Cassandra Schaeg: Fresh Glass is brought to you by KPBS Explore, Visit California, California, The Ultimate Playground.

♪♪♪ ♪ "I am living here today, hey."

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ female announcer: This is where dreams become reality, because at Cal State San Marcos your dream is our mission.

Cassandra: CCAE Theatricals, transforming lives through theater, creating career pathways in the arts, inspiring the next generation of arts leaders.

Maya's Cookies, visit their locations or order online at MayasCookies.com.

The County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce.

Computers2Kids.

Don't throw your electronics away, think C2K.

Lifetime Smiles Escondido, with additional contributions from our Fresh Glass Innovators and viewers like you, thank you.

Visit FreshGlassProductions.com for the list of our contributors.

Cassandra: On the season finale of "Fresh Glass," hip-hop and entrepreneurship unite.

Cassandra: What does 50 years of hip hop mean?

Hawaii Mike Salman: We've become the driving force of popular culture.

They need us more than we need them.

Cassandra: My journey ends in the city of dreams.

Bridgid Coulter Cheadle: Welcome home.

Cassandra: Where our guests make history.

Derrick D-Nice Jones: Everything about my career was because I was nice to someone and didn't know who that person was, so being kind to people should be the easiest thing to do.

D-Nice: Hey, what's up?

This is D-Nice, DJ, producer, photographer, and this is "Fresh Glass."

D-Nice: Cheers.

Cassandra: I'm Cassandra Schaeg, entrepreneur, advocate, and enthusiast.

Food, beverage, and entrepreneurship are growing, with diverse innovators creating brands and making a name for themselves.

McBride sisters: We are the McBride sisters.

Cassandra: Join me exploring unique flavors, captivating stories, and the entrepreneurial spirit of America's tapestry.

I'm creating a space for people who look like me to share their stories and their spirits.

This is "Fresh Glass."

Cassandra: It's my last day in New York.

Before I head west, I pay my respects to one of the world's cultural movements, hip-hop.

Hip-hop emerged in the Bronx in 1973 when DJ Kool Herc pioneered turntable scratching and rapping at a party.

50 years later, it has grown into a cultural ecosystem with iconic brands, moments, and entrepreneurs.

Hawaii Mike: What up, shorty?

Cassandra: Two entrepreneurs honoring that legacy are Jomaree Pinkard and Hawaii Mike.

Jomaree Pinkard: My name is Jomaree Pinkard, cofounder of the Hella Cocktail Company, and we are live here in Brooklyn, New York.

Hawaii Mike: Peace, my name is Hawaii Mike.

Welcome to Fly Private Social.

Cassandra: In New York fashion, we sat on the stoop and caught up on life.

Jomaree: We're in BK New York at my man Hawaii Mike's spot.

Hawaii Mike: Yeah, welcome to Fly Private Social.

Cassandra: Thank you for having me.

Hawaii Mike: Fly Private Social is a celebration of hip-hop through food, so it's basically my way of expressing how we share our oneness through the universal language of food.

Cassandra: What does 50 years of hip hop mean?

Hawaii Mike: It means that we've become the driving force of popular culture, and I'm starting to see they need us more than we need them.

Cassandra: Tell me about Hella Cocktail.

Jomaree: Wow, Hella, Hella is basically a platform of sharing, and what I mean by that is me and my buddies Eddie and Tobin, back in the days here in Brooklyn, created this brand out of a hobby, out of a shared hobby of sharing things, and Hella today is a brand that really exemplifies high-end quality canned cocktails, amazing quality beverages, and bar mixers for your home kind of bartender or your local bars and restaurants here in the neighborhood and across the country.

Cassandra: Do you mind if I take a look around?

Hawaii Mike: Oh, no, please do.

Cassandra: After taking a look around, I was hella thirsty.

What made you create Hella Cocktail?

Jomaree: Well, actually this was my buddies' ideas.

Eddie, Simeon, Tobin Ludwig lived here in Brooklyn in Williamsburg circa 2011, and they were the kind of guys that always were makers of things, and they used to make bitters in mason jars for fun.

I don't know if you know what bitters are, but I'll tell you.

Flavorful infusion of spices, fruit, and bitterroot used to make most cocktails and the quintessential ones like the old fashioned.

Alcohol, sugar, bitters, water, normally known as ice these days.

These guys were hustling these bitters around New York City and they said, "Jomaree, we have this idea, been working on it, what do you think?"

We said to ourselves, wow, every bar and restaurant in the world carries cocktail bitters, but most people don't know the name of them.

This is an interesting business proposition.

And then three or four years later, we said wait a minute, this thing is working, it has something.

The reason of, like, why we started to turn this into a business was because what we realized between the three of us was that we're all of different ilks and different perspectives, but we all shared some commonalities.

Eddie is from the bay and he would say stuff like, "This is hella dope," and we were in New York City in Brooklyn, so we're like why not borrow some amazing language from the bay, bring it to New York, and create this idea?

But what was really the common thread besides the shared--the different perspectives was that we all had a common love language, which was food, beverage, and these kinds of conversations.

Cassandra: I'm gonna need a cocktail and I hope you know how to make it hella good.

Jomaree: So, we're gonna make this what we call a Hella Bourbon Bitters and Soda.

Cassandra: Hella Bourbon Bitters and Soda.

Say that three times.

Jomaree: Hella Bourbon Bitters and Soda, Hella Bourbon Bitters and Soda, Hella Bourbon Bitters and Soda.

So, real simple.

We're gonna pour some ice, it's gonna be a simple cocktail.

Everyone at home, please follow along.

After the ice we're gonna add some bourbon.

I'm gonna add some Hella Bitters Bittersweet Spritz.

Oh my goodness, this is so good.

Cassandra: How does this infuse with making mocktails?

Jomaree: Great question, so all the Hella products can be used as a non-alcoholic kind of product, specifically the bitters and soda, you can consume by itself, carbonated beverage, this one has ten calories, so it's super light and refreshing.

And so, Hella serves, again, this idea of choice, lone continuum, salud.

Cassandra: So, where did you get all this knowledge from?

Jomaree: I went on to University of Virginia where I studied business, and then a few years later went on to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

Cassandra: Could you please explain how entrepreneurship works?

Jomaree: I think what you have to figure out first as an entrepreneur is what kind of entrepreneur do you want to be when you grow up?

There are a bunch.

I'll give you two examples though.

One is kind of like a entrepreneur who has a truly small business.

Think about the laundromat, the bodega on the corner, the one-off grocery shop.

Those are entrepreneurs as well, right?

And so, you have to be very intentional to own a small business that I go to every day, a restaurant like this and this bar and take care of it.

Those are great entrepreneurs, and actually that makes up most of entrepreneurs, right?

So, what we think about a lot of times when we talk about startups and entrepreneurship, we think of big business, right?

Like, multi-unit, multi-location, multi whatever it is, very scalable businesses.

And so, the first thing to think about if you wanna be an entrepreneur is what journey are you truly on, and there's no wrong answer because like I said, most businesses are truly small one-off businesses, and that's what actually builds most cities and countries, right?

And so, yes, every far and few in between you get a huge business, but those are very far and few in between.

Cassandra: What's next for Hella?

Jomaree: We are finally kind of taking our business into the alcohol side.

Everything else we've made has been non-alcoholic and we're finally launching a canned line of margaritas.

We'll have three flavors at launch, a classic margarita, a pineapple margarita, and a habanero margarita in a can, which is gonna be fantastic.

Cassandra: Standing here in all of your accomplishments, what does that mean for you and your community?

Jomaree: Well, it's amazing, right?

I mean, I hope to be a beacon, and all I wanna do is be an example of what it looks like when you create your own footprints.

And so, to be a black man in America helping figure that out but then also paying it forward, which is what I was taught, if you have it, share it.

If you know it, share it.

If you can do more, do so.

And so, all I wanna do is make sure that I become one of those beacons along with the rest of the team from whatever perspective needs to see us.

Cassandra: When you look back on your journey, what would you tell your younger self?

Jomaree: Follow your north star.

Try to figure out what your purpose is faster, only so that you can live inside of it longer, right?

And so my north star is to really bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and access.

Cassandra: Congratulations, cheers, thank you.

Cassandra: During my flight, I reflected on Jomaree's conversation.

Paying it forward, spreading kindness, and using opportunities to create positive change is vital.

When I landed in the City of Dreams, I made one more stop to visit two innovators whose positivity changed the world.

Bridgid: Welcome home.

Cassandra: Bridgid Coulter Cheadle is a woman of many talents.

Bridgid: Hi, I am Bridgid Coulter Cheadle and I am founder of Blackbird.

Cassandra: Her passion for design and advocacy for entrepreneurs of color was the motivation behind her space.

Bridgid: It was named after the Beatles song.

In the mid '60s the Beatles were here, they were a sensation, they were performing in the south, and there was a woman being arrested on television.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon were there with their American colleague and they said what do you think she did, she must have done something really bad?

And they said, yes, she was born black in America.

They essentially wrote this song.

So, in London, you know, we say, oh, that chick is cute, bird.

Bird is like that's a cute bird, that's a cute girl, so it's actually black girl, black girl singing in the dead of night, take your broken wings and learn to fly.

The brand started in 2018 with pop-ups, and I'm gonna invest in this pilot location to see is there a need for a space centered on women of color where we are centered and focused and have a safe space?

Did a pop up Juneteenth, 2019, 200 mostly black women, women of color and allies, but mostly black women showed up.

I expected 50 people, like, and it was emotional and people realized this is something.

We didn't think of a space like this centered on us, workspace, well-being space, a space that we could practice advocacy and creativity, and it was just vibrant, the programming, the screenings, the people, the gathering.

It was flowing, and by March 2020 we had to shut down because of the pandemic.

Went virtual, community stayed, and then we opened this space.

Cassandra: Black women and entrepreneurship.

Bridgid: My people.

Cassandra: How do we increase access?

Bridgid: One, we are the most entrepreneurial people I've ever met.

We create businesses, women in general, but black women and women of color create businesses at a higher rate than any other demographic with less resources.

This is data that's very easy to find, less resources and a higher ROI consistently.

So, the fact that we do it under resourced is what exhausts me, but the real real about entrepreneurship is it's capital intensive to do this.

I can't do this alone, and am a self-funded founder, I do all those things, and people see the pictures and the images, but I am investing in this because I believe in us, I believe in what we're doing, and it is a viable successful brand that gathers the most incredible people.

It is hard.

You have to make decisions alone.

There are tears on the floor sometimes when you make mistakes.

Cassandra: What would you tell your younger self today?

Bridgid: I think the bigger part would probably be what I gave myself as a word, it would be to give myself that in my 20's and that is literally what's gonna be gonna be, one word.

I created a new word.

What's gonna be gonna be, because that says the work you put in, the paths that you take may shift you, you can just allow for those things to find you by being your authentic self and following your passion and your purpose and your vision, all those things.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Bridgid: Cheers.

Cassandra: Bridgid is right, what's gonna be gonna be, and there's someone who knows that saying all too well, his name is D-Nice.

D-Nice: Hey, what's up?

This is D-Nice, DJ, producer, photographer.

Cassandra: D-Nice is a hip-hop legend whose career spans 30-plus years.

His passion is infectious and our stories are similar.

I created "Fresh Glass" during the pandemic and would listen to D-Nice spin his favorite records on social media.

His solace created a movement known as Club Quarantine, and I've been a member ever since.

D-Nice: To happiness.

Cassandra: Yes, [laughing].

D-Nice: Your story is literally my story.

Cassandra: Do tell.

D-Nice: When you start things out of passion, there's no telling how far it'll go, who it will actually touch.

We both kind of started, like, this next phase of life during a dark time, you know, and you know, there is no way that I would have been able to predict where I am right now.

And to be quite honest with you, 2020 was supposed to be my last year ever of DJ-ing, like, that was the goal.

I moved to LA to move into film and television production.

Cassandra: Really?

D-Nice: And you know, I ended up being stuck at home.

It's funny how life works though, you know?

Like, I thought I had a true plan, the master plan for where I thought my career was gonna be, and God had a totally different plan and I'm truly humbled by this experience.

Cassandra: When the plan looked different, did you embrace it?

D-Nice: I always try to find the good in something.

You know, if something doesn't work out I'm like, hey, maybe that wasn't meant for me, I'm gonna try to do this other thing.

And you know, whenever I think I know where I'm supposed to be, it's not really where I'm supposed to be, but whenever I just let go and be free and let God, I always end up in the place that is the most important place for me.

Cassandra: You were gonna give DJ-ing up, COVID happens, I'm grooving to you while I'm creating "Fresh Glass."

You always played one of my favorite artists and I'm gonna see if you can try to guess who it is.

D-Nice: I always play--who do I always play?

Male or female?

Cassandra: Male.

D-Nice: Hip-hop or R&B?

Cassandra: Rock.

D-Nice: Male rock artist?

Like '70s rock or?

Cassandra: Eighties.

D-Nice: Eighties, man, you actually got me stumped right now.

I'm like, who do I play '80s?

I mean, I play a lot of '80s rock.

You got me stumped right now, who?

Cassandra: Michael McDonald.

D-Nice: Michael McDonald was the '70s, that's not '80s.

I was about to say him but that's '70s.

What are you talking about?

Somebody get me a fresh glass, please, ha, ha, ha.

Cassandra: How do you manifest Hollywood Bowl happening?

D-Nice: I was never really a headlining DJ.

Like, as a rapper I've headlined some shows and I've toured with people, but as a DJ, most people that knew me as a rap artist had no idea I was DJ-ing until Club Quarantine.

Cassandra: When you talk about business, what would you say a challenge is in entrepreneurship that we don't talk about?

D-Nice: One of the challenges for me was to try to convince brands that, you know, a brand partnership with me it would be worth it, you know?

Like, I stay out of trouble, I have the history.

I mean, when you really think about it, like, I've been in the music industry for nearly four decades, you know, and I've done a lot in four decades.

And it dawned on me recently when I was just kind of, like, working on a new bio and when I was being interviewed, I said all of these things and I actually heard myself and I was like, wow, like, man, I've really done a lot, you know, in my career, and still doing a lot, but I've also brought a lot of people along with me as well, you know.

So, it's not just doing a lot for me, it's also being in a position to inspire people, and in particular to inspire a certain group for me, people my age who feel like, you know, when you're in entertainment, your career, you can age out of it, and, like, to me it's like when I talk to, like, people from my generation where I'm always like, man, just never give up.

You know, you may be known for one thing, but that's not the only thing that you have to be known for in your career and in your life, you know, and fortunately for me, I've been blessed where growing up I never had someone to tell me, hey, don't climb that tree, don't do that.

I climbed the tree and I fell and I got up and then it was like if I hurt myself and, you know, I had to learn to climb the tree a different way, and you know, kind of brace myself for the fall the next time.

And then I noticed, like, as a parent now, I'm kind of like, hey, don't do this, but that's not how I grew up so I had to learn to adjust it.

If my kids wanna do something in life, I'm like, all right, cool, you should try it.

Like, no one stopped me from trying anything, so here we are, you know, all these decades later, man, like, I can honestly say that I've had a lot of failures, I've had a lot of successes, but at the end of the day, I did everything that I wanted to do in my life.

Stop it, you need a drink.

You're about to make me tear up, man.

That's the effects of Martingale.

You get emotional with the 'yac.

Cassandra: D-Nice's recent success is Martingale, his signature cognac.

D-Nice: Most people look at spirits or wine and they think it's, you know, it's all about a celebration, or like for me when I turned 18 years old, and that's back and it's a long time ago when 18 was the legal drinking age, but this was like a rite of passage.

Like, when I had a glass of cognac when I turned 18 with my uncle, I had produced this record called "Self-Destruction."

♪ "Headed for self-destruction," ♪ yeah, and the single went gold, sold half-a-million copies, and my uncle, you know, he took me out to--he bought me a suit, got me a pair of shoes, got me a tie.

I didn't have any of those things.

And when I got dressed, he poured me a glass of cognac, and that's what I had.

So, like, to be, you know, one of the owners of a cognac is, like, extremely special and heartwarming to me.

You know, it's, like, kind of full circle, you know.

Like, everything that was supposed to happen in my life was always there, you know, so, yeah, toast to that.

Cassandra: Thank you.

D-Nice: Of course.

Cassandra: The common denominator I hear is that you are a great human being.

D-Nice: Wow, shouldn't that be the easiest thing to be?

Like, seriously, like, to be nice to people.

My whole story, everything about my career, was because I was nice to someone and didn't know who that person was.

I ended up in music because I was nice to someone and that person said, hey, you should be down with us.

I ended up with Club Quarantine because I was nice to someone and didn't know that he worked at a certain place and made it all possible.

So, being kind to people should be the easiest thing to do, being kind with no agenda.

Cassandra: What would you say to your younger self?

D-Nice: If I was able to speak to my younger self, that young kid from the South Bronx who grew up in a tenement apartment, living with his great-grandmother and his cousin and his cousin's son and his cousin's boyfriend, I would probably tell my younger self one day it will all be worth it.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: This journey revealed many themes, and I am often asked why I chose entrepreneurship.

The answer is simple, it's my calling.

Throughout the season, our guests found theirs.

female: We felt like it was our calling to do something together in wine.

Cassandra: They took a risk and elevated their communities along the way.

male: What can I do with my life that's gonna add value to my community?

Cassandra: With love.

male: You have to love what you do.

Cassandra: Authenticity.

female: There was that moment of clarity where, like, let's just be us.

Cassandra: And perseverance.

male: When you believe in something, just do it.

Pursue your dream.

Cassandra: They made history and achieved their wildest dreams.

Life will take you places you never imagined.

male: I could've ended up anywhere, and the fact that I got to travel all over the world, I just wanna make my mama proud.

Cassandra: But when you find your calling-- Jomaree: Follow your north star.

Try to figure out what your purpose is faster.

Cassandra: Make it your passion-- D-Nice: When you start things out of passion, there's no telling how far it'll go, who it will actually touch.

Cassandra: And the rest is history.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: I'm Cassandra Schaeg, this is "Fresh Glass," and that's a wrap for season two.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ female: We're excited, we created She Can Wines.

Obviously by the name, you got--oh, Lord, it's coming down.

Can we just move under here?

Girl.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: You remember how we met?

male: At the club?

You was at the club?

What club was it?

♪♪♪ Cassandra: All aboard, all aboard.

male: I don't normally drink beer, but when I do.

♪♪♪ female: So, this is a horse-drawn tiller that was on our property.

All right, ready, -- ?

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Cassandra: It's a wrap.

Bridgid: It's a wrap.

Cassandra: It's a wrap.

Bridgid: Congrats.

♪♪♪ Bridgid: Aww.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Cassandra: "Fresh Glass" is brought to you by KPBS Explore, Visit California, California, The Ultimate Playground.

♪♪♪ ♪ "I am living here today, hey."

♪ ♪♪♪ announcer: This is where dreams become reality, because at Cal State San Marcos your dream is our mission.

Cassandra: CCAE Theatricals, transforming lives through theater, creating career pathways in the arts, inspiring the next generation of arts leaders.

Maya's Cookies, visit their locations or order online at MayasCookies.com.

The County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce, Computers2Kids, don't throw your electronics away, think C2K.

Lifetime Smiles Escondido, with additional contributions from our Fresh Glass Innovators and viewers like you, thank you.

Visit FreshGlassProductions.com for the list of our contributors.

Stay connected with "Fresh Glass" by following us on social media.

You can also grab "Fresh Glass" Merch at FreshGlassProductions.com.