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Nightly Strange Podcast
We speak on random topics with guest as we help navigates different aspects of life, one person's journey could be another's motivation or of caution, thanks for coming!
Welcome to the Nightly Strange
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Nightly Strange Podcast
Nightly Strange Podcast - Darrell Dom
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Yo welcome to Nightly Strange Rain Strange Range.
SPEAKER_03Welcome to Nightly Strange, ladies and gentlemen. I'm your host, D Makuno. Special guest in the building, Daryl Dom. How you doing, man? How you doing?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm doing good, man. Just out here in Florida doing um I'm at an investment podcast. Not an investment podcast, I do an investment podcast, but I'm at a conference that I go to yearly down here in Boca Raton, Florida. And so it's uh always a good event and everything. I was actually just on this uh this uh cruise with uh the exhibitors. So these are like the CEOs of like the publicly traded companies. They um what they do is they buy the slots at this conference, and then they get like a special cruise for some screws with them. So yeah, everybody's kicking it. It's like the last night, and then tomorrow's the last day, and then uh flying back to to Bram.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, man, like so you sent me that, you sent me your podcast. I'm like, what is this? And I start clicking through it and watching the stuff, and I'm like, oh, this is yours. Yeah, this is your podcast. Yeah, and I like the setup too, man, with the chairs, two lights. Really, that was I was like, damn, I gotta step my game up. It's just my bar back there.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's that's uh, yeah, we'll definitely get more into that. I don't know if you want to start there, but um I can speak a little bit to that. Uh so that's a podcast that um I don't own the podcast, but I'm a contractor through the podcast. And so a good friend of mine, he owns it. He's up in Vancouver, Canada. And uh, and so all I do is hit record, and we got like a whole like team that does all the editing, the thumbnails, all of that stuff. So the video you seen was when I went up there for our in-studio interview. So they set up all the lighting, they got all the cameras, multiple photographers, all that stuff. So they do all the setup. And so it's it's like uh somebody that does it for that business that's setting it up. So I did not change it up.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that was a nice setup, though. That was a nice setup. No, we're gonna we're gonna come back to that. We're gonna come back to that. Let me ask, so it's been a while. I mean, last time I interviewed you, it was for Kit Tap County Uncut. Yeah, I remember. Yeah, that was a good 10 years ago, man. Ten years ago. And at the time your name was Smiley D. Yeah, yeah. It's so what made you change your name to your real name?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so um a couple things was going on. So one, I got the name Smiley D through um a good friend of mine, uh I'm still good friends with today. His dad used to always be clowning. I used to always be smiling, just cheesing, just like cheesing. And he he was like, Why are you always smiling so much? And then he was like, I'm gonna call you Smiley. So then once I started rapping with my guy Leon, he was like, Man, she named me Smiley D. So then I started moving with that name for a long time, you know, and uh and then when I moved back to Oklahoma City, I went by Smiley. Even when I was living in the street life, you know, I was you know doing my thing in there. Uh people called me Smiley. Everybody started calling, got known, known me as Smiley. And so then when I came back, even when I was doing Christian rap, you know, which I still do a former Christian rap, I just kind of frame it differently. But um, I was still going by Smiley D. So it went from like childhood to the streets, street rapper, and then uh even as a gospel rapper, you know. So, you know, when I was promoting a lot of my music to a lot of kids locally, they all knew me as Smiley D. So some some of them still call me Smiley.
SPEAKER_03So Yeah, yeah, yeah. We was at you you performed with uh Jameer at that music thing downtown and um Jayna Shell, shout out Jayna Shell and Jameer. She got on there, she like Smiley D fam.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, man. Like, hey, you know, I I'm still like I still respond to the name. You know what I mean? Like people talk about Smiley, I still respond. It's just, you know, the way I market it. But uh the um so in 2019, I was uh I started filming a music video for a big, you know, uh Christian artists, Christian hip hop artists. And he uh he was from the streets, so I related to his music and stuff. He was from St. Louis, and so he came out of Seattle. I filmed a video for him. And so like then he started, he was open to like mentoring me. And for me, it was like, oh, you know, Christian rap can be like just kind of in this little box and have its own little community, and then it can be a lot of gatekeeping and stuff, and so you don't have as much as like the broader, you know, uh support from everybody. I mean that I think that's improving a lot more as people like I think people were more looking for more messages with substance, and so but you know that that's pretty much what it was. So when I met him and he wanted to like uh he decided to mentor me and like I was doing some video work for him with his track, so that was his name was Dizzle. I have a song with him called No Cap. And so um, and he was talking to me. I had just like was about to put out a project and he was like, Man, you ever thought about changing your name? And so I didn't I was like, no, I haven't, you know, I got a project about to come out, like I'm not trying to change my name. And then um and then he talked about like you know it being part of like my evolution, you know, as an artist, and like um he's like man, you know, you're gonna be older doing music, they're gonna be calling you smiley. And I was kind of thinking about it, like, do I want to be called smiley my whole life? You know what I mean? And so like people still do it, right? And uh, and then even with the uh music videos I was putting out, like I had started doing uh music videos back in 2018 because you know, when uh when I would go to pay for a video, it was expensive. And I was like, man, you know, I can't keep affording like, you know, 500 videos, you know, a thousand to fifteen hundred dollar videos, whatever. And so I started doing my own, and my videos were straight trash. Bro, like they was trash when I first started. I thought they was dope, but they was trash. And so I put out quite a few songs, even like that. And then as I got better with videography, like the videography got better again over time, but the thing was was like I had so much inconsistent quality under Smiley D. You know, I went from you know doing the gangster street rap where I was rapping with like Filthy Rich, I got a song with T Nutty, I was really connected with these folks in the Bay Area, and then even switching over to gospel and stuff, and then but my quality as far as like my songs and like how I how I uh record my songs to like uh the visual quality and all of that, the videos and stuff, and I was just like, Yeah, it's all inconsistent, and I I would like to start new and start building up higher quality content under you know my my name. And so if someone were to like search for my name, they would see the good stuff and or or they or they could run into like the horrible videos, and I just did not want like anyone to search you know my name and then run into something that's like I'm like I probably just need to take that video down. And so it was like kind of it's kind of like the continuity of it as well. And so um, so yeah, that that was that was uh you know why I ended up changing it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, no, I feel that. You know, like my rap name was it was Mac and for years. That's what I started off as. And you know, then I got older and I meet, I went to Seattle and I was like, man, I don't really want to be using this 90s hip hop name I've had since I was you know 13 years old, and so I just shortened it to D Mac Uno, but I get it, I get it. You know what I'm saying? I made crappy videos too, man. We had to do what we had to do because, like you said, I'm not paying nobody $500, a thousand dollars for a video, and you ain't even like bring my visual to lie alive, you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, yeah, you waiting for somebody else. They just it's it was a lot. That's why I started making beats too, and I think that's what's missing a lot with uh these new artists, right? They don't really have to work to be an artist, you know, like at all.
SPEAKER_01We had to be like prince. We had to play the we had to play the trump, yeah, guitar, you know what I'm saying? We had to film our own videos, you know, make our own beats, like yeah, make it, yeah, had to do it all, bro. Like, yeah, all that stuff.
SPEAKER_03And I used to I used to have songs and I'd be rapping, I'm like, yeah, I'm killing it. Get it going to go in it, but I'm getting it. You know what I'm saying? Like the volumes all messed up, and but you know what I'm saying, it's it was work. And so I think that's why you still see a lot of older artists still kind of going. And you said you're dropping some music, aren't you?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, I'm working on some music uh now. Like I'm actually well, I'm still in the writing phase, but I'm gonna be scheduling some studio time here in the next uh week or so to start recording. And then I have I have some unreleased tracks that I'm like I need to I need to release release them. So I just need to get the artwork done and and kind of just start building some momentum and promoting those, and I'm also gonna do some video content for a couple of unreleased tracks that I've had in uh in the uh vault for about you know a couple years, a year or so.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you've been pretty successful. I mean, as far as it goes to like a Kidsop County rapper, a rapper out here, you've been pretty successful. Like you have a lot of listeners on your Spotify, your songs do really well, your videos have always done well. What do you attribute that to?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think the biggest things are just you know uh one like being approachable and accessible to like the fans. That's like one thing where you know people would message me. It it started getting like getting to me later on when I just like, man, I don't want to talk about like my rap career every time I see you. You know what I mean? But but uh you know, but I still remained like accessible and was willing to engage with people and approachable. And so, you know, I used to like really live and breathe this rap thing. Like I made a lot of you know sacrifices. Um there was times where you know like I'm spending a lot of my money to get you know get these projects off the ground and stuff. Like uh times where you know I could have been investing that money in my kids' stock account, you know what I mean? I'm like, I'm like, hey, I need to do this. Um which I I had a I had a higher you know uh purpose for doing it. Like I never did I've never obviously any everybody wants fans, but I wasn't really looking for the success like that. The success for me was like if somebody hears a message and it impacts them, you know, in a positive way, then that was a success for me. So even if it was one person, right? But you know, I did have multiple people, and some people still go back and listen to that Smiley D, those Smiley D songs. And so, uh, and they tell me, like, hey, this this song helped me get got me through this this tough time, blah, blah, blah. And they and they still listen to it. And so I'm like, man, I'm glad it's still serving this purpose. So that was always like the success for me. But, you know, like being approachable, being accessible, I was doing a lot of shows. Um, you know, I was uh you know, performing at schools, I was at block parties, I was in churches, you know, I've done the clubs, I was at the Charleston, like, you know, I was performing everywhere. And so I I think I did have like a bigger um pool of places to perform because because I, you know, I did more clean, you know, conscious, faith-based music. Right. And so I had I had songs to perform. Like the schools would be like, hey, we want you to perform at our assembly. And and you know, I remember doing that at I think one of the Martin Luther King assemblies at with elementary school, you know, and so I had songs that I could perform in those types of environments. So that was kind of part of it. I was doing a lot of uh, you know, obviously music videos, you know, I started doing shorts, you know, I was doing photos with captions. I was just trying to be more visible because they say content is king for a reason. And so I was trying to be more visible. I was doing contests, like I started doing contests where fans could win like an Amazon gift card, they could win a pair of AirPods. Like I've you know, I reached my pocket, like, hey, I'm gonna buy a pair of AirPods. If you give me your contact information and stuff and participate, then you could win these AirPods. And so I was even doing stuff like that where I was giving back in that way, which uh was actually yielded some good results because the one thing that I realized was that the when I was trying to build and cultivate my fan base, the algorithms weren't showing my stuff to people who were supported my music over years. And these are like Facebook algorithms.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So I have somebody who supported, been to a concert years ago, you know, have listened to my music and such, and then I see them years later, and they're like, hey, did you stop doing music or what? You know, and I'm like, nope, I didn't stop doing music. And then, but I've been posting very consistently. And so like I noticed like it wasn't getting to my fans. And so the the method that I kind of changed was I was like, okay, this is similar, social media is similar to like building your your house on somebody else's land. Like they can take the they can change the rules, they can you know show what society whether to show your stuff to someone or not, you know, things of that nature. You know, they they can censor you, you know, all of that. So I started getting like I started going to like emails, you know, and things like that. So I was doing email communications. I was um sending emails out to folks just so I could have a direct line of line of communication if social media wasn't showing my stuff to them. So, you know, I was doing a lot of stuff to like really build build it up and everything, and then you know, I kind of had a slowdown over the last two years, so yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, no, I I I I respect that too, because I'm I'm I'm the same way when I was doing music, right? I'm like, what are different ways that I can promote what I'm doing to get my music out there? Because you know, you can try to do what everyone else is doing, but you're just gonna get lost in the sauce, you know what I'm saying? So for me, I remember one time I was like posting like I did like a whole art thing where I would like take pictures of the sky, design it a certain color, put the album name on there, and then put a song behind it and just keep posting that and posting different ones. And so, and uh do you feel like you're you're um with the music? Do you how do you feel about the new generation out here doing music? New generation, Kidsap, Bremerson.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I would I would say uh you know, I've known a lot of these artists, you know, those that are that are from here I've known since they were teenagers, like you know, Wabby, Lil'O, Jameer. You know, I remember like Jameer, tallest, tall as hell, like in ninth grade, and I'm working in the schools at that time, and I'm like, man, this kid tall, you know? So like uh, you know, I've known them for a long time. And the thing that that I I really appreciate is the work they're doing into their craftsmanship. Yeah, you know, uh, because you know, I I I think like you your part is era too. I mean, I think you may be a little older than me. But there used to be like some whack rappers, right? You know what I'm saying? Where folks are just like, like literally like skill-wise, you know, miracle-wise, and you and you turn it on, the quality was terrible, and you'll be like, hey, there's there's some whack rappers, like, you know. Now, I feel like the the education of how to rap is more accessible. I think that people can learn how to make their own beats and stuff, you know, they can purchase beats on YouTube, whatever the case.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, there's more access to studios, right? Um and so I just feel like in the community, like I feel like the music quality as far as like sound and things of that nature has been getting better. Now, when it comes to like lyricism and stuff, like, you know, I I don't know too many new artists to like really judge that. I mean, I know Jameer is very lyrical. Uh, me and him have done a song together. We talked about doing more songs together and stuff, and so like, you know, I know he's he's a lyricist, you know, and and you know, and so music has just kind of changed too. So, you know, those are kind of just my thoughts on like, you know, the new player.
SPEAKER_03Well, I mean, think about it. Like, most of like all that that I was talking to someone else. I think I was talking to Freeze about it, and he was saying all that that crappy music that people were putting out for so many years, you know what I'm saying, just repeating the hook and all that stuff's kind of going away. It didn't it was never meant to last. It was like filler music, and so now like the real music is coming back, like YB, he's he's a lyricist, you know. Jameer, he's a lyricist, Janus Shell, she's a lyricist, Freeze, he's a lyricist, you know what I'm saying? But Freeze has been around since you know back in the Kids Ep County on Cut Day. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? And like how how do you feel it's changed? Because back then it was CDs, you know what I'm saying? Like you had your numbers and stuff, but you had CDs, and how do you feel it's how do you how do you cope with dealing with the digital world?
SPEAKER_01I mean, it's it has its challenges for sure. Like, um, like I know some people that are getting really good at AI, and like I'm I'm kind of basic with it, you know. Like I know a few, I know a thing or two more than other people, but like I know some people that are really like building some crazy stuff with AI, and I'm like, okay, yeah, y'all, y'all on another level. But um, as far as like the you know, I was in an era, you know, when when I started rapping, it was like 2006. I think I put out my first CD in 2008, and um, and I was pushing them CDs on every corner, bro. I was this was I was back in Oklahoma City then, but I was like at 7 Elevens trying to sell my CDs for five bucks. I was at um, you know, the rodeo, folks walking up, hey, I'm selling my CDs. I've even been to downtown Seattle. I remember in 2008, like I went uh downtown Seattle, uh like me and my homie Connor, like we caught the ferry, and we didn't have money to get back, you know, and I was like, hey, like we gotta hustle our way back. Like we you know, we all had to sell some CDs to get back across this ferry, you know? Yeah and I I remember like vividly, you know, I was down by Westlake, and you know, I was playing my music on the boom box, and I had my CDs, and then folks was like coming by, and it was like, hey, yeah, they're buying the CDs and stuff. And then I started, I got like a group of like 20 rappers. Like it was just kept attracting these rappers. They were coming coming through, so folks started freestyling on the beats and stuff, and then I remember one time we had like 20, we had like 20, 20 rappers outside of Westlake Mall freestyling over my beats. And so like it was just a whole different era, right? Yeah, I think I think the part that that was a struggle for me was uh you know adjusting quicker or seeing like the writing on the wall quicker where things were headed. Because I think I could have been ahead of the game. Um, you know, I remember, you know, YouTube back in like 2006. I remember this one artist I've done a couple tracks with. Uh, she was a singer, but she was on YouTube early, you know, and she was putting out videos and stuff, but I never thought to like get there, you know, or start putting stuff out. So obviously, you know, it's changed a lot. I think social media has changed a lot. You know, a lot of people are, you know, hungry for content. Some people are like just trying to stay relevant and they do goofy stuff, you know what I'm saying? On on freaking uh social media to like to like get attention and stuff. So it's it's changed a lot in that sense because like, you know, just in like my era, you know, your era, like um, you know, like it you'll be seen as lame, like if if you're if you're doing like all this goofy stuff to get attention.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Because I'm a grown man. Wait, how old how old are you? 38. Oh, yeah, I am older than you. Oh, it's cool, fine. Whatever, we ain't gotta talk about it no more. Anyways I think you said for me.
SPEAKER_01Well, one, like, you know, Doc, Doc, you know, my guy Doc, you know, I I know y'all been connected for a while. And uh I think he's probably around Doc's age. I know Doc is Doc is older than me. And then it was something else you said with your era, and I was like, I I think he I think he got me about a few years.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, I'm for I'm 43. Wait, no, wait, wait, hold on, thank. Am I? No, I'm 42. 80s, maybe. Yeah, 82. Somebody could do that math. I can't remember. I remember I was being, I was 37. When I was 37, I wasted my whole year thinking I was 38. You know what I'm saying? Like, and then they had to tell me how they how I was like, damn. You know what I'm saying? But I'm old, like I gotta park at the same spot when I go shopping so I can find my car. Or else I come out there lost. You know what I'm saying? And so, yeah, let me ask you about this. How did you feel about seeing the Kit Tap County rapper list? And the rapper list.
SPEAKER_01It was funny to me, like the funniest parts was the reactions to it. Um, I was I was just reading the comments, laughing, laughing ass off, bro. I was just like, dang. And then um, yeah, so I left a couple comments on it. I was like, man, why y'all put me on this with some with some laughing faces and stuff?
SPEAKER_03Same, bro. I was upset. I was like, and they put me in the last one. I was like, I do not want to be on this list.
SPEAKER_01Like I just knew, like as soon as I saw it, I was like, I was like, okay, yeah, yeah, you you asking for um starting fires here with this one. And um, and you know, for me, like I was like number five on the list. And I was like, okay, this this is obviously I don't know who the guy is or what, but I was like, maybe he was around this era like around 2013, 14, 15, 15.
SPEAKER_03The Kids have County Uncut era, right? Like that's that's all the artists that were on there. I was like, what the hell? Like, no one before, no one after.
SPEAKER_01We were doing a lot of shows at the Charleston around there, too. Uh I remember, you know, David. Leave this was doing shows, you know, and stuff. And so I was like, maybe maybe he's from that era. So, anyways, you know, and I was just thinking about it. I was just like, This who's this guy's opinion? Like, me being on like media and stuff and financial media, I get a lot of comments, and I get a I I get some racist, hateful comments sometimes too.
SPEAKER_03I bet, I bet.
SPEAKER_01I just I just stopped even paying attention to the comments. So, like I was like, This is his opinion, like I'm not putting too much weight to it. Um I mean, but you know, the reaction to it was was hella funny, though.
SPEAKER_03You know, it was they was in there crying, bro, almost like I'm just like they're like your usual. Why are you saying something you on the list? I'm like, bro, I don't want to be on the list, you know what I'm saying? Like they made they made two of them. I like someone made a chat GPT one, but that shows that I was just telling the rappers, I'm like, bro, that just shows you guys aren't making enough impact online because they pulled up my old rap name that I had since like 1997 was on there. I said, Macadoja won. I was like, Oh, I started getting big headed, like, oh, y'all don't know about that. But like, yeah, it was crazy, bro. They was just all in their field, and I get it, you know what I'm saying? Because everybody wants to be the best. But how do you feel like rappers should try to support each other in the community or should they just try to go get their own fans?
SPEAKER_01I think you know, I I'm more aligned with the kind of like original intent of hip hop, you know, which was community, um, you know, fun, you know, friendly competition, you know what I mean? Like, um, and you know, really challenging each other to do better. You know what I'm saying? Like, if you're gonna lose a battle or whatever, like, you know, you need to be working on your game, you know, and so like, and you know, when I think about the four elements of hip hop, you know, graffiti, djing, emceeing, uh, breakdancing, you know, like it it was, you know, it was all for like building community. And so that's that's kind of I how I align with it. Like, so I'm always like showing artists love, even if like, you know, I'm not really a fan of their music. Like, I'm still gonna support them. Like, I know like um, you know, putting the effort and the time and and to to improve your craft, you know. At one point I was like super whack. Like, like, yeah, I can't even find it.
SPEAKER_03We all was. We all was. I got my I got my first songs on a cassette tape, a voice-to-man cassette tape that you know you can put the tape over the top of it. I don't know if you know about that and re-or yeah, bro. I I have a boom box, I play it for my kids. They're like, You were terrible. I'm like, I know, I know I was, you know what I'm saying? But at the time I thought I was dope, you know what I'm saying? It takes it takes time and it takes practice. And you see a lot of like, I mean, you've been around long enough, bro. I see a lot of rappers, especially doing interviews, they rap for about seven, eight months and then they quit. And to me, I just look at them like, well, bro, you didn't really love the music, you just you love what comes with it, you know what I'm saying? Because as an artist, you never stop making your craft. That's just what it is. Like a painter never stops painting, a person likes to build cars, never stops tinkering. You know what I'm saying? And if you make music, you're never gonna stop making music. You might stop trying to be famous, but you're never gonna stop making like like you said, you have an old album. Like, I have an old album I'm sitting on, you know what I'm saying? Like I'm just sitting there, and I'm just like, I'm doing whatever with it. Let me ask you this You you said you get a lot of racist comments with what you do, and I can kind of relate because you know I cover the news with Wes. So that's with your that's VR V-R-I-C media, correct? Yeah, yeah. And what what are what are the some of the things they say to you?
SPEAKER_01Um I had uh I had someone say uh my homie Jay Martin, he he owns the channel and um I contract with him, but uh, he was like, where did they where did Jay find this dude? They they need to send this dude back to Roscoe's chicken and waffles.
SPEAKER_03I don't mean to laugh, but I do.
SPEAKER_01I was like, wow, I was like, oh, okay, somebody talking like that. That's that's that's wild. You know, I've seen the other ones like folks like criticizing my intellect. You know, um this industry that I'm working in is it's predominantly older white male. And so, and I've had older white men come up to me and like they're like, hey man, like you know, like I don't even bring race up, you know, but they brought it up to me multiple times, right? And they're like, you know who you are, and and you are a unique, you know, uh voice and person in this community, you know, and they were just kind of like, you know, this could be a massive opportunity for you, you know, and and uh kind of breaking some of those barriers. And so I've always kind of viewed it as like Jackie Robinson, when Jackie Robinson, you know, broke the MLB, you know, like I'm in a I'm invested in a natural resource mining sector with geologist and all of this stuff, right? All this technical stuff. And they ain't there ain't really no black people in there. I mean, you do get some African folks, you do get um you know Indian folks who work on the either the finance side and stuff. So there are other people of color, but like when you think of black Americans, like it's very, very little.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, they don't like that's not even like a concept in our brains at times. Because like I when you sent it to me, you know, I I took a day or two to like look at it, you know what I'm saying. I was busy or whatever, but I watched it and I'm like, okay, you know, you're talking about gold and and minerals in the ground, and you know what I'm saying? And like that's that's a whole thing that like I didn't even think. I was like, damn, because the only time I think about that is when I watch that move that show Landman. Because you know what I'm saying, they'd be like, okay, you own the land, but we own the minerals under the land, you know what I'm saying? And then that's how they can extract the oil out the ground. And so, how did you link up with the guy doing that?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I mean, I I started during COVID, you know, my uh landlord when I moved out, I was moving out of my house uh that I was renting, and she gave me the book uh Rich Dad Poor Dad, which uh by Robert Kiyosaki. And the book sold over, I think it's 20 or either 40 million copies, something like that, maybe even 80. But um, very well-known book in the investment industry. And so I picked that book up and I actually got to meet him uh back in November. You know, him and I got a picture together, and then and then uh he was at our conference in January. But um, like he that book opened my eyes to like just finance, investing. Like, I'm in the rat race, you know what I mean? Yeah, and um I like I'm working, I'm trading my time for money, you know. And um and typically, you know, and the concept of the book is like really about like how do you um you know buy yourself more time by making your money work for you, you know. And so um I read that book and I went down this rabbit hole watching his YouTube channel, and he was bringing on these independent financial folks, and they would always talk about like macroeconomics, they would talk about gold, they would talk about you know natural resources, different things like that. So then I got into like macroeconomics, which is like, you know, I look at I study like the Federal Reserve, like what are what moves are they making, what policy implications of government can have on certain investment sectors, things like that. Um, you know, so I I would study these kind of macroeconomics, and um, and then I began to see like, yeah, all the stuff like we talk about, silver, copper, all that stuff, all that stuff makes our lights turn on today. You know what I mean? Like, we wouldn't be having these this interview if we didn't have the rare earth magnets inside this computer, our computers or or our screens to make them like touch screen and and all that stuff. So, like natural resources are a critical uh component to like our everyday life, you know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean they're having issues with that now with the um stuff going on in Iran because they have so many natural resources, like the fertile, for example, the fertilizer. You know what I'm saying? It's gonna mess up our farming out here because a lot of it comes from over there, you know what I'm saying? Like, and a lot of people don't realize that. We just you know, we expect we go to a store like you know, Fred Meyer or Lowe's, and everything should just be there. But the people bringing it in are actually making all the money and the decisions. Yep, exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_01And so, um, so that that's how it kind of that's how I got in that that particular sector was like, well, first was like with gold, and it was like, you know, studying the history of gold, there's a really good book called The Power of Gold. And uh it really talks about the history and how it became money, how it became a store value, how it became, you know, its scarcity and all of these other properties. And so when you think about it, like uh with 40 trillion in debt, the government keeps printing money. You know, they're devaluing the dollar, you know, by printing more money and making our dollars less valuable. And so um gold has always been very scarce. You gotta mine it out of the ground, you know, you gotta put sweat equity, you gotta put finances, you gotta get drillers, you gotta get geologists, all this stuff to get it out of the ground, and then that value comes in a coin that you can't print, you know? And so and so that's that's how you know I began like getting into this was like really understanding like you know what's happening in the in the global kind of scale or whatnot, and then also like how how I can position myself to protect myself and protect my wealth, you know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Now it seems like you've done a lot of studying, man. Like, um, and what's the link to so people can find you there?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. They they can go to V-R-I-C Media on YouTube. It's also uh on Spotify, so V as in Victor, uh, R as in Richard, I as in Isaac, C as in Carly Media, um, and you can find on Spotify. I think it's on Apple Podcasts too, but um, and YouTube. And so, yeah, they can find more stuff about that there.
SPEAKER_03Hell yeah, hell yeah. No, that's pretty dope. Like, I'm gonna start watching more of the videos, and then is it easy for you to set up those interviews or do you have to pay the people for it?
SPEAKER_01No, so there's one guest I interviewed today. She used to be uh an advisor to the Dallas Federal Reserve, and she has uh a makeup fee, and so but I don't pay that, the company pays it. You know what I'm saying? So, like, you know, the company will be reimbursed her and stuff, but she's like a big name, big author, too. And so outside of that, everybody else's is free. Like, I mean, they're they're trading, we're giving them something to value, we're giving them access to retail investors, like the average people, and then we're also giving them access to um 85,000 subscribers, and then we we've had uh relationships with them for a while. So uh so they they typically willing to come on, but yeah, I don't have to pay.
SPEAKER_03Nice, nice. And and it's weird, like you know, I'll talk to like I've interviewed a couple old rappers, like you know, shout out JT the bigger figure technique, um, just to name a couple, and they all just showed me love and RIP D Young bleed, you know what I'm saying? They they've done it free, but I've had some rappers like they'd be like, Yeah, you're gonna have to pay me for an interview. I'm like, bro, I'm I'm not paying you for the hell. Like, like even like even newer rappers, like this is back in the day. Nowadays, like I don't really nah. I mean, some of if I like, you know, like I've known you for years, bro. Like we we've worked together, done stuff like you, you know what I'm saying? I was like, cool, let's get you on here because I see what you're doing, and I've always respected you as a person. But like some rappers, bro, I'm like, nah, bro, I'm not giving you a nickel to talk to you. You know what I'm saying? Like, because for me, it's I just do this for fun. Like, you started doing yours during COVID, and I started doing this during COVID because I just I was too old, bro. I'm like, I can't just keep rapping in the streets with the youngsters, like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Facts. Trying to be a hot nigga and shit. I'm like, nah, bro, I got gray hair, it's about to be a grandfather. That skit, you seen that skin with uh Drewski with the with the old uh with the old dude, he's still in the streets, yes. It was popular. It'd be like that though, bro. I see I'm not gonna say no names, but there's dudes out here still running around. I'm like, bro, you've grown. You got grandkids. Like, what is you out here throwing up gang signs? You but your arthritis about to kick in. Stop. You're gonna be I'm just I've been crippling all my life, you know. So there's I want to ask you one more question really quick. There's the hip hop kids at the Bremerton Hip Hop Music Festival. Have you sent your music in?
SPEAKER_01No, I have not. I have not sent my music in. Um, but I do have a reason for that. Like, I've been like the last two years have been hard for me to be super like motivated doing music. And so I wasn't, I I didn't perform for a while. Jameer hit me up. I think the last time I performed, me and Jameer were performing our song in the uh Armed Forces Day Parade last year. So that was in that was in uh May of last year. We were walking, walking through Bremerton performing a song. Everybody's waiting on the side. We got the bands and everybody with us. But yeah, it it was it wasn't like they produced, you know, or or played our song. We we had our Bluetooth speaker, you know. And so um, yeah, we were doing that with uh Tommy Story Hour, which is um I know Tommy.
SPEAKER_03Shout out Tommy, yeah, shout out Tommy.
SPEAKER_01You know, we we gotta show him some love in here, you know. Yeah I've known him since he was uh I don't know, 16, 17, and and uh I went and performed at the Ark. Um and uh you know I knew he had some Yeah, yep, and I knew he had some speeds and stuff, and and then he he was like, hey, I want you to perform with the Armed Forces. I even went and performed at their little um uh well not their little, but their event is significant. Uh their event that they uh do over there close to um Rocky Point. So like um so yeah, so he plugged me with that. So even like this year, like he he was like, hey, you know, I want you to perform and stuff. And I was just like, man, I can't do it. I'm not you know in a good space. So a lot of that was due to um one, just you know, I started making money doing the podcast. Like it was like, okay, yeah, just wrap stuff, you ain't paying the bills, you know what I mean? Like I'm making more money doing my podcasting. And then two, it was like, you know, I I didn't have a whole lot of time. I got other stuff. I like to read, I like to study, I like to, you know, I just started I started Brazilian jujitsu recently. You know what I'm saying? So like so like you know, I got other stuff I'm doing, so I didn't have a whole lot of time. And then uh then my sister passed in back in March. Man, I appreciate that, man. And um, and so you know, all that at the time, I was like, yeah, I can't do it, you know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's it's crazy how the older we get, right? It's like we want to do music, bro, but our lives just kind of pull you further away from it, and it kind of makes it like, you know, like because like in my head, it's like I'll I'll be upset and I'll be like, well, let me try to write something. And that first song I make, it's just the worst thing I could ever think of in my mind, right? Because I'm just like angry and all this anger and stuff. And it's it's just weird how like it's like like you said, like you guys have 89,000 or is it 89,000 subscribers on your page? Uh 85. Okay, yeah. 85. Yeah, see, I got like uh see, I I'm doing the news with West. Shout out to homie Wes. We got 29,000 in two years, you know what I'm saying? And I'm just like everything was on the back burner. Like, I wasn't even doing this, like, you know what I'm saying? Because I was so I was so busy focused on that and trying to get my life together. And so it's just it's just crazy how you know, like to stick through it and to keep come back to it, it's it makes sense. Like I get why people stop doing things, you know what I'm saying? The older I get, because you just don't have the time for it, like you want to fit it in, but you can't.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it becomes a you know, what's the value proposition? You know, yeah. I I think for me right now, the value proper proposition is like, you know, I just started doing going to counseling for the first time. You know, congratulations, yeah. Appreciate you, man. Appreciate you. I used to just hold a lot of stuff in and just try to carry the weight. And uh music was like therapeutic too. So I'm like, It is, it is I got I got some things I need to say, I got some things on my heart, you know. I have some significant events in my life, and I want to share that with the people, you know, and my fans who are who are still there. And so um, so yeah, so like when when that came out, I wasn't honestly really aware of it as much. Like, I haven't been on, I don't, I'm not on Facebook like that. Um, you know, also um I mostly You looked happy on the stage.
SPEAKER_03I can see it in your face. I was like, I I can see it in your face. I'm like, man, he ain't performed in a while because you was out there like you look at peace, you look in peace.
SPEAKER_01I was like, okay. Yeah, it was uh but yeah, like I'm mostly on X. Like that's my IG. I'm on IG a little bit too, but I'm mostly on X. But um yeah, so like Jameer invited me to that that event. Um that was my first time performing in like close to a year outside of a Juneteenth event I did at my job like last year. And then um and then I got um invited to do this 4th of July event from a friend of mine. He he wanted me to perform, and so I told him I'd do it. So I had to dust off all the tracks and like let me get my set together. And yeah, so I'm just getting back into it. So I didn't long story short, I'm not on Facebook like that, so I didn't know what was going on. I'm not following everybody's you know post and stuff, and I don't see most of everybody's posts. I got people from all over the world on my Facebook, so I see a bunch of different stuff, and so like I just didn't catch it until I I saw like a few comments of like uh the the Bermanson Music Fest.
SPEAKER_03Were you on X before um when it was Twitter? No, I wasn't. I wasn't at all. Twitter, see the X I've X is like the worst version of Twitter because I was on Twitter back in 2012, right? And I mean it was it's it was a wild, wild west on there. Like you'd just be scrolling to some dudes, like, all right, everybody, I'm gonna show you how to make crack. You know what I'm saying? Like, and he'll start cooking, and Twitter was cool with it. Like it was it was just the craziest place you could be, but you could actually blow up on there. But now since Elon Musk owns it, you know, everybody that's a blue check mark, they paid for it. Like before, when you used to get that, you knew somebody got that, you'd be like, yo, you earn that, man. You know what I'm saying? Like, because if you went viral on Twitter, like you could become a star. You know what I'm saying? So I mean, X, I still use X because I get my news from there. Yep, yep. You know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_01X X is really good. Uh, but like to the blue check mark, you know, point. Like, I mean, they they just found out how to monetize them. Like, oh yeah, yep, you get the blue check mark, you don't get ads, right? You know, otherwise you see an ads, we ain't gonna push a post in front of everybody, like, you know, so like they they learn how to monopolize it, you know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Elon Musk bought it, and then he realized they were losing money every year. But X but Twitter was such a it was used so much by everybody, it was like they didn't they didn't care because like I mean you would see I would think see things on Twitter, which X now, right? And then you turn on the news and 10 minutes later they'd be like breaking news, you know what I'm saying? Because everything flows through there, which it still kind of does, you know what I'm saying? So it's hella nice, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so but yeah, so I didn't I didn't see it. I mean, um, yeah, the primitive music post like that. So I don't even know who put it on. Was it is it if I'm if I'm correct, is it was it Rob put it on or somebody else?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Rob Rob's putting it on. Um uh Doc is attached to it, and um Rob and Doc. Yeah, it's gonna be on Quincy Square in August. And so they're telling everybody to send send your music in, the artist. It's been a little controversy about that because some artists you know wanted to be on it, and some are you know, it's whatever, but at the end of the day, they've never done anything like this for the city at all. You know what I'm saying? So it's a good thing. But the controversy is like, what's the problem? Like that well, some artists were upset they weren't asked to be on on the show, on the bill, but he asked people to be on the bill. It just wasn't flashy enough in my eyes to them. You know what I'm saying? He was like, Hey, I'm trying to work, who are the new artists? People were tagged in it, and so some artists aren't sending their music in, some artists aren't getting their music cleaned up to have it played because because they're like, even if you aren't on the bill, they're like, we still want to have the DJ play your music in between the sets, which is still love, you know what I'm saying? And so some people feel like they should be on the show, some feel like they shouldn't, but I mean they'll be next year and they'll still play your music.
SPEAKER_01So um and and like, yeah, just to comment real quick. I mean, yeah, and no, no disrespect to like those who feel a certain way, but you know, at the same time, it's like, you know, we can't feel entitled, you know, to I mean, this is somebody else's vision, you know, and so whoever they pick and choose, that's that's gonna be them. Like what I would say is like go put your own music fest together. Like, you know, if if it's that big of a problem, you know, and so I just think like instead of like complaining about stuff, like there's things we can do within our control and within our power. Um, like go and be a competitor and and do your own. Maybe you bigger bring a bigger crowd and you put the artist that you want on or whatever. But like for me, I I don't I don't really got the time or anything like that to be you know tripping about that, you know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, or the energy. No, I feel you. Yeah, yeah. Right? Like, I got other things going on, bro. Like, I just lost, like, what would Big Pun say? I just lost 20 pounds. I'm trying to win. Like, yeah, worry about my own. Yo, man, Daryl, I appreciate you coming on to my show, man. Where can everybody find you at if they want to connect with you?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so obviously Facebook, Daryl Dominic, uh D uh A-R-R-E-L-L-D-O-M-I-N-I-C. You can find me there on YouTube. You can find me under Daryl Dominic, same thing, Spotify, you know, uh all the other platforms. And then if you're interested in the finance stuff, you can look me up at uh V as in Victor, R as in Roger, I as in Isaac, C as in Charlie Media.com. So V Rickmedia.com. Uh not.com, but um YouTube and Spotify and such, and then also have another podcast, uh, The Money Level Show, which is similar content to V Rick, but um, yeah, they can find me there.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I remember you and Darrell were doing a podcast back.
SPEAKER_01Uh we were doing yeah, we started we started one with uh called Elephant in the Room. That was like what 2014. I actually just went and saw him uh the other day. He was uh preaching at at Mount Zion. And so uh yeah, yeah, I remember we started that.
SPEAKER_04That was I like podcasting, bro.
SPEAKER_03I like podcasting, bro. It's so much easier than rapping. I mean, rapping is cool and stuff, but like podcasts. I'm looking at that, you get you getting like thousands of views on people watching like an hour, uh, an hour you talking. Like, because it's informative and stuff. Like, I love it. I love it. I ain't gotta fucking get up there sweaty, I ain't gotta rap with MC Rob you in the parking lot. Like, it's it's pretty nice. It's pretty nice. You want to send any shout outs before I let you go?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh, I mean, I'm just gonna say shout out to just everybody on your grind trying to make it meant trying to make it work through this, you know, turbulent times and issues of affordability and and all of that, you know. So I wish everybody prosperity and good health. Um, you know, hit the jam, you know, and be sure to tap in with me if you want to learn about the financial tip. Happy to have some conversations there. I don't sell scams, there's no susu scams, there's no crypto scams, none of that. Uh, I'm gonna teach you how to fish and uh and give you the skills so you can learn how to move in the market yourself. So yeah, I'm sure that.
SPEAKER_03Hell yeah. And that information you're giving out is actually is highly important. You know what I'm saying? After going through it, I commend you, brother, like for what you do and what you've been doing. Like, you're giving information to the people that they're probably they're gonna need it. You know what I'm saying? And so I'm gonna I'm gonna try to get you back on the show a bit later on. Is that cool? Yeah, yeah, let's do it. Let's do it. All right, for sure, for sure. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's the Nightly Strange, Daryl Dom in the building. Until next time, ladies and gentlemen, we'll see you.
SPEAKER_04You're welcome to Nightly Strange, Range, Range, Range.
