I hope y'all had an amazing weekend.
Shout out to the city.
Shout out to Order Woman Cogs and the entire Brownsville team.
Brownsville Festival yesterday was amazing.
Some amazing performances.
Shout out to Wavy Boy and the Gang.
My students at Howard Fuller.
Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy.
All three of my students who performed on the youth stage.
Managed to win the competition first second and third place first performances ever It was amazing.
It was amazing.
So again shout out to everybody who came through Listen today is a special day today.
We are talking about the voice of Milwaukee Homer blow The legend Homer blow his legacy leadership and what's next?
We are honoring a man whose voice has been a part of Milwaukee for more than three
Decades whether you grew up listening to him met him at a community event where took your children to his birthday bash chances are Homer blow has impacted your life in some way and we want to hear from you We want to hear what come what comes to your mind when you hear the name Homer blow What memory comes to your mind a 3 3 2 1 2 1 0 1 7?
Thank you for joining me today.
That's it.
Full circle.
That's what that's.
you know, the revolving, you know what I mean, and evolving into.
So I'm pleased and honored to be with you.
I've always been pleased watching your growth, you know, so.
And the thing is, you know, you can impart a lot of information on people, but it's what they do with it.
Yes, the most.
So do you take that information and utilize it and.
Continue to grow or diva.
I don't need to I don't know what they talking about.
I ain't got to do this and all of the information that I was Blessed to try to impart on you.
I saw you take all of that information and watch you grow Yeah, and you know one thing about me is I like to see people grow so I'm not one of those people that are just gonna be like oh No, and you better every time you do something you every time no no no if I can watch you blossom
into who you are now and all of the great things that you've been doing and are continuing to do, then, you know, that's enough for me.
That's enough for me.
It's just like when people say,
how do you do your birthday party for your kids and give all them kids toys and it's your birthday?
No, but I do appreciate you when I say it all the time, but it's different when I'm sitting across from you.
Um, there's a lot of things you have taught me and, um, said to me throughout the years, but the conversation right before I took off music wise, that conversation was the most important because it was regarding my attitude.
It was regarding my behavior.
And you like, you don't, you don't go to jail, like bring me mine.
you
because I got to take care of this.
I got to take care of that.
I got to take care of my health.
I got
black
you know what I'm
whatever happened to,
Yeah.
know what
were
And, hey man, listen, you better go on and get this labeled and you better get your seals on this music and get it signed up with BDS and just get everything.
I was like, come on, get it there so you can start getting the royalty checks.
And, you know, he followed that.
And when he was bringing me some music and it wasn't right yet, I'm like,
Yeah.
So, so there that that's, that's just a part of who I'm blessed to be with trying to help people.
If I can try to help in whatever areas.
And if I'm not knowledgeable enough in those areas, I'm not afraid to say, you know what, I'm going to pass you to this person because they deal with this.
I can, you know, I can take you this far.
I truly, truly appreciate you, Homer.
And I'm grateful to have you in my life.
You have such an amazing heart, such an amazing anointing.
And there's not one person in this city who has been successful, especially in the entertainment business, who doesn't have a Homer blow story, right?
And I know you get your accolades and things
of
Milwaukee entertainment music business now, uh, even when it comes to DJs, uh, you know, oftentimes it's not always that maybe a person is jealous of the new generation of DJs that are coming because we know it evolves.
There were people that, uh, came before me.
There were people who are, you know, doing things now.
There are people who will come after I'm no longer here.
But the thing that.
I try to impart upon some of the new DJs.
Again, y'all got it a lot easier than we had it.
You know, his brothers right now, I'm blessed that I'm not one of them.
They have black injuries and you know what I'm saying?
They messed up and carried them crates.
Oh man.
So that's why we had those people that they wanted to get in the club or wherever we was
at.
I carry your
just
at the end too.
I mean?
What is what is why do they talk about the art of mixologists and this that any other?
And yes, it's made a lot simpler with controllers.
Right.
But again, you got to think that the people that gave them the information to put into that controller were actual DJs that were cutting and making these scratches.
So they knew they use DJs.
to continue to evolve these controllers.
So it's like, yeah, learn what it is.
You know, I know, what is an album?
What is wax?
You
of these
So I just wish more with.
learn about what a DJ really is and learn about the techniques.
Sure, you don't have to use it, but I studied my radio history by, oh, this person, oh, that person.
And I gave them their respect.
So I came in being me, but you can learn something from everybody.
So you can take a little piece of this, a little piece of that, a little piece of that, and then create you.
You heard it.
Right from the horse's mouth.
We got, mouth, we got Homer blowing the builder.
Do not touch that dial.
A-3-3-2-1-2.
We want to hear from you.
When we come back, we are going to dig into Homer, the radio history, the community work, all of the above.
She girl, Jazz Tyler, 101.7, the truth.
101.7 the truth is your girl Jazz Tyler.
We are live and direct happy Monday, Milwaukee is going down We got the legendary Homer blow in the building again.
Thank you Homer so much for joining us.
We know that you have none many of things in Milwaukee You have been a radio for over 35 years But there are some things that you know, we don't know when we look at
why you're so embedded in the community when we look at why you have such a big heart, why you're always willing to help the people, especially in the entertainment business, because those who are, we know that the information is not preview all the time.
Like people will gate keep information, but you've never done that.
I wanna dig into how you grew up, where you grew up.
Before we do that, we do have a caller on the line.
Patrick, are you there?
Yes, I am.
How are y'all doing?
Bless.
in.
story you
Yeah, just overall, the pleasure has been over the years.
I remember, homo-blow, I remember Commander McGee always tried to say your name.
Yeah, yeah.
Always got a kick out of that.
And I'm a little older now.
I used to do all the nightclubs and the bars.
Every time I knew blow was gonna be that I know it was gonna be a good time.
So I Can't even name some of the bars and clubs I used to go to love a lot of my long gone now, but um All the years you spent on 860 and one of my favorite shows was the happen new love train
love
Yeah, yeah, no doubt man.
Yeah, I had some good shows over there good times man, but I enjoyed you every time I
Whether it was just a little hole in the wall bars.
It was one of the big clubs, like 414.
All of them, man.
Anytime we knew you was going to be there, we made sure our face was in the building.
So I appreciate you, man, and keep it going.
I
So
you know,
But yeah, so it was just about going and then one of the things that as we kind of like
dive into like the DJ part.
Because I was sneaking in when I was underage and the DJs were, in my opinion, they weren't interacting with the crowd.
Black then, a lot of the DJs were braggadocious about themselves.
So I was like, yeah, I'm this, I'm this.
Yeah, you listen to me.
I'm this, I'm this,
I'm this.
But
like,
I'm like,
because I felt like,
and make it a
Yo mama, I'm about to call yo mama, right?
But I say all of that to say I understand the excitement of being a teenager underage.
in a bar or a club.
And it's like, I'm looking around, nobody's performing and everybody's just, you know, it was the stage for me.
It's the stage.
I see the stage and I'm like, I wanna do that.
How did it start?
Again, I know we had some conversations outside of off-air, but There are some things that you have been through that a lot of people don't know that shapes you to be the person that you are And once we get into it, they'll be able to like I was understand why you give back so much Do you mind tapping into that?
and your story may help somebody else or let some other people who went through some things be like, wow.
I would have never knew that you went through this or you went through that.
So yeah, when I was two years old and both of my mother and father are both deceased.
And even that, having the mother and father deceased and also...
for other immediate brothers and sisters deceased by only
two
so
and it's
this you ain't
But yeah, so with all of that, but when I was two years old, my mother had
just brought me in from going to church.
And of course, a lot of this, you know, I was told from my mother that, you know, you had on a baby blue, you know, two-piece suit.
And I'm two.
And so we get home and that's when people really respect it.
I changed from your church clothes to your outside
So with that being the case,
Um, she had took me in the, uh, room and had laid me on the bed and, um, she was taking my clothes off to kind of change me or whatnot to put me into regular clothes or whatnot.
So all of a sudden there was a big commotion and like I said, a lot of this part was, you know, shared with me because I'm too.
So I wasn't retaining that information like that, but, uh, she heard her mother.
In there because her mother was there and She heard her mother arguing and my father was abusive to my mother and He was one of the ones like you know case solo say your mom's in my business, you know, she's always in our business so He came over here and her mother happened to be there, you know, obviously my grandmother
And he had charged her up.
Like, you know, I told you to stay out of business, stay out of my business.
And she was rebellious.
Like, I know you, you ain't doing this to my daughter.
You ain't doing that.
And I'll be in your business as long as I got to be in your business.
But like, I told you, I said, I'm tired of you.
So he ended up pulling out a gun.
So as my mother was in there changing me, you know, to, you know, get me into my regular clothes or whatnot.
Uh, cause I was out of church.
So I'm, you know, taking things off like, okay, blam.
And she heard him arguing and yelling and her mother started saying, shoot me, shoot me.
And so she ran in there and she jumped in front of my grandmother, which was her mother and said, don't you shoot my mama?
Don't you shoot my mom?
And he was like, get out the way, get out the way.
And she was like, don't shoot my mama, don't shoot my mama.
But her mother was being like, no, like, move, move.
And tried to push my mother out the way.
And my mother jumped right black in front of her.
And as she jumped black in front of her mother, my grandmother, he unloaded his gun inside of her.
And so she was in the hospital for months.
Still had to live with a bullet lodged in her head.
that they couldn't remove one right next to her heart, that if they would have removed it, she would have died.
But, you know, really messed her up, obviously.
And so me and three of my other siblings, and there's nine of us in all, we had to go to foster homes.
So I was raised basically in a foster home.
The first two foster homes, I was not sexually abused, but I was physically abused.
So, uh, they, uh, all of, you know, the other people, there was a few other foster kids that they, that they had.
So, uh, they was like, they was till the social worker, when she would come by, uh, cause you have one if you're in foster home.
And they would say like, she beat him all the time.
Like she wasn't beating the other kids, but for some reason she beat me.
I'm
We are with Homer Blow.
We are.
tapping into the life of Homer Blow.
Thank you for sharing that with us.
When we come back, we want to talk more about growing up in foster care and some of the things that you went through and you learned to help shape you, who you are today.
We want to hear from you.
What is the first memory that comes to mind when you hear the name Homer Blow?
833-212-1017.
Do not touch that dial.
It should grow.
Jazz Tyler.
One on one point seven the truth is your girl jazz Tyler We are live and direct be sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel one on one point seven the truth follow us on social media one on one point seven the truth and tap in MKE shout out to the chat Jasmine West says hey y'all I remember Homer coming to my middle school mech a few times in 97 to 99 DJ'ing Tamisha Gilbert says great day Homer and jazz Anita Nicole says yes
Commander McGee saying, home or blow is legendary.
Shout out to Kawanda.
Thank you so much for tuning in.
Before we went to break, we were talking about Homer's life.
He was sharing with us that at two, you stated there was a situation where your father unloaded his weapon onto your mother and then you ended up having to go to
you know, before, before two, yeah, I'm sure I was, but I'm two now.
And then to go through these two abusive, uh, physical abuse, like beating me, uh, like I say, no sexual abuse, but, uh, to go through that, I'm like, okay, this woman can't love me.
That woman can't love me.
So the third, uh, foster home is where I stayed until I eventually ended up being able to go black home.
So, uh, they would have, you know, uh, case workers and social workers come over and.
say your mother's gonna come by to visit you.
And when she would come over, I'm like, she would like, come here.
I'm like, stay by my foster mother.
And that happened like that for a long time.
And she would just, you know, break down crying.
You know, my baby don't love me, my baby don't love me.
You know, I'm sorry.
But it was nothing that she really had to apologize
nine of
don't
we didn't
it was
I'm like, what
We had a
you know what I'm
in the
I wasn't ready for 27th and Locusts.
I was not ready.
So, because I was on 14th and Keep then, and I was like, I ain't used to this.
Yelling and wondering what's for dinner, and pot luck, whatever you find in pot, good luck.
You're giving us a hand, so.
When I was in my foster home, I never had to eat sugar sandwiches and syrup
sandwiches
That's
what I'm saying?
So I'm
me.
Yeah.
And, uh, so it just ended up, you know, just, um,
Making me appreciative of the things that you have and Feeling like I need to make sure that other Children that may grow up in those kind of situations To know that you don't have to become a statistic in school always, you know Of course it was C's first and then you got to where you can get A's and stuff like that But I was always like ahead of the class.
I was my reading level
Even when I was in elementary school, they were like, you read on the 12th grade level.
Yeah.
So, and then of course, as I continued to excel in grades, it was like, you read on a college level.
Yeah.
So, you know, I did my homework and all that at home.
It was kind of optional.
So I'm like, I'm not used to this.
I'm up on time.
I'm going to school.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, but then.
I had brothers that were in the music, which ended up taking me to the DJ realm of it.
And so, but I would always get in trouble because after I ended up coming home because my foster mother passed away from cancer.
Okay.
And I'll never forget when they were taking her out.
And, you know, she
was
it
I used to make my cassette tapes.
I hated when the DJs would end up saying, you're listening to WNLVP.
I'm like, ah, y'all done messed up my tape.
Y'all done messed up my damn tape.
And so a guilty pleasure of mine is when I got to W-N-O-V, a guilty pleasure of mine.
And I'm sorry people, it happened.
And if it happened to you, it's okay.
I knew that people were doing the same thing that I was doing when I was younger, trying to record
off the
Yeah.
of course
And that's my government name.
Yeah.
Like, you know, some people think it's a stage name.
Yeah.
And it's not.
It's really my government name.
And I'll show you, I want people to end up having to see everything on the air or whatnot.
But yeah, I'll end up showing you that you can end up
Literally, I know
you think I'd be able to
We got Homer Blower in the Builder.
Do not touch that dial.
It should grow Jazz Tyler.
One on 1.7 in truth.
101.7 in truth that she girl Jazz Tyler.
We are live and direct and we have my favorite in the building legendary homo blow is here Milwaukee Homer.
Thank you so much for tapping in with us We've gotten to know a lot a bit more
Washington High School.
And when I...
got to Washington because, you know, I had to like change schools, you know, going from the foster home to being black at home.
And so I went to Clark Street Elementary.
And then I ended up going to which one was it was it?
I don't think it was Pulaski.
It might have been Audubon.
OK,
Those announcements.
And but I spoke so clearly and they were able to understand my pronunciation and annunciation of words that they then said, look, you know, you're going to be.
the one doing all of our speakers and guests that we had that come to the auditorium and they have all the classrooms come to the auditorium.
So I was doing that.
And then they had this talent show, right?
And again, Curtis Blow, Homer Blow.
I'm like, I'm going to do Christmas rapping.
And, you know, I never, you know, been to high school.
So I in there and I ended up, uh, Mr. Kurtz was the teacher at the time.
He taught like drama and all of that kind of stuff.
So.
I ended up saying, look, I see y'all got these Christmas decorations, right?
And it wasn't even Christmas time.
I said, y'all got all these Christmas decorations.
I said, I want to use that fireplace and I want to put like a stocking on it.
Yeah.
You know, I know it can't be a fire, but I'm going to come through it.
And, uh, I had him do the announcement, like, if you know Christmas wrapping by Curtis Blow.
It says, "'Twas the night before Christmas."
And he be like, hold it, hold it, wait a minute, that's what I did that part.
But he had to do that part.
And when he done it, I had lights going around the fireplace or whatnot.
And I had on a Santa Claus suit.
And nobody, again, I was new to Washington
High
show.
lights.
of the
And I said, go ahead and read your part.
So tonight, Christmas.
And all through, hold it.
Now, I hope that's when I came up.
I said, that's played out.
I climbed from the fireplace and started doing the jiggaloo.
You know, cause this ain't 1983, you know, so I done it and people start running black into the auditorium.
They were standing all on this chairs, the seats and stuff.
They was like, and I want it.
I tripled the amount of votes that the person that came in second place.
I was like, yeah, I like to try to DJ.
So I ended up getting the chance.
What was it?
Mr. Boom.
Mr. Boom is the DJ, the lunchroom dances and some of the dances, period.
So he gave me that opportunity.
And the rest was history.
I became the Washington High School lunchtime DJ.
Had us jammin'.
teen, I
When I started DJing at People's Lounge for people who know me from People's Lounge, I was underage.
But I hanged drink.
So I wasn't trying to drink no alcohol, but I was in that DJ booth.
doing my thing.
And I ended up, it wasn't no purpose, taking two of their regular house DJs jobs.
And so they had me there just like every night that they were doing DJs, I was there.
I was the DJ and I've done that for years.
And also when that ended up happening, I tell people, people be like, my great-grandmama says she was partying with you.
I try to remind people that
When I was DJing at people's lounge, your mothers and your fathers may have been 25, 30, 40, 50 years old, 60 even.
So yeah, it seems like, how old are you?
But it's like, if you really think about the fact, and it's just like people that came to my first birthday party for the kids 32 years ago.
The party has always been for kids two to 13 years old.
But for the first 15 to 16 years, I'd done two parties.
It was the homerblow birthday party for the kids, always from two to six PM.
Then we would flip everything.
And then from seven to 10,
it was
Yes,
Yeah,
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know what I'm
for the
know
But unless it had like the brownies or a certain cookies or.
the lasagna or the mock chicken legs.
It's a wrap.
Yeah, it's a wrap then because I was one of those ones.
So if you were one of the victims of me, you know, it happened.
I did it on purpose, but I'd be like, I go to somebody's plate.
Yes.
I need to get another chip.
Give me another token.
I need to get this.
So, yeah, but and so the clubs again, always packing clubs and I know we're up on a break, but yeah, packing the clubs and I'll tell you just.
Some of the plethora of clubs and lounges and bars that I've been at, it's been a blessing.
Yes, indeed.
We got Homer Blow in the building.
What's the first memory that comes to your mind when you hear the word, the name Homer Blow?
We want to hear from you.
A-3-3-2-1-2-1-0-1-7.
We got to go to break to pay some bills.
Do not touch that dial.
She girl, Jazz Tyler.
Milwaukee, get ready.
101.7 The Truth Family Fest is back.
Join us Saturday, August 22nd from 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
at Riverside University High School for free back to school resources, live entertainment, family activities and community fund.
Vendors and sponsors can reserve a spot by visiting truthfamilyfest.com or
You all know him, right?
You know him from...
That good old fool.
And if you know me, you know I love fools.
So I said it anyways.
Kenneth Mazers in the building.
Thank you so much, Kenny, for joining us.
How are you today?
I am doing good.
It's a beautiful day.
So I've had a chance to let me just say this first and foremost, if y'all have not been to the five corner market on 60th and Lisbon, I don't know where you been.
I just, I don't know.
The daily lunch specials, the perch, the catfish, the shrimp po' boy, the size, all of the above, right?
I even went in there last week and I seen y'all had some gumbo.
Yes.
So y'all making gumbo now, too.
Yes, I make gumbo every Wednesday.
Mm-hmm.
What's the closest city in Mississippi that's by?
Okay, so it's going got you.
Okay, so that's like What colleges it's a college over there?
Got you.
Yep
What was the transition like coming from?
So when you're 14, moving to a different state, that's different because now you're eighth grade, ninth grade.
You have to adjust to the climate.
You have to adjust to the people, the personalities.
Was it a culture shock?
What was it like moving from Mississippi to Milwaukee?
I want to say it was pretty different.
We got weapons back back at home.
Yeah, it was just.
the way people, the way that they were brought up, like we have Southern hospitality, but I don't know what you mean.
It's different.
The way we were raised is different than the way that you are raised.
So when you came, was you like, oh, that's just running around here raggedy.
Y'all just, y'all need some whooping.
Yeah, we got whooped.
We had to.
And the town was so small, so everybody knew
it was like, hey, whoop my son, get him in line whenever you need to, don't
way these kids need to get
Oh, yeah.
it down to me.
So I always been in food.
I used to be a dietary director over in Nersong for like 17 years.
And all the CNAs and everybody they wanted me to cook.
Yeah.
So I had good food.
I made my own food.
So they was like, man, make me some of that.
Yeah.
So then after that, they was like, won't you start selling it?
So I
started selling it.
Yeah.
Out the back door.
Yeah.
I paid for it.
So
after about a year or something, I got a food truck.
Food truck was doing extreme numbers.
I would say 35.
OK.
So about a
couple of years
ago.
Yeah.
So then the food truck got a little bit too wild.
I couldn't keep up.
So I said, it was time for me to just explore and find me something where I can just keep up with the people and serve everybody at a timely manner.
I'm pretty good at it.
Yeah, I got my certain dishes.
Salmon.
Does that say that right?
Oh,
rice or mashed potatoes.
A little shrimp topping maybe.
Probably just because of the restaurant.
Yeah.
I do it.
Understandable.
It's good.
I'm not gonna lie.
It's good.
So, either way, I'm gonna eat it.
And I mean that because I am actually a consumer.
I actually go, it's okay.
I actually go to your place of business and purchase lunch because the food is amazing.
Was there a moment in this process of becoming an entrepreneur where you felt like giving up?
Yes.
Today.
Yeah.
Even with the bar.
I had a health department inspection today and it's just like
It takes a lot of people to motivate me.
Like, bro, you at the finish line, just go on and knock it out.
But it's a lot.
And it's me by myself.
I kind of have help, but not on the business side, if
that makes sense.
It's just me and my mother here.
My sister's out of town.
So it gets kind of heavy.
I wake up and I was like, no, I don't want to do it anymore.
I just want to have a regular job.
I want to go back to the regular life.
And everything was fine.
Because you the boss, you got to...
take that boss role, you gotta take up everything, you gotta-
Yeah, and you correct everything that you didn't do.
Yeah.
So, to get back to the question, if I wanna give up every day, I do.
I wanna go back to the life.
But I
too far in already.
Proof is 782 North Jefferson.
So I'm down on...
I'm in the area.
Yes.
Yes.
How does
great.
Every day I walk in is like, I'm almost there.
Yeah.
That's what I wanted.
Yeah.
I didn't know how I was going to get it.
And I'm figuring it out.
Great vibes.
OK.
Grown.
Yeah.
Good food.
Sundays might be my best day.
OK.
That's my
Sundays would be the big brunch.
Or you can eat.
Yeah.
Alcohol, grown people.
Come on.
Good music.
I've seen you made a post asking about a favorite drink, so I'm just going to tell you now.
I love French 75, but with tequila.
And I love Apple martinis, Prosecco.
I won't try to tell me.
Hit the chat.
Call in 833-212-1017.
What drink do you want to see at 80 Proof?
We're going to come and take over.
Come on.
We're going to come and take over.
I leave it.
I can have
Kenneth Mays, or Instagram.
I got 150 people capacity, full bar, full kitchen.
That's the option book.
And also I'm booked into November already.
I'm not even open
Yes.
Oh, well, my night's hero, he lives in Atlanta.
I'm there whenever you call me.
Yeah.
You can call me tomorrow.
I've been on a flight the weekend.
Yeah.
It's that easy.
My nine year old, he's
He's around a lot.
He just called me before I got here.
I was like, hey, I'm going to this interview, I'll tell you right back.
Spoiled, so he's attached to me.
So it's the only two, three years apart.
I will not have anymore.
Life is too
busy.
But the balance, we're going, you know, we do whatever you want to do, the most part.
I take him, I spoil him, that's my last child, I ask for him.
So I'm a man up
to be what I gotta do.
I see you being
fan of it.
I gotta get away.
I
I have to get away.
Places I love to visit.
South America, I'm working
on my
Spanish a little bit.
Anything out the country.
My passport
book, I
got it, and I said I was
going to use it
up.
For the first year I got it, I did about 12 countries.
And it's like a piece of mine.
Because when I'm here, it's like everyone's calling my phone.
I'm busy, I got to run here, I got to run there.
So when I'm on vacation, I enjoy it.
But at the same time, it's like my mental break because they don't bother
Another place, I get up and go everywhere.
So it's like, I don't really have a favorite, favorite spot.
I just enjoy vacation, good boat, good tan, I'm good.
So when y'all see him posting, no, yes, he living his best life, but the man put in a lot of work, man.
It's a lot going on, running two businesses, raising two children at the same time.
We all know that entrepreneurship is very, very hard, especially when you don't have help.
So we have to go to break.
When we come back, we're going to dip into a little bit more of how you got to where you are.
Where do you see yourself, you know, in the future and how can Milwaukee support you?
We got to go to break to pay some bills.
Do not touch that doubt.
Your girl, Jazz Tyler, one on 1.7, the
truth.
We got
Thank you so much for tapping in with us.
We want to hear from you.
833-212-1017.
So we talked about you being a business owner, entrepreneur.
So you have a five corner fish market, which I absolutely love.
You now just open or about to open 80 proof.
Yes, which is a bar restaurant event space on Jefferson Street.
Yes, and you're booked up to November
already
is
That's a that's real support Let's talk about the sacrifices.
Let's talk about the things that
people don't see the work for those who are looking to build a business or who's just starting their business.
What is some advice or what are some of the struggles that you've had to go through?
For the most part, I would say don't give up because it's always a finish line.
The sacrifices is giving
up time, giving
them sleep, giving up family, just having a passion to do what you gotta do.
What are some of the struggles that you face when you are because we all know red snapper was like a prominent black business in Milwaukee, right?
And to come and follow behind that can be difficult, especially if the food don't match.
Luckily it do, but if the quality of the food don't match, right?
What was it like?
What was in the beginning?
What were some of the difficulties that you dealt with trying to convert old customers for so many years to become accustomed to?
the new restaurant?
They wouldn't come in.
For the most part, I had to go out there and get them.
The phone numbers still the same.
This red snapper, oh no, we don't want it.
No, come try it.
Just give me a
try.
For the first year, it was okay.
Second year, it was great.
But now they didn't caught on.
They caught on now.
The struggles is...
Trying to please people.
Yes.
That's the difficult part.
Absolutely.
Trying to get everyone on one accord.
Because they'll tear you down.
Yes.
If you ain't good, they'll tear you down.
If they, if you ain't got a straw in the bag, they gonna talk about you.
So you gotta kinda come with it.
Yeah.
Be ready for it, be prepared.
Don't let it, don't let it get you down.
The first time I came back home from living on a state, I came and I wanted to try the food.
The first thing I had was, I believe it was perch and it was good to me.
And then I went back again for the food.
But now when I go back is because of the customer service and the food.
So whenever I enter your establishment, the people that I come across, that's across that counter are always kind.
You know, the older gentleman, he have.
the conversations, you know, about what's happening in the community.
It's like a family dynamic.
So I say that to say, I heard you mentioned at first people wouldn't come and then you had to go out there and get them.
And you also had to go and get employees that will make the people come.
And just as a as a customer, I want you to know that it's it came together.
I see it now throughout the years.
I see it now.
So don't don't beat yourself up, you know, we all know.
You know, the struggles and stuff like that, but it paid off.
Oh,
I'll be on them.
Yeah.
It represents me at the end of the day.
Absolutely.
Whatever y'all
do
is still, they're going to come talk to me.
Yeah.
And I run a strict program.
It's like, hey, y'all got to do it this way or, you know, because they coming back for me.
Yeah.
Every time they say something, I'm going to let y'all know.
And I'm from the South.
So you got to have like a, be welcome into people.
Yes.
People, they love to come here.
They want to spend their money.
And they're spending their heart on
You gotta give them everything that they desire as a customer from everything.
I think they coming out.
Okay, they're gonna come down.
Yeah, because we need it.
Um It's adult older I would say I don't have a age range, but it's just a vibe.
Yeah, so when you're
going to take the
vibe and grow I'm bringing a grown back to me.
Uh, sorry, I'm
bringing a grown back
downtown.
Yeah, that's the slogan Because we don't have pretty much nowhere to go.
Yeah for just
to be in one
spot downtown close.
We don't got to go all the way out
Just a nice spot nice vibe.
It's gonna be similar to five corners.
Um, I gotta take the fish down there.
That's my number one key.
We're gonna do burgers flat breads Got some vegan items.
So we go we trying to please everybody
we are trying to get everybody down.
the difference in the nationalities.
Yes.
All the
Okay.
So let's do that.
I know some people out there that need some jobs.
So what are you hiring for?
And I'm doing this strategically because, listen, I don't want nobody else calling my phone asking me about a job in this industry because we have someone right here who is about to tell you.
He's hiring.
He's gonna run down the job descriptions.
And when you, if I refer you to him, please don't make me look bad.
What are you hiring for, Kenny?
I have no staff.
I have a business that's been open maybe in the next couple of days, and I have no staff.
So bartenders, of course.
I need about five of them.
Kind of, yes, I would say.
Because I'm downtown.
So I got different nationalities that...
Desire different drinks.
Yes.
Um, I got hookah.
So I'm gonna need about two or three hookah girls.
Okay.
Full kitchen staff.
Okay.
I'm working with 5,000 square feet.
Okay.
This ain't no kind of small.
I think my guy gonna take care of that.
Uh, Theron Rogers shot out a prolific arm.
rather meet you in person.
I don't want a resume.
Let me get the vibe.
Let me talk to you and see if we can work in how I like things to go.
Eddie Proof is about to open up and right now he needs bartenders.
hooker girls and full of staff.
I don't know who I'm talking to out there.
I don't know if it's your brother, your mama, your auntie, your uncle.
It could be your grandma, right?
He's giving out jobs.
He's giving out jobs.
So how can I reach you again?
Kenneth and
Please reach out.
If this is your industry, if you are in need of employment, we want to be able to support those who need a job and.
Someone who's looking to hire shout out to the chat Sayir.
Yo, what's the wire man?
It's been a minute.
He said we used to be on WNOV under Renee management days man Listen, he's referring to Hummerblows interview shout out to Sharika.
She said that's my best friend reread She said can't wait to check out Sunday brunch.
We going just and you know it We turn it up.
It's gonna be a takeover.
We might have to do a truth takeover at 80 proof on Sunday
The only, what, what me?
What?
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying.
What were you?
Man, let's get it cracking.
For real.
The only request I have is fried green tomatoes.
I just want some fried green tomatoes.
There's nowhere to go.
Maybe one place, but can you put some fried green tomatoes on the menu?
I guess I'm at the restaurant.
on now.
Labor Day.
Okay.
So that weekend of the Labor Day.
Monday to seven.
So maybe that weekend, if not sooner.
I still working on a five.
And they don't know that.
Okay.
Come on.
Let's talk about.
I'm busy and tired but you can't tell.
Nine to five I'm a maintenance mechanic at a factory.
That's seven to seven.
So from seven p.m.
to seven a.m.
I'm working.
It works out because it's four on four off.
So when I'm four days off, I'm here.
Busy.
I ain't married.
I need my health insurance still.
But now.
But now.
Balance.
Mm-hmm
We gon' find, this is the Truth Radio, this is what we're here to do.
We're going to find everything you need to help you boost up your business, right?
You're a black entrepreneur in the city of Milwaukee, and we wanna help you.
So whatever it is that you need, put the call out.
We gon' bring the people to you.
We gon' bring the people to you.
Yes, indeed.
We gotta go to break when we come back.
We're gonna switch gears a little bit.
We've talked about entrepreneurship.
We've talked about your journey.
You coming from Mississippi, moving to Milwaukee, taking your business from selling plates to a food truck, all the way to building two businesses, right?
When we come back, we're gonna switch gears, we're gonna ask.
Some rapid-fire questions.
Get to know Kenneth.
A little bit more at your girl, Jazz Tyler.
Do not touch that dial.
One on one point seven to truth.
One on one point
Happy Monday Milwaukee at your girl, Jazz Tyler.
You are officially tapped in please.
Do not forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, 101.7 The Truth.
Follow us on social media at 101.7 The Truth and tap in MKE.
We got Mr. Kenneth Mays is in the building.
He's going down.
We've talked about you growing up in Mississippi, moving to Milwaukee.
We've talked about you cooking, selling plates, turning into a food truck.
You end up.
owning a five-corner fish market.
Now you're the owner of 80 proof, right?
So you have two businesses and you're doing it all alone.
Well, you have your mother.
You have your mother, you have your staff.
And you say you're doing it alone.
You mentioned that you were single.
So I got a couple questions for you.
Do you believe that it is difficult for that is difficult for someone to date an entrepreneur?
Absolutely.
They don't understand your timing.
You're the boss.
If something goes wrong with someone to call in, you gotta go.
No matter if the date is planned, you still gotta show up.
Now after everything is over, we can still make that date.
But right now, we gotta get to the money.
Because this don't get us where we going.
But that's like a real thin line.
Because when you get your nails and everything done and set, I'm ready.
And we can't go right now.
Yep.
So it's a argument.
Yeah.
I don't
We trying to make some money.
I feel that.
I skip the question.
Are you single?
Are you dating?
Okay.
So you're single.
You do agree that dating an entrepreneur is difficult.
I agree.
I agree.
As someone who has worked for myself and has a business, even in this line of field, it is difficult because people don't understand.
When you don't get it unless you go out and get it yourself.
There's nobody that's going to go get it for you.
And that doesn't come at a time when we want it, right?
A lot of times it comes when you least expect.
And it's hard to plan.
It's hard to make plans because you never know how your day is going to go.
What is your average day like between both businesses?
I probably get about two, three hours of sleep because I'm up.
I got to get to it.
I gotta make sure this bar is ready.
I gotta make sure it's probably a rant.
I gotta put everything in line because it represents me at the last minute.
Yeah.
Yeah, I don't know.
It's difficult at times, real difficult.
But I wake up every day, I gotta do it.
I got two people dependent on me, with three.
My mother's dependent on me and my two boys.
So I ain't gotta choose.
I gotta work.
Patience.
Once you got patience, you got to understand it.
You understand the life that we're moving on to.
We got everything.
Absolutely.
We got everything.
That's that's a difficult question because you have to understand that this is the purpose.
Yeah, this is the future.
This is how we go.
This is how we able to do everything.
Yeah.
So no, I don't think it really would survive because.
I've done it.
I lived it.
So no,
I don't think that has a role.
You got to give what you want.
You got to come here what you want.
shot.
Yeah, you got to say something.
And I have a problem with saying something, so I probably missed out a couple of times.
And it's not because of my status or anything.
It's just like,
I
don't want to bother nobody.
Yeah.
I don't want to be turned down either.
Yeah.
What you mean?
You're turning me down.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, yeah, to get back to your question, I think both roles has to play that.
You got to go with what you want.
Regardless,
For me, I'm gonna speak for me.
Not all men.
I don't do no smoking.
You can't
Hookah is okay.
I can deal with
You like hookah?
I don't.
I don't smoke hookah.
But a woman doing hookah, that's different.
But the weed and the cigarettes.
too many.
It's just a smoking, honestly.
I know I was smirking, but I was into something else.
No, not really.
No.
She could get in there and stuff together.
She might be in college.
that's true.
She might be going to get her doctor.
If I'm dealing with a man or if I meet a man who is late 30, maybe 38 to 45, that's never had a serious relationship, don't have any children, never been married, that's kind of like a rad flag to me.
Because it's like, what you been doing this whole
time?
At 30?
Like 30 I get because you are, you know, the average 30 year old is still kind of, they're just now figuring it out, right?
So it may take a little longer.
My mom didn't have me until she was 30, you know?
So I get that.
But once you start creeping up to the mid-30s, you know, late-30s, early-40s, and it's like you never had not one serious relationship on top of no children,
no
They're like an understanding.
Okay.
That's an underlying big statement.
Understanding.
Yeah.
Because once you understand life and just balance of things that come to nature, you can understand.
Absolutely.
You can do anything.
You can talk.
Yeah.
So understanding is a big, big idea.
Love at first sight.
Yes.
Because you uh, you're with this person, you're dealing with this person, you're around them all the time.
You share some adventures and some likes and then you just run and go from there.
You wanna text me first.
Dinner
Both.
You gotta be the man.
on.
I gotta
I had a guy tell me now, I'm gonna ask you this because I got chewed out by this, right?
I'm okay with letting a man be a man.
If we're gonna date, you gotta open my door, but I'm gonna grab the second door for you.
I will do that, right?
If we're eating and you pay the bill, I like to leave the tip.
See, what is the issue with that?
Like men really don't like for women to leave the tip.
No, not once not ever So not even taking like hey, it's my turn to take you out No set marriage or let's see where it goes
marriage
Cuz I grew up with my own yeah, I would say marriage,
loyalty
Country.
I
Peace.
Got a peace of mind.
Yeah.
You'll wait for me, everybody.
You will see them coming down the road if they come into your house.
So I say country.
Country.
a cook at
how to cook.
I can say that on the radio.
The biggest turn on.
I can't say that on
like drama.
Wow.
I don't do that.
I'm 43.
The loudest one is the weakest.
I don't get
don't get tired.
I got to get it.
Truth Nation, would you date someone who works with you or another entrepreneur?
Meaning, if you had a business, right?
and this person had a business, or if you had a business and this person was working with you, would you date them?
833-212-1017, we want to hear from you.
So, earlier, again, you mentioned, we were talking about, we had the little fun rapid fire questions, right?
But in all seriousness, when you are a single man, entrepreneur, father, still working a regular job as well while running two businesses,
How important is it for you to have that family or have that support?
Not speaking from an emotional stance, but because we know that, but just having the support to do what you're trying to do, which is build a legacy and live out your dreams.
How important is it for you to obtain that person that can help you carry the load?
Oh, that's very important.
Because I got two kids looking or watching everything I do.
Yeah.
And every young man should want to be like his daddy.
So I need that.
That's a big push.
I need the support.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Even my young son.
Yeah.
He at the bar.
Dad, we going to the bar.
Dad, we going to the restaurant today.
He's there pouring your hot sauce up.
Yeah put tops on it.
So, uh, yeah, I think it's a They definitely look up to
I Was trying to get it I live I want them dead presidents.
I want to pull up headspin
6 jobs, I don't get tired.
I don't get, I don't get tired.
I
don't get,
1 on 1.7 is true.
Happy Monday, Milwaukee.
It's your girl, Jazz Tyler.
You are officially tapped in, and we got Mr. I Don't Get Tied in the building.
Kenneth Mays, thank you so much for joining us.
I just want to, for those who are joining, Kenneth actually is the owner of Five Corner Fish Market, the old red snapper on 60th and Lisbon.
I am an actual customer, am I not?
Yes.
Yeah, I am a customer.
I go in there.
When I can, the food is amazing.
The customer service is great.
And I'm excited about 80 Proof.
Shout out to my best friend, Riri Sharika.
She at work right now watching.
She's like, listen girl, we gotta go to that brunch on Sunday.
I told Mish, we're gonna have a takeover.
We gotta come and do a takeover.
So
A part of everybody that knows me knows I'm heavily involved in the community, very resourceful, and I just want our people to win.
So I want your business to win and I want our people to win.
So if you are looking for employment in this space, he is currently hiring bartenders.
He has a full, he need full kitchen staff, hookah girls, all of the above.
What is the address again for 80 proof?
Uh, 782 North Jefferson.
So we downtown diverse business, grown folks, straight grown folks.
If you are looking for a position bartender, full kitchen staff, hookah girls, please reach out to him on social media, Kenneth Mays on Facebook and Instagram.
So we had an amazing conversation.
We talked about relationships, talked about you growing up.
Now let's talk about legacy.
What do you help your sons learn from watching your journey?
To just keep going and always put your last name first.
First name.
Come on.
Last name first.
Expanding.
My mic keep is just two to three.
Yeah.
But expanding.
We're gonna keep it here.
Yeah.
Homegrown.
That's where I made the money at.
We're gonna keep it here.
It's
the city.
Get up and do it get up and do it at all costs The only stop is you
yeah, so the days earlier you mentioned You know there's times daily where you just feel like calling and quits and obviously you haven't and you're not because you have a family but
Where do you find that self-motivation?
What is it that you do to pull yourself back and say, you know what?
Even though I feel like this, I got to get it together and keep going.
What do you do?
What helps you?
I
don't want to put that burden on nobody.
So it's like, my thought is, I ain't got no help.
So I
truly have help.
But
at the end of the day, it's like, I'm a
man.
I don't want to have my hand.
I don't want to ask nobody for nothing if I don't have to.
The fish
may.
Fish may.
But for the most part, a Southern guy, respectful, carry yourself, carry the weight of others.
Just an all-around decent man that It's willing to deal with anything that comes his way.
Yeah, yeah, so how are you I got a backup because we didn't do our daily affirmations today I Always do daily affirmations.
It's my thing.
I am worthy.
I am love.
I won't give up just a few What is your daily affirmation for today?
What's your daily affirmation?
It could be anything.
I won't give up.
I am love.
I am worthy.
I'm a beast
Yes,
Yes indeed.
Um, what do you want your children to learn from you?
While you're like I know that they step back and they see you building your businesses, but this is based off of
The interactions like how you just broke down how they're helping right and they're part of it What about you being an entrepreneur?
Do you want them to learn?
If you got to do it yourself, just get it get it done.
get it done.
We turn it up in a daughter way.
you know grown folks matter
we we're gonna turn up yeah nice spot nice location um nice food good people
we're gonna get
five corner fish market
up.
I got to go up a little bit.
The money good, but I still got to go up a little bit.
All day Monday through Thursday.
It depends on how I'm feeling.
So the lunch special is $12.99, two piece of fish, fries and soda, six jumbo shrimp, or six whole wings.
All day, every day.
I know the menu says until four, but we use this running.
Come
Shrimp po' boys.
The customer's favorite is combo number two.
You get two whole pieces of filet, five jumbo shrimp, fries and coleslaw.
They buy that.
I'm running out of shrimp.
I know it.
I'm at the store two, three times a day.
Buy
sum bag.
I can't keep up.
restaurant?
I make everything.
Everything.
No, no, I make it Wednesday.
It's gone by Friday night
That's a big part.
So
a good
Always knew I can do it.
The people gonna come out once I got you in.
I got you.
And that's honestly how it went.
You can come on in and it's like, I want to go there because the sign didn't change.
So my
first
year, I
still had the red
stamper signed up.
So it was like, they didn't know it was black on.
So once they came in and said it was a black on, I was like, OK, you from the south.
Let's give it a chance.
So then once I started talking to them and speaking, it was like, all right.
But then once they got the flavor and the
been
It's a wrap.
One thing I will say a positive highlight on your business is it's consistent.
The biggest issue I have, I'm a huge advocate in supporting black businesses, especially from Milwaukee, from the clothing to the food, all of the above.
The issue that we have in our community is that people open up when they want to.
and you are consistent, your business has been consistent.
When you say you're gonna open, you open.
When you say you're gonna close, you close.
So I just wanted to big you up on that because there are some days it's like, man, I be driving around like I got a taste for this, this, this, and then I go and they close.
It's Tuesday, one lunch and you're closed.
No way, no way.
But I could pull up.
I could pull
up to your spot.
Um, 80 proof will be 12 to 12 for now.
Okay.
Until I get comfortable with the, you know, because I'm by myself.
Yeah.
Um, so 12 to 12.
because
Maybe the time though.
to come on.
on
outs?
Shout out my family.
Yeah.
No, I said it was just me and my mother.
Yeah.
My guy Wally G. Wally eats.
Okay.
He also caters.
Yeah.
I got a couple people.
Who else?
It's too many names.
As long as I got my mama,
while it
we good.
You heard it first.
Shout out to Kenneth Mays.
Make sure y'all get down to support 80 Proof.
It is about to open.
We going to turn up, man.
We taking over brunch on Sunday Meach.
We outside, baby.
We outside.
Thank y'all so much for tapping in.
Make sure you tune in tomorrow morning for the Morning Show with Homer Blow and Bailey Coleman followed by Sherwin Hughes and the lunch break with my boy Ray Nitty and maybe Shannon.
Later on after that, the great find and then double backs, men of black.
Tap in with your girl Jazz Tyler Monday through Friday, 4 p.m.
to 7 p.m.
I hope y'all had an incredible day.
Have a great evening Milwaukee.
I love you.
Stay safe.
Peace.
One on one point seven the truth is your girl Jazz Tyler.
We are live and direct.
We got the legendary Homer Blow in the building.
Speaking of Homer Blow, if you are looking to discover and support local businesses in our community, then make sure you tune in every Friday at 8 a.m.
to truth in the morning with Homer Blow and Bailey coming for what the business is powered by we energies.
Each week you'll hear from local business owners as they share what their business is where they are located in one valuable lesson they've learned along the way.
WeEnergies is proud to help power local businesses in the communities they serve.
Don't miss what the business is every Friday from
I'm sorry at 8 a.m.
Only on truth in the morning with Homer blow and Bailey common power by we energies delivering the energy that powers Local businesses Homer.
Thank you so
absolutely absolutely
Homer has been a huge, huge instrument in my life, not just entertainment-wise, but he was actually the first person to put me to the side and offer me some lifetime advice that I needed at such a young age in order for me to be successful, not just with music, but just character, how I conduct myself as a young lady, how I'm doing business, how I'm dealing with people.
And I say it all the time, I'm grateful for you, I'm grateful for...
having you a part of my life.
And when I was listening to your story about the DJ and then announcements and all of that, it's something that you've told me a long time ago that we talked about too and that was not being one dimensional.
So thank you for taking what you taught yourself and telling me, now I know how to pivot.
My pivot game was so cold.
You've managed to DJ.
You went to Washington High School and started doing school announcements and then worked your way up underage in the clubs.
radio.
And
I need this and my family, this my family, that.
So, you know, working a job too, you know, I was like here, I'll do this for you.
I can try to help you here.
I can try to help you there.
So I just started trying to help people to the best of my ability.
One thing that I never did was overextended.
Like I knew my limits
that part.
Yes.
I still love y'all.
Yeah, but this is all I could do.
Yes.
So in, um, DJ and in all of these clubs, I DJed Mary J Blige birthday party at clubs and stations.
Uh, you know, I was down at, uh, DV eight, uh, interns.
Um, I, it's so many clubs, uh, double C's, which was circus circus, uh, just so many, uh, even at main event, it's just so many, so many clubs.
that I've been blessed to be a part.
I DJ that, um, but was it tropical, uh, tropic?
Yeah, tropic.
I
Yeah.
It
was an old, uh, McDonald's, uh, but they turned it into a club and it had that, um, eight to, you know, where.
They had the where if it was hot.
Yeah, not.
Yeah.
But what's what's that?
That's the name of it is it.
But it chilled the whole room.
You get what I'm saying?
It chilled the whole club and they would just let it off when it was real hot and everybody would just, ah, OK, where is that?
I like that.
So.
But yes.
So just DJing that and a lot of the other different clubs that we've had here again from the sea out of sea.
Which was down the hops and brothers on that because that club turned into so many different names.
It was a little Apple then it turned into Odyssey then it turned into Black on the block and then it turned into club sensation It was a lot in different names
and
I DJ'd at all of them Uptown rich man poor man like I say I could just go on and on with the different clubs that
I've been blessed to be a part of small bars one that was on Capitol right across from what used to be the palace called D's I DJed at the palace.
I DJed at skate university.
So, you know, I just Multi-dimensional with that but when I got and everybody would always say are you on the radio?
I was hosting concerts for maize the fresh fast and all of that and people like
All of the artists, you know, being right Kim, whoever run DMC would be like, what radio station you on?
I don't work for the radio station.
Yeah.
You should write, but I wasn't interested in radio.
So I was hosting all these different concerts and all of that and DJ and all these clubs packing it out, lines around the corner and Ernie G, the late Ernie G may continue to rest in peace.
He would come to some of the spots and not knowing like who I was.
Yeah.
And he was like,
Man, you ever thought about being in radio?
I'm like, nope.
He's like, man, you could be in radio.
You got the voice, you got everything.
And I said, yeah, yeah.
He said, well, make me an air check.
And I said, what is air check?
He
said, I wanted to just hear you reading a public service announcement, which PSA do a commercial, something 30 seconds long and all of that.
And I was like, okay, and he said, you don't have to play the whole song because we know what the song sounds like.
It's about hearing you.
And if you're transitioning, which is a segue, then how did you blend that transition?
Were you talking over the lyrics of the song when you came in?
And so I ended up saying, okay, I can do that.
I ended up making a tape for him.
And I gave it to my brother, the one that was getting me in trouble for using his equipment.
Because he was in radio.
He was working in radio, but he was supposed to take it to Ernie G. Next time I saw Ernie G, well, he came to see me somewhere else packed.
What happened to my air check?
I said, I gave it to my brother.
My brother never gave it to him.
That happened three times.
Yeah.
me.
And when you get to the front desk and that's when it was at 3815 North to Tonya Avenue, I want you to tell them that I'm expecting you.
So one thing that you normally don't do because I've been blessed to be a program director and music director for over 30 years of my career, right?
Uh, is you don't listen to it while the person is there.
They drop it off.
You.
Go in your office and if you have several to listen to and an air check should be really no more than Three minutes long.
Okay.
and all
what
gonna say?
You know, I grew up on 14th and Burlai, so we always on Titanium.
It was something about riding past the radio station.
WNOV right there.
It's an excitement you get.
You hear you on the radio.
To us growing up is like, you know, a celebrity.
Like, this is right here
So I started June 11th and that's why, you know, this year, June 11th, I made my 35 years in radio and counting because I'm not out of radio.
You know what I'm saying?
So that's why.
Just like once you have your birthday, you're already turning the next age.
You just eight days older than what you were, so you that next age, you know, whether you make it all the way to your next birthday or not, you are that age.
After that age, we moving on.
We
in
that's what we
So I ended up doing that and told me to come in June 11th.
uh, June night.
So I'm following the, the jocks that were on the air and watching them, shadowing them.
And, and I'm a quick learner.
So I was catching on very quick.
And even when they would go to low power, where everybody would be like, it's going to go to static at this time.
You can't hear it.
When sun go down.
So, so I was like, can I come in at night?
and still be trying to DJ.
I know when nobody hearing me, they were here Canadian music because it's on the same band at that time as a Canadian station.
So you'd be hearing all Canadian music.
And so he was like, yeah, absolutely.
So I would come in when everybody else is gone.
And I would just be learning how to work the QRKs, the cart machines, learn the production.
We had real to reels that we had to cut commercials on.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
With the big round wheels, honey, with the tape, we had to learn the splice to put the commercials together.
Then we put it on the cart that looked like a eight track tape.
Yeah.
They were called carts, but I had to learn and master all of that stuff, uh, learning how to do the phones and, uh, turning.
They had pots then.
So you had to turn the round dials.
So they would call pots.
And so you had to be swift with it.
So when it was time to turn it down, you got to make it down.
All right.
And.
Yeah.
So it was, uh, it was an experience and Juneteenth was fast approaching and the newbie always had to do the Juneteenth.
They had to stay at the station and do the board.
So I had the baby set the board.
Yeah.
So, and take the calls as they would call in and talk about what's going on at Juneteenth and the parade.
I
dial.
We are live and direct Please make sure you like and subscribe to our YouTube channel 101.7 the truth and follow us on social media at 101.7 the truth and tap in MKE shout out to the chat my sister Trina Joining us all the way from Florida.
Thank you so much Homer Why are you still excited?
What makes you excited about radio 35 years later
job.
Yeah.
Yes.
other.
to
And they just wouldn't answer.
It wasn't even for a contest.
I just wanted to request a song.
So I was like, they ain't answering the phone.
So when I first got in radio, I was like, I'm gonna answer every call.
And I was like, yep.
And Ernie G would tell me, may he continue the recipes and be like, listen, you ain't going, don't worry about the phone lines like that.
You know, I understand we got a contest going
on.
Yeah, but I'm answering everybody because I used to be the kid on the other line that wouldn't get no answers.
So I wanted to answer everybody.
I was answering that phone, answering that phone.
And then it just hit me after about a year or so.
I'm like, I can't even focus because you got so much other stuff.
You got.
PSAs you gotta read.
You got live commercials.
You got all this kind of stuff.
And then you got contests that you're doing.
So you tired of that damn phone.
So I was here ringing.
They calling.
But it wasn't a priority.
I'm like, because if I focus too much on this phone line, I'm going to mess up in another area.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm like, I get it.
I apologize to everybody that I said it about.
Yeah.
Oh man, I'm sorry.
I get it now.
I get it why you weren't answering the phone.
But also with radio, when I got in.
to radio, I was able to transcend to an even higher level.
So I was always a very popular DJ and person in the community, but you reach people that you would never even imagine.
Some people don't go out and the radio is their only friend.
They will, you know, pretend to be like, no, you better not say no jab.
No, that's my girl.
I listen to her all the time.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But yeah, she was saying to this one person that she had on and she said this.
Well, I don't give a damn.
Yeah.
I will fight you.
Yeah.
And they will argue for you.
Yeah.
You know, people coming to me like, yeah, bro, I had to check this first.
And they would say, I'm like, no, y'all don't know who on the blue is.
You know,
So we are, we become their family.
We literally become their family.
And that's why I like people to respect the world that you enter into because, you know, it means something to these people and they become your friends.
They become your family.
And, uh,
when, even when you think about the chats and, uh, you know, the, the, the callers, Hey, how you doing, jazz?
You feel what I'm saying?
Yes.
Like these, some people, some of those people are people you never met before, but they have come to learn and know you and, and be like, look, I like how you do your thing.
I also like how you handle this caller.
I like how you did that interview.
So, you know, uh, people have to understand that's something that you got to.
Hold near and dear to you.
Yes.
I've done the gospel show.
I've done the R and V show.
I've done the hip hop show.
Done the classic old school show.
I've done talk radio.
So I've done every dimension.
I was in the production room, uh, producing and all of that kind of stuff.
So I learned every facet.
So when I was, uh, asked to when Ernie G was, uh, relieved of his duties at W and O V.
a few years after I got there, Mr. Jones and Sandra Robinson said, hey, we want to meet with
you.
So I was like his favorite person.
He was home team, that's what he called me.
And so when it was a chance for me to excel, even though I didn't know that that's what was happening, when I heard that they had let him go, I'm like, what?
My hero, my mentor.
He brought me into radio.
I never wanted to be in radio, but now I love it.
And radio can be a gift and a curse because radio creates monsters.
It can turn somebody into somebody you don't even recognize anymore.
So you have to be careful and learn how to control that portion of it and don't let it
Never think that I told everybody who's ever worked under me that I hired Never think you are bigger than the station.
Yeah,
Yeah,
Yeah
Yeah,
That's
Yeah.
Yeah.
our
history, my history with Ray, with him signing me to his label and taking me on tour for the first time.
So there's relationships at this station where you can tell that it's family oriented.
As far as radio, what I will say is I feel like you and Bailey have done an excellent job at leading the way to where we have something to look forward to, or we had something to look forward to.
So growing up, and now that I'm in this seat, growing up, thinking back of the WNLV days, when she was on V100, all of these things start to replay.
And
and
Yes.
told
you that was him I told you that was him
at
But oftentimes when you see people after I do receive something or they hear that I'm receiving something, one of the things to take note besides all the congratulations, go through some of those comments and you're going to see a lot of those people going to say you deserve it and thank you for what you do for the community.
I hear it all the time.
So that means that I'm not chasing no.
Yeah, I'm not chasing no accolades.
you
Just giving is information.
Yes, indeed.
We got Homer Blow in the building.
We want to hear from you.
833-212-1017.
What comes to your mind when you hear the legendary name Homer Blow?
We got to go to break to pay some bills.
Do not touch that dial.
It should grow, Jazz Tyler.
One on one point seven the truth is your girl Jazz Tyler.
We got the legendary my fave Homer blow in the building.
It's been an amazing conversation We've talked about your life growing up DJ in Washington High School We've talked about radio gun double back back into the birthday bash
Claybourne Benson's building, uh, when he, you know, acquired that portion of it, you know, cause it used to just be like that one part, uh, that used to be like a library or something.
Like it was just that.
And then he ended up acquiring the side that black in the day used to be Ebony Q where they had video and arcade games.
Uh, and, uh, so when he ended up acquiring that side.
of the building which people go into now for Kwanzaa celebrations
and
And he has all of the pictures and history on the wall.
And he's built the stage.
Well, none of that in there for the first inaugural home up below birthday party for the kids.
But that's where I had my first birthday party for the kids at.
And it was just, you know, kind of dirt floor, dirt, you know.
And just space.
It was just a whole big empty
Mm hmm.
Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
Yep.
So I ended up having just a little paper flyers and whatnot.
And I was like,
All right, let's see how this go.
Let's see how this go.
And when them kids start coming and black, then I can have clowns and stuff.
Not everybody's terrified of clowns.
I don't know if it's because it came
they were at a
Yeah,
that
But yeah, so the kids, when I would be out and about, whether I was doing some.
Just some community work and the kids will see me and be like, homer bloat, they hear me on the radio and I'd be a Juneteenth and all the other celebrations and whatnot.
And the kids will come up and be like, homer bloat, can we come to your party?
I'm like, no, you got to be grown to get into the party.
Like, uh, uh, when can we come to your party?
I say, you know what?
I'm going to, I'm going to do something for you.
I'm going to do something for you.
And so, uh, because the community was changing.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
It was changing.
There was more violence moving into the inner city.
And I was like, you know what?
Let me try to do a party for these children and also help the parents
at the
because
and gifts
And Cheryl's mother, who was also recently deceased like last year, but we would have them, you know, working, working the door and all of that kind of stuff.
And we would end up giving them.
I would buy, I only was able to buy like a thousand dollars worth of toys at that time.
So I'm like, okay, I'm going to do this.
And we bought all the hot dogs and everything and paid the clowns and all that stuff.
So the lights set up, the DJ set up all that stuff.
So did that.
And it was such an overwhelming success.
And we took a picture.
I'd have to really dig, but there is a big picture of a lot of the kids and us and we in that big old empty building.
But it was an excellent situation.
And then I carried on and the party has moved around to a few different locations.
I was at Hillside Boys and Girls Club for some years.
Also, even when you remember what's now, it was Mr. J's, right?
but it was Brooklands.
So I'd done a couple of the parties there on the side that turned into Mr. J's and the outside parking lot.
So I'd done a couple of parties there.
I'd done a few parties at what used to be the Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighters Hall, which is now, yeah, yeah, which is now like, what is it, a library or something?
Yep.
So, so yeah, it's been some places.
It's been some places and the Parkland YMCA
Um, the Holton, uh, youth center
down on
Yeah.
There, uh, SDC, uh, on 36 and right, uh, there.
So, you know, it's traveled to some places.
And then, uh, I remember when at that time Alderman Willie Wade, he had to wait in line.
He was coming to give me a proclamation.
I didn't know, but he was like, he called me and was like, Homer.
Can you get me in?
I'm like, huh?
I'm like, what you mean?
Because see, I'm always DJing.
So I never, I only get to see what's happening outside after the party when I see all these pictures or video clips.
So it's like, the line was, it's always bananas.
I didn't realize how long the lines were.
And he's like, I can't get in.
And so I had to give somebody my phone and be like,
here.
And he was like, man, thanks.
So I had to get him in.
Damn, it was going down.
And the party was lit.
And again, originally, the party is free to get in now.
But remember, the kids wanted to know if they could come to my parties that I'm DJing.
So I started out with it being 25 cent.
Make
choice.
So y'all can come to the party.
So I'm doing all that and be like, so y'all be good and all of that.
So y'all can get your money and come to the party.
So all of the commercials sounded like that.
And, uh, but what we also do.
is we'd have so many people from the community because they knew the work that I was doing.
They would just bring $10 rows of quarters.
So no kid ever got turned around if they didn't have 25 cent.
Because people were like, here, here, take these.
I'm bringing $50 worth of quarters and all of that.
So no child ever got turned around.
But to see the joy on those children's face when they got to put their quarter in the little bucket.
And then they come in the lights and the strobe light and all of that.
So, uh, they really enjoyed themselves and I enjoyed being able to do it and just over the years and continue to grow.
And I was, I was kind of shocked, uh, that it took so long before real other sponsors really start joining in.
Cause the party was like 15, 16 years old before I started getting.
big sponsors.
So, but I didn't stop because the kids meant that much to me.
I wanted those kids to experience what it was like to be a child.
We have to guard them so much.
I could ride my bike when I was coming up three, four blocks away.
I could, you know, walk to the swimming pool.
No problem at Lincoln Park or wherever I was going, or Washington Park, but our children now, we don't want them halfway out of our sight.
So I wanted them to be able to feel what it's like.
to be a child.
And that was my goal.
I want y'all, I tell my volunteers, we're like, hey, don't tell them to stop running because they kids, they got energy.
They supposed to be running.
They meet friends and all of that kind of stuff.
So that has been the main premise of that party and giving them gifts like blowing your birthday.
How you giving other people gifts?
Who do that?
And like me, because, you
know,
I hear about the changes almost daily.
Yes.
People to say, yeah, man, I came to your party and I, and they remember exactly what they got, whether it was a bike, whether it was a doll, whether it was a basketball, whether it was a, some type of toy that they liked and easy bake ovens, whatever it was.
And they always say like, I remember I got this and I still got this and a resting piece to Van Johnson.
he had ended up adopting two foster kids, right and You know they came from troubled homes or whatnot and he was like, you know blow I got two foster kids man, and I really hope they can get a bike and so I made you know special arrangements and I was like here I took them two bikes and Even though his foster son before you know, he passed away He was graduating
And I went by the house and they was like, blow, come here, look in the garage.
That's the bike that you gave him.
Now he, he tends to be plus now if he get in the bike.
Yeah, but
Yeah.
Yes.
When we come back from break, we're going to talk a little bit more about radio.
We want to hear from you, 833-212-1017.
What is your favorite Homer Blow memory you should grow, Jazz Tyler?
Do not touch that dial.
101.7 the truth is your girl jazz Tyler.
We are live in Zowreck.
We got the legendary my favorite Homer blow in the building Homer we had an amazing conversation today
Absolutely 16
that part
a
again
and not be afraid to be accused of you trying to talk black.
No, no, I am black.
And it's one of the reasons that I say black instead of the word BACK.
I want people to know, yeah, I'm black.
Yeah, I'm proud of my heritage.
I'm proud of my culture.
I'm not ashamed because some people try to run from it like imitation of life, you know, to act like, ah, I ain't this, I ain't that.
No, no, I am absolutely.
I'm absolutely.
And.
just to know that we were able to help and continue to help so many black owned and operated businesses.
There are so many musical artists that are where they are today that have become platinum and Grammy Award winning and gold because of radio black radio because we're sure not necessarily getting the play that we would need on.
other radio stations that are not black radio stations and not afraid to be a black radio station.
Right.
To be able to use our isms and the different things that we know we can understand.
I don't care if you can't understand.
We know.
That's right.
We know because they got language that they can say that we don't know what the hell they saying, but they saying something to them.
That's right.
We'll go and raise the money to.
spend and advertise on some of the stations that you're not going to get the return that you're going to get from a black station because we understand.
We know why you're advertising this event.
We're going to help try to push this event.
A little bit more for you.
That's right.
Because we know why you're doing it.
We know that you are a promoter.
We know that you are an investor.
We know that you sell real estate.
Other people ain't the only ones that can sell real estate.
We do too.
And we
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
People.
Yeah.
Because, like I say, there were.
Tony Fields, you know, Nate Bell.
It was a lot of different program directors that he came through V 100.
And they were like, Hey, man, come on, man.
Tony Fields would always say, you know, Homer, one of the things that I love about you is, you know, he said a lot of my jocks, they got listeners.
but you got a listener base, which means that people will follow you.
So if you go from here to here,
You know what I mean?
And he said, that's worth more than just a listener.
He said, no, we don't count out listeners, but with you, I know that if you would come over here, your people would come over here too.
And why did I not take any of those offers?
Offers the same reason I just said.
WNLV was grounded and rooted in our inner city.
But nope, even when we moved, we just moved to 20th and capital.
Yes.
Right down the street, still right in the heart of our inner city.
So we ain't just talking about we hear for the community.
We appreciate the community.
We're there.
We're showing.
We're doing events.
Absolutely.
We're letting you know where you can get help and resources at.
And that's what it's about.
I made a post today in 1996.
My mom called Mrs. Maddie Bell Woods, where's her soul.
And she captured me doing some poetry.
And then 30 years later, I was on.
Milwaukee Courier again for Juneteenth, and it was an amazing an amazing feeling So before we head out For those who are joining us earlier in the show I mentioned the advice that you have given me throughout the years and there was specific advice that changed my life
The first one was not to be one dimensional, which is why, if any of you are wondering why,
It was that advice, right?
And I'm grateful for that because I always have a backup.
I know how to pivot.
Secondly, it was my attitude, you know, how I approach things, how to not let things disrupt my peace and the business side of it.
Today,
As a 38 year old woman who is now on radio working with you inside side by side What advice do you have for me knowing what I've been through watching me grow?
What can you share with me that will help me become better at what it is that I'm doing now
check
wrap.
of the other parts of you that you have built.
Keep the foundation of all those other parts because whatever one sinks, you got a foundation.
So you can just climb right to the next one and be like, let me go black to doing this.
I'm also great at this because some people will try to discourage you.
Some people will think that I'm going to take your lollipop away and you're just going to cry and be like, uh, no.
Yeah.
And you know, so you've been a.
the name we don't say now, but it has been on there.
You know what I'm saying?
It's been a lot of national artists and comedians that have been on that.
I get it.
I get it.
Uh, that part and shout out to all of the Milwaukee artists like with W and OV, any radio station, I don't care which radio station it is, especially here in the city.
Uh, but I challenge it all over the country that have played more Milwaukee artists than me.
Yeah,
Yeah.
Because if you don't, it will keep that divide.
So if you want us to listen to you, you have to be willing to listen to us.
We're trying to give you things that we already been near done that.
We know some times have changed, but the situations and the circumstances have
for you, for all of your advice, and just for being a dope human being.
I look forward to continue to working with you.
Not just radio, but community.
And I pray that God continues to enhance your anointing.
It's so big.
It's so bright.
And I encourage those under me, if you don't know Home or Blow, especially if you are in the entertainment field,
to please do, because he's going to be able to give you a piece of advice, something that's not tangible, that will stay with you forever, and that can change your life forever.
Please make that connection, Homer.
Thank you so much.
I received that.
Thank you so much.
We got to go to break.
Don't touch that.
That should grow.
Jazz Tyler.
Milwaukee, get ready.
101.7 The Truth Family Fest is back.
Join us Saturday, August 22nd from 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
at Riverside University High School for free back to school resources, live entertainment, family activities and community fund.
Vendors and sponsors can reserve a spot by visiting truthfamilyfest.com or
You all know him, right?
You know him from...
That good old fool.
And if you know me, you know I love fools.
So I said it anyways.
Kenneth Mazers in the building.
Thank you so much, Kenny, for joining us.
How are you today?
I am doing good.
It's a beautiful day.
So I've had a chance to let me just say this first and foremost, if y'all have not been to the five corner market on 60th and Lisbon, I don't know where you been.
I just, I don't know.
The daily lunch specials, the perch, the catfish, the shrimp po' boy, the size, all of the above, right?
I even went in there last week and I seen y'all had some gumbo.
Yes.
So y'all making gumbo now, too.
Yes, I make gumbo every Wednesday.
Mm-hmm.
What's the closest city in Mississippi that's by?
Okay, so it's going got you.
Okay, so that's like What colleges it's a college over there?
Got you.
Yep
What was the transition like coming from?
So when you're 14, moving to a different state, that's different because now you're eighth grade, ninth grade.
You have to adjust to the climate.
You have to adjust to the people, the personalities.
Was it a culture shock?
What was it like moving from Mississippi to Milwaukee?
I want to say it was pretty different.
We got weapons back back at home.
Yeah, it was just.
the way people, the way that they were brought up, like we have Southern hospitality, but I don't know what you mean.
It's different.
The way we were raised is different than the way that you are raised.
So when you came, was you like, oh, that's just running around here raggedy.
Y'all just, y'all need some whooping.
Yeah, we got whooped.
We had to.
And the town was so small, so everybody knew
it was like, hey, whoop my son, get him in line whenever you need to, don't
way these kids need to get
Oh, yeah.
it down to me.
So I always been in food.
I used to be a dietary director over in Nersong for like 17 years.
And all the CNAs and everybody they wanted me to cook.
Yeah.
So I had good food.
I made my own food.
So they was like, man, make me some of that.
Yeah.
So then after that, they was like, won't you start selling it?
So I
started selling it.
Yeah.
Out the back door.
Yeah.
I paid for it.
So
after about a year or something, I got a food truck.
Food truck was doing extreme numbers.
I would say 35.
OK.
So about a
couple of years
ago.
Yeah.
So then the food truck got a little bit too wild.
I couldn't keep up.
So I said, it was time for me to just explore and find me something where I can just keep up with the people and serve everybody at a timely manner.
I'm pretty good at it.
Yeah, I got my certain dishes.
Salmon.
Does that say that right?
Oh,
rice or mashed potatoes.
A little shrimp topping maybe.
Probably just because of the restaurant.
Yeah.
I do it.
Understandable.
It's good.
I'm not gonna lie.
It's good.
So, either way, I'm gonna eat it.
And I mean that because I am actually a consumer.
I actually go, it's okay.
I actually go to your place of business and purchase lunch because the food is amazing.
Was there a moment in this process of becoming an entrepreneur where you felt like giving up?
Yes.
Today.
Yeah.
Even with the bar.
I had a health department inspection today and it's just like
It takes a lot of people to motivate me.
Like, bro, you at the finish line, just go on and knock it out.
But it's a lot.
And it's me by myself.
I kind of have help, but not on the business side, if
that makes sense.
It's just me and my mother here.
My sister's out of town.
So it gets kind of heavy.
I wake up and I was like, no, I don't want to do it anymore.
I just want to have a regular job.
I want to go back to the regular life.
And everything was fine.
Because you the boss, you got to...
take that boss role, you gotta take up everything, you gotta-
Yeah, and you correct everything that you didn't do.
Yeah.
So, to get back to the question, if I wanna give up every day, I do.
I wanna go back to the life.
But I
too far in already.
Proof is 782 North Jefferson.
So I'm down on...
I'm in the area.
Yes.
Yes.
How does
great.
Every day I walk in is like, I'm almost there.
Yeah.
That's what I wanted.
Yeah.
I didn't know how I was going to get it.
And I'm figuring it out.
Great vibes.
OK.
Grown.
Yeah.
Good food.
Sundays might be my best day.
OK.
That's my
Sundays would be the big brunch.
Or you can eat.
Yeah.
Alcohol, grown people.
Come on.
Good music.
I've seen you made a post asking about a favorite drink, so I'm just going to tell you now.
I love French 75, but with tequila.
And I love Apple martinis, Prosecco.
I won't try to tell me.
Hit the chat.
Call in 833-212-1017.
What drink do you want to see at 80 Proof?
We're going to come and take over.
Come on.
We're going to come and take over.
I leave it.
I can have
Kenneth Mays, or Instagram.
I got 150 people capacity, full bar, full kitchen.
That's the option book.
And also I'm booked into November already.
I'm not even open
Yes.
Oh, well, my night's hero, he lives in Atlanta.
I'm there whenever you call me.
Yeah.
You can call me tomorrow.
I've been on a flight the weekend.
Yeah.
It's that easy.
My nine year old, he's
He's around a lot.
He just called me before I got here.
I was like, hey, I'm going to this interview, I'll tell you right back.
Spoiled, so he's attached to me.
So it's the only two, three years apart.
I will not have anymore.
Life is too
busy.
But the balance, we're going, you know, we do whatever you want to do, the most part.
I take him, I spoil him, that's my last child, I ask for him.
So I'm a man up
to be what I gotta do.
I see you being
fan of it.
I gotta get away.
I
I have to get away.
Places I love to visit.
South America, I'm working
on my
Spanish a little bit.
Anything out the country.
My passport
book, I
got it, and I said I was
going to use it
up.
For the first year I got it, I did about 12 countries.
And it's like a piece of mine.
Because when I'm here, it's like everyone's calling my phone.
I'm busy, I got to run here, I got to run there.
So when I'm on vacation, I enjoy it.
But at the same time, it's like my mental break because they don't bother
Another place, I get up and go everywhere.
So it's like, I don't really have a favorite, favorite spot.
I just enjoy vacation, good boat, good tan, I'm good.
So when y'all see him posting, no, yes, he living his best life, but the man put in a lot of work, man.
It's a lot going on, running two businesses, raising two children at the same time.
We all know that entrepreneurship is very, very hard, especially when you don't have help.
So we have to go to break.
When we come back, we're going to dip into a little bit more of how you got to where you are.
Where do you see yourself, you know, in the future and how can Milwaukee support you?
We got to go to break to pay some bills.
Do not touch that doubt.
Your girl, Jazz Tyler, one on 1.7, the
truth.
We got
Thank you so much for tapping in with us.
We want to hear from you.
833-212-1017.
So we talked about you being a business owner, entrepreneur.
So you have a five corner fish market, which I absolutely love.
You now just open or about to open 80 proof.
Yes, which is a bar restaurant event space on Jefferson Street.
Yes, and you're booked up to November
already
is
That's a that's real support Let's talk about the sacrifices.
Let's talk about the things that
people don't see the work for those who are looking to build a business or who's just starting their business.
What is some advice or what are some of the struggles that you've had to go through?
For the most part, I would say don't give up because it's always a finish line.
The sacrifices is giving
up time, giving
them sleep, giving up family, just having a passion to do what you gotta do.
What are some of the struggles that you face when you are because we all know red snapper was like a prominent black business in Milwaukee, right?
And to come and follow behind that can be difficult, especially if the food don't match.
Luckily it do, but if the quality of the food don't match, right?
What was it like?
What was in the beginning?
What were some of the difficulties that you dealt with trying to convert old customers for so many years to become accustomed to?
the new restaurant?
They wouldn't come in.
For the most part, I had to go out there and get them.
The phone numbers still the same.
This red snapper, oh no, we don't want it.
No, come try it.
Just give me a
try.
For the first year, it was okay.
Second year, it was great.
But now they didn't caught on.
They caught on now.
The struggles is...
Trying to please people.
Yes.
That's the difficult part.
Absolutely.
Trying to get everyone on one accord.
Because they'll tear you down.
Yes.
If you ain't good, they'll tear you down.
If they, if you ain't got a straw in the bag, they gonna talk about you.
So you gotta kinda come with it.
Yeah.
Be ready for it, be prepared.
Don't let it, don't let it get you down.
The first time I came back home from living on a state, I came and I wanted to try the food.
The first thing I had was, I believe it was perch and it was good to me.
And then I went back again for the food.
But now when I go back is because of the customer service and the food.
So whenever I enter your establishment, the people that I come across, that's across that counter are always kind.
You know, the older gentleman, he have.
the conversations, you know, about what's happening in the community.
It's like a family dynamic.
So I say that to say, I heard you mentioned at first people wouldn't come and then you had to go out there and get them.
And you also had to go and get employees that will make the people come.
And just as a as a customer, I want you to know that it's it came together.
I see it now throughout the years.
I see it now.
So don't don't beat yourself up, you know, we all know.
You know, the struggles and stuff like that, but it paid off.
Oh,
I'll be on them.
Yeah.
It represents me at the end of the day.
Absolutely.
Whatever y'all
do
is still, they're going to come talk to me.
Yeah.
And I run a strict program.
It's like, hey, y'all got to do it this way or, you know, because they coming back for me.
Yeah.
Every time they say something, I'm going to let y'all know.
And I'm from the South.
So you got to have like a, be welcome into people.
Yes.
People, they love to come here.
They want to spend their money.
And they're spending their heart on
You gotta give them everything that they desire as a customer from everything.
I think they coming out.
Okay, they're gonna come down.
Yeah, because we need it.
Um It's adult older I would say I don't have a age range, but it's just a vibe.
Yeah, so when you're
going to take the
vibe and grow I'm bringing a grown back to me.
Uh, sorry, I'm
bringing a grown back
downtown.
Yeah, that's the slogan Because we don't have pretty much nowhere to go.
Yeah for just
to be in one
spot downtown close.
We don't got to go all the way out
Just a nice spot nice vibe.
It's gonna be similar to five corners.
Um, I gotta take the fish down there.
That's my number one key.
We're gonna do burgers flat breads Got some vegan items.
So we go we trying to please everybody
we are trying to get everybody down.
the difference in the nationalities.
Yes.
All the
Okay.
So let's do that.
I know some people out there that need some jobs.
So what are you hiring for?
And I'm doing this strategically because, listen, I don't want nobody else calling my phone asking me about a job in this industry because we have someone right here who is about to tell you.
He's hiring.
He's gonna run down the job descriptions.
And when you, if I refer you to him, please don't make me look bad.
What are you hiring for, Kenny?
I have no staff.
I have a business that's been open maybe in the next couple of days, and I have no staff.
So bartenders, of course.
I need about five of them.
Kind of, yes, I would say.
Because I'm downtown.
So I got different nationalities that...
Desire different drinks.
Yes.
Um, I got hookah.
So I'm gonna need about two or three hookah girls.
Okay.
Full kitchen staff.
Okay.
I'm working with 5,000 square feet.
Okay.
This ain't no kind of small.
I think my guy gonna take care of that.
Uh, Theron Rogers shot out a prolific arm.
rather meet you in person.
I don't want a resume.
Let me get the vibe.
Let me talk to you and see if we can work in how I like things to go.
Eddie Proof is about to open up and right now he needs bartenders.
hooker girls and full of staff.
I don't know who I'm talking to out there.
I don't know if it's your brother, your mama, your auntie, your uncle.
It could be your grandma, right?
He's giving out jobs.
He's giving out jobs.
So how can I reach you again?
Kenneth and
Please reach out.
If this is your industry, if you are in need of employment, we want to be able to support those who need a job and.
Someone who's looking to hire shout out to the chat Sayir.
Yo, what's the wire man?
It's been a minute.
He said we used to be on WNOV under Renee management days man Listen, he's referring to Hummerblows interview shout out to Sharika.
She said that's my best friend reread She said can't wait to check out Sunday brunch.
We going just and you know it We turn it up.
It's gonna be a takeover.
We might have to do a truth takeover at 80 proof on Sunday
The only, what, what me?
What?
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying.
What were you?
Man, let's get it cracking.
For real.
The only request I have is fried green tomatoes.
I just want some fried green tomatoes.
There's nowhere to go.
Maybe one place, but can you put some fried green tomatoes on the menu?
I guess I'm at the restaurant.
on now.
Labor Day.
Okay.
So that weekend of the Labor Day.
Monday to seven.
So maybe that weekend, if not sooner.
I still working on a five.
And they don't know that.
Okay.
Come on.
Let's talk about.
I'm busy and tired but you can't tell.
Nine to five I'm a maintenance mechanic at a factory.
That's seven to seven.
So from seven p.m.
to seven a.m.
I'm working.
It works out because it's four on four off.
So when I'm four days off, I'm here.
Busy.
I ain't married.
I need my health insurance still.
But now.
But now.
Balance.
Mm-hmm
We gon' find, this is the Truth Radio, this is what we're here to do.
We're going to find everything you need to help you boost up your business, right?
You're a black entrepreneur in the city of Milwaukee, and we wanna help you.
So whatever it is that you need, put the call out.
We gon' bring the people to you.
We gon' bring the people to you.
Yes, indeed.
We gotta go to break when we come back.
We're gonna switch gears a little bit.
We've talked about entrepreneurship.
We've talked about your journey.
You coming from Mississippi, moving to Milwaukee, taking your business from selling plates to a food truck, all the way to building two businesses, right?
When we come back, we're gonna switch gears, we're gonna ask.
Some rapid-fire questions.
Get to know Kenneth.
A little bit more at your girl, Jazz Tyler.
Do not touch that dial.
One on one point seven to truth.
One on one point
Happy Monday Milwaukee at your girl, Jazz Tyler.
You are officially tapped in please.
Do not forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, 101.7 The Truth.
Follow us on social media at 101.7 The Truth and tap in MKE.
We got Mr. Kenneth Mays is in the building.
He's going down.
We've talked about you growing up in Mississippi, moving to Milwaukee.
We've talked about you cooking, selling plates, turning into a food truck.
You end up.
owning a five-corner fish market.
Now you're the owner of 80 proof, right?
So you have two businesses and you're doing it all alone.
Well, you have your mother.
You have your mother, you have your staff.
And you say you're doing it alone.
You mentioned that you were single.
So I got a couple questions for you.
Do you believe that it is difficult for that is difficult for someone to date an entrepreneur?
Absolutely.
They don't understand your timing.
You're the boss.
If something goes wrong with someone to call in, you gotta go.
No matter if the date is planned, you still gotta show up.
Now after everything is over, we can still make that date.
But right now, we gotta get to the money.
Because this don't get us where we going.
But that's like a real thin line.
Because when you get your nails and everything done and set, I'm ready.
And we can't go right now.
Yep.
So it's a argument.
Yeah.
I don't
We trying to make some money.
I feel that.
I skip the question.
Are you single?
Are you dating?
Okay.
So you're single.
You do agree that dating an entrepreneur is difficult.
I agree.
I agree.
As someone who has worked for myself and has a business, even in this line of field, it is difficult because people don't understand.
When you don't get it unless you go out and get it yourself.
There's nobody that's going to go get it for you.
And that doesn't come at a time when we want it, right?
A lot of times it comes when you least expect.
And it's hard to plan.
It's hard to make plans because you never know how your day is going to go.
What is your average day like between both businesses?
I probably get about two, three hours of sleep because I'm up.
I got to get to it.
I gotta make sure this bar is ready.
I gotta make sure it's probably a rant.
I gotta put everything in line because it represents me at the last minute.
Yeah.
Yeah, I don't know.
It's difficult at times, real difficult.
But I wake up every day, I gotta do it.
I got two people dependent on me, with three.
My mother's dependent on me and my two boys.
So I ain't gotta choose.
I gotta work.
Patience.
Once you got patience, you got to understand it.
You understand the life that we're moving on to.
We got everything.
Absolutely.
We got everything.
That's that's a difficult question because you have to understand that this is the purpose.
Yeah, this is the future.
This is how we go.
This is how we able to do everything.
Yeah.
So no, I don't think it really would survive because.
I've done it.
I lived it.
So no,
I don't think that has a role.
You got to give what you want.
You got to come here what you want.
shot.
Yeah, you got to say something.
And I have a problem with saying something, so I probably missed out a couple of times.
And it's not because of my status or anything.
It's just like,
I
don't want to bother nobody.
Yeah.
I don't want to be turned down either.
Yeah.
What you mean?
You're turning me down.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, yeah, to get back to your question, I think both roles has to play that.
You got to go with what you want.
Regardless,
For me, I'm gonna speak for me.
Not all men.
I don't do no smoking.
You can't
Hookah is okay.
I can deal with
You like hookah?
I don't.
I don't smoke hookah.
But a woman doing hookah, that's different.
But the weed and the cigarettes.
too many.
It's just a smoking, honestly.
I know I was smirking, but I was into something else.
No, not really.
No.
She could get in there and stuff together.
She might be in college.
that's true.
She might be going to get her doctor.
If I'm dealing with a man or if I meet a man who is late 30, maybe 38 to 45, that's never had a serious relationship, don't have any children, never been married, that's kind of like a rad flag to me.
Because it's like, what you been doing this whole
time?
At 30?
Like 30 I get because you are, you know, the average 30 year old is still kind of, they're just now figuring it out, right?
So it may take a little longer.
My mom didn't have me until she was 30, you know?
So I get that.
But once you start creeping up to the mid-30s, you know, late-30s, early-40s, and it's like you never had not one serious relationship on top of no children,
no
They're like an understanding.
Okay.
That's an underlying big statement.
Understanding.
Yeah.
Because once you understand life and just balance of things that come to nature, you can understand.
Absolutely.
You can do anything.
You can talk.
Yeah.
So understanding is a big, big idea.
Love at first sight.
Yes.
Because you uh, you're with this person, you're dealing with this person, you're around them all the time.
You share some adventures and some likes and then you just run and go from there.
You wanna text me first.
Dinner
Both.
You gotta be the man.
on.
I gotta
I had a guy tell me now, I'm gonna ask you this because I got chewed out by this, right?
I'm okay with letting a man be a man.
If we're gonna date, you gotta open my door, but I'm gonna grab the second door for you.
I will do that, right?
If we're eating and you pay the bill, I like to leave the tip.
See, what is the issue with that?
Like men really don't like for women to leave the tip.
No, not once not ever So not even taking like hey, it's my turn to take you out No set marriage or let's see where it goes
marriage
Cuz I grew up with my own yeah, I would say marriage,
loyalty
Country.
I
Peace.
Got a peace of mind.
Yeah.
You'll wait for me, everybody.
You will see them coming down the road if they come into your house.
So I say country.
Country.
a cook at
how to cook.
I can say that on the radio.
The biggest turn on.
I can't say that on
like drama.
Wow.
I don't do that.
I'm 43.
The loudest one is the weakest.
I don't get
don't get tired.
I got to get it.
Truth Nation, would you date someone who works with you or another entrepreneur?
Meaning, if you had a business, right?
and this person had a business, or if you had a business and this person was working with you, would you date them?
833-212-1017, we want to hear from you.
So, earlier, again, you mentioned, we were talking about, we had the little fun rapid fire questions, right?
But in all seriousness, when you are a single man, entrepreneur, father, still working a regular job as well while running two businesses,
How important is it for you to have that family or have that support?
Not speaking from an emotional stance, but because we know that, but just having the support to do what you're trying to do, which is build a legacy and live out your dreams.
How important is it for you to obtain that person that can help you carry the load?
Oh, that's very important.
Because I got two kids looking or watching everything I do.
Yeah.
And every young man should want to be like his daddy.
So I need that.
That's a big push.
I need the support.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Even my young son.
Yeah.
He at the bar.
Dad, we going to the bar.
Dad, we going to the restaurant today.
He's there pouring your hot sauce up.
Yeah put tops on it.
So, uh, yeah, I think it's a They definitely look up to
I Was trying to get it I live I want them dead presidents.
I want to pull up headspin
6 jobs, I don't get tired.
I don't get, I don't get tired.
I
don't get,
1 on 1.7 is true.
Happy Monday, Milwaukee.
It's your girl, Jazz Tyler.
You are officially tapped in, and we got Mr. I Don't Get Tied in the building.
Kenneth Mays, thank you so much for joining us.
I just want to, for those who are joining, Kenneth actually is the owner of Five Corner Fish Market, the old red snapper on 60th and Lisbon.
I am an actual customer, am I not?
Yes.
Yeah, I am a customer.
I go in there.
When I can, the food is amazing.
The customer service is great.
And I'm excited about 80 Proof.
Shout out to my best friend, Riri Sharika.
She at work right now watching.
She's like, listen girl, we gotta go to that brunch on Sunday.
I told Mish, we're gonna have a takeover.
We gotta come and do a takeover.
So
A part of everybody that knows me knows I'm heavily involved in the community, very resourceful, and I just want our people to win.
So I want your business to win and I want our people to win.
So if you are looking for employment in this space, he is currently hiring bartenders.
He has a full, he need full kitchen staff, hookah girls, all of the above.
What is the address again for 80 proof?
Uh, 782 North Jefferson.
So we downtown diverse business, grown folks, straight grown folks.
If you are looking for a position bartender, full kitchen staff, hookah girls, please reach out to him on social media, Kenneth Mays on Facebook and Instagram.
So we had an amazing conversation.
We talked about relationships, talked about you growing up.
Now let's talk about legacy.
What do you help your sons learn from watching your journey?
To just keep going and always put your last name first.
First name.
Come on.
Last name first.
Expanding.
My mic keep is just two to three.
Yeah.
But expanding.
We're gonna keep it here.
Yeah.
Homegrown.
That's where I made the money at.
We're gonna keep it here.
It's
the city.
Get up and do it get up and do it at all costs The only stop is you
yeah, so the days earlier you mentioned You know there's times daily where you just feel like calling and quits and obviously you haven't and you're not because you have a family but
Where do you find that self-motivation?
What is it that you do to pull yourself back and say, you know what?
Even though I feel like this, I got to get it together and keep going.
What do you do?
What helps you?
I
don't want to put that burden on nobody.
So it's like, my thought is, I ain't got no help.
So I
truly have help.
But
at the end of the day, it's like, I'm a
man.
I don't want to have my hand.
I don't want to ask nobody for nothing if I don't have to.
The fish
may.
Fish may.
But for the most part, a Southern guy, respectful, carry yourself, carry the weight of others.
Just an all-around decent man that It's willing to deal with anything that comes his way.
Yeah, yeah, so how are you I got a backup because we didn't do our daily affirmations today I Always do daily affirmations.
It's my thing.
I am worthy.
I am love.
I won't give up just a few What is your daily affirmation for today?
What's your daily affirmation?
It could be anything.
I won't give up.
I am love.
I am worthy.
I'm a beast
Yes,
Yes indeed.
Um, what do you want your children to learn from you?
While you're like I know that they step back and they see you building your businesses, but this is based off of
The interactions like how you just broke down how they're helping right and they're part of it What about you being an entrepreneur?
Do you want them to learn?
If you got to do it yourself, just get it get it done.
get it done.
We turn it up in a daughter way.
you know grown folks matter
we we're gonna turn up yeah nice spot nice location um nice food good people
we're gonna get
five corner fish market
up.
I got to go up a little bit.
The money good, but I still got to go up a little bit.
All day Monday through Thursday.
It depends on how I'm feeling.
So the lunch special is $12.99, two piece of fish, fries and soda, six jumbo shrimp, or six whole wings.
All day, every day.
I know the menu says until four, but we use this running.
Come
Shrimp po' boys.
The customer's favorite is combo number two.
You get two whole pieces of filet, five jumbo shrimp, fries and coleslaw.
They buy that.
I'm running out of shrimp.
I know it.
I'm at the store two, three times a day.
Buy
sum bag.
I can't keep up.
restaurant?
I make everything.
Everything.
No, no, I make it Wednesday.
It's gone by Friday night
That's a big part.
So
a good
Always knew I can do it.
The people gonna come out once I got you in.
I got you.
And that's honestly how it went.
You can come on in and it's like, I want to go there because the sign didn't change.
So my
first
year, I
still had the red
stamper signed up.
So it was like, they didn't know it was black on.
So once they came in and said it was a black on, I was like, OK, you from the south.
Let's give it a chance.
So then once I started talking to them and speaking, it was like, all right.
But then once they got the flavor and the
been
It's a wrap.
One thing I will say a positive highlight on your business is it's consistent.
The biggest issue I have, I'm a huge advocate in supporting black businesses, especially from Milwaukee, from the clothing to the food, all of the above.
The issue that we have in our community is that people open up when they want to.
and you are consistent, your business has been consistent.
When you say you're gonna open, you open.
When you say you're gonna close, you close.
So I just wanted to big you up on that because there are some days it's like, man, I be driving around like I got a taste for this, this, this, and then I go and they close.
It's Tuesday, one lunch and you're closed.
No way, no way.
But I could pull up.
I could pull
up to your spot.
Um, 80 proof will be 12 to 12 for now.
Okay.
Until I get comfortable with the, you know, because I'm by myself.
Yeah.
Um, so 12 to 12.
because
Maybe the time though.
to come on.
on
outs?
Shout out my family.
Yeah.
No, I said it was just me and my mother.
Yeah.
My guy Wally G. Wally eats.
Okay.
He also caters.
Yeah.
I got a couple people.
Who else?
It's too many names.
As long as I got my mama,
while it
we good.
You heard it first.
Shout out to Kenneth Mays.
Make sure y'all get down to support 80 Proof.
It is about to open.
We going to turn up, man.
We taking over brunch on Sunday Meach.
We outside, baby.
We outside.
Thank y'all so much for tapping in.
Make sure you tune in tomorrow morning for the Morning Show with Homer Blow and Bailey Coleman followed by Sherwin Hughes and the lunch break with my boy Ray Nitty and maybe Shannon.
Later on after that, the great find and then double backs, men of black.
Tap in with your girl Jazz Tyler Monday through Friday, 4 p.m.
to 7 p.m.
I hope y'all had an incredible day.
Have a great evening Milwaukee.
I love you.
Stay safe.
Peace.