During the world’s hiatus from sports, we took time to talk to DaKidGowie, a content creator who lives off the industry just like ClutchPoints. In this Q&A, we talk about how Gowie built his brand, where he fits in the sports media space, and how people interested in sports media should craft their passion. Even in times like this, Gowie is working toward that.
When it comes to sports content, it is a very difficult thing to do just because there’s no sports. I’m trying to wing it and trying to stay sharp by doing other things like the All-American skit and continuing to do the comedy roasts, stuff like that. So I’m staying productive but it’s not the same without the sports.
What was your hometown like?
Pretty much I’m from Baltimore, Maryland. I did a lot of bouncing around as a kid. Throughout my childhood- I was born in Baltimore city, lived in Baltimore city – and did some bouncing around between Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and then eventually moved out to Harford County where I stayed until like this point right now…I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Baltimore, but the city isn’t a good place so my mom made sure she found ways we were eligible to go to county schools while we were still living in the city.
Who was your favorite team growing up?
The Ravens were the home team, but that didn’t become a thing until like we won the Super Bowl. I know I was watching the Super Bowl with my dad and that’s kinda the first I really saw [them]. When he took me downtown after the Ravens won, everybody was like crazy and I was like, ‘This is dope.’ Then I really started to get into football at that time. Of course I played video games…but I wasn’t really a football fan, sitting there and watching the games till after that Super Bowl.
Who was your favorite player growing up?
My favorite player was Steve Francis. A lot of people asked me how did I become a Rockets fan when I came from Baltimore, because we don’t have a basketball team and Steve Francis came from the University of Maryland. So I kinda followed him to the NBA and he ultimately ended up on the Rockets. And when the Rockets traded him for T-Mac, I already fell in love with the entire team, I was like I might as well stay loyal to team than the player, and I was a Rockets fan ever since.
What is your biggest skill and passion?
I think my strongest skill is kinda just – because I don’t wanna say its roasting because there are roasters that are better than me and I kinda feel like roasting isn’t really my niche per se, I just feel like I’m good at it. So my niche is kinda really being able to take any situation and find a way to make it comedic. I could say something like when Sam Cassell was laughing with Kawhi Leonard on the sidelines. We don’t know what they were laughing about on the bench, but I was able to make a skit off of that. My niche is really just taking something and it can be anything and I could make it comedic in any way.
What was your favorite personal story with an NBA player?:
My very first All-Star Weekend I believe. Obviously, I’m a Rockets fan and my favorite player is James Harden. I was invited by one of Harden’s people to come to his private bowling event, and I was like this is pretty cool. I showed up and I was like, “Hey, I don’t know if you know me but..” and he says, “Oh, I know who you are.” So that was a really huge moment for me because I watched this guy and I’ve admired this guy for the longest time and his style of play and all that. Just the fact that he knew who I was even if I didn’t really introduce myself, and I was just like wow. The power of social media is really crazy.
I’ve done content with Nate Robinson, he’s a cool dude. I actually got him to play him in HORSE. As far as other people in the NBA, I haven’t got to them on a personal level.
What was your first major break as a content creator?
I’ve had a few viral videos but nothing was crazier than the LeBron James challenge. Like that was next level and I never experienced anything like that. My face was everywhere. Everywhere I turned, I was there. Turn on SportsCenter, it was there. The Shade Room, it was there. It’s just certain things where you don’t expect you’d see yourself and it was that moment where I was like this is my moment and I will capitalize off of this and the rest is history.
The funny thing is I went to All-Star weekend at my own expense to see what happens. Then I showed up to the Adidas event. This was the night before the private party/bowling event. We just showed up for the James Harden event where he was revealing the Vol. 2 sneakers. And when I was in line, one of the bouncers were like, “Oh, you were the LeBron guy. Come up front.” It was weird because I’d never thought that stuff like that happens like the bouncers giving me VIP bracelets and I wasn’t on any lists. Then my homie Troy took me to meet Harden and it was crazy. That was really when I knew that things were changing.
Who is your biggest inspiration in this lane?
I think FamousLos…He even influenced one of my videos when I did the reaction videos and I talked to him like, “Bro, you’re really an inspiration to me because I saw you grindin’ on Vine, then I saw you take that and make a career. When you were doing highlights of people getting crossed up, I was like bro I can do that too…” So when you see me doing a reaction video, that’s pretty much inspired by FamousLos. He’s definitely that person I look up to and it’s cool because we kinda developed a brotherhood over the time so like I’ve kicked it with him at his house and he’s always telling me I’m welcome whenever I come to LA, so ya that’s one of the guys I look up to in this personal lane.
What are the top 3 most essential basketball pages to follow on Instagram?
Including myself, I would have to say FamousLos obviously, Bdot, and it has to be Maxisnicee. I feel like those 3 guys are really running the basketball lane right now. They really put effort into their skits and that’s no shade to anybody like Filayyy or something like that I know Filayyy does voice overs, but it’s much more difficult to put the outfit and try to be that than just doing a voiceover on video. That’s like the three-headed monster when it comes to the basketball lane.
What’s next for Gowie?
The funniest thing for me is that there isn’t a lane for me. I feel like I’m so talented in many ways that I feel like I could just become an overall personality. When I tell people this, the best example I can give people is Nick Cannon. When you think about Nick Cannon, he’s hosted America’s Got Talent, but he’s also a rapper, a stand-up comedian, and he also does music. When you talk about Nick Cannon, you don’t look at him as just the host, or the rapper or the actor, you look at him as Nick Cannon. He’s a versatile person who just has the personality in the lane. You’ll find him anywhere. That’s kinda where I wanna be an overall personality to where you recognize me by my name and not so much my lane.
If the season comes back, who wins the title?
The LA Clippers. And the reason why I say that because they just have so much ridiculous depth on that roster. I feel like the Lakers have a strong team, but I feel like the Clippers will beat them when it comes to the bench. Let’s say Paul George and Kawhi Leonard get to the bench, they have Reggie Jackson, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and they just added Joakim Noah. There’s so much depth in the team and it fits perfectly because nobody’s overlapping anybody else. They have a whole starting five to come off the bench.
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