Diary Entry 251. "Take my Baby" (2:2 with Scott, AKA "Noshoes")

[00:00:00] Hello and happy Tuesday Diary listeners. We have the second half of our diary entry with Scott, AKA Noshoes. That's all one word. No shoes, but all one word. We're calling the second piece since we introduced the first one as his name. We're calling the second half, Take My Baby. And you'll see why. It's pretty awesome. Enjoy listeners.

[00:00:31] Welcome to the Apprenticeship Diaries where raw meets refined. Let's be real. We're still working on refined. What it took, what it takes and the stories that are made. Join us as we learn from professionals about how their stories begin. Yeah. What are, um, what are some of the classes? Cause you were talking about them a little bit. Sure. Yeah. So today I had, um, audio three, which is, uh, the 400 level audio production class there. It's like the last one you can do as an undergrad.

[00:01:07] At least in that, like specific part of audio. Cause they, and that what that focuses on is mixing in depth. So what that comes down to is like, you know, you can do like a rough mix fairly easily. It might not be the prettiest thing, but I know I do.

[00:01:28] Yeah, exactly. It's not that hard, you know, a little EQ, a little compression, everything sounds better, but, um, but so now we're going through it and he, and we're like taking time to like put on an effect, turn one knob of it, turn it on and off.

[00:01:47] And train our ears to actually hear what that sounds like. Oh, cool. And just different things like that. So like truly, truly understanding what each piece of the EQ does, what each piece of the compressor, you know, so on and so forth. I mean, there's as many effects as I'm sure there's probably years.

[00:02:07] The earth has been around, but, um, Oh yeah. Then another class is a radio station operations. So I'll actually be doing a radio show that I'll, uh, I'll have to send you a link to.

[00:02:21] Yeah. But, um, we're learning all of that. You know, how do you produce a radio show? How do you, you know, I mean, all the way down to like literally shoving the wires through a hole in a wall. So that way the producer can be on one side and the talents on the other and, and, uh, and all that stuff. Um, I'm taking a couple like core classes. One of them is like core specific for my major. And one of them is just like core for the school.

[00:02:51] And, um, so for that, for the major specific one, it's history of electronic media, which is always intriguing because I find the translation from digital or from analog to digital, just really fascinating, especially like, like sound is so weird. Cause it's invisible and it's stored as like electric, like electrical information as in like differences in voltages and all these weird things.

[00:03:19] And yes. So it's, so it's cool to see that. And, uh, and then the last class is, uh, main themes in African and African American studies, which, uh, you know, you got to do your like world awareness credit or whatever it is. And, um, I went for that class because I took a, uh, African American history class at community college. And like immediately all of the rap I was listening to just gained a deeper meaning.

[00:03:47] Oh yeah. And now what I'm really finding valuable in this class is that was all asynchronous remote. Now I'm actually in the room with people able to like hear people's real life experiences and, and everything. And, you know, I, like I said earlier, I'm all about the conversation.

[00:04:05] I think, you know, it's great to be talking to you, but we all spend our way too much time staring at these screens and with our faces and our phones and nobody talks anymore. And then they're like, why are we all pissed off? And I'm like, cause we don't talk to each other. Nobody understands each other. Just say something dog. And yeah. So, but it's been a great experience at school.

[00:04:29] Oh, that's awesome. I think that was, that's a benefit of school in a lot of ways that puts you in front of things you would never otherwise think was relevant to what you were trying to do or, you know, exposed to.

[00:04:43] I have, I ran into a group of, I mean, this would, I don't know. It was intriguing to me. They are trying to translate the Bible in languages that are not written. Nobody else knows, but the people know them.

[00:05:01] Yeah. And it's pretty impassable. And so they're, you know, they just have to spend all this time with people and like really learn and, and take, you know, it's a labor of love, but like also there's just nuance to the Bible that like, they're like, how do you, how do you, how do you talk about this? Like, how do you, how do you break down that word?

[00:05:23] And we were trying to, I, I offered, I said, you know, I don't know how valuable a visual artist would be to your mission, but I would love to help you. And they had already explored that obviously, but they got an artist, you know, and, and they said, you know, we had this artist do this art piece and they kind of rolled their eyes.

[00:05:49] And they said, you know, the thing of it is, is that culturally these people have different associations with things than what the artist was actually putting out that they thought meant all these things. And I said, Oh no, I totally get that. I was like, you know, I, I wouldn't make art to then show them as a representational kind of thing. I don't think I could be that kind of remote.

[00:06:14] So I would want to come and be there and interact with them. And we mutually draw together to get to it. But I said, I, you know, I've worked as a tattoo artist, so I'm trying to translate people's individual emotionality all the time. And it's been cross-cultural. It's been all those things.

[00:06:36] I said, I think a little different than your average, you know, just artists who does art for themselves or who is stuck in one kind of paradigm of thinking. But no, it's very, very true. I mean, your experience heavily, heavily influences your perception. Absolutely.

[00:06:55] And like you said, you know, we can all have opinions and ideas, but if it doesn't come down to moving the needle or actually collaborating and doing something together, then I don't know what we're doing all this talking for. You know, it's... Exactly. Just, just cut your losses and move to some, you know, huge property where you don't have to interact with anybody. If that's the case, you know, like, cool. I, I, I champion you if that's what you want to do.

[00:07:22] But, you know, I don't, I don't understand why you'd spend your time arguing if we're not going to try and see each other. And, you know, how much did you actually call each other friends or any of those things if you're not going to do that? So, um... Exactly. You know what I mean? But yeah, it was an interesting thing. I haven't heard back from them. I gave them my contact and I said, you know, if I'm helpful. They're in, I want to say Pittsburgh. So that far. Okay. And I was like, you're not that far.

[00:07:51] I could go, I just love their interactions with these people. They, it sounded really funny. It sounded like they, they run up on some really interesting, you know, debacles that they have to tackle together. And it just seems so human and so beautiful. And I was like, it's a really interesting, you know, thing. And, you know, it's, it's, of course, you know, with the mission of a faith that you're trying to, you know, give to people. Um, but the, the hurdle of it is so cool.

[00:08:20] Um, I, I just, I really thought that was interesting. But yeah, like it's the same thing with college. You know, you take a lot of courses. You're just like, how is this going to be applicable? But I've, there's a lot of things that I took classes with. I'm like, I don't know how this is going to relate. And it's like in the annals that I didn't completely dump all the cookies in my brain and cachet them. It comes out in some kind of way that I'm like, oh, well, that's how it's relevant. Okay, cool. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:08:50] No, it's, it's interesting thinking about that with writing and art and everything. Cause I, I was struck by it actually during the writing of, um, the third song on Dabbed and Nick McTarman, where it's, it's just very straightforward storytelling. I don't really rhyme on purpose at all in it aside from a couple of times. And, um, I was just trying to figure it out.

[00:09:15] I was, I, I started, I started, you know, cause I, I don't know if it's odd and I guess you wouldn't be the best one to tell me since you don't, since you don't rap, but, uh, but like I tend to write without playing the instrumental, especially when I've made the instrumental myself and then I'll turn on the instrumental afterwards and say, all right, well, how can I fit these words into this? And, um, and so I wrote the song, I'm trying it out.

[00:09:44] It's like, it's too fat. I thought it was too slow, but then I had my, one of my buddies listened to it and he was like, why don't you slow down more? I can't understand anything you're saying. And I was like, fair enough. This one is actually one where I want like you to just be able to listen and hear what I'm saying and follow along. So at one point during this exchange, I pass him the journal to read it.

[00:10:10] And when I'm writing music on paper, there might as well be no structure. It is, it's all up here, but I didn't think about that. I was like, oh, I know what this is. When I look at it, I handed it to me. It was like, this doesn't make any sense to me. And I'm like, no, you're not getting it. This is how I'm going to say it. And finally, you know, after like I demonstrated for him, he was like, oh, I get it now.

[00:10:38] But in, I did the context in my mind of knowing what my plan was and knowing how I wrote it and knowing how each line interacted with the next one. I, you know, it's easy to forget that, that power that's just right up here. Yeah. Well, and there's a few things I'm hearing.

[00:11:01] Like, so there's a difference between, you know, trying to teach yourself something and trying to hack something for yourself. And then, you know, giving a process to someone else, you know, like they're very, you know, to teach is its whole other thing. You know, and then bring somebody else in.

[00:11:20] So when you were talking about that, I was thinking about the time that I had a sketchbook like that and I gave it to some kids that were in elementary school and they completely got what I was saying. And if I had shown it to anyone else that I guess had more of a and they were they were blown away. They were like, this is so cool. And this is this and this and they were getting it. And I was like, whoa, man, like.

[00:11:49] They're like the most horrible little sketches. And I don't even know if they were even making any sense. But for these kids, they were. It might be interesting, too, for you to like, you know, I once sat through a seminar with a guy. His name was Wayne Clayball. And he said, you know, mentors are all around you. And some of the best are children because, you know, they they're just optimism. No, no, no bounds.

[00:12:17] And everybody's an artist in their eyes. Everybody, you know, everything's amazing. And and they they're quick to things that you, you know, you wouldn't necessarily think they're quick to. Yeah. So, you know, he said, you know, it's it's always good to kind of pay attention to them because they're. They're kind of unstoppable in their faith and their passion and their belief and all of that. So I, I, I really liked that.

[00:12:43] But yeah, like I've definitely I have a I have a journal that I I write down with every Bible study. And I was just like a free flow of thought. My husband picked it up once. I was like, ah, no. And he was like, what? Yeah, I can't look at it. I was like, no, no, there's absolutely no context. For that. I am not letting you. I'm like, it's for me only because I know where I was. I was dating it.

[00:13:12] You have no idea where we were at. I mean, I don't even write it like that. It's just these weird things that come up. I'm like, no. Exactly. That's the one thing. Exactly. So, yeah, it's it's it's and with teaching, too, when I was a mentor for an apprentice, what I found out is I'm a very tactical like, you know, like I have to get dirty to to hack it and like dissect it and everything.

[00:13:39] And for me, a lot of things are instinctual, intuitive. Like I just go after things like unlike music, which I sucked at right away. Art was something that I just if I can get my hands on it, I can figure it out. Like it's just one of those things. And if I can apply my visual acuities to it and especially if I can watch somebody do it and then try it myself, it's in.

[00:14:05] So like trying to break down something to someone who has no idea what you're talking about. And that's how you learn. It's like your professor. Yeah. I know why she was so frustrated with me, too, when I was trying to teach her because she was like, this bitch just told me she doesn't see what she's doing. She feels it. What am I supposed to do with that? That's funny.

[00:14:34] It's like the drills that you're doing with, like, you know, the different sound effects and stuff like being able to train your ear and knowing. And the only thing I could give my apprentice was, dude, it's it's time under the needle. There's just certain things I cannot give you. Yeah. I had to learn it the hard way. I'll give you whatever tips I can articulate. We're all here. You have like a whole studio full of people.

[00:14:59] But like and it's the same with like if you have a college environment, it's so much nicer when you can kind of bounce off the different student bodies and hear their perception of things and what they're kind of gathering. So that's what's also cool about, you know, not just staying on your own, you know, space. 100%. Yeah, man. Yeah. And it's kinder, too, because unlike the Internet, where you never know what opinion you're going to get, everybody's there to equally do the same thing.

[00:15:28] So it's it's uplifting and hopeful for the most part. I mean. There's definitely been some like tension in certain classrooms I've had between artists, but like. Sure, sure. For the most part, people were there to like mutually uplift each other and share and just embrace the same things. That's really cool. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I love that you have a journal. I love that you like try to plot things out. I wouldn't know if it was odd or not.

[00:15:58] Not necessarily because I don't do what you do. It's just because I don't really have a barometer for odd. Me either. I can't tell. Pretty fucking odd. Like the weirder, the better. Like, come on, let's do it. Like, sure, man. Like, how involved do I have to be that? I do have to know. Yeah. But if I get to just watch you do something or it's like, I'm for it.

[00:16:27] Let's let's let's do it. Yeah. So I think that's cool that you're, you know, that's sometimes the best way that you learn, too, is to do things the hardest way imaginable. That's the only way. Yeah. That's the only way I learn, at least. Yeah. What was what was like the biggest struggle? Or a few. Yeah. You didn't have to be the biggest. Yeah. Yeah. No, I mean, it's a.

[00:16:53] You know, it's one of those things where, like, it's hard for me to say if there's been like a biggest struggle or like to really like. Like, I don't know, like, that's almost my favorite part is the part where it gets hard, because like to me, the part where it's easy is boring. Right. Like, that's that's regular daily stuff. But then once you encounter a challenge, that's where you really get to have fun. And obviously, some of those challenges are more frustrating than others.

[00:17:23] So, like, one of the hardest parts for me with with working with stuff and something I still encounter regularly, especially with working in the, you know, being the equipment manager for the cage at the school is. Digital works great. Analog works great. Combine them. They are the messiest thing you will ever use.

[00:17:47] And so, I mean, you know, whether it's getting a MIDI controller to actually input and then getting the digital instrument to actually work with it or. Yes. Getting a board to hook up and control just like a couple sliders inside of the program. Dude, I know. The only thing I can relate it to, like, that just came to my mind was the integration of, like, Droid meets Apple.

[00:18:16] You know, like when you're trying to, you know, run certain systems or, you know, programs or, you know, startups are usually, you know, based in more of a Droid and like those kind of technologies. It's not the same. You're talking analog, which means, like, the way that the actual sound interacts with it differently. Yeah, yeah. It's a whole other thing that you're trying to. But it's so fun. Exactly.

[00:18:44] And yeah, so, I mean, I've used, like, hardware synthesizers where you got all the switches and everything. In ARP Odyssey, I used that on that first beat I made where I wanted to do pure tuning. And, like, just different things along those lines. I mean, yeah, like, I really do seek out the struggle, like, in the freestyling relevancy.

[00:19:12] Like, someday, you know, sometimes you get stuck on a couple, like, a chain of words. You know, maybe, like, what have I been on lately? I think I've really been on, like, a mission, glisten, listen, like, that type of sound lately. Or, oh, I've really been liking, like, chapter after master, like, captor. Like, I've been on those sounds lately.

[00:19:37] And a lot of the times, like, early on in it, like, it was easier to be harder on myself. But as I've gotten deeper into it, one of the things I've realized to tell myself when I do feel like I'm struggling is, first of all, you can't have your best day every day of the week. Because then you'd never have a best day. No.

[00:19:57] But then, you know, in more relating back to, like, looking for the struggle, like, I've done games with my friends where we'll pull up a random word generator and you got to wrap your way through 20 random words. And some of them you never read before. You didn't even know they were English. Or, you know, we'll do other stuff. Like, we give each other a word and you got to rhyme, like, three times and then use that word as the last bar. You know, we'll. That's awesome.

[00:20:26] One of my favorites is something I thought of because I. So. When I, like, was still early, like, maybe the summer before I started the YouTube channel, I started the YouTube channel in August just over four years ago. And I think the summer before that, there's a YouTube channel called How to Rap. And they had, like, online courses. And one of them was, like, a two-week freestyle course.

[00:20:55] And it wasn't all that much. So I was like, let me give it a try. And they gave some valuable drills. It was cool stuff. They took away my, like, lifetime access to being just, like, a member on the page. But I'm not here to hate. But regardless, one of the drills was just count, like, one, two, three, car. One, two, three, far. It's like, look, if you can just string the rhymes together, you can fill in the rest eventually.

[00:21:22] So then, more recently, I heard somebody talking about if all your flows sound the same, it's probably because you're rhyming in the same place every time. So then it turns in to one, two, car, four. And, or, you know, and so even to the point where it's, like, bar, two, three, four. And then we're, like, counting along to the beat, going back four bars each with that.

[00:21:48] And, like, that, again, that's one of those parts that, like, I just find so exhilarating. But definitely technology is the biggest of all the challenges. You gotta, you say time under the needle. We say build the callus. Oh. And because, you know, it's probably similar with, you know, a person as a canvas in front of you. I mean, the options are endless.

[00:22:14] And similarly, you open up Ableton, and it's, like, overwhelming how powerful that software is. And sometimes you just gotta tell yourself, don't look at all the buttons. These are the three buttons that matter to me today. I'm gonna use these. As long as these work, I'm good. Yeah. Yeah, no, I mean, if it isn't good simple, it's probably not gonna be good complex, you know? Sometimes it's the best foundation.

[00:22:43] Yeah, that's a... It's very true. Very, very true. I had a... My mentor once asked me, pretty much like I asked you, you know, like... I kind of messed him up, I think. He was like, do you ever, like, just hate art so much that, like, you just want to put it down? Like, you don't ever want to do it again. And I'm like, no. No. What?

[00:23:12] No, I've never... And I... He was having a bad day that day. You could just look in his face. I'm standing above him and he's, like, just, like, going to town. And what looks like a really great design from what I can tell, I know he was struggling with it, but he almost cried. Like, I could just see it. Ugh. His eyes and I was like, bro, I think you need to walk away. Right, right. Do you ever get, like... I mean, you sound like...

[00:23:40] I mean, even just this whole time, we've been a perpetual smile. So, it doesn't really... I don't... It would be hard for me to envision you, like, upset, honestly. Sure. Yeah. You're not the first person to come to such a conclusion. And I'd say, like, 90% of the time, that's a good assumption. For one, it's a compulsion. I cannot speak without smiling. I don't know what it is. But, um... It can be heard.

[00:24:08] So, it's a good thing that you smile. Because you can hear it in the sound of a voice. Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you. Yeah. But, you know, on the flip side, you gotta have some bad days and, um... You showed me as, like, a random outburst kind of person. It does happen like that. A lot of the times, like, you know, unless, like, something, like, horrific has happened

[00:24:36] recently and, you know, like, like, loss of a loved one or whatever. Like, you know, it might be like the TV show reminds me of something. Yeah. And all of a sudden it hits or whatever it is. But, um... Something that I really try to work on and something, again, a lot of this made it into Dabda where, you know, on the last track of that, after writing it and recording to

[00:25:03] it and listening to it, I realized I wasn't talking to the audience. I was talking to myself. Yeah. And, um... One of the things that I mention in there is, what is it? Spending all my time trying to stay at baseline. And, uh... You know, I'm here for the deviations. Yeah. The highs and the lows of life, you gotta have it.

[00:25:29] But, uh, at the same time, I think there's a lot of power in being able to, like, acknowledge and feel an emotion and then to be able to come back to a level place and address it from that, uh, from that standpoint. So, you know, I have my moments as anybody. But, yeah, I really try my best to remain level and, uh, and breathe it through. Yeah, absolutely.

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[00:27:00] I mean, a smile is something in sales that's very necessary. But, you know, and that's... I actually did Toastmasters at one point because I wanted to conquer the fear of public speaking. Okay. Yeah, yeah. And so what you learn, especially when you're walking into a fear like that, is that the people who are natural at it either A, have a chip missing.

[00:27:29] You know, like they're just borderline crazy. Or they're well practiced. Yeah, yeah. And it is one of those things because nothing can happen if there's just too much emotionality. It is wonderful to feel it because I think if you don't, you're going to grow a tumor somewhere. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. But it doesn't do anything. It doesn't. It just, you know, it can inform what's next. And I do think that's valuable.

[00:27:59] But yeah, I'm the same way. I get accused of having a lack of emotional intelligence. I'm like, well, you know, like I have emotion. I just, what is that going to do for us right now? Nothing. Yeah. And it's funny how different people will respond because I've gotten some really great reactions over the years.

[00:28:23] Like, first of all, and I'm sure you know this, you wouldn't believe the things people will let you say to them if you smile and look them in the eyes. Oh my God. Yeah. Like I go to the gym and I say horrible things to people that I love. They're awesome people. And I just, I just love to roast them. It's the most fun thing. I love seeing them itch.

[00:28:50] Sometimes they get back at me pretty good and like, but that's just a fantastic thing. But then also there was one instance when I was working at this gym, Fitness 19 over in Elkridge. And I was like 19 or 20. And I ended up being the general manager of this gym by the end of my like three years there. Nice.

[00:29:16] And that was an interesting experience to say the least. But there was this one woman, I can't remember her name. She was normally very nice. She would come bring her daughter into the childcare. And this day was a Saturday and childcare was closed. And she was like, just so upset. And she was like, come on, can't I like leave the kid here with you?

[00:29:41] And I'm just, you know, I'm having a conversation with her where I can't see myself right now. Just my face is what my face is. And I was like, I was like, ma'am, I'm sorry. Like, we don't have the insurance for it. Like, I can't watch or I'm doing other stuff. Like, I'm really sorry. You're really going to leave your kid with a random dude? Right. Right. Like, I know I'm nice, but like, that's way too much trust.

[00:30:10] But, uh, but yeah. So she like gets upset. It's nothing crazy. And then she like wanders off. And I guess she thought I couldn't be in charge because of how young I was. So then she goes over to one of my best friends, Rich, who was, I don't know, probably 50 at the time. And he's one of our trainers there. Still my employee. And at the time. And, uh, and she's like, what's it? She's all mad.

[00:30:40] She's like, he's smiling while he's giving me bad news. And da, da, da, da, da. And Rich actually said to her, he was like, he was like, lady, that's just his face. He was, he was like, he doesn't mean it. He's not laughing at you. He like, he doesn't think it's funny. Like, that's just what he looks like. Yeah. That's just so he's gonna smile. And well, and you know, that makes a matter though. Like I know my, my, my husband does that.

[00:31:08] Like he's very strong. So he finds a lot of things humorous because many people cannot. Can't out, you know, strong him. So it's just like, look at you. It's like a puppy yelling at me. It's like, it is borderline humorous to him. Oh, that's awesome. But yeah, like, yeah. I, to, to kind of touch on this, uh, in terms of, you know, we were talking about racial,

[00:31:37] uh, lines. I, one of my favorite, um, authors is CS Lewis. And I was rereading, um, the Narnia series. And, you know, as a, as a kid, you're, you're caught up in the fantasy. He wrote it for his, uh, I believe his niece. And, um, it's really well-written. But when, when you're listening to it now with like the kind of perception that we have about a lot of these things,

[00:32:06] I'm just sitting there going, this is some really privileged white people shit right here. First of all, like, there's four children that are sent away to this, like, old dude's house because their parents, you know, are, I forget what the actual thing, but they can't, their parents are away or they're, you know, caught up or something like that. So it's some real daddy warbucks kind of like thing here.

[00:32:36] I mean, you have the preamble, which was like the whole, the whole, uh, examination of the, the, the scientists that they go to live with. But it's like, dude, you're shipping four children to be staying with an old, old man. Right. That's, that's a paradigm that doesn't work anymore. Exactly. Yeah. Nobody likes the sound of that anymore. Right.

[00:33:03] And he's got all these rooms and he's got all this, like, like space beyond what he, he needs that he can just take in for random kids. Just cause you know, right. Isn't that crazy? This is a really, really, you know, and I never thought about it that way. You know, you're just, they only, you only really get that part of it at certain points of the book. And then it's all Narnia and whatever. It's this whole other thing.

[00:33:29] But yeah, like, I'm like, wow, this is, this is a definitely, this is maybe part of my problem. But yeah, to your point of like, I'm thinking about it back in my mom's day, giant food had a drop off place for your child. Oh, okay. I'm thinking about it. And I'm like, that was a thing. Like, people just did.

[00:33:54] They just like left their kids with random people that they, that, you know, giant food hired. Exactly. That's crazy. Yeah. Like the gym was a little less weird when like the girls were there to watch the kids because like. One, they're female. Yeah. Yeah. That too. You know, not that women can't be insane. Surely we can.

[00:34:17] But, you know, as it stands, most people are pretty like, if I'm going to have anybody watch my kid, I trust a, you know, a young lady than a guy. Exactly. Guy that smiles a little too much. Just like, please take my children. Right. And I weighed like 205 at this point. Like I was yoked. I was massive. It's a testament to you. I guess like a lot.

[00:34:47] I don't know. I don't, I don't know. She just really had to work out. You know, it's fine. That's awesome. I love it. What, what is the, like your, so you're still in school. I know all this, but like you are going to have a radio show. I would love to shout that out and all of that. What's, what's next on the horizon? Like you said that ultimately you do want to make beats that, you know, other people might react to and all that stuff.

[00:35:15] But like immediately, like what are your next challenges that you're, you're getting into? Yeah. So right now there's a lot of things up in the air. Obviously getting to the end of the semester is the most important thing right now because I've already done my time messing around in college and not going to class and doing work and not doing work. Yeah.

[00:35:38] But outside of that, right now I have a, a no shoes gang cypher volume four is in progress. Um, volume three is actually about to release on the first of March again as a re-release. Cause I had to switch up distribution and all that stuff. And instead of leaving it on and trying to transfer it, I just said, screw it. But, um, but volume four is coming up. I'm super excited for that.

[00:36:08] This is the second time I've made the beat and, um, we have 14 people on it this year that are all, uh, or well, 14, including myself. So 13 of those people are different rappers I've met through the channel through that. I've met, you know, just in my real life walking around. And one day somebody is like, I'm a rapper, you're a rapper. And like, you know, it just happens like that weirdly enough sometimes.

[00:36:34] And, but yeah, so that's the next, that's the next big thing. And then right now, uh, what's like kind of taking form is this idea of the next album I want to produce where I'm going to put together, hopefully a lot of features. Once it comes time, uh, I'm thinking like 12 songs, maybe eight with features and I'm doing a lot with sampling animals.

[00:37:02] So, um, I think I might've told you at the, the art day about my squirrel song. Yes. And, um, then a cicada song has, I think I actually started on that like the night before the, the art meetup, but that's progressed a little bit.

[00:37:20] Uh, I got like a song that I use this like chicken sound that I found, um, and the works and, uh, yeah, it's, it's really interesting what you can do with sound since like, like, uh, the thing that really boggles my mind is they're invisible. Right. Yeah. So, um, so you can kind of make whatever you want out of them as if you can contextualize it correctly. Yeah.

[00:37:44] And, um, yeah, so a lot of like weird animal sampling that is layered into like more traditional instrumentals with structures and whatnot. Yeah. Um, and beyond that, just the, the channel itself, you know, it's, I, I put out five videos a week with reactions. Um, I do a stream once a week on Mondays and it's just, it, it all wraps up together. So that's very cool.

[00:38:10] I, I love, I love the shift that your, your life made from, you know, sales and, and women forcing their children on you to probably having your own car now and not in a minivan anymore. I might've taken the dog. I might've watched the daughter. She would just ask me out, you know, like if your daughter needs a new dad, just say that. Just let me know, man, if that's your problem.

[00:38:40] I don't know. I don't know how much this commitment is going. No, I love it. I was just thinking about like, um, you know, you had said that in the beginning it was, uh, applying a lot of sounds to things like the woman climbing the wall and footsteps.

[00:38:56] It's really fun when you're playing with, uh, sounds like that, that are of different animals, because then that leads into like the Jurassic Park series, for example, where they, you know, before they unearth the vocal cords, which I don't. I don't know sometimes about science, about certain things. And I'm just like, are you just fucking with us? Right. But the whole T-Rex is made like a little squawk type of thing or whatever they say.

[00:39:26] But like in the beginning, how they, did you ever watch like the creation of Jurassic Park, the first one and how they, they blended all the different sounds, uh, including like an elephant, different things just to make that projection. And I've done that. Yeah. Yeah. That was our first assignment in sound design. Actually, I took like a bear and a cat and a dog and you'll air them and pitch them up and down. And yeah, that stuff is really cool. That's really fun. Yeah.

[00:39:55] I, I, um, I like that you're playing with, uh, animal sounds and, and all of that. Like it's really cool. And, and, um, it would be neat. I always have ideas because when I'm around other creatives, I'm going to, I'm going to park that. Um, I wanted to know, cause you, you get tattooed by a Dan at black Lotus, right? I do indeed. Okay. Um, cause that's how we met. I wanted to shout, you know, kind of mentioned that.

[00:40:25] Um, how did you like, what was, did you think about like, what did you expect going to the art day? I don't know. Like, uh, I was just curious because we had such an eclectic smattering of people. Right. So the art day was the lead up to it was hilarious for me. Cause the first time they posted about it, I thought it was the next day, which would have been a month early. So I, I emailed them immediately and I'm like, I'll be there.

[00:40:55] I'll be there tomorrow. And then I think it was Missy emails me back and she's like, no, no, no, no. It's in a month from now. Do you still want to come? And I was like, yes, yes. I'll still be there. So that's like a week out. And I was under the impression that like, they were setting up a space for like artists like ourselves to like set up.

[00:41:18] And then they were going to like have people that, you know, just enjoyers of art come in and like maybe like an expo or whatever you would call it. So I emailed them once again and I was like, Hey, like, you know, since I make audio, I'm praying to bring music. Like, is it cool if I bring a speaker with me? Like, I don't want to be intrusive. Like just try to try and figure out the vibe. And then she's like, also, no, we're just going to be making stuff.

[00:41:49] But I don't think you were the only one that felt that way. You know, because we had a glass artist there and clearly it's not set up to blow glass, but, you know, certainly not. So, you know, I figured it probably, I mean, you know, love all that stuff. Obviously, I bought a piece from him. He's amazing.

[00:42:10] But like, I don't think that that was, you know, what I was going to suggest for your music because you were putting on stuff and sharing things. Yeah. It was neat. And I loved the eclectic vibe of all the different things we listened to.

[00:42:28] So, but I, I always liked the idea of what, what different combinations of disciplines will do when they interface. And I once went to an art retreat. It was, it's called the Paradise Artist Gathering. They're bringing them back. They used to do both art and tattooing. Now that I think they're just going to do art because the tattooing has just never really took off.

[00:42:57] And it's not, I don't know. We, we want to do art. We don't want to tattoo more. Like, that's not a vacation for us. It's like work. That's fair. You know what I mean? That's fair. It's a lot to collaborate and get together. That's not fun for anybody, including the coordinator. So, but they had Alex Gray there who, yeah, designs the tool logo of the eye and all of that stuff.

[00:43:26] He does, he owns the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in New York. And they have like a whole non-denominational, oh my God, like facility where it's just like an artist commune, like off the Hudson. And him and his wife and Allison, his wife and him and his wife Allison were there. I don't know why I'm getting tripped up.

[00:43:54] And then my earring just falls out. All right. I've been kind of impressed that you had the headphones and those earrings on this whole time. They're the only ones that can actually be seen. And like, cause all the rest are kind of daisy. It was, it was bound to happen. There was something telling me, slow down kid. So we were doing this. Of course he loves psychedelics too. Very metaphysical kind of guy.

[00:44:21] He did a whole talk on how you cannot be addicted to mushrooms. They literally will stop you before you, before you get there. Like it's not going to work. And that's, what's awesome about them. And then he led us through this. Nude modeling session where we weren't nude. We had nude models that were yogis. And we were exploring the different chakras.

[00:44:49] So he would have us like meditate on each chakra as we went. And he had devised a playlist that as we move through it. And as we examine different poses and, you know, he talked about the chakra. So it was like a moving meditative artistic. Don't even know. It was like multidisciplinary. It was really, really cool. And I like your, you know, the fun things that you give yourself to kind of practice,

[00:45:18] you know, your beats and, and, you know, playing with words and trying to figure out how to, you know, mess with them and deconstruct and everything. It was very much so like that. I think it would be fun. And if you could collaborate with the people at Black Lotus and post a day where you're like, hey, could I just like play, you know, this collection of songs and kind of, you know,

[00:45:48] have everybody gather and, you know, maybe we are all painting the same thing, but we're all listening to, you know, the music and just seeing what all the different artists kind of come up with. Okay. How they, how they translate what they're doing. And then you can kind of like maybe even have a live feature to it where you can add certain things as you're going, you know, they're doing things to kind of influence different stuff. I think it'd be really neat. That would be a lot of fun.

[00:46:18] That'd be really cool. I like that. Or they all have their own headset. Like they do in the rave parties and you only give them one song and they're responding to something and you're, everybody else has their own song. Interesting. That would be a cool idea. I like that. Yeah. It'd be fun. And they're so fun there. Like, I think that they would probably really enjoy that. And it's, you know, it's audio, so it's easy.

[00:46:45] You know, it's, it's not like glass flowing where you need a whole facility to do that. I think it'd be really fun. I know Halo would probably be down. He's always, he's involved right now with Oath to Embers. So that's. Oh yeah. Yeah. Big project. But yeah. I don't see why they wouldn't, you know, find that interesting to host. Well, I might have to run it by Dan. Cause I'm actually, I got in touch with them today cause his books just opened up recently.

[00:47:14] Yes. And, uh, I'm finally going to fill out my, uh, like the rest of my left arm. So I I'm going in for the console and like a little less than a month from now. And I'm stoked. I, I've been waiting like months. I've been just like once a week, I checked Dan's Instagram to see when the books are opening. Oh, it's also good to wait though. Cause it forces me to save money. But, uh, yeah.

[00:47:43] Prioritize, you know, not blow it all at once. So yeah, totally, totally. No, that would be cool to, uh, to bounce off. And I don't know. I, I always love things like you could probably count on me too. I don't say probably like if I have enough forethought, like I did this time, it was like a month ahead of time. I'm like, I'm there. Exactly. I've been wanting to hang out with all of you guys and just. Yeah. A little private studio. I don't, I don't get out much.

[00:48:09] So, um, for me, those kinds of things, they're really fun. You get to meet people like you, um, interdisciplinary kind of collaborations and just great conversations. So I knew this would be amazing. Oh yeah. Yeah, dude. Well, okay. So where are all the places that people can find you? Yeah. So follow you. Before I get to that, just something I'll spit out real quick is right now.

[00:48:37] Now I actually do have, uh, access to like a communal artist space that it's actually a little bit more than that. We've got like a golf driving setup in there. And then, um, like my buddy teaches jujitsu. I don't know how much longer we'll have it because the, it's in the upstairs of a gym that has some vacant space that we're friends with the owners of.

[00:49:00] And, uh, so we'll see they're moving, but if they have it long enough, I'll definitely be out with something about that. But, um, as far as where everybody can find me, um, the real no shoes, no spaces, that's where to go. Instagram, Twitter on YouTube. My name will show up as just no shoes because they allow you to like change that now separate from your channel name, but I'll come up under the real no shoes.

[00:49:29] And then, um, but I, my links are all there, you know, link trees, a great invention. So if you can find one of the socials, you can find everything else. I do. Sounds good. Sounds good. Awesome. Awesome. I love it. I love it. Um, thank you so much. Uh, is there anything that we didn't really, I mean, you're lovely. I'm really excited that, you know, I met somebody that is just like another type of creative. Um, and it just makes life more fun.

[00:49:59] And I, you know, for me, when it comes down to, uh, trying to communicate to people that they need to just do things. What I loved about your story was that, you know, you had a friend that just was like, Hey, let's play. He kind of goaded you into it. And then you're like, screw it. I'm in my parents' minivan.

[00:50:30] It's co was pre COVID, but then it became COVID. Yeah. And then this whole thing like evolved in this steady dedication and resubmittance of just time and attention and all of those things.

[00:50:45] Like that's, that's really what I want people to, um, realize because you, you hear you, your reactions are people who have made it to certain things and, and whether it's good or bad, you have an opinion because they're at that level.

[00:51:05] But, you know, sometimes when you're listening to these people, it's like, there's so much that you have to do to get there that you just feel like there you don't, you get stymied. You don't even start. Yeah. So yeah. What I really want to illustrate over and over and over to people is just like, dude, just do it, just do it. Just have fun play.

[00:51:26] I love the fact that there's different things that you gave the audience that they can practice or that if they have a similar kind of like passion as you, they can kind of play with themselves, you know, use little tricks. It's really, really cool. Um, yeah. Yeah. And is, um, what is the system that you use? Uh, the audio, uh, Ableton, Ableton. Yeah. Go ahead.

[00:51:51] So I'm familiar with Pro Tools and, uh, Logic, but Ableton's like my home DAW digital audio workstation. Gotcha. And, um, and yeah, if, uh, I would say that probably to reiterate everything you just said would be, uh, that's a place I'd love to leave it. Cause I think that's the most important thing that I believe in is, you know, uh, just do it to, to anybody who watches this.

[00:52:17] Hopefully somebody will listen to us talk for this long to get here, but, uh, but just do it. You know, I I've posted almost 1700 videos to YouTube at this point. And, um, you know, and, and I think, uh, like you said, a lot of people get stymied and, you know, I think even sometimes people interacting with me, forget it. You know, I have like 10,000 subscribers on YouTube.

[00:52:45] That's my biggest platform, but you know, yeah, it's a, it's a great thing I'm grateful for. But at the end of the day, I'm still the dude who sits down in front of a camera and says whatever he wants. And I just happened to know a little bit more at this point and I'm a little bit more confident and you can't get that way. If you don't start, I uploaded three videos a day, seven days a week. For six months when I started because it was COVID.

[00:53:14] I, where, where was I going? Yeah. You could have, you could have done a lot of things and that's what you did. Yeah. Yeah. Well, this is true. That's very prolific. Bravo, sir. Bravo. Thank you. Yeah, man. Like, cause I honestly, I, this show, I'm like, I can't even imagine doing more than one show a week. And sometimes that's hard press, like to do it every day. And then to do it three times a day. My God, that's awesome. And I was posting all three every day, like an idiot.

[00:53:43] I should have built up a backlog, but I was literally, I'd record them and shoot them out. I was all just running on ease. No, there's something to that heat though. It's kind of like the walk-in shop and then you become a private, you know, you have a private studio where you have clients that like book with you, you know, like it's. There, there, there's a heat to it that you learn so much within that.

[00:54:10] And you kind of figure out your own rhythm, your own, you know, way, you know, you have, I love that. I just think that's really cool. Cause like, it's like when I, uh, you know, I, I get parents are like, oh, my kid's really into tattooing. You know, they want to be a tattooist. What should I do? What should they do? I'm like, draw. Yeah. Draw. Give them art supplies, man. Like that's, that's it. Cause they're going to have to draw.

[00:54:33] Like they're going to have to draw and draw and draw and draw and draw like, so, you know, that's, that's it. It's just reps, uh, constant reps. I love that. I love that. Wow. You're, you're, uh, I feel confident that whatever you want, you're going to get Scott. Hey, well, thank you. I appreciate that. Thanks for having me. They were going to just be handing their babies to you. Really? Look, look, just if anybody wants me to raise their child.

[00:55:03] Just ask. You don't have to be embarrassed about it. It's all I'll say, but no, this has been great. It was great to meet you the other day. I'm glad we were able to hop back on and, uh, it's a, it's an honor to have somebody want to hear my story. So it's going to keep going, God willing. And so we, we can always touch back this. I actually touched back with people and we kind of reconnect if, if you still want to talk to me. Oh, really?

[00:55:31] Well, now that the first time is over, I can't come. Nah, I'm playing. Well, we'll, we'll do this again in five years, you know, get some nice symmetry and, uh, we'll see what's happened. I like it. I like it. We'll stay in touch in the meantime too. Oh yeah, man. I love it. I love it. Well, bless you. Thank you so much for coming on. Um, you've been lovely. Awesome. No, thank you so much. I'll talk to you soon. All right, man.

[00:56:04] Okay. Listeners. Well, that was, uh, that was the rest of our time with no shoes or Scott. He's a lovely person. He does. He smiles constantly. Um, I, you know, it says people that you really don't want to make mad because it's, it's bad when they're mad. He's lovely though. And I can't, I can't even imagine it. He just always has a, a continual smile. Um, really lovely, very energetic, very prolific.

[00:56:34] As you heard by the end there. Uh, if you would like to reach out with, uh, with him and collaborate, I'm pretty sure that you can contact him or at least find him on IG at the real no shoes. Um, DM him, you know, I'm sure you can ask him about the podcast, let him know where you found, uh, found him. Um, and, um, he has a link tree there. That way you can find all other, you know, access to him.

[00:57:01] His YouTube channel is super prolific. It's really, really cool. So if you share a common interest with Scott, I, I pray that you connect and reach out. You know, it, there's a common thing. I know that I've heard it a lot in many different, um, examples and I guess, uh, vocations or nerddom, but it's small to more, man. Like this, this area, we know everybody.

[00:57:29] Like you run into people all the time. I'm sure he's already finding that in his pursuits in higher, higher learning, but, um, reach out. You never know what might happen. And I love to watch people grow and get excited and, and do fun things to do that. And, and definitely, uh, while you're, while you're giving him some love, give Black Lotus some love. I believe they just launched their new, uh, website, which is pretty exciting.

[00:57:58] Apparently it's easier to navigate and, uh, get in touch with the artists that you hope to work with. Um, as he said, Dan, um, his name's little Dan. Uh, he's, uh, he's been cited on this, uh, on this most recent excerpt. Um, I, I posted a tattoo that he did for Scott. Um, but he's over there at Black Lotus and, um, just, just check everybody out. You won't, you will not regret that. Um, there's nothing but talent over at Black Lotus.

[00:58:29] I have enjoyed almost every time that I've experienced that studio and the people there. So please go and check it all out. Um, I hope you guys enjoyed this. Uh, we're going to have more interviews coming up. As I said, you know, God always likes to show me when I'm wrong. And I've, I've had a lot to share with you guys. As far as my, um, spiritual journey, there's a lot going on in the background, but I think

[00:58:58] that this is beautiful that there's more interviews coming up simply because, um, I think it's God telling me I need to be quiet for a minute and just focus on what I need to get done, uh, with these exciting new happenings. I hope I can share them when they're a little bit more in progress, but, um, there's some cool stuff happening listeners in the background and I can't wait to share it with you.

[00:59:23] But in the meantime, there will be more people like Scott or no shoes for you to know. Um, next week, uh, I'm going to be airing my time with Ken Madden. He's back. Uh, we've had him on the show before, but he's a wonderful, wonderful human being. And, uh, with this particular one, we're going to be sharing his, his, uh, experience with God. So it's going to be really fun. Um, I just love, I love all of you.

[00:59:53] I, I love doing these and staying in practice. I don't know where it'll lead, but I'm really happy that I get to meet so many fantastic people like Scott, hopefully more of you as years go by. I, I, it's just a wonderful, wonderful thing. So God bless you all. Thank you so, so much. I love you. And if God wills it, I'll catch you next week. Thanks for listening.

[01:00:23] You can find the apprenticeship diaries on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Our IG is the underscore apprenticeship underscore diaries. If you would like to offer constructive criticism or an interview, drop us an email at the apprenticeship diaries at gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from our listeners.