Black in Bangkok
Why It's Great to Be Black in Bangkok
Erick Prince founded his blog Minority Nomad and built his reputation on his unique storytelling and perspective. This week he joins dana and Mike to break down the nuances of being black in Bangkok.
Full Transcript
Dana Blouin
What's going on everyone? Welcome back to another episode of The Bangkok strange podcast. As always, I'm Dana blue and drama my co host the bald the beautiful, the bodacious Mike some Greetings, Aloha. And of course today we have a very special guest in the studio. You may have seen him before on the lady boys and drugs episodes with Tony huge amazing. We got Eric Prince aka minority Nomad back in the house, Eric, thank you for taking the time to come back brother. Thank you for having good to see you man. Looking swell looking sexy. LBI he's bald. super sexy. He goes. Shave doesn't do it himself.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I do do a lot of twice a day every day. I
Dana Blouin
see you going to the barbershop
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
talking shit.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
is okay, but sometimes you want somebody getting in a hot towel. straight razor straight razor course. Game Changer rub rub you down a little bit.
Dana Blouin
Guy Exactly.
Mike Somerville
Today copy that
Dana Blouin
number. Absolutely. Absolutely. I can bang caught. Yeah, sorry. I guess that's what we want to talk about. Because you've built your whole brand around being a black guy. Yeah, traveling the world but you call Bangkok home? Yes.
Mike Somerville
So for how long now? Six years? Okay. Yeah, it's also the same with you guys. Did you meet like early on when you got here?
Dana Blouin
Yeah, it was. We met on what domains video? Yeah, it had to be at least four five. We met over pizza right? He's like, like, fuck you in that pala pizza.
Mike Somerville
Wow, it's always been some with you. Yeah, it's like a married couple. Yes,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
terrible taste in pizza. I
Dana Blouin
do not terrible. Well that I
Mike Somerville
got I guess I got I got you online. I got to hang out with you man because I need Pina
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
everywhere is better. cello.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
cello cello is really good. Piano is really good. New York style pizza is really good piece of mania. Of course. That's gonna
Dana Blouin
be Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
You know what makes pizza mania so much better than poly? Pizza? What's that? Because our pizza is damn near fruit frozen or dried. Our if we get it slow fermented dough. Nice. It just sits there. Staring at people I don't want my pizza staring at me when I walk in. Got it. Okay, I want to get it. You know, you want to stare at it?
Dana Blouin
You know, I used to like a pizza mania. But I feel like they've kind of fallen off.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, and it got too big. Too bad.
Dana Blouin
Yeah. And so but then New York like their 18 inch New York if you order it like well done used to be pretty damn well done. Or they flip it over enough.
Mike Somerville
I think in the middle now
Dana Blouin
they're like, really across.
Mike Somerville
But good cheese. All right.
Dana Blouin
Ruchi. I want to know about that. I did the sauces. Okay, not as good as Paul is. But
Mike Somerville
I test everything on based on the quality of their pepperoni pizza. It's a good pepperoni, then they know what type of porn.
Dana Blouin
Yeah, if you're searching for a new york site, exactly. pepperoni is gonna be the gold standard.
Mike Somerville
Yeah. I mean, they can add some vegetables in there, but it's kind of like a fucking salad. Yeah, yeah. So can
Dana Blouin
you do that after you've sampled the slice?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Is the dough this? Yes. And it's the cheat. Mm hmm. That's what a man that's how I recommend like, I'll get a cheese pizza to figure out this place is going to be good. That's why you go cheese. Cheese only because it's difficult to find like a Microsoft pepperoni and a lot of places in the world. Okay, they replace it with salami. Or whatever. Yeah, so cheese in general is you got to figure that out. Yeah.
Dana Blouin
What about that spot that sells slices over behind those that exchange? You've been there on 23 it's like right up on the corner. Like you're walking out that the mall and exchange like they come out at the back and
Mike Somerville
you meet cowboy?
Dana Blouin
The closest? Boy, you bang bang left and you're on the cowboy?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Oh, you're talking about the place Italian plates on a corner next to subway.
Dana Blouin
No, no, no, it's in like it's like literally not Little Italy. It's like literally on the exit of like the the exchange mall exchange? I don't know. I'll check it out. And it gives you walk out and says pizza by the slice. It's on 23. Yeah. Okay. Literally, you walk up the double doors to the right of that place. If it's on your left. You don't have to go on to 23 it's in the exit exam. Check it out. 23 I see people lined up over there. Like you walk by four o'clock. They'll be like,
Mike Somerville
okay, check it out. Because I know there's a bank in there. I mean, even before you live, leave the lobby. Yeah,
Dana Blouin
no, you leave the lobby outside immediately. You're not on the sidewalk yet.
Mike Somerville
You're on the stairs, like the marble like that
Dana Blouin
marble flat. Really? Okay, we'll see. You see all the silly cowboy girls caught a lot when it's raining before they make the sprint.
Mike Somerville
Well, you had me into a cowboy. Shirt about pizza.
Dana Blouin
Yeah, yeah, sure. We'll talk about sir cowboy a little bit. All right, Eric. It's been once or twice a couple this week just to take pictures.
Mike Somerville
Just jump days that ended a five minute
Dana Blouin
document
Dana Blouin
for the listener
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
For the gram
Dana Blouin
Yeah, for the gram. Ever seen a cowboy shot and your gram
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
now and not
Dana Blouin
a red light shot?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Man. That's That's perfect. That's done purposely. I you seen a lot of videos in real life. Yeah, I do. I do story shit in general. in general. I love it. But the thing about my feet is my feet is my job. So anything whenever you look at my feet, that's what clients look at. Don't go back and look at the stores or follow us long enough to care. But if they see a red light shot, it's it's just a it's like a red flag to them. Yeah, even though I don't give a fuck go to Red Light District at a time. The issue is when a client like Chase Bank, for example reached out is because they looked at my Jean. Tommy I'm pretty pictures not hookers.
Dana Blouin
Yeah,
Mike Somerville
yeah, well, I mean, you can get that pretty much anywhere.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
You pretty picture looking
Mike Somerville
good. And if they don't like pizza, that's not like, Damn right. Gotta have standards, right?
Dana Blouin
So, six years ago, we met probably you were here. I was here a few years. So you must have been here like maybe a year at that point. Yeah, give or take. Yeah. And so what made you pick Bangkok is like home base
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
quality of life. Man. I get this question a lot, actually a couple times a week. And it's difficult to answer because it's just one of those personal things and people like oh, she'll give me a fucking list of the things that makes better. Yeah, I my fucking nose is just wild. I just love it. It's like, when I land at the bottom pole. I feel like the sounds everything when I land at JFK. I'm like, Fuck yeah, I get that. No, like, it's one of those places that just speaks to you. Now. It's like Paris for a lot of people. A lot of people love Paris. I hate parents. So like, I'm like, yeah, you can't tell me why you love Paris. No,
Mike Somerville
you just do to feeling
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's the thing about it. Like, you know, if I have to make a list, I'm gonna say just just at the top is quality of life. Yeah. And you know, that's a broad thing.
Mike Somerville
You feel like that first day. You landed in Bangkok?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. From the first. Yeah, maybe because I was excited. Right, right. Right. It was such an excite. I never seen anything like Bangkok. Until I came here. I was in the military. And happy I went everywhere. Yeah, right. Bangkok. And what? Because I was a soldier when I first came to Bangkok still okay.
Mike Somerville
All right. And this is like, what, like 20 years ago, 15 years ago, it is
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
about fitness how to be about 15 1515 years. And when I came to Bangkok, it was as a soldier is a different experience. Okay, because you always have that one guy who's already been there before. He knows the ins and outs. He knows where to go. He kind of coordinated the trip. So you're just along for the ride
Dana Blouin
is verifications. If you fuck off,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
man, there's a lot. So you stick with the pack?
Mike Somerville
Yeah. Like No, no, that's what a lady boy
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
told her like don't don't. Don't touch that. Okay. Okay. So it was
Dana Blouin
not a video game. So
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
joystick. The first time we came was, you know, you kind of stick with the group. Yeah, you've got a cowboy. And we've got a patio party drank.
Mike Somerville
What was this? Like? What year was this? This is about like, 2005.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
About two other fights. Okay. All right. That's a good time. To Yeah, yeah. Starting to
Mike Somerville
modernize a little bit, but still right attitude.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
still great. Yeah, absolutely. So then I left the military and then I didn't come back again. Till 2012. Okay, so that's 11 2012. And as a civilian, right.
Mike Somerville
But to like to stay to work to go back back when you're here as a military guy. What are you here for? Like one week?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
No, we have four days.
Mike Somerville
Four days.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
four days?
Mike Somerville
to do Bangkok and Papa? Yeah, she's 110% 80 miles an hour. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
exactly. I'm asleep. Yeah, then you're young you're strong. You're horniest Fuck you basically have unlimited amount of money. If I did I think we were pulling like five k a month. Oh, yeah, we got nothing to pay.
Dana Blouin
No. Pay. Yeah, no fucking
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I did like all right.
Mike Somerville
back then. Still exchange rate was ridiculously
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
low. You come here with five? Oh, no, that's a lot. That's a lot. Yeah. And we man to this Donald's like a party that Hawk really a trip man even
Dana Blouin
with Tony even with Tony on the boat and his birthday.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Even with Tony,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
you put a link to that.
Dana Blouin
link in the show notes.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But here's there's a difference. So and this goes to be in black and bank? Yeah. It my entire group. We were all brothers. Okay, all of it. Right? But nine of us. Okay. And we're all black men from the United States. We've never been to Thailand before. Okay, so as far as for so so not only is this your first time really overseas, but it's our first time like going to red light districts and going to bars and, you know, we have some guys who are 19 with us. who couldn't drink at home. Right? So we can go wow, sure. And you know, there's no restrictions on us. Right? If you go if you go to Houston, yeah, if you go out and Houston still got to kind of look out for you. You got to watch your man. You got to watch what you say how you move. Yeah, in Bangkok in Thailand. There's no rule.
Mike Somerville
Especially I mean, you're like what 1920 friggin perfect. God, all of your buddies are like, totally. You look at those draft when they call them dress blues. No.
Unknown Speaker
They don't know they
Dana Blouin
don't want you walking around.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Like these ladies wings, baby. But in hindsight, you know, it's funny in hindsight, we were in Patagonia right before COVID hit and they had a Navy Exercise. Yeah, I did again, they still come in and out quite regularly. And we just me and my brother, my brother sneden Air Force. So it was me my brother and our home girl. We were just all in patio party. And we're at the hotel and outside of our hotel is a is a fish tank. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
All right. So we're standing. We're like getting the one you put your legs in. You mean?
Dana Blouin
Yeah. So
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
and, you know, you see the girls come in for the morning shift. And yeah, only you know what it is. And so, one of these jeeps pull up. Okay, yeah. And 10 Young Dudes jump out. Okay. Hi in tights. It was so obvious. They were milling dry. Like me and my brother. He laughed. Yeah, like my brother. My brother retires next year, so he's amazing. Yeah, that's awesome. Let's go. He doesn't move like a soldier. Okay, sure. All right. Yeah, he's laid back more. Yeah, but there are new, fresh, eyes wide open. So as I imagine, that's kind of what we looked like when we first came through. But to have that kind of freedom as a black man seat. That's what a lot of us have. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, I spend a lot of
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
people will talk about freedom as black men, because there's this conscious perception that Yeah, as a black man in America, you can do whatever you want. But you can't. Okay. There's there's the law. And then there's the rules. And the rules. Are there certain areas you don't go in. There's certain situations you don't put yourself in. Okay, there's still situations in the US and this is always this Dana and I could
Mike Somerville
with like not even
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
guys What? Yeah,
Mike Somerville
so I am so ignorant to
Dana Blouin
give example. Um, so Eric and I both lived in Cleveland, different parts of LA. He grew up in East Cleveland, right? So I lived in a suburb just outside the city called Broadview heights. Okay. And so I live in like a call to sack little name, not a gated community or anything like little neighborhood like middle class, upper middle class. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, you're smiling. You're rich.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
changing colors and pay someone to mow your lawn when we would go when we were kids. Get back to you. So when we were kids, we would drive to his neighborhood to see leaves change. Like because I grew up and we didn't have so
Dana Blouin
we had three buildings. Like, Cleveland is like, yeah, I can build it. Yeah,
Mike Somerville
brick, just like spirit is that like, because it's like downtown like see.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
So that's just how it was. So like, sometimes we lived in a four family building and sometimes we lived in single family homes. We just moved around high density. Yeah, but for the most part, our part of Cleveland wasn't. It wasn't as well maintained as his part. Got it. Okay. It wasn't a he lives in a fucking Park basically. Yeah. Okay, like, next to the metro parks. Drive Thru is a fucking deer running across the street hanging out. Yeah,
Mike Somerville
my parent, we have those in our back.
Dana Blouin
There my backyard every morning and
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I will say a crackhead every day in the morning. my backyard. Okay.
Dana Blouin
All right. So there was there was during the Obama's second election, I was still living in Ohio. Okay. And I told the story on the stream the other day that I might have been on Twitter that I put an Obama sign up in my yard. Now with Cuyahoga County where Cleveland is majority liberal right? Okay, Broadview heights where I live not so much. I've been hanging out with like the Broadview heights democrat people and there's like six of them a bunch of hippies, Republicans that have like, you know, vegan potlucks, some edibles you know the good old stuff. And so one of my neighbors came over just and I had talked to this guy, like one or two times he's complaining like, Oh, we don't put those types of signs up around. I remember you saying Okay, yeah, I was like, What? He's like, Yeah, he's like, no, this is not that type of neighborhood. No, but do it is that a black white thing? I'm gonna get to confess to this. It just kind of sets the tone. Okay, so But of course, you know, I did what any good neighbor would do and I I called the broad view right? Broadview heights Democrats. I asked him for a larger sign smart and they brought by There we go. Oh, yeah, right over Eric that I'm saying
Mike Somerville
back to parents. So we should shoot a little show.
Dana Blouin
But But at one point there was some people doing canvassing for the democrats of Cuyahoga County in in my town in my neighborhood putting up signs not just knocking on doors getting out the vote thing Yeah. And which and a few of my neighbors called the cops on them because they were black people walking on the sidewalk. And are you sure it was because they
Mike Somerville
because again, I'm so ignorant to this I just don't I don't I almost don't even believe it fucking exists.
Dana Blouin
Well, so I know that this is what happened because I was outside talking to one of them. Yeah. And I mean her we're just having a conversation she was I think, ah, I don't know if I don't know if she's a student at CSU or CIA. But obviously clearly you can choose to black. Okay, look like Eric. Okay. I am very cute though. While we're having a conversation which is
Mike Somerville
more adorable than cute. You kind of want to cuddle with her. I mean, dude, he's in the frickin service. Yeah,
Dana Blouin
well, thank you for that.
Mike Somerville
Service. But but so military, we're
Dana Blouin
out there and the cops pull up my street. I've never seen a cop on my street. Okay, like literally this 10 houses on my cul de sac. Okay? Never seen. Yeah, right. And so this cop rolls up, and he gets eyes like, Hey, is everything okay? I'm like, No. Is he white or black is white. Broadview heights, black. So he's like, it's like everything. Okay, I was like, why would it not be right? He's like, Well, someone called to this problem. She was like, This Christ. Like, what the fuck even talking about? Yeah, right. And I was like, we're having a conversation in joking. Like, I think she was laughing at something I said, but thankfully, like, yeah, they're all small. Yeah, like that stereotype
Mike Somerville
is correct.
Dana Blouin
But, but yeah, so usually Okay, so everything's okay. I'm like, yeah, you can leave
Mike Somerville
now. Were you surprised that are we just like this fucking asshole. I mean,
Dana Blouin
what I was surprised I'd never seen my neighborhood. Like, why would he? And then I'm like, Yeah, why don't I like everything. Okay, like,
Mike Somerville
when did it click in your mind? Like this friggin asshole is here because someone on my street saw me talking to a black girl.
Dana Blouin
As soon as he was like everything. Okay? Yeah, seriously. So you knew okay, because like how often you see random cops driving down calls.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Again? No, but Sure. But you know, it's context. Yeah, I think what a lot of people because black people we always get pushed back when we say some shit is racist, like, oh, man, this is racism. But I know you don't know the details. Is that good. But you said you didn't mean any ill for but you're like, wait a minute. How do you know that was about race? I'm like, man, its context. its history. It was like he just said like, yo, there's I've never seen it. Yeah, the unusual thing that happens is, I see a black girl there canvassing for Democrats. Yeah, all of a sudden, cops magically show up out of nowhere. Come on, man. Like it's, I'm gonna release militant black people. I know. Right? Yeah. And I get to I'm like, man, like, it's so blatantly obvious.
Dana Blouin
But there's a year after I left Cleveland, the kid gets shot in the park. Then there's a cop, you're talking about a black kid, like a small young black kid. 10 or eight. And the cop literally drives his car into the park jumps out, draws his weapon and kills the kid.
Mike Somerville
Okay. I'm not saying this doesn't happen. Okay, but I mean, is this just like one example of a really fucked up cop? I mean, no, no. This happens on 30 year
Dana Blouin
before that, they shot up. Not Euclid. They shot up another car with like 122 rounds after a pursuit okay.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's so here's the thing, man. Like people are just learning. I don't know they're just just figuring this stuff out. We've seen like I get in a lot of trouble for not posting more about this talking more about this on my channels. I'm so numb to this. Really? It's my entire life has been this Okay, girl you grow up with it. I Cosby? You know how many times I got the shit kicked out of me by police growing up in Cleveland.
Mike Somerville
Just because you were like frickin on the sidewalk with Dana
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
anathan like no, no, no, no. So sometimes in Cleveland and I can only speak to Clint okay. Sometimes the cops will want to set an example and remind you who's in charge who city this okay, I lived in East Cleveland which is next to university heights and in university ici Little Italy. Okay, you don't go to Little Italy as a black guy. That's it. Okay, that's the rule that's the rule
Mike Somerville
because there's white friggin Italians over there Yeah, and it was there their tariffs locked
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
up not only would a white Italian put the hands on you, but you're gonna have to deal with the police awesome
Dana Blouin
is that guy broke his hand beaten your face and
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's it's that that's the rules like you don't go to Parma and dated white girl. Like even you might not work in Parma.
Dana Blouin
What's Parma Palmer's like, white trash suburb of a great way to use it is. Well, if you ever set out some calmer state of mind. Yeah, yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's funny. I don't like to use white trash, but I
Dana Blouin
will though. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
sure. I know exactly what you mean. And those were the girls that would really date back. It didn't give a fuck.
Dana Blouin
Chevy plant for plant. Yeah, like that's, that's blue collar But otherwise, but yeah, the
Mike Somerville
white trash. It
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
was blue. It was separate. And that's the thing. We grew up in a segregated city. Okay, so Cleveland was extremely segregated and the cops had no problem busing us now our there's just white cops
Mike Somerville
Black Ops, cops cop blue. Seriously. So black pop. Oh, yeah. That's where I'm just like, I don't fucking get out.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
He's like a black cop showing up for the white cops.
Dana Blouin
Ice Cube.
Mike Somerville
Oh, there's they're making a
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, that I know. We're blue like black and black or white and
Dana Blouin
blue. So Mike grew up outside of Boston but in Boston's like, just as
Mike Somerville
you saying I grew up near Boston is like, no, it was it. I was very protected, I guess. But I remember like going to UMass Boston for the first time. Because where I went to school like grades, whatever, like, there was one black kid in our entire school, and he was like Boston because he was like exceptional or something like that. So they broke and I, you know, I didn't know I'm like, Okay, cool. Yeah, Lawrence is awesome. He's my height. He likes to hang out, you know, and I didn't even so then I go to UMass Boston, black people, everyone, like, this is fucking awesome, right? I like Star Trek. And then I meet guys that are like Italian and that because that was very, you know, wasp like, and then I moved to San Diego, friggin Mexicans everywhere. And I'm like, this is awesome. I'm practicing my Spanish. So I'm going through all these scenarios. And then I start hearing stories like this. Like, dude, I am ignorant to any because I don't look like when he says Eric's coming. Like literally the last thing in my mind was Oh, a black guy is coming to friggin i just
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
i think i think most people are like, you knows right? And this is why I get so frustrated with a lot of movies like Black Lives Matter and when people who are painting all white people, as you know are all cops you know willfully ignorant and, and and races like no, it's it's a small few however, they're allowed the system. The system that protected you is the same system that oppressed me. Yeah. Okay. The reason there's one black kid at that school, yeah. was because of a system of racism and social economic terror. Yeah. And and it's, it's now people try to argue against it and try to deny it, but it's. So you know, when but what I appreciated about about people like you is not you will listen. There are people who are so afraid of they're losing their privilege that they won't even listen all your models, which
Dana Blouin
Yeah, I think he's pretty jaundiced. And you have like, so you don't you don't tie up. Oh, this is good. So here's the thing.
Mike Somerville
I had a guy, he actually used this phrase on me. He said, Dude, here's the deal. People with privilege don't realize they have it. Oh, and I'm like, What do you fucking talking about? He goes, there you go. I'm like, What are you talking about? He says, dude, where did you I'm like, I grew up, you know, I was middle class. He goes, No, no, no, he's a dude. Anyway, so I understand the socio economic Delta, but the whole Okay, so then, okay, let's say this is,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Bro, I feel like you're dancing around what you want to say just want to say I
Mike Somerville
literally do not know that I'm privileged. I just figure I worked my ass off. My dad worked his ass off. And this is the financial reward that we get. And then I you know, can I explain to you why you're?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. Alright. So, B, historically speaking, Mm hmm. Being born a middle class white man and pretty much any society. Yeah. is a benefit.
Unknown Speaker
Okay, that I that I have learned.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And that starts that's perfect. Got it. That's why start. Okay. So you you already started we're doing 100 yard dash you already start at the 50 yard line. Okay. Being a being born, a woman being born, a person of color being born. Let's say you're disabled? Being born that say your gait?
Mike Somerville
Yeah. Okay. All right. I understand. Okay, we started like I already maybe started
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
30 maybe start fucking negative 10 yards back. Yeah. And then everybody says a bad race. Right? And then you win the race. You're like, yeah, I ran the race because I worked hard. And yes, okay. Maybe you worked hard. And I had a head start, but you had. So and my issue with a lot of movement is that people refuse to acknowledge that. Yeah, I had a head start. But people also refuse to acknowledge like, yeah, this person also worked hard. They may have worked hard, but that's the way it is. So we have to move
Mike Somerville
into their reality and then there's Okay,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
and there's what's what's fair? Yep. I've always moved one of the greatest lessons I ever learned from my grandfather his life isn't fair. Right? Sure. And anybody who's teaching you that is full of shit Sure. Like there's there's never been a Who taught you that life was supposed to be
Dana Blouin
number one why we perpetrate rats, the
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
gazelle if it's fair that the lions are you serious? I wish it was that elephants
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Okay, so when you start people in this and with this idea, right? That life is supposed to be fair. And then they look at you. Yeah, right here your life soil or Dana? Oh, well, sure. You know, who has kind of a leg up it becomes infuriating, and you carry this chip on your shoulder. Okay.
Mike Somerville
But then, you know, not just chip you're fucking pissed.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I mean, you're living you know, you really push it down. Yeah, me. And there's levels to it. There's, you know, the people like to make the Malcolm X and Martin Luther King comparison. Martin Martin was shot a bird like bershad down in the later years. Right. And Malcolm started that way. Yeah. And Malcolm. There's this middle ground man and went through my work. You know, Dana, you said inaccurately earlier that I've built a career off, you know, being black and traveling abroad.
Dana Blouin
I dare say being black, being black. That's not what I meant either say, I understand. I know
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
you. I understand what you said, but but I get this pushback a lot like one of my good friends is Romania and he says, Hey, man, why don't you just make content for black people? I'm like, I don't like for every one piece of content about race. I intentionally make four pieces that appeal.
Dana Blouin
Well, I don't get i don't i i'm thinking back to your content now. And I don't think I've ever seen a piece of specifically, you did one with about dating as a black guy with the girl is a Tory. Tory. That's the only one I can think of. And just because that was funny.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And then I did a video I did a piece as one of my most popular pieces about how travel can save the lives of young black men.
Mike Somerville
I don't think I saw that and it opens their mind. What is the reason?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, quite a few. So we we are blessed with a a street smarts. Okay, basically basic survival. Yeah, right. Without it, you die. And it's a street smarts that you don't necessarily need in most places in the world. Okay, Realistically speaking. In Thailand, you don't really need street smarts.
Mike Somerville
Say hell here. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it gives you this up to me and sit back and observe. It gives you a different perspective on how the world moves. Okay. It gives you access to communities and people that somebody who's used to being in five star hotels doesn't have when you grow up as a black man in America, statistically speaking, you're likely poor. Okay? So when somebody says, Hey, we want you to stay in a $3 hostel? I fuck it. Yeah, I got a I got a bed and they have showers in school. And it gives you opportunity to travel a lot longer. Yeah, because your money gets longer. Please.
Mike Somerville
Did you feel ever like oppressed here? Because you're black? No, absolutely. No fucking cop. I've never seen a Thai cop give a black
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
shit. I get high fives from police here. It's fucking Yes. And bam been like, like, Alright, y'all wanna start talking about being black in Thailand? Yeah. All right. Sounds awesome. And this conversation I have this a lot with brothers. I say that Thailand might be the best place in the world to be a black man. Really? specifically a black American
Mike Somerville
because you've been to all the other Southeast Asian countries to Vietnam, that sort of thing. Sure. like Thailand. Thailand, okay. Okay.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
for a few reasons. One of the reasons that Thailand not not only as a black man, but as a foreigner is it tends to cater towards Western tastes. Okay, so although I can fully immerse myself in Thai culture, Thai food cuisine, dating, I also have access to the Western stuff like I just came from emquartier to pay for my cell phone.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
There's no other more expensive place. I'm super lazy. So grab KFC chicken.
Mike Somerville
cost more here. Yeah.
Dana Blouin
And you know, I can buy a $3 tacos. The other
Mike Somerville
guy's
Dana Blouin
got $3 $3 taco about Jesus,
Mike Somerville
you're gonna get 16
Dana Blouin
but it was it was three bucks for one.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I can't afford to buy I can't afford the diocese. So we so you know, you you get access to the Western stuff as well as the actual real cultural stuff out of Bangkok because it's it's very tight. And in for me, and again, this is very clear. I do not speak for all black people right here in Bangkok or Thailand. Particularly my African brothers. I will say I just had to change it if I have 10 friends here who are black? Yeah, I would say 70% are not American.
Mike Somerville
Right. I mean, you'd like Zimbabwe. I mean, what?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
from Africa? You see a lot of South Africa to South Africa. A lot of Kenyans Kenyans. A lot of people from Nigeria. Yeah. And you get a lot of British, a lot of British. Okay, British blacks might be the largest black population here outside of Africa. Really?
Mike Somerville
Let me ask you, so someone said this. And I said, you know, you're such an idiot. Of course, I'm not really educated. But they were like, Oh, look at all these African Americans. And this one guy comes up. She goes, What makes you think I'm fucking American? I'm African. Yeah, it's like, No, no, no, because they wanted to be politically correct. Whatever. So even if you just call me black? Yeah, um, but well, but so this whole African American thing? It's been ridiculous. But
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
no, no, because it's a it's a it's a there is a cultural distinction between continental Africans and African Americans. Okay, it is a week. There's a big controversy about if we even like each other. It's such a difference between Okay, and even a lot of African Americans. I go back and forth, but I'm like, Look, stop claiming African culture. We are not Africa grew up in fuckin Cleveland. Yeah, what are you talking about? Right. Most of us don't even know our heritage. Right. Right. You guys are something you're from Ghana. Like
Dana Blouin
are you talking about the African ancestry test bag? Yeah, right.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But that's that's my soapbox. But here, Bangkok. Now the great thing about being here is when we do something together, it's it's special as a Yo, like, yeah, it's it's so rare. It's still so rare. Okay. But you can move here without fear of the police, but all fear of each other and growing up in Cleveland, you fear other black men.
Mike Somerville
You will have you refer to them as brothers like white people I don't think refer to each other as like some Yeah. Hi family thing, right and so so yeah, so But sir, is it like the guy down the street that you know has a gun? Or is like you're walking down the street never met this black guy before?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, Iran is your own guard. And not here though right? Not here. Yeah, no, no, I love here. This is something that frustrates me that a lot more black people don't discuss about the abuse and pain that we have within our community amongst ourselves, okay. It's a very taboo subject that a lot of us who do speak on it get in trouble about okay. If people say oh, well, why God's racist because he walked across the street when he saw three young black men in hoodies, my motherfucking I walk across the street when I'm young black man and hoodies What are you talking about? Exactly? Like, like growing up in my neighborhood. I got robbed. Like, every violent thing that's ever happened to me happened to me because, like, from a black person, okay. Every single one every robbery, every assault that it happened from black people. I got shot at black people. Well, I got shot.
Dana Blouin
I was gonna say.
Unknown Speaker
So there's a lot of people
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
growing up in the United States, right? And it's a matter of proximity that it's um, statistically speaking, there's more black on black crime and more Why don't white crime more spot and going Hispanic? It's a proximity. Your neighbor makes sense. Racist assholes try to make you What about black on black crime? Well,
Mike Somerville
what about why don't why is it read Mexican Mexican,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
but but the reality is, most of the most of the fear that we have of a racial standpoint is going to be of other black people. Was
Mike Somerville
that diminished at all when you join the service?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Uh, yeah, that's pretty interracial. Well, because because the military is. It's a commute. It's us. Yeah. Like, you know, everybody
Dana Blouin
like cops are blue soldiers. A green. Exactly. Got it.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, buddy. All right. All
Mike Somerville
in the friggin Marines. We're all in the Air Force. We're all
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
on the same game. Got it. This is our game. So
Mike Somerville
that made you feel it was pretty good.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Everybody's our same game.
Mike Somerville
Okay, so that's like the first step. Yeah, that was
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
my first transition. It's that's why so many. So many people of color end up leaving the inner city or moving abroad is because of military. I would say that's easily number one. Okay. I mean, I'll go out on a limb said I 70% of people of color who end up out of like living abroad, living leaving their community, it's because they join the military. So
Mike Somerville
you're in the military. And you come to Thailand for the first time. And you're like, Holy, this is like the this is the frickin cherry on top.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It was like watching National Geographic. Like it like being in a documentary. I think
Dana Blouin
even titties everywhere. Yeah.
Mike Somerville
With the rags around.
Unknown Speaker
Everywhere.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It really it really was a life changing transition. This is why this is why I ended up writing a piece. I'll travel consent blobs and young black man. Yeah, sounds it it's in our community. For example, you move with a certain arrogance, especially if you're at a street smarts survival thing. It's yes and no. Because you you know the hood. You know how it moves, you know how to operate, you know, where everybody know who's in charge who's not in charge. And sometimes I can leave z being disrespectful and get out of pocket. But when you're picked up and you're dropped in the middle of Romania, and you're the only black person Okay, I don't know shit. You don't know the language, right? Red Rocks. You don't know the rules. So it expands your mind. Okay. It makes you think about how other people and makes you learn. If you're just in the hood, you ain't got shit to learn. Yeah, that's the learn. Yeah, no span. This is my world. Yeah, right. My world is this
Mike Somerville
every time it's a guy with a hoodie. I know what's up.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I Oh, Yo, Yo, man. You can't say this. You can't go here. You can't do that. Yeah, you know the rules. But the more different places, the more new places that you travel. It's always something new. It's always something to learn.
Dana Blouin
So let's talk about mindset for a minute, because you talked about like, the first time you came here, you're like, it's like a freeing play experience right in the army. Now you live here and he was army, the Air Force. Army, he was Air Force. But he came in the Air Force. And then you were you moved here six years ago. And like you said, you don't fear the police. You don't fear other black people. Right? It's super safe. And there's this interesting sort of cross section of Yeah, I'm living in an Eastern culture with all these Western options, right? How does that change your mindset now from, like that sort of arrogance of moving in the hood and like, like living in that type of environment to changing your outlook and your mindset living in a place where there's none of those threats, and a whole slew of opportunity.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It gives you a lot of self esteem and a lot of comfort. That's awesome. Because it shows you that. And again, my job I was significantly older when I moved here. Yeah, you know, I'm 30 Yeah. And I traveled the world. Yeah. So so my perspective was a little different. So I'm looking at this from a perspective of a younger version of myself. Yeah. It gives you that confidence that self esteem and highlights that there are more opportunities out there for you, as opposed to what's presented to you. You know, you know, they mean well, but your family at times hold you back. And yeah, my mother taught me how to survive, right? Like, a parent's job is to teach his tribe to raise a good human and, and make sure they survive. That's all parents from birth to black women in a so my mother taught me the only thing she knew survival in the inner city. those skills parlayed very well to corporate life to
Dana Blouin
military
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, like those things I like it was funny going into the military Gaza crying because the TR was yelling at him. Why are you serious? Like you never had somebody yell at you for not cleaning up or, like my mother was harsher. My mother was harder than any supervisor I had in
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
basic training. My mom will call me ugly.
Dana Blouin
Ugly is the thing to like, like in the in the army, they the drill sergeant just so they can't really beat you up a little bit. Your mom, your mom could have let all right. My
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
mother hit me with a baseball bat. She's like, have you ever most people don't know what it's like to be hit by a baseball bat. I know because my mother hit me. Because I got a C, I got a C. I was expected to be the best. Like I was a great student. Okay, so see my house was death
Mike Somerville
your whole house like your brother? sisters. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I got a younger brother. There was the first one I was the oldest. And my entire life I carry this.
Dana Blouin
You say 10 and a half kids. Years and years ago.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Smile had a midget. But it was like, I always carried this because I was the first son. First grandson, I was the new generation. Yeah. So and I came after the Black Panther movement, like my people were black panther. And that, that black pride movement. So I was expected to carry on I was expected to go to college and I was expected to carry on the legacy to the next generation. So the expectations for me, being a great student being a great person was extremely hot. What's
Mike Somerville
the delta between you and your next sibling? Like a year? Yeah. Oh, man. They didn't have at least that responsibility.
Dana Blouin
Eric in in basic training, sitting there getting dressed down by the guy. In his mind, he's like, wrong can't be worse.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, what Bro, I would get in trouble so much for laughing it because it was so fucking ridiculous than trying to be
Mike Somerville
a baseball bat.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
You know, I learned how to do that. Come on, man.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
What do you do that will make you do push us
Dana Blouin
to get stronger.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it was it was my my mother taught me. Let's go all the way back. My mother taught us how to survive. Okay. And the lessons I learned growing up in inner city taught me how to travel the world. And and I'm actually going to do a piece about this. I have grown up in Cleveland prepare me for the world. The world's very, very segregated place. Yeah, it there. They're invisible lines everywhere. When you grew up in Cleveland, you learn about these invisible lines.
Dana Blouin
I think in Cleveland, too. It's amplified segregate is it is it's historic. You can see
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it not not only in like how people look. Yeah, just the food that you find in these communities. There's no fucking rallies in in university heights.
Dana Blouin
No, perot. He's in East Cleveland. Oh, exactly. There's no Parag disease. When I first moved to just to amplify this a bit. When I first moved to Cleveland. I was my office was in Parma. I was working for the telecom, okay. And so I was married at the time to an Asian woman, okay. And I went and she came out like a few weeks after me. She was selling the house back in Rhode Island. And so I went out and I looked at a few houses Bellevue heights, Lakeview rocky river, seven hills, and I saw one of these like, larger houses in seven hills. I was like Cinder houses and yeah, yeah, it's a rocky road. I was crushed. I saw I was talking with a guy. Yeah, I saw this one house in seven hills. I'm like, yeah, neighborhoods, like, okay, but the house is pretty baller for the price. He's like, Yeah, but your wife's Asian, right? I was like, Yeah, he's like, I probably don't want to go seven hours. It's not that type of play. They don't know what do you mean? And then a few years later, they arrest like the last Nazi war criminal in seven hills. I
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
mean, really is really very clear. Like, here's an example. The number one restaurant in East Cleveland was a fried chicken and donut shop okay called Peter Pan's okay. And that was the healthiest food you could find in East Cleveland. Oh fucking Come
Mike Somerville
on. There's grocery stores right now
Dana Blouin
they have all food. You never heard of a food desert?
Unknown Speaker
No. Oh shit. You're so
Mike Somerville
good. Here's the thing. I grew up on the far east coast, okay, in a suburb of Boston and then I moved to San Diego.
Dana Blouin
Shit. So I mean, so explain food deserts like so?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, we do. We did have grocery stores and we had salad salad right. The problem is that access to was so expensive and so out of most people's range because the level of social economic Yeah, and he's claiming was extremely low. It's not only the one Cleveland is not only one of the poorest cities in America, East Cleveland is a subset of East Cleveland Cleveland. Yeah, different city it's a different city Okay, so he's Cleveland was even lower income
Mike Somerville
so what are the jobs like the majority of your neighbors had?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It used to be okay, in auto plant auto plant? Yeah, steel mill. Okay, so
Mike Somerville
like union jobs that
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
don't exist, but that doesn't exist anymore.
Dana Blouin
When he was growing up.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Everything started to close when I was in high school I got it and a lot of people were going like that was like a pipeline it was oh you went and worked for
Mike Somerville
for my dad did this. I'm gonna
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, that's done by junior year my high school those were their plans close. Okay, got it. It was getting even worse. It was starting getting what people were seeing now with the whole COVID thing. Yeah, we went through that when he
Dana Blouin
said the reason I called the rust belt, the Troy and then Youngstown, new Detroit.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Because it's right there, right there on Cuyahoga. So that's where a lot of the steel will come in.
Dana Blouin
To smelt the engines there. Yeah, like I grew
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
up I would look at when I moved to Broadway. Broadway is a Slavic neighborhood, which was actually my, my, that was the most exotic shit to us. A lot of
Mike Somerville
tall white chicks.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It was called Slavic village. And everybody was like, there were Czech. There were Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia. They were Russians, a lot of Russia out of Ukraine. She like
Mike Somerville
data check this like a
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
foot taller than you right? She can wrestle much fun. But um, that's how that's how I learned about, you know, central Eastern Europe. Okay, growing up there. But the crazy thing was I remember I would go to sleep to a fire from a furnace at a steel mill LTV still
Dana Blouin
shooting off the top. My nightlight it's a model steelyard isn't that what they call it? That's right. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
they should. Yeah, that's right. But it was like, that's the kind of upbringing I had. Right. So growing up like that, not only growing up in a low socio economic city, and then growing up as black person in that city. Yep. And then joining the military. It's very regimented, very regimented. So they don't necessarily have opportunities to think outside the box. Okay, got it, or what the possibilities are? Yeah. So when I started to travel the world, it started to expand. I started minority Nomad, just just to kind of keep in touch with people just kind of show my work to low income kids. Okay, well, I was trying to inspire them.
Dana Blouin
Real quick. Tell the statistic about the passport.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Oh, at the time, it was said, I got a double check. But only 17% of African Americans have passports when I first what percentage
Mike Somerville
of Americans have
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
what? It's only 51 now
Mike Somerville
Oh, I thought it was even lower than what it was
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
lower. So then they passed the law where you need a passport to go to Mexico and Canada. Right? You could guess what? Guess what the number one place that Americans go to Mexico number to scan it with T one is number one, number one and number two, we go
Mike Somerville
yeah, you're right after Yeah, no, we don't travel. So speak a different language.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
So gone from so going from that, that structure, that survival structure and the military is they teach you how to serve them. Yeah, right. I like my job is to shoot people. kill people and break their shit. Okay. In the inner city. That's your job boss. Yeah, right. You're like I got this.
Mike Somerville
I got this is he got gotta see and got hit by a bad ace. This entire book. He's a US Air Force. This is easy.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
So came out. So come out.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Thank you, appreciate it. Start traveling the world and just start putting my shit online. That's it. And then people started saying it. So national geographic region, PPC will reach out Lonely Planet where we shot these Shangri La hotels, American Airlines, like Yo, there's that way What? I'm, this is one of the first times that white America has like really shown me I have value. Okay, I grew up in the 80s and the 90s. But there was no black president was the only black people you saw them. Mm hmm. We're entertainers.
Mike Somerville
That was it? Not university professors. And so because we have no bunch of those,
Dana Blouin
okay. Oh, no, you're late to the Air Force, man. Yeah. Okay, but I mean, did he go to university till 10 years later, but also my point?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I didn't go. I was in the military when I started. Okay, yeah, yeah. And even then they're all white shutters. Okay. And tenure. Most tenured professors are
Mike Somerville
white. No, that's true. I mean, we're I guess,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
so it's, it's it. When when you start to have recognition from the oppressor, okay, right. It's a little intoxicating. Okay, man, I Oh, man, this is nice. Okay, I can Oh, do you want me to go to London? Okay. Thank you appreciate it. Okay. But as time went on, I started, I started to question my blackness because black people were starting to question it. It's like,
Dana Blouin
so explain to me what that means. Washing your blackness. So
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
there's this, there's within our community. See, everybody sees the external struggles, but they never hear about the internal struggles. Okay. Internally, there are people who don't think Barack Obama is black enough.
Dana Blouin
That means there's also people who don't think that Barack Obama is American.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. Because say there because for so many generations, yes, had to fight and scratch and claw to maintain our culture, our history, our identity, our lives, okay. And part of that came from being as pro black as possible, okay, supporting as many black people and things as publicly public, publicly, privately, whatever. Okay. The one of the greatest sins in my household was dating outside of the race. Okay, they're still black women who like oh, yeah, you date black. Oh, you're a sellout. You're not one of us.
Mike Somerville
Women. You as a black person data black woman.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. And a white guy got it. Okay. Got some of the big some of the most like, lauded black leader revolutionary activists right now will tell you flat out. Oh, no, no, no, you're a sellout. You can't You can't
Mike Somerville
do that. Absolutely. Okay. So now, is this your second clip?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Because I gotta tell you this is no, absolutely not. This is across America. Okay, this is not a Cleveland thing at all. You are as a black man. Oh, you can do whatever you want. There are gonna be plenty of people in the community who look at you very, very differently. Okay, because you're dating outside of your race your
Mike Somerville
bitrate if you did like a Mexican girl in China, that's okay. It's not too bad.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I mean, it's not as bad as the white.
Dana Blouin
I'll say this a genetically. You're far better off spreading the seed. I mean,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's all ridiculous. Okay,
Dana Blouin
genetically, you're better off getting diversity in the pool is ridiculous. It's also reality. Yes,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I get it live in that reality. Yeah, so I'll post before give you a quick example. I lived in Romania. I dated Romanian woman. I Bros. back then. I didn't go did her
Mike Somerville
family care that you were
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
not that much. Right. They kind of did. But not okay. Not to the extent that you know random black people on social media pages care. Okay, got it. Is that Oh, you fucking
Mike Somerville
sellout? Oh, that's what you're there. You so is that? Is that what they call you? Like, Is there like a name? For God? They just say sell that
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
one or somehow Kuhn. Yeah, cool. So yeah, you get that? Okay. And, you know, as my work grew, I was surrounded by white people, my car. Even today, most of my colleagues are white. Um, there was not a black travel revolution. There's I'm a travel journalist. Most of my colleagues are white, because the travel space has historically been white.
Mike Somerville
You don't have like a bunch of guys that are seeing you following you going and totally, dude, I gotta go to frickin time. I'm a black
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
guy. No, okay. No, because I mean, it's mature meetups.
Mike Somerville
The black guys that put them to the frickin Promised Land.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I mean, we have entire, like, now we like entire groups. Were there. For example, one group that I'm active in is man, 27 brothers from the EU, from the UK from the US and Canada. Okay, we are all in the creative space. We're videographers, we're photographers. We just share information interact with each other pass on jobs to each other. Okay. So we look out for each other. But that's still a very small minority within the travel industry. Okay. We all work in the travel space. Yeah, it's that's 27 bucks.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, sure. Well, I don't know. 27 white guys here. I mean, I mean,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I mean, it's good. You know, you have, you know, camaraderie. That's awesome. Yeah. Okay, cool. Um, so, yeah, back to the original point of talking about this was that I started to question my blackness. But the funny thing is, when you grew up in an inner city, in your environment, you never question that you never like why do I think like this? Like, what? Why do I? Okay, why do I think all white people are bad? Why do I? You just do okay? I know why do I think is gay to dance? Like, right? I fucking went to Argentina. Learn how to tango. Nice. Like and you know, there are people out that's why people she can't do that while in Argentina. I went to that door to go scam people. That's why people show you scam. People ski. I learned. I got an argument with a good friend of mine who's from Baltimore. Okay, well, basically he's a he's a barber. He was even argument. He's a barber. He cuts by people here. He's Max's the best black barber in Bangkok. Shout out to be more barber. Nice. Awesome. Love it. We're talking about skin. Yeah, he's like, people don't ski. ski. And he's like, I mean, I was and I showed him like picture the video memory skiing and snowboard. Plenty of a ski and snowboard. But you know he's a Thai American, but there are plenty of black people who don't think he would ski. Okay because if you look at Mass Media, right, right, right, still basketball. Bat sports, basketball, football. Yeah. But other than that as far as like sports, and we do there you got Venus and Serena Of course, Tiger Woods. Yeah. If you if
Dana Blouin
people ask what a Serena married a white dude, right? famous white dude, bro Serena I don't know who that is. Serena Williams Serena Williams the queen. She married the DRI the founder of Reddit Reddit. Oh, gotta go.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But you know, and you know, here's the funny thing. I still feel some kind of way about that.
Dana Blouin
Really? So yeah. So you're grappling with your own questions of blackness. Yeah. And then you didn't wait when we look at like Serena Mario Weinstein. You feel some kind of what's it?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Why it's not the conscious me. The conscious Eric is I like
Dana Blouin
that. It's not me. Yeah, personally. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But subconsciously it's that this is why it's so ridiculous.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, because we're taught to think ingrained ingrained. So
Dana Blouin
when you fight with it when you grapple with it what like if you come to grips with it, are you still fighting it? I still fighting? I don't
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
think it's a battle. Always. Because there's always like, Yo, what's up, brother? What? Because as soon as as soon as I see another black man on the street, is that we have to not know what's up the grip. here looking back. Yeah, it's so like, I met I met a hip hop artist here a couple days ago. Cool. Cool, bro. Radio 3000 Yeah, and he was for three years and kayo and he's been here for three years now. He's, he's brought and we set the first time meeting we thought we were sitting and talking and we hadn't known each other forever. Because we do know each other
Dana Blouin
he's from Cal he's from the states from states. Oh, he's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
American. He's a Cali
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
dude. Okay, okay. But we talked to each other like we known each other forever because we know shared experience we share we know the shared experience because we being black in America you that's the thing. You guys if you're from Texas, if you're from Missouri, if you're from California, if you're from Florida, if you're from Boston, yeah, you got all five of you white guys have very different life
Dana Blouin
span. Yeah. 50 miles away from like, yeah, I grew up in I wasn't middle class. I grew up very poor. Not super poor, but you know, not middle class. But where's my grew up middle class
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
black. If you grew up black in America, and all five of those places, it's the same experience. Yeah. foundationally interesting.
Mike Somerville
Yeah. No, when I moved to San Diego, it was significantly different than Hingham, Massachusetts
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Foundation, we so that's why
Mike Somerville
Okay, so you know each other,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
we all know each other awesome. So you always constantly grapple with this. This The only way to not grapple with it is to reject it. Hmm. And you will never reject your black is who I am
Dana Blouin
sure who you are. The
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
core of who I am is a black man that grew up in America. Okay. Yeah. But but but that's a dabbler for example. Have you ever heard me complain about anything? Yeah. The only Should I complain about my diet?
Dana Blouin
Pizza. I don't know. I've never heard especially like this. One of the reason I asked you to come and talk about like life in Bangkok? Because there are a lot of people in Bangkok who white black whatever. Hate life in Bangkok, mostly white. Yeah, mostly why
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
they bitch. Like they just complain about and like for me? It was like yo, what what am I good? Is this is better than getting shot out. He chose this though. I chose so why would
Dana Blouin
you complain about logic but
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's like it's I always look man if if I can't change it. Hey, I'm not gonna even talk there's no conversation for me you have about it right cuz I've already analyzed it in my head like you can't control it.
Mike Somerville
There's nothing that makes sense dollars. We're preaching to each other's choir. Yes.
Dana Blouin
Eric is on our vibe. Yeah. Awesome. The strange thing is that you make the most of the situation, not complain about it, or change it or change or change.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I have or leave. I have
Dana Blouin
Cambodia's radar right over the border.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
We're having a conversation about veganism. The responses I get from that video yesterday was redic. I have not had that many people respond to ammaji stories in a while since Tony,
Dana Blouin
like
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
even earlier negative. Both like
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I don't know if you saw the story. So basically, yesterday I went to a vegan slash vegetarian. Yeah, and the initial first two videos on my alannah fucked up now I didn't know was a vegan. Burger King. Oh, here we go. So I went in, but I stayed because that's who I am. I'm not fucking I'm here to see what's up and I go through and People were like, Oh, I can't believe like you're bagging on vegetarianism.
Dana Blouin
That is for anyone who doesn't know, that's Eric's like default set.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it was like it started like, one person was basically trying to convert me into veganism and to try forever.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And I'm okay. Tell me you're gonna do a week. I'm gonna I'm gonna do
Mike Somerville
pepperoni pizza. I'm pulling you away,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
but it's like I'm saying he was really trying to convert me. Okay, okay. And it was like the subtle conversion. Look, man, that's not like, Look, I pick my hills to die on. And he's like, well, what are you not gonna have broccoli? It's not that. Bad. I understand. I 100% advocate for the idea that if everybody went vegan, the world will be a better place. less less emissions, less competition. I mean, I and food deserts water. But like I yes, I can typically prove I love science. But that is not my stroke. That's not the stroke. I choose to choose to fire
Mike Somerville
it. I got other things going.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I got other shit to worry about. I have limited hours in a day. And I think this is a foundational issue that a lot of people have is like, No, you don't talk about trans issues. They say, I'm like, Yo, I will write if you want me to march and I happen to be there with you. Yeah, sure. If you want me to say hey, do you support trans issues? Yeah, sure. But I'm not about to spend hours of my day fighting for this issue. I have these other things that I want to find priorities. So for me, like living in Bangkok, there's so much stuff here about this place this culture. We were sent a protest that aren't kosher. not okay. Not cool, but it's not my struggle to fire. Yeah, people are asking me while I'm out there covering the protest. Yeah, sounds like that's not a story. story to tell. It's like, like any anything I do or say is going to be misconstrued as a political statement potential matter of just my present pro con. Yeah, exactly. That's not a place I want to be in because it's not my fight yet.
Dana Blouin
And by the same token, lately, we joke about the vegan thing because I don't eat meat. But I'm not out here trying to convert
Mike Somerville
ever even so
Dana Blouin
be like, dude, I the gym eats meat all the time. I go with you. I met you at a steak house. So
Mike Somerville
it's like, when she's a little thinner than you? Yeah, a little thinner than me. Yeah. So no judgment.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's like when you when you when you force when you're trying to force narratives on people or converges and we do it
Mike Somerville
now they're gonna push back no matter
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
what we have it. Like the black community here. We all we're not all Kumbaya. We don't all get along. Yeah, we have these black meetups and we fucking argue about everything. Oh, this bitch. It's full of shit. Like, just because you're black doesn't mean mean. I'm not saying it doesn't mean you're cohesive. You're not a model. We're not a monolith. It was like, it was like just skin folk and all. kinfolk. Yeah, just because we all look like it's like you guys are racist. Oh, you're just cuz he's white doesn't mean he's like, Fuck, that guy has a
Mike Somerville
lot of fucking lamb.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yes, the same here is the same being a person of color here. So I earlier earlier when I said I will speak for all black folks. I don't. However, a lot of our experience are foundationally shared. So let me tell you a few things that are not good about living here. I know people want to know in general just as a black person, right. So one of the biggest issues here is romance. If you're a black woman here you are fucked. Okay, good luck. Really is bad for us. But because Asian men don't really fuck with you like that. And usually the format our date an Asian Mm hmm. Yeah, sure. So as a black woman, you have delivery, nothing talk.
Dana Blouin
I mean, get yourself like whatever you bring to the table.
Mike Somerville
You know, that guy's looking girl
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
talking to you. She's got a good personality.
Mike Somerville
sucking my dick
Dana Blouin
at the same time. I mean,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I know what you're saying. You are exactly right. I have a lot of sisters who are amazing women. Yeah, but I'm talking in general
Dana Blouin
general terms of dating here. This is saying the guy who's even Asian woman.
Mike Somerville
In fact, white women, they're not getting a whole lot of
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
attention over here. I mean, the African brothers. Oh, yeah. You are
Mike Somerville
into the
Dana Blouin
the African brother Africa bugs however Nigerian girl. Okay, I
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
am into the girl okay. However the Nigerian brothers. I mean, no. Nigerian brothers are Africa. African continent brothers. Okay.
Mike Somerville
So that first day that you landed here, not as a serviceman but either that Okay, yeah, this is awesome. Were you I mean, I was pretty impressed with the female tie opportunities. Were you like, oh my god. Really?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Really? Okay, so that was not too high on No, no, a lot of people believe that. All you got to know Thai women. I mean, their date, but if I have to choose is going to be Latina. Got it? Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Or those thick bodied white women.
Mike Somerville
Are they available to you over here?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
No. They're not here, right. Yeah. And so many people ask me Oh, why don't you Why don't you date more black women. It's proximity. Yeah. Just approximate. In
Dana Blouin
Africa, yeah, right
Unknown Speaker
around at that point, but
Mike Somerville
you live in Thailand but you don't date Thai with
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
no. And it's had don't it okay. Yeah, you're talking about like, Oh,
Mike Somerville
yeah. It wasn't that.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It wasn't taught discovered. Esau knows Oh.
Dana Blouin
Buying a house and
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
bought it two weeks later.
Mike Somerville
Okay, so there's the romance.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
There's a and as a black man, they'll Fuck you, but they won't take you home. Got it. It is really easy to get laid here as a black man. It is ridiculously easy. I'm not talking about paying for hookers. I sit on top of it is the internet go you can as a black man, and it's not from a place of arrogance. I think pretty much any Western black man can back up the statement. Yeah, I would say if you went out seven days a week, you could probably get a three to four law without trying without really even trying to
Mike Somerville
now you said Western black. But if you want your buddies that are from Africa
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
that Yeah, they definitely get romantically discriminated against.
Dana Blouin
So let me ask you though, okay, so
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
let's think about one thing, one quick thing. Let me explain what passing Do you know what passing is? No. Drake passes for White. Okay, so historically speaking, passing was when a black person capacity as a white person. Okay, Drake is half black. Yeah, passes white. Okay, um, I pat. I could never pass as an African but you pass physical. I'm clearly American. Yeah, I'm American. That's my passing. So when people see me, they don't think African they think American British. It's a human thing. Right? It's like you so like Wesley Snipes. He's African. If he was walking down the street here, they would think African. They were so dark. He's so dumb. So dark, so
Mike Somerville
to speak. But I mean, but no, they also like known for movies.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I mean, somebody who looks like a skin thing. It's a skin and a feature thing. Okay. If you put me next to a native African of most descent, you
Mike Somerville
know, I don't you say okay, and and
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
just the way we move and the way we vibe is definitely. So I pass I clearly pass as an American. So that gives me that leverage. Yeah, um, there's a dip here. And this is something that a lot of people got to talk about here. There's a difference. This is a culture that's built on neat, huh? Most women need you. Yeah, right. This woman here need Western? Mm hmm. And there's also obviously a want if you could find a woman that wants you here. Yeah. Yeah. As opposed to as well. And that's something you have to navigate here as you're here. Like if she wouldn't be because she needs me. Yeah. Or she wouldn't be because she wants boom, that's a beret and not that's not even black. No, I talked about a man here all the time. Yeah. So as a as a black man, it tends to lean a little more tourists don't want the curiosity of it. Okay, because white guys, y'all been here forever? Yeah, around Thailand cherish one. But American black man, British black man. Oh, shit.
Dana Blouin
What is this newest guy's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
still married. He's like Jason Derulo. And I do tic tocs. Right. Like, so it's like, we're that new thing with that new toy. So when we come here, and we go out and go, here we go. Okay, go to patio. We go food on chain, match it. Everywhere we go. We're the cool guy. Okay, awesome. So everybody wants it. So that's a good thing, though. But they won't take you home because of the way our culture
Mike Somerville
is built. So it's getting laid versus actually having
Dana Blouin
to ask about that. Because so say someone, a black guy wants to come here. And like, like, move here. Like live here. Call this home, and then find a girlfriend, a partner somebody could marry? Do you think that's troublesome?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yes, and no. It's doable, but you're gonna have to navigate the same thing. Every Western man navigates if she wants you because he needs you. Or she really actually Yeah,
Mike Somerville
but the key to that is that every Western man, I mean, I went through the same thing that she taught me.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, everyone's mind goes through that. Yes, that's all color. Yeah. And on top of that, you got to remember there are certain segments of this society you will never be able to crack.
Dana Blouin
Yeah. Well, that's true for any Westerner.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
No, you don't think so? It's not it's definitely not a high so a pale skin high so relatively wealthy white girl will be perfectly fine dating
Dana Blouin
that's sure. Hi. So wealthy, pale skin white but
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
as a girl as a black man. What about
Mike Somerville
the taking home? Taking
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
best one I mean, dating dating is taking
Mike Somerville
okay. Yeah, man.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Dating is take at home if you're you're like my friend Alex, who's great. This pretty motherfucker is a model here. Yeah. And he has his pick of the choice. Yeah, like, it's ridiculous. And he and we talk and he like yeah, he'll do it. Yes. Because I'm what I do. Yeah, I he fits every what every stereotype of
Dana Blouin
beauty here, huh? Yeah, white, white, creamy skin, right. It's awesome. Having
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
a baby with a white European dude is I hit No.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, no, I get that. Yeah, same with Philippines.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it's like, but having a baby. What have I got?
Mike Somerville
No, it's funny when I first met Gracie. I mean, she had dated a guy before there was from the US or whatever, but I asked her about it. Okay, so like, do you grew up like oh my god, Americans, like someday I'll fantasize about getting a visa or green card. And so they She goes, No, she goes, it was so far out of possibility she was I didn't even consider it. I never thought in the history of my lifetime or my family. I would ever have a visa. And it wasn't like, Oh my god, that makes me a horrible person. It's just like, no, like, I will never go to the moon. Like I just won't do that. It's not even in my and so but that was really interesting. But the whole like, you know, want versus need thing. I think that's that's really important, but Okay, so what am I double click on?
Dana Blouin
Yeah, what's your point? Yeah,
Mike Somerville
so what about like some other things in the last six years lack the
Dana Blouin
world sucks? Yeah, yeah, I want to have some more things that suck. From the Eric Prince perspective. It's
Mike Somerville
same with us like, Hey, Mike. Hey, Dana. What do you guys hate about Bangkok?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Man? He really isn't. I mean,
Dana Blouin
not a whole lot of traffic. Yeah. Traffic but I think the trains motorbikes I get so you know, you know, a lot of older Oh, I got one for you. I got
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
one of the one of the one extremely important thing about being black is have access to black culture. Okay, um, it's a specific kind of foods, kind of music Afro beats, for example,
Mike Somerville
about haircuts. You mentioned your buddy, that's Yes,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
definitely another great example. Haven't access to those things that cater to black culture in history in Asia. No, it is not here. Bangkok is just here. I mean, I would say it's funny like those of us who came here within the last five, six to 10 years were like, We remember when there was no black barber shops here it was never say cut, and they would still tie. They just did the coolest squiggly lines and tie people's hair, but they kind of could do a fate so I was like, Fuck, like, you didn't have any real hip hop clubs. It was that mainstream. But you had no DJs who were spending real
Mike Somerville
now there are now they're all like me. There's levels. I mean, these are super, super like
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
get him off the show. Go to these
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
levels. So but that's my point. I mean, that's no so you have you know, like places like sway places like penta. Okay. You have eight eight and flat. Oh, I froze that does Afro beats like us have a rumba? Who did old school 80s and 90s hip hop, like you have sold in our like golden era stuff like funk. You have a funky Do you have you have a jazz clubs? Yes. There's so much black music and culture here and okay. In the past five years that it's like you have access to it. However, it's not Atlanta. Either. San Diego is not London was shit. San Diego has plenty of black culture in it. He was on Atlanta. But um, but I'm just using. It's not New York. It's not all these Chicago St. blackness center. My parents don't even parents. Yeah, you go to Paris again. I've heard that. So that's a property. That's difficult. I was talking to a sister yesterday. And we were she's been here five years. And she was saying after the first year. She wanted to leave because of that specific there's no black people here. Like there's no black culture
Mike Somerville
that was the main reason or it was like What about the dating What about that talked about that's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
definitely part all weighed in but that not have access to black culture is a very big thing. It's a very big thing for a lot of people. For me not so much like I prefer to all my if I live in Thailand I want majority of my friends interactions to be taught me to and that's
Mike Somerville
a good thing. I don't have this need for white culture. But maybe that's because it just he is here.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, cuz it just is everything is my college.
Dana Blouin
kid from Rhode Island. I know what I consider my culture, everything's white culture.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And so it's not that Harvard Emporium is
Dana Blouin
not Netflix is my culture. What I mean,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's not it's not difficult as a white person to see yourself in every aspect of life here in Thailand.
Mike Somerville
It's not difficult. It's not difficult for me to see myself in every aspect of life, no matter where I go. Pretty much. I can just show up and they stamp me and I'm good to go as
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
a black person in a lot of times when you do even see yourself as ridiculous and stereotypical way. Okay? And I mean, it's racist.
Dana Blouin
Dunkin Donuts commercial. Obviously. A lot of bush. Yeah. So, I mean, commercial here. Yeah. We talked about like the standards of beauty with this Greek friend, right? Like, yeah, what's the Thai sanbi it's white skin. It's all
Mike Somerville
Thai. It's all over the friggin world. They have this
Dana Blouin
Yeah. They did a blackface Dunkin Donuts charcoal donut commercial.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Okay. I mean they do that with detergents and yeah here. skin with soap Skin Whitening like and Yeah, you have to look at like when I go to the shop and get lotion, I gotta keep an eye on this woman. Yeah, let me get like, if it's a brand I haven't bought before like
Mike Somerville
that's not whitening. Yes, I do. I absolutely do cuz I like my little tan thing that I got. But
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I mean, you know, and that's just I just through the these negatives, because I don't want anybody to sugarcoat life entirely. All things being equal, Tyler has the best place in the world to be a person of color that's outside of that if you're looking for a place outside of the African diaspora.
Mike Somerville
So after being here for a little while, just going back and forth. And now I live here full time, but like going back to the United States, every single time I would fly back home, just like you're like I just landed in New York City when I would land in Los Angeles. First of all, I'd be like, this is a fucking shithole. Secondly, I'm like, How embarrassing is this? This is the first view of America people get. This is just offensive. Yeah, but I would go back but then it wasn't just like the stuff. It was the people the way they acted. I'm like, I am so much more comfortable. But what about now you go back to Cleveland, for example, and you're like cheese? I feel bad. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Right. Because they're screwed. I have such a love for American people. I love us. Yeah. I love us more than most Americans love. Yeah, I have this deep love for America. I think we're some of the kindest, most welcoming people in the world. That's for sure. We're we're, we are fucking dope. Yeah. But I think we're also very emotional. And we're easily swayed and confused and manipulated, because we're so fucking nice. And we're like, we welcome everybody. Yo, what's up mediums? Are there any damage? Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Canadian. Ah, fucking can't stand. But
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I I so when I go home, and I see people stuck. This is what like, I'm like, Yo, man, you don't even know what you don't know. Yeah, like the shit you're saying is because you just don't know. And it's not your fault. Like, you don't know you don't know. Exactly. It's like you don't even and for years I will beat this drum. Yo, y'all don't know. Y'all don't know what y'all doing y'all got to do it and I'm like they can never they can never picture so you show them because and that's why I shut the fuck up with just doing my thing.
Dana Blouin
I want to give a real shout out quick to my buddy Maurice who he's a Cleveland guy. And he lives in Columbus now and he was excited about this episode because like he's kind of looking at his life and like like what like what options by holding the future for him so just what up Maurice is a creative and he's a is a tech guy as well out in Columbus yeah
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
tell him to reach out to me
Dana Blouin
yeah for sure. Yeah Moore's very set up me up
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
anytime I have been whatever
Dana Blouin
he's a Cleveland I think he's from I don't know if he's from East Cleveland he's definitely a Cleveland guy cool
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
cool. But it's really one of those things I when I go home especially at Cleveland and Cleveland hurt man Yeah. You know my whole family's doing
Mike Somerville
all your brothers and sisters
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
yeah Beata two sisters who live outside of Cleveland but everybody else and
Mike Somerville
they haven't like coming I'm gonna go visit my big bro. My mom
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
my my mom was coming. Okay. Literally everything was coded to go there funny and it was even COVID it was the Iran shit yeah, people keep forgetting about the whole Iran thing we almost with the world war three people totally forgot about that. I guess but so all those fights were getting cast guy harsher. And they just hold off and reschedule then fucking COVID hit so my mom was supposed to be here like six months but
Mike Somerville
your brothers sisters like never had any
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
but my younger sisters suppose we come home my mom. Okay.
Dana Blouin
And then she didn't. Brother came out.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. Be we. Brandon came up. He's, you know, he's military. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, one more year, man. He's excited. He finished his PhD. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
he's finished. You know, conditioning he got he got the masters. But he saw he
Dana Blouin
was like, almost on one. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
he's ready. He's ready.
Dana Blouin
He's out here. Right. Yeah, he's moving. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. You know, he's a great example. He had never been to Asia. You know, he was he was stationed in Korea and he was stationed in the states who station in Germany. And for years, I tell them come visit me come and commit because of this. So about three years ago, I had got orders to Korea for a one year remote tour. I motherfuck you have no excuse not to do you gotta get
Dana Blouin
hours get on planes. Oh,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
yo, he came over. Within three days. He fell in love though. As I brought he was
Dana Blouin
a city doesn't Yeah, it was I
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
took him I took him here obviously the patio. We went to coffee. Yeah, that's awesome. What's up? Oh cat like he was brought. He's like, Man, that's amazing. Because I have to move out here. Yeah. And it's so when you it's and this goes back to the Cleveland you know, how do I go home? I was like, Yo you don't you just don't know what you don't know. Even if you watch the video, I don't look that I was like it's something about being here is the psychological piece which of not having to look over your shoulder not worrying about police officers being able to go into a restaurant. nobody's looking at you crazy falling on the store. Nobody goes walking Emporium. I could take a nap in the 711 nobody Want to fuck with me? No shit, but
Dana Blouin
you can walk through like, Paragon right? The only reason someone's following you is to make sure that they can help you.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, can I care if they want to sell you so
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I've been a fucking True story. I've been fucked up at four o'clock in the morning sitting on a floor of a 711 eating chips and ice cream.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, they're just like, yeah, he'll know
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
and nobody said he
Unknown Speaker
certainly didn't call the cops
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
nope I got up I paid him Well yeah, stumbled home
Dana Blouin
like it's that's that's some free that's some that's some shit New York you might be dead.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yo Yeah, sure. Huh for that? Yeah, I imagine and this is and this is why it's so hard going home is because you go you willfully go back into the muffin lion. Right right and just you know, he sneezes and you're dead. You know you what here there is zero fear. I don't fear
Dana Blouin
adjustment period when you go back Oh, God,
Unknown Speaker
like a half hour like fuck this
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
entire time. I'm there. I'm like, What am I doing? How do I get out of here quicker Can I change my flight? Yeah, like and I love my family.
Mike Somerville
Oh, sure. The environment on me forgot to
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
talk to I talked to him. I'm like, I can't Yeah,
Dana Blouin
this is a crazy thing. Like obviously I had none of those like I never had to worry about like being killed right in in the US. Just because like some of the things Eric talked about. And again, the difference between Broadview heights and any slimming not that Broadview Heights is like the most fantastic place in the world. But it's it's not easy Cleveland. Um, you know, but even when I go back like I said last time I was there was with Adobe I was there for the think tank and and even San Francisco I have friends there like it's such a cool chill place but it's it's the vibe is just not Yeah, Bangkok is like I think it's hard to articulate. For me. It is magic that Bangkok brings like New York City's an amazing city. It is one 20th of what Bangkok offers. Yeah. And like until you actually experience it. So are
Mike Somerville
it's weird when people compare New York City to bank New York we
Dana Blouin
can see here. We could all sit here and be like, yeah, like we all get it again.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, it's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
just like I always say that you can only compare Bangkok to New York or London or Tokyo like on steroids I you but but until you come here to you end up down some random soy eating noodles on the side of the road in the rain watching dogs do cartwheels? Hmm, like for $1? Yeah, yeah, you can't you can't understand it. And it's not just that it's it's the it's the access to to life. It's it's normal people doing normal people shit. Like when you're here in New York, there's a barrier. You see a lot of barriers to entry to a lot of different things right from a socio economic issue from a purpose. I owe it but you come here. There's almost nothing you can do. Right? I brought out hung out with the Princess of Thailand a year ago. One of the princesses of Thailand that's wait in chicken wings. Right? She was just there nice. Like I went to the open enter Paradise Lost like I'm some broke by kids. Come to the opening of this major hotel with a bunch of Thai celebrities. I don't know who anybody was just
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
getting me fucked up. I think
Dana Blouin
to the Thai premier movies. Yeah, like you like you can't just roll into premieres and movies in the US like it bro premiere.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's insane. And because there's no fear here of that premiere to us by Tom Cruise, like somebody might try to kill that or attack them. That's not like, the worst. I was out with Mark wings.
Dana Blouin
Yeah, I saw him on your idea. We were out.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
We were all out just hanging out at this food festival yesterday. Me and mark with me. And Mark was sitting there talking and every two minutes somebody came up to take a picture with
Dana Blouin
this guy, right? It's no, I
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
thought it was an Air Force guy. I don't think so. His father. That's how he grew up overseas. And that's why
Unknown Speaker
I did all the travels. Yeah,
Dana Blouin
yeah. That's why Donald Trump. I thought he was an Air Force. I think is that okay? We were just talking
Mike Somerville
about him earlier today. I mean, he's just such a wonderful person. So many people just love it. People
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
don't even understand how great of a guy yeah, he was his he really liked my bro. I'm telling you. He's exactly like that in real life. And we were just spending you know, we're standing there. But and again, Mark Twain's is probably one of he is easily one of the most famous people on the internet. Yeah.
Dana Blouin
Everyone knows this.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, pennant. And in Thailand, he 100%.
Dana Blouin
Oh, yeah, for sure. easily
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
by far and people were so kind to respect. People like oh, excuse me up.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, I know.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it was like, it happens. It happens to me too. Like, oh, I saw you on YouTube, I think.
Dana Blouin
Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
like vendors are always trying to, and and it was like we were all in. It was me. My friend was Just all three of us black man older 30s and we were in we went down to soy not not possible soy not our what we'd like to go drink. And by the way soy not is the best place in Bangkok to drink if you want some amazing cocktails. That why? Yeah, wallflowers. Asia today, teens of Thailand. Bo Chow. All those are over there. Right. And that's there is literally next to China. Okay. All right. So we were at has to walk 10 minutes or to Chinatown? Yeah, just go get some food. Yeah, my friend was like, y'all want the best Chinese food and I thought easy. Let's go. Check that out. Then. Cool. And we walked Oh, yeah, it's great places. Awesome. So we walked over there. And it was I sometimes living in Bangkok you forget how overly kind people on Yeah, especially in a place like Chinatown is normally just covered in tourism. Yeah, pick Chinese. Nobody there. Right. Yeah, they hadn't interacted with a lot of foreigners. Yeah. So we come up and they're literally given us. I'll try this. Like I wasn't trying to sell me to it's the same thing we experienced when we're outside of Bangkok. Yeah, it's like how welcoming type and how overly kind they are. It is it is what I grew up with like the kindness that I remember people being like in the state Yeah, you know the non racist people. But it's a kindness I recognize you know, and I appreciate hot warm welcome it's it's like man, these people are genuinely happy and excited for me to be here. And as a black person it's very difficult when you grew up in America Where's where you're constantly been told you're not welcome on long here am I yeah, we have built this shit What do you Why don't we know what to but you know races presidents now they're happily happy to tell you how much is in jack
Dana Blouin
stand back and standby Prometheus is is rough
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
you know and it was like but coming out here man it let you let you look at the good and the bad and people and and decide what's where you want to be? Like who I want to be when I grew up
Dana Blouin
here you're talking about like you how you love America right and the heel of Americans. It's weird because I feel the same thing. Right? I feel this in living out here is amplify that to the point where I really am happy that I'm an American. Right? And I love America. But at the same time this is crazy juxtaposition in me where it's like, well, I also there's a reason I don't live there. And there's a reason when I go back. I'm anxious to leave there's plenty of Americans that I don't like Yeah, but but the country's culture is sharp. There's a lot of things about it I love and that that is amplified for me being here. I appreciate like I said the the anxiousness to leave when I'm there
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
is strong. I said, I said this recently, I was like, Look, man, I can disagree with somebody and still love him. Yeah. And I think that's what people like disagreement does not mean hate. Yeah. And I think that's one of the biggest cultural problems we have globally now is like, Yeah, I don't agree with this. So it must mean that I hate you unfriend me. I was like, No, like, I think you're fucking crazy, but you do it. And that's what it's like being in America is like we do a lot of messed up shit globally. But we've done a lot of amazing stuff. People really forget about that. Yeah, like from from medicine to education, electronics, pop culture to inventions.
Dana Blouin
Pop Culture. Yeah. Where does American pop culture not just completely dominate?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
globally? like Kpop Come on. Yo, yo, no, and then a Kpop. Yeah, that was us. Like literally, he just amped it up a little bit, but not even it wasn't even you know, it wasn't even Koreans. It was the white dude who went over?
Dana Blouin
Yes, he created Kpop beside Kpop is kind of cranked up to LA Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's key Saturday
Dana Blouin
to put their twist number one movie on Netflix right now in Thailand. Is that Black Pink?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Not surprising. Oh my
Mike Somerville
god. Grace's daughter that loves black but I don't know about Black Panther.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
So yeah, I've got this big STV now right it's it's big.
Dana Blouin
blowing out the window.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I walk in right and this is gonna sound racist as fuck. But I walk in and it's you know how Netflix when you're not watching it? It does. Yeah, so it was Black Pink. And I was looking at it. I'm like, oh other hair is different. And I'm like, Fuck, that's the only way I could tell Kpop apart because they're one of those
Dana Blouin
chicks is Thai the Black Pink girls one of them is Thai. She's like the most famous Thai person right now. Right?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Like, like boys wear makeup. Is that girl like me homophobic?
Dana Blouin
kind of look like very pretty boys say like, Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
exactly. Like it's like the the girls are Like really pretty boys, but the boys I Really?
Mike Somerville
Yeah, and this is just a new pop band there'll be great for like three or four years and they
Dana Blouin
came off like a grinder man. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it's you know, it's one of those things, man, it's such a if I lived in the states I wouldn't know what none of this stuff
Mike Somerville
Yeah, you know it's funny I talked to but
Dana Blouin
they probably have this they don't okay papa, papa now
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
he's coming like there's a lot of no cape. I think one of the guys the BTS.
Mike Somerville
BTS is Yeah, that when I say that they think oh, that group I like know that.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I was on Twitter. I said some shit about visa, BTS and the sad guest they hit some record in the US. Yeah. And I was jealous, man. I was like, man, he's just some really pretty girl. Right? It was just a joke, bro. They came from I really beat it cuz it was like a really big account and
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
tagged people. Oh, I was like, Twitter.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Rolling, bro. I never gone viral boom.
Dana Blouin
Talking about Yeah. This guy in Thailand. Let's go dairy.
Mike Somerville
He's losing his black cow.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It was crazy. But man, overall, man, if I could say really anything to any young brothers watching this, at least, but not just young brothers, right? Like, any, any, to be honest. If like, you really want to find yourself if you really want to have opportunity, because you know, cuz the thing about being black in America is you're constantly told who you are. Hmm, like this is all black men move. This is what they think is your limitations. But abroad, you have opportunity figured out for yourself. If you want to take fucking ballet classes, nobody's gonna look at you twice. Like if you have you get people to believe you. I mean, it sounds like the catalyst for you. Was it's it's not that is not my job.
Mike Somerville
No, I'm just curious. I mean, I'm not saying no, no, no,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
no, no, no, that's my answer to this because it's something I've had to struggle with for years. Right. I asked myself, how did I get um, how do I you know, how do I get people to believe me when I say oh, this is amazing. I just clarify or just
Dana Blouin
that's not my job. That's a horse to water. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
was I look at it more like you said Maurice was the name right? Mrs. Maurice reaches out to me and says, you know, Eric, you know, what are the steps I should take? What do you think I will have no problem with get on a phone call with him during the video chat. And and explaining to him how I did it. How he possibly could do it. Because I've done this thousands of times. Brothers, right. I would say, let's cut the number down. Let's say I've done 100. Nice. Maurice calls. Maybe? Five? I've actually yeah, it was funny. I was at a club. It's scary,
Dana Blouin
though, too. It's a very scary thing. Especially when you realize that you could do it. Yeah. Yeah, I think then it becomes even
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
scarier. Because scary because now you have to do some shit. Yeah, yes. You have to do some shit. You know, it's easy to blame others again. But here's the thing. This is not just a black thing. Yeah, it's really easy to blame others for your lazy.
Dana Blouin
Oh, yeah. We've talked about this all the time.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
He's like, oh, like it's funny. I'm gonna post today I was at um, I was at the mall, and they were doing a Pokemon thing. Okay. I was like, Yo, I will be a millionaire. My mom has thrown away my poker. No, but the funny played cards, but one of my good friends from university. he's a he's the biggest Pokemon youtuber in the world.
Dana Blouin
Wow, that's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
one piece. Yeah, he does the voiceovers American voiceovers.
Dana Blouin
Really? That's awesome.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. It was like it was so funny. Because look, at one day, I was like, yo, yo, is this shoe. But it was like, because he did that. Like, it had nothing to do with his race or his career. He did it he just did. Right. And it's like, like, I'm gonna talk shit like yeah, it wasn't for my mom. But yeah, like what it's i and this is one of the negative things about growing up in America but in our culture is ingrained in us that we can't succeed because we're black is like the system. And even in our communities like man, black people don't do that. Now, people don't do this. I'm like, what I can be the greatest skier of all fucking top non black people all scheme. They said even Obama was like, not nearly let me show you video. Yeah. This is that we what you said kind of hits a chord with us because we talked about this on the show a lot. There are people who do and there are people who complain about people who do Yeah, yeah, it was. It was I you know, will? Will Smith. Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Kevin Hart. This is three my favorite people. And it's not because any other content they produce is particularly great in my opinion. Yeah, the
Mike Somerville
rock is kind of goofy, right?
Dana Blouin
The Rock Mays Come on nine again. Oh, no. The best best movie ever made.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it's like when I like I would say, let's say Will Smith who he's very he's a great actor. He's a fantastic actor, but also trainees is not a great YouTuber. He's not great. YouTube is YouTube is terrible. But when I look at these guys, it's I never hear them complain. And I'm always see them working. Like they are always working. And it might be some of the coordination I've ever seen, but they're always working on something. They're always grinding and trying, you know, this graph, you're like hash tag the rock. There's like countless people taking photos of the rock in the gym at like, 3am 10pm. like midnight. Like as he gets at work no matter where he is. It's a constant. And it's this and it's not even not even just the gym thing. It's this refusal to be to be lazy. And laziness is such a truck. It's so much fun to sit on my couch while watching that now. It's never beautiful. Um, I play Red Dead Redemption curve too. But no, no, no, I'm not that fancy. It's a Red Dead Redemption. Oh, to laugh. I'm afraid to install it started up again because I know what's gonna
Dana Blouin
never leave it. Have you seen the Red Dead Redemption to the Rockstar? Mixed universe theories? Yes. Yeah. So I watched it. I went down this rabbit hole and someone's like playing rock, red, red redemption, too. And they're like, Oh, this is the thing from GTA. I'm like, I gotta stop this.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Me. But it's it's like, what? laziness. It's, it's a drug. Yeah. And in a lot, a lot of ways for a lot of people's lives. It's taught, like you're taught how to be how to do the bare minimum to get by Yes, kind of standard rate. Like it's like it's a reward. Yeah, for me
Mike Somerville
doing a whole bunch of nothing really. But now at least I get the sense.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's, you know, it's like the idea of a rest state when you're working out like I find it fucking ridiculous them.
Dana Blouin
Like, it's like the cheat day. Car.
Unknown Speaker
Every day.
Dana Blouin
Every day is all day.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Every day is all day but the fucker.
Unknown Speaker
fucking love.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It so much is always like the end and CT is a great, great example. ct flechette a bodybuilder? Yeah, is when he go he's like, yo, is your is your set? Yeah, right. It's always your set. Yeah, like you. You only grow as big as you work. Still, yes.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
What are you talking about? Why you complain? Still
Dana Blouin
your goddamn set
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
wrote? It's, I get so frustrated when what I started photos one of the few times I just started ignore somebody, guy brother reach out to me for advice he got the question was it was something about a What are your tips about traveling? There's a guy from America American brother. Something alone? I was a very big question. I was like, I'm like, oh, Like what? Like what's, what tips would you give somebody traveling as far as like not to do like, watch out? And I might you gotta be a little more specific. For me. I ask more specific question like what do you do as far as the travel journalism, what country to go to what food not to eat? How not to get beat up like, like, be a little more specific. And we went around and around and around. It was this thing like, you know, it came I came in conclusion like, Yo, this guy wants to be spoof and yeah,
Mike Somerville
they want you to do it for
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
good things that I've worked so fucking hard over to master and cultivate. Do you want me to spoon feed it to you for nothing? Right? And I'm okay with that. Because somebody came to me said, Hey, I did a little research about moving abroad. I narrowed it down to these five countries. Which one do you think pluses and minuses and we taught 100% gonna hurt that person. But if somebody says hey, what country should I move to?
Dana Blouin
No, I get that. The other thing and yeah, and I'll say this, like we obviously all love Bangkok. We feel a resonance with the city. Right? And I think what we're saying is don't come to Bangkok. Find your Bangkok Exactly. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
hundred percent in Bangkok is not going to be for everybody. Yeah, the people who hate Bangkok when they talk to me about hating Bangkok there's a whole things I don't like also get it like that, but I've chose it as like, this is traffic is a great example people like fucking I tell people don't get in a car between 3pm and 7am Central Bangkok. Yes, you ain't going nowhere. Like if you sent the Los Angeles for Christ
Unknown Speaker
is it really
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
yeah it's pretty bad
Dana Blouin
you try to leave Austin Austin but here's the thing none of those cities have an amazing sky trading
Unknown Speaker
boats. We have crock
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
whole fucking boat four or five hours
Dana Blouin
How about this? How about this you can jump on the back of a scooter for $1 yeah right and it will take you on an unlimited amounts of space I'll do a traffic eight bucks to get the big red The song
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
is awesome. Like it's it's it. This city has so many options. And you know people who hate it, but but you know what that said? This is the Rip. Yeah right whatever I know people who refuse get on back motorbike, right. So if we go if you step back and somebody says I hate these things about Bangkok I shrug my shoulders okay Bangkok sama place I'm
Dana Blouin
fine buy your place on that
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
place in a world that speaks to you I know people who love the small vibe of Vienna right yeah like Vienna I could never live in Vienna was a beautiful city and I'm there are people talking about oh, I can I can I love it because this you this is this is a thing for you find wherever you go. One of the problems though, is that and particularly for people of color from a low lower socio economic background, they cannot experience I've been in 95 countries because it's what I do for a living. I'm blessed that way.
Dana Blouin
You've been in 95 for a minute like you've been really slow this year with your travel What's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
something I've been
Mike Somerville
coughing this year
Mike Somerville
and it was a take your temperature and
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
HIV like
Dana Blouin
yesterday This is the first time you were here with me this is how you start a funny story.
Unknown Speaker
Why what would
Mike Somerville
expand in your mind we
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
just have a conversation about edibles we got a new batch to sleep
Mike Somerville
I need
Mike Somerville
to get darker in your living room.
Mike Somerville
Jesus He almost killed my friggin pillows
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
so I take what I've got right
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
before bed but then I start doing some other shit I clean it moving rock I always take it before like 30 minutes before I'm gonna go to sleep so it's so good for recovery yeah really good for recovery and then for some dumb has resigned decided take another I'm sure so now
Mike Somerville
because of one's good trust me I know that the
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
fuck it Yeah, so laid out. And that shit hit me quick. Okay, so um, it was you know, rainy seasons now so I get caught in the rain coming from gym or a motorbike everywhere I get like a cough right? I'm laying in a bed and I'm just laying there Moscow's I go. And then literally every scene from every TV show a movie where somebody can
Dana Blouin
see from the with the waterfalls, the music video with the picture
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I'm looking at my hand trying to see if there's
Dana Blouin
any Oh my god.
Mike Somerville
You're like Freddie Mercury. Oh my god.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I was laying in bed I made a fucking doctor
Dana Blouin
Where were you recently when I
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
was like I thought about every
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
decade because they say it doesn't show up
Unknown Speaker
for six
Mike Somerville
months and never know propaganda show knowing the results of this let me guess you're still gonna have an edible tonight? I probably
Dana Blouin
Yeah, cuz you're like, what's the worst thing that can happen? I already thought I had HIV.
Mike Somerville
HIV doctor appointments every friggin morning for some reasons. my calendar. I don't know why.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I appreciate the money but, man,
Dana Blouin
what are you doing after you leave? I'll tell you those.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Not 5 million. Oh, FYI. Yeah, I gotta talk to you. Off camera.
Dana Blouin
Last time on a live stream we were talking about I told this story and my buddy magon throat sends me a photo of 1000 milligram brownie. Like dude, would you die? I would
Mike Somerville
know what the average person die though. He's like, a little by gram. Oh gram.
Dana Blouin
100,000 milligrams. How big is this fucking brownie?
Mike Somerville
Bought it? So you gotta remember you guys are drug addicts. Oh, so I'm like,
Dana Blouin
yeah, yeah. I guess I never bought anything less than pure Peruvian cocaine.
Mike Somerville
Yeah. And I bought literally pounds of it. God damn, I am I don't have the ability to do one cook. Yeah, you can mean it's just Yeah, yes. Like 110% 80 miles an hour until I die and run a baker's
Dana Blouin
dozen.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yes. Yeah, and that is funny. That this is another drawback about being black in Bangkok. Okay, you get a lot of free drugs here.
Unknown Speaker
They think cuz
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
cuz it's cool. I'm gonna
Mike Somerville
clubbing and stuff. I'm hanging out in a co working space. They're not they're like Hey dude, can you like sign Mike? Yeah, here
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
is like No Exactly. No, I didn't call Snoop Dogg all the time. Fucking Obama like what are you talking about? every black I've been Obama. I've been the rock.
Unknown Speaker
Wow
Mike Somerville
totally.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I've been to dog a lot. Steve Harvey. Chris Tucker
Dana Blouin
Did you get something wrong? That was okay are you judging me
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
whenever I wear a suit I guess the boat Oh yeah.
Dana Blouin
J dress you know Jays bucket.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it's uh you know, and really this is and this is funny but I'm in all seriousness. I see a lot of young brothers come out here and they get themselves in really bad situations. Because you come here and really it's wide open for you. You can really do whatever you want. Yeah, and a lot of us don't have that back home we don't have the money for it or it really is one of those things like so here. Um, you know, you go to a club you go to a bar you can offer coke you can offer x you get offer he much you get offered this and most
Mike Somerville
free more so as a black guy more like you got white buddies that don't really have more
Dana Blouin
sort of like I've never been offered. bullied a lot. Well, Eric gave me free edibles, but I've never been offered by like some random person.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, it. It's all here.
Mike Somerville
Is that big here? Is that bigger here? I mean, obviously one of the things that I sort of associated with I guess it was someone's gonna say inner city. isn't high drug use, or high crime? Is that fairly accurate? Were you Okay, so What about here? Is it okay?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it's more designer drugs here. Um, you're gonna talk a lot about it. And then you have no Crystal Light. Yeah, okay, Ray. Yeah, you got the heavy shit. But the more you got every night, you'll likely see it is coke. x.
Mike Somerville
Okay. Oh, it's as big as they are back home.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
No. Okay. Um, you get a, but a lot of people like a lot of people smoke. Like we normally do it at home. Because we only see like, I remember like in New York and Cleveland, you want to smell weed?
Mike Somerville
Yeah.
Dana Blouin
That is a really big San Francisco. Everyone's
Mike Somerville
talking about. It's illegal. Right?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it was so funny. You know, it's legal here.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it's legal ish. But I'm getting my prescription next week. But
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's illegal now.
Mike Somerville
Because your eyes you got
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
insomnia, insomnia.
Dana Blouin
Oh, yeah. I guess the
Mike Somerville
giant 65 inch light in front of me. I can
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
understand why I'm saying like, but it's, um, you know, having access to designer drugs? Um, that. I mean, it changes department you know? I mean, it really does.
Dana Blouin
You're talking to a guy who is $6,000 a weekend blow
Mike Somerville
Mike. 6000 a month? Yeah. Oh, man. At age 21.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It changes especially and you know, you got your fucking models, man. models and like, I was like,
Dana Blouin
my dog calm like in the 90s. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
We have that girlfriends. We have that in 2020. Now, I it's and I'm married
Dana Blouin
and good sewing machines. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker
Terrible.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
You're gonna say no, I'm like, fuck it. But it's like you put so so for me. There was I i I'm just coming off Really? like Tony, when we were Tony. Yeah, I was in the middle of my bender. I was I've been on like a three month alcohol drug fucking bender. I've fucked everything that moved. I was doing auto drugs that
Mike Somerville
good or bad. I'm just having fun.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I it's I was having fun. Yeah, but it didn't hit me until a couple weeks ago that you were doing it. But I didn't realize it hadn't really come to because I saw. So I'm a bigger dude.
Mike Somerville
So it takes like 210 to 15 Yeah, exactly. Okay.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
So it takes a little more for it to hit me. Okay. Yeah. So I'm going you know, one for one. I'm a shopping shop with my friend. Yeah. Or Tyner smarter than me. And I saw them fucked up. When I saw it. I was like, let me pull it back. Thank you, baby. Yeah. Yeah, I get it. And I was out with them. And we go out and it was fucking chaos. It was like, we should all be dead.
Mike Somerville
Okay, kind of shit. How much what do you do? I mean, what animal is
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
this? Like was alcohol and x. Okay, it was that night. How much and coke? A lot. Five, six. like six? Five or six acts. Yeah. Throughout tonight. That's still hot. It was hot. And coke so much.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Before we even went out, three, four lines
Mike Somerville
before our lines, I bet you're gonna okay. Yeah, it's all relative. Right?
Dana Blouin
And five or six acts which are probably a coke right?
Mike Somerville
Before I go out six, seven grams, just three half grams isn't a ball to eight balls before I go up cups 110% 80 miles nine
Dana Blouin
grams.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
So it's but but, but But again, I have a drug I have a friend that is at that level Really? And I didn't I didn't notice until that night in my mind you I didn't do any luck. Yeah, baby showers I'm just gonna take a few pictures. Because every other time I was supposed to Yeah, and I'm with them and I'm looking and I'm seeing the altercations and getting it. Oh sugar. Yeah, and I'm diffused. Yo I apologize I'm
Mike Somerville
not overly tell him the truth either probably my
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Oh shit. Like this is us and you and and in the mirror. It was that. It really was like, I'm not that dude. Mm hmm. And one of my one of my friends. One of my friends. He has a favorite things like what the fuck are we doing our life? But jokingly Yeah, sure. Okay, Lisa, what are we doing? We're alive. And it's like our thing like, what are we doing wrong? Why would you have fucking teacher so? And I was really sitting there like, the past three months? What the fuck am I doing with my life the past three months? Okay, like party. They open they open Thailand back up to us. Mm hmm. And we took full advantage of you. And I felt a little responsibility to you know, because I get messages daily on my, on my YouTube channel on my blog, saying like, Yo, man, I'm living vicariously Yeah, I get nothing. But you gotta go. Buck. Yeah, I'm with you. I got you. I'm out here showing the life. I got you this for you guys take a shot. But I didn't look at the toll that was taken on my body. I'm taking all my mental work taking all my relationships with other people. Like there's a girl who I like a lot, because I really should slow it out. And if she had found out the shit that I was doing, even though when I came over a girlfriend, like she she wouldn't be hashed. I don't Yeah, they say you're not my guy the same life for me. So I was like, Yo, man, I'm really doing. I'm reckless. So I was like, yo, October I'm done. Yep. I told her. I'm not like any good. I'm like, come November, I'm probably gonna, like have a cup of cocktails. Yeah, but I can't do that vendor ship no more and for you. And part of it is I feel like I have a responsibility to young brothers, young sisters. And anybody who's looking to get out Okay, yeah, ready to try a different lifestyle because they're stuck be able to not only create content, but to be fucking coherent enough to to understand what I'm doing, you know, and not get sucked into that. Sex drugs and rock and roll lifestyle that we have here by just fucking existing by default, right?
Mike Somerville
Like, yeah, believe me. I mean, I got buddies that, you know, I mean, I'm in the recovery community. Right. And so I got a lot of buddies that are younger than me that have less clean time, that sort of thing back home, and they're like, Oh, dude, I should you know, if they got like, six months clean, they're like, I should totally meet you in pottier.
Dana Blouin
Like, you'll die.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, you will literally because not I mean, it is so much more supply and demand right now. Yeah. And it's basically free compared to what it costs in Los Angeles. And I'm like, dude, you'll die you'll friggin
Dana Blouin
conterra it is free
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's Yeah, Patti. It's bad it's bad but we were going down there you notice we were going on there every
Dana Blouin
couple of days you were quite a bit at one point I was like bro I was like you back in town you like I was but now I'm back
Mike Somerville
at you Tony I mean you guys are basically like no, buddy
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
you know the great thing about Tony is Tony doesn't party right Tony doesn't party people think
Mike Somerville
he drinks Well, he
Dana Blouin
does. He just goes out he
Mike Somerville
likes to hang out with him all day
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
long. Tony like Tony A lot of people think he and Tony does mushrooms and stuff. But like Tony like Tony is a great person to be around because he understands that balance and again mind you Tony's our he's a la guy. Yeah, right. He came from that world. He was a lawyer. Yeah, sure. Fucking fast cars. I bitches cold late. And now he's at a point in his life where it is. It's all
Dana Blouin
excuses. I don't want to drink. I want to bang girls. Yeah, and I want to go out meet girls. Yeah, I don't want to drink I'll fuck up my workout the next day.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Exactly. And it's, you know, a lot of a lot of, you know, plugging myself in with these guys. You know, being friends you know, I was hanging out with Tony yesterday. I interact being around these guys who are hyper successful men. Yeah, they're hyper successful at what they chosen to do. And looking at how they move, how they interact, how they spend their time. It reminded me my Okay, I need to pull but I gotta focus. And if I could give one piece of advice to any young brothers, sister, anybody who wants to come abroad, not even here to anywhere, find a mentor. Find another ex guy who's been there a while right idea. And let's say okay, how do you survived this long in Bangkok is like, yo, it's funny. I always go back to the quote from the hangover movies like up and cogs. ganim now Fuck Yeah, right. It really is that kind of city. I get the ink I can
Dana Blouin
get you so you know the whole bear back wall story. Oh yeah, they're back. Bangkok up bareback big time. I mean, yeah, he started going out. And he's the dude he fell for that that hole. Oh, it was her first night at the club thing. Sick buffalo. Yeah. And like he was paying for the sick Buffalo and like, you know, if the city had him and he was stuck in that light, is it toxic? Even if you're not
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
kidding, it's intoxicating to have access and desire. Yeah,
Mike Somerville
dude, I came out here. I mean, I was a short 2020 something years sober. And I was just like, oh my, I can't even imagine. I cannot even imagine coming out here. If I was still using Oh, man, I would die of course, but I mean, the it everything's available. Yeah. Anything you want as an American? They're like, Oh, yeah, sure. Here you go.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But everyday, you know what? I bonkers. It's, you know, part of that is a culture thing. Yeah, there's a huge stroke quarter. Mm hmm. And there's an acceptance of it. You can bribe your way out anything. Yeah. Oh, God like it. Allegedly fucking god. Yeah, allegedly. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it's, but it it comes with that. Like that, that not not even a fear it comes with that opportunity for self destruction. And
Mike Somerville
to let loose to do things you've never done before.
Dana Blouin
You always know this and I always
Mike Somerville
say to Guys, look at dude if you like especially the ones that have just gotten divorced, and they got their friggin nuts chopped off. Or they said, Look, dude, you got to come out here and bring a bunch of money, but go down a potty up. But get the potty out of your system. Get that as there is nothing like potty in the entire world. Not Amsterdam. No, nothing. And you got to do that and you got to get it out of your system. Ideally, you'll have a wingman like you're talking about so that on the fourth month, he can be like, okay, bro, bro, you're like 70 grand and you need to fucking
Unknown Speaker
relax. Yeah,
Mike Somerville
and you need to pull back because you need to, you know, have a buddy to do that apartment
Dana Blouin
chill for a few days. Yeah,
Mike Somerville
some street. Yeah, you got it out of your head. And if you don't, then you're going to end up like bareback wash. And then your life is just gonna freakin crazy
Dana Blouin
doing ketamine with prostitutes, telling people you're in love with.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, right. Exactly. You're a manager of a bar now.
Dana Blouin
I love that assistant manager. Yeah.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, I don't have to work all the time.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's, it is a play. I guess you know that that will go under the section of the bad thing. Yeah. But yeah,
Mike Somerville
but I mean, if you learn
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
how to it's just one of those. I'm blessed to have that self control, man. Yeah, your Uncle Sam gave it to me my mom. There you go.
Mike Somerville
Nice. Baseball bat.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Bro. It was aluminum bad.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Smell it? smell. I can feel the tingle. Right on my sciatic nerve. Yeah. She's skilled.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, my mom. She grew up in his 70s or she No, but it was you know, really? it the biggest thing and look if any of y'all want anybody who listens to me once a week, man, reach out to me. I'm glad. Yeah, what's the best way to get a hold of you? minority Nomad YouTuber. Okay, I got
Dana Blouin
my Instagram. I G is probably a big Instagram on
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
there. But it's, it's definitely it's very important to have a wingman or somebody. Somebody especially somebody who's ordered. Like somebody who, who sees themselves in the US like, you know, I remember that. Yeah. Don't follow someone who knows the ropes. Yeah, and especially in a place. Bangkok doesn't give a fuck about you. And like, Here's just like New York doesn't?
Mike Somerville
Yeah, exactly. Las Vegas. Vegas.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Egi. Oh, if you're not ready. Yeah, most people aren't born. Do you
Mike Somerville
recommend guys come out here like, especially if they're in their like, 20s or something to come out here with a buddy? Like don't come out here alone?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, never come out here long. Like me if you can get away with it. I'm like, yo, brah pay for your fight, man. Don't worry. Yeah, right by it. And honestly, man it is. It makes it more fun. Because and I'll give you an example. Dominican Republic is a place called sosua.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, sure. Well, guess what? All the hookers are love the host. Yeah, right. Oh, the Angeles City of the
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
that's exactly what it is. Yeah. So so so we would go up there. We would fly in from Texas Spirit Airlines, the two hours
Mike Somerville
spirit.
Mike Somerville
High Roller rolling up on the
Dana Blouin
emergency exit.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
We would go up there and we would see and you got to remember Dominicans are basically Americans that speak Spanish, even Ria cultural array as coming out in New York so they know what we get. They know how we can move. Thailand not like that. Right? Totally difficult. Yes. So you go to Dominican Republic and knees girls are rolling. And as guys we would go we will be sitting and you know big D's on a beach. Shout out the Big D and so so a big D's on the beach. does amazing canned chicken? Amazing canned chicken ripped? We just sit there and we can see the guys who came here Monica for sound because they read an article on the internet.
Dana Blouin
And we're like,
Mike Somerville
Fuck, she's screwed. Yep.
Mike Somerville
Mm hmm. We see that here too, though.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. And you know, we sit at the bar like, I'll go to Patti and sit at the xpat bars. Yes. Hang on, just sit there and watch like, sweet.
Mike Somerville
You're like, this fucking guy's dead. First of all, she's the fattest girl here. Come on, to the iPad.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
You know, she got seven kids in Buffalo. Yeah.
Dana Blouin
Me paying for all of them,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
bro. Or you see, you know, here in Bangkok. I've seen like, you know, I would say probably some of the best looking girls. All right. Not not positive. Like the best looking for girls at top.
Mike Somerville
Best lady boys to some of you.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yep. And you will sit there and see, you know, see them holding in some guy's hand who looks like he's 22 or my bra?
Unknown Speaker
The one that's 70
Dana Blouin
or you're dead? No, no.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Here's my thing. When you're 70 you're too old to give a fuck anymore. Like, yeah.
Mike Somerville
Here's the money. Yeah, here's some
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
time I met so many older dudes who exactly they'll say that like Dude,
Dana Blouin
he was like, Man, what am I care?
Mike Somerville
I don't care. What is she gonna take 10,000 bucks for me? You have any fucking idea how much money
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I've met so many. I met so many extremely wealthy man. We'll come out here when we have that exactly. Like, he's like, I'm too old. I don't care. Yeah, she's with me for my money on 70. Right.
Mike Somerville
I know. I got the money though. I got the money. I'm enjoying
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
like so. Like for me, but when you see a younger guy, a young dude. It's like Yo, yo, there's a there's no way you got the money sustain that and be you're gonna get your heart perhaps? Yeah, they're really good at it. I'm gonna fuck her tomorrow. Yeah, exactly right you like and you're not going to be able to do a damn run of him is
Mike Somerville
that what you do is that have a really rub it in your face with your buddies? DANA
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
make sure they sometimes. But it but it's like that, that gentle integrity forgets? I think that's probably one of the most sought after me. I think that's one of the most difficult things that a lot of Western men need to learn and get used to, is when a real motherfucker walks in. Hmm. Like, they're gonna take your chick here. Unless you figure out how the game is played. If you're out here, and a lot of and you got to understand that the the tier women here all right, there's three tiers of women here. There's the non pros who are flat out not in the game at all right? But not even blink at this bitch. Right? Then you got the semi pros Well, not far below the pros, the pros who are flat out in the game, the game is the game and they work at non opposites for combo money. This is a this is it. But then you have the semi pros. They are at not a positive they're not. They're not a hooker, however on Tinder, but they their own tender and they go make sure you pay for every motherfucking thing. You're gonna pay for her time you gonna take everything that I say that is like huge portion. That's a pretty, that's a pretty significant portion of women you're going to interact with here. And if you don't figure out how to navigate those women, for example, I know I've hooked up and dated a lot of girls in this range, because I can afford to know because I have a lifestyle that they want. Okay, the biggest TV my condo nights I go out to amazing place in Turkey dress. Nice. Yeah, nice. We'll take care of yourself. Yeah, I can buy her like, yo, yo, I wanna I want to go out with my friends. Yeah, sure. Let's go to beam. Let's get a couple bottles. This is fucking nothing. Yeah, right. To me. Pros. I know she's in the game, but I also know but you know if a real baller show up, I'm like a real motherfucking she's out. It's a wrap. Yeah, I know that. I yes, I Oh, no. All right, however, girls in the game game, right. You know what it is? Right? Oh,
Mike Somerville
God. So what about a girl? There's not in the game that you just mean the club. Love them.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Love them? Yeah, quite a few. Right? Absolutely. Yeah, my number one and number two are both like they're both like they and one of them makes way more money than me. You buy me flowers. But it's it's a new sneakers man for real.
Unknown Speaker
Like how much is TV sent me back?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I was when she goes out. He won't he bought it for you like Nah, I'm good. But yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
To kind of like it. But but you know
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
you're my girl bought me a PlayStation for
Dana Blouin
a long
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
but it's it's like that's that's one of the cool things about living here. Right when you do when you do find one.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, you found Jesus.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, when you do find one. Holy shit. It's such a if you want one though.
Dana Blouin
Yeah, yeah, yeah, not everyone does. Is that your date. There was a time
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I'm finding myself, you know, after living here six years, getting to that point where I need to want to slow down, like where I go out and fuck whatever moves like, this is boring. Mm hmm. No, I get it. I'm getting to a point where I'm having more bad sex than good sex. Because I'm like,
Mike Somerville
you know, it's just going through the motions. Mind somewhere else.
Dana Blouin
Yes. Any edibles? Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
there you go back then. But, you know, you find a girl. I'll give you a great example. Girl. I'm sayin. Um, it was her birthday. And she's always had a spot on a team. Yeah, I believe in a stable product. I don't know if a lot of guys I don't believe in monogamy.
Dana Blouin
Your shape. Yeah, I know. You're very poly.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I'm poly. So my girls all know this. They know who I am.
Dana Blouin
But there's no secret there. It's like up front of bodies. Yeah, you're not down. You know.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Friends. Yeah. Love you. But my number one, my number two. They both know each other. And they're great. Yeah. So my number it was my number two's perfect. Hmm. And I my sister gets on me. She's like you You move like a boyfriend. Always is how I date. Everything I do is romantic. You have to put chairs open door. I'm a boyfriend had to move. And I spend my girl I my number two. I forgot it was her birthday. Hmm. But I saw it on Facebook. I was like, Yo, what are you doing for your birthday? Oh, no plan. I was like, I got you for the whole day. Say you sure because she was supposed to be out of town. Yeah. And she's like, yeah, I found out she was saying a town. And she like yeah, you should like you know, I got you. So I cleared the schedule. I told my friends. I need to go to the club. Get them lotto. Go meet you guys. I spent the entire day with her. I took her to the spa. Get her flowers. I took her out to eat. We had a cup of coffee. Um, I took her to the club because I knew she wanted she loves to dance. I went out into club I made sure all my friends were there. So I can I knew she was gonna have a good time. It was gonna be just me her at the club. Yeah, this table. It's gonna be me, her and all my friends at the table. celebrating her birthday. Yeah, doing stuff like that. You don't do that for a hooker? No. Yeah. Or even assuming.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Like, this was some boyfriend, girlfriend. She's
Mike Somerville
a science graduate.
Unknown Speaker
But she's on the team. But she's on the team.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And I'm like, oh, man, I was I liked it. Huh? You know, I was I want to do this more often. And there's never really been a point in my life where I felt that way. But it took me coming here to get the patty out of my chair. You know, again, oh, in case you go out on Patreon and it doesn't mean Yeah,
Mike Somerville
but you know, you also know the rules don't look at your your boundaries. So there's so many guys like either listening to this or like even watch my YouTube channel. Oh, yeah, I should go out and do this. And this girl. She really likes me. We've been talking online and I'm like, Dude, come here. Yeah, don't do this remotely. Lisa.
Dana Blouin
Eric knows. Eric knows. You're because the semi pros, you know, a pros a pro. Yeah, the Semi Pro. A lot of guys maybe don't know.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, it's hard. Potentially. Sometimes, like you gotta like there's certain questions. College.
Dana Blouin
There's a whole sideline thing like a little sideline gig as well. real answers. Oh, yeah. Like I know a lot of guys who get caught up with girls who are very clearly semi pros. Like, like, I look at their ID and like, Oh, come on, bro. No, yeah, it has like nom nom. And like she's really into me. I'm like, are you sure,
Mike Somerville
Kaylee into your 10,000 baht a month?
Dana Blouin
Yeah. But like some of these guys like they don't know or they don't want to know.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
They don't want to know and you got to be real with yourself. Yeah, if you're if you don't give a fuck is that 70 year old? like Joe Rogan calls it? He's like, yeah, the fuck you money. Yeah. And we are 70 years old and yeah, I got it. I mean, we got sued anyways, while I worked my ass off for 4550 years.
Dana Blouin
Have you ever seen the photo of like the old fat dude like a European looking guy with like a young chick? And it says when your son asks you why he shows his This is when you don't ask why she has to go to college and work hard. Show her this photo. And then it says the same photo it says when your son asks you why he has to go to college and work hard. Show him this photo exact you can do he agree.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And you know it's funny because I think so many dudes are we're taught to not desire when I was like, Oh, you're a scumbag. You're creepy old man. But no bitch Fuck you. Because I because I'm 50 I shouldn't find 25 year olds attractive.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, but did you get I mean, let's face it dating here is completely different than dating now. It's 180 degrees out of phase and I would argue infinitely better. Oh, it's so easy.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Right there. I don't think there's any man who actively dates that would tell unless he takes a very specific kind of woman. Yeah, that would tell you that dating in the West is is not as ridiculous. It's It's so so bad. It's so bad. Guys, look man,
Mike Somerville
cut your nuts off and just like
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
your man. It's hard to put in words how fucking ridiculous Yes, back home. The stuff that I'm seeing. The things that men are telling me the videos that are popping up on these fucking website. Yeah, right. It was like yo dudes are being turned into fucking women. Yeah, no. And this is not to say that women, my sisters are fucking G. Dog right? dudes are being taught that. Yo, it's fucked up to tell a woman that she's unattractive. I'm like, Yo, I don't like Yo, excuse me the truth. No matter if I say it or not, because I'm not attracted to you now. Great. Everybody's beautiful. No, everybody's not being perspective. Model everybody I was I was like, Yo, I'm a relatively good looking dude in my opinion, but if you put me next to Dwayne The Rock fucking Johnson, of course, most women are going to go with that guy. He's Richard famous. Like what are you talking about some really beautiful to me. Why don't you pick me? I'm a queen.
Mike Somerville
My king should teach me Oh, my buddy
Dana Blouin
MJ he's you know, I'm Jay he lived out here for a bit he he moved back to Alabama is a non Alabama have kind of sees a truck driver. And he a black dude from a he lives out here for a few years is working on like modeling and freelance stuff. But he posted this thing on Facebook that he's always getting kicked off Facebook for shitty post bros like ladies, you want every guy to be a king, but you've got Five Kings a month. Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Through it's, it's like either you either you want to be a Catwoman or you want to be an independent woman, which one you want to be? You can't be both.
Dana Blouin
Here's the thing. I know people in the US have good situations, right? relationship wise. But it's rapidly becoming the minority.
Mike Somerville
What did 51% of the people in California frickin divorced, we're excellent at suing people and getting divorced in California love getting.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I think it's a matter of being and this all this shit comes back to one simple truth. Honesty. And not only honesty with other people is honesty with yourself. And part of the problem is that men and we're just talking about men go for women. So we're just talking about men right now, men, particularly men of color are not being taught how to be honest with themselves because they're, you don't want black men to be honest with themselves, you know, how big of a threat black men would be? If we had the same education as white men? a threat How? in every single way? This is what when you take when you have a social economic equality, yeah, of two men, then whoever works the hardest, it's gonna, obviously
Unknown Speaker
not obviously have the potential but luck involved.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Like what the likelihood of equal when you have two things on equal play all things being all things being equal one person who works harder than other person, there's gonna be yes, if the right if you take the the hardships that African Americans have had to deal with, historically speaking. And you really went equitable on that. And you put on top of that the simple work ethic that we were raised with, particularly when you look at athletic Yeah, that's right. Exactly. Yeah, sure. While we throw we thrive so much in athletic and then you put us on the same level playing field. Holy shit. The world changes,
Mike Somerville
but why would it be dangerous?
Dana Blouin
Yeah, I don't see a danger to that
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
danger. dangerous for those in power who don't want to see it? Hmm. The same fucking reason there's voter suppression.
Dana Blouin
Yeah, that's sure. I don't think my votes getting counted.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah. I mean, it's it was like, Oh, no, no, we can't have that. The same reason they went past the DREAM Act, because you have millions of young Latino voters are gonna vote for we know they're gonna vote. Democrats. Sure. That's dangerous. Yeah, those people. So again, this is my, like, some motherfuckers. playing chess some, some playing checkers. Oh,
Dana Blouin
sure. I mean, come on guys. I'm playing tiddlywinks,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
like we're looking at we're like, oh, but I'll bring it back to our conversation. When you teach men how to figure out find out who they truly are. To be a man you might be want to be a woman like Sure. Well, you teach us humans humans, how to be honest with themselves honest with each other. It's very difficult to manipulate and control that indifference completely
Mike Somerville
agree. But I think back to what you're saying. I mean, just you know, your buddies that are like stuck, right? Education. Like they just they don't know what they don't know. And unconscious incompetence is one of the most debilitating diseases anybody can suffer from. Because they just don't know
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
and they're easy to manipulate. Absolutely. You present them with somebody, you
Mike Somerville
know, you're gonna have a better life. You start working at Mobile pumping gas, okay, sure. Or go to Thailand. They're like, Well, shit, horrible.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Or, or or vote for this interview? Yeah, right. Oh, he's gonna make it better for you. I mean,
Mike Somerville
think about it just back. I mean, how many people vote for the person they vote for because their buddy voted for their parents
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
or their parent or their community? Sure, right. Yeah, but a lot of black people vote Democrat because that's what black people do.
Mike Somerville
Is it? Okay? I didn't know that. Yes.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Okay. If you're if you're black republican Holy shit, that's weird. You are the height of a sellout setup.
Mike Somerville
Really, you're you lost your blackness.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
You're like now Condoleezza Rice, herman cain like a. Colin Powell, when he went to death row being a black Republican, it's a it's a joke. I gotta send
Dana Blouin
you the link to kmpl they send the black republican meeting with leather jackets. Exactly where
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it's, we're not a monolith. Yeah, we're not a monolith. Like, it's like somebody's white wife. Yeah. And I was, like, it's always white wife. What was her name? what it was, it's, it's, it's a running joke. at all like, and it's
Dana Blouin
statistically, it's true, is that black voters do vote democratic considerably more often. But I think there has to be, I'm a liberal myself. So I'm not trying to like pontificate for Republicans. But there there has to be some aspects of the platform, the Republican platform that would appeal to black voters.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
There are plenty aspects of the Republican platform. The problem is, the problem isn't just African American, it's an American, too lazy to do our research. And whoever has the nicest TV ads are gonna get it. That's why they make them and we have an issue. You know, one of the biggest problems in America right now is that we we advocate we We laud and and celebrate ignorance. We don't celebrate intelligence, we don't celebrate accomplishment. Beyond athletics or celebrity status. The reason that you have you had people saying that Dwayne, The Rock Johnson should run for president united states, there's not a damn thing the rock has ever done to qualify him off to be
Dana Blouin
president. You know, however, I would argue that the current president has never done a damn I agree.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Which is the point. And that motherfucker is now
Dana Blouin
showing probably gonna get a second term.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And he and He's the perfect example. The problem with our nation now, it's one of the many Why do you why why do we care? What Kim Kardashian or or fucking Chris Evans
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
instead of somebody who's at
Mike Somerville
their idols, versus the scientists and the engineers, business people,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
and it's like, when you go when you go, and this is another in an article I wrote, about how trouble can last your peers will also want to a point I make is that when you see other people and in being celebrated, doctors, lawyers, and academics in general, scientists, creatives, artists, totally, um, being celebrated for their accomplishment and their hard work and places like Iceland, and Germany and Sweden, in Japan and Korea, when these people are being presented like this is a thing to strive. They're a superhero. like, yo, yo, like, yo, you're gonna be a math professor. Like that's a thing that you tried to be it's
Mike Somerville
thinking about how the Thai kids worship I mean, that they asked me they're like, Oh, you professor, do you work with university
Dana Blouin
adjunct?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's a respect for for for that.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
But it's not happening back home and is bleak. If you look at our political system, like holy shit. These two we got Yeah,
Mike Somerville
these are the two men. Oh, yeah, it's frightening dude.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it's and it's not just there. We see it out from Texas. We got to add it like this motherfucker. Like,
Dana Blouin
it's weird for us to because we're looking back at America from the outside. And I often wonder like, like, do I have friends from from the US who are looking back in and they're like, what the fuck? are like do they see that internally? Or is it like me from the outside? Looking in? I'm like, opera is gone.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I think it's the longer we're gone. The more we see the scars and the war. Yeah, I, I would say my early years. I spent a lot of time at hostels defending the United States, like arguing with fucking Europeans. And to this day, like anybody who talks shit about the US. Fuck you. I'm still that dude. I'll defend our grid. Right and blue. Don't you might be right. Uh, fuck you, bro.
Dana Blouin
Like, we gotta throw down.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
We go go at it. I love my country. I love I love but it's, you know, normally when the criticism comes from some self righteous, douchebag perspective, you know, but if we're having a real conversation like yellow man, the United States, the world leader should be doing better in his ways. I might. Yeah, that's definitely true. definitely true. I totally agree. But if you're coming at it from a dig like, oh, Canada is better than America. Fuck you. You bitch. Like
Dana Blouin
I saw this great map the other day is like this little red line right above Toronto. It's like 50% of Canada lives below this red line.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Oh, yeah, that's right. Yeah. But and then it was like, I see all these like, how Americans see the rest of the world and it's like, is
Dana Blouin
a lot of good jokes are true. Yeah. There's a grain of truth and all Yeah.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
And it's like,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
it goes back to what we were talking about before is like, I when I go back home and I talk to people from back home, I feel bad for them more so than angry or any I'm like, man, can we? Can we figure out how many people can we save? Yeah, you know, I'm with what we do. Because we're, we can talk all day. And I think anybody who finds this podcast or vlog or whatever they're looking for, yeah, they're looking for it. But how do we create a world or movement where they don't necessarily even have to look forward? They're just gonna find it where our voices become the norm. Where you know, you'll see some academic or somebody who's speaking from a place of intelligence morning, you see a Kardashian? Well,
Dana Blouin
think about it. How often do you see Neil deGrasse Tyson on TV versus Kim Kardashian? Right. The numbers are not representative the value that they add to the world?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I mean, to not the species, the history,
Dana Blouin
yeah. To absolute history, if I could turn on the TV every day and see Neil deGrasse Tyson, in place of where you would see a Kardashian, where it would be very different, very different. But you know, there are a lot of people in positions of influence and power who don't want to ever see that. You see a highly intelligent black man on TV all the time, and highly intelligent shit, change the world and cost them money. But not not just I mean, I think we could argue all day that and educated, you know, critically thinking skeptical population is dangerous. tiny one.
Mike Somerville
Yeah. No, they fear Well,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
what I think is dangerous to people who are fucking up,
Mike Somerville
or, Well, sure. They're trying to get away with trying to get
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
away with something like somebody, a person in power that is intelligent, critically thinking hard work, and actually doing his job for the people that he was elected to represent.
Mike Somerville
That's nothing to worry about. Have you guys seen the I think it's on Netflix. It's like, it's like this six or seven episode thing. But it's the story of the guy that became the he basically started Fox News. Oh, no, no, no. Well, yeah, he like, owned it, right. But then he hired the guy that basically I can't remember his name. But the point is, is that they basically show how he was the guy that put Trump in to the presidency, because fox news was the one that was like, totally promoting. So obviously, there's some Hollywood to it. Yeah. But the point is, is that it's very interesting to watch it because you realize, and certainly since I was in the media for years, I didn't watch it. Yep. You know, what I'm talking about.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
The guy that he was a bad debt is the thing about Steve Bannon. Bannon was in it. It was a political operative. Oh, my God, I watched it. I think
Mike Somerville
about having been in the media. I mean, I it was ridiculous. Like, how much we controlled the narrative, certainly from CBS. What during 911 Yeah, anyways, anyway, the point is, is that, you know, you give people you know, essentially what they want, and people want to be entertained. They don't want to have to think too hard. Because it's like, what do you do at the end of the day, you sit down and watch TV, you don't necessarily like at 11 in the morning, say, Okay, well, I'm going to sit down and watch some PBS because that'll totally improve my workday, and I'll be able to get more No, no, you come home and you based Simpsons
Dana Blouin
Yes. Back in.
Mike Somerville
Yes. There were children and that's the way that they designed TV years ago, right? I mean, because it's going to be entertainment and we're not only going to do that we're going to manipulate the shit out of people to buy these products. It's
Dana Blouin
the same thing with sports right like people who get super invested in a sports team. Mm hmm right like they own it they love it like my score. My brown Yeah, my 40 Niners Yeah, go Browns that Yeah, yeah, horrible team. But the other dude this year, right.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Thank you for one baby by the beer on the Steelers.
Dana Blouin
When's the last time they won a game before the season, but in the past, but here's the moment in the future. I've got to give Browns fans so much respect. Like being a New England guy like from New England. It's easy to be a no england patriots fans. They always win. Yes. And with the Browns never win in their fans and never quit.
Mike Somerville
Grown up loving the Boston Bruins. Yeah, people like Well, of course.
Dana Blouin
But here's the thing that, you know, people get so invested in sports for the same reasons escapism. It's easy. Yeah. Right. Right. And like
Mike Somerville
there's competition involved, I can somehow be better than you
Dana Blouin
and I can attach my personal values to the value of this championship team are. Yeah, so there's a big part of that. And I think that's one of the things that being in especially in Asia, or at least in Bangkok, for me helps me escape is like you don't see that culture like surrounding.
Mike Somerville
Well. Yeah, I mean, I think they're the nice thing about moving over here too, is I mean, it's such a big Delta from the United States. You come over here and you basically pick and choose what's going to be around you like you like okay, that's negativity. I'm not going to sign up for Thai visa comedy. I just don't, you know, whereas at home, I mean, a lot of times you it just it just Wouldn't it? You're thrown into it? Yeah, there's nothing you can do. You're stuck. But whereas here, it's like, Why come here? No, I choose to do this. I choose to hang out with Dana, I choose to do this I choose to meet, you know, we're going to have these conversations. And I am not influenced. At least I don't believe I am. Maybe I'm delusional, but like, I'm not influenced on what the by here. I certainly got it by Southern California mica, the cars that I drove were a ridiculous waste of money. Yeah. But it's like, you know, I had a certain socio economic thing. So clearly, I need this 50 60,000. And of course, the next one I buy, well, that's got to be better than the last. But
Dana Blouin
here's the thing about that, that I found funny. And Eric, you've been here about as long as me so maybe you have a same or different view, but there's definitely a culture of consumerism in Thailand. Yeah, that as an ex Pat, we escaped. Yeah, that's for sure. Right. And so like the Thai a lot of times not all but a lot as a very fashion. Very strange are very concerned with their image. Not really. Yeah. So like Mercedes, they want to drive a Mercedes they want to have you know, the Chanel pin. They want to have like the Gucci bag.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Let's say that's, that's here. Yes. A Bangkok?
Mike Somerville
Yeah. Yeah. It's not.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's not like
Dana Blouin
Nissan, they want the truck, right. They want the key locks. I like Yeah. But so but i'm saying is xpaths we kind of we skirt that?
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, because we are that.
Dana Blouin
Yeah. And so we're able to essentially, you could roll into somewhere with a tank top. In no big deal. We'll also
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
be going to the best restaurants in shorts, t shirt and flip flops. And nobody looked at nobody cares. Because for foreigners.
Mike Somerville
It's crazy. Where the ties they were like $700 jackets. I met
Dana Blouin
him for one of his one of the gym and I met him and one of your friends for dinner at a Hong Kong is on heritage. Oh yeah. You were in shorts and flip flops and a T shirt and like, like this, please. Like, this is the best reason for being friends with Eric not the best reason, obviously. But one of them is is a benefit. It's a benefit. Because he's like, Oh, he's like, I'll take you to the spot. I know. Literally, it's you walk the walk through the lobby of a hotel, around this water feature into this little restaurant in the back. And we had this dope meal for like 1000 baht for four of us. Awesome.
Mike Somerville
Is that great? I love that. Yeah,
Dana Blouin
yeah. Oh, yeah, Princess of Thailand. And then he's like, oh, let me order something that's like not here is where I got to ask about something like you know stuff. Or he's like, I meet him at a steakhouse. One night, he was introducing me to my partner Jay and dapper villains. And he's like, oh, let's go up to the the bar upstairs. We get up to the bar. And I'm like, Oh, it's a cool bar. He's like, no, it's not the bar. And he slide the painting on the wall is a hidden stairway and he takes us up the stairway there's like there's this rooftop like speakeasy thing perfect. No one up there except us.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
Yeah, I love it. Dude. That's good. I was the first time you met Jay.
Dana Blouin
Yeah, that's right. That's right. Yeah. But it's like whenever I meet Eric out somewhere it's like like something unique is about to happen. Yeah,
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
that's a great thing about like living and you know that that goes back to the quality of life. City it's like we have access to so much cushion Yeah, for sure.
Dana Blouin
Try find a rooftop bar in America with one exit. Oh,
Mike Somerville
wow. You could but it would be like $1,000
Unknown Speaker
wouldn't be there long
Dana Blouin
layover never passed.
Mike Somerville
Yeah, there's that. It's good point, man. It's
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
It's It's freedom man. And you know, bringing it all the way around, you know, the Bangkok Bangkok strange. You know, we all love living here. Yeah, but for me as somebody who's traveled to most of the countries in the world right over half um it really is one of those places that's so damn special. Yeah, and given what we deal with as people of color in the US Yeah,
Unknown Speaker
no, it's just game changing.
Erick Prince - Minority Nomad
I mean is your life it is starting over Yeah, it is the best example of you right here in total freedom crazy you come here and you you you become who you always dreamed that you could be
Dana Blouin
that's so awesome. That's awesome. Absolutely. And
Mike Somerville
that's what my minority nomads all about. Let's get
Dana Blouin
one more
Unknown Speaker
Eiffel Tower
Dana Blouin
we've really blown past.
Mike Somerville
You Thank You is awesome hanging out with you, man.
Dana Blouin
Minority Nomad, calm. Yeah, minority Nomad, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube everywhere. links will be in the show notes in the description of the video if that's where you're watching it. And of course, Eric will be on again in the future. Oh, yeah. Thank you again, brother. Appreciate it. Thank you guys. Until next time, everyone. Stay straight. Peace.