DJ D Soto - Episode: 125

Super fun conversation with friend and former co-worker, DJ D Soto. From clearing up some beef, radio memories, and new business endeavors...There are a lot of fun stories in this episode.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Just a little life update, especiallyif you've been a listener of the podcast
from day one. I guess youcould say, yeah, literally, some
of you might know that I wasan owner of a restaurant in southern California
in the city called Artesia, nearCrito's. It was a shabby shabboy restaurant
called Dip and we recently sold it. Yeah, man, congratulations, Yeah,

(00:26):
so no more restaurant? Was it? How many years? Six years?
And you survived the pandemic. Yeah, I remember having those conversations with
you during that time. That wascrazy. But I mean, if you
had to say overall experience with therestaurant, what would you say? I
mean overall a positive experience, meaningin the sense of it was something that

(00:51):
I've never thought about doing and yetwe got to do it. And I
always like kind of play around bysaying it was fun to play chef,
fun to play restaurant. So itwas a great experience and gaining knowledge of
I don't know if I'm ever goingto open another business like that, but
if I did, I gained somuch knowledge of what to do better.

(01:14):
I guess it's tough, especially inthe times we live now, But man,
Yeah, it's wild the things youlearned. But you were just talking
about the pandemic. It just broughtme back to the stress we went through.
And then do you remember outdoor dining. Oh yeah, you guys actually

(01:34):
had to have a whole setup likethat. Yeah, we had to pay
for an outdoor setup, and ohmy gosh, that that time was wild.
But without going into too much detailof why we closed, obviously there
was a lot of factors, butsome I'll mention some the increase of prices

(01:55):
of goods. The example I thinkI gave at past podcast episodes was this
bag of mushrooms that we used toget was ninety nine cents a bag or
something like that, and then thenlater on they start charging as almost four
dollars. It went from ninety ninecents to four Yeah, and we would
have to get a lot like boxesof those, and it's just so then

(02:19):
of course, now you guys gotto increase your prices. And it's just
that it's that domino effect exactly that. And this is not, you know,
too much of a complaint, butit did factor even the rise of
was it a minimum wage? Ohyeah, so now you got to pay
your workers more. Yeah, andagain then you got to charge more.
So it's like a whole circle.You might have got out at a good

(02:43):
time though. I know you guyssurvived the pandemic. You got a good
experience out of it. It wassuccessful. Yeah, run we came out
on the green. Yeah. Thiswas not like, oh we need to
close up shot because we're in thered. This was just like, it's
a good time to get out.I think that. Yeah, that's a
great way of putting it. LikeI said, we came out on the
Yeah, appreciate the staff, theexperiences, and even the relationships that we

(03:07):
got to make, the friendships withthe staff. So yeah, good times,
but a close in the restaurant chapterthis could give me for our podcasts.
What up? I'm Jizzo. Thatis John Magic, and we are
back. Another special guest joining usthis week, very good friend of ours,

(03:30):
a radio colleague, local DJ whoDJ's club's events. He's also an
entrepreneur of multiple businesses and uh,Jizo and I were just talking about there
are we've known it for so long, but there are things that we don't
know about our guests. So thisis gonna be a fun episode. Ladies

(03:51):
and gentlemen, dj D Soto andwhat's happening. Thank you guys for having
me former. I mean it's fairto say like a former coworker's been a
long time former coworker, but currentfriend, you know. I mean,
yeah, yeah, yeah, it'sweird. It's weird because uh uh,
it seemed like when you're in radioand you're working with a bunch of people,

(04:12):
like the communication is there, butthen when you kind of step away,
like things. I don't know ifit's just everybody has their own lives,
but things kind of like, uh, you know, you don't hear
from people as much. Yeah,you know, but I know if I
text you, you know, youalways text back or vice versa. A
good example of that is just onmy relationship. I mean, I consider

(04:33):
him one of my best friends,but we only talk when we're in here,
but when we're out of work,don't Yeah, not so much.
But like you said to me,it's not it's nothing. There's no meaning
to it. Like I think whenyou see people all the time, like
at work, it's just naturally youkind of just talk all the time.

(04:54):
And since we don't see each othernaturally, you just got to make that
effort. I guess more. Idon't know. Yeah, I don't know.
I didn't want to start with beef, but I know, damn,
you basically just call this out likeyo, I don't really hear from you
guys. No more. You knowwhat it was too, because I know
years ago and I don't even knowif Magic remembers this, but you know,
it's all. It's all good now, I come bearing gifts, right.

(05:15):
He had made a comment years agowhen I was here at be ninety
five, and he had mentioned butby the way, these are things I
don't remember anymore. And this hasbeen popping up a lot on podcasts about
how Magic use to treat people.But that's why I bring it up because
I I listened and I heard yousay something about when he first came over,
the whole power went on six yeasles. If it was part of that,

(05:40):
it could have been anything, Buthow did he rub you the wrong?
Well, but you know what heAt the time, I think I
took it really personal and that's mybad. And I didn't realize how true
it was until now. So likethe more I think back on it,
you know, I was like,man, maybe Magic was right, because

(06:02):
at the time, finally finally,maybe Magic's right. But at the time
I took it really personal because whenI was working here at BE ninety five,
I considered us a tight knit group, and I considered us family,
and I considered us you know,something's coming up. I think I'm remembering
this. I considered us friends,right, and he had made a comment

(06:26):
and he had said, you know, we're not friends, we're co workers.
Damn, And I was, oh, I don't remember that, but
yeah, and I don't think hewould and I'm over it now. I
think at the time, I waslike, damn, Magic, you know
what I mean. But kind oflike how I said earlier, like as
we venture off and start doing otherthings, that communication is not there.
So it's not like we were bestLike we're not like best friends because we're

(06:47):
not communicating every single day or youknow. At the time, I guess
we were co workers and it wastrue, And now that I look back
on it, I was like,damn, Like that's kind of what it
felt like, you know, although, like I said now, like I
feel like if I text you,if I text you, you guys respond.
You know what I mean. It'snot like there was anything bad behind

(07:08):
what you said. It was justthe way I took it, and it
kind of like now when I lookback on it, I'm like, damn,
magic was right, Like at thetime, it just it rubbed me
the wrong way. I don't know. I just think I think sometimes with
our lives and what we're doing,maybe in that time of our lives,
it's just it's just a natural thing. I don't think it's anything over bad

(07:28):
or because I could say that abouta lot of people that I consider friends
that don't work here anymore. ButI still consider him a friend, but
may I don't talk to them asmuch. And I just think that's like
a natural thing. I don't thinkit's anything bad. It's just I don't
know. Sometimes you just need tosee people more often to like think so.
And I think, you know,maybe at the time, it just
wasn't the right timing for that.I don't know. I don't know,

(07:49):
but I feel like even other instance, like you know, we all could
be petty. Not just that comment. I'm not trying to say that that
was petty, but like just differentthings that happened when I was here,
or you know, different relationships throughoutthe years, you know, working at
the stations, or whatever. ButI mean now I think we're all we're

(08:09):
all on good terms. Well,we've all grown up too. Yeah,
I mean there was it was adifferent time during that time too. I
think that's one hundred percent true aboutus just growing up. The mentality is
different. You kind of see thingsthat what's more important, things that were
not important really, So, Imean, in magic defense, it was

(08:30):
maybe what like two or three yearsago. We had like a sit down
and I kind of like broke itdown to him about kind of like how
we all felt when he got here. And I was just like, bro,
like, these are some of thethings you did and you may have
not even realized. And he said, like, nah, I didn't realize,
but like he didn't like deny thatI he was being like that and
and to his credit, he's becomea different person since then. So but

(08:52):
yeah, I mean we all growup. You know what I'm saying.
I'm I'm sure I did some thingsor says some things, and you know
I grew up as well. Yeah, I think those sit downs are needed.
So just to full circle back tothis podcast, like us having this
conversation, I don't think I've everbrought it up to you or anybody else.
But you know, being able totalk about things like that, I
think is important, especially as weage and and we're doing other things because

(09:13):
I stay out of the way.You know, you probably don't hear a
lot from me because I'm doing otherthings and I'm just kind of staying in
my lane. But you know,there's a lot of different instances where you
know, we spent a lot oftime together, and you know, when
I think about it, like,you know, maybe it was just a
different time, you know in mylife. I guess I don't know.
Well, I mean, I meanwe were talking about it, I mean

(09:35):
talk about it. Something that Iwill say is Jizo knows about this.
There's people from the past that I'vetalked to Jizo about and we'll both say
like, yeah, I'm not I'mnot really close to the point where I
don't really want to be in thisperson's life. Like there's certain people like

(09:56):
that. But I can honestly saywith you, there was I've never hated
you, or yeah it was.I think maybe that's at that time.
That's what I was trying to say, is it was it was a power
one O six. You think youthink egos could have been kind of something
that we were all dealing with duringthat time. During that time, for
me, for sure, I mean, I mean this should be real.
So I mean you kind of hadlike a pretty big ego too. During

(10:18):
that time when I was here wasprobably the biggest uh DJ time of my
life, you know what I mean, So my ego was definitely I mean,
I was gonna bring this up laterin the podcast, but there was
a time where you were literally DJingevery night of the week. I remember
that era. This was like aduring the era where Fresno had a lot
of clubs popping and you can findSoto everywhere and he was at the station,

(10:43):
and I mean he had a lotgoing on. We'll get into that.
But I was definitely playing my part. I mean, you know,
things things were different back then,but compared to now too. But even
with what I'm doing now, youknow, I just stay out of the
way. I'm not you know,you don't find me in the mix with
everybody else. You know, Ikind of do my own thing and that's
just worked for me. So Ijust kind of stay on that path.

(11:05):
Now. When you say stay outof the way, though, that almost
sounds like like a bad thing orI mean, what do you mean by
that? Not a bad thing?It's just like not trying to be with
like the industry people in the more. You're not gonna find me like at
all the clubs no more. Likeyou know, I think, although DJing
is still an important role in mylife right now, I'm just not doing
the same thing as everybody else,you know what I mean. I think

(11:26):
it kind of it kind of sitssecond to my business. So I'm doing,
uh, just other things. WhenI say stay out of the lane
and stay out of the way,is nobody's really not nobody's really doing what
I'm doing. But you know,I just try to found my way.
Yeah, I just kind of findfound my own way with you know,
middle school dances, high school dancesduring the day. Like, I'm not

(11:48):
really out at night unless I wantto be out there, you know what
I mean. So if you seeme at a club, it's because I
asked to be there. You know. I don't get hit up by clubs
no more really to dj. Ithink that kind of got tooken over by
like all the younger DJs. Butit don't bother me because I'm doing other
things and it still hasn't. Itstill hasn't sidetracked me or stopped anything that's

(12:13):
coming my way. So, man, well we're gonna get to all the
things that you're doing right now.But you know, we also like starting
from the beginning trying to get toknow a different side of you. So
we're are you valley grown? Areyou homegrown? Are you from here?
I was born here in Fresno,and everything just revolves around here now,

(12:35):
Like my family's here, my businessesare here, everything that I do is
here. I never really had aninterest to move out of here. I
love traveling and visiting different places,but as far as my home goes,
like, this is where I'll probablystay. And then what it I mean?
This is more of like, youknow, we're gonna talk about your

(12:56):
DJ life. So when did theDJ bug hits you? Like, when
did you start knowing you wanted tobe a DJ? Man? It started?
I always loved music. I thinkthat goes with anybody that gets into
the industry, right our first love, And yeah, it started off man,
So as I look back, thefirst thing I remember is, you

(13:20):
know, buying a buying a DJin a box. It was a guitar
center, It came with the Ithink it was like a new Mark beout
drive, turntables, a little mixer, two little monitor speakers. Now,
let me ask you this, whydid you buy? Like, why did
you want to buy it? Mydad he had offered to buy me something,
and that's what I chose, Like, okay, you know what I
mean. It was just random.It wasn't like, oh, I want

(13:43):
to be a DJ, buy methat. No, it was just like
like this looks cool. Yeah.I was like I've already been into like
liking music. Yeah, I didn'tknow what it took to like start collecting
records. And I didn't know allthat part because back then it was all
records. It wasn't as easy asit is now. But got the DJ
in the box? Well what agewas this? This was like a year

(14:05):
out of high school. So Igraduated ninety nine, so two thousand,
so two thousand. I started likejust playing music. I didn't know how
to mix. I didn't know howto scratch, I didn't know how to
do anything. Started accumulating records.But even during that time, and this
is a shout out to HERB,He's the one that kind of brought me
up in the game and taught medifferent things and where I first started getting

(14:28):
my records from and all that stuff. But I used to go to a
place called Shiketo's back in the dayand and man, he I used to
sit there, and you know,I don't drink anymore, but I used
to be pretty pretty drunk when Iused to go, and I used to
tell him like, yo, letme get on, like I'm a DJ,
like you know. And then overtime he probably got tired of me
telling him that, so he waslike, oh, just here's my number,

(14:50):
like you know, call me.And I finally called him, and
then he hooked me up, startedgot me in the record pools and stuff
like that, started taking my moneyout of bullying me. I'm just joking
real quick. With Shaketo's. Thethis kind of goes to what we were
talking about earlier with the ego.And so imagine me living in La majority

(15:13):
of my adult life in my twentiesand DJ clubs there, and then I
first moved to Presno and urb islike one of the first people I meet
because he was the coworker at thetime, and that was coworker. That
was the best, cause I justwalked because I just moved it. I
moved there and he was like,I'm gonna take you out, Like okay,

(15:33):
yeah, take me. I thinkI was still living at the hotel
across the street. I didn't evenhave enough partment yet, and and he
was like, yea, I'm gonnatake you out. I d had this
spot called Tchiketos. I'm like,and at that time, come on,
we were all club goers, like, yeah, let's go. And he
took me to Shaketos and I wasjust like, oh, okay. It
was definitely an interesting spot. SoI've never been because I wasn't like old

(15:56):
enough at the time, but Ijust heard it was like a pretty small
spot, right it was and astrip mall right? Yeah it was on
where was it at? It wason h Butler. I think I don't
even remember something like that. Ican't remember the streets offhand, but I
think I frequented it a lot becauseI was watching Herb, so I would
go and like sit there and watchhim, like, you know, see

(16:19):
what he was doing, what hewas playing. Like. That is something
that I remember, is going toTchaiketo's with him. You could already tell
that Herb had a name in thecity, like people were coming up to
him and like he was loved soI do. That's like a memory I
have about him him taking me overthere and like, oh shit, all

(16:41):
these people are like it was wildand it was wild, and I think
that's what I wanted to become whenI when I was there, Like that's
what I wanted to be, youknow what I mean? And I got
my break, and little by littleI started at the Red Room. I
would do all the private parties upstairs. That was like the twenty one spot.
Yeah, this was even before Radio. Yeah, I was just gonna

(17:02):
say that radio. I started gettinginto the clubs and it took me a
few years because I was at homepracticing and you know, doing my thing.
And this is because of her orbild. You like, how did you
start getting booked at clubs? Igot booked at a private party and they
had it upstairs at the Red Room. While I was doing the party,
Shy had came up DJ and hewas the resident DJ at the Red Room

(17:25):
at the time, and he hadcame up and he was like, yo,
like I like what you're doing.We're looking for a DJ up here.
Whenever there's a private party and theyneed a DJ, we'll recommend you.
I was like cool. So Istarted doing the private parties upstairs while
they were doing the clubs downstairs.And after a while he finally came up

(17:45):
and he was just like, hey, you ready to drop a set downstairs?
And I was like, yeah,let's do it. So, you
know, after that, I startedgetting hit up to do clubs there and
then I would travel with go todifferent spots with HERB and you know,
he would tell me. He wouldcall me like, Yo, you want
a DJ with me tonight? Ofcourse, all right, bring the setup.

(18:07):
So I would be the crates.Yeah. Well we all had our
own crates, but I would bethe guy to bring my equipment, get
the early set it up. Youknow, he would rock or he would
let me open up and then hewould get on and kill it. So
we did that for a long timeand before I started making a name for
myself. But you know that theclub days back then, it was a

(18:30):
different time, man, way differenttimes. So when did you get into
the radio station? How did thatdoor open for you? Again? RB,
I was doing the fair stuff.I was doing like mixed weekends stuff
like that, and then I wasDJing. I remember I can't remember the
year exactly. I think it waslike two thousand and six or two thousand
and five. HERB had called meand he was like, it's your time,

(18:52):
Like I got a spot like aG wants to listen to you live,
but you have to come right now. And I was like right now.
And I was DJ aing a weddingand luckily it was my friend's wedding.
So I told my other friend thatwas with me. I was like,
hey, just play the CDs.I'm gonna go to the station real
quick. Yeah. So I talkedto my friend and he was like,

(19:14):
hey, go handle it, likeyou know, it's dinner time. We're
just playing dinner music. Like,he'll play the music, just go do
what you gotta do. Come back. So I came and dropped the set
live. Was this for the mornings, No, this was I started off
nights or weekends. I started offweekends, and you know, things went
well. It got the phone calllike yo, you're part of the squad.

(19:37):
Started weekends and then you know,time passed. I got the morning
morning show NOD and then real quickwhen you went to that first when you
were doing that night, I guesstryout or whatever. Do you remember who,
like the jock was. I don't. I don't think it was me
because you said what year? Thiswas like two thousand and six, two

(19:57):
thousand and five years in two threeyears in already year and I would have
been like an insurn. Yeah,probably, I want to say it might
have been Boogie. I want tosay I I don't recall. I think
at the time I was just wereyou nervous when you did your first you

(20:18):
know, live on their mixing course. I think it was all always nerve
wrecking wreck mixing live because you know, I think people forget when we started
on records, like if you messedup, it was no turning back,
you know what I mean. Soyeah, so like the whole chaos pad
and yeah, like trying to pullyour records out, and you know,

(20:41):
there's been a couple of times whereyou know, I put on a dirty
version because it said clean version,you know, so the labeling on the
records, like it was definitely AND'show I finally felt comfortable. Like it
was always like, you know,oh my god, I can't. I
hope I don't mess up, LikeI hope something that will go I hope
the needle don't jump, like justa bunch of those stuff that go through

(21:03):
your head. But I think overall, like once you get familiar with coming
here on a regular basis, andthe mixing live was always fun. I
remember back in the day, likemixing here was it was fun. You
know, we flood, We usedto hang out. Everybody used to be
here. Yeah, just when Italked about that, the good old days
of live radio, all of usjust coming in even if we weren't on

(21:26):
the air, we would just comeand hang out. You know. During
that same time, I was justlike the weekend jock, so I would
just do like Fridays and Saturdays.But that was like almost like the funnest
time because then all the DJs camein live and you would have like a
memorial weekend, so we'd all behanging out, I mean, barbecuing.
That was like a good time duringthat time when I was when I first
started radioing up till like you know, even when I left, I feel

(21:51):
like that was the best time inradio man for men. Yeah, music
wise, we're still coworkers at thetime, I think, and people just
wanted to be here because I remembershowing up at the station, just man,
you know, what's up, likewhat's going on. I don't think
for the clubs after the clubs,I don't think. I don't think I
ever said this to anyone or Icould have. I just again, so

(22:12):
long ago, like what almost almosttwenty years now, but Jizo knows that
during that time I could have beenvery critical of if they were good on
the aer or not. Herb didhave the final word of who got to
be a mixer here ye coordinator.But I just remember there's like times where

(22:34):
you're just like, all right,this person's all right. But something I
do remember with you, I waslike, yeah, he knows what he's
doing, so I your skill.I never had an issue with it.
Like on the radio. Soto wassomebody that like if he was my DJ,
like I could trust him, yeahexactly, Like I didn't know how
I felt about you too, becauseme and a jock, you know,
sometimes we have to control like ourside of it, want to go to

(22:55):
commercial one to like you know,do certain things, talk breaks. And
Soto was one of those dudes,like I didn't have to tell him he
kind of I don't know, maybewe just had good chemistry together too well
don't forget I saved your life twice. Oh yeah, man, he saved
my life twice. Well, well, maybe we'll talk about it later.
It's nothing crazy, No, Iwant to know about this. So there's
two instances. You want to goand tell him. I'll tell him the

(23:17):
one here. That one was funny. So we're mixing. So I had
the opportunity to mix with gise duringthe night show before I got the boot
out of there. But uh,it was weird because you know, we're
mixing. I did the nine o'clockand I was also doing the morning show
during that time. I think youwere. I think it was. So
I was doing the morning show andthe nine o'clock and I was mixing,

(23:40):
and we had this door propped open, and he had came walked and he
kind of like put his hands onthe on the frame, and I had
looked at him and I was makingword live. This is by the way,
you just saying that this door waspropped open. It just brought back
memories of how we would do thatprop the door open, just walk in

(24:00):
and out and then all the listright here on the door, and then
my sticker that somebody tried to pilloff right here. That's a whole difference
probably, but uh so he's nota co anymore. So he came U
and I had looked over to theright and and I was like, man,
this guy don't look good. AndI'm in the middle of a transition.
Was I like pale? I wasprobably like pale or something. I

(24:21):
just looked I don't think you lookpale. I think he just looked at
me like I'm about so saved mylife. And this is during your show,
yes, nine o'clock at nine,while he's mixing air and you like
just hold on the doors and you'reand he was like, Soto saved my
life. And I looked said thosewords, that's what he looked like,

(24:42):
and uh and I was like,yo, you you good? And then
he didn't say nothing. Well Idon't remember if he said anything or not,
but all of a sudden he startedlike, uh, dropping lower and
lower and like holding to the frame, and then all of a sudden he
fell backwards. WHOA, And Iwas like, wait a minute. So
I went over there and I thinkHERB was it was here, and I
started calling for HERB because then Iwas still mixing and you needed someone to

(25:03):
control the board because I think herbwent to commercial like when it was time,
but like you know, he wasjust out, so like I had
to like make sure he was goodand like wow mixing still. Yeah,
So it was kind of I don'twant to say I was afraid, like
scared, like something was really well. I don't know what was wrong.
I don't yeah, so I justI just remember it was a long day.
It was during the summertime, andI think it was one of those

(25:23):
days where like I had did likea high school earlier that day and then
I went from like to high schoolto straight here, so I had,
like I ate that day. Itwas hot and I was just like exhausted,
and I remember feeling like a littledizzy in the studio. So I
went to the bathroom to kind oflike wash my face, and I was
as I was walking back, Iwas like, damn, I don't like
that. I don't even feel betterafter that, and so I came in

(25:44):
here to kind of let so don'tknow, like, bro, I don't
know if I'm gonna make it,cause like like I know we're on air
right now, but like I feellike I'm gonna pass out. And that's
kind of like where I like LightWavepassed out and then uh, I seen
him like falling, so like Ihad to like kind of like yeah and
like laid him down. And thenthat's when we made the joke that IRV
came in basically stepped over many Yeah, like stepped over him and straight to

(26:10):
the boards. Yeah, but wefigured it out the show the show,
but unless you were here, youknow, And that was just one of
the times. But you know,man, I feel like we have stories
for days. Well, I mean, we'll just say the second one.
This was during the time at itwas Bliss. Well now it's like what
is it now, like a grocerystore right there, So it's Bliss Nightclub
rocks. Yeah, on the rocksright there, and uh, we were

(26:33):
in the booth together and I wasmixing again. He was mixing again.
This time I was for your birthday. Wasn't for my birthday, for your
birthday? This time, I wassick, but it was a different kind
of sick. I was drunk alcoholsick. And I just remember I had
my towel and I was just likefeeling like I needed to throw up,
and I just remember Soda had likeone hand on the turntable and he had

(26:53):
like my towel on his other hand, and he's like wiping me as I'm
like throwing up on myself. Ithink I had can I don't think you
were throwing up on yourself. ButI was definitely him or something like basically
making sure he was good and stillcontrolling the club every time I have to
put him in these positions. Butgood times. Yeah, man, I

(27:17):
don't drink no more. Is thisthe same night of your car getting stolen?
No, that was a different Butthat was also my birthday, so
yeah, those were the time.So with that being said, I always
consider Soto of friends. I'm alwaysthere because he saved my life multiple times.
But what were we talking about beforeThatt weekends and stuff? Well,

(27:41):
no, I could actually go tothis next part of again. The reason
why in my head, well,it's even weird to say, like I
felt like we were cool because thething I remember next is remind me how
did this teen jam thing start?Was it the radio state? And the
reason why I bring it up becauseyou would invite me and tell me to

(28:03):
be a guest DJ. It waslike letting me be a part of this.
I basically started teen jam. Yeah, the radio station try to be
a part of it. It neverworked out that way, so I kind
of did it myself. But teenJam was definitely it was a time man,

(28:23):
a time, a staple for juniorhigh and high school kids. During
that time. It was wild.I don't even know how to like,
I don't know what happened. Itjust blew up. So this was kind
of during it was. It wasthe perfect timing because it was during that
jerking era, right, It waskind of coming out of the high fee

(28:45):
going into the jerking era a littlebit. I think it was even before
that a little bit, because Iremember when I first started a teen jam.
You know, I could play housemusic and the kids would dance.
It would be like they were justthere to have fun and dance. But
this was during when you were workingat the radio station. Yeah, okay,
and this is at you know,if you live in Fresno, if
you know, if this was atBlack Beards at the time, uh,
which if you're not from Fresno washow do you describe those type of places

(29:07):
like family, fun, fielled goatcars. Yeah, it has that topure,
golf and so they used this areawhich I used to think was like,
uh, it was where they didthe bumper cars, right, and
that they had made that to dancefloor essentially. I think they did bumper
cars or like a picnic area,but it was. It was at the
the Kitty area and it was ateen club night and the line would be

(29:30):
around the whole park. Yeah,it was crazy. I wanted to get
in. I couldn't. It waswild, and I started having like New
Year's Eve lock ins, and Istarted doing like different shows, bringing artists
and even at the teen jams,I had, you know, artists come
out, and I remember I didNew Year's Eve with you. I was
out there, so like you know, I was, Uh, it was

(29:52):
crazy. I think you came outwhen colde Flames was there. It was
one of the first first ones.And I even remember after Pharaoh was there
one time I had everybody, everybodythat had a hit song and they were
coming out like I've had him there. Yeah, yeah, I remember,
if I'm not mistaken like I said, he would, but he would book
me to DJ there some nights.But I think some nights I would just

(30:15):
go yeah because it was cracking.Everybody would It would just because I remember
just hanging out in the back behindthe DJ was just how many people you
would say, like what, oh, maybe eight hundred something like that.
Yeah, it was. There's beentimes where I don't even I wouldn't even
be able to tell you, Iknow, even like on New Year's New
Year's we had anywhere from twelve tofive hundred kids there, like uh,

(30:40):
and it was a lock in duringthat time, so it was a little
different. But just for Wednesday nightswe would have you know, eight hundred.
It's while thinking about it now,because it was a it wasn't an
eighteen and over club. It wasfor kids and thirteen. I just remember.
I remember in the parking lot,parents would be just dropping off kids
and then there's some like how didyou get here? Like these are the

(31:00):
bad kids that well snuck out thehouse and jam definitely took a turn for
the worst as as it progressed.Yeah, and that's why we stopped it
because it became too hard to control, right, just you know, I
felt like people were going there forthe wrong reasons. They were they were
always going to mess it up foreverybody, right, Yeah. They started
damaging equipment that belonged to Black Bears, you know, so it was costing

(31:22):
black beers more money to have anevent there rather than just them coming to
have a good time. Let meask you this though, with this like
new generation of teens, do youthink a teen jam could still work or
nah? No, Nah, it'sdifferent. Now why would you say no?
Why DJ a lot of like middleschool and high schools events. It's

(31:45):
just different because you know, theywant to hear a certain sound. And
I feel like if you get ifyou get a bunch of different kids from
different schools with a certain sound,it just would make take a turn for
the worst. I don't know ifmaybe if you're listening to this you don't
understand, but being what you wan, I'm just saying, like on your

(32:08):
past podcast, you know, Ithink I think Lewis had mentioned, you
know, playing wrong music or fightsbreaking out, different things like that.
So if you play a certain musicthey want to hear nowadays, not only
is the content not appropriate most ofthe time, but I think it'll just

(32:29):
cause issues with the crowd maybe beingtoo hyped. I don't know, I
don't think. Yeah, I justdon't think it'll be what it was.
And kids are too grown now,you know what I mean. And I
personally don't think it'll work. Doyou think that that those teams now would

(32:50):
even go out to something like that. It's hard to say because a part
of me feels that maybe you know, it's funny. I mean to cut
you off. I know I did, but before I lose my train of
thought because I'm old now, butmake sure I won't. I felt uh
at the clubs now, I getyou know, young adults coming up to

(33:14):
me and like, hey, rememberme from teen Jam, And I'm like,
from teen Jam that was so longago, you know what I mean?
And now they're at the clubs andI think, like it was now
that I think back on teen Jam, like it got so bad, like
all right, it was good time, going to make everything negative, but

(33:36):
I think brack at it. It'slike, dang, these were badass kids,
you know what I mean, inthe club and adults, and I
think you started, you trained theminto this. You're welcome, You're welcome.
It was crazy. Wait what wasyou What were you going to say?
Do you remember? I forgot saidI interrupted you bad? No?
What I was gonna I remember Iwas gonna say, is I don't think

(33:59):
it's so much the music they wouldturn this generation of teams away. I
just don't think they care to goout to things like this. I think
just there's so much glued onto theirphones and you know, doing that,
then to go out to you know, on a weekday nights to hang out
with some friends, Like I don'tknow, Jizo and I were just having
a conversation about this a couple daysago, it could have been yesterday.

(34:22):
Where we feel like the generation todaythey don't go to clubs like how we
used to go out go to clubsyears ago. And I'm not trying to
say it's wrong or right, butthe difference is when we were all in
our twenties or let's even say eighteeneighteen to through our twenties, when we

(34:45):
went to club we went because ourfriends were there. It was a social
event. If you were over twentyone, you were there to drink and
just have have a good time.The DJ was good, The DJ,
yeah, it was almost the DJwas almost secondary. To be honest with
you, when we went out,you just you went there for your for
your friends. We feel like thekids today, the eighteen to their twenties,

(35:07):
they go there and they just careabout themselves, meaning there's a certain
song. They go in there goingthere's a certain song I want to dance
too, the DJ better play that, like they care more. Let me
make sure that I posted I'm here. Yeah, it's like almost like for
the image. It's almost for thegram more than just like in a social
event to see your friends. Yeah, and I think that's what's like fucking

(35:28):
it all up. Well, I'mnot gonna say it's sucking it up,
but what irritates the DJ sometimes withthese requests us DJs, I don't know
if you do this, but inour heads we're like, bro, just
have fun. Yeah, just comein here and just I'm not your juke
box right with your friends. ButI trip out cause it's definitely like that.
Yeah, like all these like realquick the whole request thing. Sometimes

(35:50):
the request is so obscure, likesome B side that only they know,
but it'll we know as DJ's thatwill fuck up the crowd because you're playing
for the masses. But they wantto hear what they want to hear.
So that's a big difference with thekids that I got. How that's how
they get uh privileged, I guesswith all the streaming, because if they

(36:12):
want to listen to that song.They just pull it up in their car
wherever they are and they can hearit. So when they go to the
club, they think it's they thinkit's gonna be a hot song. But
maybe they're the only ones that listento it. But on in that point
that you just said that, thatthing boggles me too, where they get
upset if the DJ doesn't play it, you suck boo, like I can't
believe you're not gonna play the songlike you could. You can listen to

(36:35):
that song when the club's done,Like why is it hurting? It hurts
your feelings. So there's been plentyof times when I'm like, yeah,
I got you. I'm not gonnaplay it. I think I think as
a DJ, you know, II don't go in although I know I
have to play for the people.I do it loosely, you know what

(36:58):
I mean, because I play whatI want to play. I'm not if
I think it's a good song andI think it's gonna get the crowd going,
Like I'm the type of DJ thatwill play something random to see how
they react, you know what Imean. I'm not just gonna follow all
the rules and play everything they wantto hear, because I want them to
get out of that, because youknow, if you just keep playing the
same songs that you hear at theclub, it's just all the same,
you know, and you know,maybe the people want to hear something different.

(37:20):
It may not be that song thatthey're requesting, but I mean,
if you give them something different,it might be. I don't know.
So is it these new club goers, this new generation is where you took
a step back from the clubs.Is that part of it or is that
more of just like nah, Imean I took a step back way before,
and it was it always changed.You kind of seen the difference because

(37:44):
the past years, like clubs kindof decline and people were just going to
bars, you know, lounges,Yeah, lounges. And then even after
that, I think that demographic starteddoing kickbacks. They just wanted to hang
out with their friends, so theyweren't concerned about going out. They would
just gather at somebody's house or youknow, go to yeah, just somewhere

(38:07):
they could just chill with their friends. I don't go to clubs, so
I don't know how they how theyoperate or work. You know, I'll
pop in here every now and again, but it's definitely different and it's hard
to really pinpoint why it moved thatway. You know, everybody's different.

(38:27):
But everything changes, you know,and I think as as the clubs,
as things change, the clubs justkind of have to redefine themselves to be
like, well, how can wepull people in here? You know,
what what do we have to doto you know? Is it the DJ
selection? I always felt like theDJ was the club because back when I
was DJing all the time, youknow, people would go to the club

(38:50):
to to see d Soto DJ,or see John Magic DJ or c DJ
ORB DJ. Like I would goto certain spots to go see them,
to go see what they were doing, to see what they were playing.
And I knew if I went toa John Magic party, I knew it
was gonna be good because he's agood DJ, you know what I mean.
So it's it's not based off ofthat anymore because when Serado came out,

(39:13):
everybody has the same music from adownload button. Yeah, So I
always felt like everyone has access toeverything now yeah, and it's made it
too easy, you know. AndI think as a DJ, how you
set yourself apart is you know,I always say, like a good anybody
could be a good DJ, butthe way you put it, the way

(39:36):
you put music together, makes youa good DJ, you know what I
mean? Because everybody has the samesongs, but how do you mix those
songs? No, there's definitely ifgood DJs know how to create energy.
Yeah, some just play music becauseoh this is what I hear. Other
things, how you say, takethem on that journey. Yeah, good

(39:58):
DJs will know how to create vibedowns, which I think that's something that
the younger generation. I hope theytake time to learn. And it's different
because like some of the DJs Iknow, they've only learned on YouTube,
from YouTube, from serato, fromdigital, the digital standpoint, you know

(40:21):
what I mean. When you comefrom a when you come from the actual
spinning records, like you know,I think your creativity had to be,
you know, up to par becauseyou know, records definitely set you apart
because not everybody was getting the samerecords. You know, we all got
the same radio records, but wereyou taking drives to LA or the Bay

(40:42):
to pick up you know, certaincompilations or I don't know, just stuff
that maybe you weren't getting in themail or you know what sets you apart,
you know what I mean. Iwanted to piggyback on Gizzo's question about
stepping away from the clubs. Youknow, I have my reasons for I
mean, if you remember, Ithink you had the same schedule US DJs

(41:02):
with DJ Thursday through Sunday every weekfor years. That was like my schedule
now once a month, and thisis by choice. Yeah, So piggybacking
on the question of you know,I have my reasons for kind of backing
away slowly. Do you have aspecific reason for kind of getting away from

(41:23):
the clubs. Was it the businessesthat you started? Yeah? Like,
yeah, like I stoodn't I tryto stay in the radio at least for
a while, you know what Imean. But as far as the clubs,
it wasn't nothing that well. One, I think COVID messed everything up
when it came to clubs, buteven prior to that, I think it

(41:45):
was just a personal It wasn't nothingthat is it like you just got over
it the scene because something like Ithink it just got old. Yeah.
For me, I feel like I'maging out, but not in a bad
way. I just feel like that'sjust the NAT. But I think that
for me, for me personally,but I think there's a lane for us
US or DJ, you know whatI mean. So with the resurgence of

(42:07):
R and B lounges and everything,and when it comes to you know,
private events and exactly, and that'swhere I'm at, you know what I
mean, Because I don't feel likea club's gonna pay me what I want,
and I'm okay with saying I'm good. I could just stay home,
like I don't need a DJ anymoreif I didn't want to. But you
find those opportunities that still uh kindof match what you want to do as

(42:30):
a DJ or as a human being. You know what direction you want to
go or who do you want totarget, or you know, there's there's
other things I do things for becauseI have businesses and I try to create
you know, bridges that will kindof bring them back to my other business
and different things like that. Butyou know, there was nothing that kind

(42:51):
of you know, why I stoodaway. It was just I think as
time passed, I just kind ofstarted going a certain direction. And once
you're busy doing something else, youknow, you can't get booked on the
clubs over here because you're doing somethingelse. You shifted your time and industry
any other places before you know,you brought up your businesses before we get

(43:12):
to your businesses. I don't knowif you want to go super into detail
on this. This is more ofuh, I'm trying to remember or was
there something I don't know, Butit's about your departure from B ninety five
from radio? What was I becauseI don't remember why. I think because

(43:32):
we brought it up earlier, youwere djaying a lot of the shifts.
Yeah, No, I was definitelyplaying my part, and I think I
think I just wanted to DJ,But as I started to learn there was
more into radio than just being aDJ, the politics exactly. So,

(43:53):
I think I think my ego.When I look back on it, I
feel like I I I made toofast of reaction of just quitting. I
should have let it play out,you know. And I think that was
part of my my ego, beingyoung, my temper and just feeling like

(44:19):
I didn't need radio anymore. Butwhen I look back on it, I
think I just reacted to quickly.Do you feel like you were getting burnt
out because you were doing so manyshows. Nah, at that time,
DJing was my getaway. So that'swhat that's what. That's when I would

(44:42):
pre record or come in here andand you know, mind you my my
morning shows were pre recorded, soI would come here on the weekends and
knock them out for the week.You know. So I was here a
few hours, you know, doingthat. But that was my nothing else
mattered. I'm here doing my work, you know, taking care of business.
And then you know, it neverfelt like I was you know,

(45:04):
every now and again, it feelslike repetitive. But then again, and
that's when you just try to becreative and do different things and stuff like
that. But when I when Ifinally had enough, I think one of
my mixes were playing. I wasI had came in in the morning for
something and there was a call fromupstairs to you know, I used to

(45:28):
work with c K and Carmen andyou know c K oh No, I
think it was an email. Whateverit was. He was like, man,
they're complaining on your mixes. Thepeople upstairs. Somebody wait. This
was when c K and Carmen wasalready during the morning show. Yeah,
I started when I started the morningshaw, I was working with g J.

(45:49):
I remember that I ran so Iwas doing the Juice Crew. That's
when I started. And then youknow, that kind of took its course
and then c K and Carmen soI wasn't here already, so I started.
I started doing the morning show withthem. Okay, So yeah,
I don't tell me this story aboutthe They said, Man, I don't
know what it was. I don'tknow what it was. It was like

(46:10):
a remix I played and they weresaying, like, don't play remixes.
And I don't even know who sentthe email and it couldn't I don't even
know what it could have been.I don't know, but I was like,
nah, nah, don't tell mewhat to like, well, first
of all, who's who upstairs?Like just I don't even know. That's
just it. I mean, itcould be someone that's not here no more.
I mean I think it was,and it might have been it might

(46:34):
have been the PD I don't okay, or the general man, it might
have been. I don't know.But Okay, at the time, at
the time, you know, regardlessof who it was, I think I
was just like, nah, youfelt offended, Yeah, like you ain't
gonna tell me what to do.Yeah, let me do my mix,
Like, let me mix. That'swhy I'm here. I'm a DJ.
Yeah, you know if you want, you know. And then I was

(46:57):
just you know what, I quit, I'm out of here. That sounds
like, no, don't tell mewhat to do. I'm out here.
Yeah, I don't. I don'tneed this, like and then my ego
like, I'm I'm djd sodo,I don't. I'm good, like,
don't tell me what to play?And I just walked out. Man,
the time you played the dirty versionto Get Low in front of the PD

(47:21):
at the time, was that shipwas it was during as an accident,
so because we've all done it,And to be honest, I don't know
how it snuck through the cracks becauseI pre recorded. I mean, bro
to get Low, it's pretty fuckingdirty. You miss that. I don't
know if I walked out and thedirty version played and I came in and
I thought it was a clean Idon't know what happened, but I was

(47:44):
on my way to work and itwas pre recorded, so obviously I wasn't
here, but they were playing itand all of a sudden, I heark
skeek skeep motherfucker. I was like, I touched the radio, I would
immediately thought like I'm fired. Likethat's so, that's huge I did.

(48:04):
It wasn't like a ship or abitch. And this was when the Morning
Show was the morning show. Wewere the number one show. It was
the highest, like all this stuffright as soon as they went like it
just went to commercial quick. Butit said a few cuss words, right,
and then my phone rings and Ianswered, I'm like, and it

(48:27):
was G. I knew it wasG. Yeah, hello Soto. Oh
what do you say. I'm tryingwe know gesus like he said, oh
no, no, no, that'swhat he said. He said, so
just to let you know, ifI get a call from upstairs, it's
out of my hands. And hehung out, Oh ship anything, I

(48:49):
didn't. I didn't have a chance. He hung up, and I was
like, then I didn't hear nothing, Yeah, there's nobody upstairs, listen
stuff. Didn't hear nothing, youknow? My show played the next day,
the weekend came, it's time forme to record my new mixes.
Came into work, recorded them.You know, when I found it finally

(49:10):
sound saw G. It was like, you know, he had brought it
up, but it wasn't like Iguess it was kind of swept under the
rug, like let's move forward,you know. Oh yeah, that was
That was probably the biggest mess upI've had, like on air of all
time. And then you got luckylived. I mean, those were that's

(49:31):
what it happened to me. Iplayed dirty versions before. I've cussed on
the air before. I think anotherfunny one it was when Keep the Sneak
Super highie uh, the clean versionwas actually the dirty version on the vinyl.
Yeah. I was working with Dannyat the time during I was filling

(49:52):
in and I was doing the afternoontraffic jam, and I played the dirty
version and he went straight to commercial. He kicked the like across the room
and like, you know, hegave me a ear full. But I
mean it was like, yo,it says clean version, Like I'm sorry,

(50:13):
what can I do? You know, you know things like that.
I look back, I was like, man, that was good times.
Like it's funny at the time,but it wasn't funny at the time.
But like when I look back atit's like, man, good times.
You know, speaking of good times, I know you've shared multiple stories about
the radio station. Something that Gizand I always kind of like asking our
co workers, is any high Whatwere like some big highlights for you working

(50:37):
for B ninety five, because there'sso many I think as a DJ,
the perks of like I don't knowif you guys remember, like just receiving
stuff in the mail every single day, records, T shirts, swag CDs.
Like I was getting so many packagesat home, Like it just felt

(50:58):
good because I went from buying recordsto like getting free stuff all the time,
you know what I mean. Ithink I think being a radio DJ,
that was one of the perks asfar as like mixing and stuff.
I think the biggest thing that orwas big for me was just the opportunities
that it created, you know,just being on radio. There was a
lot of things I was a partof, and I look back, I'm

(51:19):
like, dang, Like, youknow, people don't ever get a chance
to do those things. I meanthe people we meet going to dinners or
you know, private parties or industryparties or stuff label stuff, And you
know, I just always think like, man, you know, we're so
lucky to be in that situation.You know, like what do you do

(51:39):
from what do you do from itthough, because I know a lot of
people that work radio that just neverdid anything after that, you know what
I mean, Like, how doyou use that platform to create other opportunities
for you outsider radio, you know, because some of us, you know,
radio don't last forever. You know, Jizzo's lucky enough to to make
it a career and be here foras long as as he's been and and

(52:00):
you to be back in the building, and you know, so even on
my having to take a different positionaway from the on their side, and
it's just and as much as radioschanged, like you know, you've got
to be very blessed to be ina position to actually still be in it,
you know. So you know,I never took it for granted.

(52:21):
I think I think I took advantageof my opportunities and made them better for
myself because I knew, you know, even after going to the other station,
which I said I would never do, but at the time, it
was like, Okay, this iswhat I this is what makes sense for
me at this time. Real quick, before I kind of wanted to ask
you about that, the mentality ofjumping going to the competiting, competing station

(52:45):
real quick, correct me if I'mwrong. Did you did you ever?
Didn't you DJ for like an artistor most did you? What's I have
this memory of you? Well,we went on tour with like Fast right.
Yeah, I did some shows withFash, you know, I DJ
for artists here, like at theSave Mart Center when concerts came. Z

(53:05):
Will. The main artist that Ihave worked with was z Will. You
know, We've done a lot ofdifferent things together. He's very talented.
He's living out in La now,so it's kind of hard for us to
always catch up. But you know, I never was really like on tour
with the touring artists, see somethinglike that. Okay, So back to
that question and the topic of yougoing to the competing station, I kind

(53:30):
of just want to know for thementality part, because you know, you
just told the story about you quitting. I didn't even know that that was
a situation. But going to theother station, was that the mentality?
What was the mentality there? Wasit because you wanted to just get back
on radio or was there a littlepiece like oh, yeah, I'm gonna

(53:52):
show you guys. Nah. Inever had that in the back of my
mind because like, even after Ileft BE ninety five was B ninety five
like never. It wasn't like changeanything like you know that. You know,
I've learned in this industry everybody's replaceable. So it's not like, you
know, I chose to leave andwhich I don't want to say I regret
it after that, but you startto miss it after a while. And

(54:16):
so after you know, a littlewhile passed and then everybody that I started
with here was over there. Itjust kind of felt right, you know,
and like I said, Herb's theone that brought me up in this
game. He was over there.It just was like I'm ready to do
radio again. The opportunity came about, then I jumped on it. So
you know, I never had anybad blood with B ninety five or like

(54:39):
I'm gonna do it to you knowthat. It was nothing like that.
It was just it came up,came about, and I jumped on it.
I think the only reason why Ibring that up because we all know
back in the day days radio wasa war like we it would be a
war with it was. And I'vealways said like when I was here,
like I'm never gonna go over there, like ah, and sure enough,

(55:05):
like it just I think as Imatured, as I got older, it
wasn't that it wasn't that serious,you know what I mean. And I
wasn't going over there. And Ithink at that time, I already created
a name for myself. I didn'thave to be a part of any radio
station. I did it because that'swhat I wanted to do at that time,

(55:25):
you know. And the same reasonI left there is because, like
it started feeling like a job,and my schedule was so hectic already.
It was like, I don't needto put more stress on me than I
I'm already like I have other thingsto do, Like I don't need to
do radio. I did it becauseI wanted to do it, and then
now it's not working out for meanymore. So I just kind of,

(55:46):
you know, chose a different route, speaking of wanting to do other things.
What was what was bubbling next foryou after you kind of decided I
need to leave radio because things aregetting busier. Why was it getting busier?
What were you were you already startingthe businesses? Yeah, well,
what was the first one? Ihad bought my uncle's business in twenty eighteen,

(56:07):
Central Valley Sports. So I owna screenprint embroidery shop. You know,
he started it back in two thousandand eight. Ten years later I
purchased it twenty eighteen and then I'veowned it ever since since then. You
know, I still do my DJthing, and then we also own an
indoor playground, eminem Indoor Playground,which does pretty good. So I've always

(56:35):
wanted to be an entrepreneur or domy own thing, and I think DJ
kind of DJing kind of taught methat, because when you're a DJ booking
your gigs doing this, you're kindof doing it by yourself, you know
what I mean. And coming upto that opportunity of buying Central Valley Sports,
I used to always tell my unclelike, hey, let me invest

(56:55):
in the business, or let mebuy a piece of equipment. Me try
to I was always trying to getmy foot in the door. And he
would always say like, nah,not right now, is not the right
time, or you know no,And he would always tell me that.
And finally November of twenty seventeen,he had gave me a phone call.
I'll never forget it, and hewas just like, hey, thinking about

(57:17):
sounding the business. I'll give youthe month of December to figure out your
finances and if you can make ithappen, it's yours. If not,
understand its business. And so wentto work, took some time off,
started figuring things out, and sureenough, towards the end of December,

(57:37):
like things happened, and you know, the rest is history. January first
purchased it and quit my job twoweeks after and never looked back. It
was always called that was the nameof your uncle's spots to Central Valley.
Yeah, so it started off asa sports store, kind of like a
Big five. You could walk inthere and buy a football helmet or like

(57:58):
you know, any batting gloves oranything random. Then it kind of transitioned.
So it went from Central Valley Sportsto Central Valley Sports Stitching Ink because
of the embroidery and then the screenprinting. But even now, you know,
people know it at Central Valley Sports, so I don't really utilize the
Stitching Ink part of it, justCentral Valley Sports. You ever decided to

(58:19):
change that name or no, wewent. We went through a rebranding as
far as our logo goes and colorsand stuff like that, but as far
as the name, I don't think. I think because the Central Valley Sports
does sound like a Big five,you know what I'm saying. But to
your point, people have just knownwhat it is now, so there's no
reasons That's why I wouldn't change it. Yeah. So, like even the
merch I gave gave you guys today, that's that's our official merch for my

(58:40):
shop, the exploring Central Valley.So I wanted to create something that you
know, people could wear outside oflike work and just kind of where about
town and you know, wherever yougo, you're kind of exploring, you
know what I mean. So itwas it was it was a collaboration in
the beginning between some friends of ours, and over time it just kind of

(59:05):
happened. I just kind of introducedit as being our official merch for my
business. I'm glad you brought upthe name because on my end, for
me, I didn't know. Ididn't know that it was a business before.
The first time I heard about itwas you posting it that you owned
this business. And when I sawthe name Central Valley, what is it

(59:25):
exactly? Center Sports Session. Yeah, So when I saw that, I
was all, that's so unlike djD, so like why did he name
it that? But so now Iget it that you didn't even name it
at all. But when you firstopened I was like, that's not a
d so don name at all.But now it kind of makes sense.
But at the same time I sawthe business you were doing that it was

(59:49):
successful, that man company you weretelling me about all these people ordering you
know, uniforms and all these things. It's crazy, I think. You
know, you don't. You don'tunderstand the demand for it until you go
somewhere and look around. You knowwhat I mean. If you go to
a restaurant, what are people wearing? You know, if you go to
a movie theater, what are theywearing? You go to uniforms and go

(01:00:09):
to a car dealership, you know, what are you wearing? They got
to get it from somewhere. Areyou allowed to, like say, just
like one or two businesses that getthe uniforms from you? We work,
you know, we work with schoolsin Sanger Unified, Fresley Unified, Central
Unified, Clovis Unified, you know, little more high school like for like
sports uniforms, forms, T shirt, spirit wear, promotional items. You

(01:00:32):
know, we do banners, stickerlike anything you could think of. And
when I look back or even now, you know, I see this as
like the super the super DJ dreamjob. You know what I mean,
because back in the day, thesame place that I bought used to make
my T shirts. I used tosell at teen James, you know what

(01:00:54):
I mean. So my all mylong, I was getting my march there
when your uncle was owning it atthe time. I remember walking it in
and it'd be like it feels likea Big five or something but smaller,
and then I would make my merchand then to see grow where Soto's taking
it, it's just as crazy.You know. I think a lot of
people when I tell them I owna screen printing embroidery shop, they kind
of think it's like in my garageor something like how like that someone's home.

(01:01:16):
You be doing it right, soit's like it's a legit business.
And clients and shout out to youknow, everybody's been a part of my
journey. Employees, you know,even right now, you know, shout
out to Rosa, my son,Isaiah, John Heyesu's Ian, my dad
works works there with us. Now, you know, it's just it's it's

(01:01:39):
just a blessing to have such agreat team that takes it as serious as
you do, you know what Imean. So you know we've had other
you know, other people that workthere, and you know, shout out
to them too for for being apart of it. You know, everybody's
journey changes, you know sometimes,and that's okay. But I've for sure

(01:02:00):
see us growing and definitely doing alot of business, you know, in
the years to come. So it'sexciting, you know when I go just
to go back to the dream job, you know, because the marketing for
a DJ, like what I wouldwant to do when I was DJing all
these clubs, or you know,just to pass out free shirts with people
wearing my name on it, oryou know, just anything like that,

(01:02:22):
Like I can make anything I wantnow, and it's you know, it's
just like where's the where's a limit? Like what you know, speaking of
making what you want? Just apersonal question of mine because obviously the business
you have, you do bulk youknow, bulk orders. Why is it
possible just to order one thing,like I just want this one shirt thing

(01:02:45):
made with this logo. But ofcourse sometimes businesses are like nah, nah,
you got to order one hundred becauseit's more expensive that way, right,
Yeah, if you order one becauseI have a direct to garment printer
where you could do onesie twosies.It's just you know, you just pay
more. Okay, why but isn'tit cheaper? Not necessarily because per price

(01:03:07):
point, you know what I mean, You're gonna get your biggest break when
you order in in bulk, youknow, even a dozen to compare to
one, you know what I mean. But what people don't realize is like
you guys got the plug, youknow what I mean. I've told everybody
that I know, like, comemess with me, like I'm gonna hook
you up. Like I don't.I don't need to make money off of

(01:03:27):
my friends like or co workers,co workers. I don't need to make
money off my co workers. It'sall good. Like I want you guys
to to have you know, Iwant to see Jigzl shirts, you know
I want to see I want tosee magic shirts or this could get you
fire shirts, you know what I'msaying. So yeah, so like the

(01:03:50):
sky's a limit, I mean,whatever whatever you guys want to do.
Like, all you guys got todo is come come holler at me.
Congrats on that business. Before yougot here, I was telling Jigsel like,
yeah, he even owns this likeindoor playground for kids, and just
I was like, well, whatis that? Can you kind of explain
what this eminem? Yeah, soit's it's actually my wife's and my daughters

(01:04:12):
they purchased it. But it basicallywhat it is is it's indoor structures where
and we target uh kids zero tofive years old toddler. So you know,
you bring your kids, Hey,it's raining outside and that you want
to get them out to run around. They come to this facility. It's
a community place. It's what doyou mean by community Like anybody could just

(01:04:32):
come. Yeah, so it's opento the public. You know they do
when there's a charge to play there, so you just go, you pay
the fee. You know, yourkid could run about. You know,
there's different like trampolines and their slides. Again it's for little ones. Yeah,
So it's like it's just it's justa smaller like DeFi or you know
what I mean, not to shotthem out, but it's it's just a

(01:04:56):
it's just a back in my daysthere was a DZ zone if y'all.
It's just it's just a cool spotfor kids to go hang out. They
do birthday parties, private place,you know, all that stuff, whatever
you need. You know, theycould definitely get it done there. You
guys are not in charge of watchingthese kids. Are their parents are there?
Oh? Yeah, so they're there. Their parents are definitely uh uh

(01:05:19):
in charge of their their children.Shout out the location. Where's that?
Yeah, so you can find themon Sean Minnie wahwah in the in the
Ross and Burley tin uh oh,I know, facts to parking center.
So you know they've been at thatlocation for a year. You know,
they've owned it almost close to twoyears now, I think. But there's

(01:05:42):
just all all kinds of opportunities thatcome about. You know. I listened
to Wren shout out to Ren Rock. You know, I started getting into
real estate, purchased some some homesand stuff like that. So you know,
I don't sell real estate. Butokay, I was gonna say,
I was gonna say, see,I told you, I told them another
DJ that's gonna I think. Youknow, Ever since uh ever, since

(01:06:03):
my surgery, my way of thinkinghas changed because now I have grandkids and
stuff like that. So everything thatI'm doing now, I'm trying to set
up something for them because I knowI'm not gonna be here forever generational wealthy.
Yeah, so even you know,even if we lived one hundred years,
it's still not long enough. SoI always feel like everything that I'm

(01:06:23):
doing now, I'm just trying toset up my kids, kids, kids,
you know what I mean. Soif there's anything that I could do
to assist them, you know,and I want them to learn hard work
and go out there and get it, but if there's anything that I could
do to to help them make iteasier, like, that's what I'm on
now, you know what I mean. All Right, let's rewind real quick,

(01:06:44):
because did you say you have grandkidsthree? You're you're a grand I'm
a grand grandpa. Yeah. Well, first of all, who because I'm
familiar with your son, is ithe has a son? Okay? Daughter?
And then my youngest daughter has twowow. Yeah, So we basically

(01:07:08):
saw your we saw your kids growup because we've known you would these young
kids. You know, once twentytwenty hit, like my life was a
whirlwind. So much things changed fromthe the number of people in our family
grow, you know, personal thingswith me, like from twenty twenty to

(01:07:32):
now, like I would never imagineI would be in the position I'm at
like right now, you know whatI mean. It's only been a few
years or four years or whatever,but so much things change. Like it's
like wow, like life is definitelylifing, you know what I mean.
It's Yeah, this I think I'mat a point where I'm finally understanding this

(01:07:54):
is this is where, this iswhat it's supposed to be. I guess
I don't know. Maybe I mean, I mean, you're doing your thing,
man, Yeah, congrats on everything, all business, all your endeavor.
Kind of like going back to thebeginning. I appreciate that we can

(01:08:15):
still be we could still be friendseven though we don't talk, you know,
as much, or see each otheras much. But like you said,
if we ever text each other,if whoever need anything, we're always
all there for each other. SoI'm glad that that continues, you know.
No, of course, I thinkI mean just to let you guys
know, I'm always just one phonecall away, you know what I mean.

(01:08:38):
It's not I'm always gonna do whateverI can to be there for you
know, the people I want tobe there for, you know what I
mean. There's some people I'm notgoing to answer for But you know,
there's some people that you know thatthat are gonna get the best of me
still, you know what I mean? And you know, I always think
like of, like this is mysound corny of like reunion type stuff,

(01:09:00):
like we should all get together andthrow a show or throw a party together,
or throw like an event, youknow what I mean, Like,
I think that'll be dope because youknow, no, you know, well,
I'm not going to say that,but I think it's just be dope
to get together with people that knowwhat they're doing and just kind of use
each other's platforms to really make somethinghappen and make things exciting again. Yeah,

(01:09:27):
that's funny you said that because I'vebeen thinking this has just been in
my head. I haven't made anyformal contacts to these certain people. But
when I first moved out here overtwenty years ago, Herb and Bobby Bell
and myself, it was our routineto go to Red Lobster US three we

(01:09:48):
were all, you know, thoseare the two guys I met when I
first moved here, And in myhead, I was like, how crazy
would it be for us three tojust go to REDLP to and kind of
just catch up there, could wego or we're not invited? It was
a enough three things. That's allgood. All of us will go to

(01:10:11):
yours right herbs there every day.But you know what's crazy is that between
everybody, like it feels like weknow everybody, Like if we needed a
venue to throw, we know somebody. Like if we need a DJ,
we know somebody. If we needa shirt, you know, but all

(01:10:31):
that just adds to the marketing ofit. And people love free stuff,
you know what I mean. Andlike it's just I think things could get
done and not that anybody is doingthings wrong. I don't know, but
you know, things could be doneright, and like you could throw a
really dope event or party or Idon't know, I don't know. Just

(01:10:53):
think of this stuff like all daylong I'm working, or like what can
I do next? You know,what do I want to do next?
Or I don't know. Well,I'm glad that we get to do these
podcasts with like all these recent gueststhat we've had because kind of like what
Jesse and I talk about, sometimesthere's things in the past that man that

(01:11:16):
is, like how I treated people, but of course I was twenty years
ago. And yeah, it's it'sit's good to see that we've all are
changing for the better, you know, killing better people. So yeah,
apologies for anything that. If you'veever carried anything, I know you kind

(01:11:36):
of explained that you didn't, butyeah, it was just it was the
time. I think it was ayoung de Soto thing. I took all
of us. You know what's crazyis, even with shout out to my
guy Cuddy, he had told mesomething that hit me because there would be
events and I'm like, man,they don't mess with me, Like nobody
hits me up to go DJ atcertain spots or and he was like,

(01:12:00):
yo, it's not you know,maybe they're maybe they think that you won't
do it, Like like I thinkyou should take the time out to hit
them up, and like if Isee something that looks fun and I want
to be a part of it,Like you know, there's been a couple
of times I would hit them upand they're like, oh yeah, like
come out please, And I'm like, damn, Maybe it's just like me

(01:12:21):
feeling like they should be hitting meup rather than I think it was.
But then when I heard him saythat, I'm like, why can't I
hit them up? Like why amI Why am I not hitting them up?
That that's one I mean. Italked about this on previous podcast episodes
where I was the one that askedStraws, hey can I like, so,

(01:12:45):
yeah, it's it's it's not evenabout that, you know. And
I know there's certain things like youknow you can't be a part of and
certain things like that, but Ithink, man, all of it,
all it is is just like yo. And I think that goes back to
businesses too, because like you willnever know what you could do next unless
you ask somebody or you know,start start those just relationships and build bridges

(01:13:12):
and all that stuff, like justtalking to people and be social. And
like, I think that kind ofleft me as I got older, because
I was like expecting them to askme. And I was like, that's
kind of that kind of sounds lameof me, like thinking they should have
hit me up for no reason,you know, maybe they think I'm not
interested or something. But once Ireached out, it was different. It
was like yeah, come through,Like it's like you can't just like assume

(01:13:34):
you mean yeah yeah. And Ithink that was the part was that was
getting me because I was assuming youknow, and but once I reached out
to certain people, it's like,oh that sounds fun. I want to
go do that or I want totry that, you know what I mean,
and reach out like yo, sothey'll come through. So, Man,
I appreciate you stopping by and doingthe episode. So man again,

(01:13:54):
continued success and now that we're notcoworkers, what I call you say that
right now it Man, I appreciateyou guys. Uh. I'm not sure
when this is coming out, buton Saturday nights, quick plug, I'm

(01:14:15):
back at Chancey. So every Saturdaynight, if you guys want to party,
come see me up there. Youknow, I am available for private
events stuff like that. Reach outto me, you know, shout out
to Central Valley Sports, eminem IndoorPlayground, everybody that I came across.
You know that that's played a pivotalpart of my life, especially now,

(01:14:38):
like I appreciate everything. I'm verygrateful for where I'm at in the position
that that that I that I'm into even to be able to help other
people. So it's been it's beena ride. So all right, all
right, man, well ship deSoto until next time. This could get
me fire podcasts