Episode 39 - It's The Simple Things
Welcome to Episode 39 of Nicky and Moose: The Podcast. This episode is full of success secrets so, be sure to tune in as your hosts discuss what’s poppin’ with Only Fans, Michael B. Jordan, Verzuz, and J Cole. You’ll also get some great business and branding bars as Nicky and Moose discuss the new documentary from the legend herself, Mary J. Blige.
Don’t miss it!
What You Will Discover:
- How to switch your brand from what it’s known for.
- The importance of researching before you launch
- The significance of your environment in your success or lack thereof
- How to stay tapped in to the foundation
- The benefits of staying in a state of learning
- The power of words
- The secret to success is in the simple things
- How to master your style
- The value in getting the facts
Nicky Saunders:
What's poppin'? What's poppin'? What's poppin'? Welcome to Nicky and Moose! I'm Nicky! That's Moose! Whats up Moose?
Mostafa Ghonim:
What up y'all?
Nicky Saunders:
And we are Episode 39!
Mostafa Ghonim:
Let's go!
Nicky Saunders:
And we have a lot to talk about like every week we do. This week we're talking about Only Fans. Yeah, Only.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Uh oh!
Nicky Saunders:
No, I don't have an account. I want to put that out there off top, but we're gonna be talking about it. Okay, we're gonna be talking about Michael B. Jordan not really understanding culture as we thought he did. Right and the Queen of R&B herself making some major moves this week, Mary J. Blige. Moose, how are we feeing about this week?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Man some good lessons tapped into this one. So you know, a good balance between current day trends. You know, of course, taking it back with R&B Queen as you mentioned. I'm excited for this episode, man, we edging closer to the 50. And yeah, let's get it!
Nicky Saunders:
Let's get into this intro.
Jaymie Jordan:
Two kids from Queens, cut from a different cloth. Now joining forces helping you to elevate your personal brand. Yeah I'm talking about Nicky and Moose! Bringing you a never before seen perspective into the mindset, the mentality, the behaviors, the driving force, but more importantly, the stories behind the people and brands that you know and love the most.
Nicky Saunders:
So of course, you know what time it is it is the review of the week. Hey, and we got a very long one. So first off, shout out to all our first time listeners if you haven't heard the review of the week, I normally give this weird voice and I normally mess up normally, okay, so bear with me with this one. All right. Don't cut my vibe. Refer to March lock in post Nicky lol. So here is the short and sweet. I love listening to Nicky and Moose because they truly ebb and flow as a team. Hands down the epitome of what it looks like to support each other. And like Lilo and Stitch they don't leave each other behind two goats making history day in and out. Keep killing it. Praise hands, marathon flag, lion, marathon flag, praise hands, love.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Wow, that description!
Nicky Saunders:
For our audio people, they're emojis. So if you heard the marathon flag and all that, that was emoji, so a shout out to those who leave us a review. We read them we love them. And yeah, yeah, we just appreciate y'all. We appreciate y'all. Um, but once again, shout out to all our audio listeners. All our YouTube viewers. We are here because of y'all but let's get into this episode. First, Moose, how are we feeling?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Feeling good, man. It's it's getting summertime vibes out in the city. So it's been it's been cool. It's been cool. Yes. It's nice to change it up. You know you spend so much time locked up. Forget locked up but just the winter in general was obviously longer on the east coast. So it's a it's cool to get rolling.
Nicky Saunders:
So are we outside more? Are we doing more stuff outside?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Oh, yeah. I mean mask off and all that like this is over?
Nicky Saunders:
Yeah, I don't I don't know if anybody's wearing a mask anymore. I don't know.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah. I feel like it's a wrap.
Nicky Saunders:
Funny thing is real, real random side note, right. So went to a brunch today, right? Went to a random brunch, right? Realized how introverted I have really become. Yep. Yep. Didn't talk to nobody was like, I don't know none of y'all. So the person that was there, that was like making sure we were good was like, yo, yo, you are you an introvert? I was like, I'm an introvert if I don't know you, okay. Introvert if I don't know you and I ain't know a single person and when they were like yo performances, I was like, Oh, I'm out. Um, I don't know. I think I stayed for like 20 minutes. I tried. I tried. I tried but hey, whatever. It's a new season clearly. I need to get used to being back outside. But let's get into this episode. Um, the very first situation: Only Fans is looking to move away from adult content to become more mainstream. Okay, so here, here's the the conversation of this segment. Uh, is that even possible?
Mostafa Ghonim:
No. No.
Nicky Saunders:
He's like, no, no, okay. So let's, let's, let's break this down. Only Fans, it has made a lot of people money. Okay, a lot of people money. And there are some people who are on Only Fans that don't do the adult content as they were speaking of Right, right, and are still making a lot of money, but we I think it's burnt in our head that when we hear Only Fans, we expect something we shouldn't necessarily see. And there is a paywall. So business structure wise, Only Fans make sense, right? You have your content, you put it behind a paywall, you ask people for money, it's all in a centralized location, you get some kind of exposure, because it already has kind of a system that if you like this, you probably are seeing other things. No, I have not been on Only Fans. And I do not have a subscription. Just want to put that out there. I do not. Okay.
Mostafa Ghonim:
She just reads a lot people.
Nicky Saunders:
I do my research people.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Part of her job, yeah.
Nicky Saunders:
It is part of my job, we gotta do this podcast.
Mostafa Ghonim:
I'm backing you up right here. I'm just letting people know.
Nicky Saunders:
So it makes sense. Because you you think of what would be the difference between maybe a Patreon and an Only Fans, right? They're for the creators, you know, we give you certain structure really allowed to email your people, all that great stuff. But one is known for just creativity. And one is known for other stuff. Other stuff, you know, whatever you want that to be I happen to this is what I will admit to I happen to follow a painter who has an Only Fans, amazing art investing, but she teaches you how to paint on her Only Fans. And well yeah, I'm not subscribed. I'm not I'm not subscribed, I just know of it. But my question to you would be, what would they have to do to be able to make this switch to mainstream?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, just give it a new name. You know what I'm saying? Like, it doesn't have to be. It's just like, it's so common to me. It's like, Yo, this is this is kind of the the negative effects of good branding, right. Like you, you did such a great job with the rollout the first time around, that people just got the they, they have really understood that when I think of this platform, I think of adult content period, point blank. Yeah. So now I understand the move. The alternative now is to say, Okay, let's expand our reach, let's go to more mainstream, but give it a different name. Again, I always go back to this example because to me, it's like stuck in my mind as someone who has done a great job at one thing, but as a result of it has limited himself into one thing, the Dos Equis guy, you know that that one dude like literally, this is a real story. He couldn't get cast it for any other roles after you know doing so well with that commercial because he kept getting cast for them over and over there anywhere he went, they just couldn't get that image of tDos Equis. You know, they couldn't separate the two away. So I think when there's something when it comes to a brand, you're not an individual you have the ability to say okay, we can still expand our business, but let's give it a new name. So it can be still be under our hub, but a different name.
Nicky Saunders:
Big facts and I have to agree with it. That's that's smart. That's smart because I think we saw them try to go mainstream with bringing certain celebrities I know. I think Fat Joe created and only fans I believe Khaled created Only Fans. I don't know. They didn't say Michael B. Jordan made one but I would assume maybe that's pure. Maybe that is some thirst traps. I don't know, ladies y'all, let me know. For those who did subscribe to that one ladies just you know, let me know. Um, but it is what it is. I personally think that if you do not, you may have to find some really big pure names. Pure. Michelle Obama pure to to really be like, Oh, this may be making a turn. It may be. I don't know. But yeah, I think that's the smartest thing they need to change the name, if that is going to... and to be honest, keep the adult stuff it's working.
Mostafa Ghonim:
That's what I'm saying.
Nicky Saunders:
It's truly working.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Not for you and I but you know, definitely if that's a profitable business for you guys keep it just whatever you try and do in this other area. call it something else. So it's like okay, still, we got the backing of this company so people can still see that it's credible, it works, it has the reach and all that. But yeah, calling it that. I just I don't know, I don't think it's gonna hit.
Nicky Saunders:
So for those who support Only Fans, let us know
in the comments:
Do you think it could possibly do the mainstream thing? If it does, will you keep your subscription? Will you keep your subscription? I just, this is a very important question. Oh, random super random. Ah, I never Oh, stay over there. Get big real quick. Shout out to Jordan. Not Michael Jordan. Not Michael Jordan.
Mostafa Ghonim:
I know who you're talking about. Yeah,
Nicky Saunders:
Right, the_sixthman_ on on Instagram. the_sixthman_. Right. We'll see if we'll pull it pull it up on the screen and everything like that. He got us some slippers. Right? I don't know if you got yours. I got mine. Yeah, hold on. Do I have ah, stay right there. I'm gonna get it.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Okay. Shoot. That's what's up.
Nicky Saunders:
So Hold on. Let me get let me get here. You see these? You see these? Hold on, see if the camera can catch it. We got the Travis Scott 4 slippers. All right. Travis Scott 4 slippers. Audio people, I have a really fluffy slipper in my hand that is a copy of what Travis Scott's Jordan 4s would look like. Okay. I did not give him his props when he gave it to us. So shout out to Jordan, for the slippers. You know, I guess we're still waiting for Moose to get his. But yeah, yeah. I got mine. And so go check Jordan now on Instagram. I think it's called the_sixthman_ . We'll put it out there. But let's get into this next segment, which is Michael B. Jordan. All right. So he was very excited at one point to announce his new rum brand, J'Ouvert, right. And this is where going global goes wrong. When we come up with a brand name, we have to make sure that in a lot of the main languages or cultures that there ain't gonna be no issues. Right. So he got some backlash becauseJ'Ouvert is very, very popular and Trinidadian culture. Right. Which is meaning day was a Daybreak? Daybreak. And is an annual festival, annual festival, not like a small little festival every year, every year has it, and you know, what? It celebrates the culture and the emancipation if I said that right from slavery, from slavery from the Caribbean. So for you to Yeah, for you to kind of claim that and try to trademark something so important to a culture. Yeah, you go here backlash. So he got a lot of backlash. And if you can see on the screen and for my audio listeners, I will be reading he did respond. "I just want to say on behalf of myself and my partners, our intentions was never to offend or hurt a culture we love and respect and hope to see celebrate and shine a positive light on. Last few days have been a lot of listening, a lot of learning and engaging in countless community conversations. We hear you, I hear you and wants to be cleared that we are in process of renaming. We sincerely apologize and look forward to introducing a brand we can all be proud of." So first and foremost, I want to say, let's, let's give Michael B Jordan some, some flowers, maybe a flower for at least listening, right? And making the appropriate changes. He got killed. But everybody, when you make a mistake on the internet, the internet kills you. So I don't feel too bad, right? But this is where I see where where was the research? Where was your team? Like, if you already knew that is a cultural word, why don't we we look that up. Why don't we? That's not English word clearly. Right? So we have to do our our research on it, we have to see if the community has a deeper attachment to it, than what we see maybe on the surface level, and we though we always want to try to be unique with the names because clearly it feels like all English words are taken as a brand. I think Dot is taken as a brand, The is taken as a brand like it's, there's it's hard to come up with original names. So a lot of people now are going to different languages and different cultures make sense. I get it. However, comma. This is where it backlashes This is where it's important to try to go global because if you pick the correct name, you'll not only get the the community and the fans from, you know, the United States, but then you instantly get that culture as well. But it could always backlash if you don't have a team around you. That's I hold up, that's that's not that's not what we're gonna do for a new brand. This does not what we can't even trademark that. There's a whole annual festival. Like, right? Why he is he is paid too much money. You have way too much money to make these little small mistakes. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just being honest. But we make mistakes. I'm super happy that is going to be fixed. I'm super happy. He took that on the chin as much as the internet pretty much killed killed him. I know Nicki Minaj even responded and was like, yo, you probably didn't mean to offend. However, you see what the situation is. Make the adjustments and continue to flourish. Which is amazing. You know, we people make mistakes. I'm cool with that. But if we're going to pick a name, that we don't even know what it means. At least get somebody to look it up fully. Before you try to trademark something. I don't know what what you got?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, no, that's the big lesson there. I mean, of course, like you said, shout out to him for being able to just kind of step up and say, all right, hey, I messed up, I'm gonna fix it. Yeah, but really the main lesson here for our listeners, and people watching this, like, not only do you want to look up the meaning, or the definition of something, if you know, it's from a different culture, and you can connect with someone of that culture, speak to them to figure out how is this word used? Right, culturally, like within the community, right? Because there are some words that it's just really difficult to understand or translate how it's used within a cultural context. So that's one of the biggest pieces that if you're naming your brand, and I think that's a big part of it, like, you know, if you're going to put money behind it, marketing, all that stuff, and you're going to start putting that name everywhere. You really want to make sure that okay, I'm making the right move. And I understand what it means I understand how it's being used in that culture. Because like you've said before, build with the intention that you will one day be global. Yeah, don't think just in your backyard or under your feet ah, it doesn't matter. No, like you really do it as if you're one day I'm going to be global. And I want to make sure that not if but when that time comes. When it's time to cross that bridge, I'll be in a position to know okay, I'm not offending anyone. And of course, we know like today, man, it's easy to offend people. It's very easy. Everyone says, you know, oh, hey, you wore red. That reminds me of whatever its like, it could be anything but as best as we can, if we can avoid it. Definitely. So yeah, I would say go the extra step and just, you know, speak to someone that's on in the homeland or is familiar with the language to let you know, like, Alright, here's the context, you know, in which we use that word to just to, to make sure you want to safe side.
Nicky Saunders:
Big facts, but Michael B. Jordan, we still love you over here.
Mostafa Ghonim:
For sure. Made love Mike.
Nicky Saunders:
And you probably make a lot of money on Only Fans too. All right, it wouldn't be us if I did. We didn't speak about this. Um, as this is being recorded, of course, a new Verzuz a new day. And this one is Soulja Boy versus Bow Wow. And let me just say, I actually delayed the recording of this podcast so I could watch a little bit of it. And Soulja Boy this is the only noise. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. My, man, was the first artist to play the same song three times in a Verzuz battle that just is just weird to me. Like you got to do 20.
Mostafa Ghonim:
In a row or like at different times?
Nicky Saunders:
Well one was in like a row. And then he played Make It Clap, not Make It Clap. The other booty song sorry, people. The other booty song. He played that one and then the verse with Nicki Minaj. The make it clap song. He played it solo with Nicki and with French, Montana. He actually brought him out on stage its just Yeah. Okay. So the reason why I'm bringing it up. For the viewers on YouTube, you could clearly see it but our audio listeners, there is a huge crowd. I think this was done in LA. And there was a huge crowd for this one. And it confirms what I was saying I think last week, which now they're going to make it where you clearly see the performances live. They're monetizing in that kind of sense where now you can it was I thought it was going to be based in Miami only that's clearly not the same club. And they're pretty much taking it all over giving you the chance to watch it in person but not feel like the transition is what do I mean that it doesn't shake up the transition too much because when you watch it on live, it's still the same feeling. So I give props to Verzuz. It. It was a bit entertaining. Just because Soulja Boy is a bit entertaining and Bow Wow does have a lot of hits. I got to give him props He does. He does. Yeah, there was there was some there was some hits. He brought out Lil' Romeo, he brought out Da' Brat and Jermaine Dupri he had some hits. He has a song with T-Pain. I can't I can't knock Bow Wow. I honestly went with Bow Wow for that. I think Soulja Boy put out too many of his really best songs too early, and you have to do 20 but that's just my opinion. Did you did you watch a little bit of it?
Mostafa Ghonim:
No, I didn't. I didn't get a chance to check it out. I didn't get a chance to check it out. I was Yeah, I was on the Mary vibe.
Nicky Saunders:
Okay, no we're gonna get we're gonna get into that.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah I was gearing up for that.
Nicky Saunders:
Yeah, we're gonna get into that. So shout out to Soulja Boy. Shout out to a Bow Wow, Shad Moss because I don't really like calling him Bow Wow, and Verzuz. I'm excited what the next one is and to see what state it will be. And are they going to even...I wish they would advertise it as far as like you can come but I guess they're still making it... Yeah, they're still making it. Oh, talking about super side note. This was so not in the in the mix. So I showed you J Cole is outside! Let me be honest, let me let me be 100,000 with this okay. J Cole, 21 Savage, Morray really dope line up, right. So I check these ticket prices out.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Uh huh. Talk about it.
Nicky Saunders:
Okay, so first off, shout out to the really super fans, because it went on sale Friday. So that's June 25, it went on sale at 10am Eastern. Now, I got there like probably around 2pm because I pretty much forgot about it. I was like, Oh, no check, you know, its going to be in Atlanta around the time that I'm supposed to be in Atlanta, right? So I'm like, cool. Let's go check it out. Boom. Um, all the tickets that I wanted were gone. But the tickets I did see first off, they had front row, there was these two tickets that are front row. I'm like, Okay. All right. Let's see how much that is. $2,000. Okay, let's keep passing.
Mostafa Ghonim:
A piece?
Nicky Saunders:
Yeah a piece. So let's keep passing that one. So, for me, and I don't know about those who've gone to concerts. I normally like going a level up around in the front, front couple of rows, because you could chill. You could sit you could watch it. You could stand up still see it? It's all great. They're like 600 a piece. And that's not even resale. That was like, right. So I'm more like, Okay, I get it. We're back outside. Maybe we have to make up for the time we couldn't be back outside. I don't know.
Mostafa Ghonim:
That's exactly. Right now.
Nicky Saunders:
Right. Yeah. But for me, I think where I'm at where I'm at. I don't know if I can. I can. Not that Okay, let's let's clear this out. I'm not saying I'm broke. But I'm saying my priorities for entertainment over education. may not be like, I can't. It hurt my feelings. So I was like me and Moose are going to see J Cole. We're gonna go right. And then I was like, No, we're not. No, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I don't. I've seen J Cole. I've seen him. Amazing, amazing performance. But what I know what about me is that if I miss this, so I'm still in I'm not saying yes or no. I'm debating. But I know me. I know that. If I don't go like the last Drake concert with the with the video floor. Yeah, remember that? Yeah. I was like, Oh, I'm not going to that one. And then I missed it. And I saw how great it was. And I was like, I'm never missing a Drake concert again. The next one I don't even care how much.
Mostafa Ghonim:
I heard his he has probably one of the best performances. That's what I heard. I didn't go. Yeah, one of my boys went when he was at MSG. He was like, yo, the best concert that he's ever been to. So I was like, wow, okay.
Nicky Saunders:
So I feel like, I feel like okay, I may have to, I may have, I don't know. Anyways, we're gonna finish this conversation in the after show. Because that was a super side note. So if you're going to the J Cole concert, just let us know. Let us know the city that you're going because I'm really on the fence about this because, yeah. But celebration time people! Mary J. Blige has dropped her documentary! Queen of R&B, June 25 on Amazon Prime, Prime Video to be exact. This is not a paid advertisement. Actually, none of the things that we say is a paid advertisement. But, um, so I got to see this pretty much before we recorded and first off, strong, strong female. Can't knoc Mary J. Blige and what she's done for hip hop and R&B, how much of an influence she has been the countless of music that she's made 13 albums, right. A Lifetime Achievement Award. I think she has an Oscar, Grammys like she has. She has it all. With 13 albums you had to win something. Okay. Um, and pretty much the story of a lot of females are in her generation and even still current right now, for me. It was it was heavy. It was absolutely heavy to watch the documentary, because it for those who didn't watch it, and I'm not going to like spoil it's not like a movie. But, um, it pretty much goes over her album, My Life and where she was. And, you know, pretty much the source of the inspiration, which was pretty much her life. And growing up, not having people to cheer her on not believing in herself, going through abuse with, you know, different relationships, seeing it from her mom, just going getting getting success fast, and not feeling successful. That's something we need to talk about one day, or even if we go circle back around it, but just like, how some people always want the success really fast. But are you really ready for it, because when she got it, she felt empty, because there was just like, I still have a lot of internal stuff to worry about. That all the success doesn't cover that up. All the trauma that I went through doesn't cover it up, because I have furs and money and doing private jets now. Like it's cool to have. But success means so much more than just that. Right? And this was before, this was before social media. You know, this was before what we thought perfect life success is. So to really get in her world with the success that she had. And the real big backstory was really good to see. But it really was heavy, but to see the impact that she had to see people just crying like Yo, you're speaking to me, we don't necessarily have role models of this kind of human being, like, especially of a female type. Right. So to see everything come full circle, because like I said, it's I think she dropped her album in 1994.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, she'd been out for a minute.
Nicky Saunders:
And first off still looks amazing. Still looks amazing. Still is relevant.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Acting now.
Nicky Saunders:
Right! In a new Power Book II I think. That's a different bag. Salute to the bag, right? Um, salute to residuals of 13 albums. That's a body of work. You are good, ma'am. You are good for a while because some of them are classics. So you are good. With songs like "Family Affair", that everybody loves, it doesn't matter what nationality you are, you are loving that song.
Mostafa Ghonim:
An era where where females like weren't really, you know, just like quick to reach stardom like that, you know, like her era wasn't like, you know, right now where you can easily accept a Cardi B or, you know, some of these other female artists is like at her time, it wasn't as readily accepted. So I think it's dope to that speaks even more to like, you mentioned her body of work, which is phenomenal.
Nicky Saunders:
Yeah. So the Did you watch it? I don't know, if you watched it. Did you...
Mostafa Ghonim:
I watch some of it because I was watching the interviews in preparation for this, but I'm gonna circle back on it because I was like, Okay, this is, uh, this is pretty dope.
Nicky Saunders:
But, you know, if, if we, if we brought up the documentary, we have to break her down a little bit. So we got some clips that we were just gonna talk about, we're just gonna talk about.
Mary J. Blige:
In order to grow, you have to change your environment. If you in order to get something new, you have to see something new. If my environment didn't change when I was living in Yonkers in the projects, if I didn't see something else, I had girlfriends that took me out of the projects and I experienced Benz's and in jewelry and in furs and condos and houses, and I saw something else so that made me want something else. So your environment is extremely important and and you're going to shed people, shed people and its gonna be a little sad, but they have to go. When things start to stall, someone has to get off the boat or get off the bus. Everyone's not going.
Nicky Saunders:
Start this off Moose.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, Mary came with the bars on this one right off the bat. She was just letting people know like, Hey, here's what it's about. You know, I think the cool thing in watching a lot of her interviews just like you know to study her a little bit, it's like, like You mentioned very tough upbringing, a difficult experience, so much of what she's sharing is some of the keys that we got to kind of add to, you know, our toolkit of, Okay, here's what helps us get to the next level. So I love what she talks about the importance of environment, you know, and, you know, we're fortunate to have people like, a Mal in our community, and of course, many others who help us not just understand the importance of environment, but also expose us to other things, right. And it's one thing to talk about it to, like, see, you know, maybe online, it's another thing to be in the space of that exposure, right, like to physically be present. And, and I think that's the, that's the beauty of what she's talking about, like when you get can make the investment from time to time to set yourself up in an experience that allows you to be in the environment of people who are doing what you would what you want to do or where to aspire to be, right. So I can't explain it. But it's just something magical, that often happens that you can walk away from that feeling either inspired or ready to kind of take it up a notch. And that's kind of like what we talked about, even in our last episode, in the one we talked about E being back outside and just being in that energy in that space, and how you can come back home with some new energy. So I know she, you know, builds on a couple of things and talking about letting people go, but really, for me, it's like that bar right there about you know, the environment and being able to see things outside of what you believe to be norm. It kind of shocks your belief system to think, okay, although this was my norm, that's not the only possibility. Like there's more out there to explore and discover.
Nicky Saunders:
Yep, that's true. So, um, for me, like, how do I put this? I think we, we get so in wrapped with where we are right now. And so that's all we really see. But the thing with the documentary was that, like, she said, she was so used to the projects and the friends that she had, and people saying she couldn't do it. And, you know, people like us don't do these things, or don't have these things. And so when it's kind of embedded in your head, like, you kind of drown out the ability of anything else. And so it was actually mentors of hers that, like, took her out of that place and say, Hey, this is this is a so there's some different like Andre Harrell rest in peace, was one of those people that was like, yo, you are amazing. And you are going to be performing with kings and queens. And she was like, yeah, whatever, right? And everything that he said came true, because he took her out of that environment and pushed her to believe, like, yo, you could do this, this is you're not like everybody else. And though it took her a while to understand that, and some ups and downs that may have set her back a bit like who is that person or group of people that can have you look at something different? Like you said, I'm, I'm very blessed to have the circle that we have. Right, and it does help. But even for me, I almost seek for something more. I feel like there is something else out there besides the the mansions besides the having a certain amount of money in the bank account. You know, I don't I don't know what that is like. But I feel like there is a certain lifestyle that isn't glamorized that isn't shown too much that would bring a sense of peace and accomplishment. And I don't, I don't know. So it's weird, but that's the environment that I seek to find that hopefully one day that I could show others that yeah we have this, but we have this too. But But also, my question to you is what is one thing that is so important with environment that we don't really put too much weight on?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Because I was gonna say like, I know, we've talked about values before, we've talked about common interests before. We've talked about mutualism before, you know, maybe one of them is work ethic. Okay, you know, because there's another clip, and I'm sure we'll get to it in a sec, but you'll start to see that a lot of the people who are where we see them to be and of course, at a high level that is respected and, and well honored, there is a level of intent that comes with their work that is not necessarily documented like that, because it's not glamorous, like you mentioned right. So like, the working part of it isn't as fun as the performing part of it, or it can't possibly be sold, right, or marketed as, as, as the music element. So like, if you if you go into an environment, and it doesn't give you that juice to want to do more... yeah the window's open, I'm telling you. Outside. Outside. Live and direct. It is hot!
Nicky Saunders:
I was like what kind of motorcycle event is happening?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. No, it's, it's happened. Welcome to the city. We were recording before with the windows open, and we didn't hear nothing. But now that everyone's out, yes, it's out here. Yeah, yeah, threw off my whole thing. Just like, you know, you got to be in certain spaces, like, I would hope that you go to a space and you get uplifted, like I said, energized, wanting to come back and do more not go to a space that it may deplete you that you're like, oh, man, like, you know, it has you questioning yourself, like, your posture kind of shrinks a little bit as a result of being in that environment. So I would say, you know, maybe one of those things is just like, you know, make sure that environment uplifts you, and pushes you to want to work and do a little bit more as well, when you come back.
Nicky Saunders:
Yeah, that even small changes with the environment kind of helps too. Like, I know, shout out to those people who still can't get accustomed to going back outside. Right. But even to the point of like, going to a hotel for the night, to change changing environment to open up your mind, like, and I think, you know, the, the way she explained it clearly with the environment, like she saw, more what, you know, more materialistic things that she didn't think she could possibly have. But sometimes when I think about changing your environment, I think of opening your mind to just new possibilities, not necessarily materialistic, but just creativity, different ideas. And just looking at things from different perspectives is what it is change of environment can mean and that doesn't necessarily mean Okay, let me go into these expensive cars and, and private jets and everything, it can literally go yo let me instead of going for a walk around my complex let me go to the park. Let me go to the beach. Let me you know, get out of the state real quick and just have a you know, a vacation quote unquote, or let me stay in the state and have a staycation do something to open your mind to new things. Even if you don't have those group of people or mentors that can show you a different thing. It sometimes takes you to get out of out of that spot before somebody else can take you out of that spot. So I like what she said about environment because I do believe it's very important. But some people some of our listeners may be like I don't have I don't have an Andre Harrell. I don't have a Diddy. You know, I don't have these people have high places to make me see something different. No, you have YouTube. Right? That's a start it just envision what that thing would look like. Like, you know, I'm big on looking at the million dollar houses. Side note, I saw a $4 million house. I'm looking shout out to Texas. I really looking at Texas lately, right. Yeah. And it goes completely the opposite of being a New Yorker because New York and Texas has this weird rivalry. Right? But, um, I was looking and they had like this $4 million house, but it was like four bedrooms. Oh, like so I'm paying a million dollars for four bedrooms but I'm not having it but then I look And I'm gonna send it to you. There was this house that was like, like 400 - 500k that looked almost like as great. And I was like, Am I am I moving to Texas?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Is this is the vibe is this where we going?
Nicky Saunders:
Is this...still doing research people before y'all like, yeah, go and all my Atlanta people, no come to Atlanta? No. Let me continue to visit Atlanta for me. Um, but I am starting to really pay attention to possible places. Because I've been saying, I don't like Virginia because I need to change my environment. I need to change my environment, maybe I won't be such an introvert. I may not be the introvert. But let's get into this next this next clip of Mary J. Blige of kind of work ethic, let's talk about work ethic.
Mary J. Blige:
If you want to maintain a certain lifestyle, you know, you got to do what you gotta do. You got to work, you got to study, you got to grind, you got to do what vocal lessons. And I had to grow into this, because there was a time when I, I wouldn't, I would drink all night and be like, I'm not doing No, I'm not going I'm not going on stage. Or not doing an interview, I was a whole savage. But, you know, when you lose a lot of things, you end up having to play catch up, you know, so a lot of this is like just having to play catch up, because I was so irresponsible.
Nicky Saunders:
So I'm gonna say this, right? And the simple things we tend to be tired of hearing about, but probably are overlooking, like a mug, right? So she didn't say anything crazy, like, hard work, grind, work ethic, you know, all the things we've always, like, we continue to hear we continue to hear this cadence, right. And the thing that stood out to me about that one was, like, Yo, I had to play catch up. Like I just learned about this work ethic, because I have it all. And I wasn't progressing. I was actually losing some stuff. Because I didn't have the I didn't go back to the foundation, I didn't go, I didn't have the work ethic, I didn't have the grind, I didn't have my priorities straight. And so even somebody as successful as she was and is, but when we're talking about the past, like as successful as she was, she still admits to losing a lot because she went too much into the lifestyle of the success, or dealing even some of the stuff that with the past. So she was drinking and doing drugs and just doing the partying life a little bit too much to where it was affecting what we knew her for, which was the singing. So she had a tap back in to the foundation. And like I think about it, like, what is those checks that we have to do to maintain the foundation? Um, if you're, if you're tired of hearing, work hard this then the third, you have to check yourself on like, are you doing that? Like are like good, okay. And for those people who even follow me, you're tired of hearing consistency. But are you doing it right? And with her that she she said, Yo this, this is this is the formula. This, this really is the format I can't I wish I could say something different. But it really is this typical thing. And that was an interview with Angie Martinez. And if you go back to it, she was like, yo, we were, we were outside. We were having fun. And you literally cut out was like yo, I got vocal practice. I gotta I gotta do this. Right, and you're still so disciplined till this day. But that's what continues to make her relevant that continues to make her the Queen of R&B because of that discipline, and it's fine to admit that Yo, I ain't got that like or I fell off from it. But I will ask you Moose, what are some things that from a daily check like boom, I could do this. I do this like, we'll keep that foundation there that you know, we can maybe search for the more complex thing?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, yeah. And, and I think what makes this so difficult Nicks too, cuz like when we were chatting about this, we said, maintaining mastery, right? Like because she's at a place of mastery and her craft, and it's about maintaining it. And truth be told, a lot of the times when you're trying to maintain mastery, the process of that is monotonous, like it's not fun, it's a lot of things that you've already done, like, they seem Elementary, they seem routine, like, you're tired of them, they're boring, you know, like, that's, that's the truth be told, like, I can only imagine LeBron still walking into the gym to work out, you know, 17-18 years in the league, where he's, I've done this, like, so many times, like, this is boring. But again, that's what makes people like himself, and many others who are at that level, in any industry, honestly, considered to be the greatest of all time, why? It's because you've done something for so long, and kept it at a high level, meaning that you got better and never lost excitement, you got better and didn't do less preparation, if you will, right like that, that in itself, when you really get to see a human being just evolve naturally, like we're all human, I get bored of doing the same thing from time to time, I just don't feel like doing it, you know, like, but but that's where the discipline or these, these other things come into into practice. So when you talk about some of the some of the tangible or practical things, and she kind of spoke to a couple of them, right? Like, practice and study the they say that one of the ways to rewire your thinking is to stay in a state of learning. So if you are unhappy with the life that you live, or the results that you've been producing, and you want to finally start thinking and seeing life in a different way, you're starts molding your creative creativity to, you know, to come out in a different way. How do you do that? Well, keep yourself in a state of learning, keep learning new things, because you can't possibly take in new information, and continue to force yourself to think you know, the ways that you've always thought so those are some of the things that for me, I've always talked about, you know, the first hour of the day is so important to me, because it kind of literally sets up my entire day. Right? So if I'm doing now that we're not fasting, being able to eat, drink my coffee, you know, it's like, you know, those those thingsto mea re...
Nicky Saunders:
It's the small things in life.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yo, amazing. Amazing. So, yeah, man, its little things like that, that you end up seeing, you know, making it work. So we were even talking to our coaches last week, and shout out to everybody, of course, a part of Extreme Execution. And somebody asked the question, like, how are you able to articulate some of your words like you sound I forgot whatever they said, and I'm like, you know, truth be told, it's ...when I first started in my career I was studying on YouTube, specifically, not to mention the books that I've read, and even conversations that we've had through trainings, I would spend five to 10 hours a week just studying audio, right? Like, 5 - 10, 5 - 10 hours was the was like, the minimum by like, I can't do less than 5, an average, you know, it'll be somewhere around that. And, and as you continue to listen to people speak and express and articulate, you begin to pick up that especially if that's the desire for you to improve on. So it's like, there are some things that are a part of the practice that I'm like, now, I don't even think that I'm counting per se, like, how many hours as I think about it, it's probably still in the same range, you know, because I can pop the headphones on while I'm, you know, walking around cleaning up at the house, like just just stuff like that, and looking to fill the gap for something more productive. That is like, you know, those are all pockets that are monotonous, but they help you to maintain mastery.
Nicky Saunders:
That's good. Now, this is a this is a clip I wanted to talk about. Just how important it is about the mind. Battle of the mind.
Mary J. Blige:
The mind is the battlefield. All this stuff starts and like remeber I told you I was talking to myself, I have full long conversations because all I can hear is you're not gonna do this. You're not gonna get this and yes I am I started writing stuff down Priscilla. I'm going to do this post it. I'm going to do this post it. And I read it every day. I'm going to do this I I and I read it and it happens because I'm killing the negative thought life with who I truly am. We are not these negative thoughts.
Nicky Saunders:
So this clip for some reason, like really had me thinking actually inspired a post that I did and everything like that, but the power of words and the power of just our inner thoughts, right? We psych ourselves out from so many things. And it's crazy, because, you know, we could be very quick to blame other people as far as like, they say, I can't do it. They say I can't do this. I don't have these particular resources. I can't do all these things, right? But it's us who keeps remembering that, right? It's us, like our mind that replays certain things and believe it as true. And like our mind is what stops us from a lot of things. It's not, because if somebody says, You can't do this, like you have all the ability to do the opposite. Right? Yo, you can't buy this. Okay, well, let me save up, maybe they don't think I could do it in the timeframe that they have in their mind. But can I do it as a different story? Right, and 9 out of 10 times have we've heard this multiple times, where it was like, you know, people will tell you, they, you can't do it, because they haven't done it themselves. Right. And so when we hear negative thoughts, it stays in it, but it's us speaking to us. It's not them speaking to us anymore, because they said their stuff they projected in is gone. Right? But it replays in our mind. So for for us to just continue to be the reason why we don't do things, has to stop, and she ...like I said, what I love about Mary is that she keeps it very simple. I literally write it down, I post it up, and I read it over and over again, the power of affirmations clearly. Right? So it's, it's crazy that the simple things once again, we don't do. And because we don't do the very simple things, we allow certain things not to happen. We allow certain negative negativity, certain obstacles to continue to be barriers in our lives, when yo Are you saying you can do it? Are you making it nice and plain in front of you that that's all they all you see, going back to the whole environment situation, like your word should be your environment to where all you see is the positivity and all the things that you can do that you can't see anything different. Like, then you're now you're training your mind to be like, yo, all I'm seeing is how dope I am and the house that I'm going to have and the money that I'm going to get. And the success I'm going to see in the views I'm gonna have, this is all surrounded in my house, these are all the different paintings I have. Like, I don't believe that there's anything else because I've surrounded myself with just this. But we put too much. We consume too much that now it's just embedded in our brain. That whatever we may say, we're consuming so much that it negates that. So we have to look at what is a balance, we have to look at like, yo, how do we not trigger the negative side of our brain and have the positive side override that? What are some of the tricks that I could like she says, I write it down my post it I say it every single day. Shout out to those who do affirmations every single day, you know, shout out to those who have a more spiritual vibe to it as well. So they can they can believe what they can. But it was like, it's just simple stuff. Like, I need to title this "Simple Stuff". Because it's, she's giving us the formula to longevity. She's giving us the formula to a successful career. She's beyond transparent. Like what the one thing I did love was she was like, Yo, I didn't even know how important I was. I didn't know my story reached out to so many people. And I didn't even want to do this at first because who who wants to hear this this sad stuff who wants to hear my cries who want and it was a whole group of females a whole worldwide of females like yo this is for me, and but if she would have stayed in her head of like, yo, who wants, like, who wants to hear this? We wouldn't have known anything from Mary J. Blige, right, we wouldn't know anything. And there's so many people that stopped themselves, because they run through the same thoughts of your who wants to hear my story? Somebody, somebody wants to hear it, somebody needs it, somebody truly is, like, searching for the story to say, Yo, I'm not the only one in this world feeling this way, or needs this solution, or anything like that. But we stay in our head. And we have to stop that.
Mostafa Ghonim:
I love that. I love that. No, you hit it on the mark, honestly, not not much to add to it, you know, I'm saying like, at the end of the day, just figure out what works for you and stick to it. You know, like, there are definitely a lot of different forms of this concept or, or ways to apply this practice. But truth be told, man, I know, a lot of us are not doing it. You know, like, if you really sat there and kinda like, just looked yourself in the mirror for a moment, like, Am I really doing the simple stuff? It's like No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, cuz I guess like, it happens all the time where you have conversations, you know, with folks who are very determined to get somewhere. And the recommendations that you make, or the suggestions that you make, they want to cross those off, like, Oh, no, but I'm already doing that, or I've done that. But a lot of the times, if you were or have, you wouldn't be where you are. Mm hmm. Like, like, you discount the fact that I saw, right, it's, it's happened previously, or I'm doing it, and I'm still not where I want to be as if, as if it's not a part of the core process, when you hear something being repeated over and over and over again, is it's really helping you to prove the concept. So even for some of the analytical minds out there who are wondering like, you know, because you said, What's the balance, you know, and immediately I kind of started thinking about some of the data that we have that backs us in terms of man, what's the ratio of positive information, uplifting information that I should be taking in to cancel out a lot of my negative thoughts. And that ratio was literally five to one, right? It takes it takes five times as much of five times as many positive, uplifting content to cancel out one negative thought. So when she says I had to catch up, that's what I'm thinking about. It's like, yo, she has to do the self work, and put in that much effort to cancel out. So just another question, I'll leave to our listeners, like, yo, have you done for all the sabotaging that you've done for yourself for all the time that you've beat yourself down with your own thoughts and words and emotions? Have you put in five times as much positivity to cancel that out? You know what I'm saying? Have you put in five times as much affirmation and, and imagining a new future a better future and the things that you want? How have you done enough visualization to really cancel that out? That that's the question I want our listeners to really walk away with from today, because simple stuff works. Simple stuff works we just don't do enough of it.
Nicky Saunders:
You get spicy by the end of the episode. This why you need to listen, I'm gonna clip this up, this why you need to listen to the end. This is why you need to listen to the end. Um, one more clip nothing too deep. For our listeners, you always know I try to get something something dope for the ending part. This is not to I try to keep it very simple. Because clearly this is a very simple episode, right? But Khaled said something recently in an at an event talking about the success of "Wild Thoughts" with Rhianna because that was a huge, huge record. But something that he said once again, very simple, that we got to go over.
DJ Khaled:
Now I remember people telling me that when I made "Wild Thoughts", you know, just the idea, they thought I was crazy, and then it ended up being one of my biggest records of my life. Saying so like, you know, not just music if you if you have a vision, see it through because the only person getting disappointed if it don't work is you but you shouldn't be disappointed because you haven't... you gonna learn. You might learn like, Oh, this blew up, oh, oh, I should've maybe did some a little different. But you know, you learn in a way where you start creating your own sound your own energy, your own identity.
Nicky Saunders:
What you think Moose? What you think?
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, you know that one of the most empowering and uplifting both feelings and thoughts is to take a pure thought something that truly came from within, to trust your gut enough and have the courage and what I like to say have the audacity to put it out there or see it through. Yeah, and that to work, man, if, if, if no one, if you've never if you're listening to this, and you've you've never experienced that emotion, I truly pray that you get to live in one day. Because you talk about what it does to your confidence. You start to feel like Oh, wait, maybe I'm not crazy. Like I've been living this whole time thinking like, a lot of the things that I'm feeling and and like, intuitively what's happening and the way I see the world is almost polar opposite of everyone. And maybe I'm just wrong. Maybe I'm just crazy. But what if you're not right? What if you're just unique? What if you're just purely you What if like he said, it's a different sound so that that's what the first thing that comes to mind when I listened to that Nicks, its like, you know, with sometimes yes, sometimes it's the things that you don't work that pop and get the most the most love. But the better part of it, I think is being able to trust your gut on a pure thought. And seeing it through despite of what you thought people will say or do and respond to it. And for that thing to work and bring about you know, this type of massive success. It's like the stuff that begins to happen is out of control. You know, I remember the first time I ever shared my story online and and it went quote unquote, mini viral, whatever, you will consider it in this like, wow, like, that was not what I was expecting. That was not but but it's something inside of me was like, yo, you need to tell the story. Because you have people from x community and people from y community that need to know the truth about people like yourself, and others that are being labeled this way. And it took off and it was like just the opportunity to trust something that comes from within and for it to do something that surprises you. It gives you the confidence that you need to keep repeating it in other areas so like to me I'm just like wow, that's that's such an important concept where you strip it away from of course Khaled because somebody might be like well of course "Wild Thoughts" is gonna blow look he has Khaled has access to Rhianna and, and, you know, it's like, it's easy to do that. But if you strip it down to the DNA of the actual, the actual principle, or lesson of what it took to do that is that, you know, that concept that is essence. So I don't know, where you want to take it. But I'd love to know, like, you know, your process for just being able to stay true to whatever your intuition tells you when it comes with, you know, like I saw even some of the content you put out this week, it was more so like using other people's video and, and on the funny side of things. And it was it was cool to see that where you could have been like, Well, no, I don't I've never done that before. But you know, yeah, maybe just speak on that process a little bit. How do you stay? How do you do that in terms of trusting your intuition and staying pure with your thoughts?
Nicky Saunders:
So I think for, for what he said, like, the only thoughts that we should listen to is ours. Right? And with every thought that we have every idea that we have it forms who we are today, right? And whether we do it or not. It still forms us. Right? So for me what you were saying was like, I'm just trying out new things, to see what works, what do I enjoy what the people enjoy, and figure out this style that has a equal blend of creativity of my happiness and freedom, as well as serving the people. Right? And so I don't necessarily really go okay. You know...And how do I do this? I don't necessarily ask certain people, Yo, is this a good idea? I just put it out and allow the people to speak Because if I was to go to people who haven't done it before, or maybe something similar, they may mess up what I think could possibly work, or what I want to try. Now, there are certain things that I'm really cool with receiving feedback. But when it comes to serving people from a content standpoint, I go to people who's done it way better than me, or I don't go to people at all right? And what I've also learned, and he touched on it, like, regardless, you learn something, like, this didn't work, I could have done this a bit different. Or Yo, this really worked. Like, how can I expand on it right? How can I form my sound? How can I form my style? How can I really get this certain kind of cadence that really rocks with me, and that people know me for? Right? And that's just really burning a certain kind of style into people's heads. We know, when we see Khaled we expect a whole group of people to be on his album, we know the rollout that he's going to have. We know kind of the, the kind of sound that he creates, because he's throughout the years figured out his style. But that was because he tried this song. And he tried that song. And it doesn't necessarily have to go with the people he has just like you said he has a Rhianna, but there was a Drake song that didn't do so well. Drake is Artists of the Decade. There was this one's I can't even remember what it was called. I think it was on the album where he first had his son. And it was just weird. It was it was very weird. I think that's where his weird dance came from. But um, it just didn't work. It didn't work. And but he probably learned from that. And then switched up the the formula real quick, tried something else tried this, tried that. And one of the hottest songs that we have right now for the summer is coming from Khaled's album, which is a Lil' Durk and a Lil' Baby song. Right. So he, if you don't go forward with what you may think a good idea is, then you can never truly master your own style, you can never really truly be the person you truly need to be because you're stopping the creative flow, you're stopping the lessons that come with it not possibly working or it working extremely well. Like it's only two things, right? Yeah, it may not work, or it may really, really work. If it may not work, I learned something as far as Yo, how can I change it up? What part did work that I could take. But all these things, let's let's throw it out. And let's try something new. You can't look at something not working as a negative all the time, even at all, to be honest with you. If you do that, it only stops you further from trying other stuff. And maybe you have a problem with failing that then messes you up internally. That's cool, right? It happens it happens to the best of us. So that's not a that's not an uncommon feeling. But at some point, there has to be a switch to where we're like, you know what, this is more of a positive than a negative if I if this, this doesn't make this amount of money, if this doesn't make this amount of sales, views, whatever, it didn't go as big as I wanted it to be. But it still is better because the person who thought about it still hasn't put it out. It did maybe one second better than my last thing. It may like our ideas, our goals, our thought form who we are and we have to put more power to that. And we have to stop being our own, our own gate to greatness. Like we have to let our guard down for a second. And see what could possibly happen. And that's an that's why I really liked this clip because it goes more with why we don't do things and it goes behind the whole Mary J Blige thing is just, our mind stops us. It's not anybody else, but our minds, but our mind is what really forms who we are.
Mostafa Ghonim:
So real man. That's so real.
Nicky Saunders:
But we're gonna have further conversations in the after show. So, um, if you for all our Apple Podcast listeners, you've probably noticed that there is an all access squad, I want you to click on All Access. Try it for free for three days, three days. That's it three days. See if you like it. We're going to be uploading bonus episodes every week. It's a whole vibe every week. So go check that out. Go follow us everywhere at Nicky and Moose. You know, every Tuesday 8pm we have a live show on Youtube come holla at us. How did you feel about this episode?
Mostafa Ghonim:
I like this episode. I like this episode. You know, anytime you anytime we tap into just a lot of these personal lessons, I think it's it's a great opportunity for us to be to add more to you know, outside of what the industry expects from a podcast such as ours. So its like Okay, no let's let's over deliver and really give this is what I would consider the secrets. You know, like, oh, here's the secrets, the real secrets. This is it. This is it.
Nicky Saunders:
Well people you already know what time it is. Moose, final words.
Mostafa Ghonim:
Yeah, man to remind again, myself and everyone listening. You know, I read something this week that said that much of what we believe comes from our experiences and not facts. Again, much of what we believe come from experiences and not facts. So it's the things that you experienced, it's your habits that led you to believe something is possible or maybe not possible, but it's not actually true. So again, simple reminder, you know, go out there and test the waters. Is what you believe fact, or is it just based off of a broken belief system?
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