July 8, 2025 • 21 mins
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Attorney Ken Harris:
- Former NBA and NFL agent, attorney based in Charlotte, NC, and author of the novel Dark Trades.
- The novel explores an alternate history: What if the South had won the Civil War?
đź“š Dark Trades – A Historical Fiction Novel
- Set in 2018 Baltimore, the book imagines a modern-day America where slavery still exists.
- Explores the resilience of the African-American community and the possibility of overcoming systemic oppression even in such a dystopian reality.
- Inspired by Harris’s advocacy work and mentorship under Magic Johnson.
đź’Ľ Financial Literacy & Athletes
- Harris discusses the financial pitfalls many professional athletes face.
- Emphasizes the need for:
- Financial education
- Qualified advisors (attorneys, accountants, conservative investment advisors)
- Early planning, especially with the rise of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals for younger athletes.
- Praises their business acumen, humility, and attention to detail.
- Reveals Magic Johnson’s photographic memory and deep involvement in business operations (e.g., popcorn sales at his theaters, menu items at Starbucks).
🎧 Closing Thoughts
- The episode is a blend of historical reflection, financial advice, and personal stories from influential Black leaders.
- Rashawn McDonald encourages listeners to lead with their gifts and learn from the experiences shared.
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald, a host of weekly Money Making
Conversation Master Class show. The interviews and information that this
show provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading
other people's success stories and start living your own. If
you want to be a guest on my show, please
visit our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click to
be a guest. Button press submit and information will come
(00:23):
directly to me. Now let's get this show started. My
guest is a former NBA and NFL agent. I love
this guy. He's an attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina. If
you've never been to Charlotte, great food in that city.
He is handling and litigated personal injury and the author
of very popular novel Dark Matters What If the South
(00:43):
had won the Civil War. That's a creative mind. Please
work with the Money Making Conversation Master Class Attorney Ken Harris.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Sean, how were you doing, my friend, jin, how did you?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Okay? Now you're busy. We're gonna get to the busy part.
But I got to jump in this book because you know,
we've been This book been in our lives for a minute.
You know, has been well reviewed online and various publications
have talked about dark matters. What if the South darky?
Just give me a doc trade? Excuse me how I
apologize darc trades? What if the South had won the
(01:16):
Civil War? Now, tell us about why you wrote the book.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
You know, Rashaan, as you know, I have a long
history of advocacy related to the African American community. You know,
my mentor is my big brother, Urban Magic Johnson. I've
worked with and under mister Johnson for twenty five years now,
and we've always had a concern about us in the
(01:43):
African American community having the proper historical perspective. And I
always thought, hey, do you know how close we came
to losing the Civil War? You know, battles at Guintysburg
and Vicksburg were very close contests. What if we had
lost that war? What would it be like for the
(02:04):
African American community now? Would slavery still exist? And if
it still existed, would there be something inside the African
American community and African Americans that would have allowed us
to still overcome? And that was the inspiration for the book.
The setting is the year twenty eighteen. We're in Baltimore,
(02:28):
and the story is about a slave journey to freedom
despite the weight and heaviness of the oppression of slavery.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Right now, let me ask you this because of the
fact that I went to the Gettysburg. You know, I
was doing a session up there, and it was close. Man,
if you go see the Battle of Gettysburg, you go,
it was close because they weren't that far from the
White House. There was a couple of little mistakes, a
couple of level degrees of arrogance, and one guy, their
(03:02):
top general. This guy was his strategist. I'm just gonna
let everybody know he was accidentally killed by his own men.
If that guy, and I'm not gonna tell you you
need to learn your history. That's what this interview is
about us understanding our historical perspective on the big what if,
because guess what, we're living in a giant what if
(03:23):
right now? Okay, you know, right now. You can call
it politics, you can call it Trumpism, you can call
it whatever you want. To talk is that we have
to understand that history can repeat itself. It just designed
in different ways. But when I went to the Gettysburg,
Gettysburg for that meeting, and I took that tour or
Tourney Harrison. I was stunned. I couldn't believe the information.
(03:47):
Then I went home and watched the documentary and I
was like, wow, talk to us man.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
It was so close to the South winning the Civil War.
It could have happened. The book Dark Trades assumes that
the capital of the United States is now in Richmond.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yes, but you really.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Just about how the mechanism, I'm sorry, the structure of
slavery would have proliferated throughout the United States and grown
and like a virus basically, but what would have also
grown was this underlying strength of our community to still
fight to overcome. The question is whether or not there
(04:30):
would be enough strength to overcome slavery even in modern
day times. And that's what the book is about.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah, because you really it does. It's everything's a timeline.
You know, academics tied to HBCU started after slavery, where
there was some there was a couple of HBCUs that started,
you know, prior to slavery's you know, and eradication of slavery,
But basically HBCUs started after that and it was started
Now I'm just just just piggybacking on dark trades, because
(05:00):
what Attorney Harris is saying is that, you know, we
still had to create our own models for academics, even
when slavery was won by the North, we still had
to create academic training for our people. So what if
they would have won, what would that academic training would
have looked like? Attorney Harris.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
It's so interesting because we have a national campaign to
get people's thoughts on what would have happened had the
South won the Civil War. Some people say that, you know,
slavery continues in certain ways from a mental aspect and
an emotional aspect related to how the African American has
been treated. Some people say that had the South won
(05:46):
the Civil War, slavery would at some point still have
disappeared in the United States. But the vast majority of
people that we talked to across the country say that
had the South won the Civil War, slavery would still
be an institution here in the United States. Uh. African
Americans would still be brutally oppressed, Yes, and it would
(06:07):
be a situation that we would have to overcome even
in today's world.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
So wow, we're talking to Attorney Ken Harris. He's based
out of Charlotte, North Carolina, went up there in hungy
with him a couple of times. Doc Trades is this
book is a controversy historical fiction novel that discusses what
if the South had won the Civil War. That's just
part of your life. That's just part of your life.
You know, former NBA and NFL agent. When you look
(06:31):
at these salaries, now, did you get out of the
game too early?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
And I got out of the game too early? Before
it's a did you get I got? Maybe I got
out what I did. But I tell you what, when
you look at some of these crazy salaries, you know,
Michael Jordan's and I went to college together, and I
heard Michael say at one point that kids now are
being played paid for what they might become, not what
(07:00):
for what they have done. And I think that's the difference.
When I was an agent, you still had to kind
of earn it to get to that big salary. Nowadays,
within I L and you know situations involving you know
what you can get after your rookie salary. These are
situations where oftentimes payers are being played paid historical amounts
(07:22):
of money before they've really earned it as a superstar.
So it's definitely an interesting dynamic. Now.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I got to talk to you about this because you
know this money making conversation, masterclass turn Harris, when I see,
when I see, because you represented talent athletes. You know,
because you hear so many stories, so many dramas about
athletes who are file bankruptcy. You know that story dominates.
Is it really do athletes really don't? Is it a
(07:51):
tremendous high rate act of financial failure for professional athletes
that we read about. That's just a rumor.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
No, that's and the problem is you're gonna slowed down
with that. You just there and in their shine that
The reality is athletes are focused on learning their trade
as a professional athlete. Where is the master class or
the money making conversation for an athlete about how to
(08:22):
preserve and utilize their resources once they get money and
they need a Rushine McDonald, They need these types of conversations.
We're still lacking. And it hasn't it gotten worse because
with the proliferation of nil the individuals or kids who
are getting substantial amounts of money are getting younger, so
(08:44):
they have even less training about how to preserve and
utilize those resources. And then We've got a challenge in
our community because our community have not typically been trained
up to understand how to utilize UH and preserve their
their money. So it is a it is a very
serious problem for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Well see this, this blows my mind. Let men just
talk about justin Jefferson's contract here. Okay, it's one hundred
and forty million dollars. One hundred and ten million dollars
was guaranteed. Now listen to me, everybody, when he signs
his contract, they're going to hand him or check for
(09:25):
eighty three million dollars. Please help me, Attorney Harris to
sit down and say what who does he have to
have around him immediately to make sure that check doesn't
go immediately to the government, to make sure he that
check allows him to basically walk away and never play
(09:48):
football again if he wanted to after his contract expires.
What team does he have to have around him when
he gets a contract like that?
Speaker 1 (09:58):
You know? Is it true? The requirement is that you
have good attorneys, good investment advisors who are conservative. You
have to have good accountants. But unfortunately that infrastructure does
not exist around many players who get money like that,
and so in the absence of that infrastructure. You substitute
(10:19):
in other individuals who are less qualified to advise the
player about what he should do or she should do
with their money. And you know, the sad thing about
it is, once that money is spent, Rushan is brutal
because that money is gone. You don't get that back.
There's no sympathy out there for someone who made fifty
(10:42):
or sixty million dollars through out their career and it's gone.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It's just gone. Brown. Did you read about him filing bankruptcy?
You know, I know he's done some crazy things on
him last year, but he made almost roughly eighty million dollars.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And isn't it true that the tenure of a professional
athlete is very short?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Right?
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So the point you made earlier is very accurate. What
does the player do after that short tenure? And unfortunately,
it doesn't typically end up with them surrounding themselves with
the people who are capable of helping them manage their money.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I'm gonna just tell you out something I have on
the phone with me one of the most interesting attorneys
in this country. We already started out with the novel
dark Trades. Right then we went over to former NBA,
NFL agent. Now, when we come back personal injury litigations, man,
and we ain't even got the energy yet, so you
(11:39):
know you coming back. When we come back, I want
to talk about the explosion. If you don't mind of
personal injury litigation, All right on one and Making Conversation
Masteracre Class with Attorney Ken Harris, who's based in Charlotte,
North Carolina.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Don't go nowhere, Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right
back with more money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to
the Money Making Conversations Masterclass, hosted by Rashaan MacDonald.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I guess Attorney Ken Harris is probably one of the
most money making conversationalists conversationists guests I've ever had. Let
me get a little background. We talked about Dark Trades,
the controversial historical and I say controversial in a good
way because if it's a book that you want to
pick up and read, it's a book that I would recommend.
What if the South had won the Civil War? The
(12:35):
name of the book is Dark Trades is written by
Attorney Ken Harris. Now, Ken Harris went to college with
Michael Jordan. We all know Michael Jorge, a billionaire, billionaire.
Everybody know that. But the last twenty five years he's
handled many business matters for another billionaire, very Magic Johnson.
(12:56):
We all know here, Bellion there, billionaire other no his
roster of relationship. Matthew knows you know if you don't
know him, founded Destiny Child, Beyonce, billionaire millionnaire. This billionaire
has left and right when you have this resume like that,
(13:17):
Attorney Harris, what do you think, because sometimes you're just
grinding and sometimes you don't realize how powerful you've participated
in the academic structure of academic success stories. Talk to
us man.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
You know that's why I love and respect you so much,
because I've watched what you've done for others in a
selfless manner, and you've worked with individuals who are very
similar to Magic and Matthew Knowles and people like that.
But you know the key for me, and I'm glad
you're letting me talk a little bit about Magic and
(13:54):
mister Knowles. I sit there and I felt blessed by
God to have a chance to absorb their knowledge and
their capabilities and their ability to maneuver the business world.
I think both are underappreciated. I'll start with mister Knowles.
Mister Knowles has gone through a period of time where
(14:14):
I think the national community has failed to recognize what
he accomplished in the music world. His accomplishments are historic
and unique. And what he did with this Destiny's Child,
how he brought up beyondce Ane Solange was not only
(14:35):
self list, but it was also historic in terms of accomplishment.
Many people don't know Rushan that mister Knowles was a
millionaire before Destiny Child became popular. He was one of
the top salesmen at IBM before Destiny's Child became popular.
(14:57):
He sacrificed that you talk about money making opportunities, he
sacrificices that million dollar making background to work with his
daughters and develop their careers. So when you say Beyonce,
regardless of anything else that you think about, you have
to mention his name because he's the one who sacrificed
(15:18):
to help her develop her career. The same with Magic.
Magic to me, when I'm with him and when I've
been with him over the last twenty five years and
what we've done deals, I've been in complete and utter awe.
I've never seen a person you know, Wushane you've met him,
you've been there with me and him. I don't. He
(15:40):
is so meticulous as a business person, so dedicated to
his craft as a business person. What I've learned from
him is that the success lies in the details, are
not in the hype. And I've watched him quietly in
meeting the way the meetings are structured and organized for
(16:02):
us when we have meetings, how prepared he is. There
was a time, I don't know if you remember where
Magic had the Rashan You remember he had the.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Theater and Los Angeles Beverly, absolutely right there off of Crenshaw.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
You know what. You know what sent me strang concerning
Magic was we were going to one of his theaters
one day to do sort of well, we're gonna sit
down and watch a movie in and talk business. And
he was talking about the popcorn and how much popcorn
was being sold in the theater. And I said, how
in the world does Magic have time to be concerned
(16:39):
about how much popcorn the theater is selling when we
set up these Starbucks and Charlotte on Wilkinson Boulevard. If
you live here in Charlotte, yes, sir. He was concerned
about the menu, the not having scones. He wanted to
have sweet potato pie. Yes, yeah, make you sure that
(17:00):
the store had commodities that were appropriate for the community.
The demographic that he was attracted. Oh man, these gentlemen
are giants from a business standpoint, and I think that
our community certainly has an obligation to recognize why they
(17:22):
they are where they are, not give them any hype
or recognition for what they've achieved financially. I'm talking about
the why of it all. Why are they where they are?
That's where the learning is concerning magic and missing all.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
And let me follow up this. So I'm from Houston, Texas,
ladies and gentlemen, and nineteen ninety two is when I
met Matthew Knows because he's from Houston, Texas, and I
brought Destiny Child on stage at my comical Hip hop
commic stuff for the very first time. So I saw
it in the beginning. I saw him when he was
running around town trying to do every little talent show
(17:55):
with these these this is the original group, the original
members of Destiny Child. So I saw that what you
were talking about, that desire, that love, that passion that
made all these individuals successful today then on Magic Johnson.
I'm gonna just tell you everybody something about Magic Johnson.
I moved to la in nineteen ninety, well sort of
(18:17):
magic Steve Harvor in two thousand. Magic Johnson. If you've
ever met him, if you ever shook shake his hand,
he will act like you're the most important person that
he's shaking his hand with. I mean, you know, I
ran in the magic when we did that event in
Charlotte about a year and a half ago. I saw
(18:39):
magic in like five years, Magic lived across road RuSHA.
You know, you know I'm humble. I'm like, you know,
you know this Magic John's it's always gonna be this
Magic Johnson. You know the thing about when you say
this magic john You're always gonna bow down a little
bit because this is Magic Johnson. When he walks in
the room, I kid you not, ladies and gentlemen and
Attorney Ken Harrison, back this up. I've never seen the
(19:00):
talent walk in the room and people gravitate to them
with love, black, white, Hispanic, it doesn't matter. He will stop.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
He will stop.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
It has nothing to do with security, and it's a
different type of way people come up to them. Because
I've seen people come up to people. You gotta have security, okay,
because they just come at you a different way. But
people come up to Magic Johnson with a sense of
reverence like thank you. It's almost like a minister, thank you,
thank you, appreciate you, bless you, bless you. Brother. Keep winning,
(19:33):
keep doing this. And that's the type of thing that
you're referencing these individuals, especially Magic Johnson. This guy can
do a masterclass man and just being humble but successful,
being able to understand the value of relationship, partnership. This
is Magic Johnson man.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
And we can talk all day about Magic, but I
will give you I don't know if I have a fonds,
but this is the one secret about Magic Johns. Yes, sir,
this is an exclusive on him. He has a photographic memory.
I believe that is one of his secrets. Yes, I
believe that Magic can remember something from ten years ago
(20:10):
and give you details on it.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I believe that. And like I tell, I've seen him
in action too many times. And that's the blessing. And
I always tell this thing to everybody about Magic Johnson.
Magic Johnson, if he did not drive little Basketball, know
this about him, he was going to be an entrepreneur
if he did not drive a little basketball. His goal
was not to be a Hall of Fame basketball player.
God just gave him that talent. His goal was to
(20:34):
be a business man. His goal was because that's the
infrastructure that was built by his parents. Was that started
there in that home, and so these are the great
things about it. But I want to just tell you,
Attorney Ken Harris, thank you for coming on Money Making
Conversations master Class.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Of course you do anything for you, Sean, you know that.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Thank you, brother. This has been another edition of Money
Making Conversation Masterclass hosted by me Rashawn McDonald. Thank you too,
I guess on this sho show today and thank you
for listening to the audience now. If you want to
listen to any episode I want to be a guest
on the show. Visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media
handle is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and
(21:13):
remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald, a host of weekly Money Making
Conversation Master Class show. The interviews and information that this
show provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading
other people's success stories and start living your own. If
you want to be a guest on my show, please
visit our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click to
be a guest. Button press submit and information will come
(00:23):
directly to me. Now let's get this show started. My
guest is a former NBA and NFL agent. I love
this guy. He's an attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina. If
you've never been to Charlotte, great food in that city.
He is handling and litigated personal injury and the author
of very popular novel Dark Matters What If the South
(00:43):
had won the Civil War. That's a creative mind. Please
work with the Money Making Conversation Master Class Attorney Ken Harris.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Sean, how were you doing, my friend, jin, how did you?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Okay? Now you're busy. We're gonna get to the busy part.
But I got to jump in this book because you know,
we've been This book been in our lives for a minute.
You know, has been well reviewed online and various publications
have talked about dark matters. What if the South darky?
Just give me a doc trade? Excuse me how I
apologize darc trades? What if the South had won the
(01:16):
Civil War? Now, tell us about why you wrote the book.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
You know, Rashaan, as you know, I have a long
history of advocacy related to the African American community. You know,
my mentor is my big brother, Urban Magic Johnson. I've
worked with and under mister Johnson for twenty five years now,
and we've always had a concern about us in the
(01:43):
African American community having the proper historical perspective. And I
always thought, hey, do you know how close we came
to losing the Civil War? You know, battles at Guintysburg
and Vicksburg were very close contests. What if we had
lost that war? What would it be like for the
(02:04):
African American community now? Would slavery still exist? And if
it still existed, would there be something inside the African
American community and African Americans that would have allowed us
to still overcome? And that was the inspiration for the book.
The setting is the year twenty eighteen. We're in Baltimore,
(02:28):
and the story is about a slave journey to freedom
despite the weight and heaviness of the oppression of slavery.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Right now, let me ask you this because of the
fact that I went to the Gettysburg. You know, I
was doing a session up there, and it was close. Man,
if you go see the Battle of Gettysburg, you go,
it was close because they weren't that far from the
White House. There was a couple of little mistakes, a
couple of level degrees of arrogance, and one guy, their
(03:02):
top general. This guy was his strategist. I'm just gonna
let everybody know he was accidentally killed by his own men.
If that guy, and I'm not gonna tell you you
need to learn your history. That's what this interview is
about us understanding our historical perspective on the big what if,
because guess what, we're living in a giant what if
(03:23):
right now? Okay, you know, right now. You can call
it politics, you can call it Trumpism, you can call
it whatever you want. To talk is that we have
to understand that history can repeat itself. It just designed
in different ways. But when I went to the Gettysburg,
Gettysburg for that meeting, and I took that tour or
Tourney Harrison. I was stunned. I couldn't believe the information.
(03:47):
Then I went home and watched the documentary and I
was like, wow, talk to us man.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
It was so close to the South winning the Civil War.
It could have happened. The book Dark Trades assumes that
the capital of the United States is now in Richmond.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yes, but you really.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Just about how the mechanism, I'm sorry, the structure of
slavery would have proliferated throughout the United States and grown
and like a virus basically, but what would have also
grown was this underlying strength of our community to still
fight to overcome. The question is whether or not there
(04:30):
would be enough strength to overcome slavery even in modern
day times. And that's what the book is about.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah, because you really it does. It's everything's a timeline.
You know, academics tied to HBCU started after slavery, where
there was some there was a couple of HBCUs that started,
you know, prior to slavery's you know, and eradication of slavery,
But basically HBCUs started after that and it was started
Now I'm just just just piggybacking on dark trades, because
(05:00):
what Attorney Harris is saying is that, you know, we
still had to create our own models for academics, even
when slavery was won by the North, we still had
to create academic training for our people. So what if
they would have won, what would that academic training would
have looked like? Attorney Harris.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
It's so interesting because we have a national campaign to
get people's thoughts on what would have happened had the
South won the Civil War. Some people say that, you know,
slavery continues in certain ways from a mental aspect and
an emotional aspect related to how the African American has
been treated. Some people say that had the South won
(05:46):
the Civil War, slavery would at some point still have
disappeared in the United States. But the vast majority of
people that we talked to across the country say that
had the South won the Civil War, slavery would still
be an institution here in the United States. Uh. African
Americans would still be brutally oppressed, Yes, and it would
(06:07):
be a situation that we would have to overcome even
in today's world.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
So wow, we're talking to Attorney Ken Harris. He's based
out of Charlotte, North Carolina, went up there in hungy
with him a couple of times. Doc Trades is this
book is a controversy historical fiction novel that discusses what
if the South had won the Civil War. That's just
part of your life. That's just part of your life.
You know, former NBA and NFL agent. When you look
(06:31):
at these salaries, now, did you get out of the
game too early?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
And I got out of the game too early? Before
it's a did you get I got? Maybe I got
out what I did. But I tell you what, when
you look at some of these crazy salaries, you know,
Michael Jordan's and I went to college together, and I
heard Michael say at one point that kids now are
being played paid for what they might become, not what
(07:00):
for what they have done. And I think that's the difference.
When I was an agent, you still had to kind
of earn it to get to that big salary. Nowadays,
within I L and you know situations involving you know
what you can get after your rookie salary. These are
situations where oftentimes payers are being played paid historical amounts
(07:22):
of money before they've really earned it as a superstar.
So it's definitely an interesting dynamic. Now.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I got to talk to you about this because you
know this money making conversation, masterclass turn Harris, when I see,
when I see, because you represented talent athletes. You know,
because you hear so many stories, so many dramas about
athletes who are file bankruptcy. You know that story dominates.
Is it really do athletes really don't? Is it a
(07:51):
tremendous high rate act of financial failure for professional athletes
that we read about. That's just a rumor.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
No, that's and the problem is you're gonna slowed down
with that. You just there and in their shine that
The reality is athletes are focused on learning their trade
as a professional athlete. Where is the master class or
the money making conversation for an athlete about how to
(08:22):
preserve and utilize their resources once they get money and
they need a Rushine McDonald, They need these types of conversations.
We're still lacking. And it hasn't it gotten worse because
with the proliferation of nil the individuals or kids who
are getting substantial amounts of money are getting younger, so
(08:44):
they have even less training about how to preserve and
utilize those resources. And then We've got a challenge in
our community because our community have not typically been trained
up to understand how to utilize UH and preserve their
their money. So it is a it is a very
serious problem for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Well see this, this blows my mind. Let men just
talk about justin Jefferson's contract here. Okay, it's one hundred
and forty million dollars. One hundred and ten million dollars
was guaranteed. Now listen to me, everybody, when he signs
his contract, they're going to hand him or check for
(09:25):
eighty three million dollars. Please help me, Attorney Harris to
sit down and say what who does he have to
have around him immediately to make sure that check doesn't
go immediately to the government, to make sure he that
check allows him to basically walk away and never play
(09:48):
football again if he wanted to after his contract expires.
What team does he have to have around him when
he gets a contract like that?
Speaker 1 (09:58):
You know? Is it true? The requirement is that you
have good attorneys, good investment advisors who are conservative. You
have to have good accountants. But unfortunately that infrastructure does
not exist around many players who get money like that,
and so in the absence of that infrastructure. You substitute
(10:19):
in other individuals who are less qualified to advise the
player about what he should do or she should do
with their money. And you know, the sad thing about
it is, once that money is spent, Rushan is brutal
because that money is gone. You don't get that back.
There's no sympathy out there for someone who made fifty
(10:42):
or sixty million dollars through out their career and it's gone.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It's just gone. Brown. Did you read about him filing bankruptcy?
You know, I know he's done some crazy things on
him last year, but he made almost roughly eighty million dollars.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And isn't it true that the tenure of a professional
athlete is very short?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Right?
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So the point you made earlier is very accurate. What
does the player do after that short tenure? And unfortunately,
it doesn't typically end up with them surrounding themselves with
the people who are capable of helping them manage their money.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I'm gonna just tell you out something I have on
the phone with me one of the most interesting attorneys
in this country. We already started out with the novel
dark Trades. Right then we went over to former NBA,
NFL agent. Now, when we come back personal injury litigations, man,
and we ain't even got the energy yet, so you
(11:39):
know you coming back. When we come back, I want
to talk about the explosion. If you don't mind of
personal injury litigation, All right on one and Making Conversation
Masteracre Class with Attorney Ken Harris, who's based in Charlotte,
North Carolina.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Don't go nowhere, Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right
back with more money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to
the Money Making Conversations Masterclass, hosted by Rashaan MacDonald.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I guess Attorney Ken Harris is probably one of the
most money making conversationalists conversationists guests I've ever had. Let
me get a little background. We talked about Dark Trades,
the controversial historical and I say controversial in a good
way because if it's a book that you want to
pick up and read, it's a book that I would recommend.
What if the South had won the Civil War? The
(12:35):
name of the book is Dark Trades is written by
Attorney Ken Harris. Now, Ken Harris went to college with
Michael Jordan. We all know Michael Jorge, a billionaire, billionaire.
Everybody know that. But the last twenty five years he's
handled many business matters for another billionaire, very Magic Johnson.
(12:56):
We all know here, Bellion there, billionaire other no his
roster of relationship. Matthew knows you know if you don't
know him, founded Destiny Child, Beyonce, billionaire millionnaire. This billionaire
has left and right when you have this resume like that,
(13:17):
Attorney Harris, what do you think, because sometimes you're just
grinding and sometimes you don't realize how powerful you've participated
in the academic structure of academic success stories. Talk to
us man.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
You know that's why I love and respect you so much,
because I've watched what you've done for others in a
selfless manner, and you've worked with individuals who are very
similar to Magic and Matthew Knowles and people like that.
But you know the key for me, and I'm glad
you're letting me talk a little bit about Magic and
(13:54):
mister Knowles. I sit there and I felt blessed by
God to have a chance to absorb their knowledge and
their capabilities and their ability to maneuver the business world.
I think both are underappreciated. I'll start with mister Knowles.
Mister Knowles has gone through a period of time where
(14:14):
I think the national community has failed to recognize what
he accomplished in the music world. His accomplishments are historic
and unique. And what he did with this Destiny's Child,
how he brought up beyondce Ane Solange was not only
(14:35):
self list, but it was also historic in terms of accomplishment.
Many people don't know Rushan that mister Knowles was a
millionaire before Destiny Child became popular. He was one of
the top salesmen at IBM before Destiny's Child became popular.
(14:57):
He sacrificed that you talk about money making opportunities, he
sacrificices that million dollar making background to work with his
daughters and develop their careers. So when you say Beyonce,
regardless of anything else that you think about, you have
to mention his name because he's the one who sacrificed
(15:18):
to help her develop her career. The same with Magic.
Magic to me, when I'm with him and when I've
been with him over the last twenty five years and
what we've done deals, I've been in complete and utter awe.
I've never seen a person you know, Wushane you've met him,
you've been there with me and him. I don't. He
(15:40):
is so meticulous as a business person, so dedicated to
his craft as a business person. What I've learned from
him is that the success lies in the details, are
not in the hype. And I've watched him quietly in
meeting the way the meetings are structured and organized for
(16:02):
us when we have meetings, how prepared he is. There
was a time, I don't know if you remember where
Magic had the Rashan You remember he had the.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Theater and Los Angeles Beverly, absolutely right there off of Crenshaw.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
You know what. You know what sent me strang concerning
Magic was we were going to one of his theaters
one day to do sort of well, we're gonna sit
down and watch a movie in and talk business. And
he was talking about the popcorn and how much popcorn
was being sold in the theater. And I said, how
in the world does Magic have time to be concerned
(16:39):
about how much popcorn the theater is selling when we
set up these Starbucks and Charlotte on Wilkinson Boulevard. If
you live here in Charlotte, yes, sir. He was concerned
about the menu, the not having scones. He wanted to
have sweet potato pie. Yes, yeah, make you sure that
(17:00):
the store had commodities that were appropriate for the community.
The demographic that he was attracted. Oh man, these gentlemen
are giants from a business standpoint, and I think that
our community certainly has an obligation to recognize why they
(17:22):
they are where they are, not give them any hype
or recognition for what they've achieved financially. I'm talking about
the why of it all. Why are they where they are?
That's where the learning is concerning magic and missing all.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
And let me follow up this. So I'm from Houston, Texas,
ladies and gentlemen, and nineteen ninety two is when I
met Matthew Knows because he's from Houston, Texas, and I
brought Destiny Child on stage at my comical Hip hop
commic stuff for the very first time. So I saw
it in the beginning. I saw him when he was
running around town trying to do every little talent show
(17:55):
with these these this is the original group, the original
members of Destiny Child. So I saw that what you
were talking about, that desire, that love, that passion that
made all these individuals successful today then on Magic Johnson.
I'm gonna just tell you everybody something about Magic Johnson.
I moved to la in nineteen ninety, well sort of
(18:17):
magic Steve Harvor in two thousand. Magic Johnson. If you've
ever met him, if you ever shook shake his hand,
he will act like you're the most important person that
he's shaking his hand with. I mean, you know, I
ran in the magic when we did that event in
Charlotte about a year and a half ago. I saw
(18:39):
magic in like five years, Magic lived across road RuSHA.
You know, you know I'm humble. I'm like, you know,
you know this Magic John's it's always gonna be this
Magic Johnson. You know the thing about when you say
this magic john You're always gonna bow down a little
bit because this is Magic Johnson. When he walks in
the room, I kid you not, ladies and gentlemen and
Attorney Ken Harrison, back this up. I've never seen the
(19:00):
talent walk in the room and people gravitate to them
with love, black, white, Hispanic, it doesn't matter. He will stop.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
He will stop.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
It has nothing to do with security, and it's a
different type of way people come up to them. Because
I've seen people come up to people. You gotta have security, okay,
because they just come at you a different way. But
people come up to Magic Johnson with a sense of
reverence like thank you. It's almost like a minister, thank you,
thank you, appreciate you, bless you, bless you. Brother. Keep winning,
(19:33):
keep doing this. And that's the type of thing that
you're referencing these individuals, especially Magic Johnson. This guy can
do a masterclass man and just being humble but successful,
being able to understand the value of relationship, partnership. This
is Magic Johnson man.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
And we can talk all day about Magic, but I
will give you I don't know if I have a fonds,
but this is the one secret about Magic Johns. Yes, sir,
this is an exclusive on him. He has a photographic memory.
I believe that is one of his secrets. Yes, I
believe that Magic can remember something from ten years ago
(20:10):
and give you details on it.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I believe that. And like I tell, I've seen him
in action too many times. And that's the blessing. And
I always tell this thing to everybody about Magic Johnson.
Magic Johnson, if he did not drive little Basketball, know
this about him, he was going to be an entrepreneur
if he did not drive a little basketball. His goal
was not to be a Hall of Fame basketball player.
God just gave him that talent. His goal was to
(20:34):
be a business man. His goal was because that's the
infrastructure that was built by his parents. Was that started
there in that home, and so these are the great
things about it. But I want to just tell you,
Attorney Ken Harris, thank you for coming on Money Making
Conversations master Class.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Of course you do anything for you, Sean, you know that.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Thank you, brother. This has been another edition of Money
Making Conversation Masterclass hosted by me Rashawn McDonald. Thank you too,
I guess on this sho show today and thank you
for listening to the audience now. If you want to
listen to any episode I want to be a guest
on the show. Visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media
handle is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and
(21:13):
remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
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