Say You Swear

Episode 51 is with Addison Kirst of des pair books !This episode we discuss origins/what drove her to her creative side, never seeing herself as an artist, roles within the arts field, “seeing behind the curtain,” and falling in love with working with creatives/artists.Battling with physical/mental health, during this time finding a deep love for the outlets of reading and film, pivoting/leaving the art world, starting a passion project based off her love for literature, then turning that project into the physical location that is now des pair books ! We go back and forth and bullshit about such n such! Books and art people!

Episode 50! is with Psyche Organic's Theophilos ConstantinouIn this episode, Theo speaks on the origins and current running of Psyche, reminiscing on the years of Paradigm/Paradigm Publishing, personal photography, and a life of travel/movement. He also opens up about his love for people/facilitation, sobriety, faith, having an all or nothing mentality, etc!Oh! Also gives advice for those wanting/looking to start a brand. Noting the importance of having "through lines" and focusing on your attention to detail."I don't believe that I've created a brand as much as I create worlds that you can live inside of." a mental inventory of sorts. enjoy.

Episode 49 is with Nolan Zangas. Started off by speaking on Nolan's roots in skating, filming, and creating a full length skate video.  Due to horrific circumstance, he sustained a life changing injury where he broke his back and had to step away from skating for an extended period of time. It was during this time where Nolan found what would eventually become his career...photography.Progressing in skating years later, he decided to focus on the skating side of things, got sponsorship, but eventually decided that he wanted to step away from personal skating and focus on his true passion of photography.

Episode 48 is with New York City's very own...Wiki! An ode to writing, dancing, love, collaboration, and continuing to find growth in your craft after over a decade of dedication. Etc! Etc!

Episode 47 is with Na-Kel Smith.We talk about Nak growing up, his early days of skating, the start of his career, and him being his toughest critic.Nak also expresses the deep importance of his family, the role they play in his life, and the special bond he has with them.We ofc discuss King, upcoming projects, reflecting on past years, Odd Future, being multifaceted, filming a new part with Greg Hunt, etc etc. A good honest conversation, yk.

Episode 46 is with Alex Sowinski of BADBADNOTGOOD!Al talks about how he started playing the drums as kid, the role jazz college played in his development, origins of BBNG, and his love for recording on tape. We also speak about the longevity/innovation of the band, the significance of collaboration, his relationship/working with Virgil Abloh, doing a complete score for the ‘Paris de Noche' skate video from his solo/collaborative work label ‘Group Climate,'  and living on a farm with his wife and kid.Some other things I'm forgetting like streaming vs buying music but alas. A great conversation. As always, hope you enjoy !

Episode 45 is with photographer, and Epicly Laterd's very own, Patrick O'Dell! Ah, a long winded discourse of our love for interviewing.  We discuss how Pat got his start with skate photography, moving to San Francisco, starting to work with Thrasher, and advice to up-and-coming skate photographers.Additionally, how he began doing interviews, going on tours, learning what he looks for in an interview, balancing the friendship and the professional, upcoming EL shiiiiii, etc etc etc. Much love to Mr. O'Dell. Enjoy

Episode 44 is with New York based writer and filmmaker Katherine Clary!Her editorial project, the Wine Zine, was archived in 2023 after six years (her book also came out of that and was published by Hachette in 2020.) Her first film, A Desert Is An Ocean, was finished in 2023. She's interested in making confessional documentary films that explore personal histories — her own and others'.Over cups of peppermint tea, we also talk about Kat's interest in subcultures, moving from SF to settle down in NY, being a forever student, turning her short film into a feature, and the significance grief has had on her life.

Episode 43 is with editor, writer, and researcher Isabel Flower!Isabel's work across editorial and advertising is (usually) about art, style, and consumer culture. Her writing has appeared in places such as Kaleidoscope, Cultured, The Wall Street Journal, Garage, Double, Artforum, and Bookforum, and these days she's executive editor of Deem Journal. With her best friend and longtime collaborator Marcel Rosa-Salas, she is co-author of the “The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity” which was published by Penguin Random House this past summer and began as the open-call archiving project Documenting the Nameplate. The two of them also cohost the Top Rank Podcast.We discuss culture journalism in the digital age, life as a new (working) mom, running podcasts, nepotism, etc etc etc !

Episode 42 is with Queens native, Peter Sidlauskas of Bronze 56k!We discuss Peter's skate origin story, the significance of his block in Queens, and his early influences at the time. He explained that he always loved video cameras, making edits from a young age, and editing videos on two vcrs. He shared about his life-long relationship with his friend Pat, the many iterations of companies they were going to start together, and then finally the process of starting Bronze together. I definitely asked a bunch about his unique editing style, as I feel Bronze editing is the most unique in skateboarding. UTZ chips. America Online. The curation of the "clips-between-the-clips" is unmatched and shows a true level of attention to detail in Peter's psyche that's humbling.There's more ofc. 2 hours here. Blah blah blah!

Episode 41 is with London-based skateboard videographer, Will Miles!Recently coming off of filming and editing Nike's full Length 7-Ball; this episode is a deep dive into Will's journey. From shit like giving up playing football at around 12 for skating, Ben Raemers selling him his first camera for the cheap, and his first day out with the camera Kyron asking him if he wanted to spend the next couple months filming a part!Will began to film edits that would end up on free skate mag and grey skate mag. These grey edits would partner with Nike in order to bring together and showcase the Nike London team. Over time, Will was getting his personal style down for his own future classic videos on Vimeo such as Billy Trick and Lambrusco. There's a lot I am skipping here obviously, but Nike decided to give him the reigns for 18-months both filming and editing for 7-Ball! No small feat!We go quite in depth with the videos and Will teases a future Nike project on the way!Much love XD

Episode 40 is with visual artist, Brooklyn's very own, Aya Brown!Beginning to make art at a young age, she developed her style over years personal experimentation and time at Cooper Union. Aya consistently taps into the deep roots of her family, sexual identity, blackness, and community to illuminate an honest and beautiful depiction of her lived experience. We discuss the intricacies of growing up in the church, her dad being somewhat of an influence on her style (hehe), her unequivocal passionate love for Spiderman, and Gush!Aya sheds much light on the importance of having positive representations for black lesbian love and relationships, how brands can truly support communities, and the lovely environment and family of Telfar. We've been tryna get together to do this for almost 2 years, sheeeesh. Hope you enjoy XD

Episode 39 is with Bradley Carbone, who works in the space of brand strategy and management. Bradley has a keen ability to utilize his genuine connection with creatives in their spaces, his years of business/corporate expertise, and bridge the two. This allows both extremes to form more symbiotic relationships for their futures. Bradley has worked on SNEEZE magazine for the past 13 years, alongside founder Nic Fensom.  In recent years, he has been working closely with Born x Raised, based in LA, and Andrew, based in Miami. We discuss honing your craft, relationships, overcoming trauma, and a bunch of other lovely things! Bradley is not a businessman, he's a business, man...jay voice. XD

Episode 38 is with my Parisian brother, Greg Cuadrado! We start by discussing Greg's roots in skating, manuals, the inception/creation of Les Blobys, and the route to going pro in 2018 for National Skate Co. The interview then moves into discussing Greg's transitioning role in the skate world. He talks about the importance of Pussy Gangster, the Supreme store opening in Paris, and beginning to work for the company. Now Greg is Supreme's European TM and he talks about the intricacies of this position! Working on the Stallion video during lockdown in Italy, wearing Vans to a LV x Sup shoot while still on Cons, James Cruickshank's SENSIBLES video, and a bunch of other shit sprinkled in therrr. Merci beacoup mfers

Episode 37 is with the artist CHITO.CHITO's early work went from airbrushing on blank tees and moved into using the airbrush to highlight the structure in garments to emphasize the craftsmanship. In the recent years, he has worked to “remove the line in the sand” of what he can and can not do in order to feel true artistic freedom.“Fuck the boundaries, fuck the limitations”Honored to have had the ability to bring you this spoken interview. Enjoy ! 

Episode 36 is with journalist and pop music critic, for the New York Times, Jon Caramanica. Long time interview extraordinaire, for publications such as XXL and Vibe, Jon offers insight into interviews he's conducted over the years. From the likes of Pimp C to Taylor Swift, we talk about what it takes to give a good interview and many of the aspects that come along with it. Jon pivoted from a degree at Harvard with teaching aspirations, writing hip-hop articles on the side, to strong-arming his way into a nationally syndicated publication. We also chat about his years actively working on a book about Ye, journalistic integrity, how hip-hop journalism has changed, and more.I literally only needed to make 3 cuts in this whole recording...natural talkers over here XDEnjoy 

Episode 35 is with London based videographer Grant Dawson!From a small rural town near Oxford, Grant moved to London for college as a teenager and in 2017 got deeply into filming skateboarding. Dropping out of art school after a year, moving in with his eventual girlfriend of 10 years, and then starting to work at Supreme...Grant notes that he didn't have a plan after stopping University rather that things just naturally started to pan out. Manifestations! Additionally we discuss filming for Yardsale and Supreme, developing his personal filming/video style, pushing to showcase more London skating, being obsessive with music, and more :)Uh yea, little QnA for ya. XD

Episode 34 is with videographer Naquan Rollings and, a special appearance from, Father Bop.Naquan spoke about his sister introducing him to skateboarding, being grateful to grow up in NYC, getting really into improv acting, linking up with thrasher, and why people in Philly don't eat food.Once Bop got the mic, the two discussed going out culture in NY, worst trends in skating, the significance of LES growing up, and their love for niche rappers. Much love to Kevin Bradley for texting in questions during the interview lol and to Bop for hosting!I know y'all will love this one. Pce!

For Episode 33 I am joined by Grammy-award winning engineer, Texas's very own, Vic Wainstein. Vic has worked with several different types of musical artists, in the form of engineering and production, over the last two decades. We speak at length about the importance of putting your ego aside, his love for not being a front-facing artist, and the joy he gets from helping out new up-and-coming artists. Being specifically close with both Tyler, The Creator and Mac Miller during this time had a profound effect on Vic's confidence to make music due to how they defied the odds. They all worked on projects together where people doubted their ability to redefine their sound. They had been boxed in to sole identities. Tyler and Malcom's ability to confidently take professional risks and be successful proved that you can do whatever you want as long as you do it well and with consistency. The rewards for trusting yourself can be immense."We did shit that we had no business doing and it worked. In a business built off of temporary come ups, it's good to see something slow burn. It's good to see someone doubt something that worked because nobody's opinion is god."

For EPISODE 32, I sat down with artist and supremely talented designer Nick Atkins.Creating under the pseudonym label of ELECTROMAGNETIC STUDIOS, Nick's works take the form of anything from painting and sculpture to garment design and jewelry. Nick expressed the level of importance in separating the physical-being and the art itself. That his goal is not to be the center of focus, rather the creations themselves, and let them do the talking.While I was walking home and reflecting on the interview, I realized that this was my favorite interview I had recorded to date. Sure we discuss specific works and some of the usual parts that come with an SYS interview. However, this episode delves deep into the trials and tribulations of Nick as a person in hopes of offering potential insight that could be illuminating for another. 

Episode 31, you already know what it is!Filmmaker, photographer, cyclist, chef, and all around vegan stud XDThank you so much to Johnny for trusting me with his first interview on wax!Normally, I over explain these. Yes we discuss the Supreme vid lolEnjoy

For Episode 30, I was joined by photographer/videographer David "Shadi" Perez. Bronx native, Shadi, spoke about coming up in the borough and his early influences of the time. As a young teen in the 80's rollerskating, hip-hop, skating, graffiti, and breakdancing scenes; he explained always being immersed in street culture. His father shot photos and through this Shadi began to stay with a camera and document his experiences. We spoke about him starting to work for early Stussy, forming a relationship with James Jebbia, and beginning to help out at Supreme at its inception. Meeting Sue Kwon, he explains what a powerhouse she was in the industry and how his relationship to her deeply shaped the people he'd meet. Eventually, Shadi ventured into working in videography and directed several music videos for the likes of The Beastie Boys, Big Pun, Onyx, Fat Joe, etc. There are a ton of stories in this one! Going to Miami in '91 to shoot some crazy rap party and shooting photos of Tupac. Riding around on the back of David Blaine's motorcycle to go photograph him doing magic for Bill Clinton. You know, Shadi kept saying I was dating him with my questions lol, but the dream is to get older and have lived that much life! (Also he's like 50 or some shit which ain't even old) Shit some day imma say "Back in 2022" and kids are gonna look at me with the screw face, but I hope I have this many stories to tell when I look back!Much love and respect to Mr. Perez for trusting me and allowing me into his home to chop it up. God I hate that phrase lol. Is the conversation an onion? Yo, Link n build bro, link n build! I know that normally I write these out, but Shadi has just worked with too many people, Ye level name dropping was going on, and I have other papers to write! This is a fun one ;) Enjoy!

Episode 29 is with Anatoly Kirichenko, the creator/founder of Whaam! Gallery and Whaam! Bookclub. Born in Ukraine, Anatoly immigrated to the US with his parents and grew up in Brooklyn. We talked about his upbringing, having an immigrant mentality, and his early influences. Spending formative time downtown, getting into streetwear and art cultures, he spoke about having a deep admiration for NYC. After graduating from NYU, Anatoly began to work in streetwear. First working out in LA for Supreme, he later moved back to NY to work for Adam Kimmel. During his time at Adam Kimmel was where Anatoly was first curating pop-up art shows. Leaving AK, he then moved to work with CDG/DSM, and then to run Stussy's New York flagship location in 2016. Being given the reins at 26 years old, I was perplexed that Stussy would give him the position at the age I am now. He explained that he always followed his heart and was not afraid to be honest with the brands he worked for. This allowed him to form the beneficial skills and relationships that would shape his career. He spoke about really connecting with Stussy on their values and principles as a brand.At Stussy was where Whaam! Bookclub was first formed, in 2017, and eventually the conception for Whaam! Gallery was created. Anatoly expressed the ideology of the gallery as one that doesn't show "classically" trained fine artists, explained the significance of the location, how he curates, and what the gallery has become in 2022. Whaam! gives artists the ability to see their vision come alive and creates an atmosphere to meet new people. He elaborated on the joy he receives in taking chances and that he doesn't need Whaam! to fit the profile/constraints of a traditional gallery. "Art is whatever an artist creates." he said! Enjoy

Episode 28 is with Onyedi of Motherlan. Currently residing in London, Onyedi and I got to sit down for an interview on a recent trip he, and his friends, took out to NYC. Growing up with an Australian mother and a Nigerian father, Onyedi lived in Australia til he was 12 and would go back and forth to Nigeria. We spoke about the culture shock he had eventually moving to Lagos. Growing up in an almost solely white population and then moving to an almost solely black population.  Having family all over, he discovered skateboarding on a trip he took to California and brought a board back to Lagos. Eventually he was made aware of what is known as the first ever skate shop in West Africa, WAFFLESNCREAM, and became a regular. Onyedi then worked at the shop, became close with the founder Jomi, and met the crew that would eventually form Motherlan together. In 2018, they started Motherlan when the cult moved out to the UK. Onyedi broke down the process of discovering what they wanted to do with the brand. Initially, he was still in Nigeria while most of the group was out in London, but eventually he made the move out there and started really pushing the brand. He spoke about the brand growing, working on delegating roles, finding structure for the brand, and transitioning into the head role as Creative Director. Onyedi, and Motherlan, are quite multifaceted and this has much to do with his extremely eclectic understanding of culture. He enlightened me on how gnarly Nigeria can be, knowing how to move properly in places full of corruption, and the importance of sticking with people you trust. Family in the US, growing up in Australia, moving to Nigeria at 12, moving to the UK alone at a young age. I was super impressed when I was thinking about my own personal experience of living in the same state my whole life.After the interview, Xavier helped me realize how fucking young Onyedi is and that shit humbled me. When I was his age I was not even close to that seasoned! Respect!We also talk about filming, writing graff, collabs, etc! My fingers are cramping and I'm in class! Pce!!

Episode 27 is with artist, designer, and filmmaker Jack Greer!Jack is the owner/creator of the fashion brand IGGYMaking art since a child, Jack speaks about the art he creates, his experience at art school, and his years of pursuing the fine art world. Learning that it was not the place for him, he decided to step away. Jack notes the muddy waters of fine art, being pigeon-holed to one medium, and that being a catalyst for creating a full-length documentary about Tompkins and starting his brand IGGY. As a fellow cynic, I loved Jack's critical honesty about his crafts and running a brand by himself. No sugar coating in this episode, he reveals the perks but also the immense sole responsibility he experiences to make sure IGGY operates as you see it. He spoke with conviction throughout the interview of how imperative it is to be yourself. IGGY is truly just an extension of himself transferred into a physical world through design! At his apartment, I saw binders and binders of perfectly archived graphics he had drawn. I loved learning that all the designs for IGGY are hand-drawn by Jack and then rendered.Oh also! Jack's pup, Iggy, makes a couple cameos in the interview...it's only fitting :) 

#26 is with Detroit's very own Mr. Caleb Barnett aka lil tut!Recently going pro for Hockey, we talk all that good skate shit you wanna hear. I asked Caleb about filming for recent videos like "Hockey X" and James Cruickshank's "SENSIBLES". Living out in Paris a lot to be with his girl, he talks about his love for Paris, filming out there, and living abroad.Knowing he had a love for it, I asked him about how he got into boxing. We discussed his origins with it as a kid, his father being a boxer, and training in it as an adult. He talked about his intensive workout routines, sparring, favorite fights, and learning discipline from the sport. I have to say my man had me dying in this interview! The stories he told about getting into it with assholes who tried him were hilarious. I appreciated him saying that he's never looking for a problem, but that he's not going to let people get away with violating/disrespecting him or his friends.A large part of the back half of the interview discusses Caleb's music career as "lil tut". Tut talked about getting into making music, always loving writing raps, and how moving in with Genny causing him to start to take music more seriously. Buying beats, sitting in the studio all day making song after song; tut knows the discipline of practice well! He spoke about not being afraid to be himself in the music, singing and rapping on songs, and his love for R&B. Check out lil tut on soundcloud and his videos on YouTube!Tut will be releasing his first project "Josiah" on August 27th!!Thank you Caleb and check this shit out!

Episode 25 features artist, art director, photographer, and (of course) skateboarder Jerry Hsu.This episode is an extra special one for me due to my personal fandom of Jerry's work. From watching his Stay Gold b-sides nearly 100 times, wearing his Sci-Fi Fantasy label, owning his The Beautiful Flower Is The World photo-book; I have found myself immersed in Jerry's creative world since I was a teenager. This interview was months in the making and an absolute dream come true that I was able to create a platform that would invite such a personal hero :)Throughout the interview we touch on several different subject matters from reflecting on his years of professional skating, his photo work, love of book making, running Sci-Fi, and even family. It was eye opening for me to hear about the immense pressure that skating can bring at that level and how psychologically tolling it can be.It's too daunting for me to write out all that we discussed, but I will expound slightly on a part I did not expect...but really enjoyed. Jerry spoke about his wonderful relationship with his wife and how impactful/inspiring she has been in not only his life, but also his creative outlets. He explained how crucial it is to find a partner in life that can challenge you to be a better version of yourself. That having "yes" people around you can be detrimental to personal growth and that he supremely values how critical his wife can be. This is what I do this for! Humbled that this worked out and that it went so well. So so excited for everyone to hear this one. Much love 

For this episode, I sent it to Brooklyn to record with Genesis and play a couple hours of smash!Genny's early YouTube videos, Lurknyc parts, and tricks in Johnny Wilson edits had such a huge influence on me coming up in skating. In high school, pre-917, Genny's videos and personal skating showed me that skateboarding is truly about having fun with your friends and doing what comes natural!Upon arriving to him and Caleb's home, I gained a profound new appreciation of Genesis's creative world. I walked into a house full of music, plushies, in-progress paintings, Caleb at their table recording a song, and their friend Marcus cutting out and sewing letters onto a polo. I quickly learned that skating is just one of many tools in Genny's bag!He said something that has since stuck with me because it was a feeling I've had, but I've never quite put into words.  As a kid, he thought that art/music were things someone was naturally good at and that it was like a superpower; you either had it or you didn't. He noted that this ideology is one that deters people from trying new things. However, sometimes you suck at new things but that doesn't mean you should stop or that you can't be great at it!We speak in-depth about Genny's love/ear for music, deep musical roots, Blair, and venturing out into a solo career as genny!. This episode coincides with his first solo album release 8 SONGS, as Genny spoke at length about his creative process and work for this album. Go check that out!!! Oh and, as always, hope y'all enjoy :)

I took the 6 to Chinatown, to the STP offices, to kick it with Lu! There were many interviews out there covering Lucien's past and early acclaim in the fine art world. However, I wanted this conversation to revolve around what would bring listeners more into the headspace in which he lives. Lucien's baby is STP, Serving The People, a nonprofit that focuses on bringing power back to creatives and pushes for collaboration. Obviously Lu describes this much better than I can! We speak in depth about how the organization came about, the steps that have come along the way, and where he/his team are working for it to go. Lucien speaks about his Seeds NFT project and offers his take on web3 technology/integration. Having prior knowledge that he loved the film, we discuss the vast significance of Fight Club. He voices that there are several intricacies of the film that he has connected over the years to his personal life. Project Mayhem = STP. Furthermore, Lucien spoke about his personal work on short films, working on a full length film, and it being the medium that he has been pivoting into. As always, there are a bunch of other goodies sprinkled in there! There are a few nice moments where we touch on mental health, the significance of it, and how beautiful times of hardship can be. You already know I love that :)Thank you to Lucien for trusting me with your words and thank you to all of you checking it out! Much love as always!

Ryan is a professional skateboarder currently riding for Sci-Fi Fantasy. We speak about his time at Enjoi, years at Welcome, and making the decision to make the move to Sci-Fi. His level of honesty on how volatile the skate industry can be was both refreshing and eye opening. In addition to his skate career, Ryan helped found the organization Skate After School and is an ambassador for the SkatePal organization. Having gone back to college to pursue a degree in Public Administration, Ryan preached always having a personal desire to do more than just skate. We also talk a bunch about his new passion of endurance running. Going on 800 mile hikes, overnight runs, ultra marathons, helping pace runners on 250 mile runs: respect Ryan!Ryan is also a co-host with SYS alumni Ted Barrow on the lovely podcast Vent City!!Thanks for tuning in

Milah is the Editor in Chief/Publisher of Dizzy Books and Dizzy MagazineGrowing up in Brooklyn, NY, Milah noted that she has been exposed to art her whole life. Early forms of her personal art took the form of the writing and poetry she created. Eventually, in college, she found a love for visual arts and began creating/directing videos and music videos. In 2016, Milah started Dizzy magazine! We discussed what lead her to starting the mag, how she figured out how to physically create it, and what it has become. Taking a strong interest and care for young artists, Milah started Mishou Magazine to showcase artists ages 15 and below. She actively expresses a high level of care for intergenerational connection within the art world!I'm trying to learn not to over share about the episodes, to not give too much away haha. I apologize for the fact that I sound like I'm underwater, I will never record on headphones ever again! Thankfully Milah sounds perfect, which is all that matters, so please enjoy :')

“My first time on a podcast. Real grateful to have a safe place for open and honest reflection. The pacing we hold ourselves to doesn't usually allow for that, so thank you for providing this space, Daniel. Got to talk about a lot of aspects of my growth and interests, including film, critical theory, design, art, music, romance, sobriety and more. Feedback is always welcome. Let us know what you think.”-Saji

Did this interview on location with Abe in his Redhook studio space. Abe has been co-running AINT WET for nearly a decade. AINT WET is a MTA/Subterranean inspired brand based in NYC and is one of Abe's major passion projects. Additionally, he operates as a creative and art director for many bands/artists/brands to help them see their ideas come to fruition. I had previous notions that he was extremely talented and studious in his craft of design. This interview confirmed that as fact and I was blown away at just how meticulous he is!Much love to Abraham for having me at his studio and sitting down with me :)

Residing in Orange Country or what she refers to as "the asshole of Southern California" (lmao), Myles and I did this episode over the phone last week. Myles's "Introduction" part for There skateboards just released this week so I was hyped to speak to her about all things skating and about the process of filming for this video. We also spoke about music, her modeling career, making videos, etc! She talked about stepping away from skating for a few years, coming into her own, and finding the love for it again in a big way. I've really enjoyed getting to know Myles and I'm thankful to her for being down to rant with me! C'mon that laugh is infectious!! Alright well enjoy the episode and check out the new There full length, love :)

Chatted with Sagan for awhile while he was on a long drive to a meeting. Business bitch shit. Since skating and Odd Future defined the zeitgeist when I was 16, we discussed those origin stories and what those times were like a decade ago. Working at Diamond, meeting those guys, touring, taking photos, etc, etc! We discuss him pivoting out of those OF days and defining himself in the many industries he creates in. You'll hear about new projects he's working on, including his new wheel company "AM-FM" which will be launching in June! I always have the utmost respect for people that take a leap of faith in creative/business outlets and want to put on for the people they care for. Much love to Sagan, word!

Back from a bit of a break! I'm excited to bring you this episode with my friend Louis Shannon. My man loves to dabble! From skateboarding, to playing music, screen printing, to cars…his interests/ventures are quite eclectic. Louis runs a gallery in lower Manhattan called Entrance and has been doing so for a decade! In the beginning, Entrance only existed in a basement under a cellar door! Throughout the interview, you will hear about how, at a very young age,  Louis had an infectious desire to create and facilitate which led him on the path to opening a gallery in his early 20s. We also talked about New Day Motor Cars, which is a car collective Louis is apart of. Additionally, we speak in depth about what goes into running a gallery and what Entrance means to Louis and the greater community!I want to thank Louis for everything, especially for the personal insight and support!Enjoy :)

Georgia born Christopher Currence is a photographer, videographer, and filmmaker living in NYC. We speak about him living between Georgia and the Virgin Islands, early influences, getting into art, then eventually getting into Pratt and moving to NYC. We discuss his creative process when making a film and how he tries to always stay true to his personal vision. You'll hear just how humble and calculated Chris is and feel his infectious love for being behind the camera! Thank you to Chris for being down and here's to years of future prosperity. Cent' anni! 

Shana is a Boston born artist living in NYC. Sitting down and learning about her creative process was so eye opening for me! In the digital age we live in, it was captivating to learn that the majority of the design work Shana does is through physical fabrication. You will learn, as I did, about the countless mediums that she uses and what goes into a design being brought to fruition. She has a curious & genius mind that has so many interests and a thorough love for all of them. We discuss her passionate love of NBA basketball (specifically the Celtics), the many facets in which that manifests, and the ways in which it influences the art she creates. Additionally, you'll hear about her passion for collecting, gemology, bracelet making...and of course plushies! Okay wait, I am revealing so much here! Much more to learn, but just tap in! Thank you so much to Shana, hope y'all like the sound of these new mics and enjoy :, )

Zoom granted the ability to "sit down" and chat with (perhaps) the father of social media skate cynicism Ted Barrow. He may hate me saying that, if this reigns true Ted let me know and I'll edit lol. Yes yes, we discuss Feedback_ts but this conversation, in its predominance, pertains to academia, skateboarding, and New York F*ckin' City baby! First episode of 2022! Woohoo, please enjoy, Soprano out !

For this episode I went to Bedstuy, Brooklyn to meet Zenat Begum at Playground Coffee Shop. Zenat is the owner and founder of this Brooklyn coffee shop. This is not your ordinary place to grab coffee as it also runs a radio station/recording studio out of the basement, a curated bookstore, has a community fridge, greenhouse, and becomes a venue at night! A brainchild of Zenat, Playground has become a place to empower her friends, employ people of color, and give back to the community she grew up in. This is Episode 12!Since the episode was recorded at the shop, while the radio station was performing, there is background noise at times and I do apologize for that!

Went to Brooklyn, NY, to meet with Dylan and spend an afternoon in his apartment/studio. Dylan is a talented and thoughtful painter/artist with a keen love for nature. We speak about his roots in art and tattooing, but the conversation dips into several facets of his life and life in general. This episode is a bit different than ones in the past, exercising a shorter form technique. Thank you to Dylan for taking the time to be involved, trusting me as a platform, and helping me edit down the episode! Here's Episode 11...

Coming up in Florida, Beatrice picked up skating at a young age and never stopped! She speaks on her experience in skating as being one of a 90's feel. Sending in a tape to Strobeck, it getting into the hands of Dill, and getting flowed directly under him for Alien at the time. We talk about her linking with the Supreme team and it being the first time she really had a skate crew. Eventually, she gets on FA and leaves school/Florida to pursue skating full time in New York. She speaks on her love for travel, photography, and literature. This interview was super exciting for me, being someone that has watched her skating for nearly a decade! Beatrice is the flatbar don, you feel me? Thank you again to B for sitting down with me and I'm excited for y'all to listen!  

Before this episode I picked up some of Phil's new samples, then headed to his home in Connecticut. We sat in his room, I threw the mic between us,  and we talked for a couple hours as we looked through his new samples and designs! He told me about his younger years of inspiration, getting into filming skating, the early years of the brand, and having dertbag put Connecticut on the map. We spoke about him loving/making music, making art/painting, and doing all these outlets at a high caliber instead of just focusing on one craft. He talked about creating natural relationships with people he valued/respected through the art and dertbag. We spoke about early times in New York going to ALIFE, Only, Good Co, hanging with his friends in Odd Future, and reflecting on how enjoyable those times were.  His consistency, and attention to detail, manifested into Kanye West getting dertbag into his hands. Ye loved the brand so much that him and Philip formed a personal and business relationship! Phil spoke on his time at YEEZY, being made art director, traveling, and some of his experiences during this time. After this, he talked about having the opportunity to direct a high prodcution runway at NYFW for dertbag! He reflects on how during these times that he was bouncing around so much and not taking care of his mental/physical health to the level he needed. This amount of stress caused/led him to have complications with his Crohn's and eventually Phil needed intensive surgeries. He spoke about the level of reflection this has caused and that almost passing offered him new perspective. We talked about him now running dertbag alone, taking care of himself/the brand, the recovery that comes with the surgery, and his attention to "refining". This interview is a tightly packed hour where Phil is straight up and honest. I want to say thank you to Phil for being such a gracious and selfless person. This was a really nice day and, as always, hope y'all enjoy the listen! Peace!

Visited Antilogy, in Kingston New York, to meet with its creator and founder Jim Moore!  Antilogy is a screen printing shop that Jim started over 15 years ago. Antilogy has gone from just him printing in a small shop to being on its fifth location with 12 employees. We discuss him growing up in Vermont, how he got into making clothes, and eventually starting Antilogy when we was 24. Jim talks about the trials and tribulations to running a business, the care that goes into making the brands Antilogy works on, and curating a positive environment of creativity for his employees. I have personally worked at Antilogy for 5 years. When I conceptualized this very podcast, about 2 years ago, this was the person that I hoped to interview. Jim is a true mentor to me and I am humbled and honored to have him on. This was recorded outside of Antilogy, just as a note for the background noises. Thank you to Luke and Will for creating me an intro! Enjoy

My friend, the talented photographer, Mel and I sat on a rooftop in Brooklyn and recorded a conversation! We spoke about the years he spent in Connecticut, Florida, and eventually moving to New York. He talks about his passion for graphic design that led to him delving into photography. Over the years, Mel has shot 10's of thousands of photos of a plethora of different people. I ask him about what it is that inspires him to shoot, how he goes about taking photos, his thoughts on the community, and advice he would give to "coming up" artists! We speak about his role in the brand "Cliff", his book series "Smoke Break", and up coming projects he is working on. Lastly, if you know me, you know how much I love "Super Smash Bros". Mel is the best Smash player I've ever played against, so you already know I had to ask my man a bit about that! Mel has a wonderful infectious energy about him you will be able to feel/hear throughout this interview. Please enjoy :)

Drove to the African Roots Center in Kingston to interview Ethan! We delve into Ethan's childhood, skating,  and many years in academia. Ethan and I discuss facets of race, gender, queerness, and mental health. We get into moving to NYC, partying, sexuality, finding yourself, and ultimately the death of Mike Brown in 2014 changing Ethan's life. Ethan eventually runs for Mayor of Kingston, creates the Kingston People's Party, and gets involved with a plethora of community initiatives. Much love to Ethan for opening up, being vulnerable on this, and allowing me the space to share as well! Hope you all enjoy :')

Met up at Good Co and then zoomed up to Dyckman to talk with Estiee! We talk about his early days living in Arizona, always being around/working on music, and eventually starting to rap in high school. We discuss shit clicking for him, starting to perform a lot in Arizona, and opening for artists like Pusha T and the Flatbush Zombies. We talk about him moving to New York and him becoming a substantial part of The Good Company. In 2015, Esteban started the brand "Cliff" which he continues to run today with a collective of his close friends. We go into why he decided to start a brand, how it is to run one, and how he continues to keep things fresh in the very saturated market that is "fashion." Many other topics are in the mix like him performing many times in Japan, producing for A$AP Rocky, being godlike at NBA Street, etc. Shoutout to Caleb and Mo for being a part of this and thank you to Estiee!

Took the fuckin' 2, I think, uptown to talk shop with my boy Greg! We discuss growing up skating and him naturally gravitating to filming. His influences from going to Art and Design high school and collective "Muddguts". We breakdown his creative process for the Upper West Side Curb Club Video to showcase his beloved home. We speak on his relationships with Thrasher n Quartersnacks, and skating/filming with friends Ted Barrow, Frankie Spears, and Mark Suciu. Definitely got into diet, sobriety, and other shit! Greg revealed that he's working on a new video as well and we excited! Thank you to Greg and, as always, hope y'all enjoy.

Cooper biked over speed style to Prospect Heights and got mic'd up. We talk about his extensive years in filming; from videos like m/ (my personal favorite), ether, and Heady Mental. We DIVE (lol) into Coop's eclectic love for music, playing drums, and playing in bands Pique and Aspartame. There's other shit too like him working in photography, loving cars, GLUE,  etc! Thank you so much to Cooper for agreeing to do this, this was a really fun one, hope y'all enjoy. Oh also, his love for mismatched vans and riding for Krux comes up too so don't you worry! 

Sat with Caleb for a couple hours the other day. We talked much about his younger days in NYC skating and extensive background in music. I asked him a lot about getting into rap, being a part of the Standing on the Corner ensemble, and his solo career. Working with his close friend Gio Escobar, Caleb and SOTC toured the country with King Krule! Caleb naturally gravitates towards being around other talented creatives and has worked personally with artists like Fousheé and Chuck Strangers! Sprinkled along the way we touch on religion, his modeling career, work ethic, etc. Caleb is such a talented musician and just a great man. This was a really fun one to do, thank you so much to Caleb and I hope y'all enjoy :)