RepJA: Designed with Intention, Worn with Pride | Ft. Omar and Prince - Let's Talk Di Tings

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This conversation is about more than fashion. It's about identity,
it's about pride. It's about the quiet and sometimes loud
revolution that happens when two people decide that representation is
not just an idea, it's a responsibility. Prince and Omar,

(00:24):
the founders of Rebjaa, took what many might have seen
as a niche concept Jamaican culture, streetwear and unapologetic authenticity,
and built a global platform from it. Not just a brand,
but a voice, one that's been worn by celebrities, embraced

(00:47):
by the diaspora, and recognized by the very culture they've
worked assidiously to honor and elevate. And here's something we
don't talk about enough. We wear clothing every day, yet
we rarely know the stories or the people behind the
brands we're wearing. We don't always ask who created this,

(01:12):
what do they believe in? Or what message are we
carrying on our bodies? But this episode will give you
insight and I can guarantee you'll walk away from this
episode knowing exactly who Prince and Omar are, not just
as designers, but as humans, as men with deep values,

(01:38):
powerful intention, and an unwavering love for their heritage. Listen.
They could have easily named the brand after themselves or
chosen something trendy, but instead they chose rep JA, which
is short for Represent Jamaica, because they understood the assignment

(02:02):
that what we wear can be more than fabric. What
we wear is a statement, a billboard, a legacy. Some
even say what you wear introduces you before you even speak.
By the end of this episode, you won't just feel
proud to wear a rep jaa clothing, swimwear, or a hat.

(02:26):
You'll feel proud knowing who you're representing. Two real, grounded,
genuine men who are using fashion to uplift an entire culture,
their culture, our culture. Honestly, the Jamaica TOURUS Board might

(02:47):
need to give these two a call because they're not
just selling apparel. They are advertising Jamaica, one article of
clothing at a time. So, yes, it's sundlight. Need to
get on board if you ask me. As usual, this

(03:07):
conversation is filled with moments of introspection, a little bit
of eye water laughter. Of course, you know, it's not
a l T d T episode if we're not laughing.
That's all we do ninety percent of the time. But
you're going to learn something. You're going to connect with

(03:28):
Prince and Omar, and I'm so excited for you to
hear this episode. So grab your tea, coffee, or a
glass of wine and let's talk.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
To Things before gans to show I never known this
topresent everywhere.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Girl in Final Clean.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
If you.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Clea it's a.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
Infinite Hello everyone, Welcome back to another episode of Let's
Talk to Things, where we discuss personal growth, travel, music,
beauty and wellness while encouraging you to live fearlessly and fabulously.

(04:31):
I'm your host, Ash and this week we are talking
the Things with Prince and Omar, the co founders of
rep Ja, a bold, unapologetic lifestyle brand that's inspired by
the energy, rhythm, and the resilience of Jamaica. Hi, Prince
and Omar, how are you welcome?

Speaker 4 (04:52):
Thank you USh, i'ming us them one, blessed us, glad to.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
Be here, no problem. I'm happy to have you guys here.
So yes, thank you for coming to talk the Things
with me and for you and our first time listeners.
We begin each episode with our listener's favorite segment, and
it's called that no sounds safe. So the title alone

(05:21):
sounds crazy, right, That's what makes it good. So I'm
going to read messages or social media posts that listeners
sent in, and if you think it's crazy or a
little concerning, you'd say that sounds safe and explain why.
And if you agree, you just say you agree or
that sounds safe, whatever you want to say, and explain

(05:43):
why sounds good? So good, all right, perfect, perfect, all right.
So the first person said, before you argue with anyone,
ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to
grasp the concept of a different perspective, because if not,
there's absolutely no point.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
I say that's safe.

Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah, that's safe.

Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah, I agree. I think like longer, the days of
arguing with people that you know don't really understand your
perspective anyway, it just seems like a waste of energy.

Speaker 4 (06:18):
Right, I want to listen because I mean, everybody going
with them grow up, you know, their level of reasoning,
all of that stuff make a difference as well.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
So I agree exactly exactly, And I think that when
you're younger, you think that you can convince other people
to like see your side, But like you said, when
persons grow a certain way, they have to decide to
want to change. You can't make anybody change your mind
and their mind. And if you think about how hard
it is for you to change your own mind about things,

(06:48):
you'd understand how difficult it is to change somebody else's mind,
you know, right, yeah.

Speaker 4 (06:54):
For sure?

Speaker 1 (06:54):
All right, so we all agree that sounds safe. One
the same, all right? The next one. Someone said, my
love language is playfulness. I love when the space between
me and someone I'm interested in is filled with laughter.
You know, someone is God said, when they bring out
your inner child.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
It's not.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
Chance.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
That's not over yet.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
So this is.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
But you know, somebody, if you think about it, somebody
can think that this is not safe because maybe somebody
out there doesn't like their inner child, and maybe they
take life very seriously and they don't like playfulness, so
that could not be safe.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
For some This is true.

Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yeah, And then it's also a give and take as well,
because that person's love language could be playfulness, But do
they understand what their partner how their partner how do
they want their partner to interact with them as well?
Because certain level, but I might not be as playful,
but my way of showing you that I'm playful with
you might not be as intense as you might like it,

(08:08):
but can you accept that.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
As well exactly? And sometimes people don't run certain jokes,
so you could think something is like playful, and somebody
could look at you like, wait are you talking to me?
Like you can't be talking to me, and you could think, wait,
that's how I play around, you know. So so yeah,
somebody out there could think it's not safe, but I
agree with you both. I think that sounds safe.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, yeah, them people, those people if yeah, that's a
whole consation. But I think, I think, I think, I
think if you take a life that serious to where
you can't take a joke and you're really about to
jump out the window and give somebody crazy, there's some
other underlying issues you need to realize exactly exactly.

Speaker 1 (08:47):
Those are some things that you need to work out
because life is too short to be that serious all
the time. But I'm sure we do know people out
there that are very serious for no reason.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
So for sure, Okay, the.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
Next person said, sometimes I just want someone to hug
me and say, I know it's hard, you're going to
be okay, here's some tea and five million dollars.

Speaker 4 (09:12):
Wish wish for thinking I think everybody wanted to, right, Yes, everybody,
Well take a whole ground five minutes.

Speaker 1 (09:19):
Yeah, something small, nothing.

Speaker 4 (09:21):
Won't hurt the bunk account too much.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
Exactly, exactly. Something too crazy, nothing too crazy?

Speaker 4 (09:27):
Yeah, And I mean, and I guess the underline with
that is just, you know, encouragement from some aspects, because
most of the time, when you're going through a certain situation,
it's harder to see how easy sometimes it is to
just either leave it alone or go another path. But
because we're just so much involved emotionally, it's hard to

(09:48):
see it. That's why it's easy for us to give
feedback to other people, Like all you have to do
is this because something it just looks clearer as a
path of how to get over out of it, But
when you're in it, it seems much harder to get
out of that situation. Yes, you know. So you know,
sometimes you just need a friend to say, you know,
sorry for doing it. This is you know. Yeah, it's

(10:10):
easier for them to give up because they're not as
emotionally involved with the outcome exactly.

Speaker 1 (10:14):
And I think that's why empathy is so important, right,
Sometimes you just need a friend to listen, to understand
and not necessarily to respond and come with this like
deep op trope or advice, because you might not be
ready for that in that moment.

Speaker 3 (10:27):
Just me, I've been there, I've been there. They're like, yeah,
I just need it. I just needed somebody to listen
to me. I didn't need any advice.

Speaker 1 (10:38):
Yes, that's so true, and it's so funny you say that,
because I remember thinking my brother was so odd for
this when when I was younger and I would come
to him with things. He would say to me before
I start telling him, do you want me to give
you advice? Or do you want me to just listen?
And I would be like, that's so weird. Just listen,
like why are you even asking me that? But the

(10:59):
old guy I appreciated that because sometimes I didn't want
him to say anything, and other times I wanted him
to tell me, like exactly what I need to do,
you know. So yeah, I think that's an important distinction
that we should try to make, even if you don't
say that, you know, like literally just listen, like let
the person have to tell you, okay, so omar prince,

(11:22):
like what should I do next? Rather than you just
putting it on them, you know, right, yeah, and.

Speaker 4 (11:27):
Then it goes to when when that opportunity present presents
itself for you to give a response if they are asking,
that's when that clarity comes in where you can see it.
Because sometimes we want to be the hero and tell
people what to do. Meanwhile, we don't have our own
stuff together. So you know, when you can actually listen
and as I said, empathetically or not emotionally connected to

(11:51):
the situation, on the outcome, yeah, then it's like, okay,
it seems much more clear. But you know, as I
said earlier, when you're going through it, it seems like
this is the hardest decision ever.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (12:01):
But the more we can can kind of step out
of it and look up on it, you know, externally,
then it becomes easier. But yeah, just sometimes for somebody
to listen. Most of the time, that's all I really want.
That somebody kill us here urself.

Speaker 1 (12:14):
Absolutely, and just one last thing to close the loop
on that you made me, just think of something else.
It's all so important who you have listening to, because
if you go to somebody that's already bad mind or
really doesn't care for you, they're probably going to tell
you something that you probably shouldn't do. But because you're
looking at them as someone that does care for you,
you're thinking like, oh, maybe that is good advice, when

(12:36):
in reality they could be trying to throw you off
your path. So you have to use discernment, you know,
when choosing, and you're going to with your problems for sure.

Speaker 4 (12:43):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (12:45):
Definitely, definitely Okay, So that one, that one sounds safe
for saying, yeah, yep, okay, perfect, all right. So the
next person said, I think.

Speaker 4 (12:55):
You have set we up with that one, and set
up I feel like a set up. A no, no no.

Speaker 1 (13:02):
But this one is this one is specific to men though,
I will say that. So this person said, black men
need to choose better mates. You can't build a peaceful, purposeful,
or powerful life with someone who doesn't have the emotional
maturity to co create with you. Emotional competence is everything.
It's the ability to communicate with clarity, to hold space

(13:25):
space for your growth, to challenge you with love, and
to walk beside you through life's inevitable transitions. That one's
a little deep.

Speaker 4 (13:34):
But yeah, one deep. I think I think that one
is aspirational in its in its context, But how do
you bring that to reality all right, because there's nuances
in life that don't make the simplest thing as simple
as it should be. And then it also depends on

(13:56):
your where you are in life. You know, what age
are you refering into? You know, how many situations have
you been through for certain aspects to say, Okay, this
is what I want to know, Because at twenty three,
twenty five, twenty eight, you might not be looking for
all of that. You know, you might just be looking
for certain aspects. Then when the more much or older
you get, yeah, and you're like, you know what I've

(14:17):
done certain things? No, this is what I'm looking for
in this part of my life. So there's there's a
lot to unpack.

Speaker 3 (14:22):
You know.

Speaker 4 (14:22):
My simple overview with synopsis is not capturing everything. But
I think it's it needs more context overall, because you
can just say, yeah, I want this, but it depends
on where you are.

Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah. My take on it is I agree with what
you're saying. Oh, but also I think people should already
know what they want it's like but you don't have
to act on it. I think the problem with a
lot of people now is they don't know what they want,
so it takes them longer to figure out what they
want when they get to a certain age, because it's
somebody who's twenty three who knows exactly what they want
and they can go get it, you know what I mean.

(14:56):
So I think I think people are just lost in general,
like black this loss in general. Women are just lost
in general to war.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah I don't.

Speaker 3 (15:03):
They don't.

Speaker 4 (15:03):
They don't know what.

Speaker 3 (15:04):
Yeah, they don't know what they want, so they have
no foundation to stand up. It's no different than your
parents are preachers. Right, So you know that I'm supposed
to do this, you know what I mean? You know
how you're supposed to move? Like you said, if you
knew better, you do better right, right, right, So you
can choose. I'm gonna go left or right, but at
least you know if I go left, this is gonna happen.

(15:24):
If I go right, that's gonna happen. So I think
people just need to know what they want. But yes,
you don't have to act on them, because at twenty
three or a young age, you're just trying to have fun.
At least you can say, at least you know, eventually
this is the type of person I want, and figure
out who you are within yourself. You know what I mean.
I think people don't know themselves. You don't know yourself,
how you're gonna know somebody else? You get what I'm saying.

(15:45):
So I think self improvement and working on yourself and
your emotions so when it's time for that person to come,
you can receive them, because you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, because you can't. If you don't know yourself and
you meet somebody that's really great and completely aligned with
you and you know, will push you, you won't even
appreciate it, and you won't recognize it, correct recognize it.

Speaker 4 (16:10):
And I agree, And that's why I mentioned you know
where you are in your life because once again I can.
Let's say we receive the keys to unlocking everything about
business when we were twenty two. We weren't muture enough
to accept that, or we weren't mure enough to take
advantage of that information when it came about younger. But

(16:31):
know that we're older in the game and understand certain things. No,
it's like WHOA If I had that information, I'm sorry,
If I was emotionally as advanced or emotionally as you know,
ready to receive that information, then it would have been
a different situation. No, you know what I'm saying. So
it just depends on you can find that somebody younger,

(16:52):
but if you're not at that place yet to receive that, Yeah,
adding to what you're saying, then it doesn't it doesn't
matter if that person come earlier. Even if you know
who you are, I think over time you would develop
and understand who you are. And every day we're learning
because every day we're like whom I love that not
to be It's part of the issue is and I

(17:16):
forgot the exact phrase, but we're basically influenced and living
other people's lives. So most of the times there's certain
things that we say that we want, but we only
want it because we see somebody else that did this,
sort of have that, and that doesn't align with even
what we want. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. So
so there's a there's a lot of story there. Yeah,

(17:39):
a lot of nuances that that and many outcomes that
can come from it. But it's it's it's it's it's
harder than what it is, and you know it.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
Definitely you bring up a good point because I every
now and then I have men on here and I
love to like pick you guys's brain in that talking
about that? Do you think that and this is kind
of like a separate question, which I actually never do,
but now I'm intrigued. Do you think that social media
hasn't has an effect on what men perceive they should

(18:11):
want at a certain.

Speaker 3 (18:14):
Because I's people put unnecessary pressure on themselves, you know
what I mean. When we were younger, all you cared
about was just buy and see because getting fresh, hanging out,
going to the movies, playing outside, video games. Now a
sixteen year old feel like if I didn't make a
millionaire because I got friends that's on TikTok or friends

(18:35):
that's on YouTube, they made a million or they see
Kyson out and they're like, man, they feel like a
failure because they're like, you know what I mean. So
it's like they put unecessary pressure on themselves. And then
when you take it back to the social media with
the men, as far as I put like this, back
in the days, all you saw when it comes to
like female options, well, who was in your neighborhood or

(18:56):
who went to your shoes or who was you know
what I'm saying. Now I can be in Atlanta or
New York and I can see a girl in Australian
I can you know what I mean? Before all I
saw is what I saw in front of me. I
didn't have no way to access all these different women
around the world. So now every time you see one,
you're like, wow, I didn't know there was a Chinese
and black girl. Or I always put like this with people.

(19:19):
I said, I'm jay Z cheated on Beyonce. Nobody's Oh
my gosh.

Speaker 1 (19:23):
I say that all the time. If you understand, ally,
burying not safe. None of us happened.

Speaker 3 (19:28):
Nobody is safe, you know what I mean. So I'm like,
anybody could get it.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
Oh my god, that's hilarious. I literally say that example
all the time, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (19:39):
So now I was like, there's too many options out there,
so everybody's thinking I can get better. I can get better, and.

Speaker 4 (19:46):
Just adding to what you're same, everything he says is correct.
So it's like just adding you just said a key friz,
which is when it said everybody the last part of
it Twitter, I'm trying to catch it. But the options
everybody think we have, yes, it's the thing, and that's
the misconception. You think you have the option. Because you

(20:08):
see a hot girl, you can instantly send a d
M to our You might ignore the girl that's down
the street that you might need to put their attention to.
But because you have instant access or simplified access to
somebody who's way more quote unquote pretty, but you don't
know how crazy this person is. And it's vice versa

(20:29):
for men and women as well. You don't know, you
don't know that. Yeah, you don't know them, You don't
know anything. And then remember online is everybody is a facade.

Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yes, it's your best to be able to your.

Speaker 4 (20:41):
Best of everything, even that even the bad days are
still better than everybody else best dare so nothing you
see you can't believe. And then no, of course, going
into the advent of AI where everything can be unfilters,
everybody is being tricked.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
I feel for you know, sometimes I feel I don't
like feel sorry for men often, but I feel it
for you guys because some of these AI photos and
stuff I've seen, I'm like, wait, that's not a real person.
I'm so confused.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
That's crazy and everybody.

Speaker 4 (21:16):
Yeah, yeah, so that that false option that we have
or false you know, you know, access to better is
what's keeping a lot of people away because they're waiting
for that. They're waiting to try that, they're waiting to
meet that type of person, and ignoring the girl at
school and the girl at church or the girl at

(21:38):
the bus stop is like, should I like the one
should have had like the one online? But personality she
could be the best one for you, but you're going
to ignore her.

Speaker 1 (21:48):
Nowadays, you see somebody online, you don't even know if
that's how they look in person, right, you know what
I mean? So you could see someone online and they
could look like Beyonce and in person they look like
Ninja man, And that's a scary thought. That is not
so safe at all.

Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah, that's crazy. That's a while. If you're sure you
look like that, that's rough. That's rough.

Speaker 1 (22:16):
Listen, all children are beautiful. But what we're trying to
say is make sure that your photos match hole you
really look what if you go missing? We have to
be able to identify who you are. This is true, Okay,
And two more, the next person said, don't play Dominos

(22:37):
with a Caribbean person unless you are prepared for war.

Speaker 3 (22:42):
Safe.

Speaker 1 (22:43):
Yeah, but also at not safe because sometimes you guys
take it too far.

Speaker 3 (22:49):
I say safe because we know what to expect. Now,
if you want to ask the question if you're if
you're an American and you play Caribbean, that is not
safe for you.

Speaker 5 (23:03):
But Jamaica, you know, even even as Jamma, everybody when
I caught you, every you know what I mean, everybody talking,
everybody talking crazy when I.

Speaker 4 (23:15):
Caught you, everyone did, especially if people entire hand. Yeah,
when I.

Speaker 1 (23:28):
Have a hilarious story. So when I was younger, I
went to my uncle's house and like my dad and
all my uncles were playing dominoes, and I guess I
just hadn't been around at that time, like my uncles
and everyone playing domino So I came, you know, really little,
with like this glass in my hand, glass of water.
Somebody slammed down the dominoes and I was so frightened.

(23:48):
I just dropped everything. And I remember being like, oh
my god, like I just wasn't expecting it. So every
time I think of dominoes, I think of that one time.

Speaker 4 (23:58):
So never see it for you.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
No, the same never been the same as that.

Speaker 4 (24:08):
You're as Domino Domino.

Speaker 1 (24:10):
Yeah, you know, yes, Ludi too, Oh my god, that's
that's louty is one of my favorites, though it's not
as aggressive as dominoes. But yeah, I agree, that's that's
on the board as well.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
Yeah, I played. I played dominoes the other day with
cipher sounds when I was in Toronto. But they played
the way when they count the cards they count the dominoes.

Speaker 4 (24:29):
I just match them, know, yeah, they're matching.

Speaker 3 (24:31):
But then but then they added up the numbers and
that's how you score points and I was like, yeah,
this isn't that's yes, it's called bones. It's like how
they kind of like they're playing in l ah. So
you matched the sides of you put a five down
and this time you get ten points, twenty points, and
then they write on a piece of paper and then
that's how they went whoever had the highest by the time.

Speaker 1 (24:51):
Again, And I was like, yanke, that's more reserved.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
When you're playing dominoes like that.

Speaker 4 (25:01):
You said, we're not going to slam the dominoes. We're
going to count.

Speaker 1 (25:05):
Yes, we're going to place him very nicely.

Speaker 4 (25:10):
Trust me, there's no yelling at this table. Nah. It was.

Speaker 3 (25:14):
It was the most full way of playing down. I
was like, this is don't make no sense can't be
you can't be drunk or whatever playing that type of
down because you have to count everything. It's great, like
you're supposed to be Jamaican. You're supposed to be Jamaican,
and what are you doing?

Speaker 1 (25:28):
Son, he's playing the foreign version.

Speaker 4 (25:32):
If I get.

Speaker 3 (25:35):
Bunning far and him there, you know.

Speaker 1 (25:39):
Oh my god, that's hilarious.

Speaker 3 (25:41):
Okay, that big up.

Speaker 1 (25:44):
The final one for this segment. Being in the wrong
environment can cap your potential and have you feeling less valuable.
A part of committing to your elevation is placing yourself
in places where you are valued.

Speaker 3 (25:58):
Yes, I say this is true.

Speaker 4 (26:01):
Yeah, well we're only supposed to say one or two
there was it safe and not safe? So see if
as in yeah, that's safe as in like the logic
of it correct because you know, you can either grow
in a certain environment or you can stifle and sometimes
or you need once again, certain environments is just encouragement.
You know, a person can be in a in a

(26:22):
wrong environment, but you have somebody encouraging you to be
better exactly, and you know you can you can get
out of that. But you can also be in a
good environment. But we've seen this all the time, but
you around the wrong company exactly. So the environment, the
environment is one half of it. Yes, you know your
company and who you are around and your influences and

(26:43):
you know, just the support system also make a major difference. Yes,
you have the wrong bridging. The wrong bridging can eat
it on it the wrong path, or you can the
right region and encourage it to be better. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, and your physical environment doesn't matter, like you said,
the environment meeting people you're around, you know.

Speaker 4 (27:00):
Yeah, yeah, got the physical environment contributes because it can
contribute to true. Yeah, if you feel like if you
feel like this is all that it's meant for me,
or if you have another grinder, you know, I know
there's more. You know, I said I need to get
out of here and then you know what I mean.
So it just all of it adds to all of
it is clay life is definitely clay right, and all

(27:22):
of it have you use to mold, from the environmental
situations to fall backs to hurts to wins, all of
it ultimately help you to become the individual and like
with friends and support and encouragement, all of that players apart.
So there's a big melting part of everything combined that
help a person out at certain things, and then you have,

(27:44):
you know, privilege, that's a part of it to some
people have better situations, but when you're in certain things
environment because you say up to on people and you're like, yo,
why are you in this situation? And does be a
bad money? I hang around it like you're not be
a better situation a great environment? What a mud one?
You said? Like why why?

Speaker 1 (28:02):
Yeah, I'm sure we know plenty of people like that.

Speaker 4 (28:06):
You know what I mean, Daniel, have to get to
you that who's surrounded by trying but end up going
down a part because everybody is our own fully don't.

Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, yes, exactly exactly, yea, so can good and we
are still I agree. I agree very well, said Prince.
Were you going to say something, uh.

Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yeah, just agreeing with Omar saying it. Really, it's more
so the mindset and who you surrounding yourself with, because
like I said, we grew up in the hood and
we wasn't on no foolishness. But also nowadays as well,
it's access to see certain things. So even if you're
in an environment, you can go online in this Google
search and see other things that give you those experiences.
If you don't have somebody to talk to you. So

(28:46):
now it's like, yeah, you know, just like is this
a type of way now compared to back in the
day all you had was an encyclopedia book type of
mind or a magazine. Now you can jump on YouTube.
Yeah that's so that too. Yeah, I mean so true.

Speaker 1 (29:03):
That's a positive side about social media, I think, right
for sure. Yeah, that you can be exposed to many
different facets of life and that your actual physical environment
is not indicative of where you can go in life.
Like we all know those stories, you know, and a
lot of times, especially in Jamaica, you know, a lot
of the children that grow up that grow up in

(29:25):
impoverished neighborhoods, it's not that they're not as smart as
the uptone kids, they just don't have the access and
the opportunity, you know. And that's what is really unfortunate,
because then you have some Uptonne kids that have the
access on the opportunity, and because they have so much
of it, they're not even interested. They just rather sit
at home, go to the beach, go on a boat,
go to lime Key, Like they're just not interested in

(29:47):
doing anything because they've had everything given to them.

Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (29:50):
It's kind of like the grass is greener. Like you said,
on the other side, you have one set looking at
the other set wanting more, but you can still have
persons in those envins groms encouraging you, you know, to
follow your dreams or you know, maybe you don't want
to be like your businessman dad. Maybe you want to
be a DJ or a singer or something like that,
and you need encouragement from those friends you met downtown

(30:13):
because your own friends are just like, no, what, why
would you want to do that? You know, you should
go to school or whatever, you know, so it could
work for Yep, yeah, for sure. Okay, great, well that
was fun. I hope you guys enjoyed that for sure.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
I'm waiting for some more.

Speaker 4 (30:30):
Now we'll see if no, no, we'll like see if
that was.

Speaker 1 (30:35):
Not too dangerous. I told you this show is you know,
this show is fun but not not too crazy. Okay,
all right, So no, we're going to really talk the things,
and I want to begin with the moment before rep
Ja your brand existed. So I want you to take

(30:56):
me back to basically the conversation that started it all,
Like what's happening in your lives when you first thought
we need to build something that represents us as Jamaicans.

Speaker 4 (31:07):
It's two it's two aspects.

Speaker 1 (31:09):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (31:11):
One is we weren't necessarily starting out to build a
clothing brand in one aspect of it, right, So one
aspect is, hey, there's this is what's missing. But then
there's an earlier aspect of just the fun where it started. Correct,

(31:31):
you originally started doing like dancing T shirts. So when
our first first first T shirt was mister Wakie Poles,
and it was more just listening to music, dancing, vibing
and just like, yo, why when I have a T
shirt with Dispine that we can ultimately that's weird and start,

(31:53):
you know what I mean. So so it came from
just a fun thing. It wasn't like, yo, this is
real league. One hundred percent was missing in the market
because we weren't emotionally, we weren't as connected to let's say,
building fashion brands and no where everybody can go online
and create a brand and you know say, hey, this

(32:16):
is the these are the steps to take. Nobody was.
We just were doing it for fun and printing up
some shirts and you know, us wearing, and you know
what I mean, it was just more along those lines.
It wasn't hey, we're starting the bodice clothing brand of
the world and this is where we go with it.
It was more just like, yo, this is this is
what we want to wear, and this would be dope
and eventually, you know what I mean, you can get

(32:37):
other people for weird too. And I think that was
more like the inception of you know that, the dancing,
because after walking pose then you know that came knowllinga
golly creeper t shirts. These were take away yourself t shirt?
You know, was it cut them off? You know what

(32:58):
I mean? So I was like so many footloose is
a Regent bull. So these were all dances created by
you know, some of the top dancers and backing ideas,
some over the mars the ding, so you know what
I mean. So that's ultimately where the inception of everything
came from, or the ideas of everything came from.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
Ah okay, And as you mentioned, a lot of it
is related to music, right, and so there are a
lot of ways to express like pride in yourself in
your country on where you're from, through music, through food,
through language, but why clothing, Like why did you guys
choose that? Like what made you feel that apparel was

(33:36):
the best medium for the message that you were trying
to portray.

Speaker 3 (33:40):
I think one of the things was subconsciously, like I've
always been into clothes, it's just been my thing. But
also subconsciously it's one of those things where before us
per se you didn't really see anything that everything was
more a culture red green and gold or just a
typical whatever. We were like, you know, I went to

(34:02):
school of graphic design, Ohm. I went to school for
web designs, so we always been creative. So it was
one of those things like there's always been a thing
to where it's like if what would we wear? So
like all myself, it was something like instead of just
doing red, gold and green, We're gonna put purple and
neon green and just put it on a shirt, you
know what I mean. And then, like I said, it
was like this experiment and it wasn't really like OHM said,

(34:24):
it was like this is the planning. It just obviously
the one that took off for us with the Tech
Away Yourself shirt. What's the name? What's the name of them? Again? Yeah,
So when we did that shirt, that shirt kind of
really took off because they put it on. Everybody was like, Yo,
what is this because nobody's ever seen a shirt for

(34:46):
dancing for one like that. Because nobody else was doing that,
we were pretty much the only ones making shirts like that.
And then pretty much that's the shirt that set it
off us to where we're like, Yo, this could really
be a thing per se. But obviously you still didn't
take it as serious seriously.

Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, but you just because something there.

Speaker 3 (35:03):
Because we were learning everything on our own. You know,
there was no like you demies or YouTube course or
like how it is now where everybody can tell you
how to start a brand. It was none of that
was around. So everything was childing there and we just
learning as we're going along. Wow, you know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (35:18):
So yeah, well what did What would you say was
like the biggest lesson that you learned in the beginning,
because as you said, you didn't have really any reference points,
which is so amazing to see where you've come, right.

Speaker 4 (35:32):
I mean, there's there's been a lot of lessons throughout
the years, right, but as you mentioned in the earlier phases,
is one I would say one of the biggest things
we learned was when something is working, don't change that.
So and to kind of given an example, we we

(35:53):
came up with a shirt which at one point was
one of our biggest shirts, the girls and Sugar.

Speaker 1 (36:00):
Oh yeah remember that, Yeah.

Speaker 4 (36:03):
That was totally different. The whole shirt was the sugar bag.
You know, we just flicked the whole you know, sugar
thing and it was working. People were buying, and then
we just said, all right, for the next collection, give
them ten new shirts, which ate up all of our budget.
It's you know, so when people want to know the

(36:23):
product that was actually selling, you don't have a lot
I wanted to reproduce that product. So no, we're just
kind of stuck, or we're not necessarily stuck, but just
didn't have as much capital to put towards it because
we just spend it on a ten new products that
we don't know if people want. So no, we're you know,
we'll understand a lot more now. Of course when it

(36:44):
comes to how do we test the product, how do
we test the market? Oh, you know, a small sumper
on compared to saying this is what I want, compared
to what does the people want? You know what I mean?
So we've matured a lot when it comes to how
do we choose products? So do we you know, I
mean test the market compared to just giving you what
we think we want, because most of the time what

(37:05):
we what we think the market wants is not necessarily
what they actually want. And then inside that market there's
multiple different markets and niches, so it's being able to
decipher that and differentiate what product comes out for what
person inside this realm or diaspora of Jamaica and people
that love this Jamaican culture, because not everybody is gonna

(37:28):
wear a Galla shirt, not everybody's gonna wear a Simsima shirt,
you know, I mean there's people within that. So there's
a lot that you know, we learn over the years,
but that was one of the earliest lessons that after
we had a winner, we ultimately spent a lot of
capital and a bunch of stuff we didn't know if
they're gonna work, and that stifled growth in at the beginning.

Speaker 1 (37:52):
Got you Okay, that makes sense, And one thing I
wanted to point out, it's funny you mentioned I think
you called it like a did you say a lime
green collar shirt? That was my first purchase from you guys,
and it said bad girl.

Speaker 3 (38:06):
Yeah, I remember, I remember.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
Because I remember, like I cut the neck like for
a V neck because I wanted to like lean off
my shoulder a little bit. But I remember that was
my first T shirt long time, Yeah, grandfather, No, but
I do. I do love that that. You know, it's

(38:32):
not just a typical red, gold and green. You know,
the saying is there, but you're changing different colors because
everyone might not want to wear those colors every time,
you know. So it's good to have a variety, and
I think it definitely sets you guys apart from the rest.
So I love that. Now, before we go any further,
you guys have said separately in your own ways that

(38:55):
rep Ja is really about who you are as individal jewels, right,
Like that's where it came from. It was you didn't
set out to like create this larger than live fashion brand.
It's just something that you guys loved and you kind
of just put it into this clothing brand. So with
that being said, I have to ask individually if you
would tell me if you could describe yourself without saying

(39:18):
where you're from or your name or your job, just
like who you are as an individual, for our audience,
so they know the person's behind JA what would you say?
And I'll start with prince?

Speaker 3 (39:35):
Yes, man, so who are? She says? So who I am?

Speaker 1 (39:43):
I say who you are without your saying your name,
where you're from, or your job? So who are you
as a person?

Speaker 3 (39:52):
Ah?

Speaker 1 (39:52):
Man, we get keep here, you know, we get very
deep here.

Speaker 3 (39:57):
No, that's what I'm saying because for me have so
many layers man.

Speaker 1 (40:01):
Yeah, and you're much more than those things. So I'm
sure you have a lot of adjectives in there.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
So some people call me, are you in the corn?

Speaker 4 (40:09):
Me?

Speaker 3 (40:10):
Because how about?

Speaker 4 (40:13):
How about this approach? How about because sometimes it's usually
harder when we're talking about ourselves, how about we talk
about the other person because I might know some strengths
that Prince Prince might know some stuff that about me
or whatever.

Speaker 1 (40:27):
So it just kind of gives us an like this, Yes, yes,
I love that idea. Yes, let's do that. Then switch
it on.

Speaker 4 (40:36):
Yeah, So I think, you know, just going off for
Prince Princess one of those individuals that's extremely forward thinking,
where he sees where stuff is going where it needs
to go, and everybody else is kind of catching up
later he's also a really like he's a people person.

(40:59):
So when you put environments that are outside environments that
are connecting with people, he thrives. He builds great relationships,
have good relationships with everybody, and you know everybody's is
considered a friend to a lot of people, you know,
and people read him, and I wanted the realists do
the ever meet because it's no if you notice Prince

(41:20):
New York are strung. People might try it aggressive, but
it's just him. It's just him ultimately, Like, yo, this
is him. Might speak aggressive, but you mean good there's
good intention. It's no ill way and you know what
I mean. So I think you know all of that
on top of being creative, forward thinking, you know what
I mean, the like Prince is a connector. You want

(41:41):
to read somebody and pretty much have a connection with them,
like somewhere somehow, even if you didn't know him, of
a connection with them somewhere somehow, and then read them,
not just somebody who will say, hey, do this for
me now, like yo, that's my boy. So yeah, man,
I think those are some of the good qualities there. Man.

Speaker 1 (41:58):
You know, yeah, perfect, I love that Prince ya.

Speaker 3 (42:03):
Yeah, yeah, I know I look at I look at
all my like more more fiers and matrix. You know
what I'm saying. That's how that's that's how you are.

Speaker 4 (42:17):
Man.

Speaker 3 (42:18):
It's like I put into words, It's like he's also
very personal, you know what I mean. He could talk
to anybody. Obviously, ah my plays the background. I'll be
trying to force him to come out the shadow sometimes. Man,
But he's a great personality, very He's also very forward
taking and creative, you know what I mean. Always this

(42:38):
man is like has his hand on ten different things
at one time, so he's capable of managing that man
always thinking about the next person to put them before
him sometimes, you know what I mean. So he's always
he's he's like he's selfless, selfless, yeah, you know what
I mean. So solid, solid person.

Speaker 4 (42:56):
Man.

Speaker 3 (42:56):
We've known each other since elementary school, you know what
I mean, and been the same person ever since, no
change and no switching. This is who he is man.
And like I said, he's like I said, he's like
morphins and Professor X is like he tried to he
tried to unite everybody. And as I'm the as I'm
the connector, Omar is the bridge. You know what I mean.

(43:18):
I can bring the people.

Speaker 4 (43:19):
I bring the people.

Speaker 3 (43:20):
Omar builds the bridge to bring everybody together personally, you
know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (43:25):
So yeah, so.

Speaker 6 (43:32):
What the heck?

Speaker 1 (43:34):
I was not prepared for this. I love this. I
love this honestly, I really love this, and Omar, I
loved your idea of doing this because I think it's
so important to have men, especially Jamaica and men exchange
these words to each other, right, because it's very rare
that you have lasting friendships these days, especially like genuine friendships,

(43:55):
and you can hear and how both of you speak
about each other. Why you're business has lasted so long
because I'm sure, like with any business, you have up
and down disagreements, whatever the case may be. But when
you have a strong foundation in a friendship, I think
that really helps you know whatever it is that you
guys are doing together. So yeah, it's it's very evident

(44:16):
that there's a good foundation for your relationship as friends
and you know your business for sure for sure.

Speaker 4 (44:23):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (44:31):
Okay, So now that we got the crying out the way, wipe. Yeah, bad, bad,
bad thing, you heard, I said.

Speaker 3 (44:44):
Tissues coming.

Speaker 4 (44:53):
From Ellennium, Louis Ranking don't bring no crime business. Don't
bring no crime business. R A.

Speaker 1 (45:05):
Oh my god, that's hilarious. Yeah. So Jamaican culture, right,
A lot of brands borrow from Jamaican culture, and we're
saying that kindly when we say borrow, right, but rep
JA belongs to it in my opinion, So how do
you navigate that line between authenticity and innovation, especially when

(45:26):
the mainstream trends are trying to catch up with our culture.

Speaker 4 (45:30):
I think part of it is we're not trying. This
is us every day. Yeah, that's really like the biggest thing,
Like this when when when when princes are reason or
just mem other extension bridgins or whatever, everything we do
is Jamaica. We're still the music, the part where I
go to and just kind of add that. We also

(45:51):
do events outside of rep JA which are like you know, Igloo,
Atlanta and different things that we're a part of that
solidify us in the culture. I mean, we're not trying
to be a part of the culture, you know, so
it just makes it more organic because without us even trying,
this is literally like our every day. If we're not,

(46:12):
even if we weren't doing rep J, we'll be doing
something Jamaican or trying to give back to Jamaican culture
somewhere somehow in every aspect of our we we're just
a part of it.

Speaker 1 (46:22):
That's who you are.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
Hence the name of the brand. REP j represent Jamaica.
Does it right there, there's no there's nothing to think about.
It's self explanatory, you know what I mean. And and
the brand embodies everything. You know, we try to touch
on everything. Like you said, you have an anti shirt,
then you have a gallow shirt, and then you have
a you know, I believe in yourself shirt. So it's
not like we're just one side and we're literally touching

(46:48):
on every aspect of Jamaica that everybody loves because you
just can't leave you just can't focus on uptown and
forget about downtown exactly I mean.

Speaker 1 (46:57):
And we're you know, al too many one people. That
is our motto at the end of the day, one
hundred percent. No, that's so true. And what's about instances
with just in design in general, where persons like copy
something you guys do have you guys had situations like
now Lenthy though, seriously, because to me that's so annoying.

Speaker 6 (47:21):
You know, go ahead, Prince now that's one of the
things where you learned Like so now, like all right,
even Virgil came out or a video saying if you're
not being if you're being copied, that means you made it,
you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (47:33):
Obviously if you designed something that's so good that other
people want to tee it, you know, then you know
we did our job. Also on the second point that
is now how we operate, is anything we designed or
put out there, it's already trademark, so we own to
intellect your property. Love that and that goes all the
way back to your questions earlier like what did you

(47:55):
learn from them till now? And then then that brings
it back home with that now every thinking about business
for us, Yeah, yeah, we trademarket.

Speaker 4 (48:04):
Everything literally, so if whatever design you guys, say, Recja
come up with, we own the IP of it, so
you know, and that's just protection for us as well
as anything that we move into and anybody that we
partner with. We want to make sure that our side
everything is legally sound. And then you know, we have

(48:24):
a really good I P. Lawyer as well who you know,
any anything that come up or whatever the case is
there there for that if we you know, if we
do have to move into a situation we have to
stop somebody. Because we actually did have a situation where
somebody was bootlegging our anti Badmind shirt and they're selling

(48:44):
it in store that we forgot, so sell it. Come, come, come,

(49:17):
Just then they're selling the design in store, and then
the person that was selling in store and got it
from someone else that was selling it a true show
to other people, I said, Joan better like, come on, yeah,
they were selling that design to multiple other stores and
this is only one of the store that we found.

(49:39):
Yeah them right, said them, fully done.

Speaker 1 (49:43):
Yeah, yes, absolutely so.

Speaker 4 (49:47):
But yeah, so we were able to in that case,
you know, got our lawyer involved and a lawyer shot
on both cases, and you know we're able to just
rectify that issue. But if we never have those things
in place, we couldn't go to them, I say anything.
That's why it's very important, very important. It might be expensive,
because it's definitely expensive. We're not gonna make it seem
like yo, the stay cheap or whatever, for it's definite expensive.

(50:09):
But if you believe in something, you have to protecting.
That's where ownership make a difference. You know what I mean,
so if you have a protective then you can dictate
what happens or you can control what happens with that brand.

Speaker 3 (50:23):
Yeah, we even have things trademark that's not even out
yet because we know eventually we're gonna put them on,
so we're proactive. Yeah, so before then, that's already done.
You know what I mean? You surprised how many we
have and what we have? Right?

Speaker 1 (50:39):
I love that? No, I love that. You have to
be proactive and hello you guys listening. That means don't
try to steal the rep j A tissues idea Okay,
because have their lawyers on retainer.

Speaker 4 (50:50):
Okay, expensive still.

Speaker 1 (50:58):
Okay, Yes, you're concunds a lot better. Shout to mix, Yes,
shout out to him for sure.

Speaker 4 (51:07):
For sure.

Speaker 1 (51:12):
Love that, love that Okay. So representation right, it's a
word that we hear often, but it means something different
when you're the one creating the space for others to
feel seen. So what does the representation in representing representing
Jamaica mean to you as Jamaican men, as creatives and
as entrepreneurs.

Speaker 4 (51:33):
The representation can mean, I mean, if you want to
sum it up to one word, connection, like you keep
connected and connected to an island, to a culture, you
know what I mean, to the heartbeat of everything you
know that's going on Jamaica and always connected to it.
And I think Red Jay as an extension me walking

(51:55):
outside me going places allows me to stay connected no
matter what, and also then express that to everybody else.
I'm a Jammay and without shouting it, without screaming it
with the colors and saying, hey, you can't tell a
jammiaic and shirt. No, like when you say an anti badmine,
it said, oh, interesting, anti bad mine, probably a heard

(52:17):
of that, you know, because nobody is not really a
bad mind? Are instead of believing yourself, I believe in yourself.
So just the simple you know spelling instantly know that
this is a Caribbean, a Jamaican brand. But they keep
you connected because no matter what, you always want to
represent where you come from. And most of the time
people people have them flagging at them car And then

(52:40):
some people have the boxing glove, and I know where
that comes from. But some people have the boxing gloves.
About the boxing gloves and I don't come from it.
Who have the boxing glove? We're not know for boxing,
but I.

Speaker 1 (52:54):
Get it right right, right, But somehow it's there. No,
I'm completely.

Speaker 4 (53:00):
That is an extension of Yeah, that's that keeps them connected.
That when somebody say so, I think that kind of
sums up the representation for us. It's just always been
connected to Jamaica.

Speaker 3 (53:11):
Somehow look at it this so we're like, we're like that,
we're like the unofficial tourist board.

Speaker 1 (53:17):
Yes, so serious, Yes, yes they need to for sure. No,
it's true because not only like your brand, but the
persons that you have wearing your brand right are like
international stars, so you are it's basically a billboard for Jamaica. Really,
I mean, sure we're joking, but we're not joking. So yeah,

(53:39):
that needs to be for sure. Okay, and one last
question before we ease into our final segment. When someone
wears a rep JA short shirt or hat or swimsuit,
what do you hope they feel, not just on the outside,
but on the inside.

Speaker 3 (54:00):
I would hope that they feel they're proud to represent
where they're from. You know, that's the whole point of it.
The whole point is you putting this on, like I said,
is you're walking billboard and let when you put this on,
you letting people know this is what I represent and
this is where I'm from, because you know, Jamaicans is proud, oh,
very proud.

Speaker 1 (54:15):
Very proud. Yes, we are very proud.

Speaker 3 (54:18):
Yes, they want to let you like, yo, I'm from here,
you know what I mean. So many times like me
and omar out or people that people stop us be
like yo, that's y'all. I even met somebody last night.
I mean, I was like, Yo, you're Jane because I
had on the shirt. Obviously, we don't put ourselves out
there too too much, if you if you know, you know,

(54:40):
so you know. And then as well as when people
see all these other people wearing it, you know, like
you said, that's that's that actually represents for realists, like wow, yes,
it's really a staple, you know what I mean. And
then when I think about it, like it's only one
other brand that came before us, But really and truly
nobody has done what we've had. We have done, you
know what I mean. Sometimes we get jaded. Me and

(55:01):
all I talk about this all the time. It's like
when you it goes back to see everything comes back
full circause when you're in it, you don't see everything
from the outside. And it's not till you go out
and about or like we was meeting almost on the
phone the other day and his friend texted him and
it was like, Yo, I'm on the plane and I
see somebody with the anti hoodio on and then they
come to find that was my friend that was coming

(55:23):
from the same same place. So it's like we get
those texts all the time from people like you know,
I just see somebody in your shirt, or we just
get random pictures of people the people just DM and
centering us in and when you see the customers and
how much they really appreciate the brand, Like you said,
this business sometimes you just get worn down. You're like, yeah,
I feel like doing this today or whatever whatever, you

(55:45):
get that boost a game, like Yo, were really out
here changing people's lies and changing the course of history
in the fashion world for Jamaica on this level because
it's never been done before.

Speaker 1 (55:54):
Before I was about to say, I don't know if
anyone that's ever done it, So yeah, kudos to you guys.

Speaker 4 (56:00):
I appreciate that. I'm just adding, you know, one of
the things is like, well, love when others when customers
like and it might sound like generic in a sense,
but when a customer actually like messaging and said people
recognize them inner the shirt and ask them where them
get it from, Like that feel crazy because now they

(56:22):
feel good about that. They feel good about their purchase,
they feel good about the culture that they're apart, they
feel good about all aspects of that. Because nobody's giving
you compliments on your Gucci and your lowis. It's just
it's whatever. If anything, I'm on my bad mind like
Guccia better. But if my mind say yo, we get

(56:42):
the antide mind hat that, but no, you feel good
like yo, general I need another one because you yeah. Yeah.
So all of these things like tie back to the
whole picture of representation as stay connected, and that's what
we love. We just love when people actually like get compliments.
We love going people you know we'red and feel good

(57:05):
about that because it shows that once again we're doing
something right, Like we're tapping into an emotion somewhere that
that's doing what we that the frequency that we intend
to get out there, it is actually getting there.

Speaker 3 (57:18):
It's a quality. It's a quality conversational piece. Because somebody's
gonna stop, you're not key words quality because that's our
that's our number one goal.

Speaker 4 (57:28):
Man.

Speaker 3 (57:28):
We're not We're not out here just trying to take
people's money. Like you're gonna get your money's worth. So
when you receive your package, you're gonna be like, wow,
I see.

Speaker 4 (57:38):
What it is. Now.

Speaker 3 (57:39):
A lot of the times, you know, d MS or
emails we got in from people saying and this a
white owned company. It's like because you know the stigma,
the stigma, it doesn't leg cheap. And our goal is like,
now we're not modeve like you said. When we started,

(57:59):
it wasn't know what we were gonna do. But now
we're like, all right, we have to give the people quality.

Speaker 1 (58:04):
Man, you know what I mean, because that's beautiful.

Speaker 3 (58:07):
It's not about cheapening it out and it's making a dollar.
It's actually building something that's gonna stand trying to truth.
So it's like, yeah, this is what we're doing for
Jamaica for real, you know what I mean. It's bigger
than being omar, you know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (58:19):
Right, it's you're you're representing where you're from. And I
think that's just such a beautiful thing. And I will
say about the quality. I still have that shirt even
though I bought it about eleven or twelve years ago
and big up me for it's still fitting me. But
I still have that shirt.

Speaker 4 (58:33):
So like, so we need to upgrade the wardrobe. We
need something. The only reference I come from eleven years ago.
Something right, it's not the only reference, it's just my
first one.

Speaker 3 (58:46):
That it's safe.

Speaker 1 (58:50):
That in safe, my first one. I'm showing the quality.
I'm showing the quality. If I could have a T
shirt from eleven or twelve years ars ago, that's serious quality.
What if you guys would like to upgrade my wardrobe?
I will say, well, I'm.

Speaker 3 (59:09):
Gonna have my people contact your Yes, that.

Speaker 1 (59:13):
Sounds perfect, Yes, that sounds amazing.

Speaker 4 (59:16):
We'll make sure it's a package, upgraded package.

Speaker 1 (59:20):
Yes please please still are small, though still a small
because you know you're gonna stay slim and trim. But yes. Okay,
So before we get to our final segment this season,
I've been allowing my guests to ask me one question.
And there's two of you, so one question each. So
is there anything you guys would like to ask me?

Speaker 4 (59:43):
Yeah? Sure?

Speaker 3 (59:44):
Why did you What was the inspiration for you creating
this podcast? Ah?

Speaker 1 (59:50):
Yeah, so everybody asked me that, But I love answering it,
so no problem. So I went to Harvard for my
masters and during that time I did a project where
I focused on Caribbean women in the diaspora and specifically
violence against Caribbean women and girls. And what I found
is that a lot of times, even though these Caribbean

(01:00:14):
women or Jamaican women or wherever they were from in
the diaspora moved to America, they took those values or
lifestyles with them, and so a lot of them ended
up in situations where they didn't really have control of
their finances and things of that nature, and they just
endured a lot of violence.

Speaker 4 (01:00:30):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:00:31):
So I wanted to build something where initially like women
can come and just feel empowered and just listen to
other women have conversations and know that they're not alone
in their train of thought or their goals or their
ambition and things like that. And then I opened it
up to just being persons in the Caribbean diaspora, and
then I opened it up to just everybody. You know,

(01:00:53):
I've had so many different types of people. I had
who's now my friend, a person from a company called
Wine Enthusiast. She's Cambodian and she did the same dat
noasaone safe segment. She has no idea about Patoor or
anything like that, but she, you know, she adapted to
my culture. And so what I then, what I've now
turned it into is a space where all those things

(01:01:16):
are still possible. Caribbean women can listen and men can listen,
and we all talk and have these conversations, but that
persons that are not within our culture can also listen
and learn that we're not just what is portrayed in
the media sometimes which is sometimes negative. That we're very intelligent.
We have intelligent conversations. We can have, you know, as

(01:01:36):
men and women like we're having no we can have
conversations without putting each other down, that aren't salacious, that
aren't riddled in gossip, and you know, just a bunch
of things that unfortunately were sometimes known for you know
what I mean, There's so much more to our culture.
Like I've always wish that people would see a Jamaican

(01:01:57):
and say, oh my gosh, you're Jamaican. I know you're
so smart because you guys are always winning the spelling
bee or you know most of our or vice president
or you know, congresswoman or something like that is Jamaica.
So I know you're intelligent, you know what I mean,
Like they have other things about us, like yes, you
know we can't get down, we can't dance, we can't
you know, toucha too on them things, but we can

(01:02:19):
also have intelligent conversations. And so that's really the premise
for it, just to kind of create that safe space
for people to be able to come. And I also
really appreciate when people like yourselves, who I don't know,
really trust me to ask them and talk to them
about whatever I want. Because if it's your first time

(01:02:39):
listening out there to the show, none of my guests
ever know what I'm asking. I've had, you know, my
uncles on here. I've had my dad on here. I've
had Deborah Cox on here. I've had all types of
people and they've never asked me to tell them the
questions ahead of time. So I take that trust very seriously.
And yeah, I love when people just come and enjoy themselves.

Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
And before all my answer asked this question. Now I
see what the next sect is, the last segment is about,
and where it's going and moving. I get it now,
Oh my.

Speaker 1 (01:03:15):
Gosh, hilarious. Okay, your turn.

Speaker 4 (01:03:21):
Thinking outside of the conversation that you have or you know,
with the bringing awareness, is there any initiatives that you're
a part of that does provide that support for the
women that you're that you mentioned, You know.

Speaker 1 (01:03:38):
What, that's such a good question. So when I was
doing the project when I was in school, that's something
that I was looking into. And unfortunately, given like the
time you have, you know, like it's a semester, so
the time that I had, there was nothing going on
that I could be a part of that could culminate
at the end of my semester, like before I graduated,

(01:03:59):
So unfortunately there wasn't. But I wouldn't be opposed to
doing something like that, you know. Like I had mentioned
to you guys offline about your Protect Caribbean Women's shirts.
That's really like what intrigued me. Obviously I've been loyal
to the brand before that, but I just thought, just
in line with like I just said, what this podcast
is about. I think that's so important that two Jamaica

(01:04:21):
and men, you know, put a shirt out there like
that and are pushing that message behind it, because I
think it says a lot and I think a lot
of times when we talk about violence against women and girls.
We often focus on, you know, just the men being
so angry, but I like to look a little deeper.
Why are they angry? You know, are some of these
little boys being raised by mothers that are children as well,

(01:04:45):
and so they just they don't know what to do,
they don't know how to raise them, and then they
end up angry at women because this woman treated them
so bad as a child. And there it's just so
much deeper than that. And so yeah, like I just
feel like there's there's so much I would love to
be a part of, and I would be open to
being a part of, but unfortunately I haven't gotten to

(01:05:07):
that place yet.

Speaker 4 (01:05:08):
Okay, understood, Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:05:12):
So I know only think you know what the last
segment is, you don't.

Speaker 3 (01:05:18):
You know, you know, if you're trying to read mix.

Speaker 4 (01:05:20):
No, I'm not predictable.

Speaker 1 (01:05:26):
No, you can't predict me. Okay, So for the last segment,
the actual last segment, guys, not what Prince omar. I'm
going to ask you rapid fire questions and they're very quick,
and I want you to answer with the first thing

(01:05:47):
that comes to your mind. So one word, one sentence, okay, okay, okay,
so you each have to. So I guess it's not
really fair because if the same person goes first, then
one person has more time, is true?

Speaker 3 (01:06:02):
True, you might have to you might have to go
back to the original ending segment.

Speaker 1 (01:06:12):
Oh my gosh, you can.

Speaker 3 (01:06:17):
Reverse.

Speaker 1 (01:06:17):
No no, no, no, no, no no no reverse all right,
reverse you guys, just you guys, Just figure it out.
It doesn't matter. So the first question, what's one memory
from your childhood and your Jamaican household that shaped your worldview?

Speaker 4 (01:06:33):
All right, so we have to add a little context. Okay,
both of us left Jamaica very young, right, So I
left Jamaica when I was it, but grew up everything
around that has been Jamaica. So no matter what still
appearance of Jamaica and hostold Jamaic and everything. But if
you're referencing directly in Jamaica, then I really remember much

(01:07:01):
from from like the early early.

Speaker 1 (01:07:04):
No, it could just be your household doesn't have to
be literally in Jamaica, just like you said, your Jamaican household.

Speaker 4 (01:07:09):
Yeah, okay, I mean Sunday dinner. Yeah, but but but
not what ship. But I'm talking about like the family
camaraderie in a sense where you know, everybody get around
and because that's still like a part of like what
we do even up to today. Every Sunday we gather
at my mother house and we all eat, you know,

(01:07:31):
on Sunday, So that has still been a part of us,
like every Sunday, no Sunday, and the good things actually
live in the same state or we live now, so
we're able to go over there and eat then my father,
my moda, my aunt. So I'll still bring that and
that family time together.

Speaker 1 (01:07:50):
Oh I love that, beautiful, I love that. Okay.

Speaker 3 (01:07:54):
I guess for me is the hustle because you know,
when you when you're like said, when you're around Jamaicans,
per se things that you deem in your will normal
to the outside people is not normal. So just work ethic,
learning how to cook. At a young age, you take
on that meat out the freezer so oh my gosh, right,

(01:08:19):
the right, so all these things you get run through
the ringer at a young age and you're doing these
things like like five, six, seven, eight nine, you're like
why am I doing this? But it's normal. And then
you go to other people and you're like, wow, you
don't know how to do that? Yeah, you know what
I mean, so for me, I look at the hustle
and there's certain things where you know, you get you're

(01:08:41):
forced to mature faster per se in a sense, to
do certain things, you know what I mean, compared to Yeah,
without even really realize what's going on. It's just like, yeah,
just like being in New York and you're riding the
train at ten years old, that people look at you.
It's crazy nowadays, like what theen You're on the train
by himself regularly true.

Speaker 1 (01:09:01):
Yeah, I always say as Jamaica's were born as adults
for sure. Literally, if you had to no, let me
phrase that differently. If rej A was a song, what
would it be?

Speaker 4 (01:09:19):
Hmm hmm. Interesting. That's too hard because there's too many
songs because you have because we love you have culture. Yeah,
you know, you have your mama chewing them, you have
you have your upliftment chewing them.

Speaker 1 (01:09:37):
You know, we have to pick one.

Speaker 4 (01:09:39):
It's hard because but the thing but that's that's a
good thing about Regina because it encompasses all aspects of Jamaica.
It's hard because we have travel, enterityment, dancing, sports, food,
everything we do with Jamaica culture is in rep j brand.
So we just say we have a culture song and

(01:09:59):
we a we have a shirt. We have a reggae
is my religion culture song, we have we have the
Mama Tunic protect urban woman. You know said we have
Yali song because Mana Galis and the dol come from singing.
You know, we'll have a shirt, we have a my shirt.

(01:10:21):
Once again, that's the biggest, one of biggest students from
the Girls and Sugar. So it's like it's so many,
there's so many songs that you can relate the brand
chance it's not just one but a hard for it
really hard for which was one? Honestly just instead of
a song jail, it would be a mix. Yeah, it
would be a mixed mix mixed.

Speaker 3 (01:10:43):
I like that.

Speaker 1 (01:10:44):
I like that, okay. And would it just have reggae
and dancehall or would it have other genres of music?
Would you say.

Speaker 4 (01:10:52):
Primarily reggae, dancer, reggae, d you know, with my entity
and some later but you know right, no, reggae, dancer.

Speaker 1 (01:11:00):
Reaga and dance Okay, that's fair. You know what, Omar,
I might just have to have you as a co
host because the way you're switching up these questions.

Speaker 4 (01:11:06):
I like it.

Speaker 1 (01:11:07):
It's turning out good.

Speaker 3 (01:11:08):
Yeah, is mopus? I told you, yes, you did.

Speaker 1 (01:11:12):
You did, and you tried to make it seem like
it was you, but it's really him.

Speaker 3 (01:11:15):
Yeah, so that's how we did.

Speaker 1 (01:11:21):
I love that.

Speaker 3 (01:11:23):
Got a plan, play the fool to catch the wise.

Speaker 1 (01:11:25):
Yes, play fool to catch wise. That is so true. Okay,
So if you remember the beginning, one of the dat
noosaunds safe was that you wanted some tea and five
million dollars. So if you got that five million dollars
and you can travel anywhere in the world, where would
you go? All expense paid on you, obviously, because you
have five million dollars, But where would you go?

Speaker 3 (01:11:48):
I'm going to I'm going to Jamaica. The reason no, no,
I forg no, I'm.

Speaker 1 (01:11:56):
Going to have to hear Jamaica. I have to hear
why Jamaica. I love Jamaica to death, obviously, but yes, please.

Speaker 3 (01:12:01):
If I have five billion cash right in my hand,
I'm going to Jamaica and I'm gonna build something there
to reinvest into the economy.

Speaker 1 (01:12:10):
Oh see, Prince get deep. I think vacation and.

Speaker 3 (01:12:15):
I've been I've been here, I've been on those places already.
So for me, So for me, I'm gonna take some
of that money and I'm gonna build infrastructure and opportunities.
That's that's that's what I would do, you know what
I mean. Obviously I'm gonna keep something, you know, I'm
gonna keep it real, but I'm gonna build something like
a place where people can that's gonna stimulate the economy

(01:12:37):
and not like a club or some some that the
youths can go and learn certain things like you know,
I mean designing and screen printing and production and manufacturing
things of that nature that Jamaica doesn't have it that
that could work for them. And because like I said,
Jamaica's biggest export is entertainment and you know, and which
brings which brings tourism, you know what I mean, So

(01:12:59):
just other places like.

Speaker 1 (01:13:02):
The biggest export for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:13:04):
Yeah, because we don't we don't own anything anymore. Everything
that we had we sold to whoever. So Jamaica really
own that's the only thing we own it. Even with that,
we don't know how to properly nurture because people come there.
People fly from all over the world from Europe learning
dancing and they dip, you know what I mean. So
still like they're not nurturing the course on me. I'm
just like, all right, what can I build here? Yeah,

(01:13:25):
that's gonna make Jamaica a force to wear. Not only
we have the entertainment and culture side, but now we
have an economical impact that we could build something to
make money to where we can produce. We can produce things,
produce things here on the island. That especially now we're
China and Taris and now we can produce it in Jamaica.
You know, I means closer.

Speaker 4 (01:13:46):
To give you a little context of why prints mind
frame along those lines. These are the conversations that we
have on a regular right. So so when somebody be like,
all right, what do you guys, what would you guys want?
In that context material things? Is not like at the
top like we're not we really don't care about that.
We're understanding care about you know, the traveling and the

(01:14:08):
big cars and this because we understand their temporary that's
not something that's going to create that impact. So you know,
so just giving alical context, these are like whatevery deal.
And as you mentioned we talked about earlier regarding your
circle and who you're with and just where you are
at a certain point in life. Everybody around us from Webrergine, Leon,

(01:14:29):
Robregi and Chris. You know what I mean, These are
maland these are people that our circle. These are the
conversations that we have daily and weekly money and so
so none of us in our group are on Yoda.
Were ready to forget Mexico this and be a gallant No,
that's not what we talk about. No. Our thing is

(01:14:50):
what can we create? How can we build? What we building?
What would I do? How do we do this? Like
you know what I mean? And what we can create?
What's the what's the economic impact that we can have collectively?
How do we you know what I mean? So because
we understand and this podcast is of course shorter, but
when I get into the AI component, when I get
into you know, financial components. So these are all conversations

(01:15:12):
that we have an investing and things that we talk
about production. These are our stuff that we that we
talked about. So that's why when the context of whole
Prince answer was perfect, because that's us truly, you know
what I mean?

Speaker 6 (01:15:28):
So I love that.

Speaker 3 (01:15:29):
Yeah, Rej, this is the first extension of what we
want to do.

Speaker 1 (01:15:36):
Yeah, I love that. Love that. Okay, A couple more.
One artist named one artist living or dead that you
would love to see in a rep J a T
shirt hat, anything that's.

Speaker 3 (01:15:51):
Kind of tough. Everybody in it already.

Speaker 1 (01:16:00):
I did say living or deceased. Yeah, I did say
living or deceased. So say somebody, Yeah, you could say
somebody that's no longer here, because everybody living is repinite.

Speaker 6 (01:16:11):
I like that.

Speaker 4 (01:16:12):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I mean everybody said, you know,
mighty barb or whatever the case is. But I think,
I think like it's it's a hard right. So this
is the thing with like Caribbean culture and artists.

Speaker 1 (01:16:26):
Mm hmmm.

Speaker 4 (01:16:27):
It's more than just get them in a shirt, but
it's like what can we create together? And when? When? When?
What can we create together? It's like, all right, I
can just put I can put violent in a T shirt.
We can put you know, I do in a shirt,
which we've been blessed to have them in a shirt,
and just to the links and everything that that that

(01:16:48):
made those opportunities happen. But when you look or come
out of it, it's not it's just everybody in a
T shirt, right, So it's cool it's great social proof
for us that we're able to get them in a shirt.
But what I loved, let's create a collab T shirt
together and part of the proceeds we give to x
y Z. So now we create an initiative that we

(01:17:08):
can help something from it. You know what I said,
that would be more impactful for us to say, let's
work with whether this artist that you know past or
you know this artist that currently exists, that that's currently living,
and how do we create more from this? How do
we meet this a bigger initiative or do we not
just take the money and run and gonna smile to

(01:17:29):
the bank, because that's not our goal. Our goal is,
all right, how can we use this to build something?
Create something? And that's weird the more the mind fram it,
so when they think about even like an artist. So
I love for the sup with Sizzla, since always you
know Ciesla and the kids them is always like a
great initiative, So that would be dope. I can do
something with Sisla. You know, Barris, you know, you know

(01:17:51):
we love the culture. The culture part hasn't been touched
fully yet, but there's a lot of artists that as
long as we can get on the same page and
it's bigger than the money ting. This is impacting and
this is all we have to do.

Speaker 3 (01:18:04):
It and create that.

Speaker 4 (01:18:06):
Then that would be more of a direction that we
would would want to go with an artist.

Speaker 3 (01:18:11):
See now brings us back to the original original.

Speaker 1 (01:18:18):
Circle circle. Yes, no, I love that. I love when
it turns out that way. Okay, last two questions. What
is the most Jamaican parent thing You've caught yourself saying?
So something that one of your parents used to say
all the time, and you said it out louder to
yourself and you're like, wait, am I turning into my

(01:18:38):
mom or dad? Like what's happening?

Speaker 4 (01:18:41):
It says so much. Say even this morning, even this morning,
my son was coughing and first thing said, can make
you some tea? So I was like, as soon as
I could cough, come, I mean I was talking to it.
Everything tea. I don't even know.

Speaker 1 (01:19:00):
Everything is just he will curates. What do you mean
you don't need to know he's gonna carry Oh my gosh, hilarious, Prince.

Speaker 3 (01:19:11):
I honestly don't know. I'm trying to think. I'm like, no, oh,
you know, you know what I can't say the thing
they say. But you start calling people by.

Speaker 1 (01:19:19):
The wrong name, Oh my god, that's definitely a thing.

Speaker 3 (01:19:25):
Like, Yo, why did not Stalis person a different name? Yea,
when I know exactly what their name is.

Speaker 1 (01:19:31):
No, that's definitely a thing. That's definitely a thing for sure.

Speaker 4 (01:19:34):
I mean that's still today we're all stuffering from everybody.

Speaker 1 (01:19:42):
Oh my gosh, that's hilarious. Okay. And finally, when people
look back at Rep. Ja decades from now, what do
you want them to say that it stood for.

Speaker 3 (01:19:57):
Stood for Jamaica. You know what I mean? We literally care,
we will we wave the flag. Rep. J is a
national anthem, you know what I mean. It's just we
wave that flag and banner every day.

Speaker 4 (01:20:09):
Adding to a princess said just adding to Compe'm just
interjected to the prince. We have a tagline or said,
we are Jammyker's clothing brand, so so we want to
be known as Jammy Aker's clothing. But I want to
know that your Rep. JAA was able to create a
lien that created opportunities. So once again I have to

(01:20:33):
take it off of us because it's not about us, Like,
it's not just about us. It's about the people and
how we can't get you to represent How do you
feel when you represent? And then when you go into
the world, how are you representing? And just knowing that
every day we are wear clothes right everybody, we are
tamil figure on this and that, and you're representing something

(01:20:54):
that you have no connection with. These are either white people,
some of them are live different lifestyles. Them live different
stuff that you have no idea what to represent.

Speaker 1 (01:21:02):
It you don't know the person.

Speaker 5 (01:21:04):
Yeah, yeah, you don't.

Speaker 4 (01:21:05):
You don't You're not connected. And I could say like
a sellular level because as a Jamaican it's in the DNA,
you know what said. So if we're connected from that level,
that means the heartbeat, the frequency that we are beat
and bleed is Jamaica. So you know, just know that
we can put on for Jamaica ultimately, and then we're

(01:21:26):
already on our roadmap. We already know things we want
to create and the stuff we want to give back
to the to the to the culture and back to
the economy. So we don't know that these are offsets
of our branches. It can look at that will stem
from what ja was able to do and people going
to benefit from and that's the goal.

Speaker 3 (01:21:46):
Yeah. And the thing is where we're representing a country
compared to that's representing the last name. So we could
we could have came up with like a cool name,
like this sounds cool, but yeah, you know, obviously our
name sounds but you know, there's some brands and they'd
be like, it's like you said somebody's last name or
just a funky cool name. And okay, I like that phrase,

(01:22:06):
but it doesn't mean anything literally. He said, we're gonna
call this the country. We're gonna name the brand after
the country, you know what I mean. So a lot
of there's a lot of brands. Yeah, a lot of
brands out there representing a country.

Speaker 1 (01:22:22):
That's a great point. Yeah for sure. All right, Well,
Prince and Omar, thank you so much for coming to
talk the things with me. You have taught us that
rep JA is more than a brand. It's a movement
to a statement, and I think it's proof that when

(01:22:43):
you build something from the root, you build something that last.
And I also want to thank you for teaching us
that you don't have to ask permission to take up space.
You just have to represent punintended who you are and
where you're from and what you stand for, and I

(01:23:03):
just want to thank you on behalf of all Jamaicans
and all Caribbean people for building something that doesn't just
clothe people but connects them to something deeper.

Speaker 4 (01:23:15):
That sound like we need to put that in our bio.
We love we love all that, so ill I mean, yeah,
and I mean I appreciate that, and I appreciate you,
you know, reaching out and inviting us because that's pretty sure.
Earlier we are you know, usually be on the scenes
and yeah, and we don't do a lot of media

(01:23:36):
in general, so this was good. This was good for
us to you know, let the people hear what we
are about. And you know, we appreciate the platform that
you're you know, you're providing for us to do that.

Speaker 3 (01:23:47):
Sure, definitely, definitely I love that.

Speaker 1 (01:23:51):
And did you guys have anything that you would like
to share with my audience, like anything you have coming
up where they can follow you all that good stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:23:58):
Yeah, they can follow us out at R E. P
j A on Instagram. Website is just rep j dot com.
You know, we have a couple of collabs on the way.
You can't really say too much yet, but that's something
major happening next month, A couple of things in a
couple of things in the books. Stay soon, you know
what I mean. Definitely we'll make sure you get your package.

Speaker 1 (01:24:19):
Yes, yes, please please, Ye.

Speaker 4 (01:24:26):
You might have to.

Speaker 3 (01:24:26):
You might have to turn on the camera with your
next interview so people can see it. You know what
I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (01:24:30):
Yes, definitely, I have a fashion girl, so trust me,
I'll make sure to post.

Speaker 2 (01:24:34):
It and all that.

Speaker 1 (01:24:39):
Present. Yes, of course, of course, less I can't manage
you know. Thank you guys so much for coming. I
really appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (01:24:51):
There's one just anything anybody, I don't just execute quickly,
move on it. As you mentioned, you know, taking up. Yes,
it's okay, just execute quick on anything. Other just work
on it. Don't wait for anything. It's not going to
be perfect. You go figure it out, you feel a
million times, but just keep on work on it because

(01:25:13):
we're figuring out every day. Savely perfect.

Speaker 3 (01:25:16):
That's it.

Speaker 4 (01:25:18):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (01:25:18):
I love that and I love that. Throughout this episode,
you guys have really expressed it in your own ways
that you know you're always learning. Even though you're this
larger than life brand. Now, you guys are still open
to learning and I think that's why you'll continue to
be successful. So yeah, I think that's that's a brilliant
note to leave on.

Speaker 4 (01:25:35):
Thank you, thank you, appreciate it once again.

Speaker 6 (01:25:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:25:40):
Man, problem

All Episodes

RepJA: Designed with Intention, Worn with Pride | Ft. Omar and Prince

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Fudd Around And Find Out

Crime Junkie

24/7 News: The Latest

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}RepJA: Designed with Intention, Worn with Pride | Ft. Omar and Prince