Who is on the come up for you that you think is going to kill it in music or fashion?
Musically, my cousin Big We$, he's a dope rapper coming up in the game. On film side, I like this filmmaker named Dontell Antonio, he's 22 years old out of Atlanta. His film is called "The Hopeless Journey" it's about a teen African-American girl getting caught up in sex trafficking – she was put there by her mother to support a drug addiction. It's based on a true story. It was sad to see, but it was also inspirational as a project because you don't commonly see young African American men pushing through film from behind the camera. I came across him on Instagram on my timeline and saw how hard he promoted his film. I love his hustle. When I go to Atlanta next week we're meeting up and I'm looking forward to picking his brain.
What’s the most exciting thing about fashion to you?
That the young kids right now are taking over. I'm all about the new generation – I like seeing young kids go get it – all I've been seeing is people my age and that's very motivational. It makes me want to work just as hard as them or with them.
Who has been a mentor to you? And what have they taught you?
A$AP Rocky in a sense he really opened my mind to what's possible, when I went to his house in LA a couple months ago – he was showing me all the interior design and furniture which he designed himself. I realized that you can create your own environment. He showed me the importance of embracing things that aren't traditionally thought of as being masculine particularly plants and flowers, he has a lot of flowers.
Can you tell us about your workout routine?
Yeah, I go in the gym and I go hard or I go home. Simple as that.
What fashion advice have you given your dad?
Actually, this is fashion advice to anyone reading, just feel comfortable in the clothes that you choose and wear it confidently because once you feel good everybody else is going to see it.
You’re currently pursuing a film degree at UCLA. What’s your dream movie to make?
My dream movie to make is a film about my grandfather's life. He's been through the fight for civil rights, the Vietnam war in the 70s, then came back to Long Beach in the 90s and help create Snoop Dogg. He got himself a phone when I was in the 8th grade and ever since then he's called me twice a week. He has never missed a week. He's been a great example for my family and for young men to grow up and be present in their family's life – that's dope to me. Even though he lives in Atlanta, he flew out to every graduation, every Christmas. I want to pay him back by listening to all his wise words of encouragement over the years from those phone calls. Creating a film and involving his life story would be a dream.
