November 13, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode of Teach Me Something, hosts DJ Prostyle and Penny Dellas chop it up with Maxwell — a dynamic radio personality whose voice has become a staple across some of the nation’s biggest airwaves.
With over 20 years in the game, Maxwell has worked at legendary stations like Z100, WNCI 97.9, and now, 103.5 KTU. Known for his vibrant energy and unmatched charisma, he shares how he built a career by connecting deeply with his audience — on air, online, and on screen.
From interviews with icons like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift to hosting massive events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Maxwell opens up about staying relevant, being authentic, and navigating the evolving landscape of media and entertainment.
This episode is a masterclass in consistency, reinvention, and the power of voice — both literally and figuratively.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, what's up.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
This is DJ pro Style and this is Penny tell Us.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
And this is teach Me Something.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
Brought to you by Berkeley College. All right, welcome back
to teach me Something with Penny Tellas.
Speaker 4 (00:10):
Hey, what's up? And I'm Maxwell.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Wait where's Pearl?
Speaker 4 (00:13):
That's what I'm saying, because.
Speaker 5 (00:16):
Cels here, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to teach me something.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
All right, Well, I still have a.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Job here today. My brother Maxwell has bum rush the studio.
Speaker 5 (00:27):
And the most important thing about this, let's just get
right into this.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I'm calling this episode. I'm taking control.
Speaker 5 (00:33):
Any It's it's called on the fly today with my
guy on the flying something on the fly.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Because you see this people at home. I mean there's
no script.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Yeah, so you see this. We're just just we're just
gonna throw this away. It's also okay, there's no script today.
Maxwell's walking by here.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I don't want this, yeah for real?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Like off, you were like you let's go.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
I'm like, I record this right now. Maxwell's the people
have been asking for Maxwell should know you lie?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yes, so the people.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So they've been writing it and saying when is Maxwell
going to take over an episode?
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So, well, here it is.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I'm here to compliment, that's all it is. I'm here
to compliment the vibe. That's all it is about my brother.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
So you really through our papers?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Yeah, oh, do you have anything for this episode on
that you did?
Speaker 5 (01:18):
You know?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
You really threw off her game.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Welcome to this is how so now.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Welcome to radio?
Speaker 5 (01:24):
Right, Like sometimes you just got to be able to
roll so speaking as a radio personality for twenty years,
like Maxwell, right plus twenty years, we're working against it.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
This happens a lot in radio.
Speaker 5 (01:34):
So on radio sometimes they'll come and they'll open the
door and be like, hey, so this whatever artists is here,
can we bring them in real quick? And they bring
them right in, and you just got to go with it.
I've interviewed plenty of times people have no idea about nothing.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Yo, it's happened for me to we'll chat about. But
there's been times where it's it's a fake it till
you make it, you know, moments you're just kind of like, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
You gotta know is how to say the person's name?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Done?
Speaker 5 (01:56):
Yeah, and just some generic questions and let them fill
the ins, which is what we're gonna do with Maxwell today. Yeah,
like obviously we already know how great he is and
how long he's been on radio. But let's let's start
this all right for the people at home who don't
know Maxwell from in Maxwell's House on Instagram.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Right, let's start from the beginning.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
What what what got you into the career that y're
in now with Radiom.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
There was a buddy of mine. I played college football
and there was a buddy of mine. I was on
a football team and he was a DJ at the
radio station in the city and San Luis Obispo, California,
small Central Coast, California, and like, for real, for real.
I was like, if he can do it, I can
do it. So I bugged him a lot, my buddy DK.
He was like my uncle, you know what I'm saying.
(02:38):
He was just my my big brother. And I was
just like, get me into the studio. How do I
get to be an intern? How do I get to
do something like that? Like if you know what age was,
I was like nineteen twenty, Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
And I was just like, if you can do it?
And I just saw the way that he was he
was moving around the city.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Though, right, you could do it.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I could do it. Well I didn't that way.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
I like, you can do what I can do?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
And I was like, Sam, what it was like? But
that was our relationship, That was our friendship. It was normally.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Just so you know, the same normally people is if
I could do it, you could do it. If you
could do it, I could do it.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Yeah, yeah, seriously what it was for real And that
was a that was a testament to our friendship because
he really did take me under h under his wing
in the way that you said pity is like.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
He was like, yo, but that was that was really
what it was. So he he actually got me in
front of his program director and his PD was like, yo,
I'm catching a vibe. You're good friends with d K.
Go and do like a little air check tape. And
at the time, I was studying communication in school and
we worked at the college radio station. I was doing
(03:51):
like overnights, like like talking three to six in the morning,
and I went, I made a little, uh little air
check tape. About a week or two later, gave it
to the PD and he was like, you know, actually
we're looking to fill some part time people boom boom.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
So you already were doing though college radio probably a
little bit, yeah, a little bit funny, a lot of yeah,
Like I was blessed enough, Like it's college radio and
I'm sorry form, like is it still a thing and
still going on?
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I hope it is because college radio has.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Spawned so many careers for so many people, myself included.
Like I got into radio because of you know, when
I was in Orlando at the time, Rolin's College Rollins
college radio shots to you guys, I was going to
the radio with DJ Khaled yep when he was doing it,
and that's what got me into the whole Wow, this
is cool.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Like it for Berkeley College.
Speaker 7 (04:35):
We have this podcast we Are We Are the Radio?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Yeah are it? Yeah, that's what it was. And I
was able. I was prepared to be that person when
the opportunity came, and then like the rest is history.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yeah, dude, we're we got to fill the time.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
So the rest of talk about year.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Twenty four years twenty yeah, twenty four years with it, yeah,
twenty four.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You know, it's so crazy. We don't get a pension plan.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Right.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
No, some of my boys saying, I'm just saying this
right now. You know, we're going like I'm about to
do twenty years too with a company, right and not.
I am getting pretty close, and in mi head, I'm thinking, damn,
you know, if I went to construction.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Of something white, I mean I'd be set for life
right now, right.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Different situation with us. So yeah, it started. So I
started doing like the overnight shift at at the radio
station in Saint Luisibiso. It was a top forty radio station,
and I was yo, oh my god, yo, you guys
gotta be digging into the memory bank. I was doing
the like the late night like dedication show. Bro. So
(05:43):
imagine like a twenty year old giving shoutouts and dedications
like I'm gonna throw a name out there.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
There's low music, like slow chilling like my show.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
My show was called Kissing after Dark.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So you were like on the Delilah wave.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
I was on the Delilah wave to speak of, like
the monotone kind of life. And I'm like, twenty gives
a voice, now, give us good, okay, give us something
to show here.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
First you played the the.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
We're going into do to to you know, yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Yeah, So it's like, hey, I just want to give
a shout out to Roquel who's listening. She's in Pismo Beach, California.
This is coming from your man Julio, who's listening at
Long Poke. He's locked up for twenty five years, but
just so you know, love that his heart will always
be locked up to yours. This is moments in love.
(06:32):
I'm kissing after dark and then I forget what they
call it her but bro, but.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Bro, Maxwell, you gotta do a series of this social
But you gotta.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Thing that was maybe will Yeah, yeah, yeah, we gotta
plug in like some.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
Boys the Road the next like April Fools, just flip
the whole show into like a whole.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
You should plugging some off for one in that I
gotta dig and yeah, I gotta dig in crazy for
those for those records.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
But it was bring it back because.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
The thing was I was like twenty nineteen, twenty years old,
Like what do I know about love at that At
that moment.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
They were sending their things and so you were just.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Reading, Oh man, it was yeah, it was fun. So
I did that shift for about like a year, and
then the night Jock he ended up going somewhere else.
I slid up and I was doing like from seven
to ten, which was obviously like way more fit the format.
It wasn't like a specific show. It was the night show.
We were rocking. And then that lasted for about like
(07:32):
two years at that station. When the morning show position
opened up at a radio station that was just what
we call in the industry, we go, you know, we
across the street. I started to go and play for
the opposition doing mornings, and it kind of shook up
the city for a little bit. You're thinking small town
radio where everybody.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Knew whoever we were.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah, you know what I mean. So it was like, Yo,
Maxwell was about to go over to you know this
station and do mornings. What the hell do you know
what I'm saying? And I did mornings at CASELI. It
was another Top forty. The thing with me too is
I've always been in top forty radio. Yeah, like I
never really had the chance to do I mean later
on in my career urban rhythm CHR. But I've always
(08:13):
been like a Top forty dude growing up in California.
It was just a part of the culture, part of
the vibe, and that's just you know, what I knew
and how I moved. But when I went to go
and do mornings, we had what we called the eminem show. Well,
my buddy, it was Maxwell and Marshall and we did, yeah,
we did. You know the ratchetness that was early two
thousands radio man. We were getting ready with like some
(08:35):
of the stupidest stuff the time was what it was,
and that was really awesome until I it was maybe
two years into our morning show that I got the
opportunity to go to Morning Show boot Camp. And have
y'all heard about the like the Morning Show boot Camp.
I mean it's a conference where they bring in, you know,
(08:55):
talent from all across the country. You going you brainstorm
and all that kind of stuff. And at that time
I met the program director of w It was B
ninety ninety seven in New Orleans, and I, uh, this
was probably the most pivotal part of my radio careers.
I had brought a CD. Bro. Remember we have to
burn CDs. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7 (09:19):
I'm wire was not our front yo, all the corruption
on the computers, right, So I burned a CD of
like highlights from our morning show just because I was
going to go and just actually share it with my
uncle who let me crash at his place down in
La So I drove down the coast from San Luis Obispo, California,
Central California to LA.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
About a three hour drive. I had the CD of
like Best of Moments, excuse me. That was going to
get to my uncle, who was really like my big brother,
and he was just like, yo, you know, bring me
some stuff, nephew. It was before streaming, so it's like
I don't get to hear the show. I see you
do da da da dah. So I had a CD.
But when I went to Morning Show boot camp, the
program director that was a PDA B ninety seven, we
(09:58):
met at like a cocktail hour and he was like, yo,
you got any like you got any like air check stuff,
you got whatever.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I was like, bro.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
I went to my Ford Probe. I went outside to
the parking lot. I was like, I got this one
CD that I was gonna get to my uncle. I
gave it to and his name is Mike Cappa, and
the PD of the station at the time gave him
the city and like, man, when I tell you, like
two and a half weeks later, he was like, you're
trying to come to New Orleans and do mornings. I
was like yo, I was like twenty four something like that,
and left California to go do mornings for about a
(10:28):
year and a half at B ninety seven in New Orleans.
That was dope, but also wasn't ready for like morning
radio at that time. Still like hella young. Yeah, what
I'm saying, morning radio a different It's a whole different beast.
As you all know. It comes with life experience and
how to talk to you know, moms and daughters and talking.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
To people on the way to work. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Yeah, you're trying to catch all that stuff. And I
mean we were funny. We had a good little situation,
but our show was was not good. But I think
about it, it was like but we tried, you know
what I mean. And we ended up disbanding that morning
show after about like a year and a half and
then damn, I going down. I'm loving this little you know,
(11:10):
going down memory Lane. Ended up in Lafayete, Louisiana, which
is about two hours west of New Orleans, and that's
when I started to host my night show again. And
I got really bit at that time by the bug
with the programmer. So I started to do assistant program
director stuff and music director stuff, and I really started
to get like, yo, this is the inner workings of
(11:32):
the radio station. Here's how budgets wore behind the scenes,
you know what I'm saying, meeting with the record label
folks and really getting to understand how the industry, the
radio industry works, and I love that. And while I
was in Lafayette. The weird part about it though, for
me personally, was being in the South and being a
California kid, you know what I'm saying, being on another
top forty radio station. It was a culture shock because
(11:55):
the South is still the South even to this day,
you know what I mean, There's still a lot of
ingrained biases and stereotypes. And I broke the mold, like
total this is California kid who grew up surfing, listening
to you know what I'm saying, the most pop music
in the world, and just that lifestyle that was me,
(12:15):
Like I was toy smelling, you know what, I reboot
for real, but that was my energy was just like
this real laid back vibe. When you get to the South.
You know, everybody saw me. Well. It also was before
like a lot of video in multi media was in
our industry, so they would hear my voice and then
(12:37):
when they would see me, they were like, Yo, your
black dude, how come you're not on the hip hop station?
How come you're out on the urban station? Like, how
come you're not da da da da? I was like, well,
this is just who I am, you know what I'm saying.
So there was some there was some tension, you know,
within and there was a lot of soul searching, like damn,
am I really like supposed to be this particular dude.
Am I supposed to fit a particular way of speaking,
(13:02):
broadcasting whatever? Or is it just best to be myself?
I was being true to myself and at the end
of the day that started to actually, I mean it
worked tremendously to my advantage because I created well I
didn't create anything. I was being me, but I became
that one of one, like I was like the only
(13:22):
brother in top forty radio, like really in multiple cities
across the country, and it was refreshing to a lot
of the hip hop and urban artists that were crossing over.
When they could come into a radio station like I
was at and see somebody who looked like them, you
feel a little bit more comfortable and knowing as like
yo okay, Like I was around the time in laft
(13:45):
Fae Louisiana when like Cupid was coming out with Cupid
Shuffle and like D four l like laughy taffy, you
know what I'm saying, Like them joints where it was
like that chopped and screwed hip hop stuff. But then
it started to move over to like a top forty
world and they were like, Yo, so I'm gonna go
and and meet with somebody doing interview with somebody who
can't relate. But it's like, at the end of the day,
I'm still a brother, I'm still black dude, I still
(14:07):
have you know, uh the skin that is exactly like yours.
We can relate on that. But I'm just a you know,
I'm but I'm personality wise, I'm just I'm just me
and and it was proof to me that that we
as a culture are so multi dimensional and people started
(14:28):
to catch on to that. I think I won over
a lot of people like, Yo, this is really refreshing
because now listeners that I had, especially even in the
South at the time, loved the pop music that we
were playing, but maybe felt a little ashamed, you know
what I'm saying, to go out.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
I remember I was being on an urban radio during
those times, like even when like you had the Biaber
records that started to cross over and yeah, you're like,
we're playing this.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Yeah, I mean, because that's just what it was.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
But you are a barrier breaker.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Yeah, that's where I found my power.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
That's great because I knew none that. Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
That's where I found my power, especially down in the South,
because a lot of folks started to become comfortable, you know,
relating to me because you know, I am who I
am and a lot of times that kind of personality,
especially in that region of the country is sheltered or
it's you know, I don't want to say frowned upon,
but it's like I said, a lot of people coming
(15:22):
in like I can't believe you should be on the
hip hop station, blah blah blah blah. That's when I
found out, like, Yo, what I'm doing here is truly
something special. What I'm doing here is truly something different
by being true to who I am and showing that
there are different facets, facets of the African American culture.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
And we're all we're all one at the end of
the day.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
At the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
But back then you're right.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
It was such a separation in music, such a separation
where it's like even when I was growing up, remember
there was hip hop, but you know I was in
the South also.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
I lived in Florida for so many years.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Yea, down there, it was like, so the urban hip
hop scene for them is you know, you're talking about
like down south music, tricky dollars, that kind of like
it's totally like everyone's wearing gold tees, yeah big you know,
the hoop ties with the big twenty four and.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
And then you had like Wu tanging all that out
and they didn't wear none of that.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
Nah.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
It was a set.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
It was either you listened to this or that. You
couldn't even mix those two types of hip hop together.
And I was one who would, yeah, who would get
on the radio and go from trick Daddy to Redman
and Met the Man and back and front.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
But that's who you are, that's what you were, that's
what you represented. And then that's how I was. I
could deliver a pop message while I'm playing you know,
records by bands like you know what I'm saying. I'll
throw a name out there. There's a group I remember
being in New Orleans as a like alternative pop rock
band like better than Ezra. You know what I'm saying,
like people, but then at.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
The same cash money out during that time the radio, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
That's what I'm saying. But then and then it would be.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Like yo that to play forty, to be playing like
back that up.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Had to we were Yeah, you know what I'm saying,
and it was it was refreshing for somebody like me
to be the one that delivers that message on a
pop radio station and.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Coming out of that true to yourself.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So, speaking through the whole memory Lane, you went from
wanting to emulate your best friend, right, and you were inspired,
but then you motivated, and through that motivation and perseverance
you said, you know what, I'm just going to go for.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
It full fledge ahead. And you did.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
And it was because I sucked at everything else too.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Because the most the most out of everything you've said today, right,
there's one question that really has been just in my
head that I want to ask you in this probably
the most important thing you touched on is what position
when you were playing football did you play?
Speaker 7 (17:31):
You know I was I was going to ask that
when he started lane, Damn, I played receiver.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Yeah, Like what did I say that?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah, I say no, But you know you spoke about
adversity and how you dealt with that and you just
stay true to yourself. And we had Shelley Wage to
Shelley Wage, she was on the pod, and we asked
her about that because she had a similar journey in
her voice didn't match what you would see and it
was that expectation, and she said, I'm just me and
(18:07):
if you're just yourself she was.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
She spent some time in San Diego in California, and
she was an icon of mind. She was somebody I
looked up to, but see like she was like one
of the only you know what I'm saying. And once
I kind of realized, like, yo, if I can be
that person for somebody else, I want to. I want to,
you know, be even more true to who I am
and be unapologetic, you know, for you know, being a
(18:31):
you know, a black dude on Top forty radio. Because
I know that there are people who I mean, my
time that I spent before being with kqu was ten
years at Z one hundred, Like there has never been
anybody who looked like me who has spent that amount
of time on a prominent day part on the biggest
top forty radio station in America. Not only that, you
(18:53):
know when you think about when you peel back, you
know what I'm saying, the magnifying glass in the country.
I was like, I'm like one of like three, you
know what I mean. Personally, that didn't sit right with
me because I was.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Like, why aren't there more?
Speaker 4 (19:08):
Why aren't there more? It doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
But you know what, you were that trail.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
But you have That's what I hope to be. And
it was because of people like Shelley. It was because
of Yeah, it was because of her just being true
to herself. And I was like, yeah, so, but yeah,
it's real quick to you know what I mean, to
get to how I got to be here in New York.
It was like, yeah, after laft Yete Louisiana, it was Columbus, Ohio.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
And by and by the way, and you don't you
don't have to go through this fast because I already
see that this is part one.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
This is part one.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
We're gonna because I grab you. It's just the people.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
My man Max was literally walked through the hallway and
we were like yo, and actual here she has no
actual notes or what's you know.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
I do just want to bring that full circle because
you did mention Z. Yeah, and you have brought that
back into mentorship because you've mentored our students at Berkeley
College through Z one hundred when you were with Crystal
shout out to Crystal rolls with on the plod he's
Maxwell shouting what up to one of our interns here?
But you know, you have brought that full circle and
(20:11):
you have embodied that educative perspective and giving back and
opening those doors, and you've connected with our interns on
socials and you continue to mentor both inside and outside
the studio.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
I like to think that if I wasn't in radio,
that I would be some sort of a teacher, Like
I really not a wide receiver dog. You know how
big these fools are in the NFL. That's the other
reason why I was like, let me get my little
five year I'm gonna say I was.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
You didn't want to pick a receiver on the team,
be like if you could do that, I could do that.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
I tried, but these fools were like six three, two
twenty five, Like everybody got so big, bro, And I
was just like if man I was like, I need
to find something else because the NFL kept they're not
looking for like that.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Sovot pivoted to radio.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
But Maxwell, you not only did ray you, but you
also went on and did some big screen saf.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
That's why I say this is part one, right, because
we know how did that come about?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
All Right, let's just I'm gonna tell you. We can
discuss that in part two, but I will.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
There's a lot to talk. There's a lot you were
just you know.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
I heard.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
I mean, there's so much to talk about. Maxwell's career.
He's done so much. He's one of those talents that
that do a lot more than just radio. That's what
I'm saying this this episode will definitely be able.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
It's going to be and we're just going to think
about the second half of Maxwell.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
This is getting to know really because we've learned first
all I've learned a lot about you in this episode
is amazing and your career.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Path and where it started. And it's like everyone, what
I get out of all.
Speaker 5 (21:55):
These episodes from people that are successful is the stories
that really you say, wow, you know, the people that
really are successful these days have really had to go
through it all and and for the people listening who
are just getting started, just just remember that if you're
going through something now, that's something that you'll be able
to tell during your story when you're successful down the line.
And never quit right and just keep going because look,
(22:17):
I mean, you went to all these markets and and
then ended up in the biggest one, and it.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Really was just it was like, let's let's focus on
on being great, but being great by not compromising who
you are. And yeah, and a lot of those opportunities
that you know, we'll discuss more about they they came
about just like you said, persistence, working hard, being true
to who you are, being a team player, but also
(22:44):
standing up for yourself in the right moment, you know,
not being a pushover, not getting you know, uh, stepped
over because you you acted a particular way to a
particular person. I mean, it's it sounds cliche to say,
but you know, good you know, good guys and girls.
You know, at the end of the day, it will
happen for you will win. But you just got to
(23:05):
remember that it's it's a it's a marathon, it's not
a sprint, you know. And we all have talked to
so many artists that seem like they're overnight successes.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Well these days, these days, well there are some there
are something yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that's not the normal. But that's
not the normal situation. Yeah, that's not the norm at all.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
And that doesn't that doesn't equate nine out of ten
times said longevity. Right, those over how many overnight successes
or one hit wonders have we spoke to on radio
right that are not here anymore?
Speaker 1 (23:36):
And but the people that grinded it out are still
are still here.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
The one name that kind of sticks to my to
my brain real quick as we start to put a
button on this is like somebody like a Teddy Swims
like you know what I mean, an amazing pop star
who had a massive pop crossover whatever. Teddy, his voice
is crazy, you know what I'm saying. And you know,
last year in twenty twenty four, twenty twenty five, dude
blew up broke record. But this dude has been doing
(24:01):
music for like fifteen years, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
But it's like people didn't know that nobody until you
sit down and you hear their story. Yes, it's like Coplay.
You ever hear Coplay story? And Chris Martin.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
I mean the biggest in the world, right and I
mean my favorite probably if not one of my favorite
bands ever go see perform. But then if you actually
listen to their story, these guys were playing back in
you know, I forgot you gay. Okay, they're playing and
they had residencies that they go play at a bar
every Friday for like thirty people until they broke through.
(24:33):
But they would go to that residency for one hundred people,
two hundred people. Now they're doing two hundred thousand people
and say, one.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Of the most recognizable bands on this planet.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
So yeah, we don't want to.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Hold you up.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
But you can hear Maxwell's residency.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Five in National House afternoons. It's going down three to seven. Grip.
I just I just want to, says neighbors.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
Bro is shaking, like damn.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Shout out to Wendy wow, because on her episode she
did say that she loves you beyond capacity and her
and pro create a Maxwell sandwich of love.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Okay, in the middle it sounds.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
But you know, it's it's all love.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
We've no but the synergy, the synergy though, is it's man,
it's it's something special, Like it really is, like we
and this this stage in my life, in this chapter
of the book, it feels right. It feels right for
where its supposed to be. And well, yeah, we'll lead
into all that aspect, but right now, I mean, I'm yeah,
(25:43):
I'm blessed, extremely grateful. And the biggest thing that if
anybody takes away from this first episode is just be you.
Do you? You know what I'm saying. You might feel
like it's not gonna happen for you, but I promise
you we will. I promise you, because there's I mean,
getting caught up in a liar to a character, You're
you're gonna lose sight of who you truly are, end
(26:04):
up fumbling the bag at some point in time, and
you will never have that issue if you just stay
true to yourself.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
I love it and I'm just gonna I'm gonna wrap
it with what you hear. Everyone is one hundred percent real.
I've had the privilege of getting to know all of
these personalities and powerhouses here and kat U and Z
and what you see is what you get. There is
no facade. And it's so beautiful to work with you all,
and you all are so welcoming and so loving and
(26:30):
you guys are just amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Love you guys.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
This is supposed to It's supposed to happen right now
for us.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
We're gonna have pennies, gonna be on a right, We're
gonna get penny on her.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
That's what I'm saying. Yourself.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
She has that good like she might be like a light.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
You know, it's just like you had that delivery. She
has like Delilah Delia. She has that the night time
like you did. You didn't way better than I did
it when I.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Was first to start.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Sure, So maxl we have we do have to end
with our clolos one question. So we ask our students
to describe what Berkeley College means to them in one word.
So we're gonna flip it, okay, okay, and we're going
to ask you to articulate in one word what you
aim your legacy to be.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Wow, I am yeah, damn.
Speaker 5 (27:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
See we were flowing up one word.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
All right, I want to authenticity.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Yeah, left you speak to her. First second, she was like,
but no, that's authenticity.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Thought he was gonna say.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Well, you know, we had a bet going on because
we had authentically I love it. We had a bet
because Wendy's word was love and she defined it exactly
the same way Crystal did on Crystal's episode We're Love.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
So he's like, if Maxwell comes in here and says
love and yeah on this floor, ill.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Than just it awesome?
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Man.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Well listen, we know you gotta wrap, you know you
gotta go.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
We got saying book the busy baby.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
This is episode one? Is this going to be season one?
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Or is this this is season two?
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Were in season two?
Speaker 4 (28:14):
All right?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
We're in season two already. Uh, and we will be
getting your next episode done shortly, So stick around.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
And grab me in the hallways. I'm down.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
You want to talk to you?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
What we'll be doing all the social content?
Speaker 5 (28:24):
And I think I think Max, Max, Maxwell, you could
take us out, you know you could, you know, just
let the people know what over.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I hope I taught you something. You see what I'm
saying and I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Damn that's Maxwell.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
He has to go.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Maxwell, thanks for listening.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
This is Teaching Me Something with pn DJ Pro Style
and Maxwell.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
By College. Hey, thanks for listening.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Tune in next week for all new episode of Teach
Me Something, brought to you by Berkeley College
Hey, what's up.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
This is DJ pro Style and this is Penny tell Us.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
And this is teach Me Something.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
Brought to you by Berkeley College. All right, welcome back
to teach me Something with Penny Tellas.
Speaker 4 (00:10):
Hey, what's up? And I'm Maxwell.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Wait where's Pearl?
Speaker 4 (00:13):
That's what I'm saying, because.
Speaker 5 (00:16):
Cels here, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to teach me something.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
All right, Well, I still have a.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Job here today. My brother Maxwell has bum rush the studio.
Speaker 5 (00:27):
And the most important thing about this, let's just get
right into this.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I'm calling this episode. I'm taking control.
Speaker 5 (00:33):
Any It's it's called on the fly today with my
guy on the flying something on the fly.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Because you see this people at home. I mean there's
no script.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Yeah, so you see this. We're just just we're just
gonna throw this away. It's also okay, there's no script today.
Maxwell's walking by here.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I don't want this, yeah for real?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Like off, you were like you let's go.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
I'm like, I record this right now. Maxwell's the people
have been asking for Maxwell should know you lie?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yes, so the people.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So they've been writing it and saying when is Maxwell
going to take over an episode?
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So, well, here it is.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I'm here to compliment, that's all it is. I'm here
to compliment the vibe. That's all it is about my brother.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
So you really through our papers?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Yeah, oh, do you have anything for this episode on
that you did?
Speaker 5 (01:18):
You know?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
You really threw off her game.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Welcome to this is how so now.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Welcome to radio?
Speaker 5 (01:24):
Right, Like sometimes you just got to be able to
roll so speaking as a radio personality for twenty years,
like Maxwell, right plus twenty years, we're working against it.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
This happens a lot in radio.
Speaker 5 (01:34):
So on radio sometimes they'll come and they'll open the
door and be like, hey, so this whatever artists is here,
can we bring them in real quick? And they bring
them right in, and you just got to go with it.
I've interviewed plenty of times people have no idea about nothing.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Yo, it's happened for me to we'll chat about. But
there's been times where it's it's a fake it till
you make it, you know, moments you're just kind of like, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
You gotta know is how to say the person's name?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Done?
Speaker 5 (01:56):
Yeah, and just some generic questions and let them fill
the ins, which is what we're gonna do with Maxwell today. Yeah,
like obviously we already know how great he is and
how long he's been on radio. But let's let's start
this all right for the people at home who don't
know Maxwell from in Maxwell's House on Instagram.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Right, let's start from the beginning.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
What what what got you into the career that y're
in now with Radiom.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
There was a buddy of mine. I played college football
and there was a buddy of mine. I was on
a football team and he was a DJ at the
radio station in the city and San Luis Obispo, California,
small Central Coast, California, and like, for real, for real.
I was like, if he can do it, I can
do it. So I bugged him a lot, my buddy DK.
He was like my uncle, you know what I'm saying.
(02:38):
He was just my my big brother. And I was
just like, get me into the studio. How do I
get to be an intern? How do I get to
do something like that? Like if you know what age was,
I was like nineteen twenty, Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
And I was just like, if you can do it?
And I just saw the way that he was he
was moving around the city.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Though, right, you could do it.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I could do it. Well I didn't that way.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
I like, you can do what I can do?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
And I was like, Sam, what it was like? But
that was our relationship, That was our friendship. It was normally.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Just so you know, the same normally people is if
I could do it, you could do it. If you
could do it, I could do it.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Yeah, yeah, seriously what it was for real And that
was a that was a testament to our friendship because
he really did take me under h under his wing
in the way that you said pity is like.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
He was like, yo, but that was that was really
what it was. So he he actually got me in
front of his program director and his PD was like, yo,
I'm catching a vibe. You're good friends with d K.
Go and do like a little air check tape. And
at the time, I was studying communication in school and
we worked at the college radio station. I was doing
(03:51):
like overnights, like like talking three to six in the morning,
and I went, I made a little, uh little air
check tape. About a week or two later, gave it
to the PD and he was like, you know, actually
we're looking to fill some part time people boom boom.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
So you already were doing though college radio probably a
little bit, yeah, a little bit funny, a lot of yeah,
Like I was blessed enough, Like it's college radio and
I'm sorry form, like is it still a thing and
still going on?
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I hope it is because college radio has.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Spawned so many careers for so many people, myself included.
Like I got into radio because of you know, when
I was in Orlando at the time, Rolin's College Rollins
college radio shots to you guys, I was going to
the radio with DJ Khaled yep when he was doing it,
and that's what got me into the whole Wow, this
is cool.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Like it for Berkeley College.
Speaker 7 (04:35):
We have this podcast we Are We Are the Radio?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Yeah are it? Yeah, that's what it was. And I
was able. I was prepared to be that person when
the opportunity came, and then like the rest is history.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yeah, dude, we're we got to fill the time.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
So the rest of talk about year.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Twenty four years twenty yeah, twenty four years with it, yeah,
twenty four.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You know, it's so crazy. We don't get a pension plan.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Right.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
No, some of my boys saying, I'm just saying this
right now. You know, we're going like I'm about to
do twenty years too with a company, right and not.
I am getting pretty close, and in mi head, I'm thinking, damn,
you know, if I went to construction.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Of something white, I mean I'd be set for life
right now, right.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Different situation with us. So yeah, it started. So I
started doing like the overnight shift at at the radio
station in Saint Luisibiso. It was a top forty radio station,
and I was yo, oh my god, yo, you guys
gotta be digging into the memory bank. I was doing
the like the late night like dedication show. Bro. So
(05:43):
imagine like a twenty year old giving shoutouts and dedications
like I'm gonna throw a name out there.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
There's low music, like slow chilling like my show.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
My show was called Kissing after Dark.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So you were like on the Delilah wave.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
I was on the Delilah wave to speak of, like
the monotone kind of life. And I'm like, twenty gives
a voice, now, give us good, okay, give us something
to show here.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
First you played the the.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
We're going into do to to you know, yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Yeah, So it's like, hey, I just want to give
a shout out to Roquel who's listening. She's in Pismo Beach, California.
This is coming from your man Julio, who's listening at
Long Poke. He's locked up for twenty five years, but
just so you know, love that his heart will always
be locked up to yours. This is moments in love.
(06:32):
I'm kissing after dark and then I forget what they
call it her but bro, but.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Bro, Maxwell, you gotta do a series of this social
But you gotta.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Thing that was maybe will Yeah, yeah, yeah, we gotta
plug in like some.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
Boys the Road the next like April Fools, just flip
the whole show into like a whole.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
You should plugging some off for one in that I
gotta dig and yeah, I gotta dig in crazy for
those for those records.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
But it was bring it back because.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
The thing was I was like twenty nineteen, twenty years old,
Like what do I know about love at that At
that moment.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
They were sending their things and so you were just.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Reading, Oh man, it was yeah, it was fun. So
I did that shift for about like a year, and
then the night Jock he ended up going somewhere else.
I slid up and I was doing like from seven
to ten, which was obviously like way more fit the format.
It wasn't like a specific show. It was the night show.
We were rocking. And then that lasted for about like
(07:32):
two years at that station. When the morning show position
opened up at a radio station that was just what
we call in the industry, we go, you know, we
across the street. I started to go and play for
the opposition doing mornings, and it kind of shook up
the city for a little bit. You're thinking small town
radio where everybody.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Knew whoever we were.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah, you know what I mean. So it was like, Yo,
Maxwell was about to go over to you know this
station and do mornings. What the hell do you know
what I'm saying? And I did mornings at CASELI. It
was another Top forty. The thing with me too is
I've always been in top forty radio. Yeah, like I
never really had the chance to do I mean later
on in my career urban rhythm CHR. But I've always
(08:13):
been like a Top forty dude growing up in California.
It was just a part of the culture, part of
the vibe, and that's just you know, what I knew
and how I moved. But when I went to go
and do mornings, we had what we called the eminem show. Well,
my buddy, it was Maxwell and Marshall and we did, yeah,
we did. You know the ratchetness that was early two
thousands radio man. We were getting ready with like some
(08:35):
of the stupidest stuff the time was what it was,
and that was really awesome until I it was maybe
two years into our morning show that I got the
opportunity to go to Morning Show boot Camp. And have
y'all heard about the like the Morning Show boot Camp.
I mean it's a conference where they bring in, you know,
(08:55):
talent from all across the country. You going you brainstorm
and all that kind of stuff. And at that time
I met the program director of w It was B
ninety ninety seven in New Orleans, and I, uh, this
was probably the most pivotal part of my radio careers.
I had brought a CD. Bro. Remember we have to
burn CDs. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7 (09:19):
I'm wire was not our front yo, all the corruption
on the computers, right, So I burned a CD of
like highlights from our morning show just because I was
going to go and just actually share it with my
uncle who let me crash at his place down in
La So I drove down the coast from San Luis Obispo, California,
Central California to LA.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
About a three hour drive. I had the CD of
like Best of Moments, excuse me. That was going to
get to my uncle, who was really like my big brother,
and he was just like, yo, you know, bring me
some stuff, nephew. It was before streaming, so it's like
I don't get to hear the show. I see you
do da da da dah. So I had a CD.
But when I went to Morning Show boot camp, the
program director that was a PDA B ninety seven, we
(09:58):
met at like a cocktail hour and he was like, yo,
you got any like you got any like air check stuff,
you got whatever.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I was like, bro.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
I went to my Ford Probe. I went outside to
the parking lot. I was like, I got this one
CD that I was gonna get to my uncle. I
gave it to and his name is Mike Cappa, and
the PD of the station at the time gave him
the city and like, man, when I tell you, like
two and a half weeks later, he was like, you're
trying to come to New Orleans and do mornings. I
was like yo, I was like twenty four something like that,
and left California to go do mornings for about a
(10:28):
year and a half at B ninety seven in New Orleans.
That was dope, but also wasn't ready for like morning
radio at that time. Still like hella young. Yeah, what
I'm saying, morning radio a different It's a whole different beast.
As you all know. It comes with life experience and
how to talk to you know, moms and daughters and talking.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
To people on the way to work. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Yeah, you're trying to catch all that stuff. And I
mean we were funny. We had a good little situation,
but our show was was not good. But I think
about it, it was like but we tried, you know
what I mean. And we ended up disbanding that morning
show after about like a year and a half and
then damn, I going down. I'm loving this little you know,
(11:10):
going down memory Lane. Ended up in Lafayete, Louisiana, which
is about two hours west of New Orleans, and that's
when I started to host my night show again. And
I got really bit at that time by the bug
with the programmer. So I started to do assistant program
director stuff and music director stuff, and I really started
to get like, yo, this is the inner workings of
(11:32):
the radio station. Here's how budgets wore behind the scenes,
you know what I'm saying, meeting with the record label
folks and really getting to understand how the industry, the
radio industry works, and I love that. And while I
was in Lafayette. The weird part about it though, for
me personally, was being in the South and being a
California kid, you know what I'm saying, being on another
top forty radio station. It was a culture shock because
(11:55):
the South is still the South even to this day,
you know what I mean, There's still a lot of
ingrained biases and stereotypes. And I broke the mold, like
total this is California kid who grew up surfing, listening
to you know what I'm saying, the most pop music
in the world, and just that lifestyle that was me,
(12:15):
Like I was toy smelling, you know what, I reboot
for real, but that was my energy was just like
this real laid back vibe. When you get to the South.
You know, everybody saw me. Well. It also was before
like a lot of video in multi media was in
our industry, so they would hear my voice and then
(12:37):
when they would see me, they were like, Yo, your
black dude, how come you're not on the hip hop station?
How come you're out on the urban station? Like, how
come you're not da da da da? I was like, well,
this is just who I am, you know what I'm saying.
So there was some there was some tension, you know,
within and there was a lot of soul searching, like damn,
am I really like supposed to be this particular dude.
Am I supposed to fit a particular way of speaking,
(13:02):
broadcasting whatever? Or is it just best to be myself?
I was being true to myself and at the end
of the day that started to actually, I mean it
worked tremendously to my advantage because I created well I
didn't create anything. I was being me, but I became
that one of one, like I was like the only
(13:22):
brother in top forty radio, like really in multiple cities
across the country, and it was refreshing to a lot
of the hip hop and urban artists that were crossing over.
When they could come into a radio station like I
was at and see somebody who looked like them, you
feel a little bit more comfortable and knowing as like
yo okay, Like I was around the time in laft
(13:45):
Fae Louisiana when like Cupid was coming out with Cupid
Shuffle and like D four l like laughy taffy, you
know what I'm saying, Like them joints where it was
like that chopped and screwed hip hop stuff. But then
it started to move over to like a top forty
world and they were like, Yo, so I'm gonna go
and and meet with somebody doing interview with somebody who
can't relate. But it's like, at the end of the day,
I'm still a brother, I'm still black dude, I still
(14:07):
have you know, uh the skin that is exactly like yours.
We can relate on that. But I'm just a you know,
I'm but I'm personality wise, I'm just I'm just me
and and it was proof to me that that we
as a culture are so multi dimensional and people started
(14:28):
to catch on to that. I think I won over
a lot of people like, Yo, this is really refreshing
because now listeners that I had, especially even in the
South at the time, loved the pop music that we
were playing, but maybe felt a little ashamed, you know
what I'm saying, to go out.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
I remember I was being on an urban radio during
those times, like even when like you had the Biaber
records that started to cross over and yeah, you're like,
we're playing this.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Yeah, I mean, because that's just what it was.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
But you are a barrier breaker.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Yeah, that's where I found my power.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
That's great because I knew none that. Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
That's where I found my power, especially down in the South,
because a lot of folks started to become comfortable, you know,
relating to me because you know, I am who I
am and a lot of times that kind of personality,
especially in that region of the country is sheltered or
it's you know, I don't want to say frowned upon,
but it's like I said, a lot of people coming
(15:22):
in like I can't believe you should be on the
hip hop station, blah blah blah blah. That's when I
found out, like, Yo, what I'm doing here is truly
something special. What I'm doing here is truly something different
by being true to who I am and showing that
there are different facets, facets of the African American culture.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
And we're all we're all one at the end of
the day.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
At the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
But back then you're right.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
It was such a separation in music, such a separation
where it's like even when I was growing up, remember
there was hip hop, but you know I was in
the South also.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
I lived in Florida for so many years.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Yea, down there, it was like, so the urban hip
hop scene for them is you know, you're talking about
like down south music, tricky dollars, that kind of like
it's totally like everyone's wearing gold tees, yeah big you know,
the hoop ties with the big twenty four and.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
And then you had like Wu tanging all that out
and they didn't wear none of that.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
Nah.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
It was a set.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
It was either you listened to this or that. You
couldn't even mix those two types of hip hop together.
And I was one who would, yeah, who would get
on the radio and go from trick Daddy to Redman
and Met the Man and back and front.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
But that's who you are, that's what you were, that's
what you represented. And then that's how I was. I
could deliver a pop message while I'm playing you know,
records by bands like you know what I'm saying. I'll
throw a name out there. There's a group I remember
being in New Orleans as a like alternative pop rock
band like better than Ezra. You know what I'm saying,
like people, but then at.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
The same cash money out during that time the radio, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
That's what I'm saying. But then and then it would be.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Like yo that to play forty, to be playing like
back that up.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Had to we were Yeah, you know what I'm saying,
and it was it was refreshing for somebody like me
to be the one that delivers that message on a
pop radio station and.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Coming out of that true to yourself.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So, speaking through the whole memory Lane, you went from
wanting to emulate your best friend, right, and you were inspired,
but then you motivated, and through that motivation and perseverance
you said, you know what, I'm just going to go for.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
It full fledge ahead. And you did.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
And it was because I sucked at everything else too.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Because the most the most out of everything you've said today, right,
there's one question that really has been just in my
head that I want to ask you in this probably
the most important thing you touched on is what position
when you were playing football did you play?
Speaker 7 (17:31):
You know I was I was going to ask that
when he started lane, Damn, I played receiver.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Yeah, Like what did I say that?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah, I say no, But you know you spoke about
adversity and how you dealt with that and you just
stay true to yourself. And we had Shelley Wage to
Shelley Wage, she was on the pod, and we asked
her about that because she had a similar journey in
her voice didn't match what you would see and it
was that expectation, and she said, I'm just me and
(18:07):
if you're just yourself she was.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
She spent some time in San Diego in California, and
she was an icon of mind. She was somebody I
looked up to, but see like she was like one
of the only you know what I'm saying. And once
I kind of realized, like, yo, if I can be
that person for somebody else, I want to. I want to,
you know, be even more true to who I am
and be unapologetic, you know, for you know, being a
(18:31):
you know, a black dude on Top forty radio. Because
I know that there are people who I mean, my
time that I spent before being with kqu was ten
years at Z one hundred, Like there has never been
anybody who looked like me who has spent that amount
of time on a prominent day part on the biggest
top forty radio station in America. Not only that, you
(18:53):
know when you think about when you peel back, you
know what I'm saying, the magnifying glass in the country.
I was like, I'm like one of like three, you
know what I mean. Personally, that didn't sit right with
me because I was.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Like, why aren't there more?
Speaker 4 (19:08):
Why aren't there more? It doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
But you know what, you were that trail.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
But you have That's what I hope to be. And
it was because of people like Shelley. It was because
of Yeah, it was because of her just being true
to herself. And I was like, yeah, so, but yeah,
it's real quick to you know what I mean, to
get to how I got to be here in New York.
It was like, yeah, after laft Yete Louisiana, it was Columbus, Ohio.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
And by and by the way, and you don't you
don't have to go through this fast because I already
see that this is part one.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
This is part one.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
We're gonna because I grab you. It's just the people.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
My man Max was literally walked through the hallway and
we were like yo, and actual here she has no
actual notes or what's you know.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
I do just want to bring that full circle because
you did mention Z. Yeah, and you have brought that
back into mentorship because you've mentored our students at Berkeley
College through Z one hundred when you were with Crystal
shout out to Crystal rolls with on the plod he's
Maxwell shouting what up to one of our interns here?
But you know, you have brought that full circle and
(20:11):
you have embodied that educative perspective and giving back and
opening those doors, and you've connected with our interns on
socials and you continue to mentor both inside and outside
the studio.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
I like to think that if I wasn't in radio,
that I would be some sort of a teacher, Like
I really not a wide receiver dog. You know how
big these fools are in the NFL. That's the other
reason why I was like, let me get my little
five year I'm gonna say I was.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
You didn't want to pick a receiver on the team,
be like if you could do that, I could do that.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
I tried, but these fools were like six three, two
twenty five, Like everybody got so big, bro, And I
was just like if man I was like, I need
to find something else because the NFL kept they're not
looking for like that.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Sovot pivoted to radio.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
But Maxwell, you not only did ray you, but you
also went on and did some big screen saf.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
That's why I say this is part one, right, because
we know how did that come about?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
All Right, let's just I'm gonna tell you. We can
discuss that in part two, but I will.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
There's a lot to talk. There's a lot you were
just you know.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
I heard.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
I mean, there's so much to talk about. Maxwell's career.
He's done so much. He's one of those talents that
that do a lot more than just radio. That's what
I'm saying this this episode will definitely be able.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
It's going to be and we're just going to think
about the second half of Maxwell.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
This is getting to know really because we've learned first
all I've learned a lot about you in this episode
is amazing and your career.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Path and where it started. And it's like everyone, what
I get out of all.
Speaker 5 (21:55):
These episodes from people that are successful is the stories
that really you say, wow, you know, the people that
really are successful these days have really had to go
through it all and and for the people listening who
are just getting started, just just remember that if you're
going through something now, that's something that you'll be able
to tell during your story when you're successful down the line.
And never quit right and just keep going because look,
(22:17):
I mean, you went to all these markets and and
then ended up in the biggest one, and it.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Really was just it was like, let's let's focus on
on being great, but being great by not compromising who
you are. And yeah, and a lot of those opportunities
that you know, we'll discuss more about they they came
about just like you said, persistence, working hard, being true
to who you are, being a team player, but also
(22:44):
standing up for yourself in the right moment, you know,
not being a pushover, not getting you know, uh, stepped
over because you you acted a particular way to a
particular person. I mean, it's it sounds cliche to say,
but you know, good you know, good guys and girls.
You know, at the end of the day, it will
happen for you will win. But you just got to
(23:05):
remember that it's it's a it's a marathon, it's not
a sprint, you know. And we all have talked to
so many artists that seem like they're overnight successes.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Well these days, these days, well there are some there
are something yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that's not the normal. But that's
not the normal situation. Yeah, that's not the norm at all.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
And that doesn't that doesn't equate nine out of ten
times said longevity. Right, those over how many overnight successes
or one hit wonders have we spoke to on radio
right that are not here anymore?
Speaker 1 (23:36):
And but the people that grinded it out are still
are still here.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
The one name that kind of sticks to my to
my brain real quick as we start to put a
button on this is like somebody like a Teddy Swims
like you know what I mean, an amazing pop star
who had a massive pop crossover whatever. Teddy, his voice
is crazy, you know what I'm saying. And you know,
last year in twenty twenty four, twenty twenty five, dude
blew up broke record. But this dude has been doing
(24:01):
music for like fifteen years, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
But it's like people didn't know that nobody until you
sit down and you hear their story. Yes, it's like Coplay.
You ever hear Coplay story? And Chris Martin.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
I mean the biggest in the world, right and I
mean my favorite probably if not one of my favorite
bands ever go see perform. But then if you actually
listen to their story, these guys were playing back in
you know, I forgot you gay. Okay, they're playing and
they had residencies that they go play at a bar
every Friday for like thirty people until they broke through.
(24:33):
But they would go to that residency for one hundred people,
two hundred people. Now they're doing two hundred thousand people
and say, one.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Of the most recognizable bands on this planet.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
So yeah, we don't want to.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Hold you up.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
But you can hear Maxwell's residency.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Five in National House afternoons. It's going down three to seven. Grip.
I just I just want to, says neighbors.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
Bro is shaking, like damn.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Shout out to Wendy wow, because on her episode she
did say that she loves you beyond capacity and her
and pro create a Maxwell sandwich of love.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Okay, in the middle it sounds.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
But you know, it's it's all love.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
We've no but the synergy, the synergy though, is it's man,
it's it's something special, Like it really is, like we
and this this stage in my life, in this chapter
of the book, it feels right. It feels right for
where its supposed to be. And well, yeah, we'll lead
into all that aspect, but right now, I mean, I'm yeah,
(25:43):
I'm blessed, extremely grateful. And the biggest thing that if
anybody takes away from this first episode is just be you.
Do you? You know what I'm saying. You might feel
like it's not gonna happen for you, but I promise
you we will. I promise you, because there's I mean,
getting caught up in a liar to a character, You're
you're gonna lose sight of who you truly are, end
(26:04):
up fumbling the bag at some point in time, and
you will never have that issue if you just stay
true to yourself.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
I love it and I'm just gonna I'm gonna wrap
it with what you hear. Everyone is one hundred percent real.
I've had the privilege of getting to know all of
these personalities and powerhouses here and kat U and Z
and what you see is what you get. There is
no facade. And it's so beautiful to work with you all,
and you all are so welcoming and so loving and
(26:30):
you guys are just amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Love you guys.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
This is supposed to It's supposed to happen right now
for us.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
We're gonna have pennies, gonna be on a right, We're
gonna get penny on her.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
That's what I'm saying. Yourself.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
She has that good like she might be like a light.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
You know, it's just like you had that delivery. She
has like Delilah Delia. She has that the night time
like you did. You didn't way better than I did
it when I.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Was first to start.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Sure, So maxl we have we do have to end
with our clolos one question. So we ask our students
to describe what Berkeley College means to them in one word.
So we're gonna flip it, okay, okay, and we're going
to ask you to articulate in one word what you
aim your legacy to be.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Wow, I am yeah, damn.
Speaker 5 (27:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
See we were flowing up one word.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
All right, I want to authenticity.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Yeah, left you speak to her. First second, she was like,
but no, that's authenticity.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Thought he was gonna say.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Well, you know, we had a bet going on because
we had authentically I love it. We had a bet
because Wendy's word was love and she defined it exactly
the same way Crystal did on Crystal's episode We're Love.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
So he's like, if Maxwell comes in here and says
love and yeah on this floor, ill.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Than just it awesome?
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Man.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Well listen, we know you gotta wrap, you know you
gotta go.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
We got saying book the busy baby.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
This is episode one? Is this going to be season one?
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Or is this this is season two?
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Were in season two?
Speaker 4 (28:14):
All right?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
We're in season two already. Uh, and we will be
getting your next episode done shortly, So stick around.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
And grab me in the hallways. I'm down.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
You want to talk to you?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
What we'll be doing all the social content?
Speaker 5 (28:24):
And I think I think Max, Max, Maxwell, you could
take us out, you know you could, you know, just
let the people know what over.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I hope I taught you something. You see what I'm
saying and I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Damn that's Maxwell.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
He has to go.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Maxwell, thanks for listening.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
This is Teaching Me Something with pn DJ Pro Style
and Maxwell.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
By College. Hey, thanks for listening.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Tune in next week for all new episode of Teach
Me Something, brought to you by Berkeley College
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