Compound Conversations is where culture meets legacy.
Hosted by creative visionary Set Free, this series brings you behind the scenes with the artists, entrepreneurs, and disruptors shaping the worlds of music, fashion, art, and beyond. From iconic names like Ferg, Lenny S, Hebru Brantley, and Greg Yuna, to rising legends and unsung heroes, each episode dives deep into the moments that defined their journey — and the philosophies driving them forward.
More than just interviews, Compound Conversations is a time capsule for the culture — raw, reflective, and always rooted in authenticity. Recorded in the heart of the Compound, a creative sanctuary in New York City, these conversations celebrate the people who live at the intersection of purpose, originality, and impact.
Yu-Ming Wu: He Said No to Nike to Build Sneaker Con
Yu-Ming Wu is a sneaker and streetwear media pioneer, entrepreneur, and co-founder whose fingerprints are on nearly every major chapter of sneaker culture's rise into the mainstream.
Born in China and raised in New York's Lower East Side and Sunset Park after immigrating at age six, Wu grew up immersed in the city's overlapping immigrant, punk, and early hip-hop cultures — an upbringing that would later define his eye for what's next in streetwear and sneakers.
He founded Freshness Mag in 2003 while still in college, one of the earliest digital sneaker publications, before launching Sneaker News in 2007 — famously turning down a Global Digital Director role at Nike Sportswear to do it. He went on to co-found Sneaker Con, the largest sneaker convention brand in the world, and later Stadium Goods, the premium sneaker resale marketplace that became one of the category's defining retail businesses.
From Freshness Mag to Sneaker News to Sneaker Con to Stadium Goods to his current ventures in spring break vodka seltzer and brick-and-mortar retail, Wu's career traces the entire arc of sneaker culture — from message boards to media to marketplace to physical experience.
00:00 - Intro — Welcome to the Compound02:53 - Immigrating From China at Age Six to the Lower East Side06:26 - Growing Up Fast on Canal & Essex11:19 - The Air Jordan 5 Moment That Started It All16:54 - Sweatshop Work & Earning Every Sneaker Himself20:22 - Chelsea, Liquid Sky & the Birth of Streetwear27:12 - Parsons, Magazines & Finding His Eye for Design33:18 - Discovering NikeTalk & Building Freshness Mag43:24 - Turning Down Nike's Dream Job44:20 - Launching Sneaker News on His Own Terms47:12 - Saying No to Sneaker Con — Until It Finally Clicked50:49 - Building Stadium Goods & the Exit That
Follow Yu-Ming Wu📸 https://instagram.com/mryumingwu
Follow Set Free📸https://instagram.com/iam_setfree Follow us for more insights into music, tech & culture:📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon
🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/
17 Apr 2026
Conway The Machine: From Getting Shot to Building Griselda | Compound Conversations
From Buffalo basements to New York stages.From being shot and paralyzed…To becoming one of the most respected pens in hip-hop.
On this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Conway the Machine for a raw conversation about survival, faith, art, and business.
00:00:00 — Welcome Home to the New Compound00:02:20 — Growing Up in Buffalo & Learning From His Uncles00:03:55 — Rapping at Six Years Old00:05:34 — First Time Visiting New York City00:08:23 — The Moment He Knew He Was Really Nice00:09:31 — Getting Shot & The Turning Point00:14:15 — Meeting Derringer & Finding the Sound00:18:06 — Paralysis, Doubt & Fighting Back00:22:46 — Getting Stamped by New York Legends00:26:32 — The Origin of “Conway the Machine”00:28:18 — Art, Fashion & Building a Timeless Brand00:37:16 — Learning the Business Side00:39:16 — Staying Hungry in Today’s Climate00:42:40 — Legacy: “I Did It for the City”
Conway breaks down:Learning to rhyme from his uncles in BuffaloWest Coast inspiration in an East Coast bodyHis first time ever visiting NYC as an adultThe moment he knew he was really niceGetting shot and thinking it was overFighting self-doubt and paralysisThe rise of GriseldaDerringer shaping the soundGetting stamped by New York legendsBuilding Drumwork as a legacy moveWhy he feels like he’s just getting started
Follow Conway📸 https://instagram.com/whoisconway
Follow Set Free📸https://instagram.com/iam_setfree Follow us for more insights into music, tech & culture:📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon
🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/
8 Apr 2026
Kid Super: The Artist Who Built a Fashion Empire by Having Fun | Compound Conversations
Before Paris.Before the runways.Before the celebrity co-signs.
There was just a kid drawing, playing soccer, and refusing to choose one lane.
On this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with KidSuper founder Colm Dillane for a deep dive into creativity, risk, and building something that doesn’t fit into one box.
From backyard games and basement fashion shows…To guerrilla marketing in New York…To Paris Fashion Week domination…
This conversation explores what happens when you treat life like art.
KidSuper breaks down:
Why fun is a competitive advantageBuilding a brand without traditional fashion trainingCommunity over cloutTurning doubt into creative fuelWhy collaboration beats egoThe mindset behind global expansionStaying experimental even when you “made it”
00:00:28 — Introduction to Colm Dillane & The KidSuper Name00:01:35 — Inspiration & The Compound Atmosphere00:03:05 — Family Origins: Irish Fisherman & Spanish Artist00:05:05 — South American Adventure & Fiery Romance00:06:53 — Street Vendor Roots of KidSuper00:07:37 — A Nomadic Childhood: Mexico to the Midwest00:10:13 — Socioeconomic Perspective & Identity00:14:54 — High School Culture & The Supreme Store Incident00:16:46 — Brick Oven T-Shirts & Lessons From 10 Co-Founders00:18:28 — Choosing KidSuper & Staying Childish00:20:44 — Building a Squad & Community00:24:54 — The Dorm Room Store & Academic Trouble00:26:42 — Finding the KidSuper Space on Craigslist00:30:10 — The Magic of Buildings & Ed Sheeran’s Theory00:32:59 — Strategic Collaborations & Independence00:38:26 — Career Milestones: Ronaldinho & Louis Vuitton00:41:15 — The Future: A Walt Disney Vision for KidSuper
Follow Kid Super📸 https://instagram.com/kidsuper
Follow Set Free📸https://instagram.com/iam_setfree Follow us for more insights into music, tech & culture:📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon
🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/
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