YourChoice
Road to Under Armour, New York Fashion Week, and Washington Wizards I YourChoice with Devonte Lodge
(upbeat music) - Dammit Father, Lord, we just thank you, Lord. You know, Daniel, Lord, for will, God, in his, just the mindset, God, as you've given him, Lord, I'll just pray over this podcast, Lord, that your hand will be upon the Lord and you'll just give us the words to speak. Just to reach the right people. You know, people who are looking for answers, Lord, or who may be in a position where, you know, they come across as podcasts and it changes their mindset or perspective on, you know, whatever they may be facing in the season of their lives. You know, we just, we thank you for this interaction and we give you all the glory, amen. - Amen. - Yes, sir. - Let's do it. Nah, I appreciate that, bro. - Of course, bro. - You know, attracting people who have, you know, the same faith as me, you know what I'm saying? And, you know, just wanna see each other win and building those connections, you know, but that's what I'm all about, so. But anytime, you know, someone says, yeah, it's like the second time someone said, like, yo, can we say a quick player? So, like, bro. - Yeah, man. - Right. - I'm really happy that, like, I'm attracting, like, the right people, you know what I'm saying? 'Cause that's like a victim for me in terms of, like, you know, you're taking a lot of time out of your day and I'm taking time out of my day to make this happen. So, like, you know, just starting off, I already know it's gonna be, you know, a good podcast, you know what I'm saying? But, bro, someone's gone by mad quick. - It is, bro. It is, man. I ain't gonna lie, it's moving with some speed. - Everybody's coming back on campus. So, gotta feed the streets of some of your choice content, you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, me. - And I got special guests joining me today. Today's guest is a model, content creator. Aspiring actor amongst many other talents. We're getting pursuing such endeavors in 2020, fast forward to now. And an ever-growing list of remarkable experiences, participated in New York and DC Fashion Week, shot with the likes of Under Armour and DTLR, partnered with the Washington Wizards. And within the next few weeks, gonna be in his second Baltimore Met Gala. And all of this is more in person because you're a current student as well. So, very excited for today's episode, 'cause this is a brother who's not only eager to learn, but has the same appetite to share that knowledge with everyone as well. Devontay, welcome to your choice, bro. - Yes, sir, man. Thank you for having me, man. - Nah, for sure, for sure. And I think another reason I'm very excited for that episode is I was telling you, you know, we wanted to phone that. I was actually interested in getting into modeling. And for X, Y, Z, I didn't. We'll probably get into that later. But, yeah, talk about the whole journey and you can take it all the way back, but I know that you played basketball back in the day, that was a big dream of yours. So, yeah, just give them the full story. - Yeah, man. Where do I even start, man? - Honestly, it's definitely been a long, long journey, man. You know, guys done open some doors, he's closed some doors, and it's been a journey. I'll say, you know, a lot of trawling hair. But this goes way back, honestly, to high school, I would say. You know, I wanna say, like, maybe my senior year, I was when the idea really started to, you know, take off, I ended up slowly just, you know, dibbling and dialing in it, you know, nothing crazy. You know, I got a twin brother. So, he actually goes here at Maryland and everything like that. So, you know, we started together and stuff, and it was real good, man. You know, he's making a little bit of progress, kind of just taking photos here and there. You know, nothing too crazy. Eventually, I ended up going to college and played basketball. I was, you know, trying to, you know, walk on and stuff like that, I ended up, you know, getting a walk on. Three months later, three, four months later, I ended up getting in a, I got hit by a car. So, that was my, my break point right there where I guess I realized like, man, you can't take life for granted, you know, because, you know, any moment, anything that happened, life was unpredictable, you know, so, that was my wake-up call and everything. And I guess that's when modeling really started to shoot up, because I think in that moment, I was like, okay, like, you know, I gotta put my best foot forward in everything that I do. And gradually, as I started to pick things back up, my brother started to focus on school, so now I was like, you know what? Like, if I'm a doodist, I'ma go all the way with it. That was my promise to myself. You know, so I ended up just using my resources, you know, like you're doing now, I used my resources and I was just reaching out to photographers, even investing some of my own money. Like, people don't even know that, but like, that's really, that's where it shows, like putting some skin in the game, like really investing in yourself. So that's what I did. I saved up money, started reaching out to photographers. Just using my resources at school, at Maryland. Slowly building my portfolio up and stuff like that. And, you know, over time, like, I wanna say within, within a year of time, I just made so much progress, man. And like, I ended up leaving school. I think this was maybe my freshman year. People don't even know this story, man, but I love school. I love school for a week, probably. I went to New York and I guess that was like the big jump, the big risk that I took to really show that I'm serious and intentional about this. And I left New York by myself for the first time ever. I didn't know anybody out there. I barely even had the money 'cause I'm a college student and I ended up leaving and I just came back and completely different person. Like, that was my mindset shift right then and there. And, you know, over time, man, like, I started to really lock in with like what I was doing. My portfolio, I was building that up. Just building my network. That's something that I truly prioritize to this day. And over time, like, doors just started to open. I ended up doing New York Fashion Week twice that year. I did my first, like, an armor campaign that year. I did my first Met Gala that year. And, like, ever since then, you know, things just started shaking, man. And, you know, God saw, he saw my desire and he knew that I was, I guess, being intentional about what I wanted to do. You know, I gave him something to work with, you know? - Yeah. And I guess going all the way back to, I guess, starting. Was there a specific moment or, like, someone said something to you that, like, actually, like, persuaded you to get into modeling? 'Cause I know for me, like, people would be like, you're like, well, you're good-looking, you know, you have a natural physique, that's why you should do it. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Was there something like that for you? - Yeah, honestly it was, man. That's how it started. I think, obviously, having a duplicate, it makes it a lot easier. I got a twin, so, I mean, I was already, you know, the case, but, so, it actually started because of my mom. My mom got married, 2022, and, you know, I'm walking her down, walking my mom down the aisle and my, this photographer was there, man. This photographer was at the wedding, and he came up to me, like, after the wedding, and he was telling me, he was asking me, like, you know, like, he compared me to some celebrity model. I don't remember the name, but he compared me to some guy, and I went back home, I researched him, and I was like, what was he talking about? You know, and, like, I think, ever since that day, you know, I guess that really, it boosted my confidence, I'll say, it kind of opened, like, my perspective of, like, you know, I think when other people can see something in you, when you can't even see it in your selfie, that's a big sign that a lot of people shouldn't steer away from. You know, because, you know, I feel like, when you have that light on you, it's not something that you may be able to see, only the outside can really see that light upon your life, and it starts off by, you know, carrying yourself the right way, you know, the way you talk, the way you walk, the way you dress, everything. I mean, I guess, you know, he saw that, and, over time, you know, random people would literally stop being on the street, like, saying, like, yo, you a model, or, like, do you do this, do you do that? And, you know, over time, you know, you start really reflecting, like, dang, should I do this? - Yeah. - I like that. - That's how it started, man, like, a photographer, yeah. So, you know, the answer to the person, he recognized me, and, you know, that's how it came about. - So, boom, you know, he recognizes you, getting that validation from others, kind of, you know, pushes you more into it. What are the tangible steps that you, you know, take to start with these opportunities that I just even talked about in the intro? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, honestly, like, as far as just taking the right steps, I feel like with anything that you want to do in life, you need to have some type of foundation, right? And I think the biggest thing for me that I had to grasp was that I couldn't do it on my own, right? And I think that's where God plays a part in my life, because he's my foundation, and he's the one that sets the bar. And I know that whatever I need, I can go to him, and I can pray, and he responds to my prayers, you know? And I think when I really started to be intentional about my walk with God, that's when things started to really, you know, open. So, you know, for anybody that wants to get in anything, I would say you need to have a set foundation on what you want to get into, and be intentional about what you want to pursue, and keep your head down, and stay focused, 'cause I hear a lot of people say, like, you know, I don't want to start a clothing brand because they're doing it, or I don't want to start a podcast because she's doing it, but like, you know, everyone's created in God's image, and he made everybody differently, you know? So, will might not create a podcast like Ben, you know, you might have your own land, he might have his own land, and it could be the same thing, but the energy, everything about it would be completely different just because everybody is different, everybody's character's different, now everybody's the same, you know? So, just having a set foundation, honestly. And, I guess, building your network, that was something that really opened a lot of doors for me, as far as like, my character, and that's what I love about my industry, because people think it's always about like, taking photos, and like, you know, people think it's like, very so easy on the outside, but, you know, because I was able to realize the kind of success that I wanted, it was like, okay, I'm gonna make sure that I take the necessary steps, you know, and building my network was a big part of that, you know, because sometimes it's not even about, sometimes it's not about who you know, but it's about who knows you, right? Because you can only get so far with the contact, you can only get so far with the number, but the value holds a lot of placement, you can pick up that phone and call that person, because of the relationship that you have, and they'll pick up and say, "Yo, where was going on, man, like, what do you need?" Yeah, yeah, I got you, I know a guy, right? But when you just got the number, you know them, like, do they know you enough to open that door for you when you really need it, so that's why I say that, you know? - So now how do you go about doing that in a sense where it's like, you know, let's say I get you a number, you know, where I had an event or something like that, is it more so about that in-person interaction that like, you know, allows it to be a type of a dream, like, okay, when you call me, I'm gonna pick up, compared to like, if I get your number, you're doing some good work, Devonta, and then like, oh, thank you, appreciate it. And then like, you don't talk again. That is like kind of like the difference between like, you calling and someone picking up, and then you calling and then like, them not picking up. - Yeah, so I mean, I would say, something that I try to prioritize is following up, right? That is, that's necessary, right? Because like I said, it's not about who you know, it's about who knows you, right? - Yeah. - Following up on like, your context, that's what builds the relationship. It shows that your, that's your genuinely, it shows that you're a personable person. I don't know, this is the word, but no, you should. - I'm using it today, I'm using it today. But yeah, it shows, it shows your character, you know? Like, I don't, I think what separates me from a lot of people is that I don't network, I don't try to socialize and connect with people just to do it. I do everything with intention, right? And I'm not gonna try to network with somebody just to try to take, right? Or just for the benefit of myself, right? But the value is not in what you can gain, but it's about, it's about how you can build together, right? It's about the values in the relationship, right? - Yeah. - You know, so that's kind of how I look at it. But yeah, you know, I just try to make sure I prioritize networking because that's a very big factor. And honestly, just everything that you do, you know, if you don't know anybody, it's hard to get, it's hard to get in any type of industry, any type of career, you know, just whatever you wanna do in this life, honestly. - Got you. And you know, I guess just by God's grace and his will, you can be put in a sitting position to meet people that can, you know, accelerate your growth. But you also have to, you know, do your due diligence and put yourself in such positions as well. So what would just be those examples of, you know, them first steps that you're taking, so like put yourself in positions to meet these people and then also gain such opportunities? - Yeah, and that's a good question. Well, well, honestly, I can't even take credit for that, man. Honestly, like, a lot of the doors that has opened in my life was because I prayed about it, honestly. Right, and, you know, God, he knows the desires of our hearts and sometimes, you know, you can pray about something. I just pray for God to just understand some of the words that I can't even express to him because he knows my heart and he knows what I wanna see, he knows what I wanna do and he knows where I wanna be. Right, so just having that like personal relationship with God and just being able to, you know, be vulnerable about the things that you want in your life, like, you know, he hears your prayers and I feel like a lot of the doors that has opened, like the people I've met, sometimes I don't even feel like real life. - Yeah. - It doesn't feel real sometimes, and honestly, but I know what God can do and I know what he's done in my life. You know, so I try to claim it. You know, I don't try to brush it off, make it seem like I'm not worthy because, you know, when you know, you know, the God that you serve in the things that he can do in your life, it's like, don't be surprised when he opens a door for you and all you have to do is walk, right? All you have to do is walk. And I think a lot of the times it's, people make it a lot harder for themselves because, you know, it's crazy 'cause you don't have to do as much when you have a relationship with God, you know. Like for me personally, a lot of the things that I do, I give him some of the work with and I walk, you know, when I shot for DTLR, you know, I made sure that, that I was just completely random. I'm telling you, like the DTLR photo shoot, it was random, literally. - So give that story, I caught that coming up. - Yeah, man, like it was crazy because I woke up one day to a phone call. That's how that happened. - Wow. - It said, like, my manager, Alana, she literally just gave me a call and she was like, hey, DTLR wants to shoot with you this morning, can you make it? I said, what, wait, what time? She said, 10 a.m., I'm like, it's 8.30. It's 8.30 a.m., I'm like, you want me to be there now? She's like, is your hair done? Is your, is your, you got a haircut? I'm like, nah, but I can get it done. He's like, all right, get back to me in 30 minutes, let me know how we can get that done. Boom, that was a phone call. But it was crazy because the night before I was praying about God just opening doors, honestly, that's what I was praying about. I wasn't God to open doors that I couldn't open on my own. And the next morning, I got that phone call. And I was intentional about that and, you know, I guess I'm just confident in the story that God has already written for my life. And I tried to just walk in it, you know, but yeah, for the DTLR photo shoot, it was just, it was completely random, but like, I didn't receive that with, I'm not worthy, I received it as, I received it with confidence. You know, I received it with, you know, with grace. And I'm just accepting it because I know that, you know, if I'm a child of God, like, He can do this and more, you know, that's, I'm not going to put limits on Him because I know, I know what He can do, you know. But that was, that was just random. And I'm like, even when I did, even when I did the under armor photo shoot, that was because of networking. You know, that was because of networking. You know, that was because who knew me, not because of who I knew, you know. So that's how everything, you know, went about with, with just the doors, that's honestly just been opened. That doesn't even feel real sometimes, but I walk in there and I accept it because I know that, you know, I have a purpose. And you know, there's a lot of people out there who might not feel like they have a purpose or they might not have skills or they might not have like certain gifts, right? But I think you got to focus on the one who can give you those things, right? Or who can, they're already there in you, right? But you have to shift your attention on the one who can open your eyes to see the light that's already in you, you know. - Yeah. - And that's what plays a big part in the people that you're around. So that's why I network around the right people. So, you know, they can bring certain things out of you that you might not even have seen on your own, you know. So that's, I would say that's the importance of that. - So with the under armor joint, was it like the same type of thing like someone called you or like were you applying for that role? - Yeah, so I was actually at a, at a, at a networking event. - Okay. - Yeah, so I was at a networking event. I was, we were, I think I was in New York. I was in New York at the time. And I was, I was only just networking, you know, sometimes I just go to networking events. I was with my boy and I was walking around, I was talking. Just honestly trying to, trying to work on like my social skills. I actually, this was after my show. I had the New York Fashion Week and I went to like an after party and I was just talking to people, you know, having a good time. And my, it's crazy 'cause my friend, the guy that I met, he was just the most random guy you would ever meet. Like sometimes like you were running to people and you know, you would think that there's some regular guy, bro. Next thing you know, they had LeBron James, Simon's, I'm Ronnie. Like it's crazy, bro, I'm telling you. Like I found out that his dad was Kevin Plank actually. Yeah, that was probably just the craziest thing. That was one of the craziest reactions that I've ever even came across. But I found out his dad was Kevin Plank and you know, we connected through, you know, 'cause we were both athletes and stuff like that. We were playing basketball and like, it was just crazy, man, honestly. But that's kind of how we met. And a couple of weeks later, I ended up, you know, getting him a phone call and apparently he knew my manager, Alana, and then that's kind of how I connected with him. And I ended up getting a phone call and I went to the, it was just as simple as that. That's how that went, man. Got you. And you touched on, you know, you playing basketball. I also mentioned that before, and I know that you've said that, you know, a big reason that you have had success is because at one point, your identity was like straight into basketball, which was a temporary thing. You know what I'm saying? And then, you know, now you're identity being, you know, serving of Jesus Christ. You know, that's something that is always gonna be there, you know, it's solid, you know what I'm saying? But we'll have to get into like, you know, the basketball journey and things like that too. Like, we really like that, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, man, I keep telling people, man, I can't throw that bucket out for free. For real? No, I don't charge for buckets, man. You can get a bucket for free, man. Don't lie, don't lie. Not bad, but, yeah, man, the whole basketball journey, man. Ooh, that was something. Honestly, I feel like if I didn't go through that whole phase of, you know, pursuing what I wanted to actually do, I would feel like I wouldn't be the person I am today. - Got you. - I feel like that comes with taking risks. - Okay. - That comes with taking risks, I'm sorry. But, yeah, and that's what I learned, honestly. Like, transitioning from being an athlete to getting into modeling is, if this was five years ago, I would look at that. But, I want to use a lot of an actor, but, nah, I feel forgot. You know, that's something like, you know, I wanna hoot, you know, but I honestly grew up playing my whole life, man. - Yeah. - I've always, you know, I've always been an athlete. I've always, you know, played many sports, you know, soccer, played basketball. Literally, football, track, everything. Like, my parents were, my parents were in track. My dad played soccer. I got cousins, collegiate athletes playing basketball and stuff like that. So, that's what I was around, honestly. So, that's what I picked up. You know, I found I like basketball the most. So, that's honestly what I ended up pursuing. I played basketball all four years in high school. And, it was my senior years when everything kind of went, you know, a transition was kind of happening at that time because I was in Japan for sure. - Okay. - I couldn't walk down the stairs without grunting or making a face or anything like that, 'cause my knees were like, I had 80-year-old knees for sure. I was an old man and a 17-year-old body. - All right. - You know, it was crazy. Yeah, man, I ended up playing all four years playing basketball and my senior year, I missed out on like half of my season because I got injured. I had patellar tendonitis and like, my knees were just so bad, bro. Miss half of my season. And I said, man, I want to hoop in college. But like, I don't know, like, how am I gonna do this, you know? And I'm on bed rest. Like, it was probably the worst couple months of my life, honestly, because I had to, 'cause I think basketball became a part of my identity almost. And it got to a point where everything I did started to revolve around basketball. Like, all I would, when you always say ball is life, like that's a real thing, bro. - No, I'm sure, I know, bro. I know, bro, like, same type of situation with me playing soccer, and I played basketball in soccer, but then like, I really locked in on soccer. And it was the same type of joint. It was like, you know, my success in that, was hitting my whole, like, whiff. Like, you know what I'm saying? So, I mean, for me personally, I think the same thing as you, this kind of real guys, you know, what your identity lies in, it kind of gives you that peace and that strength to keep on going. - Exactly. - But the earlier you let go of that joint, the better, because like, you know, I think God on purpose, he maybe even allowed certain people not to be successful to realize that maybe, you know, at an earlier point compared to like, you know, let's say that, you know, have a good career, go to NBA, all these things. Your value is consistently, you know, still associated with basketball. You know, I've seen so many articles, I was actually watching a podcast today, like athletes, like when they were tired, it's like, it's a whole like identity crisis, because like, bro, you had nothing that you were focusing on other than that. So, it's definitely something that, you know, happens for a reason, and you know, looking back on it, just like definitely grateful, you know, for the time that it happened, 'cause you don't know, like, if you were chosen to be that person to walk that walk, what the effects could it be, like, down the line. But what was your player build? Give us like a player profile, you know what I'm saying? - Hey man, is it biased to say I was a 99 overall, man? - Yeah, that's kinda biased to say that. - I mean, like, give us like a player profile, are you like, what position you play? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I mean, I played, I was a combo guard, I was a combo guard. So I wasn't a, I wasn't a porn guard or a shooting guard, but, you know, a combo guard consists of, you know, both. So I'll play the one or the two. - Okay. - And, you know, I can handle the ball, bring the ball up the floor, you know, I can, you know, pass you, I can do a little bit of everything, but I was, I was a mid-range shooter for sure. I like to get, I like to get in the paint, pull up mini, whatever it is, man. If anybody watching, man, if you want a bucket, you just gotta let me know, I ain't gonna lie. Don't mean, no, feel free to reach out any time you want. You know, but, let me stop, 'cause if some D1 player gonna tie DME, I ain't go, I ain't go, I ain't go over it. - Good. (laughing) - Who's your goat? Who's my, my favorite player? No, just goat. I mean, favorite player, you can say favorite player, who's your goat? Like, for me, I'll say like, my favorite player, growing up, like, since like 2010, I was an OKC fan. So like, KD was like my god. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - You know what I'm saying? Okay. Um, but goat, I'm gonna say the blown. I'm not gonna lie. (sighing) - I'm proud. - It was my goat, bro. Yeah, not LeBron. You know what, I can't even hit on LeBron, man. 'Cause he got, he got the work to back it up. - No, I'm sure. - You know, as, you know, I used to be real, real deep in the sports. You know, now I'm kind of, you know, laid off on it, honestly, but, um, my favorite player always growing up was Kyrie Irving, honestly. Like, I tried to mimic my game after him. But, you know, the end of the people that would be, that would tell me, you know, you play like, what was his name? Like, D. Aaron Fox. That was quick, that was a quick guard. - Okay, fair. - You know, I like to get downhill, you know, pass, but, you know, I try to, you know, hit a little tween, tween, cross, you know, like Kyrie, but, you know, I try, I try my best, you know, but, here's my favorite player growing up, honestly. And I'm like, the goat. I don't even know, man. I should say MJ just to start a debate, honestly. - I mean, we can talk about it, bro. (laughing) - Hey, good luck, man, you know, MJ. But, you know what, the thing is like, because of what LeBron is honestly doing now in this generation, like, the numbers that he's putting up and the things that he's doing, it's like, it's biased, it's almost, it's not biased to say, like, LeBron or anything like that, but it's, because it's our generation, honestly. It's the generation, like, basketball is just way more than just what you can do now. Like, honestly, like, you can be the best, there's so many tough athletes who can who, and they only went D3, or they might not, they might not even have plate overseas, 'cause they didn't have the right connections, or-- - That's true. - The codes, or, you know, it's so many different factors, bro. - I mean, this is my argument for LeBron over MJ, right? This is what I always say is that MJ is the goat, MJ is the goat, LeBron's the boat, so listen, the best of all time. So this is why, yeah, it must've been where you go, okay. So like, when I think about greatness, I think that's more than just like the skill set. It's kind of like, impact on generations, influence, and stuff like that. So like, you talk in MJ, you can't deny like, obviously, the player himself, and then two, like the shoes, the brand, and everything like that. But like, if we talking about like, black and white, best player, you're talking about a guy who's arguably the best scorer, arguably the best playmaker. (laughing) Top 10 defensive player, you could even say, you know what I'm saying? So like, LeBron, like, if you're talking to the best player, like, on paper, I gotta say, LeBron, but if you're talking like greatness, I feel like that's a bit like, it's not as like black and white, it's just like, I feel like regardless, MJ will always be on a map though. - Yeah. - He will always be on a map because, I mean, he has one of the most famous shoes in the world. - Exactly. - Right? You know, but then LeBron on the other hand, it's like, a lot of, I feel like a lot of people say that, I guess LeBron's better than MJ, but you gotta think about it, like even back then, like, they didn't have any of the stuff that we got now. - Like, what do you mean? - Like, as far as like, the technology factor. - Fair. - Like, I guess like, the resources I would say. - I said, my argument though is like, a guy who's a role player right now in this NBA is way skillful compared to someone who's, you know, some teams that are starting, bro. You don't agree with that or not? - I said that one more time, so I can actually, I heard it correctly, man. - I'm saying, so someone who's like a role player right now, like, skill set wise, they could be starting on a bunch of teams like back in MJ's time, bro. - Oh yeah. - Yeah. - I agree with that. - Yeah. - You know what I'm saying? There's so many things you could use 'cause some people say like, "Oh, more physicality back then." But then like everybody today will say, "Oh, but the skill set is higher." So I mean, the only way is we're gonna be by seeing them play, but, and like you said, everyone's just gonna be biased for whatever generation you grew up in. - That's true. That's what I'm saying. So really honestly, there's a debate when there shouldn't be a debate because it's two different generations, two different positions and two different builds. All right, LeBron is like six, seven. You know what I'm saying? LeBron is like six, eight probably. So I was like, there's a lot of different factors, honestly, but that's the media, bro. It just wasn't something to talk about forever. - Nah, yeah. But I mean, jumping off that, I think something that was always big for me went into like, you know, be a professional athlete into that nature. It's even the aspect of like, being able to do photo shoots for like brands and things of that nature. - Yeah, yeah. - So it's like, you were looking, you know what I'm saying? Like kind of at least gets a big that type of dream. - Uh-huh. - You know, I guess one question I would even ask is, you know, out of the people that you've shot with, what has been, you know, the most enjoyable experience. And then also, I guess the most like, yo, this is like one I just like, really would have wanted to have. And I got it. One of the most enjoyable experiences. - Yeah, let's start with the most enjoyable, Jordan. - You can make me say the worst, man. It's a corner. - I know, I said most enjoyable. - Oh, most enjoyable. - Okay, okay, okay. - No, that's not gonna make me do both. - No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. - We ain't hear that. (laughing) We'll be canceled, man. - This is not, not, not, not. Most enjoyable, most enjoyable. - Yeah, not the most enjoyable, I guess. So you want the experience or a photo shoot or just in general, like, I mean, you know the world more than I do so, yeah. - So, yeah, no, not for sure, for sure, for sure. Honestly, I would say one of the most enjoyable, I would say one of the, one of the, I guess one of my biggest accomplishments are like one of the most surreal moments of like my career. What I would say is when I met Kyle Kuzma. - Okay. - I think that was one of the, I think that was one of the nails on the hair where I was like, nah, bro, this can't be real life. You know, that's what I was thinking in my head. And it was, it was actually one of the showcases that we had, that I did last year. I had walked for DC Fashion Week and we had partnered with the Washington Wizards. Partner with the Washington Wizards and they were actually in the showcase with us and it was broadcast to like all over the news, all over like the page and everything. And, you know, I ended up, I ended up meeting like the whole starting five and stuff like that. And it was the craziest experience, man. But, you know, honestly, I wasn't surprised to be in that room because I know what, you know, I know the guy that I, I know what he's capable of doing for me, you know? So, it was crazy, man, honestly, man. And I know, and I know you said that you wanted to kind of get into this industry and stuff like that, man, it's something that you, you know, you might know. - Yeah, but I mean, definitely not something that has been like on the top of my head right now. But I think similar to you, just had people telling me like, oh, like, do you model or you should get into model and the things of that nature? And I was like, bet, I'm gonna start trying to do it, watch mad YouTube videos and, you know, how you become a model, what you gotta do for digital, posing, you know, like, where do you need to send stuff? Like, where you need to be. And remember, I took digital, right? You know, I took the standard joints 'cause, you know, full body, headshot. And then like, the exact same things are profile and then the exact, all the exact same things, you know, no shirt or whatever. Showed it to my parents, bro. And they were like, yeah, you ain't getting to model it. And keep in mind, like, I'm a gold man, I can make a decision for myself. But I still always like, you know, respect the things that they want. And like, their argument to me was just like, yo, you know, I remember I was telling you on the phone about this, they were telling me that like, you don't want to put yourself in a position where it's like, you have good intentions, by the end of the day, you know, somebody could be looking at it and then like, that's an opportunity for them to have a gust. So like, when they said that, I kind of just fleet it, but, you know, still have like my, you know, I agree with you, I don't agree with you. So definitely want to get your perspective on that too. Obviously, if I was like sharing the same faith and I'm sure like, there's a lot of things that you have to do where, you know, you have to take your shirt off and things of that nature, you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, yeah, no, honestly, I mean, we talked about stuff with the phone, man, but I was like, you know, let's stay here for the podcast. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - It was getting deep, but yeah, honestly, something that I always, you know, maybe you talked about this before, but something that I always try to make sure I do is, it's about, and I say this a lot, honestly, but you have to be like, it's almost like, like what's your motive going into what you're putting out on the media, right? - Yeah. - I feel like that's all the points apart, because it's all about like what your motive is, honestly. Like example, like for example, for me, honestly, when I try to, let's say I do a photo shoot, right? And I'm not wearing like a shirt or whatever, or the designer's like, you know, take this button down, like whatever the case may be, right? Just showcase the clothes in the best way, right? - For sure. - You have to make sure that you are, like your foundation is strong, like you have to be in a position where you know how far to go, right? You don't wanna do anything that's outside of your morals, or you know, your standards or go against what you believe because then your foundation is weak, right? You know, and in my case, it's my relationship with God, you know, with Jesus Christ and I'm, and you know, when I get in a place where I'm essentially like, let's say whatever, I do a photo shoot or something like that, and I wanna post it on Instagram or my TikTok, whatever social media platform that I use, I always make sure to pray over it, just so that, you know, God knows my heart and he knows what I want to, you know, he knows my intention behind what I'm posting, I'm not posting to lead anybody into lust, but I'm posting for it to reach the right people, for it to inspire people who are pursuing the same thing that I wanna do, and you know, just to be able to help them in any kind of way that I can, you know, everything that I do is with the intention of, you know, growth, you know, just giving God the glory or just trying to inspire and motivate people who are trying to do the same thing that I can do, or who's my age that doesn't have the courage to step out and, you know, take that risk, you know, you can only hope and pray that, you know, God will lead whatever you put on the media, on that person's page or around that person, and, you know, that might get a lot of fire, and I mean, you know what, like, if he's doing it, why can't I do it? - Yeah, that's true. - You know, so. - And you talk about having a strong foundation, and with having a strong foundation, that means you have non-negotiables, you know what I'm saying? So, are there specific non-negotiables that, like, are just, like, set in your head when it comes to, like, there's any opportunities and things of that nature? Like, in terms of, like, okay. Like you said, if you're going to go so far, like, what's an example of, like, okay, this is, like, you know, giving my faith for the things I believe in, I couldn't do this. - Yeah, so, basically, like, an example of if I wanted to pursue something, I'm sorry, just take a little bit more time, yeah. - Okay, so I was saying, like, do you, like, personally have, like, specific non-negotiables in terms of, you know, opportunities that you take and things of that nature? So, like, I guess, like, and, like, everybody, you know, for everybody, it's personal, but, like, I'm thinking, okay, you know, maybe you're having my shirt off, ain't too crazy, but, like, maybe your butters told me, okay, undo a photo shoot, we're in a tight speeder. That's, like, for me, I was like, okay, that's a non-negotiable. So, that's an example I'm trying to say. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yeah, no, honestly, I've had people try to, I had people try to get me to wear, like, makeup. And I'm not talking about, like, the makeup, you know, actors be wearing for the camera to make their skin look all, you know, whatever. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Like, I'm talking about, like, pink, whatever the thing is called. Like, I've had, like, I've had- - Is that a clean chocolate, John? - Like, some, man, you know what? (laughing) - Whoa, I'm asking you. Oh, that's definitely a non-negotiable. - That's a non-negotiable. - Well, my fault. - That's a non-negotiable. We're not doing that. We're not doing that. I've had them try to maybe put on some like heels. It's not even like no, like no heels, but it's like the block, it's heels, look. I ain't even gonna- - Yeah, right. - Making fun of some heels, like a skirt. And the fit with the skirt was cold, I ain't even gonna lie, but I'm not wearing that, you know? I try to make sure that, you know, everything I do, I don't leave people astray, you know? It's like, this walk is, this walk with God is very, you know, it's a narrow walk. And God says that the walk to righteousness, you know, it's a narrow walk, but the wide path leads to destruction, right? So it's like, I try to make sure that I'm, you know, walking this walk with God in an intentional manner where I am not like unintentionally leading people like astray, you know? That's honestly the last thing that I wanna do. And, you know, somebody told me, you know, 'cause that's how it even came about. Somebody told me that, like, the media is very tricky because the things you do and everything you say, it's basically monitored and like, you don't know who that is gonna reach, and you don't know the influence it's gonna have on somebody else, you know? And that's why I always pray over before my post and I pray before my post and stuff like that because I don't wanna do anything that's gonna, you know, jeopardize, you know, myself or, you know, my image or like, you know, even like my faith and everything, so. - Got you. - Yeah. - Yeah, man. - Yeah, actually. - Yeah, I was saying, yeah, man, like, it's funny, it's funny you veg that, bro, because I'm telling you, like, some of these designers, especially in New York, they'll have you, they'll have you wearing some crazy stuff, man, like, and there's some things that I just, you know, I personally, I just wanna do, especially 'cause I'm Jamaican, they're not going for that. I ain't gonna lie, if you Jamaican, then you know what it is already, but they're not doing that, you know, so. - So, you know, God willing an amazing amount of opportunities coming, there's definitely a fair amount that you just rejected? - Yeah, yeah, no, no, most definitely for sure. A lot of the show, not necessarily here, but a lot of it was, like, modeling agencies that I've, you know, rejected or. A lot of shows that I've had to do in New York just because of what they wanted me to wear, and they weren't willing to compromise, you know, so I just, you know, thank you for the opportunity, I appreciate it, but, you know, it goes against my morals and my standards, so I try to decline, you know, politely, and I know that, I know that when there's a closed door, there's another door being opened on the other side, you know, so I try to just make that my mindset because this, right, it's mind of the industry is not, it's not for everybody, I would say. - Yeah. - You know, it's definitely not for everybody, there's a lot of things that comes with it, a lot of sacrifice, especially, you know, being a college student, man, like, it's, a lot of people, like, I get so many, like, messages and people reaching out and stuff, you know, which is the goal, you know, I want to help as many people as I can, you know, but it is not an industry for everybody, you know? You know, my thing is, I got into the industry, you know, I didn't get into the industry, it, for it to be a hobby, I would say, you know, I do a lot of business. - Yeah, man, I got into this, like, you know, this is business, this is a career, this is a job, because if you go into anything with the mindset of, you know, this is just a hobby, you're gonna get hobby results, you know, if you go into this with the mindset of, this is what I want to do, and I'm gonna take the necessary steps, I'm gonna take action, regardless of what people say, you know, and if you're willing to take sacrifice, then that's how you know that it is now becoming a business, it's now becoming, like, you know, a job, you know, it's not something that you're just doing just to do it, you know, and this is fun for me, you know, this is, I love what I do, huh? But like I said, if you treat it like a hobby, you're gonna get hobby results, if you treat it like something that you actually want to pursue, then those results are gonna flourish, you know? You just gotta, that's the decision you gotta make between choosing how much you really want it. - And you talked about rejecting modeling agencies, so that's something that we could get into in terms of, you know, how you, you know, rocking with, like, you know, who you're working with right now. - Yeah, yeah, so, I believe, when did I just, so I got, when we got signed with the agency, maybe, I think it's been about eight months now, eight or nine months, almost a year, honestly, it's been, I'll probably say a year now, okay. And I got connected with them through actually another model, and that's where the networking plays a part in, it's like, I got connected to another model, and it was a casting, I believe it was, they were casting two signed models. You know, I actually got, like, referred to the agency, and I ended up sending some, like, digital's hours, and sending my information, and then, boom, like, just like that. - I got signed, like, they saw my potential, they saw my portfolio, they saw what I built, and they saw that, you know, it had the potential to really seek further success and, like, growth, and that's what they want, you know, I can kind of get a little more into, like, kind of what to expect being signed with the agency, or, you know, what to expect just getting into, it becoming a business, because I feel like once you're represented is when things really start to, you know, take off, but it just doesn't stop there, you know? So, the process of getting signed with the agency is like, you know, a lot of people think that once you get signed, it's boom, instant work, no, it's not like that at all. Yes, you're represented by the agency, but imagine getting, you have a nice resume, you get connected to a business, a company, or whatever, a corporation, whatever company you get with. It's like having a degree, like, they don't care about that piece of paper, they care about your skills, they care about what you can make to the table. How can you help the company? All right, the degree matters, but to an extent. You know, getting represented by an agency, it helps, but, like, to an extent. You know, so you still gotta put in the work, you still have to, you know, do all the things you're doing before, but the only thing is now, now you have help, now you have representation, you know? So that's kind of how it is when you're represented by an agency, and, you know, it's super competitive, but over time, you know, the more you build, the more you network, the more you build your portfolio, and, you know, over time, things start to just open, you know? So that means you were doing this, like, for a good, like, what, two, two years without agency? Yeah, man, I was doing this. Well, I've been mod, I would say-- I know the first two years you won't do, like, two consistent. Then, you know, like, your mom's wetting, that's when you start locking in once the guy, like, you know, it's like, yo, you a model. But, just in general, the whole journey, like, you were, like, individual up until, like, eight, eight, nine months ago. Yeah, honestly, it's so funny, because it feels like time's moving so fast, but, honestly, like, I haven't been doing this for that long. Yeah. Honestly, I have not been doing this for that long. Like, it's probably been, like, two years, probably been, like, two years or so. And throughout that time, I feel like I've made a decent amount of progress, you know? But, yeah, it hasn't been that long. It hasn't been that long, and it feels like it, honestly. But, you know, because I was intentional, you know, the growth expedited, you know? Got you, got you. And, you know, similar to, I guess, you know, growing up wanting to be an athlete, you have certain people that you look up to, model your game after-- is it something that can, like, correlate with that, like, modeling, like, people like that inspire you, or, like, you know, you look at their work, like, I'm trying to be like them? Oh. Honestly, I don't think there's an-- OK, I don't think there's a professional-- actually, no, let me-- let me not say that. There definitely is. So my cousin, believe it or not, he's-- my cousin is Nikhil Walker. Some people would, like, may know him, but he plays for "The Timberworld," he played at Virginia Tech. So that's, like, my cousin on my mom's side. And, um, it's so funny, because-- and it's making a family, like, you got a family that you didn't even know about. Yeah. All right, like, I'm finding out this man is my cousin. He's in the NBA. He played at Virginia Tech College basketball, and now he's in the league. I found this out three, four years ago. I'm 20 years old, so my mom got some explaining to do. Because I'm, like, what's going on here, you know? But I found out, you know, he's somebody that I would, for sure, say that, honestly, like, I look up to, as far as his, like, work ethic. And honestly, just how he doesn't compare himself to, like, other people, you know? I don't see him that often, because he travels a lot, honestly. But he's an athlete. He, um, played professional ball. So he knows the-- playing in the NBA is-- it's a business, honestly. That's something that he's told me, right? He's told me that, like, you know, it's not something that you just, you know, that you just, you know, you just get into, right? Like, it's-- life is unfair, honestly. And, like, he's something-- he's somebody that I honestly look up to, his mindset, his work ethic, and how he just translates basketball over to every other aspect in his life. Still on that subject, I guess, mentorship, too. Is that, like, an important thing for you, like, in terms of the good for your career, and then just for you, personally? Yeah, mentorship, mentorship. Honestly, yeah. And that's something that I'm still constantly seeking to pursue, like, and that plays a part in, you know, building your network and stuff. Right now, I'm just so blessed to have people that I can just call and, you know, ask the question. That's the importance of having a network, you know, building those relationships. First, just having a contact sitting in your phone, you know? So many different kinds of people. And, like, I want to surround myself around somebody who is always willing to seek growth. Like, I have contacts in my phone of people who are, like, 30, 35, you know, 28. And, you know, I'm young, you know? And these guys are just way older than me. But I know those kind of people are, you know, humble. You know, I can pick my phone and call them any time, and they're willing to seek advice for me, and, you know, vice versa. Mentorship is definitely very important, and I was just a lot of people to seek, because you can make it very easy for yourself to pursue whatever field you want to get into. If you can find somebody who's already doing it. - Okay. - That's the biggest factor, I'll say. Because a lot of people, like, especially now, honestly, people want to, they want to, what's the word I'm looking for? They want to, like, boast about being self-made, right? A lot of people want to boast about being self-made. And I'm not even gonna say that's a DMV thing, because that's anywhere, honestly, that's everywhere. People want to boast about, yeah, like, you know, I did this, you know, self-made, millionaire, or, you know, you know, being independent, you know, that's cool, you know? That's cool, you know, you know, props to you, you know? But you can make it very, very easy for yourself by finding somebody who's already done what you did, who's already made the mistakes that you did. And just lowering your pride just a little bit, and just being humble enough to say, I want to take advice from you, I will listen to you, and just receive the knowledge so you don't fall into the same steps. And your progress will just drastically increase. - Yeah. - Because you don't have to be that guy who says, you know, I did this on my own, you know? Or, you know, like, and that's not a bad thing is what I'm trying to say, it's not a bad thing, but there's so many other ways, like, use your resources, is what I'm trying to say. - Yeah, I see what you're saying, you know what I mean? - Bye. I fall into that same trap, but anything I'm trying to do, even if it's podcast, like, to a very much, to a very, you know, a certain extent, very much like, oh, one man team or something like that. But then it's like, yo, if I had X, Y, and Z, you know, helping me, where could it be now? You know what I'm saying? But I feel like up one game probably plays a role with this. Like, depending on where you go up and then in that nature, because, bro, I grew up in a culture that's like, I help you. And when I help you and you make it, I'm not gonna let you forget about it. - Where you from? - From Ghana. - Oh, what? - Yeah. - Yeah, so like, bro. - Yeah, I see the bracelet and everything, right? - Yeah, you know what I'm saying? But yeah. So it's just like, I think that's what that comes from, but it's like, you're successful, or you have any type of success. Instead of it being a type of drone, it's like, yo, Devonta, I appreciate you coming on the pod. Your choice is at a million. Subscribe is right now. Like, bro, you really played a great role in that. It's more of like, you go up in this culture where it's like, Devonta is coming in and just like, bro, you remember back then when like, you had nothing and I came on your podcast and I put you on and like, you know, where's my cut? Like, so then, brothers are like, okay, bro, I'm just gonna do this on my own. I may not get to a million, I may get to 50K, but at least no one's gonna come and bother me tight. You know what I'm saying? I guess that all comes back down to like, who are you surrounding yourself with? Are these people that genuinely want to help you? And then when you're successful, you know, they're just gonna be a part of the success. So then it's like, or is it people that, you know, they help you and then it's like, when they, when you get there, they also want to like, you know, bud it and just keep on reminding you that they play the role in their type. - Yeah, you know, unfortunately, there's people like that in this world, man. Honestly, who are like, there's people like that who like, there's a lot of people who do things and just to expect something in return, I would say. - Yeah. - You know, and it's honestly like, upbringing definitely plays a factor because some people just aren't used to that. Some people aren't used to, you know, I guess wanting to receive the help or that's something that I had to break out of at one point. You know, I was stubborn as a mother, where I was hard-headed, especially in that started because of sports. - Yeah. - That's what that did. And when it became a part of your identity, it like it drives a few. I'm sorry that you being an athlete, like you would know, like sports, it drills a fuel in you. You know, it drinks something up, especially when you're passionate about a sport. You know, you go through the football game, you see people screaming and tearing off their shirts at Maryland with throwing beer cans and all that stuff 'cause, you know, it brings passion, right? But, you know, that's why you can't attach your identity to things that are temporary as such things. You know, like sports and stuff like that. Because when you get in a situation of like vulnerability, like for me, like my injuries, your emotions can start to dictate your actions, right? And that's why you can't lead off how you feel because that'll just lead, it leads to impulsive behavior. And now you're in a situation that is gonna take you, it's gonna delay your process of success. - Yeah. - You know, so yeah, man, but it's unfortunately, like there's people out here who like, who don't like to receive help and stuff like that. You know, it's not like a bad thing. It's something that, you know, it takes a growth to get out of that 'cause that was me at one point, but I realized, man, like, dang, there's people in this world who genuinely wanna help you. You know, there's two sides to every coin, there's the person who, you know, who's stubborn and, but you can't try to use that and attach it to everybody, right? You can't use that one person and try to use that and attach that to all the other people 'cause there's people who genuinely wanna help you, who wanna see you win. And that's like what I've been learning, man. And my mindset is, you know, trust somebody until they give you a reason not to trust them no more. - Fair, you know, you know, taking help from others, you know, being on the other side of the coin, now being the one who gives advice into that nature. I know that's something you're trying to do through content creation as well. So, you know, talk to me about that in terms of like the goals with that, you know what I'm saying? Like, what do you want people to, you know, gain from, you know, I guess, you know, following just your journey? - Yeah, man, honestly, I think when I first started, you know, gradually I started to gain more insight and things like that. And I think I had just a mindset shift because I was doing it, you know, I guess one of my wisest for getting into the industry was to find something that I love to do and that I could do the easiest without it feeling like, like work, like I was forced to do it. And use that and try to inspire as many people as I can. And, you know, sometimes just not having a why can, it can put you into place of complacency, right? And so that's why when I kind of first started, I just made sure that I had a why getting into, you know, I guess what I was doing. But honestly, my journey, like right now, I want to just inspire, honestly. I want to inspire as many people as I can. I want to be able to, you know, give God the glory and all of this because, you know, without him, I'm nothing literally. And he's the one that's been open in these doors, you know, he's the one, I gave him all the credit, honestly, because there's only so much that I can do, right? There's only so much that you can do. And that's where it takes, you know, dropping, you know, your pride and, you know, God says that he favors the humble when he boasts the proud. And I take that with me everywhere I go because, you know, God can't work with prideful people, you know? You got to know where you, you have to be able to shift your identity to the one who created you, you know? And not like, you know, temporary things. Like, you know, yeah, I love modeling. I love, you know, acting. And, you know, it's cool, man. You know, even being in college and everything, it's dope, man. But I gave him all the credit because I know in the staff of my finger, he can take it all the way. And I learned that when I got hit by a car, you know? And then, you know, that's why he did that. It's because I can actually learn that. Not because he doesn't, you know, love me or, you know, he wants to punish me, but because that's how we grow, you know, trial and error. - Mm-hmm, gosh, yeah. And talk a little bit about your mom earlier. But, you know, just talking to me also about your support systems in terms of, like, you know, getting to modeling, I know, like I said, for my parents, they want the biggest fan, you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, man. - But, what's their perspective been? How have they helped you in terms of that nature, you know? - Yeah, yeah, no, honestly, man, I feel like my support system is, it's fairly solid, man. My mom, you know, honestly, both of my, like, you know, both of my parents, they've been there for me. Mostly my mom, I got to live with my mom and everything like that. I have a lot of siblings, I got six siblings. Like, I'm asking Liz, bruh. But, honestly, my friend, my friend group is... I love them, dude, man, shout out, shout out Lamar, man. shout out Lamar, shout out Maurice, all them boys. 'Cause, I ain't gonna lie, I feel like just my circle is, is the reason why I'm, is part of the reason why I'm so grounded in, like, everything that I do. - Yeah. - And, that's the reason why I say, having the right friend group around you is gonna determine how far your success goes, honestly. You know, everybody's heard this before, you know, bad company corrupts good character, and that's true. You know, if you surround yourself around, you know, people who all they wanna do is, you know, just like gossip and, you know, go out to the club every day, you know, you're gonna become one of those people, that's the thing. Even if you're not one of those people, you will become, you will start to pick up on the character traits of those people, but, you know, in my case, like, you know, when I hang around, you know, people who are, you know, like-minded, who only wanna seek, you know, growth and potential, it keeps you grounded, it helps you stay focused on your goals and what you really wanna do, because everyone's on the same page, does that make sense? - Yeah, like, I understand what you're trying to say, like, in terms of even like, not in an unhealthy way, but like, if I see Devonta doing X, he's going up, I'm also gonna be like, I need to, you know what I'm saying, I'm not even like, M.D. is a Devonta back, I'm just trying, you know what I'm saying? Accountability, you know, has a good word, exactly. Accountability in terms of like, the friendships that you make, you know, you know, having friends that, you know, everybody you can do, like, whatever God has called them to, but like, if you're like, let's say, I guess it'll be a perfect example. Let's say, I'm friends with Mark, Mark goes to school, drinks on the weekends, I guess, like, you know, he does his job, no, no, no, no, bro, Mark, bro, keep on doing you, you know, but like, it's probably not good for me to be friends with Mark, even the things that I'm trying to achieve. - Exactly, exactly. It's all about, it's all about what, the direction that you're headed, right? Because my pastor told me this one time, he said, he said, where you look is where you're headed, where you're going, right? And like, I look at that and I try to apply, that's everything that I do. If I look in the direction of destruction, I'm headed down a path of destruction. If I'm looking at the light, if I'm looking at the good, you know, the success, you know, if I'm looking towards the direction of gratitude, I'm so grateful, I woke up this morning, I'm so grateful, I have a roof over my head, I'm so grateful I get to be on your choice podcast with my boy Will, the famous man right here. - No, I'm saying. - You know what I'm saying, but yeah, man, you know, that's, if you look in that direction, if you shift your attention towards those things, you're gonna shoot up. - Yeah, but sure. - You're gonna shoot up, but sure. So, you know, talking about, you know, the election that you're looking in, what's that for you in terms of, you know, long-term, short-term goals, you know, heading into the school, and yeah, just like, give me like the one year, you know, the plan, obviously, we don't know who we're gonna be, but you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, yeah, man, yeah, man, um, that's a great question, honestly. I feel like right now, I'm in a position where, you know, I'm preparing myself for just redirection, honestly, and I'm really just trusting God in the season because, you know, obviously we just had something break and all that stuff, it was just not, the summer I had in mind, I don't know what I was saying. - Honestly, because, honestly, just so much stuff happened in a short amount of time, and like, it showed me that like, you know, when you're, when you're walking with God, and you invite Him in your life, and you actually like, you're supposed to worry, like, I guess when you're actually pursuing Him, you know, things start to happen in your life where there's a lot of redirection, there's a lot of redirection, right? Because, you know, He says, you know, if I were God talks about how his ways are not always, you know, the path he, the harder than I was, and his path that he has for us is something that we can't even fathom, right? So me knowing that, it's like, I had to learn to prepare for redirection, right? So right now, I'm just taking honestly one step at a time, one day at a time, you know, I'm focused on school right now, you know, I'm honestly trying to, I got a busy September because I got like four shows coming up, I got photo shoots I gotta do, you know, while trying to balance out school, you know, so it's a whole lot, but you know, honestly, I'm making sure that I'm not too focused on it, because if I know if I put all my attention on it, you know, I don't want that to steer me away from what really matters, you know? And I know that there can be, there can be a, there can be a season of redirection anytime, you know? And me just being obedient to whatever God wants me to do, you know, if he says, you know, he's closing his door and the door is closed, you know, I know he has better for me, that's my mindset, you know? So within like, you know, within now and in the next year, honestly, one of my, one of my biggest goals was, I wanna walk for, I wanna walk in Italy, like Milan wanna go to Milan, I wanna do Milan Fashion Week, that's like one of the bigger goals that I have as far as like modeling stuff like that. And you know, as far as shows, I do a lot of like commercial stuff, e-commerce, that's something that I want, I told myself I wanted to start picking back up or like pursuing more heavy and, you know, I've done like Under Armour, DTLR, but I really, really, really want to shoot for H&M. That's something that I've always, I think that's the first brand I've ever wanted to shoot with getting into the industry. I wanted to work with H&M and honestly, as many brands as possible, and see, that's like, that's a goal for me right now, but H&M is definitely up there, I'll say. - What's specifically about H&M? - They're one of my favorite brands, I love their clothes. I would say Zara and H&M. - Okay. - I would say Zara and H&M, those are, Zara right here, man, Zara, I think it's fun to me, man. I got the fans on, it's fun to me, man, come on now, but yeah, Zara, H&M, those are my two favorite brands. I would love to partner with them, honestly, and that's honestly one of my goals. And I know connections play such a big role in landing opportunities and things of that nature, then obviously, God's blessing on whatever you're trying to do, but I always do believe that there are A, B, and C's to get to certain points, you know what I'm saying? They're all like steps, you know what I'm saying? Like let's say, okay, we'll just use this one specifically as an example, you know, you wanna walk in the long fashion week, you know, how does Devonta get there? You know what I'm saying? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a good question, bro, that's a good question. Well, everything going back to God, bro. - No, for sure, for sure. - Everything going back to God, like that's, when that's the thing, when that's my foundation, that becomes, it's a lifestyle, that's a thing. Walking with God is not something that you just do on Sunday, it's a lifestyle, right? So everything just goes back to God, you know, honestly, man, but it starts off by just, you know, one just showing gratitude, honestly, but also just pray, I'm a strong prayer, I'm real. I'm very intentional about that, just like making sure that I pray and stuff like that, asking God to, you know, open this door, if this is gonna be good for my career, you know, and because, you know, he says God, he says, I'm the beginning and the end, right? God sees all things, he sees past, future, present. You know, me knowing that I pray about everything, because God sees things before I can even see him, right? So if this is what I have a desire to do, you know, I pray about it, you know, things start moving, right? - Yeah. - So, you know, but, you know, outside of that, it's like honestly the steps to, you know, to doing that is being patient, honestly. Oh God, that's a big factor in being able to be still, you know, honestly like, not necessarily being still, but I guess just making sure that you are constantly in a, what's the word I'm looking for, constantly in a place where you're seeking growth, like you're not being stagnant, you know? And I guess what that looks like is constantly trying to work on yourself, 'cause it starts with you. You know, any opportunity, it starts with you. You know, how you go about approaching the opportunity, how you receive the opportunity. You know, how you receive the opportunity, especially when that door, you know, opens, but, you know, if I wanted to walk in Milan fashion with you, you know, something that I told myself is, you know, I can't control when that day comes, but when it does come, I'm gonna be prepared for it. So preparation is a big factor, preparation and patience. - Okay, yeah. - You know, those are the main two factors, I would say. We can't have one, we can't have one, we can't do one without the other and expect good results. - No, yeah, for sure. 'Cause now it's something I was actually winning the, here you say, because I think a lot of Christians fall into the trap of, oh, we give everything to God, have faith in God. - Yeah, yeah. - But, and I think sometimes I have said on this podcast before, so I believe he says it in James, you know, faith about works is that, you know what I'm saying? So, saying, yo, like God, I wanna, you know, play in the NBA or whatever, you know, let's say some brothers see my highlight tape, looking tough, whatever, they call me, I've been trained in six months. You know what I'm saying? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yeah, you know, I wanna say finding a balance because I do believe, you know, 100% faith in God, but then like, the same way you're asking God to do something, you need to do your part too, you know what I'm saying? So, as long as you're doing your part, have that faith, you're locked in, like you've said, your identity is in him, no matter what it is. - Exactly. - It's gonna come at the right time. - Exactly. - So, yeah, that's good man, I actually recognize that, honestly, because that's not something a lot of people can honestly grasp, right? You know, even for you with like, you know, what you're doing right now, it's amazing, bro, honestly, truly, right? - I appreciate it, bro. - I give you props for it, bro, because what are you going into your senior year? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - You're in a college and everything, and like, just you taking that risk to, taking that risk not knowing the outcome is something that it shows your character, right? And it shows that you have faith in your ability to pursue whatever it is. So, bro, I'm just props to you, honestly, for just even having me on here and just doing everything that you're doing, bro, because it's gonna inspire some people, and you gotta keep going, because we got people into your belt, man. - Nah, for sure, bro. - For sure, bro. - For sure, and yeah. Likewise, you know, really quickly how we made this happen, you know what I'm saying? So, appreciate the conversation. And, you know, as always, you know, just drop the socials, you know what I'm saying? Let people know where they can find you. And yeah, I feel that from good. - Yeah, man, you know, it's, you know, when I take lives, man, you know, your choice podcast, man, for my boy, Will, I appreciate you for having me once again, man. You know, follow me on Instagram, man, only underscore Deb with two V's, 13. And yeah, this is good, man, I appreciate it, my dog. You guys have some good combos, man. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And yeah, your choice part on all platforms, you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, cut it like that. - Yes, sir. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) You