THE RYAN SHOW

INTERVIEW: CHRISTOPHER “MIC HANDZ” ROGERS

CO-FOUNDED BY RYAN VERNEUILLE, "THE RYAN SHOW" WAS LAUNCHED IN 2015 ON THE EAST END OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK. IT STARTED OUT AS A WEEKLY COMEDY PODCAST WITH CHILDHOOD FRIEND AND CO-FOUNDER DAVE LOCASCIO WHO ALSO CO-HOST THE GROUNDBREAKING SHOW. IN 2017 MR. CHEEKS OF QUEENS HIP HOP GROUP THE LOST BOYZ JOINED THE SHOW AS A CO-HOST BRINGING A UNIQUE URBAN FLAIR TO THE WEEKLY PODCAST. "THE RYAN SHOW" IS KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSE FANBASE AND PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR HONEST CONVERSATIONS AND DEBATES FOR TOPICS LIKE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE SHOW ALSO STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY GIVEBACK AND REGULARLY HOST TOY, CLOTHING AND FOOD DRIVES TO PROVIDE HELP TO NON-PROFITS. "THE RYAN SHOW" HAS EXPANDED OUTSIDE OF THE TRI-STATE AREA BY BRINING THE SHOW TO 98.1FM, THE NEW URBAN HEAT RADIO IN BOSTON, MA AND NOW BROADCASTING LIVE OUT OF LEDGENDARY PRODUCER ERICK SERMON'S DEF SQUAD STUDIOS IN LONG ISLAND, NY. THE NEWLY FORMED PARTNERSHIP WILL BRING MORE OF A VIDEO ELEMENT TO THE CONTENT CREATED BY THE SHOW.

RYAN VERNEUILLE:

VALIDATED: WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND THE CREATION OF THE RYAN SHOW?

RYAN: BOTH DAVE AND I ARE FROM THE EAST END OF LONG ISLAND, MORE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS "THE HAMPTONS". BOTH OF US WERE WORKING THE RESTAURANT GRIND OUT ON LONG ISLAND. AFTER I STARTED "THE RYAN SHOW" AS THE HAMPTONS OWN LIVE VARIETY SHOW / PODCAST I REACHED OUT TO HAMPTONS DAVE, A LOCAL SOCIALITE WHO FIT THE BILL FOR THE CO-HOST I WAS LOOKING FOR.

VALIDATED: HOW DID YOU GUYS DECIDE ON THE NAME?

RYAN: I WENT WITH THE TRADITIONAL TALK SHOW APPROACH AND NAMED IT AFTER MYSELF. MY LAST NAME (VERNEUILLE PRONOUNCED VERNELL) IS FAR TOO HARD TO PRONOUNCE ON FIRST SIGHT SO I DECIDED TO KEEP IT SIMPLE.

VALIDATED: WHAT SACRIFICES HAVE YOU MADE OR ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO GO WITHOUT BECAUSE YOU'VE INVESTED IN OR PRIORITIZED YOUR CAREER?

RYAN: I’VE SACRIFICED EVERY MINUTE OF "FREE TIME". SINCE TAKING THE LEAP AKA QUITTING MY 9-5, I HAVE BEEN FINDING EACH AND EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY TO UTILIZE THE PLATFORM TO GENERATE MONEY. WHETHER IT’S SELLING MERCH OR GOOD OLD FASHIONED PROMOTING TO KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE WE’RE MAKING IT HAPPEN!

VALIDATED: WE'VE HEARD THAT NOT ONLY IS IT A INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE FORMAT BUT THERE IS ALSO A COMEDY ELEMENT TO "THE RYAN SHOW" FORMAT, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

RYAN: "THE RYAN SHOW FM" IS A COMEDY SHOW. I FEEL THAT COMEDY IS A GREAT WAY TO MAKE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE TO ACCEPTING NEW OR DIFFERENT IDEAS. MANY OF OUR GUESTS ARE CONTROVERSIAL AND HAVING THE COMEDY ELEMENT TO OUR PLATFORM MAKES FOR A SMOOTHER INTERVIEW AND OVERALL EXPERIENCE. BACK WHEN WE HAD "THE RYAN SHOW LIVE" WE HAD A FULL HOUR OF NEW COMEDIANS PERFORM STAND UP EACH WEEK.

VALIDATED: AS A JOURNALIST AND/OR DOCUMENTARIAN OF THE HIP HOP CULTURE WHAT IS THE LONG TERM GOAL OR "THE RYAN SHOW"?

RYAN: IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE OUR PLATFORM HELP HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SUB GENRES OF HIP HOP. NOT THAT I AM AN EXPERT BUT THERE IS A CLEAR DIFFERENCE IN GENRE BETWEEN REDMAN AND TRIPPIE REDD. ANOTHER LONG TERM GOAL IS TO GET SOME COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN HAMPTONS DAVE & SOME HIP HOP LEGENDS.

VALIDATED: HOW DID YOU BREAK INTO THE HIP HOP INDUSTRY AND FIND YOUR RELEVANCE?

RYAN: ONCE WE CREATED "THE RYAN SHOW LIVE" WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE LIVE PERFORMANCES. WE HAD BIG TURNOUTS AT OUR WEEKLY SHOW SO WE WERE ABLE TO SELL PERFORMANCE SLOTS TO UP AND COMING ARTISTS MUCH LIKE A SHOWCASE. ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WOULD COME IN TO PERFORM AT OUR LIVE SHOWS.

VALIDATED: NOW AS A HIP-HOP LIFESTYLE PLATFORM, WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE HIP-HOP CULTURE?

RYAN: I CONSIDER US BEING REAL IN OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE HIP HOP CULTURE. HIP HOP HAS BEEN ABOUT SAYING WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND WHETHER OR NOT IT’S DEEMED OFFENSIVE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR BRAND AND CREATE OUR WORK WITHOUT BEING HAMPERED BY THE JUDGMENT OF OTHERS, THREATS OR CONTRACTUAL RESTRICTIONS AND OBLIGATIONS.

VALIDATED: HIP-HOP HAS GROWN IN POPULARITY OVER THE YEARS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIP-HOP BECOMING THE MOST POPULAR MUSIC GENRE OF ALL TIME?

RYAN: I WOULDN’T THINK IT’S THE MOST POPULAR GENRE OF ALL TIME. AT LEAST NOT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER "HIP HOP". LOTS OF MUSIC IS CONSIDERED HIP HOP WHEN TO ME IT IS POP OR A DIFFERENT GENRE.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE TO THE SHOW?

RYAN: IT’S GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND CREATION. ONE OF THE PERKS OF A LIVE AUDIENCE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE PEOPLE’S RESPONSES TO JOKES AND SEGMENTS IN PERSON.

VALIDATED: WE HEAR THAT "THE RYAN SHOW" IS NOW ON FM!!!! TELL US ABOUT THAT?

RYAN: RECENTLY THE CAST OF "THE RYAN SHOW" WAS BROUGHT ABOARD "98.1 FM THE NEW URBAN HEAT" TO SHAKE THINGS UP. SOME CALLED US A "SHOCK JOCK" PODCAST WHICH TRANSLATES NICELY TO FM RADIO. WE PUSH THE BOUNDARIES PRETTY FAR WITHOUT BREAKING FCC REGULATIONS.

VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU WANT "THE RYAN SHOW" AUDIENCES TO GET FROM THE SHOW?

RYAN: HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET A LAUGH OR TWO OUT OF IT! IF PEOPLE CAN TAKE SOMETHING POSITIVE OUT OF ONE OF OUR SHOWS THEN OUR MISSION IS COMPLETE.

VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT OTHER VENTURES YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

RYAN: RECENTLY WE HAVE TEAMED UP WITH SQUAD STREAMING BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A UNIT. MR CHEEKS CLASSIC HITS AND WORK WITH THE LOST BOYZ WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH SQUAD STREAMING. HAMPTONS DAVE AND MYSELF ARE HOSTING INDIVIDUAL SHOWS ON THE SERVICE AS WELL.

VALIDATED: WHERE CAN THE READERS SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR SHOW ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA?

RYAN: FOLLOW US AT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGES TO SEE OUR DAILY UPDATES: @THERYANSHOW @HAMPTONSDAVE @MRCHEEKSLBMAFIA

WE ALSO HAVE UPDATES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGES @THERYANSHOW.NET @MRCHEEKSLBMAFIA AND @HAMPTONSDAVE

MR. CHEEKS:

VALIDATED: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE HIP-HOP SCENE CURRENTLY?

MR. CHEEKS: I MEAN, IT IS WHAT IT IS. N***** TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THREE THINGS; THE BAG, HOW GANGSTER THEY ARE AND HOW MANY BROADS THEY GOT. AIN'T REALLY NOTHING GOING ON AS FAR AS TEACHING OR SOMETHING BEING TAKEN AWAY, SO I GUESS IT AIN'T HIP HOP. SO THE STATE OF HIP HOP STILL IN TACT.

VALIDATED: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES NOW THAT YOU ARE THE PLATFORM CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTIST THEN WHEN YOU WERE THE TALENT?

MR CHEEKS: I'M AN ESTABLISHED ARTIST COMFORTABLE WHERE I'M AT, JUST LIVING. YA KNOW I WASN'T ALWAYS MISTA CHEEKS, I ALSO HAD TO GO OUT THERE AND FOLLOW MY DREAMS. I'M GLAD IT WASN'T EASY TO MAKE IT AND THE GAME SHOWED ME A LOT. BASICALLY YA GOTTA GET THROUGH IT TO GET TO IT. SO THAT BEING SAID, AIN'T NOTHING LIKE HELPING SOMEONE ELSE DO IT. IF I'M ABLE TO GIVE TIPS AND ADVICE I WILL. I AIN'T MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS BUT I LEARNED. MY BOY PRETTY LOU SAID YA DON'T MAKE MISTAKES IF YOU'VE LEARNED SUMTHIN, SO THAT’S THE BLESSINGS.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP, THE CULTURE?

MR. CHEEKS: S*** MAN, MY EARLIEST ARE FROM MOVIES THAT BROUGHT IT TO LIFE FOR ME LIKE "WILD STYLE", "BEAT STREET", "BREAKING" AND "KRUSH GROOVE", THOSE ARE MY LIFE.

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR ROLL IN "THE RYAN SHOW"?

MR. CHEEKS: I'M A CO-HOST TO A FLY RADIO SHOW, "THE RYAN SHOW". S***, I'M A FAMILY FRIEND, SLASH I'M THE HIP HOP ELEMENT OF THE CREW. YA KNOW, THAT DUDE WITH CLASSIC HITS UNDER THE BELT JUST KICKING BACK AND DOING SOME INTERVIEWS, CHECKING OUT THE NEW TALENT, BRINGING SOME INDUSTRY FRIENDS AND FAM THROUGH. I'M JUST PART OF THE TEAM. I BRING MY FLAVOR, DAVE BRINGS HIS, RYAN AND MAGGIE. YEAH, WE JUST ROCKING AND ROLLING.

VALIDATED: HOW DID THE PARTNERSHIPS FORM?

MR. CHEEKS: DID A INTERVIEW WITH THE FELLAS AND WE CHOPPED IT UP AND SPOKE ON SOME THINGS WE CAN DO TOGETHER. TOOK IT FURTHER THAN WHAT WE ALL COULD IMAGINE.

DAVE LOCASCIO AKA HAMPTONS DAVE:

VALIDATED: DO YOU FEEL "MAINSTREAM" HIP-HOP ARTISTS ARE DOING JUSTICE TO HIP HOP AS A GENRE AND CULTURE?

HAMPTONS DAVE: I WILL NEVER KNOCK AN ARTIST OR TRY TO STOP THEM FROM GETTING THEIR MONEY, BUT I AM NOT FEELING THE MAINSTREAM HIP HOP TODAY. I ALMOST NEVER LISTEN TO THE RADIO WHEN I'M IN MY CAR, EVERY SONG SOUNDS THE SAME. A LOT OF THESE "MAINSTREAM" ARTISTS AREN'T THE ONES THAT ARE USING THEIR PLATFORM TO BENEFIT THE CULTURE EITHER.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK AND ARTIST OUT RIGHT NOW AND WHY? WHO HAS YOU EXCITED ABOUT MUSIC?

HAMPTONS DAVE: MY FAVORITE NEW ARTIST RIGHT NOW IS BENNY THE BUTCHER AND MY FAVORITE SONG IS "97 HOV". HIS DELIVERY AND FLOW IS DIFFERENT FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE ARTISTS OUT RIGHT NOW. HIS WHOLE CAMP HAS GOT ME EXCITED ABOUT MUSIC. I AM A 90'S HIP HOP HEAD BUT I HAVE BEEN FEELING THE WHOLE GRISELDA CREW. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE COMING OUT OF BUFFALO, THEIR MUSIC HAS THAT CLASSIC NYC SOUND.

VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL THE STATE OF GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY AFFECTING THE CULTURE OF HIP HOP AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AS A WHOLE?

HAMPTONS DAVE: IT'S HAVING A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE CULTURE OF HIP HOP. WITH ALL THE ENHANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND DIFFERENT MEDIA OUTLETS ARTISTS ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR MUSIC AND MESSAGE OUT TO A LOT MORE PEOPLE. SOMEBODY LIKE MYSONNE IS SOMEONE I FEEL IS USING THESE OUTLETS TO THE FULLEST TO GET HIS MESSAGE ACROSS AND I SALUTE HIM FOR THAT.

Troy HendricksonJanuary 3, 2019