Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashid Matthews-Hall.
Hi Rashid, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I grew up in a two parent household and i was raised by both parents who were immigrants from Jamaica, West Indies. I’ve always tried my best in school even though many people considered me to be highly intelligent, I’ve always had my weak areas that I continue to work on to this very day. When I was in elementary school I was in a special program for gifted children called the “torch” program. My mom also enrolled me in Karate classes, Swimming classes and Baseball. She was always concerned about my development. I wound up being enrolled in private school from my middle school years all the way through my university days. During my university years I was introduced to jiu jitsu by a friend while I was training another martial art. I’ve been involved in martial arts since i was 6 years old. Through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world. I’ve tested myself against amazing athletes and I’ve made long lasting connections. One of the places that has molded my destiny is Japan. I competed in Japan for the first time at the IBJJF Asian Open in 2014 when I was 23 years old. I became a bronze medalist during that year. I competed again in Japan the following year and i won my first set of gold medals in Japan at the age of 23 as a purple belt. I won the IBJJF Japanese National Championships in 2016 when i was 24 years old. I went on to win more titles in japan for the next several years after that. I began to fall in love with Japan. The lifestyle and culture interested me very much. I started working and living as teacher in Japan in 2019. I’m also a growing content creator and coach. I also have other ventures. Even though I’ve been through so much, I feel like my story has just begun.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve dealt with struggles my entire life and I continue to deal with struggles today. The majority of our lives are defined by struggle and how we react to various situations. I’ve delt with adversity in my personal, professional and athletic arenas.
Some of the major struggles I’ve overcame have been fallouts with individuals who were once close. It’s difficult to go into detail about this, but we can all relate. Some of the major athletic disappointments I’ve faced have been major matches that I’ve lost. Those wins could have led to more sponsorships and recognition. Also I’ve had professors and teachers undermine me in my academic career. As a creator and instructor in Japan I am now starting to see strides after years of hard work.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Im a creator as of right now in various aspects. I create programs that help people to grow and become better individuals. I also turned my passions and hobbies into revenue streams
I have various YouTube pages for each passion.
Im currently involved in Japanese Airsoft, fitness, martial arts, cooking, vlogging, and also I have a podcast.
My goal is to utilize my experience so I can shed light on my point of view. I also want to enhance the lives of others.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I am also in the process of starting other ventures as well. If you are interested in collaborating I am open to networking with anyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Instagram: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Facebook: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- LinkedIn: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Twitter: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Youtube: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Yelp: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Soundcloud: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Gazahask3ll_
