James DuBose

Introduction and Who Is James DuBose

Taryell Simmons: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another episode of RISE Urban Nation. I got the man, the myth, the legend. If you don't know this brother, you gotta get to know him, and we're gonna get to know him today: Mr. James DuBose. How are you this morning, sir?

James DuBose: I'm blessed, man. It's about seven AM out here in LA. I appreciate you having me.

Taryell Simmons: I'm down here in sunny San Diego. I always like to start with this question, and you can take it as far as you want: who is James?

James DuBose: That is a tough question. In essence, James is a person still trying to learn and grow and get out of the wilderness, if you will. Professionally, I'm the general manager and head of programming for FOX SOUL, Fox's first OTT streaming platform. I've been in the business for twenty-plus years. I started off under my own banner doing reality shows: Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is, Tiny and Toya, The Michael Vick Project, Trey Songz, Hell Date, Comic View, and so on. I've been blessed to do this television thing for the culture for a long time.

From Football Scholarship to Following Your Passion

Taryell Simmons: We appreciate you doing that, because our stories need to be told: the good, the bad, the ugly, the success. How did you get started in your career?

James DuBose: Early on I realized I had a gift of storytelling. Outside of sports, this was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I went to Wake Forest University on a football scholarship, and part of the reason I chose it over the other schools recruiting me was its great broadcast communications department. In high school I was a DJ, and I was in a rap group for a little bit, but I had to get out of that because I was horrible at it. It was really about telling the stories I felt weren't being told about our culture and our people.

Taryell Simmons: A lot of brothers struggle with the transition when the sports thing doesn't pop off. How did you do it?

James DuBose: It wasn't easy. When it didn't work out, it took me a few months to get over it. I felt like I had failed, and sports had become my identity. But at some point you gotta get up and realize there's more to you than that. Through mentors and people who had made that pivot, I said, I'm gonna work harder and use the gifts I have. Both things were my passion, and that made it easier.

Taryell Simmons: Why is knowing your passion so important?

James DuBose: Life is hard, period. If you're doing something you don't have a passion for, especially as an entrepreneur, the moment difficulties arise you're gonna quit or jump to something else. So I tell people: if you want to stop having to start over, stop quitting. Passion gives you energy when you don't have it.

Self-Reflection, Mistakes and Balancing Creativity With Business

Taryell Simmons: What has the past couple of years taught you, in the industry and about yourself?

James DuBose: In the business, being able to work virtually and still be effective was a game changer. The hybrid of getting around people for camaraderie and producing from home has helped us grow as a network. Personally, I learned I still love what I do and I love my family. The pandemic will make you realize if you love your family or not! I also learned I still have a long way to go to be my best self. You can never be a positive influence on others if you're not a positive influence on yourself first.

Taryell Simmons: What mistakes are you still learning from?

James DuBose: I don't know if we got that much time! What I'm still learning is to be patient and to understand business. I used to think creativity was enough, and not understanding the business side caused me a whole lot of problems early on. Not investing back into myself or saving meant I was constantly starting over. But mistakes are part of it. Talk to any successful person: they made more mistakes than right decisions, but they learned. So instead of beating myself up, I realized those mistakes were necessary for me to grow.

Taryell Simmons: How do you balance the creative mind and the business mind?

James DuBose: I stick to my strengths, which is being creative, and I partner with my weaknesses: someone who does what I don't do and who's going to tell me no. I always say I got champagne taste with beer money. You need someone who challenges you to get the champagne look with the beer money, not just overspend. That was my big mistake early on. It's about being honest with yourself.

Getting Grounded and the Business of You Incorporated

Taryell Simmons: If someone doesn't know what grounds them, what would you tell them?

James DuBose: The only one who can give you life and death is God, so that's who grounds you. But being grounded is also about having real conversations with yourself. The quicker you can tell yourself what you're good at and what you're not, that is the beginning of being grounded. Life is about You Incorporated. That's the first business you'll ever run. If you don't know how to run you, how to handle your emotions, success, and failure, you'll never run a business that's sustainable.

Taryell Simmons: That's a bar right there. What are you most excited about in the next year?

James DuBose: Growing FOX SOUL. We'll have our three-year anniversary on January thirteenth. We got a great team, and you can never be great by yourself. We want to get into areas the culture loves, like music, fashion, and travel, so FOX SOUL becomes the premier destination for Black content. I also do a lot of consulting, because I'm always trying to lift as I climb.

Creativity, Limitations and the Power of Struggle

Taryell Simmons: What can someone do to be a creative thinker?

James DuBose: If you feel a piece of that gift, hone it. A writer should write everything. A singer should sing everything. Anything great is supposed to be hard. So create, and don't quit. Ninety percent of it's probably gonna be horrible, take it from me, but all it takes is one. Like a basketball player at the court every day, you have to put in that work.

Taryell Simmons: What's the disadvantage of playing it safe?

James DuBose: You become stagnant. Five or ten years later you're in the exact same place. You could have been running when you decided to walk. Believe in yourself 100 percent, surround yourself with people who pour into you, and never allow someone else's limitations to become your limitations. Growth is uncomfortable. All the skyscrapers we admire started deep in the mud, one brick at a time.

Taryell Simmons: Break down what you mean by other people's limitations.

James DuBose: A lot of people tell you what you can't do, but they're really telling you what they can't do. It could be family or close friends who mean you no ill will. They just don't know, because it's not in them. Limitations are born out of fear, so don't let somebody put their fear on you and keep you from your greatness. Other people may not have your vision, but God gave it to you for a reason, so use it.

Taryell Simmons: What have you learned from collaborating with so many people?

James DuBose: You never know what a person is going through. The one thing all the great talent I've worked with had in common is that we all struggle. Not everyone can relate to success, but everyone can relate to struggle. Keyshia Cole's show was my first under my own company, and I'm indebted to her because she could have gone to anybody. You saw everything that young lady carried with her family. Michael Vick walked out of prison and had to start from ground zero. So I look for collaborators who are honest about their struggles and fears, because more people can relate.

Taryell Simmons: I grew up in DC when it was the murder capital, and when I spoke to kids I used to only tell the success story because I was ashamed. Once I got vulnerable, they started receiving what I was trying to give them. How did you learn that?

James DuBose: I didn't always know it. I kept my pain to myself, which caused bigger issues down the line. But the more I talked about my difficulties, the more people opened up to me. When people realize they can relate to you, they want to cheer for you. You just need someone to show you there's light within the darkness.

Don't Quit, Respect the Process and Start From the Bottom

Taryell Simmons: What should someone remember when they feel stuck?

James DuBose: Jay-Z said the genius thing they did was that they didn't quit. Have faith: if God put it on you, He meant for you to finish it. Greatness is supposed to hurt. Everybody's journey is different, but the one thing we can all relate to is that when we wanted to quit, we didn't. The skill everyone should have is the skill of not quitting. How you talk to yourself every day is the most important conversation you'll ever have.

Taryell Simmons: What was your first job?

James DuBose: Production assistant, a gopher. Go get coffee, go get donuts. I didn't want to do it, but it taught me there is a process, and the more you rush it, the longer it takes. Denzel Washington said it took him 25 years to become an overnight success. In 2005 I jumped out the window and started my own company. I left a great job and for about eight months didn't make any money. It turned out well, but I wasn't prepared for the success. A blessing given too soon ain't a blessing at all, so get yourself right first.

Taryell Simmons: What advice would you give someone who wants to start a career in your industry?

James DuBose: Start. There is no blueprint. Build genuine relationships and make everything a win-win. Ask how you can deposit into a relationship, not withdraw. Tell people you're willing to start at the bottom, and you're ahead of ninety percent of people. Let your work ethic speak. Talent is not enough. Don't let your talent take you places your character can't keep you. I learned that myself as a PA for my mentor Brad Lachman. A month in, he walked into his office and I was sitting in his chair with my feet on his desk, saying I didn't come here to be a PA. He fired me. He brought me back, and I never made that mistake again.

The Future of Black Content and Closing

Taryell Simmons: What does the future hold for the industry?

James DuBose: The future is bright. We're taking control of our own narrative and not being afraid to use our voice. Places like FOX SOUL give us an outlet to speak our truth. Find it at foxsoul.tv and on nineteen distribution platforms, including YouTube, Samsung TV Plus, Roku, and Amazon. And for the people listening: just don't quit, no matter what it feels like.

Taryell Simmons: There you have it. Just don't quit. James, I'm honored to have you on this platform. This has been another episode of RISE Urban Nation, and we'll catch you next time.