From Chaos to Career Comebacks: Behind the Scenes with a Concert Booking Agent

Real recognize real—and VA’s the secret weapon turning underground talent into LEGENDS.🚀  

Join DeShawn Snow and Skido Ortiz for a raw, faith-fueled chat with VA, the booking agent who’s spent 15 years turning NO into game-changing YES for hip-hop’s biggest names. In this episode, we dive into:  
- The GRIND: How VA went from street life to stage-directing sold-out tours (and why he’ll never touch the game again).  
- FAITH & HUSTLE: Praying through shootouts, dodging egos, and why God’s his ultimate "insurance policy" in the chaos.  
- CRAZY STORIES: Bullet holes at clubs, last-minute Skittles demands, and the viral comeback tour that changed everything.  
- REAL TALK: Why loyalty is greater than  money, how to spot fakes, and VA’s unfiltered advice for artists and promoters.  

Follow DeShawn on IG, Twitter, Facebook: @deshawnsnow
Follow Skido' on IG:  www.instagram.com/SkiMaguire
Follow VA on IG:  www.instagram.com/VAbooking

Episode Transcript

DeShawn Snow (00:21):
Welcome, everybody, to another episode of
Ten Steps Ahead. I'm your girl,DeShawn Snow.

Skido Ortiz (00:26):
Hey, boys. Skido's in the building. What's up?

DeShawn Snow (00:29):
And we have a special guest in the house
today.

Skido Ortiz (00:32):
Man, V. A. Is in the building.

VA (00:36):
How y'all doing? How y'all doing? Man, V.

Skido Ortiz (00:38):
We're happy to have you here.

VA (00:39):
Definitely. Happy to be here.

DeShawn Snow (00:42):
a little bit about how you know.

Skido Ortiz (00:43):
Nah. Nah. So first, first, first, let me do a a nice
introduction for you. And Iain't gonna take credit for it
because Deshaun wrote it. I'm areal one.
You feel me? But she wanted meto read. Today's guest, the man
who spent years turning no oneto hell yes for some of the
biggest names in hip hop andentertainment. VA isn't just a

(01:08):
concert booking agent. He's thesecret weapon behind explosive
careers, turning undergroundtalent into household names.
But here's what most peopledon't see, the grind, the
rejections, the chess move. Ittakes it takes to make magic
happen. It takes a lot to makemagic happen, and you make it

(01:29):
happen. And that's respect.

VA (01:30):
Hey, I love that.

Skido Ortiz (01:32):
Listen, what's happening?

VA (01:33):
I need that clip. Make sure you get send me that clip. That
was great. Thank you.

Skido Ortiz (01:38):
That was

VA (01:39):
great, man. That was great.

Skido Ortiz (01:40):
Well, She said it from my heart, and I mean it,
because I've seen you in work.As matter of fact, me and
Deshaun seen
you in Yes.
You know? And I came to VA, I was like, yo,
listen, I wanna put on aconcert.

VA (01:53):
Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (01:54):
But I don't wanna deal with the artist and the
headache or the egos and all thestuff you I can't do it. You're
the man. Yes. And that's when itall happened, man. It was a
pleasure.
So I had to get you on thisshow, to show behind the scenes
of what the real work is allabout.

VA (02:10):
Oh, yeah.

Skido Ortiz (02:11):
And on that note, I mean, Dee was we was excited to
do that concert with you.Deshaun was there.
We did a couple.
Did a couple. And we saw you work, sweat, and the
artist up there. Right, Dee?

DeShawn Snow (02:22):
Oh, yeah. He's a booking agent, so all He booked
the artist for us. Yes. And

VA (02:28):
I stage directed also.

DeShawn Snow (02:29):
Stage directed.

Skido Ortiz (02:30):
Book ins.
Well, see, when you book for an agent, you book it,
they take the money and theysay, Okay, that's it. We did our
job. Not only do you book them,you book them, he takes the job
serious. He'll go to the venue,then make sure the artist's on
stage. All of sudden, now he'sdirecting the stage.
Now he's putting the time. He'sscreaming at artists to come in
and out. That's more than abooking agent.

VA (02:50):
Oh, yeah. Definitely. And that that's what, you know,
distinguish me from a lot ofother booking agents. You know,
I go that extra mile. You feelme?

Skido Ortiz (02:58):
Absolutely, man. I love it. Don't you like that,
Dee Dee? Yeah.

DeShawn Snow (03:01):
So how long have you been doing it?

VA (03:02):
Fifteen years now, since 2010.

DeShawn Snow (03:05):
Oh, wow.

Skido Ortiz (03:06):
Yep. Yeah. Fifteen. Yeah. 2010 is a long time.
Yeah. But, you know, like wewere saying, fifteen years in
the game is a lot of experience.Yeah. That's the behind the
scenes of the works that aperson like you do. Like I said,
I never seen I'm not gonna say abooking agent.
I'm gonna say great businessman,a great entrepreneur, or

(03:27):
somebody that cares. Like,people would take how you look
and how you're screaming andyelling and get on time. But
these artists don't know. It'sbecause you care. You're a
perfectionist.
Yeah. And you want them to lookgreat.

VA (03:40):
Oh, yeah.

Skido Ortiz (03:40):
Remember I asked you, dude, I said, Y'all don't
know how he do that. I'll bechoking these. I'll flip because
I don't got no patience forthat, because they look at you.
But he makes them money, andthey respect him.

DeShawn Snow (03:51):
And make them wanna get booked again.

Skido Ortiz (03:52):
Yeah. And they get up there, and that takes a lot
of patience. How did you createthat patience, dealing with all
the me?

VA (03:58):
I'm just passionate about what I do, man. You know, I
wanna see the promoter win, andI wanna see the artist win. You
know, so that just kindacoinciding both of those
together is kinda how I developwhat I do, you know? Definitely.

DeShawn Snow (04:14):
What's up? So you said before the best bookings
come from believing in theartist, not just the numbers.

VA (04:19):
Yes.

DeShawn Snow (04:19):
So was there a moment early in your career
where you had to bet on your gutover money, and how did that
shape your approach?

VA (04:26):
I mean, it's You know, I gotta vet the artist and vet the
venue and the promoter. It allhas to make sense for me to
wanna take the booking. You feelme? So there's been some
bookings I didn't feel likewould make sense for me or my
brand or the artist brand, youknow, whether it was a safety
issue, a money issue, or just alocation issue, you know, I I

(04:49):
take all that into considerationwhen I'm doing these bookings.

Skido Ortiz (04:52):
I see.

VA (04:53):
So yeah.

Skido Ortiz (04:54):
That's what so you you got you something? Do you
pray before you deal with theseartists? Every day,

VA (04:59):
I pray. I wake up God first. That's that's the most important
thing. I wake up. I look atbible sermons every day.
I pray. That's that's importantwith what I do, because I go in
a lot of crazy places. I'm inChicago, East St. Louis, St.
Louis, something like the mostdangerous cities.

Skido Ortiz (05:16):
I saw you in the hood in Chicago in the projects.
I said, Yo, what you doing?Maybe
they get out of there. They don't play.

VA (05:22):
And this business has taken me in a lot of places that a lot
of people can't go. You know,I'm in a lot of cities with
guys, crazy gang bangers, drugdealers, and they actually
respect me because they know I'mthe one that's providing the
talent or I could possibly helpthem to get to the next level in
their career. Absolutely.Definitely. That's beautiful.

Skido Ortiz (05:44):
Awesome.
That's like you So, you go in places people are
scared of going. But, you know,at the same time, you're going
in places and pulling people outof their situations. A lot of
people are stuck in places wherethey have artists and they got
the money or, you know, theyjust don't know what to do. And
you go organize it. You'realmost like a I'm a consultant

(06:05):
in the industry.
You're almost like a consultant.Yeah. Right? Because he shows
them the plan. This is what wedo.
You're more than a bookingagent, bro.

VA (06:13):
Yeah. Definitely. Definitely. You know? That's
amazing.
I just go with the flow, man,and play all positions. I'm a
team player. I could play thisposition, that position. As long
as we get the job done and wewin in the end, that's the main
goal. You know what I'm saying?

Skido Ortiz (06:27):
Yes, sir. I can stamp that one because he
definitely did it for me. Wemade And he was like And then
the crazy part, he was moreupset where you know, I thought
it was great. He said, Nah, it
could have been
better. It's

DeShawn Snow (06:42):
High level of excellence.

Skido Ortiz (06:43):
The excellence. You understand that, dude.

DeShawn Snow (06:45):
Yeah, yeah. Everything he served due to
excellence.

VA (06:47):
Yeah, I'm a perfectionist when it comes to this business.
I'm tedious all the way down tothe minute. I don't want an
artist to come on a minute late,you know, because it can affect
other factors. You feel me? Soin this business, everything
gotta hit to make it, you know,to make it look good, you know,
definitely.

DeShawn Snow (07:05):
So in this industry full of egos and smokes
and mirrors, how do you staytrue to yourself when everyone
else is playing a role? Oh.

VA (07:14):
I stay humble. I don't look at myself like a lot of people
look at me. A lot of peoplethink I'm this big guy, which I
am. You know, I feel like I'mgetting to that level. But I
just try to stay humble and justjust stay real to myself.
You know what I'm saying? Youknow, once you start getting the
ego and feeling like you're thisbig guy, that's when things kind

(07:36):
of shift. You feel me? I'm stillthe guy I can go on the block.
I'm at milking honey every dayin the hood.
You feel me? I ain't too good togo over here, go over there. So
I just stay I just chill and beme. You feel me?

DeShawn Snow (07:52):
Got it. Authenticity.

Skido Ortiz (07:54):
But that comes from This thing is funny because I
talked to Okay, because I don'tknow if y'all noticed, but the
reason why me and V eight are soconnected, because all of us are
connected, because we got astrong faith in God. So don't
get confused by where he's at,what he's doing. This man holds
Bible studies.

VA (08:13):
Yeah. Matter of fact, I gotta teach Bible study tonight.
No, have to teach Bible studyYou all even need I gotta do the
sermon tonight at seven So whenI leave here, I'm going to prep
my sermon for tonight. So I'mkinda, you know, I'm I'm I'm
doing it all.

Skido Ortiz (08:29):
Hey, quick questions.
Are you going to Bible study? Praise the Lord,
love.

VA (08:32):
Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (08:33):
Thank you, mama. We good. And then all of sudden,
you're
a club. Booty, booty, booty, everywhere. Booty,
booty, booty.
How how do you just how do you do that?

VA (08:40):
I'm pastor. I'm prophesied that with an artist, talking to
people about God, you know? So Ifeel like that's just my
calling. Yeah. Know?
A lot of artists I talk to, hey,man, pray for me. Get me on the
bible line. You know, this andthis and that. So I just feel

(09:02):
like this is a part of mycalling. You know what I'm Then
when I'm in a club, I'm reallynot indulging in the club stuff.
I'm in there, but my mind is notin there most of the time. I'm
just trying to get the job done.You know what I'm So that's a
difference in being in the clubphysically and mentally. You
feel me?

Skido Ortiz (09:21):
Nah. You separate all that

VA (09:22):
stuff. Definitely.

Skido Ortiz (09:23):
Always on your job.

DeShawn Snow (09:24):
Yeah. Bring the fruit. The fruit. Why you got so
much fruit in your life, becauseyou're led by God and not

VA (09:33):
Oh, yeah, definitely. Definitely.

Skido Ortiz (09:34):
And people wouldn't know that. They know that now.
This man, really faith is high.And that's why we connect and
sit down. We be talking.
We go to Milk and Honey. Youknow, our little spot that you
guys gotta go there. Promote Oh,Yeah. We go there, and we just
let And really, you see Vserious, but I know V outside,
he's hilarious. This dude is thefunniest.

(09:55):
He should have his own show. Itold him that, but he's Yeah.
But he's just He's an amazingperson, man.

VA (10:00):
Yeah. Thank you, man.

Skido Ortiz (10:01):
He's an amazing person.

VA (10:02):
Thank you.

DeShawn Snow (10:03):
Okay. So walk us through a time when an artist's
career was flatlining, and thenyou pulled off a booking that
changed everything.

Skido Ortiz (10:09):
Wow. Because

DeShawn Snow (10:10):
we know everything is cyclical.

VA (10:11):
Just went through that. Shout out to my guy Young guy
late. I've been with thebrothers since 2010 also. We
came up under TI's record label.And for a while, you know, he
had a breakout record back intwenty ten, twenty eleven.
And for a while, it just wentflat. And then he did an
interview recently where it wentviral. And just a little clip

(10:37):
from his interview went viral.And we took that, ran with it,
and we just did like almost a 40city tour. Wow.
Yeah, we got five dates thisweek.

Skido Ortiz (10:47):
That's strategic.

VA (10:48):
Yeah. So that's definitely probably the biggest comeback
that I've seen an artist make ina

Skido Ortiz (10:56):
long time. Would love for him to get

VA (10:58):
on the

Skido Ortiz (10:58):
show and talk about that, because that was powerful.
Yeah. That's And so people tosay not to give up. Yeah. And
just don't because he was at hisworst time.

VA (11:06):
Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (11:06):
But you know the good part I love about you, V?
You don't turn your back onpeople. Even when they get in
the worst time, you reached outand you said, Yo, we're gonna do
it. And just like that, he knowsthat.

VA (11:16):
Yeah. And a lot of people was kinda like, hey, why why are
you still working with him? Thisand that. You bigger than that.
You bigger.
But he actually took me on someof my my first arena show back
in '20 And I always felt like Iowed my guy that. That's why I
stuck around so long. And it andit paid off. I mean, I just
brought a Porsche truck off thetour money we just It was worth

(11:38):
it.

Skido Ortiz (11:38):
You know
what I'm saying? So basically,
he believed in you when they didn't believe in you.
When he felt See, that's whathappened with
the Lord.
Y'all forget the people that believed in you in
the beginning, and then whenthey fall off, y'all keep going
and leave them behind.

VA (11:50):
Exactly.

Skido Ortiz (11:51):
That's your problem. That's why we out here
bringing the people behind thescenes to the forefront. And we
definitely needed to have you,and that's a great situation

VA (11:58):
right there, man.

Skido Ortiz (11:59):
I know he's happy to have you around. Yeah.
Because it's real.

VA (12:02):
Yeah, it's definitely. He just called me last night,
kinda, you know, down and out alittle bit. He feel like I'm the
only one that's in this court,you know, right now. And I
really am. It's just been me andhim for a long time, you know,
even with the new success andall of that and all the people
that's coming around, you gottakinda know and distinguish
what's real and what's not, you

DeShawn Snow (12:23):
-MIKELLE

Skido Ortiz (12:24):
That's sad.

DeShawn Snow (12:25):
Okay, so you book shows for everyone from rookies
to superstars.

VA (12:28):
Yes.

DeShawn Snow (12:28):
What's the most ridiculous no you've ever heard,
and how did you flip -MIKELLE:

VA (12:32):
You say no.

DeShawn Snow (12:33):
Whether it's the artist saying no, they don't
wanna do it or the promotersaying no, they don't wanna book
them. Where it was likeridiculous. Like, Craziest.

VA (12:43):
Like the craziest show I've ever booked or

DeShawn Snow (12:47):
Situation.

Skido Ortiz (12:47):
Situation.

DeShawn Snow (12:49):
That you had to like It worked out in the end.

Skido Ortiz (12:52):
You had to bring you thought it wouldn't work
out, then it all of suddenbecause you did this and made
this move and it worked out. Youprobably had a whole bunch of
those.

VA (12:59):
I did. I don't wanna name the artist.

DeShawn Snow (13:01):
Don't have no names. Don't to name the artist.

VA (13:02):
You don't

Skido Ortiz (13:02):
drop names, but Yeah.

VA (13:03):
But it was, I'm a say the most dangerous shit.

Skido Ortiz (13:06):
Okay. I like that. I

VA (13:09):
had two artists that was beefing with each other. Oh.

Skido Ortiz (13:12):
And I

VA (13:12):
was bringing this particular artist to Atlanta. Okay. And
it's crazy because I do a lotwith the other artists now. And
this particular artist called meand say, Hey man, don't bring
them to the city or it's gonnabe a problem. And I told the
promoter, Hey, we don't need tobring this artist to the city.
It's gonna be a problem.Promoter didn't care because
they already had their moneytied up in the show, radio,

(13:35):
promotion and all that. The dayof the event, the artist called
me that morning, do not bringthis artist tonight to the city.
And I told him, Hey man, it'snot on me, it's on the promoter.
Next thing you know, I get acall from the club owner and
he's, Man, the club just gotshot

Skido Ortiz (13:53):
up. Oh. He
kept warning
you. Kept

VA (13:59):
warning us. Around 03:00, I get a call to club owner, Hey
man, the club just got shot up.I don't know what we gonna do. I
let the promoter know, Hey, youknow, they told us not to do it.
She didn't care.
She went up there with postersand plastered posters all over
the bullet

Skido Ortiz (14:20):
That's hard. Yo, that's hard. The show must have
We are moving on.

VA (14:24):
She was determined

Skido Ortiz (14:26):
to get to the show.

VA (14:29):
So they went and plastered posters over the bullet holes.

Skido Ortiz (14:34):
That's crazy.

VA (14:35):
That was the first one. Later on that night, the artist
pull it to the parking lot. Nextday, I'm getting the artist out
the car. Next day, you know,it's gunfire coming from the
back of the parking lot again.Me and the artist under the car,
rolling up under the car.

Skido Ortiz (14:52):
In that moment, while y'all looking at each
other under the car.

VA (14:55):
No, we under the car. It was the scariest thing. I literally
had to run him inside the venuewith the security surrounding
him with guns to the stage toperform one of the And it was a
packed out night. That's why theartist, I mean, the promoter
wanted to keep it going. Butthat was the most scariest show
that I told him not to do, butit ended up working out in the

(15:18):
end.
But I was like, never again.

Skido Ortiz (15:20):
That's crazy.
Yeah, that's

VA (15:22):
the person

Skido Ortiz (15:23):
that goes on for you. He's under the car with the
artist. Yo, I'm just the bookingagent.

VA (15:29):
I'm caught in the middle. I think I was holding a girl
trying to protect her. Somestrange girl, we all under the
car. -Wow. Was crazy, man.

Skido Ortiz (15:38):
-Man. -Wow.
Man. That funny. That was funny, man.

DeShawn Snow (15:43):
Go ahead. Okay. What's a behind the scenes truth
about booking tours that willsurprise fans?

VA (15:48):
The crazy stuff artists want on the ride. Rider? Yeah. That's
crazy. You know, they might wantSkittles, milk sitting Some

DeShawn Snow (15:59):
color skittles.

VA (15:59):
Some crazy mess, you know. And just all the behind the
scenes stuff is leading up tothe point of doing the show is
crazy. And I've learned now ifit's not hectic, it's not gonna
go good.

Skido Ortiz (16:12):
If it

VA (16:13):
go too smooth.

DeShawn Snow (16:13):
You need the chaos.

VA (16:14):
Yeah. I'm expecting chaos before every show, If it go too
smooth, it's not gonna be asuccessful show. So now I'm used
to a chaotic environment goinginto anything that I do now.

Skido Ortiz (16:26):
Wow. Yeah. So on that note, what was the funniest
situation when a person didn'thave what they wanted, but they
needed to go on stage? What wasprobably the most serious or
funny? I'm not going on unless Ihave my Skittles or whatever.
I've had

VA (16:44):
that with a certain female artist. She's crazy, but I love
her to death. We were in Augustaand the show I think was like
$2,025,000. Had the back endmoney, it's a packed show, but
she wanted Tangerine and a 1942.And we only had the 1942, no
Tangerine.
And she was not going into thevenue unless we had the So the

(17:08):
club owner literally had to goto another club that was open
down the street, buy a bottlefrom him. Jesus. And then come
back for her to go in. Wow. So Ithought that was the craziest
thing.
Like, lady, we got your money.That's all that matters. I'm
here to make sure the money ishere. Yeah. But if we don't have
this particular bottle, youknow, the show gotta go on.

(17:30):
And she was not going in thebuilding unless we had this
particular bottle.

DeShawn Snow (17:34):
Because the writers are in a contract
anyway. So technically she

VA (17:37):
was right at the was at the same it's about the money, man.
You know what I'm saying? If youwanna be technical, that's cool.
But it's about the money at theend of the day. I see it.
We were short a couple thousand,couple 100, but we're talking
about a bottle of alcohol andyour fans are sitting here
waiting for you to perform. Atthe end of the day, that's just
common sense.

Skido Ortiz (17:57):
You know

VA (17:57):
what I'm saying?

Skido Ortiz (17:58):
It gotta be God with you because I think when a
lot of these artists are veryungrateful. Yeah. Okay. You
don't have to be my friend. Iget it.
You know what saying? But youknow this man gets you that
money and that bag. Definitely.Have a little respect.

VA (18:13):
Yeah,

Skido Ortiz (18:13):
definitely. You know, I'm saying it. You know
what

VA (18:15):
I'm saying?

Skido Ortiz (18:15):
Yeah. He ain't gonna say it. Like, have a
little respect for somebodythat's putting food on your
table, paying you helping youpay your lights and your bills.
He cares.

VA (18:23):
Yeah, definitely.

Skido Ortiz (18:23):
And I see it. And ain't no smoking mirrors here.
He really cares.

VA (18:26):
Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (18:27):
And that's, I think you over care because we done
sat there. I'm like, man, don'tgive Man, it don't matter. No
matter what, damn if you do,damn if you don't. You know what
But I love the fact how yousaid, Ski, I could do this every
day. He was saying that.
-'Cause he

VA (18:40):
passionate about love it.

Skido Ortiz (18:41):
He was so pumped up bringing him up there. It was
like a rush.

VA (18:44):
It's a thrill.

Skido Ortiz (18:45):
-So he really loves what he do. You don't just get a
great businessman because youcan sell you do everything. He
ain't no it's bigger thanpromoter. You get a great human
being, a great friend, a sincerefriend, and somebody that really
wants you to win. And that's thedifference between you hiring
some other boogie who caresbecause you're a number to them,
or they just give me my money,thank you, bye.

(19:05):
You get what I'm saying? Theycare about that's it. But you
care about things behind thescenes and making sure they look
good and presentable.

VA (19:12):
Yeah. I'm like an insurance policy to the promoters now.
Most promoters I have a lot ofpromoters that can call the
artist directly, but they'llrather deal with me because they
know I'm a make sure the artistsshow up on I'm a get them on
stage. I'm a show up and do whatgive them that extra. So it's
kinda like I'm like theinsurance plan for the promoters

(19:33):
now.
You know? They look forward tome coming to the venue with the
artists now. You know?

Skido Ortiz (19:39):
That's what's up.

VA (19:40):
Love it.

DeShawn Snow (19:41):
No, I love that too.

VA (19:41):
I love it, right?

DeShawn Snow (19:42):
That's your unique selling

Skido Ortiz (19:43):
proposition. Yeah,
man. I told them because we said that they I know
VA and something shared, I said,Y'all don't know that VA drives
everywhere.
-Yeah.
-He don't get on planes. But there's people all
over the world that wanna dealwith him. -Yeah. -And I think,
right? That note, how's thatgoing?

VA (20:00):
Yeah, I'm working on it. And it was a health situation. It
wasn't that I'm scared to get onI was dealing with some
hypertension stuff. And I'm justnow, God pulling me through, and
I got cleared through my doctorsto start I just gotta take that
leap of faith and go on and getout there on the plane now. You
know?

Skido Ortiz (20:17):
Because you
know he's supposed to be going to Japan with me.

VA (20:19):
I got to. I gotta make it, man. Even if I gotta swim over
there. Damn.

Skido Ortiz (20:24):
My man, though, when he really is going to Japan
with us, he he which is he gottaI'm trying to stretch him in,
but he's gonna do some shorttrips, forty minute plane ride.
It's building up. Yeah. Theywanna deal with him everywhere.
Yeah.
So he's just limited by driving,he'll drive twenty hours, twenty

VA (20:44):
five hours. He's on the road all week. Oh, you driving in the
I I gotta drive. Shout out myman Ski too. He's been with me
about eight, nine years now.
Dependable brother, goeverywhere with me. You know,
Tall Dread had that be with me.Yeah, man. That's a great
brother. I can count on him.
He's been around the world withme, man.

Skido Ortiz (21:00):
So he'll drive you everywhere?

VA (21:01):
Yeah, everywhere. He don't smoke. He don't drink. He just
drive.

Skido Ortiz (21:05):
You know what I'm saying?
That's good. I love that. Yeah. I had it. That's why
I threw it out there.
I had a shot. I see what he do.Yeah. That's what's up, man.
Yeah.

DeShawn Snow (21:12):
It's good to have solid people in your -Man,

Skido Ortiz (21:14):
come on, man. It takes a team to win.

VA (21:16):
-Yeah, definitely.

Skido Ortiz (21:17):
-Even if it's one.

DeShawn Snow (21:18):
-Yeah. So more about community and legacy.
You've built relationships withvenues, promoters, artists.
What's the lesson in trust inthis cutthroat industry that
totally defies conventionalwisdom?

VA (21:31):
It's definitely you know, you gotta just I just be me. And
then that builds myrelationships with the promoters
and and the artists. You knowwhat I'm saying? When you when
you keep it real with everybody,you don't gotta worry about
nobody trying to go around youor stab you in the back or stuff

(21:55):
like that. You know what I'msaying?
Like how, you know, my guy, Ski.You feel me? I'm just I just be
me, a a person, and it worksout. You know, if you wanna go
and do this or you wanna goright or go left, cool. I'm not
mad at that.
You know? You know, at the sametime, I congratulate you. But me
just being me, I don't reallyhave to worry about that. People

(22:16):
just keep coming back. You knowwhat I'm saying?

DeShawn Snow (22:18):
So was it like that from the very beginning or

VA (22:20):
did you grow to No, you build a relationship. I've been
doing this, like, you know, likeI say, fifteen years and the
word has to get out and spread,hey, this guy's consistent. He's
gonna make sure the artists showup, you know? And this took me I
didn't my bookings just reallystarted taking off within the
last five six years. It took mea few years of getting out there

(22:43):
and people having to see me onthe scene to even establish who
I am now.
You know what I'm saying? So itwasn't overnight. Definitely
wasn't.

Skido Ortiz (22:52):
Yeah. I mean, it's hard work, sorry.

VA (22:53):
Yeah, yeah.

DeShawn Snow (22:54):
Did you have trust? Was it hard, was it like,
because I know it's a cutthroatgame, so did you have like, was
it hard for you to develop trustto the other people? Not them
trusting you, but trusting likethe promoter or venue.

Skido Ortiz (23:08):
Yeah. Mostly just put a Yeah, I get it. Yeah. I
mean,

VA (23:10):
it's Yeah, definitely. It's definitely a trust because I had
a hope that the promoter's gonnahave the money when they show
up. Then I gotta trust theartist that they're gonna show
up on time and do what theygotta do. So it's a trust game,
and that's something that'llnever stop. Every show, you're
counting on all parties to dowhat they're supposed to do.

(23:31):
You feel me?

DeShawn Snow (23:32):
And I'd imagine it's like a small circle in the
fact that if people arenotorious for not doing this or
doing that, you all hear

Skido Ortiz (23:40):
about it.

VA (23:40):
Oh, the word is certain. There's certain booking agents
out there that their name isdirty. You know what I'm saying?
People, hey, don't book withthis guy. Don't book with that
guy.
Thank God everybody's telling meright now I got the crown with
this booking in Atlanta. Comingout of Atlanta, I'm probably the
biggest doing this right now.You know what I'm saying? You
are

Skido Ortiz (23:58):
the biggest. See, he won't say you are number one,
but that is based on you notworrying about, you just doing
you.

VA (24:06):
I stay in my lane. And I get a certain book and they just
call me, Hey, I'm doing this bigshow. I'm doing that big. I
don't care about that. Even if Ido 30 clubs to your one big
arena, I'm staying consistent.
I'm constantly pumping outcontent on my page. You
constantly seeing me lookingbetter than the artist. You feel
me? And it's working for -I stay

Skido Ortiz (24:28):
in my my lane, though. I stay

VA (24:30):
in my lane and it works for me.

Skido Ortiz (24:31):
-It works. It works.

DeShawn Snow (24:32):
So what is your sweet spot then? The what's your
sweet spot in terms of the typesof bookings that you prefer or
that you excel at?

VA (24:43):
I do great doing arena shows. I love arena shows.
There's nothing like it. It's athrill from getting a production
to going on stage and handingthe artist the mic and walking
them on that big stage. But, youknow, I excel in these shitless
circuit markets.
That's what pay the bills. Youknow what I'm Every week, I'm in
a different small country townevery week. You feel me?

DeShawn Snow (25:04):
Yeah.

VA (25:05):
So that's where I'm excelling at. But ultimately, I
wanna get to where I'm onlydoing venues, hard ticket
venues. You feel Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (25:13):
No, that's where it'll be. I like how you do that
because you go to any circuitand you bring in all these
promoters up. A lot of bigcompanies won't deal with them
little circuit things. Theythink there's no money in that.
But you actually building anempire.

VA (25:26):
Oh, yeah.

Skido Ortiz (25:27):
Because if know what I'm saying? And crazy part,
your driving is keeping youlimited. And I'm glad that your
health is good. When you startgetting on the planes, it's
gonna be worldwide. I just seethat.
I'm just speaking life over you,bro. Because you deserve it. I
appreciate that. Know, are hardto find, but not only that,
you're a great friend and humanbeing. And it's just insane.

(25:47):
It's nothing phony about you.It's real. And you always want
people to win. They might getrough edges mixed up. Like me, I
love seeing people win.
That's how we connected. Whenyou see the outside, forget the
outside what you think you know,you don't know until you sit
down and communicate and talk tothat human being. You feel what

(26:07):
I'm saying?

VA (26:08):
Definitely.

Skido Ortiz (26:08):
But VA, them artists should be happy and
excited to have somebody, andyou don't steal from them. You
don't do none of that funnystuff. I seen it, and that's why
your rep is getting so good.

VA (26:18):
Oh, yeah. That's saying. I just want my booking fee. What I
require Just let me get mybooking fee.

Skido Ortiz (26:24):
He gets the booking fee, but remember, he does the
extra work behind that. Youcan't pay for that. That's
supposed to be another fee. Twoother matter of fact, two to
three other fees.

VA (26:33):
Yes. He

Skido Ortiz (26:34):
does, but he does one fee.

DeShawn Snow (26:35):
He could charge a premium, really.

Skido Ortiz (26:37):
Yeah, definitely. Could. And he don't.

DeShawn Snow (26:39):
Oh, and you don't?

VA (26:39):
Nah, because I you know, a lot of my promoters are repeat,
you know, repeat, they book fromme all the time. So I don't try
to charge them for this, chargethem for that, because they're
gonna keep coming back. Youknow, when you give people
deals, it's just like in thestreet. When you give people
deals, you're gonna take overblock. You know what I'm And
that's how it is.

(27:00):
I don't wanna, oh, I need this.I need a fee for this. I need a
fee for that. You feel me?Because then it'll kinda deter
people from wanting to book withyou.
You feel me?

DeShawn Snow (27:09):
Okay.

Skido Ortiz (27:10):
I I wanted to say share something. I just wanted
people to understand that whereyou what god where you came from
and god delivered you from andwho he made you the man to be.
Yeah. And and you see, he can goin places that nobody could go
because he's from those places,which I That's what I relate.
Yeah.
But can you give me a littleexample of where you came from,

(27:32):
how you in VA, what you was intoa little bit, know, a little
brief for the kids and what'sgoing on, how you can make it
and how you came to be.

VA (27:39):
Yeah. Well, I was in the streets heavy. You know, like,
when I say heavy, like, I don'tknow how explicit it gets.

Skido Ortiz (27:48):
Know what You suck

VA (27:49):
it heavy, like heavy in the streets, you know, in the weed
business, we'll say, like, a lotof it. You know what I'm And I
actually had took a robbery,man, which I talk about this all
the time. Some guys had robbedme for a lot of stuff. And I
thought I was out of here. Ishared this story with you, Ski.

(28:11):
And I thought I was out of here,man. And after that robbery, I
came to Atlanta. And basically

Skido Ortiz (28:18):
I didn't wanna cut you off. Yeah. Can you give a
little detail of what theconsequences are, just so people
know to be alert? This whathappened to you a little bit?

VA (28:27):
During the robbery? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. It was a guy who I
was trusting for a few years,and he told me to bring him two
pounds of weed.
You know

Skido Ortiz (28:36):
what I'm saying? We wanna get

VA (28:37):
He told me to bring him two pounds of weed. He didn't know I
had 50 pounds in the trunk. Andme being greedy, I should have
dropped that off before I wentto his house, but I'm trying to
make a move on the way home. AndI went in the house, you know,
like normal, and he had threeguys come out the bathroom, man,
with shotguns. And one of theguys hit me in the head, and

(29:01):
that's when my hair startedfalling out.
You know what I'm saying? Andthey tied me up, pillowcase over
my head, tied me up, had me inthe house for about two, three
hours, man. They were debatingif they were gonna kill me or
not. And it was, that was like,I still deal from post traumatic
syndrome to this day. Some daysI might wake up in a sweat
because that really, you know,changed my life.

(29:22):
And they were debating if theywere gonna kill me. You could
hear it. Yeah. I'm listeningwhile they got me tied up.
Pillowcase over my I'm listeningto them saying, we gotta kill
him, man.
We gotta kill him. And I knowit's God's divine intervention
because the guy who set me upwas like, man, we can't kill
him, man. We can't kill him. I'mlistening to them say this. And

(29:44):
they got everything out my car,came in, I hear them screaming
and hollering.
Because like I said, they wereonly trying to get two pounds of
weed. They went in my trunk andhit the jackpot. You know what
I'm saying? So after that, man,they ended up letting me go.
Like, I'll never forget thisday.
They untied me, walked me to thecar, still had the pillowcase
over my head and kicked me inthe car and let off a couple

(30:07):
shots and told him to get out inthe neighborhood. That day
changed my life. After that, mydad has been in Atlanta all my
life since I was like two. So Icalled him like, man, I'm just
tired of being in the business,dad. Came out here, got me a
house and never looked back eversince, man.
And then that day I told God, ifhe could bless me to make it, I

(30:30):
will never touch another gram oranything in my life again. That
was 02/2008. Fast forward 2010,I used my last $10,000 to do a
party. And the party flopped,but I met a guy who was working
for the street team at grandhustle, T. I.
Is record label. And me notknowing about marketing

(30:50):
promotion, he was saying, Heyman, let's do a Grand Hustle
Fridays and we'll split the doorfiftyfifty.

Skido Ortiz (30:57):
Me,

VA (30:59):
I put TI, Young Dro, every artist on the label I put on the
flyer, but I wasn't supposed todo that because I didn't get
permission from the label. Twoweeks later and it started
working. The party startedcranking up. People started
coming. I get a call from JasonJeter and Clay Evans.
Shout out to Clay RRP, mybrother. He's my He's the one

(31:19):
that brought me in. I get a callfrom them and they call me,
Homeboy, ain't no guy fromVirginia gonna use our brand. It
took us ten years to build thisbrand. You got our artists on
the fly, yada yada.
And they called me and told meto meet them. I went and met
them in the parking lot of ClubCrucial on a Monday night and

(31:39):
they chewed me out. They weretalking about they were gonna
sue me. They were gonna beat meup this and that. But I always
had a little style, been fly, alittle jury.
And they was like, we heardyou've been working hard out
here. You can start working formonths. And from that day on,
that's how I got into businesson a flute. God, flute me into
this. Yes.
Right. Started interning. I wasworking in the office. Then they

(32:01):
moved me from the office to thestudio, from the studio. So I
started driving the artists onthe road.
Then from that, I took over thestreet team and then they made
me big Country Cane's roadmanager after like four years. I
was there five years.

Skido Ortiz (32:16):
Wow.

VA (32:16):
And that's how I got into this business on a flute, man.
You know?

Skido Ortiz (32:19):
And that's a resume.

VA (32:21):
Yeah. Definitely.

Skido Ortiz (32:23):
From the streets to Wall Street, brother. Let's Man,

VA (32:26):
I ain't looked back at the street since, man. And I got
double, triple what I got nowthan what I had when I was in
the You know what I'm So I'mjust thankful for that. You feel
me?

Skido Ortiz (32:36):
That's what's up, man.

DeShawn Snow (32:37):
God had his hands on you

VA (32:38):
for Oh, definitely.

Skido Ortiz (32:39):
Got a chill on me, man. I just need you share that

VA (32:41):
for

Skido Ortiz (32:42):
one time.

VA (32:42):
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Skido Ortiz (32:43):
You feel me? That was good, man.

DeShawn Snow (32:44):
Do you bring people up, like how they brought
you

VA (32:47):
up? Yeah. I had a couple of guys up under me right now. You
know, definitely. So, you know,they they they in training, ages
in training.
Like I say, I eventually wannado bigger venues, but I'm still
gonna do the B and C markets,I'm gonna have those guys handle
that for me.

Skido Ortiz (33:03):
Yeah. Well, I just wanted to share something
because you're always a blessingin giving away. I met Dre, the
videographer, who you. He camein his suit and tie while we was
in We was at Milk and Honey. Andhe just popped in.

VA (33:16):
And we

Skido Ortiz (33:17):
had actually a meeting before that, and we
didn't feel it. We lock in onthe spirit, like, Man, this is
corny. He came and he said, Man,let's help this dude. That's
what it's about. We helping eachother.
He said, Ski Man, this man is myman. He got vision. We gave him
a shot, I hired him, the newson. And yo, he actually did,
just to congratulate you, justshowing you where the blessings

(33:39):
went, took him to LA. We werearound all the celebrities.
He's gone, and he's a greathuman being. Yeah. He's he ended
up doing Cee Lo's fiftiethbirthday party. I got him in.

VA (33:49):
You know

Skido Ortiz (33:50):
what I'm saying? And he ended up had some epic
shot that hit GQ magazine.

VA (33:53):
Oh, wow.

Skido Ortiz (33:54):
His name is now entitled Hashit. He's dealing
with the PRs. That was justbased on you saying, Yo, ski,
show love. It just takes aperson, all that, just to go,
Man, listen, let's help the nextman.

VA (34:06):
Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (34:06):
So I just wanted to share that with you, you know,
Kyle and Dre and all that, butthat was through you saying, Yo,
man, we gotta help him out.Yeah. And we on the same accord,
and that's what these peopledon't understand out here. Y'all
so selfish and funny and closingdoors and trying to control
situations. I can't stand Imean, I got passion, but you
know, just That's why I've beenin this game for seventeen
years.
That's why I link up with peoplelike VA, because we gonna change

(34:27):
all of that. We gonna just opendoors because we know where our
blessings come from. Yeah. Ijust wanted to share that on you
all.

VA (34:33):
Oh, yeah. Know what I'm saying? Yes.

Skido Ortiz (34:34):
It all started from you saying, let's help them. Oh,
then all of me and you agreeingon it.

VA (34:38):
Oh, yeah. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Skido Ortiz (34:40):
I'm just
on that note.

VA (34:40):
Yes, sir.

DeShawn Snow (34:41):
Definitely paying it forward.

VA (34:42):
Oh, yeah.

DeShawn Snow (34:43):
That's how you continue to bless them.

VA (34:44):
Absolutely. Yes, ma'am.

DeShawn Snow (34:46):
So the job means sacrificing weekends, holidays,
stability, and all of that.Yeah. So what's a personal cost
people wouldn't guess, and howdo you make peace with I

VA (34:56):
mean, like Father's Day this weekend, I'll be in Jackson,
Mississippi.

DeShawn Snow (34:59):
Working.

VA (34:59):
Working. Definitely. Every weekend, really. I'm a single
guy, so it really don't botherme. You know what I'm saying?

DeShawn Snow (35:06):
What about kids? Do have kids?

VA (35:07):
I got one. My son, he's 23. He's in college in Virginia, and
he worked. I tried to get him tocome after college, but he don't
he's a mama's boy. He ain'twanna come out here.
But this business requires a lotof sacrifices. My dad, he used
to play for SOS band, Gap,Cameo. He's a famous drummer.

(35:29):
And he was touring and made astop in Atlanta and never left.
That's how he ended up inAtlanta and how I so I have
music.
Come from a musical background.

Skido Ortiz (35:39):
Yep.

VA (35:39):
And my dad told me he had to stop because he got married, you
know, had a wife, kids. And, youknow, this business really isn't
for family Yeah. You can do it,but it's hard to pull off.
Because it takes a lot ofsacrifice. It's a lot of nights
you on the road, a lot of daysyou gone, you know.

(36:02):
So right now it's working forme.

DeShawn Snow (36:04):
Okay.

VA (36:04):
I'm looking for a wife. So ladies, if you see this I'm

Skido Ortiz (36:07):
gonna go there. Plug this. But

DeShawn Snow (36:10):
then are you willing to sacrifice?

Skido Ortiz (36:12):
Yeah, I'm

VA (36:12):
willing to I take on the role

Skido Ortiz (36:13):
with my But wait, wait, wait, wait, let's go to
the sacrifice because you're afemale. Because I got what is
the sacrifice? What the womangotta sacrifice?

DeShawn Snow (36:21):
Woman gotta sacrifice is kinda like an
athlete because I was married toan athlete. I mean, but that was
his job, so I know So, we workaround that. Yeah. But I would
go on a You accepted that. Yeah,because that's

Skido Ortiz (36:31):
the- Exactly. That's the thing with the women.
They can't, they say it's easy,then it's not.

DeShawn Snow (36:35):
No, but it's all perspective. Mean, you know what
saying? That's what's paying thebills. That's the job. So, but
you still gotta put in theeffort.

VA (36:42):
Yeah.

DeShawn Snow (36:42):
You know, having your lady come on the road with
you, or when you home, you know,you do have, because you are
your own boss, so you can carveout time where, you know, you're
off this day.

VA (36:52):
A woman,

Skido Ortiz (36:53):
coach. I don't want my woman on the road.

VA (36:55):
Yeah. A woman gotta know how to play her position also.
Because I've had a girlfriendwhere I take her on the road and
I'm in the entertainmentbusiness. A girl might come and
hug me or blow up my head orsomething. You know, I know how
to, you know, but you can't sitthere and micromanage me.

DeShawn Snow (37:13):
Well, you gotta be a certain type of woman.

VA (37:15):
You gotta have tough skin and be secure if you out on the
road with me or it's not gonnawork. Yes. And I kinda like
stopped taking girls on the roadwith me because of that
situation. I don't got time totry and worry about my movement
or how I'm gonna move. BecauseI'm entertain I'm in the
entertainment business.
I might have to pour these girlssome drinks or, hey, here go a

(37:35):
bottle, or grab some girls onstage. And you can't be sitting
there pouting like this withyour hands.

DeShawn Snow (37:41):
-This all comes down to trust.

VA (37:43):
-Staring at my movements all day, you know, all night. You
feel it?

Skido Ortiz (37:46):
Trust is one thing, but I can relate to you.

DeShawn Snow (37:50):
And you I guess you couldn't take everybody if
this is your wife or somethinglike that. Mean, y'all should
already have an understanding.

Skido Ortiz (37:55):
Well, that's two different industries.
Girl I

DeShawn Snow (37:57):
mean, yeah, I'm not comparing it.

Skido Ortiz (38:00):
No, no. It's like you're right, though, because
even in your sports

DeShawn Snow (38:02):
industry, personal place.

Skido Ortiz (38:05):
Going to places that's dangerous sometimes. You
know, and there's a lot ofwomen, there's a lot of chaos.
Yeah. So, but the thing is niceto say this, you're not coming
with me

DeShawn Snow (38:14):
to work.

Skido Ortiz (38:15):
Because my we're in the industry. So we know
entourages act up, shootouts actup. I can't be worrying about my
girl, something break out. Iknow how to handle it, but she
might get stuck in the middle.So I think in that world where
we in, you understand?
But, you know, that's dangerous.But I know a woman gotta be
secure. They gotta know, listen,like she said, listen, go do

(38:36):
that. When you get home, we do.We're trying to figure out you
the balance, because we lost alot.
I've lost a lot of relationshipsbeing in this industry because
they thought they can do it, butthey couldn't do it. Because a
hustler is always gone. We'rethinking of things on how to
make money. You understand? Andwe're always gone.
We got clients and all of that.And on that note, being with

(38:57):
you, did you lose a lot of timewith your son? How's your
relationship with that? Becausethat's important with the kids.
Because I had my son say, Dad,you wasn't there.
I'm just being real with you.And even though when we slow
down and make up, we lost somuch time with him. Yeah. How
does that affect now?

VA (39:12):
I lost a lot. And my son recently, we had a talk, I think
when he turned 18, he told me Ileft in 02/2008. My son was like
maybe four or five years old,but I had to leave.

Skido Ortiz (39:23):
Yeah. All that stuff. Yeah, absolutely.

VA (39:25):
You know, leave or go to jail or You know what I'm Yeah.
When I explained to him, Hey,dad was in the street heavy. I
was doing this, I was doingthat, son. I wasn't gonna be
here if I didn't leave and cometo Atlanta and do what I did.
You know, he kinda understoodbecause I lost a lot of time,
but now I try to overly bethere, especially financially.

(39:48):
I brought him two cars in thelast two years, whatever he
want. His mama say I spoil himall the time. So even though I'm
not physically there a lot, Itry to make sure he doesn't want
for nothing. Whenever he needssomething, I'm always there. You
know But you're

Skido Ortiz (40:03):
definitely putting that time with the time. You
could buy anything, but time,

VA (40:06):
time is I try to spend as much time as I can with But now
he's older. He got a girlfriend.He used to come out here every
summer with me. But now hekinda-

Skido Ortiz (40:15):
See, when I see you dad. We missed that, dude.
They're like, yo, what's up, man?

VA (40:21):
Two, three months with me. Now it's hard to get him to come
two, three days. You know whatI'm saying? It's a flip down. He
on his thing now.
You know I'm saying? Now wegotta wait. He definitely love
me. And I've been to Virginia alot this year, and we was just
on the beach Mother's Day, me,him, and my mom out there
eating. So every time I go backhome, he's with me, you know?

(40:43):
Definitely.

Skido Ortiz (40:44):
That's good.

VA (40:45):
Yeah.

DeShawn Snow (40:46):
So let's do You wanna do some rapid fire
questions?

Skido Ortiz (40:48):
No, no, because he was going to So this is the
thing, right? So VA is lookingfor that right woman. Yeah.
Right? But this

DeShawn Snow (40:56):
is the Are you ready though?

VA (40:57):
No, I'm definitely But this thing,

Skido Ortiz (40:58):
gotta But I told him, Sean, you're gonna laugh
because you help us out withthis. I told him he has another
sensitive side to him. He likesflowers and he makes beautiful
cakes.
And he's
doing landscapes.
That's beautiful. So no, no.
So I'm like, Oh, they gotta see that. See, they
see
that other side.

DeShawn Snow (41:17):
Put that on your

Skido Ortiz (41:18):
social When you're
on your social media and you see a big booty
right here on the left and onehead no matter See, you
thinking, Hey, this is business.A good woman's going, Hell no.
But they don't know that VA'sreally a God fearing person. We
putting it live

VA (41:35):
here. Is gonna be the- Put it out here.

Skido Ortiz (41:37):
This is gonna be it right

VA (41:38):
here. Hey, this might help

Skido Ortiz (41:39):
me likes to bake.

VA (41:40):
Somebody else

Skido Ortiz (41:41):
be like, what's some

VA (41:42):
of this I plant flowers, do

Skido Ortiz (41:44):
a lot

VA (41:44):
of yard work. Yeah, man. You know, is your own. You gotta
take care. You know that.

Skido Ortiz (41:49):
Own his own

VA (41:49):
home. Man. Good credit. Yeah, man. You know what

Skido Ortiz (41:53):
I'm saying?

VA (41:54):
You know

Skido Ortiz (41:54):
why I said take
your credit. Y'all be like,

VA (41:56):
I ain't using my credit, Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (41:58):
No, he's a good man.

VA (42:00):
That's probably the missing factor You

DeShawn Snow (42:04):
gotta show that side. Gotta show that side.

VA (42:06):
Yeah. And most women think I'm unapproachable, I guess
because I serious all the time.And that's something that I'm
having to work on myself is mymom smile, do this and that.

Skido Ortiz (42:19):
You do look serious. I lie because I know
you. But you be serious,

VA (42:22):
I keep my game face on all the time. You know what I'm
saying? I'm just so used to, youknow, this, that, this, But you
gotta turn

Skido Ortiz (42:29):
it on.

DeShawn Snow (42:29):
You gotta be vulnerable.

Skido Ortiz (42:31):
Yeah. Yeah.
And it don't show that. So we gotta say, we're
gonna keep it real. Theseriousness is carrying on to
your personal. Yeah. So when youdoing your flowers and somebody
drives by

DeShawn Snow (42:42):
You need to screenshot. You have your store
if you don't wanna mess up yourYou

VA (42:46):
worried about a drop by.

Skido Ortiz (42:47):
She's just trying to say, Bye,
you're grilling
them. I'm plating flowers. No, Ruth smile. Hey.
You know what saying?
How are you doing? How's the pottery? You don't
have those conversations, right?Type of woman

DeShawn Snow (42:59):
are you looking for?

VA (43:01):
Right woman.

Skido Ortiz (43:02):
What's the right

VA (43:03):
woman? Right woman not specific. I can't

DeShawn Snow (43:06):
Well, gotta How can you ask God for what you
want if you're not specific?

VA (43:09):
She gotta love God

Skido Ortiz (43:10):
first. Okay.

VA (43:11):
That's the most important thing. And I do a test with
women. I send a picture to mymom. My mom has like a
discerning of the spirit. Soevery woman that I've dated,
I'll send a picture to my momand she can tell me off the rip
if that woman is right.
And everything my mom tell me,it always be true. You know?

Skido Ortiz (43:33):
So I

VA (43:33):
look at that with a woman.

Skido Ortiz (43:35):
Women know.

VA (43:36):
Yeah, mama know. And I look at that, if a woman ain't into
God, she ain't talking aboutgoing to church. It's already a
dead deal for me. So that's thefirst thing. Gotta love God.
Of course, I gotta be attractedto you. Can't be too young.
Can't be too old. In the middle.You know what

Skido Ortiz (43:54):
I'm saying?

DeShawn Snow (43:54):
So what's that? Because how old are you?

VA (43:55):
I'm 45.

DeShawn Snow (43:57):
So what's in the middle?

VA (43:59):
Five and nothing. Can't be. And you know, the way I dress, I
get a lot of 18, 23 year oldsthat still come on to me. I
can't do nothing with that. Myson, 23.
You know what I'm saying?

Skido Ortiz (44:09):
I know how I get You
feel me?
Be out there at the game saying, man, no, we're not
23.

VA (44:16):
My son, 23. And I, you know, so, you know, it's just
different things that I'mlooking at. I did have a one and
none rule.

DeShawn Snow (44:26):
One and none?

VA (44:28):
One child, but no child. Only because I got one child.
And I've noticed I like thewoman that can move around like
me. You see what I'm saying?Okay.
So that's my one to none rule.You see what I'm And if God
brings me a woman with multiplekids, cool. You know what I'm
saying? You know, I'm not gonnaturn it down if it's a good fit

(44:50):
for If she's a good woman and agood fit for me.

DeShawn Snow (44:53):
But how will you know she's a good fit if she
already if it's one and none?

Skido Ortiz (44:59):
I don't know that room should work. I think you
need to take that out
because not

DeShawn Snow (45:03):
because of the Or least put a low on the list.

Skido Ortiz (45:04):
Yeah. You don't want So now if one got two and
she's a superwoman, you alreadyturned off that superwoman.
Because I don't think theylooking

VA (45:28):
five kids, they can be older. I don't got time to be
changing no Pampers right now,looking for no kid, no babysit.

Skido Ortiz (45:34):
You ain't got that.

VA (45:35):
I'm on that road. I'm moving around too much and I need you
to be able to pack up at thedrop of a dime. We ain't gotta
be trying to call grandma. Wegot need two, three babysitters
and what You

DeShawn Snow (45:46):
like go hire have to hire Uh-uh.

Skido Ortiz (45:48):
He likes to He want a vacation. What'll take around?
He wants to spoil this Exactly.One thing you're gonna get, he's
gonna be, when they sit down theside, he wants to spoil it.

VA (45:57):
I take care of the woman that I'm with, but we gotta be
able to move around. You know,like I say, it's easy to get a
babysitter for one child versuswhen you got multiples. Okay.

Skido Ortiz (46:08):
So the age group gotta be up high.

DeShawn Snow (46:11):
Right. You know that.

Skido Ortiz (46:12):
Do they do

DeShawn Snow (46:14):
Kids are not gonna be old.

VA (46:16):
Mess up 35 year olds.

DeShawn Snow (46:18):
Unless they don't have kids

VA (46:18):
yet. 16, 15,

Skido Ortiz (46:21):
16. No.

VA (46:21):
They ain't gotta be adult kids, but you know, they can-

Skido Ortiz (46:24):
Well, they want teenagers.

VA (46:24):
They

Skido Ortiz (46:25):
can't the teenagers where we

VA (46:26):
go out for a weekend, they can stay home by they self. I
don't want no five year oldrunning around, and then my
nerves kinda bad, I'm a behonest. So like two, three year
old running around, screaming,hollering, you know, I ain't
really experienced that withmyself. Oh, that's

Skido Ortiz (46:43):
right. That's what it is.

VA (46:45):
And I only have one. So I like, I really can't deal with a
lot of noise and screaming andstuff like that and a lot of
children, you know? And Iactually had a girlfriend,
beautiful girlfriend. Everythingwas perfect about her, but she
had four kids. At that time, Iwas struggling and just trying

(47:05):
to be the guy who I am.
So now when it's time to eat, Igotta try and make sure I'm
feeding four kids, her, me andmy son. Gotcha. And then I
didn't have it like that at thetime. Oh, gotcha. You know what
I'm saying?
I regret that because I ended upleaving, and she was a great
woman. You feel me? And now it'slike, man, you know, the guy I

(47:28):
am now, now she got somebody.You know, it's like, that's
cool. No, it is.
You got somebody for that.

DeShawn Snow (47:34):
Just gotta stay open.

Skido Ortiz (47:36):
Yeah. Break down the rules.
Give him some time. No, I'm

DeShawn Snow (47:39):
just saying stay open, but be clear on what you
want. Don't be this, not that,this,

VA (47:42):
not that, because you can't beat double minded. Nah, I'm
stay open. You know, hopefullysomething gonna come through
from

Skido Ortiz (47:49):
So that's the only that to help you out with this.
So that's the only page youhave? That's your personal page
that people, when they go toyour page,

VA (47:57):
you look at Yeah. Yeah. Only got

DeShawn Snow (47:58):
one You might need any of stories to soften it

Skido Ortiz (48:00):
up something.

DeShawn Snow (48:01):
I mean, well, I mean, I don't know.

Skido Ortiz (48:02):
That's the irony of the show. Do a baking show.

VA (48:05):
Yeah. No.

Skido Ortiz (48:06):
Because he really did.

DeShawn Snow (48:07):
Then all his his interview with rappers gonna be
like, I

Skido Ortiz (48:10):
don't wanna sit with Listen,
a real man I know how
to cook. I'm a chef. I get busy. I ain't
got nothing to do with what we do when we doing
high enough business. That mangot another side of him that
women need to know.

VA (48:21):
Yeah. Yeah, I do.

DeShawn Snow (48:22):
Right? You gotta a YouTube channel. Yeah. Then do
it on there.

VA (48:26):
Yeah, I do.

DeShawn Snow (48:26):
Keep your social media for yourself. Yeah.

Skido Ortiz (48:28):
You do. They gotta see that. That's what it is.
It's open up that other part ofwomen like that sense of they
already know you on that roughthat rough stuff yeah, that's
the thing. But women need toknow real women that are looking
for a great man too.
They don't want no person that

DeShawn Snow (48:43):
can't turn it But when get to know you, though,
they not judge you by your

Skido Ortiz (48:46):
social media Yeah. Absolutely. But it's good to
know because everything goingthere is I

VA (48:51):
get judged by my social media. Right now, I'm only
meeting a lot of strippers,prostitutes. Hate to say,
attracts that type of woman. Youknow what I'm saying? So that's

(49:15):
my problem right now.

DeShawn Snow (49:16):
So maybe you need to scale it down a

VA (49:18):
little. Yeah. Mean,

Skido Ortiz (49:19):
You know the apron when you bake your cookies, you
gotta tell them the big pop hat.
You be called big, putting on there.

VA (49:25):
It's like

Skido Ortiz (49:26):
this is showing another side of us, man, putting
on that dope, man.

DeShawn Snow (49:29):
This is a great conversation.

Skido Ortiz (49:30):
This is great conversation.

DeShawn Snow (49:31):
I appreciate you coming here, dropping your gems.

Skido Ortiz (49:34):
And I think from this show,

DeShawn Snow (49:35):
the girl the woman's coming.

Skido Ortiz (49:36):
Maybe they might find you.

VA (49:37):
Wow. I'm looking for you.

Skido Ortiz (49:38):
Basic cooks.

VA (49:39):
Looking for

DeShawn Snow (49:39):
you right

VA (49:40):
now. Social media. -Follow me on vabooking on Instagram.
That's vabooking on IG. That'smainly my main page, man.
-Okay. -You know, that's where IThat's my resume. That's You can
go and see everything I do on adaily basis up there.

DeShawn Snow (49:54):
All right, man. Well, we thank you for coming.

VA (49:56):
I thank y'all so

DeShawn Snow (49:57):
And we hope you guys enjoyed this episode of 10
Steps Ahead.

Skido Ortiz (50:01):
Yes, sir. VA, so grateful to have you here, Thank

VA (50:05):
you, brother.

Skido Ortiz (50:05):
First one on my show, like I promised.

VA (50:07):
Yes, sir. Thank

Skido Ortiz (50:08):
you, I love your work out there in the community
and the youth, helping all theartists and getting people where
they need to be. If y'all got arecord and need to break it,
y'all better bring it to VAbecause he's gonna set it off.
Let's go. My man.

VA (50:19):
Let's go. Appreciate you. Definitely.

DeShawn Snow (50:21):
Love and light.

Skido Ortiz (50:21):
Let's go.