I get on my wife’s nerves. Every time she walks into the bedroom or living room, I’m bunkered down in front of the television. Watching YouTube videos. If it’s not a n!gga talking about prison and street war stories, it’s an ex-con turned motivational speaker giving an inspirational word. Through YouTube, I’ve met gangsters I wouldn’t want to meet in real life. And I’ve heard stories darker than a Donald Goines novel. I sit entertained, amused and bemused at the same time. And my wife asks me the same question, “why in the hell are you watching this”?
During the pandemic, I became a willful victim of YouTube. I, like many people, confined at home needed some form of engagement and entertainment. That’s when I first went down the rabbit hole of watching sneaker collectors. I watched celebrity sneaker battles. I’ve been inside all of the rappers sneaker closets without leaving my recliner. I was even influenced to turn my office space into a display of my own collection. My wife would join me. We’d be entertained together as we watched DJ Clark (GOD bless), Greg Street, Fat Joe, and Mayor show off their work. Everybody was engaging in healthy braggadocious and bodacious talk about their collection. For me, it was a nostalgic conversation between brothers who understood the importance of getting fresh, feet first. I relished in it. Then the more I watched, I soon began to realize, sneaker collecting is a multi-billion dollar industry. That’s when I started questioning, “who’s capitalizing the most from this monetary tsunami of money”? And furthermore, “how are they doing it”?
Around that same time, I was introduced to YouTube and social media phenoms and street pontificators. I met Charleston White, Wallo, OG Percy, Terrance Gangsta Williams and countless others. I watched damn near every episode of DJ Vlad, DJ Smallz Eyes, Say Cheese TV, and Real Lyfe Street Starz. I also watched any other n!gga who had a camera and a mouth. I began to become mesmerized. Not just by the stories. But the fact that these people figured a way to use social media and YouTube as a vehicle to monetize their life, or the stories of others. Besides being storytellers, they became newscasters and journalists. They seemingly defied the odds. They’re not always the most articulate, nor accurate. But for some reason, to many, they’re always entertaining. Through watching them, I soon learned that millions of dollars were being earned by having a phone and/or camera and a willingness to share.
Now, I must admit, I am sometimes taken aback by things people are willing to share for clicks and views. Seemingly without much notice, I went from enjoying sneaker content to studying how a n!gga who just came home from doing 20 years leaped frogged the hell out of me in becoming a millionaire. I started watching more intently when I seen videos of content creators signing multi-million dollar deals. My wife would walk by and say “you still watching that”? I’d say, “baby I’m tryna figure it out.” Baby I’m still trying to figure it out.
People are making a living telling stories. Though I wouldn’t quite call them griots. Nevertheless, I need to figure this sh!t out. Sh!t I think I’m a decent storyteller. I can articulate myself a little bit. And I can write a sentence or two. But when I post my stuff, I get about 20 views and 3 likes. I ain’t seen a check yet from 20 views and 3 likes. However, I’ve noticed that if I write something self deprecating my views and likes increase a little. But shid, I still ain’t seen a check from 30 views and 8 likes. And I ain’t gonna deprecate myself that much to get a couple dollars. I don’t think.
But please don’t judge me. If you see me out here lying about all the work I put in over the jail. Now I was over the jail, but I was teaching. I left every day. But I’m gonna over exaggerate the story. Or you might hear me tell a street story about how I was getting money. I was around some money, but ain’t none of it belong to me. All I’m saying is that when Charleston White was posting as a community activist, nobody outside of Forth Worth Texas knew who he was. And he was probably getting the same checks I get for my 20 views and 3 likes. But when he became a character and offender online, he became damn near the greatest influencer/impactor/disruptor on the internet. And checks started getting cut!
Terrance Gangsta Williams said he made $27,000 in a month. He ain’t even recording in a studio. He got a bedsheet as a backdrop, and he’s sitting on a couch telling street tales. In front of a phone. And you mean to tell me, I can’t figure out how to get into this algorithm to get a portion of that? I’m befuddled. I had to look that word up because it’s not one that I use regularly. I had to make sure I was using it right. That should explain how befuddled I must be. Man, I want in.
I want to say to my baby, “I done figured it out, pack your bags.” But I won’t do it at the expense of my integrity. And sadly that’s what the internet has reduced us to. People will do anything for clickbait, views and likes. I know it’s because they’re just as befuddled as I am. When they see people caking up from being content creators. So, I’m going to keep creating content, posting pictures and videos. Writing on my page: www.thedewsperspective.com. Much to my wife’s dismay, I will continue watching these YouTube videos. I need to figure out how to profit from monetizing my content. Sh!t, I like big necklaces and diamond grills too. I want in. I think my first story will be about when I was over the jail and a student was making a shank in the classroom. And they tried to hide it in a body cavity. I ain’t lying. I don’t think. Get ready to cut me a check, check cutters! I want in!
Written by Cornell Dews
cornelldews@aol.com
Thedewsperspective 
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