BLAKE THE GREAT | ENGLISH MAJORS |SEASON 3 | EP 03

The guest details how his content featuring 'Professor J' went viral, leading to a major artist (Playboi Carti, with Kendrick Lamar's involvement) sampling the content. This necessitated immediate legal action to secure rights, highlighting that viral moments, especially when involving incarcerated individuals, require swift legal counsel to prevent exploitation and ensure proper compensation. Many in the industry 'don't be doing that,' emphasizing the importance of proactive legal protection for creators.

The speaker recounts Professor J's video going 'crazy crazy,' leading to a DM from Playboi Carti's team for a sample. He immediately sought lawyers to negotiate a contract, noting the team initially tried to lowball but eventually worked out a deal, especially once Kendrick Lamar's involvement was known. He stresses that without securing masters, creators can sue for unauthorized use.

The guest, drawing from his experience selling used cars, describes a cutthroat environment where salespeople, managers, and finance teams all attempt to maximize their own gain. His strategy involved 'quantity over quality' – selling cars quickly at lower margins to hit tiered commission goals, rather than holding out for maximum profit on individual sales. He also used psychological tactics, like positioning himself as the customer's ally against 'sharks' (other salesmen) to build trust and close deals faster.

He explains, 'I like quantity over quality in the car game,' aiming to sell 'three, four in a day' instead of taking 'all day to sell one car.' He describes intercepting customers by pretending to check their tires, then warning them about 'hungry sharks' (other salesmen) to gain their trust and present himself as the honest helper.

Many 'buy here, pay here' car lots, despite claiming to report to credit bureaus, often do not. This creates an opportunity for consumers to dispute these accounts on their credit reports, as they may not be legitimate credit-building instruments. These lots are characterized as 'treacherous' and 'predatory,' often selling unreliable or even stolen vehicles at exorbitant interest rates.

The speaker explicitly states, 'If you done had a car to buy here, pay here, man. You can dispute that shit on your credit, man. That shit They do not. They say they report to the credit bureaus, but they do not report to the credit bureau.' He also mentions '29.9 interest rate' on old cars and the prevalence of 'stolen' or flood-damaged vehicles.

To create content like 'Trap News,' the guest adopted a 'method acting' approach, immersing himself deeply in the community, spending time at places like liquor stores (which he calls 'community centers') without constantly recording. This genuine presence and relationship-building allowed him to be embraced by the community, fostering trust and authentic interactions, rather than being seen as an exploiter.

He states, 'I had to became the character. I was too invested in the character so much.' He describes hanging out at the liquor store 'all day' because it's a 'gathering place for the community.' He emphasizes, 'I don't record everything' and that people 'like my friends, you feel me? Family,' contrasting this with others who 'exploit the community.'