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How Gregory Siff’s positive mindset inspires the youth to keep creating

Visual artist Gregory Siff is his own “happiness dealer.”

His good vibes are contagious and if you ever get the chance to absorb Siff’s energy you won’t regret it. I, for sure, was jealous of his aura when I met the BK-native at his most recent show in NYC at the 4AM Gallery entitled “When You Were Little You Used To Color.” It was a homecoming for the talented LA-based creator who hadn’t had an installation in the city where he was raised for some time.

Everyone was crowded around him in an attempt to reconnect. Yet, his vibe pulsated and when you entered the room you didn’t have to see him to know that he was present.

In a way, his art did all of the talking and gave each viewer a look into the mind of a great artist.  Each piece that lined the brick wall of the gallery was a breath of nostalgia as abstract colors swirled around giant canvasses of resined Pop Rock packages and an oil crayon drawing of a Bazooka Gum packet.

Many of Siff’s paintings, when looked at deeply, are like mental teleportation. On one canvass — an ICEE slushie, cotton candy on a paper cone, a popped open package of Big League Chew, and many more delectable sweets.

The painted items were all things we can remember asking our mother to get us as we endlessly tugged on their shirts in hopes that they would fall for our cute manipulative tactics.

Trust that it was worth catching up with the artful mastermind on the last day of his beautiful installation for an exclusive video interview with Kulture Hub. During the interview, we discussed his infatuation with the awe of the little things in life, his positive mindset, staying calm under artistic pressure, and what it takes for a young creative to be successful.

Through his works, Siff has touched many and hopefully, his persona will stay with you the same way that it stayed with me. All he wants for in return for his art is for you to know:

“We’re all artists. We all have a song. We all have that symphony to create. For some people, it could be with numbers, with film, with video, or just being a good person. I have this quote that I wrote on the wall when I was low, ‘I am my own happiness dealer.’ I don’t need someone to create that. I’d like people to know that they’ve got the volume knob on their heart and they can play it as loud as they want.”

Go ahead and press play on the video interview above. You will be inspired. One love!

Meet Rodney Hazard, the new age creative bodying every lane imaginable

There are few creatives whose talents can be spread across a wide spectrum of artistic abilities. Enter jack of all trades, Rodney Hazard. He is an art director, photographer, DJ, music producer, and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, NY.

The Massachusetts-native, who moved to New York 10 years ago, has been creatively crushing it for some time now with only one goal in mind — producing dope ass content. Kulture Hub had the opportunity to catch up with the visionary himself and let’s just say the many creative sides of Hazard are worth emulating.

Rodney Hazard GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Hazard is the epitome of the new age creative who uses social media to harvest dope collaborations. In fact, he was able to get his foot in the door using Twitter to land his first internship at Hot 97.

He explained how important it is for young creatives to get their names out there using social media platforms. He said, 

“The way that I’ve used social media is very focused on pushing out content and gaining access to people I would otherwise never have access too at times. It’s SUPER important for young creatives to get their names out there using these platforms because now more than ever, there’s enough social currency to go around. Also, social media is about people, so much less about the big corporations or agencies and much more about the people upholding these brands, who they are, and what they bring to the table. This equals a level of access that our parents just didn’t have. For example, I landed my first internship at Hot 97 off of Twitter.”

From the internship Hazard rocketed to creative independence. He was able to snag the position of art director on one of the many meaningful projects of his creative career; the Smirnoff Equalizing Music project.

Through the Smirnoff Equalizing Music project, his eyes were opened. Hazard expressed how important the event was to his artistic career. He said,

“The Smirnoff Equalizing Music project was very eye-opening to me because of the lack of equal gender representation in the electronic music space. I was just happy to be involved from multiple touchpoints including photography, web design, art direction, etc. It was important because we made a difference and were recognized for it.”

It won’t stop there as Hazard will continue to work towards a level of creative completeness.

Hazard takes total control over his music too and you can tell his most recent LP Saint or Savage is an “abstract self-portrait” where he allows all parts of his personality to shine — including his savage NYC go get em’ mentality.

You wouldn’t know it but that same mindset helped him acquire his most meaningful musical collaboration yet as his work with Bipolar Sunshine directly influenced the birth of Saint Or Savage and an entirely new sound.

The visionary expressed how he dapped it up with Sunshine over social media. He said,

“The most meaningful collaboration that came from social media is the two songs that I have with Bipolar Sunshine on my most recent album Saint Or Savage. The reason really is that he and I didn’t know each other previously and just got in touch kind of out of the blue. I was already a fan of his and he had heard an instrumental or two online [that I had recently released around that time]. So we chopped it up online, eventually got on Skype and I played him a ton of music over video chat. He chose a few pieces of production and eventually had plans to stay in LA for a month or so. I literally popped up the last two weeks he was there and we got into the studio…

Hazard continued,

“When we got together we were on the same frequency, and cranked out a lot of music! This is really meaningful to me because it was the birth of Saint Or Savage and an entirely new sound that I was ready to explore.”

To Hazard, there’s nothing better than creative control as seen in his latest visuals for “Soul To Keep.” Proving his complete list of talents even further, the NYC creative performed alongside Boston-bred rapper Gio Dee and produced the track. In addition to being the co-director of the video.

Rodney gave a reason as to why there’s nothing better than having full creative control. He said,

“There’s literally nothing better than having full creative control. The ability to take something that started a quick sketch in my home studio to a full-blown production is really important. I believe in showing others their potential through actions and every time I take something from ideation to execution it just lets me know that the sky is not the limit and nothing is impossible.”

Peep the vision!

With so many creative responsibilities one can only imagine how much artistic pressure Hazard is under. Still, he is able to come out on top as he routinely focuses on keeping his drive at full speed.

Every day he looks forward to being different and tries to start each day on a positive note. Hazard explained what keeps him afloat mentally and how he stays positive when things aren’t going his way artistically. He said, 

“What keeps my drive at full speed is routine. I love every day to be different but I need creative idle time to conceptulize, come up with new ideas. Also I need to work out, it not only keeps your body fit but keeps your mental state healthy as well…”

Hazard continued,

“I’m forever positive. Everyone has their moments but no matter what positivity promotes success. If something isn’t going my way I step away and ask myself a series of questions to make sure I’m taking myself down a path that I’m comfortable with…and normally that’s off the beaten path – I don’t want to know where the idea is headed. Most of the time I rather let the idea dictate my process.”

One might call Hazard a creative Swiss Army Knife. He is living proof that “it’s important to be multi-faceted in this day and age in order to become well-rounded as a creative.”

Waiting for no one to educate him about his crafts, he’s ready to show the world all of the talents he has to offer. Trust that he will as he works on more music videos. Plus,  several collaborative EPs with artist such as Young Syrup, Sheila Carlito, and Meyhem Lauren. Not to mention a follow up to Saint Or Savage.

Continue to watch the young creative make his way to an artistic heaven and for all the young creatives out there…,

“Stop waiting for people. Art is never finished but you need people to hear and see your talent,” said Hazard.

Don’t relax, take notes, and get your name out there young bloods. It obvious that from Hazard’s perspective you can see what hard work and dedication can do for you.

There’s nothing worse than missing out because you were waiting on someone to put you on. Put yourself on and get your name out there.

How Baltimore painter Purnell Gray dropped everything to chase his dreams

Although the odds were against him, Baltimore-based painter Purnell Gray never fell victim to the tough environment he was raised in. Growing up in one of America’s deadliest cities, his choice to pick up the paintbrush was a decision that still positively affects him today.

Exposed to gangs, guns, drugs, and violence at a very young age, Gray needed a way out. From youth, he knew that there was more to life than crime and punishment.

In a way, he was a diamond under pressure proving to those around him that no matter how rough your edges are you too have the power to present yourself as a unique and perfect gem.

Kulture Hub was able to catch up with the self-taught painter over the phone to find out what message he looks to convey in rebranding the diamond, how he navigates the art world, and what has kept him motivated thus far.

Gray selflessly paints each of his pieces with the goal of inspiring those who are under duress. The vibrant colors he uses pop off the canvass and his works are brilliant reminders to push through the chaos.

Over the phone, the 22-year-old painter expressed how each diamond he paints represents people who are under pressure. He said,

“Everybody knows of the concept that diamonds form under pressure. I basically made it as something for everybody to look at as something to get through each day. I grew up in Baltimore city and everyone sees what’s going on here in the news. So this was like my way of trying to look forward to a better outcome instead of the same outcome we keep seeing like going to jail, getting locked up, the murders and the deaths, and the heroin epidemic that’s going crazy over here. That’s basically what I made it for. It was for people within the urban community but at the same time, it can relate to everybody and whatever their circumstances may be…”

Gray continued,

“Everybody has their own problems and their own things that they have to overcome. It was something that I could do that could relate to every person, except myself, that might give them something to look to as a reminder to push yourself through all the chaos…”

“Color From the Gray” coming soon 🎬Shot By: @skthefinessegod I told yall we steady building… We rebranding the diamond, This Diamond movement bouta take over 💯💎💎💎💎💎💎 like, share & comment 💎 #purnellthepainter #art #artlife #dope #dopeart #urban #urbanart #life #create #creative #baltimore #city #citylife #colorful #gold #expensive #wealth #street #streetart #live #color #sketch #photooftheday #photography #colors #vivid #esoteric #kings #queens #monarch #wealth #streetart @esoteric_collection @esotericaaron @lightsfox @tevindwashington @dare2b_bri @gregorysiff @sozegallery @avantgallery @artabovereality @gagosiangallery @themusepublishing @lilblacktheceo @drew__k @drejohnson1 @theflywire @king_saddler @sourpatch1029 @kingsaladeen @imonlyizzy @ironeyeretna @bktheartist @artrevolts @yg @nipseyhustle @red_wing_da_pirate @chino_mmg @carmeloanthony @iamkinglos @kevinlileskwl @therealswizzz @thedeancollection @diddy

A post shared by Purnell Gray (@purnellthepainter) on

Coming up, Gray had to adapt to a dangerous environment. For him, the tough city of Baltimore made him who he is today. It raised him to be a strong headed, wise, and judgment-free man.

Through his art, he looks to be the bridge between those who prejudge based on appearances and those who “appear” to have a hard exterior. He expressed how he wants to set a new example of what it means to be accepted. Gray said,

“A lot of people you see coming from these urban environments put on this real ‘hard’ image. It’s not because people want to be hard all the time, because nobody is hard all the time, but you’ve got to have that shield because if you show any weakness people will prey on it. Because of that everybody is going to do whatever they have to do to get by. So, me personally, I try my best not to judge anybody because you never know anyone’s circumstances. I also feel in the same breath sometimes it can be hard to communicate with other people outside of this environment…”

He continued,

“So, they might get intimated by a person’s appearance or how they dress and how they talk and they might not necessarily be accepted. That’s one thing I wish could change but we’re working towards that… It’s hard because you’re accepted but not all the way unless you’re cleaned up a certain way.”

Gray has been on a different artistic wavelength since his youth. Growing up, he would draw pictures until he was inspired in middle school to take his artwork off the paper and spray paint it on to a concrete canvass.

From middle school, he would meet the right people along the way that would inspire him to transfer his graffiti skills on to the canvass manifesting in his heart a fresh feeling of freedom.

The freeness he felt gave him a similar feeling to when he would ride dirtbikes which happens to be another love of his. Gray was candid about the vibes he felt while creating. He said,

“This is what I like doing every single day. It’s like a freedom that comes with art between that and the dirtbikes. I’ve got a lot of hobbies, there’s a lot of things that I like, but the artwork is number one because it’s something I can do every day. I don’t have to think about doing it, it’s not something I have to force myself to do. I’m just naturally in a creative mode…”

Have you ever seen a painter this trill? Skrrrtt Skrrrtt.

Eventually, his work ethic, artistic drive, and creativity would lead him to Aaron Von Ossko founder of the Esoteric Collection, an artist resource collective.

Proving that he was really about this art life, Gray met Ossko at Miami Art Basel after hopping on a Greyhound bus from Baltimore for 27-plus hours. The connection made was worth it and since then it’s been history. Over the phone, Gray told me what motivated him to get on the bus trip that would change his life. He said,

“I had a concept that I thought could touch so many different people in so many ways I couldn’t sleep on it. So, I was talking to him and I was already planning on going to Art Basel and he told me the spot where he was going to be at and that just gave 10 times more of reason to go… If anything I could just get advice and that advice could take you wherever it takes you. I was like I gotta get down there and pretty much the rest was history…”

Sheesh, could you be any more motivated to chase your dreams? If you’re looking to turn that passion into a career you should follow in Gray’s footsteps. He risked it all to do what he truly loves and he’s doing it. For the upcoming creatives out there he had a message for you too. Gray said,

“There’s going to be stuff that’s going to try and throw you off so just stay focused and keep pushing towards your vision. Try to reach out to people and put yourself online if you can. Either way, if your dedicated enough to whatever it is that you’re trying to do I think you will get there some kind of way. It might not be tomorrow but you’ll get there eventually if you just keep pushing on that track…”

If Gray can dodge the adversities of Baltimore and still come out on top, imagine what you can do young blood. Make sure you stay connected with Gray as he’s destined to big things with his paintbrush. Keep your ear to the streets as he might have a show near you sometime soon.

FLEX!

Yes, you can listen to the new Kanye West album guilt-free.

Kanye’s follow-up to The Life of Pablo, a seven-track record titled Ye, exclusively produced by himself, just dropped after a wild listening party in Wyoming.

In any other circumstance, one would be ecstatic for a Kanye West project. While you never knew what you were going to get, you knew that it was going to be something you’ve never gotten before; and in hip-hop that’s rare.

This time, however, with his forthcoming work upon us, there’s an apprehension associated with its impending release. There’s a question most Kanye loyalist have never had to themselves before, and it’s: does Kanye West deserve their support?

Ye’s dramatic return from hiatus this past April started off with philosophies and introspective ideas but later progressed into full-blown support of Trump and public rants dismissive of slavery.

Every tweet went viral and, for a solid month at least, Kanye was the non-stop subject of conversation. Twitter’s conspiracy theorist believed the whole thing could be an act: an attempt at performance art to rile up an audience before he makes a masterful comeback.

Whatever it was, it worked.

https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/985672020590546945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmusic%2F2018%2Fapr%2F18%2Fkanye-west-twitter-return-philosophy-book&tfw_site=guardian

https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989179757651574784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fculture%2F2018%2F4%2F25%2F17280922%2Fkanye-west-donald-trump-tweets-kim-kardashian&tfw_site=voxdotcom

Now that we’ve come to an inevitable crossroad in Ye’s vision for G.O.O.D. music’s 2018 summer roll-out (five projects in five weeks — new Pusha T, Kanye West, a Kanye and Kid Cudi collab, Nas, and Teyana Taylor albums, all produced in full by Kanye West, to be released in the space between the end of May and the end of June), the conflict has rushed to its head.

At least that’s what I thought at first. Then it dawned on me: I don’t have to feel guilty for wanting to listen to Kanye West’s new album. And, quite frankly, you don’t either.

It’s hard to imagine to goods, services, content, innovation, etc. that would be wasted if they were to be thrown away with the immoral people who created them.

People are going to watch the NFL, Disney is still supported by in large, and, while Air Bud may be easy not to watch ever again, Weinstein’s Good Will Hunting will get ultimate replays from me. I’m sorry.

Spotify’s new policy addressing hate speech and hateful conduct which resulted in the music-streaming service removing artists from its service or bury them without any promotion, like banning them from playlists, is one reason we’ve adopted this apprehension. In a way, it reinforces that the idea that listening to music by “bad people” is wrong. 

Under the new policy, it stopped promoting the music of at least two people: R&B star R. Kelly and rapper XXXTentacion. XXXTentacaion’s ban, in particular, drew backlash from Kendrick Lamar and reportedly sparked a backlash among some of Spotify’s own employees.

Aside from the decision making of large streaming services, aside from the opinion of the general public and aside from what the artist has done or said, what matters is the art.

If there is a natural impulse to listen to Ye’s music and if you genuinely enjoy it, that is an experience you shouldn’t have to rob yourself of. And if you’ve bumped Daytona, you’ve already given in and you’re only fooling yourself if you put up a fight for his newest album.

R. Kelly’s “Bump N’ Grind” came over the old-school stereo — the one’s the still used CDs — while I was getting my locs retwisted this past weekend.

I jolted up startled from my waiting chair and looked around to see if anyone else was as appalled as I. It was beyond me that they would let someone who has been linked and associated to sexual misconduct for years play so publicly.

What I found instead were individuals peacefully nodding to the melodic vibes, in their zone, without a care in the world. “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time” and “The Storm Is Over Now” followed after. This time, I slowly sunk back into my seat, let my guard down, and jammed out, too.

When it comes to Ye’s new album, don’t feel ashamed to press play. It does not mean you subscribe to his ideas or beliefs, it just means you think he’s damn good at what he does, which he is.

Listen to Ye here:

Meet Vo Williams, the artist behind the most hype movie and TV soundtracks

Vo Williams is conquering a sphere of artistry where he is able to create dope soundtracks to the movies and TV shows we all love. His sonic presence is picking up traction as his powerful songs pack a lethal punch, hit hard, and leave a mark on the masses.

Vo has come a long way from the small beach town of Sarasota, Florida. He now boasts his musical talents from LA, creating epic music for shows like Empire, Black Lightning, Ballers, and Queen of the South. 

Still, it was that small town that made Vo who he is today. In Sarasota, he was motivated to create and it was there where he first started to explore his vast musical range. Vo is a direct product of the music video era and is an “epic hip-hop hybrid.”

Rampage!

We were able to catch up with the young artist, songwriter, and composer over the phone. The conversation was an in-depth look at Vo’s career, his motivations, his 10K80, and where he plans to go next. It was a dialogue that was truly inspirational.

Simply put, Vo’s attitude towards his craft will motivate you to find your own lane and maneuver your way to the top of the creative ladder.

The wild and diverse artist picked up a guitar at a young age and at 13 you could catch Vo head-banging to the tune of Guns n Roses, Metallica, and Nirvana. Then after seeing epic live performances like Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar on stage Vo heard a life calling. He knew he was to become a rock star; a rock star with a hip-hop core.

His obsession with hip-hop manifested when he saw a VHS tape featuring street skater Kareem Cambell gliding through urban obstacles synced to the tune of Method Man’s “Bring the Pain.” He spoke on the video’s influence and seeing the worlds of hip-hop and skating collide. He said,

“I used to skateboard and I remember one of the first VHS tapes I ever bought had this skater Kareem on it. It was crazy for me because I thought I was the only black skater on earth, legit. This cat was just like murdering it! While he was skating to Method Man’s ‘Bring the Pain’ it was so wild to me to see those two worlds collide because most of the skaters I knew listened to alternative music, punk rock, or heavy metal. Now I’m here watching this other Black skateboarder who is just shredding it to Method Man and then my worlds just collided. Like damn, it’s crazy to see how hip-hop fit into that culture. It really made me attracted to that and want to pick that up… It’s how I have so many different influences.”

Bring the Pain!

Vo’s particular sound goes unmatched with hip-hop serving as the main influence. He broke through the mainstream and was able to take his epic style to the big screen when his music was featured in the movie Big Game. 

The Sarasota artist definitely took a different path when it comes to getting your music out there. His musical methods are organic and his sounds are a cinematic experience. This is why he feels his sonic vibrations are the perfect fit for film, TV, and even video games.

We’re talking about a dude who grew up on Metallica, the White Stripes, Jay-Z, and Kanye. One’s sound can’t get any more iconic than that. Over the phone, he explained what it’s like applying his craft to different mediums.  Vo also dropped gems for musical artists looking to infiltrate the TV and movie industry. He said,

“My natural sound is iconic and bold. The things that I’m drawn to are very big, cinematic, hip-hop, rock, and hybrid type messages. I think that’s why it works so well with film.”

Vo continued,

“What I would tell people in terms of how they create music is to honestly just be your self. The world has everything and because Hollywood is a reflection of the world there will always be a scene for every single story. You don’t have to mold your story to fit Hollywood. Hollywood is telling your story and nine times out of ten if you offer your unique voice then you are going to have an offering that’s special. When it’s time for someone to tell that story they’re going to come to you because you are the expert on that subject…”

Vo stressed identifying yourself in your music, staying in your lane, and banging on your craft. Being open and humble played an important factor in his career too. You have to be down to work without having a price tag attached.

“Sometime’s you need credit more than you need the dollar,” said Vo. He is willing to do whatever it takes to get that bag and his 10K80 is worth emulating as his modus operandi is to “just GO!”

Vo has worked his way into a cultural shift that has made way for a new type of Hollywood flick. Flicks shot through the black perspective, like Black Panther. He is eager to be an integral part of the movement. As Vo said, if there are more films and shows that peer thru the Black lens the bigger the platform is for Black artists.

How else would he have managed to fall second to TDE for the international Black Panther campaign? To Vo, “It’s a blessing to be in that conversation at all…”

The “Rampage” rapper knows that integration of Black music in Black film is a new wave and that we need the music during this historical time for Black stories. Vo wants his music “to be in the bedrock of all of these great things that are happening.”

In regards to Black culture going “too Hollywood” and our culture being exploited, Vo knows that “there is no growth without growing pains.” During our conversation, I brought up an interview Michael B. Jordan recently did where he refused to throw up the Wakanda symbol.

https://twitter.com/KarenCivil/status/996079193048809472

Vo’s rebuttal was awakening. He said,

“I think that we deserve the privilege to be a standard to be so everything that its nothing… We haven’t yet earned the right to just be plain, to just be normal. It’s almost a privilege to be normal. We want to get to the point that our culture is so embedded in culture, in general, it leaves that exotic lane and it becomes normalized… Hopefully, we gain enough power, enough exposure, enough art and enough influence in the world to where we are just drowning channels and people are picking up our stuff like they are picking up Spiderman…”

Vo continued,

“You can’t skip the process of what we are going through right now. You can’t skip the growing pains. At the end of the day, no, I’m not afraid of Blackness becoming so normalized that people don’t acknowledge that we own it and that it’s ours. I want it to get to that place in 2080, but first, we have to do the homework.”

Nowadays, if he’s not flexing in the gym, on his daily 6 to 10-mile jog, or boasting his Capoeira skills, you can catch Vo in the studio working on some fire for himself or a soundtrack to a new film. He just dropped a track with DJ Ricky Luna called “I Am The One.”

We’re all watching you now Vo. Keep the hustle up, keep inspiring, and always stay true to yourself as you have been. To the youths looking to get into Vo’s industry follow in the footsteps of a leader and apply this newfound wisdom to your craft. Who knows? Your song could be playing in the next big film.

Meet Edo, the self-taught digital pop artist who will blow your mind

The world around us is an infinite source of knowledge. Tons of people allow that knowledge to slip out of their hands. Can you grasp it?

Maybe, but even if you did, what would you do with that infinite source of knowledge? Waste it or use it to your best potential?

Self-taught digital pop artist, Eddie Santana White, a.k.a. Edo is grabbing the world’s vast knowledge by the horns and applying it to his artistry. Edo started creating art at a young age but truly fell in love with it at 19.

Since then Edo has “never looked back.”

Almost a decade later at the age of 27, Edo has featured his work in the Hyatt International Corporation Business Diversity event twice in 2016.

To add, Pancakes & Booze featured his work in their show and Edo recently just had an exhibition in Harlem, NY called the “INFINITE STATE OF MIND.” The exhibition took place at the RAW SPACE gallery and displayed a year’s worth of his work. “INFINITE STATE OF MIND” is a part of a bigger two-year campaign, “Infinite Inception.”

Edo worked hard to make it into the Harlem gallery. Homie flew in from southside Chicago. It’s an unreal feeling for Edo’s art to make it into NYC, the mecca of culture. His focus truly proves that a focused energy emitted into the world “comes back 10 fold.”

Truly, an inspirational exhibit, Edo’s works bore dreamy titles that were to be read like a poem.

“The pain that leaves me. The list of things to do before I die. The blessings I’m allowed to see. The life I see beyond the sky. The fiend that loves me. The ex that hates me. The thoughts that free me. The life that awaits me. “

Edo’s “The List of Things to Do Before I Die ….”


And “The Life I See Beyond The Sky”

Trippy and mesmerizing. Edo creates a puzzle with a bunch of tiny images to create an even bigger picture. Each symbol and image evokes a certain emotion, “from pain to joy.”

Edo looks to make a connection with each viewer as every one of his pieces speaks to something he has dealt with. His art is an escape into a free world.

This is the reason why Edo creates, he can say whatever he’s feeling. What enables you to create? Edo told Kulture Hub,

“Art has always been my escape. I can say whatever I’m feeling. That, to me, is one of the reasons I still create. It’s freedom!”

Like all creations, Edo’s start with an idea. He allows his emotions to take control as he jots down a rough idea onto a pen pad or scribbles a drawing onto a piece of paper.

He relates his idea to a subject matter that represents his emotion and combines both to bring something unusual to the eye into existence.

Each individual section is then taken into consideration, carefully constructed to make every inch of his masterpiece a different degree of uniqueness.

Edo took Obama and turned him inside out …


Made a nostalgic  Travis Scott…

Because you really can’t survive the rodeo | Travis Scott X Edo | ➕➕

A post shared by Edo (@legomyedo) on


An intergalactic Bathing Ape…

Because the posters will also come in black | BAPE X EDO | INFINITE ➕➕

A post shared by Edo (@legomyedo) on


The inception of Michael Jordan


And an inspirational Jean-Michel Basquiat

Edo doesn’t only create these fascinating pieces either. The Chitown artist is also a clothing designer.

He has worked with some of Chicago’s dopest urban clothing brands. Leaders 1354, Joe Fresh Goods, Treated Crew, and Fat Tiger are just the tip of the iceberg.

Edo’s work with Emperion Clothing is impressive


With Leader 1354 … 


Homie even has some custom AF1s on display…

Chicago is a haven of new, fresh culture. Edo’s upbringing in the Chi definitely had an influence on his craftsmanship. Although he’s not big on the art scene there it taught him a new form of focus. He was able to create his own lane.

He doesn’t want his style to mimic anyone else’s. Edo said,

“Honestly, im not as big on the art scene in Chicago. I know of a few artists but I try to stay in my own lane and not focus on anybody else. Only because I don’t want anyone saying my style is like someone else’s. But, as far what I see in Chicago its super fresh. The graffiti scene is really fresh. I was more affected by artists outside of Chicago though. Keith Haring, Kaws, Ron English, and Matt Groening.”

Edo is a saint for real. When he has free time he mentors young men, teaching them basic graphic design. He pulls up to local high schools and churches. He feels that providing opportunities to those who want to create is a very important part of his passion.

Because you’ll live forever my g | #TIMBUCK2FOREVER | Infinite ➕➕

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Opening a technologically-advanced art school that helps inner-city youths is a big goal of his. His message for the youth dem,

“BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. DON’T EVER LET ANYTHING OR ANYONE GET IN YOUR WAY. PROTECT YOUR DREAMS, PROTECT YOUR HE(ART). DREAM INFINITELY.”

Don’t ever hold back, the sky is the limit, little homies. As Edo would say “To the Infinite.”

interview musician

How to interview a musician: 6 steps that make the process seamless

Music journalism, and art criticism as a whole, is special because it offers the writer a chance to articulate something intangible, and to provide crucial narrative and context to an artist or piece of art.

Interviewing a musician gives the writer an opportunity to find outside information that gives that music more weight and impact to listeners. There’s some real power in that, but in order to get there you need to make sure you’ve done the necessary research, asked the right questions, and told the story in the right way.

This can be a little intimidating, especially for young writers or music lovers just getting into journalism. You have an artist or piece of work that you really care about, you know there’s a story to be told, but you don’t know where to start.

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Despite how intimidating writing about music and interviewing an artist can be for someone who is new to the form, breaking down the process into some simple steps can make the whole thing a little more straightforward.

I’m not the end all and be all, there are far better or more qualified music journalists out there, but I’m able to call myself a music writer, and I’ve gotten here without much formal training. Here’s how I approach interviewing an artist and writing a full featue.

#1: Find your artist, get in touch

As simple as it sounds, in order to interview a musician, you have to find them first. While this is pretty obvious, there are plenty of reasons that this step can provide some frustration. First, you should be affiliated with some sort of platform that you can pitch them with. A personal blog might not always work, but you can always become a contributing writer for Kulture Hub and contact them after signing up!

Timing is everything. You need to find an artist that is eager to do press. Whether they just released an album, are about to go on tour, haven’t been covered much before, just had a near-death experience, or tweeted that they want to be interviewed, make sure that you’re reaching out to an artist that has a need for press at that moment.

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Once you have an artist, find their contact. Whether that’s a personal email, a press contact, a manager, comb social media profiles or their label website. Press contacts are the best because their job is to get their artists as much publicity as possible.

Once you have a press contact, send them a message articulating your desire to cover their artist, why this artist intrigues you, and what sort of angle your potential story would have. Obviously you don’t know the final angle of your story before the interview, but give a tentative outline to what you want your story to highlight.

Quick tip: find yourself some PR contacts and foster a working relationship with them. As a music writer, these people are your best friends. If you establish yourself as a solid option for press with a specific contact, it’s a non-stop pipeline of new artists and music to cover.


#2: Research EVERYTHING

You’ve found your artist, contacted their manager, and figured out a time to talk. Now comes the actual work.

This is when you get to put your musical passion into practice. Listen to the artist’s entire discography, read every piece of press, and go through their social pages. Try to pick up on the crucial themes in their music (songwriting, production, who they’re working with).

Also begin to paint the picture of an artist as a person. Behind every piece of art is a human being and no music story is complete without understanding who is behind the sounds you hear. Your duty is to make that person come to life.

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This is the most crucial part of the entire process. Your research will help shape the questions you will ask and where you decide to take the interview. Maybe the artist changed up their sound completely between their 2nd and 3rd albums. Maybe they moved cities before their last project. Maybe their dog died. Your duty is to find the pertinent information about this person that will help you do the best work.

Go into the research process with some questions that you want to be answered or addressed. If you know what kind of things you’re looking for before listening or reading, it will help you when it comes to formulating questions.

Leave no stone unturned during the research process.


#3: Craft questions that tell a story

Your research should be such that after listening to this artist’s music, reading up about them, and scrolling their socials, you already have dozens of questions about their recording process, influences, personal life, and career prospects.

After your research you will have picked up on certain themes that you’ll want to highlight. When you’re crafting your questions, try to think from the biggest fan’s and biggest detractor’s perspective as it pertains to your artist.

Find the questions that the most devoted listeners to this artist will want to hear. What kind of things do you find relevant to this artist that haven’t been addressed in past features?

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Also ask questions that you think would answer people’s criticisms of this artist. Presumably you like the music this person makes if you’re moved to interview them, ask questions that you think address the issues people may have with this artist.

Your questions should follow a similar theme. A bunch of random questions may work for a Q&A, but if we’re crafting a full interview feature, keep your questions to a common idea, whether that’s their songwriting process, their upbringing, how they started making music. This will make it easier for them, but also for you when you sit down to write, your questions will have already formed a sort of outline for the story.

Quick tip: never ask a question in “talk about” format. “Talk about your latest album” is not a good question, make your questions as specific and direct as possible.


#4: Talk to the artist…

Yes, this seems obvious, in order to interview someone you will indeed have to talk to them, but actually talking with your words is best.

In person meetings are ideal, but phone calls will work as well. The point here, avoid emails, DMs, or texts whenever possible. It’s really easy for someone to write out an email to a question when they can think about their answer, but it’s a really fast way to lose a lot of the human emotion you’d get by talking in person or over the phone.

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An in-person meeting or phone call will also allow you to ask questions on the fly, if you picked up on something interesting that the artist is talking about a lot, but you didn’t plan on asking about it, go down that tangent!

As convenient as an email exchange may seem, a face-to-face interview or phone call will give you the ability to connect to the person your interviewing, improvise, and ultimately make your interview much stronger.

Quick tip: you can use FreeConferenceCalling.com to conduct your interview and record them.


#5: Structure your story around answers

You have your answers. Whether you went through the miserable, painstaking process of transcribing the interview yourself or paid someone too much money to do a shoddy job of transcribing for you, the interview is in writing, which means you basically have your story already.

If you did your job in asking good questions that tell a story, go into your transcript and begin annotating it, breaking up each answer into sections. In this sense, the answers will provide you with a proper structure for your story. Edit your transcript, highlight the most important answers, discard the things you don’t need.

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Arrange these sections out and create an outline for your story. The answers are the backbone of the story, your work is mostly done for you, all you have to do is create the connections and transitions between the different sections.


#6: Plug your writing in around the artist’s answers

The answers the artist gives you has already formed the structure of your story, now all that’s left to do is build the base. Think about what the title of your article is going to look like and how you can make it different from any other piece of content that’s already been created about them.

Find the idea(s) that you want to highlight most and make this the point, or thesis, of your article. I know it may bring back some PTSD, but this is no different than writing a high school english class essay, just a lot more fun.

When you make a statement, back it up with evidence from the interview. Everything should go back to that bigger idea, whether that’s how the artist moving to New Orleans shaped their album, how they changed their songwriting process, how listening to Ready to Die every day for a year influenced their most recent work, find the most important idea from your interview and make your article emphasize that point.

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In the end, make the artist’s words do most of the work, your job is to make the links and transitions between their words and put emphasis on what’s most important.

The reader is here to find out something new about the artist, not read your writing. So write clearly and passionately about the music, don’t overcomplicate the piece with dense writing. Simple is best.

Ultimately, have fun with the entire process. You’ve gotten the opportunity to ask someone who makes interesting art how and why they make it, go as deep into the details and minutiae as possible.

Go forth, young music writer, spread your wings, uncover the hidden truths within the art, write glowingly about music that inspires you, and wield the incomparable power of the written word.

Now peep some of our past music interviews for reference:

1. MeLo-X is the Brooklyn-born creative pushing the limits of medium

2. Odesza, the Grammy-nominated Seattle duo, is fostering success through community

3. Gizzle, the LA songwriter behind some of your favorite hits, is going solo

4. Who is Smooky MarGielaa? The 15-year-old rapper co-signed by A$AP Rocky

5. Meet Harlem’s Z3US FERGUSON, the producer turned rapper on the rise

6. How Toronto producer The Lab Cook forged connections to reach the top

7. An Uber ride with Izzy Bizu, the British songwriter who is ready to take over America

8. Meet Diani Eshe, the 18-year-old from Brooklyn paving her own rap career

9. Negative Gemini and George Clanton are building their own personal indie empire with 100% Electronica label

Peep Kaviya, the Indian artist addressing the unspoken parts of life

Kaviya, who goes by the Instagram handle wallflowergirlsays, is a 28-year-old artist from India taking inspiration from unconventional themes in her everyday life.

Proudly reppin’ Mumbai, Kaviya’s artwork looks like that of an artistic professional, but her work started off as doodles during a corporate job she held.

She uses her own spin on the #100DaysOf hashtag being used all over Instagram to promote self-development and improvement challenges.

Through her own variation of the hashtag, #100DaysofDirtyLaundry, Kaviya draws comparison from her photos of everyday life to the lives of all of us; the good, the bad, and the so-very-ugly.

“The thing is life in itself is meaningless. It is us humans who invent meaning and then wage wars over our invented stories. The things we believe in – religion, materialism, capitalism, relationships, pop culture, nationalism, work ethics, ideologies, EVERYTHING is just colourfully imagined ‘stories’ we humans tell ourselves to make some sense of this grand confusion.

Katiya’s most notable pictures examine themes of existentialism. Through her pictures and meticulous captions, she questions the beliefs we’ve been taught, the way we live, the society we live in, the activism we stand for, the uncertainties we deal with in our everyday lives, and most of all, our mental instabilities.

#100daysofdirtylaundry Day 71 – How far will your cynicism take you? . . I have spent this entire year in two moods exactly – highly cynical and highly hungry. . . The thing is life in itself is meaningless. It is us humans who invent meaning and then wage wars over our invented stories. The things we believe in – religion, materialism, capitalism, relationships, pop culture, nationalism, work ethics, ideologies, EVERYTHING is just colourfully imagined ‘stories’ we humans tell ourselves to make some sense of this grand confusion. Stories – because they exist only in our collective minds; ask your dog what he thinks about having an existential crisis, he most likely doesn’t give a flying fuck. (Sapiens) . . Most humans are selfish/arrogant/dumb/lazy, the system is rigged and driven by greed/shallowness/apathy for the environment and in the end, we are all going to die and there is nothing we can do about it (unless you are baby born today, you can be pretty sure your mortality isn’t going to be overturned by current scientific progress). . . Politics gives me a migraine, human rights is a fucking joke, there’s 7.6 billion of us greedily saying ‘Give us more & more’, most ‘adults’ have no clue what’s going on and are faking it, collective mental health is in tatters, spirituality is a cleverly marketed gimmick and from the horse’s mouth, god/Zuck knows what social media and technology is doing to our brains. . . Yes, that’s a catastrophic interpretation of humanity. But the more I look at the world in 2017, the more I hope something will convince me otherwise, the more convinced I am of my cynicism. . . But how far will cynicism take me? Is cynicism the hiding den of a disappointed self-righteous prick or an uncomfortable but realistic take on the sad state of the society we live in? Where’s that damn line? . . Should I laugh at the circus or join the circus and laugh with it? . . . . . (Model ref: Stock, Slate)

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“Stories – because they exist only in our collective minds; ask your dog what he thinks about having an existential crisis, he most likely doesn’t give a flying fuck. (Sapiens)”

Her inspiration is drawn from human flaws that we all experience. Kaviya scrutinizes her inner and outer self, a common practice we can all relate to.

#100daysofdirtylaundry Day 61 – The argumentative self-critic #swipetosnoozemessages

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Katiya’s artwork grants us a feeling of ubiquitousness, a reminder that we are not alone on our adventures.

#100daysofdirtylaundry Day 33 – To be or not to be. . . “Lady, what’s wrong again?” . . “Bae leave me alone. I am just wallowing in self-pity and drowning in my bottomless pool of existential crisis. I am tired of this meaningless life. Forever at unease and on the lookout for something I really can’t define. What’s money? What’s careers? What’s fame? What’s home? What’s relationships? Aren’t we all just specks meant to appear & then disappear one day. Wiped out. Nothing matters. I am hungry for a deeper meaning, an inner purpose for this forever restless soul” . . “Wait, did you say hungry?” . . “Hungry? Hungry? That’s all you got from my deep existential rant? Wow. Leave me alone now. Btw, I think I may be hungry, could you place an order for two pizzas on your way out? Extra pepperoni and double cheese?” . . #speckofdust #existentialcrisis . . . . . . (Model ref: Raja Ravi Varma, apple quote: tumblr)

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She places a heavy focus on millennial relationships, technology, and social pressures. Her creativity comes from using her own experiences as a form of self-expression and championing.

Katiya tells Quartz,

“I have been questioned by my close ones as to what purpose sharing my dirty laundry to the world served. But I was, and I am still, convinced how art can be a powerful medium for opening uncomfortable but necessary conversations. Most issues we are grappling with as a generation—like loneliness, anxiety, depression—are because we are always told not to openly talk about such taboos. Why? Because then people would judge us. But I think the more unbiased conversations we have about such topics, the more normalised they become.”

#100daysofdirtylaundry Day 74 – It’s very, very complicated. . . If your relationship isn’t online, is it even real? . . But your WhatsApp profile picture is only of you staring into cosmic emptiness, your Facebook relationship status is undefined, both of you don’t tag each other in hilarious Buzzfeed/AIB memes, your instagram has no trace of birthday gifts or fancy AF dinners with your ‘fave’ boy, there are no common movie or pub check-ins, no photos together with a dozen comments of ‘you guys are so cute ❤’ written underneath, are you really, really sure your relationship with this ‘guy’ you proclaim isn’t imaginary?. . . #someoneaskedmesomethinglikethis . . #willyoubemyitscomplicatedonfacebook? #millenialandgenzproblems #hobbestomycalvin #imaginaryfriends #loveinthetimeofhashtags

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“I have many times, during the project, deliberated on openly speaking about certain intense, difficult topics like sexuality, relationships, and fears because they felt fiercely personal to be shared online.”

Some of her work has darker themes, such as her last post titled Valar Morghulis (for all my GoT heads), where she scrutinizes the subject of death, as well as the 4 narratives she believes summarize the process of life.

#100daysofdirtylaundry Day 76 – Valar Morghulis (All (wo)men must (eventually) die) . . Do you ever think about your mortality? Not in a morbid way, more like how one fine day you will cease to exist? Isn’t death our biggest fear? We fear missing out on not doing enough, not caring enough, not reading enough, not travelling enough, not achieving enough before we die. We also fear missing out on the future, how lives would change without us/our loved ones. . . It’s a strange taboo, death. We all know it’s inevitable, sparing none of us*, yet there’s this uncomfortable silence around it. We run away from death never taught how to acknowledge it. & then when it someday hits us or our loved ones by surprise, we realise how grossly unprepared we are to deal with it. . . I’m not sure if I possess the sensitivity/maturity to talk about death or mortality, so I’ll just leave you with the ways we approach our human mortality (ideas borrowed from Alan Watts & some amazing TEDs): . . 1. The life after death narrative – The religious narrative of the existence of heaven & hell, places we travel to, post mortality based on our morality (good deeds, bad deeds). The other religious narrative is that of an afterlife – that your body dies, but your soul eternally lives on &/or you reincarnate in another life, in another body, either to serve the sins or reap the benefits of your past lives. I personally don’t buy either of this, but Pixar’s Coco was too heartwarming that kinda makes you wish this narrative were true. . . . 2. The reproduction narrative – So what if I die one day, at least I can pass on ‘my’ genes & my wisdom (the things that make me, ‘me’) to my kids. & my kids will hopefully do the same to my grandkids and so on. & thus, some part of me lives on eternally in the mortal world long after I’m gone. . . 3. The legacy narrative – So what if I die one day, atleast my name, my work will live on well beyond my lifetime – through my writing, through my art, through my ideas, through my fame, through my sacrifices/struggles, through my kindness. . . . 4. The nihilist narrative – eh, what death? Firstly, what life? Nothing really matters. . . (Cont. in comments)

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We’re excited to see what she’ll be putting out at the end of her #100Days challenges, but we’re sure that Kaviya will continue to give us content that’s insightful as it is raw.

Meet Na’gee Ray, the next Bronx creative making waves in the art game

Milton Glaser, Willie Cole, and Cope2 all have one thing in common; they grew up in the Bronx.

For decades the Bronx has cultivated revolutionary artists that redefine what we call the “norm.” Continuing that tradition is another Bronx prodigy, a young man who goes by the name Na’gee Ray.

With all the success coming from the Bronx, Na’gee still had to start from the bottom when it came to this art game. He told us about his upbringing,

“Growing up in the Bronx helped me create something out of nothing. I did not learn art in the traditional way. Without any guidance I had to come up with my own style and master skills that I had no concept of.”

A multi-talented individual, Na’gee knew it was up to him to make his dream of sharing his perspective of the world with the masses a reality, however, the road to success was not easy.

Support for his art during his early years was non-existent as his family even encouraged him to take up another hobby. With all the doubters and naysayers, Na’gee was still determined to follow his dream. In his own words,

“Ignorance helped me develop my art because I became my own artist without much influence from the outside world. I didn’t have much to work with when it came to supplies, so I learned to make art with what I had. The way I use color pencils is a prime example of using what I had. Not many artists use color pencils as their medium, but that was the only thing that I could afford. Making due with what I had made a huge impact on my art until this day.”

His perseverance got the attention of his high school art teacher Miranda Small, who can only be described as an Art Encyclopedia.

She taught him everything there is to know when it came to art. For us non-art folk that means complicated ideas like color theory, texture, and spacing.

After several years establishing himself as an artist, Na’gee knew it was time to transform his artistry into a unique portrayal of himself in the art world, but in order to do this he gathered inspiration from an unlikely source.

“Growing up I always had a deep fascination with cartoons. I always believed that they lived just like us, but in another reality. That fascination turned into art, and was very influential to my art at the time.”

Na’gee focused on creating beauty out of obscurity by infusing his childhood memories and his newfound skills together. The result was an original style of art that showed love to the shows that raised ’90s kids called “Coolism.”

Na’gee began to pull influences from other visual outlets like film. His love for cinematography made him ponder for hours on how to make his art look like organic symmetry.

Cinematography that focuses on making objects easily dissectible and visually parallel led Na’gee to film director Wes Anderson. You can see Wes Anderson’s influence in Na’gee’s limited use of space and exploration of organic symmetry in his artwork.

Na’gee’s motivation to be the best that’s ever picked up a pencil doesn’t come from the same place as Kobe Bryant’s competitive pursuit of greatness. Instead it comes from an unlikely place,

“Love. I love to love. I use that energy in my art. My art reflects how I feel. I articulate my words through the visual representations that I draw.”

So what’s next for the rising star? More work. In the short term, Na’gee promises new work and another gallery show in the fall. Na’gee’s longer term goal is to travel the world sketching animals in their natural habitats.

All inspiration for the idea goes to his childhood hero, Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter. Like Steve Irwin, Na’gee wants to continue inspiring the youth by finding his own truth in the art game. Na’gee did have a few parting words for any inspiring Artist out there,

“Normal is an illusion. What is normal for a Spider is chaos for the Fly.”

How Bushwick artist ELO draws inspiration from the chaotic world

What inspires you to create? Is it the environment that surrounds you?

Perhaps it’s the passionate drive in your heart to succeed. There can be a plethora of drivers for creators to do what they do best, create.

For Bushwick based visual artist Evan Lorberbaum (better known as ELO in the streets) his expressionistic graffiti-like style sources inspiration from the controlled chaos that we call life.

Kulture Hub caught up with ELO to find out what has propelled him to success.

At the age of 26 (Happy Birthday ELO), he has already managed to design his own sneaker, has been featured in a two-month solo exhibition at the prestigious Citigroup Center, sold pieces to celebrities including the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and had his own News 12 Brooklyn feature.

His top five influences consist of some of the most legendary artists across different mediums, including Jay Z, Pharrell, KAWS, Marc Ecko, and Takahashi Murakami.

These influencers serve a certain purpose in the art ELO creates as they are all multi-faceted in the genres they work and create in.

ELO uses these inspirations as a blueprint. They all model a blend of art, music, fashion, media, and pop culture, he told us:

“All of these figures are influential in my life because they are multi-faceted in the genres they work and create in.  I am personally interested in the blending of art, music, fashion, media and pop culture and I use these inspirations as a blue print that exemplifies how to expand my personal brand into different avenues that may attract a larger audience.”

ELO pressed on about his influences:

As visual artists go, KAWS and Murakami are of particular interest because they have utilized their own aesthetic, brand, and business acumen to cross over to genres including music, fashion, and merchandizing.  I use their story lines and experience with brands such as (KAWS) Nike, Jordan, COMME Des Garcons, Hennessy, (Murakami) Louis Vuitton, Vans, Macy’s and Supreme among others to study how art, fashion, and product merchandizing can all come together.

His art symbolizes a light-hearted and positive energy using vivid and colorful palettes highlighting varying shades of gradation and hard edges that contrast between light and dark.

ELO said the drippy texture seen in his pieces are “cognizant of time and symbolically draw attention to the fact that our time is not guaranteed, therefore we need to make the most of it.”

The vibes surrounding him play a huge factor into the strokes he paints with his brush or the sprays he makes out of a paint can. Beyond the environment, music plays a big role impacting his mood and flow of paint that he applies.

“The vibe of the studio or environment I am painting in also impacts my use of color, stroke, expression and overall feel of the painting that I am creating. I am listening to various genres of Hip Hop, Jazz, and Reggae which impact my mood and flow of paint that I am applying, especially during pieces that I am purely creating as a “freestyle” within that moment in time.  In this sense, I am picking up the closest colors of acrylic, oil and spray paint in proximity and applying them to canvas or mixed media through brushes, palette knives, tape and other methods as they come into sight.”

Picasso Baby!

ELO described his hustle as “Always Hungry!” Although he was born in Manhattan, ELO moved to Armonk (somewhere deep in Westchester County for those who are unfamiliar) at the age of 2.

In high school, he was very involved in athletics, which probably explains his competitive drive. Towards the end of his high school career, ELO immersed himself in hip-hop, fashion, and street culture and had to take himself back to the city that never sleeps.

“I was born in Manhattan but really grew up in Westchester as I moved from the city when I was 2 years old.  I enjoyed the suburban lifestyle growing up I was more of an athlete than anything, but towards the end of high school, I really became more immersed in hip-hop, fashion and street culture which propelled me to want to come back to the city to pursue my vision, goals, and interests.”

ELO’s goals have inspired him to create a custom design sneaker that pays tribute to NYC. The idea for the sneaker came about while he was attending Tulane University in New Orleans where he would experiment with “various mediums for creation, which included graphic tees and the early beginnings of putting spray paint to canvas.”

Throwback … Motivation Monday @teamvic @rocnation

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As he was very interested in sneaker design, ELO became infatuated with Nike ID, making sneakers for himself and his friends. Creatively restricted by the website’s design options, he took matters into his own hands. It was this limitation that sparked the drive to create something unique and original.

ELO spoke about his sneaker designs:

“I was also especially interested in sneaker design and was always designing new color silhouettes for myself and friends through NIKE ID.  From a design standpoint, I felt limited by the options that were available as I could only play around with different color patterns for the shoes I was making, but I wanted to create something that was truly original and with its own unique concept.

It’s those limitations that allow human beings to surpass themselves and develop further. ELO dipped out of the “Big Easy” back to NYC and paired up with Rich Franklin of Relevant Customs to create a sneaker with a unique canvas. Covered with items that breathe NYC, the custom design Nike SB Dunk is embossed with a metro card, an entire subway map, New York Times, lotto tickets, a pizza box, and crime scene tape.

It doesn’t stop there. The sneaker has turned into a movement called What the NYC. The inspiration for the movement came from ELO just going out in the NYC streets during his lunch break while working at the Sotheby’s auction house asking people how they felt about the sneaker and what NYC meant to them. But it was a little old lady in black sunglasses that really got the gears turning for the social experiment.

According to the artist:

“I was still working at Sotheby’s auction house in the Upper East Side at the time and decided to take the shoes out during my lunch break to hear from people first hand how they felt about them, but more importantly how they felt about New York City itself.  I spotted an older woman with big black sunglasses on who for some reason I felt had a distinctive look about her.  I initially asked her what she thought about the sneakers, but as she was holding the sneakers I also asked her what her three favorite things about the city were just because I was curious and felt like making small talk.”

Elo continued:

“She answered, ‘It’s art, theater, and food.’  That is where my light bulb went off in that I became fascinated with learning how other strangers felt about the city and how they perspectives and experiences might overlap or be completely different.  The rest is history…”

Peep the old lady that started it all

The What the NYC Campaign has furthered ELO’s work ethic into a realm of nonstop hustle. He always carries a pair with him just in case he runs into someone with an inspirational NYC story.

“Whether it is a sporting event, album release party, art show, or fashion showcase; I am always pushing the envelope by talking to as many people about their New York experience as possible.  These sneakers are LITERALLY with me 24/7 because I never know who I’m going to run into and I always need to be ready.  Through this project, I have been able to further my own work ethic because I am always willing to put myself in situations where I am with the right people who will further this project and keep it interesting for the community that has been built around it.  I enjoy speaking with everyday New Yorkers but it’s also fun to see how the athletes, musicians, artists, and celebrities who I interact with feel about the work as well.  From a social media aspect, people have enjoyed meeting me, holding the sneakers, and expressing their opinions about their NYC experience and then see Spike Lee, CC Sabathia, DJ Clark Kent, Just Blaze, ‘Biggs’ Burke, Stretch & Bobbito, for example, do the same.”

So what’s next for ELO? A whole lot. Motivation runs through his veins like blood as he is always experimenting with various styles and techniques looking for new opportunities to develop his brand, network, and practice.

He’s looking to further evolve his craft by partnering with other brands and artists. He currently has an installment which is the first part of an art series called “STILL LIFE” he curated with his partner Dmitry Larionov. The series looks to discuss the current status of the art world with successful artists, curators, journalists, and managers. Check out what ELO had to say about the first discussion:

In our first discussion, we covered topics like how branding and social media influence the value of an artist’s artwork, the process, and importance of artists being able to collaborate with major brands and corporations among other topics.  This was our first live in person event, but I plan to develop this series into an accompanying podcast that will highlight how artists and creatives alike are utilizing their social media and brand influence to become successful in the worlds of art, music, fashion, and media.” 

ELO has his eyes set on the goal to get the What the NYC movement where it needs to be – getting a Nike endorsement.

As of right now, the current sneaker that we all see on display is not for sale but receiving an endorsement from Nike would allow for mass production.

“My vision and the ultimate goal of the project is that the concept behind the project will eventually be picked up by Nike so that it will become a mass produced design that everyone who has seen or heard about the project can wear and feel a part of the experience … I’ve already been at this project for over a year and I have adopted the mentality that it is only a matter of time before it will be picked up by Nike.  It’s not a matter of if, but when.”

Things are looking up for the Bushwick visionary. He advises the youth and starving artists to “stay hungry.” The advances ELO has made in his career have not come easy and has made a name for himself by taking a huge leap of faith.

This includes ELO being invited to Roc Nation’s Gold Couch room to chill with Lenny S.

ELO’s official message for the youth dem is to go as hard as possible:

“My advice for the young “starving” artists out there is to ‘stay hungry.’  Hungry, drive, passion, focus, ambition and patience have been necessary traits I have had to develop to make it to this point in my life and career.  I took a HUGE leap of faith initially creating What the NYC and it was truly one of the best decision I have made in my adult life.  I had no idea how it would be perceived but I had to trust my instincts because I knew inside that it would make a splash.  Without What the NYC, I would have no reason to be invited to Lenny S of Roc Nation’s famous ‘Gold Couch Room’ (@kodaklensoffice) for an incredibly important day in my life journey and iconic photo shoot. To everyone out there looking for ways push boundaries and make a name for yourself… make your own version of what “What the NYC” might be for you… and don’t look back!”

Wise words!