I don’t know where to begin so I will make it short. As much as possible and to the point. First I don’t know Tony Hsieh the way some may know him , for to many are all about the bandwagon for whatever reasons they may be. Mine is nothing more but to what I knew of him when he came into my world. Which begins with the Infamous Brian Paco ( I call the Defender and Protector of The Art Community! ).
Paco was the Main reason why I was able to say or better yet have those cool moments with Tony Hseigh. I really don’t want to say Tony Was My Mentor , but he was in his cool and silent way ( if you ever had a moment with Tony you know what I mean) I’m not saying this way he act all the the time.
I’m telling you the only way I had with Tony Hseigh. But lets go to the starting point of it all that involve water balloons and a water hose ,( Tony might of won that battle ) . For the record I had no idea who he was at the time lol. He and few other’s at the time was just going through the Art District combing the area in white golf carts. Look it was in the time which I was living in the community ; First Friday was changing. The Art Community was not happy with Joey and other’s representing First Friday at the time.
Tony was ahead of the time’s , he knew what The Art Community could become. I was there , right in the smack of everything doing my online radio station with my crew! While all this was going down, I was making moves for my company. Going through transitions for Caffeine Radio. While this was happening , Brian Paco grace me with his Brilliance and Love The Arts and The Artist’s ! Paco also loved Music ! and let me make note he was the only one at the time gave my station support ! From being on the station and just giving me insight into the Arts.
I had just recently let go of being the resident dj of The Art’s Factory. As First Friday started taking the Art District into a new direction. ( I’m not going into details of all that , you just needed to be there for it. Alot of talented people came and went, that’s all I will say. Now while I was dealing my World of Talk Radio and Djing.
I began to let go of things that just seem to me not to be concern. This is where I skip alot of things ( Different Story ) But as I began just be about The Station and Djing. I began to reach outside of the Art Community. I went toward the Vegas Strip for support. Until Brian Paco reached out to me.
We always stayed in contact with each other , which he didn’t have to ! But when he finally reached out on video and said I was Djing at ZBouique. It was Dopeness ! That’s where everything change for me on Artist’s level. That’s where it started with Tony Hsieh giving me insight to my career.
It was also where I seen a fellow Member of the Art Community raise up from other Artist ! Juan Muniz who I can remember just having displaying his art work on the side of a white table at First Friday ! Bro has a Adventure to showcase , I was there for that as well.
So being the Entertainment for this event which was his rise to upon the Art Community ! I felt like wow , can this get any fucking better ? Well When Tony Hsieh should up and he spoke to me. He liked the music , but he wasn’t there for me lol ! Which makes this moment cooler for me. Tony Noticed my production of music was different.
He said I should push just that and thought it was cool. I said I will , just like that , Tony Focused was simply back focused on the The Artists of the Day Juan Muniz , his Art Work was now part of the Designer Label Brand Companies of Zappos. Thanks to Brian Paco , and Tony Hsieh who simply beside Juan Muniz celebrated his work cutting the cake and enjoying the moment. It was pretty cool being apart of that moment.
Now after the event , I was on cloud ten , feeling the success of everyone enjoying the music as well. I was already thinking of my nest freaking move. It was a couple of day’s later when i reached out to Tony Hsieh on linkedin , he accepted . That moment even got cooler when he liked my post that i had posted on linkedin about Djing for Zboutique ! This is where I began sort of a crazy mentorship from Tony Hsieh. I don’t remember how I reached out but it was his assistant angel i believe was the person name.
Who responed back when i sent a message to him from linkedin. Angel sent me Tony Hsieh personal email. From that point I began to learn more about what I should and shouldnt do with my career. I wont go into details , but once more I will say if it wasn’t For Tony Hsieh I wouldnt have done some really big ass gigs . I’m give where credit is given , I had the honnor of Tony Showing up at a few of my gigs, which for me was Pure Dopeness !! He would send me advice out of the blue as well give me clues ( which was clue for a gig ! ). I can’t say He was my best friend , I can’t say I knew him the way other’s can say.
All I can say I had a questions that he answered . I can say he has called my phone out of no where and say He wouldn’t of said the things I said on my talk show lol . I can say for some reason Tony Hsieh was there for me. He made it clear if hadn’t been for Brian Paco , he would’nt of known who I was. He knew of MrBlackTie . But Tony Explain to me that he got to understand me , because of what Brian Paco ! I had a strange bond with Tony , he challenge me to not to adapt , but to evolve! Which there is a difference betweeen the two. I can’t say I knew him , I can say he knew me. I can say I was blessed in many way’s due to our akward meetings at my gigs he showed up at lol.
I never truly had the chance to thank him for the clues , which in ways was some of the coolest gigs ever ! Plus I just thought I had enough time to return and possible do a set at Zappos once more.
I did and still do appericate everything Tony has done for me. I’m sure as bloody hell want to Thank Brian Paco as well! Bro I truly will never forget what you did for me. For The record Tony Hsieh was not just a Pioneer for the Art Community. But a engineer for the Las Vegas Art Community. I just hope Zappos continues the legacy and the love for the Arts as he did ! Much Love and Respect Ladies and Gents.