Aaron and Wade sit down with Marvin Gay of LoPhase Coffee, to follow a journey through hard times, big successes, adversity, and self-assertion. Marvin's describes his experience of coming into conflict with the dominant cultures of the coffee industry and his decisions to trust himself, express himself, and ultimately be himself in spite of the pressure to conform. Marvin's story is not merely about coffee; it is a powerful example of how to rise from challenges, stay true to yourself, demand more of those around you, and ultimately expand the cultural purview of the coffee industry.

Mentioned in this Episode

LoPhase Coffee (@lophasecoffee) - AM:FM (@amfm_coffee) - Ugly Duck Coffee (@uglyduckcoffee) Krudco Skateshop (@krudcoskateshop) - Hooked Venice (@hooked.venice) - Fauve Coffee (@fauve_coffee)

Shoutouts

The Potted Bean (@the_pottedbean) - Kopani Coffee (@kopanicoffee)

Mentioned in this episode:

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Joe Bean Roasters

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that lifts everyone. https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections with Evan Dawson - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Connections

That is very sick.

I saw you shooting some film on Instagram.

Yeah, I started the low phase lens and I just take all these old point and shoots from thrift stores and just try to make a. I got kind of obsessed with it.

Welcome to Dialed In.

I'm Wade Read.

I'm Aaron Pascucci.

And tonight we are joined by Marvin Gaye of Loface Coffee.

What's up?

And if things look a little different, it's because we are out at AM FM at 45 Euclid Street.

The studio was not available tonight.

We want to send some love out to our producer, Chris Lindstrom, who experienced the family tragedy and obviously had to be present for that and couldn't be present tonight.

So we put together best we could here at AM fm.

Thanks to AM fm, the crew there for helping me set this up and.

Yeah.

Aaron, how's the week?

Week's been good.

It's a little.

Everybody's hoping for spring break soon.

Yeah, let's just get there.

Yep.

Kids are ready.

Teachers are ready.

I'm ready.

They love that February break.

That's for my kids.

Loved February break that.

Just like extra week off.

Yeah, it's.

It's never enough.

Exactly.

It's never enough.

Exactly.

They're all comparing it to Christmas and summer, so.

Marvin loves his spring break too.

Yeah.

What are we doing for spring break this year?

Making coffee.

Just making coffee.

Love it.

All right, Marvin, let's talk low phase.

You ready?

Yeah.

I mean, we've been.

I've been excited to have you on the show for a while.

Pretty much since we started.

I've been trying to, you know, come on, come on, let's.

Let's record.

And.

And I'm glad, you know, we finally got here and it finally worked out schedule wise.

And back when you was level up.

Yeah, Yep.

Level up all the way back then.

Yep.

The level up days.

So tell us about Loface.

Like, how.

Who are you?

How'd you get here?

What are we.

What are you trying to do?

How did I get here?

Yeah, give it.

Give us the short bio first.

Short bio.

All right.

Actually, when I found coffee, Yes, I was.

I was actually homeless and I always went to Javas because I had a homie there.

He always hooked me up with free coffee, stay warm.

And I saw someone do, like, latte art, and I was, like, very into it.

I was very intrigued by it.

So that spring, I ended up moving back home.

And where's home sodas?

Back out to sodas.

Yep.

Unfortunately.

But a shop opened up out there.

And then I slowly started working there.

And I say after maybe a year, because I just slowly became very interested on how coffee is brewed, how it's roasted.

Finding out that coffee didn't come from Columbia, you know?

Right, yeah, yeah.

Little bits at a time.

Yeah, yeah.

Little bits of knowledge you take on.

Definitely.

And then I ended up getting a DM from Rory at Ugly Dog.

I did not know.

I didn't know specialty coffee like that.

I didn't know it.

So went there, spoke with Roy, and he just showed me, like, a different world of coffee.

And how many black baristas that look like, you know, I mean, that really mix up, like, dead stock coffee out in Oregon.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

I was hooked on it.

I was like, wow, dude, this dude resell sneakers and makes coffee.

That's cool.

And he was wearing.

I saw the first photo, he was wearing, like, a no Limit Soldier masterpiece behind a bar.

I was like, yo, you can take it there, you know?

Yeah, exactly.

So it's not like that in sodas.

Nah, nah.

Unless.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm not gonna speak on it, but.

Nah, you can't do that out there.

But yeah, yeah.

I just really got fascinated by different coffees.

Especially when I got to.

When I started working at Ugly Duck.

That was like coffee boot camp.

Yeah, it really was.

I never.

What did you.

What coffee knowledge did you have going in at that point?

Nothing.

Just from scratch.

From scratch.

Rory, he, like, he took me to the dish area and he had his laptop, and I sat there and watched how to make a pour over and how to dial in, like, I'll say, maybe two hours.

Just sitting there watching videos.

Yeah, like, all this.

I was like, damn.

I didn't know coffee was all that,

you know, like, you didn't realize you could watch coffee for two hours online?

Yeah, no, like, you know, I mean, like.

No, I'm not lying because, like, Wade and I do watch.

Yeah, we've all done it.

For sure.

For sure.

But no, it's.

That's the life.

Right, Right.

But yeah, yeah, I just got hooked.

And then I remember once how I learned how to steam milk properly.

I did not know I was doing it wrong.

I. Rory made me stay after work for like two hours steaming milk, and that's how I got better at it.

Yes.

Young grasshopper.

Things critiqued.

Yeah.

What was it?

Was there, like, a specific bad habit you had that he didn't like?

Or was it like you were just doing things, kind of overdoing it, making it too hot?

Yeah, yeah, way too hot.

Way Too hot.

Yeah, way too hot.

Because when I first started, they didn't kind of care about it.

I didn't know it was like another level to it.

So several.

Several levels.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

So I kind of got hooked on.

I love what I do.

I mean, you got thrown in the deep end, like, real fast.

Yeah, Ugly Duck is.

But you had like one of the Zen masters sitting there showing you, though.

Yeah, yeah, that'll be intense.

But you know what the crazy part was, though?

It was like a full circle moment.

Because before Rory opened Ugly Duck, he was doing pop ups.

And the first time I had a real cappuccino was from Rory at Kruko.

I don't even know he did a pop up there.

Yeah, yeah.

Was that over on Mount Hope?

No, Park Ave.

Okay.

Who's on park at.

So I'm like, yo, cappuccino.

And it was so good.

I came back and got another one.

Nice.

Yeah.

And I haven't seen him since that time.

And just so happened.

So how did you.

Tell us, how did you get hired at Ugly Duck?

Like, just from that dm, right?

Yeah, just from the dm.

I didn't.

I didn't apply.

So he just like.

He was like, yo, scouted.

He just said, yo, stop by the shop, let me holl at you.

I was like, all right.

Bet that's awesome.

Yeah, that's really good.

That was it.

And then I didn't realize the level Ugly Duck was on.

Cause I was skating after I got hired.

Like a week later, I was skating downtown and I saw a homie.

He was like, yo, congratulations.

I'm like, yo, what the fuck you talking about?

You know what I mean?

Congratulations.

I'm like, yo, you got in the Ugly Duck.

You know, all that's, like, impossible.

I was like, oh, thanks, man.

Cool.

That's awesome.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So then while you're at Ugly Duck, I mean, you.

You all went through lockdown and.

Yeah, kind of came out of that.

And that was when Low phase was really born.

That was the first conversation I had with you about.

Yeah, well, tell us.

Tell us about this.

Like, how did it.

How did it.

How we.

How we.

How we got to Loface?

All right.

He's going to say some things right now, and I just want to preface them with they're true from his perspective.

All right, This.

I don't think I ever seen the Wade's face because we were wearing mask at the time.

Yeah, it was locked down.

Oh.

So all I know is a black

beanie and a man and A black

mask in, like, he'll get a shot of espresso.

And I'm behind the bar, and I'm trying to make the perfect shot for this guy, and it was never good enough.

So I think, what a month went by, and I'm like, yo, why the fuck is he so miserable?

Like, why is he, like.

I always wonder.

I'm like.

So I think it was a Kenya.

And you're not a fan of Kenya on espresso?

Generally, I'm not a fan of Kenyan coffee.

So he was like, wow, this is really good.

And Marvin's doing cartwheels in his head.

Right, right.

I was like, I finally.

I finally.

I finally got him to like it.

And then after he leaves Rory and Joey Clark, he was like, you know what you just did, right?

And I'm like, I don't know.

He's like, dude, like, you got way to, like, a Kenol and espresso.

That's like a milestone, bro.

And I'm like, oh, okay.

You know, like, so a few months later, he walked out, and he was like, yo, how about you start your own coffee company?

I was.

It was covet.

So, yeah, opening a business is, like, the last.

Why would I do this?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mid covert.

So I thought about it, and I used to put, you know, you look at an Instagram reel, and someone's doing latte art, and this is like, mellow, dramatic hipster music.

Oh, yeah.

Yep, yep.

MGMT Entertainment.

Paula.

Yeah, Blood orange.

Yeah, everybody love blood orange.

But, yeah, I started putting, like, Griselda west side Gun, like, while pouring a Tula.

And I went to apologize, like, on Instagram stories and stuff.

And Rory goes like, yo, don't apologize.

This is sick.

Yeah, this is awesome.

And I'm like, all right.

So I kept going.

I kept doing it.

And so I was like, all right, what else do I like?

Skateboarding 90s, that was, like, my era.

So that's how Low Phase was born.

And plus Low Phase, the me, it has a meaning to it.

Like, it's about, you know, finding your strengths at your lowest point.

Okay.

A lot of people can relate to.

Yeah, I just didn't want to just come up with a name and throw it out there and be, oh, it's a brand.

But how can you connect with people?

And I said, we all have these dark moments in our lives.

Just, like, how I found coffee, too.

Huh?

I was homeless, went to coffee shops all the time, and it just naturally snowballed.

That's why I kind of.

I'm so Passionate about it because it's just snowballed into this thing.

Well, it's such a big part of your story.

Yeah.

Like, we talk about coffee finding you or you choosing coffee and coffee chose you.

Yeah, like, I never thought about it like that.

Well, but even beyond that, it's like, I think like, you see a lot of top down coffee.

You see a lot of like the retirees think having a coffee shop is going to be like an easy way to keep steady income.

You see a lot of like the developers, oh, you know, we have this new high rise.

Let's bring in a coffee shop on the ground.

You see a lot of top down coffee.

And to see someone go like coffee from the bottom up, like from my lowest point is, I mean like, that's a totally different form of, of like inspiration.

It really gives people some hope that like, you don't have to be like, you have to have everything figured out in the perfect design and the perfect this and everything.

You just have to bring you.

Because it's like you were saying like you felt like, oh, this isn't how you do coffee.

Right.

But then it was someone saying to you like, you do you and let coffee come along and like.

And I think it's been really cool, like just being part of that journey.

And even just like the coffees that you sel and the ones you drop, like, sometimes they're ones that like I would bring in and sometimes they're ones that I'm like, this is actually like really a challenge for me.

I remember the last Kenya you brought in.

I was like, this is like actually really a challenge for me.

I don't know.

It really was, it was, it was a yeast, yeast inoculated Kenya.

And like, I had never.

That was the first one I'd ever done.

I even struggled with it on espresso.

Yeah, I remember.

Yeah, we had to use that funky ass basket.

Yeah, the worst, the worst portafilter basket I own.

And this guy's like, here, here, check this out.

I think this is working better.

Like, you gotta be kidding me.

It is this janky.

Like, I don't even know if it came with the machine or what.

Like it just.

And he just made his thing.

That was how he got the espresso on.

So made it happen.

It was, it was really cool.

Like, and that's kind of what you've just been doing, just like making it happen.

So, like, you know, if you go to the lofi's Instagram, you're gonna get a lot of skating going to get a lot of coffee going to get a lot of hip hop, that kind of thing.

Like, if you now was talking to you when you started.

Okay.

You now sitting here

when.

When Rory.

Yeah.

Like, when Rory was making you watch videos.

Yeah.

When you started that.

That low phase Instagram.

What.

What.

What do you want to say to you then?

Like, you know,

Keep going.

It'll work out.

I mean, it'll work out.

That's the message, right?

It will work out.

Yeah.

Keep going.

And it's.

Plus, I was.

When I was at my first job, I was also roasting.

Okay.

Yeah.

I was roasting, like, I started roasting, like, a Honduras there.

And was that imprint.

Yeah.

Okay.

Imprint.

And I didn't like the chemistry behind roasting a bean.

I just let that air open for, like, 10 seconds longer.

Okay.

And then people started loving it.

And I'm like, okay.

I don't.

I don't know.

You know what I mean?

At the time, I didn't know.

I just went by how my boss was telling me how to do it, and I just do little tweaks to it.

And then this.

I think American spirits was like, yo, we really like this Honduras.

We want to make a coffee liqueur out of it.

And, you know, that was kind of like, damn, I did something.

You've had some big moments.

I did something.

You know what I mean?

Like, so that kept the fire burning.

So for those of us who don't know roasting, what does leaving the air open do to the roaster, to the beans in the roasting process?

I just.

I just did it.

Yeah.

Like, I just figured, like, maybe this coffee is too.

You know what I mean?

Too roasted.

Yeah.

Too roasted.

So I was like, yo, I'm gonna let the air hit it.

And then it just became.

But my boss didn't know I was doing that.

He didn't know.

He does he.

Is he finding out now if he's listening.

Oh, he never found out.

What's up, Trevor?

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

But, you know, I made it happen.

I made it happen.

Exactly.

Exactly.

I'm not too familiar on roasting.

Yeah.

Until you.

Unless I'm.

I'm with you and you.

Yeah.

Machine that could do a couple of different things.

Yeah.

It could be like, you're saying it

was like an old Turkish machine, too.

Yeah.

Could slow down the process a little bit.

And, like, just, like, timing chain on.

Was old.

It was very old.

It could.

It could, like.

I mean, you could be moving a little extra thermal mass just a little bit.

It could so it could actually be, like, intensifying some of the processes.

It's.

It's a little bit different for every machine and depending on what you mean by, like, leaving the air open, you know, And I would have to actually see it to know exactly what was going on there.

But, like, I mean, it's like.

So I want to talk tasting with you, because I feel like one of the things that, like, you're uniquely good at is tasting, but this microphone's starting to drive me nuts, so I'm actually.

Let's take our first break.

Yes.

And I'll fix this microphone, and then

we'll come back with tasting.

Yeah, we'll be right back.

And we are back with Marvin Gaye, Low face, coffee, hearing all about the story, but I want to talk about the skills, because the skills are unique, and the skills come through.

And, like, tasting with you is always fun.

And, you know, the story I want to tell about tasting is kind of our most recent venture.

I just brought in this anaerobic Kenya.

I don't.

Kenya is the theme tonight.

I don't know what that's about.

Don't really mess with Kenya's as much as this is making it sound like I just brought in this anaerobic Kenya.

First roast was.

Went way too fast and was super flat.

Second roast, lengthened it out, tried to keep some things structured and intact.

They're good.

It's not popping.

Not really wild.

And so you and I got on the table, we tasted through both of them, and then we looked at this curve.

We looked at the two curves and how we wanted to bring them together, what sorts of elements, you know, we want to preserve and what sorts of elements we want to change.

Then I roasted that.

And that, like, not even kidding you.

Was, like, an impossible curve to roast.

It was so I was, like, constantly adjusting and just, like, had to keep my eyes on it at all times.

So it was really wild experience for me.

But, I mean, it just snapped.

It is so right.

And it's really just going from, like.

So Josiah had tasted.

That's the bar manager here at amf, and he had tasted through it and giving me some notes, and I was like, okay, that's a good direction.

I tasted it.

I was like, okay, I have some direction.

And it was like, kind of you confirming a lot of that.

That sent it in, you know, its final direction, the way we built that profile together.

So, like, where does tasting come in for you?

Like, is that something you learned at Ugly Duck?

Is that something you've learned or I mean, for me, it's a skill I have to constantly hone and like, I don't think about anything as much as I think about tasting so like ugly.

The thing is like, me and Rory was so like.

Because crazy part is like, all the dudes I skated with at Krudco when I was a kid, I didn't know they were like friends.

Yeah, yeah.

So like we kind of connected off like hip hop.

Like, I don't know, he listened to hip hop the way like his knowledge on the history of hip hop, you know, so we kind of, you know, we'll get, you know, they'll get a bunch of different coffees in.

Yeah.

Oh yeah.

We'll sit there constantly.

He'll make a pour over some, some that tastes like peanut butter and jelly.

Right?

Like yo it like, so we'll sit taste like for hours just how this shot tastes at these, these numbers.

And I just develop just also too.

I ain't gonna hold you disbelieving what you're tasting.

I think that's a huge barrier.

So tell me, tell me more about believing what you're tasting.

Like, okay, because we just had this, was it Ethiopian aerobic and it was wonderful, right?

Amazing.

I don't know that I could have pulled out a ton of different flavors, but as soon as Wade said cherry cordial, you know those chocolate covered cherry cordials, that was all I tasted after that.

Yeah, yeah.

And so like when you say believe.

Yeah.

You just gotta believe.

Like when I dial in, I'd be like, yo, this is in my head.

I'm not going around like telling everybody.

Yeah, you should.

I just don't, like, I'm just kidding, I'm kidding.

But every time I, you know, I go behind the bar dial in, I'm like, okay, I, I'm gonna put faith into this, this shot and it's going to be good.

And then, you know, people gravitate to what you're saying.

You know what I mean?

They do.

Well, I mean, you don't, I mean, so strictly speaking, you don't just taste with your tongue, you taste with your memories.

And like what, what you know about flavor is, is built in.

So when you approach that thing and you're.

And it comes, and it's just bare stimulus on your tongue.

Like your brain has to tell you.

And so it is, it is totally an exercise of like trusting yourself and that sense memory.

And like, I mean, you cannot.

I've hosted so many cuppings, I've trained so many baristas and like, just Getting people to call out flavors, just getting people to say they taste this is so hard because, like, they don't.

They're afraid, believe in themselves.

And, like, the confidence level is, like, something that absolutely.

People have to.

People should.

I don't know.

I don't know if we should, like, get every.

Every barista therapist.

Like, you gotta believe in you, you know, dude, that's the next.

That's the next dialed in.

In a humble way, though, I never claimed I was the best.

I do my best.

I always, every day do your best from Steam and dialing.

You know, it's just.

I developed it over time that you just got to believe that what you're going to give the customer is going to be the best thing.

It's going to make their day.

I mean, there's no.

There's a lot of truth to just being confident in what you're doing and having that raise the quality of stuff.

Absolutely, absolutely.

I mean, when I've got student teachers in.

Dude, kids can smell fear if you are at all timid about what you're doing.

And so, like, I bet you it's similar.

Like, I can walk into a shop and know whether or not the barista knows what he's doing.

Hesitation is a message behind the bar for sure.

And I'm not saying, you know, baristas need to feel like they know everything, but, like, you can kind of tell if someone's like.

Does not.

Is not confident in their skills.

Right.

And it makes me less confident, but

you can tell the passion's not there.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

You can tell with some.

Like, I worked at a shop that had, you know, burnt, oily beans and stuff, and I was so confident, I put them skills that I've learned from Ugly Duck and found a way how to dial it in, you know?

Yeah.

You know.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

No, I was there, and I got like a.

Like a cherry dark chocolate out of it.

Sure.

So I was like, okay, this is the best we can do with this.

Sure.

This is the best we can do.

What you got?

It was a little bit making chicken salad out of chicken shit, for sure.

But, yeah, it was.

That's a good.

I like that.

But it reminds me, you know what it makes me think of.

Did you ever.

This is.

You love this.

Did you ever hear that interview with J. Cole about why he dropped Born Sinner the same day as Yeezus?

No, I never.

This is such a good story because he's like, I know I can't outsell Kanye.

I know.

I can't.

Like, reach the level of what he's built where I'm at now.

But I can put my stuff out on the same day and be like, you be the judge.

That's what you're saying?

Like, yeah, that's that humble confidence.

That's like, it brings it up.

Don't get me wrong.

People told me, like, oh, this is gross.

You know what I mean?

It's cool.

I don't.

We've people who were used to getting stuck stuff from you at Ugly who went to that shop.

Because I know what shop you're talking about.

We're probably a little bit like, well, I wish he'd stayed at Ugly.

It's a little bit of a transit, a little bit of a different style of shop.

And like, yeah, not taking care to source quite as carefully.

And yeah, I mean, like, and they, you know, they did their business right, like, their business.

And like, I'm not nothing against that, but it is, it was a really difficult.

But that's where the skills come in, like, and that's where you shine and you can prove yourself.

If you can be given something that's way less than perfect and still get something great out of it happen, you make it happen.

And that's where, like, that's where the real change makers come in.

Absolutely.

Well, and coffee's a mirror.

You know what I mean?

Like, if you're an outgoing person, like, you're going to be like on the bar, bar manager, you know, you're going to be on the front counter.

You're going to be that, like, talk it up, get to know the regulars.

If you're like, like me, you're just gonna like, find a roasting cave somewhere and just live there and be a total troll and like, you know, only sounds like a good life, only advice, taste, right.

You know, and then, and you know, like, if you love to travel, there's like sourcing and things like that.

Like, coffee's a mirror and it really does allow you to explore who you are.

Like, and that's, I feel like if nothing else, like, you can look at low phase and see like that operative in your life, in your business and your brand.

And like, so where's it going?

I was gonna say that's where's it going.

What's next?

What's next?

What's next?

And, and here I, I, I have a new favorite question.

Okay, I got a couple things first.

Okay.

All right, all right, you go.

First of all, tell us about the first drop.

What was, what went into that?

What was that, like, the first drop.

Oh, man, the first drop was sick.

Like, all right, so Wade pulls up with this box.

All the beans are in.

So I take at.

At the time, I had this old ass Honda crv, and I had.

Wait, is that the little sports car?

No, no, no.

It's like.

That's the suv.

Smallish suv.

It's like the first CRV ever.

Oh, I'm thinking it's crx.

Yeah.

Okay.

Back to no cars.

Let's go back.

And I didn't have a site or anything.

I didn't.

Yeah, I.

So I was just taking cash.

So I was like, selling it out the back of my car, like, straight.

This is awesome.

Straight hustle.

Open it up.

I remember one time I had like six people in the line, and I'm just like, serving beans out the back of the car.

I. I was at another shop.

I ain't say no names, but they got mad because, I mean, which is wrong.

It was wrong.

It was wrong.

But my car used to park on the side of the shop, and people were like, yo.

They called me low phase.

They was like, yo, low phase, da, da, da.

And then I was like, yo, you gotta meet me outside, right?

You know what I mean?

Like, for real.

Like, I'm really.

Meet me around the corner.

Put the plug.

Yeah, that kind of thing.

So I remember I went out to the trunk, and I was just like, yo, $20.

Yeah, cash.

And then funny part was like, a cop pulled up.

Yeah, that probably looks a certain way.

He was like, yo, what are you.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

And I'm like, just something coffee, man.

Cash only bought a bag.

Nice.

So I was like, okay.

All right.

So that once again, it was, like, natural.

People gravitated.

Like, yo, this dude is looking like a drug dealer, but he's selling beans.

I'm not gonna lie.

If I had caught wind of some random guy selling beans out of his car around the corner, I'm gonna bring it.

I would have been there in a minute.

It makes it sound even better.

I'm gonna get back to that.

I like that.

I don't know.

I just like that gorilla guerrilla marketing is what I heard it.

Specialty coffee.

Well, and, like, just get it.

Get out there.

You know what I mean?

Like, I mean, like, because it's easy.

Like, we all love shops and, you know, maybe we know a roaster we can stand talking to.

But, like, it's another thing to be, like, of the people, like, meeting people where they're at with, like, the caliber of stuff that you source.

Because like I said, like, the stuff you select is always like, tip top, you know, and we're always.

We're always working it out like what the.

You know, the exact thing you want is.

So.

So is that what's next?

You're gonna just load up the SUV again?

And I want to.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I really want to.

Now that the weather.

Weather's getting better out there.

So, yeah, I really want to get back to that and learn roasting.

Learn more of roasting.

Yeah.

Because this vocab is insane.

It's a little sciencey.

Yeah, yeah.

It's a little.

Little technical.

But I mean.

But it's fun, though.

Have fun doing it, though.

Well, I mean, even just like putting that profile together, it's like, it.

I think it'll be very natural to you if you get more reps on it, for sure.

And like.

But what else.

What else you working on for little face?

Because, like, we've talked about a couple different things lately, so.

Yep.

And I got a buddy of mine, we're going to try to put together a little cinematic commercial and.

Okay.

I got a homie like cameras.

You know, I was going to say, tell us about the.

The low phase lens.

The low phase lens.

That.

That's another natural thing that just happened.

I don't know.

I went to a thrift store and I saw this camera.

It was like a Minolta bought it and just.

Just dope pictures, like films.

I got addicted to film.

So I just.

I go around to thrift stores, buy shitty old cameras and try to make the best out of that camera that no one, like everyone neglected and didn't want.

And I'm like, show them that this piece of.

Is actually valuable.

I'm noticing.

I'm noticing a theme here.

Well, what's up?

Taking the shit of the earth and turning into something beautiful.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, that's where I'm from.

We had to, you know, use what we had and make something out of it.

And it's another thing of low phase.

It all.

It's all in this, like, bracket.

You're not like this.

This thing is to take something that's neglected or frowned upon and make it,

you know, make it something worthwhile.

Yeah.

Make it, like, make something out of it.

We'll show people what it really is.

Right?

Show people what it really is.

It really is beyond, like, their judgment or beyond, like, just the surface of, like, where people think things belong.

Right.

Like, take things where they.

Where they really belong or just like,

how the coffee Industry is like, you gotta, you know, have the man bun.

Listen to some.

You gotta have the man bun.

You gotta.

No man buns here.

Just say, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Melodramatic music and all this.

And I'm like, tattoos, Right?

Right, Right.

What are you talking about?

Oh, crap.

Like, so.

And that's another thing.

Like, when someone see me behind the bar, they.

They don't think I know until I.

You know, until I start execut.

Yeah, exactly.

Oh, like, show them.

Exactly.

First, I got pissed because I was like, you don't have to look a certain way to, like, no coffee.

No, but I mean, in.

In life, we know that's a thing, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so it sucks that people have to overcome that initial impression.

It's not even an impression.

Right.

Yeah, yeah.

Like, that first.

It's more just a judgment.

Yeah.

Completely blind judgment.

Yeah.

It's ridiculous.

After a while, I'm like, you know what?

We gonna use this.

We can use this for, you know, like, just proving people wrong.

Dude, I. I couldn't have guessed this episode would have taken this direction.

This has been so.

It just.

One of the things Wade has been really annoyed at is the where the coffee scene goes and has gone.

And I think my synopsis of that is that we have a severe lack of people putting a direction or their own spin on what coffee is.

Yeah.

You know, there's a lot of replication going on, and there's a lot of great coffee, but it's not.

It's not moving the industry forward.

Yeah.

It's not pushing it in a new direction or, you know, adding to the industry in a real valuable way.

Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's.

It's more an expression of a Pinterest board than who someone is.

As opposed to, like, clearly we have an expression of who someone is in low phase.

Right, Right.

And I mean, like, that's.

For me, like, that's why I.

With someone like Marvin.

That's why I fuck with someone like Billy.

That's why it's easy to, like, go out and find the thing that is much more original and put my stamp on that.

Put, like.

And that's how me and Billy became tight.

Yeah, exactly.

Because we had, like, same views on billy.

T lines.

Fob coffee.

Fob coffee.

Go listen to the fob episode and also look for the fob drop.

March 21st.

21st.

And also tell Billy the Mets suck.

Because the Mets suck.

That's him.

They're the worst.

Go hit up both these guys at Merc on Maine.

But that's why it's easy to.

That's why it's easy to work with you guys.

Because, like, it feels like if anything's gonna move the industry forward, it's people being willing to try new things, but also just be themselves and not settle for the Pinterest board, Not settle for the Facebook.

Perfect.

Like, nonsense.

That's what I was gonna say.

Is this.

It seems like this day and age, there's just such a lack of authenticity.

And whenever you find it, like, people latch on.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, so.

And sometimes they latch on in a way that's like.

They just end up recreating it and.

And it's like.

Or you want to.

Yeah.

Like, you wanna.

You wanna think that that's okay, but at the same time, like, can be real.

It gets really old.

And I think we've done that a little too much in.

In coffee in Rochester.

And that's.

Yeah.

Different vibe from low phase, for sure.

Let's bring it back.

Low phase coffee in 10 years.

Yeah.

What is.

What is your goal?

Like, when will you do the thing that you're like, okay, I made it.

Okay, I made it.

I did the thing in coffee.

Honestly, I just.

I want to get to 10 years.

That'd be sick to have, like, a warehouse you could skate in with a small coffee bar.

I think that's.

Yeah, that's like.

That's the goal.

Where.

Honestly, where my main thing is, like, having a place with my experience in coffee, people like me are still not accepted in a way, you know?

I mean.

Yeah, definitely.

Yeah.

I'm like, people that look like me ain't really woke.

Coffee is still so white.

Coffee is still.

We can say it quiet.

Coffee is still so misogynistic.

Coffee is still so race.

Like, it's.

It's ridiculous.

I think, you know, and.

And in certain areas, it's probably worse than others, but, like.

Yeah, yeah.

Especially specialty coffee.

We're talking about forking out $20 for 10 ounces these days.

And my thing is, this is like, y', all, like, want African coffees, but when a black person shows up to your shop, it's.

It's like an ick.

So I don't understand.

I just.

That irritates me the most.

Yeah.

We can talk all about Africa as a source country.

Right, Right.

So the source of all life on earth, actually.

So, like, let's take that into account.

People calling me like, hood trash D, and I'm like, okay.

You know, like, sure.

Yeah.

All right.

But Kendrick Lamar is your favorite rapper.

That's so that's so weird.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Love that super bowl halftime show.

Can't stand it that the barista has anything in common with that man.

Right.

Ridiculous.

So my main goal is to have a shop where kids that grew up like me and, you know, have a place to go without feeling, you know, I mean, vibed out.

Yeah, absolutely.

No, you gotta.

You got a passion for that and you want what you maybe didn't have.

Yeah, yeah.

And like, when I was that ugly, they had those apartments.

Yeah.

These.

It was like three black kids.

They used to pull up.

They started pulling up.

One of them used to always get a chai.

I don't know why a kid that young is getting a chai.

I don't know.

He had to been about like, maybe 12, 13.

And he was like, yo, you was at the skate park.

I was like, yeah, man, you know, I just do my thing, you know.

He was like, yo, that's so cool.

And I did the little latte.

And he saw that.

He was like, yo, man, I'm gonna be like you when I get older.

So I was like, oh, damn.

I didn't know what.

You know.

I never been acknowledged like that.

Yeah, yeah.

So.

Wow.

They're watching.

Kids always watching.

Yeah.

Crazy.

Like, to this day, people.

People like some of the kids from the skate park.

Yo, I need a job, man.

I was like, you hiring?

Like, you know.

Not yet.

Not yet.

Yeah.

You're going to get there for sure.

But that's my main goal.

Yeah.

To make good on that and skateboarding.

Being a black skateboarder still ain't cool, you know?

Like, sure.

Other kids call, you know, like, I've been through it, but, like, back when I was young.

No, no, no.

Damn.

Only.

Yeah.

So I just think.

And.

Oh, yeah, I got another little program I'm gonna start.

It's called push therapy.

It's for black kids.

Inner city that, you know, that are into skating and.

Oh, they're looking for that place, you know, if they can't afford boards or something, I want to, you know, raise enough money.

If they get good grades, they can go to Krug Co or Pastime to get shoes and stuff.

Yeah.

So I fell into what I teach these days is I have a. I have a shop.

I've got wood tools.

I got 3D printers.

I got all this stuff.

Right.

It is dope.

And two years ago, when I didn't know anything, what I was doing there, a bunch of the kids came in.

They're like, I'm in a skateboard.

I want to Make a skateboard.

And so, like, I looked at, you know, what they did, and it was like a piece of plyw, you know, some reinforcement on there.

I'm like, this isn't a skateboard.

So I got on YouTube.

Dude, building a skateboard is not that difficult.

And.

And in literally on my desk is like, within five years, I want to be building skateboards.

Yeah.

Be a manufacturer.

Yeah.

Like, just.

Just for fun.

And so this could.

This could have wheels.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Nice.

That's why, you know, push therapy.

That's another little project I still haven't.

I'm still.

It's still in the works because I'm working with Al from Crudco, and we're just talking about it.

I think we have these programs, you know, for the community, but I don't think, you know, there's no black doing

skate pro, you know, like, not on that level.

I haven't seen anything that's like.

Yeah.

Targeted and catching.

I don't know, what do you say?

Catching fire.

Going through it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I. I figured.

And I thought.

Thought about this last year, and I'm like, yo, push therapy.

I think that'll be a good program for.

Because, you know, back when I was younger, I was always just different.

I was always different.

And

five years old, I saw this skate video.

It's called Skate Temple, and it had Ray Barbie.

The first time I ever saw skateboarding black skater.

And I'm like, yo, this is awesome.

I need to do this.

I need.

Yeah.

And so ever since then, you know, growing up, it was more white boy.

You want to be a white boy?

Skateboarding's not cool.

Pick up a basketball.

You know what I mean?

So I'm just like.

And kids still deal with that to this day.

Sure.

Figured, you know, try to make low phase and push therapy.

Something kids can be inspired.

I mean, even from the other side, I got, you know, my black students who come through, and some of them are pushing themselves into basketball, and you can tell they don't really want to play.

I mean, that's where their.

Their friends are.

And.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Like, even when I started working at the coffee shop in my hometown, like, man, you always trying to do some white people.

I was like, yo, coffee's from Africa.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, yeah.

And he'd be like, what?

And I'm like, yeah, coffee's from Africa, dumbass.

But, you know, whatever.

You know, that's the episode title.

Coffee's from Africa, dumbass.

I.

My mother would kill me, but I would wear that on a T shirt.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

That's.

That's low phase merch right there.

Yeah.

You know, we could get that.

That Kenya or the African continent outline from that one bag.

It's still a thing, though.

Like, lot of people, black people don't really know, they think it's Columbia.

They always think it's like Folgers.

Yeah.

Good marketing.

It's good marketing.

Yeah.

All right, so I think we're coming up on time here, and we always got to end with our.

Our favorite, favorite question, which is describe for us the best cup of coffee you've ever had.

Best cup of coffee ever had.

Nicely at Hooked Venice.

In Venice beach, they have a drink called the Rico.

And it's like raw vanilla.

It's like a orange extract with like raw cocoa sprinkle on top of it.

It's like a cortado made with half.

And half.

It has to be half is literally.

That's gonna be rich.

That was.

You got that from Nicely.

Yeah.

Now talk a little bit about Nicely so that people who don't know, because when we'll.

We'll tag him.

Well, yeah, Nicely.

I think he's three time world champion.

World latte art.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Latte art champion.

We.

It was like a random.

Once again, Rory showed me the video of the slow pour, and we kind of just started talking, like, just very open.

It's really easy to get in touch with them.

Yeah.

Super accessible.

You and Nicely.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sneakers and all that.

We'll sit and shoot the.

And I go out there once a year.

I see them about twice already and very consistent.

I gotta go.

If you're ever in Venice, get the Rico.

Go see Nicely Chill Vibes.

Shop again, I was gonna say.

What shop is it Hooked.

Venice hooked.

Yeah, yeah.

And even, like the first time I went there, he plays vinyl records.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Sick.

So every time, the whole time I was there, he was playing like Jay Z, like east coast hip hop.

Love it.

Really dope vibes there.

Cool guy.

That's also who inspires me.

Like, I didn't know him and Lem Butler.

Like, I didn't know people color.

You know, Lamb is.

Yeah, Lamb is amazing championship.

So you know what I mean?

So I was very, very inspired by that.

So, yeah, I met Lem through competitions, and I'm gonna quick plug what Lem's doing right now.

He's on the board for Grounds for Health, and he's doing a 10k fundraiser for cervical cancer screenings in Ethiopia.

Because 80% of the workforce, the Coffee workforce in Ethiopia is women, and they have to walk 5km to get any kind of medical care.

So 5km there, 5km back, it's 10k.

So he's doing 10k for the fundraiser, thinking we need to reach out.

I'm thinking we need to reach out, and we need to organize one here, because, I mean, I can run a 10k in my sleep, and anyone can walk a 10k.

I was going to say I could train for a 10K.

And there are a ton of.

A ton of run clubs here in town.

And, like, fleet feeds, tight with ugly.

And, like, let's.

Let's hook this up because, like, it's a great cause.

$65.

That's how much one of these cervical cancer screens costs.

It's only three bags.

And so, like, we could.

We could.

How easily could we raise enough, like, to.

I mean, how many of these could we.

Could we.

You know, when are they doing it?

Or is it just so.

I mean, his is going to be in March.

I think it's next week.

And so, like, we're a little late to that party, but, I mean.

And I wouldn't want to do a 10k in March in Rochester anyway.

Like, that's just asking for.

For freezing cold weather.

So maybe we'll do ours in May.

That's what I'm thinking.

I'm gonna reach out to him and be like, hey, if we did ours in May, like, we, you know, raise some money for y'.

All and.

Yeah, just.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

But Lamb is amazing.

I remember.

So I have a couple stories.

Can we get Marvin to run a 10K?

Yeah, yeah.

Run walk.

Run walk.

I mean, like, Billy.

Yeah, me and Billy run.

Do trail runs on.

There you go.

There you go.

We'll get FOB low, face low, Phase everyone out there.

So Kapani, too.

Kapani.

There we go.

Yep, yep.

Potted bean.

We'll get Potted Bean in on this.

He looks like he could run a 10K.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Anthony, definitely.

Anthony hit us up on the gram.

Let us.

Oh, but with Lamb.

One more Lamb story.

I had judged Lem one year.

I think I'd either judged or spectated him one year.

And then the next year, the two regionals were happening at the same time in the same place.

I'm in the Northeast regional.

He's in the Southeast regional, right.

And I. I don't think I had done my competition set yet.

And I watched his, and I was like, God damn, I'm glad he's in the Other region because, like, it was so intimidating.

And I mean, like, the northeast region is not slouch.

Like, that's all Brooklyn, that's all Philly, that's Boston, that's these huge markets.

But I was way.

I would be way more scared to face.

He is like.

I mean, he's so legit and so nice and like.

Yeah.

I mean, I just.

I can't say enough about, like, that's

a now and then with him.

Yeah, he's.

I mean.

And again, yeah.

Super accessible.

Guy has a great story, but.

Yeah, that's awesome.

So, Marvin, it's awesome.

Thank you so much for coming out and doing this.

Yeah.

You said you had another favorite question.

Well, that was.

What's your goal?

What's your goal?

Yeah, that was.

That was my.

That's my new, like.

Because I was thinking about that the other day, what my goal is.

Well, how would I know if I made it?

And I'm like, yeah, I don't.

Yeah.

I don't know.

I wonder what other people think.

Not get filthy rich, but I would like.

I mean, you make a living off.

Exactly.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

It's.

I had a few things that was said to me about when I started looking face.

So I'm just putting that out there.

I'm not trying to be like a millionaire or something.

Like.

Sure.

I just want to live comfortable.

You want your.

Your little corner?

Yeah, yeah.

Just my little lane, you know, I ain't trying to take over.

I'm not from Rochester, so I kind of feel like that's why I'm back in Billy, so.

Because he's actually from Rochester and a lot of people who have business.

Businesses here aren't from Rochester and they.

It just seems like it's kind of like dismiss city energy kind of thing.

Yeah.

People, Rochester is very proud to be Rochester.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So.

Yeah.

Even justifiably or not.

Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But yeah.

All right.

Tell people where they can find you.

Where can you find loafers?

I mean, like, what do you.

What are your.

What's your socials and all that?

Lofi's coffee at Lowface Coffee Instagram.

That's about it.

All right.

Are we gonna do pre orders on the next drop or so?

Maybe look for the website too low phase.

I gotta.

Is it lofacecoffee.com?

is that where it'll be or.

No, actually, I don't have a site yet.

Okay.

Just have like a link.

I mean.

Yeah, yeah.

And I'll just send it to you.

Yeah, we'll post it everywhere once we, you know, determine what we're doing next.

My own pocket.

So like, you know.

Yeah, it comes along when it comes along.

Donate to the GoFundMe so I can do pop ups.

Is this the Buy Marvin a roaster or is that an old one I saw?

No.

Oh, this is, this is a slot, a linear mini so I can go around.

Yep, yep, yep.

Going for the cart now.

Sweet.

Just go for the cart.

I really want a rose, but it's

just, it's one thing at a time.

Yeah, one thing at a time.

Sometimes you gotta step back to go forward.

If that makes sense.

Yeah, absolutely.

Totally makes sense.

Aaron, anything you want to plug?

What's going on?

I mean, just get involved in coffee and Rochester.

Like, let's keep supporting our, supporting our industry.

Build community, you know, it came up once.

But invest in your kids, man.

I mean, the neighborhood kids.

It's why I teach.

And get outside.

Yeah, go outside.

We're about to get sun again.

So keep positive energy.

Absolutely no negativity.

And with, with Chris not here, I'm going to say check out all the shows on the Lunchador podcast network.

Lunchador podcast, I think on Instagram.

I recently listened to an episode of Representation in Cinema with Jackie McGriff and it was genuinely just one of the best podcasts I've listened to lately.

It was.

I laughed my ass off.

I. I was educated.

I was like, man, I have all these new movies to add to my watch list and some I was familiar with.

So like just.

They're doing some awesome work there.

Check out Jackie, she does great.

And yeah, Aporia, we're doing all kinds of fun things.

Check us out.

Aporiacoffee.com Pretty soon we'll do pre orders for that pacamara, wine, yeast maceration and yeah, I think that's about it.

Thanks again.

GoFundMe Lincoln Bio Low Phase Coffee.

There it is @Lowface Coffee on Instagram.

Follow the link tree, go to the GoFundMe and until then, stay dialed in.

Oh, that was the.

Oh, I didn't, I didn't know this.

Oh man, I wanted to say it.

I wanted to dial in.

Stay dialed in.

We got it recorded.