Get ahead by paying it forward.
Join me as I sit down with NYC radio legend, Cipha Sounds, as he reveals the secrets that allowed him to build a career 20+ years strong and how he managed to leverage a career in radio to build his own successful path, merging hip-hop and comedy.
You’re listening to Episode 20 of the Music-Preneur Mindset Podcast.
Hey there! You’re listening to Episode 20 – Music-Preneur Spotlight: Cipha Sounds.
I’m your host, Suz – a mindset coach to help music-preneurs build sustainable careers in music.
Now, if you told me last year I’d have a podcast, I’d say, “Yea sure, definite possibility.” If you then told me hip hop radio-heavyweight-turned-improvtrailblazer Cipha Sounds would be a guest on said podcast I’d tell you to stop playin, and that I don’t like games.
When I was going to school, and still listening to radio, there was rarely a morning that went by that I didn’t tune into Hot97.
From his Saturday morning show, Cipha Saturdays, to his show with Paul Rosenberg and K. Foxx, A Black, A Puerto Rican, and A Jew, Cipha was never miss for me.
He has broken artists like Rihanna and Rick Ross, and has been the go-to DJ for legends over the years – from lil Kim to JLo to JayZ and Dave Chappelle.
I’d see Ciph on MTV from time to time and always thought he’d be someone who’d be fun to chill with, you know, in that imaginary sense.
Last year, looking a hot mess from a bad winter storm I trekked down to 8th St in NYC to support some friends who were performing a rap battle on Huffington Post’s Black Voices.
Little did I know I’d be asked to be on camera for the performance and Cipha Sounds would end up being the special guest.
I immediately thought I’d miss my chance to shake the hand of someone I grew up listening to all because I felt underdressed and ill prepared because I didn’t have business cards on me.
A lesson to you all, and something I allowed myself to forget that day, it’s not about business cards, it’s about making a human to human connection.
Luckily my friends I was there to support wouldn’t allow me to hang in the shadows and forced me to introduce myself.
We quickly got to talking about structure and healthy habits and then I mentioned my book, The Rock/Star Life Planner. I may not have had business cards, but I had brought 2 books with me for my friends. I immediately told them they’d have to share a copy and handed one to Ciph.
He politely took it and complimented me on putting it together and then called his friend over from Tidal and asked if I’d send the agency a few copies to check out.
We exchanged numbers and said we’d keep in touch, but I truly believed that would be the last time I would see him. I had been in this business long enough that I no longer got excited about certain possibilities.
There’s a lot of smiling and congratulating and well wishing in this business that never amounts to anything substantial. Luckily, Ciph isn’t the type to waste his time being fake.
As you’ll hear from our talk in a moment, he’s all about building relationships and leading with honesty and authenticity.
It’s what’s enabled him to go from touring DJ to national radio host to trailblazer who is merging hip hop with comedy improv in a way that’s never been done before.
You’d think after all he has accomplished he’d carry some sort of chip on his shoulder, one that would be well-deserved. But instead, when I texted him to congratulate him in his brand new show Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks on
TruTV and said, “I’m so excited for you,” he texted back, “I’m so excited for us.”
I have nothing to do with his new show, but that’s who Ciph is, he’s about the team.
So without further rambling let’s get to it. Here’s my interview with Cipha Sounds at the legendary comedy club, The Comedy Cellar, in NYC.
Suz: First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this because you have fifty bajillion projects going on right now.
Cipha: Well, thank you for having me Suz.
Suz: I have to say I just started doing interviews and now I’m interviewing somebody that’s done interviews on the radio for like twenty plus years.
So, be kind.
Cipha: That ok, because I just left being interviewed on Howard Stern’s channel. So, that’s my favorite interview of all time, so I get your feeling.
Suz: So it can only go down from here…haha.
Cipha: Yea. Haha.
Suz: So, I really want to talk about, a little bit about, your start and about where you are now. So, you came up in the industry pretty young and managed to do what you needed to stick around. Talent only gets us so far, and you’ve been able to nurture relationships and be in this business for two-plus decades. So, besides your obvious talent what else do you think you’ve been able to do to weather the storms and still do what you love?
Cipha: That’s a kind of triple fold question. First of all, I never treat myself like the talent. So, I think that helps a lot because I do like to be in the spotlight when it comes to, like, before back in the day there was a lot of DJ-ing, now there’s a lot DJ-ing and comedy. But I do it because I love it not because I want to get famous from it.
So, I don’t know, not that I feel like a fraud, but I definitely don’t feel like… I never like being treated like the talent. I like being treated like a businessman who also has this skill. You know what I’m saying?
So that helps a lot. That automatically cuts out my ego and cuts out the way people have to treat a celebrity or star. And I do it to the extreme because I never want to be looked at as, like this kind of like celebrity. But I think some people don’t do it at all, and I think they have to, like know that their name and their reach as an artist is, not like a façade but like your storefront.
And you want to keep your storefront clean and washed, but the numbers are in the back. You know what I’m saying? So, I think people only pay attention to the front. I never understand artists who bitch about doing promo tours. You know they’re like we not getting paid for this, you got to go to that, that, that. Yeah, that’s how you meet the people so that in two years from now it goes smoothly, ya know?
So, I think they need to put some of that business sense into their daily activities. Now, if you have business people that do all that for you, fine but make sure you’re listening to them. You know what I’m saying? Instead of always fighting your manager or your publicist or your agent on what you should be doing like I’m not saying do everything they do like a slave, but like, know that there’s a business to what you’re doing
Suz: Like, learn it, yeah absolutely. I love that metaphor about the storefront because I definitely think that’s true that too many people get caught up with the image or the social media and like how it’s all looking. And it’s
like well who’s tending to the back of the shop where you’re making the money?
Cipha: If you’re missing flights because you’re putting up Instagram pictures something is not right. Like the Instagram pictures make you popular so you can go do the shows. Getting to the shows is the business, you
know?
Suz: Very true. Were you the type of person when you started out in this business, did you have this grand vision of what you wanted in the career?
Or were you just hungry for being around, you know, the talent and growing those relationships when you were starting out?
Cipha: Yeah, I never had any grand vision, um, I still don’t. The funny thing with me is like, I’m happy to even be making one dollar for what I love.
My only grand vision was not working like a day job. I just I just don’t fit in like in an office cube type of scenario. So whatever I had my mind focused on I would work really hard at. But it was small at that time it was just trying to get DJ gigs.
I worked in a record shop, and I was trying to get DJ gigs, and I was happy with that. And I would have been; I would have stayed happy with, like, working in a record shop in the daytime and DJ-ing at night. Then with that work ethic, I got to meet people like Funkmaster Flex, obviously who with, my whole career changed.
Basically, he asked me to work at his radio station on his radio show for free. And that’s where I made sure every single thing he wanted I got done quickly, efficiently, with the utmost respect to even getting sandwiches, getting food, getting coffee, getting his records, like he had to have his records set up by a certain time for him to mix. I would set-up as soon as I got there so that if anything happened, there would be no issue with setting up the stuff.
So, from there I think with me personally like I said I used to be very hard on myself, so I don’t look at it like I have talent, but I know that I’m super dependable, super likable and people can count on me.
So, how I won was, you know some other DJ might be better or more popular, but he kept showing up late. And we’re at a business you can’t do that. So, they’re like, “Let Cipha do that, Cipha fill in.”
And then I would do good, and they are like, “Hey you got this.” And then another thing, another opportunity, another opportunity and it literally just kept growing from there, and it’s all because I was just on point, showing
up on time, did my work and also working on my talent.
Like I practiced DJ-ing all the time. And to the point where like I never wanted to be a jock on the radio, like talk, on the radio. But my boss was like, “I heard you fill in for Flex, you said a couple of funny things. You should try to be an on-air personality.”
Radio was never even my goal. It led to, you know somebody saw something in me, and I went forward with it, and on and on. I just wanted to be a producer and I thought hanging out with Funkmaster Flex I would meet all the artists and give them beats. I sucked at making beats.
But, I got to do all that, I got to be in A&R, maybe not make the beats, but I got to find a lot of dope beats, I got to find songs and writers and rappers and singers, and it was my version of you know being a producer. I still created records.
So yeah, then everything I got was like a next step, but I never had the plan from the beginning. I just make sure I always worked super hard. So, I don’t know I think that might have been my plan. Just keep that consistent
work ethic. Even to this day…even to this day,
Suz: Yeah, I think that’s amazing. If you just show up and do what you need to do, be dependable, like you said, and treat it like a profession that you get those opportunities. And, yeah maybe you don’t have a plan in terms of where your talent will lie, but other people see it because they want to support you and they want to see you do good because you’re helping them. So yeah, it’s definitely like a symbiotic relationship.
Cipha: Will Smith told me, I interviewed him once on MTV, Will Smith said he got, he performed at, I think he told me, at three different Super Bowls because somebody was late or didn’t show up. That’s insane.
From that moment on, I mean I was already on point before that, but, from that point on I was super on-point. So, like I do a lot of crazy things, like, I’ll fly into town a day earlier, even if it’s at my cost, to make sure I’m there on time or weather or schedule conflicts something might throw me off, and I try to adjust.
Suz: Yeah, and I think that’s really important for people to realize because, like you said, you practice your craft, and you work at DJ-ing, and you still make time for that. But, if you’re just like, “Well I’m talented, and people will see me for my talent, and I’m just going to blow people off and do what I need to do.”
There is a bunch of talented people out there. I always tell clients you have to make it easy for people to work with you and for people to support you and it will happen.
Cipha: Yeah, I want people to smile when they see my name pop up on the phone, you know? That’s just me though.
Suz: It’s not easy starting over, and I’ve talked on this podcast before about, you know, I quit the same job five times, I worked in many different professions and all that stuff. When I became a mindset coach like that re-ally wasn’t in existence and what I love about your career is that you know you had to start over.
In January of 2015, you were done with Hot 97, and you were such a staple there. It’s not easy to start over and certainly when you’re doing things that have never been done before, you know there’s no blueprint for what
you’re doing.
Cipha: No.
Suz: You’re creating a blueprint for anyone else that might come before you.
Cipha: Yea, after me, you mean.
Suz: Yea, so, when your time at Hot 97 was done, what was this transition like? Did you just say, “Well, fuck it, I’m just gonna do… what, I love hiphop, and I love comedy, and I’m just gonna put it together,” or did it kind of unfold in a more natural way? What was that like?
Cipha: Yeah, it wasn’t a plan. So, yeah, I love Hot 97, and I was lost. I said I’ve been doing this comedy thing and I really love it. Comedy takes a very long time to get off the ground. Not as long as it used to because now there’s a lot more opportunities and ways you can be seen, but it still takes a long time.
And it was a big risk, and I was older, and another thing is, again, like I was telling you before about my ego, I had a big name in one field and a tiny name in another.
And it’s cute when people recognize me as a DJ when I’m doing comedy, but it doesn’t make me funnier. I can get opportunities to get on stage maybe I have an advantage of being known but, doesn’t matter what you’re on stage you have to be funny.
So, you could be the most famous person in the world, Julia Roberts could walk in here, and everybody would go fucking crazy, and if she’s not funny on stage they’re gonna be like, “Uh, ok…” It’s weird you have to be funny.
I get that from Malcolm X. When I was young, I read the autobiography of Malcolm X and it really shaped my life, and he started over three times.
Like complete 180º’s and he always talks about, like, he didn’t feel something was right, it was time to start over and he literally just dropped everything and started over.
And that’s very hard to do. I gave up a lot of money, I gave up status and fame, to do, like, this other thing. Then hooking back up with, I always knew Dave Chappelle, but getting closer with him on the comedy level. I would DJ for him sometimes.
And then I would crack jokes, and I was like, I’m kind of doing both right now, and he would love it, and his openers like Donnell Rawlings were like, “Yo, I love coming out after you because the crowds are already warm, they’re already laughing.” And I was like oh, I kinda like walked away from music and I didn’t really need to. I’m kind of like creating like this double hybrid thing. And I don’t know anyone who could do it.
The closest thing, the closest thing that I think is Nick Cannon ‘cause he does Wild ‘n Out, and he’s funny and he DJs now. He’s still not as good as me. Fuck-off Nick. Sorry. And then maybe like the guy Reggie Watts, who
I’ve never seen, but I know he does something like beat box or something.
Suz: Yeah, but it’s not like you meld the two mediums in such a way…
Cipha: I don’t know anyone who’s ever done it with DJ-ing.
Suz: What’s that like though? To go through all of that?
Cipha: Yeah, well here’s the thing. A lot of what I noticed a lot of people have too much pride. And when I go back in my younger days pride was the reason why there was always fights in front of the club.
So the security then lets the guy in, the bartender tried to play me, this guy tries to disrespect me. I don’t have any of that. You could like, I’m not gonna take straight up disrespect but, I’m just saying like if someone doesn’t let me in, I don’t take it as a personal attack. Where like I think people’s anger and pride get in the way of even following their own dreams.
They are like, “Oh, what are people gonna think of me?”
So when I left Hot 97 a lot of people who I thought were my friends disappeared a lot of promoters that used to book me disappeared. And people thought I was crazy and then I got the call to audition at the Comedy Cellar, and it was nowhere near the same money but, I was in the Hot 97 of comedy. The same way I interned at Hot 97 I interned at the Comedy Cellar, but you know with a little more status.
When I left Hot 97, I had a pregnant wife, no salary, no insurance and I just took a leap. And as I’ve been listening to Tony Robbins and Gary Vee and every other motivational speaker… fail harder, take a leap, believe in yourself. All that stuff. And you can read all those things, but if you don’t act on it, ya know? So, I just took a leap, and I’m happier now than ever.
Suz: I think that’s awesome. I think it’s important. I love that you mentioned about the pride and getting out of your own way. Which a lot of people don’t do. Also, the fact that, like, I said before there was no blueprint. So, it’s not like you did a 180º and you’re like, “I’m gonna open up a restaurant. I’ll just follow the steps that somebody else took.” You had to plow the path and then walk the path.
Cipha: Right, yeah there’s books on how to open a restaurant, there’s courses on how to become a mechanic or whatever. There’s no blueprint for this. Yeah, it was scary.
Suz: And did you find that exciting or were you just like I gotta get this… or was it just like blind perseverance or do you feed off of that challenge?
Cipha: It’s not like in an entrepreneurial way of trying to succeed in business. It’s just like I really like getting on stage. It’s fun. So, it’s more of a passion; it’s more of a love-passion thing. Don’t tell anybody this but, I would do it for free. That’s the problem.
So, yeah, it’s like super nervous, but because I love it it’s almost like a… I made a decision to never be, like, depressed or upset. I mean sometimes you get that way but not living my life in that constant nasty feeling.
So, my goal is to always find happiness. I find happiness doing standup, DJ-ing and helping other people. So, I was just like do that a lot. Ya know? I don’t find happiness in; I don’t know like, going to school for accounting. But that’s just me some people do. So, yeah, I just try to find the things that make me happy and like triple down on it.
Suz: I think that’s excellent advice. We’ve got your team here in case you guys are hearing that. So, we’ve got your team around us. When you left Hot 97, you were building this, and as it’s and growing, you were building your team I know you were on the hunt for interns a little while ago.
And you’ve got this show on TruTV and you’ve got all these people around you. Some are people that, you know, Tidal might throw you at you or TruTV might throw at you, but when it comes to your team – you’ve got your improv team that you do with Take It Personal at UCB, you’ve got your business team around you, how do you kind of navigate that when you decide who you’re going to let around you and who you’re going to depend on? What are the type of things you look for?
Cipha: Well I’ll say first and foremost is like vibe, energy instantly. If don’t want to hang out with you I really can’t work with you, because our job, a lot of our job is hanging out.
Where back in the day, I was forced to have to work with people I didn’t like, and now that’s very rare. Unless it’s like a big gig or somebody else is there. But also like I don’t, I like, I love doing improv comedy, and I love doing stand-up. I like improv a little bit more only because it’s a team sport as opposed to stand-up which is a solo sport.
So, I kinda like the team thing because I don’t know, I just I don’t like saying I, I like saying We. So, everything with me is team, and it’s our show, we are gonna win, and you know improv is all about that. And I like helping other people shine.
I can’t expect everyone to be me, but I just need people to be on time. If you say, you’re going to do something do it and be reliable, dependable.
Now, what that means is if you can’t show up let me know you can’t show up and just not just not show up. Yeah, so stuff like that is just like communication, you know, we have a big thing with loyalty and trust that is, that takes time to see, and you can see who’s still around and who’s not around. I have a problem with this because I want everyone to be how I am and everyone’s not how I am. Like somewhat close to my standards of punctual and communication.
Suz: And you know, obviously hindsight is 20/20 but, I think, you know, for the most part when you came into this business and into this industry, even as a young teenager and stuff like you had the principles and the values of like what knew, right? You were always going to be on time. This is stuff you did from the beginning. But, looking back where there’s certain things that now where you are at now you’re like if I can just tell the younger me this or if I can just save myself from a certain pain, like what would that be?
Cipha: Oh, I know 100%. And this came from improv and therapy. I used to be super anti-social, shy, scared. I would have been way further in my comedy career and even DJ career if I just played the game a little more, like the social game.
Suz: Networking…
Cipha: Like, I’d be scared to go places. I was scared to fly by myself. I was scared to go places where I didn’t know even the room layout or how this thing goes. I was petrified. And I started improv comedy and literally everything you fears is like that’s what this. You have to jump out and perform a comedy show with no prepared material, and I’m like if I can do that I can walk into a party and speak to strangers, you know?
That was the biggest thing like I should of, I wish I would have got on that earlier and I would have a lot more friends in the industry. Because, I don’t know, so it’s weird especially in entertainment if you don’t hang out play the game people kind of forget about you.
It’s that out of sight out of mind kind of thing. And I was lucky that when I was on radio, I’d be talking to 2 million people but, there’s no one else in the room. So, I got popular while being in my own little box. But it’s weird because when I would DJ I had all this energy and personality would come out even in a club but, like, I’d be scared to walk into the club.
And even to this day like, as soon as I go into a club I stand by the DJ booth. And if I’m going to anything with comedy, I stand by the comedians. And it’s just like-minded people but, I’m way better now than I used to be.
I still get a little hint of fear, but I don’t let it control me. I passed up a lot of opportunities when I was younger. I don’t drink or smoke and I’m not telling you to be nuts, just introduce yourself more and network more, play the game.
Suz: A lot of our listeners struggle with that, and I get emails all the time just saying you know I wanted to pursue my music or want to do this or I want to do that, and they’re not at the conferences, they’re not doing this.
And I feel you on that because I am incredibly shy. I’d rather just be by myself with my dog chilling on the couch.
But, you know my coach had taught me to go meet three people, and when you’ve met those three people, you can leave. But, like setting those little milestones.
Cipha: Yeah, that helps. And sometimes I’ll be like, Ok, I’m gonna go in for like half an hour and then I’ll end up being there for two hours.
Suz: Right, if that’s what got your foot in the door.
Cipha: And the other thing, I’ll walk in, and if it doesn’t feel right, I’ll leave at a half an hour. Like you have that right.
Suz: Yeah, to give yourself permission.
Cipha: I’ll do a lap and be like it’s not right, something’s not right. I’m very big on energy and vibe, and if the energy’s not right, I leave. And it’s funny because a lot of times, I don’t wanna get all mystical but, a lot of times I’ll leave and then I’ll read the next day, something happened. I think most people have that they’re not in tune with it. But, that’s all you know, I don’t if it’s animal instinct, or?
Suz: I think you can see the writing on the wall and I think it’s also about your somebody who’s learned how to give themselves permission. Like it’s not like, “Oh, I’m not feeling this, but I’m gonna force myself to sit here,” because then you’re going to be giving yourself a miserable person as an introduction to other people.
Cipha: Yeah, that’s true.
Suz: So, you know when to call it and go home, and it’s probably all for the better.
Cipha: Yea.
Suz: So, on Gary Vee’s show, you mentioned being able to connect with audiences in different ways. I mean I remember, I think, you were making a joke about being on Long Island and being able to speak white like the whole… So, do you consider that to be part of your talent –being able to read a room? And does it just come naturally or are there certain things that you are looking for?
Cipha: I don’t know if it’s natural or not. One of the biggest compliments I’ve got in my whole career is being able to read a room. When I first started deejaying like when I was in the Tunnel, and I was the first deejay, like, I was there at nine o’clock because it was five hundred girls free and the line of girls was down the block. I’m not playing all NAS joints when it’s four hundred girls in the club. Like, “We gotta wait until twelve o’clock before it really gets popping.”
So, like I really started getting into my R&B mode, you know what I’m saying? And to this day sometimes girls randomly up to me in the street and are like, “Yo, I used to love the Tunnel like ten o’clock all R&B.”
And it was like I was just reading the room. And I think once I learned I was good at it, I paid more attention to it. But I also think that I’m just a very curious person, so I think what used to be my flaws, like being shy or being nervous and all that stuff actually turned out to be a tool for reading the room. Because I would look around first and then it became like a second nature thing.
So, like now, I’m DJ-ing, and there’s a hundred-people dancing and one person not. I’m like, “Why is she not dancing?” And I see she has on a, back then she has on a like Triple Five Soul hoodie. I’m like, “Oh, she wants some De La.” So, I would keep what I was doing going and find a way to play that song for her.
Also, I love cop shows like Columbo, so I think I’m like a detective. I used to have a curse, and my therapist told me it wasn’t a curse it was a gift. So I’m super-hyper-aware about other people’s feelings. That’s just how I am.
Suz: High empathy.
Cipha: Right, high empathy. And then when someone’s upset, I can see right away, and I jump on it and try to help and then when I was upset nobody was helping me. And, it would make me feel like I was lesser and I wasn’t valued. Because, I’m like, “Well I look like how you looked last week and you’re not asking what’s wrong with me.”
So, I went to my therapist, and I explained that over years this is not a onetime thing this is years. I was like how come everyone has this skill, and no one is asking me what’s wrong with me? She goes, “Not everyone has that skill.”
Suz: Exactly. Oh, man I’m getting goosebumps because I had the same thing with my therapist.
Cipha: Yea, and I didn’t realize. She’s like, “You’re looking at it as a curse, but it’s a gift.”
Suz: Right, It’s an energy draining gift.
Cipha: Yeah, well now I don’t mind it as much because I know. But she was like, “You want that back, and that’s not normal.” But in my mind, it was always normal. So that being said, when I know flip it and use it as a gift, I realize I was very good at reading the room as a DJ, and then now that I do comedy it works also.
That’s why I think DJ-ing and comedy is very similar. Timing, reading the room, knowing your audience so, if it’s like a rowdy Saturday night midnight crowd I come on yelling, “What’s up? Let’s do this!” If it’s like Monday 7pm, I’m like, “Hey Y’all.” Because it’s like older people and you know these people probably have to go to work tomorrow, so they came to the early show. You know what I’m saying? I know how to read it.
Suz: What I think is so important about that, when I go to your Take it Personal shows, you’ve got a rapper come and tell stories and then you guys make an improv show about it. Some rappers, ya know, they are out of their element. I’ve seen them get up, and real famous people, like get up and they are on new territory.
Cipha: Yes, they’re nervous.
Suz: And I see you know immediately when to jump in, and you make them feel at home, you get that story out of them. You are like the Barbara Walters of improv. How do you get those out of them, so they feel comfortable?
Cipha: Yeah, that’s definitely when I watch the video footage back sometimes, I’m like whoa that guy was like very nervous, and somehow, I put a blanket around him.
Suz: Yes! Exactly, you can like see it.
Cipha: Yea it’s crazy and I dunno, I think you see it more than other people.
Suz: Yea, I know, it’s like an empath thing and that is it’s definitely a very hard lesson to learn. But once you learn it, and like you said, set those boundaries, that you’re so intuitive and you so see the emotion in other people, like you said, not everybody is like that.
And that’s a very hard thing to have, and it’s a gift but, you have to then set your expectations. Once you realize that not everybody has that, you start to not feel so neglected.
Cipha: There’s a book called the Four Agreements.
Suz: One of my favorites. I wrote them on my wall. I painted them on my wall.
Cipha: Yeah, the chapter about not taking things personally.
Suz: That changed my whole outlook.
Cipha: I mean, I hate when people say, “Oh, that book changed my life.”
But, literally that book and that chapter I mean I literally can mark that day in my life and my mind as night and day. Don’t take things personal. When no one asks me how I’m doing it doesn’t bother me where used to crush me.
Suz: Absolutely. Now I’m going to ask you some quick four questions I ask every guest. You don’t have to think too hard about it
Cipha: I’m not gonna think.
Suz: Whatever comes to mind. You’ve got an opportunity, this could be comedy or music or anything, to collaborate with one person or group for the day. Who are you on tour with or who are you sharing the stage with?
Cipha: Ohhhh….
Suz: I know, everybody gets so…
Cipha: There’s no right or wrong answer.
Suz: I know! There’s not haha.
Cipha: I’m gonna go, Donald Glover, I’m gonna go, Donald Glover. The reason why is that I don’t have to choose if I’m gonna do music or comedy. The guy can do it all. I love Donald Glover.
Suz: Alright, you’ve got one extra hour in the day you can do whatever you want with it. What do you do?
Cipha: Uhhh…watch tv. I watch TV, I watch Live PD on A&E. I watch a lot. I love, love, love, love watching TV, and sometimes I feel guilty and I was like, cause some people are like, “oO, TV wastes your brain. It’s my thing I
love it.”
Suz: And not from creatives a lot. I get that a lot from the entrepreneurial world when I look at stuff from Gary Vee and all that stuff. I feel like when I have to create something I have to escape to TV and that really helps me.
Cipha: TV is amazing nowadays.
Suz: So what I tell people all the time all the time is you could get a “No” when you go after something now it’s you know when you go after something but if you never ask the answer is always no.
So, I’m all about making requests and making your… stating your big scary ask and putting it out there. You never know who is listening and you never know who can help bridge the gap that you are looking for. So, what would you say right now in your life is your big ask? What would you like to make happen?
Cipha: There’s a lot. There’s a lot. But, right now? Just because I’ve been working on it, I want to meet and work with Marcus Lemonis. Do you know him? The Profit on CNBC. So, if anybody has any connections with Marcus Lemonis, I really like his style and what he does, and I want to work with him.
Suz: Awesome, so there you go. So, every week I’ve got a call to action. I usually have a download, a list or a worksheet. With the interviews, there’s really no worksheet or checklist, so I ask the guest to give our audience one actionable. What would you like them to go do when they’re done listening to this episode?
Cipha: Ok, follow me of course, that’s regardless @ciphasounds. I appreciate any follows.
Suz: All links in the show notes guys. Be sure to go check that out.
Cipha: What I would like is if every person is nice and helpful to one other person this world would be an incredibly different and better place. I can’t solve the world’s problems but, I know there’s a lot of kids who worked for me and who I would give money out of my pocket…not even a lot.
They would intern for me and work for free for the experience and paid it forward instead of just trying to keep it all for myself. And they’re all, not all, some people can’t handle it, but people have blown up.
DJ Drewski, for example, he’s a very popular DJ on Hot 97. 19 years old he met me and was like what can I do? I was like you can drive me around. You can get sandwiches.
Because we live in New York, I can’t park everywhere. I’ve got to run in and run out of places. If you’re sitting in the car, you’re a huge help. And at the time it probably looked like he was doing shit work, now he’s like super popular and makes crazy money and now building all this other stuff.
So, pay it forward. Like, take someone under your wing. Whatever you do. Whatever it is, take someone under your wing.
Suz: I love it. I can’t thank you enough. It’s been, ya know, everything that I talk about and brag about you in the intro is, you know, right on point. You live up to the expectations, and I just thank you for sharing all that with our listeners.
Cipha: Man, I hope it was helpful to somebody. And thank you for having me and I appreciate your help, your book, your planning system has changed my life, and now I listen to your podcast. I’m not gonna listen to this one. I can’t listen to myself.
You know I used to do a very popular podcast it’s called Juan Epstein, it’s known, it’s a fact that if you’re a fan of the podcast you’ve heard me say I’ve never listened to the podcast. But, thank you.
Man, I’m still so inspired by that conversation and I hope you now are as well. I want to thank Cipha Sounds for taking the time to talk with me and for always being incredible to work with, and chill with.
There’s no blueprint for being an music-preneur, so I hope this inspires you to go build your own.
I also want to embarrass him a little bit and wish him the happiest of birthdays, as his birthday is the day after this episode goes live, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CIPH!
To help wish him a happy birthday, give yourself a gift by going to www.therockstaradvocate.com/ep20 to check out the latest in comedy & hip hop brought to you by Ciph himself.
If you enjoyed what you learned today, you can access all current episodes using your preferred podcast app, including iTunes & Spotify, or by visiting www.therockstaradvocate.com/podcast.
If you’re looking to get clarity on your next steps, find time to balance everything on your plate, or you’d like to learn how to connect better with your fans, let’s talk!
As always, feel free to email me at any time: suz@therockstaradvocate.com.
Until next time, Rockstar! Have a wonderful week and I hope to see you back here next Wednesday so we can get grounded to get rising! Take care.
Key Highlights
- What’s kept Cipha Sounds in the game for so long [4:04]
- Cipha’s grand vision [7:10]
- Will Smith’s advice to him [11:25]
- Building his own blueprint [12:38]
- His main goal in life [19:08]
- How he decides who he works with [20:11]
- What he would tell his younger self [22:28]
- Reading a room & being an empath [26:26]
- The Four Agreements [31:19]
- My 4 Speed-round Questions [31:54]
Cipha’s getting ready for Season 2 of Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks, but in the meantime, check out Season 1 episodes here!
Links/Rocksources
- Theme music brought to you by DC-based Indie/Pop band Sub-Radio
- More podcast episodes can be found here
- You can download a copy of the episode’s transcript here
- Catch up on ALL episodes of Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks here
- Get tickets to the next Take It Personal: The Hip Hop Improv Show at UCB East in NYC here
- Subscribe to Tidal to access Cipha’s No Small Talk Comedy Series here {free trial}
- Binge the Juan Epstein podcast here
- Follow Cipha on Instagram Twitter and Facebook
Thanks for listening!
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