December 12, 2025 • 39 mins
We sit with Key West’s own Mike Stack to trace how a hometown anthem grew into free community concerts, big stages, and a culture of giving back. The talk ranges from creative risk and collaboration to family support, Conch Pride, and measuring success on your own terms.
• New Year’s Eve Eve show details and sponsors
• Free concerts as community gatherings
• Fundraising for local needs and teams
• The making of I’m From Key West
• Radio lift and visitor connection
• Partnership with D Lew and shared vision
• Genre-bending strategy to open doors
• Big stages won by preparation and delivery
• School visits and the energy of young fans
• Defining success through results and joy
• Family support from Papa Stack and Romana
• Everyday Key West life and food reviews
• Conch pride as people-first commitment
photos, video and music contributed by @iammikestack
If you enjoyed this episode, drop a review, share, and subscribe because there’s a lot of good stuff on tap
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:19):
I'm on my brother, focused on the maxes, no relax.
And we got money coming in andall these jokes, we got it
backin'.
Mike stacked the brothersbackin' that's where we tapin'.
Ain't no rappin' in this back.
But you know we making magic andbuilding, get the camera ready,
he is sharp, still, he knows howto keep the camera steady.
So them bring them drones out.
(00:40):
I'm really in my throat now,there's no doubt.
Do this for my hometown with myown sound.
Yeah, it's kinda crazy when themhobbies get to turn in pages.
We not as same you in themodern, then I'm in the majors.
I'm getting hit, you in thefidgens.
SPEAKER_03 (00:53):
You Thanks for tuning in to the conks, a Bring
Joy podcast.
I'm your host, Joy Newish.
I'm a first generation conchraised by a fourth.
What does that add up to?
A whole lot of conch pride.
And that's what this show is allabout celebrating the incredible
people of Key West and theirstories from every corner of our
conk community.
(01:14):
So sit back and relax, cuz.
Let's do this thing.
This episode is sponsored byRamonis, promoting conch pride
since 1971.
How are we doing, conk fans?
I got a good one for you today.
We're talking with Mike Stat,Key West's number one
entertainer, a true conk andall-around good guy.
Welcome to the show, Michael.
SPEAKER_02 (01:35):
Joy, I appreciate you.
Full name, Michael.
I like it.
I need that intro every singletime I go on stage.
How are we doing, Joy?
Talk to me.
SPEAKER_03 (01:44):
Hey, first thing I want to do is ask you if you
like this hat.
SPEAKER_02 (01:47):
That's my favorite hat.
Uh, you know, you rock it somuch nicer than I do.
But I mean, uh the just smilehat, like we talked about.
See, let's just intro this realquick.
People don't realize we just gotdone doing 10 minutes of
interview, and my internetconnection was not great.
So we just went through a couplequestions, and and people don't
realize that.
So I'm just gonna let everybodyknow my internet connection at
(02:08):
my house is not great.
So if you're coming over to usethe Wi-Fi, it's not gonna work.
But Joy, that is a fantastichat.
I love that hat, the Just SmileMic Stack hat, and you wear it
so well, Joy.
That is the Mic Stack CollabBring Joy official hat.
We gotta drop it like that.
It is what it is.
We need to bring joy on theother side, and and we gotta do
it right.
SPEAKER_03 (02:26):
We got room.
We got room.
SPEAKER_02 (02:27):
I'm telling you, Joy, let's do it.
SPEAKER_03 (02:30):
Hey, thanks for giving everybody the fans the
behind the scenes.
And let's go right behind thescenes.
Talk to me about, you know, Iintroduce you as Key West
Entertainer, number oneentertainer, because you're all
over the place in the Key Westmusic scene from performer to
promoter.
The last four or five years justreally blown up with your
(02:50):
career.
So tell me what's going oncurrently with Mike Stack, and
let's go back a few years to howthis all started.
SPEAKER_02 (02:57):
So coming up, we have a big show over at the Blue
Flamingo Resort, the BackyardSocial Club.
It's it's right there with the24 North and the Gates Hotels
used to be.
Now it's one property.
But we got the New Year's EveEve celebration with Mike Stack
and Friends, presented byFlorida Keys Electric.
Shout out to them and shout outto all our sponsors that are
backing us for this concert.
But we're pretty much bringingall my friends to the Backyard
(03:18):
Social Club.
We're throwing a big concertwith the big stage, the big
lights, the big sound.
We got fireworks at the end.
You know, I love fire.
I haven't been able to getactual fire shooters at a show.
And uh I love me somepyrotechnics.
So having fireworks is amazing.
And uh, you know, at the end ofthe day, it's a free show,
family-friendly show.
Bring everybody.
Uh, but we're also raising moneyfor the Autumn Society of the
(03:39):
Florida Keys.
Um, you know, just by coming anddropping a couple dollars in,
we're we're doing well for thecommunity.
So uh, you know, it's it's it'sgonna be a great time.
So that's 1230, uh, December30th, the New Year's Eve Eve
celebration with Mike Stack andFriends at the Blue Flamingo
Resort and Backyard Social Clubfrom 6 to 9.
The party starts at 6.
Fireworks go off at 9.
SPEAKER_03 (04:00):
And it's a holiday season.
I think you got a few morethings on your calendar, don't
you?
SPEAKER_02 (04:05):
We do.
So we got the ugly sweaterparty, December 23rd at Pickles
Pub.
You can win$500 if you have theugliest, craziest, most
entertaining sweater.
Not bad, right?
And uh and then we're gonnathat's it.
And we're gonna close out theyear at General Horseplay uh
with our New Year's Evecountdown to 2026 party.
We're gonna be counting down,we're gonna be having a good
(04:25):
time, and then uh we're in the26th, doing bigger, better,
figure out how we can, you know,just one up 2025.
SPEAKER_03 (04:33):
You mentioned your friends.
One of the things I love aboutyou is you share the stage with
other artists, from professionalartists to even the young kids
in the community that just needthat moment on stage, that first
moment to break the ice.
Where did all that come from?
SPEAKER_02 (04:50):
You know, I feel like I'm very fortunate to have
this opportunity and to be putin these situations where I can
do my my own concerts.
What people might not know isall of these concerts I'm
producing, I'm I'm bringing inthe sound, I'm bringing in the
lights, I'm contacting theartists, I'm contacting the
venues, I'm contacting sponsorsbecause these things aren't
cheap.
We're we're putting on fullshows with the big lights and
(05:12):
the big sound, and and shout outto all the sponsors, you know,
who have sponsored any show uhfrom day one until now, because
without them we cannot do it.
Uh, but I just feel like it it'sit's something that I should do.
You know, if I was growing up inthis community and there's
somebody like me with a platformlike I had, and and I had this
talent, I I never think I'm themost um, you know, talented
(05:33):
person.
I think I I work hard and Ithink I am a very good uh
musician, a good artist, a agood entertainer.
Uh, but I know there's a lot ofother talent out there that
needs to be seen.
So if I can do my part and andget, you know, some of these
local artists on stage, some ofthese local kids, these
teenagers, these young adultsthat just need a platform
because they are so talented.
Shout out to my dog Matt that'sbeen on the saxophone the last
(05:55):
couple shows.
Uh he's he's so talented.
And I think I got thisopportunity, and and I need to
do right by it, and I need to dowell by it, and I need to
showcase some of our other KeyWest local artists.
SPEAKER_03 (06:06):
The other thing you do, you already mentioned this
next concert.
It always, there's always abenefit to someone.
Um, you're always passing thehat, whether it's Garrett
Hughes, Dexter Butler, the foodbanks, how where'd that um
generous spirit come from?
SPEAKER_02 (06:22):
I think um, you know, all these concerts are
free.
Again, shout out to the sponsorsfor making that happen.
I understand that not everybodycan afford concert tickets.
Um, and and some people need toexperience a concert.
You know, what's nice about aconcert is it gets you out of
the element, whatever elementyou may be in, if it's a bad
element, a good element,whatever it is, for that night,
all you're worried about is thisconcert.
Um so you know, what we try todo is these free community shows
(06:43):
to just bring the communitytogether.
And if we're bringing thecommunity together, what can we
do to help the community?
Um, unfortunately, uh a coupleof shows, something's happened
before that was just so, soterrible.
And uh, you know, during thosetimes, we as a community need to
come together and we need tosupport our own and we need to
have the back of our neighborsand our friends.
(07:04):
So I think uh, you know, it itstarted honestly with with
Garrett, with that first benefitconcert.
The first two concerts we did,we didn't raise any money.
You know, we just did these freecommunity shows and they weren't
for anything.
And then, you know, afterGarrett's benefit, I seen like
there's there's greater good tobe done uh with these free shows
because they're free, so why notdrop a five in the bucket?
(07:27):
Why not drop a ten in thebucket?
Anything helps.
So I I think you know, Garrettis a big part of why we do this
now, is is because you know, westarted with with him and and
he's still showing people thathe's around, and and I I like to
think every show he's there withme.
I know he is.
Um, but I say it started withGarrett's benefit concert, and
it's just grown from there, andand we just try to do what we
(07:49):
can, whether it's for somethinggood or or something bad or
something good, right?
We're raising money for maybe alocal sports team or or or
something like that.
So just about helping eachother.
I think everybody needs ahelping hand sometimes, and um,
you know, that's that's that'sall we try to do.
SPEAKER_03 (08:03):
I talk about bringing joy to the world, and
you you certainly do that in somany ways.
Let's go back a little bitbecause you're at this level of
success now, a lot of hard work.
But talk about the last three,four, five years.
How did it accelerate to thepoint at which you're at now?
SPEAKER_02 (08:20):
Yeah, so you know, when I was growing up, I was in
choir, I was in the plays, I wasdoing all this.
I like being the center ofattention.
And then when I went to college,I didn't have this big group of
friends.
I went with like 15, 20 friendsthat were there, but I was in
front of a whole bunch of peoplebefore that.
So I started making music andputting it on YouTube, and it
was just for my friends, justhaving a good time.
And that, you know, moved backhome, got a job, a regular
(08:43):
nine-to-five, kept making music.
I was working at the college2017 to about 2022, and uh I
just kept making music.
I kept trying to see what Icould do.
I always knew if maybe I couldmake like a hometown anthem or a
song about Key West, it could bea really good uh, you know, jump
to help.
You know, if we can geteverybody in the city behind us,
I know we could we could dowell.
(09:04):
So we kept doing that.
Shout out to Keys Island Runner,Choo Choo.
Uh we made a theme song for themthat did really well.
It was only on SoundCloud, butwe started getting this
following.
Uh and then I made a couple moresongs that people enjoyed, and I
made this song called Boat Daysthat people enjoyed.
And then right after Yeah, metoo, right?
It's a boat day, man.
It's always a boat day downhere.
So then uh so then right afterboat days, we dropped down from
(09:26):
Key West.
Shout out to D Lou.
And and you know, I'm from KeyWest has done so much for us.
Uh it really was the anthem thatI always dreamed about making.
It was the one that I knew if Igot this, we could do so much
more.
I could do so much more.
I could make this my job.
And I'm so fortunate that peopleattach to the song like we
attached to the song when wemade it.
(09:47):
Because without that, we wedon't have anything.
Without the people supportingus, without the people coming to
the shows, without the peoplebuying the merch, without the
people listening to the music,we don't have, you know,
anything.
So we made I'm from Key West,and you know, honestly, I'm From
Key West was out, and it wasjust getting streams from
people, and it took a year.
And then finally, shout out toRick Lopez and everybody at 927,
(10:08):
but it got on the radio, it goton a couple other radio
stations, Party 1049, and uh,and that brought it to a whole
new level because and Key Westhas had so many levels, it's
funny.
We made it, it was juststreaming.
Then it got put on the radio,and all these visitors are
hearing it, and people are like,oh, you know, I'm from North
Dakota, but I came down to KeyWest and I listened to the song
and I love it.
And and for two minutes and 30seconds, when I put that song on
(10:29):
and it's freezing outside, I'mback in Key West drinking my
margarita, or I'm on the beach,or and we get that message.
My DMs are filled with thosemessages.
And that's so cool to see.
Like, I made this song about myisland.
I made this song for my peopleon the island.
But people that aren't from herelove the song just as much as
the people that love it that arefrom here.
And even the people that comedown here and they plan on
(10:50):
staying a year or two, and thenthey're down here for 10 years.
I tell everybody when we do thatsong, whether you are visiting
Key West, whether you've beenhere a year, whether you've been
here 20 years, 30 years, 40years, when this chorus comes
on, we are all from Key West.
At this moment, right now, weare all from Key West.
Joy, I went from 10 to 15streams a month to after the
Keys Island Runner song, 100 to200 streams a month.
(11:12):
And, you know, coming from whereI was coming from, 10 to 15
streams to 200, that's a bigjump, right?
You got to be present and yougot to understand where you come
from, where you're trying to go,but you gotta be present in the
moment and joy.
That that 200 streams was a bigwin for me.
Then I'm from Key West, popsoff, and now we're seeing 400
streams a week, 500 streams aweek, and I'm like, what is
going on?
Everything is, this is great.
(11:33):
Let's go.
Uh so you know, it's been a lotof fun.
I'm from Key West was definitelythe jump off for me.
And um, and then, you know, itit led people to all of my other
songs.
I think I'm a great writer.
I think I'm a great um, youknow, I I really can put people
in a place, whether it's on aboat or on an island, or I can
put people in a place with mylyrics, but everybody, it takes
(11:55):
that one song for anything,right?
It takes, it takes that onething for other people to get
attracted to it.
So I'm from Key West, is whatbrought everybody to my other
stuff.
And then they start listening tomy other music, and all the
other songs start gettingstreams, and everything starts
going up and up and up.
And now I'm very fortunate to bein a nice spot where we do well
on our streams, and um, youknow, not great, not millions
(12:16):
and millions, but for me,reminding myself where I came
from two years ago, when I wasgetting 10 to 15 streams a
month, you know, I'm in I'm inan amazing spot and I'm out I'm
allowed to do so much morethings with these concerts and
and with the events we do.
But getting off topic, yeah, soI think I'm from Key West was
was definitely the the turningpoint for us when we really, you
know, started to gain steam.
(12:37):
And we didn't do a show until ayear after, a year and a half
after I'm from Key West cameout.
And uh, you know, I had thisidea that I wanted to do a big
production, light sound,everything.
I want people to come and reallyfeel the concert.
And that's what we did.
But I'm from Key West isdefinitely what put us over the
hill and really allowed me tostart get rid of my nine to five
and really start doing thisthing.
SPEAKER_03 (12:59):
Hey, I love that song.
I can't hear it enough.
I mean, I feel like that songhas been playing in my head for
57 years, right?
Since I was born.
And I think a lot of conksespecially feel that way.
That's like that's our themesong that's been playing in our
head since we, you know, sincewe were little kids and we just
didn't have anything.
(13:19):
And so you came along and putwords to it.
Like you said, you are a greatwriter, and it defines us as
conks.
And everybody, you know, that'swhat makes Key West special,
right?
Is everybody wants to be fromKey West, right?
Whether you're from NorthDakota, South Dakota, whatever,
everybody loves Key West, andthat song, those lyrics really
(13:40):
hit home.
So so yeah, you nailed it.
It's it's the anthem.
SPEAKER_02 (13:44):
And you know, shout out to D Lou, man, because
without his part on there, thesong doesn't, you know, it's not
the same song.
You know, I really hit the fun,Key West vibrant, the streets,
the energy, the food, thepeople.
Then D Lou touches on some stuffin Key West, you know, the rent
ain't cheap.
You know, we gotta do two, threejobs.
You you you're you're working totry to make it, but it's uh you
(14:07):
enjoy it here, you love it hereso much.
Um so you know, shout out to Louuh for always holding it down.
You know, Lou is one of thosepeople that I really appreciate,
you know, more than I can putinto words because Lou gave me
the confidence to really do thatfirst show.
You know, Lou's like, yeah, youcould do it.
Hell yeah, man.
Come on.
You got this, you got this,right?
So everybody I think needssomebody when you're doing
(14:27):
something.
And and shout out to D Lou, man,he's really had my back from day
one and continues to have myback.
I go to him with some crazystuff.
I'm like, yo, I got an idea thatwe should do this or that.
Or, hey, we're opening for acountry star.
Let's go do this and that.
And and and Lou's Lou never everhesitates.
He's always just like, Allright, let's go.
SPEAKER_03 (14:44):
Hey, I love that.
And I got I have him on my listright here because you have done
a lot of collaborations, and Iwant to talk about that a little
bit, but he he's my favorite.
Whenever you're working with DLou, you know, 2005 State Champ,
you know, Key West boy.
I was gonna ask you, um, how howdid you two connect?
SPEAKER_02 (15:03):
So, uh, you know, Lou was living in Tampa at the
time.
Well, in 2020, Lou was living inTampa and he had this business
and everything shut down.
So after 2020, Lou came back toKey West.
And uh Tyler Carter actually, Iwas at this party, and Tyler's
like, hey, and and I knew Lou,uh, I knew Lou back in high
school, um, just like passing inthe hallways, being at the same
(15:24):
party uh on the baseball fieldand stuff like that.
And I listened to a lot of DLou's freestyles in high school
because Lou was freestyling inhigh school a little bit.
So I was listening to his stuffon YouTube and whatnot.
Um Tyler Carter's like, hey,Lou, I seen him at the gym.
He wants to reach out aboutrecording a couple songs because
I got my microphone andeverything at the crib, you
know.
At that point, though, I wasrecording out the bathroom.
I had the microphone set up inthe bathroom, the best acoustics
(15:46):
were in there.
So I'm on the MacBook in there.
We got everything set up inthere.
And Lou's like, you know, TylerCarter hit me up, and I've been
listening to Lou now for 10years, and I'm like, please.
I text him that day.
I said, Lou, whatever you gottarecord, come to the crib.
We'll record it right now.
You know, no charge.
And Lou's like, no, I gotta payyou something.
I'm like, you know what you canpay me in?
You can pay me in a verse.
I don't know when I want it.
(16:07):
I don't know what it's gonna beon, I don't know the type of
song it's gonna be on, but youcan pay me in a verse.
That's what I want this paymentto be.
I'll record as many, howevermany songs you want.
I just want one Lou from D Lou.
I want one verse from D Lou andand I'll be happy, right?
That's that's the biggest formof payment that I can receive.
So uh this was in January andthen I'm from Key West came up,
(16:28):
and and you know, I'm hearingthis instrumental.
And the first time through, I'msinging, I'm from Key West.
I'm from I'm like, oh, I got it.
And as soon as I finished theidea of the song, sent it to
Lou.
I'm like, this is what I wantyou on.
This is what I need you on.
This is the song that I've beenwaiting for to not only make for
my city, but to make for myself,to really see where we can go
(16:49):
with it.
And you're the guy I want on itbecause you're the only other
person that is gonna representthe city like I know we can.
Because in all his music, he wasalready repping Key West, and I
was repping Key West.
So it was a match made inheaven.
It was supposed to be patiencepays.
When I tell I tell people allthe time, don't rush, be
patient.
Let things take the course,right?
(17:10):
Do your work, stay to the plan,but don't try to rush anything.
And if it doesn't work out rightaway, it's okay.
Be patient.
We made that song and we've beenoff to the races ever since.
Now we got probably 10 to 12songs.
We we can do full shows, just meand Lou.
Um, but that that's how we let.
That's how we met.
And I tell you what, it's beenride or die ever since, man.
If he needs something, I'mthere.
(17:30):
If I need something, he's there.
No matter what it is, we're wejust started up our own uh
entertainment company.
So now we're we're throwing ourown parties and doing that
stuff.
We plan on opening a bar here inKey West, hopefully uh called
Stack and Lose in the next, youknow, two, three, four, five
years.
So, you know, we got a lot ofideas, and it all started with
with uh a January meetup in thebathroom studio for him to
(17:51):
record some tracks and and tosay, hey, I need a verse when
I'm ready.
So shout out to Lou, man.
That's my dog, and I'm I'm very,very, very appreciative of
everything he's done for me inthis journey.
SPEAKER_03 (18:01):
Hey, that's that's beautiful.
Thank you for sharing that.
I literally got chills and tearsin my eyes.
Um, talk about some of the othercollaborations because you
talked about country music,you've done some other things
too.
So talk about some of thecollaborations and the the
courage to to do collaborations,right?
And to mix it up with genres andwhatnot.
SPEAKER_02 (18:23):
I think my my biggest thing is is I don't ever
want to be in one lane.
And some people are like, yougotta stay in one lane.
Nobody can get attracted to youif you're all over the place.
And I'm like, well, watch me.
Let me let me try it.
And and now, you know, I gotthese songs that are hip-hop,
and I got I Want My Beer.
I got Hometown that are country.
I got a song called I'm on anisland as reggae.
I got my dog.
SPEAKER_01 (18:44):
Okay, everyone.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_02 (18:45):
Let's go, let's go.
I got my dog Mose out inCalifornia making these house
music songs with my lyrics.
Like, we are not gonna stay inone lane.
The more opportunities I givemyself, the more opportunities I
have to maybe, you know, beseen.
I made I Want My Beer, and BillyCurrington, you know, super mega
country star Billy Currington,heard that song, and that's the
(19:05):
reason I opened up for him inKey West when he came to Key
West, is because I made a songthat was country-ish, and I
still do a little rapping on it.
I'm not this country singer,right?
But but the thing is, you know,by stepping outside the lane and
not just keeping myself in thisone area, uh, more doors have
opened than anything.
So that's one thing I alsosuggest.
If don't listen to people thatdon't know.
(19:28):
If somebody actually has a goodidea of what you're trying to do
and they've been around thebusiness, listen to them.
But when people were telling meto stay in my lane and and to
focus on one genre, I was like,nah, I'm good.
Watch me.
And, you know, we've we've gotmore from going outside the
lanes than we have from stayingin the lanes.
So yeah, and and we got somegreat collaborations.
We've made songs with JoshKaiser.
Sharice, who's like the mosttalented uh ever female singer,
(19:52):
she actually just got signed andshe's got a debut EP coming out.
We got a song that's about todrop that's very country, you
know, hip hop, but yeah.
I think the biggest thing is dowhat you want to do, enjoy it,
have fun with it.
Don't ever listen to anybodythat isn't worth listening to.
Now if they got some good adviceand and you know it's good
advice, because you can feel it.
You can feel good advice, youcan feel bad advice.
(20:13):
Listen to it.
But but if it's just some advicethat you don't feel, just keep
it moving, do what you gotta do,have fun, enjoy it, and watch
what happens.
SPEAKER_03 (20:21):
Talk about being seen.
You've now performed on prettymuch every stage in Key West,
from the rooftop at Sloppy Joe'sto the amphitheater, everything
in between.
Talk about some of those momentsand do you ever just pinch
yourself?
SPEAKER_02 (20:38):
Yeah.
Yeah, all the time.
I uh, you know, we started atthe Perry on on the Perry Hotel
out there in Stock Island, andwe did our own show, brought in
the speakers, brought in thelights.
And then from the Perry, we dida couple shows out there, and
then we moved to the Sunset Pierand kind of a bigger stage.
Shout out to Roger at the SunsetPier.
And then from there, we were atthe Cas Marina when they got
(20:58):
finished uh with their backyardconstruction.
And and then all of a sudden,after that, and and we actually,
you know, when we did theGarrett Hughes benefit concert,
I reached out to Kelly Norman.
Shout out to Kelly, and andeverybody at Ramshead was so
open.
Whatever you need, let us know.
They donated the amphitheater uhto us, which is a crazy price to
get the amphitheater because ofeverything that goes into it and
(21:19):
making it run.
Shout out to DJ Sonaris.
We were on top of Sloppy Joe'sat New Year's Eve a couple years
ago.
Um, you know, shout out toNadine uh with We've Got the
Keys and the SongwritersFestival because Songwriters
Festival has had us the lastthree years, and this past year
they let us perform on the DuvalStreet stage, which was out of
this world, just performing onthis stage in front of all these
(21:39):
people on Duval Street.
(22:18):
I'm so fortunate, and you know,I love the big stages, but I
love the small stages, I lovethe medium stages.
Any stage, anytime I can be onstage to just show people that
we got something different, weare special, uh, it's a good
time.
But yeah, I'm I'm the mostblessed person in Key West.
I am I am so fortunate, I am sograteful, and I'm so
appreciative because I've beengiven more opportunities than I
(22:40):
can count.
And, you know, I'll tell you onething.
People give me theopportunities, but when they
give it to me, I always comethrough.
And and I think that's thebiggest thing is when you do get
these opportunities, you gottaact.
You gotta make sure you areready for the moment.
And when you get the moment, yougotta shine and you gotta do
what you do because that's howyou're gonna get more
opportunities.
If I would have been really poorafter my first opportunity,
(23:01):
people would have been like,nah, we're good.
If the first show we did wasjust very basic, how do you know
if these people keep comingback?
What do you what we gotta givethem something to come back for?
SPEAKER_03 (23:10):
I I love that.
Like think thinking withoutlimits and being ready for that
inspiration that you know whenthe inspiration's gonna come,
you gotta be ready to receiveit.
You know, no doubts, no limits.
And you talk about peoplewanting to get in your ear and
tell you how to do things, youyou'll have that feeling.
If they're trying to lift you upand help you fly, or they're
trying to hold you back and andyou know, planting that seed of
(23:32):
doubt.
There's there's no room, there'sno room for that, right?
SPEAKER_02 (23:36):
No, and and you'll know, you know, you know.
I had people come up to me thatwanted to produce our first
show, my first show.
And and what they were tellingme sounded great, but it didn't
really make sense.
And my gut was telling me, no,don't do this.
You can do it yourself, you cando it better, you can do it
bigger.
If you take this opportunity, inmy head, I'm like, it might
diminish everything I've beenworking towards.
(23:57):
It might not work like I want itto work.
So that's why I always say, man,trust your gut.
Uh it's it's really never wrong.
If you think in your head thatit's not a good deal, if you
think in your head that you'renot supposed to be doing that,
you're probably not supposed tobe doing that.
It's probably not a good deal.
Um, so so trust your gut.
And like I said, good advice.
You you tend to know when you'regetting good advice, you tend to
(24:18):
know when you're getting badadvice when the person giving it
to you might be in it fordifferent reasons.
So trust that gut.
SPEAKER_03 (24:23):
I gotta go back to you and D Lou again because um,
and talking about you being agood guy.
I've had the opportunity towitness the joy that you bring
to Key West, your audience, tokids.
I've been at a school campuswhen you and D Lou walk into an
auditorium or a gym, and thepure joy that the the fans feel
(24:51):
when they see you two walk in isincredible.
And most especially iswitnessing the way that the two
of you receive it, right?
It seems to me from myperspective, watching you is is
that it fills you up.
And it's that's what you it'slike this out-of-body thing
that's that's happening.
SPEAKER_02 (25:11):
It's crazy, Joy.
It's it's nuts.
You know, and I remember the oneyou were at, it was H O B.
We walked in the gymnasium.
And, you know, it's it's it'sthe best feeling in the world
when you walk somewhere andyou're greeted with that energy
because all we try to do is givethat same energy back.
Whenever we're on stage,whenever we see people in
public, whenever we're anywhere,we just try to give the best
energy we can.
(25:32):
And when we get all that back,and we got 800 kids, 600 kids,
young adults screaming, goingcrazy when we walk in, it is
unlike anything else.
I get goosebumps, myadrenaline's at like 4,000, my
heart's pumping, I'm ready torun through a brick wall.
Uh these, these, these, youknow, and the first time, first
time I ever experienced that wasat the high school, and in, you
(25:54):
know, in that kind of forum, wewalk into a, I walk into a pep
rally, me and Lou, and the placejust erupts.
I walk into there, my ears wereringing for like an hour after
the fact, but I was like pumpedup.
I was like, I could run rightnow, I could lift weights.
So I'm like, put me in theweight room.
I don't even go to the weightroom, and I was ready to lift
weights, man.
Um, so it's it's the bestfeeling in the world.
And you know, I am very awarethat without the kids um, you
(26:18):
know, having our back, withoutfrom QS especially, they made
their parents listen to it 10times in a row on the way to
school.
They still do.
So I'm very aware that withoutthe kids, without the young
adults, you know, without thempushing this music, uh, we might
not be in this situation at all.
So, so shout out to the youngones, shout out to the
teenagers, shout out to theyoung adults, shout out to the
(26:38):
old adults, shout out toeverybody, man.
We really, really do appreciatey'all.
But yeah, the kids are adifferent energy, man.
When the kids go crazy, they'regrabbing, they're like, ah, I
feel like, you know, I'm I feellike I'm on top of the world.
I feel like all my songs aredebuting at number one in the
charts, and I got the highestselling album, and they make it
all worth it.
SPEAKER_03 (26:57):
I love it.
And um, along those lines, I'llask you this: how do you measure
success?
SPEAKER_02 (27:03):
I think if you're enjoying it and if you're in a
spot that you can really look atyourself and say, I'm doing
everything I can towards whatI'm trying to do, I'm giving it
100%, and I'm seeing results.
Whether those results are littleresults or those results are big
results, that's a success.
It's when you stop and you giveup and and you no longer try to
attempt what you want to dobecause you think you can't do
(27:24):
it.
If I would have given up, I'vebeen do Joy, I've been doing
this, I've been making musicsince I was 20 years old.
I've been making music for 15years.
I got a microphone 10 years agoand I started making music uh,
you know, a little bit moreclear than off the MacBook,
because in the beginning itsounded very terrible.
Uh, but you know, 10 years ago.
So if I would have stopped twoyears after I got my mic because
(27:46):
that those 10 streams, those 15streams a month, you know, not a
week, not a day, a month, thatmeans my song was getting played
10 to 15 times a month.
If I would have stopped then,would have never been here.
Would have never got here.
But I was I was happy that I had10 to 15 people listening.
And and so I think success is iswhat you measure it.
(28:07):
You can you're the only personthat can measure your own
success.
If you start trying to haveother people measure it, you're
gonna stop doing what you'redoing because guess what?
There's hundreds and thousandsof people that are doing much
better than I am in terms oftheir success and where they're
at.
But I don't judge my success ontheir success.
They had a different route, Ihave a different route.
(28:28):
This is my route.
And right now I'm having fundoing it.
I'm seeing results, I'm takingit day by day.
If it's small results, if it'sbig results, at the end of the
day, it's results.
And I feel like a success.
I'm successful.
I'm putting food on the table.
I am living, I'm enjoying whatI'm doing.
I'm happy that that is success.
SPEAKER_03 (28:49):
I love that.
That's that's gonna be a clipright there.
SPEAKER_01 (28:53):
Let's go.
I love it.
SPEAKER_03 (28:55):
That's a mic drop.
Let's go.
Hey, no pun intended.
SPEAKER_01 (28:59):
Yeah, pun intended.
SPEAKER_03 (29:00):
Fun intended.
You know, and I can't help butthink about your mama and daddy.
Because I know you give themplenty of love.
Hearing you talk, and like Isaid, being able to witness your
performance and the way that youbring and receive joy.
I can't help but think aboutyour parents.
Um, tell me a little bit aboutyour mom and dad.
I know Papa Stag, he's got hisown thing going on.
SPEAKER_02 (29:21):
Yeah, man.
That's the man's thing.
SPEAKER_03 (29:22):
You gotta be proud.
SPEAKER_02 (29:23):
I'm very lucky, man.
My parents are the type ofparents that have always had my
back.
A lot of parents, when theirkids said, Hey, I want to be a
rapper, would have been like,Come on, come on, what are you
doing?
Let's let's get back to yournine to five.
I tell you what, my parentsnever, never, ever were like,
Don't do that.
You know, they were always like,All right, make it work.
You can do it.
(29:44):
I believe in you.
My mom, maybe a couple of times,she was like, I tell you what,
Papa Stack's always been, and mymom has had my back from day
one.
So shout out to Roba.
Uh, you know, but Papa Stack,man, that man, me and him were
hitting freestyles in the carwhen I was eight, nine years
old, right?
He's he's singing and having agood time.
So, you know, Papa Stack's beenmy biggest supporter, and he's
always had my back.
And, you know, in the beginningwhen we were started, I would,
(30:06):
you know, I was working at nineto five.
I was very much living paycheckto paycheck.
It's it was tough down here.
And if I needed something, Icould go to Papa Stack and he
would fund it for me while we wemade it and we got the money
back, right?
So Papa Stack has believed in memore than more than anybody in
the world, and and I am sofortunate to have them two as
parents because, like I said, alot of parents would have been
(30:27):
like, let's get real.
My parents never said let's getreal.
They just said, How can you makeit happen?
And do what you do to and dowhat you gotta do to make it
happen.
And as long as you work hard, wegot your back.
Now, if I wasn't working, if Iwas just sitting around, they
might have been feeling a littledifferently.
But they seen what I was doing.
And and to be honest, Papa Stackenjoys the spotlight more than
me.
Uh, he uh you see it what whenhe starts getting those Papa
(30:51):
Stacks out in public, that manstarts walking different.
He starts talking different.
He got a little bit of strut inhis step, and it's happening a
lot more, you know, lately,especially after his Christmas
song last year and all his foodreviews.
So Papa Stack's actingdifferent, man.
If you see Papa Stack in publicand you give him uh a hey Papa
Stack, just watch how that backgets straight and watch how them
(31:11):
shoulders start swaying.
But yeah, I got the best parentsin the world, man.
Shout out to my mom and shoutout to my dad.
Without them, I'm not where I'mat.
Um, so they put up with a lot inorder to get me here and you
know, just to just to stickthrough it all.
And I say they put up throughwith a lot because when you're
an entertainer, usually in highschool, you probably had some
phone calls home.
Uh, you know, I probably like toentertain a little too much in
(31:33):
class.
So I know in middle school andhigh school, I was causing them
some, you know, hair pullingwith with with all the uh
extracurricular entertainment Iwas doing in class, but we all
made it through.
We're here now, man.
And and shout out to them.
So I am I got nothing but lovefor them, and and shout out to
my brother too, man.
You know, Robert has supportedme a lot, and shout out to
Romana.
Romana has been my rock for thelast two years.
(31:53):
Probably the most important twoyears of this career, uh, you
know, Romana has has been there.
And before Romana, I had a lotof fun in terms of like I just
was not doing what I wassupposed to do.
I wasn't taking it seriously.
I was just happy that we had asong, and and Romana really made
me see it from a business side.
And and she she had me, youknow, really start taking it
(32:16):
serious.
And I can't say I'd be where I'mat without Romana, you know.
She really, she really made melock in and and really treat it
as a business and to also havefun with it.
I have a lot of fun.
We all know I have a lot of fun.
Uh, but she made me see thebusiness side of it and she made
me understand like you can dothis, you can have fun, but
let's get serious, you know.
You are now a representation ofyour city or your community, and
(32:38):
I knew that, but I there wastimes that I didn't take it as
serious as I should have.
And and so shout out to Romana,shout out to my people that have
always had my back from day one.
I I am so appreciative ofeverybody that's been there for
me.
SPEAKER_03 (32:50):
When you're not doing music, what do you enjoy
around Key West?
SPEAKER_02 (32:55):
Man, uh, so I love my happy hours.
Shout out to the boathouse.
Um, I love my boat days.
I just love walking around thecity sometimes, especially the
downtown area, um, you know,grabbing a drink or grabbing
some food and and really justappreciating where I'm from.
Sometimes we can take it forgranted.
Uh, you don't really you get sobusy with the hustle and bustle
(33:16):
you forget you live on anisland.
And I think you gotta, it'simportant to take a couple days
a month and just remember whereyou're from, take it all in,
walk around some streets, lookat some architecture.
You know, hopefully you're onthe boat every weekend.
But if you're not, try to get onthe boat a couple times and just
appreciate, man, you you livewhere people vacation.
And like I said, I forgetsometimes.
(33:37):
And then I'll cross the Cal KeyBridge and be like, oh man, I I
live on an island.
Like, I have to take a bridge toget here.
And it's a nice reminder ofjust, you know, we are so
fortunate.
So what I like to do is I liketo hang out with my family.
I love I love family time.
I think that's the mostimportant thing in my life is
spending time with the peoplethat you love because this is a
a fun trip, but it's a shorttrip, and we got to enjoy it
(34:00):
while we're here, and we got toenjoy the people that surround
us.
So, family, friends, uh enjoyyour city.
Uh, you know, we got a lot ofgood food down here, we got a
little got a lot of good musicdown here.
So I just try to take it all inand uh and and try to be in the
moment as much as I can.
And Romana, again, has helped mea lot with being in the moment
and enjoying everything as itcomes.
SPEAKER_03 (34:18):
Hey, you mentioned food food.
I gotta tell you, you've donesome really good food reviews.
If the music thing doesn't workout for you, if you do a food
review, I'm going to get it.
You was eating some french friesthe other day.
I'm still looking for the damnFrench fries truck.
SPEAKER_02 (34:34):
Listen, listen, listen.
So Papa Stack started doingthese food reviews, right?
And I was like, man, I can't letthis guy get all the shine.
Like he's already trying to takeoff my shine.
So we started doing some foodreviews, and and they've
actually done well.
We've only done a few.
Uh we don't do many, but uh, Iam gonna try to do more.
But man, shout out to my dogCarmona, Andrew Carmona, Fries
Guys.
(34:54):
What he does with fries is istremendous.
And and right now it's he's atthe beach most days.
You can follow him, uh FriesGuys underscore key west,
something like that.
If you type in Fries Guys, itshould pop up.
SPEAKER_03 (35:04):
That sounds good.
I did tell him Mike sent me.
SPEAKER_02 (35:06):
That's it.
Hey, you tell him that you mightget some extra topics.
So uh, you know, I would I woulddefinitely drop that plug.
SPEAKER_03 (35:12):
All right, I don't mind dropping a name here and
there.
So listen, we're gonna go aheadand uh and and wrap this up.
You know, we already talkedabout the Key West anthem.
I'm from Key West.
I believe that song talks aboutKong Pride.
I see you the way you show upfor your island, the way your
island shows up for you.
Maybe I don't have to ask thisquestion, but just in case,
(35:35):
maybe you left something out,what does conch pride mean to
you?
SPEAKER_02 (35:38):
Kong pride is uh is loving where you came from, but
also loving the people that arearound you where you're from.
Because if you love the city,that means you love the people
in the city.
And without the people in thecity, we don't have the city
that we have, right?
It's the people that have theconch pride.
It's not the city.
You the the city ain't full ofconch pride.
It's the people in the city thatare full of conch pride.
(36:01):
So conch pride to me is isloving where you came from,
repping where you came from, butalways having your neighbors
back, always supporting whatthey're trying to do, always
being there for them when theyneed you.
It's the people in the city thatcreate the conch pride.
And uh, you know, we we maybeget some of that conch pride
from being from where we'refrom, but we're the ones that
create it.
So I think, you know, conchpride to me is is is loving your
(36:23):
city, but but loving yourneighbors just as much and and
representing not only for yourcity, but like people do for me,
they rep for me, man.
And and anybody that reps forme, man, they're repping for a
conk born and raised, theyreping for Lou, born and raised.
So, you know, conch pride ismany things, but to me it's it's
repping your city and andrepping the people and loving
the people that are in it.
SPEAKER_03 (36:40):
That's fantastic.
And the and the last one, thefinal one, what brings you joy,
Mike Stat?
SPEAKER_02 (36:46):
What brings me joy is people like you, Joy.
It's people that appreciate whatthey have and and they just try
to do the right thing.
And they try to whether whatevertheir gift is, whatever they can
do, they're putting positiveinto the world.
I can't stand a negative person.
I don't have time for a negativeperson.
So what brings me joy is to seepeople doing what they want to
(37:08):
do and and using whateverplatform they have to do good,
whether it's just helpingsomebody that needs some food or
or being like you, putting on apodcast that people can watch
and listen to and bring a smileto their faces, whatever,
whatever that is, people beinghappy and people doing what they
they want to do really is whatbrings me joy.
And and a lot of things bring mejoy, but but definitely just
(37:30):
seeing people happy and peoplehelping.
And man, we are all in thistogether.
And so we gotta have, and I I goto that a lot, but we're all in
this together and we gotta haveeach other's backs.
SPEAKER_03 (37:39):
I love it.
Thank you for having my back andbeing on this show.
SPEAKER_02 (37:44):
Listen, number one Florida Keys, number one podcast
in the Florida Keys, soon to benumber one podcast in the
nation, and then we're takingover the world, Joy.
Just get ready for it becausewhen you are taking over the
world, I'm coming knocking andbeing like, yo, what's up?
Let me get on again.
I'm trying to get some morefollowers.
So it's just a matter of time,Joy.
I I love what you're doing, andI respect you so much.
And and I think we I thinkyou've already seen growth from
(38:04):
where you started to whereyou're at now.
I I see you all over my feedwith people sharing what you're
doing, and you're spreading sucha good message.
Uh, Joy, I'm I'm so proud of youas a person, and I'm so
appreciative to call you afriend.
And and what people don't knowis Joy actually married Romana
and I.
So she brought a whole bunch ofjoy into our life, not only with
what she does, uh, but what shedid for us.
(38:26):
So um, you know, Joy, I'm justso thankful that you're in my
life, and I'm so appreciative,and I cannot wait to see where
you take this thing because Iknow it's only up from here.
You've been moving up and you'redoing it, you're grinding.
And uh I'm I'm excited to see,uh, I'm excited to see where
this goes.
SPEAKER_03 (38:41):
Thank you, my friend.
Much love and continued success.
Go Konks.
SPEAKER_02 (38:46):
Go Konks, baby.
Let's go, man.
SPEAKER_03 (38:48):
This episode is sponsored by Ramonis, promoting
Kunk Pride since 1971.
I'm Joy Newleich, and Iappreciate you tuning into my
podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode,drop a review, share, and
subscribe because there's a lotof good stuff on tap.
You can find more joyful contenton YouTube, the socials, or
check my website atjoynoolish.com.
(39:10):
Now go surround yourself withthe things that bring joy to
your world.
Until next time, much love.
I'm on my brother, focused on the maxes, no relax.
And we got money coming in andall these jokes, we got it
backin'.
Mike stacked the brothersbackin' that's where we tapin'.
Ain't no rappin' in this back.
But you know we making magic andbuilding, get the camera ready,
he is sharp, still, he knows howto keep the camera steady.
So them bring them drones out.
(00:40):
I'm really in my throat now,there's no doubt.
Do this for my hometown with myown sound.
Yeah, it's kinda crazy when themhobbies get to turn in pages.
We not as same you in themodern, then I'm in the majors.
I'm getting hit, you in thefidgens.
SPEAKER_03 (00:53):
You Thanks for tuning in to the conks, a Bring
Joy podcast.
I'm your host, Joy Newish.
I'm a first generation conchraised by a fourth.
What does that add up to?
A whole lot of conch pride.
And that's what this show is allabout celebrating the incredible
people of Key West and theirstories from every corner of our
conk community.
(01:14):
So sit back and relax, cuz.
Let's do this thing.
This episode is sponsored byRamonis, promoting conch pride
since 1971.
How are we doing, conk fans?
I got a good one for you today.
We're talking with Mike Stat,Key West's number one
entertainer, a true conk andall-around good guy.
Welcome to the show, Michael.
SPEAKER_02 (01:35):
Joy, I appreciate you.
Full name, Michael.
I like it.
I need that intro every singletime I go on stage.
How are we doing, Joy?
Talk to me.
SPEAKER_03 (01:44):
Hey, first thing I want to do is ask you if you
like this hat.
SPEAKER_02 (01:47):
That's my favorite hat.
Uh, you know, you rock it somuch nicer than I do.
But I mean, uh the just smilehat, like we talked about.
See, let's just intro this realquick.
People don't realize we just gotdone doing 10 minutes of
interview, and my internetconnection was not great.
So we just went through a couplequestions, and and people don't
realize that.
So I'm just gonna let everybodyknow my internet connection at
(02:08):
my house is not great.
So if you're coming over to usethe Wi-Fi, it's not gonna work.
But Joy, that is a fantastichat.
I love that hat, the Just SmileMic Stack hat, and you wear it
so well, Joy.
That is the Mic Stack CollabBring Joy official hat.
We gotta drop it like that.
It is what it is.
We need to bring joy on theother side, and and we gotta do
it right.
SPEAKER_03 (02:26):
We got room.
We got room.
SPEAKER_02 (02:27):
I'm telling you, Joy, let's do it.
SPEAKER_03 (02:30):
Hey, thanks for giving everybody the fans the
behind the scenes.
And let's go right behind thescenes.
Talk to me about, you know, Iintroduce you as Key West
Entertainer, number oneentertainer, because you're all
over the place in the Key Westmusic scene from performer to
promoter.
The last four or five years justreally blown up with your
(02:50):
career.
So tell me what's going oncurrently with Mike Stack, and
let's go back a few years to howthis all started.
SPEAKER_02 (02:57):
So coming up, we have a big show over at the Blue
Flamingo Resort, the BackyardSocial Club.
It's it's right there with the24 North and the Gates Hotels
used to be.
Now it's one property.
But we got the New Year's EveEve celebration with Mike Stack
and Friends, presented byFlorida Keys Electric.
Shout out to them and shout outto all our sponsors that are
backing us for this concert.
But we're pretty much bringingall my friends to the Backyard
(03:18):
Social Club.
We're throwing a big concertwith the big stage, the big
lights, the big sound.
We got fireworks at the end.
You know, I love fire.
I haven't been able to getactual fire shooters at a show.
And uh I love me somepyrotechnics.
So having fireworks is amazing.
And uh, you know, at the end ofthe day, it's a free show,
family-friendly show.
Bring everybody.
Uh, but we're also raising moneyfor the Autumn Society of the
(03:39):
Florida Keys.
Um, you know, just by coming anddropping a couple dollars in,
we're we're doing well for thecommunity.
So uh, you know, it's it's it'sgonna be a great time.
So that's 1230, uh, December30th, the New Year's Eve Eve
celebration with Mike Stack andFriends at the Blue Flamingo
Resort and Backyard Social Clubfrom 6 to 9.
The party starts at 6.
Fireworks go off at 9.
SPEAKER_03 (04:00):
And it's a holiday season.
I think you got a few morethings on your calendar, don't
you?
SPEAKER_02 (04:05):
We do.
So we got the ugly sweaterparty, December 23rd at Pickles
Pub.
You can win$500 if you have theugliest, craziest, most
entertaining sweater.
Not bad, right?
And uh and then we're gonnathat's it.
And we're gonna close out theyear at General Horseplay uh
with our New Year's Evecountdown to 2026 party.
We're gonna be counting down,we're gonna be having a good
(04:25):
time, and then uh we're in the26th, doing bigger, better,
figure out how we can, you know,just one up 2025.
SPEAKER_03 (04:33):
You mentioned your friends.
One of the things I love aboutyou is you share the stage with
other artists, from professionalartists to even the young kids
in the community that just needthat moment on stage, that first
moment to break the ice.
Where did all that come from?
SPEAKER_02 (04:50):
You know, I feel like I'm very fortunate to have
this opportunity and to be putin these situations where I can
do my my own concerts.
What people might not know isall of these concerts I'm
producing, I'm I'm bringing inthe sound, I'm bringing in the
lights, I'm contacting theartists, I'm contacting the
venues, I'm contacting sponsorsbecause these things aren't
cheap.
We're we're putting on fullshows with the big lights and
(05:12):
the big sound, and and shout outto all the sponsors, you know,
who have sponsored any show uhfrom day one until now, because
without them we cannot do it.
Uh, but I just feel like it it'sit's something that I should do.
You know, if I was growing up inthis community and there's
somebody like me with a platformlike I had, and and I had this
talent, I I never think I'm themost um, you know, talented
(05:33):
person.
I think I I work hard and Ithink I am a very good uh
musician, a good artist, a agood entertainer.
Uh, but I know there's a lot ofother talent out there that
needs to be seen.
So if I can do my part and andget, you know, some of these
local artists on stage, some ofthese local kids, these
teenagers, these young adultsthat just need a platform
because they are so talented.
Shout out to my dog Matt that'sbeen on the saxophone the last
(05:55):
couple shows.
Uh he's he's so talented.
And I think I got thisopportunity, and and I need to
do right by it, and I need to dowell by it, and I need to
showcase some of our other KeyWest local artists.
SPEAKER_03 (06:06):
The other thing you do, you already mentioned this
next concert.
It always, there's always abenefit to someone.
Um, you're always passing thehat, whether it's Garrett
Hughes, Dexter Butler, the foodbanks, how where'd that um
generous spirit come from?
SPEAKER_02 (06:22):
I think um, you know, all these concerts are
free.
Again, shout out to the sponsorsfor making that happen.
I understand that not everybodycan afford concert tickets.
Um, and and some people need toexperience a concert.
You know, what's nice about aconcert is it gets you out of
the element, whatever elementyou may be in, if it's a bad
element, a good element,whatever it is, for that night,
all you're worried about is thisconcert.
Um so you know, what we try todo is these free community shows
(06:43):
to just bring the communitytogether.
And if we're bringing thecommunity together, what can we
do to help the community?
Um, unfortunately, uh a coupleof shows, something's happened
before that was just so, soterrible.
And uh, you know, during thosetimes, we as a community need to
come together and we need tosupport our own and we need to
have the back of our neighborsand our friends.
(07:04):
So I think uh, you know, it itstarted honestly with with
Garrett, with that first benefitconcert.
The first two concerts we did,we didn't raise any money.
You know, we just did these freecommunity shows and they weren't
for anything.
And then, you know, afterGarrett's benefit, I seen like
there's there's greater good tobe done uh with these free shows
because they're free, so why notdrop a five in the bucket?
(07:27):
Why not drop a ten in thebucket?
Anything helps.
So I I think you know, Garrettis a big part of why we do this
now, is is because you know, westarted with with him and and
he's still showing people thathe's around, and and I I like to
think every show he's there withme.
I know he is.
Um, but I say it started withGarrett's benefit concert, and
it's just grown from there, andand we just try to do what we
(07:49):
can, whether it's for somethinggood or or something bad or
something good, right?
We're raising money for maybe alocal sports team or or or
something like that.
So just about helping eachother.
I think everybody needs ahelping hand sometimes, and um,
you know, that's that's that'sall we try to do.
SPEAKER_03 (08:03):
I talk about bringing joy to the world, and
you you certainly do that in somany ways.
Let's go back a little bitbecause you're at this level of
success now, a lot of hard work.
But talk about the last three,four, five years.
How did it accelerate to thepoint at which you're at now?
SPEAKER_02 (08:20):
Yeah, so you know, when I was growing up, I was in
choir, I was in the plays, I wasdoing all this.
I like being the center ofattention.
And then when I went to college,I didn't have this big group of
friends.
I went with like 15, 20 friendsthat were there, but I was in
front of a whole bunch of peoplebefore that.
So I started making music andputting it on YouTube, and it
was just for my friends, justhaving a good time.
And that, you know, moved backhome, got a job, a regular
(08:43):
nine-to-five, kept making music.
I was working at the college2017 to about 2022, and uh I
just kept making music.
I kept trying to see what Icould do.
I always knew if maybe I couldmake like a hometown anthem or a
song about Key West, it could bea really good uh, you know, jump
to help.
You know, if we can geteverybody in the city behind us,
I know we could we could dowell.
(09:04):
So we kept doing that.
Shout out to Keys Island Runner,Choo Choo.
Uh we made a theme song for themthat did really well.
It was only on SoundCloud, butwe started getting this
following.
Uh and then I made a couple moresongs that people enjoyed, and I
made this song called Boat Daysthat people enjoyed.
And then right after Yeah, metoo, right?
It's a boat day, man.
It's always a boat day downhere.
So then uh so then right afterboat days, we dropped down from
(09:26):
Key West.
Shout out to D Lou.
And and you know, I'm from KeyWest has done so much for us.
Uh it really was the anthem thatI always dreamed about making.
It was the one that I knew if Igot this, we could do so much
more.
I could do so much more.
I could make this my job.
And I'm so fortunate that peopleattach to the song like we
attached to the song when wemade it.
(09:47):
Because without that, we wedon't have anything.
Without the people supportingus, without the people coming to
the shows, without the peoplebuying the merch, without the
people listening to the music,we don't have, you know,
anything.
So we made I'm from Key West,and you know, honestly, I'm From
Key West was out, and it wasjust getting streams from
people, and it took a year.
And then finally, shout out toRick Lopez and everybody at 927,
(10:08):
but it got on the radio, it goton a couple other radio
stations, Party 1049, and uh,and that brought it to a whole
new level because and Key Westhas had so many levels, it's
funny.
We made it, it was juststreaming.
Then it got put on the radio,and all these visitors are
hearing it, and people are like,oh, you know, I'm from North
Dakota, but I came down to KeyWest and I listened to the song
and I love it.
And and for two minutes and 30seconds, when I put that song on
(10:29):
and it's freezing outside, I'mback in Key West drinking my
margarita, or I'm on the beach,or and we get that message.
My DMs are filled with thosemessages.
And that's so cool to see.
Like, I made this song about myisland.
I made this song for my peopleon the island.
But people that aren't from herelove the song just as much as
the people that love it that arefrom here.
And even the people that comedown here and they plan on
(10:50):
staying a year or two, and thenthey're down here for 10 years.
I tell everybody when we do thatsong, whether you are visiting
Key West, whether you've beenhere a year, whether you've been
here 20 years, 30 years, 40years, when this chorus comes
on, we are all from Key West.
At this moment, right now, weare all from Key West.
Joy, I went from 10 to 15streams a month to after the
Keys Island Runner song, 100 to200 streams a month.
(11:12):
And, you know, coming from whereI was coming from, 10 to 15
streams to 200, that's a bigjump, right?
You got to be present and yougot to understand where you come
from, where you're trying to go,but you gotta be present in the
moment and joy.
That that 200 streams was a bigwin for me.
Then I'm from Key West, popsoff, and now we're seeing 400
streams a week, 500 streams aweek, and I'm like, what is
going on?
Everything is, this is great.
(11:33):
Let's go.
Uh so you know, it's been a lotof fun.
I'm from Key West was definitelythe jump off for me.
And um, and then, you know, itit led people to all of my other
songs.
I think I'm a great writer.
I think I'm a great um, youknow, I I really can put people
in a place, whether it's on aboat or on an island, or I can
put people in a place with mylyrics, but everybody, it takes
(11:55):
that one song for anything,right?
It takes, it takes that onething for other people to get
attracted to it.
So I'm from Key West, is whatbrought everybody to my other
stuff.
And then they start listening tomy other music, and all the
other songs start gettingstreams, and everything starts
going up and up and up.
And now I'm very fortunate to bein a nice spot where we do well
on our streams, and um, youknow, not great, not millions
(12:16):
and millions, but for me,reminding myself where I came
from two years ago, when I wasgetting 10 to 15 streams a
month, you know, I'm in I'm inan amazing spot and I'm out I'm
allowed to do so much morethings with these concerts and
and with the events we do.
But getting off topic, yeah, soI think I'm from Key West was
was definitely the the turningpoint for us when we really, you
know, started to gain steam.
(12:37):
And we didn't do a show until ayear after, a year and a half
after I'm from Key West cameout.
And uh, you know, I had thisidea that I wanted to do a big
production, light sound,everything.
I want people to come and reallyfeel the concert.
And that's what we did.
But I'm from Key West isdefinitely what put us over the
hill and really allowed me tostart get rid of my nine to five
and really start doing thisthing.
SPEAKER_03 (12:59):
Hey, I love that song.
I can't hear it enough.
I mean, I feel like that songhas been playing in my head for
57 years, right?
Since I was born.
And I think a lot of conksespecially feel that way.
That's like that's our themesong that's been playing in our
head since we, you know, sincewe were little kids and we just
didn't have anything.
(13:19):
And so you came along and putwords to it.
Like you said, you are a greatwriter, and it defines us as
conks.
And everybody, you know, that'swhat makes Key West special,
right?
Is everybody wants to be fromKey West, right?
Whether you're from NorthDakota, South Dakota, whatever,
everybody loves Key West, andthat song, those lyrics really
(13:40):
hit home.
So so yeah, you nailed it.
It's it's the anthem.
SPEAKER_02 (13:44):
And you know, shout out to D Lou, man, because
without his part on there, thesong doesn't, you know, it's not
the same song.
You know, I really hit the fun,Key West vibrant, the streets,
the energy, the food, thepeople.
Then D Lou touches on some stuffin Key West, you know, the rent
ain't cheap.
You know, we gotta do two, threejobs.
You you you're you're working totry to make it, but it's uh you
(14:07):
enjoy it here, you love it hereso much.
Um so you know, shout out to Louuh for always holding it down.
You know, Lou is one of thosepeople that I really appreciate,
you know, more than I can putinto words because Lou gave me
the confidence to really do thatfirst show.
You know, Lou's like, yeah, youcould do it.
Hell yeah, man.
Come on.
You got this, you got this,right?
So everybody I think needssomebody when you're doing
(14:27):
something.
And and shout out to D Lou, man,he's really had my back from day
one and continues to have myback.
I go to him with some crazystuff.
I'm like, yo, I got an idea thatwe should do this or that.
Or, hey, we're opening for acountry star.
Let's go do this and that.
And and and Lou's Lou never everhesitates.
He's always just like, Allright, let's go.
SPEAKER_03 (14:44):
Hey, I love that.
And I got I have him on my listright here because you have done
a lot of collaborations, and Iwant to talk about that a little
bit, but he he's my favorite.
Whenever you're working with DLou, you know, 2005 State Champ,
you know, Key West boy.
I was gonna ask you, um, how howdid you two connect?
SPEAKER_02 (15:03):
So, uh, you know, Lou was living in Tampa at the
time.
Well, in 2020, Lou was living inTampa and he had this business
and everything shut down.
So after 2020, Lou came back toKey West.
And uh Tyler Carter actually, Iwas at this party, and Tyler's
like, hey, and and I knew Lou,uh, I knew Lou back in high
school, um, just like passing inthe hallways, being at the same
(15:24):
party uh on the baseball fieldand stuff like that.
And I listened to a lot of DLou's freestyles in high school
because Lou was freestyling inhigh school a little bit.
So I was listening to his stuffon YouTube and whatnot.
Um Tyler Carter's like, hey,Lou, I seen him at the gym.
He wants to reach out aboutrecording a couple songs because
I got my microphone andeverything at the crib, you
know.
At that point, though, I wasrecording out the bathroom.
I had the microphone set up inthe bathroom, the best acoustics
(15:46):
were in there.
So I'm on the MacBook in there.
We got everything set up inthere.
And Lou's like, you know, TylerCarter hit me up, and I've been
listening to Lou now for 10years, and I'm like, please.
I text him that day.
I said, Lou, whatever you gottarecord, come to the crib.
We'll record it right now.
You know, no charge.
And Lou's like, no, I gotta payyou something.
I'm like, you know what you canpay me in?
You can pay me in a verse.
I don't know when I want it.
(16:07):
I don't know what it's gonna beon, I don't know the type of
song it's gonna be on, but youcan pay me in a verse.
That's what I want this paymentto be.
I'll record as many, howevermany songs you want.
I just want one Lou from D Lou.
I want one verse from D Lou andand I'll be happy, right?
That's that's the biggest formof payment that I can receive.
So uh this was in January andthen I'm from Key West came up,
(16:28):
and and you know, I'm hearingthis instrumental.
And the first time through, I'msinging, I'm from Key West.
I'm from I'm like, oh, I got it.
And as soon as I finished theidea of the song, sent it to
Lou.
I'm like, this is what I wantyou on.
This is what I need you on.
This is the song that I've beenwaiting for to not only make for
my city, but to make for myself,to really see where we can go
(16:49):
with it.
And you're the guy I want on itbecause you're the only other
person that is gonna representthe city like I know we can.
Because in all his music, he wasalready repping Key West, and I
was repping Key West.
So it was a match made inheaven.
It was supposed to be patiencepays.
When I tell I tell people allthe time, don't rush, be
patient.
Let things take the course,right?
(17:10):
Do your work, stay to the plan,but don't try to rush anything.
And if it doesn't work out rightaway, it's okay.
Be patient.
We made that song and we've beenoff to the races ever since.
Now we got probably 10 to 12songs.
We we can do full shows, just meand Lou.
Um, but that that's how we let.
That's how we met.
And I tell you what, it's beenride or die ever since, man.
If he needs something, I'mthere.
(17:30):
If I need something, he's there.
No matter what it is, we're wejust started up our own uh
entertainment company.
So now we're we're throwing ourown parties and doing that
stuff.
We plan on opening a bar here inKey West, hopefully uh called
Stack and Lose in the next, youknow, two, three, four, five
years.
So, you know, we got a lot ofideas, and it all started with
with uh a January meetup in thebathroom studio for him to
(17:51):
record some tracks and and tosay, hey, I need a verse when
I'm ready.
So shout out to Lou, man.
That's my dog, and I'm I'm very,very, very appreciative of
everything he's done for me inthis journey.
SPEAKER_03 (18:01):
Hey, that's that's beautiful.
Thank you for sharing that.
I literally got chills and tearsin my eyes.
Um, talk about some of the othercollaborations because you
talked about country music,you've done some other things
too.
So talk about some of thecollaborations and the the
courage to to do collaborations,right?
And to mix it up with genres andwhatnot.
SPEAKER_02 (18:23):
I think my my biggest thing is is I don't ever
want to be in one lane.
And some people are like, yougotta stay in one lane.
Nobody can get attracted to youif you're all over the place.
And I'm like, well, watch me.
Let me let me try it.
And and now, you know, I gotthese songs that are hip-hop,
and I got I Want My Beer.
I got Hometown that are country.
I got a song called I'm on anisland as reggae.
I got my dog.
SPEAKER_01 (18:44):
Okay, everyone.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_02 (18:45):
Let's go, let's go.
I got my dog Mose out inCalifornia making these house
music songs with my lyrics.
Like, we are not gonna stay inone lane.
The more opportunities I givemyself, the more opportunities I
have to maybe, you know, beseen.
I made I Want My Beer, and BillyCurrington, you know, super mega
country star Billy Currington,heard that song, and that's the
(19:05):
reason I opened up for him inKey West when he came to Key
West, is because I made a songthat was country-ish, and I
still do a little rapping on it.
I'm not this country singer,right?
But but the thing is, you know,by stepping outside the lane and
not just keeping myself in thisone area, uh, more doors have
opened than anything.
So that's one thing I alsosuggest.
If don't listen to people thatdon't know.
(19:28):
If somebody actually has a goodidea of what you're trying to do
and they've been around thebusiness, listen to them.
But when people were telling meto stay in my lane and and to
focus on one genre, I was like,nah, I'm good.
Watch me.
And, you know, we've we've gotmore from going outside the
lanes than we have from stayingin the lanes.
So yeah, and and we got somegreat collaborations.
We've made songs with JoshKaiser.
Sharice, who's like the mosttalented uh ever female singer,
(19:52):
she actually just got signed andshe's got a debut EP coming out.
We got a song that's about todrop that's very country, you
know, hip hop, but yeah.
I think the biggest thing is dowhat you want to do, enjoy it,
have fun with it.
Don't ever listen to anybodythat isn't worth listening to.
Now if they got some good adviceand and you know it's good
advice, because you can feel it.
You can feel good advice, youcan feel bad advice.
(20:13):
Listen to it.
But but if it's just some advicethat you don't feel, just keep
it moving, do what you gotta do,have fun, enjoy it, and watch
what happens.
SPEAKER_03 (20:21):
Talk about being seen.
You've now performed on prettymuch every stage in Key West,
from the rooftop at Sloppy Joe'sto the amphitheater, everything
in between.
Talk about some of those momentsand do you ever just pinch
yourself?
SPEAKER_02 (20:38):
Yeah.
Yeah, all the time.
I uh, you know, we started atthe Perry on on the Perry Hotel
out there in Stock Island, andwe did our own show, brought in
the speakers, brought in thelights.
And then from the Perry, we dida couple shows out there, and
then we moved to the Sunset Pierand kind of a bigger stage.
Shout out to Roger at the SunsetPier.
And then from there, we were atthe Cas Marina when they got
(20:58):
finished uh with their backyardconstruction.
And and then all of a sudden,after that, and and we actually,
you know, when we did theGarrett Hughes benefit concert,
I reached out to Kelly Norman.
Shout out to Kelly, and andeverybody at Ramshead was so
open.
Whatever you need, let us know.
They donated the amphitheater uhto us, which is a crazy price to
get the amphitheater because ofeverything that goes into it and
(21:19):
making it run.
Shout out to DJ Sonaris.
We were on top of Sloppy Joe'sat New Year's Eve a couple years
ago.
Um, you know, shout out toNadine uh with We've Got the
Keys and the SongwritersFestival because Songwriters
Festival has had us the lastthree years, and this past year
they let us perform on the DuvalStreet stage, which was out of
this world, just performing onthis stage in front of all these
(21:39):
people on Duval Street.
(22:18):
I'm so fortunate, and you know,I love the big stages, but I
love the small stages, I lovethe medium stages.
Any stage, anytime I can be onstage to just show people that
we got something different, weare special, uh, it's a good
time.
But yeah, I'm I'm the mostblessed person in Key West.
I am I am so fortunate, I am sograteful, and I'm so
appreciative because I've beengiven more opportunities than I
(22:40):
can count.
And, you know, I'll tell you onething.
People give me theopportunities, but when they
give it to me, I always comethrough.
And and I think that's thebiggest thing is when you do get
these opportunities, you gottaact.
You gotta make sure you areready for the moment.
And when you get the moment, yougotta shine and you gotta do
what you do because that's howyou're gonna get more
opportunities.
If I would have been really poorafter my first opportunity,
(23:01):
people would have been like,nah, we're good.
If the first show we did wasjust very basic, how do you know
if these people keep comingback?
What do you what we gotta givethem something to come back for?
SPEAKER_03 (23:10):
I I love that.
Like think thinking withoutlimits and being ready for that
inspiration that you know whenthe inspiration's gonna come,
you gotta be ready to receiveit.
You know, no doubts, no limits.
And you talk about peoplewanting to get in your ear and
tell you how to do things, youyou'll have that feeling.
If they're trying to lift you upand help you fly, or they're
trying to hold you back and andyou know, planting that seed of
(23:32):
doubt.
There's there's no room, there'sno room for that, right?
SPEAKER_02 (23:36):
No, and and you'll know, you know, you know.
I had people come up to me thatwanted to produce our first
show, my first show.
And and what they were tellingme sounded great, but it didn't
really make sense.
And my gut was telling me, no,don't do this.
You can do it yourself, you cando it better, you can do it
bigger.
If you take this opportunity, inmy head, I'm like, it might
diminish everything I've beenworking towards.
(23:57):
It might not work like I want itto work.
So that's why I always say, man,trust your gut.
Uh it's it's really never wrong.
If you think in your head thatit's not a good deal, if you
think in your head that you'renot supposed to be doing that,
you're probably not supposed tobe doing that.
It's probably not a good deal.
Um, so so trust your gut.
And like I said, good advice.
You you tend to know when you'regetting good advice, you tend to
(24:18):
know when you're getting badadvice when the person giving it
to you might be in it fordifferent reasons.
So trust that gut.
SPEAKER_03 (24:23):
I gotta go back to you and D Lou again because um,
and talking about you being agood guy.
I've had the opportunity towitness the joy that you bring
to Key West, your audience, tokids.
I've been at a school campuswhen you and D Lou walk into an
auditorium or a gym, and thepure joy that the the fans feel
(24:51):
when they see you two walk in isincredible.
And most especially iswitnessing the way that the two
of you receive it, right?
It seems to me from myperspective, watching you is is
that it fills you up.
And it's that's what you it'slike this out-of-body thing
that's that's happening.
SPEAKER_02 (25:11):
It's crazy, Joy.
It's it's nuts.
You know, and I remember the oneyou were at, it was H O B.
We walked in the gymnasium.
And, you know, it's it's it'sthe best feeling in the world
when you walk somewhere andyou're greeted with that energy
because all we try to do is givethat same energy back.
Whenever we're on stage,whenever we see people in
public, whenever we're anywhere,we just try to give the best
energy we can.
(25:32):
And when we get all that back,and we got 800 kids, 600 kids,
young adults screaming, goingcrazy when we walk in, it is
unlike anything else.
I get goosebumps, myadrenaline's at like 4,000, my
heart's pumping, I'm ready torun through a brick wall.
Uh these, these, these, youknow, and the first time, first
time I ever experienced that wasat the high school, and in, you
(25:54):
know, in that kind of forum, wewalk into a, I walk into a pep
rally, me and Lou, and the placejust erupts.
I walk into there, my ears wereringing for like an hour after
the fact, but I was like pumpedup.
I was like, I could run rightnow, I could lift weights.
So I'm like, put me in theweight room.
I don't even go to the weightroom, and I was ready to lift
weights, man.
Um, so it's it's the bestfeeling in the world.
And you know, I am very awarethat without the kids um, you
(26:18):
know, having our back, withoutfrom QS especially, they made
their parents listen to it 10times in a row on the way to
school.
They still do.
So I'm very aware that withoutthe kids, without the young
adults, you know, without thempushing this music, uh, we might
not be in this situation at all.
So, so shout out to the youngones, shout out to the
teenagers, shout out to theyoung adults, shout out to the
(26:38):
old adults, shout out toeverybody, man.
We really, really do appreciatey'all.
But yeah, the kids are adifferent energy, man.
When the kids go crazy, they'regrabbing, they're like, ah, I
feel like, you know, I'm I feellike I'm on top of the world.
I feel like all my songs aredebuting at number one in the
charts, and I got the highestselling album, and they make it
all worth it.
SPEAKER_03 (26:57):
I love it.
And um, along those lines, I'llask you this: how do you measure
success?
SPEAKER_02 (27:03):
I think if you're enjoying it and if you're in a
spot that you can really look atyourself and say, I'm doing
everything I can towards whatI'm trying to do, I'm giving it
100%, and I'm seeing results.
Whether those results are littleresults or those results are big
results, that's a success.
It's when you stop and you giveup and and you no longer try to
attempt what you want to dobecause you think you can't do
(27:24):
it.
If I would have given up, I'vebeen do Joy, I've been doing
this, I've been making musicsince I was 20 years old.
I've been making music for 15years.
I got a microphone 10 years agoand I started making music uh,
you know, a little bit moreclear than off the MacBook,
because in the beginning itsounded very terrible.
Uh, but you know, 10 years ago.
So if I would have stopped twoyears after I got my mic because
(27:46):
that those 10 streams, those 15streams a month, you know, not a
week, not a day, a month, thatmeans my song was getting played
10 to 15 times a month.
If I would have stopped then,would have never been here.
Would have never got here.
But I was I was happy that I had10 to 15 people listening.
And and so I think success is iswhat you measure it.
(28:07):
You can you're the only personthat can measure your own
success.
If you start trying to haveother people measure it, you're
gonna stop doing what you'redoing because guess what?
There's hundreds and thousandsof people that are doing much
better than I am in terms oftheir success and where they're
at.
But I don't judge my success ontheir success.
They had a different route, Ihave a different route.
(28:28):
This is my route.
And right now I'm having fundoing it.
I'm seeing results, I'm takingit day by day.
If it's small results, if it'sbig results, at the end of the
day, it's results.
And I feel like a success.
I'm successful.
I'm putting food on the table.
I am living, I'm enjoying whatI'm doing.
I'm happy that that is success.
SPEAKER_03 (28:49):
I love that.
That's that's gonna be a clipright there.
SPEAKER_01 (28:53):
Let's go.
I love it.
SPEAKER_03 (28:55):
That's a mic drop.
Let's go.
Hey, no pun intended.
SPEAKER_01 (28:59):
Yeah, pun intended.
SPEAKER_03 (29:00):
Fun intended.
You know, and I can't help butthink about your mama and daddy.
Because I know you give themplenty of love.
Hearing you talk, and like Isaid, being able to witness your
performance and the way that youbring and receive joy.
I can't help but think aboutyour parents.
Um, tell me a little bit aboutyour mom and dad.
I know Papa Stag, he's got hisown thing going on.
SPEAKER_02 (29:21):
Yeah, man.
That's the man's thing.
SPEAKER_03 (29:22):
You gotta be proud.
SPEAKER_02 (29:23):
I'm very lucky, man.
My parents are the type ofparents that have always had my
back.
A lot of parents, when theirkids said, Hey, I want to be a
rapper, would have been like,Come on, come on, what are you
doing?
Let's let's get back to yournine to five.
I tell you what, my parentsnever, never, ever were like,
Don't do that.
You know, they were always like,All right, make it work.
You can do it.
(29:44):
I believe in you.
My mom, maybe a couple of times,she was like, I tell you what,
Papa Stack's always been, and mymom has had my back from day
one.
So shout out to Roba.
Uh, you know, but Papa Stack,man, that man, me and him were
hitting freestyles in the carwhen I was eight, nine years
old, right?
He's he's singing and having agood time.
So, you know, Papa Stack's beenmy biggest supporter, and he's
always had my back.
And, you know, in the beginningwhen we were started, I would,
(30:06):
you know, I was working at nineto five.
I was very much living paycheckto paycheck.
It's it was tough down here.
And if I needed something, Icould go to Papa Stack and he
would fund it for me while we wemade it and we got the money
back, right?
So Papa Stack has believed in memore than more than anybody in
the world, and and I am sofortunate to have them two as
parents because, like I said, alot of parents would have been
(30:27):
like, let's get real.
My parents never said let's getreal.
They just said, How can you makeit happen?
And do what you do to and dowhat you gotta do to make it
happen.
And as long as you work hard, wegot your back.
Now, if I wasn't working, if Iwas just sitting around, they
might have been feeling a littledifferently.
But they seen what I was doing.
And and to be honest, Papa Stackenjoys the spotlight more than
me.
Uh, he uh you see it what whenhe starts getting those Papa
(30:51):
Stacks out in public, that manstarts walking different.
He starts talking different.
He got a little bit of strut inhis step, and it's happening a
lot more, you know, lately,especially after his Christmas
song last year and all his foodreviews.
So Papa Stack's actingdifferent, man.
If you see Papa Stack in publicand you give him uh a hey Papa
Stack, just watch how that backgets straight and watch how them
(31:11):
shoulders start swaying.
But yeah, I got the best parentsin the world, man.
Shout out to my mom and shoutout to my dad.
Without them, I'm not where I'mat.
Um, so they put up with a lot inorder to get me here and you
know, just to just to stickthrough it all.
And I say they put up throughwith a lot because when you're
an entertainer, usually in highschool, you probably had some
phone calls home.
Uh, you know, I probably like toentertain a little too much in
(31:33):
class.
So I know in middle school andhigh school, I was causing them
some, you know, hair pullingwith with with all the uh
extracurricular entertainment Iwas doing in class, but we all
made it through.
We're here now, man.
And and shout out to them.
So I am I got nothing but lovefor them, and and shout out to
my brother too, man.
You know, Robert has supportedme a lot, and shout out to
Romana.
Romana has been my rock for thelast two years.
(31:53):
Probably the most important twoyears of this career, uh, you
know, Romana has has been there.
And before Romana, I had a lotof fun in terms of like I just
was not doing what I wassupposed to do.
I wasn't taking it seriously.
I was just happy that we had asong, and and Romana really made
me see it from a business side.
And and she she had me, youknow, really start taking it
(32:16):
serious.
And I can't say I'd be where I'mat without Romana, you know.
She really, she really made melock in and and really treat it
as a business and to also havefun with it.
I have a lot of fun.
We all know I have a lot of fun.
Uh, but she made me see thebusiness side of it and she made
me understand like you can dothis, you can have fun, but
let's get serious, you know.
You are now a representation ofyour city or your community, and
(32:38):
I knew that, but I there wastimes that I didn't take it as
serious as I should have.
And and so shout out to Romana,shout out to my people that have
always had my back from day one.
I I am so appreciative ofeverybody that's been there for
me.
SPEAKER_03 (32:50):
When you're not doing music, what do you enjoy
around Key West?
SPEAKER_02 (32:55):
Man, uh, so I love my happy hours.
Shout out to the boathouse.
Um, I love my boat days.
I just love walking around thecity sometimes, especially the
downtown area, um, you know,grabbing a drink or grabbing
some food and and really justappreciating where I'm from.
Sometimes we can take it forgranted.
Uh, you don't really you get sobusy with the hustle and bustle
(33:16):
you forget you live on anisland.
And I think you gotta, it'simportant to take a couple days
a month and just remember whereyou're from, take it all in,
walk around some streets, lookat some architecture.
You know, hopefully you're onthe boat every weekend.
But if you're not, try to get onthe boat a couple times and just
appreciate, man, you you livewhere people vacation.
And like I said, I forgetsometimes.
(33:37):
And then I'll cross the Cal KeyBridge and be like, oh man, I I
live on an island.
Like, I have to take a bridge toget here.
And it's a nice reminder ofjust, you know, we are so
fortunate.
So what I like to do is I liketo hang out with my family.
I love I love family time.
I think that's the mostimportant thing in my life is
spending time with the peoplethat you love because this is a
a fun trip, but it's a shorttrip, and we got to enjoy it
(34:00):
while we're here, and we got toenjoy the people that surround
us.
So, family, friends, uh enjoyyour city.
Uh, you know, we got a lot ofgood food down here, we got a
little got a lot of good musicdown here.
So I just try to take it all inand uh and and try to be in the
moment as much as I can.
And Romana, again, has helped mea lot with being in the moment
and enjoying everything as itcomes.
SPEAKER_03 (34:18):
Hey, you mentioned food food.
I gotta tell you, you've donesome really good food reviews.
If the music thing doesn't workout for you, if you do a food
review, I'm going to get it.
You was eating some french friesthe other day.
I'm still looking for the damnFrench fries truck.
SPEAKER_02 (34:34):
Listen, listen, listen.
So Papa Stack started doingthese food reviews, right?
And I was like, man, I can't letthis guy get all the shine.
Like he's already trying to takeoff my shine.
So we started doing some foodreviews, and and they've
actually done well.
We've only done a few.
Uh we don't do many, but uh, Iam gonna try to do more.
But man, shout out to my dogCarmona, Andrew Carmona, Fries
Guys.
(34:54):
What he does with fries is istremendous.
And and right now it's he's atthe beach most days.
You can follow him, uh FriesGuys underscore key west,
something like that.
If you type in Fries Guys, itshould pop up.
SPEAKER_03 (35:04):
That sounds good.
I did tell him Mike sent me.
SPEAKER_02 (35:06):
That's it.
Hey, you tell him that you mightget some extra topics.
So uh, you know, I would I woulddefinitely drop that plug.
SPEAKER_03 (35:12):
All right, I don't mind dropping a name here and
there.
So listen, we're gonna go aheadand uh and and wrap this up.
You know, we already talkedabout the Key West anthem.
I'm from Key West.
I believe that song talks aboutKong Pride.
I see you the way you show upfor your island, the way your
island shows up for you.
Maybe I don't have to ask thisquestion, but just in case,
(35:35):
maybe you left something out,what does conch pride mean to
you?
SPEAKER_02 (35:38):
Kong pride is uh is loving where you came from, but
also loving the people that arearound you where you're from.
Because if you love the city,that means you love the people
in the city.
And without the people in thecity, we don't have the city
that we have, right?
It's the people that have theconch pride.
It's not the city.
You the the city ain't full ofconch pride.
It's the people in the city thatare full of conch pride.
(36:01):
So conch pride to me is isloving where you came from,
repping where you came from, butalways having your neighbors
back, always supporting whatthey're trying to do, always
being there for them when theyneed you.
It's the people in the city thatcreate the conch pride.
And uh, you know, we we maybeget some of that conch pride
from being from where we'refrom, but we're the ones that
create it.
So I think, you know, conchpride to me is is is loving your
(36:23):
city, but but loving yourneighbors just as much and and
representing not only for yourcity, but like people do for me,
they rep for me, man.
And and anybody that reps forme, man, they're repping for a
conk born and raised, theyreping for Lou, born and raised.
So, you know, conch pride ismany things, but to me it's it's
repping your city and andrepping the people and loving
the people that are in it.
SPEAKER_03 (36:40):
That's fantastic.
And the and the last one, thefinal one, what brings you joy,
Mike Stat?
SPEAKER_02 (36:46):
What brings me joy is people like you, Joy.
It's people that appreciate whatthey have and and they just try
to do the right thing.
And they try to whether whatevertheir gift is, whatever they can
do, they're putting positiveinto the world.
I can't stand a negative person.
I don't have time for a negativeperson.
So what brings me joy is to seepeople doing what they want to
(37:08):
do and and using whateverplatform they have to do good,
whether it's just helpingsomebody that needs some food or
or being like you, putting on apodcast that people can watch
and listen to and bring a smileto their faces, whatever,
whatever that is, people beinghappy and people doing what they
they want to do really is whatbrings me joy.
And and a lot of things bring mejoy, but but definitely just
(37:30):
seeing people happy and peoplehelping.
And man, we are all in thistogether.
And so we gotta have, and I I goto that a lot, but we're all in
this together and we gotta haveeach other's backs.
SPEAKER_03 (37:39):
I love it.
Thank you for having my back andbeing on this show.
SPEAKER_02 (37:44):
Listen, number one Florida Keys, number one podcast
in the Florida Keys, soon to benumber one podcast in the
nation, and then we're takingover the world, Joy.
Just get ready for it becausewhen you are taking over the
world, I'm coming knocking andbeing like, yo, what's up?
Let me get on again.
I'm trying to get some morefollowers.
So it's just a matter of time,Joy.
I I love what you're doing, andI respect you so much.
And and I think we I thinkyou've already seen growth from
(38:04):
where you started to whereyou're at now.
I I see you all over my feedwith people sharing what you're
doing, and you're spreading sucha good message.
Uh, Joy, I'm I'm so proud of youas a person, and I'm so
appreciative to call you afriend.
And and what people don't knowis Joy actually married Romana
and I.
So she brought a whole bunch ofjoy into our life, not only with
what she does, uh, but what shedid for us.
(38:26):
So um, you know, Joy, I'm justso thankful that you're in my
life, and I'm so appreciative,and I cannot wait to see where
you take this thing because Iknow it's only up from here.
You've been moving up and you'redoing it, you're grinding.
And uh I'm I'm excited to see,uh, I'm excited to see where
this goes.
SPEAKER_03 (38:41):
Thank you, my friend.
Much love and continued success.
Go Konks.
SPEAKER_02 (38:46):
Go Konks, baby.
Let's go, man.
SPEAKER_03 (38:48):
This episode is sponsored by Ramonis, promoting
Kunk Pride since 1971.
I'm Joy Newleich, and Iappreciate you tuning into my
podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode,drop a review, share, and
subscribe because there's a lotof good stuff on tap.
You can find more joyful contenton YouTube, the socials, or
check my website atjoynoolish.com.
(39:10):
Now go surround yourself withthe things that bring joy to
your world.
Until next time, much love.
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