Club Shay Shay - Mendeecees Harris

Episode Date: April 3, 2023

Mendeecees Harris of "Love & Hip Hop" fame, joins Shannon this week inside Club Shay Shay to talk through his time on the show and share some behind the scenes stories! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Make sure to listen to the Good Morning Football podcast Monday through Friday on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is going to sound horrible, but I put my mom up for collateral. I was getting a bunch of keys and he was like, well, you guys show me where your mom live at. And she had no idea. Right.

And I took them. And I never even told nobody that. Got to roll the dice, that's why all my life I've been grinding all my life, yeah, all my life. Been grinding all my life, sacrifice, hustle paid the price, want a slice. Got to roll the dice, that's why all my life I've been grinding all my life. Hello, welcome to another edition of Club Shea Shea. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shea Shea. And the guy that's stopping by for a drinking conversation today is a music manager, producer, real estate developer, actor, entrepreneur, father, husband,

reality TV star, Mendeecees Harris. Bruh. What's up, man? Thank you for stopping by the club. How you been? It's man, taking it easy, man. It's a blessing. Thank you for having me. Nah, man. Thanks for coming on. You know, every time the guys come on, we have to toast it. Yeah, let's do it. Bruh, I appreciate it. Hey, for real, Tom.

Much. Woof. Nice and smooth. So how you been, bruh? Taking it easy, man. One day at a time. Nah, you do more than take it easy. From Harlem, everybody says they got the best borough.

Harlem say they're the best. Brooklyn say they're the best. Yonkers and Queens. What's the best, bro? I got to say Harlem, right? Because Harlem got his own culture. We trendsetters. I know you heard of Dabba Dan. Yes. So there you go. That is our tradition. Dabba Dan is one of many. He's an icon, but he's

one of many styles that come out of Harlem. He's an innovator. He pushed the culture forward, but it's so many styles in Harlem. Right. You guys are known for hustlers. People that flash the big cars, the big hats back in the 50s and 60s, the furs, the minks.

Is that what Harlem is? When people think of Harlem, is that what they think of? Harlem, we grew up looking up to people like Nicky Bones. Yeah. God Fisher, the Rich Porters, and, you know, you hear the stories. So, you know, we breed hustlers. Right. A lot of boroughs, they got other things going on, but it's really hustlers out of Harlem.

But, okay, so I'm looking at the guys, P. Diddy, Tupac, A$AP Rocky, Cameron, Maze, Keith Sweat, Jim Jones, Dane Dash, Dougie Fraze, Teddy Riley, Julio Santana. Okay, you got to have a Mount Rushmore. You got to have four people of the guys that I just named. Who's on your Mount Rushmore? I'll go Puff. I will go with Cameron. I will go with Mace. And I will go with I will go with Joel Santana. Man, how you leave Tupac off this list?

Tupac not from Harlem. Well, he lived there for a little while, right? So do we say he from there? Yeah. Well, you can live in my... We all can. We good. I ain't... See, you know...

Was he born in Harlem? I never heard him rep Harlem. Right. So if I heard him... He on the West Coast. Yeah. So if I heard him rep Harlem, then he would have been number one.

So when everybody... Obviously, Diddy. Diddy is a... That's why I put him number one. Yeah. Because he rep Harlem. Rep. So did you know Diddy? No. Growing I put him number one. Because he rep Harlem. So, did you

know Diddy? No. I don't know him. So, what has Diddy done for the borough of Harlem, the people of Harlem? Because we see him out so much and like you said, he's always repping his hood. From what I see

growing up, he gave a lot of people jobs. He saved mace. I know a lot of people that have worked for him that I see in the neighborhood, and I see them with Puff, and I always know how to give people five, because I grew up with them. Right. But he inspired the community.

Yeah, absolutely. Just with style, grace, and his presence. Just seeing him make it out of Harlem gave us hope, made us feel like we could make it. But when I look at it, you look at the record executive. You got him and you got Dame Dash. How familiar are you with Dame? Nah, I met Dame Dash. You know, I messed up because I definitely meant to put him on my list.

Because he's a hustler. Right. Oh, he definitely a hust him on my list. Okay. Because he's a hustler. Right. Oh, he definitely a hustler. Yeah. And he constantly reminds you that he's a hustler. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He might be number one. Really?

Right. And the reason why I say number one, because he really, really, really for the streets. He's really for Harlem. He goes back in the community and, you know, help people from coming home from jail, prison. Right. Getting them, getting their life back together, filming movies, putting them in the movies. I see a huge impact with Dane Dash

than I do with that list, a lot of people on that list. You mentioned A$AP Rocky's on the list, obviously being from Harlem, but now his biggest claim to fame, he wife Rihanna. I mean, can't nobody top that one. Listen, listen, that's Lotto right there. I mean, you see he was on the cover

with, I mean, obviously they're about to welcome their second child. He's on the cover of Vogue. I mean, it's just hard, I mean, because they're talking about the way he was dressed and how, you know, you see a lot of guys dressing now. You see them in, they wear skirts. I guess it's a kilt or whatever they're wearing.

So I think A$AP and Ferg, A$AP, Rocky, they more got like a village style. It's not Harlem. You don't really see that in Harlem. You see that like in Soho. Okay. So, you know, they different, you know. So they embrace it. I accept it, you know, but they put Harlem on their back.

So I'm moving for them. I'm looking at you. You were raised in a single-parent household in Harlem. What was that life like for you? Did you, and we're going to get into, you know, some of the things that you got into. So, you was raised single parent household. Would you have been different if both parents were in the same? Yeah, absolutely.

You know what? I say that all the time. I always ask myself that. How would I have turned out if I had a father figure and my mom there, right? But let alone a male figure as an example. Yeah, a positive example. Even if he's not a father figure, just an example of what a man should do,

the right thing to do. So I never had that. I grew up in the 80s and the projects. When I grew up, crack was really, really taking over Harlem. Drugs was taking over Harlem. So a lot of my friends, including myself, you know, our parents felt victim. Right. So we kind of had to figure it out.

Right. You know, and back then, you know, grandma had her kids and had so many grandkids. She couldn't do everything. She couldn't be there for everyone. So, you know, some had to just find their own way. And I was one of them kids that had to find my own way. So when you were growing up, what did Man DCs, what did you want to become? What did you want to be in life when you got older?

You're like, okay, you're 11, 12, 13. And you're like, man, I want to be a professional athlete. I want to be this or I want to be a doctor. You know, I didn't get a chance to really to think that far. Right. Because when I when I was six, I remember I aren't, you know, one of my boyfriends, whatever, introduced me to drugs. And you like, wow, six year old. Yes.

Six year old. Right. Where, you know, you put them on a block. You say, here, shorty, hold this pack. And every time they run out, you get the pack. I don't know what I'm doing. Right. But later on, I come to find out what I was doing.

And that became normal to me. Right. And then it just progressed. And it got more involved and more involved to, hey, listen, this is how I eat and this is how I feed my family. Normally, a male, a dominant figure in your life grooms you to become, my brother was grooming me because I saw him, I wanted to be a professional athlete. Or a father grooms his son to become a doctor or a lawyer.

Or a mother grooms her son to be, you know, we see LeBron, how he's grooming Bronny to be follow his footsteps. You had an uncle that was grooming you- You got hustlers grooming kids to be hustlers. Right. Right? I mean, they're not grooming for nothing else. Right. So they're telling you, don't go to school.

That shit don't pay. That's whack. Right. Right? So then you have your mom telling you, go to school, go to school, go to school. But then when your mom fall victim in the street, your protector's gone. Right. So there's no one over you to be like, you know, go to school.

So, you know, that's what it becomes. So, do you feel like you always do you feel like you were always searching for that role model? Not necessarily a father but a figure, someone that was positive that you could look up to and say, okay, that's what I want to be like. I think

for me, I stopped looking a long time ago and a person that I look to be that role model, I look for myself to be that to my kids. So I make sure they never be me. When I was that kid looking for that role model, I'm they role model. I'm involved in they life. Rob Markman Did you play sports growing up? No.

I never got a chance. I never got a chance to play sports. I think for the most part, I was too much worrying about things I shouldn't be worrying about. Right. So how do we get someone like a kid that's coming up in your situation, living in a similar situation, how do we get them to say, you know what, I understand this is the environment that I'm in, but there is a better way out. How do we find people? How do we pair them with mentors and role models to get them out of that thought process that this is the only way out?

See, now I think what's helping the kids now is the internet, right? Because they see success in different forms. When I was growing up, we only seen success in either you made it to the NBA, you played basketball, or you was a hustler. Right. The people that was the entertainers, we couldn't touch them. Right. But the hustlers, we can touch.

We saw them. We saw them. We up in person with them. Right. They was like our hood superstars. Right. So now with the internet being the way it is, we seeing successful kids on YouTube, that being the way it is, we've seen successful kids on YouTube, TikTok, comedians. People are making their self and building their self. So that's inspiring a lot of kids to do something

different. I read a post the other day that said TikTokers make more than drug dealers. Rob Markman Wow. Rob Markman And that was powerful right there because I had to think about it. And I know my son dropped a YouTube video and he didn't make five to ten grand. Right. So just by showing his everyday life. Right. And he don't even go hard.

So I can imagine the kids that's invested in going hard, they're doing something different. And it's definitely less dangerous. Right. Oh, yeah, yeah. You're sleeping better at night, I'll tell you that. So you ended up catching a bed, a five-year bid. What did you do the stretch for? I had a conspiracy to move kilos from New York to Rochester.

And what happened in that case is usually when you're in the Fed, somebody somebody get locked up in whatever state they are and they get presented a deal. Listen, tell us who got money. We don't care if you did business with them. You just got to tell us, point us in the direction where the money at and we lighten your sentence. And I was pointed at. I had a long run. And sometimes when you know you wrong, you don't have to fight. Even though that's not my situation, but I got away with this right here.

So I'm going to take the plea and take that on the chin and get back to my life. So you was El Chapo before Chapo? Nah, I wouldn't say all that. I wouldn't say that. You wasn't moving a weight like that? Nah, but I was moving some weight for some, well since a kid, but I was in no El Chapo list. Rob Markman, Did it ever dawn on you?

But I got some crazy stories about, I remember one time I was dealing with a Kinect and this is going to sound horrible, but I put my mom up for collateral. Rob Markman, What? Yeah, I was getting a bunch of keys and they was like, well you got to show me where your mom live at. Because if you run off on this, we can't afford you to run off. And I was like, I ain't had no intentions of running off. So I was like, I'll show you.

And I took them. And she had no idea. And I took them. So is that normal? I think at that point I had good in my heart to do good business. So I didn't look, I didn't think that far. You didn't think that, man. I just put my mom life in jeopardy. I really put my mom in jeopardy. Right. And I never even told nobody that. So that was, when I look back at the decisions I made now, I'd be like, God, Lee, I can't believe I'm still here. Was that one of the worst decisions that you did, that you put your mom up for collateral?

That's one of them. That's one of them. That's one of them. You, man. So, did it ever dawn on you, like, man, what if I get caught? What if I get killed? What if a family member? So, what happened, when that thought process happened, right, I didn't have any kids.

I didn't have nothing to live for. I only had me. I had me my whole life. That changed the moment I had my son because I said, well, if something happened to me, who has him? He's going to be a lost child. So if I want to change that narrative, then I got to start figuring out something different because I want to be there for him. That's important to me. That's more important than money.

That's more important than... That's number one in my life. He changed that thought process. The crazy stuff I used to do, I started scaling back, scaling back, scaling back. It was a time where I would be like, I don't want to do this no more. Right. But I got to find something to do. And the moment I started thinking of hustles, of the hustles, first thing that came to my mind is real estate. Right. Because that's where most hustles go. Right.

Because it's we taking nothing and turn it into something. Right. And, you know, so that's where I was heading. So when you were hustling, did you put the money that you were making into a legitimate business? Because a lot of times that's what they try to do. They try to, you know, you got to clean the money up. You got to have something to show where you're getting all this income from. We tried, right?

But you got to understand, we didn't really know. I didn't really know the structure. Nobody teaches finance structure. You know, it's so late in the game. We learned about LLCs and trusts or even know how to hide the money. Most of the money was like people house. Yeah, shoeboxes. Yeah, shoeboxes.

And then, you know, them people start tapping you. So you go to Home Depot, buy a bunch of safes and just put them in people house that you have no connections with and hoping that, you know, if they come, nobody go over there. Right. Oh you have no connections with and hoping that if they come, nobody go over there. Right. Oh, man. So what was the most money that you made in a deal? In a deal? Profit?

See, profit in one day, I think probably like 100 grand profit one day. And you was like, okay, just easy, fast money? It was looking forward to the next day. Right? So you make it, and you don't get a chance to celebrate. You're just happy you didn't get caught. So you're just worrying about, okay, what am I going to do tomorrow? So when you make, let's just say you made $100,000 profit,

did you think, man, I'm going to go buy this. Let me go celebrate. I mean, did you buy anything with it? Did you get a chance to enjoy any of it? Yeah, I got a chance. I bought a lot of cars. I took care of my peoples. We partied.

We traveled. We lived life as to what we thought was living life. I look back on it now, it ain't shit. But back then, coming from the projects, most people in the projects don't get a chance to... They never been on... It's some people I took on a plane for the first time, grown men. Rob Markman, Right. Rob Markman, So to be able to take...

Rob Markman, To give them that. Rob Markman, 15 people on a plane and say, let's go to Miami for the weekend and put them all in rooms and have fun and do things. We was like little kids with money. So we call that at that time living life. Rob Markman, Right. Did you ever look over your shoulder? Did you find yourself constantly peeking out the window?

Yeah, listen. I had home invasions. I had attempt kidnaps. I had been through so much that I was paranoid. I had correction officers dress up like cops and act like they were serving a warrant. Meanwhile, I seen them stuffing bags, taking the money out the bags and stuff in a bulletproof vest. And I remember my brother said, they ain't cops, they robbing us.

So in that instance, just trust issues. I didn't trust no one. Rob Markman Right. Rob Markman I didn't know, I had friends, watching friends kill friends, watching girls set guys up. It was a movie, a real movie. Rob Markman Right. So how are your trust issues now?

Do you still have trust issues? Rob Markman So I still have them, but they're not as worse as they used to be because I'm not in that lifestyle no more. So it's like if you want to stick me up, go to the bank and just get them a letter and see how far that gets you. Right. But the trust issues I have now is just, I'm still doing okay for myself. So when you're doing okay, you experience everybody saying they love you, want to be around, call your phone, want help, want this, want that. And if you got a good heart, I'm, I'm going to help someone. Right.

You know, but sometimes it's not always good. You got to be careful who you help. Right. Do you ever worry about your past? Anybody from your past running down on you? Do you think about that? Or are you so far removed from that? I'm so far removed from that.

But I feel, in my opinion, I did right by people. If I did wrong, it's because you caused me to do wrong. You forced my hand. You know you fucked up and you did some shit. And you got to eat that. But I ain't a troublemaker. I like to get money, have fun at that time. I was with the hip hop. At that time they said, money, cars, clothes,

and hoes, all a nigga knows. That was our model. So the beefing and all that, I had some people for that if you want that, but I tried to stay away from that because I always knew that once you start mixing the murders in, the feds ain't going to let you get so much money. They got to come. Right. They're going to let you buy the problem. Yeah, they're not going to do that. So what is it about that lifestyle, that culture, that seems to be embraced so much by us? Ever since the movie Scarface-

Hip hop too. Hip hop. But I'm saying ever since, you mentioned Nicky Barnes and you mentioned- American, Frank Lucas. Yeah, Frank Lucas. And in 83, when Scarface came, everybody had to post it. Everybody watching that movie, and you get Chopper, and you get Noriega, and you get- I think people are intrigued by the people, the underdog, right? The people that come from nothing, from poverty, from just the worst circumstances you could think of. Right.

And once you see them take nothing and turn it into something and get that level of success, they become a hero. Right. Right? So it's just like people go to Africa, steal gold and diamonds. You steal a little bit, they call you a thief. You steal a lot, they call you a king. So it's the same concept. We just not talking diamonds and gold.

Right. You know? Okay. I look at Jay, and Jay had a very similar, and you know Jay-Z very well, and he started in that lifestyle, and look what he became. Did you think that, like, you know what? I'm going to put that behind me, and you could become what you're becoming? Absolutely. Absolutely. I seen the direction where hip hop was taking us and I seen the outlet for all the guys that were transitioning from the streets, finding talent in the hood and pushing the talent in the music business. So once I'm able to identify that, now this is a model I see. I'm

going that same way. Right. Because you sleep better, get to take care of your family, and you live a better lifestyle without looking over your shoulder. You don't have to do that no more. So I'm inspired. Right. What do you think about shows like BMF and Snowfall and Power? See, I got mixed feelings about that, right? Because my son, he loves Snowfall.

He's an actor now, right? All my kids go to acting school and he just got signed to this big contract with a top agent. So, he want to play that role, right? And I look at that role and I look at that show and I be like, I've been through so much of that shit. Right. Right?

That it's not, it's sad. Right. That a young kid have to go through that. Right. Because that shouldn't be our life. Right. And you know, you get these suburb kids that, you know, they're excited by that lifestyle. And I say, you don't want that.

Right. That's not something you want. Right. Because when you look at it, it's like suburbs. I mean, a lot of times the hood want to be in the suburbs. The suburbs want to go back to the hood and live a lifestyle. So how much- They're just like rappers want to be trappers and trappers want to be rappers.

So they want to reverse because the rappers, they rappers, some of them, not all of them, talk about a lifestyle they didn't ever live. Right. Right? And then the real trappers don't want to live that lifestyle. Right. So they say like, you see how easy you make your money? I wish, let's trade places.

Right. You think it's that easy? Yeah, let's trade places. Right. But the entertainment value, and I get it because it's for entertainment and i'm not you know i'm not looking because like i said snowfall is probably my favorite show it's probably one of mine it's probably really the only show that i watch on television but there's an entertainment value of it but to get the authenticity down pat they had to go and research and do some things with some people that says okay

this is how you do it this is the lingo says, okay, this is how you do it. This is the lingo that you use and this is what you do. Right. Absolutely. Because you have to be on ground level to understand. Of course, there's some secrets that you can't tell because they're still working today. Right. You don't want to blow people's spot up because this is how they feed their family.

But they had to go deep down to ground level and touch the hood and get with it. I heard the story is based off Rick Ross. I got a chance to meet him too. So that was pretty cool because what was cool is I heard his story and I see it on TV. So I'm like, all right. If you could give any advice, if you could say, if Ja Morant was sitting right here, and you could give him any piece of advice, or you could have a conversation with him, what was some of the advice that you would share with him? Like, I would tell him, like, most of people, in the position he is right now,

he got a chance to set his family up for generations to come. Not just him, not just the next generation, his kids, kids, kids. I would tell him, just being a tough guy don't pay. And having a gun sometimes, I used to tell people, don't carry a gun because it might force you, somebody might force you to shoot them. Because you're not going to let nobody beat you up with a gun on you. Rob Markman Right. You're not going to be knocked out on the floor and you got this on you. You got that, you know how you get that now, it's like I wish you would.

You know you're a different person. I've been that person. I was a different person when I had a gun on me. And to the point where I seen myself getting an unnecessary shit that I would avoid it if I didn't have it. So I didn't really like guns. Normally, I mean, normally, if you were worth $200 million, you ain't going to try to hustle. Or you're not going to try to present yourself in that lifestyle.

And I think that's the thing where people look at me like, y'all, bro, you got a chance to do something. You like you said, generation, you talk about five generations with the kind of money that he's he's in line to get over the next 10, 15 years. I seen a documentary had his father in his life. Yeah, he had his mother in his life. So now when I start to see things like this, I'm questioning like, what are you at? You know, I'm not to say they're not in his life.

But I know when when when I started seeing my son act up, I'm coming. What's going on? Talk to me. But here's the difference, and this is what I tell people, Mendy Cease. It's like when the roles flip, when I was coming up, my grandfather, my grandmother would say, I pay the bills, you listen to me. But what happens when the child starts paying the bills? Who listens to who now? Where you live on the golf course, that's me. That nice car that you drive, that's me. Those first class seats and those courtside seats, that's me. So can you talk to that child the same way? And he listens if the role, because he's now in a parent role.

He's doing all the things that you normally did for him. Right. So with me personally, I love my son beyond money. My son couldn't pay me to be submissive to him to watch him crash out. Right. Okay. So I can't do nothing with the money without him here. Right.

I need him here so we can enjoy it. Right. So I don't think that ever happened money without him here. Right. I need him here so we can enjoy it. Right. So I don't think that ever happened with me. Right. So. You were shot twice, stabbed 13 times. Right. As you're lying there, what's going, is your life like literally flashing before your eyes?

Like, man, am I going to make it? One time I was, one time I got stabbed. I didn't know I was actually stabbed because I was too busy. My adrenaline was rushing. You were amped. And you're fighting. And then you're like, oh, snap. My shirt's sticking to me.

Right. And then, you know, my back was sticking. And then it's like, when you start seeing blood, then it's like your mind like, oh, okay, I'm getting tired now. Right. Then maybe if I didn't see it. But it happens. You know, it happens. And when something like that happens, you just got to thank God you're still here.

Did you know you had gotten shot? Yeah, oh, shot. Oh, yeah, I definitely knew I was... I caused that on myself. I did some... My brother got shot the day before, and I called myself... You were going to avenge him? Yeah, I called myself just doing something stupid.

And the outcome I got shot behind that. I read that your son was a target in a kidnapping? Yeah, what happened was I started doing

You were going to do the right thing? Are you still doing the wrong thing? I was doing the Rob Markman You going to do the right thing? Are you still doing the wrong thing or are you trying to do the right thing? Rob Markman I was doing the wrong thing. And a close person was in prison and they was in prison with one mutual friend and they was conspiring. When I get home, I heard he's got all the money on the street. When I get home, we need to get his son.

We need to get his son. We need to get his son. And the person he said that to came and told me. And, you know, that was that. Nothing, you know, we just say we stopped that. You took a plea deal. Right. So what was the sentence that they had had you not taken a plea deal? So if I went to trial and I blew trial, then I probably would have got like maybe 20 years if you blow trial because, you know, they stack the charges up. Yeah.

The government really don't like you to fight them back. Right. They want you to. They put enough. They know they're going to get something. One of them is going to stick. Right. So at the end of the day, I took the lesser charge to be able to, you know, I could count the time.

I'm like, all right, well, eight years, you do five. I'm so used to starting all over. It's normal to me. Like, I never really have money issues. Right. Because it's like, as soon as I came outside, I just figured it out. Right. So I'm like, well, five years, you know, I just figured it out. Rob Markman Right.

So I'm like, well, five years, I could come back and start my life back over. And at that time, I was on TV, so I didn't know if TV was going to be there, but I knew that it was opening up doors for me. So I was like, let's hurry up and get this over with so I could get my life back together. Rob Markman So what do you think about the situation? I don't know how much you know or how much you've read the situation that's going on in Atlanta with the Rico on

Gunna and the YSL. Right. Because like we were talking about earlier, what is entertainment and what is reality? So how can you say because I'm talking about capping this and doing that, that that's reality?

See, I don't know their case, right? Because I know that successful black men become targets from the government because of their influence and the company that they keep, right? So I know that. But as far as their case, I don't know. And I wish them guys the best. I wish that they have the opportunity, the same opportunity John Morant had to change, to rewrite history and support their family, people, and inspire hope in their community. So I hope they make out the best and I hope that everything that the media is saying is

true, because I know about the media twisting things around to make it sound salacious enough to get a conviction. Because once you play with the media, that same people that's watching the media is the jurors. So they going off with these newspaper, they going off with all the bad things. Right.

So they're not really taking an account of your actions. It's basically who can prove their story. Right. Wake up with football every morning

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I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast, the NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. And who doesn't want that? Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You, um, when you copped the plea and you didn't get the amount of time that you could have gotten, do people think you ratted, dimed, snitched someone? Well, I think for the people that's not educated with the system. So if you never experienced this lifestyle, right, and you're from the outside looking in,

and you're just looking at like a glimpse of the story, you make your own opinion. You're going to formulate your own opinion. But if you have a loved one there or you experience it, then you just have to get more information. That's just like me making an opinion about YSL. I can't make an opinion because I don't know their story. So I don't know, I can't sit here and be like, as far as I could say, they're innocent. You understand You know what I'm saying? And what they're convicted of is just having money and power. Right. Money and power is a drug and it's dangerous.

Right. And people don't like to want to see you with that. So in my case, you know, people, I guess for the type of money I was getting, they feel like, I heard that's not enough time. That's not enough time. You was out there killing it for too long. That's not enough time. But a lot of times, I kept people out of my business.

So even the dealings I was doing, you didn't know about them. All you know is about the Rolex, the nice cars, this and that. But you don't know my dealings. Because they behind closed doors. So that's it. Rob Markman So why are we seeing so many rappers going to Pribyl for this Rico? How are they able to just slap that Rico charge on them? Rob Markman Because the Rico and conspiracy is about affiliation.

And long as we affiliated together, just say, I'm an artist, you're a street guy, you come to me telling me about your problems. If I give you one advice, then that's a Rico. Rob Markman Oh, so now we're a conspiracy. Rob Markman Yeah, we're a conspiracy. I can't give you advice. We ain't really supposed to be hanging out. But you got to understand for a lot of guys

that made it, have a sense of loyalty for the people they come up with. Just because they made it, they're not going to abandon the ones that was there for them. In every sense of me being through that, that's why I moved from New York to Atlanta because I knew I had so many down people for me. Right. And I just didn't want to be around that no more. You know? And loved ones.

I love them. Right. Like, I love them. Like, we go out to eat and they're going to pull up. You know what I'm saying? Right. So, but that's their life. Right.

That's not my life no more. Right. You know? So, I have to separate that. Man, look. Prison wasn't too bad for you, bro. I mean, you on IG. Right. Right. I mean, you with Popeye. I mean, come on. Man, look, prison wasn't too bad for you, bro. I mean, you on IG. Right, right.

I mean, you with Popeye. I mean, come on. Where that prison at? So I went through prison not only as a kingpin, but a reality TV star. Yeah, I know. So, you know, when I went to the white prison, you know, the CEOs hated on me. Right. Right.

Oh, the guy with the white teeth and the guy on TMZ and this and that. And their hate was, go get that garbage. And Mr. Harris, take that garbage and take it to the top of the hill. And laugh at their thing, right? And I would be like, you know, I'll curse to say something out of my breath. And I wouldn't do it, right? So they call themselves disciplining me. But when I moved to the camp, now the federal camp don't have no gates around.

People getting furloughs. Furloughs if you could go home for 28 hours, 48 hours and stuff like that. And it's black people, young black people, hip hop people. So they like, yo, what's up man? Oh yo, you want to go to a concert? Here, I'm going to call Remy Ma, let you go to Remy Ma because she's performing in Atlantic City. Her and Papu's let one of the COs on my unit come to the concert.

So he go to concerts, he'd come back and like go in your locker, be papas, lobster, all types of stuff. Then they used to be like, here man, here's your phone. Somebody call you. And I'd be like, yo listen, stop bringing me the phone in front of everybody. So it was very, very, very, very relaxed in that sense. But at the same time, one of the hardest thing I had to deal with is watching my kids grow up through prison.

So nothing superseded that right there. I think for me, that was the hardest part. And every visit, my kid kept asking me, Dad, when you coming home? Right. When you coming home? When you coming home? And every time I said soon, soon, they got to a point where they got tired of hearing soon. They want to know a date.

Did you ever tell, don't bring him back. I don't want him to see me like this. I don't want him to see me like this. I never said that because I still wanted that connection. I still wanted to be involved in a life as much as possible because

I see when men not involved in their children's life, sometimes a kid be bitter. Right. You know, they feel they have that abandonment issues. And I just wanted to reassure my kids that I love them. Right. Right?

And anything I could do for them from there was just sound advice or a gift or something to ease the pain. Right. I wanted to make sure I do that. Right. And, you know, my children, mothers, and my wife, they did a great job of keeping that connection. Rob Markman, Was it difficult to see your wife on the internet? I mean, you're in jail and you-

Yeah, every day I'm in the bathroom. You know, I'm on the toilet in the bathroom looking through IG and I'm watching her in Dubai. I'm watching her live her life. Rob Markman, You're like, why them? Whoa, whoa. I need you home. I need you home.

I need you miserable waiting on me to come back. Rob Markman So I'm like, why you going to all these places without me? We supposed to have this experience together. So I'm there hating and I'm pulling. I was a big hater. Then I said, you know, forget this phone. I'll go to my bed and just punch my bed and be like, when I get out, I'm going to all

these places. Listen, come on. I'm like, you I get out, I'm going to all these places. Rob Markman, Right. Listen, come on. I'm like, you coming now or you going to watch me go? I'm going. Rob Markman, Right. And I fulfilled that.

I went to Dubai. I've been to Africa a few times. And I got my passport stamped up. So that was one of the promises that I made was to see the world. Rob Markman, Right. Because Harlem was our, that was our world. Right. We didn't really know too much, you know, outside of Harlem. So, man, it's a big world out there.

So, was anything pop off in prison? Like, you're like, man, I got to watch my back. I got to make, ooh. I mean, I had some people that was jealous. Right. Because they, just how I was living in there. They felt like I was getting special treatment. They felt like-

Rob Markman Were you? Yeah, I was. Rob Markman Well, you were so hot. Of course they gonna feel some type of way. But I feel like, don't be a hater. Be a part. Join. Come on, man.

Get your plate. Come eat with me. You ain't got it. It's enough for everybody. And I will make it enough for everybody. So, you know, but you have some people, I ain't no goopy. That's the first thing when someone, they might be a fan, but they'd rather not be a goopy than to look like a fan. Well, you know what?

That's one thing I can say about you, that you real. Because when I reached out to you and I was like, bro, can I send you something? You're like, oh yeah, bro, I'd love to. I want to try it. And then, I mean, we hadn't really, at that point in time, we had never met. I just said, can I send you this? And that's all I said, can I send you this? I want you to try it.

You're like, yeah. And then next thing I know, you at the mayor's ball and you posted it. Right. I'm like, dude. He said, bro. He said, I want to see us succeed. Right. And first, I'm a fan.

Right. I think that, I think you're super dope. I think that, you know, sometimes you got to, not sometimes, all the time, you should be confident in who you are. Right. To be giving another man his flowers and tell another man you dope. What you did and what you accomplished is very inspiring. If I can be a little piece of help to assist you, to promote you, to do anything, it don't

cost me nothing to shout you out and support you. Rob Markman Why don't we do that enough? Why us? I'm talking about us. This is a conversation between you and I, black man to black man. Why is it that we can't see that? out you out and support you why don't we do that enough why us i'm talking about us this is the conversation between you and i black man to black man why is it that we can't see that why can't well and sometimes i've read a quote that says jealousy sometimes isn't about somebody you having something that somebody else wants sometimes jealousy is about them not wanting you to have it

at all right i think we we do too too much with competing with each other. Right. Right? We think that it's not enough for all of us to eat. But it is. It is. There's plenty of money out there. I think a lot of people got trauma with how they was raised or grew up that everything is like this.

They don't know if you give, God going to bless you. Right. Right? So everything is like this. They holding on to everything. They want't know if you give, God going to bless you. So everything is like this. They holding on to everything. They want everything for themselves. But when you give and you're able to change people's lives and put food on people's table or create opportunities, that's a different type of love. Different type of respect. I don't know, man. I encourage every... I don't like stingy and selfish people around me. I tellman, So, you know, I don't know man, I encourage every, I don't like stinging selfish people around me. I tell you, if I start to see them traits in you, I get away from you real quick. Rob Markman, Wow.

So what was the prison food like? Rob Markman, It was disgusting. It was definitely, definitely disgusting. But again, when I got to New Jersey, Farrington, the camp, we had black cooks. So they put the seasoning on it. Rob Markman, Right. Rob Markman, They put the seasoning on it. So again, for someone that don't have a family, that don't have anything going on, I'm pretty sure it's

easy for them. Right. It's a mental thing. Right? And then once you get into prison and you start, I started to see a lot of young black brothers in there that lost so many years in prison for the smallest crime you can imagine. And they lost 20 years. Right?

And I started to see that prison is a business. Right? You know, they warehouse people and put people to work to make $5 a month, $10 a month. Where now, they don't even have enough money to call a family. They don't have enough money for commissary. It costs money to send an email. for commissary. It costs money to send an email. So when you think about the phones and all the commissary stuff, they making a lot of money off these people. And every time people get out, you notice they do big indictments. Big indictments because they

got to fill these prisons back up. They don't want these prisons empty. They don't want them empty. And I got a chance to work in Unicor and I was working cleaning AT&T products. And I'm like, dad, AT&T is profiting off of prison. You think about all the big companies that's profiting off of it. They complain about people going overseas for them slave wages, but we got it right here in this country. Right. And everybody's turning a blind eye.

Nobody cares until it hit home. Then once it hit home, then all of a sudden they started to care. But you know what, what I don't understand is that guys will go to prison and work for a dollar an hour or 75 cents or $2 an hour, but say, nah, I don't want no job at McDonald's making $15 an hour or $0.75 or $2 an hour, but say, nah, I don't want no job at McDonald's making $15 an hour. And you'll be free. Now, you'll make $2 an hour incarcerated, and you're not free. They tell you when to go, where to go, what time to get up,

what time to go to bed for $2 an hour, but you don't want to work for $15 an hour at McDonald's. That's beneath them. What's that mentality? What's that mindset? I think that's social pressure. Social pressure of guys wanting to be the man, right? And they feel like they can never, they're never going to succeed getting $15 an hour. When you have the movies that we watch, the El Chapos and the King of New York and all that,

they're ready to take that route than to be with a mop and a broom for the next five or ten years or to something, you know, it's uncomfortable. Right. And for me, there's a lot of challenges. They just got to challenge it. Right. I see Ron finesse two times. He brought diamond cufflinks. He said he wanted it to remind him of where he's been and that he's never going back. What do you think about that symbolism?

I don't want nothing to remind me of prison. For real, you can keep all that shit. Listen, I don't want no cuffs. I don't want no khakis. I don't want nothing. It's so crazy because- You haven't bought a pair of khakis since you've been out? Hell no. I ain't buying no khakis. I ain't buying no... Listen, Dumb Memories is in the past and the only thing that I wish, not even I wish, I'm inspired to do is to stop people from going there. Rob Markman Right. Rob Markman And tell young brothers that I looked that could have been me, that's not the way to go.

So I do the mentorship. I go into schools I even go into prison and who can they believe to tell a story but me you know I lived it at a high level so if I can tell you your outcome

don't go get the outcome learn from me you know and I think that I'm able to reach them. And I'm going to continue to reach as many as I can. You took courses in prison. Yeah. You took substance abuse courses and you spoke.

I took every program. That's how I got through my days. I took every class that I can take. Right. So I wanted to work on, I wanted to take that time and do something useful for me. It was to learn and, you know, useful for me. It was to learn. For me, it was like college. I got a GED.

I never got a chance to finish school, but I got my GED. My time in prison, it was to learn as much as I could learn. Not to make this dead time, idle time, I'm just sitting around. Learn and also reflect on the decisions I made and also figure out how to make better decisions.

So, you know, when you're there, your whole life flashed behind you. Right. And you always say, damn, if I would've did this different, I would've did this different. Did you,

so did you have a lot of, like, thinking about because they say a prison okay there's two ways of looking at prison the actual facility in which you're in and your mind being incarcerated. It's that when the mind gets incarcerated is where people do bad things to themselves and maybe do bad things to other people. So did you ever like did you ever allow yourself to like man I mean five years and you know, you say that's not a lot of time, but five years is a lot of time when you can't go and come as you please. But see, I said five years is not a lot of time because if I say I had a 15 year run

and I tell you everything that happened to me in that 15 years, five years is not a lot of time. Oh, okay. I see what you're saying. Yeah. You understand what I'm saying? Yeah. But man, I remember the pandemic, man, D.C. Man, I was losing my mind inside. I could still get in my car and drive down the street even though I couldn't go in a restaurant. Nah, listen, man. Try to sleep on the floor.

That's hard. That's how the bed feels. Right. So, for the pandemic, I was home in the pandemic. Right. And I got a California King. Right. I was good right there.

So, I got the remote, the California king, got the kids, the dog. I was chilling. When you got out, you had a financial wealth seminar called From Prison Sale to Living Well. What made you decide to do that? Because when I first came out of prison, right, and, you know, I'd never been through prison so I never experienced the aftermath, the things I couldn't do. I had money coming out. I couldn't get a car because I can't enter a contract.

No banks wanted my money because they figured he's going money launder. So when you look up the case and you see millions of dollars, they say, oh, he's going to run millions of dollars through a bank and we don't want that attention. Right. So I had nowhere to put my money. I had a great accountant that, when I was in prison, moved my money to Canada. That was the only person, that was the only place that was willing to take my money, in Canada. And when I came home, I started trying to buy a house, the house I live in now.

I was going to buy the house. And I had alert the back office and I slid underneath the radar, but as soon as I alert the back office, they kicked my money straight on out. So it was like only through relationships and network, I was able to reestablish myself in a support system. So I had a job, I had people vouching for me, I had that support that made it easy, but I was more concerned how I got in that program is the people that don't have the support.

What that looked like for them. And I was losing hope at one point. So I can imagine someone with no support, how they losing hope and then they end up doing what they was doing before they got in there because they they they uh went through all their remedies right and it led them back to a square one and that's my question to you how do we keep men that look like you and i from going and if they do go how do we keep it from going back? I think programs, more people like myself, like you speaking up, even though that's not your world, but you're still a great example for a man and inspiring.

So people just being a mentor and able to... people don't know how impactful their voice is by just giving it to a kid. Right. Even grown men. Right. Because I see grown men ask for advice. Right. You know, just because someone is older, mentally they're not mature.

Right. You see men that's still children because they never got that chance to grow up. They still stuck. Do you run into it, and what I've run into sometimes is that sometimes we are too prideful to ask for advice. Yeah, absolutely. I used to be like that, right? I used to be the one that had it all figured out, right? I used to be so reserved that I never used to even talk to people.

So I never had a personality. So I'd just say, what's up? Keep it moving. Keep it moving, whatever. And my wife helped me with that. She said, man, you got to start talking to people because you got this beautiful personality in the house with us and the kids and people you're comfortable with. But you're going to be in this box. You're going to miss the opportunity of making some really good friends and some really good

connections if you don't talk. Because these trust issues, you're thinking the corny shit, you're thinking people will laugh at us and play. I just did, me and Cameron just did a tap dance. So I didn't know how to tap dance, but we figured it out. People was going to be laughing at it, but we had a good time. At that time, I wasn't worrying about people laughing. I just wanted to focus on us having a good time.

So how long after you got out did it take you to get your money straight? Because I read that you had to give up $170,000 that you had earned from the reality show to make restitution. It wasn't really restitution, right? What it was, it was if you want to get out on bail, well, you can do two things, right? You can even tell us who got some money or you can give us some money. I said, I'll give you my money. So they wanted you to dime on somebody. So those are two options.

You can even tell us who got money or you can give us some money. And I went with the option of, well, you know, if I get out on bail, I'll forfeit any money that I make. Right. From TV, whatever the case may be, I'll forfeit. But then it gives me time to just make these adjustments before I know I'm coming back. Right. Right? And I had a call from my lawyer telling me, you know, you don't have to come back. I said, no, I'm coming back. Right. You know And I had a call from my lawyer telling me, you know you don't have to come back. I said, no, I'm coming back.

Right. You know what I'm saying? I'm coming back because this is going to be a short period of my life. Right. And this will be all behind me and I want it done with. Right. So, you know, I had a chance to, at that time, marry my wife. Right.

I had a chance to have a daughter, just, you know, extend my family. I had a chance to fortify the relationship with me and my moms and be there for my brother. And mentally just prepare them for what's to come. I know you can't really prepare for it. Right. But by having these conversations and these discussions, you let them know, like, listen, I love you. Had you told who had the money, you would have paperwork, right? So if you tell, like, okay, Shannon got bait.

Shannon running this and all that. No, you don't need that. No, from what I hear, you don't even need that. Really? Right? No, to start an investigation, you don't need need that. Really? Right? No. To start an investigation, you don't need to have anything on you. You just need to know your name

pretty much. And that's their job. That's not your job. You hear a lot of women, and I've heard this. I'm ride or die. Hey, up, down, side, side, back, front, back. I'm a ride or die.

Hey, we get this high of the roller coaster, your woman there with you. If we down here, Yandy ride or die for real. Right, right. She did that. Now, listen, you know what the crazy thing about that is? In the beginning, I didn't think she could do it, right? Because I know how clingy she was. And prior to me having this case, I grew up watching my friends go to prison and they

used to be stressing over a girl. And I'd be like, yo, do your time. Stop worrying about it. So I vowed to never be dumb. Just because I had that chip on my shoulder and I had trust issues. Right. So when I was on my way to prison, I was like, listen, just be my friend. Right?

Because I don't want you to have these, I don't want to have these expectations and get let down. Because I've been let down my whole life. Right? I had expectations and everyone I had expectations let me down. And I didn't want this relationship ruined. Rob Markman Did you tell her that? Rob Markman I told her that.

Rob Markman Did you tell her that? But did you really mean that? Rob Markman I didn't mean it. Rob Markman I didn't mean it. Rob Markman I ain't gonna lie, I didn't mean it. Rob Markman I wanted to see if she'd take the exit. Rob Markman Right. Rob Markman Like if he giving me a...

Rob Markman If he give me the out, I'm gonna take it. Rob Markman Sometimes you give someone the out and see if they take it. Rob Markman Yeah. Rob Markman And if they take it, that's what they really want the out. Rob Markman Right. Rob Markman But you give it to them. Rob Markman Right. Rob Markman and see if they take it. Yeah. And if they take it, that's what they really want, the out. Right. But you give it to them. Right. And she didn't take it.

And I was happy she didn't take it. Right. But I felt like as being responsible and being realistic, I had to give her an out. Right. Man, I'm looking back. I mean, you handled a lot. A 2011 Audi A, $170,000 cash. And then you're like, hey, I'm going to build it right back up.

Right. Listen, I told you, starting all over, it's normal to me. You know? Right. When you're a hustler, you take losses. You go right back. You get right back. You get right back.

It's in you. It ain't on you. You know? So my mentality is just open these gates. I figure the rest out. I mean, she was on the front lines when she was at protests, inhumane conditions. She got pepper sprayed in the process. I mean, bro, you got a real one.

Yeah, listen, that was crazy because I asked her, like, why are you doing that? Like, because I'm in the inside. I was worried for her. And she was like, that could have been you in there. That could have been you living in them conditions. So again, it hit close to home. So with Yandy being an activist, at first I didn't get it. Because I'm so used to fighting for people we know.

Not fighting for people we don't know. But I get it now. I'm just trying to figure this. I've been around you a little while, and you're very soft-spoken. You don't say a whole lot. I mean, you speak when spoken to, but you're not a confrontational individual. And a lot of times, to be on reality, it requires you to get out of character. Well, I did one time with the gym.

I don't know if you missed that with the guy in the gym that went and taken her cousin. Yeah. So that was one time. And that was a valid reason. Right. You know, but my demeanor is what it is in real life. Yeah.

With the camera, right? I don't like to argue. Nope. I'm not trying to fight nobody. And that's just what it is. Well, how do you make it work? Because a lot of these shows are predicated and they get the better ratings when someone gets out of character.

And you seemingly, with the exception of that one time, you stay in character. But I think they got enough people for that. Right. Right? And they got people, that's they thing. That's they thing is they don't know how to control their emotions. I had to control my emotions. I played with my life.

So when these people get out of character and not control their emotion, it lives and it dies there. Me, it goes a whole nother direction. I don't want that. So let's not dies there. Me, it goes a whole nother direction. I don't want that. So let's not go there. I don't want no smoke because smoke we can't come back from. I don't want that. Rob Markman You have kids from two, I don't want to use the BM word, but you have kids from two different women and one of your kids' mom, your auntie

cousin beat up on. So how was that? So what did you say? Like, Yanny's cousin, beat up on you. So, how was that? So, what did you say like, why y'all do this? So you know how when you remove the man, the father, everything good chaos, there's no more order, no more structure. So I know once i left it's gonna fall apart right and um i just i was just hoping that it didn't it didn't go too crazy but as soon as i get back everything back to normal right you know we got everybody got a

great relationship uh apologies was accepted you know we like we we at each other house cookouts is everything is is back in order. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news, previews, recaps and analysis delivered straight to

your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee. No dumb hot takes here, just smart hot takes. We'll talk every single game, every single week, but I can't do it alone. So I'm bringing in the big guns from NFL media. That's Patrick Claiborne, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe. This is their window right now. This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away? Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that

super bowl i don't know why colleen catch the podcast the nfl daily with greg rosenthal every day subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends and who doesn't want that listen now on the iheart radio app apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. I like the fact that you're very active in your kids' life, all of your kids. And I read where you told one of your kids' moms that you're not going to turn me into a weekend dad. Right. Every day, I'm here. I'm going to be in constant communication with my child. And there's nothing you can do about it.

Even though we're not together, we're together. Why? Because, again, if I couldn't go back in history and change my life, I could take part in his life and make sure that he does the right thing. You never want your kids to experience what you experienced. Right. So, you know, and for me, you know, that's my greatest accomplishment. You know, if I never did nothing right, I did that right. Right.

You know? When did you realize, obviously Yandy stood by you, but when did you realize, Was it that when you came out and she was still waiting for you? She the one. Through the process, right? She never waited. She was coming to visit every week in the beginning, then every two weeks. And then she would fly back, have an event, and didn't even get no sleep and go straight on the highway to come visit me, bring the kids.

The kids are sleepy. The weave is almost off. The makeup is off. And just to sit there with me for like five, six hours, not enough sleep, but just to make sure that we keep our connection and also I keep the connection with the kids. Wow. You mentioned that you saw her go, she was in Dubai. And then you ended up, you guys got married in Dubai.

Yeah. Yeah. What was that moment like? When she said, let's have a destination wedding, the first thing I said, that's going to be expensive. Yeah. Right? So I'm like, oh, God. Destination?

You mean like Destin, Florida? Or you talking about- We had like about 60, 70 people come. What? So I'm thinking like, well, who's paying for all this? Because me, I'm very calculated when it comes to spending my money now. So I'm not in the streets no more, so I'm very calculated. So I'm thinking like with Yandy, she don't give me no breaks.

I was paying bills at some point from prison, right? Because she said, I'm not a single mother. You're going to help me. And then the day I got out, I think she gave me like three or four days off. And then I think the first was coming up and she was like, um, because yeah, I got the first, yeah, I got out on the 29th, January 29th. By the first of February, probably two or three days, she was like, hey, let's talk about these bills.

And I'm like, uh, what? You didn't give me a chance to, like, I didn't even get the jail food out of my system yet. I still got jail food in my stomach. Let me shit that out first. Come on. My back still hurt from sleeping. Let me get a little comfortable. And also, what's my plan?

Right? I got to have a plan. Right. My plan was in order. Right? And I know sometimes it take money to make money. So let me figure out how I'm going to flip this before you just take it all. And she was like, you'll figure it out. Nobody gives me a break. Listen, you've been figuring

out this long. You ain't going to never stop figuring it out. So that's her mentality. Your first tattoo was of your wife's name. First and only tattoo. What made you decide to get that? Because at that point, I never believed in getting tattoos. I don't follow trends. Something you put on you is going to be with you till the day you die. And I think at that point, I thought,

me and this woman, like our relationship is solid. Right. Right? Even if we go separate ways one day, when I loved her, I loved her. Right. And she means something to me. And so, you know, if I love her enough to marry her, then I love her enough to get a tattoo. So that was the decision I made. Rob Markman Would you get another one?

Rob Markman Nah, they hurt. They hurt. They hurt worse than getting stabbed. I got stabbed, didn't even feel good. I got shot. Them tattoos hurt. Rob Markman Man, people talking about they don't hurt, man. Shot, they don't hurt.

Rob Markman Listen, tell me to get stabbed up a few times and shot. Then do the comparison. You mentioned that you left New York and moved to Atlanta. Right. You wanted a fresh start. Right. You know what it is? I wanted the opportunity to try to focus on my family.

Right. I didn't want no distractions. Right. I wanted to change my environment and just have that. I wanted work and family. I didn't want no hanging out. I came to Atlanta, I didn't hang out. I still don't hang out. So it's work and family. I've had a place down there since 2003, so I always knew. I've had a place down there since 2003, so I always knew. We have Harlem is like the Mecca, but Atlanta is like black Hollywood. Rob Markman Yeah.

Yeah. Rob Markman And the thing I love about Atlanta is I never seen so many black entrepreneurs in my life. And I lived in Jersey and we see a lot of white people in these big homes, but in Atlanta we see all black people in these big homes. That's something good for the kids to see. That gives them hope, it's inspiring and everything. So I said, that's where I'm going.

Rob Markman, Glad you made that decision to relocate to Atlanta. Yeah. Listen, we thriving right now. Actually today I closed on two properties. The single multi-million dollar builds that I'm doing right in Buckhead. I own a whole block in Atlanta. So my real estate is booming because Atlanta, so many people moving down and making a change. Rob Markman Yeah, it's crazy. And there's not enough inventory. So Markman Yeah. Rob Markman Right?

So you can sit and watch or you can participate and develop. So I just started developing. Rob Markman You got real estate, restaurant, which you didn't take me to last time I was home. I don't know why you didn't do that. Rob Markman Yeah, I didn't want people to bother you with the pictures. One day when it's chill, we gonna go over there. I'm gonna make somebody hold that door.

Them women in there, man, they get me. So I can imagine, they gonna get you. Rob Markman So, what's next for MNDC? Nicky Saunders Next, I gotta first look down with Vicon to produce a TV show. I started already thinking about what's my life after, because eventually Love & Hip Hop got to be over. So I started thinking about how far can I go in entertainment?

And I see the real money is in casting, getting a great cast. You can have any show, but the cast that's make the show successful. So I'm outside with people that I see that potentially could be great cast. So that's the direction where I want to go when that door closed. But my main thing is, and I just think it's sweet, is real estate. Ain't nothing realer than real estate. Rob Mark. Really? Ain't nothing realer than real estate. You know, I think people are always going to need some way to live.

Right. And then when that person dies, someone else move in that house. So, you know, the way the market is right now, you just got to capitalize. You just got to network, capitalize, find your way, and believe in yourself, and bet on yourself.

Right. Bro, thanks for stopping by. I mean, your story from where you came from, your upbringing, the trials, the tribulations that you went through in the middle to where you came out on the other side, it's seemingly with flying colors. But we know there was a lot of hardship in getting to where you are now. And you look at what you've been able to do. You have a very loving family. You have a thriving business. And it's still onward and upward.

So I appreciate your story. Congrats on everything, bro. Thank you. I appreciate that. I'll see you down the road. All right. Let's go. All my life.

Been grinding all my life. Sacrifice. Hustle paid the price. Want to slice. Got to roll the dice. That's why. All my life. I've been grinding all my life. All my life. Been grinding all my life. Sacrifice. Hustle paid the price.

Won a slice. Got the roll of dice. That's why all my life I've been grinding all my life. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone,

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