can keep making it
to each and every opportunity that I was blessed with.
It was Billy to me. So New York kind of
built me. I honestly was out there for three or
four years, and um, moving from Texas to New York,
I didn't know anyone. Um, the journey was crazy. I
got my first apartment slash little condo was in New Jersey.
(08:16):
Jersey City was very, very very hood. I gotta I
just need a place my head. Everybody always talked about
the hoods in their hoods in their city, but it's
a few places I could definitely say Jersey. It's definitely
the new work in Jersey. Like, yes, you have to
(08:38):
the thing about Jersey City. You have to touch base
in Newark. You have it's something you have to go
to Newark to be in Jersey, New Jersey City in
that area. So I was just a young kid taking
the train. I didn't even know where I was going.
I didn't know the routes. I was hopping on the
train going into the city every day. Only had a
few dollars in my pocket, only had a few things
going on, But I had the faith. I just knew
(09:01):
that my time was gonna come. Um. I did amazing
video one day, and it just caught the likes of
MTV Jams. UM, a really really great UM guy named Yomi.
That's a little He was the programmer director for over
sixteen years for MTV Jams, but then they switched him
to BET Jams. So it was the perfect time he
fell in love with my music, and UM, it was
(09:23):
the introduction to uh, I guess you could say to you,
so love's career seen. I started off with amazing shows
BT UM Rising Stars. UM, it was amazing. I had
some amazing experiences, done amazing shows with amazing artists, Currency
from the South, Cameron from Hard Smoke, Desserve, Joey Badass,
(09:46):
a lot of great, amazing people took me on and UM,
I kind of just got my career started. And UM,
to this day, we're just still going hard, still going
strong and making sure that the music is positive and
getting it out there is excellent. So this is a
perfect segue. So now you're starting to get a little
rumblings in the industry. How did you decide to either
(10:08):
go with a major label and sign with them or
to continue as an independent artist? How do artists make
those decisions nowadays? Oh? Man, it's definitely it's definitely in
your good I've had amazing sit downs and meetings with
major labels in you know, as the time goes, you're like,
(10:29):
I gotta do this major thing, I gotta do this
major thing. But one thing, um, one thing first. I'm
a Gemini, so I'm super creative. June nine, super super
the second June nine birthday we've got today, June nineteenth birthday.
So I'm super creative when it comes to my work.
So I really reading when it comes to majors, Um,
(10:50):
you really don't get that creative aspect um. They're starting
to formulate and change, which I really really love about
the music industry now because the artists have a lot
more to say and a lot more to fight for.
But um, in these times that I was coming, I
was sitting with a bunch of major labels and they
were dangling money over my face and um and telling
me this and promising me that. But I just knew
(11:13):
that my art was the currency of everything. I felt
my performances were the real currency into Let someone come
in and take control a dent control of that. Um,
it just didn't kind of sit well. I really really
wanted to showcase more. UM, I really feel like I
(11:34):
wasn't there yet for a major told the world more
and I didn't really want anybody to kind of put
that lock on it yet. What's interesting about how you
refer to your art as a currency, and we talk
a lot about money and and and value in creating it.
And I love that analogy because when you talk about
it as a currency or an asset that you're in
control of, that you can help increase the value in
(11:55):
directly shape as it grows. And then again like your
connection with audience, So the more you connect with your audience,
the more they value you and you see it grow
like an asset. So it's that's a great analogy in
terms of having control over your music, your legacy, and
and building value. Yeah, because when um, I leave and
go to the next realm or wherever I go, when
(12:17):
it's time, UM, I just want the people who been
on my journey to have a piece of me. I
don't want people to who I don't even know, I
can't get on the phone, you know, to have this,
you know, this ownership of things when I leave. This
when I leave and it's my time to pass on.
So if I can do a song to you and
I left with soul. He gave me a song, or
(12:38):
you know, people who've been on this journey. I think
I would rather do that, Like let's say Tupac, like
if his mom could have an album that no one
else has, you know, his cousins or his sister. I
think of things like that, And I honestly followed a
lot of greats, the princes, the Tupacs, and the other
Gemini's and the other creatives who come before me, and
(12:59):
I really really study the industry, you know. I know
there's a time and place for for the major when
you talk about studying the industry, because I think oftentimes
you know, and you yourself admitted like high level creative,
so oftentimes you have the creatives who are like, I
don't want to worry about the business, don't I just
want to be an artist. You know. Do you think
that's a viable option for artists these days or have you?
(13:21):
When you say you study the industry, what are some
of the tips and offerings that you can give back
to our audience for you know, the business side of it.
The business side is I would say the first tip
is know the business. I definitely think that's like the
one you can put an exclamation by. Know the business,
(13:41):
Know what business that you're getting and getting into, know
what comes with it, no, know what losses come with it,
Know what sacrifices you have to know what UM. As
far as the business side, know that you have marketing
lawyers and different things like that. UM, I would definitely
say no that I know that you have to have
special relationships. It's not about what you know, it's about
(14:04):
who you know sometimes, UM kind of kind of stepping
out of your comfort zone. I would definitely say will
be number three UM with this. With this business, I
see a lot of people who have made it in
the in the major music industry has stepped outside of
the comfort zone. They have done a lot of things,
UM that are disruptive. I would definitely say, UM, I
(14:28):
Beyonce to Jay Z, to Kanye West. These people make
disruptive things happen and they shake up the room. So
I would definitely say those three and UM. Support yourself
with UM. A good backing, a good team. Team is everything.
I think team is It's like and I think once
you get a little bit of celebrity notoriety, everyone seems
(14:49):
to pull in words and be like, oh, I'm scared
to like really connect with people and build a team.
But I think that's like part of the best things
about success and having people around you that you trust. Um,
how have you been able to navigate those relationships? Oh man,
that's been the Rockies road tap. Everyone says that because
you think the people who would fight for you so
(15:09):
much and who would kind of be that cheerleader or
that that fan in the stains yet allowed, those are
the ones that are quiet when things are starting to rumble.
So I think just knowing the people who want the
best for you and who honestly want to see you
win and you can help them win while you're on
(15:30):
the journey. Yeah, you know what. I also think you
have to let seasons change. And I think there's this
idea that oh my gosh, the you know, this idea
of your day ones and for thirty years they're gonna
rock with you in the same way, And like, I
believe that for sure. But in in business, you gotta
let things change. And if if a relationship is changing,
you just have to let it go and you have
(15:50):
to find the next person. You have to find the
next person because that's how we all evolve in life.
But I think especially when you're trying to support someone
who has become like a celebrity, you know you might
have to just you gotta keep rolling. You gotta keep
finding people at different phases of their life. That's a
hard thing, I think absolutely. And that's kind of the
thing where I think, UM the situation where it plays
(16:11):
a lot with mental health with artists because they're like, oh,
why does this person not my day one? Is not
my day one anymore? I think UM a lot of
people that that role plays in their head where they
think is still ten years ago and forgetting about their
career where you still have to take this journey by yourself.
So yeah, like you think about, you know, your day
(16:33):
one and it was like cool, they didn't they you
you were both starting out and they didn't have anything
to do. They're like, let me, I can travel the
world with you. But ten years later, hopefully they'll be like, listen,
I'd like to settle settle down somewhere and not travel
the world with you. Perhaps I'm not sure, but we
could digress about this all day. I want to talk
about fashion because this has been a huge factor of
your career and things that you're super passionate about. How
(16:54):
have you been able to, you know, really express yourself
through fashion? And what's next for you? Are you launching
align anything exciting coming up? Because that hats pretty interesting.
Thank you, thank you, thank you fashion. Um, it's so
important to me or when I have coming up. I'm
really really big on giving back to my city. So
what I've been doing since I wouldn't say two thousand twelve,
(17:17):
I've been doing amazing fashion shows where I can incorporate
my performances. Wow, that's great. And I started off or
just uh, just me being an artist, just trying to
get out and I didn't I didn't feel receptive to
the city. So I was like, hey, I'm gonna do
my own shows, but how could I incorporate fashion? So
every year, UM, I do different I would definitely say different. Um,
(17:43):
I would say different genres. Last year had the Black
Masquerade for one, we did Sounds of the City, so
it's all type of different settings. But each year we
change it up. Um, what I got coming up is
a partnership with Neem and Marcus for the next one. Um,
it's gonna be amazing. It had to, Okay, So that's
really exciting because this is like, you know exactly what
(18:04):
people talk about. They love fashion, but how do you
make a career outive this? But now you're getting partnerships
with major, major department brands. How did that start? UM?
It started with UM. I would definitely say modeling. UM.
I started off designing clothes, but then I also put
my clothes on myself. But then I think people fell
in love with me. UM not to be considered anything,
(18:27):
but I think they just loved a black males careisma.
He looks, he's ready, UM he we we we can
sell him. He's he's marketable, he has a good look.
So so I think I just ran with the UM.
It led to fashion shows. UM. One thing led to
the next UM, and then I really really pick up
a big marketing thing with a big magazine company in
(18:49):
the city, cost City Book, UM, which specializes on entrepreneurs
in the city, different styles and fashions from different fashion designers.
And City Book fell in love with me. So I
went to their fifth year anniversary because I have my
own spread and I just wanted to show love to
the owners and everything. You know, UM, I met the
owner or not the owner, just that the regional manager
(19:09):
from Texas. We've got a great partnership coming um this
summer before they renovate the new name and markets for
Houston Texas and Galeria Areas. So super excited and we're
planning on calling the style Alamode. It's gonna be super
different and I'm excited, super well, keep me in the loop.
I've only been to Houston once. It was quite recently,
(19:30):
and I went to the Galleria and was blown away.
I don't think I've been to a shopping mall like that,
and I don't know how long. It's incredible. No, Chris, Chris,
my god, Chris. He's the regional manager of the whole Texas.
So he keep the he keep the naming markets looking good.
He loves he's giving back to the culture. So I
really really love that they support you so love and
(19:50):
my movement. So yeah, we have amazing fashion show coming
up this year. Um, just a just to keep it going,
just to keep it going. Well. So you have so much,
You've got your hands in all these different pots, a
lot of things that are favorites to so many in
the audience, from fashion to music too, lyrics, can you
please share with us where our money Moves audience can
find you on social media, in particular those that are
(20:12):
in hdown Houston, UM where they can check out your
next fashion show. Absolutely, you can check me out at
you so Love dot world, that's my website. You can
find me everywhere, UM you so love at Instagram everywhere,
YouTube everywhere, bump of stickers, UM movies, you so low
(20:33):
on it as your shows you so love everywhere, you
so love. Thank you so much for coming on the
Money Moves Podcast. We appreciate you and keep shining. UM.
Thank you all for your service and Money Movers. That's
all the time we have for today, but make sure
to check out you so Love on all his social
media outlets. UM, follow along and make sure you don't
(20:55):
miss one music release or fashion show that he has
coming up in the books, thank you, Thank you guys
so much for having me. Thank you and money Movers.
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(21:15):
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(21:40):
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podcasts from.
Hey, Money Movers. I'm your host Tanya Sam and welcome
back to Money Moves, the podcast powered by Greenwood, the
daily podcast determined to give you the keys to the
Kingdom of financial stability, to wealth and abundance. Our next
(00:23):
guest is an h Town, Houston rapper who was lending
his love of music and fashion while providing lyrics with Soul.
Money Movers, please welcome the fashionista Youth Soul Love. Hey Soul,
thank you, thank you for having me, Thank you so much. Well, welcome,
welcome to the podcast. We are so excited to have
you here today. First of all, you look great. I
(00:45):
know you're coming in with your own fashion flair. We
love it, we love it. Let's look good for you.
Of course, thank you so much. Of course, well, you
are well known for being a fashionista, but also your lyrical,
soulful music that you create. I want to take our
listeners back and talk about how you got here. So
take us back to Young Soul and let's sort of
walk through the aspirations and the trajectory of your success
(01:09):
to today. UM. Well you so love. Um has really
really started to really pick up success around. But I
can take you back on when I was just a teenager,
just just um, just trying to figure it out. UM.
I started off as like a lyricist. UM. I really
really pictured myself as creating these stories when I was
(01:30):
making music, UM from sixteen to seventeen, perfecting my craft,
just writing, writing, writing. I think seventeen eighteen is when
I kind of like finally first walked into the booth
and honestly recording my first song. It was trash, that's
not fair. My cousin was like, y'all get out of
the booth, what are you doing. You're not You're not ready.
(01:51):
So um, eighteen nineteen I really really focused um and
really really started taking this serious. But around this time
I was dibbling dabbling into fashion. Uman. It was always
my love, it was always like my passion. UM. The
the icons that I were watching at that point in
time in the early two thousands, they just inspired me
so much where I not only wanted to make really
(02:13):
good music, I also wanted to look good while doing it.
So one I would definitely say I got into a
boy group, a boy band, a boy rap group, whatever
you're gonna call it. It It was called above the clouds. Um.
We were just kind of picking up our name. Um.
We were going to studios in Austin, Texas and doing
(02:33):
different shows in Texas, and um, it really really didn't
work out. It was a really really great for all
of us. We got out there and did shows and
different things like that, but we were just young artists
trying to come up, trying to find our way. Um
so UM. At that age, I was just like, now,
I haven't really have to take this serious. I really
(02:54):
really have to really really perfect it and take it somewhere.
So I decided to leave the group. I actually started
to do my own thing. Um. I was going by
ys L at the time people Young Steps and Leone
because that was my name, but I really wanted to
switch it more so into something that was more positive.
So at the age of I would say twenty two, Uh,
(03:17):
youth soul love was created, and youth standing giving your
your giving back to the youth and putting your heart
and soul into everything you do and God's love. So um,
that's what really really I wanted to stand by and
stand on. So at the age of twenty three, I
was just pro grapper trying to get on, begging people,
(03:37):
taking pictures with with different celebrities and stuff like that.
I had no clue about the music industry. Um, but
I know I had a really really great stage presence
when it came to performing. UM, I felt I was
connecting with the audience. So I knew that this was
something that I really really wanted to do. But on
the aspect of everything, I was still going to college.
(03:58):
I went to h C c UM for fashion design,
and UM, I was learning all of these different things,
trying to just perfect my craft. It wasn't easy. I
would definitely say it was definitely something where financially I
was not ready for. I didn't know how much it
took to be an artist. Um. And then so I
think that's really interesting because you know, you're a young
(04:19):
kid here and you've got all these loves. You've got music,
which in and of itself is a love and a passion,
and fashion and those none of those things come cheap, right,
So how did you balance like, you know, this whole
thing that I think a lot of young people try
to do. They're like, listen, if you want to be successful,
you've got to walk the walk and talk to the the game.
You gotta have drip in this. Like, how did you
(04:39):
balance that and how did you sort of like make
that happen. Now, I definitely have to say I had
to humble myself. I had so many jobs from I'm
so embarrassed, but from mowing grasses in um, in the
in the some of the hood. Um My uncle, he
honestly gave me a great opportunity. He took over H
(05:00):
and R block. He started with his own independent text service,
and um it actually formed into an H and R block. Um.
So he got me to sit down be his secretary,
learn office work, learn how to talk, to communicate with
people honestly, talk to customers, and different things like that.
So I switched around different jobs. I always stayed at
(05:21):
the mall. I worked at the Zoom Means, the Abercrombie
and Fitches, the Hollisters and you know the But it's
still it's so funny because we all find ourselves going,
oh my gosh, the jobs I had worked, But it's survival,
you know, even waiting tables, um, just different things where
I knew. I was just like, hey, as long as
I can have the money to go to the studio
(05:42):
and just record, I'm okay, yeah, yeah, enough money just
to get into the car and go to Austin just
to do my performance. Because you know, when you're starting off,
you're not making money at this time, you're just up
and coming. So the age I was like, hey, I've
had enough of Texas. I really really need to um
(06:04):
learn more about this culture. UM. And what I've learned
from that time is everyone says hip hop was born
in the Bronx. Hip hop was born in the Bronx.
So as a Texas kid, I kind of like had
people that I was looking up to who were from
New York. So I just made the move to actually
try fashion week New York Fashion Week for the first time,
(06:26):
and um, I went there and I fell in love
with it. I fell in love with the ambiance, I
fell in love with the city. I felt inspired. I
didn't know how I was gonna make it. I was
just a kid who just had a dream. But my partner,
she had my bag sheet, she actually still behind me
and was like, Hey, let's go ahead and make this move.
I believe in you. I would definitely say this journey
(06:46):
has been based off great foundation of people who honestly
believe in my journey and believe in my craft, and
and they seen the vision from a young age and
I've kind of just floated through Their money was always
isn't an issue, but it never controlled my career, if
I could say that. And I think that's so important
because I've wrestled for over years. You always hear like
(07:08):
famous people Oprah, people like Oprah who's a billionaire, right,
would be like, it's not about the money, and you're going, Okay,
it's never about the money when you were a billionaire.
But sometimes, like you have to take a step away
from that statement coming from a billionaire and realize, like
you put the time in, you do the work, like
whether it's mowing waiting tables, mowing lawns to get to
where it is, and it comes so it feels like
(07:31):
when you can look at it like that, you see
the value of it, like when you look in hindsight
as well. I just knew that when I got a
chance and I got my moment um, that the money
wasn't gonna make the moment. The people were was gonna
make the moment. The energy, the be ready for your
(07:51):
performance time, be ready for your fifteen sexons to fame.
I just knew that if I can keep making it
to each and every opportunity that I was blessed with.
It was Billy to me. So New York kind of
built me. I honestly was out there for three or
four years, and um, moving from Texas to New York,
I didn't know anyone. Um, the journey was crazy. I
got my first apartment slash little condo was in New Jersey.
(08:16):
Jersey City was very, very very hood. I gotta I
just need a place my head. Everybody always talked about
the hoods in their hoods in their city, but it's
a few places I could definitely say Jersey. It's definitely
the new work in Jersey. Like, yes, you have to
(08:38):
the thing about Jersey City. You have to touch base
in Newark. You have it's something you have to go
to Newark to be in Jersey, New Jersey City in
that area. So I was just a young kid taking
the train. I didn't even know where I was going.
I didn't know the routes. I was hopping on the
train going into the city every day. Only had a
few dollars in my pocket, only had a few things
going on, But I had the faith. I just knew
(09:01):
that my time was gonna come. Um. I did amazing
video one day, and it just caught the likes of
MTV Jams. UM, a really really great UM guy named Yomi.
That's a little He was the programmer director for over
sixteen years for MTV Jams, but then they switched him
to BET Jams. So it was the perfect time he
fell in love with my music, and UM, it was
(09:23):
the introduction to uh, I guess you could say to you,
so love's career seen. I started off with amazing shows
BT UM Rising Stars. UM, it was amazing. I had
some amazing experiences, done amazing shows with amazing artists, Currency
from the South, Cameron from Hard Smoke, Desserve, Joey Badass,
(09:46):
a lot of great, amazing people took me on and UM,
I kind of just got my career started. And UM,
to this day, we're just still going hard, still going
strong and making sure that the music is positive and
getting it out there is excellent. So this is a
perfect segue. So now you're starting to get a little
rumblings in the industry. How did you decide to either
(10:08):
go with a major label and sign with them or
to continue as an independent artist? How do artists make
those decisions nowadays? Oh? Man, it's definitely it's definitely in
your good I've had amazing sit downs and meetings with
major labels in you know, as the time goes, you're like,
(10:29):
I gotta do this major thing, I gotta do this
major thing. But one thing, um, one thing first. I'm
a Gemini, so I'm super creative. June nine, super super
the second June nine birthday we've got today, June nineteenth birthday.
So I'm super creative when it comes to my work.
So I really reading when it comes to majors, Um,
(10:50):
you really don't get that creative aspect um. They're starting
to formulate and change, which I really really love about
the music industry now because the artists have a lot
more to say and a lot more to fight for.
But um, in these times that I was coming, I
was sitting with a bunch of major labels and they
were dangling money over my face and um and telling
me this and promising me that. But I just knew
(11:13):
that my art was the currency of everything. I felt
my performances were the real currency into Let someone come
in and take control a dent control of that. Um,
it just didn't kind of sit well. I really really
wanted to showcase more. UM, I really feel like I
(11:34):
wasn't there yet for a major told the world more
and I didn't really want anybody to kind of put
that lock on it yet. What's interesting about how you
refer to your art as a currency, and we talk
a lot about money and and and value in creating it.
And I love that analogy because when you talk about
it as a currency or an asset that you're in
control of, that you can help increase the value in
(11:55):
directly shape as it grows. And then again like your
connection with audience, So the more you connect with your audience,
the more they value you and you see it grow
like an asset. So it's that's a great analogy in
terms of having control over your music, your legacy, and
and building value. Yeah, because when um, I leave and
go to the next realm or wherever I go, when
(12:17):
it's time, UM, I just want the people who been
on my journey to have a piece of me. I
don't want people to who I don't even know, I
can't get on the phone, you know, to have this,
you know, this ownership of things when I leave. This
when I leave and it's my time to pass on.
So if I can do a song to you and
I left with soul. He gave me a song, or
(12:38):
you know, people who've been on this journey. I think
I would rather do that, Like let's say Tupac, like
if his mom could have an album that no one
else has, you know, his cousins or his sister. I
think of things like that, And I honestly followed a
lot of greats, the princes, the Tupacs, and the other
Gemini's and the other creatives who come before me, and
(12:59):
I really really study the industry, you know. I know
there's a time and place for for the major when
you talk about studying the industry, because I think oftentimes
you know, and you yourself admitted like high level creative,
so oftentimes you have the creatives who are like, I
don't want to worry about the business, don't I just
want to be an artist. You know. Do you think
that's a viable option for artists these days or have you?
(13:21):
When you say you study the industry, what are some
of the tips and offerings that you can give back
to our audience for you know, the business side of it.
The business side is I would say the first tip
is know the business. I definitely think that's like the
one you can put an exclamation by. Know the business,
(13:41):
Know what business that you're getting and getting into, know
what comes with it, no, know what losses come with it,
Know what sacrifices you have to know what UM. As
far as the business side, know that you have marketing
lawyers and different things like that. UM, I would definitely
say no that I know that you have to have
special relationships. It's not about what you know, it's about
(14:04):
who you know sometimes, UM kind of kind of stepping
out of your comfort zone. I would definitely say will
be number three UM with this. With this business, I
see a lot of people who have made it in
the in the major music industry has stepped outside of
the comfort zone. They have done a lot of things,
UM that are disruptive. I would definitely say, UM, I
(14:28):
Beyonce to Jay Z, to Kanye West. These people make
disruptive things happen and they shake up the room. So
I would definitely say those three and UM. Support yourself
with UM. A good backing, a good team. Team is everything.
I think team is It's like and I think once
you get a little bit of celebrity notoriety, everyone seems
(14:49):
to pull in words and be like, oh, I'm scared
to like really connect with people and build a team.
But I think that's like part of the best things
about success and having people around you that you trust. Um,
how have you been able to navigate those relationships? Oh man,
that's been the Rockies road tap. Everyone says that because
you think the people who would fight for you so
(15:09):
much and who would kind of be that cheerleader or
that that fan in the stains yet allowed, those are
the ones that are quiet when things are starting to rumble.
So I think just knowing the people who want the
best for you and who honestly want to see you
win and you can help them win while you're on
(15:30):
the journey. Yeah, you know what. I also think you
have to let seasons change. And I think there's this
idea that oh my gosh, the you know, this idea
of your day ones and for thirty years they're gonna
rock with you in the same way, And like, I
believe that for sure. But in in business, you gotta
let things change. And if if a relationship is changing,
you just have to let it go and you have
(15:50):
to find the next person. You have to find the
next person because that's how we all evolve in life.
But I think especially when you're trying to support someone
who has become like a celebrity, you know you might
have to just you gotta keep rolling. You gotta keep
finding people at different phases of their life. That's a
hard thing, I think absolutely. And that's kind of the
thing where I think, UM the situation where it plays
(16:11):
a lot with mental health with artists because they're like, oh,
why does this person not my day one? Is not
my day one anymore? I think UM a lot of
people that that role plays in their head where they
think is still ten years ago and forgetting about their
career where you still have to take this journey by yourself.
So yeah, like you think about, you know, your day
(16:33):
one and it was like cool, they didn't they you
you were both starting out and they didn't have anything
to do. They're like, let me, I can travel the
world with you. But ten years later, hopefully they'll be like, listen,
I'd like to settle settle down somewhere and not travel
the world with you. Perhaps I'm not sure, but we
could digress about this all day. I want to talk
about fashion because this has been a huge factor of
your career and things that you're super passionate about. How
(16:54):
have you been able to, you know, really express yourself
through fashion? And what's next for you? Are you launching
align anything exciting coming up? Because that hats pretty interesting.
Thank you, thank you, thank you fashion. Um, it's so
important to me or when I have coming up. I'm
really really big on giving back to my city. So
what I've been doing since I wouldn't say two thousand twelve,
(17:17):
I've been doing amazing fashion shows where I can incorporate
my performances. Wow, that's great. And I started off or
just uh, just me being an artist, just trying to
get out and I didn't I didn't feel receptive to
the city. So I was like, hey, I'm gonna do
my own shows, but how could I incorporate fashion? So
every year, UM, I do different I would definitely say different. Um,
(17:43):
I would say different genres. Last year had the Black
Masquerade for one, we did Sounds of the City, so
it's all type of different settings. But each year we
change it up. Um, what I got coming up is
a partnership with Neem and Marcus for the next one. Um,
it's gonna be amazing. It had to, Okay, So that's
really exciting because this is like, you know exactly what
(18:04):
people talk about. They love fashion, but how do you
make a career outive this? But now you're getting partnerships
with major, major department brands. How did that start? UM?
It started with UM. I would definitely say modeling. UM.
I started off designing clothes, but then I also put
my clothes on myself. But then I think people fell
in love with me. UM not to be considered anything,
(18:27):
but I think they just loved a black males careisma.
He looks, he's ready, UM he we we we can
sell him. He's he's marketable, he has a good look.
So so I think I just ran with the UM.
It led to fashion shows. UM. One thing led to
the next UM, and then I really really pick up
a big marketing thing with a big magazine company in
(18:49):
the city, cost City Book, UM, which specializes on entrepreneurs
in the city, different styles and fashions from different fashion designers.
And City Book fell in love with me. So I
went to their fifth year anniversary because I have my
own spread and I just wanted to show love to
the owners and everything. You know, UM, I met the
owner or not the owner, just that the regional manager
(19:09):
from Texas. We've got a great partnership coming um this
summer before they renovate the new name and markets for
Houston Texas and Galeria Areas. So super excited and we're
planning on calling the style Alamode. It's gonna be super
different and I'm excited, super well, keep me in the loop.
I've only been to Houston once. It was quite recently,
(19:30):
and I went to the Galleria and was blown away.
I don't think I've been to a shopping mall like that,
and I don't know how long. It's incredible. No, Chris, Chris,
my god, Chris. He's the regional manager of the whole Texas.
So he keep the he keep the naming markets looking good.
He loves he's giving back to the culture. So I
really really love that they support you so love and
(19:50):
my movement. So yeah, we have amazing fashion show coming
up this year. Um, just a just to keep it going,
just to keep it going. Well. So you have so much,
You've got your hands in all these different pots, a
lot of things that are favorites to so many in
the audience, from fashion to music too, lyrics, can you
please share with us where our money Moves audience can
find you on social media, in particular those that are
(20:12):
in hdown Houston, UM where they can check out your
next fashion show. Absolutely, you can check me out at
you so Love dot world, that's my website. You can
find me everywhere, UM you so love at Instagram everywhere,
YouTube everywhere, bump of stickers, UM movies, you so low
(20:33):
on it as your shows you so love everywhere, you
so love. Thank you so much for coming on the
Money Moves Podcast. We appreciate you and keep shining. UM.
Thank you all for your service and Money Movers. That's
all the time we have for today, but make sure
to check out you so Love on all his social
media outlets. UM, follow along and make sure you don't
(20:55):
miss one music release or fashion show that he has
coming up in the books, thank you, Thank you guys
so much for having me. Thank you and money Movers.
If we have helped you make your money move, please
make sure to let us know by sending us a like,
sharing the knowledge on your social and or leave us
a review on Apple podcast. Make sure to tune in
(21:15):
Monday through Friday and subscribe to The Money Moves Podcast
powered by Greenwood so that you too can have the
keys to financial freedom you so rightly deserve. Thank you
so much for tuning in Money Moves audience. If you
want more or a recap of this episode, please go
to the bank Greenwood dot com and check out the
Money Moves podcast blog. Money Moves is an i heeart
(21:40):
radio podcast powered by Greenwood Executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc.
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