"You know, when Floyd fights, we call it the Super Bowl, so we're preparing for the Super Bowl basically. It's going to be busy in training camp. Like I said, we have to make sure everybody is on point and make sure all of his needs are met; make sure everybody is at the gym on time and make sure everybody is doing their job and executing so he don't gotta worry about nothing else except getting in the ring. Yeah, it gets hectic, but it's cool though. It's good because at the end, when Champ goes in there and does his job and knocks them boys out, it was all worth it. You played your part in helping him prepare for something so big. May 4th is going to be big. Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero on Showtime," stated Ricki Brazil, CEO of Regal Management Group and long-time friend of undefeated pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather. Check out what else he had to say about his company, working with Mayweather, and much more.
BT: Ricki B! What's going on with you, bro?
RB: Nothing much, Ben; just trying to get it out there.
BT: No doubt. Well first and foremost, let the fans know how you first met Floyd?
RB: Me and Floyd met in 1990 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I'm from Grand Rapids, but right when I was born, I moved to Flint, Michigan. I grew up in Flint until the age of 12. At 12, I moved back to Grand Rapids. I was the new person at school and Floyd was like the first person that I met. We kind of took a liking to each other, hung out and kicked it every day. We got a [basketball] tournament up there called the Gus Macker. We played in the Macker with a couple of other guys by the name of Marcellus Curry and Nate Jackson; unfortunately Nate got killed while we was growing up. But it's crazy because the first game, we missed it. We forfeited because we couldn't find our court and was late. So we missed that game; that was a Friday. Then Saturday, it rained all day, so we couldn't play Saturday. So Sunday, we played, and every game we played was on Sunday. We was playing back to back games. We won every game and we won the tournament, so ever since, we've always been tight and close and everything. He did his boxing thing, so, you know, he went away when he was kind of young, probably 16 years old. However old he was, he started traveling a lot. Me personally, I went a different route; kind of went to the streets and stuff. I got caught up in that BS, so I never really came out to Vegas or anything like that. Then I had a child. I had my daughter in 1998. I wanted to stick with the mom, so we did our thing like that. When Floyd would come in town, we would kick it, you know, everything was all good. So then, me and my daughter's mom got into it around 2006 and we separated. We never was married, but we went our separate ways, so Floyd was always saying, "Come out to Vegas! Come out to Vegas!" But, you know, I was like, "I'm not just coming out to Vegas and I don't got nothing to do." So I would always say that I would think about it, but never came. Once I came up with the idea that I wanted to be a manager and start my own company, that's when I decided to come to Las Vegas. I moved to Vegas in 2007.
BT: When you guys were younger, were you aware of just how serious Floyd was about becoming the biggest name in boxing?
RB: You know what? We always talk about that. He'll say, "You never thought I would be this big." I always tell him, "I knew you was going to be good, but I didn't know you was going to be great." I didn't see what he always said. When we was kids, we laughing around, playing, chasing girls, going skating, whatever we were doing, and he always talked about how he was going to be the best. "I'm the best!" He always used to practice his signature and all that. We used to laugh. My passion was football, so I played football in high school and stuff, but I didn't take it as serious as he took boxing. It's crazy. You always would think, "Okay, yeah, I'm here and I'll support you," but you never think the person right next to you would be one of the greatest boxers of all time. You want it, but you just can't envision it. You just don't have that vision, but he did.
BT: So 2007 rolls around and you decide to relocate to Vegas to start your own company. By the time you got there, Floyd had pretty much reached the pinnacle of the sport. Were things pretty hectic during those times?
RB: It was definitely a transition and something you had to get used to. Where we come from, it's a small city, you know what I'm saying? Things don't move as fast as they do in Vegas, so it was an adjustment. I had to see how things work and how people move, so for a couple of years, it was just getting adjusted. It was crazy jumping in then. Floyd was fresh off of De La Hoya, then he fought Ricky Hatton, you know what I'm saying? So it was crazy. Then Floyd retired in 2007, so it was a big adjustment, then it slowed down tremendously, then it picked right back up again. It's been a fast-speed roller coaster. I just had to strap up and make sure I didn't fall off. So between all of that, I had to find my niche. In 2008, I went back to school and then got my degree in business management in 2011.
BT: Talk to me about the whole concept of Regal Management Group. Is that your own separate company or is it also a part of The Money Team?
RB: It's my own separate thing, but I have Floyd to back it. I started Regal Management in 2007 with one artist, Canary Yellow Chello, who is my brother. Like I said, we moved out to Vegas and got with Floyd and started working with Mayweather Promotions, just networking and meeting different people; things of that nature. Also, P Reala, he helps me a lot with it. Anything he needs done, as far as reaching out to people, I do that for him too.
BT: You mentioned P Reala. I know he's been involved with Floyd on the music side of things. That being said, is Regal Management Group something where the two of you collaborate to manage an artist's career from top to bottom, or do you just focus on certain aspects of someone's career?
RB: It's basically everything that they need done. From appearances, getting their name out there, do's and don'ts; I mean, just everything. They don't really have anybody else really doing it, so it's like a 24-hour job for me. I have to explain it to a lot of people that Regal Management is not a label. A lot of people get that confused and say, "I want to be signed to your label," but it's a management company. I can put them in touch with a music label, but like I said, Regal Mangement Group is a management company, not a music label.
BT: What talent are you currently working with?
RB: We've still got Canary Yellow Chello doing his thing. I also got 2 more artists now with Regal Mangagement Group. Jay Bling from L.A., he raps and DJs, and I got another artist by the name of Roni World. She's from San Diego; she sings and writes her own music.
BT: As far as the type of talent you're looking to work with in the future, is their a particular market you're trying to focus on? Do you only work with music artists or are you open to working with anyone?
RB: I want to try and do it all. Regal Management is not just limiting ourselves to music. I'm looking for actors, models, everything. If you got talent and I think you got what it takes, then myself and my staff want to work with you. We're definitely not going to limit ourselves. I'm trying to get more athletes involved as well. I've talked to a couple who want me to help get them out there with their speaking and club appearances too. And then there's always Floyd. We do his bookings, his appearances, and things of that nature. It's making sure everything is taken care of, making sure everybody is where they need to be, and everybody is at the right spot at the right time.
BT: Do any of your artists have anything new coming out soon?
RB: My artist Jay Bling has a new single called "Throwin Money In The Club". We've sent that out to a lot of DJs and blog sites. You can find it at newmusicserver.com and breakthecrates.com. That's what we're pushing hard right now. Also, he's a DJ for Ball Up. Ball Up is like the new And 1, so he goes to all of these places overseas to play his music, which is a good thing. Canary, he has a new song out called B.I.F.B, "Bitch, I'm Finna Blow". We got a video out for that. He's got a lot of different things on YouTube; a lot of webisodes and everything. Just google Canary Yellow Chello and you'll see it. With Roni, she has a new song she's working on with some producers out in L.A. It's going to be an upbeat club song. She sings R&B music, so that's what we're working on with her right now.
BT: Obviously Floyd has the big Cinco de Mayo fight coming up. How busy is it going to get for you as we get closer to May 4?
RB: Of course. You know, when Floyd fights, we call it the Super Bowl, so we're preparing for the Super Bowl basically. It's going to be busy in training camp. Like I said, we have to make sure everybody is on point and make sure all of his needs are met; make sure everybody is at the gym on time and make sure everybody is doing their job and executing so he don't gotta worry about nothing else except getting in the ring. Yeah, it gets hectic, but it's cool though. It's good because at the end, when Champ goes in there and does his job and knocks them boys out, it was all worth it. You played your part in helping him prepare for something so big. May 4th is going to be big. Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero on Showtime.
BT: Just hanging around you guys, I've personally seen several up-and-coming artists trying to get their demos, paintings, shirts, or whatever into Floyd's hands. Given his celebrity status, does that make it easier for you to find new talent to work with?
RB: I mean, it's like a gift and a curse. Say somebody is reaching out and Floyd is like, "Rick, Reala, take the CD. I'll listen to it. Make sure y'all get it." So you'll get it and they might be talented. They might be good. That's the gift; a lot of people approach you because you're with him, so you get to meet a lot of people. The curse is you don't know if they really serious or if they just trying to get next to him. That's the curse; you don't really know who's in it for the right things. So you gotta kind of weed them out. You pick some good ones, you pick some bad ones, but, you know, you just keep moving.
BT: No doubt. Well I know you're busy now that camp has started, so I won't keep you. Is there a way for aspiring talent to get in contact with you?
RB: On our website, regalmanagementgroup.com, there's a Contact form where you can submit your information. They can also reach me at my email, regalmanagementgroup@gmail.com, or on Facebook, regalmanagementgroup. Also, if you're in the Vegas area, you may see me out and about in my car, where you can find a phone number to call me.
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