Luxury Watch Player Rashawn Smith Introduces 'Rashawn's Corner'
- Written by Justin Kase
“Throw your Rollies in the sky / Wave ’em side to side and keep your hands high…”
A line from the late, great Notorious B.I.G., a lyric that would resonate for generations and help steer so many from hip-hop culture into collector culture.
In hip-hop, watches have never simply told time. They’ve been worn like trophies—symbols of achievement, status, access, and, ultimately, the value of time itself.
So what kind of watch was Biggie wearing? What was it worth then? What would it be worth today?
Whatever the reference, it’s safe to say that his would be priceless.
But it raises a bigger question: Do the brands truly understand the impact of the culture? And does the culture fully understand the value of the brands?
This is where collectors like Rashawn Smith seamlessly move between both worlds—educating, appreciating, and articulating moments within a space that has historically been highly guarded and traditionally gatekept to preserve exclusivity, access, and prestige.
“Timing is everything.”
For Rashawn, that saying rings truer now than ever as he embarks on his highly anticipated new show, Rashawn’s Corner.
Fresh off a content deal with REVOLT TV, Rashawn, like many creators at this stage of their journey—wanted greater control over his own destiny. The goal wasn’t simply to elevate his brand. It was to own the infrastructure supporting it.
In 2026, Rashawn linked with Streamline Collective to help bring that vision to life.
SIX | Rich Perez, CEO of Streamline Collective, met Rashawn at New York City’s Scarr’s Pizza for a slice and to exchange a little food for thought.
The sentiment was simple:
“There’s a difference between looking successful and actually being successful.”
If you want to control your destiny, you need to control the infrastructure. Every vertical.
Own the land. Build the house.
If it’s going to be Rashawn’s Corner, Rashawn must own it.
Thirty days later, we arrive here.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rashawn for an exclusive walkthrough of this new endeavor from his new home, fittingly, like the Notorious B.I.G. himself, nestled in the heart of Brooklyn at Planet X Studios.
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Rashawn Smith! First question—and obviously the most important one: What’s on the wrist today?
Rashawn - I’m wearing my daily watch, the Blancpain Villeret. I absolutely love it because it reminds me of all the hard work I’ve put in to get to this point. The rose gold case and chocolate dial signify luxury and sophistication. It’s not a watch you find often amongst collectors, but if you do, it was an absolute intentional decision.
I’d love for you to tell me about Rashawn’s Corner. Planet X Studios is absolutely breathtaking. It reminds me of that Ye line: “It’s hard to be humble when you’re stuntin’ on a Jumbotron.” When you walk into this space and look at what you’ve built, what does this moment mean to you?
Rashawn - When I step into Planet X, I repeat to myself: “This is my life”. My life’s purpose is being fulfilled every time we press record. Being respected for my opinion is a responsibility I don’t take lightly. My thoughts and perspective are held in high regard, so coming to Planet X and having access to the best technology and production was important to me.
There’s a saying that goes something like, “Great bosses create other great bosses.” I might have just made that up—but let’s apply it to collecting. Do great collectors create other great collectors?
Rashawn - Absolutely! It’s like anything in life, there’s always someone with more exposure to show the way. Collecting is subjective; people can make the argument of what needs to be in a collection to be great or what requires a great collection, but at the end of the day, how I look at it, if you’re collecting at the greatest level your money could afford or as far as your knowledge, you’re one of the greats.
Who is someone you’ve helped understand the world of watches, and what was the piece they eventually purchased that made even you say, “Wow”?
Rashawn - I’ve helped hundreds of people build private collections, but there is one young man that stands out to me. When we met, he was in his early 20s, barely old enough to drink, and he came to me inquiring about an Omega Speedmaster. There was some real emotional connection that made this purchase important to him. I thought he’d be a one-and-done guy based on his age and what I knew him to value. This young man is a tech genius, builds hardware for fun, and software as a profession, so he’s the real deal. This turned out not to be a one-off situation, and he continued to buy watches with me, very approachable prices in the beginning. I noticed he was checking off the boxes and being a student of the game. One year, he just went from the basics to the big leagues and I was extremely impressed when he enquired about a Moser Streamliner small seconds with a blue enamel dial. It was a very proud of the moment because we had built this collection together, and with the right council, he has done very well in the collecting game. We still build together at this point; he’s a lifer!
Let’s go back to Biggie. Do you know which Rolex the Notorious B.I.G. threw in the sky in 1997? And looking at that watch today, what are your thoughts on the piece, its significance, and the relationship between hip-hop and Rolex?
Rashawn - Biggie was wearing a Rolex Day-Date, one of the most iconic watches ever made. That watch means so much more than it being an instrument to measure time. That watch shaped a culture, and when I refer to a culture, I refer to the guys on the block to the brokers on Wall Street. If you have a Rolex Day-Date, it doesn’t matter where you’re from; the feeling is the same. “I made it.” Rolex has been able to market a product to the masses, being one of the first to have brand ambassadors. Since the brand’s inception, cultural influence has been the focus. Understanding hip-hop is the most influential genre in music; brands like Rolex understand that in order to be undisputed, it’s imperative to be associated with music, hip-hop most importantly, to still be relevant.
How would you say New York City—and Brooklyn in particular—shaped your journey?
Rashawn - It’s New York or Nowhere for me. Where I’m from is Brownsville, more specifically. I’ve seen a lot for me to understand the fragility of life, and I’ve done a lot in order to still be around. I apply my experiences growing up to influence my decisions today. Creating a talk show was in my cards because I grew up in church and wanted to be a minister. Greatness is the only option because poverty is too painful. I think of the greatest people to come from the hood like 50, Jay, Mike, and what they all had in common was the hunger for more. Their tolerance for pain was far greater than everyone around them, and it brought them this far. I am one of them ones too!
You’ve traveled the world through this watch journey. Have you ever had one of those moments where you stopped, looked around, and thought, “How did I make it from my block to here?”
And of all the places watches have taken you, which destination or experience stands above the rest?
Rashawn - Yes, all the time! One defining moment was my latest trip to Japan. I was on a spiritual hike, left with my thoughts, no outside distractions, just clarity and time to get a bird’s-eye view over my life. The conclusion was I’m currently reaching a ceiling, and the only way to break through was to do it on my own. I didn’t know where to start, but that wasn’t going to stop me from making the decision. Thinking of my experiences from the block to traveling the world, I’ve learned to move through it unapologetically, mainly because I know what it took to get here. Others may have a story, but not like mine.
Let’s talk about Streamline Collective. From the outside looking in, it seems like this partnership goes much deeper than a traditional content deal. I’m sure multiple companies were interested in working with you. What made this alliance different, and what made you decide Streamline was the right partner for this next chapter?
Rashawn - This partnership ment the most sense simply put. Ownership and transparency was very important to me and when my friend Rich came to me about creating my own talk show with the injection of Streamline I was all in.
Outside of content, what else can we expect from Rashawn Smith and Rashawn’s Corner? Is this ultimately a show, a media brand, a community—or something even bigger?
Rashawn - Sky is the limit. I work with extremely talented people and interview the most accomplished people in the world. Ideas and new influences come to mind after every interaction with someone of great importance. Rashawn’s Corner is the foundation; it’s what my legacy is built on, and the goal is for my legacy to be a towering skyscraper that has reached the greatest heights.
The future is always the most interesting period to envision because it’s where the results of every decision you make today eventually live.
So let’s end there.
If you could look into the future right now, where do you see Rashawn’s Corner exactly 12 months from today?
Rashawn - In 12 months, Rashawn’s Corner will be one of the biggest talk shows to date. Having access to the world’s brightest leaders and industry giants, Rashawn’s Corner will tell the stories that have never been told. We will reach the masses with the right strategies and partnerships to expand beyond what’s to be expected. Starting with the passion for watches has led to conversations way beyond comprehension. People are looking for community and purpose. Rashawn’s Corner will be the lighthouse and lead the way to inspiring the next generation and future people of great skills.
https://rashawnscorner.com/pages/rctv
Rashawn, thank you for sitting down with us.
Before we go, give everyone the handles, links, and destinations where they can enter the world you’ve built and follow what comes next.
And 12 months from now, I hope we’re sitting right back here revisiting that last question and seeing just how much of that future became reality.
