There are a plethora of catchphrases and motivational mantras that have helped inspire not only fans of producer and hip-hop mogul DJ Khaled's music, but his followers on the social media app Snapchat -- 6 million and counting, in fact.
"He's funny, and he's motivational," says Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, one of Khaled's social media disciples, and a Snapchat sensation in his own right.
Here's a sample:
"They" are everywhere, according to Khaled.
"You know, right now, they don't want you to interview DJ Khaled. They don't, I promise you," he says to me, referring to himself in the third person.
"[The haters] don't want us to do well, they don't want us to win. So we're gonna win more."
"It's the truth," he goes on. "That's what is so dope about cloth talk -- is that I can be real and honest."
Cloth talk, by the way, as defined by Khaled, means "the greatest, realest talk ever."
Brown is a fan of Khaled, and as it turns out, their relationship goes back long before Snapchat was even invented.
"I've known him since about 2009 through a mutual friend," Brown said. "He's always been an encouraging, motivational friend and someone I could count on for inspiration."
For Khaled, his mutual admiration and respect for Brown can be pinpointed to a pivotal moment in Brown's career: the 2010 NFL draft.
"When he got the call about what round [he was selected by the Steelers], he was at my house in Miami," Khaled says. "I always felt like he should have been among the top three picks. And now he's the No. 1 receiver in the game."
Brown was selected in the sixth round. Since then, he has had three consecutive seasons with at least 110 catches. Brown tied for the NFL lead last season with 136 catches, was second in receiving yards (1,834) and had 10 receiving touchdowns. His 265 receptions in 2014 and 2015 are the most ever in a two-season span.
Brown's Steelers open the regular season at Washington on Monday Night Football (7:10 ET, ESPN).
"Just because they don't pick you, and that door is closed, that doesn't mean you can't be the greatest ever," Khaled says.
Brown acknowledges that Khaled is his favorite person to follow on Snapchat, and now he has used his friend's social media formula to his own advantage: building a massive following on the app, mostly because of his commitment to share his life with the world.
"The great thing about Snapchat is your fans can get a detailed experience of what your life is like behind the scenes," Brown says. "What do you like to do? How do you like to spend your time? For me, when I'm not playing football, or when I'm around the house, fans can engage with you with a right-now experience of how you spend your day, and how you spend your time."
Khaled agrees: "You can just watch AB score touchdowns all day, but you might not know him. Through his social media, he's letting his fans know who he is, what he eats and what he does with his family."
And when he gets his teeth cleaned.
Brown took Snapchat to another level last month, sharing with his followers his latest dentist appointment in Pittsburgh, straight from the chair.
"So, no cavities?" Brown asks as he smiles in the video; he appears to be holding the phone directly over his face.
"No cavities!" his dentist replies. "You have paid your dues well beyond most."
Brown is so serious about his dental care that he keeps floss in his pocket. "You've got to motivate the fans and the people to get your teeth cleaned," he explains. "It's called daily hygiene. You've got to take care of yourself."
Recording snaps while at the dentist might be a sign of addiction to social media. For Brown, it's a personal fitness and wellness app he's sharing with his followers.
"I wouldn't say I'm addicted," he says. "But I would say it's pretty motivating knowing people wake up and check on it and see what I'm doing every day; when they see me work out or eating healthy."
Outside of his dentist appointments, Brown's range on Snapchat is fairly diverse.
"I probably do 10 to 12 Snapchats a day," he admits. "Spending time with my family, or my chef, my workouts, my outfits, or any events I'm attending. Playing music in the car is a big one for me. Dancing sometimes. Or asking people, 'How's business?'"
So, how is business?
Ask anyone who follows Brown or Khaled, and the answer comes immediately.
"I was sitting with DJ Khaled," Brown says, "and talking about adversity, growth, where we were in life, and he said it's time to take things further; be even better than we are. We just came up with a slogan in that conversation like, how's business?"
Brown then pauses for effect.
"Boomin'."
Though he and Brown are working together to trademark it, Khaled still remembers the exact moment when "business is boomin'" was born.
"Back in the day, when my friends used to sell me sneakers," he recalled, "I realized I was buying so many because every day I would be coming in and dropping two stacks [of bills] every time. So I would ask my friend, 'Yo, how's business?' because I already knew. My friend was like, 'Yo, boomin'."
Unlike "they" and "cloth talk," which you'll hear Khaled mention on his Snapchat account almost every day, "business is boomin'" is more than just a fun phrase for Khaled. It's a lifestyle.
"Put it this way: If I asked, 'How's business?' and you say, boomin' or amazing, I already know the answer," he explains. "It's basically glorifying our success. AB has taken it to another level. From his touchdowns, his workouts, his accomplishments, and also the great things that come with that. From the mud to marble floors. To keep the business going, you gotta keep it boomin'."
The slogan has evolved from a saying to a motivational mantra. When fans greet Brown at training camp, or on his way to Heinz Field, you can hear them screaming it, either as a question or statement, one after another. The evidence is on Brown's Snapchat account. If he's not asking people how business is, he's telling them how it is: boomin'.
"No matter what you do in life, you want to make it boom," Brown says. "It can apply to anyone. Wherever you at, you always got to grow. The battle of growth is never-ending, so our motivational slogan tour is growing, is keeping business boomin' in whatever business you're in, or whatever you're doing."
