ALAUNI IN NYC

There’s a humorous meme circulating online that states “gorgeous gorgeous” girls have arguably the most unpronounceable names. I don’t know about all of that, but I must admit, many of the beautiful women—inwardly and outwardly—I came across have at least one “A” in their first names.  Case in point, Alauni Greig. To avoid any mispronunciation, the 24-year-old beauty specifically wrote how to actually say it via her Instagram bio: “ah law knee.” 

Now, Alauni is not just a pretty face. The LSU alumni is also steadily rising in the business marketing food chain.  After graduating from college in 2019, Alauni moved to the Big Apple where she abruptly landed an internship at Live Nation, which is the leading American global entertainment company that promotes, operates and manages ticket sales for live entertainment in the US and internationally.  If that isn't impressive enough, Ms. Greig left her internship at Live Nation for a position at publishing company Galison & Madpup, worked there for almost two years, got promoted in the process, departed and then went back to Live Nation as a full-time associate manager in their solution development department.  Woah! It’s safe to say that this St. Thomas-born baddie is on a mission.

I sat down with Alauni to further discuss her flourishing career, growing up in the Virgin Islands, life in the concrete jungle, and everything else in between. Check out our insightful conversation below:

FRENDY: Alauni, what’s going on? We’ve been following each other for some time on Instagram so it’s such a pleasure to finally have this sitdown. Btw, I recently found out we were born 10 days apart—big Virgo energy going on right now!

ALAUNI: Hey! I know, it’s about time we had this time together. Love the Virgo energy—I knew you had good vibes!

FRENDY:  Thank you, thank you!  On the gram you made sure your followers knew how to properly say your name.  Is it that hard for strangers to say it in person? *Laughs*

ALAUNI: You wouldn’t believe how many people just flat out try to avoid saying my name out loud when they meet me for the first time. I’ve gotten so many different pronunciations I decided to take it into my own hands and make sure people knew how to say it so they would no longer have an excuse to not to. I love my name and feel like the least people could do is learn to say it right. *Laughs*

FRENDY: Damn! I feel you—I’ve heard everything from Friendly to Fendi.  So I know exactly what you’re talking about. We don’t play around when it comes to our names. Let’s take it back real quick, what’s your fondest memory of living in St. Thomas?

ALAUNI: Oh, we’re going way back! I have nothing but good memories of living there.  I think my fondest memories are just of being surrounded by family. I have a lot of family there still and I miss being so close to them. But I do get to go back pretty often and be with them—we pick back up right where we left off. It’s like nothing has changed.

FRENDY:  That’s awesome. How old were you when you left?

ALAUNI: I was six when we moved to the United States.

FRENDY: Wow, I moved to the US when I was seven from Haiti.  Was there a main motive behind the migration?  Was it for the wide range of opportunities that the states provided?

ALAUNI: Wow, I didn’t know you were from Haiti! It was definitely for the wide range of opportunities—specifically better education opportunities. I didn’t understand why we were moving at the time, but now I appreciate the sacrifice my parents made to give my sisters and I better opportunities every single day.

FRENDY: Yup! Port-au-Prince, to be exact.  Did you experience a major culture shock when you moved to the US from the Virgin Islands?

ALAUNI: I honestly didn’t as much as my sisters likely did. I think my younger sis and I had it easy while it was a bigger adjustment for my older siblings since they had time to develop their character and culture more.

FRENDY:  Totally understandable.  Even though I came here when I was seven, I definitely felt like a fish out of water *Laughs*.  My first language was French so you know I was getting picked on by some of the kids in elementary school. I had to take extra classes just to get my English up to par. Growing pains for sure—but it was all worth it.  Builds character.

ALAUNI: I’d like to kindly say, f**k those kids. *Laughs*

FRENDY: *Laughs* My younger self just gave you a huge hug.  Speaking of your sisters, how many do you have?

ALAUNI: Three sisters! Two older, one younger and the best part? We all have names that start with “A”. We’re all pretty close in age so I’m sure you can imagine the chaos in my house growing up.

FRENDY: Y’all are the “A-Team” for real. How’d your dad deal with all of the estrogen in the house?

ALAUNI: I have no idea how he did it but he deserves a prize for all of the stress we put him through *Laughs*.  My mom deserves one too, but she might have been contributing to his stress also.

FRENDY: *Laughs*  That’s hilarious.  How was your experience at LSU?  I know they have a huge sports culture.

ALAUNI: I had a great time at LSU! The culture and the community there was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. The school itself was great. I loved the communications school and all of the classes I took there. I also really loved game days in Death Valley. I’m not a sports girl but I turn into a whole different person when I see LSU playing.

FRENDY: When you’re around high octane energy, you have no choice but to get in on all of the excitement.  Why did you choose to go to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for school?  Was it your first choice?

ALAUNI: It was one of my top choices. LSU has a great mass communication program, which is what I was looking for, and I also really wanted a change in environment. Going to the South and living in Louisiana (where I had never been before) was the culture shock I needed to kind of open my eyes up. It also didn’t hurt that I got a great scholarship to go there. *Laughs*

FRENDY:  That’s a fact.  You majored in mass communication and double minored in sports studies and business administration.  Was there a slight chance of you becoming a sports agent? *Laughs*

ALAUNI: *Laughs* I thought about it for a second, and then I realized that sports is just not for me. So I have a bunch of sports knowledge just stored in my brain for no reason.

FRENDY: Why did you even think about it in the first place? What triggered the interest?

ALAUNI: It was being in such a sports-centric atmosphere. LSU (obviously) is known for their athletics programs, and I think I saw how much attention they got—I wanted a little slice of it *Laughs*. I quickly realized that it was not my scene when my sports studies minor required me to take a jogging class. Yes…a jogging class.

FRENDY: *Laughs* A jogging class? Wow, I think we broke a record in all of my years interviewing people. I’ve never had anyone mention anything about a college course that required them to jog.  I’m guessing you’re not much of a jogger?

ALAUNI: I really wish I was, but sadly, no. I am trying to get into running though—don’t ask me about how that’s going.

FRENDY:  I won’t—I’m a StairMaster guy myself.  What was your impression of NYC when you moved here right before the pandemic? 

ALAUNI: I moved here in May 2019 right after graduating college to be an intern at Live Nation. When I first got here I was so unbelievably nervous and intimidated by everything—the city, the people, even the train *Laughs*. But I’m glad I had a minute to adjust and figure sh*t out before the pandemic hit.

FRENDY: Not the train *Laughs*.  Which area of the city did you initially move to?

ALAUNI: I was in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.

FRENDY:  Nice calm vibes there—depending on where you stayed.  Are you living in Manhattan now?

ALAUNI: Definitely didn’t have calm vibes where I was *Laughs*. Yes, I’m in Manhattan now living downtown and I’ve loved it so far.

FRENDY:  Was it hard getting accustomed to the fast paced lifestyle of the concrete jungle?

ALAUNI: No, actually. I think I picked it up pretty fast. By the time I was about to graduate, I was ready to get out of the slow moving south and into a quicker paced lifestyle—so I jumped right into it.

FRENDY:  Right after interning for Live Nation you worked for a company called Galison & Madpup, which is known for partnering with artist foundations to create puzzles, games, home decors, desk accessories, etc.  Since you worked there in the midst of the pandemic, how was business?  Booming, I bet because everyone was home.

ALAUNI: You’re absolutely right, business was insane during quarantine! It was a big test for my work abilities, that was my first “real” job and working throughout the pandemic was really tough.

FRENDY:  What was your most stressful moment there? And how’d you get through it?

ALAUNI: My most stressful moment was keeping up with the customer demand during quarantine. Our product demand was at an all time high and, obviously during that time, there were a bunch of supply chain issues so it was really stressful trying to communicate with customers that were already on edge with all that was going on in the world at that time. Thankfully, I was back home in Maryland and around my family at the time, they were such an amazing support system, and my team at Galison was unbelievable. They were feeling the same stress and we all came together to figure the best ways to get past it. 

FRENDY: I’m glad you guys thugged it out.  Did you leave Galison by choice?

ALAUNI: Yes, it was a really tough decision! A member of my current team at Live Nation reached out to me about an open position that she believed would be good for me, and once I did my research I was sold and applied. Thankfully, I got the position with an amazing company and team. I’m really happy to be back with Live Nation and love the work that I’m doing.

FRENDY:  I’m surprised you weren’t hired by Live Nation right after your internship with them.  What are your duties there now as an associate manager?

ALAUNI: That’s what I had hoped for, but life is crazy and everything happens—or doesn’t happen—for a reason. As an associate manager on the marketing team, I help come up with creative ways for brands to integrate themselves into live music culture. So for example, when you see your favorite brand at a music festival or venue, my team works to come up with “the way in” for the brand.

FRENDY: Sounds like a wavy gig for sure!  Congrats on getting the position—you deserved it.  I see that the company is already promoting upcoming festivals like, When We Were Young and The Smoker’s Club.  How excited are you to see that live events are making a comeback?

ALAUNI: Thank you! I can’t even put into words how excited I am. We got a little taste of it last year during the fall, but nothing will compare to this festival season. People are so eager to get back to live music experiences—myself included. I can’t wait to experience the vibe of listening to your favorite artist surrounded by fellow fans again.

FRENDY:  I peeped that you absolutely love checking out art galleries on your off days.  What’s your favorite exhibition thus far?

ALAUNI: One of my favorite activities! Hmm…I think my favorite so far was the Andy Warhol: Revelation exhibit that I went to at the Brooklyn Museum recently. I went with my roommate/best friend Kayla and we had an amazing time just enjoying Warhol’s work, and seeing new pieces that we hadn’t seen before.

FRENDY:  Yes, I was just about to mention Kayla. How’d you guys meet?

ALAUNI: Kayla and I have actually known each other forever. We went to middle and high school together, and just so happened to be moving to NYC around the same time and have lived with each other ever since.

FRENDY: Synchronicity at its finest.  Kayla is a great photographer—how dope is it to bounce off of her artistic vibe?

ALAUNI: She’s so talented—I’m her biggest fan! It’s amazing having her creativity so close by. She’s such an amazing asset to have around, not only for my career development but for my personal development too. 10/10 recommend getting yourself a Kayla.

FRENDY: Indeed!  We all need a ride or die in our squad.  What else do you do for fun in the city?

ALAUNI: Just overall explore! This summer I made it a mission to see parts of the city I hadn’t been able to before and get out of my comfort zone. I haven’t been that great about doing it recently since it’s so cold out, but I’m ready for spring time so I can start on my little adventures again.

FRENDY:  Since you’re not originally from New York, is it difficult for you to make new friends? Especially during the covid restrictions.

ALAUNI: I can’t lie, it was definitely hard in the beginning. I am so grateful to have had Kayla with me because she was also in the same boat of not really knowing anyone here. But, in 2021 when things opened up more I flourished socially and made so many new friends in the city. I can thank social media for that! I consider all of my internet friends my real friends at this point. *Laughs*

FRENDY: *Laughs* Sometimes internet friends are the ones that look out in real life. How are the fellas treating you in New York?

ALAUNI: No comment. *Laughs*

FRENDY: *Laughs* Fair enough.  Are you dating often?  Also, do you have a particular type?

ALAUNI: I wouldn’t say “often,” but I am dating here and there. I think the type is men who won’t traumatize me. And apparently that’s a big ask.

FRENDY: What do you mean by traumatize? *Laughs*

ALAUNI: Anything that I will potentially have to talk with a therapist about. *Laughs*

FRENDY:  What’s the best way a guy can capture your attention while walking down a crowded SoHo street?

ALAUNI: By saying something kind and not commenting on my outward appearance. It’s the little things—like when someone tells me to have a nice day, that’ll get my attention.

FRENDY:  What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2022?

ALAUNI: Tough question that I haven’t even asked myself! I hope to build my following on social media and be able to work with the brands that I admire. I would love to try out influencing and creating content that breaks through and doesn’t just clutter the feed.

Manny's Mirage

Mannywellz is a young legend in the making. His soulful tone, sincere lyrics and ethereal melodies will undoubtedly cause you to have butterflies...even if you’re not infatuated with someone.

Born in Nigeria, the Maryland-based native’s latest EP, Mirage, consists of seven songs showcasing his take on love. “I feel like sometimes when you’re in a relationship, or like when you’re in love (it doesn’t even have to be with a person), you’re usually in a world of your own. An optical illusion—in your own space—and that’s what ‘Mirage’ really means to me,” said the multi-talented 26-year-old musician to 247HH.com.  “I’m just reflecting on different times of my life where I was in my own world feeling good and bad.”

Wellz’, whose real name is Emmanuel Ajomale, ‘dreamy’ body of work is 22 minutes of sonic bliss. The singer, songwriter and producer is known to incorporate R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Jazz and West African vibes in his music. In this particular project, Manny continues to blend genres producing a concoction any listener would love. Shit, the songs are so damn good you’ll end up having the EP on loop all day without even knowing (*clears throat* it’s not like that happened to me). As the old saying goes: “time flies when you’re having fun.”

I’ll stop my blabbering here so you can have a chance to fully enjoy Mannywellz’ breathtaking chunes as well. Below is one of my favorite tracks from Mirage titled “Floating,” featuring fellow Nigerian rising stars VanJess.

The King of Thrifting

Two years ago I conducted an incredible interview with none other than the hypest of the hypebeasts himself Ang Nits. Since I dived deep inside the mind of a “user”—in this case, a bright-eyed individual who unabashedly buys highly popularized (and often criticized) gear for his own enjoyment—it’s time to finally hear from the “dealer.” Yup, you read that right, I’m talking about a dope garment slangin’, bandz getting reseller.

Allow me to present the culprit at hand Josh Dzime-Assison, better known as Dizzy. What makes the determined DMV native so unique is that he specializes in reselling sensational pieces from thrift stores. Dizzy actually has his meticulous thrifting ways down to a science. Don’t believe me? Simply head over to his Instagram page and you’ll find informational posts on how to properly cop and resell vintage threads: from refurbishing old boxes to send out packages, all the way down to clutch reminders like not forgetting to look through the bedsheet and hand towels section for hidden gems. (Earlier this month he bought a 1970s Yves Saint Laurent towel set for only $8. It was resold on eBay for a whopping $240.)

I recently sat down with the eCommerce expert to discuss his come up, fashion, business and future endeavors. Check out our insightful conversation below:

FRENDY: I could have easily named this piece, “The King of Reselling” because you are a Jedi master of flipping items, but I truly believe you’re even better at buying archival pieces for the low low.  When did thrifting become your thing?

DIZZY: I stumbled into thrifting as a teenager, maybe 14 or 15. I was a fanatical sneaker collector at that time. I remember going in a thrift store (before it was acceptable and trendy to wear used or secondhand items) and seeing some really dope older Jordans. One of my first thrift store purchases was a pair of original powder blue 9’s from 1994. I think I paid $10 for them, took them home, scrubbed them and they broke everyone’s neck at school the next day and on NikeTalk that night when I posted my outfit. I was hooked on thrift stores after that.

FRENDY: Jeez, only $10! A regular teenager back then wouldn’t think about hitting up a thrift store to cop some gear.  You were ahead of your time. Is it safe to say that you were introduced to fashion and style by your OGs at a real young age?

DIZZY:  I wasn’t really introduced to fashion by OGs, I grew up on 90s basketball and Eastbay. At that time, my focus was strictly sneakers, and the love for sneakers helped me develop my style and taste in fashion a little later. In high school, I probably already had close to 150 pairs of sneakers and I was starting to build a reputation on message boards like NikeTalk and ISS. That slight Internet buzz was fun, but the Internet was fairly new as far as understanding the power and reach that it had. So I was just beginning to tap into my influence at that point.

FRENDY:  Where exactly did you grow up in the DMV area?

DIZZY: I grew up in Adelphi, MD, which is Prince George’s County if anyone is familiar with the DMV area. Around 10th or 11th grade, my family moved to Silver Spring, MD which is a suburb of Washington, DC.

FRENDY:  I read that Maryland has a lot of county pride. When you tell people what county you’re from, it’s like telling them part of your identity. Do you believe that’s true? If so, what attributes have you inherited from yours?

DIZZY:  Yeah, there’s a little bit of that. It’s not as serious as the boroughs in NY, but people definitely want to know where you’re from. I think the issue comes from people that are from MD claiming DC and people from far suburbs claiming DMV. I think people just want to know that you’re actually from the area.

Growing up in MD was dope though because it’s a racial melting pot and an economic melting pot. I was able to see and experience so much in those younger years. I had white friends and black and hispanic friends. I had rich friends and lower middle class friends. It was just a really well rounded upbringing. I think it prepared me for how diverse the real world is.

FRENDY:  Amazing. Damn, I guess I watched too much of “The Wire’ growing up because I ignorantly thought the whole of Maryland was filled with violence *Laughs*.

DIZZY:  “The Wire” just showed some parts of Baltimore, which is like 45 minutes away from Silver Spring and an hour from Washington, DC. For the most part, those suburbs around DC are consistently some of the wealthiest counties in the country. I think Prince George’s county has the wealthiest black population of anywhere. So as amazing as “The Wire” was, it was telling a very specific story. I recently was in Colombia in South America and from what we see in movies and on TV, we just think it’s all cocaine cartels. When I got there, it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Same thing.

FRENDY:  That’s why we actually have to experience life instead of agreeing with force-fed information from mainstream media.  Speaking of which, in an interview with The Fader last year, singer Brent Faiyaz stated that Maryland is extremely competitive.  Have you experienced any sort of competition or haters downplaying your entrepreneurial grind out there?

DIZZY: I try not to pay attention to it. That’s everywhere though. People will tell you that same story in any city. I just always try to show love and it’s worked out for me. At times, I’ve struggled with the feeling that people were smiling in my face and hating behind my back, but that was something I had to get over and grow past. So now I just focus my thoughts and energy on things I can control.

FRENDY:  This is the same energy I carry. Your company is now based in New York.  What inspired the move there from your hometown?

DIZZY:  I’m actually back in MD now, man. I was in NY for 7 years. I originally left MD because I was able to have some success at a young age and I was curious to see how that stacked up in a big market. Everybody in this industry wants to be in NY for the opportunities, the relationships, resources. There’s just so many things that NY offers that you can’t get anywhere else in the world. So living and hustling in NY for those years was a great experience for me.

FRENDY:  What compelled you to actually carry out the plan of opening up your online shop selling thrift goods?

DIZZY: The plan started in MD. I opened the first consignment sneaker store in the MD area in 2007. I did the physical location thing for a little while and when that ended, I just continued the hustle online. I had always been selling, but before that I was selling on forums, from my blog (I was blogging heavily back then) and on MySpace. From there, the transition to an online store platform was pretty seamless.

FRENDY:  Why did you decide to shut down the physical shop?

DIZZY:  Unfortunately, someone broke into it and stole a lot of stuff. So dealing with the logistics of recovering from that and also repaying thousands of dollars to people for their consigned items was overwhelming to deal with at 21-years-old. So I just took a break from it and shifted directions.

FRENDY:  All things happen for our greatest good, even when we don’t even understand it at the moment.  I’m glad you kept your dreams alive. You have a vast amount of customers from all over the country. How did you build such a loyal and expansive following? Word of mouth or social media?

DIZZY:  I believe that 100%. Initially when I started selling online, I was running a really popular blog. Get Dizzy blog at one point was getting like 10,000 viewers a day. So I combined my sales platform to my blog, which was already generating crazy traffic.

After that, I think it’s just been about consistency. When you do anything for over 10 years without stopping, people take notice. I also try my best to do good business and make the transactions as personal as possible, which creates a bond and loyalty between me and my customers. I also sell on almost every platform (eBay, Grailed, Poshmark, Etsy,Instagram, etc) and I direct all those buyers back to my site. So that helps with growth also.

FRENDY:  Genius move.  How much research do you do when it comes to finding the perfect vintage shop?

DIZZY:  I literally go to all of them *Laughs*. I make a list depending on what area I’m in, then I hit them all one by one. The ones that are good, I start going more consistently. So over time, I’ve found about 20-30 stores in the DMV area alone that I shop at regularly. So my research is hands on. I go there and see each spot for myself.

FRENDY:  What are your thoughts on Tokio 7 in New York?  How does it hold up to your standards?

DIZZY:  I love Tokio 7. That’s one of my favorite spots in NY. I’ve shopped in there with ASAP Rocky, I’ve shopped in there with Nick Wooster, you name it. It’s an amazing spot to find crazy pieces for my personal collection, but it’s not a spot I would consider to buy and flip from. I’m a true thrifter. I find gems for $5-10 and turn them into $50-100 or even $500. So I like the thrill of the hunt and I enjoy digging. Tokio 7 is very well manicured, the items are carefully screened and handpicked, so it doesn’t provide me with the thrill of the hunt.

FRENDY:  I had a feeling you’ll love that spot.  I do as well. How does reselling differ from when you started back in 2007 and now?  Should people even enter the game at this point?

DIZZY:  I think this is a great time to get into reselling. The information and tools are all readily available. I used to have to buy every item based on my gut instincts. Now a reseller can literally compare prices live on eBay or other sites right from their phone to make sure their making a good purchase. There’s a ton of resellers out there now, which makes finding items a little harder, but if you have some knowledge and work ethic, you can kill it.

FRENDY:  What are you favorite brands right now? And why?

DIZZY:  I wear a lot of Saint Laurent, Fear of God and Chrome Hearts. Those are probably my favorite brands currently. I usually wear mostly black so they just fit my look. I like what Rhuigi is doing with Rhude. He’s been leveling up like crazy over these past few years. I really like Greg Lauren because of the way he fuses different types of pieces together. On the streetwear level, I like Human Made—Nigo is a legend so that’s self-explanatory. I’ll also always love Visvim. A lot of the pieces don’t fit my daily look, but I think Hiroki is a genius and his attention to detail is next level.

FRENDY:  As far as shopping for retro pieces, what sticks out to you the most?  How do you know that it will actually resonate with customers?

DIZZY:  The dope thing about fashion is that it’s cyclical. Styles and brands come back around, so sometimes you can predict those things. A lot of vintage shopping also plays on nostalgia. People want to buy things they had when they were a kid or wanted badly when they were a kid. For international buyers, they love a lot of iconic American cultural things like 90’s hip hop brands and beer brands, etc. Over time, after thousands of sales, you just develop a great view of the market and the type of items that are in high demand.

FRENDY:  I honestly appreciate your mantra, “Patience. Persistence. Progress.”  It’s practically embedded in your personal branding. In what areas of your life do you exercise it?

DIZZY:  That mantra literally defines the whole process for me. In life, in business, in relationships, it applies to everything. You’re always in one of those stages. It’s just a reminder to slow down, take your time and stay with it. A lot of people rush the process (no patience), or quit too early (no persistence), and then end up never progressing. The dope part about it is, once you make some progress, the cycle starts over again.

FRENDY:  Perfectly said.  For the most part, your Instagram captions are thought provoking and hilarious. One of my favorites is “rappers should have all their clothes taken away, if they can’t pronounce the brands,” written under a flick of you showcasing a first person perspective your own fancy threads. Do you think of these witty sayings on the fly or have them saved up on your notes somewhere?

DIZZY:  Thanks man. I realized that you have to find ways to showcase your personality on Instagram which is a visual platform. Everybody’s captions are either extremely literal or some song lyrics or something. So usually those captions are just tweets that I’ve posted earlier on Twitter. I try to keep the captions as random as possible with no relation to the picture. I think that just makes the comments even better.

FRENDY:  You love your friends dearly, always giving them roses while they can still smell them. “No matter what, squad gon eat.”  Have you ever experienced any sort of disloyalty?

DIZZY:  I have, but that’s life. I also might not have been the best friend either so I can’t point fingers. But with maturity you learn to realize that you don’t need 50 friends, you really only need 3-4 REAL friends. The friends that give you positive peer pressure and hold you accountable and have your best interest at heart. The ones that support your work like it’s their own. It just takes some life experiences to weed out the fake ones and find out who those real ones actually are.

FRENDY:  With so many lessons learned, will you ever end up opening your own brick and mortar shop again?

DIZZY:  I’ll never say never, but I think that lane is really congested right now. Round Two is killing it, but everybody can’t be Round Two. As the power of the internet grows and the way people shop and interact with items changes, the retail experience should change also. I see new stores opening every day, but they’re using an outdated business model. I can’t go too much into detail about what’s wrong with the model because I have some plans and tricks up my sleeve. I’ll be opening some brick and mortar locations in the future, but the concept will definitely be different. I’ll be in a lane by myself.