who comes in, but at least i’m part of an organization that is doing its best to help the population it serves. i can’t control the political and economic situation, but i can, at least, do my best to help on an individual level. has your photography allowed you the freedom to be your true self? probably. when i get into the groove of photography, i almost feel a sense of lightness. my mind isn’t blank, but i’m not really fixated on any one thing. i usually feel unconcerned with everything but the photography, which is a nice way to be, even if it’s just for a little while. from what have you escaped? without realizing it at the time, i probably dodged a lot of bullets during my early 20’s. i went through years of feeling a bit like a freak in high school and college. i hated high school and college was ok, but i never really made friends there except for a brief period when i studied abroad. i know a lot of people go through that kind of thing. towards the end of my time in college i sort of felt like giving up. i don’t mean killing myself, but just following some soulless path--doing things not because i wanted to, but because there seemed a dearth of more inspired options. i often had this sense of doom at the time, like i was sliding in a direction i didn’t want to go in, but without the imagination necessary to change things. it was pretty dark for several years. do you like to be in charge? realistically, if i’d taken one of those un goes that anything for responsible sure... as long as it’s fun and i’m not inspired paths, i would have probably been wrong. forced to do something different anyway, but where does your need to create come from? i don’t know. i do know that it’s a very real need and something i neglect- i think it’s possible i could have made myself and others very unhappy if i hadn’t ‘woken ed for far too long when i was younger. i didn’t even really realize it was up’ sooner. so i suppose you could say i esa need until i got into photography in a major way. if i was unable to take pictures, i’d have to find some other means of expression. art is the closest caped from a major funk. moving to a city and making new friends made a huge difference, but thing to a personal philosophy or religion that i have. i’m not sure if he’s the first to say it, but brandon long has a great blog with the title “the only trusting in my own perspective and viewpoints was important. the most important thing that magic left is art.” that phrase goes a long way to define how i feel happened to me was meeting my wife. for a bit a something there’s that fact about art and photography. i like the while i was confused, doubting myself with humysterious about why so many of us need to create things. mility. it’s all well and good to recognize your how have you dealt with oppression from society? own smallness in the universe, but i don’t think mostly duck and cover... i don’t think i’ve personally experienced oppresit’s good to doubt yourself so much that you sion from society on any significant level, but i’ve certainly witnessed it. become afraid to make mistakes. when i was younger (high school and college), i had ideas about getting involved in progressive social policy. i came to the conclusion, especially af- do you have more ability than most people? ter the 2000 election, that it would be very difficult to work that way (given no, i don’t think so. i try not to go through the business of comparing myself to others in the conservative nature of the country) and feel like i was making a difference. i sometimes question that viewpoint and think it might be too cynical, terms of ability or station or whatever, even though sometimes but i felt then, and still feel now, that i can do the best for society in the it can be hard not to. i try to focus on what i very real and concrete things i try to do everyday. i work as a librarian at a large public library, which attracts a very diverse group of people, including a want to do and how close i might be to reaching those goals. since it took me so long to belarge number of homeless, disabled and economically disadvantaged. unforcome happy with my pictures, i have a lot more tunately, we never have all the resources necessary to help everyone
confidence in my ow n abilities than i used to, since i ev entually felt like i got it... while in ma ny cases there are attributes that people have that make them better at certain things than others, i’ve be come convinced that someone can become good at almost anything if they are able and willing to put in the work to get there. i never woul d have thought of myself as a creativ e person before i started to take ph otography seriously. putting in th e work is the key, and most of us have to make choices in terms of how we spend our time. i feel like i have a gr eater appreciation for painters, co mposers, writers, musicians, etc., sin ce i’ve gotten to the point that i respect myself and what i do. even though i don’t necessarily unders tand everything that’s behind a pe rson’s creation, i feel a great deal of respect for the time that i know mo st have to put in. to me, one of th e most important things a person ne eds to discover about themselves is what they really want out of life, no t what they’re told to do by teac hers or advertisers or others who need to sell products or validate their ow n decisions, but how they truly wa nt to spend their time and money an d energy. so much of this kind of thin g is taken for granted. it may be arrogant for me to think so, but i find that most people who have the luxu ry of choice, don’t find out what they really want out of life. most don’t get to the point where they even qu estion it...they find themselves se emingly unhappy. it’s important to be inspired. however, this also assume s that everyone has choice in what they can do with their lives. obviously a lot of people simply don’t have the opportunity to be able to act on their desires and put ideas into action. indeed, for many people, the ac t of dreaming
about these things is painful because the distance between the dream and reality is so great. i’m extremely lucky to have come from a situation where i could find out what i wanted to do and what i might be good at. it shouldn’t be this way, but realizing your own abilities is often a luxury. is complete creative control important to your wellbeing? yes, although i’ve found collaborating with others to be very beneficial. do you often place emphasis upon others’ appreciation of your work? it’s definitely an important factor. i want people to like what i’m producing, but i’m not going for constant affirmation. since i share my work online, i am able to get a lot of feedback from people, and i greatly appreciate the sincere responses to my work that i’ve received over the years. it plays a role in my editing process and the direction i take. are you interested in theories? sure, who isn’t? do you like o u t r a g e o u s people and things? i’m not sure. i guess it depends on how you define outrageous. my first thoughts are people who go to big parties with lots of bubbles and cocaine and that sort of thing. i don’t find those sorts of people all that likeable, to the extent that they exist beyond the movies. however, if we’re talking about people who might be labeled as outrageous simply because they’re different, then yes, i do tend to like them. i like diversity in all its forms. maybe it’s because i think of myself as being a bit boring, i find myself interested in people who try and break the mold or be themselves. with what work group do you consider yourself a member? i’m a lone wolf . do you consider yourself or others first when making important decisions? my wife and son will always come first for me, so i certainly consider them in everything. i’m pretty lucky in that i don’t have to make important decisions often. what makes you tick? peanut butter.
how is your mind? my mind is in constant motion as i’ve continued to learn more about myself. i believe education is motion forward. for a long time my mind was clouded with distraction...or, in other words, i felt as if things i didn’t love were containing my conscience, and that i was becoming those things the deeper i got into them (i.e. jobs, negative people, too much partying, etc.) as of late, i have been focused on moving forward mentally, taking care of my universe, and being what i am supposed to be. do you live in the present? since early 2014 this has been my biggest focus: to live in the present and be available to each day. i love living this way because every single second or snapshot of time is a blessing to me. every breath, every blink, every conversation is great. being consumed with the future is a weight that nobody should want to carry, but we’re human, and
humans like to be in control of things that we cannot control. the things i believe i can control are my thoughts and choices today. we don’t completely know what ‘tomorrow’ will bring. tomorrow could be tomorrow, a few months from now, or even a year from now... no one really knows. time is a construct. once you start operating off of that platform: you feel free, age doesn’t bother you, and everything that happens always feels like it was supposed to at that moment. how are you planning to actualize your potential? i believe that self-education is the first step to actualizing anything in life. i’m on a mission to figure out self (internal and external). as of late, i have felt intrigued to learn who my ancestors were before colonialism and slavery (how they prayed, etc.). truly knowing who i am and what i stand for is going to be my first step in motion towards personal freedom and breaking the chains of mental entrapment. all of these things i’m talking about are not sepa-
connected and rate from me as an artist. it’s all probably always makes me who and what i am. it’s e for me to start tim been in me, but this feels like the will start to become piecing it all together. my songs always meant to what i am becoming, or what i was i can guarantee be. i can’t put my finger on it, but see what i create. you that more people will hear and r social change would you hope to achieve broade through personal change alone? happen, we all in order for any sort of change to ’t want to do have to do our part. so, no. i don our efforts to move anything alone. it will take all of all either walking in forward. right now, i believe we are le. a circle or standing still as a who ld, literally, was wor the s: is it just as the bible say created in six days? d what god looks i can’t even begin to comprehen attributes are, and like, what god’s complete list of talking 6 days in every space operated in. if we’re -saturday, literally, the man-made sense of monday
es to the face. you might catch a couple tomato [laughs] and doesn’t look the creator is not bound by time s, hours, days, and feel how time is set up. second by humans--impermonths and years were created incapable of knowing fect beings that are limited and everything. isn’t what we hu6 days has a deeper meaning and l day of 24 hours. mans understand to be a traditiona apples”? “the same food every day, rotten from my album, the a this was sort of a play on the ide were what they colors of black, that all of the kids lunch ladies would ate during lunch. every day the les that weren’t serve us half ripe grapes and app s in school. after the most appealing with our lunche my friends that awhile it became a joke to me and ate. there was this routine of what we how do you define your values? t expand my mind: my values are based on things tha , and what is going to think how i should be thinking
to keep me connected to myself and my brothers and my sisters. what will make us better, make us stronger, and what will help us lay the path for future generations? can you spot likeminded individuals out in public? in most cases, you can tell if someone is connecting to you based on a look or their energy. of what group in society do you consider yourself a member? the believers. the artists. the doers. the spirituals. do you feel supported by your community? yes. how are your needs unlimited? in other humans‌ my ability to create and communicate with the hearts of many with my gifts is where i find fulfillment, over and over again. when do you allow instinct to take over? most situations i deal with on a daily basis are never the same, and i find myself responding differently to each. what’s kept you going throughout? realizing that i have had my ancestors watching over me this whole time. i know i am here to carry one of many torches that has been lit. my mother, my love for god, knowing my voice is being listened to, and that i can help others is what has kept me going.
how have your actions defined you? all of our actions define who we are as individuals. is your behavior, then, usually an expression of your true inner feelings, attitudes, and beliefs? yes, i don’t change my personality to suit others’ needs. do you always do the right thing? only when i’m watching a spike lee joint... does change come from within? yes, along with outside factors contributing to individual development. what threatens your beliefs? justin bieber fans. “but it’s not for the money”? it’s all about french cheese and badass wine.
how is your lifestyle your own? i try to keep true to myself when choosing my friends, the music I listen to, and the clothes I wear. can you program freedom? theoretically, yes, as it’s a human invented notion. do you know how to stress-out? i’m waiting for justin bieber’s autobiography. are you your own worst critic? yes, being your own worst critic is the best way to evolve. is it meaningless that it’s all meaningless? “even small acts of compassion bring meaning and purpose to our lives” –dalai lama what new products are you looking 4ward 2? to making? i want make proper, good silkscreen prints or a famous comic book that will make its way into all the kids’ rooms. when is it imperative to stunt on others? in exhibitions.
have you ever been in the hot seat b4? up until now, i have never felt any need to be in the eye of the media. however, when there were articles regarding my work, they were always positive. how do you f i t into society? i think that i am more of an introvert. i like to ask questions and listen to others. i also like to observe and absorb what surrounds me. are you living your life to its fullest? with two kids, a very close-knit family, a lot of friends and a job that is rather laborious... yes, i can say that i am definitely living my life to the max! how do your inner-desires direct your actions? i try not to mess everything up. i give myself time to reflect, even though, very often, absurdity can be found in the final stage of my accomplishments. the actions i undertake in my work are often related to the desire of making myself laugh and, furthermore,
in making others laugh, too. when have you achieved the fulfillment of your desires? it seems like we all have a number of wishes to fulfill each day... as for myself, i feel i have accomplished everything i have always wished for. and where is this in relation to your work? most of the time, i photograph the initial stages of my work. i feel a sense of satisfaction when the final photo--the one that enables me to start painting--is pleasing. and, obviously, when the painting is finished. do you know how to relax? i am a laid-back person. even when i am working i am relaxed. i listen to music, to the radio, or i daydream. is it more important for you to understand your inner-self, than to be wealthy, famous or powerful? for me, it is important to formulate ideas and aesth-
etics that are related to the world in which we live through the medium of art. it is also a game that brings me a lot of joy. nevertheless, i think that every artist needs some sort of recognition from others. for me, it seems like art is mostly a way to share my thoughts and emotions. what is it worth if there is no one with whom to share? and for those who wish to become rich, I do not recommend them to become an artist. how do you conceal your irrational thoughts and behaviors? i am a very grounded individual. when it may seem like i am having irrational behaviours, i act as if nothing was happening. are you often kind to people you should be angry with? i have a lot of empathy for others; it is very rare for me to be annoyed by someone. however and sadly, foolishness exists, and sometimes it makes it very hard to forgive. how have you destroyed yourself? ouch! too much excess of any type...!!! however, you quiet down after a bit. it is also much harder to recover after a certain age. where does you need to create come from? aha! well...since a very young age, i have watched my parents producing their own artwork, as both my parents are artists. maybe the desire to create comes from a type of mimesis, or maybe it is related to the education and environment in which we grew up. is it your belief that your greatest achievements are still ahead of you? oh yes, i hope so! we always wish to excel!
are you an intellectual? yes, i absolutely am an intellectual. however, i tend to think with my spirit (i.e. i ‘ve realized that god is the taxi driver to my destiny. i state the destination, then sit back and let god do the driving.) how have you been encouraged to express yourself? i have been encouraged to express myself through hiphop: in the cypher, in the classroom, in church, at events, etc.. hip-hop is my expressway to beauty. do you actively own up to all aspects of your being? i absolutely own up to all aspects of my being--through the good, the bad and the ugly... to not own up is not hip-hop. what do you want from others of your work? i want others to listen to the music, accept their greatness, and wield that sword at alllllll times. mainly for the purpose of serving god. has rage diminished with age? hell naw! every damn chance i get, i show the rage that has fermented with time. wine. “that money poppin’ that thang in your motherfucking eye”? yes, it’s that same temptation that a stripper gives the customer: demanding more attention to the good, distracting from the bad realities of the current situation and actions. it’s what big money and bad deals do to a young mind. that is why most of our young artists are in debt or broke or dead. are there consequences if you break the limits? there are always consequences to every decision. you just have to be willing to endure the consequences that come with breaking the limits. in turn, it ends up being a hell of a lot better than living a limited lifestyle.
do you have a significant social support system? yes, my support system of family, friends, prayer warriors and good people span from chicago to la. it’s just a bit more concentrated in wisconsin, new york, colorado, georgia and illinois. my online support is most definitely showing love and support, from australia to brazil. my music even got played in egypt for the first time last year... what is success to you? success is when preparation meets opportunity. success is when people you don’t know and have never met know your work. it’s when you and your family receive consistent benefits from the things that you’ve done or are currently doing. success is my recording with busta, jill scott, erykah badu, dead prez, zulu nation and eminem. success is kids throughout the world bumping my music. success is moving $50,000-$100,000 in music sales per year. success is earning more than $10,000 per show. success is family parties, community functions, giving back to the hood, and having an impact on lives near and far from you. that’s success. what is the total number of hours a week that you spend on a computer? maybe 30 minutes total... i am a true representative of
what you would call a ‘people person.’ now, why in the world would y’all want to know that? are you competitive? i’m an aries, we define competition. i would go up against a tank with a butter knife! do you have to play dirty to win? when you live in chicago, dirty is the game. you’ve seen what cops do to us in the media, right? it’s worse when the cameras are gone. and sometimes demon-minded people do dirt and hide next to us in hip-hop. but when you cleanse your mind, body, emotions and spirit, the keepers of this universe, which i recognize as being god, reveal a new you. then you realize that you don’t have to play at all. you will then see that you’ve owned the game since birth. rockin’ this crown is all i know. how do you identify with your culture’s values? i identify with my culture’s values by keeping the truth in hip-hop and enduring the hate for being who i am in the face of others. remember that moment when kanye said on mtv that “george bush doesn’t care about black people”? that’s keeping the truth and taking the ridicule for being who you are.
Photo contributors: *☯ bℓąҝ•
_unfun,
5deadlyvenoms, black vomit, buffalo graffiti, carnagenyc, constructive destruction, doomsday1973, herbalizer, lepublicnme, mike ion, monolaps, mrxclownxface, nmg productions, philaretordre, supa v, txmx 2, tonytres, vitostreet, wolfgang josten, youngscrillafrommanila. Thank you.