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Mick
I tell salespeople that all the time. Referrals are the shortest sales cycle you'll ever have.
Rich Young Lord
Referrals are real. So always treat people good. Always do the best thing in a situation.
Mick
Your why might be your kids, but your because is the reason that your kids are your why. And so my because is to always fulfill promises. Because I never want to let someone down, Right? Like when people depend on you, you never want to let them down.
Rich Young Lord
So I think my because is to balance the books.
Mick
One of the things I love about music producers is this right here, Rich. You get to work with people that have crazy cool egos. So what was it like working with Biggie and LL and Beyonce and DMX and all those folks?
Rich Young Lord
Well, I'll say this, you know, Torius Big didn't listen to anybody. He knew what he was doing and he did it.
Mick
What's one of the projects you're most proud of?
Rich Young Lord
I can't give you one record, but one thing I'm super proud of is growing. Welcome to Mick Unplugged, where we ignite potential and fuel purpose. Get ready for raw insights, bold moves and game changing conversations. Buckle up. Here's Mick.
Mick
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged. And today's guest is a Grammy nominated producer whose music journey began at 16 years old. Shaping what we know of hip hop and R and B with legends like the Notorious B.I.G. ll, Cool J, Beyonce, DMX and so many more. But now he's a successful entrepreneur. He's a legend and mogul in the real estate game. I want y'all to give it up for my man, Rich. Young Lord Rich. How you doing today, bro?
Rich Young Lord
Hey, what's up, man? How you feeling?
Mick
Hey, I am trying to live in your shoes, man. I am trying to live in your shoes, man. So you know all those accolades, man, working with so many of the who's who in the hip hop and R and B game starting at 16, man. Like, when did you know that was going to be a thing and a part of your journey, man?
Rich Young Lord
I didn't know it was going to be a part of my journey. You know, when growing up, I remember going to a party. I was probably about 13. My mom had this party and I have a cousin. He went to Harvard Law School and he came back to the party with this girl that he was dating from the law school. She was like up to that point, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. So in my mind I was like, I got to go to Harvard Law School. You know, that was. That was my plan. And then when I went to high school, I met this girl, and I was trying to get her phone number. I was walking her to the bus, and after she left, this guy who was, like, watching me, he came up to me. He said, hey, man, is that your girlfriend? So I was like, yeah, you know, wishful thinking. And he said, man, you have great taste. He said, are you into music? And I was like, yeah, sure. And he gave me his card. He said he owned the studio around the corner, and I was welcome to come by whenever I want. And I took him up on his offer. And he was a legitimate player in the music business. Gabe Greg Troutman. He had a partner named Tony Dofat, who was also, like, a prominent producer at the time. And Tony was producing Heavy D's Blue Funk album and Mary J. Blige's remix of the 411 album. And I got to sit in those sessions, and, you know, then I got the bug. Then it was all about music from then, so it was really right timing.
Mick
There you go. Yeah, there you go. So one of the things I love about music producers is this right here, Rich. You get to work with people that have crazy cool egos, and you, as a producer, have to tell them what to do, right? And sometimes you have to tell them, nah, that ain't it.
Rich Young Lord
Right?
Mick
So what was it like working with Biggie and LL and Beyonce and DMX and all those folks, like, at 16 and then them having to listen to. To you right behind the glass, as we like to say.
Rich Young Lord
Well, I'll say this. You know, Toya's big. Didn't listen to anybody. He knew what he was doing, and he did it. You know, you just kind of sat and watched with him, especially, you know, when I was around him. But LL Cool J, there's a reason why he's been able to stay consistent and be successful is because he encourages direction. He wants to hear your point of view. He wants to hear what you're thinking to help him. And I think that's what allowed him to have success in so many different decades, is he's. He welcomes that production, you know, And I really appreciated that with him. And he actually taught me so many skills that allowed me to not only produce other great people, but deal with people in life, period. You know, he. I'm so thankful for my time with him. And it was. Oh, man, it was just such a great experience. And then another really cool thing is, early on, I got to meet Babyface, and I got to sit in a bunch of his sessions. When he did his New York sessions for the Waiting to Excel soundtrack, I got to sit in his sessions and watch how he communicated with the artist. So you see, like, somebody like Diddy who was always, like, screaming on people, yelling at people. Babyface is very quiet. He's very, like, cool, but don't let that fool you, because the power is still the power. So he'll be calm, and he'll. He'll whip you. You wouldn't even know you whipped, you know, but he didn't raise his voice, but he got the message across, and I loved it. And I think that I kind of went that direction.
Mick
So let's talk about those two, the lessons and mentorship you got from LL and Babyface, because, you know, LL said something recently, and I totally agree. He probably is the most important person to hip hop or in hip hop. And I would say Babyface is probably the most important person to R B. So what are a couple of things that you learned from both LL and Face?
Rich Young Lord
All right, so let's start with ll. So we were working on some songs, and this one song we wanted Casey and Jojo to sing the hook on, and, you know, they were hot as fish grease at this time.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And they came in the studio, and I couldn't give them direction. They would not take direction from me. You know, I would say I want it done this way, and they want to do it a whole different way. And they came in intoxicated, the total, like, worst scenario that you can imagine. And LL could see that I was drowning, you know, so he put me to the side. He's like, look, I'm gonna show you how to deal with situations like this. He's like, you know, so he was like, you know, sometimes you gotta let people express themselves, hear them out, give them a little bit of what they want and have them give you a little bit of what you want and go back and forth until you get everything that you want and then scrap what they want, you know?
Mick
Right.
Rich Young Lord
And, you know, once I had that kind of blueprint, it allowed me to. To do that. And not only with just them, but anybody else who was really, like, stuck in their. Their opinions. A lot of times, rappers, you know, welcomed direction, you know, artists, period, because they don't want to be in there alone. And as, you know, a lot of times, as focused as they are, as successful as they are, you know, these guys have some insecurities sometimes, you know, so they want to be assured. So you got to create that atmosphere where they can totally give you the best that they can. And I learned all of that from LL Cool J. Now Baby Face, which was real cool. And you're right, he is one of the most just influential R and B writers, producers that ever existed. And I got to meet many of them. But what was real cool with him is just his focus and his ability to get what he wanted. And how I met him was in 1995, I was kind of supervising a Faith Evans session at this place called the Hit Factory. And this was a big studio, so at any given time, you have a whole bunch of people working through. And at that point, you could kind of, like, knock on the doors and meet people. And he came into the Faith session just to say hello. And I didn't know him, but he's Baby Face. So I'm bugging out and I'm like, hey, you know, I say, I can't think of nuts. I'm like, do you teach? You know? He's like, teach, you know, so, you know, I just got to start the conversation. So I asked him if I could take him to lunch. And he was like, you know what? Sure. He said, meet me at the studio at noon. So I was there. And he didn't come until about 4.
Mick
Wow.
Rich Young Lord
But I was still there waiting because I knew he had to come in. You know, sometimes, you know, I'm sure he meets a gazillion people. So when he came in, he was, like, surprised. But he allowed me to sit in the sessions, and I got to witness him produce Mary J. Blige's I'm Not Going to Cry, Let It Flow with Toni Braxton. The song he did for Faith, I don't remember the title, but a bunch of phenomenal great sessions. And what I got to see is. And I copied this whole formula from then on as far as, like, the way he ran things. But he, you know, would do all the backgrounds. And then what he would do is he would let the singer their interpretation about three times the whole song, and then he would break down certain things that he wanted and do about another five takes of what he wanted. Then he would comp to vocals to get each line the way he wanted. And that was the first time I saw that, you know, I was like, oh, my gosh, that's so cool. Because we at Bad Boy didn't do stuff like that.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And it was. It was great. It was great. So I kind of got to understand, you know, first you need to do all the background vocals to have it There do that on a whole separate day. So when they come in and do the leads, it's just fresh for them, you know?
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And then give them direction, but let them express themselves. And then you come back and hone in on what exactly you want. And how that helped me is when I started, you know, really doing vocals. And I've. I've never been a master vocal producer, but I was able to camouflage that by, you know, just getting. Letting them do some really cool things and then becoming a monster cop artist as far as, like, you know, tweaking it. And then thankfully, technology changed with pro tools and all this stuff, so it made it easier to do. So, you know, if stuff was a little late, I could move it back. I could really get it the way I hear it in my head. But that. That comes from Face, you know, So I. I'm so thankful for that experience.
Mick
That's awesome. Two legends in the game help shaping you, man. So here's what I know about the super elite producers like yourself, right? So, like, you and Dre and even, like, Cool and Dre, like, those guys, right? Like Jermaine Dupri, like, every great producer has a sound, right? Like, you know, a Timberland beat, right? Because it's Timbaland, right? Like, you know what Dre beat? Because he's going to give you something funky in the very beginning, right? Like, you know, it's Dre. So for those that don't know, like, I know rich, like, what's the iconic. Like, what's your sound? Like, what's a rich song? Like, how do we know it's a wrist song?
Rich Young Lord
I think that one thing, when I look at my production career, I think it's funny, when I. When I first got with Bad Boy, did he. He didn't like my music, right? He liked the fact that I made it into the office and I was so young. He said, you know what? You're just, like, idolizing the wrong people, you know, because at that time, when I got in, you know, it was like Pete Rock and the whole east coast thing, and he had a different vision. So I think that as I got to sit in those things, my vision kind of became that, you know, So I think my sound was heavily influenced in what, you know, he was doing. What we were doing at Bad Boy as a company had, like, a distinct sound as far as, like, kind of the drums we would use or the placements of the percussions and samples sampled heavy. And then I think I grew into not using samples because it just became Very expensive. And. But I think my sound overall, on the hip hop side, the songs that would. I would say would represent my sound is Big Pun. I did a song called you Ain't a Killer. That was his first record, but I loved it because it was. It was like an east coast mixed with some west coast vibes, and it was hard, you know, So I really love the. That. That kind of vibe. And then there's a song that I did for New Edition called Love Again that was on the Home Again album.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
That this song was not successful at all. But I felt like there's certain songs when God is in the room when. When you could just feel that energy. And I felt like that was one of those songs, and they were, like, one of my favorite groups, and I'm like, wow, I got to work with them.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
So that was cool. But outside of that, there was a record, Come To Me, that was the first single on Diddy's Press Play album. That was the sound of. It was great. It was like, sonically, you know, it was like. You talk about Dre, his mixes were always great. And I think that that record right there will be one that you can always play for ever. Because of the Sonics.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
Yeah, man. But I. I'm so thankful to have that experience. That. That creative energy is like, you know, being a part of a great song is one of those feelings that, like. It's like one. It's like, you know, my children being born, like, how I would feel. You know what I'm saying? Like, how it felt when they were born. It's. It's just one of those great feelings. Whenever I hear it on the radio, when you first do it, it's a great feeling. I'm so thankful. I got to have a lot of those feelings.
Mick
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So speaking of that, what's one of the projects you're most proud of? What's the one project that you could almost go back to every day, and you're just really proud of that project? I like Making Rich think.
Rich Young Lord
Yeah. Project that I'm proud of. I'm proud of. I'll say all of them. But I think the. I have to say, I mean, I guess I can't give you one record, but one thing I'm super proud of is growing up, like, even before I thought of doing music, you know, I'm from New York, the Bronx. Molly Mall was like, an idol, you know what I'm saying? I got to look up to him, rza, all those guys, and I got to work with a lot. Lot of their artists, you know, like Master Ace, I got to work with, you know, ll, I got to work with Coogee Rap. And those experiences were real cool. But I think one of the records I'm super excited about is actually a record that's about to come out next year. It's a record for Ghostface Killer. And it's weird because I stopped, like, creating full time, you know, sometime now. But it's a record that I knew was for him, and I sent it to him, like, maybe eight years ago. And then he, you know, I got a call like, you know, a few months back, like, yeah, he's ready to do it. I'm like, what? So I think that is real cool. Whenever that is released, it's going to be on this new album. That it. It's. I just like the experience of connecting with the artists and working with. Let me say, it's so hard. Big Pun, first single off his second album, that was one record that was really connected to because he was a friend and we had success together on his first album. And, you know, we were planning to have bigger success on the second album before he passed, you know.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And I was just lucky that I got to work with him so closely and then in passing and then that kind of representing and taking the torch for him, you know. But it. That, that record, I think I'm. I'm very proud of that. I got to be a part of his story, his life, you know.
Mick
So that is my favorite Big Pun record right there. Right. And I think it's more just because of a lot of symbolism. Right. You know, like, he kind of free flows a little bit or ad libs a little bit, I'm sure. I think is an ad lib or free flow. But you probably punched it in, like, for him. Right? But he's like, you know, he just lost weight. He's trying to live. Right. Like, he's acknowledging things and then it's like, damn, right. Like, that's my favorite pun record by far. And it's actually something that's in, like, my rotation. Like, you know how you get like your Sunday morning, I'm gonna cook breakfast. I need to flow. Like, I usually start with that song. It's usually one or two just to get me in that group. So, like, that by far my favorite pun record, bro.
Rich Young Lord
That's cool. Yeah, yeah. Working with him. Fat Joe, they cool. Good people. Good people, man.
Mick
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So you were a titan in music. You're still a titan. In music. But knowing you the way you are, man, like, you were like, there's more things I can do, right? Like, I'm a beast at a lot of things. And so you get into the real estate game, man, and, like, all of a sudden, I'm sure it's because the work ethic that you have, the way that you learn things, right? It's like, let me learn the angles and let me learn the way that people aren't doing things, and what's the way that I can come in and be rich. You're now a real estate mogul, a real estate beast, a real estate titan. Like, when did real estate become a thing for you?
Rich Young Lord
Wow. You know what? Real estate, just, like music, kind of like accident, you know. But before I even go in there, you know, I want to say I'm really thankful that I met this brother by the name of Clarence Avon, who passed about a year ago. And I was able to build a great relationship with him and kind of talk and get some lessons from him. And one thing I learned from him is that, you know, you can do anything. You're not just one mode, you know, you don't have to just do one thing. You don't, you know, because a lot of times, as creatives say, oh, I'm a producer. You get that kind of role stuck in your head. I'm a producer. No, that's not all you can do. You can do this, you can do that. And what he kind of taught me was to try things. He's like, because something's going to work, and some your greatness is in more than one place. You don't know where it's going to do. So you got to try, and it's all good. So that always had me with an open mind for anything, you know, And I was able to become really close with this guy. His name was Oscar Days, who I met when I was a teen. He was a manager of this group called the Barrio Boys. And so funny. They were like nothing in the States, but they were like the Jacksons out of the. You know, in Latin America. And what was so revolutionary about him was that he was a black guy, didn't speak any Spanish, and he had the Spanish group he put together. You know, it was successful. So years later, he said, hey, man, you know, you should get into real estate. You know, you should get into flipping houses, because, you know, you have, you know, you'll do really well in it. And it goes in one year out. The other year, for the most part, I wasn't really thinking about it because I'm in my music zone. But then you got Mr. Avant's, you know, lessons always running through my head. So I said, okay, okay. So one day I went with him to a closing, and on this particular deal, he made $300,000. You know, I'm like, what? What just happened? He didn't rob nobody. He didn't have to. Like, in music, like, for you to make that money, like, so many stars have to line up at the same time. I mean, and it's totally out of your control, you know what I'm saying? Like, but this. No, you. It's a little bit more. You can kind of ensure things happen. And I'm like, what just happened? You know? So after that, you know, I kept. I was. It's like, you know, going up to his house, like, so he kind of explained to me and what flipping that the concept of it and the way to do it was, I guess, left to your own individual formula to create. But I found that I did, in fact, have a unique way to do it because I was in the music business. In the music business, a lot of my contemporaries, some years we make a ton of money, and then the next year, we might not make the same amount of money, but some guys are still spending, like, the year before, you know, and that's how you get into financial trouble. So, hey, if you're in trouble, I'll let me do a short sale on your house, you know what I'm saying? And I'll make sure you make some money, too, and everybody's happy. And then also with music, a lot of guys get divorced. And a lot of times, so one or two things happen when they get divorced. One, they have to sell the house, and then two, they. That the wife gets the house. And in that situation, she's going to need to sell at some point, because without the husband, chances are she can't handle the overhead that comes with the house. It's just a matter of time, you know what I'm saying? So I was interjecting myself into those situations and became known as person that could help you in those situations. And that started me off and running. And not just like, you know, small houses, you know, like big houses and big divorces and big this, you know. Yeah, that started me in a game. And then once, you know, you get comfortable with it, show yourself. And then I started doing, you know, three houses at a time, then five houses at a time, you know, once you build a team. But it was a lot because I never was the person to pick up a hammer. I didn't know anything about that world. So I felt that that's one way that I can get taken advantage of. So, thankfully, there were YouTube. I would kind of create my scope of work to watch on YouTube, everything that needed to be done so I could communicate clearly with people on what needed to be done, how long it would take, how much it would cost, what materials were needed, and I could tell if somebody was on the point based upon what I see on YouTube. And it took a while until I built my team, but once I got that, we were on and popping, man, that's what's up.
Mick
That's what's up, man. So, Rich, on Mick Unplugged, we talk about our because, our purpose, that thing that drives us this deeper than your why, right? Like, your why might be your kids, but your because is the reason that your kids are your why, right? And so for me, my because is simple. It's a promise, right? Like, when I was 10, I made a promise to my mom. When I had kids and married, I made promises to my spouse. I made promises to my kids, right? And so my because is to always fulfill promises because I never want to let someone down, right? Like, when people depend on you, you never want to let them down. So every day I make sure I'm fulfilling the promises and keeping the promises that I said I was going to do right now. Does it happen every day? No. But I make sure that that's the focal point of the things that I do. So for the listeners and viewers, man, I love to know what is Rich's because.
Rich Young Lord
I think my because is to balance the books. And let me explain that I feel that in my life, I've been blessed with so much love, support, and teachings that, you know, like, I'm not gonna say that, like, hey, I'm a super smart person. Just gets this. I've been tutored, I've been mentored. I've been helped so much that allowed me to do these things. There's so many people that poured into me, it's not even funny. And so my whole thing of balancing the books is make sure that I'm able to do the same thing, you know, do the same thing for my kids that would. That my parents did for me, which was a lot. Do the same thing for random people have done for me, you know, like, it's so much so, man, my life is like, it seemed random at the time, but now, you know, hindsight is 20 20. I could see That I was moved into certain positions to meet certain people, to get certain things. And, you know, when something, let's say, doesn't go right or something like that, it's. It's not. I'm never like, upset about, say, if I lose money on trying something on a venture or something like that. It's more of disappointing other people. Point poured into me not being able to do right with what they gave me, you know.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
But I, I'm so blessed with, with those people so kind of balancing the books, you know, and in order for me to balance the books, I have to, you know, have the quote, unquote success or the, the resources to do that, you know. So, yeah, you know, my parents gave me a great experience, experience as a kid. So I want my children to have the same thing. Yeah, my parents, you know, when I first made the decision I wanted to get into the music thing, my parents really weren't messing with me because I used to flip flop from idea to idea. But once they saw, once I was able to prove to them that this was it, they came through big time. And by helping me with like, you know, equipment, like, you know, one of. I give you an example. I had this one machine, SB 1200, which was the machine at the time, but it was just one machine. I needed more. So one day my father went in to get a lotto ticket and he came out and I'm like, man, why'd you get that lotto ticket? I'm your lotto ticket. You know, I just started hitting him in the head. And two of my brothers were with me, and they, they joined in, start hitting him in the head too, on my behalf. And we hit him in the head so hard that he took me to Sam Ash, which is like the guitar center in New York, and he said, he said, get whatever you need to compete. Don't worry about the price. Get whatever you need to compete. And man, it felt like Christmas, man. It was Christmas. We came home, my mother was like, what the hell? You know what I'm saying? Because, you know, I came with all this stuff, spent all this money, I'm sure wasn't in that budget.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
But a, you know, him doing that and then maybe about. It was like a month later that I got with Bad Boy and I was able to recoup that. But him pouring into my vision, my dream like that, it's like, so I have to be able to pour into my children's vision. Yeah, to. I want to do that. I want to help. I just want to be a resource for people to help so I can balance the books. Because I'm not. This is not me. Me being here, all of these records is not me at all, I tell you. It's a collection of people that have poured into me, you know, so I just want to be able to balance the book so that, that's my whole thing.
Mick
I love that, man. I love that. And, and I know that you live that too. Like for those that are listening or watching, like those aren't just words from Rich. Like he really lives that so much. So, you know, Rich, we've been talking a little offline and you were telling me, you know, one of the things that I don't want to say is surprising you, but this, this niche that you have, and I'm sure it's coming from your heart, is helping senior citizens with, with real estate and how to navigate where they're at now too. So I'd love for you to take just a few moments and talk about that passion that you again, as you've been saying throughout the day, you just kind of. It just happened, right? Like you didn't go seek it.
Rich Young Lord
It just happened, right? So that just happened as well, you know, so what? You know, when flipping houses, of course I have my music niche, but that, you know, like I'm trying to do multiple deals. So I'm doing all types of marketing. And one of the marketing that worked, one piece marketing that worked at the time really good for me was bandit signs. And I put bandit signs near hospitals or just major intersections. And one day I got a call from this woman and her name is Ms. Babette. Her name was Ms. Babette and she was a 75 year old Jewish woman. And I went and met with her, she wanted to sell her house and we worked out a great price. We're ready to go. Then, you know, I do my little research and she doesn't own the house, right? And the reason why she doesn't own the house is because it's in. It's her mother's house and her mother had just died maybe four or five months ago at this point. So I was like, okay, well, she had a brother who died. And so I'm like, okay, you just have to become the administrator and all that stuff. Seemed like an easy process. I set it up and during this process, instead of it taking a few months, it ended up taking two years, right? Two years. And during this time, this woman would call me and she would ask me to take her to the supermarket. Take her different. You Know, small things. But the deal that we worked out was so good. I'm taking her to the supermarket. It's not a problem. I'm having somebody deliver something. It's not a problem.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
So through that, you know, we got to talk many times and just have good conversations. And one day she called me, and she was like, rich, what is taking so long? I want to sell this house. She's like, my friend. Let's change the name to protect the innocent. Let's say my friend John doesn't believe me that I'm going to sell the house. You know, I keep telling him, tell Alice. That's like, good friend John. So I said, well, let me meet this friend John. Right? Because it sounded. You know, I asked her a few questions. He's like, he's in his late 50s. And I just. She's under my care, you know what I'm saying? Like, even though we're doing the deal, I'm seeing. She's. She doesn't have a lot of family. And I'm just hearing this. I want to see. Make sure that he's not taking care of her. And I met him, and, you know, they were friends, and he was actually. He had a whole family, you know, and she was friends with the whole family, I guess, but she had given them some money or something like that. And, you know, when. What I realized is that when the older person is connected with somebody, it's like, you can't. There's nothing that I can necessarily do but keep an eye out on what's going on and try to make sure everything thing is on point. So I would kind of just make sure that I would be involved a little bit more and that that family ended up moving in with her. So the process took, like, two years. And what we found out, the problem was, is that once she. Her mother died. All right, so the. It was being held up by the nursing home. The nursing home that her mother was in. They wanted their money. They were owed some money, and they didn't believe that they would. If she was the head of the state, that they would get their money. Because once her mother died, she took out $300,000 from her brother's account. I said, Ms. Bebe, what did you do with this money? She's like, oh, I had to. I went on a vacation. I had to buy a few things. I'm like, you know, that much? $300,000 just don't disappear. So I'm thinking maybe she hid it in the walls or something, you know?
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
But. Or maybe she gave it to her friends, we don't know. So once she. We got. I had to pledge payment, you know, I guaranteed the payment, let her become the administrator. And of course, you know, yeah, I'm buying a house, you know, I'm not. I'll make sure they get the money. So once she becomes administrator, we go into our mom safety deposit box. We find out the mother has like over a million dollars in bonds in the safety deposit box.
Mick
Wow.
Rich Young Lord
So she's happy. Since I get them a new place, she move, the family moves with her. They, you know, clearly kind of try to take advantage, but there's nothing I can't do except make sure that she has full control and that she's making decisions that she wants to do.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
So the day. No, maybe about a week after I get her the new place, maybe about three days before we supposed to close on me purchasing the house, she goes into a coma, Right. And she is like, you know, they like, yo, you know, call the family, you know, she ain't coming back. So I'm, you know, like, oh. Because I invested lots of funds. But even beyond that, at this point, you know, I've gotten to know this woman and she's a friend. So, you know, I go to the hospital and they're like, you know, highly unlikely she comes out of this. So. But maybe about three weeks after she comes out of the coma, right. Miraculously. So I'm like, wow. You know, during this time, the family that she took in, you know, they are trying to become the administrators of the estate, the take control of the funds and everything like that. And so when she comes back, she's like, you know, I want to sell you the house. You know, she's real, like, you know, we're really tight, you know.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And we set up to do. To do the closing in the hospital. Our attorney's going to come to the hospital, everything. And the day before that happened, she goes back into a coma.
Mick
Wow.
Rich Young Lord
She comes out and as I say to her, I say, look, you know, I say, if you coming back to sell me this house, you know, don't worry about me. I'm. I'll be all right, you know, do it. Do what you gotta do, you know, like, go on whatever path you have to go on, you know. And then the next day, she passed. Right. So that family, like I said, they're trying to get the estate. But what was real cool is I remembered all of those times that we spoke, and she was telling me she. She had a brother who had two daughters that she hasn't spoke to in 30 years, you know, And I remember her telling me, you know, about them. So I hired a private investigator and I found them.
Mick
Wow.
Rich Young Lord
And so what that did was that stopped the friends from getting the estate now in her niece's family. And they agreed to honor the contract that she signed. And I still, I was able to purchase the house and they were able to get that money and it was kept in front, you know, within the family. So I said, wow, man, I was a inexperience. And then, you know, I also started working with another senior from a sign. This is all from Bandit Science. Because seniors are old school. They're not on the Internet. They're not, you know, like that. So if they see sell, I need to sell a house, you know. So this woman, she was older and she felt that like one of her tenants was like, you know, taking advantage of her, like, maybe. So she had all these problems with the house. The town told her to get out of the house and she wanted to just rid herself of the situation. So I'm looking at everything and I'm like, well, the best way to do it is a short sell. But she was an older woman who's proud that she makes all the payments. And I'm like, that, you can't live here. You can't, so stop making these payments, you know. And I had to get her kids involved because one thing, I don't ever like to work with seniors by themselves. Like, I wouldn't work with children by themselves. You know, I want families to be involved because I'm not going to take advantage of them. I want them to know that as well.
Mick
Correct.
Rich Young Lord
You know, the family thing. And we were able to get her out of that situation. And I took care of all of the liens and all of that stuff and, and was able to get the house. But a lot of times that that happens where the fines for certain things, violations, they don't understand how to take care of it. And then sometimes, you know, the family just they this time for them to downsize and go to like an assisted living facility or something like that. So a lot of times I would help facilitate that, find a place and do all of that work to get them into place and then, you know, sell the house and, you know, do all that stuff. So I became, I guess just by accident or by my way of marketing the old school marketing, that I would end up working with a lot of seniors. So I kind of created a system to help them help Them understand with their level of understanding. And, and what I mean by that is not that they're stupid or anything, but, you know, instead of having everything online, which we do, you know, but have. Have some stuff on paper, they need to touch and feel things and kind of be. Have the patience to explain the process and really make moves within their best interest. So I give you an example. One lady called me. She. She wanted to get rid of her house. She had like a lot of stairs. It was like one of them townhouses kind of thing. So it was a bunch of stairs. And she felt that she wasn't going to be able to do the stairs for much longer, but she had, you know, she was almost done paying it off.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And, you know, now rents anywhere are just super high.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
And, you know, I was like, look, you have to stay here. Let's, you know, I'll help you. Shoot. I'll even front the cash and you can pay me back monthly to get you one of them elevated things. Just because there's. If the money you get from selling this house, you know, even if we sell this to somebody for retail in today's wrench, it's gonna last you, you know, maybe three years, you know, and then you're done.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
You know, she was like in her late 60s. I'm like, you know, you still have a lot more life to live, you know, and you need to be flexible with what you can do when you need to do it. And right now, you know, a mortgage was like a mortgage and maintenance, maybe like fourteen hundred dollars. You're not going to get that anywhere. Not even in senior housing, which is.
Mick
Right.
Rich Young Lord
Backed up forever. So, you know, and I just felt like, all right, you gotta stay here. What do you need to do to stay here? You know, so once I, you know, I said, wow, man, I gotta get, you know, some information out there to let them understand. Because she. I understand. She wants a place that, you know, condo. She lives in the elevator. But with that, you can't control the expenses.
Mick
Yeah.
Rich Young Lord
You know, like you can within a home that you have, you know, so sometimes they need to stay or sometimes, you know, but it's. That has become a way for me to a find leads that nobody wants to deal with. Yeah. Because a lot of people don't have patience or don't have the. I don't want to take the time to deal with that, you know, but it's also become a way for me to then balance the books and help out, because that's how I would want to be treated or how my parents treated. And, you know, you. You got to push it forward. So I'm happy that I'm able to do that and help that community specifically, you know, and I'm glad that I don't. I'm in a position where, you know, I'm not desperate for dollars, where, you know, I have to take every deal or every situation has to become a deal for me, where I can truly put the situation and people first and see what's the best route for everyone involved.
Mick
The book balancer himself.
Rich Young Lord
I love it, bro.
Mick
Rich, man, I appreciate you so much, man. You bless us with some time today. Dropped some wisdom and some knowledge. One of the people I've looked up to for a long time. So I'm honored to have you on here, man. Like, this has been a bucket list for me, so I appreciate you, brother.
Rich Young Lord
Well, thanks for having me. And for all the people that listen to your show that are in their flip, the beginning of their flipping career are in the middle. You know, I just want to tell you that referrals are real. So always treat people good. Always do the best thing in a situation, because even if the deal can't work and you do what's best for the. The seller's situation, they will spread the word because everybody knows somebody that's in trouble. And a personal referral is a hundred times more powerful than any letter you can send or any. Any type of advertising that you can, can have that. This is something else. It guarantees deals, you know, So I would say, you know, at the beginning of your flipping career, look at how you can help more people and the deals will come, period.
Mick
Dude, I tell salespeople that all the time referrals are the shortest sales cycle you'll ever have. The absolute shortest sales cycle you'll ever have. So I support that 1000% rich, man. Where can people follow and find you? We'll make sure we have all this in the descriptions and show notes.
Rich Young Lord
Oh, man. You can definitely find me on instagram @rich younglord@ like a genius. I mean, at Instagram, off, you know, Facebook, but also you can check out likeagenius.com, you know, where I kind of give a bunch of tips for flipping and stuff like that. And if you have seniors that need any help for any reason, you can email me directly at richikagenius IO and so hit me up. And if there's any way I can help any of you guys move forward, be successful, you know, please, please give me more opportunities to help and balance the books.
Mick
I love that, man. I love that so much. Thank you again, Rich, and for all the listeners and viewers. Remember your because is your superpower. Go unleash.
Rich Young Lord
Thank you for tuning in to Mick Unplugged. Keep pushing your limits, embracing your purpose and chasing greatness. Until next time, stay unstoppable.
Podcast Summary: Mick Unplugged – Rich Younglord | Bridging Music and Real Estate: Insights from Rich Younglord
Podcast Information:
Mick Hunt opens the episode by introducing Rich Younglord, highlighting his illustrious career in music production and his current success in real estate. Rich's ability to bridge two distinct industries sets the stage for a deep and insightful conversation about passion, mentorship, and purpose.
Rich Younglord recounts his unexpected entry into the music industry. Initially aspiring to attend Harvard Law School, a chance encounter with a music studio owner ignited his passion for music.
Rich Younglord [02:09]: "I didn't know it was going to be a part of my journey... he owned the studio around the corner, and I was welcome to come by whenever I want."
This serendipitous meeting led Rich to work with prominent figures like Gabe Greg Troutman and Tony Dofat, immersing him in influential music sessions that solidified his commitment to the industry.
Rich emphasizes the pivotal role of mentorship in his career, particularly from LL Cool J and Babyface. These relationships not only honed his production skills but also imparted essential life lessons.
Rich shares an anecdote about working with LL Cool J, highlighting LL's collaborative approach and ability to encourage direction while respecting creative input.
Rich Younglord [06:14]: "LL cool J... he encourages direction. He wants to hear your point of view... He's been able to stay consistent and be successful because of that."
Meeting Babyface was a transformative experience for Rich. Observing Babyface's meticulous production process and calm yet authoritative communication style provided Rich with a blueprint for effective leadership and production.
Rich Younglord [08:59]: "He would do all the backgrounds... let the singer their interpretation... then hone in on what I want."
These mentorship experiences deeply influenced Rich’s approach to both music production and business management.
When discussing his production style, Rich attributes his sound to the influence of Bad Boy Records and his mentors. He highlights specific tracks that showcase his distinct approach, blending east and west coast vibes.
Rich Younglord [11:42]: "Big Pun, I did a song called 'You Ain't a Killer'... it was like an east coast mixed with some west coast vibes."
He also reflects on the evolution of his sound, moving away from sampling due to rising costs and embracing new production technologies like Pro Tools to refine his work.
Rich’s venture into real estate was inspired by mentorship and a desire to diversify his endeavors. Meeting Clarence Avon, who encouraged him to explore real estate, opened a new chapter for Rich.
Rich Younglord [18:26]: "Real estate, just like music, kind of like accident... Clarence Avon taught me to try things... you don't have to just do one thing."
Rich utilized his work ethic and strategic mindset from the music industry to excel in real estate, focusing on flipping houses and ensuring financial stability.
Central to Rich's philosophy is his "because" – a core driving force that motivates his actions beyond simply his "why."
Rich Younglord [24:48]: "I think my because is to balance the books... make sure that I'm able to do the same thing for my kids... do the same thing for random people who have done so much for me."
Rich views his success as a means to give back, ensuring that he can support his family and help others achieve their goals.
Rich shares a heartfelt story about assisting senior citizens in navigating real estate challenges. His compassionate approach and dedication to ethical practices have made him a trusted figure in this niche.
Rich narrates his experience with Ms. Babette, a 75-year-old woman looking to sell her late mother's house. Despite facing legal and familial complications, Rich's perseverance and ethical commitment ensured a fair deal and safeguarded Ms. Babette’s interests.
Rich Younglord [35:18]: "Once she becomes administrator... we find over a million dollars in bonds. So she was happy... representing and taking the torch for him."
Rich extends his support beyond mere transactions, assisting seniors in downsizing, handling liens, and finding appropriate living arrangements. His approach emphasizes patience, clear communication, and protecting their best interests.
Rich Younglord [41:00]: "Help out, because that's how I would want to be treated... see what's the best route for everyone involved."
Throughout the episode, Rich imparts valuable lessons for both aspiring producers and real estate investors:
The Power of Referrals: Building trust and treating people well leads to organic growth through referrals.
Rich Younglord [42:27]: "Referrals are real. Always treat people good. Always do the best thing in a situation...."
Diversification and Learning: Embracing multiple interests and constantly learning can open unexpected doors and lead to greater success.
Rich Younglord [18:26]: "You don't have to just do one thing. Try things... your greatness is in more than one place."
Purpose-Driven Success: Aligning business practices with a deeper purpose ensures sustainable and meaningful achievements.
Rich Younglord [24:48]: "Balance the books... do the same thing for my kids and others who have supported me."
Mick Hunt concludes the episode by expressing gratitude for Rich’s participation and insights. Rich leaves listeners with a powerful reminder of the importance of purpose and ethical practices in achieving lasting success.
Rich Younglord [42:27]: "Referrals are the shortest sales cycle you'll ever have... help more people and the deals will come, period."
Rich encourages listeners to embrace their "because" as a superpower, urging them to push their limits and pursue greatness with integrity.
Notable Quotes:
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Final Thoughts:
This episode of "Mick Unplugged" offers a profound exploration of Rich Younglord’s journey from a music industry stalwart to a compassionate real estate mogul. Rich’s emphasis on mentorship, ethical practices, and balancing personal purpose with professional success provides listeners with actionable insights and inspiration to pursue their own paths with integrity and passion.