Lil House Phone: I Lost 200,000 Followers Overnight | DSH #1721

Summary

Digital Social Hour – Lil House Phone: I Lost 200,000 Followers Overnight | DSH #1721

Guest: Lil House Phone
Host: Sean Kelly
Episode Date: December 30, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this candid episode of Digital Social Hour, Sean Kelly sits down with rapper, podcaster, fashion entrepreneur, and internet personality Lil House Phone at ComplexCon. The conversation dives deep into the realities of building and maintaining influence online, the challenges of podcast creation, House Phone’s notorious social media bans, and lessons learned from breaking out on his own after leaving a larger platform. Their banter is authentic, full of industry anecdotes, and includes actionable advice for anyone hustling in the digital media space.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Struggles with Social Media and Losing Influence

• Lil House Phone's Ban History:
  House Phone describes his repeated removals from Instagram, having lost three accounts—including one with 200,000 followers.
  • Quote: “This is like my third Instagram, bro… I always get deleted, you feel me?” (00:43)
  • Reasons included posting edgy memes, promoting OnlyFans with direct links, and retaliating aggressively to comment trolls—all leading to mass reporting and eventual bans.
  • Quote: “I would just say the most…craziest thing I could say to someone, and then they'd report it. Once I got like 10 reports…I’m thinking it's nothing. Then one day you wake up and your whole account's gone.” (01:28)
• Real Influence Beyond Numbers:
  Despite losing accounts, House Phone believes true influence cannot be deleted:
  • Quote: “But you know what? You can’t delete REAL influence, man. That’s what I learned here at ComplexCon.” (01:54)

Building and Transitioning Platforms

• From Big Platforms to Independent Podcasting:
  After leaving a major platform (No Jumper), House Phone launched his own podcast “Biggest Bros” and was surprised by the fan support.
  • Quote: “When you leave a bigger platform and you do your own thing…maybe the conversion isn’t there. But…the amount of people that have came up to me…love your new podcast—it really, honestly, means so much.” (03:04)
• Learning the Business:
  House Phone admits he lacked business savvy at first and primarily learned on-camera skills, not backend operations.
  • “I honestly didn't take much knowledge about the back end stuff…Now that I do it on my own, damn, our lighting isn't good, we gotta buy all these cords, stands…multiple cameras…it’s so much…bro. I have a deeper respect for it now.” (04:12)

The Podcast Grind: Editing, Clipping, and Standing Out

• Editing Challenges:
  Both debate the difficulty of finding editors who understand the necessary story context for engaging podcast clips.
  • Sean: “A lot of shows struggle with this…they struggle to find good editors…I’ve got this great guy, shout out to Max. I don’t even have to tell him what to clip.” (08:40)
  • House Phone: “Sometimes it’s hard to explain…what you really want. Sometimes somebody will jump in at…the end of a story—I’m like, bro, you missed the whole context.” (08:14)
• Investment in Clipping:
  Sean discusses the financial commitment:
  • Quote: “I'm spending, like, close to 40k a month just on editing.” (07:56)
  • For those with smaller budgets, a competent editor can still make a large difference for around $5k/month.
• Standing Out in a Crowded Space:
  Sean credits his show’s success to investing in standout editing, consistently releasing clips, and maintaining relationships built through networking.
  • “You need to find out how your show’s gonna stand out. What separated me…was the editing, the clips.” (07:34)

The State of Long-Form Content

• Decline of Long-Form Podcast Views:
  Both reflect on the difficulty of maintaining high viewership for full episodes compared to clips:
  • Sean: “It’s hard to get views on long form, you know? I’m happy if a podcast gets 20k views.” (09:41)
  • House Phone: “You just made me feel so much better. Our weekly podcast does like 30.” (09:45)
  • Shared Sentiment: Many big podcasts experience similar viewership declines; short clips and reels are where engagement happens.

Business Diversification & Productivity

• Multiple Hustles:
  House Phone details his fashion brand (High Rollers 777), music pursuits, and consulting.
  • Quote: “I help people get their clothes made, consult…other people bring me on their platforms, pay me…You know, I’m booked and busy, man.” (06:13)
• Sean’s Consistency:
  Sean reveals he drops one long-form episode per day, but recommends 2–3/week for most.
  • Quote: “I’d do like two to three a week, if you can. Then you make 2x the sponsor money.” (13:02)
• Monetization Lessons:
  “A lot of shows lose money. I lost money the first six months, but now we’re steady.” (13:09)

Industry Anecdotes & Personal Growth

• Aging & Social Life Shift:
  Amusing anecdote about House Phone no longer keeping up with late-night party invites, highlighting personal growth.
  • “I am 32 years old now…Still leaving the crib at 2am is crazy.” (11:16)
• Networking and Relationship Building:
  Sean explains his success comes from years of networking via IG DMs, making it easier to land high-profile guests.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Losing Followers:
  “One day you wake up and your whole account's gone. Yeah. I'm like, fuck. I was at like 200,000 followers at one point.”
  — Lil House Phone, 01:40
• On Real Influence:
  “You can’t delete real influence, man.”
  — Lil House Phone, 01:54
• On the Grind Behind the Pod:
  “I have a deeper respect for it now. And I feel like I take it more seriously now too.”
  — Lil House Phone, 04:17
• On Clipping and Viral Reach:
  “You probably seen a ton of my clips, right?”
  — Sean Kelly, 07:47
• On Long-Form’s Struggles:
  “Nobody’s really sitting there, I guess, and watching a 3-hour pod anymore.”
  — Lil House Phone, 10:30
• On Podcast Sustainability:
  “A lot of shows lose money. I lost money the first six months, but now we’re…steady.”
  — Sean Kelly, 13:09

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Losing Instagram Accounts and Influence (00:43 – 02:00)
• Merchandise, ComplexCon, and IRL Connection (02:17 – 03:04)
• Leaving Big Platforms and Starting a New Pod (03:04 – 03:47)
• Learning and Respecting the Business Side (04:12 – 04:45)
• Creative and Production Challenges of Podcasting (07:34 – 09:20)
• Debating Long-Form versus Short Clips (09:33 – 10:39)
• Late Nights, Aging, and Networking Anecdotes (11:03 – 12:05)
• Sponsor Strategies and Monetization (12:17 – 13:07)
• House Phone’s Brand and Hustle Overview (13:41 – 14:08)

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Conclusion

This episode features a refreshingly honest exchange about success and struggle in the age of digital content. From losing followers overnight to learning the gritty details of podcast production, Lil House Phone and Sean Kelly offer listeners an unfiltered look at what it takes to last in the contemporary creator ecosystem. The conversation is a must-listen (or read) for up-and-coming creators seeking both the inspiration and the reality check that comes with chasing real influence in a noisy online world.

Transcript

[A]

But can I ask you a question that I even need to. This is just for myself. How do you go about. Like my motto has been so far has been to just find somebody who just gets it. Sometimes it's hard to explain like what you really.

[B]

For the editing you're saying.

[A]

Yeah, like not, not what you want but like how, like which clips to pick what points in the story. Like sometimes somebody will jump in at the middle or the end of a story and I'm like, bro, you missed the whole context.

[B]

I've gone through a lot of clippers, you feel me?

[A]

Like that's been the hard part is like finding someone that for the output and then someone who just understands the, the aesthetic that I'm going 100%.

[B]

All right guys, Complex con day two. We got lil house phone here.

[A]

Yes, sir.

[B]

Nice to finally meet you, man.

[A]

Nice to meet you, man.

[B]

We've been talking for years.

[A]

No 1000%. Yeah. Cuz like this is like my third Instagram, bro. So like that's it. Yeah, like I just, I always get deleted, you feel me? So damn. Honestly, there's a bunch of that like I just either forgot about or people that I used to tap in that like it just gets lost in translation, you feel?

[B]

Why do you get deleted?

[A]

I'm not going to lie, bro. I used to be doing like out of pocket stuff. Like one, I would just post the craziest memes for sure. That's one, two. I used to let only fans, girls like pay me for promotion. I would be like, put it up there pic with the onlyfans link. And like you can't do all that.

[B]

You got to do the, the link.

[A]

In bio, you feel me? You can't just, you can't just throw out just the link, like direct links.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It'll pick it up and then you'll get like shadow banned and stuff like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then I also. My third thing was I always used to argue back with people in the comments, but I'm one of those people that's like, if you start it, I'm gonna finish it. So I would just say the most like vulgar, craziest thing that I could say to someone and then they were reported. And you know, once I got like 10 reports, I didn't really. I'm thinking it's nothing. And then one day you wake up and your whole account's gone. Yeah. I'm like, fuck. I was at like 200,000 followers at one point.

[B]

I remember hit you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You had a lot.

[A]

Yeah. Now I'm at, like, 30. But you know what you can't delete Real influence, man. That's what I learned here at Complex Con.

[B]

Even if you get deleted, people will still clip your stuff, post it on their pages.

[A]

Like, I think at one point, like, NBA Youngboy didn't even have his own Instagram page. He just. Yeah, he was just so relevant in his scene and the. And his audience that it just. It carried itself, you know?

[B]

I mean, even though you got 30k, you pulled up with the most merch out of any guest I've had on.

[A]

And look, this is just for. This is just today, and this is only two booths. I didn't even go around like that anywhere yet. Yesterday was like, all work, no play.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I literally, from the moment I stepped in here, I vlogged and live streamed and went to every booth that I could. But today I got to, like, go to my friend's booth. Yeah. Meet people I've been talking to. Meet you. Talk to people that in real life that I've been knowing on the Internet for years. I feel that this is really Instagram in real life, bro. It's crazy.

[B]

Absolutely. You got your own pod now too, right? Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Biggest bros, man. Honestly, a lot of people have been showing love, dope. And I'm like, you know, when you leave a bigger platform and you do your own thing, it's like sometimes you think maybe the conversion isn't there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the amount of people that have came up to me since I've been to Complex Con, like, I love the pod, been a fan. I love your new podcast. It really, honestly, like, it means so much.

[B]

That's dope. I'm sure you learned a lot working for a bigger platform that you could translate to your show.

[A]

Yes. But I'm not gonna lie, bro. I wasn't that business savvy. And I wasn't like, obviously you. I picked up on. I'll say more like, you know, the actual being on camera part.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I feel like I was maybe always okay at being on camera, but being black, like, professionally on camera, it sharpens you a little more. But I. I honestly didn't take much knowledge about the. The back end stuff.

[B]

No, there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes. Like, you got to get sponsors, the video set up.

[A]

And I'm not gonna lie, it honestly made me look back and be like, yeah, I did. I did kind of have it good. I was pulling up and doing nothing. I was pulling up and just.

[B]

You were smoking on shows, right? Drinking.

[A]

Yeah, I'm I'm pulling up and making them laugh. That was it. So now that I do it on my own, I'm like, damn, our lighting isn't good. Oh, we got to go buy all these cords and stands and the, the multiple cameras and multiple angles. It's so much that goes into this shit, bro. I have a deeper respect for it now. Yeah. And I feel like I take it more seriously now too.

[B]

That's cool, though, because now you can see like, what, what I guess Adam was doing for you and kind of.

[A]

Reflect on it and honestly, just like, not, not even just that, but just to see that, like when you're just the on air, the on air talent and you don't know the behind the scenes stuff, I feel like you're just a little bit more jaded or you literally, you're like a little bit, I don't know, like you don't really understand what's going on, honestly. So now that I know what's going on, it's like I have a stronger hold on everything.

[B]

I feel, though, is the pod the main thing for you right now.

[A]

So I have my clothing brand, high rollers. High rollers 777. We started off as a shoe brand. We still do shoes, but, like, I've really been focusing on the clothes. I actually just did a release. I'm wearing the shorts right now. Oh, tough.

[C]

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[A]

And yeah, so that's one that's like probably my main thing is the clothing brand secondary. I would Say would be the podcast.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I've always made music. I still make music, but, you know, I'm kind of like aura farming with the releases. But, yeah, man. Like, honestly, I help people get their clothes made, consult. I do a bunch of stuff, bro. I do other people, not just my own pod. Other people bring me on their platforms, pay me all types of. You're busy. You know, I'm booked and busy, man. But honestly, bro, on some real shit, I feel like I don't even know exactly your backstory. Yeah, I've seen your page. I know who you are, but I don't even know, like, the backstory. If you want to give me just a. Yeah.

[B]

A lot of people. It's crazy. A lot of people say I came out of nowhere. The pod's only three years, but I feel like I was doing a lot of networking before that to build the relationships.

[A]

How old are you?

[B]

I'm 28, but I've been on IG, bro. Yeah, I'm Asian, so I've been sliding in DMS on IG for 10 years. So I built all the connections that way. When I went to get guests, it was easier. A lot of shows struggle to do that.

[A]

No, that's.

[B]

But I hit you up, like, five years ago, before I even had the pod, literally.

[A]

Oh, just want some. Just.

[B]

I saw you on no jumper. I was like, I need to tap in with this guy, bro.

[A]

You know, my boy Sean's tapped in, man. Okay, so what's, like, what's the most. What's the thing that you learned the most by just networking, doing the podcast? And, like, what do you think is the most essential part at making it successful and get it to the point that you're at.

[B]

It's different for everyone, but I would say, overall, you need to find out how your show's gonna stand out. There's so many podcasts. You probably get asked every day to go on a podcast. But what separated me, I think, was that the editing the clips.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, you probably seen a ton of my clips, right?

[A]

So many.

[B]

Exactly. So I invested a lot of money into that, hoping it would pay off.

[A]

And have, like, a whole team of people and flippers.

[B]

I got in house team. I'm spending, like, close to 40k a month just on editing.

[A]

But can I ask you a question that I even need to. This is just for myself. Yeah. So how do you go about, like, I. My motto has been, like, so far has been to just find somebody who just gets it. Sometimes it's hard to explain. Like, what you really.

[B]

For the editing, you're saying?

[A]

Yeah, like not, not what you want, but like how, like which clips to pick what points in the story. Like sometimes somebody will jump in at the, the middle or the end of a story and I'm like, bro, you missed the whole context.

[B]

I've gone through a lot of clippers.

[A]

You feel me? Like, like that's been the hard part is like, like finding someone that can that for the output and then someone who just understands the aesthetic that I'm going for 100%.

[B]

A lot of shows struggle with this. They struggle to find good editors. I've got this great guy, shout out to Max. He just. I don't even have to tell him what the clip.

[A]

That's what I'm saying. He's that good. See, that's what I'm saying. Like I, I feel like when I've said this in the past before, people have looked at me like, are you fudgeing stupid? Why would you. What do you mean? You just want somebody who just knows. Like you have to tell them. And I'm like, well, if that, if, if that is a part of my job description as, as part of being the, one of the co founders of this podcast, that's going to take up an extension. A lot of extensive amount of time for me to go back through each podcast and tell you the specific parts. That's like funny enough for you to clip. Like, I, I kind of need someone that like is on.

[B]

I'll connect you with my guy, you feel me? You need someone that knows the culture.

[A]

About 40 grand for him.

[B]

No, no, he's. I pay him five a month.

[A]

Okay, that's.

[B]

But the other money comes from the long form. Editing is expensive. Yeah. And then all the clippers on other pages.

[A]

How do you feel about. I feel like we're, we're approaching like the, the death of long format.

[B]

It's hard to get views on log form, you know, like, I'm happy if a podcast gets 20k views.

[A]

You just made me feel so much better. Our weekly podcast does like 30.

[B]

That's really good though.

[A]

But like when we first started it, we were like. Or some of our first episodes have like 270.

[B]

Well, everyone's down. Everyone. If you look at any show, they're.

[A]

Down and like not even hating but like I be seeing no jumper clips that be having the same amount of views as our dude. Obviously like the extra now drama ones will have like, you know, a little more, but I'd be like some of these other pocket not even just no jumper, just some of these other podcasts that are like, their numbers are way bigger than ours, but we are at least our clip views and like the long form pod, it'd be like the same amount. And I'm like, is everybody just. All the long form content is just on a downward trajectory.

[B]

I think everyone is. Especially for pods. There's a lot of pods now.

[A]

It's. It's fast, man. It's too like nobody's gonna. Nobody's really sitting there, I guess and watching a 3 hour pod anymore.

[B]

If I am, it's on 2x speed and it's.

[A]

Maybe I'm like just doing something and I got that shit playing.

[B]

Yeah, I'm at the gym, I'm in the car at home.

[A]

I'm going on a road trip and I listen to a lot of loud, bass bumping, ignorant rap music sometimes. So after like a whole day of riding around in the car just listening to that, yeah, I. I will throw on a pod in the whip. You feel me?

[B]

That makes sense.

[A]

Yeah. Like I got an hour home, I'm gonna throw on a pod. Fuck it, you know.

[B]

You still cool with Sharp?

[A]

I actually talked to Sharp last night. Okay, Sharp is insane because I've been out here for like two, three days.

[B]

Y.

[A]

We've been supposed to link up. I was gonna do a stream with them all types of shit. Sharp has been calling me at 2:30 every night. I'm just now going outside. Where you at? I'm like, bro, I'm going to sleep. I am 32 years old now, bro. Maybe when I was 27 I would have been outside with you. Still leaving the crib at 2am is crazy.

[B]

Nah, people were hitting me up last night at like 11 and I was already naked in bed, bro.

[A]

Listen, bro, I had to come to get a very specific pair of shoes this morning and I was not missing it for the world. I was in bed still by like 3am type. Yeah. But like, you know, it's for me. For me. No, that's. That is late. But yeah, I made sure I got some good rest so I could get here early. And I knew I had to come link up with you, so I'm like, you know, appreciate it. I don't want to flake. I'm like, bro, we've been talking back and forth so I at least got to come make it happen. Wait, okay, are we at a weed booth right now?

[B]

We're at, you know, Hardeen the dispensary.

[A]

I thought it was jarded, but Shout out to Jardine. No, no. Shout out to Hardeen. Is there some weed?

[B]

I smell some, so I might be able to get you some.

[A]

I might need some soon.

[B]

You got a weed sponsor yet?

[A]

I don't really.

[B]

That's surprising.

[A]

You know why? I feel like, unfortunately, I'm not just looking for only weed.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Like, you want some cash, but, like, again, if we're being honest and we're talking about, you know, like, I feel like I would have to extend. Expand my portfolio as far as, like, I need where we need to go harder on the reels and the shorts and, like, maybe gain a little bit more. Because right now, if we're only doing the long form pod. Yeah. And we're only doing that once a week.

[B]

That's it. I drop one a day, bro.

[A]

Of long form.

[B]

Yeah. Which is too much, by the way. I would do like two to three a week, if you can.

[A]

Yeah. Damn.

[B]

Because then you make 2x the sponsor money.

[A]

Yeah. You're.

[B]

You know, I just doubled your revenue.

[A]

You got this down to a science. I could tell, bro.

[B]

A lot of shows lose money. I lost money the first six months, but now we're. We're very steady.

[A]

Six months, man, you learned it fast. And it sounds like. Yeah, you know, I was just. I was just watching one of the clips. You had, like, this, like, holistic type girl on there. She was like. I forgot what she was talking about. Like, something about, like, I want to eat or something to make your dick harder or some crazy shit.

[B]

Like that's about right.

[A]

Something like that. But, yeah, bro, you got this shit down to a science, bro. Honestly. And thank you for even wanting to have me on.

[B]

Absolutely, brother. Where can people find your show and find you?

[A]

Listen, man, Find Us Reconnected is the name of our podcast on the biggest bro entertainment channel. My name is House Phone. Find me on instagram. House phone DND support the brand high rollers, man. High rollers 777. If you're a clothing brand, a clothing company, you're trying to get blanks for your brand, tap in with me at Made Blanks. I help facilitate some stuff over there. I got a bunch of shit going on, man. Just tap in with me. Yeah.

[B]

Thanks for coming, brother.

[A]

I appreciate you, bro.

[B]

Peace, guys. Let's go.

[C]

I hope you guys are enjoying the show. Please don't forget to like and subscribe.

[B]

It helps the show a lot with the algorithm.

[A]

Thank you.