Most people would be satisfied with having recorded one of the most successful songs in music history, but not DC Glenn. Landing in Atlanta in the early 1990s just as the city's music and club scene was booming, DC and his partner Steve Roll'n formed the hip hop duo Tag Team, whose first single "Whoomp! (There It Is)" quickly became both a massive worldwide hit and a cultural milestone. But DC wasn't about to stop there. He spent the following years learning and mastering a dizzying number of skills and professions, everything from fashion photography to voice acting to public relations. And despite a twenty year legal battle, and a global pandemic, his "never stop moving" attitude resulted in 2020 being one of his most successful years ever. Join Nick as he and DC revisit a career that grew out of seeds of positivity DC planted throughout his incredible life. Sprinkles!
HIGHLIGHTS:
[02:28] DC recalls his time at Atlanta's Magic City Gentlemen's Club, starting as a cook and working his way up to DJ
[05:18] With artists like Babyface, Bobby Brown, and Too Short moving to Atlanta in the early 90s, the music and club scene was exploding as DC started his own musical career
[06:01] DC treated the women at the strip clubs with respect, and to this day they still appreciate him for that
[06:50] DC's time in the clubs taught him skills that have served him well in life
[08:28] The immediate success of "Whoomp" caused Tag Team to rush through the production of their first album, which caused legal problems that lasted two decades
[10:43] After the fallout from band's legal issues, DC went on a journey of self-education to learn about money management, marketing, fashion photography, and other things that enriched his life and business
[13:16] DC theorizes that "Whoomp!" was stuck at number two on the charts for weeks, because the music industry's dislike for rap at the time caused changes the criteria for ranking songs
[14:56] DC made a vow to be the same person he was as a DJ, no matter how famous or successful he became
[16:08] Over several years DC trained himself as a paralegal in order to fight the legal battle to reclaim the rights to his music, a twenty year struggle that he finally won
[19:04] Once his legal battles were over in 2017, DC was questioning with what to do next in his life, when voice over and acting work came along
[21:27] The pandemic ground the world to a halt, and forced DC and others to reevaluate what they're doing with their lives
[23:49] By redoing his old voice work lessons, DC found his skills so improved that he booked commercials and movies, even during the pandemic
[26:54] DC realized he wanted to make music again, so he tapped into teachers working as tutors during the pandemic to get him back up to speed
[29:11] DC found out that Tag Team booked a lucrative Geico commercial after the company called him on his special Tag Team phone
[31:51] The incredible amount of preparation DC put into what seems like a simple commercial resulted in its viral appeal
[32:30] DC believes that people look for rewards for their work right away, as opposed to keep moving and waiting for the successes to build
[33:35] Although the Covid protocols in the Atlanta film industry are strict, DC deals with it because testing positive could potentially knock him out of work
[35:18] If DC runs into obstacles in his career, he joins the appropriate organization to learn from professionals who've mastered their craft
[37:58] By never looking back, by never letting himself be stopped, DC is still out there in the public eye, functioning as his own public relations firm
[40:34] DC learned that press releases are powerful "Trojan horses" to get the word out about all his other work and skills to the larger social networks
[42:25] DC intends to leave this earth with no regrets about living his life and taking chances
[43:09] Over the years DC has learned how to deal positively with negative energy that comes at him
[46:10] DC appreciates the "collateral sprinkles" in his life, the unexpected positive consequences of his experiences and jobs and personal interactions
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Find out more about today’s guest, DC Glenn.
Find out more about your host, Nick Terzo
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
@KennyEdmonds [Babyface]
