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Episode 1: Steve Irby aka Steve Sweatpants

Mm hmm. Yeah. Mhm. Yeah, Yeah. Mhm. Mhm challenge. Mm hmm. Hey, y'all. My name is Matthew Bentley, born and raised in Queens, New York, and I'm the music director for Street Dreams. Radio Platform was born to serve as the soundscape arms and legs of our magazine, where we broadcast weekly music mixes, film vineyards and a wide range of creative podcast. This collaboration of monthly interviews takes us behind the scenes and behind the psyche of our hosts into the depth of their creative processes, their creative direction, their creative inspirations and their creative insights. This month, we dive into the mind of Steve Sweatpants. Herbie, the co founder of ST James magazine and the creator of Lab Live at the Bodega. All right, what's going on? Mr. Sweatpants was good. He was good. He was good. How you doing? Um, man, you know, just another day trying to get that money. Well, it's a good year for that exit. Change it quite a bit. Um, but I want to welcome you to the ribbon cutting epi...

sode of creative insights. The street dreams, radio and creative life. Beautiful, huh? Yeah. You can clap. Our goal here is to get a bit granular with your process, your choices of sound bites, your choices and collaborators. Uh, and, uh, you know how a photography, a photography major of the streets, put together a radio show and, uh, how your show started to build its own identity. Uh, and, yeah, some of the things you can hope to see in the future of Live at the bodega. So before we jump in just for those who don't know even the creative life community, um or or perhaps from the photography community, just kind of give us a a brief overview of where you are now, from where you came from. And, yeah, well, Easter egg of our friendship. I mean, like, uh, this is honestly, really just dope. And I'm honored to be on the, you know, the ribbon ribbon cutting episode for a creative insights. Um, I know I used to teach you about this all the time, but every time, but, you know, when we used to go to parties and stuff. But, you know, I've known you since high school, bro. Like since we've been like little crumb snatcher is pretty much maybe like, 15, 16 years old, so, no, we go back a long time, you know, like, pretty much close to two decades. And, you know, so you know, everything that even evolved into my photography career. You're like, you see me. You know, you see me in high school, just playing basketball and going to find, you know, you know, everything that we do is very grounded in our roots and stuff like that. So photography for me was it was it was a new for a you know what I mean? Like, I didn't have any, Uh, any references? I didn't I didn't know who to look too at the at a certain point, you know, I stumbled upon it because of instagram and the fact that my parents are really down to put me on the family plan, you know, so I can get an IPhone. Um, it just the access was a really big point for me because I had a chance that your perspective of my community, that I never really you know, I took for granted for a long time. And then now that I feel like I'm trying to make up for all that lost time for all those years. I wasn't taking photos. So, you know, I've been documenting now for just about eight years, I've been blessed to work with people as much like the Knicks, um, the New Yorker New York mag. Um, the traffic, the film festival and, uh, all the different projects that we're working on currently with myself in New York, Nico with the m t A and a couple of other projects that we're announcing, It's pretty much a microcosm of my life of really just being as New York as I can and documenting New York as much as I can and showing it love, but at the same time making sure that I try to get back to it. Um, in my own ways, that that feels natural and organic. So, um, you know, just happy to be happy to be here, dog. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Awesome. Where we're honored to have you here, too. And we're really happy that all these different facets of your life are coming together just to, you know, and and and and expressing itself in different aspects. You know, photography is one thing. Um, here we are talking about music and how you build build out a radio show or incorporate music into some of the moods you have, you know, from dance from, like, live at the bodega to live at the barbecue, I have to show the true perspective of what the bodega is from when you're walking in from the when you're walking in the morning when you're hearing like, you know, the leader on the corner that is probably saw stuff but at the same time has a lot of love, like, you know, the same kind of the different kind of meals that you can order like that is the real experience. And at the same time, I wanted to feel like, soon as you put your headphones on that's just what it feels like if he was in New York one day, vibing out to, uh, one of one of my favorite sets from the homie Jacob Rochester or and blew the homie. So it's kind of really endless when it comes to, uh, keeping that microcosm of of culture and in the bodega. Still, because it's still musically and spiritually, it feels the same same vibrant energy with Hopefully we can keep this going as long as possible. You know, this is heavily inspired by brothers, like people like, you know, you know, wresting power to him. You know, he was always with his invisible jazz cigarette with a little radio, and and then those are the, uh always, you know, always put a smile on my face because that kind of energy is immortal. So I wanted to really establish the same thing, but a lot of the bodega. Thank you. Okay. Uh, interview done. Uh huh. Okay, so that's a lot. And, uh, I do want to dive into some of the episodes. Uh, yeah. And, uh, you know, you're again like you mentioned some of your collaborators. I want to jump into some of them. How you met. Uh, was this something you've always wanted to do with your your choices his first season? Uh uh, And, uh and yeah, all the etcetera. So, uh, let's just start nine months ago. Uh, May 1st Episode one with Jacob Rochester Bond Man, Extraordinary visual artists, music producer designer, etcetera. Uh, you know, how did you meet him? You know, I know he I'm familiar with him doing some of your graphic design for your personal brand. Uh, but how did you meet him? Uh, what kind of like narrative did you guys bounce off each other initially? And is that where it ended up or did it, you know, develop into something entirely different for Episode one, Jacob, it's actually really dope with my connection with Jacob. Like we my first photo shoot that I've ever got books for, like, a real one was, uh, with history clothing line. And if anybody knows history clothing line, that's nauseous. Clothing brand. And, um, I had to shoot, uh, to do that Jew Bishop, Nauru and David, Um, this was, like, 2011, 19. Uh, those names together. I'm like, What? Yeah, Nauru and Davies. I know it's crazy. Crazy combination. Uh, and then I remember being on the shooting man nervous and all that stuff like that. And then, you know, there was this, you know, young kid in the shoot and coming to find out he was one of the designers. And, like, he designed all the clothes and stuff like that. And it was Jacob, and he was I mean, I'm 34. I don't know how old Jacob is now. He has to be like in his mid twenties, but he was young then. But then we immediately I mean, like both of us, really goofy. But, you know, it's always into here, you know, it's into music. In them. Me immediately was like one of those quick things like, Oh, we already homies, you know what I mean? Like, it was just kind of people that you already have immediate connection with it. It's not forced. And Jacob was definitely like that for me. And that was like I'm saying, This is like, my first gig. And then now fast forward, like, you know, me and me and him always kept in contact like I will bug them all the time. I go to my logo. Uh, he's blessed me with a couple of different beats for a couple of projects that have been working on before and that, you know, turned out really dope for a different for the Maserati project, for some other projects done. And then, um, when I was coming up with the idea for a lot of the bodega, and then we were kind of conceptualizing this whole street ST James radio ecosystem, I couldn't find any of that, there will be no other. You know, for me, there will be no other person to start with. Besides, besides the brother, like Jake. Like Like you said, He's a multi discipline artists. The man could do it all like, he's probably one of our best contemporary painters right now. And that next level graphics now making I was like, this man literally does it also. I mean, he doesn't need any of my help, but I would just really to, you know, something collaboration together. So, like, I was able to put my mom on samples on that shot. Yeah, man, Yeah. Yeah, that was That was awesome. He says, You know what I mean? Like my mom, you know, again, my mom on the track complaining about washing the dishes and then hearing Jacob dropped his beats is just one of the, uh there's, like, one of the things. If I do anything in my life, let me just get my mom on the track. Yeah, I feel like this was probably one of the more. Uh huh. I mean, from, like, a music mixed perspective. This was one of the more well synchronized collaborations you know because you guys share quite a bit in common, at least in terms of like, kind of home but seemingly home body are introverted personality online. Uh, his production is pretty easy on the ear is very, You know, I liken him to a knowledge or, uh you know that that that vein mad lib like that kind of so samples chopped and, you know, manipulated to to the brink network direction. Um, so, you know, and you're and you're like this, you know, sweatpants, aficionado, which is like Sundays, Sunday's uniform. You know? So, uh, with his contribution, did you Did you have any input? Because we ended up, you know, thankfully, getting an album of his, you know, in so many words, like straight up, it's exclusively his his work. And, uh, was it like that, or did you, uh, you know, just kind of Did you give him some? Some have some guidelines that you wanted to like, you know, and capture for this is like, especially when I'm working with the, uh like, they just either like a Jacob or like they're different DJ or producer. For stuff like this. I really just like the producer to feel or the DJ to feel like you are a complete control, you know? I mean, like, this is a complete preparation, like, I definitely don't make beats, you know? So, like, I don't want to dictate to you. What do you think it should encompass? But what I would do, what I do tell them is that, like what it feels like and what I wanted to feel like. You know what it feels like walking to the bodega and, you know, and put it on your headphones and having like, the soul samples with the sweat pants, and it really has a different kind of cadence to it, you know what I mean? So, like, Jacob Jacob is 100% in control of all the direction that he wants to do with the music and speech selection and with us is more or less the creative kind of conversation to figure out what's the overall feeling, the vibe and like, the kind of energy that we want to go into. So and that even goes down to like, the art direction and working with Mike. See, um, get the right kind of fonts and you know the right kind of placements. And, um, it's like like you said, like, B. I loved every single product that we've done so far, but the line of the bodega, but the one where Jacob is obviously just a little bit special to me because it feels like it's packaged like an album, you know? And And that was specific with that, Um it was a very specific call to have a person that was and then I'm honestly happy that, you know, use one of those peoples like, creatively, that you don't have to dictate. Um, the conversations, like you know, something you really have to always tap in with. I don't really need to tap in with him is more or less like we're on the same page. Alright, good. Like yeah, you know. Yeah. Uh, simplicity, You know what I mean? Yes, Yes. Uh, alright. So coming to leak to the end here, uh, in terms of Episode four with Josh Lang. Uh, because I gotta tell you, like we went from Jacob Rochester. Very easy on the ears. My vegetable Dega, especially. This is the first time we're getting like your actual sound bite from the bodega and you order in your favorites and we look forward to believe it was the end of August that you can just call at the end of summer and we got live at the barbecue, you know? I mean, the funk, the house, the man it was It was just, like, perfect timing. And I mean, I don't know if you planned it that way. Uh, but have you ever been to the party Seoul Summit? No, I haven't, actually. What's that? So some it is, Uh I mean, it's been going on for several years, but it has recently become, uh, last year. Excluding has recently become this kind of the best soul house from day party barbecue. It's insane. It's insane. So just imagine thousands of people partying in, uh, Fort Greene Park is one of their locations. They're not slick, I mean, unadulterated. But people sell their nutcrackers people dancing on speakers, everything from kids to older, the elders just partying for hours. And it's like and it's and it's on a Sunday, you know? So it's like, uh, one of those. So I feel like the Josh Lang mix just came in right when we needed it the most because we didn't get to have the same type of like, That's why I liken it to a soul, some type party last summer. So, um, talk to me about BWC your partnership with with Josh partnerships you've had before, Uh, and how music got became a conversation between you two because, I don't know, much of him just know of street dreams, previous collaborations. So Josh is, um, Josh is like another one of my day ones. I know. I can't even remember when I first met him now known him for so long. Um, but he's always been, you know, super down to earth, super humble And like I'm I'm a really big energy dude. And Josh is like one of those people that, like his chakra, his chakras is high. Like I mean, some real soul Philly brother, you know what I mean? And like, especially when it comes to like being cool with other black men and and doing creative things, I think it's really important that, you know, all of us stick together, especially if we have the same energy. So Josh, hands down like, you know, he's always been that soulful. He's always been into the funk vibes he's always been wearing, like the little mascot glasses and the little hat. Yeah, 100% real old souls, real also. And, um, you know, I've heard I've heard Josh spin, um, you know, with selection with Julio, you know, just with a bunch of forecast for a long time now. So one of those opportunities, especially like you said like that was very intentional to have it in the summertime. You know, the, uh that year 2020 is going to be the year that we speak about forever. So especially creating that kind of cadence of, you know, everybody just wanted to let loose for a little bit like it has been. It has been so much that was happening to that point. Like I think it was just like, right after, like you said around August. So, like June 9, Juneteenth happened and everything. So it was like a different kind of a cognizant awareness that you know, all black folks that, you know, we in this together without being all hippie and like, like on like, you know, putting my fist up, but like, you know, it felt like Yeah, yeah. I mean, we'll get into that later on, you know? But, you know, I just feel like this summer was encapsulated perfectly. Yeah. You know, I just felt like I was my mom between Jacob Rochester Dream because she loves hearing her voice because, you know, my mom's guest, She loved the joint. She has. She she throws up all the time, she gets rock into that. So my approval of if it's fire and not, uh, if my mom is bob into this, that's like, Oh, you got a classic. You've got a classic. So it hits. It could hit somebody from, like, a sixties from 60 year old to like the thirties to, like, you know, 20 is like we didn't have nowhere else to chill that. So if I could you could throw that mix on your speaker and put it on your on the stoop on the block, and you actually can feel like you have Yes. Yes, you did that. We needed that. You know. And, uh, Josh delivered, You know what I mean? Like, he was like Mariano Rivera. You know what I mean? Yes, Absolutely. You actually delivered, um So the cover art for, uh, for episode for, uh was, you know, thankfully unapologetically film. And, uh, and the the the narrative on the website on the street dreams. Uh, website for that was almost all film, as far as I remember when I was looking at. So I guess my first question is, how many photos do you have? How many open fire hydrant photos do you have? One. I don't I don't even won't even admit to that. But like to if for those listening the fire hydrant photo The open fire hydrant photo is every photographer should have one. Like every New York, every New York or inner City photographer has at least one line somewhere minimum just there. Like never, never thought to be used anywhere, never really planned to put in the show. It's just on deck like a So the music choice. The mixed choice and the photography just captured summer in such a perfect way that it kind of it kind of leads leads me to to a bigger question. Did you give much thought to the photography choices throughout the season 100? Because I know that black and white is your thing, You know, um, or the or your preferred method of editing. Um, so in this case, it's perfect that you're just kind of popped out with the color for summer. I mean, it was that Was that Was that on your block? That was literally Yeah, man. Yeah, I'm looking at it. I'm like, that was too easy. I was like, that. Was it look too easy? You know, I really was. That's the crazy part about it really was. It's just that that's why I love this show so much. Because, you know, I could do stuff like that, like, you know, that moment of taking the photo of a little home girl on the block and then the fire hydrant Photo is literally a day of me walking around in my neighborhood, You know what I mean? Like that, you know, is there is a sense of of this, a sense of like when I'm not here and you can see the work like there's a deep level of attachment of everything that I'm doing. I'm leaving all these kind of breadcrumbs in there, You know what I mean? So, you know, I was on my block, You know, I mean, you know, these are the people that I that I really messed with, You know what I mean? And even it comes and then for me, like I always like to do things up a little bit out of left field. So I even though I have, like, like you said, I prefer black and white edits. But, you know, I do shoot, like, all the time, you know? I mean, like, I shoot different kind of photos color, eye color photo to the life of the bodega is a good chance for me to kind of show that, like, you know, I do shoot them, like, you know, I don't I just don't make it. You know, I don't make anything, but, you know, I shoot them just as much as, like, the next person. And, like, I just find a different way to kind of use it in a something that a little bit more tangible for me. Then I'm just kind of giving in the way. And I'm not opposed to people. Just shoot as much food as you want to. And that's just the way that I'm exercising. I want to show my film catalog and also like a different kind of style of my work. Like people, people, people know me. They know I have, like a little person page post, pretty much all my phone photos in the first place. It's pretty much an extension of that, a different kind of level of our portfolio. And at the same time, we're still theme in it to me, you see, have some of the best creative conversations ever when it comes to like picking, like out how we want to do the album cover because it's the real like, If you see that, sometimes the photos that we have to compare they are, it could it could really make. It could really just put the vibe completely in a different place. Like originally. We wanted to use, like this photo of like they definitely, um, that we saw in, uh, in Kanazawa for that cover. But then, like we prepared it up, you know, and I'm like, You know, I think this is summertime joint, you know what I mean. So there is like it's still like nothing's ever saw that there's always like these kind of like these evolution conversations to get to the point. But, you know, it's a really dope process to have, like, the photos we might see. Like, this is some real family stuff that we really doing. Like, you know, love at the bodega. Wants to do this video. Awesome. Awesome. Um, okay, so let's scale back a bit. Um, you mentioned some some very important talking points. Uh, let's scale back to Episode two with your, uh, with the polyglot of genres, Diamond Dallas blue. Uh, I love these dudes. We just do so much shit, and it makes no sense, man. What? Uh, and he's man, he this man, he's a mad scientist dog. Yo, uh, and he's he's, uh I mean, that was like a proper new Age House set, you know, Um, but it was It was you know, part of me wants to say it. It was no pun intended. Even your choice of color was started off with the, you know, the black lives chat and the kind of revolutionary chance because that's when it did come out once it was released. Swim? Do you like? You know, it was rooted in an angry time. Ah, and you know, Blue did did his best to make sure that we, you know, we we danced, You know, for anyone who's who's listening to it in that time. Maybe it's the juxtaposition to the actual sentiment of the world. But, you know, it was healing in a way, because, you know, the same way you used or, uh, you you decided to drop Joshua Lanes at the end of the summer as a more of a celebratory experience. I feel like blue, you know, kind of lifted the spirits of, you know, the kind of ebb and flow of that roller coaster that was mid summer. Uh, so, uh, I guess what were you feeling in and your responsibility, you know, or the responsible responsibility department, Uh, when releasing that mix up because, you know, I'm sure I mean, obviously you didn't. None of us planned for that to be, you know, the kind of driving eco, you know. And it ended up being the the overlaying narration for the mix. So yeah, so I mean, and this is also when you started to shoot the protests and it was becoming a dominant part of what you were covering Uh huh. For the first time, I think in a in a while. Really, Um, that you felt engaged or you showed work that was engaged in what was happening. So you know what we did you and blow bounce on. That was at the last minute edition. Um, you know what was Suppose you know some of the took the ground floor conversations with that release without without Without getting too morbid? Of course. Um yeah. No, no, for sure, for sure. I mean, it was just It was just like it's like one of those things when there's a lot of, you know, when there's a lot of, like, just dark shit happening. Like I feel like, obligated to make sure that, you know, we find ways to still celebrate small W and not get too lost in this world of it's easy to get caught in a slippery slope. You know what I mean? Like, I'm not saying that I want to make sure that we address the issues, but at the same time that we don't get depressed by the issues, you know what I mean? Like, I'm gonna make sure that we can still have the full spectrum of balance, you know, And then that I thought it was really important to not do anything. And I mean not not to not do anything like I did. I wasn't just going to post a black square at that time. I think that was around the same time people were posting black squares and everything like that. I really just want to complete opposite of, you know, I'm gonna make my voice to be heard, and then I'm not going to be scared to be black, you know? And I feel like, you know, and mix had a lot to do with that. And it's not like this in your face. Black MSM, like trying to shove it down your throat. It's just going to let you know that, you know, our life matters. And at the same time, you know, black people is the birth of techno. You know what I mean? So that whole that whole set, it was a lot of, you know, we're just the same thing. Black awareness and understanding like this is our music. And this is our time. And then, but at the same time, let's feel good about it like Let's not get too caught up into it. Let's just know that and and let's get shaking. Let's move. Let's you know, let's let's go towards progress And I think it's really important. You know, Blue, I thought Blue like a legendary job or something like that, because to be able to create in those kind of times, it takes a lot of guts, you know what I mean? And it's easy to do the It's easy to go down like a path where with nothing wrong with it, because it's a full spectrum, I said. But like, I don't want to focus on the negative side of it so much, you know? I mean, like, I want to make sure that you could grieve, but at the same time, we can move on to progressive. I felt like that. That's what that whole set was about when he executed that perfectly, even like down to the album cover like I purposely pick like a shot from like the Phuket Island's and like one of my double exposure shots to show their like, transcending kind of experience of like let's take ourselves out of this and go to another place for a bit. Like, let's go to James Bond Island, if you will. Let's take this metaphor for train and go to the island so we can clear our heads. You know what I mean? I just remember, like, why are we grateful to be here? You know what I mean. So, like, uh, artists, artistic rhythm nation, if you will, you know what I mean? Like, that's what it kind of felt like. Yeah. Yeah, that's I mean, that's where it took us two. We actually took a journey somewhere else for a moment. And I'm happy that happened. Uh, how you know, would you say, I mean, we would like to believe that the worst, uh, or the tensest moments are behind us. But do you feel, you know, or Betty, how has that moment kind of shifted your perspective or shifted the context of your work? Uh uh. Now, the music obviously is a big part of this, but in terms of the things you are interested in taking photos you're interested in capturing, um, yeah, if you can explain that quick way or the easy way. I mean, I think I think the biggest thing right now with me where I started to gravitate more swords like Well, you know, all the like, the civil unrest, what's happening during last year and just even the way that I was documenting a lot of my different editorials. But working with athletes is like a level of consistent honesty in simplicity that I'm always trying to achieve. And when I'm trying to communicate visually or verbally or spiritually, and I think it's really important to for me to life is already so complicated. I can't explain this to people. How much like there's so much complicated things that are happening at the milliseconds at a millisecond of each time. Then, like let's just slow down for one second and just chill, you know, And it's free and and appreciate certain things and and also, you know, understand that there is a level of implicit that if you can understand the simple things we can do way more, you can understand where more complex, complex, uh, concepts you know. So even when it comes to the taking, a simple photo of reducing them on top of the car hood like that felt empowering that that's what it felt like to be outside during that time. You know, it's just And then at the same time, I just try to translate that with how we used to do our activations and how we do how we, you know, do ourselves and how we do are and how we want to do the radio and how we're going to do the music. It's all of these. What's the most simplest way that we can really connect with, someone that just leaves out all the fillers so we can just focus on the energy? And then that's what I'm really focused on right now. Just, you know, it's a job. Keeping that same energy is real, though, like, really keep that same energy is some real shit. Energy is definitely a person. Jeez, um, all right, So, uh, every mix and every artist chose to collaborate with kind of captures something right where this animation building a lifestyle brand production, they all seem to be. And this is also really knowing you at least this all they all seem to be an extension of you or an extension of the type of work you've always wanted to do. You know, um I know you had, you know, each for you, and I would not laugh about Ah, you're becoming a DJ one day, you know you're producing, you know, like, you know, before the radio conversation actually manifested itself. You know, these are all like quips are, like little jokes. You would drop. So here we are. And you didn't have to do any of the work, right? Like you got to You got to, uh, to to, uh, with requests, the talents of others. Um and, uh, would you say that's true? Like, would you say that's exactly what you got to do? Would you say that You got to kind of, uh, you know, I'm a man. I if I genuinely, you know, you know, that's how I am Ready If I genuinely fuck with you know, the person is doing musically or, you know, art wise. I'm gonna hit you up like yo, this is fire. You know what I mean? Like, I'm gonna figure out a way to work with one day, you know? And then I would Then it might. Sometimes it might take some time. You know, sometimes it's the same thing that happened with me and disco Smith, like, you know, me and disco really hit it off. And then that turned in from meeting him at our basil with one of the homies into us, you know, producing pieces together and showing them in in Tokyo. You know, that was a long visual. No progress for me to be able to decrease something like, I don't know. I don't do any graffiti, you know, besides, like this, something like its sixth grade, you know, making the like the phase two ss and joints like that. Like that, Uh, the working with the same way that I aspire to, you know, to be in the same the same association and work with people that I admire. Like, you know, like the fiscal Smith is the same way that I kind of apply that musically, like, you know, voice fuck with Jacob. Always stuck with and blue. Uh oh, gosh. You know, those Those are my guys. You know what I mean? I've always went up to bat with them, you know, it was it just made kind of perfect sense to be able to work with him and to be able to you know to do the things because I know I'm not going to be spending on funk records at the club. You know what I mean? So let me I will go. You will always catch me that spot for sure. You know, I mean, but, like, let me find the person who loves it as much as I do, but at the same time, they can put me on to something, and they could treat they could treat it up in respect, You know what I mean? And they're not, You know, you're not working with, you know, I'm not working with somebody who has just, you know, kind of weird energy. Like my grandma says all the time. That association supposed useful habits like I don't really need that kind of energy around me. And that stuff. It seeps into the music it keeps into the art. You know, I'm still really strongly about that. So, like like Reni Reni told me that, like they're trying to call me Joe Tory up there like I'm really trying to be Joe Tory, for sure. You know, uh, run that back one more time so people don't have to repeat it. the, uh, the statement from your grandmother because I think that's probably one of the strongest mantra as that we've all learned one or another way from our elders. What was that quote? Uh, she she used to tell me Bad association spoils useful habits. So, like your grandma as a really spiritual woman, So she always every time she was I was always, like, not trying to listen to anything else. But every time she said that, that always clicked, you know? So that's something like she's been telling me since I've been, like, nine years old, and that hasn't left, you know? So that's something that you everything you know why I hang out with my friends usually food everything. You know what I mean? Yeah. I mean, and I that kind of perfectly alarmed with money. My next question, you know, because we're talking about associations, you know, lab live at the bodega is a destiny driven community, right? Um, community driven destination. Uh, and I love that. It's kind of fun, actually. Self fulfilling, right? Like we live in this kind of time capsule of energy. Uh uh. And bodega is the most unforgiving place, right? um, So it's a community. I gotta I gotta ask you, Do you got You got credit at your local? Oh, yeah. I have this condition. If I didn't have credit at the bodega. If you don't have credit, you are not valid. You know, you need to be able to run up a tab. And, ladies and gentlemen of the audience, credit is very real at your bodega, and your bodega can literally be, uh, your bank in some words if you got if you got credit there, you can come once a week. Do you do your bits and paying? Yet You're not moving. They know you're not moving any time soon. You don't have, uh, but you know what I am. I think it's a real It's one of the most beautiful things when you that's just like, that's just the beauty of, uh, you know, the real having a real bodega. Well, you know, poppies at the corner. You know what I mean? Like, there's been plenty of times when I have no money or I'm popped up like Poppy. I ain't got it today. He's like, Oh, don't worry about you. Bring it back. Uh, It's just you try to play the shoulders on there like some Irish spring. I'm trying to kinda added up to the bar. Honestly, like that only happens if you are literally supporting your bodega every day. You know what I mean? Like, there's so many things. This is things that I would put on on Instagram. It's like every time I get, you know, care packages from companies like they sent me a bunch of free clothes, I go straight to the bodega and give it to all. Give them, like, for years. You know what I mean? I put them done next. Shoes together. We've done Nike campaigns together like I've used that bodega up and down. So they know. You know, I'm I'm here to support you. I'm fucking with you also. Like, if I do like, let me get a sandwich. Uh, yeah. I love that. I love that. I love that. Uh, okay. So what does Steve sweat pants bodega look like? Damn first. Or is it going to be a gallery? Is it just another bodega comfort food? Is it? You know, does Does hockey got the food or make the food? Or is it Or is it or is it Latinos like, really mean a whole head, like my whole? It just It just skyrocketed. You know what I mean? It would be really tried to do something like, uh, because, you know, shout out to Brooklyn Circus. You know, it would be really dope to do, like some kind of like Brooklyn circus set up where you can have, like, the front party, Like Like like your storefront in the area. But then you have your secret door from the back, and then you have the full gallery like they do. That will be That would be some kind of energy That would be absolutely necessary. So anybody who wants to give me a bunch of money, um, I take e b t b e t. Uh, been more cash up? You might. You might have said something there, boy, It's something honestly, but, um, I think you said it like that. Like, honestly, I just really bust my head. But it's something that it's a dream. It would be a dream to come true and honestly, like, especially it. Especially that you're being born and raised out here. You know, I don't know how many black owned bodegas they are. I'm not gonna say they don't exist, but it would be be dope to be one of the few for sure. Yeah, Yeah, that's that's That's a word. Um, so lastly, uh, what is, uh and maybe you have been given it too much thought yet. Or maybe it's gonna ever developing, uh, project for you. But what does season two of live with the bodega do or what would give us or what would you want it to give us? Or what are some of the things that you didn't get to do the first time around? The we can expect to see in the future here is a You know, there's just so many really, uh, really dope and talented people that I've I've been dying to work with that we've already honestly made mixes. And, you know, sometimes it just doesn't work out for the timetable. But, you know, I could even say off the top that, like, the person I'm really excited to work with next that, um is Brian broke? You know, Brian Broncos Dahomey from Toronto is to create a director for division, and, um what he The mix that he created is something that, like, you know, I'm already talking about already already gives me goose bumps. You know what I mean? Like if you know anything about the divisions music, you can already know the kind of aesthetic that they carry. And then Brian pretty much just gives you the roots of everything where they come from it, but in his own kind of flavor. So especially everything that we've been able to go from the front. We've been a soul sample from the sweat pants, like being able to go into that pocket of it is, you know, you know my soul brother side, you know, and when fire broke and being from Toronto was like the New York's cousins. So we've been doing something that I'm really excited about that, But, you know, just amplifying the whole life of the building concept and understanding that, you know, there's a bunch of effective kind of using and artists and super damaged and keeping up with different tactics. But I would love to go to other species affected by as the bodegas, but I'm going to bring into the fold for the students in the lab, so I would love to Eventually. I don't know them. Uh, I say eventually. I don't know when we'll be able to do it, but I'm gonna start recording live shows at my bodega up the block. Uh, nice. My goal is eventually get to that data pillow block, party level. But, you know, we got some. There's there's some things in society that we need that needs to catch up with the first, But that's where I'm going. So Okay. I love it. A lot of it. Definitely plan to use their ready. Nice. Nice man. A nice man. All right, well, this is our first episode ribbon cutting episode for creative insights. Uh, and we have a boatload more. And, uh, thank you, Steve slept parents Steven John Kirby for blessing us with this story and kind of just giving us some insight. No point intended. And so you create a process with music and how your photos and all the aesthetically driven things you've chose to incorporate in your series, Uh, over the last season. So appreciate your brother. Shout out to all those years I played the cello. You know what I mean? you know, a saxophone teacher. You know what I mean? I don't know, Jason. Maybe, you know, this is, uh these are the kind of conversations that I think are really important when it comes to music is that we get so hyped up on listening to it and, you know, whenever you know, kind of world that we dive into, But we never really just explain what you know how much we love in in In in the ways that we love it and how it's connected. So no, too many more conversations. I know you gotta all lined up, lined up, so, you know, I'm trying to see what's up. I'm gonna try to hear what I'm trying to hit you. It's gonna be good. It's gonna be good. Uh, but I'll talk to you soon, right?