By MIKE ASHMORE Special to Digmi MIAMI – The beauty of the “live, dream, be” motto of Digmi is that it’s open for interpretation. In short, it can mean whatever you want it to. For me, it sure seems… More
FROM FAN TO FOE – BACK TO THE BRONX
Growing up on Staten Island, NY you are a fan of either the Yankees or Mets. No, seriously, I do not know anyone from Staten Island that is not either a Yankees or a Mets fan. For me, I grew up a diehard Yankees fan. I was always watching games on TV and even went to a few games each year. Those games were always exciting to watch, not only because they were winners, but the team had an incredible rivalry with the Red Sox. As a child watching the the “Core Four” (Jeter, Rivera, Posada, and Pettitte) was astounding. My love for the Yankees even motivated my family to name our dog “Jeter”.
Born in 1992, it was a perfect time to be a Yankees fan, especially having an older brother who loved sports. His love for baseball influenced my love for the Yankees. There was a lot of winning and a lot of role models to look up to at that time. Going to games was my favorite thing to do. Since the age of five, all I ever wanted to do was play baseball. My family and I would go to games and sit right behind home plate. I remember one game, we were so close to home plate that Paul O’Neill fouled a ball straight back and I thought it was going to hit me in the face. Luckily, they had a net right there because it would have hit me square in the face (which wouldn’t have ended well for me). The guy behind me was no lucky as but not so lucky, as I had a big soda in my hand and when the ball was coming my direction, I flinched and spilt my drink all over that him. (Whoops)
As I got a little older my brother and I would go to games via public transportation and sit in the bleachers. We would take the train to the ferry, ferry to Manhattan, then walk to the subway and take the 4 train to Yankee stadium. We would bring food with us, well because “Bleacher Creatures” were allowed to do that (haha). I remember it was the second to last game in the old Yankee stadium and I would run up to the bullpen every inning trying to get a ball. It was about to be the last inning and Mariano Rivera was warming up, so obviously there were a lot of people around watching him throw. I remember he threw his last warmup pitch and the music came on, “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. The crowd started to go crazy, as he’s leaving the bullpen and everyone is watching him, I see the bullpen catcher toss the ball up into the stands and while everyone is watching Mariano run out to the field. I’m the only one who sees this ball coming my way. Of course I catch it and immediately run to my brother speechless. I remember how happy I was. I just caught a ball that Mariano Rivera threw. I mean, what are the chances, right? My brother didn’t even believe me a first. It was one of the coolest moments I ever had being a Yankees fan.
In 2013, following my collegiate career at Seton Hall University, I was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 14th round. Flash forward four years through my journey through the minor leagues, and I find myself in the big leagues playing against the New York Yankees. They came to Minnesota to play a big series against us and I had my first two RBI’s against the Yankees and my first Gatorade shower after the game. It did not really hit me that we played the Yankees until we went to Yankee Stadium in September. Walking into the ballpark I got the chills. I grew up here, as a fan, and now I get to play against this team. First thing I did when I got into the clubhouse was walk out and see the field. I walked out to the outfield and just stared at the field. It was a dream come true. I went inside Monument Park and checked out all the legends that came through the organization and it was so special to see. The amount of family and friends that came out to support me made this moment even more unbelievable. It was a great feeling to see all of them there and cheering for me, even though most of my friends still wore Yankees gear.
We end up back in the Bronx for the one game playoff. It was cool playing them in the regular season but now it was business. I did not care that it was the New York Yankees. We wanted to win and they were trying to stop us. We got out to an early lead but gave it back in the next two innings. The way I describe that game is like a boxing match. Every pitch means so much and is so intense for four straight hours. It was an awesome atmosphere and a great experience. I got to go in the game midway through following an injury. It was crazy, I remember running out to center field like a kid in a candy store. I was playing the New York Yankees in the postseason.
I’m playing in a playoff game, is all I kept thinking about. People go their entire careers without making it to the playoffs. I remember getting a hit off Dave Robertson on a cutter that snuck through the “4 hole” and I remember how fast my chest was beating. Getting a hit in a playoff game was as cool as you can imagine. We ended up losing the game and the weirdest part for me was getting in my friend’s car and having him drive me home. We just lost a playoff game to the New York Yankees, my first season in the Major Leagues was over, and just like that, I was already home. No plane ride back to Minnesota, just an hour drive from the Bronx to Staten Island. I’m not going to lie, for the first time ever, it wasn’t cool that the Yankees won. It actually sucked losing to them. I grew up watching them beat so many teams so many times. But this time, it was different. It’s definitely different when you’re the one on the field and not a fan in the stands. Its crazy how quickly things can change when you put on a Major League uniform. You go from fan to foe real quick. Either way, the best part about baseball is there is always another day and another season to look forward to. And even though I’ll always be a kid form Staten Island who used to cheer, “Lets Go Yankees”, now I’m a guy who plays in Minnesota yelling “Lets Go Twins”
Digmi Contributing Author
Zack Granite
“NEVER LOST MY HUSTLE”
What exactly is a constant? Do we see it as a foundation for what we base our lives on? Is it a routine that we acclimate ourselves to through repetition? With so many definitions, one thing that remains true is that a constant will occur continuously through time. With everything else in life shifting, situations that alter decisions we make, something that remains constant in my mind are these words to remind me where I come from, who I am, and what will guide me through all obstacles:
“Never Lose Your Hustle.”
I spent four years as a part of the Seton Hall University Baseball Team. This was my identity. I lived, dreamt, and focused on baseball those four years, and learned to love the game. In addition to falling in love with the game, I learned to embrace the culture of Seton Hall Baseball. The history, the “Seton Hall Way” was learned, and through that I matured into who I am today. “Never Lose Your Hustle” has been a phrase that is more than preached, it’s practiced. You’ll find it posted all throughout the locker room, batting cages and offices of the coaching staff. Ask any SHU Baseball Alum, and they’ll have a story about what those words meant to them. Here’s the story of how “Never Lose Your Hustle” greatly influenced my life.
2017 had its fair share of twists and turns for me, as life was sure to change. Graduation, dreams of being drafted were getting closer, and my career would end, hopefully with a Big East championship. What I hoped and thought would happen, didn’t.
April 13th, 2017, Seton Hall vs. Xavier on FS1. The top of the 2nd inning, I felt discomfort in my right hand. As the game went on, this discomfort didn’t go away. By the end of the game, I could barely twist my wrist. I spent hours awake in the hotel, with my hand in and out of an ice bucket to try and relieve some of the swelling until eventually I had fallen asleep in the chair. The next day, I couldn’t play catch. My hand was swollen and I had to sit that game. Later that week, I found out that I had broken my hamate bone.
I had a decision to make. Having broken my hand on a swing during the second week of conference play, I didn’t want to abandon my team and get surgery. I wanted to do everything I could to finish out the season with the boys. I had to try to contribute as much as I could for the remainder of the season. On the flip side, this could really hurt my chances of ever playing professional baseball. Deciding to play through it was my decision.
I was out for what felt like the longest 17 days of my life. Trying different braces to relieve the stress off my hand, different tape wraps to make sure my wrist couldn’t move. The pain level had me believing I would never hit a ball over the fence again. I never gave up on trying to get back on that field.
April 30th, after 17 days figuring out how to make this work, I laced up the spikes, and DH against St Johns. Battling through pain, and discomfort, I would do anything for my teammates. Finishing out the rest of the year, playing 11 more games ended my career as a Seton Hall Pirate.
As time passed, the pain decreased and I was able to perform at a high level again. At the same time, the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft had happened and I had not been drafted. I ended up applying for a job outside of playing baseball. Not having a clue about what life after baseball had in store for me. Thinking my days being a ball player were over, I step foot in a familiar place in my hometown of New York.
The Baseball Center was a place I had been to countless times to workout as a ball player, but for the first time, I was going, looking to become a coach. I sat down and spoke with Michael Lombardi, Executive Director of The Baseball Center. After telling him about my injury, and explaining what seemed to be the end of my career, he gave me these words that I’ll never forget: “Play until you can’t anymore, because you can never get this time back.”
I thought to myself, “Maybe I can still play…” Sometimes you just need to be reminded that your time isn’t up yet, that you need to keep fighting for what you believe in.
Sure enough, later that night, I received a call from the Rockland Boulders, inviting me to an open tryout. Excited and inexperienced, I gathered all my strength to remind myself that those words, spoken so frequently the pass four years of my life, “Never Lose Your Hustle,” and do anything in my power to become a professional baseball player. I was selected out of a tryout of 72 guys, and was offered a contract and given the opportunity to further my career as a Rockland Boulder.
Through all of the ups and downs, keeping that hustle can land you in places you’d never thought possible.
If I had lost my hustle, if I had forgotten the words etched into my DNA, and if it weren’t for being reminded that I determine when my career is over, not my setbacks, I would have never had my first professional hit June 30th 2017, or my first home run, July 12th 2017.
Maybe the road you’re traveling down is a detour from the path you had set out planned to take, but just like a road trip, staying the course will still get you to your destination. Still on my journey, it is really cool to see how far I’ve come as a ball player since the night I broke my hand. But I truly believe that this detour in my life has made me a better person.
When that time comes, when you’re tested both physically and mentally; when that river you’ve been rowing down turns to a waterfall, you can plunge within the rapids, or you can fight upstream and swim yourself out of danger. We are given the choice, an opportunity, to react to something that is out of our control. The choice you make is what we have control over.
This is how “Never Lose Your Hustle” has changed this Seton Hall Baseball Alum’s life, to build on this opportunity, remembering the words that have paved the way for me to battle adversity, and consistently keep that one attribute a mainstay in our lives. The word that made it all possible, Hustle.
Digmi Contributing Author
Mikael Mogues
From Jeter To Judge…Why I’ll Always Wear Pinstripes
Yeah, I know. Today is Game 7 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Astros. Arguably the greatest fall classic of all time. The cities of Houston and Los Angeles have been electric and their fans have shown such passion for their teams. Reminds me of the love and passion I have for my team…
Growing up in Central Jersey, I loved nothing more than the New York Yankees and their rich history. When it was playoff time I was glued to the TV, next to my Mom and Dad, pulling for Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Tino Martinez to get that big hit. And guys like Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and El Duque to come through with that big strikeout. And how about the unsung heroes like Scott Brosious or Aaron Boone? These guys gave me unforgettable memories and made me fall in love with the game of baseball.
To the rest of the world, these guys were better known as the Bronx Bombers.
As a kid, I remember those World Series in the 90’s and early 2000’s like they were yesterday. They were always special to me because I’d always wake up to my dad either cheering loud on a big play or booing even louder on a bad play (we are Yankee fans, you know how it is). The next morning, my mom or dad would go to tell me the Yanks won or lost. Before they could even get it out, I’d yell “Do not to tell me anything!” I wanted to watch the highlights on SportsCenter , before school, and see them for myself.
The only “magic” I knew as a kid was “Yankee Magic”. The magic that made Derek Jeter, “Mr. November”, with his game winning home run at the stroke of midnight; The magic that made Aaron Boone that unsung hero, with his game winning home run off Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of 2003 ALCS. I mean, that is what every little kid dreams of, right? All of these magical moments made me and the rest of the world believe they had what it took to be a ball player too.
I always would hear “Oh you guys buy championships”, from my bitter friends that were either Red Sox or Mets fans, but to me all I saw were a group of guys that never gave up. They had a lot to do with who I became as a baseball player myself, but I’ll get back to that. I fell so in love with the Yankees I would try to replicate their exact mannerisms, from the “Jeter Jump Throw” all the way to listening to Mariano’s, “Enter Sandman” (yes its Mariano’s, not Metallica’s haha), as he ran in from the bullpen to close another one of his record breaking saves.
A day that stuck with me throughout my career was the day the Yankees called me on February 9, 2015, and invited me to come throw at their Spring Training facility in Tampa, Florida, with the opportunity to earn a spot on a roster in their minor league system. Unfortunately, I did not earn that spot, but to have the opportunity to toe the rubber on the same field that many Yankee legends once practiced on and earned their spot, will be something I will treasure for my entire life.
After having the privilege to play the game I love for 20 years, all the way from t-ball to Professional Baseball, I hung up my spikes and started to really appreciate the beauty of the game from the outside looking in. On the field, I considered myself one of the most passionate players, and always wore my heart on my sleeve, just like those Yankee greats I got to watch growing up.
Following playing all those years, I decided to take in my first Yankee playoff game this season. I’ve never been to the Bronx in October before. I went to Game 5 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros. The atmosphere was like no other; absolutely electric every single pitch. Fans from all over meeting at “The House that Jeter Built” to see the Yanks try to even up the ALCS at two games apiece. Watching every pitch on TV is amazing, but to be at the stadium, watching role call and standing up clapping for every strikeout opportunity cannot be matched. The Yanks came out early and did not disappoint the home crowd, as they forced Dallas Keuchel to an early exit; their toughest rival over the past few years. After the game all the fans flooded the streets, giving the now famous “thumbs down” sign, while making the transition from Sinatra’s “New York, New York” inside the stadium to Springsteen’s “Born To Run” playing inside Stan’s Sports across the street.
After all these years, I found that the magic is still there. You see, the “Yankee Magic” actually never left. With guys like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorious, Luis Severino and Greg Bird, the Yanks are back in business, making their presence known and knocking on the door of another championship.
What unforgettable memories will be made in the Bronx over the next few years? Who will be our next big hero? I’m not sure. But I am sure about this…from Jeter to Judge, I’ll always wear pinstripes! And no matter what, I’ll always believe in magic!
– Carlos Ruiz
Digmi Contributing Author
HARPER HOMERS
The All-Star Game will have a tough act to follow.
Bryce Harper won the Home Run Derby at Nationals Park on Monday night with an unforgettable performance; he smashed nine home runs in less than a minute to tie Kyle Schwarber, and then sent his hometown crowd into a frenzy with a bonus time blast to take trophy home.
“It’s unbelievable,” Harper told reporters after the game. “I think just having the crowd out there and really feeding off them. We have some of the best fans in all of baseball, and to be able to that with my family out there, that’s an incredible moment, not only for me but for the organization and the Nationals fans, and I’m very blessed and humbled.”
Even with Harper as the hometown hero, the atmosphere was somewhat unexpectedly electric given a perceived overall lack of star power in the event. But, in what could be his last big moment in a Nationals uniform, Harper, decked out in red, white and blue from head to toe, captured the crowd with a dramatic display in which he closed an 18-9 deficit in under a minute.
He then sent them into a frenzy with his bonus time blast, with his homer and subsequent celebratory bat flip electrifying an event that can sometimes fall flat in person.
Making it even better? Harper’s dad, Ron, was the one throwing to him.
“I mean, I couldn’t be more fortunate than to have him throwing for me and just so blessed, and, I mean, I don’t know, I’ve got one of the best families in all the world and just so happy to be able to share that moment with them and with my family and this crowd and these fans,” Bryce Harper said. “Man, they did a great job.”
Nationals fans will have plenty to cheer about as well on Tuesday with Max Scherzer set to get the nod as the National League’s starting pitcher for the second consecutive year.
“When (manager) Dave (Roberts) told me that he was going to give me the nod, so many emotions (come out) when you know that you’re pitching in your home park,” Scherzer told reporters at a Monday afternoon press conference.
“This is such an honor for the All-Star Game to be here. In previous experiences of being in the All-Star Games, you know, seeing the hometown players and how the fans get behind the hometown players, it’s always been a special moment just watching that from afar and being on the other side. So, I can only imagine what it’s going to be like to have the Nats fans here supporting all of us, Bryce and (Sean) Doolittle, as well. It’s just an honor to be able to have that recognition and go out there and start this thing again, because this is just a dream come true.”
-Mike Ashmore
Resurgence from the Six
Fresh off his beef with Pusha T, Drake is back in the headlines and back on the charts after releasing “Scorpion”.
Drake’s newest project brings us back to the delicate balance of high-powered lyricism and subtle rhythm that’s propelled him to the top of the game thus far. The two sided project includes Drake voicing his opinion on several topics that have been causing him internal distress. From the respect-demanding flow on “Nonstop”, to the familiar and intense bounce found on “Talk Up”, all the way to the admission of his fatherhood and all of the challenges associated with it on “March 14”. “Scorpion” is less ambitious and revolutionary than his previous work, though still extremely solid throughout. The 25 song, 90 minute long album is the longest of his studio albums displaying his one-of-a-kind versatility, and includes features and samples from some of hip-hops most recognizable voices including Nicki Minaj, Future, and a surprise feature by Michael Jackson. Rather than experimenting with new sounds and styles on “Scorpion”, new listeners and longtime supporters alike are provided with all the staples of Drake’s trademarked success. Scorpion is a measured response to the flurry of headlines Drake has found himself in over his year-long hiatus.
“Scorpion” is in stark contrast with the way Drake and his team handled the Meek Mill beef just a few years ago. In 2015, Meek Mill took to twitter alleging that Drake did not write his own verse on “R.I.C.O.” which was featured on Meek’s album “Dreams Worth More Than Money”. The feud that ensued included a barrage of rebuttals by Drake cutting deep into the core of Meek’s image. This is how the majority of Drake fans expected him to return the shots fired by Pusha T on his newly released song “Infrared”. The way he handled his most recent feud with Pusha T, speaks to the maturity of the now 31-year-old rapper as he learns when to apply the pressure and when to keep quiet. Though Drake returned some of the shots fired by his seasoned adversary, the majority of the claims go unanswered including the issue of Drake and an alleged ghostwriter.
Side A of “Scorpion” features Drake rapping over some signature, bass knocking beats, that can be played at parties. This side seems to be more of a response to the more pressing questions surrounding the hip-hop titan, and the direct attempts being made to bring him down. At this point in his career we’ve grown accustomed to Drake giving us quotable lyrics in his music and “Scorpion” is no different. Lyrics like “My Mount Rushmore is me with four different expressions” found on the albums intro “Survival”, along with “I only love my bed and my mama, I’m sorry” on the pre-released single “God’s Plan” seem to stick in our mind for one reason or another. Side A also appears to be Drake’s opinion on what he observes externally through his own eyes. On “Emotionless” Drake spits, “I wasn’t hiding my kid from the world I was hiding the world from my kid. From empty souls who just wake up and look to debate. Until you starin’ at your seed you could never relate.” This is one of many instances on “Scorpion” where Drake becomes more critical of society to which he owes his fortune. One of the most resonating lines comes from a sample off “In my Feelings” from the show “Atlanta” in which an actress attempts to attend a holiday party at Drake’s house in attempt to take a picture with him for her Instagram. Although from a television series, the line encompasses the shallowness Drake must experience on a daily basis. Although most of the songs on Side A have bounce and make us want to dance with our friends, Drake also mixed in an R&B vibe on some tracks as well. For example on “Emotionless” Drake sounds like he pours his heart out and just speaks straight from the soul over a smooth beat in the background, that also has some bounce. One memorable line from the track was, “There’s times when I wish I was where I was, Back when I used to wish I was here”. Here he is reflecting on how he wanted to be a star when he was younger and comparing it to now, where sometimes wishes he could go back to those simpler times. “Sandra’s Rose” is another track on Side A in which Drake crossed genres, and spit some bars over a softer beat. On the track he says “Backstabbed so many times I started walking backwards” which hints at him having potential trust issues with people in his life. A conclusion can be made that Drake dedicated Side A to those who love his “turn up” music, but he also managed to mix in some raw emotions, which was something he successfully pulled off with “Views” in 2016. His ability to successfully cross genres is something we can also see on Side B.
Side B of Scorpion features a softer side of Drake, whom displays more rhythm and finesse. Similar to the engaging melodies found on Views, Side B initially comes off as the late night anthem for Summer 2018. However, with a deeper listen, the audience can expect Drake to address recent rumors with an unseen vulnerability as he dives deep into the many relationships that bring him happiness as well as stress. Tracks like “Finesse” and “Blue Tint” contain the type of sing-along content we’ve come accustomed to hearing out of the Canadian artist, and are likely to be echoed on the radio until he returns to the studio again. The project is ended by “March 14”, a five minute, in-depth, no doubt recently added track in which Drake discusses the birth of his first born child. As well as the emotional changes he has gone through that have taken place, since he discovered he was to be a father. Drake echoes the advice of his mother, whose frequent references have never seemed more significant then now, “Sandi used to tell me all it takes is one time and all it took was one time.” Drake appears to have come to terms with the impact his new child is going to have on his life as well as his image, but as usual, won’t let it stop him from being successful. An extremely powerful line from the song is when he says “I used to challenge my parents on every album now I’m embarrassed to tell them I ended up as a co-parent” Drake apparently is recognizing how difficult parenting is, which seems to have opened his eyes. Throughout his music career, Drake has never shied away from stepping into the R&B genre. Side B shows us how well Drake can handcraft an R&B track based on his own love encounters over the years. His R&B songs are known for creating a late night vibe that puts people into deep thought. However, Side B doesn’t strictly consist of R&B tracks. He mixed in a couple of catchy songs like “Blue Tint” which features Future, as well as “In My Feelings” which even seems to catch the ears of listeners who would prefer Side A. On “Blue Tint” Drake refers to a companion whom he claims to “have on ice” but says he’s “watched the ice get thin,” which makes for a catchy chorus. This gives us a direct glance into Drake’s love life and a possibly deteriorating relationship. Like “Blue Tint”, Drake used a beat with bounce in order to address his love life. In the song Drake is seeking reassurance from different women about their feelings towards him and wants them to “Say you’ll never ever leave from beside me.” Drake like any person just wants to be loved and wanted, but being a person of his status can certainly make it difficult to gage where people’s intentions lie. By talking about love over hard beats like the one on “In My Feelings” and “Blue Tint” Drake is doing the same thing he did on “Sandra’s Rose” but in reverse. This time he used a beat with more bounce to it, but spoke about trust, loyalty and a reassurance of love. This is something I believe Drake is one of the best in the game at, which is why he wasn’t lying when on the project intro “Survival” he said “House on both coasts but I live on the Charts.”
Drake didn’t take home any hardware at this year’s Billboard Music Awards in May, which he may be fine with considering he won 13 awards at the show last year, which was the most ever taken home by an artist for a year’s worth of work. Regardless of which side of the project you favor, its more than likely each side has some songs that people either enjoy or can relate to, regardless of genre. His two pre-releases for “Scorpion” (“God’s Plan” and “Nice for What”) are still in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs. As the summer goes on I would not be surprised if a few more of the songs rose on up on the list, or if the album rose to the top of the Billboard 200 in the coming weeks. Drake is so popular at this point in his career that “More Life” which was released in March of 2017, is still at number 47 and rose from number 50 last week. Scorpion was officially certified as platinum on its release date which shows that everyone is always on the lookout for anything that Drake releases. The ease with which Drake can jump from genre to genre makes him a one of a kind artist, whom I think will be around for years to come. Due to the beef with Pusha T, Drake had some pressure on his with this album because everyone wanted to know how he would respond. The project gives off the impression that he has responded by keeping his nose to the pavement and continuing to hone his craft. I believe there are at least a couple of songs on the entire project that any music fan may enjoy, regardless of genre which is special. In my eyes this is a perfect album by Drake and easily his best piece of work, which is why I would give “Scorpion” 5 out of 5 tips of the cap.
-Isaiah Allen
EVERYTHING IS LOVE… AND THIS ALBUM IS EVERYTHING
Jay Z and Beyoncé are two of the most powerful people in music, and they are even stronger as a team. So of course fans went crazy when it was announced that the two would be releasing a surprise joint album earlier this month.
Each of their most recent projects discuss the ups and downs of their relationship from both of their point of views. Up until 2016 the two were every secretive about their private life until we started hearing that the two were having relationship issues. In 2016 Beyoncé released “Lemonade” which many felt was her statement album in which she expressed her raw emotions about her and Jay’s relationship. Last year Jay released what many viewed as a response to “Lemonade” titled “4:44” in which he gives his side of the story and shares his own thoughts and opinions. “Everything is Love” can be viewed as a trilogy in which the two come together as one to speak on the situations surrounding their marriage. The couple’s rekindled love is the theme of the album, and they both chose to address anyone who has shamed them while they dealt with their personal encounters. Their newfound sense of unity has allowed them to focus on creating music they know their fans will love.
As Jay has grew wiser, he began to rap more about his everyday life occurrences, as well as his endeavors as a business man. For instance on “Everything is Love”, Jay has a verse on “APESH*T” highlighting how he rejected an offer to perform at halftime of the Super Bowl last year. He goes, “I said no to the Super Bowl, You need me I don’t need you, Every night we in the end zone, Tell the NFL we in stadiums too.” Jay is his own business man and he felt disrespected when the NFL tried to do him a solid by giving him such a large platform to perform on. These are new situations that Jay finds himself in as a wealthy business man, and has decided to give his fans his side of the story by intertwining his everyday life with his music. Nowadays we don’t see Jay getting into as many rap feuds, but we still get to listen to him speak the truth in a way that keeps us coming back for more. The status of his relationship is something that Jay has not really spoken publicly about through his music, so it was interesting to see how he and Beyoncé gave their fans some insight into their lives while still making a great album.Jay Z established himself in the rap game by laying down viscous rhymes on bass booming tracks that constantly, have topped the charts for almost two decades. Songs like “99 problems” and “Hard Knock Life” exemplify Jay’s unmatched lyrical talent. Although Jay’s old school aggressive rap style earned him lots of fame and money, he also has never shied away from rapping about his troubles in life. One thing that has remained consistent since the start of his career has been Jay’s ability to never back down from a challenge, or anyone who dares to challenge him on the mic. For example during his beef with Nas, Jay said that Nas had a “one hot album every ten year average” on a Hot 97 freestyle at the 2001 Summer Jam. The track called “Takeover”, later appeared on his 2001 album “The Blueprint”, and many viewed it as the “effective end” of Nas’s career atop the rap game. Even at the beginning of Jay’s career in the mid 1990’s, he was rapping about how mentally he’s “been many places” but he’s “Brooklyn’s own”. Which shows he came into the game unafraid to speak his mind on all subjects. Along with paying homage to his hometown of Brooklyn, Jay has consistently rapped about his “rags to riches” life story and how he made it to the top all the way from the bottom.
Beyoncé Knowles has long been referred to as the one of the queens of music for her consistent reign atop music charts of all kind for over 15 years. Her old school party anthems with Jay Z like “Crazy in Love” and “Upgrade U”, show us that Beyoncé has never hesitated to change lanes with her music. While her notorious love songs like “Irreplaceable” show us why Beyoncé is one of the best at tugging on our feelings, while getting across her own personal message. Beyoncé’s ability to succeed making both kinds of music is a big reason why she is one of the very best. Not to mention her outstanding performance ability witnessed during halftime of the 2013 Super Bowl, sold out concerts, and numerous music award shows. In her music we have heard Beyoncé sing about numerous topics ranging from love, to the power that women have in society. Her 2011 track “Run the World (Girls)” was specifically for females all across the world. The song consists of powerful lyrics inspiring girls to take charge. The lyrics “Who Run the World? Girls” are repeated throughout the song and Beyoncé even says that the song goes out to “All my girls that’s in the club rockin’ the latest”. Beyoncé has always done an exceptional job connecting with her fans and this is a prime example of it. One thing we haven’t heard Beyoncé sing about until recently is her love life with Jay Z. When Lemonade released in 2016, we saw an extremely emotional Beyoncé get specific about her and Jay’s relationship for the first time. Beyoncé used this album to voice her displeasure with Jay about his lack of commitment regarding their relationship. On the first track titled “Pray You Catch Me” she says “You can taste the dishonesty it’s all over your breath.” Even though she doesn’t mention Jay directly, many listeners can infer that he is whom she is speaking about. However, Beyoncé also used this album to express her continued love for Jay even though their relationship was in rocky waters at the time. On her Lemonade track “Hold Up” we hear Beyoncé continuously say “They don’t love you like I love you”. These two examples highlight the extreme emotions that was experiencing at the time and why the album is so moving. The Beyoncé that we hear on “Everything is Love” is less vengeful and seems to be focused on the revival of her and Jay’s relationship, and the obstacles the two of them overcame.
Beyoncé’s lyrics on “Everything is Love” show us that her and Jay are dedicated to rebuilding their marriage, and enjoying their riches together. While also, squashing anyone who tries to defy them or get in their way. On the last song called “LOVEHAPPY” the two take turns talking about their marriage and how it almost took a turn for the worst. Beyoncé chips in by saying “The ups and downs are worth it. Long way to go, but we’re working”. Even though their relationship hit a rough patch, Beyoncé is confirming that she and Jay are back on good terms and are working on their marriage. She follows it up by saying “This beach ain’t always been no paradise. But nightmares only last one night.” Hinting at the fact that even though she and Jay live lavish lifestyles, it hasn’t always been as great as it seems, which may be something we would’ve never imagined. However, Beyoncé’s presence on the album doesn’t just involve love. On the track called “HEARD ABOUT US”, Beyoncé has a verse where she mentions her and Jay’s trips to “Cuba then Aruba in the middle of the winter.” She and Jay Z obviously live comfortably, so it was cool to see Beyoncé focused on reaping their rewards and forgetting about the haters in their lives. She seems to remain in the same mindset when she says,“We laugh to the bank, but we ain’t no joke.” I thought Beyoncé and Jay did a great job showing how they are still living life on top, even with their small hiccup in the road. It is clear that Jay Z and Beyoncé have left their differences in the past and are focused on creating a bright future for themselves, their children, and especially their friends. In fact, the duo go into great detail about their friends on their song ironically called “FRIENDS”. On the track we hear Beyoncé talk about how her friends “pull her up” and “never let her down”. While we hear Jay Z talk about other people being “fake close” and “switching sides like NBA teams after halftime. Here Jay is stressing how consistent he is amongst his friends and has always been loyal. Beyoncé and Jay’s friends played a crucial role in supporting the two of them while they were ironing things out between them. “FRIENDS” can be seen as an act of gratitude to all of their friends to stood by their side during dark times.
Beyoncé and Jay Z both played a unique role on this album, and both reminded of us of what got them to the top. On “APESH*T”, “713” and “NICE” we heard a little bit of Jay Z’s smooth rhyming that was similar to a lot of his old work. On “NICE”, the words “I can do anything” are repeated in the chorus, and Jay also goes on to say that he has “no fear of death”. This is a prime example of Jay Z throwing it back to fearless ’01 Jay, who didn’t back down from anything or anyone. But Jay also found a way to successfully insert himself into the slower songs that were dominated by Beyoncé. As for Beyoncé, she did her thing on the love based slow jams as we expected, but even rapped on “713”, “APESH*T” and “NICE” as well. Which is something she isn’t known for, but you couldn’t tell based on the way she was able to flow with the beat while rhyming as well . What made this album great is how well Beyoncé and Jay stuck to what they do best, while also crossing over into each other’s field. Their sense of togetherness on the album can also be translated to their newly committed love life. The album is currently number two on the Billboard 200 list of best albums, and it should be towards the top for a while. Jay Z and Beyoncé found a way to make a great album while also repairing their relationship and giving their fans what they want, which is why I would give “Everything is Love”4 out of 5 tips of the cap.
–Isaiah Allen
New Kanye, Same Ye
Kanye West has been one of the most talked about and polarizing figures in the hip hop game for over two decades. His name was recently in the news for his comments made on an appearance on TMZ.
But it seems that Kanye has gotten his focus back on his music which is what he does best. Kanye’s old music was known for its rhymes as well as its flow. Lines like “I’m just sayin how I feel man, I ain’t one of the Cosby’s, I ain’t go to Hillman” from his 2007 track “Can’t Tell Me Nothin”, show Kanye’s exceptional ability to get across a message, while making it flow and rhyme as well. His 2007 “Graduation” album is my favorite album of his because you can tell that he was focused solely on making great music people can turn up to. I also believe “Graduation” is the greatest example of how well Kanye makes his rhymes flow with his beats. As an athlete in high school, I always made sure that “Stronger” was blaring in my ears before a game with Kanye reminding me that what doesn’t kill me “can only make me stronger”. However as Kanye has grown older, he has started to focus more the meaning of his lyrics and the messages he puts out to the world through his music, which can be heard in his latest album.
Kanye West, Graduation. Featuring songs Champion, Stronger, Good Life and Homecoming
Kanye’s eighth and most recent solo album titled “ye” is laced with his unique positions on a variety of topics. Kanye used this album to display his talent as a lyricist while speaking his mind about his trials and tribulations in life. In the past, we have grown accustomed to Kanye making music that we can turn up to or listen to at a party. However, most of “ye” consists of Kanye rapping over smooth tones and beats, while discussing issues close to his heart, like his family and coping with mental illness.
The track titled “No Mistakes” can be seen as a direct omen to his wife Kim Kardashian. The words “Make no mistake, girl, I still love you” are repeated numerous times which is something we haven’t really seen from Kanye before. Kanye has turned into a so-called “family man” right before our eyes which is a direct result of him growing older and getting wiser. His Bi-Polar disorder and mental health as a whole was a huge theme throughout this album, which is something we may not have expected from the old Kanye either. Songs like “Yikes” and “All Mine” stood out to me because they take me back to the days of the old Kanye when songs like “Jesus Walks” and “Gold Digger” were blasting through our speakers. While songs like “Wouldn’t Leave” and “Ghost Town” are a better representation of the “New Kanye”. This album showed me that Kanye still has a part of the “Old Kanye” inside of him, but that his mindset is completely different. He is still unafraid to speak his mind and say what he wants, but the content of his message has completely changed. Now Kanye is unafraid to speak his mind about the situations he has been in and what means the most to him. His mental health is something that he has shied away from talking about but finally realized that it’s okay to do so while making great music.
When Kanye made his controversial comments in May, he lost a lot of credibility amongst his fans, some of whom vowed to never listen to his music again. But I’m not sure it’s something Kanye thinks about much. On his first track titled “I Thought About Killing You” he says “I love myself way more than I love you” than follows it up with “See, if I was trying to relate it to more people I’d probably say I’m struggling with loving myself”. This proves Kanye no longer cares much about being relatable, but about speaking the straight truth about his life struggles. The song title alone might be enough to turn some people off, but the fact that it is the first song on the album proves Kanye is past the days of seeking acceptance. Although Kanye might not care much about his public perception, his latest album shows that he still cares about putting out great music. While in addition being unafraid to talk about his personal battles in life. People should see this album as Kanye showing us who he really is, and recognize that his music comes from the heart. I believe his transparency throughout “ye” will help him gain some credibility back amongst his fans. This is a complete turnaround from the old Kanye that only focused on making hit records while doing and saying what he wanted.
Kanye seems like the type who is always thinking in the future and focused on setting new trends, so I doubt that we will ever see the same Kanye we saw in the late 2000’s. I think we should expect a lot of Kanye’s future releases to resemble “ye” and be filled with softer beats and transparent lyrics. However, I wouldn’t doubt if he continues to remind us of the old Kanye with a track or two here and there. (Like “Yikes”) I believe his most recent album shows how versatile Kanye is as an artist, and how he can successfully still catch our ears while doing it in his own way. The album has been wildly successful as all seven songs found their way into Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 songs in the first week. Kanye’s album also sits at number one on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. has Kanye’s latest album is a testament to his musical genius and even though it may be different from what we’ve come to expect from him, he still successfully found a way to remind us he’s one of the greatest of his generation. For that reason, I would give “ye”4 out of 5 tips of the cap.
-Isaiah Allen
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“From Baseball to Bloomingdales”
I remember that spring like it was yesterday. It was my third spring training in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. I was living my dream as professional baseball player, working my way up the minor league ladder. I just came off what turned out to be a break out year in my career; my first All-Star selection and championship while playing for the Lynchburg HillCats of the Carolina League (Class High A). I had just held my own in a league full of prospects and slowly started making a name for myself in the organization. So I headed down to Bradenton, Florida feeling good about the upcoming 2003 season and the opportunity to play at the Double-A level. As I headed down south that February, I had no idea that it would be a single word, not a hit like or home run, that would change the direction of my life.
I was extremely fortunate to be asked to participate in many “Big League” camp games that spring. An exciting time for any player, but especially for me. You see, I wasn’t even supposed to be there. Well, thats what most people thought at least. I was a recruited walk-on at Seton Hall University who was once told that “You’re probably never going to be a starter in this program” to going undrafted after my senior year. Yet here I was, walking in and out of Mckechnie Field playing some ball with “Big Leaguers”. Yeah, guys like All-Stars Kenny Lofton, Brian Giles and Aramis Ramirez. Not bad for a skinny kid from Jersey. Like any young player looking to make a name for themselves in any MLB organization, you work hard, perform at a high level, show up early, leave late, and whatever you do, you keep quiet and know your role. And thats exactly what I did, to a tee. Except I did it with a big smile on my face and a different hat and colorful pair of sneakers everyday. Damn, I forgot the part about not drawing attention to yourself! Those colorful sneakers…I knew it.
Before long, some of my new teammates and coaches started calling me “Dig-Me”. To be honest, I wasn’t really happy about this. I mean c’mon, I’m trying my best to make a good impression by working hard and following directions and now all of these accomplished players were calling me something other than my real name, Ray Navarrete. This couldn’t be good I thought. All of these guys must not like me, or they just couldn’t remember or know how to pronounce my last name. Turns out, I was wrong, thank god. They did remember my name and it turned out that I was liked by my fellow teammates and coaches. But it was the sneakers and hats that got them to start calling me “Dig-Me”. Now I got it, “Dig-Me”, like hey man, I “dig” your style kind of thing. So what do you when some of of best players in an MLB clubhouse and best prospects in an organization starting calling you a name? You embrace the hell out of it! And thats exactly what I did. “Dig-Me”, hmmmm…I thought. It has a really nice ring to it. And anyone who knows me well, knows that my wheels start spinning once I get an idea. And without even knowing it, the next chapter of my life had just begun.
I headed off to Double-A that spring with my confidence at an all-time high, with an awesome team and manager to play for, and this new nickname. And what a year it was. I got an opportunity to play in a beautiful stadium in a great town with incredible fans. And I was one step closer to my goal of reaching the Major Leagues. But what made it even more fun was how my new nickname played a role in this whole experience. “Dig-Me” soon became popular clubhouse banter, with players claiming to be “Dig-Me” and others taking a vote on whether or not they were, haha. Soon, those who were deemed to be “Dig-Me” became known as the “Dig-Me” Tribe. Haha, our very own tribe in Double-A. Before you knew it, with the help of 3 other of my teammates; Sean Burnett, Chris Duffy and Josh Bonifay, the “Dig-Me” became a phenomenon among fans who started claiming they were “Dig-Me” too. Little kids, grandparents and fans of all ages wanted to be a part of the tribe. Especially after the Altoona Mirror was kind enough to do a feature article on the four of us, telling the story about our performance, friendship and style. It truly was incredible.
Fast forward 10 years and you can imagine how much can happen. I completed a 14 year career in professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, New York Mets and Long Island Ducks organizations. I gave the game I love every ounce of my effort and took my best swings at getting to the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, I CAME UP ONE
LEVEL SHORT, playing in Triple-A Norfolk in the Mets organization, as the highest step on the ladder. I HAVE NO REGRETS. No “what ifs”. Just gratitude I was one of the few guys out there who can say they got paid to play the greatest game in the world. But I’m also grateful for the platform the game gave me to share my “Dig-Me” story with fans and players across the country. My playing career became part of an incredible story that was starting to gain some traction. You see, along my playing journey, I decided to take my nickname and put it on a tee shirt. I mean, hell, if your gonna get called a name, might as well wear it, right? So thats what I did. But I made one small change. I dropped the “E” and made it “I”. Why would I do that you might be asking? Well, I thought that an “I” would be a reminder of phrases like “I CAN”, “I AM” I WILL”. And just like that, an “E” became and “I”, “Dig-Me” became Digmi and a nickname became a brand. At least that what I was thinking.
What was I thinking actually? Right in middle of playing professional baseball and trying to work my way up to the Major Leagues, I decided I wanted to start a lifestyle apparel brand? Like, the schedule and commitment of trying to play at the same level of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera (both of whom I got the honor of playing against in one of those MLB Spring Training Games) wasn’t challenging enough, attempting to start a new brand like Ralph Lauren seemed like a smart idea. Really Ray? Who did you think you were, Marc Ecko or Daymond John? I mean seriously, this couldn’t have been one of my brightest ideas. Or could it? A lifestyle brand with a catchy name, that promotes a positive message of 
chasing your dreams and showcasing your personality. Hmmmm. That sounds like something people might relate to. Doesn’t everyone have a dream, I thought. Doesn’t everyone have a personality worth showcasing and sharing with others? Yes, why yes they do. So how about all of those people dress those dreams and personalities in some cool gear? Yeah, now this is starting to make some sense. But wait…doesn’t Digmi need a face, an icon, a logo.
So here I am doing my thing in the middle of my playing career when I decided I wanted to start my own clothing brand. I had the name. I had the vision. But I needed a face. Something that people could recognize as Digmi. So I started thinking. Polo has the player on the horse, Lacoste has the crocodile, Ecko has the Rhino. Ohhhh…so it has to be an animal, right? Well at least thats what I thought. So I started thinking what animal would represent Digmi, and nothing clicked. Or maybe it was that all the animals were already taken hahaha. I mean, we weren’t about to use a dinosaur for our logo. Digmi the dinosaur, really?? And then it happened. The game that changed everything. The game that introduced me to the one guy I would end up spending more time with than anyone else in my life. “The Guy In The Tie”.
I forget the exact date. But it was sometime in 2004, while playing for the Altoona Curve, my second year in Double-A. We were in Bowie, Maryland and I was just coming off a pretty good game. I was feeling good about my chances as a player and excited about my new apparel brand that had a name but no face. Well, not for long. You see, I had one of those nights that a player likes to forget. The one where you can’t hit water if you fell out of a boat kind of nights. I played terrible the whole game and I struck out 3 or 4 times. I was just off. I looked bad, real bad. But hey, it happens. Anyone who has ever played baseball knows that you can feel like Ted Williams one night, and then feel like the one of kids in Bad News Bears the next. (If there is anyone who is out there reading this that doesn’t know who Ted Williams is or who the Bad News Bears are….Im not sure we can be friends haha). Well, after my last at-bat and another strike out, my hitting coach came over to console me and remind me to keep my head up. He pointed out that nights like these happen, and that the last pitcher I faced had nasty stuff, and sometimes you just have to “Tip Your Cap”. Wait, what? What did you just say? Did you just say “Tip Your Cap”?
Im a huge fan of the era of baseball when most fans wore suit and ties to games and would tip their caps to a great performance by a player. Or vice versa, when that player heard the applause from the crowd, they would acknowledge it with a tip of their cap. A gesture of gratitude and respect. Remember a time in our culture when a pretty woman would walk down the street and men would be polite and tip their caps? I can still see the images in my head of players tipping their caps and fans doing the same. So wait, a gesture acknowledging great performances and personalities? Yes, thats it. Not an animal or a crazy looking design. No, none of that. Digmi was going to tip its cap to everyone with the courage to chase their dreams and be themselves. And thats exactly what we did. With some thought, some sketches and the concept of a dapper dressed man wearing a tie and a top hat, “The Guy In The Tie” was born. Ladies and gentleman….Digmi had found its face.
The next decade flew by. From one organization to another, Digmi was being introduced to new people and players. I would travel from spring training complexes to minor league clubhouses selling our small collection of tee shirts and hats, trying my best to build a business 
while playing professional. As you can guess, that wasn’t the easiest thing to do. In fact, looking back, I’m not even sure how we got this far. Like a struggling player in middle of a tough season, I was making mistake after mistake. Everything from inventory to budgets and deadlines challenges made it seem like my dream of building a successful brand would be impossible. I quickly learned that you can’t build a brand while being a full-time baseball player who was more concerned with hitting home runs than designing 
and selling product. The priorities were out of order. I knew it. But I also knew that there was something special about this project. There was a reason why people were being drawn to our story. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was us. Maybe it was “The Guy In Tie”. Or maybe it was all of it. Whatever it was, I just knew it was something. So I doubled down and committed to riding this thing out all the way. There is was turning back.
So thats exactly what we did. We started hustling. I mean really hustling. From traveling to Major League Stadiums to meet players who were willing to wear and support our product, to hosting pop-up shops in small stores in the tri-state area, to setting up tables at colleges and sports complexes to gain some brand awareness and interest. We even had stealth sales transactions in diner parking lots on Long Island (ask SAME CITI – DIFFERENT SHEA author Jamie Quinn about that) You name it we 
tried. We’ve packed up more cars and trucks that I would like to remember. Anything to keep the name out there to keep the dream alive. Remember, no turning back right? Some of it was working. Our designs were being worn by numerous professional athletes and celebrities. They were being seen on major media outlets like ESPN and MTV. We even snuck “The Guy In The Tie’ on the national stage for Game 3 of 2015 World Series with a cool sign cheering on Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets. People 
were noticing. It was working. At least I thought it was. But we needed to make some moves. We needed more credibility. A place to work. A place to call home. A place for our new fans and customers to visit and shop. And since we were still having trouble getting any retailers to take a shot on our brand because we were so new, I decided to open a store. Yeah you heard it right. Another one of my brilliant ideas. Really Ray? Adding a store to an already difficult project makes sense to you? Yes, yes it does. I had a plan and idea. And it nearly
cost us everything.
We opened Digmi Nation in
November of 2012. I had no choice. I know, I know, you always have a choice. I get it, I do. But no one was giving us a chance in their stores. I kept being told to come back when we got into our first retailer, or landed other accounts. What?? How can I get into my first store if no one wants to be the first to take us? So thats why I decided to open our own Digmi store. We didn’t have to impress or convince anyone to take our stuff. It was our place. So it would be all Digmi. Digmi everything. And it was beautiful. We build the space from scratch and it turned into everything we needed it to be. We held events, seasonal releases, and special interviews with celebrities. My crazy idea, although risky as hell, was doing what we needed it do. It was getting us attention. People were noticing. The right people were getting interested in our project. More people were believing. But I have to be honest. That store was the most stressful project I have ever been a part of. I risked almost everything I had on that project. Time, money, part of my sanity. Maybe all of my sanity actually. For all the great moments we had there, there were a lot of lonely nights. To many to mention. A lot of nights where I stayed behind to close up after another cool event, or after another productive meeting with my team. I’d shut the lights off sometimes and just sit there in the dark, wondering if I was biting off more than I can chew. We were so close to hitting it but yet so far away at the same time. Our popularity was growing, at least it seemed, but the sales weren’t. Popularity doesn’t always pay the bills. We hadn’t caught our break yet. How much longer could I keep this thing going. What started out as a story of “Professional Baseball Player Builds Clothing Brand” was turning into “Retired Baseball Player Strikes Out in Business”. All the time, all the years, all the hustle, and we hadn’t caught our break. “Damn…one level short again”
I’m not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing, but I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t know to quit or give up. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve said it a million times both in baseball and business. “Thats it! I quit. I don’t need this anymore”. Yeah, guilty as charged. I lead the league in saying it. But I’ve never had the courage to do it. Especially when I believe in something. Just like baseball, I promised myself I’d play until the end. It didn’t matter the salary or what league or what color uniform. I promised myself as a kid that I would play for as long as I could. And thats what I did. So how could I be any different with Digmi. Didn’t I love this too? Didn’t I promise myself that I would ride this out all the way? Yeah, I did. I’m man of my word. There is a quote that says ” The temptation to quit will be the greatest just before you are about to succeed” (at least I think I’ve seen that somewhere). So, quitting wasn’t an option. Onward we go!!
Its crazy what can happen when you hang on just a little longer. When you keep the lights on one more day, and the door open for another night. Someone might just walk in. Thats the one thing our Digmi team does so well. We never shut down. We never close up shop. We just keep moving forward. The store did what it had to do. Someone noticed. Well, actually a few people noticed who believed in our project and vision. It was exactly what we needed. A big aqcuistion at the trade-line kind of moment. Our Digmi team just got some new teammates. Boom, the team of passion and personality joins forces with a team of businessmen. Yes, the store. The place where we told our story gave people a visual of what this could be. It worked. It worked. At the 11th hour, it worked.
We got new life and the ability to take the project to a new level. More product offerings, creative projects including attending industry trade shows put Digmi in the middle of it all. Here we were. Digmi. A real brand where buyers from national retailers were getting an opportunity to see our collection and hear our story. It really is cool when a buyer stops by your booth to check out your collection and asks to hear your brand story and places an order. Kind of like hitting a home run. We took this momentum back home and with the help of some of our contacts, we were given the opportunity to meet with representatives from Bloomingdales in the spring of 2016. Yeah, you heard me right. Bloomingdales. I don’t get nervous that often, and usually feel confident in most situations. But this was different. This was our chance. My chance to make all that time and effort on this project worth it. This was the opportunity to make all the whispers I’ve heard along the way; “It’ll never work”, “It’s impossible”, “You’re wasting your time and money”, “Who do you think you are”, go away! C’mon Ray, get your mind right. Forget about all the other stuff going on in your life right now. Nothing else matters. This is the meeting you’ve been waiting over a decade for.
Just like I did for 14 years playing ball. I had a routine that helped me get my game face on. A cup of black coffee and some Jay. Yeah as in Jay-Z. Jay’s been my soundtrack since high school and even accidentally made an appearance at our first Digmi party at The 40/40 Club in NYC back in 2004 (I forgot to mention that earlier. Whoops, sorry about that). I put on Jay from the moment I woke up, went over our collection, packed up our samples, and threw on a tie (c’mon I had to) and fresh Digmi fitted. It was story time. I got to the city a little early as I had to meet one of my partners before walking in. I stood on the corner and just stared at the Bloomingdales building for a little bit. I had to take it all in. No matter what happened in the next few minutes, I was proud of what we had built. Digmi was about chasing dreams. And throughout all the highs and lows, the good and bad, thats what we did. We chased our dream. It didn’t matter what happened next. I was proud of who we were and what we stood for. Oh, yeah I forgot, I wore my first Digmi tee shirt we ever made underneath my button down. I had to. For good luck. But it also made me feel like every person who has been part of our journey was with me. Ok. I’m in the building. “Yes, hi, good morning! My name is Ray Digmi and they are expecting me”
I’d like to think that I told my best story that morning. I came with passion and presented our collection with heart and enthusiasm. I introduced “The Guy In The Tie” and detailed our vision for the brand. I had their attention. Or was it him. Or was it all the awesome images I showed them of people being Digmi. It didn’t matter because it was all the same. Me, him, you. I explained that WE ARE ALL DIGMI. And they believed me. Yeah, they believed me enough to tell me that they would be in touch with plans to bring Digmi into Bloomingdales in some capacity. Wait, what? Did you say yes to Digmi? Yes to the brand that couldn’t get their first account because no one wanted to be the first to take us on? I could’ve easily have done the moon walk in that office. But I had to keep my composure. You know, act like you’ve been there before. But I couldn’t help but smile. I smiled bigger than ever. Digmi just landed its first account. With Bloomingdales off all places.
That was spring of 2016 remember. With the great news came a lot of work to bring this to life. Design, development, production all had to be done according their company standards. Wow, what a learning curve and at times, a very challenging process for some rookies like us. But this is what we asked for. I remember having to get into the city to sign paperwork to make the purchase order official, and of course everything went wrong. Traffic almost made us last to the meeting that would put Digmi on the shelves at their 59th Street location. No way we could be late for this meeting. So you have to do what you have to, right?. Stuck in the middle of Manhattan, we hopped out of our cab and ran through the city streets, dodging cars, buses and bikes to get their on time (Ask “From Jeter To Judge” Author Carlos Ruiz about that). But like our story always goes, we got there. It wasn’t easy, and we had to dodge some traffic along the way, but we got there. Paperwork signed, sealed and delivered. Digmi was headed to Bloomingdales.
I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life. March 6, 2017. The day Digmi hit the shelves of 3 Bloomingdales stores (59th/Lexington in NYC; Roosevelt Field and Walt Whitman Malls on Long Island). What a feeling it was to hear the news that our brand was in a national retailer, And in the middle of the Big Apple. It’s actually really hard to put into words what I was feeling that whole day. Especially, when I got to see it with my own eyes. I fought my way into the city right before they closed at 8:30.pm. I went by myself. I had to. I 
knew what would happen when I got there. I ran through the doors and down the escalator to the Metro 59 section of the store. And there they were. 3 new Digmi designs. Digmi label. Digmi hangtag. Price $35. I stood there and stared. I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t tear up. Like I said before, there were so many lonely times along this journey. So many difficult choices to make. So much lost along the way. But I promised myself I’d never give up. I promised my team I’d never give up. And here we were. In the middle of Bloomingdales. I Took some pictures and then grabbed a size large in all 3 styles. I walked up to the cash register and proudly paid full price plus tax for my very own Digmi tee shirts. It never felt so good to spend money on anything before in my life. I walked through the store and looked around. Polo, Lacoste, Psycho Bunny, Calvin Klein. Major brands. By no means am I comparing ourselves to them (yet) but I have to admit that it was super cool to be in the same room as them. Kind of reminded of being in that Major League clubhouse in spring training. And hey, you never know. Maybe we’ll be a brand who has space just like the others. You can only dream, right?
The ride back home was an emotional one. Im sure you can understand. I thought about how it all started, with the nickname and then the crazy idea to put it on a shirt. Then a hat. Then a sweatshirt. I thought about all the parties and projects that helped give Digmi life. I thought about all the great memories and friendships that were made because of the “The Guy In The Tie”. But then I thought about all those lonely days and nights when I was scared to death that I had gotten it wrong. That my idea wouldn’t work, and the vision I convinced so many people to believe in would fall short. I thought about all I had lost along the way. But thats part of it. I always knew that going into this thing. I guess thats why I’ve always be drawn to chasing it. I realized that Digmi was just like baseball. You work so hard, give up so much, knowing that there will be hard times. You go into it knowing that it will be a long road. But the chance to play in the Major Leagues is worth all the years fighting in the minors, right? And even if you come up one level short, you can look in the mirror and know you gave it everything you had. And for the entire Digmi team, after years of working, fighting to keep the dream alive, we had made it. At least for this one night, we made it. WE FINALLY WON!
When I got home that night, I sent out a group text to my team, thanking them all for their years of hard work and support. They were all pumped and excited about what the future had in store for us. One of my partners sent a separate text to me saying “Congrats Ray. All of your dreams are about to come true. You just got to the big leagues”. And that text really hit home for me. You see, it seemed like I spent my whole life playing the game I love, giving everything I had to play in the Major Leagues. And I’m proud of my career, I really am. But the bottom line is that I came up one level short. One level short of being a Major League player. People ask me all the time where do I get my drive to keep working on this project, and how I didn’t give up during all the real difficult times. Well, I guess heres the best way I can put it. I’ve been extremely fortunate to play baseball at every level in the world; Little League, Middle School, High School, Division 1 College, Rookie Ball, Short Season A, A, High A, Double-A, Triple-A and Major League Spring Training. I have a hit at everyone one of those levels. I always told myself that when I have my dream office, I will create a wall with a baseball in a case from each of those leagues, signifying my hit and time there. And then there will be this empty case. Yes, I will have an empty case on the bottom right. And that case will always be a reminder of the one level I didn’t get to. I’m convinced that if I did get there, I would have gotten a hit. I did everywhere I else I played. But I didn’t play there. I didn’t get that hit. And that hit will always be missing. That missing level, that missing hit is what drives me. I have this dream that with a lot of hard of work, that maybe Digmi can grow big enough and motivate tons of people to chase their dreams and embrace their personalities to where Major League Baseball notices who we are. And then maybe we can do something with them. Maybe we partner on charitable cause. Maybe they ask us to collaborate on a cool apparel design or even become the official lifestyle brand of the league. I don’t know, but it could happen right? Couldn’t you see our logo, “The Guy In The Tie” tipping his cap on a billboard of a MLB stadium? I definately could. And when that does happen, I’ll make a custom baseball with our logo on it, and I’ll put it in the case with where the missing hit stays. And everyday I look at it, I’ll know this; I may have come up a tad short of playing in the Major Leagues, but we built a brand that got there. Digmi playing in the Major Leagues…yeah, that’ll be good enough for me. For some strange reason, I have a feeling that Baseball took me to Bloomingdales, and getting into Bloomingdales just might take me back to baseball.
There is saying in baseball that goes something like this:
Getting to the big leagues is the easy part, staying there is the hard part. Well, I guess we can say we know the feeling. Hell, we got there. Now we just have to figure out a way to stay. But that story is for another time and another post! Here’s to living your dream and tipping your cap along the way!
LIVE your DREAMs, BE yourself! You never know just how far that can take you!
A quick little end note: If you notice, I say “WE” throughout this piece. I say we, because thats who we are. A lot of people get confused between Digmi and Ray Digmi. Yeah, I’m the guy who started this crazy project. Yes, it is my nickname that family, friends and now business associates call me. But Digmi is a WE thing. I couldn’t be luckier to have had the crew I have had over the years that have come to believe in this project with me and support it with their time and effort and most importantly their passion. Their belief and trust in me is the greatest responsibility I have. I owe them. Without them there is no dream, no vision, no hustle. They have put their heart an soul into it right there with me, and for that I will always be grateful. There is zero shot this story exists without them. They know who they are and they will always be my inspiration to make sure this project, one way or another, succeeds. This is YOUR BRAND! Thank you for walking this journey with me!
To my business partners, all the athletes and celebrities who ever gave us their time, and every single person who has been kind enough to support our project with a purchase….a very heartfelt THANK YOU!
To my family…thanks for dealing with this project for so long. I have a feeling its all going to be worth it. I love you guys!
To Bloomingdales….Thank You for giving a guy in tie a chance to hang in your stores. He is forever grateful!
Written with great pride and emotion:
– Digmi Founder/Chief Creative Officer
Ray Digmi Navarrete
CHECK OUT OUR FEATURE ON NEWS 12 LONG ISLAND FOLLOWING OUR DEBUT @ BLOOMINGDALES
My Second Super Bowl
MINNEAPOLIS – I’ve been doing this a long time now. 16 years, all over the country, covering events big and small…I thought I’d seen it all. On the smaller end, I’ve worked minor league and college events with a few dozen people in the stands. At the bigger end of the spectrum? I’ve got the last five World Series, last six Stanley Cup Finals, the Daytona 500, a bunch of big UFC events and a lot of other big games under my belt since I started this career at the ripe old age of 20. It’s hard for me to find new experiences, it’s simply now working hard to get to repeat the old ones in a new setting. So, I’m not sure I was quite prepared for this week, when I flew into Minneapolis to work my second Super Bowl, and discovered that the media center was set up in a shopping mall. Of course, it isn’t just any mall, it’s the Mall of America, a 4.2 million square foot retail palace that takes the better part of a day to walk through. But still, seeing “radio row” set up in the middle of the food court was a bit jarring to say the least. For example, last year, the media center in Houston was in a convention center, and it made for a far more intimate setting even if there were still plenty of fans around. Here? Between the crush of people shopping at the mall who don’t care about football and the thousands of media who have descended into town for the event, it’s been difficult to make your away around sometimes. With that said, this has been an amazing week. Growing up back home in New Jersey, I never thought I’d go to a Super Bowl. When I started my career, I never thought I’d get to cover one. So, to now be working my second straight means a lot…in my opinion, with the possible exception of the Olympics, there’s nothing bigger you can do in this profession than work this game – and the week leading up to it, of course – and it’s all a nice reminder that all of the hard work it took to get here was worth it.
Celebrity sightings? I’ve heard about far more than I’ve actually seen myself. My Uber driver met Kevin Hart. I’ll have to settle for waiting outside the mall next to Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Joe Thomas. While there are plenty of events and parties that go with the game itself, I’ve kept myself focused on work; I covered the Minnesota Wild game Friday night and will work the Minnesota Timberwolves game on Saturday night. There’s certainly plenty of fun to be had – I made it a point to find the original “Jucy Lucy” burger while I was up here – but this isn’t the time of year where work should just stop.
Keeping your eyes on the prize is important for everyone involved. Of course, the grind continues for the two teams here, the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles made it to Minnesota in somewhat improbable fashion, recovering from the devastating loss of Carson Wentz to rally behind Nick Foles in getting to the big game; they defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game, preventing the first ever “home game” at the Super Bowl…so much for a “purple reign,” although there are rumors of halftime performer Justin Timberlake having a Prince hologram next to him on stage. As for New England…well, of course they made it. Tom Brady led the Patriots to the AFC Championship Game for an incredible seventh straight season, and they came back to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars to advance to the Super Bowl for the 8th time in the “Brady Era” and tenth appearance overall. The Patriots have been here before, and it shows. From the demands of the week with media requests, tickets and the extra week of preparation to the actual game itself, New England showed a cool, calm and collected approach throughout the week. While much has been made of the Eagles defense, it’s hard to bet against TB12 and company this time of year, with their first-hand knowledge of what it takes to succeed. I expect a close game, but I’ll take Brady and the Patriots in a 27-17 win over the Eagles on Sunday.
“Same CITI, Different SHEA”
Lets get right down to it. I was born on Long Island in 1986. The New York Mets owned the Big Apple at that time. I mean, how could I not fall in love with the boys from Queens, right? As a young kid, I watched highlights of that World Series Championship team over and over. It got to a point that I was able to recite most of the announcers in those video clips. Man, what a team. The Kid, Doc, Straw, Mex, Nails and HoJo.
I became a Mets fan primarily because I was born into it. My grandparents were fans, as were my parents. My Dad and grandfather went to a 1969 World Series game between the Baltimore Orioles and Mets, where they and thousands of other fans ran on the field after the game. The history of Mets players started to grow on me at a young age, especially my uniform number, #14. All I knew was the #14. My Dad wore it. I wore it. My younger brother wore it. The story goes, my Dad’s favorite player was Ron Swaboda, who wore #14 in the 60’s. In 1968, when former Brooklyn Dodgers legendary first baseman Gil Hodges, who wore #14 in his playing days, came to manage the lovable losers in Queens, Swaboda switched his jersey number to #4 and gave Gil #14. Hodges’ #14 is one of four Mets numbers retired by the organization, along with Manager Casey Stengel (#37), pitcher Tom Seaver (#41), and catcher Mike Piazza (#31).
Shea Stadium; the big ballpark in Queens. My home away from home. For a kid on Long Island there was nothing like walking up to Shea and hearing the song “Meet the Mets” blare throughout the old speaker system outside the entrances. Or walking up those long ramps to your seats before the games, and following a big win, walking down the ramps with a raucous pumped up crowd. I enjoyed listening to the 660 the FAN, WFAN to and from the games in the car. How could you not have spent many a game in the red Upper Level seats? We all did. It was cool when a “fake uncle” would let me know, “Hey after the third inning go down the first base line in the Field Level and find Tony the usher. He will hook you up!” And sure as hell, he did. Tons of games were watched down the first base line, just passed the infield. My fondest memories of Shea, however, is walking through the tunnel, whatever level you were at, and laying eyes on the greenest and most manicured grass I ever saw. It made my eyes light up. This is the Big Leagues. This is Shea Stadium.
I’ve been lucky enough to have been at some historic moments in the history of Shea. During the NLCS of 1999, my grandparents, dad, and myself sat in the Upper Deck, down the first base line, where you could see the Mets bullpen and beyond the outfield fence wall. That was the walk-off “Grand Slam Single” by Robin Ventura; the ball was a no-doubter soaring through the rain beyond the right center field fence. This walk-off was most notable because of catcher Todd Pratt running to the second base line and hoisting Ventura up in his arms before he could touch second base; hence the Grand Slam Single. That night I thought the Upper Deck was going to collapse. The Stadium was rocking so much. I had visions of looking at the third base line loge and seeing it bounce up and down. “Rock Like Shea” began to be used in the normal language of Mets fans.
Other than Piazza, players that I drifted to growing up were, Todd Hundley (a catcher before Piazza), Jay Payton, and David Wright. I always watched videos of Gary Carter in the ’80s, and then fast forward to 2009; he was my manager with the Long Island Ducks; surreal to listen and learn from a Hall of Fame catcher and World Series Champion. Also, spending four seasons with the Ducks from ’09-’12, Buddy Harrelson was and still is a coach and owner. For you Mets fans, a little trivia, Buddy is the only man in Mets history to be in uniform for both World Series Championships. He was the short stop of the 1969 Miracle Mets and the third base coach for the 1986 squad.
9/21/01. The first sporting event in New York since the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01. I was not at this game, although, I wish I was. To see New Yorkers unite together is always a thing of beauty. The Amazin’s were down 2-1 in the 8th of a flat, erie game to the division rival Braves, when Piazza walked up to face Queens native, Steve Karsay. Piazza drove a pitch to deep dead center, which bounced off the TV camera station, and Shea erupted with immense emotion of happiness; something New Yorker’s had not experienced for ten days prior. The Mets won the game and that historic home run in America’s Pastime, helped start the healing process for New Yorkers.
In July of 2008, Billy Joel played two concerts at Shea, donned, “The Last Play at Shea”. This was the final performances of the big blue ballpark. My family and I, along with a few friends went to the second of the two shows, the real last play. Billy had notable musicians help him close the Stadium down including Garth Brooks, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler, Tony Bennett, and Sir Paul McCartney. An unbelievable experience with a few combined passions of mine; family, Billy Joel, Mets baseball, and Shea Stadium.
Once the Mets were eliminated from playoff contention, on the final day of the regular season in 2008, and the crains were awaiting to start demolition of Shea for the new shiny Citi Field in the background, I felt a part of me was gone; part of my childhood, and part of my college days, as I played college ball at Queens College down the road from Shea. We went to so many games those years as well. A family friend was head of security at Shea and I randomly texted him that I was sitting in my car right in front of the Shea Stadium sign entrance. He told me to meet him behind the plate and took me in. The day before was their final out, and they were already tearing it down, but I got a few keepsakes; a few great photos of myself in the dugout, on the pitchers mound, and behind home plate.
I never was able to attend a Mets World Series game. In 2000, watched the fall classic from home. But in 2015, in part of hustling with Digmi, we were able to attend Game 3 at Citi Field; the game when David Wright hit a 3 run homer and 4 had RBIs. That game at Citi felt like the old days at Shea. You see, when Citi Field first opened, you would have had no idea that it was the home of the Mets. It had no murals of any past history of the organization and rarely any blue and orange. It looked like it was a neutral ballpark, not too intimate for Mets fans. But over the years, the Mets took notice to the fan base and their desire to bring tradition back. The outfield fence is now blue with orange trim, there are Mets greats plastered all over the walls of the concourse, the original Home Run Apple, is not hidden back behind the bullpens like the first year, and now is out in from of the Citi Field entrance; a great spot for fans to meet prior to the games and a perfect photo op.
I’ve been hustling with Digmi since 2009 and to watch the ever growing list of Big Leaguers wear the line is amazin’ to see. From Mets believers early on such as Jose Reyes, Dillon Gee, Eric Young, Jr., and Rene Rivera to Noah Syndergaard, Jacob DeGrom, Travis D’arnau, Curtis Grandson, and Yoenis Cespedes to name a few. The steam Digmi has received the past few years after the public seeing these Big Leaguers wearing the brand is still rolling and extremely fulfilling.
The 7 Line has helped invigorate Citi Field over the years. Not only has it been the pulse of the Mets fan base, but they have done an amazing job setting up 7Line Army outings at visiting ballparks across the Country. The Digmi team has taken a few of these outings in, a couple at Citi Field, and one on the road in Washington, D.C. The energy that this group of die-hards bring is off the charts. You can never go wrong with attending a Mets game at Citi Field in which the 7 Line is having an outing, posted up in centerfield, just to the right of the Home Run Apple.
Citi Field has its own identity now and Shea is still there in spirit; The Shea Bridge and the original Home Run Apple, the city skyline from Shea’s scoreboard, sure do make it feel like home. Year after year, the Flushing Faithful is coming out to Meet the Mets, along with the more winning baseball on the horizon, the times and teams may change, but it is becoming the Same Citi, Different Shea.
“Marbury, ‘Melo And The Mecca Of Basketball”
Everyone has a reason why they fall in love with their favorite team. For me, I fell in love with the New York Knicks for a couple of good reasons. You’re going to have to thank my grandfather and dad for that. Like many kids growing up in the New York City area, heading to Madison Square Garden was a thrill. Hopping off the LIRR, walking through Penn Station and heading up those stairs into the lobby was like nothing else. You could fell the energy of the crowd the moment you get inside. It was easy to understand why they call it the Mecca of basketball.
From a very young age, there was one thing I loved more than anything else; the passion this city has for one team. When the Knicks play at home, the Knicks are the only basketball team that has “New York” across their chests. They don’t share the city with anyone. And even though the Nets recently moved to Brooklyn, the Big Apple belongs to Knicks. Anyone who knows anything about New York basketball knows that. Thats just the bottom line. There is something to be said when a team can unify the biggest of rivals. In a world that seems so divided at times, the Knicks have been known to bring New Yorkers together for years. Remember when Larry Johnson hit the famous “4 point play’?; you saw Mets and Yankees fans hugging it out. Rangers and Islanders fans couldn’t stop giving each other high fives when they saw John Starks dunk over “The G.O.A.T” Michael Jordan. And Giants and Jets fans were loving life when Jeremy Lin showed up at the Garden and “Linsanity” took over the city.
Madison Square Garden is such a special place. Whether the team is winning or losing, if there is excitement or frustration, its always sold out. Always. And thats why road teams and opposing players love to suit up and play there. The Garden is the biggest stage in the NBA, if not in all of sports. The games brightest talent gets to play in front of the brightest lights and the worlds biggest stars who are sitting in the front row. Win or lose, Knicks fans feel like they can be a part of something bigger than just being an average fan. Its easy to relate to this team. The hype, the high expectations, the disappointment, the heartache and most of all, the hustle. All of us know that being a Knicks fan is different. Its special. And for all the hard times we have faced, envisioning the day when “The City That Never Sleeps” will shut down to celebrate a NBA Championship parade makes being a loyal fan even easier. When that day comes, it will be like no other parade in sports. Its the Knicks, its New York and it will be so worth the wait.
You may be wondering why I feel so strongly about the Knicks and what my reason is that I fell in love with this team? Like I said earlier, there are a couple of of good ones. Let me give you the first one. My grandfather went to Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, and was always a fan of their sports teams, especially basketball. He was super excited about this young kid on their team who was starting to get a lot of national attention. His name was Stephon Marbury. My grandfather took me to a game and I’ll never forget the crowd I saw when I walked into the gym. I was immediately hooked. Marbury quickly became “my guy” and I began following the young superstar from his days playing in Brooklyn to Georgia Tech to his debut in the NBA with Minnesota Timberwolves. My man Marbury eventually made his way to Jersey to play for the Nets, which made things a little difficult for me as you could probably imagine. He was my guy, and I ended up rockin’ Nets Marbury jerseys even though I bled blue and orange. This guy had me going to Meadowlands to watch him play as much as I was going to the Garden. But then it happened. My favorite player, Stephon Marbury was traded to my team, the New York Knicks. Its was meant to be. My guy, my team, my city. Marbury brought life and excitement back to the Garden which was missing since the days of Patrick Ewing and company. Marbury got us believing again. An although his time in New York didn’t end the way I had hoped, he was a major reason why my love for this team grew even stronger.
My father graduated from Syracuse which gave me a good reason for them to become my favorite college basketball team. So you know where this going, right? Just like Marbury at Abraham Lincoln, Syracuse basketball introduced me to Carmelo Anthony. This kid shows up on campus and brings home a national title in his freshman year and I was hooked. I followed him as he made his debut into the NBA with the Denver Nuggets and quickly became one of the NBA’s brightest stars. And then just like that, another one of my favorite players found his way back home to New York and was traded to the Knicks. When ‘Melo arrived in the Big Apple, you could feel the excitement, the optimism and the hope that Knicks brightest days were ahead of us. For the first time in years, we had a legitimate superstar leading the way. And like so many other Knicks fans, I believed he would lead us to the promise land. He did his thing, there is no doubt about that. He led us to the playoffs, gave the fans a 54 win season and even played in the All-Star game in front of his home crowd. And although the team showed glimpses of greatness, the came up short of bringing home a title. And we all know, it didn’t end well for “Melo in the Big Apple. After ? years in blue and orange, he was traded to Oklahoma City this off season.
It hasn’t always been easy being a Knicks fan. Lets get that straight. Everyone knows about the disaster that was the Phil Jackson project, the Charles Oakley ordeal and an owner who seems to rub his fans the wrong way at times. But thats life as a Knicks fan. Thats life as a New Yorker. Nothing comes easy for those that hustle.
Even during the darkest of days; the fans continue to weather the storm and they keep coming out to support this team. They keep fighting, hustling and believing. Thats what Knicks fan do. Thats what New Yorkers do. Thats what I do. The day of Marbury and ‘Melo are long gone and I cant deny that. But my team has New York across the chest. They have some young talent now who are showing a ton of heart nowadays and have fans hyped. The future is bright. But isn’t that how it has to be when you root for the Knicks. I mean how bad can it be when your team plays in a garden right in the middle of the big apple. I’m not sure if there will ever be another Marbury to me, or who might stroll in with the expectations that came with ‘Melo, but I do know this….no matter who it is, they’re going to do it in the Mecca of basketball – Madison Square Garden.
– Evan Okon.
tipyourcap.com 