Hosts of the Living Life for a Living Tour Kenny
Burns and Rob Hill Sr. made their way to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC to talk about their rise to
success, dreams, the LLL Tour and being inspirations. After being welcomed with
open arms, I knew I would be in for a treat to sit down with these two gentlemen
and learn all about their story.
Both men are known for their strong social
media presence in addition to bearing buzz worthy names throughout several industries. If you’re not familiar with their work, check their resumes! Living
in Atlanta, I’ve seen Kenny Burns at some of Atlanta’s hottest events, and followed Rob Hill Sr. on Instagram, where he delivers his daily inspirational quotes. Interestingly, these were two people I had no idea knew each other, but I knew they were two people to meet. Our conversation was lots of laughs and side jokes, but more importantly a
great exchange of genuine energy and lasting impressions.
I think every person I saw giving inspiration so
to speak , was like 50-60 and they’ve been saying it so long that we kind of
tune their voice out, and there wasn’t anybody young who could inspire you here
and have a drink with you here and still not make you feel like they were
talking at you or preaching, so I wanted to be that person. I wanted to fill
that void.
Photos: Danielle Jackson -FARRINHEIT 411
Kenny
you call yourself “The Lifestyle Specialist,” Rob you’re “The Heart Healer,”
how did you come up with those names?
Rob:
I think we were both trying to fill voids. That’s probably the basic answer. He
understood business in a way to where they needed lifestyle guys in order to
connect to pop culture and I understood relationships , love, and our
generation in a way that I knew we needed to speak more life into one another
and I knew a lot of us had different pieces that we are broken in different
areas. I believe we were the key to healing each other, Tupac said it. It’s
time for us as a people to start making changes. Change the way we eat, change
the way we treat each other and that resonated with me, but I also understood
that it was our responsibility to do that for one another. If I can break you I
gotta be able to build you.
Kenny:
What he said! I came up with the title, I
think there’s a high value on someone who is experienced in all aspects of
lifestyles. I’ve been blessed to be the second black designer in Sacks 5th
Avenue; I’ve been blessed to be the Vice President at one of the greatest
dynasties in Hip Hop with Roc-a-Fella Records. I’ve just been a part of a lot
of greatness and when I decided that my life was about sharing what I know I
wanted to create a strong enough title that would last and inspire. We see that
corporate America has mandates for that and people call themselves lifestyle
specialist, so it’s working.
How
did the two of you first link up and come up with the idea of putting this tour
together?
Kenny: I
admired Rob from his “teachings” on social media. He reached out one day and
was coming to Atlanta and was like “Yo man I would love to take you to lunch,”
we went to Houston’s on Lenox, talked for like an hour and I actually asked him
an hour into the conversation how old are you? He was like “26” and I was like
get the f*ck out of here! He has an old soul about him, he’s been here before.
He’s definitely ordained to do what he’s doing. Like all of you beautiful
ladies that admire him and follow him, I fell in love with him too. That’s my
little brother, I was like we’re gonna do a tour and he was like “yea? I have a
book coming out that’s perfect timing” and I was like I got a book coming out perfect
timing! We did the first date in Chicago at the Harold Washington Cultural
Center, 500 plus people in 5 degree weather in Chicago and it was an amazing
experience and it has been since.
Rob,
you captured so many people through social media with your daily quotes and
inspirational messages. There’s one post in particular that I still read when
you shared how it’s taken you 7 years to become “an overnight success,”
starting with an email list of 22 people that has now turned into hundreds of
thousands. During those years, what inspired you to be the inspiration?
Rob:
Just getting it wrong, a lot a lot. I remember drowning and having to teach
myself how to swim. I use that as a figure of speak but it wasn’t a lifeguard,
you know it’s not always lifeguards in life and I decided that I would become
one. I wanted to be somebody who helped people. Life is tricky you know? It
takes you on some turns and you don’t always know if you’re gonna come out of
it, but I’ve been blessed to come out of some rough stuff and for me to be able
to put that back into people.
Say
I was on a road with no signs, I’m trying to put some signs here like slow down
around this curb, go a little slower right here, take this exit right here
there’s another way. I just started really small. When people say started from
the bottom, it was the bottom. I was broke as sh*t seriously. I saved up
pennies to do my first set of books. We ran a set of 500 and I was hustling
trying to move those books. I built my own first website and I suck at stuff
like that, but it was just one of those things where there was no limit. I knew
I was starting small, but I was committed to the work that’s me with
everything. Whether it’s finding love, maintaining love, building friendships,
building businesses, I’m committed to the work in its whole process.
Kenny
your first book The Dream is Real
recently came out, which shares your story of your grind to success and working
in the entertainment industry. Along with Rob you also give your daily “Isims”,
which inspire people. Do you believe being positive and sharing positivity with
others has been rewarding to you in your life?
Kenny:
I’m fulfilled every day with a comment, a
testimony of how I’ve affected someone’s life. To be honest, that’s what it’s
all about. I’ve never been one to be driven by money. I always tell the people I
mentor I put myself in money’s way so money is never going to be an issue for
me, but at the same time teaching what I know. I didn’t have the opportunity
for someone to teach me when I got into
the music business or when I got my first big check, no one told me how to save
and not spend it all, so I didn’t have the guidance that I’m giving to a lot of
people so that’s the most fulfilling part.
Even
like Rob, I mean, when I met this guy he had 200,000 followers, he’s already almost
at a half of a million but, he was still into what I had to tell him. I’m like
you got two hundred thousand more followers than me but I think it was the OG
contribution that I could bring.
Rob:
it’s that genuineness. Kenny’s a genuine person.
You find people who give with no strings attached and like he said he puts
himself in money’s way and I’ve always believed that when he told me that. I’ve
never stressed about money, I know I’m gonna get it. I know it’s gonna find a
way. If you make yourself valuable enough and if you add enough value to enough
people you’re gonna get it, you’re gonna be fine. It reflects what he says
about social currency, takes you places money cant.
We
just believe that and
sitting down with that connection. I’m the type of person I feel like I can
learn from anybody. I can learn from somebody who’s technically accomplished nothing
and somebody who technically has it all.
I try to find something that can make me better. I know that when I do
it I can give it to my son, I have a responsibility to Kenny’s sons and a
responsibility to your future kids. I just feel like we’re all here for one
another.
What
would you (both) say to those who are on a quest to pursue their dreams full
time, but stuck with the dilemma of not having a “real job?”
Rob:
Personally I say figure out where you
are, where you wanna be and don’t let anybody tell you, you don’t deserve to be
there. Don’t shoot yourself low. Don’t say “eh I’m just trynna find a job.” I
want to support my family for generations, period. I know that may sound big
headed but why shouldn’t I? I’ve seen Wal-Mart do it. I’ve seen Johnson Johnson
do it. I’ve seen all of these brands do it so why shouldn’t I have that same
legacy? It was figuring out who I wanted to because I’m somebody who thinks
big!
Kenny:
For real! We walked in the Drake concert,
like we’re gonna speak in here next year, in Phillips arena.
Rob:
You can’t tell me no. You can’t tell me
it’s not for me. I don’t care! If I’m not dead right now, you can’t stop me
from working for it and that’s just how I see life.
Kenny:
One of my biggest and most popular quotes
is “don’t let your expectations exceed your effort.” I think we all think so
big sometimes where it’s not realistic and I think we should always reach for
those things and be comfortable where we land. That would be my advice, when
you stop it, it stops.
Past
and present you’ve worked with two of Hip Hop’s biggest moguls. Who’s harder to work
for Shawn Carter or Sean Combs?
Kenny:
When creative’s get together it can be
stressful at any point. The beauty about working with geniuses is that genius
comes from the relationship. I really haven’t had any super issues, I mean you
all publically know my issues I had with Puff but it’s been more ego stuff than
it was business, because I’ve always admired him and wanted to be him in
business.
Rob:
Kenny Burns is the hardest person Kenny
Burns ever had to work for!
Both Kenny Burns and Rob Hill Sr. are busy traveling and touching people from coast to coast. You can find Kenny Burn's hosting the livest party in your city or on the road with REVOLT TV, while Rob Hill is healing hearts, motivating, and promoting his books. Even though these two are no rookies in their fields. You can see them both together on the "Living Life for a Living Tour" in a city near you.
CONVERSATION