“A scrub is a guy that thinks they’re fly,
“But is also known as a shyster
“Always talking up a deal, but
“Leaves his sellers flat.”
“Thank goodness for social media.”
That’s the thought 2Pace M was thinking when he landed on Instagram in circa 2018. 2Pace was in the midst of a tricky and risky fix and flip deal that was clearly going downhill fast.
2Pace had left a career in construction in order to invest in real estate, deciding to go the fix and flip route. Or rather, going to other fix and flippers and contracting their work to 2Pace as a contractor and then getting paid afterward.
The strategy was fairly sound until he met Rick Dastard.
Dastard was as nefarious as a person could be, the epitome of a dastardly villain – the name didn’t help – and someone who climbed to the top on the backs of others. Dastard had heard about this contractor, saw the work that had been put in with other properties, and set his eyes on the new up and comer.
By the time 2Pace realized anything was amiss, nearly hundreds of thousands of dollars was leaking out from his own business. Concerned, the contractor turned to the Internet, hearing about another new kid in town – Jamil Damji.
2Pace had heard about this Jamil fellow and the word on the street was pretty impressive. Jamil, along with his sister, had built up the credibility of wholesaling with a company called KeyGlee and was providing help to sellers all over the metro Phoenix area.
Most importantly, Jamil had done some business with this Dastard character.
Dastard, being the leech that he was, had started to develop a name amongst those buying and selling homes, and 2Pace had thankfully learned that this Jamil person knew who this was.
The first meeting between Lil Jamil and 2Pace was on a sunny day, at a restaurant known for their chicken wings and burgers. The atmosphere was quaint and easy going; the topic not so much.
“So what do I do?” asked 2Pace, ending his long tale and looking at the man before him.
2Pace had sought out the man on his social media, which at the time only consisted of Instagram, sliding into the DM to ask how to best handle Dastard and dastardly deeds.
“Dude,” Jamil said, sighing sympathetically for the man sitting across from him. “I’ve done like one deal with Dastard and he’s super bad news. And I hate to tell you this, but the guy is totally running a Ponzi scheme with your money and anyone else’s he’s got.
“My best advice to you is to run. Run, do not walk, do not pass go, and don’t bother collecting your $200. The dude is bad news and it’s better to get out while you can.”
Nodding, 2Pace thanked the man for his time and advice before leaving the restaurant. It was good to hear that he wasn’t the only one to run afoul of Dastard, but 2Pace thought he handle the guy on his own.
He was 2Pace after all.
A near one million dollar loss, the former contractor was once again in contact with Jamil, who offered to help him out of this situation…
The 2Pace & Lil Jamil Do America Tour
The year: 2018
It’s 2018, the year 2Pace and Lil Jamil went around the greater US, helping to better educate beginners and seasoned real estate investors. Their biggest draw was the fact that they were competitors in the space, but they were helping and supporting each other.
What a strange concept in real estate!
Their message was ‘collaboration over competition’, thus working with each other even when they might be competing on the same deal. It was unheard of!
Why in the world would you want to work with your competitor?
Not only are the two going around talking about collaboration, but they’re doing so without making people pay for the privilege. And then, the two had a great idea.
2Pace had spent millions trying to learn the fundamentals of real estate investing and none of the classes were taught by current real estate investors. “You spent how much money?!” Jamil had exclaimed, their travels placing them in Vegas for the weekend.
“Too much, dude,” 2Pace sighed, rubbing his temples at the very thought of the amount he shelled out to shoddy teaching.
“You know,” Jamil replied, a strange look on his face. “It would totally be easier if we just started teaching our own course.”
“Dude, that’s such a dope idea!”
Throughout 2018, Jamil rounded up a few members who were interested in this new concept of teaching the art of real estate investing.
There were the Lovely Ladies – the fashionista Moquiesha, aka ‘Mo Mo’, who was as friendly and helpful as she was dapper in designer wear; the deal maker and name taker Bam Bam, whose customer service was bar none.
The no-nonsense LoLo, whose knowledge of wholesale real estate was only beaten by her knowledge of all things Star Wars; the friendly and fun-loving Kimberly, affectionately known as Lil Kim; and the always hip, on the spot, The Nah of Houli.
And rounding out the core was Austin B, the Big Boss, a budding real estate investor himself who had learned about Jamil and Rhi-Rhi’s endeavors in the Phoenix area and their work at KeyGlee.
It was a small group, at first, but their combined experience and know-how were all Jamil needed to start a program to help people new and seasoned into the world of wholesale real estate, mostly to avoid all of the challenges and discord Jamil himself had gone through when he first got started.
Finally, in the fall of 2018, Jamil started the real estate education program called AstroFlipping, a community that was set to teach, learn, and grow people in the industry of wholesaling. And a part of it all, this uniquely put together team would ensure their members found their successes and were supported through any strife.
As the community grew, their number escalated and soon the team welcomed Triple A, MC Greggor, Ninja, La Don-A, Miss Mary, The Mighty Mak, and East Coast E aka ECE.
Five months later, 2Pace would also create a real estate program, this time helping people learn and utilize the art of creative financing. His own team routinely came together to advise and support their members, calling themselves the SubTo Squad.
Thus becoming both competitors and collaborators with the Astro Mafia.