Ahmed "Flex" Omar and Uzo Udu

00:03 Names on Netflix on where I am 35 years old. Today's date has the September 6th 2016. Where the Chicago Cultural Center?

00:16 Who's always my good friend?

00:19 My name is ouzo. Demon Huachuca. Who do buy short at Azusa. Who do I am 29. Today's date is September 6th, 2016 and were located in the cultural center. And yes Flex is my good friend than a mentor.

00:41 Who's a how are you doing today? Good, very good. Excellent. Excellent. Welcome to story Corp, and I'm excited to interview you today. So let's start by learning a little bit more, you know about your background story of a very interesting, you know background up first time I met you

01:02 You know, you headed to take Russian, you know, definitely I definitely want to learn a little bit more about you know, where you were born and where you grew up in. How'd you know come, you know to the US so initially if I started the whole story and I was born and raised in the country that is not more exist in which is USSR. Okay, but at that time, I will see you cry. So I was born and raised in hike of Ukraine. It was 1987 right before the Soviet Union break and my parents are actually from Africa and my mom she is half Russian. So to go back way back my dad's he's Nigerian and my mom she is half Russian have communion my parents both met in tide compuclaim because they were going to the

01:55 Architectural school, both of them are PhD Architects him. They now live in Indianapolis, Indiana me. Currently I live here in Chicago and I moved with them and I was I lived in UK until I was sixteen and then after that after I was 16 my parents

02:16 Amanda had a plan to actually provide us with a better life. So we actually all move to United States and

02:25 It's because they had got the job and because they actually do have PhD qualifications. They were actually successful when they actually get a good job here in United States. And this is how I actually stayed.

02:42 Gotcha. So I tell us a little bit about your childhood and Ukraine childhood than Ukraine. It is very interesting because you need to learn how to defend yourself since you are pretty much little bit cuz every single day when you're walking down the streets you are a Target, but at the same time that the difference between Ukraine and for example United States,

03:09 Ukraine if there is racism a truck right in front of your face here, it's more head than more passive aggressive but over there once I actually became because of depends on the route left, but once I become too became the part of the community, I didn't really have any issues because everybody in the community already knew who I was so pretty much the kind of established your friendships or relationships you establish a whole Community around you that do you will actually feel comfortable in but at the same time when I lived in Ukraine, this is one of the things that many people don't even know but I have three three four different lives to for example, the first life that I would have. I'm at home. I'm at home. This is an African environment. So I learned all of the African culture off African rules.

03:58 Everything that is associated with the African tradition Nigerian comedian.

04:03 Once I step outside and I go to school. I have my neighborhood where in my neighborhood. I have the brothers and sisters and friends relatives off that all live in the same neighborhood. I'm pretty much at one environment and then

04:22 I would go to my school in my school was a private school and that's cool actually is called a c school and it's from United States, but I was in that since I was six until I was sixteen and what the school does is provide took this accelerated Christian education. So it was a Christian school and it's a completely different environment because I was in the Christian environment during school, but also during school. What we also had is

04:56 I would say I went to school with some of the most elite people in Taiga. So the connections that I develop there was also very interesting and it wasn't completely like a different world that you would actually see and experience. So throughout the whole day out have three different lives that I have to go through because I am going to school. I see my friends and then I see my friends at school and then I go home. So pretty much at three different ones that I was constantly see on everyday basis. You tell me a little bit about the town is it if it's a cute City hi to go for was the former capital of Ukraine for a couple years. It was a capital of Ukraine and then they moved it back to Kiev but it's it's we are in Chicago. So too will have a contrast. It's similar to Chicago the vibe the people that environment how it looks in the pace of the city.

05:56 And your family comes from African origin and your mom is half Russian. You said how long have they been in Ukraine or you know the USSR? Like how did that all come about? If I'm correct there was 22 years and they move there.

06:14 Because of school and the story of my mom is that she lived in Moscow.

06:21 And then after I think she lived there for nine years and then after that she live for 9 years and

06:30 And Cameron because that's where my grandfather was wrong and after that and when it was time to go to school. She has a choice to go to Russia or to go to Hico but she was already in Rochester. She decided to check out what's what's what's what's next. So she went to Hico and my dad also went from Nigeria to hike of because because of the scholarship send the exchange programs that were actually between Soviet Union and African African countries at that. Of time, and then your grandfather was in Moscow as long as there's a student in Moscow now, he was a teacher music using my teacher

07:15 Talking to text he's talking about I think 60 70s and 60s because my mom was yes, my mom was

07:27 Born in the 60s. I guess it was like 50 60s. That's when my grandparents with there was an exchange program between not your Society in African countries. Where is it? A lot of African, you know people that went to study over there and as you were growing up to Juicy, you know, maybe some people that live there their whole life and I were born there and saw on this I was probably one of the oldest children but yes, there was there was an influx and if they're still it's because it's cheaper to go over there and get a good quality education. So

08:09 It still is in gas many that as I was going out by still I had friends and I still have friends and some of them are actually here in United States. There are actually scattered all over United States. So I maintain good relationships with them but their children off people who are actually it's a grated into the society, but for example, they may be of an African decision for me and you and they can be from Ghana. They can be from Nigeria, but they need the people that are over there and pretty much once they mango have children and said her tell her we have the how I call us the afro European because we're African and we're European so we have a little bit of both.

08:50 Gotcha. That's pretty cool. Afro Europeans to win. Did you come to the US 2003 and you said you came to Indiana? Yes. Well first my first experience with the United States was New Orleans. Yes. We left with my aunts.

09:11 For a month and then after that we came here to Indianapolis and it was a very interesting experience because

09:22 Honestly at age of 16 in Ukrainian kind of have your life your social life here you kind of already going to your next step is going to the university so pretty much by about twenty one 22-yard thinking about marriage and having children because you have a gap of six years till you go to school in this is where you develop but then once I came to United States actually felt kid 16 your kid, you don't really have much Freedom there so many restrictions and even like restrictions by the city because there is the curfew I didn't I don't know what was cursing you and you can like I had curfew coming from my parents and I understood that but I don't understand what's the legal curfew by 17. You have to be home at the FIFA 17. You have to be home by 11 p.m. Or something like that. So I didn't know that there is there kind of restrictions like that's over by actually kind of felt tied.

10:22 But at the same time I still figure it out the way and still continue continue figuring out the way on actually how to develop myself at the end.

10:32 My biggest issue was actually speaking to people. I remember when I was 16. I literally was in a social butterfly in Ukraine. And then when I left and came to United States my thought that was my number one site was that I will I'll be back and I'll be in the United States will be on my boat and everybody's going to accept me now. I was a foreigner hours of Foreigner who

11:00 Was excellent as he is English like English speaking skills are like English skills in general, but the conversational stop of having a conversation between two people was the hardest thing for me because I couldn't understand the slang. I couldn't understand all of the little accents. Do you have from South you have an accent from North you have an accent from your I couldn't leave the speaking American is a difference is it was it was very different. It was it was it was a very big cultural shock, but I actually got over this within the year because for a year I didn't have any friends and I only have a small group of friends maybe like 20 people that then I kind of could communicate with him half of them were russian-speaking but then by my senior year last semester I said,

11:48 I need to speak.

11:49 And by the time with them about like 3-4 months at Southwest of my chain group of people that I actually graduated with and then we continued we went to college and then after that I still have maintained their relationship with those people.

12:05 And it's amazing. It's great. When did where did you go to college? I went to Indiana University which is located in Indianapolis. If you I graduated with a marketing degree from Kelley School of Business, and I was fired up about six seven different organizations and actually started multiple organizations myself with with my friend. What was the difference between your experience coming to this country and going to high school and then graduating high school and going to college like how would you differentiate, you know, the two from a cultural standpoint The Experience between high school and college and then coming here in high school it when you when you came here when your experiences in high school and then your experiences in college. Like what differences did did you see?

12:59 Honestly

13:01 It's all very it's very similar weather is high school where there is college because the way we would actually go through school and Ukraine is completely different. Well you to my private school, however,

13:16 The experience is what I've noticed what is similar between for example, the high school experience in the college experience is the Foreigner stay together. There's and their son some kind of like lick, but I call Foreigner those people who are actually not born here or they are coming from a different descent. So

13:37 There is kind of a connection between the people in like and join situation where it where I've seen both in school.

13:48 And in college hits and I don't even know how to describe it. But this one of those things that I've noticed but for the most part like educational education education wise is the same as if you have a standard classroom you come into a classroom. You do a project to leave since the same thing as you did get to the nyko. The only thing that I would say, it's only hear that I started using a calculator more but in Ukraine, I was graduating when I was leaving and we only use calculators pretty much run things am so when I was in school people with actually eating couldn't understand and I agree. We didn't really understand the system of like I need to take this class. I need to take AP does I need to take AP that because the level of Education that I was in Ukraine was all a p in advance and then I came here. We don't really know.

14:36 What it is so pretty much how is in regular classes basic classes and then over it over the next year than I figured. Okay, so I can take this class until class bend. It was the same experience in college because I never had an option of where I could have a counselor and sit down and ask them. Oh, I want to take this class. I want to take this last night. We can drop this class. We didn't have that option in your kind is standard program it goes from

15:03 And at that time we had 1010 rates so was in Ukraine what it was it was first grade second grade third grade and the material for the fourth grade was actually divided between 3rd grade and 5th grade. And then after that you have material from the 5th grade till 11. So,

15:20 But by the time when I was leaving the whole system already changed, and now it's from first grade to 12th grade added you are active in college student government and I was part of the the the student government in and IUPUI, and then I was part of part of the russian-speaking Student Association African Student Association Muslim Student Association.

15:53 And there are a couple of more associations that I was part of but I actually decided to join Muslim Student Association, but for me, it was more of an experience that I wanted to experience for myself because many people will not understand until you try it for yourself. You have to experience you have to soak and you have to be in it and then you understand because once you see it from the inside, you understand that what it means wants to see it from the sidelines looks like people judging books by their covers, you don't understand and one of those things that we've because it was very active and all of their organizations and running here and there here and there when the Muslim Student Association was

16:44 Ads at a situation where we do know a couple of girls that were trying to figure out how do we combine everybody together on campus? And I told them how about I'll be your PR guy and I will actually connect you with all of their organizations and will provide you with the feedback of what you can do how you need to do it where you need to go. What are the things that you actually need to do and one of the biggest proudest moments is when the whole organization actually got locations on campus for prayers because that was very to to the Muslim Community was very important set of you know juice.

17:26 Going and doing it anywhere. We had Pacific specific designated locations. There were particularly booked and open for people to come in so that they could buy.

17:36 How's the weather that's amazing?

17:40 So then you graduated college in marketing there is correct. And then how did you get into DJing?

17:49 I got them to be done when I was 18th, but I probably got them to DJ in when I was younger much longer because I was always a collector of music. I always have to these are always recorded that was created my Nexus since I was about ten and by the age of 13, my first gig was my parents birthday, but not birthday. I'm sorry their wedding and there was there Catholic Catholic wedding and my dad was organizing the event. She was organizing everything in the church. He organized everything in the restaurant and I told him he I will DJ because I know all of this all of the songs that you like. I know the mix of the you like and I know every every single thing so pretty much I told him don't worry about the music. I got this then I have this Boombox. It was to tape players and the 6 CD CD changer.

18:44 And I know that wasn't I wasn't it was actually a very nice very nice. Nice evening the Cowboys some Barry White the play some slow jams some African feelings. It was it was very very interesting and it's awesome and all that's great. You know, I didn't say your parents were supportive and get your first gig through them. And then after that I move to Indianapolis went to college and then once I was in college, I was trying to actually break through in trying to actually understand where and what to do because I lived in the city. So it's not like you have much of a culture when you are a freshman in college and you have intellect fraternities or this or that there are but it was a city school so pretty much our backyard was downtown. So I met with my friend Joseph his name is Joseph Franklin and he was like my mentor

19:34 And we hired them for a gig and then one day he was playing the music. Everything was good, but I actually asked him if they could you show me how you press one because I have two cases because I've literally took one from my car came back and have two big cases of CDs and I told him how I have this much music. Can you show me how to actually do this? No problem. And after that we took off with your golf and then I was a resident DJ downtown Indianapolis for a while to Tunes until I left to Miami.

20:09 It was 2011, but after that I lived in and played in Miami and then I came here and made you make the move to Miami apart from the weather. I graduated from college.

20:30 And then there was there was there where I graduate from college and then there was an option for me to move to Chicago or move to Miami. So for some reason I just decided to just you know, take the risk and experience something new because I know that I am going to be comfortable by moving to Chicago and my parents are 3 hours away, but I just wanted to challenge myself and actually see what is on the other side. What is something that is going to provide me with the challenge and actually if I want to DJ or if I want to experience acrylic, let me be a part of that scene. Let me be a part of the environment that actually facilitates that after a year-and-a-half. I understood that.

21:13 Maybe twenty-two was not the best time for me to move to Miami and actually experience of what I experienced it and I got it out of my system. So when I came back to Indianapolis, I was more focused and I became a GM. I was a GM of Dominos. So I actually picked up the business. I made a big change where

21:37 Where the business that was actually successful when I was leaving because I was always working at Domino's because of this how I ate it sits help me to pay for to school in the tattered because I was doing I was DJing and I worked at Domino's since I was 18 or 19 or something like that. So I had multi had always constantly busy and I was going to school at the same time.

22:00 And multiple organizations in school. So I was constantly juggling all of those things.

22:07 But once I move to Miami.

22:10 There are certain things that actually happened that I realize that first of all I realized what do I need to do if I have another person who wants to be with me. Then I realize certain things that are in the industry that

22:27 I don't like and I don't want to partake and participate then and I also realize that you don't have to actually live in Miami. I actually wanted to come to Chicago because this is where the music the house music came from because I developed a huge love Warehouse music while I was living in Miami, but I even had it before but once I moved here my goal is more to connect with people who actually create the music and understand why and how they actually created the music in water to do it water there.

23:03 Muse what is there a muse for the music that they create and why did they create it? That's why I moved to Chicago house music from Chicago to Frank Knuckles and Tails called the warehouse. Make sure we bomb the street says it definitely definitely is the house with music which you know extends to EDM and then you know genres that we have today. How do you differentiate yourself as a DJ? How do I differentiate myself as a desert? Like what makes you no pictures of your brand I would say one of the main things as I tell stories.

23:59 New music

24:01 Because many times when I could when I create and mix or I create something it's more off. Let me tell you a story and even recently my friend found them from about 2010 and it was cold called emotions. It's a very high energy mix but I understood again why I called the demotion because every single track is a very emotional track of the DU lyrics provide you with something that will move you and you will see actually a story and then as the music changes you are traveling with that story.

24:37 Got you, three take people on a journey. Guess that's why I like my favorite things is to actually do with extended sets where I can play for example like to three hours and I can bring them first. I were there filling one thing then second are there feeling another thing and then third hour I either continue or just show them something else but it's you are going on a diet that is not going to be monotone in the same thing. That sounds like the Island Experience Island life better than my favorite places to play or Justin Lawrence to be is actually going to be there a rooftop or a beach because I like events that are done by 12 if you're done by 12 p.m. That's amazing because you just had a day event that is full of high energy and positive people.

25:32 Awesome. So now you're living in Chicago that that all you do is you doing the DJ stuff or what else do you do? I am also a co-founder of United and American what we focus on it's a nonprofit that we focus on creating and facilitating the platform for artists musicians and everybody who is Created from the city of Chicago. Our goal is to actually integrate our Eastern European connections because we have many many artists many people actually lived in Eastern Europe and want to penetrate the market here. However, they do not know how to do so or they do not have any opportunities or ways on how to do so, so what we're doing we're focusing and actually Gathering Gathering Gathering a database of people who are actually interested in joining the industry. And what we are going to do is provide them with the path.

26:32 Actually do something like a roadmap in the sense. That is correct. And then you were working until recently the ride with Uber. Yes. I work for the corporate office. How is life in Corporate America?

26:53 Very

26:55 Interesting. It is something that you have to experience for yourself. However, I don't think it's going to be ever changed at us. If you want to change something. It has to be on a much bigger higher scalp domini the issues.

27:13 That arise over there.

27:16 Are not the best that's why I couldn't actually stand on working for somebody else and feeling miserable every single day. That's why I wanted to actually focus on taking that energy that I'm spending a uber and actually putting it for my own use. It was your experience when you came in today in example of sign it with a mentor or know somebody that you can work whether I were you part of a team at over while I was part of the first I was one of three thousand employees are at the moment. Probably the company is at 8000, please but I was the one on one of the first people who actually was doing support. So what we did and what I did weed as what you guys know Uber right now on Hoover support. If you have any issue with your ride with your trip, that was my job. We literally wrote out all of the ideas all of the thoughts the process he's how you can actually

28:16 Amplified the simplified that process and all of that work and probably maybe 10 different departments and the sad thing is like at the end they're going to be out first because it's a business and you cannot

28:32 You cannot

28:34 You know, you can you can go further further and further, but at the same time to bierocracy in the company just doesn't really let you go further and the opportunities for advancement. We're not even there, but I was actually The Fighter 4 actually made changes to actually change that in the company because I was the voice of the people when I could not stand when you know, you have for example an 80% African American authors like full of it. It's 80% African American 20% next and when the management is completely disregarding are completely is being very unsensitive to people I couldn't send it. So I had to work my opinion. I actually had to hear my penis actually for the changes that we're actually made. So I made my mark and then I just left on the good terms for your passion is being gay a DJ.

29:33 And uniting people in America service crew. So what is your message in? Allo for people, you know in specially right now when we're in this, you know, he did, you know political, you know climate in our living in the world of you know, Facebook where people are, you know, posting about everything and having in a knee-jerk reactions, you know things what is your message in out for people going out to you know,

30:02 Become more united innocence is you have to be open?

30:10 To new experiences new information you have to be open till

30:17 Actually absorbing that information and think for yourself many people group thing, but sometimes when they are alienating themselves into the thought that I'm going to think about this thing differently makes them say

30:34 Oh, I'm not part of the Cooper's a society with us anymore. But who cares you're living your life. So you have to live your life never give up and actually follow your passion to the fullest. So because once you actually see and Creed the Rope map for yourself.

30:52 You will be.

30:55 Better and also make sure that you have relationships because number one thing is actually having relationships with people around you relationship with your family.

31:07 And relationships in general the most important thing is just to build the communities and actually have a community that

31:19 Is just going to be something that you're proud of and you are going to be United. Just FYI. If you have to be open and open-minded to accept all of the information cuz I wanted to touch upon you know, the experiences of you know, Eastern Europeans, you know, so for example, you come from an African Heritage. So your experiences a little bit different coming, you know that America you can connect with more people. How is the experience has been for you know, your Eastern European friends, you know that, you know came to you know, the US in kind of like the broad spectrum of understanding of what America is for example, they are very Mindful and it takes them time maybe takes once you come from the Eastern block me to text you maybe a year or two or maybe like even five years to understand certain things because the more you see it the easier for you to understand because you are exposed you're exposed to expose

32:19 The less you're exposed to certain things the heart is for you to actually integrates. And for example, we is united in America want to integrate people and show them. This is how it works rather than for them to come in and they you know hit the bumps hit the bumps. What we want to do is provide you with yours a bath but it's going to be easier because when they're send your stereotypes from understand how you think we're understand what you were going to do would you would actually say but we ask for example Consultants will provide you with information. This is what you do. This is what you're not not tooken. That's why the cultural difference between Eastern black and for example United States is very is very very different. However, they will still not know what it means to be a black man ever.

33:12 Because they when they come here, they have that privilege that they don't even know that they have and they don't understand why certain things fall out this way or that when I actually explain to them this is just because you have a certain privilege of your backgrounds in the way you look you don't experience and you will never experience her and thinks that the other person will likely experience especially person of color and then through United in America, you're bringing everyone together and having them, you know learn about other people see no experiences in Journeys and you know having them build, you know, new relationships gifts. My goal was actually to educate slowly but surely is to educate people and I even educate my team on certain subjects because they were never exposed to certain things so slowly when they asked me questions and provide them with feedback. It's hard for them to accept it.

34:12 Because it's like while I did not know but once they understand that they understand the deeper, that's just a matter of understanding the subject and though.

34:25 What is your message to humanity in general love each other and share Positive Vibes with each other?

34:34 Absolutely, absolutely. Well, thank you so much today for coming in and sharing your journey with us. She definitely have a unique turn in your experiences, you know is definitely going to you know, benefit the people that your interact with because you're able to, you know, put them in at what's it would turn people that they might not be able, you know how to communicate with, you know when a day late, you know basis, so it changes their, you know Outlook, so it's not an easy task, but it's definitely something that you should be appraised for. That's what I'm working on every single day and I keep up the good work. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.