Monsieur Mulry

Aw man!  It feels so good to be writing these Original Stories again.  I took a little break to gather my thoughts on the direction of the series.  Although we live in a digital age where content is consumed like fast food, I wanted to allow (sort of forced, honestly) you guys to fully digest and enjoy the existing tales of the talented individuals I am blessed to know.  Quality over quantity is my strategy.

With that said, allow me to present my latest interviewee, Ryan Mulry aka Monsieur Mulry.  As you may have guessed, Ryan and I met at my old office in BAPE (yes, I'm talking about the second floor of the shop).  In A$AP Rocky's single "A$AP Forever," the self-proclaimed PMF proudly boasted he had "Goyard by the sack," but I can personally attest that Ryan had it by the boatloads about a decade before the bags were a much sought-out accessory in the Rap world.

The New Jersey-native and I clicked instantly simply because we share the same, chill vibes.  As fashionable as he was (and still is), he didn't have any sense of entitlement or cockiness and treated those around him with absolute respect.  It was all love whenever he stopped by to cop our latest threads, but we never actually kicked it outside of the shop.  This is why it's such a pleasure to finally have a sit-down with him after all these years to find out more about his life beyond the lavish aesthetics.

Check out our dialogue below:

FRENDY:  Ryan, the man!  Thanks for taking the time to chat.  It's been a minute since we actually saw or spoke to each other so I'm excited to know what you've been up to.

RYAN:  What's up Frendy!  It's an honor to have this discussion with you so many years later.  So much has happened for both of us—I think we are two examples of people really living what we do and look forward to talking about that.

FRENDY:  Amen!  It's all about authenticity at the end of the day.  So, let's get right to it—how'd you afford all that Goyard back in the day? *Laughs*.  Nah, I'm just playing.  What initially drew you to the French trunk and leather goods luxury brand?

RYAN:  *Laughs*.  That's always peoples first thought like, "How did you afford this or that?"  *Laughs*.  I could lie to you and front like I worked hard for all my pieces, but the truth is that I was just really blessed to work at Barneys New York during the time I did.  I got a huge discount, not to mention the fact that Goyard used to be about 50% price of what it is today, so it was easier to purchase—yet still very expensive.  

It was always more [pricey] than Louis Vuitton, which is why some people immediately saw it as an elitist brand based off that alone.  One day I was having a discussion with Lupe Fiasco about it and I believe he was an example of that mentality.  His exact words to me were, "it's an elitist thing."  While that may be true, I never looked at it like that.  To me, it was the fact of how the canvas was printed and the materials being used that really captured me.  Mixed with the fact that people didn't really know what it was back then—I was in love!  I prefer things that are under-the-radar and don't draw too much attention for my everyday uniform.  A subtle stunt, rather than everything all in your face.  Less is more, you know?

FRENDY:  Beautifully said!  I totally agree.  Furthermore, once you deeply know that "you're the shit," you can rock virtually anything and it's praised by the masses.  It's energy more than anything, but that's for another story.  Oh ok, so you actually worked for the brand.  Were you at its New York store location or corporate offices?

RYAN:  It's funny you mention energy—I'm a firm believer of manifestation and the powers we all hold within ourselves.  Confidence is definitely key.  Style is subjective and really boils down to what makes you feel good personally.  As far as Goyard, I did indeed work for the brand.  The corporate offices in New York are actually located above the store within the townhouse.

The Goyard home in New York is truly beautiful and one of a kind.  I am grateful I got to open that to the public and be a part of the experience.  All love for all my Goyard family in France, they have showed me love from day one when I just had a cardholder and a dream *Laughs*.  Now I'm on to new projects with business partners I was fortunate enough to meet during my time with the brand.  I have to say Goyard has been very good to me for the 10 years it has been involved in my life—it has done nothing but attract like minded friends and family.  Interestingly enough, the brand has shaped a major part of my life and I couldn't be more grateful for it.  Shout out Goyard man!

FRENDY:  Damn, that's whats up!  It must be nice to be appreciated by such a huge brand *Laughs*.  Let's take it back a bit before all the fashion happenings.  Earlier you mentioned that you grew up in New Jersey.  Where exactly?

RYAN:  *Laughs*  Yeah for sure!  I am extremely grateful for that, but I also worked hard to earn it.  I know you can say the same for one of many people's dream company as well!  In a way, BAPE and Goyard both share the same mysterious beginnings.  Definitely two cult brands—severely different spectrums, but both have undeniable similarities in the culture of the companies.

I did grow up in New Jersey, another thing I'm grateful for.  My father is fully Irish, catholic born and raised in the Bronx.  My mother was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia.  The two met in North Jersey at work and the rest is history *Laughs*.  We lived about 25 miles outside of Manhattan so getting to the city was very easy for me via public transportation.  I never really connected to the town I grew up in and felt like the city gave me an escape out of the differences I felt in High School.  I connected with people who cared about art and fashion through my Saturday Live classes at FIT.  I would take the bus on Saturday mornings to attend my weekend school there. It was there I learned how to screen print—my life changed after that!

FRENDY:  That's awesome!  Many kids in HS wouldn't even think about changing their environment for some new inspiration.  They would rather wallow in their own sorrow of not being able to fit in.  Did you actually end up attending FIT to obtain your Bachelor's degree?  

RYAN:  Not even wallow, but I would just say accept things.  A lot of people would rather accept what's happening instead of making a change.  It's hard for people to go through times of discomfort so many choose to avoid it.  I prefer to explore and go outside, rather than remain in a box.

I ended up moving to Chicago to attend Columbia College for a year before I got accepted and transferred to FIT.  I was happy to be in New York, but it wasn't the right place for me at the time so I ended up transferring to Parsons.  I think Parsons was the best place for me to be, I met some of my best friends there and truly feel I learned a lot about my environment in the creative career world.  I ended up dropping out of Parsons because I felt like I got everything I needed at the time and had to move on to the next venture.

FRENDY:  What's the most important lesson you learned at Parsons?

RYAN:  I learned so much there it's hard to say the most important thing, but if I really look back as a whole, my time spent at Parsons helped me continue going after my dreams.  I met like minded people that turned into my actual network.  The people I met are more valuable than any actual courses I took while studying there.

FRENDY:  Hey, as the old saying goes: your network is your net worth.  When were you initially conscious of your fashion sense?  Did your parents put you on to brands at an early age?

RYAN:  Yeah man, the saying is definitely true.  I have learned you're only as strong as your weakest link.  My parents didn't really put me on to brands, but my mom and her whole family gave me style for sure.  My aunt was really the one into European designers and really knew how to shop.  My aunt Vera is the flyest, [she] always had dope Chanel pieces, good Gucci *Laughs*.  The best part, though, was that she knew how to get things when they were on sale or at outlets, and the real come ups she would always find.  I learned that from her and my mom.

I really got into those things around my sophomore year when I could start saving for little sunglasses and small pieces, from places like Century 21 or the D&G store in Short Hills *Laughs*.  That was D&G, not to be confused with main line Dolce at that time.  I definitely was stretching for the sale D&G tees!!  I truly found my style in HS toward senior year when I probably first met you at BAPE.  It was before I was a regular customer.  I really started to mix street, everyday style with denim and found my way.  After I moved to New York, I started working at Barneys and I met one of my best friends and soulmates, Sheena.  She put me on to Rick Owens and that changed my life for real!  It was over *Laughs*.  From then on, there was never another designer that I could eat so effortlessly and feel so comfortable in.

I love mixing Rick classics with my own tees, VLONE, M65 jeans with Rick leather!  That's one of my favorite outfits.  Anything made by Hedi Slimane to me is collectible.  My Rick clothes are more wearable for everyday, but I like to archive any boots and piece of clothes from jackets to denim that Hedi has made—he was the first designer for me, before Rick even, back in his Dior days.  I couldn't afford anything and didn't know how to get the pieces at the time, but I would stare at his Dior boots in Saks [Fith Avenue] and dream of owning a pair.  He was the defining style for me and truly made wardrobes, uniforms, timeless pieces in the most incredible fits.

But yeah man, I have always been into fashion as a young kid, I was wearing Rage Against The Machine or Beastie Boys shirts.  Always in some band shirts—Nirvana for sure.  That was like first through eight grade forever.  I started dying my hair blue in the sixth grade and was wearing ball chain necklaces back then even, which is a huge trend today *Laughs*.   A lot of the things I was doing then I still do today.  So in terms of style, you could say I always had that, I was always, even at a young age, aware of that.  I started gaining knowledge of the fashion greats and just getting to know the world in general as I got older.  I think style is something you're born with.

FRENDY:  You're absolutely right!  A lot of your style choices back then are still prevalent today.  It just goes to show that you dressed according to your innate feelings, rather then following the herd.  Speaking of VLONE, I know that you're close with the ASAP Mob, especially ASAP Bari.  How did that friendship come about?

RYAN:  *Laughs*  Yeah, I have love for the entire mob and will always be grateful for them showing me love as well.  I am very proud of all of them and how far they have truly come.  You can really look at each individual member and see them doing things that really inspire today's culture, in terms of fashion, music and overall style.  They are true leaders and I am extremely grateful to have been around their energy.  I have Bari to thank for that, of course.  He's like a brother to me and I couldn't be more proud of VLONE and everything it has accomplished thus far.

I really met them all in 2012 at Venice Beach after Coachella on some universal planning shit *Laughs*.  Bari and I just clicked over some style and ideas that people didn't really embrace like us at that time, and the rest is history.  I live in Harlem and have a home today because of him, I'm grateful to say the least.  Shout out to Sheena as well, she gave me a home in the East Village when I didn't have my own place.  I have been blessed to have the best people come to me and go from friends to family.  I have a lot friends, but family are the ones I truly live for and love to death.  Shout out to Alex, Shaun and Ashley as well.

FRENDY:  Real friends make the world go 'round.  The universe works in wondrous ways for real—I know all about that *Laughs*.

RYAN:  Yeah, real friends and family indeed!

FRENDY:  You said that Bari and yourself instantly clicked due to having similar taste in style.  What was your first fashion talk with him?

RYAN:  Honestly, I couldn't tell you what that was exactly, but I could tell you our mutual love of Ksubi brought us together.  Another brand I learned about at Barneys.  Ksubi, in my eyes, was the best denim company era.  They had the most amazing skinny jeans that were the best fits and washes you could find.  No one was really making skinny jeans like Ksubi.  Not even close!

FRENDY:  Yeah, some of my boys from down under knew the guys behind the brand—they definitely had the denim game on lock!  I saw some BTS photos of you, Bari and Rocky at the VLONE Paris fashion show.  Were you helping them out with their presentation?

RYAN:  I was lucky enough to be the assistant stylist to Bari who was the director and head stylist.  That was a dream come true—fuck everybody, we put on a fashion show in Paris!  Men's Fashion Week!  The day prior was a Kim Jones LV show, Rick show, etc. and none of those drew excitement or fresh energy the way "Black History" did, that was the genius title of the show.  The name itself is self explanatory, it is powerful and is in fact now a monumental piece of history.  

That really meant alot for me.  I didn't do that show for Instagram, I didn't go to Paris so we could take pictures with people.  Everyone wants to see me post on Instagram and all that.  We went there to put on the best possible show we could and make history.  That's the difference between me and a lot of people in today's world.  Shout out to Du, my partner-in-crime that week for real. He is one of a kind.  Shout out to Brick and BStroy as well.  Du was on that trip with me.  He too could give a fuck about Instagram or what anyone is thinking.  We were there to do our job, and at the end of the day we did an amazing one!  People want to criticize, this and that, but none of us graduated Central Saint Martins, none of us worked for any major fashion houses or came from fashion families.  We're just kids with a dream that couldn't be told "no."  That's what we went to Paris to show the world.  I think the mission was accomplished, but of course there's much more work to be done *Smiles*.

FRENDY:  Shout out to you and the entire mob for pulling that off.  What were your duties as Bari's assistant stylist for the show?

RYAN:  Shout out to the mob always, but big ups to Bari for that!  His genius is still unfolding and I look forward to watching the story continue just as the world is watching Virgil for now.  My duties were a little bit of everything really, from just making sure Bari was good to making sure the clothes were organized, steamed, getting shot for our mood boards and everything.  I just did everything I could.  It was like, "ok, you see that needs to get pinned just do that," or "pass that to the atelier for finishing."  Perhaps just organizing looks into categories and playing with the clothes to find the best outcomes.  It was really about feeling the mood and making the world of VLONE come to life.  It was about putting our whole energy on the runway and showing that through incredible garments.  Few people have ever got to look at how well the garments actually are, but don't be surprised when I tell you some of the factories crafting your favorite Balenciaga in Italy, or say N(N) in Japan, all had a hand in manufacturing some of the VLONE pieces.

FRENDY:  Damn, that was dope of Bari to bring you along.  It's a true testament of how much he trusts you and your work ethic.

RYAN:  Exactly!  Not even just about the trust part, but the loyalty—that's real to me.  I was there before Paris and I'll be there after.  For life, regardless!  To find real people is so few and far between and that's why we must cherish those that cherish and love us as well.  It's important to be your friends fan and not just the people who are popping.  Support your homies the same way you would support Beyoncé and the support will come back tenfold from your family.  People are quick to support major celebs but they might not be quick to support their best friend who may be lesser known.  You see a lot of people just trying to come up in all the wrong ways, and that never interested me.  I am always in everything I've invested in mentally and emotionally for the long haul.

FRENDY:  Amen!  Most people won't even support their "homies."  It's truly a shame.  Are you currently working n the fashion industry?

RYAN:  It is a shame, but if your people don't support you, those aren't your people!  I am lucky enough to be working on things I enjoy and really love.  Recently, I was working on Prada campaigns with one of my best friends Ashley, [whom] I mentioned earlier.  Working with your best friends is highly underrated.  You grow up being told that you will have to work with people you don't like, which sometimes may be true, but if you do it right, that doesn't have to be the case always.  Anyway, Ashley is a producer and has had me on as her assistant to some of the biggest artists like Karl Temper, Pat McGrath, Guido Palau.  Iconic photographers like Patrick Demarchelier and Steven Meisel.  This past week, I felt so fortunate to work on a shoot with Fabien Baron and the widow of Steve Jobs, Laurene Powell.  That energy was incredible.  Real world visionaries and changers.  That's inspiring to me.  I couldn't be more grateful for the people she's brought me around and the world she has showed me.  I can't express my gratitude enough!

I have my passion project with my Goyard brother from Paris Pierre Tzenkoff, the mastermind himself.  We are bringing something to the world of cannabis that only we could.  Check it out at Devambez.com and soon in fine cannabis retailers throughout the U.S.  I am also working on my own ongoing concept project titled, "11:11."  I want to focus on wellness and expanding the knowledge of how important our well-being is.  Physically as well as mentally, and how we can harbor that well-being through meditation and self care.  Those are things that are really on my mind and what I'm trying to work on.

FRENDY:  A man of many hats, that's what's up!  What do you think abut the mélange of streetwear and luxury that's taking place in fashion right now?

RYAN:  That's a great question.  When I worked at Goyard, I had to wear a suit and I couldn't stand it.  They gave me a uniform that was made of polyester but I used to wear my own Dior suit because I didn't like the fabric of our uniforms.  To me, it was very poorly made and cheap fabrics couldn't empower me to promote expensive products.  If you want to feel a certain way, you will usually dress to that occasion.  I love the saying about how you have to dress the part to be it, or however that saying goes.  I find it very true.  If you want people to look at you a certain way it's easily attainable through the way you dress.  The same is said for our personal feelings.  We can dress they way we feel or the way we dress.  I think a lot of people are interested in living a life that involves luxury culture and finer goods, higher standard of living than previous generations.  A natural evolution if you will.  In that evolution, we have decided to be comfortable and to dress in our comforts.  We have taken casual garments and changed them into high end uniforms.

Customizing the idea of high end to match what makes us feel good empowers us personally.  So I feel like it's a good thing.  It's modern.  It's real.  There is something to be said for a beautiful bespoke suit from Savile Row, of course, but I don't really feel comfortable in a suit.  I want to wear fabrics that move and make sense for running around the city or going to the gym.  Just as much as those fabrics make sense in casual settings, I want them to transfer me into whatever I see fit, maybe that's the Mercer [hotel] for dinner, or the juice press in Equinox.  But whatever's the location, I think the one constant factor remains that we desire to dress nicely in both scenarios to feel comfortable and confident.  To me, the mix truly represents our way of living in the city, running around daily and maintaining our sense of style within that comfort.

FRENDY:  Equally great answer.  Thank goodness comfortability is in!  You've always been surfing your own wave when it comes to fashion.  Which brands are currently on your radar?

RYAN:  Thank God is right!  Vans checkerboard slip ons are my favorite shoes of all time.  I wear those every year.  My favorite is still Rick, honestly, and I pair his pants with tees I make generally or my V tees and anything from M65 gives me.  He is probably my biggest inspiration forever! Since I've moved to the city he has been inspiring me, I knew he would be special.  He was in Japanese Vogue at a young age and he has put me in Vogue for my very first time with M65!

My brands are definitely consistent, man.  I love Hermès, Rick Owens, I still wear my Saint Laurent, but nothing new, only from Hedi *Laughs*.  I really like classic pieces that will last forever, like anything from Dries [Van Noten] is incredible or Prada is always classic but fun.  I don't buy pieces constantly, but the things I will shell out on usually are pieces that I will wear for years to come.  I don't like to buy into trends that I won't keep in my closer forever.  I did buy the Triple S sneaker, but that was a moment in time *Laughs*.  I really think in 20 years I will show my child that sneaker like it's a sculpture.  Just because it is, in fact, a sculpture.  The Italian version of the shoe weighs more than many sculptures I've seen.  It truly is a workout shoe *Laughs*.

But besides that, I like hippie culture and vintage shops in San Francisco, stuff like Patagonia or Pendleton, North Face—things that are utility based and actually make sense.  clothes that do their job.  For instance,  a jacket that actually keeps you or your clothing underneath dry.  Weather appropriate garments are important and I appreciate designers that take those technicalities into consideration.  I like things that make sense, but still look good and are made well.

FRENDY:  Man, this conversation is so dope that I don't want it to end.  We'll definitely have to do a part 2.  But before I go, I have to know who would you want to work with in the industry (dead or alive)?  And why?

RYAN:  Man, this is a great conversation and good vibes with you always!  Positive energy.  You're an authentic person and I'm glad we were able to meet so long ago and collaborate, finally.  A first of many to come.  I can't wait to see all the things you have to bring to the table through your writing and exploring.  Never stop creating and exploring!

I am grateful to have worked around a lot of people and companies that are my top choices, but If I could choose someone dead or alive, it would have to be Andy Warhol.  I would love to exchange energy with him and have his knowledge of art coming to commerce.  Turning art into money.  He was good at turning art into money, but also good at turning objects into art.  I really find that concept very modern and mesmerizing even today.  I think that is groundbreaking to have that mentality during his years so I would love to experience that.

Ed Choppo

It’s truly a blessing to meet someone who instantly comprehends your vibe.  This was precisely the case for Eddie Omari-Rivers and I.  Our distinguished mutual friend, Amir Almaimani, introduced us to each other and ever since our very first encounter, we’ve been communicating like long lost brothers.

Eddie, better known as “Ed Choppo,” is a humble yet passionate soul with many talents.  Not only is he an excellent cook—thanks to his grandmother who opened up the very first African cuisine in New York—and athlete, Choppo is also a New York City-based Health Consultant whose clientele consists of some of the wealthiest people on the planet!

Despite his stellar success, the self-made 29-year-old remains hungry and focused on inspiring whomever he comes across.   I recently sat down with the South Bronx native to discuss his humble beginnings in the concrete jungle, adoration for cooking, fitness regimen, and motivation behind his unremitting work ethic.  Check out our in-depth conversation below:

FRENDY: Ed, thanks for having me over so we could chop it up for a bit.  I know you’re an extremely busy guy.

ED: F#ck all that busy sh*t! You make time for whatever you want to make time for.

FRENDY: Exactly!  The very first time we caught up you whipped up an exceptional meal.  I know your beloved grandmother taught you how to cook and all, but how long did it actually take to get this good?

ED:  I can’t really put a time period on it.  I could just tell you that I cook, cook, cook—everyday I try to spice it up. It’s trial and error.

FRENDY: Do you remember the first dish you prepared?

ED: Yeah, I’m actually known for this, all my college mates know me for it.  It’s baked barbeque chicken with potatoes and carrots—the chicken falls off the f#ckin’ bone.  That’s what we survived on in college ‘cause in Vermont every f#ckin’ restaurant closes at around 8pm. You have a bunch of inner city kids who are trying to eat good, the only thing we had were tater tots and Denny’s…

FRENDY: You weren’t messing with that…

ED: Nah.  Sh*t ain’t no food man *Laughs*.

FRENDY: So you were kind of forced to cook? I mean, you love doing it, I’m sure it wasn’t a burden.

ED: I love cooking, but I had no choice. When you have no choice, you learn to adapt quick.

FRENDY: Would you say that was the moment you took cooking seriously? 

ED: I started taking it seriously while in college, but not when I was cooking in my dorm room. I really took it up a notch during my sophomore year when I started taking a nutrition course where I learned about food groups and its effect on the body.  Once I implemented that in my cooking, that was when I was mind blown.  I guess that’s when I was addicted to it.

FRENDY: From then on, it just took over your life…

ED: I used to cook like three times a week at school.  It was also a hustle—I was just cooking for my basketball homies.  I would bake the chicken for like six hours at 275 degrees; the aroma would just spread throughout the whole building I was staying in. So one day, one of my homies suggested that I should charge $5 a plate.  I started doing it and made a killing!

FRENDY: That’s awesome. It’s all about cultivating good energy, which is one of the main reasons you started cooking right?

ED: I always found that food and sports are two mechanisms that bring people together—you never see people argue or fuss while they’re having a great meal.  You do see the joy that people get.  If you’re the person that cooks the food, you see it in a person after they eat. That’s a priceless feeling.

FRENDY: I noticed that you didn’t make yourself a plate after you served me that bomb meal.  Do you normally not eat with your guests?

ED: Yeah, I don’t. Some people hate me for it, but it’s my grandmother’s tradition.  I’ve cooked for the masses and they would all want me to eat with them. I tell ‘em go to hell * Laughs *.

FRENDY:  We’ll get back to the food in a minute—let’s talk about your origin. I’ve lived in New York for about 20 some odd years and only have been to the Bronx at most 2 times. It seems so distant to me *Laughs *. How’d you like living there?

ED: I love it man—I’m Southside certified. I was born in the Bronx…you see the grin on my face…I love the Bronx.  I’m from the Southside—I’m from the heart of it.  The Bronx is a city in itself with all different races interacting with each other.

FRENDY: What was your childhood like? Were you running around with the “hood” kids, or were you disciplined enough not to?

ED: I was always disciplined in the way I was raised, but as my grandmother always said, I was always a little fearless and stubborn-hearted.  So, I know what is right from wrong, but I’m going to do whatever I need to do at a particular moment.  As a kid I was always into sports, my dad was never around that much.  He left when I was two and I didn’t meet him until I was 26 or so.

I spent most of my childhood with my grandmother.  My mom was always going to nursing school, so I grew up thinking my granny was my mom. When I was sent to Africa at the age of six she came along with me. I always called her “momma.”

FRENDY: Why were you sent to Africa at the age of six?

ED: It’s a cultural thing, you know. My mom side of the family wanted to see me—I had to go back there to do some ritual sh*t.  That’s a story for another day.  My mom sent me to Ghana for like four years. Then, my daddy side of the family wanted to see me so I went to Ethiopia for another four years. I came back to the states for 8th grade, high school and college.

FRENDY: Oh, so most of your childhood was spent in Africa?

ED: Yeah, that’s why I see the world the way that I do.  As much as living in Africa impacted me, the Bronx did that same thing but in a different magnitude.

FRENDY: I think that’s why you’re so balanced as an individual. If someone met you for the very first time he/she would think you’re an absolute menace appearance wise, when in reality you’re extremely grounded and introspective.

ED: That’s my whole approach. Growing up in the Bronx made me like that.  I lost a lot of people I loved at a young age to nonsense violence.  When I came back to the Bronx, all my homies were grown. I remember my friend “Fresh,” he went from being a skinny bull who always kept getting picked on to a person who never left his house without a gun.

FRENDY: Do you think that would have been you as well if you stayed in the BX?

ED: Nah.  My uncle was the head of a gang and I always told him as a kid that the gangbanging sh*t is stupid.  He asked me why and I said if I have a problem with someone it’s because I have a problem with them, not because so and so I know that is in the same set as me have a problem with them.  He later explained to me that being in a gang isn’t really like that—people that do that are really f#cking up the game.  He said it’s all about representing your set, taking care of the community.

FRENDY: It’s like a family…

ED: Yeah. Back then the police used to come in the neighborhoods and f#ck up the community and do whatever they wanted. So the gang members were like the gatekeepers, you dig?  But now it turned to some other dumb sh*t.  I’m always going to do what I want to do. 

See there’s one thing I learned about the hood—when you respect yourself and stand up for what you believe in, even the OGs salute you.  I tell them you do that gangbanging sh*t, that ain’t me.  I ain’t about that life. 

FRENDY: As long as you remain true to yourself, it doesn’t matter if you’re a gangster or not…

ED: Even the gangsters are going to salute you.

FRENDY: Right.

ED: See, I love the Bronx because I met all types of people.  If I was to go to the South Bronx with you right now, you’ll be shocked on how many people I know. I learned so much from them. The biggest trappers etc. would tell me “yo youngin’ keep hoopin’, f#ck this sh*t.  This is no way of life.” 

Every real drug dealer I’ve ever met, never tried to tell a n*gga from the hood to do what they do. I’m sure if you go to a couple of hoods in America you’ll find some kids that will tell you the same sh*t.   Hearing all of this at such a young age made me move a bit different.  I was raised and schooled by some real OGs, you know?

FRENDY: So when you returned to the Bronx, which school did you attend?

ED: I went to Paul Robeson middle school, I.S 183.  Initially I wanted to go to 162, but they wouldn’t put me there because all my homies went to the school. We were all known for being troublemakers at that time.   Just a bunch of wasted youth man, we didn’t know any better.

FRENDY: Although you were a rowdy kid, you still knew what was right from wrong obviously…

ED: Yeah, I always stood up for what I believed in.  I wasn’t the type to condone dumb shit, like If I wasn’t going to do it I won’t influence my n*gga to do it.  I think that’s part of the reason why I was so protected growing up, even when my uncle went to Jail.  He actually just came home after a 20-year bid. 

FRENDY: How were you doing in school? What were your grades looking like?

ED: The American school system is funny to me.  I don’t know if it’s because of the time I spent in Africa or not.  When I was in Ghana under the British education system, it was better. When I came back to the states, I was put in grade six because of my age.  I was there for about a month. Then the school placed me in grade eight.

FRENDY: Why did that happen?

ED: Because I was too advanced for that sh*t—the American education system is easy in a way because they test us on memory and less on wisdom and intelligence.  I’m a visual person so it’s really easy for me to memorize something. I never really took school serious, but I did have the second highest SAT score in my HS.

FRENDY: Which HS was that?

ED:   This is Life Science Secondary High School on the Upper East Side.  I think they changed it to a charter school now.  My grandmother taught me a lot back in Africa.  I was actually homeschooled by her—she was teaching me about Selassie, Malcolm and Marcus Garvey.

FRENDY: It was beyond food with her…

ED: Yeah—my grandmother is a G, man.

FRENDY: When you were living in Ghana, your mother wasn’t around?

ED:  Nah, she was back in New York City going to nursing school.

FRENDY: How about your dad?

ED: Nah, he left when I was real young. We never really kept in touch until I was around 26.  I have my mother’s heart, but the majority of my personality is my dad—he’s an arrogant piece of shit. I’m not proud of it...I have his blood in me.  I’m trying to balance everything out. I’ll figure it out one day.

FRENDY: What was the reason behind your mom’s move to America?

ED: She came here for school. My grandmother had a store on 225th and White Plains road called “African Queen.” It might still be there, who knows.  She was importing traditional African goods to the states that people needed. Stuff like fufu, peanuts and all the other traditional essentials of North African cuisine.

Ghana is known for two things: gold and cocoa.  Cocoa you can make chocolate out of it—my family own plenty farms of it. When it turns yellow, you cut it and eat it fresh.  It’s one of the best fruits you can ever f#cking eat.  She noticed in the neighborhood that there was a bunch of Jamaicans, and they loved bleaching their skin.  Skin bleaching is very big in the West Indian islands—look at Vybz Kartel.  So there’s a huge market for that. My grandmother would take one of the key supplements in bleaching, which is cocoa.  The dried shell of the cocoa is smashed up to produce an essential oil to help the skin bleach naturally.  She would mix that with other chemicals, and that would be the moneymaker.   She used all of the money to open a restaurant.  She had an apartment right above the CBS studios on 50 something street for years before she passed.

FRENDY: When we spoke for the first time, you mentioned that you became homeless for a while.  How did that end up happening?

ED: It’s because granny died when I was 15. My granny was the head of the household. She had a will so she shared all of her wealth amongst her many kids and sisters’ kids. Although wealth was spread out, family members were still fighting to get a piece of the pie. The restaurant and the apartment in the Bronx was supposed to go to my mom, but someone in the family, who’s known for using witchcraft (most people in the Western world call it voodoo) wanted it. So my mom gave that sh*t up. My mom avoids confrontation at all cost. She’s a God-fearing woman.

FRENDY: So I guess when that happened your mom didn’t have anything?

ED: She was counting on the love of her life, which is my dad.   My dad had this two-bedroom condo on 455 Jackson Ave. in the Bronx. That was when it was dirt poor over there. We stayed there for a bit until we got kicked out.  That was when my mom had a year or two left in nursing school.  My mom and dad were beefing during that time so he sold the apartment. We didn’t have anywhere else to go.

FRENDY: How long were you guys homeless?

ED: For two years.

FRENDY: Where were y’all staying?

ED: Churches, restaurants, bathrooms, buses, trains.  I hated shelters. During those times I never lost faith, but I was always questioning it.

FRENDY: Were you able to go to schools during that time?

ED: Yeah, I went to school everyday with a smile on my f#ckin’ face.  I used to take showers with restaurant soup bowls and napkins and sh*t. So I used to go to school and stay after school to shoot hoops. 

FRENDY: Wow, so even during all of your trials and tribulations, you still kept a smile in your face…

ED:   I had to—I didn’t have a choice. My momma assured me that the good Lord was putting us through this for greater things. Sometimes I believed it and sometimes I questioned it.  It’s hard to believe that sh*t when you haven’t eating in 3 days and only been drinking Tropical Fantasy sodas—I used to drink four of those sh*ts a day. I was charged up!

FRENDY: Were you playing sports while in school?

ED: Yeah, yeah I was playing HS basketball and soccer.

FRENDY: Would you say that playing sports was an escape for you?

ED: Yeah, basketball is definitely an escape for me. I love basketball because it allowed me to get rid of some pain. Shooting hoops gave me a relieving feeling.

FRENDY: There wasn’t any sort of tuition to pay for school?

ED: Nah.

FRENDY: Oh, that’s really good. Do you consider the homeless stage of of your life as fuel that made you focus on things like sports etc.?

ED: Nah, if I said that I would be lying. Because even when I was playing sports I was never focused.  While I’m at practice, I would wonder where I would sleep at night.  Although playing sports was an outlet for me, I was never fully able to concentrate or focus as much as I wanted to.  I gave up soccer after my freshman year.

FRENDY: Why did you give it up?

ED: Because there was too many f#ckin’ rules.   The rules weren’t matching up, or the demands of the coach.

FRENDY: What’s one rule that you truly detested?

ED: Showing up to practice an hour early.

FRENDY: So, in basketball you didn’t have to do that?

ED: No.  As long as you were on time for practice, there was no problem.

FRENDY: So soccer was too structured for you?

ED: I wouldn’t say that. It was the winter months and I didn’t feel like staying in the cold an hour early when the coaches would show up for 10 minutes.  So why the f#ck would I be there an hour early…

FRENDY: * Laughs * so you straight up stopped going…

ED: Yeah—I also stopped playing because I was often compared to my dad a lot.  He was a big soccer player back home.  My approach to sports was way different from my dad’s.

FRENDY: That’s pretty funny. I remember you telling me that you played college sports.  Which college did you attend?

ED: I went to the University of Vermont.

FRENDY: Did you get a scholarship to play ball there or what?

ED: Yeah, it was soccer first then I started fucking around…

FRENDY: Wait a minute, even when you quit playing soccer during your freshman yeah in HS you still got a scholarship?

ED: Yeah…I would go to like camps in this place called Sports Science at Delaware State University. To this day I love soccer.

FRENDY: What was so different between playing soccer in HS and camp?

ED: I learned discipline in sports at camp and how to really approach it. 

FRENDY: What made it more enjoyable than playing soccer at school?

ED: It was challenging. The camp was called called “Sports Challenge.”  The sports part is what really gets the kids involved, but the challenge part, most of us weren’t prepared for it.   If you stuck with it, you’ll come out a little different.

FRENDY:  Was UVM your first college of choice to attend?

ED: Nah.  I had Norfolk State, Virginia Commonwealth, and NYU.

FRENDY: They all wanted to recruit you for specifically for basketball or soccer?

ED: Both.  I originally wanted to go to NYU because of their academics, but as a youth I used to party there a lot.   So I know if I went to school there I wouldn’t be able to focus—I also needed a break from the city.

FRENDY:   What was your first impression of Vermont?

ED:  It was good!  It was the first time I saw people leave their apartment doors wide open to drop their garbage out. It was a breath of fresh air and it changed my perspective—I would say Vermont made me a better person.

FRENDY: What compelled you to go to the University of Vermont and not any of those other schools you named?

ED: I knew some of the coaches from there; I met them at a camp up in Syracuse when I was 16.

FRENDY: Did you play sports during all four years of college?

ED: I played one year of soccer and basketball and then took a break. 

FRENDY: Why did you take a break?

ED: It was too political. Playing sports on a collegiate level is too political, that’s when I knew it was more for business than anything else.   Also, at the time I was going through a lot of sh*t—I lost my grandmother, I broke my left ankle. They wanted me to have surgery on it, but lucky for me I formed this very beautiful bond with UVM’s head athletic trainer and former Olympian Mike Kampler.  Mike is definitely the reason why I train now.  He helped me understand what training is all about.

FRENDY: Did Mike prevent you from having the surgery?

ED:   I was told by the doctors at UVM that surgery was my only option, but I said f#ck that, they’re just trying to get a n*gga back in the field as soon as possible—we were having a great year at the time.  They wanted to drill and put screws in my leg, I didn’t want to do that.  Mike told me that I didn’t need surgery.   He told me that it’s not good at all to have screws in your ankle.  You remember Grant Hill?

FRENDY: Of course, he was one of my favorite players back in the day.  He was a very explosive player in the beginning of his NBA career…

ED: Well, he lost about six to seven years of his prime because he elected to have an ankle surgery. Not just a regular ankle surgery, but also the same sh*t I was about to have where they put two screws to hold it together.   It’s a quick process and allows you to get back on the playing field.  However, the nerves at the bottom of your feet where the screws are not meant to be tampered with—at any given point they can get infected. When it gets infected, a three-month process becomes a nine months to a year recovery time.

FRENDY: Ah, ok. It makes more sense now because Grant really wasn’t the same after he came back to the court after his surgery.

ED: He tried coming back, but the ankle issue was always there.   There’s a documentary out there on him.  You should watch it. It f*cked him up…he couldn’t move, he almost died ‘cause of that sh*t, bro.  Because the ankle got infected, which caused other complications.

So yeah, Mike told me all that sh*t and said that he could help me recover. 

FRENDY: Throughout your recovery process with Mike, your love of training was birthed.  That’s remarkable.

ED: Yeah, I remember he told me that I was going to end up doing this sh*t!  And I’m like “Mike, what would make you say that?”   At the time, I told him “f#ck no, you see all the sh*t you got to deal with?”.  He just laughed and replied “Ed, if there’s only one thing I know about you its that you like helping people.  Just remember I told you this.”  So every time Mike and I speak, I always bring that memory up.  He’s my guru.

FRENDY: What’s divine about your life is that you always came across a figure that guided you down the right path…

ED: True.  But there’s certain types of people that try to play that “figure” role and I don’t even vibe or f#ck with them because it seems forced.

FRENDY: During your healing process, were you still attending class?

ED: Nah, I wasn’t going to class anymore. I never really went to class. I was only interested in Law, Philosophy and Marketing because I figured I could apply those three things in my everyday life. College is made to really form new friendships.

FRENDY: Wait, weren’t you there with a scholarship?

ED: Well, I knew the GPA that I had to get in order to maintain that scholarship.  I would get that GPA.

FRENDY: What were you doing instead of going to class?

ED: I was traveling around, probably in New York or LA somewhere.

FRENDY: * Laughs * But you would still take your finals right?

ED: Yeah. So, I’ll have the syllabus and I would turn in the most important work –all you had to do was email the sh*t.

FRENDY: Beating the system I see * Laughs *. Speaking of which, how did you and your mom escape homelessness?

ED: Well, eventually my mom graduated from nursing school and right off the bat she got a gig to be a UNICEF nurse in Honduras.  They gave her a huge check for that.

FRENDY: How old were you when this happened?

ED:  I was around 18…

FRENDY: Man, I’m glad you guys got out of that situation.  When did you actually decide to get into the fitness field?

ED: I would say two or three years after college when I started at Equinox.  Once one of my clients told me how much money I would be able to make on my own rather than working for a company.

FRENDY: I heard about you through Amir and he always told me about you being a phenomenal basketball coach. How’d you get into that?

ED: Well, I always had a passion for the youth.  I was coaching while I was in college and after.  My HS coach also coached camps at NYC’s Columbia University (all of these Ivy League schools would have these basketball camps). My coach always took me with him so I could stay out of trouble.  He would have me run a few drills and from then on I connected with the kids.

After that, I started doing some AAU stuff also, but once I found out the business side of it, I said “f#ck this sh*t!”  I stopped doing it and just did my own thing. 

FRENDY: You basically learned the fundamentals of being a coach and left the circuit…

ED: I wouldn’t even call myself a coach. I think part of the reason why the kids that I worked with f#cked with me the way they did was ‘cause I didn’t take that approach.  I didn’t take the coach approach—I was one of them.  They can relate to me. I always tell people that if you can keep it real with the young ones, they’ll forever keep it 100 with you.

To be honest you with you, my HS basketball coach Michael Murphy played a really intricate part in my life.  He always kept me out of trouble.

FRENDY: Were you only coaching basketball or other sports as well?

ED: One thing I wish most people would understand is that no matter what your field of occupation is, what your job description is it is never just that.  You know?   I would be with these kids from the basketball court to the weight room for hours on end. After that, I would watch them eat sh*t! They were destroying what we were trying to build.  That inspired me to cook for them.  When you spend that much time with people, especially kids, you form a golden bond with them. So to me, no matter what you do as a job, it’s never just that.  It’s the little intangibles that make it that way.

FRENDY: It’s the “smallest” things that actually count.  Just like how it’s one’s invisible world that conducts his/her reality, form wise. The form is just the effect of imagination…

ED: I used to have one of my homies (he was far from a saint, I ain’t one either) who used to tell me to not curse around the 13-14 year old kids.  They already knew all the curse words in the book so I kept it real with them. I remained on their level.

FRENDY: So right after college, you went into personal training at Equinox…

ED: Yeah, but even during that time I was doing more basketball related trainings right after college.

FRENDY: What degree did you graduate with?

ED: Economics and Pre-Law.

FRENDY: Oh wow, that’s totally different from sports.

ED: Yeah, but then I went back for my Exercise Science degree.  So in reality, I have three degrees.

FRENDY: Did you attempt to get a job in your field of study right after school?

ED:  Nah.  I’m not Jewish—at that time the market was f#cked up—I’m black; I’m African… you know?  Your college degrees do not define your calling.

FRENDY: I’m pretty sure you knew that you weren’t going to have a career in economics or pre law while you were studying them in college.

ED: Of course, I always knew that.

FRENDY: How did you end up working with arguably the best receiver in the NFL, Antonio Brown?

ED: It’s been in the works for a very long time.  My artist buddy Corey Pane would tell me about him and he’ll often tell Antonio about me.

FRENDY: How did you even get to know Corey?

ED: I met him through a very great friend of mine while I was in the University of Vermont—I call him Sleven. He’s that white mothaf#cka, he’s cold man * Laughs *. All my white boys are cold though. That’s a fact. Sleven would give a sweater to a stranger, but would kill a mothaf#cka in a second for anything he stands for or loves.

FRENDY: Oh ok.  How did Corey know Antonio?

ED: They’ve known each other for quite some time. I think they became good friends after Corey shared his art with him.

FRENDY: When did you initially meet him?

ED: It’s basically how me met. Amir kept telling you about me and vice versa, Corey did the same thing with Antonio and I.   He was in the city last year, around March I believe, to do some Madden NFL cover sh*t.  While Antonio was handling that, he also wanted to work out. The gym he wanted to work out at was closed. He wanted someone to train with so Corey called me like six times.  Corey has never done that.  I really didn’t want to answer the phone because I had a long day, but my girlfriend insisted that I should.  I finally answered and he said that he was with Antonio and he was trying to get a work out in. All of a sudden, Antonio gets on the phone and tells me that he heard great things about me from Corey and that he’s trying to get a work out in.

I told my lady about the situation and she said to stop being a b*tch and just go.

FRENDY: So you were reluctant to go and work out with him because you were extremely tired that day?

ED:   It didn’t matter to me who the f#ck the name was—what mattered was what my connection with Corey and what my lady told me.  I was basically doing Corey a favor. That’s how I viewed it, that’s my brother. 

My relationship with Antonio flourished after that workout.  We were supposed to work out for only 30 minutes but we ended up in the gym for almost three hours. 

FRENDY: Just straight vibin’…

ED: Yeah…

FRENDY: Were you showing him maneuvers that he wasn’t doing before?

ED: Yeah.  I watched a 10-minute video of Antonio before I went to train him so I was able to point out what he wasn’t doing etc.  I never really focus on what a person is really good at because that’s what everyone else focuses on.  I always pay attention to the slightest details—I’m very, very over analytical, which helps me in a lot of regards, but at the same time hinders me as well.

Mike, the athletic trainer I told you about earlier, taught me everything I know about the importance of core strength—unilateral training.  I believe without a strong core, you don’t have a strong body. You could train as much as you want, but if you eat like a truck driver mothaf#cka you’re going to look like a truck driver.  Nutrition far outweighs your training. 

FRENDY:   After that first epic workout, what happened next?

ED:  I’ll never forget this.  He came out with a bundle of money and said, “Thanks man, I really appreciate this.” I didn’t go there expecting to get paid. Antonio then called his agent and told him how much he loved the workout with me. He then invited me over to have dinner with his family.

FRENDY: Earlier you mentioned that you almost didn’t go to workout with Antonio because you were extremely tired. What was your schedule like?

ED: I usually wake up at 6am to train as many people as I can. I have a problem with saying “no” to people.

FRENDY: What’s the motivation behind your relentless work ethic?

ED:   Well, first of all I love helping people.  Secondly, it’s therapeutic for me.  I need it…fitness is an addiction.

FRENDY: Would you say that it saved your life?

ED:  Yeah, it has always been one of my coping mechanisms.  No matter what I was going through, I always found the time to workout.

Balenciaga Poster Boy

The name Amadou Wane may not ring any bells; nevertheless, I’m pretty sure his face looks familiar to true fashion heads worldwide—especially Balenciaga lovers. 

The 26-year-old burgeoning model made his debut strut down the catwalk in grandiose manner as he closed the Demna Gvasalia-helmed brand’s Autumn/winter 2017 menswear show, sporting an oversized scarf inspired by Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign logo.  Since then, Amadou has furthered his working relationship with the #1 ranked luxury line by appearing in various campaigns, and even graced the runway once more for its Spring/summer 2018 men’s collection.

Recently, my dear friend Elisabeth Hadida tagged the Senegalese model under one of my Instagram posts.  Since Elisabeth knew Amadou personally—after all, she is Balenciaga’s Europe senior buying manager—I decided to connect with him as well. I appreciated Wane’s levelheaded demeanor despite his speedy success in the modeling world so I decided to extend our dialogue on my #FrendyOriginals platform. This way, we’ll all be able to gain more insight into the life of the Balenciaga poster boy.

Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY: What’s going on Amadou? I appreciate you for taking the time to speak with me.  Is this your very first interview?

AMADOU: Thank you for the opportunity! Yes, this is my very first interview and I’m extremely grateful for it—I hope it will not be my last * Laughs *.

FRENDY: I’m sure it’s not going to be your last * Laughs *. How do you feel knowing that the luxury brand you’ve been consistently working with is #1 in the world?

AMADOU: It’s an honor to work with the cream of the crop in the fashion world.  At first, I did not realize how big the brand was. It’s crazy to see the mass hysteria that Balenciaga has caused.

FRENDY: Well, now you know! Were you always interested in modeling since your days back home in Dakar?

AMADOU: Honestly, I was a fashion addict, and knew all about the latest trends.  But I never thought of working in the business as a model.  Much love to my fellow model friend Lucas, Eva Goedel (the founder of my modeling agency Tomorrow Is Another Day), and everyone else on the team who propelled my modeling career.

FRENDY: At what age did you move from your home country to France? And Why?

AMADOU:   I left Senegal for France at the age of 22 to continue my studies. I spent two years in Metz before moving to Paris.

FRENDY: How was life growing up in Senegal?

AMADOU: Life over there is totally different from France * Laughs *. You know, Senegal is known as “The Land of Teranga,” meaning it is the country of hospitality, filled with a real sense of human connection.  But beyond the social aspect, the weather in Senegal is amazing!

FRENDY:  You left Senegal in order to continue your studies.  Which school did you attend there? What exactly were you studying?

AMADOU:  After receiving my Bachelors, I attended the Polytechnic School of Dakar, where I obtained a degree in Telecommunications.  Then, I got a degree in Telecommunications at The University of Lorraine. I now have a Masters in Engineering in System and Network Engineering from Institut-F2I in Paris.

FRENDY: Wow, that’s spectacular. You must have been hitting the books hard! What set of events occurred that led you to become a model?

AMADOU: I was scouted on the streets of Paris! Lucas, who is a model and scout from TIAD (Tomorrow Is Another Day) modeling agency, spotted me while I was shopping.  He informed me about the agency and at first I was not attentive. Not too long after our first encounter, he convinced me to do it.

FRENDY: Everything happens for a reason. How did Lucas convince you to finally join TIAD?  What did he tell you?

AMADOU: He explained to me the role of the agency and the big names that they’ve worked with.  Plus, he told me about the amount of money I would be earning * Laughs *.

FRENDY: * Laughs * I don’t blame you at all for rolling with them. It’s pretty incredible that your very first modeling gig was to close Balenciaga’s A/W 2017 runway show. Were you nervous?

AMADOU: To be honest, no—It’s not in my nature to be nervous. I was just extremely hot because I had a huge coat and the Bernie Sanders’ scarf on. The security guards had to open up a backdoor so I could breath before walking on the runway * Laughs *.

FRENDY: * Laughs *Yeah your outfit was pretty fire (pun intended). How did you prepare for your first walk?

AMADOU: The agency trained me to walk properly. Thank God for them! But also every model has a unique way of walking and that’s what makes the difference.  It’s the stylist choice to change the model’s walk or not depending on the mood.

FRENDY: I saw that you also walked for Vetements’ A/W 2017 fashion show.  Have you met Demna?

AMADOU: Yes, of course. It is Demna who validates our looks before walking.  The craziest thing about it all is that he is the nicest guy!   He takes the time to joke around and connect with us.

FRENDY: Elisabeth told me great things about him as well.  What other brands have you modeled for?

AMADOU: Elisabeth! I love her * Laughs *.  I also had the pleasure to work with Abasi Rosborough for LVMH prize, and I recently walked for Vivienne Westwood.

FRENDY:  You've already worked with some of the best luxury brands in your short modeling career.  Are you interested in doing anything else in the fashion field?

AMADOU: Compared to other models I have not done anything yet * Laughs *.   But I’m very thankful for the opportunities thus far.  In relation to the question, I would like to organize a high-level fashion week in Dakar. I’m doing my best to make this happen. There are tons of Senegalese models out there, so we might as well band together to do something amazing for our beloved country.

FRENDY: Is it safe to say that your dreams of becoming an engineer are out the window?

AMADOU: Nope.  My number one priority is my education, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop modeling. I’m doing my best to do both. I won’t be able to model all of my life so it’s good to be skillful at other things.

Justin's Vision

I was fortunate enough to become friends with the exceptional photographer Justin Amoafo, right before his ascension into elite lensman status. Justin was only 15-years-old when we initially met, but his tremendously poised demeanor and go-getter mentality positioned him light years ahead of his peers.

Born and raised in Queens, New York by Ghanaian parents, the multi-talented visionary was instilled with an immense value for education.  As a matter of fact, at the age of 11 Justin suggested that he should attend boarding school. “I was always an outcast and wanted to expand my horizons, experience a new environment,” says Amoafo. With his parent’s approval and a lucrative scholarship, the young adventurer was enrolled at the prestigious Eagle Brook in Western Massachusetts. 

Justin was one of only six black kids in the entire institution but the statistic didn’t cast a shadow of fear on his pursuit of enlightenment. Amoafo was so in awe with the refreshing scenery at his new abode, he decided to freeze it all in time.  Using his roommate’s state-of-the-art camera, Justin began to take pictures of the beautiful landscape surrounding Eagle Brook.  Since then, photography instantly became Amoafo’s primary focus. He started posting photos on Flickr, which ultimately led him to gain fans across the world.

Immediately following boarding school, Justin attended Brooklyn Tech HS with an increased passion for snapping.  After a year of saving up lunch money, the bright-eyed shutterbug was able to purchase his very first camera, the Canon t2i. Mastering the art of Flickr, Amoafo leveled up to Tumblr, where he garnered even more admirers.

Justin is currently attending NYU Shanghai with a major in Interactive Media arts and Business, but that isn’t stopping him one bit from putting work in behind the lens.

FRENDY: What compelled you to study abroad after high school?

JUSTIN: As a kid, I always dreamt of traveling the world. After a summer abroad in high school, I made it my business to take advantage of every opportunity to see a new place. Naturally, I had to pursue college options outside of the USA.

FRENDY: Is it difficult for you to find a balance between schoolwork and photography?  Are you able to find steady shooting gigs in Shanghai?

JUSTIN:  One of the most difficult things for humans in general is maintaining a balance. Whenever you find yourself in that comfortable place, life switches up your situation. Thankfully, my major at school and my real life career/hobbies are intertwined, so usually it’s not too difficult.

Work in Shanghai has been steady, thankfully. People here show a lot of love. When they see you doing great work, they’ll always go out of their way to help you get gigs. As usual, staying hungry & seeking out opportunities is also a great way to close gigs.

FRENDY: You’re one of my favorite people to follow on Snapchat due the display of your worldly adventures. Are your travels for leisure or work?

JUSTIN: Both. Living internationally already makes it much easier to pick up clients that require me to travel or have an opportunity abroad. I’m always itching to travel regardless, so most of my free weekends and ‘vacations’ are spent visiting a new city.

FRENDY: How did the relationship with your muse Sira P Kante come about?

JUSTIN: *Laughs* She’s definitely my muse. A modern day Naomi Campbell.  Sira and I met through one of my good friends. We met up for a test shoot one day in Summer 2016 and the rest is history.

FRENDY: I admire your effortless ability to network with the industry’s finest. I noticed that you’ve been shooting superstar musicians and promising actors who are from the motherland. What set of events lead to such astounding opportunities?

JUSTIN: Every connection I’ve made, both business & personal has been organic. I never force relationships, but I’m definitely not above a cold email or intro. That being said, the world is smaller than we all think. It’s so often you want to work with someone and a friend (or friend of a friend) can make the connection for you. Organic networking is the best, especially when you’re already social.

FRENDY: What are the top 3 pictures you’ve ever taken?

JUSTIN: I don’t think I have 3 strict top favorites but here are some that I like:

FRENDY: Are you planning to take your creative talents into new heights?

JUSTIN: I’m always striving to be my best self. Photography is one of my passions, but by no means is it my only means of expression. I am working on expressing myself fully, with no filters or limitations. We’re in the era of the multidimensional artist and I think that’s so great. Everyone should be able to create with no filter.

The Silent Shooter

Timothy Smith is a man of few words, but he has a sh*t load of captivating flicks to make up for it. Like most of my creative comrades, the Brooklyn bred lensman and I met at BAPE NYC - where we hardly spoke, yet had great mutual respect for each other.

I haven’t seen Timothy in about five years, so it was a pleasant surprise when he followed me on Instagram last month.  What shocked me even further were the glorious editorial shots featured on his feed, which he photographed himself. I am not in any way, shape or form attempting to downplay Tim’s artistic prowess, but I was Stacey Dash clueless about his exceptional photography skills.  As I mentioned earlier, we never had a conversation that lasted more than one minute - let alone discussed his interest in the visual arts.

This Original Stories series has provided me with the perfect opportunity to have a sitdown with the silent shooter to find out more about his background, passion for picture taking and path to success in the photography industry. Check out our dialogue below:

FRENDY:  It’s a pleasure to finally have a thorough convo with you after all these years *Laughs*. Why didn’t you tell me about your love for photography back in my early BAPE days?

TIM:  I was in my early stages, still insecure about my work. Not very confident in showing my work to others, and also still finding my voice. Like, all of my early work was of cats, street style, carts, landscapes *Laughs*. I was all over the place.

FRENDY:  I respect that, you’re excused *Laughs*. Where were you raised in Brooklyn?

TIM:  I grew up in the East Flatbush/Brownsville area. At the age of 11/12, my grandparents lost our house so I moved over to Queens to live with relatives for a while. When I first moved to Queens I stayed in Ozone park in my great uncle’s basement, then bounced around from Laurelton to South Ozone Park, then eventually landed back in Brooklyn.

FRENDY:  Crazy.  I lived in East Flatbush for most of my life as well.  Which schools did you attend growing up in Brooklyn and Queens?

TIM:  Yeah, it’s funny, you used to actually go to the gym with one of my best friends from childhood over in the BRC I think? I know you guys used to work out together, but I can’t remember where. Well, I will say this, I was fortunate enough to go to “good” schools. I attended Saint Catherine of Genoa in Brooklyn, then I finished my 8th grade year in Saint Teresa in Queens. For high school, I attended Christ the King over in Middle Village.

FRENDY:  Damn, it’s really a small world. Ok nice, those are definitely great schools to attend.  Were you always into photography growing up?

TIM:  *Laughs* Yeah, real small world. My grandparents made it a priority to send me to catholic schools because they believed it was much safer and a better education. I remember not having any lights or heat because my grandparents would have to pay 4 months of back owed tuition, because they truly believed I could do something when I got older.

Funny thing is I always wanted to be a photographer because of Spider-Man! I used to think Peter Parker was f*cking amazing. I used to get all my Spider-Man toys and create “movies” with cereal boxes as video cameras *Laughs*. Cornflakes boxes to be exact!  It wasn’t until my grandmother passed that I really thought about taking photography seriously. I literally spent my student refund check in 2012/2013 to buy a canon 7D, to actually shoot short films, and record myself reviewing video games.

One day I took a photo and all of the feels of being Spider-Man came back to me all at once. So I decided to sell my car to fund my photography addiction, I took an internship back home the summer before I graduated at Management Artist in Chelsea. It was legit the best experience of my life being around all that amazing photo work, it trained my eye very quickly to distinguish good photography from bad photography. It was an amazing summer, I slept on a living floor the entire time and enjoyed everyday of it!  

FRENDY:  Which college did you attend after Christ The King?

TIM:  I attended Saint John's University for one semester, then got kicked out because they didn’t believe my financial situation, regarding to financial aid. So pretty much even with a partial scholarship I couldn’t afford it. Then I took some time off and went to Nassau. After a while, I decided I had to leave because if not I would have gotten in so much trouble and other dumb shit.

So then I went to a small HBCU in North Carolina: ECSU and got my Bachelors. After getting my degree, I came back to Canarsie because my mom ended up getting breast cancer and I wanted to help out the best way I can, and to build a relationship between us. After that, I finally got home and applied to grad school for photography and ended up attending School of Visual Arts in NYC.

FRENDY:  Wow. First off, is your mom alright now?  Also, what kind of trouble would you have gotten yourself into at Nassau? I don’t see you as a troublemaker.

TIM:  Oh yeah, she’s fine now! Thanks for asking. Not really me getting in trouble at Nassau, it was more so I was still hanging around all my friends that always did dumb sh*t. Like I’ve never been a tough guy or whatever, but I’m also a very loyal friend, plus my house was always the hub for all my friends. So I just remember one day playing call of duty and looking around at what my friends we’re doing and was like “bro, I gotta go.” It’s all good though, they always said I shouldn't be about that ‘life’ and they respected my decision.

I would like to give a special thanks to one of my best friends/brother, Fred because when he saw I was serious about photography he gave me a f*cking brand new 5D mark II with flashes and lenses. Like, that's the type of bond me and my friends have - I'm still trying to figure out a good gift for him *Laughs*.

FRENDY:  That’s the definition of true friendship right there. Were you studying photography when you were schooling in NC? Or you started taking photography classes while attending SVA in the city?

TIM:  SVA.  I did a broadcasting class in NC and tried to get funding for a short film, but it never worked out *Laughs*. I did have three extremely amazing teachers; Professor Bright, Professor Washington, and Latoya Monique. They definitely helped me shape my creative vision by giving me the freedom to experiment as much as possible.

FRENDY:  How’d you enjoy SVA?  What did you do after receiving your Master’s in Photography there?

TIM:  SVA was cool, I made some really good friends there. If I had to be honest, you don't really need school in order to become a photographer. I learned so much in my first year of freelance, and assisting.  So right after getting my Master’s I assisted some amazing photographers like; Bon Duke & Yulia Gorbachenko. I still help Yulia out from time to time, but more the most part I’m completely freelance.

FRENDY:  Yeah, one of my great friends, Erick Hercules, is doing his thing without any schooling. Hard work, of course, is the cause of his success in the photography field.  So you said you’re a freelancer, how did you get connected prestigious publications like Vogue Italia, WWD, Vulkan Magazine etc.?

TIM:  Yeah, hard work and networking is the key to photography now - especially with social media being so important. Yeah completely freelance, so I pretty much do all of the leg work with getting jobs etc. Although I finally have an agent, and she has been awesome so far. She actually has been more of a therapist if anything so far *Laughs*.

Let's tackle magazines first.  Every magazine I shot for, so far, I’ve been denied about 100 times when I first started.  I had to constantly practice and figure out my vision. Then finally after harassing everyone I finally got through, and now magazines would reach out to me for work. That’s how I’ve been able to shoot celebrities, etc. The best word a photographer can hear is “no,” because it drives you to get better and it lets you know that there is still room to grow.

So yeah, once you get your vision and your skills up, people will gravitate towards you for your style which is very important.

FRENDY:  Yes, an artist’s style, no matter what field they’re in, has to be unique to stand out. I’ve heard “nos” all my life, which is why I’m doing my own thing in the writing world. I’m blessed enough to have met some great people along the way who are helping me materialize my vision.  All we can do is be kind to ourselves and move forward with grace.

TIM: Exactly and you’re doing fucking amazing right now, like legit you’re killing it!  I would also say one more thing: I encourage people to surround themselves with good energy and like-minded individualds. Like, for example, my queen Dominique Drakeford (melaninass.com) is hands down my best friend ever, she supports my visions, goals etc, and we can always just sit back and talk about dope sh*t.

My friend from college and artist Malcolm Rolling (www.725studios.com) was the one who actually trained me to think like an artist, and encouraged me to be one. We would legit not go to parties and sit in the room and study light and catch up on art history - that sh*t was amazing and very pivotal to how I think now. My brother Jameel Murray who taught me how to endure the journey and to realize that no hard work goes unrewarded. (Fun Fact: before his mom passed away, we were months away from being legal brothers by adoption.)

FRENDY:  Thanks my man, I really appreciate the kind words. Who’s your favorite celebrity to shoot?

TIM:  Oh man, thats a funny question *Laughs*. So everyone offered a unique experience: YG took me by surprise because of how down to earth he was - still hella gangsta though. Omari Hardwick has become a mentor/big brother figure to me, we still talk to this day. Mack Wilds and I spoke about f*cking Street Fighter, he legit has an Akuma tattoo *Laughs*. Bobby Brackins was super chill, and Marianne Mirage was super fun with great energy. Oh Yeah, Ozuna was also cool, even though he had like an intense security squad.

FRENDY:  Do you ever get starstruck?

TIM: Beforehand sometimes, but never on set because my job is to connect with them and bring out the best emotion possible for the image. They are used to everyone treating them a certain way because they are famous - most of them actually just want to have a regular convo with regular human connection.

FRENDY:  Makes sense, for sure.  How often are you shooting for publications?

TIM:  Around three to four times a month.  Honestly, as a professional photographer you spend more time out reaching and securing clients than shooting. Compared to everything else I have to do, shooting only takes up 20%.

FRENDY:  Are you particular about shooting on location? What do you look for in a setting?

TIM: I do actually prefer shooting on location, only because it keeps budgets lower for certain clients. The studio gives you maximum control over everything. I think to be successful you do need to be well versed in both.

FRENDY:  What are you currently working on Photography wise?

TIM: I’m trying to secure a few campaign and lookbook jobs, also thinking about doing a photo project based on people in brooklyn.  I’m working out the details, but I'm looking for funding for that because I want to have an exhibition and have the kids in the neighborhood get involved, get them exposed to the arts.

FRENDY:  You mentioned earlier that you aborted your short film due to funding. Are you willing to complete it at this stage of your career?

TIM:  Ah man! Yea totally - I actually just got the most expensive piec. I brought a cinema camera recently, and now working on the rest. I’m starting to create the storyboard for it and hopefully can start producing by the top of 2018. 

FRENDY:  Would it be a spoiler to tell us what the short is going to be about?

TIM:  Yeah, all I can say is it will be a relatively short fashion film. Two to five minutes long and it's inspired by Nocturnal Animals.

FRENDY:  Where do you ultimately see yourself in this ever expansive photography universe?

TIM:  Living photo legend, decent cinematographer *Laughs*, director, and running a non-profit for underprivileged kids to get into the arts in an early age.

Andre's Way

A stable nine to five does wonders for the psyche due to the fact that it prevents constant worries about unnecessary hassles, such as accumulated, unpaid bills or lack of money for transportation and shelter. However, for wild-hearted artists, a regular corporate gig may be a hindrance preventing them from living life at maximum potential.  Andre L. Perry is an extremely valiant soul who ditched a lucrative career in the digital advertising field to pursue his passion as a lifestyle photographer.

I met Andre at BAPE three years ago, and at first sight, I thought he was a stylist or worked in the entertainment industry in some way. I eventually found out that his occupation was quite the contrary to my calculation.  The suave lad with the cooler-than-thou swag and I kept in touch through Instagram, where I rapidly witnessed his lightspeed growth as a photog—pardon me, a connoisseur in visually capturing “vibes”—particularly of the millennial African-American community.

I recently sat down with the prosperous lensman to converse about his corporate past, drastic career change and life as an entrepreneur. Check out our dialogue below:

FRENDY:  When we initially met you worked for Complex, right?

ANDRE:  I think when we first met I was working for Nylon magazine. I was working in Ad Operations which has nothing to do with what I’m currently doing now. Ad Operations deals with ads you see on a publisher’s website.  The ads you usually see on a publisher's page, I was responsible for managing that. I was responsible for making it appear to the right audience, making sure it clicks through the correct website, making sure that the wording was correct, ect.  There’s a lot of analytics involved, tons of reporting.  I was in excel all day, everyday—again nothing creative, nothing to do with what I’m doing now.

FRENDY:  Oh ok, what were you doing over at Complex?

ANDRE:  Same thing.  Ad Operations.

FRENDY:  Why did you decide to move from Complex to Nylon?

ANDRE:  I got fired. *Laughs*

FRENDY:  *Laughs* Damn, what happened over there?

ANDRE:  I knew Ad Operations was not my thing, and at the time, that was the only craft I was good at—I really didn’t care for it though. As a result, I wasn’t going above and beyond, or producing at the same level as when I first got hired at all of these jobs with the same position.  The only reason why I kind of stayed in the field for such a long time was because it paid well.

FRENDY:  How long did you stay at Complex?

ANDRE:  Almost a year.

FRENDY:  That was your first job out of college?

ANDRE:  No, so my first “real” job out of college was YellowPages.com.   That was when I was living in Atlanta. It was more of a digital sales position—I stayed in the digital world just because I was accustomed to it.

FRENDY:  What did you actually major in college? 

ANDRE:  I went to the Art Institute of Philadelphia and my first major was actually photography.  I was pretty much my professor’s muse, but after my second semester I bailed on the subject because I wasn’t shooting what I wanted to shoot. It was moreso technical than creative, so I had to really make a decision about what I was going to study for the rest of my college career.  I just decided to go into marketing since I had somewhat of an interest in it.

FRENDY:  You’re fully invested in photography right now so it just goes to show how life comes full circle.  When did you realize in Nylon that Ad Operations was no longer something you wanted to do?

ANDRE:  I actually got fired from there as well.  Working at Nylon reignited my interest in photography. I knew I wasn’t going to stay there for long, so I took advantage of the situation and started to express my passion for photography.  I informed people at the job that I was capable of shooting.

I had an idea for featuring the raincoat company Stutterheim on Nylon Guys (which was ran by only just one person).  So I reached out to them, got a couple of coats and models to shoot. I told the person that ran NYLON Guys and got the ok for the spread.  At the end of the day, we were trying to push Nylon Guys but Nylon was trying to discontinue the section because it wasn’t making any money.  It was also around the time when Nylon was transitioning to a different webhost.  Nylon Guys was running from a different host from Nylon.com, so it was almost like they were running as two different businesses which didn’t make sense.  When Nylon.com relaunched, Nylon Guys wasn’t a part of it.

FRENDY:  Crazy.  Let’s take it back for a bit.  Where did you grow up?

ANDRE:  Philadelphia and South Jersey.  I was born and raised in West Philly, moved to South Jersey around Junior high school, and then spent most of my young adult life back in Philly.

FRENDY:  How was it like growing up in Philly?

ANDRE:  Philly at the time was very hood fab.  This was the era of Kim, Biggie, Diddy and Mase--everything was about being flashy, fly and living a music video lifestyle. I didn’t have much friends, I just always knew there was more to life.  I knew if I stayed in Philly I would of been stuck.

FRENDY:  When did you move to Atlanta?

ANDRE: After I graduated college in 2006, I moved to Atlanta and lived there for about four years. To be honest, I had no idea what I was going to do there.  Technically, my first job was working for Sprint in ATL right after college because I simply needed money to live.  After that, I worked for other cellphone companies (including Helio) then worked for the Yellow Pages.

FRENDY:  What was your working title at those cell companies?

ANDRE:  Just selling phones.  Nothing creative or fab.

FRENDY:  How did you go from selling mobile phones to YellowPages.com?

ANDRE:  They simply had an opening in their online advertising department and I needed money.  Back then, there was no company I felt compelled to work for—I just needed to survive. I stayed with them for two years then moved to New York.

I still didn’t know what I really wanted to do when I moved here, so I started working at Zara. I was doing the visuals for their store windows. I just knew somebody on Facebook who referred me to work there.

FRENDY:  Did you enjoy working at Zara?

ANDRE:  I didn’t like the job because it really didn’t leave room for creativity.  The higher ups were very specific in how they wanted their mannequins dressed, and I just realised that I didn’t care so much about the details that goes into dressing them. A piece of clothing could be off by a quarter inch and usually there would be an entire two-hour discussion about it. I stayed there for about eight months and then got fired.   After that situation, I went to selling digital ads for CBS Radio.

FRENDY:  Wait a minute.  You studied marketing in college, how were you getting all of these advertising gigs?

ANDRE:  There’s not necessarily a trade that needs to be studied for selling ads because at the end of the day it’s just sales.

FRENDY:  There are tons of unemployed people out there, you’re telling me they have a good chance of getting work in that particular field?

ANDRE:  Well, it’s not that easy.  Fortunately, my resume is filled with previous sales jobs. Some of them didn’t necessarily involve selling online ads, but there was a quota I had to meet each month. When I went to these job interviews I sold myself on how I met the quotas and how I overcame certain challenges.

FRENDY:  When did you decide to pick up the camera again? Was it during your time at Nylon?

ANDRE:  I actually decided to pick up the camera again while working for Complex in 2014.

FRENDY:  What inspired you to do so?

ANDRE:  It’s a funny story. I’ve always been an android user, and when Instagram came to androids I made a conscious decision to not just post selfies. As everyone knows androids take better pictures than Iphones, so I would always take these dope pics on my phone and post them on the app.  Then, my friends who happen to be bloggers reached out and inquired about the camera I shot with, I said I just used my phone.  Since I didn’t own a camera, they said they would provide me with one to shoot them and I agreed. They provided me with a Canon T3I.  The pictures from that shoot came out great and shortly after I picked up my very first camera (Canon T3i).

FRENDY:  After the shoot were you compelled to take photography seriously?

ANDRE:   Well, I didn’t know I was going to make a career out of it.   I just knew that I liked it at that time.  It was like a drug in a sense where I instantly felt happy when I started shooting, and I wanted to continue it. 

The Four Pins blog actually inspired me to start capturing street style, so I would always hang out in SOHO (which is where we met) to capture cool and stylish people.  I was gradually getting deeper into photography during my Nylon days.

FRENDY:  Where were you posting all of your street style photos?

ANDRE:  Just on my Tumblr and Instagram.

FRENDY:  Let’s fast forward a bit.  What were you doing after you got fired from Nylon?

ANDRE:  I was looking for work. I eventually got hired at BET for Ad Operations and stayed there for just a year.  I actually quit that job and the reason I did so was because I established a good relationship with my boss Nicole Cosby (we were brought on around the same time).  When she announced that she was quitting, I decided to do the same. 

She played a real important role in aiding me to be where I am today. The reason why we left is because BET didn’t have their sh*t together.  We really were rooting for them, but internally it didn’t make sense to be there and invest so much energy in trying to change things around when the company is stuck in their ways.  As much as my boss tried, nothing happened.

After BET, I went over to SpinMedia which consists of Spin Magazine, Vibe magazine etc.  Again same job in Ad Operations, but this time around I was also assigned as a media planner. I didn’t have that much experience in that field and it became overwhelming.  A media planner makes up a plan for a brand’s exposure online, then the plan is sent to a salesperson who pitches it to the company. The salesperson and company would negotiate what the plan would actually be and then it comes back to me to execute. Unfortunately, At SpinMedia I was not only in ad operations but also had the responsibility of coming up with the media plan and executing it.

In SpinMedia’s culture it was normal, but not necessarily normal in other companies.  I wasn’t fully aware of that when I signed up for the job. It was just too much and I left the company after six months.

FRENDY:   So when did you decide to take on photography fully? Of course, I understand that you had to survive which is why you worked all of these jobs, but what made you consciously turn it up a notch as a shooter?

ANDRE:  The good thing about all my jobs was that they all paid great. I had about $30,000 saved in my banking account while I was working at SpinMedia.  I was 33 and then, you know, as a human being we all compare ourselves to how others are living.  I thought I wasn’t living my best life, I wasn’t living my purpose. Photography was my only passion that lasted this long.  There were so much things I thought I loved doing, but over a period of time those passions faded away.  One of my goals before moving to New york was to work for Complex and BET because I always thought it would be cool to work at those companies. When those dreams materialized I was totally disappointed.  But with photography, my high expectations were just like  how thought they would be.

I remember getting out of work on January 14, 2016 and literally crying all the way from the train station to my home because I was fed up with not living my purpose.  Since I had money saved I sent out an email saying, "Effective Immediately: I am quitting this job."

FRENDY:  Wow! Good for you. What did you after quitting SpinMedia?

ANDRE:  Within 2 weeks after I sent the email I moved to Brazil for about a month. I went over there to relax a bit and take pictures.

FRENDY:  Many people who are reading this interview may be thinking, “why is he crying?  This dude has a great job, he has money in the bank. What’s there to be sad about?” What do you have to say in response to that?

ANDRE:  Well, at the time I wasn’t traveling.  You’re always going to want to accomplish more goals after achieving the ones you already set for yourself.  If you have $100,000 in the bank, you’re going to want $200,000. An artist can have the biggest record of the year, they’re going to want an even bigger record the following year. Every goal I set for myself was fulfilling at that time, but then I always needed more.  And as I said before, my passion for photography is endless, so I had to pursue a craft that actually gave me joy rather than financial security.

FRENDY:  What did you do after your Brazil Trip?  Did you move back to New York?

ANDRE:  Before quitting SpinMedia, I reached out to travel a company that documented group trips called, Travel Noire. They wanted me to shoot in Morocco for a long period of time, unfortunately I just started the job at SpinMedia so I couldn’t take the time off.  While I was in Brazil I hit Travel Noire again since I was free and they booked me.  That was my first official photography job during April of 2016.

FRENDY:  How long were you shooting for Travel Noir?

ANDRE:  It was all project based,I shot about 3 trips for them. Two in Brazil and one in Italy.  I did my first trip at Travel Noire back in April of 2016, then when I came back to New York I had nothing.  So in between assignments for the company I was still figuring out what I was going to do for consistent pay. That’s when Nicole Cosby (my former boss at BET) came back in the picture.

When I was over at BET, one of the things I did was share my photography with everyone. I also did that at SpinMedia. Basically, I made sure to let everyone know that I had interest in becoming a photographer at my latest corporate jobs.  Nicole knew that I wanted to become one, so she referred me to RushCard, Russell Simmons’ pre-paid debit card company, since they were looking for photographers. They became my very first major client.  That all happened in June of 2017.

FRENDY:  Was it unexpected for you to get the gig?

ANDRE:  There was a lot of things that went into getting the job. It was an easy sell for them, but it wasn’t necessarily easy where I just had a camera and was at the right place at the right time.  The style of photography that I do is very niche—It’s commercial lifestyle advertising. What I capture is real life moments of real people.  I decided to do that early on because there’s not a lot of black photographers who showcase lifestyle images. I made sure whatever photos I decided to take from that point on would reflect the brands I would want to work for.

When I was shooting for Travel Noir I decided to take on a passion project by creating a coffee table book called, “Happy Black People.” So fast forward to my meeting with RushCard, once Nicole made the connection, I already had a portfolio that represented what the company was looking for. 

FRENDY: It’s all about taking initiative, and not waiting for any particular lucky situation to get a gig.

ANDRE:  Yes, exactly!  One thing that has made me successful is the passion that I have for photography. There’s not a lot of people that would want to make a photobook simply for the love of it.  I didn’t do it to make money, I just created it to share my work. I love showing my photos to people.

FRENDY:  When did your love for photography actually begin? I know you partly studied it in college, but what sparked your interest in shooting?

ANDRE:  *Laughs* It started with the movie, Love Jones. The movie was all about the renaissance black man and I just fell in love with that idea.  Even though Nia Long played the photographer role, that’s what actually sparked my interest in photography.

FRENDY:  What was it about the movie that specifically triggered your interest in photography?  I’m sure you were aware of other photographers prior.

ANDRE:  I didn’t know anything about photography at that time. It was just the idea. This was also during the era that neo-soul was very big, and you know me being in Philly, it was really big there. There was a particular section of neo-soul that sort of had the photography vibe, so it just elevated my love for it.

Whatever someone’s passion is, you kind of like have to go back to where it all sparked and realize it just came from this small source of inspo. And then it just snowballs into this bigger thing.

FRENDY: True love always comes back when you set it free.  Obviously, your love for photography was deep inside of you, but you had to go through the “valley of death,” so to speak, to experience the opposite of your passion just to realize your true purpose.

ANDRE:  Yup!

FRENDY:  How do you go about getting clients as a photographer?

ANDRE:  There’s really no one way of getting them. If you’re a freelancer, you’ll have to rely on your personality.  That’s one thing that I discovered. I’m an introvert at heart, I don’t necessarily like reaching out to people for business so I really have to depend on personal relationships.  If you’re passionate about something, people will be aware.  For example, you’re a writer, that’s pretty much what people are going to instinctively know about you because you are consistently providing new reading content. So if photography is a person’s passion, their name should be easily associated with the craft.  That’s where the opportunities lies.

When it comes to photography most people only think of fashion, celebrity and documentary styles.  But there are a lot more avenues in the field that generate tons of money they aren’t aware of.  There’s architectural photography, sports photography, and many more.  So a person that is interest in shooting pics for a living should study markets that aren’t necessarily popularized.

It’s also good for an aspiring photographer to study the companies they would want to work for and get familiar with their imagery. For example, Condé Nast has a very specific way of shooting the men who are featured in their publications.

FRENDY:  Who have you worked with so far?

ANDRE:  Right now, my main client is RushCard.  Since I signed a contract with them, I’ve been blessed with tons of work.  I shoot for them about 4 to 5 times a month.

FRENDY:  How do you go about booking the models you work with? Through an agency?

ANDRE:  Yup, I use an agency called Instagram *Laughs*.  I use a lot of the same models over and over again, but they also refer me to more. I’m at a point where when I reach out to a model, they either have heard of me already or they simply reach out first.  It’s all about word of mouth and social media for me.

FRENDY:  What’s your daily routine in regards to work?

ANDRE:  Whenever I have an idea, I would share it with my main point of contact at RushCard and they would either say yes or no--most of the time they agree with it.  Prior to presenting the idea, I put together a moodboard so the company could see what I envisioned. Once they agree, I reach out to the models and scout locations for shooting.

FRENDY:  Are you working on anything else other than RushCard projects?

ANDRE:  Well, I’m working on re-doing my contract with them for 2018, with a pay increase.  I’m super happy about that. To be honest, I’m working on building a business, build up my portfolio and save a lot of money.  Next year I plan on getting an employee and renting a studio where I can live and work.

FRENDY:  Did you ever think you would be this successful in your career of choice?

ANDRE:  Hell no!  I never knew that I could actually work for myself and do what I love. It really wasn’t how I was raised, it was just about making money, that’s it.

FRENDY:  Do you have any advice for artist who are trying to make it in their desired field of work?

ANDRE:  If your passion keeps you up at night then there’s no other choice but to make the first step to complete your goal. Don’t ever be too “realistic” because it can deter you from doing what you love.

Photographed by Andre L Perry

DANYAKI

At the young age of seven, my parents and I migrated from Haiti to The City of Dreams in search of a better life. Hassan Gibrin fled from Ghana with the same mission - the only difference is that he was unable to depart alongside his beloved family.

Hassan, now known as Hass Kwame, thoroughly enjoyed the vibrant surroundings in his hometown of Takoradi.  “The first thing you experience in this environment is its natural elements, hence nature became my first teacher, best friend and resource provider,” he states. “Playing soccer was the everyday thing, and when we were hungry we would turn to nature for all types of plants, fruits, fish for lunch and go back to having fun.” 

Kwame’s love for the rural habitat inadvertently cultivated his unique sense of creativity.  God’s green earth provided the necessities that Hass couldn’t afford, so he began utilizing nature’s elements to get by on a regular day basis. For example, instead of purchasing soccer jerseys, Hass dug up mud to write his favorite players name and number on his back during games.  He even used leaves from palm trees to build fencing screens around his and neighboring homes.

Hass’ childhood was joyous due to his intimate relationship with mother earth, but he later realized that the living conditions were actually below poverty level.  “The only way out from out the bottom is by migrating somewhere better - that was my attitude so I was obligated to leave the family behind and jet off,” Kwame lamented.  From 1994 through 1997, Hass travelled back and forth from neighboring countries like the Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Guinea until he finally moved to New York in 1999. “I didn’t plan to migrate directly from Ghana to the states because it takes a lifetime to acquire money and the visa, so I was like a nomad traveling for a better life.”

The Ghanaian lone ranger is currently living his best life in the Big Apple as he is working full-time in the restaurant industry while running his very own clothing line, Danyaki. I recently spoke with Hass to further discuss life in Ghana, come up in NYC and the meaning behind his fledgling label. Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY:  Were your parents reluctant to let you travel abroad by yourself at such a young age?

HASS:  As a Danyaki, the last thing you want to do is tell your traveling plans to your parents, that's a no no.  Our parents would love for us to live with them forever, so me telling them that I was traveling without an exact destination is not what they would want to hear. I told them that I was going to visit a friend across town, and it took 17 years for me to return home – I never got to see my dad again.  The most valuable thing in life for me is family, the worst thing in life is poverty. How do you balance that? ‘Cause happiness and poverty don't mix.

In your case your entire family got their visas and the funds to afford that kind of migration - you got to be at least middle class and/or part of the elite class to be able to do so where I’m from. In the underworld you don't see an entire family migrate in my part of town, it's always the Danyakis who break out unannounced in order to send some remittance home to support the fam.

FRENDY:  What is a Danyaki exactly?

HASS:  Danyaki is when u are faced with obstacles and hurdles in order to get to the next level of life. The process of the struggle in fighting to get over the hump makes one a Danyaki. So the concept of Danyaki is global, not just me. 90% out of the seven billion people in the world are going through their own “Danyaki” struggle right now.  It has a lot to do with migration, ‘cause if you are not happy with the life you are living, then you gotta make the hardest decision in your life by leaving your comfort zone behind and jet off in search of a better one.

FRENDY:  Interesting. We’ll definitely get back to this topic later on.  How difficult was it for you to get a job in the neighboring countries you visited?

HASS:  It's hard to get a job in those countries, you either have to take a bottom feeder job or create a service of your own.  You just got to be creative with your immediate surroundings. People are always going to need help in their day-to-day operations, so you go around and offer them help in exchange for chump change - it always works, so that's one of the smartest way to get by. The most important thing is staying out of trouble, you don't want to mess with the jail system over there.

FRENDY:  I feel you. Did you know any english before moving to the states?

HASS:  Absolutely, Ghana is a 100% English speaking country. The entire educational system is English based. However, I grew up speaking three other indigenous languages, which I still speak very fluently, but English is spoken all over the media so it's hard to avoid. Plus, once you enter the school system, you’re all in.

FRENDY:  That’s awesome, I didn’t know that.  Which part of New York did you initially reside in? How difficult was it for you to get accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city?

HASS:  In New York, I lived in the Bronx due to Ghanaian density.  I actually still live there. Life in New York could not be difficult at all for me, it's easy. The hustle and bustle is not comparable to Danyakis upbringing - it's easy here.

You gotta understand one thing, the income disparity is unimaginable - it's pretty much from 0 to 100 real quick. The fact is no one loves leaving their comfort zone and migrate to a new terrain to start all over again, it could be a lot of wasted time starting from the bottom. But it's not a matter of choice, it's a matter of survival.  Surviving in NYC is nothing to complain about, I love it. I was around a lot of inspiring people so I was motivated to figure out my situation - I’m still on that journey and enjoying the process.

FRENDY:  What was your first job here in the concrete jungle?

HASS:  My first job in New York was in a 99 cent store in the BX, and then two different places before moving on to a discount clothing store by the Yankee stadium in the Bronx, that was my last gig in that borough.

Since I never stopped searching for more opportunities, a friend of mine invited me to his spot in Harlem called ‘Scheme,’ one block away from Apollo theatre.  It was the spot to shop for people like Swizz Beatz, Fabolous, Raekwon, Dipset, etc. and they needed one more person work. That's how I ended up on 125th in Harlem - It has been my favorite place ever since. Working at Scheme was the best thing that happened to me in New York. The exposure and the inspiration I got from working there motivated me to get back to creating - I met every hip hop artist and some of the behind the scene guys, I met major clothing designers as well. I had an amazing time working there, it's out of business now.

FRENDY:  When did you start taking art seriously?

HASS:  Like I said, working at Scheme exposed me to the fashion and music industry.  The cool kids in Harlem were all about grinding - all I heard around me is “I am a DJ, rapper, writer, producer or a manager.” Everybody was doing something, except for me, so I began figuring out what to get into. I contemplated doing music but then in 2002 I met a young black kid from Newark, NJ who owned a brand called Omavi Clothing Co.  He stopped by the shop to show how his label was doing.  I got his business card, chopped it up and eventually called him back to say that I could help him spread his business in New York.  He took me in and we flew to Vegas for the magic show that August - that’s how I left retail behind.

FRENDY:  Did you attend school in the city to sharpen your design skills?

HASS:  Oh yeah, I did attend school - I mean I couldn't have done this without the fundamental education I received from the school system. So I left retail for the manufacturing/wholesale side of the business, that's when I started sketching and drawing. But then I realized I needed to get back to school to pick up from where I left it.  But before that, I needed to buy a Macintosh (Mac) - it's expensive and I didn't have the money, so I left the clothing world alone and started working in a restaurant in SoHo. 

I saved up money and signed up at F. I.T. (Fashion Institute of Technology) for pre-requisite classes. Meanwhile, I was working my way up in the restaurant from a stocker to a busboy to a food runner, then finally a server so I can make enough money to pay for tuition and supplies and rent. I was making enough money so also signed up for more classes at S.V.A. (School of Visual Arts) and Pratt Institute, for industrial Design classes. I also attended tons of private studio art classes in Chelsea and SoHo and other parts of the city as a hobby. 

Those three art and design institutions changed the way I looked at shapes, forms and spaces. The simplest abstract forms that the average human eye ignores, that’s the difference, and school really helps with that.

FRENDY:  What sparked the idea to create your brand?

HASS:  What sparked the idea was me meeting Hakim Stevens, a young black guy who walked into Scheme, the store I worked in on 125th street in Harlem. I was hooked after that! I took his card and connected with him soon after and started working for him, I got my exposure to the business side of fashion from him.  I was also inspired by a very beautiful, young black girl who was designing for Baby Phat by Phat Farm (owned by Russell Simmons).  She came to the store to check on their merch - it blew my mind and I saw myself capable of working in the fashion industry as well. Besides, every young kid in Harlem I met was doing something productive, mostly in music though. So I've been searching for something to sink my teeth into since day one in Harlem. I just didn't know what it was gonna be.  I never thought that clothing brand designers were young and looked like me since I didn't know any - I've always thought the extreme opposite.

So being exposed to that young girl from Baby Phat (who I fell in love with on the spot in my mind after she told me what she did for a living) and Hakim Stevens sparked the creative muscle in my brain - that's how I started entertaining the idea of creating my own brand.

FRENDY:  Can you explain the symbolism of the paint splatters on your merchandise?

HASS:  Yes! The symbolism is simple, fun. And it's more of a colors thing than paint splatters for me. I love colors, I enjoy playing with colors, I love childish and innocent color play - it reminds me of my childhood. So whenever it's time to create with colors, I relapse to being a child version of myself that created innocently without wrong or right, just creating and just having fun with colors, that’s my secret of approach. I don't consider myself a painter, that's why my process is called Ideation.

Furthermore, my pieces goes beyond painting on fabrics, it comprises of experimenting with different treatments such as rip and repair, bleached out effects and also plain indigo basics. Artistically I am very interested in the abstract found within shapes, forms and spaces regardless of colors. And frankly nothing brings me peace and happiness than colors, let alone mixing and creating with it. It's all in the name of ideation.

FRENDY: I'm guessing ideation is when you are creating without the interruption of the ego?

HASS:  Exactly. I don't like to create art as an adult, I rather create as a child. Ego, arrogance and overthinking happens when u create from an adult point of view because you are chasing perfection instead of having fun. My goal is to mimic what I would have done as a kid with all these colors in front of me to create. Ideation simply means brainstorming. In any industrial design class, Ideation happens when we poured all types of ideas down without overthinking it. Usually we couldn't wait to get over the ideation to go to the next stage of design and the finish the products.

For whatever reason I fell in love with the ideation of creation without overthinking. In my color theory class, I fell in love with playing with colors and then in my industrial design class fell in love with ideation. These two classes reminded me of my childhood so I mashed them all up to create art and design from my childhood point of view, which is innocent and fun and happiness. Ideation is liberating, there is a sense of freedom that comes with creation using the ideation approach. And I’m hooked.

FRENDY:  How does the Danyaki ideology bleed into your clothing?

HASS:  Practicality - Danyaki ideology bleed into my work by way of colors and physically getting my hands dirty. Danyaki is also a process of DIY, you got to get up and go change your condition by any means necessary, that's why I physically hand paint or treat and ideate with every piece, which means I can only make a limited amount of one of a kind pieces batch by batch.

Doing things yourself for your own good and self improvement is the ideal ideology of Danyaki. So Danyaki’s ideology itself is the practicality and the religion of physically doing to improve thyself.  Danyaki is not Danyaki if you are not practically doing. Danyaki Art&Design Ideation means practically creating while having fun as an innocent kid.

FRENDY:  Where are you currently selling your pieces?  Through an online store or brick and mortar shop?

HASS:  Danyaki is currently sold online at Danyaki.com and in stores around New York City, mostly in Harlem and the Bronx.  But most importantly, I do week-end pop ups in Harlem at Red Rooster to physically connect, share and have dialogue with my art loving supporters who patronize my Tastemakers Rack on weekends.

Social media has also played a major role in bringing people out on weekends to check out new pieces. My absolute favorite part, though, is interacting with the supporters - it’s sort of like being on stage and performing live for the people. It's therapeutic to see my regulars and new supporters stop by to connect and reconnect. 

The weekends Tastemakers Rack is an extension of my studio, it's an exhibition and conversation of art and design among art lovers, Q&A sessions as well. I call my supporters Tastemakers, because they are not buying clothes, they are buying the art and experience of ideation. I don't only set up to sell, but also set up to invite a community of art lovers and tastemakers and share creativity offline.

FRENDY:  What’s the reason behind your name change?

HASS:  The reason behind the name change is pretty much cracking the shell off my back and busting out as an artist versus the person I was expected to be. So for me it's a new day, new person, new stage, new career, new platform and a new name. I look at it as my stage name.

Being born on a Saturday means that I am naturally connected to that divine day. Because I don't celebrate the date that I was born but rather the day, which was Saturday, I don't see why my name shouldn't reflect such a day.  Hence, I went back to officially claim my name, “kwame.” The name change for me represent growth and independent.

FRENDY:  If you were able to go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self during trying times in Ghana?

HASS:  The only advice I would give my younger self is to, maybe, spend more time at the public library to absorb more information. But how can one study with an empty stomach? So, in reality I would not change anything looking back - no regrets. I only wish I had spent the lost years with my family, but you can't have your cake and eat it too, so it is what it is. C’est la vie. I’m happy how my life turned out.

DANYAKI contact:

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Ken Jen

Two names that abruptly come to mind when discussing top-notch celebrity jewelers are Johnny Dang, also known as “TV Johnny,” and Koreatown’s very own Ben Baller. Not only do they share an affinity for providing high-grade gems in extremely rare forms, both bling connoisseurs are of Asian descent.  LA-based jewelry designer Ken Jen is meticulously molding and polishing his own diamonds to shine bright in the industry, just like his OGs from the Far East.

The 24-year-old entrepreneur’s come up is nothing short of spectacular. Born in Taiwan, Ken moved with his family to Shanghai at the age of seven.  After receiving a green card eight years later, Jen and his brother (sans parents) flew to the states---Austin, Texas to be exact.  “I was not a big fan of living in Texas,” Ken admits. “The culture is way different from China, but it wasn’t what I expected.  I was pretty young at the time so no complaints.  I was really there for school and to learn english.”

Although he disliked the new setting, Jen managed to graduate High School with honors. As a matter of fact, his studious ways helped him gain a full scholarship to the University of Texas. During his freshman year, Ken was presented with the opportunity to work in the retail/wholesale industry by an Instagram buddy, which prompted him to immediately drop out of school and move to the West Coast in 2013.

The city of Angels served as fertile ground that enabled Ken’s wildest dreams to bloom.  He became the COO of his comrade’s retail company in just two years. In 2015, Jen’s interest in the jewelry industry blossomed and Ben Baller himself eventually gave him a shot to work under his wings. Fast forward to now, the former apprentice is flying high all by himself as owner of his three months old custom jewelry company Fenom & Co.

I recently sat down with the young CEO to further discuss his rise in the jewelry industry, celebrity clients, favorite pieces and fashion industry past. Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY:   Where did you and your older brother crash when y’all moved to Austin?

KEN JEN:  We moved there in 2008 and stayed with my dad’s friends, who were our guardians at the time.

FRENDY:  What was so off putting about living in Texas?

KEN JEN:  I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing. I moved to Texas mainly to learn English. I wasn’t sure what I would be doing after.

FRENDY:  I came to the United States when I was seven years old from Haiti so I know all about the culture shock that you felt.  What HS did you attend in Austin?  Were you able to make a lot of new friends?

KEN JEN:  I went to Crockett High School in Austin. I didn’t make many friends my first year and a half because of the language barrier. Eventually, I made some.

FRENDY:  How long did you know the person from Instagram that blessed you with the opportunity of working in wholesale?

KEN JEN:  Instagram is great for our generation to link with people. We were friends for about 6 months before he offered me the job.

FRENDY:  There are tons of catfishes online, what made you trust in him so much?

KEN JEN: The Internet is a dope place --- it brings a lot of dope people together. You just have to trust it.  We just had similar interests in certain things like fashion, music etc, and he was in the business I wanted to be in.  It was a win-win situation for both of us to work together.

FRENDY:  Is it safe to say that you weren’t enjoying your stay at the University of Austin since you decided to dip from there at the drop of a dime?

KEN JEN: All day!  It was one of the biggest decisions of my life. It’s all about trusting the process...taking risks.  Everyone thought I was crazy when I dropped out *Laughs*. I didn’t have a major in college nor did I know what I wanted to do in life.  I got into college on full scholarship, but I kinda went for my parents, you know.

FRENDY:  Were your parents informed about the big move prior or after moving to LA?

KEN JEN: No.  I booked a one way ticket to Los Angeles, logged into the wifi on the plane, facetimed my mom and told her the news. Of course my traditional Asian parents weren’t happy with my decision, but they didn’t say much because I was already on the plane.

I knew I would make it in LA, if not, at least I tried. I mean, I was 20, I had nothing to lose *Laughs*.

FRENDY:  *Laughs* Talk about taking initiative. What was the first order of business when you moved to California?  And was it difficult for you to flow with LA’s pace?

KEN JEN: First order of business? Make money! It all came pretty easy for me because my mentors put me on.

FRENDY:  What were your initial job duties in LA?

KEN JEN: At the time, my friend and I were attending trade shows like Agenda, buying from other brands and then resale.

FRENDY:  Where did you guys do the resale?

KEN JEN: Online and physical shops in Asia.

FRENDY:  What sparked your interest in the jewelry Industry? And how exactly did you get acquainted with the legendary Ben Baller?

KEN JEN: I was always a fan of jewelry, but never thought I’d become a jeweler. When I was working with the guy from Instagram, we had a grand opening in China. We flew Ben out for the opening as a guest.

FRENDY:  What made you depart from the business partnership with your Instagram friend?

KEN JEN: Failed business because the resale industry wasn’t doing so well. Ultimately, I had to do what was best for me.

FRENDY:  You said you didn’t get involved with the designing aspect of jewelry while working with Ben, as you only focused on the marketing/sales aspects of things. I see you’re with celebs now, molding their teeth for grills etc.  Are you currently involved with customizing pieces?

KEN JEN:  Yes. Now I own my own company, where I'm hands on with all aspects of the business.

FRENDY: Who do you run Fenom & Co. with?

KEN JEN: I have two partners who are like family.

FRENDY:  How do you obtain clientele? Word of mouth?

KEN JEN: Absolutely!  Word of mouth is the best way to promote in the jewelry business. But at the end of the day, as long as I have good product and keep doing the right thing then we’re winning.

FRENDY:  Do you remember the first person you helped make a piece for?

KEN JEN: Yeah, it’s been about 2 years and I actually spoke to him just the other day.

FRENDY:  What’s the process of making a custom piece?

KEN JEN: To start we need a clear design, and then we will cut the wax of the design. After it is casted into gold. After the gold is done, we discuss diamonds. Last step is polishing/finishing.

FRENDY:  What’s your favorite jewelry design that you created?

KEN JEN:  It got to be the piece I did for Lebron James. It’s a 18kt solid “Diamond Dust” lion head pendant, featuring VVS Diamonds on the engraving. And it’s hand-made just for the king!

FRENDY:  In your opinion, what’s the biggest trend in the Hip Hop jewelry world right now?

KEN JEN: Custom jewelry is changing the game. Jesus pieces, cuban links, iced out Rolex, tennis chains and custom grills are always trending.  The biggest one in my opinion are custom grills.

FRENDY:  Most people reading this are aware of Nigo’s immense impact in the streetwear industry and jewelry culture. If he ever contacted you to provide him with a custom piece of your own creation, what would it be?

KEN JEN: *Laughs* I would probably make him an iced out Chinese To-Go box.

FRENDY:  Are your parents aware of your increasing success?

KEN JEN: Yes. I’ve been taking care of them since I was 21.

òL New York

Allen Aderotoye and I initially met in July of 2015 at the Capsule show during the inaugural New York Men’s Fashion week. It was my first time attending the highly respected fashion and lifestyle trade event, so you could imagine my excitement.  Editors and style leaders alike packed platform 2 of Skylight Clarkson Square to witness some of the world’s fastest rising clothing lines and their respective Spring/Summer ‘16 men's collections.

During the presentation’s closing minutes, I overheard someone yell out, “Mr. BAPE!” and to my surprise it was Allen who greeted me with open arms. The uber-stylish designer’s positive energy was so contagious it felt like we were longtime friends. After he properly introduced himself, we briefly spoke about my time working at the extinguished SoHo hotspot and his very own label, òL New York. I followed Aderotoye on Instagram to keep up with his latest moves and learn more about his fledgling brand.  I later discovered that Allen’s brainchild was just as dope as I thought it would be.

The 26-year-old creative’s outerwear-centric line is very meticulous in the way it blends unusual fabrics (such as velvet, suede and wool) to provide simple yet extremely suave looks.  Possessing such intricate detailing, one would be surprised to know that the label was conjured up by accident.  Right after graduating from the University of Maryland in May of 2012, the natural born hustler migrated to New York City where he interned at Exposure Creative Agency. “While at my internship, I made a piece for the first time and it garnered huge attention--everyone there liked it. It was shot byHYPEBEAST and I thought ‘ok, I might have something here’,” Aderotoye confesses. “Ever since, I continued to take steps to continue building out what would become òL.”

Like most notable designers (think Karl Lagerfeld, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier), Allen did not receive any formal fashion design training. He focused on obtaining a degree in Economics and Business.  Aderotoye—a first generation American from Nigerian decent—blatantly states: “conceptual majors are not accepted.”  Allen’s Nigerian parents are very strict when it comes to education, which meant that his passion for everything style had to be contained (until he actually graduated from college, of course).  “My parents hated the fact that I moved to New York.  My response was, ‘I got you that degree, now I need to figure out how to actually get it in life!’. “

Allen is certainly “getting it” in the Big Apple as he is three collections deep into his beloved brand.  I recently sat down with the talented craftsman to talk about his upbringing, love for fashion, and the future of òL.  Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY:  How lit was it growing up in Washington, D.C?

ALLEN:  It was great!  DC has so much culture--we have our own sense of identity from the style of dress to gogo music, so much influence is started in the area. I was raised between a few areas in Prince George’s County and neighborhood called Trinidad in DC near H st.

FRENDY:  Your parents are originally from Nigeria, have you ever visited the motherland?

ALLEN:  Yeah, they are from Nigeria both born and raised there. They came here for the opportunities America had. I’ve been to Nigeria twice. It’s a really inspiring place to be meeting family I’ve never seen before, eating jollof rice from McDonald's like chains for sure an experience. This is where my parents are from: a very warm, vibrant colored, hustle or die mentality Nigeria.

FRENDY:  Were you always into Fashion?

ALLEN:  I’ve always been into style.  Self expression is very important--especially as a kid, you want to let people know what kind of person you are by your sense of style to a certain degree. It all started with footwear for me, I was really into Jordans because Jordan was a beast and as a kid there was no better sneakers than the bred 11s. That’s what started to teach me the idea of aesthetics.

FRENDY:  I feel you.  Which HS did you attend?

ALLEN:  I went to Bowie High School.  My time there was very regular I would assume for the average teen in High School. Pretty chill, just plotting on Jordan release dates and skipping lunch to have enough for each pair that was dropping.

FRENDY:  I can tell that your love for sneakers runs deep. I’m surprised you didn’t formulate your own shoe yet.

ALLEN:  Yeah man, shoes have been a long time love. There’s some ideas brewing but footwear is a different obstacle, especially with an original design. Shoes really have to be functional while having the looks, on my architectural quest it surely will be conquered. One way or another.

FRENDY:  When did you become passionate about clothes?

ALLEN:  I am passionate about the style aspect more or so. We all need clothes but no one needs clothes as there is a surplus within this hyper consumption era. However, we all need identity, which is not so easily defined.

FRENDY:  Why did you choose to move to New York after college instead of another booming city like Los Angeles or Miami?

ALLEN:  That’s where my opportunity was, I needed to have something that was there for me you, you know. I had interned with the Gild in London a year beforehand so I imagined I could probably get my first job with their team in NYC. Wishful thinking. It was also a realistic commute for me--a four hour bus ride home when needed was more than doable.

FRENDY:  What inspired you to construct your first garment while interning? What was the piece made?

ALLEN: I was following Maestro Knows at the time. I saw he was going to be at Reed Space later that evening so after my internship, I walked from SoHo to LES to go see what was going on--I was super inspired by his vlog at the time. So using the map on my phone I found my way to the block. It was Allen st. I think because of the name I decided to pay a little more attention and LES at that time was still a true feeling neighborhood. I walked into a tailor on that street which is now long gone and was like “I have an idea,” a few weeks later I ended up with that velvet polo. This piece would be the foundation of òL.

FRENDY: How did HYPEBEAST find out about it?

ALLEN:  I was wearing it during Fashion Night Out. When I was just starting to venture into the city I was getting stopped a lot for street styles so I thought this was just another one of those situations. He took a photo and handed me a card, already jaded by having my photo taken I posed and held the card not even looking at it once. My girl at the time took it and flipped it over, I was already busy focused on something else. She taps me and flips over the card. It says HYPEBEAST. I flipped out and tried to find the photographer, he was long gone in the huge crowd. HYPEBEAST has been a favorite for a while so it was a wow moment for me.

FRENDY:  What is the meaning behind òL?

ALLEN: òL means òutside Lines. The idea of different, as humans we’re all unique so I started with that as a basis in developing ideas.

FRENDY:  Out of the three collections, which one was your favorite to create?

ALLEN:  They are all individual ideas I had at a period of time in life, so i'm not sure I can have a favorite.  However, ‘Silverspoon’ was a really dope point in my life.  We shot the lookbook in London and had a presentation for NYFWM, called it the Wolf of Men’s Week, it was at Leonardo Dicaprio’s former penthouse. It was a vibe.

FRENDY:  I know how difficult it can be to sustain a clothing line. Do you have a side hustle to fund production cost, marketing, etc. ?

ALLEN: I am able to do a few projects for some other creatives from time that help to fund the dream and I sell my kicks when times are really low *Laughs*.

FRENDY:  How well are your friends and family receiving your line back home?

ALLEN: I think they are receiving it well, my friends have been a big supporting factor since day one. While with my family is a bit of an interesting dynamic. As long as I am able to take care of myself they are fine with that.

FRENDY:  For the most part, you’re always rocking an òL piece. Are there any other fashion brands out right now that are worth your attention?

ALLEN: òL was made in purpose of pieces I want to wear more than anything so try to stay òL down. I know that if I can do anything it’s that. There’s so many brands to chose from at this point so I just stick with brands that my friends run. I have been able to meet some really dope designers globally so I try to start there when I look for things outside of òL.

FRENDY:  If you were able to collaborate with an up and coming brand, which would it be?

ALLEN: what would you consider an up and coming brand?

FRENDY:  I think this is the first time ever my interviewee responded back to me with a question. I like that *Laughs*. What I meant by an up and coming brand is one that hasn’t received any notoriety from any major blogs or celebrities. But in the trendy downtown scene, it’s poppin’.

ALLEN:  For New York, I would have to say the homie Ev or Death To Tennis.

FRENDY:  How do you want your customers to feel wearing your line?

ALLEN:  I want them to feel like they’ve just been hit by the HòLy Ghost. Feel good, confident. Vitalized. It feels good when you just got something new that you really like. I want them to feel this way every time they wear anything òL.

FRENDY:  Any plans of moving back to your hometown?

ALLEN:  Home will always be home but I am not sure how conducive that will be for me as everything is produced in NYC. I do make sure to spend more time out there these days though.

Pearl N' Rose

Mélanie Myriam is a self-proclaimed “business womum.” Born and raised in Morocco’s most populous city, the headstrong 30-year-old is now living abundantly in New York as an entrepreneur, while being a wife and mother of three wonderful children under the age of four.

Mélanie’s unwavering drive and determination has led her on an incredible voyage. It all started in the northern African coast of Casablanca, where the then 16-year-old Myriam felt that it was time to escape from her home base so she could attend school in Paris. “My native language is French and I wanted to study in a more developed country in order to get a good education,” she states.

After two prosperous years of high school in Paris, Mélanie was accepted into the prestigious Applied Mathematics and Computer Sciences program at Dauphine University.  She studied applied mathematics for five years and eventually received her master's degree in Financial and Statistical Engineering.  During the last year of college, Myriam fell in love with her husband who received the same degree.  Following graduation, the mathematically inclined lovebirds left their nest and headed to the U.S, where they are currently living out their long-desired American dream.

I recently sat down with the thriving luxury minaudière designer to further discuss her life back home in Morocco, the inspiration behind her huge career change and find out how she juggles work and family.  Check out our dialogue below:

FRENDY:  As a child growing up in Haiti, I frequently heard stories of how amazing Morocco was from family members who travelled there. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to go. Can you provide a glimpse of its beauty since you actually lived there?

MELANIE:  Casablanca is the economic capital of Morocco. The streets are always crowded and loud. From the bazaar to the beach coast, the diversity of people is astonishing. Modern and traditional Muslims, Christians, Jews, Asians, Central Africans and tourists--you can discover and meet much more cultures and people than you would expect to. Casablanca is a developing city where modernity and traditions meet at every corner. You can buy handmade artisanal items in the souk or shop luxurious products at the Morocco mall - largest mall of Africa, whose fountains are way more captivating than the ones in Vegas. You can play in neat and selective golf/tennis /basketball courts or enjoy good surf and even horse rides in the public Atlantic sea beaches. The ideal weather makes life easier and more agreeable.

No one could resist the delicious and worldly renowned food--from couscous to tajines made of 100% organic veggies and fruits, like locally raised lemons, oranges, olives or even Argan oil (which are exported and used worldwide). For a fun night out, hookah bars, clubs or restaurants never get empty. For a more spiritual moment, the largest mosque of Africa and 2nd largest mosque of the world, the "Hassan II Mosque," is open to everyone. People are tolerant, welcoming, warm and helpful in Casablanca, although the traffic could try their nerves.

The history of the country is rich and full of surprises. It starts with the original Berbers -nomads that mostly lived in the mountains- to the Arab invasion that brought Islam and the Arab culture to Morocco, to then the Judeo Spanish culture brought by Jews escaping Spain and finding refuge in Morocco, to finally the late French influence debuting with the French protectorate in the 1920s. Please take a second to imagine the resulting multicultural and diverse country that Morocco is. Imagine that wonderful Mediterranean and oriental style - in architecture, fashion and art.  I wouldn't have wished to be born and raised anywhere else.

FRENDY:  Jheez! It feels like I know everything about Casablanca now. I’m definitely going to visit real soon. How difficult was it for you to leave such majestic scenery at the age of 16?

MELANIE:  At that time, I was so ambitious, I felt “young, wild and free.” And I already loved traveling and discovering new places, people and cultures; it was exciting, not scary. Banal events would turn into fun adventures. For example, I remember my first time taking the subway- so cool, but it didn’t last long! *Laughs*

I left a very comfortable routine around my family in Casablanca for sure, but this move was much needed for my soul. Paris is magical! I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to live in such amazing city.  The experience enabled my growth in so many ways.

FRENDY:  Which high school did you attend in Paris? And was it difficult to get accustomed to the school system there?

MELANIE: I studied in Morocco at the Alliance group, and then transferred to the one in France quite easily. It was the same curriculum in both countries, so I was able to continue the program normally. I was a very good student. The transition happened smoothly and successfully.

FRENDY:  You have an immense love for math and finance, when did it begin?

MELANIE:  My interests began when I was 10 years old, playing all sorts of board games with my older brother--my favorites being Cluedo and BattleShip. The plot twists, schemes to bluff the adversary, and tactics to win enticed me. I was good at it and I enjoyed it. It reinforced my competitiveness and desire to tackle everything in my way. Mathematics is abstract, it relates to numbers, quantities and space. You must learn the rules, theorems and definitions, to play the game. Finance is strategic, you have to be able to predict the next move of your adversary, anticipate the next trend and be convincing. And so, I started acquiring most of my tricks as a young sister playing those games of logic.

FRENDY:  When you moved to New York, did you abruptly acquire a job in your field of study?

MELANIE:  I applied to a prestigious master’s program in Mathematics of Finance at Columbia University back when I lived in Paris. I was selected along with 30 other students from a pool of 800+ applicants. Opening the acceptance letter was one of the most intense moments of my life. I packed my luggage with my husband in less than a month and flew to realize my dream.

As soon as the school year started, I received job offers from renowned banks and financial institutions. The HRs placed me on a pedestal; I could feel I was already doing something unique and recognized. I accepted a full time job at Exane-BNP Paribas, and managed to take all my classes from 6pm and on at night. I juggled between work and school five days a week, and spent my weekends doing homework or touring in NYC. Overall, everything happened really quickly but I lived each moment intensely. It would be safe to say that it was an abrupt transition and goal reaching time.

FRENDY:  What compelled you to eventually quit your stable 9 to 5?

MELANIE:  I found out that I was pregnant for the first time on my graduation day from Columbia. I decided to dedicate myself entirely to this happy event, in order to live the motherhood experience to the fullest. I neither wanted to miss a bit of it, nor be constantly stressed out at work, thinking about my baby at home. Although I loved my job, Pearl, my first baby girl, did not make me miss any of it. Every day was incredible, it gave me a sense of purpose and constant joy in my life. I had my first son Eli-Raphael and my second daughter Rose within the next two years. I rapidly became a full-time mother of 3 under 3 and felt showered with blessings. The journey of motherhood has been incredible. I will never graduate from this lifetime learning experience.

FRENDY:  Incredible! There’s nothing more precious than a mother’s love.  Moving forward to the business side of things, why did you start making minaudières and accessories instead of actual clothes?

MELANIE: In August 2016, I started designing my first clutch, simply driven by the desire to get my unique and own minaudière to match my outfit for my cousin’s wedding. As I began to look for a special motif, colors and an overall shape, I felt that my creativity was limitless. Ideas were bursting in my mind; I drew many schemes and patterns.

As my kids entered pre-school at that period, I had more free time to go back to work. And this time, I wanted to express my second passion, my love for designing and fashion. I developed this passion very early during my childhood, when I played running “fashion shows” with my friends as early as 4 years old and later, when I actually walked real kids runways at 10 years old. So, I decided to launch my brand and become a clutch designer. My husband was very supportive and pushed me to follow my heart, and do what I aspired to. He encouraged me to take that challenge and become an entrepreneur.

I believe I made a very good decision taking this path, as I am both creative and pragmatic. I need some hours of “rational math” or simply rationality during my day, but I also need my moments of evasion. I find inspiration by walking in the streets, looking at what surrounds me such as the urban life and different cultures. New York City was the perfect place to amplify the artistic side of me. Therefore, designing clutches represent to me much more than it seems to be. It is the realization of my inner self through matter. I make rectangular shapes, very straight very geometrical, and then add to them some “magic powder”, product of my artistic side - whether it is a particular pattern or a word that projects me to a specific context. And VOILA! I combined my love for fashion designing and mathematics.

FRENDY:  You say that your brand is an “Invitation to your Voyage," citing Charles Baudelaire, from Morocco to NY, via Paris and London. How do we learn about your story through your creations?

MELANIE:  Indeed, the names of the collections- Arabesque, Courtesy, Romance and Modernism- refer to my multi-stops journey. The “Arabesque” collection is an allusion to my Moroccan origins, both as an Andalusian (Spanish culture under Arab influence) from my mother, and as a Berber (Moroccan pre-Arab culture) from my father. The “Courtesy” collection is for the endless Londonian tea parties, which I attended for 3 months as I participated in an internship program with the Merrill Lynch bank, to warm up myself from the cold atmosphere. The “Romance” collection is inspired by the ten years I spent in Paris, its grandiose architecture, timeless fashion and gourmet food. Finally, the “Modernism” collection is for New York, the city I belong to, the city where I accomplish my dreams and where nothing seems impossible. 

FRENDY: It’s astounding how you’re handling full time mommy duties and entrepreneurship.  What’s your everyday schedule like?

MELANIE: I wake up everyday at 6am by the cheerful screams of my kids, re-energized from their night and eagerness to conquer the day. Then follows breakfast, dressing and school dropping. It’s now 10am. I have my first coffee break of the day at Starbucks, and immediately start dealing with the manufacturers and customers. Photoshoot scheduling, customer’s feedbacks to take into consideration, new ideas and inspirations to mark down, fixing the website, and more.

I make a quick stop at Whole Foods marketplace before going back home. It’s now time to organize the house and the dinner, to welcome the kids who are coming back from school. Mommy is busy from 3pm until the kid’s bedtime: fun at the park, playdate in the building’s playroom, shower, dinner and story time.

After an exhaustive day, I finally enjoy a peaceful one-on-one dinner with my husband before folding back my sleeves one more time and switching on my computer. From updating my social media and designing personalized orders, to preparing the next collection. I fill a milk bottle once in while.

FRENDY:  Do you visit your hometown often?

MELANIE:  Yes, at least once a year to refill my batteries and reconnect with my roots. It is also very important for me to go back home to enjoy some leisure time with my parents.

FRENDY:  I truly commend you for following your passion.  Do you have any words of encouragement for those who are reluctant to fully focus on accomplishing their lifelong goals?

MELANIE:  The key is to believe in your project. Be prepared to face some obstacles, to start over many times and to make mistakes. But never forget your primary motivations and your final goal.  Work hard and don’t lose hope or patience. People need your ideas out there.

Anabi Wasabi

“To all the ladies in the place with style and grace,” is how The Notorious B.I.G. kicked off his 1994 platinum-selling single, “Big Poppa.” Danielle Anabi wasn’t alive when the song initially released but she presently has the same swag as the women Biggie referred to.

Danielle is what you call a “rare gem” in the world of Instagram. With less than 5K followers, the Claremont, California beauty is silently bodying fits your #WCW wouldn’t dare to pull off. Whether in a pair of rare Air Jordan 1s or enthralling Vetements lighter heels, Anabi’s style effortlessly remains street yet chic.

But the sky wasn’t always sunny for Danielle. Before her parent’s astronomical success in the oil industry, the 21-year-old fashionista grew up residing in her grandparents’ home, with not only her mom and dad, but also aunts, uncles as well as younger siblings.  Anabi’s humble beginning fuels her drive to become the first member of her clan to graduate college.  As you can already infer, there is a deeper level to Danielle beyond her flashy exterior.

I recently sat down with Anabi to have a thorough discussion about her parent’s booming business, love of fashion, style and future goals. Check out our dialogue below:

FRENDY: Let me first confess that I’ve never heard of Claremont.  Can you fill me in (no Craig David)?

DANIELLE: Cozy Claremont! The city of trees and PhD's. It's a small college town, and a good place to grow up. However, it's a bit of a bubble to say the least.

FRENDY: Cozy Claremont? Sheesh! Sounds like everyone is walking around in pajamas! Were you born there?

DANIELLE: Born and raised. Then I migrated about two hours away to San Diego for college.

FRENDY: Awesome. What are you studying there?

DANIELLE: Yeah, San Diego is a nice change of scenery. I'm majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Arabic. Graduating next year.

FRENDY: Congrats! I know this is a huge deal for you and your family. Did you receive any sort of pressure from your parents to finish school?

DANIELLE: It definitely is a big deal for my family and I. Neither of my parents went to college, so being the first person in my family to attain a degree is a blessing.

Initially though, I'll admit, I didn't want to further my education. Many of the people I surround myself with have been able to achieve great success with only a high school diploma. However, I've also seen these people experience a great deal of setbacks because of the lack of a degree.

FRENDY: Good on you for deciding to stick with it. I was unable to finish college due to finances, but when there's a will there's certainly a way to make things work out. It's a bit “easier” to progress in life with a degree, so at least you’ll have a great accessory.

DANIELLE: I feel you. I have a lot of respect for people who are able to create their own success without having a degree to back them.

FRENDY: After graduating, are you going to work in the field you majored in or take part in your parent’s booming business?

DANIELLE: That's the million-dollar question. My major is certainly not my passion. However, I think college really contributed to my intellectual growth.

FRENDY: What is your passion then?

DANIELLE: My passion is Art, specifically in terms of fashion and design.

I feel like the meaning of "fashion" has sort of deteriorated over time, or rather has just changed immensely. But that's the beauty of it. Fashion can mean whatever the hell you want it to mean, and its meaning varies depending on so many complex things revolving around each individual. I love it.

FRENDY: Your dope sense of style clearly indicates that you have an immense fashion infatuation. How do you go about selecting an outfit?

DANIELLE: I really enjoy feminizing masculine pieces. I'd say that about 65% of my closet consists of statement menswear pieces that I wear daily, regardless the weather, occasion, etc. I also like to implement some sort of sophistication into my fits. It's hard to explain, but the best way to sum it up is attempting to add depth with style.

Overall, I think to really understand my style, you have to see that I'm not just fabric oriented. Styling is more than just cloth. Many people don't realize that fabric is the most external layer of what lies beneath.

FRENDY: I like that *DJ Khaled Voice*.  What are your favorite clothing lines right now? And what do you look for when purchasing a piece?

DANIELLE: My favorite brands change pretty frequently. It mostly depends on the designer and what their vision for the brand is.

I like when designers make me think and feel. Very few are able to perfect the balance of intellect and style, while still keeping true to their own identity. If they are able to implement themselves in their designs, rather than just conform to what's "trending,” it gives a sense of authenticity to the label. So when I do sense some sort of rawness, I cling to it. Because I believe the designer is the face of the brand, I spend a lot of my free time watching interviews and reading articles about what they have to say in order to get a feel of who they really are.  This helps me pinpoint what they're trying to convey in their designs.  Typically, I look for them to address why they chose specific concepts and what they mean to them as the designer.  It creates a certain type of genuineness that adds intellectual depth to their label. When designers do articulate these points, it usually touches me on an emotional level and makes me feel some sort of connection or attachment to their brand.  Once this bond is made, I ultimately feel inclined to purchase items because I value the individual's vision.

For example, Maison Margiela does an amazing job at perfecting, what I’d like to call “complex simplicity.”   I think I was about 15 when I discovered Margiela. He actually was the first figure who cultivated my love for fashion.  I saw how his designs were able to challenge the industry and change the meaning of "high fashion" altogether. Unlike other designers who constantly went out promoting themselves, Margiela refused to be photographed, interviewed, and even faxed people instead of meeting face to face.

His pieces truly captivate this aura about him. Creating a nameless, faceless brand, while still using your real name, was/is so cool to me. Made me feel something for sure, as I'm pretty reclusive myself. He gives me some inspiration when I think of how I would like my brand to be someday.

FRENDY: This might be a bit early to ask, but will your potential brand provide aesthetically sound streetwear pieces or the high luxury feel?

DANIELLE: Why not both? A streetwear brand can have luxury elements to it. However, I feel like by the time I decide to launch my brand, what we now know to be streetwear (as much as I love it), will be on the come down. Before I start getting heat for that statement, I guess I should define that by streetwear, I mean the trend-based nature of it today (a.k.a. track suits, athleisure, sportswear; being able to wear sweats to your wedding type shit).

Although there are so many new emerging brands right now that are specifically centered on being "street,” I don't see much longevity to it. This is because consumers dictate what's trending next... not the brands themselves. Take Off-White for example. I think Virgil is a prime example of streetwear-gone-vogue. He's able to comprehend that street style may just be a trend at the moment, and has elevated his brand with more sophisticated, luxury pieces in hopes to gain long term success.

FRENDY: Have you already thought of names for your brand yet?

DANIELLE: “Delusions of Grandeur,” which means a false impression of one's own importance. Clothing shapes how people feel. Typically when people buy expensive pieces that come with a high status and designer name, they feel like they're above others - more confident and cocky.

In short, people hide behind their clothes. Imagine investing in a brand, whose name alone contradicts the emotions you feel towards luxury items. I would want my brand to make people question their perceived self.

I haven’t really been able to take it too seriously with school and everything going on in my life right now. A lot of people ask me why I can't just juggle both, but when I put my name on something, you know I'm putting 100% of myself and time into it. I can't half ass it. I'm either all in or just not playing all together.

FRENDY: Since you’re so busy with school, do you still have time to shop for exclusive threads? 

DANIELLE: All I got is time! *Laughs*  Nah, I will admit, I do have a lot of good friends that help me get certain pieces. But really I'm pretty skilled at tracking down rare items myself. I guess I shouldn't be too proud about that. I'm just very drawn to the challenge of finding cool shit. I like knowing that I'm one of the few who has something. Makes me value it a hell of a lot more.

FRENDY: What are some of your grail pieces?

DANIELLE: *Laughs* Such a hard question. If I really had to pick just one... I would have to say my Gucci embroidered denim jacket with shearling on the inside. It was one of the most difficult pieces to hunt down--primarily because I wanted to have it first. In total, I waited around 6 months for it to come in because it wasn't actually made yet. Only a select few orders were being made, so it took awhile to get here from Italy.

Next in line would be my vintage Chanel pieces. I love vintage shit.  There’s always a story behind each piece.

FRENDY: Ever thought about becoming a Stylist in order to guide those who can’t quite pull off a fire fit?

DANIELLE: I actually am doing my first “styling” gig for a close friend's start up clothing brand. I'm not sure if I would want to be a stylist full time though. Why not reach for more?

FRENDY: True.  Who do you think has the best style in the game right now? And why?

DANIELLE: I would have to say A$AP Rocky. Not going to lie, I peep his fits often to get some inspiration for myself. As you could probably tell, I love mixing designer with street. Rocky executes that shit so well. Rather than wearing a whole Supreme suit or a full on Raf fit, I think it's all about mixing and matching different brands that compliment one another.

FRENDY: Are your parents aware of your deep longing to work in the fashion industry?

DANIELLE: I'm extremely close with my family. Their opinions matter the most in my eyes.

My parents are tremendously supportive about any goal my siblings or I have. I'm grateful to have role models like them in my life who encourage creativity, push me to achieve more, and teach me to be the best possible version of myself.

When I think about starting up a brand, my chief inspiration comes from my family and the experiences taken from my upbringing.

FRENDY: If you had to rock one outfit for an entire year, what would it be?

DANIELLE: Crazy hard question!  Probably my vintage Chanel velour tracksuit with my red satin Jordan 1s. Shit is way too cozy. *Laughs*

Tim's Epik Style

Buffalo isn’t necessarily known as a breeding ground for fashion icons but Tim Baldon is planning to change that.

Better known as Tim B, the 27-year-old Buffalonian is making waves in the industry as a Stylist.  What sets him apart is his knack for hunting down threads that accentuate the distinctive personalities of his patrons.  In 2011, Tim established a boutique agency, Epik Style, where he landed Lil’ Kim, one of Hip Hop’s most iconic figures, as his very first client just 3 months after its launch.  Since then, Baldon has continued to work with prominent players in the entertainment arena and even expanded his personal brand by making several TV appearances, including LALA’s Full Court Life and BET ’s classic music video countdown show 106 & Park.

Tim’s interest in fashion developed when he began watching rap videos at the age of 13. “At that age I started listening to Hip Hop--I was really into music videos and I would take note of what all the artists wore so I could buy those same items,” Baldon states. “The first thing I made my mother buy me was a shiny jean suit like the one Puff used to wear.”

The modish teenager’s newfound love instantly transformed into a full-blown passion, as he went on to major in Fashion Merchandising at Buffalo State College. During his freshman year, Tim interned for Michelle Ten (former Fashion Editor of The Source Magazine for six years) and fell so in love with the short-lived gig that he quit his college career soon after. Baldon confesses: “I ended up getting an assistant job my junior year so I dropped out, packed my bags and moved to New York City. I felt like hands-on experience was all the education I needed.”  Well, his decision sure proved to be beneficial.

I recently sat down with the thriving entrepreneur to discuss his life in Buffalo, wild college days, humble beginnings in the fashion industry and future goals. Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY:  First of all, what color was the shiny jean suit your mom bought you?

TIM:  It was metallic silver! *Laughs*

FRENDY:  *Laughs* No doubt! Besides Diddy, which other Hip Hop artists served as a fashion inspiration for you growing up?

TIM:  Kanye West was one of my biggest inspirations.  I also admired Pharrell and Andre 3000’s style, but hands down Kanye was one of my biggest inspirations.

FRENDY: Which part of Buffalo are you from? And how was it like growing up there? I honestly thought you were from Brooklyn!

TIM:  Everybody says that!  I don't know why, I guess I give off that Brooklyn vibe.

Growing up in Buffalo was cool.  I grew up in a city on the east side, which was a predominantly African-American community. Buffalo is very segregated; so on the east side you have Blacks, on the west side are Spanish and Puerto Ricans, North & South Buffalo is mostly Caucasian, as well as the suburbs. 

Buffalo definitely had its ups and downs but for the most part it taught me many life lessons and made me who I am today.  When I was younger Buffalo was full of life--it was a great place to live, but as I got older it started to become a ghost town.  But I always made the most of it and I'm glad I grew up there. Best part was College! *Laughs*

FRENDY:  Wow, I didn’t know it was segregated like that.  Did you experience any sort of racism?

TIM:  I've definitely experienced racism! I was always the type to venture off and explore, that's always been my thing.  I would encounter racism when I would go shopping in different areas and sometimes at work because I worked in the suburbs. My sister went to school out in the suburbs and we had a situation where she was called a n*gger but me and my father handled that situation.  So yeah I experienced it, but never in my community.

FRENDY:   Are there a lot of stores in your hometown that provide scorching streetwear and high-end gear?  If so, what are your favorite spots to shop?

TIM:  Yes, we had a few spots in Buffalo.  We had a store called Krudmart, Street Game, and Elmwood Village District.  They were all in an area similar to Soho, New York but not as many stores. We later got Urban Outfitters; I worked there for about 3 years.

FRENDY:  What are some of your favorite brands today?

TIM:  DSQUARED2, Public School, Alexander McQueen, Asos, Maison Margiela, and Hood by Air.

FRENDY:  How were you able to gain an internship as a freshman in college?

TIM:  We weren’t supposed to be interning but I just felt like I needed to get a head start on my career.  I didn't really care what the school said, I was always thinking about my career and where I wanted to go in it.

My first internship was amazing.  I interned with Michelle Ten--that experience gave me so much knowledge of the fashion industry and its inner workings.  It was a lot of work, but after interning with Michelle I knew that styling was exactly what I want to do.

FRENDY:  So she didn’t care about your undergraduate status?

TIM:  She did care, but I convinced her to let me intern with her. After my first summer with Michelle she hired me the following summer to be her summer assistant.

FRENDY:  Damn, your work ethic must of been epic! (no pun intended).

TIM:  *Laughs* I did everything she told me to do with a smile, even when I was tired to the point I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was so hungry to learn and gain knowledge about the industry.

FRENDY:  What was your first job when you moved to New York City?

TIM:  When I first moved to New York I was working with three stylists at one time Michelle Ten, Julie Matos and Crystal Street.  My duties included: emailing and contacting showrooms to pull clothes, picking up and returning clothes, organizing fashion closets, managing budgets, scouting shoot locations, managing interns and sitting in on meetings.

Basically, my job was to make by boss’ job easier so they can focus on the creative side and not worry about all the other details that goes into being a stylist.

FRENDY:  When did you meet Lil’ Kim?

TIM:  I met Kim in 2011 at her rehearsals for a tour she was doing in Africa. We have a mutual friend so she invited me to sit in on the rehearsal.

FRENDY: What set of events occurred that allowed you to work with her?

TIM:  We clicked from jump! I think it was because we had a mutual friend so she already had an idea of my personality.  When we initially met, we joked around about a few things and she invited me to come out to a party with her.  We’ve been friends every since.  A few months later she ended up parting ways with her stylist and my friend suggested that we try working together.

Kim gave me the opportunity to style her and my first gig was to dress her for her mother's wedding--let’s just say it didn't go so well!  But she gave me another opportunity to work with her on her birthday and we have been working together off and on every since.

FRENDY:  How long have you guys worked together?

TIM:  It's been five years now.

FRENDY:  Are you currently working with the Queen Bee?

TIM:  I do still work with Kim on and off.  Right now I’m doing commercial work for Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

FRENDY:  Speaking of grinding, you did a great job on 106 & Park. How did that opportunity come about?

TIM:  Thanks man, I was so nervous!  It was my first time doing live television so my nerves were all over the place. A friend of mine named Sonya actually referred me. she was apart of Kim's PR team at the time and the producers at 106 were looking for a stylist to host a style segment on the show. She sent my portfolio to the producers and fortunately they contacted me to do a segment.   After the first segment they brought me back for two other segments. *brushes shoulder off*

FRENDY:  What does a stylist’s portfolio consist of?

TIM:  A stylist portfolio is like a tear sheet of all of the work you've done. It's like a resume but with pictures.

FRENDY:  How did you prepare for your big 106 debut?

TIM:  I actually had no prep time!  When they scheduled me the first time they canceled a few days later and when they rescheduled it they told me a day before, so I kind of had to wing it, and that made me even more nervous because I was reading off a Teleprompter and cue cards.

The first segment was a prom fashion show. 106 set up the fashion show and I gave style tips and spoke on what each model was wearing. For the other two segments it was more about celebrity fashion, what's hot/what's not and critiquing trends very similar to Fashion Police.

FRENDY:  What does your boutique agency offer?  And where can people reach you?

TIM:  We offer celebrity, editorial and commercial styling, personal shopping, and closet cleaning. I can be reached at: EpikStyle.com all of my contact info is listed on the site.

FRENDY: Who is on your wish list of people you would absolutely love to work with?

TIM:  I would like to work with Bruno Mars, Drake and Odell Beckham Jr.  That's who I'm currently after right now.

FRENDY:  Your parents must be very proud of what you’ve accomplished thus far. Were they supportive even in the midst of your decision to drop out of school?

TIM:  They were very supportive because they knew I had a plan.  They told me that I would have to work harder if I don't have a degree, but I already knew that.

FRENDY:  If fashion wasn’t an option, what would be your career of choice?

TIM: Fashion is the only option! I love making my clients feel good about themselves and being the best person they can possibly be.

Hosea's Ultimate Hustle

When you know what you want out of life at an early age, the faster it’ll be to manifest your deepest desires. The universe always provides­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­––especially when one’s eyes are fully focused on the prize.  While most 22-year-olds are gearing up to face the real world after four eventful years of college, Hosea Choga is already living an abundant life as a Developer.

Born and raised in Toronto, Hosea and his twin sister grew up in a home where real estate was at its very core. “My parents were always in the business growing up so it was always familiar to me,” he states. Choga’s father and mother are Zimbabwean immigrants who instilled in him the value of honest, hard work.  When Hosea was 13 he got his first job at Canada’s top coffee shop, Tim Horton’s.  Shortly after, the determined teenager decided to get right into the family business where he's been flourishing ever since.

I recently sat down with Choga to discuss his early beginnings in the real estate industry, biggest accomplishments and how exactly he’s enjoying the fruits of his labor.  Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY: The energy surrounding Toronto has surely grown since your days there as a child.  How do you feel about everything that’s transpiring?

HOSEA: The energy of the city is remarkable!  I feel like it was always there, but with Toronto getting more exposure globally it's more vibrant than ever. I'm really happy with everything that's happening, like a lot of people from Toronto are proud of it and you can make a name for yourself right here.  You don't have to go to New York for exposure.  We've really grown and people from other places are always curious about life in Toronto. We're such a diverse community––I grew up with people of completely different backgrounds, religions, color all just mixed into this city we call the “6.”

A lot of people in Toronto have a certain way of talking; it's almost like an accent if you're not from the city. It’s like a Jamaican, UK mixed with Canadian type of slang, which Drake kind of pushed in the spotlight. Most people will know if you're from Toronto based on your style, the slang and just the vibes it's pretty unique.

FRENDY: What a time to be alive in T Dot right? It’s funny because we’re having this convo literally right after Drake finally released his highly anticipated project, More Life. You must be motivated more than ever after listening to it.

HOSEA: Yes, I'm I am very motivated by Drake. I used to watch him on Degrassi and also watched him turn himself into a global superstar, while pretty much putting Toronto on the map in the music industry. I relate to his music because I feel like we're very similar people. I'm also a fan of the way he handles his brand and business. I've been listening to More Life non-stop!  It's cool to see someone that's from your city reach that level of success. He took a risk doing music and at the beginning people didn't really have a lot love for the guy.  Depsite it all, he remained true to his values and I respect that.

FRENDY: Since we’re on the topic of motivation, what compelled you to take a plunge into the real estate world?  Did your parents push you towards it?

HOSEA:  Because I was around it for so long, I really started to understand more and more about the business and just enjoyed the process. My parents always gave me the option to do whatever I wanted; I chose to do something I enjoyed. I guess for me you could say working on a development project can be compared to working on an album where you put in months of work, build from nothing and put an endless amount effort.  Furthermore, multiple people contribute to perfect the project.

FRENDY: That’s a great comparison. How old were you when you embarked on your journey as a Developer?

HOSEA: I started to take real estate seriously after high schooI-–I was 18. It wasn’t easy at first because I kind of watched all my friends go to school and do the whole college experience. But I’m grateful for the way everything turned out.

FRENDY: I could imagine how isolated you felt. What were your initial duties as a Developer?

HOSEA: I did a lot of property management when I was younger.  I really got experience dealing with different types of people. I try to create schedules, depending on timelines and costs, make sure everyone is aware of their roles and the time they have to complete each job, basically making sure everything is running smoothly. I also enjoy doing a little marketing as well.

FRENDY: Are you currently working on any big projects?

HOSEA: Yes, definitely working on some new projects in real estate and getting involved in tech also. I can't say too much but this is going to be a great year for me and I'm very humbled and grateful.

FRENDY: Nice! Hopefully we’ll get a part two of this going so you can finally unveil what the projects are. When you’re not hustling, what do you do for fun?

HOSEA: I definitely will!  My idea of fun is trying out different restaurants and traveling.  Basically just trying new things.  I also enjoy calling up a group of my close friends and just kicking back, joking around and whatever.

FRENDY: I took a quick look at your Instagram and to say that you’re low-key would be an understatement, though, I can tell you’re making major moves.  The best way to describe your account is “calm but heavy,” as Juan would say.

HOSEA: *Laughs* Yea that's exactly how I would describe it. I'm pretty private, I like to just to keep it relaxed and post whatever I think is cool at the time.  There's no real theme or anything, it's just me being myself.  But I definitely got some special things coming in the near future and I love using Instagram as platform to share.

FRENDY: Do you have any other passions besides being a Developer?  Are you heavily into fashion and music?

HOSEA: I wouldn't say I'm heavily into music and fashion but I'm definitely a fan of hip hop and trap music. I'm a fan of all the young kids coming up and making bangers.  People hate on them but they're good at the music they make, which is Trap.  Future I think is one of the greats of our time! Drake, PartyNextDoor and NAV have been on my playlist lately.

I'm into chill fashion--I'd say I think my style is pretty random.  Most days it's John Elliott with some Chelsea boots, and other days it's a Supreme hoodie with some Vans, or Palace with some Yeezys. Really all depends on the occasion...it could be a Fear of God flannel and some Visvims. Whatever vibe is for the day.

FRENDY: I feel you. You’re basically a chameleon when it comes to style.  It's safe to say that your hard work is allowing you to fully indulge in anything that you please––whether it's traveling or dining virtually anywhere. What advice do you have for those who desire to live a lavish lifestyle but have no idea how to actually get their funds up?

HOSEA: I feel like if you're doing anything at all, you should do it for yourself and not anyone else. I think patience is key, just keep putting in hard work and effort.  However you choose to reward yourself is up to you. I think you shouldn't really compare your life to anyone else's because everyone's situation is different, but if you're looking for inspiration and motivation I encourage that. I'd just say put in the work and everything will fall into place.

Shemoi's Big Move

In order to accomplish a great feat, sacrifice is needed. Whether it’s dedicating an ample amount of time to perfect a craft or cutting certain individuals off from your inner circle, a subtraction of some sort is necessary to enhance the chances of accomplishing a mission.  Shemoi Gidden did just that.

The 22-year-old Lensman departed from his comfort zone of NYC to soar with the stars in Los Angeles.  Shemoi’s move may sound a bit cliché, but his rapid success is truly something to behold.  In less than a year of living on the west coast, the Portland, Jamaica native has already photographed more celebs than all of the Paparazzis’ in SoHo combined! From snapping Instagram’s hottest sensations to multi-talented celebrities like Keke Palmer, Shemoi is well on his way to possibly become La-La Land’s very own version of Mario Testino.

I recently sat down with the thriving shutterbug to talk about his life in NYC, love for photography, the motivation behind his major relocation and find out exactly how he befriended all of these celebs.

FRENDY: Man, I am extremely proud of you. Your success thus far is not a big surprise to me because I saw something special in you ever since we first met at BAPE. How are you taking all of this in?

SHEMOI: Well, I’m taking it in pretty well. I’m basically speaking things into existence and then living them shortly after. If I tell myself that I’m going to be the greatest at what I do, believe it and have the drive for it, then it’s going to fall into place and eventually happen.

FRENDY: I totally agree with you. When we initially got acquainted 4 years ago, you clearly expressed your passion for taking photos. When did your love for photography actually begin?

SHEMOI: I fell in love with photography when I came across a famous photographer named 13th Witness on Instagram around 2012. I fell in love with his work because he had an uncanny method of capturing a photo in a way that it draws your attention to every detail.  He inspired me so creatively and I realized that shooting photos isn't just about capturing an image, it’s about giving that image a certain character and lifestyle to it .

FRENDY: What was the first camera you started shooting with?

SHEMOI: I started off with a Canon t2i. After making some good money I ended up getting a Canon 7D.  I hated that one so I saved up to buy a Canon 5d mark III.  Now I shoot with a Canon 5d mark III, mark II, Sony a7s for video and the big boy himself a Canon 1dx mark II.

FRENDY: Are there any specific features you look for when purchasing a camera?

SHEMOI: Basically full frame and fps for video. You need both for everything.

FRENDY: You’re originally from Jamaica and I know how skeptical Caribbean parents can be when their child has an urge to go down the “risky” creative path.  Did you receive any sort of criticism from your parents about your dream to become a professional photographer?

SHEMOI: Oh, my mom didn’t take me serious one bit!  I tried my best to show her that my career choice can take me places, but she wouldn't budge. It only took for me to pack up my things, leave the house and move to state where I was completely alone for her to see that I mean business.

FRENDY: Much respect for taking that bold step. When did you move out West?

SHEMOI: I moved out on January 1st, 2017. I literally did a “new year, new me“ at the time and I only told 3 people I was leaving.  My mom was included in the 3.

FRENDY: Yeah, I had no clue you left for California until I saw you consistently take new pics in a sunny, palm tree-filled setting *Laughs*.  Did you have any connections in LA prior to moving there?

SHEMOI: Yeah, I felt like I went to the wrong state all my life . LA is where I should of been years ago because I wasn’t happy at all in New York to be honest.  I wasn’t around people that were willing to take risk or ambitious like how I am. It was the biggest turnoff to me about NYC.

I met people in the year of 2015 that kept on telling me to move to LA until i was just like, fuck it, it won't hurt.

FRENDY: Those people were New Yorkers or Californians?

SHEMOI: Californians.

FRENDY: So since moving to New York at the tender age of 6, you felt like you didn’t belong there?

SHEMOI: Well, at the time growing up I didn’t know my worth until my high school days.

I never knew I was going to move to LA but people just said that I belonged in LA all this time because of how happy I’ve been since I moved here.

FRENDY:  I’m guessing you didn’t leave any real friends behind in New York?

SHEMOI: It's not about having real friends. I had to figure myself out not just as a person, but also a businessman.  I needed to make sure that I’m on the right path and if someone was my friend they would understand why I moved and look it as motivation. This world is tough and I’m all about helping people, but I can’t help people when I need to help my self. All I want in life is to be killing it and look over to the side and see my brothers killing it. And as harsh as this may sound I have to go by my word that I can't be around you if you’re not driven by anything, because that can bring me down. The last thing I want in my life is to impede my development.

FRENDY: What do you love about LA (besides the babes, of course)?

SHEMOI: Man what is there not to love about LA , opportunities is just in arms reach , it only took me a month to meet people that were already on, like really on. All it takes here is for you to just meet one person that believes in you, and wants to help you with your aspirations and dreams.

FRENDY: What sets of events occurred that allowed you to work with so many Instagram stars and celebs?

SHEMOI: I was introduced to a man named Eric Galen, who is the one guy that believed in me to start it all. He's very well connected, and a lot of his clients are the biggest influencers and celebrities I wouldn't even dream of meeting but he makes it all happen.

FRENDY: Do you remember your very first shoot in LA?

SHEMOI: Yeah man, I could never forget that! Before moving to LA I was prepping myself to shoot for Zanerobe, and I thought it was a good idea to change the scenery and go out to the desert . We brought out jeeps, drones, real katanas, etcs we did a lot that day.

FRENDY: Who is your favorite subject to shoot thus far?

SHEMOI: I don't have a favorite subject to shoot -- I think it's better to say I like to capture the lifestyle of a subject. I feel like my photos tell you a lot about the person I shoot just on the way how I center the person in the image to focus the viewer's eyes, giving the intimacy of the subject and the viewer.

FRENDY: I saw that you just came back from the first weekend of Coachella 2017.  Did you go for work or leisure?

SHEMOI: Ah man! Coachella, Coachella, Coachella I look forward to that weekend for so many reasons.   It's mainly for the connection aspect of it and you also get to meet some of this biggest artist that kills the game on a more personal level.  Plus you get to make money depending on your profession.

FRENDY: How long are you planning on living in the City of Angels?

SHEMOI: LA is my home now, I can't see myself living in New York anymore.  If you fly first class on a regular basis, would you go back to flying coach? I definitely won't!

FRENDY: Without photography, where do you think you would be in life?

SHEMOI: I'll prolly be lost!  Still in school, hating life and going by the same routine for a long period.

FRENDY: What can we expect from you in the near future?

SHEMOI:  It's for me to know and you to find out brother. *Laughs*

Not Your Average Hypebeast

With a quick scroll down Angelo Nitsopoulos’ Instagram, one can instantly get a sense of his expensive taste. But there has to be more to him right?  Other than the quick cameos on his clique’s hilarious insta stories and vlogs, not much is revealed about the sporty Toronto, Ontario native. Well, that’s why I’m here.

Let’s take a look inside the real world of Angelo and find out about his immense love for hockey, fledgling business, spending habits and why he looks so damn pissed all the time.   Peep my exclusive interview with him below:

FRENDY:  I must say it’s quite incredible to witness how close you are with Kai and Levi.  Nowadays, not many can proclaim they are tight with even a handful of people.  How did you meet them?

ANG:  So, I met the guys during the winter of 2014.  At the time, Levi and an old acquaintance had a men's hockey team called The Trillers and a buddy of mine told me I should go play with them. So I hit up Levi and said if you ever need players let me know. A week later I was playing my first game with them. I walked into the dressing room, turned to my left and saw the “5’3” kid who said to me, “ Here sit here Angelo”. As if I had never been in a hockey dressing room in my life. Levi was sitting across from me, looking like a pro MMA fighter flooded with tats (I was a bit intimidated).

My first game with them was amazing! I scored three goals. So throughout our hockey team that's how myself and Levi hung out. Kai never played hockey at all so he was never around the rink unless he was pretending to coach us. I would always hear stories about him though. I met Kai on our first trip to NYC and boy what a story/trip that was.  That's when my passion for fashion really began and I instantly switched my look. Happy I met them though, I never had any siblings so they taught me a lot about things. When I was 18-19 they took me on some crazy experiences that most kids don't get to do, so they are kind of like older brothers in a way for the most part.

FRENDY:  That’s a pretty epic story. I assumed you knew them for way longer than 3 years.  What was your “look” before your fashion awakening?

ANG:  Yeah, I mean friendship grows pretty quick when you hang out as often as we do. OMG, my look I don't even want to talk about *Laughs*. To be honest I didn't even have a look. I guess I could say it was the “hockey style.” Long hair, sperry boat shoes, golf shorts and a V-neck t-shirt, which makes me cringe thinking about it. I didn't even really take fashion seriously; I would wear sweatpants every day, whatever shirt I found in my room and just went about my day. I was too focused on my hockey career at the time and didn't care how I dressed outside the rink. I knew what Yeezys were and what not but never had a clue on how to get them or even knew they were so limited. But to say the least, my look was terrible *Laughs*.

Looking back at what I wore then compared to now is like a two year old messing up all his toys when he is pissed off.  That's the best way to look at it. Its funny thinking back at it, I would get so excited to wear these pants that don’t even fit right or shoes that don’t even go with the fit and thinking “wow this is sick,” when it's really god awful.

FRENDY:  Aw man, I needed that good laugh. Do you remember your very first fire fit?

ANG:  I do remember it actually, but I wouldn't say it was fire. I would say my first favorite fire fit is my Supreme patchwork outfit with my Red Octobers *Laughs*. I was so happy when I got the sweat suit in the mail. Most will say it's ugly but half the world tried to buy it and failed miserably.  That Aside, it really is a crazy piece. The hoodie and pants are both hand-made with different patches. Most don't understand that, they just see a “grandma-like table cloth” because they don't understand it. The Red Octobers were worn just so I could be over the top.  Shout out to Mike at 'On The Arm' in Vegas who plugged me with it too. My favorite thing is wearing either full tracksuits or full sweatsuits as you can probably tell.  I don't really care what people think, I don't buy clothes for people I buy them for me.

FRENDY: How long have you been playing Hockey? Was it your goal to turn pro growing up?

ANG: I guess most people on Instagram don't follow me for hockey, I never post anything related to it. I started skating at around three years old and started playing hockey at four, which is really young. I've played for 17 years and counting and won't ever stop playing for fun. It’s every kids dream and goal to play in the NHL.  I went to PEAC, which was a private hockey school. All we did was skate, train four hours a day and screw around in class. I kid you not, a teacher quit because we “stressed her out” too much.

Our team was unstoppable, our first line was, Ho Sang, Mcdavid, Subbans and so many more it was hilarious.  We didn't lose all year and wasn't allowed in tournaments. I was talented but as I got older I slowly lost interest in the game and at 18 decided to stop playing competitively. I will say though I don't regret any of it, hockey taught me a lot about certain things in life.  Most of my best friends play in the NHL so it's cool to see them succeed and because of that I still get to be apart of the game somehow.

Once you play hockey and are born into the hockey world you never really get away from it. Hockey gets my mind off things when I can't find a piece of clothing that I want *Laughs*. I never would have thought when I was 15 that at 19 I would be addicted to fashion. Thank the guys for that one.

FRENDY:  Here comes the million-dollar question: when you’re not copping the finest threads or slithering on the ice, what is it that you do for a living to remain so fresh?

ANG:  *Laughs* Yeah the million-dollar question that people are soooooo curious to know. Never really understood why people have to ask that nonstop. From now on I'm just going to say “yeah, I won the lottery in grade 6, kept it quiet though.

FRENDY: What are some your favorite brands right now?

ANG: Yeah, they probably won’t to be honest *laughs*. My favorite brands...well obviously you can tell I like Supreme. I also have other labels in my closet, people think I’m a hypebeast and just wear one particular brand.  I have a lot of Saint Laurent; their jackets I own are my favorite pieces. The detail on them and the way they look is crazy! I also have Haider Ackermann items that I like a lot, wouldn’t say its my favorite brand though. Bape obviously, I had a crazy Bape phase where I was just copping from them non stop but I kind of got sick of it. Stone Island is really comfy to wear; I got a bunch of that. I honestly have most brands you can think of. I just hate when people say “Nits you’re a hypebeast.”

My take on that is at the end of the day most people in fashion, besides the people creating, are hypebeasts in their own special way. Just because I have a Supreme item that everyone wants I automatically get identified as a “hypebeast.”  It’s ok in my opinion if someone buys a piece of clothing that an artist or influencer may have worn first.  Unfortunately, most consider that as being “hype”.

When you see someone wear a piece that you like, why not buy it for yourself? Nothing wrong with that at all but most people get mad and call it hype. I don't know, maybe they’re just jealous. Either they don't have access, have a plug to get an exclusive item or simply just can't afford it, which is totally understandable! I feel blessed that I am able to purchase things I like and have never been the type to bring someone else down because they can’t get something.  I'm not going to lie and pretend I don't like things that are hyped, there's a meaning behind it. Most of Supreme’s prized pieces have some sort of unique backstory, which is another reason why that brand is so strong.  At the end of the day, people call me a hypebeast but deep down inside they all wish they were able to cop what I got.

FRENDY:  Which sneakers are in your constant rotation?

ANG:  I wear APLs all the time. Shout out to Adam and Ryan! Jordans for sure, bred 1’s, royal 1’s, all the 1’s really.  I used to wear Yeezys a lot but its getting saturated in the market now. I try to stay away from wearing them all the time.  If I get a pair early, I’ll throw them on.  I really like my Nike Presto x Acronymkicks, they’re extremely comfy and their colorways.   Last but not least, my Air Max 98 ’s. I never really got in to the Adidas NMD wave.

FRENDY:  Who do you feel has the best style in the entertainment industry right now?

ANG:  A$AP Rocky.  I respect him because he barely wears what’s “in."  The guy literally flies to Japan to buy brands nobody knows about so you have to respect that.  He started so many trends it’s insane!  He is always ahead of the game and steps outside the box.

FRENDY:  On one of your recent insta stories, I saw you were putting your followers on to alot of rising brands. How often are you researching for potential new gear?

ANG: Yes I was, people don't understand that I’m young and got into this just a few years ago.  Most of them will say I am a “culture vulture” but I am the furthest thing from that. So for those reading just know I spend hours daily looking at what's up and coming in fashion. I will literally sit on my computer and log on to Japanese sites that aren’t even written in English and Google translate it to read articles on what's next. 

If we want to talk about Supreme culture, I literally learned about each season, each piece and so on. Till this day I am researching meanings behind their pieces. So no, I did not just see Supreme and decided to hop on buying stuff for fun.  I put the effort into learning about it, which most do not do. That's what a culture vulture does, buys stuff to say they have it and not know anything about the brand’s ethos. I hate that. Daily, I am always looking for new stuff to get and new brands that people don’t know about. Aaron will always we call me and say, “let me guess researching?” I enjoy doing it.  It’s fun to learn about upcoming stuff and their origins.

FRENDY:  Since your passion for fashion runs deep, did you ever think about fully diving into the industry with your own brand or investing in one that you really believe in?

ANG:  No, probably not.  I am to busy with ProLocker and other stuff. I rather support brands by buying their clothes, never really thought about creating my own but who knows maybe I could do it.   I definitely put the time into researching about it.

FRENDY:  You have the money, cars and clothes but is there a special lady out there you’re sharing it all with?

ANG:  *Laughs* Well I definitely don't have it all.  There are way more important things in life than money, cars and clothes. In terms of special ladies, I am single but have a one on the radar. Once you get a girl, “you have to put her in designer,” as Future says. The guys always make fun of me though by always saying “Nits brings the tings to Fring’s”.

FRENDY:  That’s hilarious.  Well I’m sure there are tons of tings who are willing kick it for a day...or couple of months.  Since you’re always in the latest gear, is it a requirement for them to have a sense of style or it doesn’t really matter?

ANG:  * Laughs* Actually yes I if I were to date a girl I would want her to be into fashion like I am. She doesn't have to wear the latest stuff but definitely needs her own sense of style 100%. It’s always cool to have a girl that can relate to what you like. At the end of the day though it's not everything! But yes I would prefer it.

FRENDY:  For sure, it’s all about being on the same frequency. Man, it was a pleasure having this conversation. Looking forward to see what you and the fellas will get into next.  One more thing I need to know before we end though, if you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you bring?

ANG:  Likewise! If I were stranded on an island the three things I would bring is a boat to get off the island, food, and a laptop with 4G so I can stay up to date with gear.  Stay Woke!

Beauty Behind The Garments

A few months back, I deleted my old Tumblr account and decided to start things fresh with my newly found “Frendy Vibes ” flow.  While skimming through various pages on the popular social networking site, I would regularly stumble upon numerous photographs of a uniquely striking female.  Ok, most of you are probably thinking, “Duh! its Tumblr, tons of hot girls are scattered on there,” but this particular fashionista was extremely consistent with her stylish aesthetic. 

Remaining true to my investigative nature, I tracked down the beauty to find out who she really is behind the meticulous garments.  Check out my exclusive sit-down with her below:

Frendy:  Pardon my ignorance, but I honestly thought “Maki Rolls ” was your real name at first.  What is the meaning behind your Instagram handle?

Alice:  *Laughs* Alot of people call me Maki and the worst part is I respond to it! My name is Alice. Everything was taken so I had to come up with something different. I remember sitting on my bed last September thinking I love sushi, and I guess “Maki Rolls” just came to my mind. A lot of people don't know what a Maki Roll is (which surprises me every time,) but it's actually just the round sushi pieces that are wrapped in seaweed.

Frendy: Where are you originally from? And how was life growing up there?

Alice:  I was born in Yancheng, China. It's a city two hours south of Shanghai. I moved to Toronto, Canada when I was 6 and then New Hampshire, USA a year later.  I barely remember anything from life in China and Canada, so I just say that I grew up in Nashua. I lived there from the age of 7-15, and then moved to Europe (Oslo, Norway) from 15-present. 

Life in Nashua was pretty normal (at least to the onlooker.) Living the whole American dream with a house, dog and a fence in a nice neighborhood. I was the biggest nerd and had perfect grades in school. My personal and private life was a whole different story though.

Frendy: Did your love of fashion come about at an early age?

Alice:  I've always really liked clothes since I can remember. I didn't start being "stylish" until I moved to Oslo and I definitely never thought of taking a career path in fashion until earlier this year actually.  I was taking courses for my Masters in Finance thinking I was going to be an investment banker.  One day, I just realized that I'm actually a creative person and wanted to work with clothes, so I immediately quit Masters school.

Frendy:  What did your parents think when you stopped going to school for your Masters degree?

Alice: They were pretty shocked at first, but at the same time both my mom and stepdad have been a bit of adventurers themselves when they were young. They've gone out and explored the world before they settled anywhere. And that's what I'm doing. So they get it. 

Frendy: For those who are not aware, what is your occupation?

Alice:  Right now, I'm working as a consultant for a brand based in LA, in both brand management and creative direction. I also do freelance styling. Most would also say I'm a blogger, but since I don't have a blog, I guess I'm an Instagram influencer.

Frendy: Can you recall your first big break in the fashion world?

Alice: What I'm doing now is my first big opportunity I would say. Building a brand together with someone, having a load of responsibilities. It gives me real experience in all aspects of the field.

Frendy: Have you faced any sort of discrimination as a female in such booming industry?

Alice:  No, I actually feel that being a female in the streetwear scene dominated by dudes makes you stand out more. I've never worked with streetwear, I just wear it a lot and have a lot of friends in the scene.

Frendy: You recently moved to LA. Was it work-related or simply because you desired a change of scenery?

Alice:  I’m here for a few months first and see what’s up. It was both work-related and because I needed a change. I fell in love with LA during my first visit in October and had to come back!

Frendy: Public transportation is certainly not effective in Los Angeles as it is here in New York, are you able to maneuver in your new home without great hassle?

Alice:  Oh yeah, definitely. People don't use public transportation here-ubers are super cheap, and usually for work meetings I get picked up in the morning so that's not a hassle at all. I live in West Hollywood so it's a five minute drive to everything.

Frendy: You have an incredible, natural sense of style.  Do you undergo an intricate process to choose the perfect outfit?

Alice:  Not at all…I just put on whatever I feel goes together. People probably think I spend hours picking out my outfits but I really spend 10 minutes max.

Frendy: Your knowledge of the fashion industry is equally impressive as your striking look.  How important is it for someone to know the backstory of a particular label or fashion house?

Alice:  To be honest, I know very little about any particular label or designer. I feel that lot of people who have been in fashion for a while (especially high fashion,) and have gone to fashion school know every single detail and history about designers. They take it very seriously.  I just haven't been in the industry long enough to really "care" yet.

Frendy: What are some of your favorite brands right now?   And what exactly makes you so fond of them?

Alice:  My favorite is Gosha Rubchinskiy, simply because the brand provides quality garments that are worth every penny.  Also, everything about the line is dope af, from the aesthetics to the models.

Y Project, Alyx Studios, G.V.G.V, Enfants Riches Deprimés are up there too. For me to like a brand, I need to be captivated by the way it is presented. It's not even about the design of each piece but the whole brand universe.

Frendy: Music and fashion go hand in hand. What sounds inspire you the most?

Alice:  I wouldn't say I'm inspired by music like that...but either Travis Scott's new album and The Weeknd's new album Starboy, is literally on repeat all day.

Frendy: I’m asking this question on behalf of all the fellas out there: do you have a particular type? Is it necessary for him to be a ‘fashion head’ in order to gain your undivided attention?

Alice:  No, I don't have a particular type, but I do like someone who can intellectually stimulate, challenge and inspire me. I would want someone that "gets it," and I feel very few do.

Yes, he would need to have good style to have my attention *laughs* I would prefer someone who wasn't fully submerged in the fashion scene just because it's already such a small world, and I want to learn different aspects of life from someone.

Frendy: What would you like to say to all the girls who are trying to work in the fashion field, but have absolutely no clue of how to get their feet wet?

Alice:  I get this question almost every day in my email and dm. People think there is only that one "correct" way, but there are countless options. There are so many degrees and backgrounds you can take: Marketing/PR, architecture, graphic design, business, art, design. 90% of people in fashion never even went to fashion school.

Also, put yourself out there! Instagram is a GREAT tool for showcasing your work or just sense of style/mood boards. Like they say, “Instagram is the new CV.”

Frendy: One last question, which do you prefer: Skittles or Starburst?

Alice:  SKITTLESSSSS.

Aaron's World

BAPE NYC served as a medium to encounter so many incredible people.  From iconic entertainers and fashion gods to multi-millionaire businessmen, the second floor of the ‘Busy Workshop’ was my personal space for meeting sessions with them all.

I’ve had several moments of forgetfulness when dealing with certain past acquaintances. In some cases, my attentive silence during a conversation was just my way of trying to figure out who I was actually speaking to (no offense, of course).

Aaron is surely not on my list of Forgettables.  The stylish Canadian has been a loyal BAPE customer ever since my Omarion braid days.  A year before my departure from Nigo’s former fashion empire, Aaron stopped by the shop to cash out (per usual). That was my first time seeing him in ages, so we definitely reminisced and since then remained in contact through social media.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover he had quite a strong following on the Internet.

Aaron’s nonchalant showing of his splendid lifestyle online prompted me to have a sit-down with him to dig a little deeper into his wonderful world.  There’s always more than what meets the eye, so this will be a perfect chance to really understand the man behind the grandeur. Enjoy!

FRENDY: Alot of people may know you strictly from Instagram where your flex fits and lavish lifestyle are on full display. What are some of the biggest misconceptions about you?

AARON: One of the biggest misconceptions about me is that I only buy and like "expensive" things. That is 100% false. I am a resourceful and smart shopper. Rarely do I ever buy things at retail, and if I do pay retail; chances are I sell some things that I don't wear anymore to help make closet space. I never just go blow money for no reason. I'm not the type of person to buy something just to flex on Instagram and then end up selling it the day after. If you scroll all the way down on my Instagram to the first few photos, you will see that I've been wearing and copping fresh shit from the start. I'm not new to the streetwear/fashion culture. I've been on ISS since 2007 and did not suddenly start buying gear since Instagram started. I actually kind of hate this new Instagram hypebeast culture because I know over 90% of these guys you see "flexing" don't know shit about the history of sneaker/streetwear game and just started buying because they can get some likes. If you notice on my pics, I never tag brands or use hashtags. That shit is wack and just shows you how bad these people care about getting more followers & likes from the shoes or clothes that they are wearing. You can smell the corniness of people through the iPhone screen from their 20 hashtags and 15 tags. 

FRENDY: Which part of Canada are you from exactly?

AARON: I'm from Toronto, Canada. 6ix side let it fly.

FRENDY: What was your childhood like there?

AARON: My childhood was sports 24/7. I played competitive AAA hockey from 9 till I was 14. Then I changed to competitive tennis from 14 to 18. I was playing a lot of tournaments and was training almost every day. Balancing school, sports, and work was hard for me because the hours were insane. I remember having to bring my tennis bag with me into Champs Sports on some days because I didn't have time to go home. I would go straight from the tennis courts to the mall and clock in for my shift. Champs taught me a lot about time management though.

FRENDY: The last time I saw you at my old workplace you were with a couple of friends, 2 of which included the famous Bent-Lee brothers. How long have you known them for?

AARON: I've known the Bent-Lee brothers since I was 14. We all played tennis growing up so we would see each other at tournaments all the time. Me and Kai have had some crazy battles throughout our OTA (Ontario Tennis Association) careers. A lot of broken rackets and questionable calls happened. We also all went to the same high school together, Vaughan Road Academy. To be 100% honest with you, Kai was the first person that influenced me in the sneaker game. He would always show up with a brand new pair of Nike SB's. He was on that shit early during the pink box era. 

FRENDY: Can you tell me about Fring’s?

AARON: Fring's is that place in Toronto where you can get an amazing meal and feel like you're somewhere else in the world. The vibe of the restaurant is like no other in our city. Where else can you eat oysters and chicken sliders while listening to trap music? 

FRENDY: Since we’re on the subject of restaurants, what are some of your favorite spots to dine in?

AARON: The majority of my favorite spots are actually in NYC. I think Ben's Pizza in SoHo is one of the best I've had! J.G. Melon's on 3rd & 74th makes a crazy cheeseburger. Minetta Tavern's "Black Label" burger is on point as well. I'm a big burger guy so of course I love Shake Shack. But, I think In N Out is better. 

FRENDY: I’m sure tons of people are dying to know so I’ll just go ahead and ask; what is your occupation?

AARON: I own ProLocker.com. We are currently going through re-development right now, but be on the lookout for the new launch. 

FRENDY: You’re a pretty fly fella; do you have any interest in entering the fashion realm?

AARON: I am actually helping my boy open up a fashion boutique in Toronto. I just want to help bring a unique shopping experience to the city. The shopping up here is not the greatest, so it would be great to have a refreshing spot.

FRENDY: What are some of your favorite brands at the moment?

AARON: My favorite brands are APL, Saint Laurent, BAPE, Supreme, Fear of God, Balmain and John Elliott.

FRENDY: I see that you’re an avid traveler.   Out of the many places you have been globally, which is your favorite?

AARON: The best place I've been to has to be Italy. The food is just so good out there. Best meals I've had are all in Italy. The culture over there is very laid back and easy going.

FRENDY: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

AARON: In 10 years I see myself feeling good, living better.

FRENDY: Thank you for taking the time to shed more light on your life.  Are there any last words you’ll like to leave with the readers?

AARON: Stay humble, stay hungry. We are all just trying to live better than yesterday.

Photos by: Omair Khan

Elisabeth Hadida

The Internet has a wonderful way of connecting souls beyond the physical plane. I personally became E-Friends with a slew of people that I’m patiently waiting to encounter in real life. One of those distant yet remarkable individuals is the glamorous Elisabeth Hadida.

The Parisian Fashionista was introduced to me through Instagram.  At the time, my photographer Erick Hercules and I initially embarked on our levitation spree, and she just so happened to catch a glimpse of the ethereal shots. Fascinated by them, Elisabeth followed me on the app.  I abruptly returned the favor after viewing her lavish feed, filled with amazing landscapes of Paris and exclusive fashion content.  More than just obtaining a keen vision, I later discovered how much of a great person Elisabeth actually was after our conversations.  We connected so well she bought my FRNDY LMRN™ Logo Tee without me having to persuade her one bit!

Having such an amazing personality and even richer spirit, Elisabeth left me no choice but to share her story with you all.  Allow me to introduce, the original "Balenciaga Mama."

FRENDY: You have an interesting last name. What exactly is your background?

ELISABETH: My family is from North Africa.  My parents migrated to France with absolutely nothing.  They met each other thanks to a mutual friend and have been together ever since! It was the best image of love I could witness as a child.  Since both of them built their careers from scratch in Paris, they taught me the value of hard work, tolerance and sharing.  I will always be thankful for that.

FRENDY: What was it like to grow up in the city of love?

ELISABETH: I feel blessed to be born in Paris! It’s truly a magical city, steeped in history. I grew up with an array of people from various countries and origins.  As a child, I was lucky to know different cultures without the need to leave my country. I think it's a gift that every new generation born in France should acknowledge everyday!

FRENDY: Your positive energy is always bursting through my phone screen whenever we converse.  What values were instilled in you as a young girl that allowed such magnificent aura?

ELISABETH: Well, Thank You *Blushes*. It was friendship-at-first-sight with you!  To be honest, it’s really difficult to talk about myself in such a way without being seen as pretentious.  I rather learn about others than rambling about myself, but thank you for the kind words Frendy!

FRENDY: Your love of fashion runs deep. When did it begin?

ELISABETH: I was seven years old when my dad began bringing me to his men’s clothing store. The shop was absolutely incredible to me!  I spent my time playing dress up with the numerous amounts of threads and accessories available. I loved to wear men’s pieces even when I was young, which now explains my obsession with androgynous looks rather than feminine ones.

My father taught me everything about fashion.  I learned how to trade and even recognize a man’s size as soon as a client entered the door (it was very helpful).  My father was and still is the Master of Fashion in my eyes *laughs*.

FRENDY: Who are your style inspirations?

ELISABETH: I really like to mix different kinds of brands -- from luxury to mass market, and from women’s dress code to men’s style.  I do not have any specific inspirations; my main goal is to wear something that makes me feel comfortable, but always different from an actual fashion trend.

My weakness is vintage clothes. They are very dangerous for my bank account!  When pieces have a past, the attraction is stronger for me.

FRENDY: It would be a dream come true for most people I know to work for Balenciaga.  How is it like working in the headquarters of the luxury fashion house?

ELISABETH: Yes indeed! I know how blessed I am to wake up every day and go to work for this brand.  The best quote that can sum up the way I see my work life is, “choose a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Balenciaga was the brand I chose amongst all the others because of its history and uniqueness.  The product, either RTW or accessories, stands out for it's avant-garde qualities and beauty.

The fashion house is like a little family.  You learn to grow, sometimes fall but will always have someone or something to help innovate and find a solution.  That's why I've remained there for seven years now!

FRENDY: When did you start working there?

ELISABETH: Well, I started in 2010. My bosses granted me a great opportunity to make such a huge step in my career. I will always be thankful because they gave me a shot as I was coming from a mass-market industry. It was a daring bet *Laughs*. I have the chance to grow up by their side and they teach me alot everyday.

FRENDY: What is your role in the company?

ELISABETH: I am the Europe Senior Buying Manager.  I select all the products that will be offered in stores in each country (France, UK, Italy, Spain and Germany) for men, women, accessories and RTW. 

It’s also a great opportunity to work in retail because it allows me to be connected with many departments, such as the press office, studio, merchandising and production. Basically we never get bored!

FRENDY: Would you ever branch out and create your own line?

ELISABETH: In fact, when I was pregnant I found it very difficult to wear something cool and I thought, “wow! I can really create a line of stylish maternity clothes”. There is so much to do in this industry, but I know my limits and unfortunately I do not have an entrepreneurial spirit.  I don’t have the shoulders to start from scratch, especially in this new competitive fashion world.

FRENDY: Apart from the world of Fashion, you are happily married and have a wonderful bundle of joy.  Is it difficult to be a family woman while working at such a fast-paced industry?

ELISABETH: Well…yeah! Nobody knows how hard it is to have a baby until they actually have one of their own * laughs *. I really think it’s an everyday struggle for businesswomen.  However, my mum was the best example of having an impressive career with two children.  She is the one who taught me the most about finding a balance between family and the professional life.  She was always there as a mother but also as a working girl!

FRENDY: I see that you love traveling whenever you have a break from work.  What’s the best place you’ve visited around the world?

ELISABETH: I am very lucky to have married a globetrotter!  The best place I’ve visited is Japan.  We did a big trip around many cities for our honeymoon--from Tokyo to Okinawa, through Kyoto, Hiroshima…

It was so amazing to learn about the Japanese culture.  They are so respectful and kind.  I was impressed by their landscapes and way of life.  I’ll definitely go back.

FRENDY: What advice would you give those who are interested in entering the fashion business?

ELISABETH: The fashion business has changed a lot since I entered it 10 years ago.  I chose to go to business school and obtain an English Business diploma in order to build a strong profile.  I really think it’s important to have this kind of basis to understand the complexity of the fashion industry.

But above all, passion is truly the key to success.

FRENDY: Thank you so much for your time Elisabeth. I hope my readers caught a glimpse of your wonderfulness. Any last words?

ELISABETH: Yes, thank YOU Frendy for giving me the opportunity to talk about my experience and I hope to have lived up to the expectations of your many readers.

I prefer to let “Frendy Speak ” now * laughs *.

Photos by: Jonathan Hadida & Nicolas Chauveau

Dillon Hughes For FRNDY LMRN

Those who follow me on Instagram will remember my historical Frendy's Bape Couch Countdown  hashtag, where I sat down next to all of the beautiful people that showed me extreme support throughout my years at Nigo’s former brainchild.  One of the stand out individuals featured is my lil’ bro Dillon Hughes whom I refer to as Beizus (an inside joke made from his similar traits to Justin Beiber combined with his immense love for Kanye West).  I have known the budding creative for about 3 years now and his growth is truly commendable.

Born in Long Island, Dillon grew up in a stimulating environment.  He states, “my parents were constantly playing music or movies growing up. Their musical taste ranged from Jimi Hendrix to RUN DMC.  They would have me watch old school movies and documentaries on anyone, from James Dean to Muhammad Ali”.  Furthermore he added, “my parents supported me in all of the outlets I was involved in. All of the hardworking/creative mindset they embodied has had a huge influence on me.”

The strong support system that Dillon was blessed to have led him to become the free-spirited trendsetter he is today. Biezus now runs DillonHughes.com which serves as his very own hub providing tips and inspiration on everything style. He confesses, “my ultimate goal in life is to become successful in all of my endeavors.  I believe that anything is possible as long as you have patience, put in the work and have unrelenting faith.”

Photographed by Corey D'angelo

Max B: The Real Story

Merry Christmas everyone!  Y'all been rocking with the kid for quite some time now and my appreciation runs deeper than Richie Rich's stocking full of gifts.  To commemorate such blessed occasion, allow me to present a special piece on Charles Wingate better known to the hoods of the world as Max B.

For years now there has been tons of speculations surrounding the Harlem street legend but as you know there's two sides to a story and then the truth.  It is my pleasure to introduce the homie and fellow BAPE employee Erick Shaw who just so happens to be related to Biggaveli.

Below is the transcript of our brief sitdown pertaining to his immortalized cousin:

Frendy:  You've been working at BAPE for about a year now and it was only 2 months ago that I found out you were related to Max.  I'm assuming only a few individuals know about your relation to him?

Erick:  Yeah.  It's funny how people come across or figure it out lol.  I usually do a good job of keeping it a secret.  The only people that really know that I'm related to him besides my family obviously is my closest friends.  They actually got to meet him.  For those that don't know and aren't aware, he and I are 1st cousins.  His mother and my mother are sisters.  My mother being the baby and his mother being the eldest female out of 8 kids.  We make up 10 grand-kids so it's a big family lol.

Frendy:  What's your fondest memory of Max?

Erick:  I have a few fond moments of my cousin and I.  It's funny because he considers me his favorite so I take that to heart.  One memory I have is when I was little, his sister and I used to always come home from school and play Super Mario on Nintendo.  We'd get to the last level and no matter how hard we'd try we could never beat it.  Charlie would come from outside doing whatever he was doing in the street and we'd tell him to help us out.  He'd beat Bowser in 2 minutes flat!  Made it look so easy lol.  Another memory that I have with him is when I graduated High School and he surprised me by showing up.  Everyone was so shocked to see him.  Here I am carrying a normal convo with him as if it's nothing while everyone's jaws are dropped.  That was a pretty cool moment for me.

Frendy:  For those who don't know, explain Max's relevance in Hip Hop and how did his nickname "Biggaveli" come about?

Erick:  Well, that name comes from 3 artists.  Bigga is Biggie and Jigga is Jay Z and of course Veli at the end for 2Pac.  Those were the artists that he looked up to coming up and that's how the name came together.  He does everything to the max so "Max Biggaveli".  He's responsible for alot of the lingo in New York including the iconic word "Wavey" and "Owww".  Max put out hood classics like the "Public Domain" series, the "Domain Pains" series and of course mentoring French Montana into what he is today.  And to think, he was primed to be something big.

Frendy:  Did you know much of his street life?

Erick:  I was still pretty young to comprehend his street activities.  As I got older, I started to piece things together.  He spent alot of time in and out of jail with his two brothers Michael aka "Mike Murder" and Eric (who was murdered).  Charlie was the only brother out of the three to have both parents around (for the most part) but the streets still called his name and majority of the time he answered. 

Frendy:  To be honest, I really don't know the set of events that led to Charles' arrest.  Can you elaborate on that situation?

Erick:  Basically what happened was, there were two desperate parties attempting to rob the same person/persons and claimed that my cousin was the mastermind behind it all.  Mind you, he wasn't even present at the time.  If my knowledge serves me right, he was doing shows when it happened.  If I'm correct, Max was found guilty for 9 out of 11 counts for Manslaughter and Conspiracy to commit robbery.  SMH, It truly hurt me because before that he was in jail facing a 2 million dollar bail that was later paid.  To just have him home and then I gotta see him go away......sucks alot.

Frendy:  Any update on when he'll be free?

Erick:  There are alot of dates people are giving out.  From what I know, he still has to do a considerable amount of time.  On a positive note, he's got a new lawyer team and is fighting for a retrial.  As for as release date.....that's in God's hands.

Frendy:  Do you still keep in contact with Charles?

Erick:  Of course!  If I'm not speaking to him, I'm speaking to my aunt about him.  Last time I spoke to Charlie was like a month and a half ago.  He was trying to have me work with one of his engineers to  make music and before that he tried to get me to work with Dame Grease.  I can't front Grease was kind of a asshole lol.  That's another story though...

Frendy:  What's Max's biggest misconception?

Erick:  People seem to think that he's this troublemaker but that's not the case.  We all make bad decisions.  He just tried to live his life and sometimes the company you keep can also be your downfall.

Frendy:  Any thoughts of working in the music industry like your big cuz?

Erick:  Like him, music is also my passion.  I kinda want to take a different approach than him though.  Seeing him go through all of this and watching his life change from feeling like you had nothing to having it all and then having it taken from you....that will make anyone open their eyes!  It hurt me so much but at the same time it helped me realize what mistakes not to make, how to move, how to trust, and how people perceive you when you're down.  I learned so much from him and we didn't even spend that much time together because of his lfe decisions.  Despite it all, I still love and want to do music.  If there was an opportunity to work with Charlie I would in a heartbeat!  Not just because he's "Max B" but because I want to keep him close to me.  Keep him out of trouble and bond more as a family, doing something we both love.

Frendy:  I appreciate your time E for giving us a deeper insight into Max's life and your relationship with him.  Any words you'll like to leave with the people?

Erick:  I just want to say thank you to all of your loyal fans that have supported him for years.  Y'all mean the world to him and myself because you guys help keep his work alive.  We just gotta hope and pray that he gets his time to come home.  I guarantee if he does, things will be different.  He'll be staying home for good this time.  But again thank you and stay wavy.