Kristina DeBarge on her Instagram

What makes it more interesting is when narrowing that pool down, when someone decides to join an already crowded industry, the task becomes that much more difficult. For example, with as many great innovators we’ve had in the computer and technology space, a la Bill Gates, Steve Jobs decided that what he and his team developed at Apple was enough to take hold of the world. Before there was a Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson was setting stages ablaze following the footsteps of her family while also creating her own path. Before there was a Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan to debate who was the best swingman to ever play basketball there was Dr. J, a.k.a. Julius Irving and David Thompson who inspired the masses. In every listed example, there was someone who set forth a path in which those named, or countless others, have decided to follow and branch off in a new way.

The same could be said for entering the entertainment industry. Anyone going in begins with the knowledge that it’s going to be difficult due to the sheer number of people who are also doing their best to “make it”. Looking closer at the women mentioned previously, it takes a lot of talent, hard work, determination, and intuitiveness to be able to rise to a level of that magnitude. Some move from all over the world to completely change their lives to fit a mold they’ve predetermined for themselves and the success they want to attain. Most don’t make it to their lofty and high reaching goals and settle somewhere along the way, but not Kristinia DeBarge.

While she may come from a family of R&B legends she has been steadfast and focused on building her own career outside of her last name. From transitioning away from pop music to a more adult-themed R&B, to opening her own cosmetics line that is growing more and more daily, Kristina is developing an empire of her own that would have others in awe of all she’s accomplished and is still setting out to do.

Recently, I spoke with her in an exclusive interview for “The Alternative Road Podcast”  about her new and upcoming single “Bet”, how quarantine changed her perspective, Krissy D. Cosmetics and why she joined the beauty industry, and how she intends to help children find their way through the arts in their schooling.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. You can listen, to part 1/3, via the podcast link below.

How did you spend quarantine / how has life adjusted for you since?

Kristinia DeBarge: Yeah. No, that’s a great question. So, right when quarantine happened, it was actually my birthday. We celebrated it like a couple days before and I was so excited because I got to celebrate right before everybody shut down. And then not even three days after we celebrated, they were like, oh, yeah, there’s a stay-at-home order. You got to stay at home. And then at that time, I remember thinking — I was really scared because I didn’t know the gravity of the disease and the virus and all the things that were going on with different illnesses in different parts of the country. So, I was kind of really scared. And then once I educated myself more on the virus and how it works, I was just like, okay, as long as I stay in the house, I’ll be good. And then sort of like Instacart all my groceries, I’ll be good. 

But eventually, I mean, there were times I had to leave the house and definitely had anxiety. And I was constantly washing my hands. I was just telling my fiance that I need to get a facial on my hands because they’re getting wrinkly from washing them so much. But yeah, I adjusted. I made the most of it. I mean, I definitely ate a lot. I mean, who didn’t? I watched a lot of TV. I was still working so I was still pretty busy. But I did get a little bit of cabin fever. What about you? 

Throughout quarantine, I’m sure you’ve worked on or pursued different passions or hobbies you had. Why is music something that you’re coming back to right now?

KD: That’s a great question. So, I actually took a break from music for a little while to focus on other hobbies, like my makeup line, Krissy D Cosmetics, and I was also trying to focus more on just kind of myself, I guess. I was going through a little bit of depression when I lived in LA, right after I finished Season Four of Growing Up Hip Hop. And so I just felt like I needed to change and I knew that in order for me to enjoy the passion of doing music, not just actually recording and being creative but like the business of it too, that I needed to work on me for a little while. 

So, I did that for a couple years and I did music here and there on the side. I wrote for some artists and I did some songwriting for some up-and-coming independent acts. And then I put out like a few little singles just for fun on like Instagram and on Apple Music, and Spotify, just to keep something out there in the marketplace. But yeah, I just started recording, actually, I want to say was like, October of last year, I got like a little itch and I was feeling some inspiration. And I just started wanting to write music again for myself. And it was cool because I didn’t feel any pressure and I didn’t feel like it had to be thought out or anything like that. I was just like, you know what, let’s just create music and whatever happens happens, you know.

Kristina DeBarge posing for her line of Krissy D Cosmetics.

And it just so happened that the music ended up being amazing and I felt like my best body of work. So, now I’m where I’m at six months later, and I’m just so thrilled with the body of work that we’ve created, me and my fiance, Adonis Shropshire. I mean, I feel like it reminds me of basically like a 2.0 of my EP, Thinking Out Loud. And I’m not sure if you’ve ever had a chance to listen, but this is definitely an album that I would say goes great with that album. I feel like it shows growth as far as the sound, very similar, just more grown and sexy. But yeah, I really enjoyed making this EP. And I’m really excited to show everyone the songs and talk about the music and talk about the stories, and how I came up with the storylines and all that fun stuff. 

Do you feel as if earlier in your career, you felt more pressured to make a certain type of music, and now that pressure’s kind of relieved? Or was it just the pressure of knowing who you are, knowing who your family is?

KD: Yeah. So, I think when I first came into the industry, I didn’t really feel a lot of pressure. I think it was when I was in it, like when I was full-fledged in it, 19 years old. And I had all these people telling me what I should sound like, what I should look like, what I should do, what song I should sing next, who I should have on my song, how I should perform my song. So, I think it was just kind of like, that’s when the pressure started to feel overwhelming. But I always thrived. I always thrived from being under pressure. So, I always figured it out. But I think after being in the industry for so long, and being around people that you think have your best interest and then you find out later they didn’t, you kind of wonder a little bit. You’re like, “Oh, man. Were they really looking out for me or were they just looking out for what they wanted?” 

And so when I finally grew up into the woman that I am now, I decided that I wanted to do what made me happy. Because at the end of the day, regardless of what everybody else wants, I’m still the one that has to go up there and do it. I have to go and perform it, I have to go and be in front of everyone and put on a happy face, and a great smile. So, whether it’s they tell me to do it a certain way or me tell me to do it a certain way, at the end of the day, it’s still going to be how I portray it to my audience. So, I just decided that I wasn’t going to live my life like that anymore and that I was going to always be true to myself. And yeah, that’s kind of where I’m at now. I think I have a more open mind. When I was younger, I didn’t really know how to articulate or how to communicate how I was feeling because I didn’t want people to feel like I was like a diva or like, I was trying to do things my way or whatever. And I think now I’m at a point where I can communicate and articulate exactly what it is that I want and still hear the input of my team. 

That speaks volumes too. I just want to say the maturation overall from your early music into which you’re moving into now seems like it’s a much positive direction and a big step forward. So, I’m excited to be able to hear that.

KD: Thank you.

Would you mind just giving me a little bit of background on this song “Bet” with EB (Eric Bellinger) that you’re going to have come? 

KD: Yeah, definitely. So, when I first started writing the record, Adonis and I were writing records together, we kind of were inspired by Beyonce and Rihanna. And we were thinking that we could do something more upbeat. So, like a modern day Crazy In Love. So, we were like, okay, how do we make it feel like a modern day Crazy In Love and not sound like a modern day Crazy In Love? Because I remember that record, I don’t know if you remember when it came out, or what you were doing at the time, but I was 13. And that was like, the time where I was like, “Oh, my God, I want to be her when I grow up.” It was when you could still buy CDs. So, my dad took me to go and buy her album Dangerously in Love. And I mean, and that whole time, that whole movement, I just remember thinking like, “Damn, she’s a mother frickin’ star.” So, yeah, I was so excited when we came up with that concept and that idea and that inspiration for the song. 

What was that process like going through and saying this is why this should be here, this is what this lyric means, if you can go a little deeper into it? 

KD: Yeah. Well, I mean it’s funny because we’re both very headstrong people. So, in the beginning, there was a lot of back and forth. There was a lot of, well, I see myself this way. And he was like, “Okay. Well, what do you think of this?” And so I was like, “Okay. Approach this differently, Kristinia.” I had to have little pep talks with myself because I was trying to not get in my own way because sometimes I have that tendency. So, I was like, all right. Let me see where he’s coming from. And I was like, “I’m thinking more like Beyonce.” And he was like, “Crazy In Love.” And I was like, “Oh, my God. We’re on the same page.” I was like, “Cool. Now we’re on the same page.” But there was a little bit of back and forth, and we finally got on the same page. 

And then from there, I mean, the rest of the EP, it just was like smooth sailing. So, we definitely were excited. We decided this time around, instead of — What we normally do is we write the song and record, like in the same day. But we decided this time around, we were going to write all of the songs first and then record them. So, we wrote all of the songs, and then we started to record. But it was definitely hard because normally, we’re so excited we just want to record it already. But taking this different approach, I actually liked it because I felt not rushed. And I felt like I was able to give more energy to the song because I wasn’t so tired from writing it. Because you kind of don’t have as much energy after you’ve written a song. Like, you’re excited so you have that energy to build off of, but you’re kind of already getting tired because you’ve been singing already for an hour or so. 

So, this time around, going into the studio with eight hours of sleep and my tea, and everything is done already. I’m like this is great. So, I definitely felt like I was able to push myself more. And I’m really grateful because he’s an amazing vocal producer. And so he was able to get and push some vocals out of me that I was a little hesitant about because I hadn’t sang in so long. So, I was like, “Man, am I going to be able to hit those notes?” He’s like, “You can do it. You can do it.” I was like, “All right.” So, yeah, it was definitely a different approach but I enjoyed it.

Kristina DeBarge posing on a rooftop.

Would you be able to tell us about what we’ll get in June, and then further on down the line? It feels as if this is going to be a complete summer release. Yeah?

KD: Yes, yes, it’s definitely going to be a summer release. So, I can’t give you too much about it, but I will say this, I will tell you this, I will tell you that there are two records after that, that are absolutely bonafide smashes. I love them. One is a mid-tempo and the other one is a — I guess it’s also a mid-tempo, but it has the feeling of an up. And so it depends because we might choose between one of these songs to go second, but it’s a really hard — it’s a hard decision because they’re both really good, but they’re completely different vibes. So, one is like a more sexy song where it’s like, oh, she’s talking about some shit. And then the other one is more like, woman empowerment, woman anthem, like all the girls are definitely going to be singing it, that type of feel. 

So, I don’t know, it’s a tough one. It’s a really tough one. But I am excited to share it with you guys. I mean, I kind of already a little bit shared some of it with the fans on Instagram. I did it like, maybe, I don’t know, three or four months ago, I showed like a little snippet of what the second single could potentially be. And people were really excited. So, yeah, it’s a toughy. But if they do go with the more sexy one, I’m just going to say this, it’s definitely very revealing. And if we do — Well, not if. When we do the video, I’m assuming it’s going to be on another level. 

So, I know that you can’t tell us any more than what you’ve given, which is a lot already, and we thank you for that. Can you tell us how many songs, in general, we’re going to get on that? 

KD: Yes. So, I have actually one more song to record. We’re shooting for eight, but it could be seven. But we’re shooting for eight. Because eight is my lucky number. It’s the day that I was born March 8th, and it’s also infinity. So, I am a big person of belief and alignments and destiny and speaking things into existence and energy and all that kind of stuff. So, I feel like eight is my lucky number. 

What was one, the most fun experience you had in the studio? And two, what is something that you learned maybe at a younger age, or maybe not that long ago that you carried with you into the studio every time you go now? 

KD: That is a great question. So, I think one of my most fond memories is when I first really got the chance to start working with my fiance, Adonis. We were supposed to work together when I was 19, but we never had the chance to, which is so funny because he actually was one of the Songwriters on Goodbye, my single. And I did not even — What’s crazy is I did not even know that until I was 24. 

RESPECT: That’s incredible.

KD: Yeah, I thought that it was the pentagon, three other songwriters on the song. And so when he told me he was like, “You know, I also wrote on that song, right?” I was like, “What? Are you kidding me?” I was like, why are we just now working together?” Like better late than never. I was like, okay, cool.

RESPECT: Fair enough. 

Kristinia: Right. So, we started working together when I was 24. And working with him, it’s a real treat for somebody who also is a singer. For any singers listening, he’s really amazing. I mean, he’s vocal produced for Mariah Carey, he’s vocal produced Jamie Foxx, he’s vocal produced Brandy. You know, some of the greatest vocalists that are out there. And there’s definitely a reason, for sure, and he knows how to give you confidence in the studio, how to boost that and he knows how to bring out the sweetness in your voice. And like, he can hear which notes you sound the best at. And he really accentuates on that. And he writes songs more and those keys for you. And he really does his homework, like when he is working with an artist, he takes his time and he figures out what works for you. Which I think is just so great because we don’t always get that. 

I’d like to have that foundation, a percentage of the proceeds going back into the arts departments of schools. Because a lot of schools lack teachers and instruments and you know, just tools in general for an outlet for their creative arts.

We know that with you being a part of music royalty with your family, right, we just lost somebody huge in the hip hop/R&B, and I really want to look at a community with DMX. And I was wondering if you just could kind of speak — I don’t know if you’ve had any interaction with him ever before. But if you could kind of speak to just like what his music kind of meant to you from what you could see through other people and, just the passing of him overall. 

KD: Yeah, of course. Well, first I want to just say condolences to his family and to his loved ones and the people who are close to him. You know, definitely gone too soon. What a great talent. I never got the pleasure of meeting DMX. But I definitely, growing up, knew who he was, I grew up to his music. I was a big fan. And this travesty has definitely been a shock, and a surprise. I was just talking about him, that’s so crazy maybe six months ago, with my fiance and I was just telling him I was like, man, I was like, what’s he up to? What is he doing? And I was like, man, I really want to hear something from him again. I was like, I feel like, if he came out with something like, people would be down to support him again, you know, I was like, even after all these years. But there’s a lot of different demons that a lot of people are facing, and everybody has them. We all have them, even me. 

So, I just am definitely sad and I feel definitely — it’s still hasn’t even hit me. I feel like he’s still here. I’m like, wait, no, this can’t be he was still so young. You know, he was 50. Right? [crosstalk] Yeah, he’s just so young. And also too like, when I found out that he was 50. I was like, mmm, that’s crazy. Who else was 50 when they passed? Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and I’m sure lots more people. So, it was just kind of, like weird. I was like, “Oh my gosh, this is kind of scary. But I definitely think that, if anything, it’s just showed me that life is short, and that we can’t take anything for granted, and we can’t take any day for granted. And we literally have to live every day to the fullest. You know, even the days where we’re not having a good day, always make sure that you say I love you to your loved ones, always make sure that you never going to bed angry, or that you always are on good terms with people that you love in your life, because you just never know, you never know. 

And I think that, in that moment, when I had first found out, I was just like, thinking that, wow, life is really short, and tomorrow is not promised. So, I think I’m going to reach out to my family. So, it kind of like inspired me to want to reach out to some of the people in my family that I haven’t spoken to in a long time, and just tell them, I love them, and that I hope they’re doing well, and send them some love, send them some light, and let them know there’s someone in their corner. We don’t know what he was going through, and we don’t know what his circumstances were at that time, but I just pray that his music and his legacy will continue to live on in a positive way. 

Can you tell us about Krissy D. Cosmetics because I would love to know what you have in store for all your fans or for all the women that are out there looking for new solutions for themselves?

KD: Yes, of course, I would love to! So, I’m so glad you brought it up because I actually am in my bathroom, I’m in my little vanity area. And I have all of my cosmetic stuff right here. So, Krissy D Cosmetics was actually something that I wanted to do years ago, but I was kind of just waiting for the perfect opportunity to partner with somebody because I didn’t know anything about makeup. I was like completely clueless as to even how to start a makeup brand. And then what’s crazy is when I decided to move to Vegas, I just spent that time really educating myself and I started reading a lot of business books and I started following a lot of different beauty entrepreneurs that are in the beauty world that aren’t per se, you know, the Ultas and Sephoras but they still have big brands and big presences online and it was very inspiring. 

So, I just kind of dove headfirst and was like all right, I’m going to try and figure this out on my own. So, I started buying a ton of samples. I started the company and I started going on my Lives and like playing with swatches and playing with like different eyeshadow colors and like getting my fans opinions and asking them do you guys like this color? And should I get lashes and would you guys buy this if put this out and all kinds of different stuff? And from there I decided to start with the palette.

Kristina DeBarge with her “World Tour” palette for Krissy D. Cosmetics.

So, where do you see yourself in five years? 

KD: So, I definitely do see myself bona fide global superstar, for sure. I do see myself getting back into acting. I’m probably going to actually meet with some agents when I go to LA next week. So, I’m excited for that. I do feel like I’ll be doing a lot of movies, and film, and TV. I’ll definitely be back in that world again. I want to come out with more books. I have a children’s book that I put out years ago, but I want to put out a new children’s book. And I want it to be more animated. And I’m hoping that by that time, there’ll be some cool features like video children’s books where it’s more virtual, I guess. Yeah, I kind of wanna do something cool and futuristic. But yeah, I wrote a children’s book many years ago, and it was about bullying. So, I think I definitely want to have like more — like a series of children’s books that I can put out. And I see myself reading them, going to elementary schools reading them. I have a dream of having a foundation. And I want to name it the Purple Piano Foundation because I’ve always dreamed of having a grand purple piano in my house. So, I’d like to have that foundation, a percentage of the proceeds going back into the arts departments of schools. Because a lot of schools lack teachers and instruments and you know, just tools in general for an outlet for their creative arts. So, I’d love to fund that any way that I can with these children’s books. I’m really excited about it. 

The final question I have is, do you have any advice for somebody who’s looking up to you, or looking to say, man, I would love to be in the space that Krissy’s in one day. Do you have any piece of advice for them? 

KD: Yes, of course. I would say what my dad told me. So, my dad always told me that, you know, work hard. If there’s something that you really want, don’t expect for it to just happen, work hard, work for it. If this is something that you want to pursue, and you see yourself becoming an entertainer, whether that’s an actor, whether that’s a producer, whether that’s an artist, whether that’s a performer in Broadway, whatever it is that you’re passionate about. Even if it has nothing to do with music, just work hard at it. Don’t expect it to just happen. And if there are opportunities that present themselves, sometimes, you may not know it, but there are blessings through people that may not be for you to be your friend or somebody that you should be close to, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have blessings for you. 

So, sometimes God uses people to give you your dreams. So, be more open-minded when you’re out in the world. Be open to tons of different opportunities. Try a lot of different things because you’re going to mess up, so don’t expect to be perfect. You’re going to make mistakes and be okay with that. That’s a part of growing. That’s how you grow. That’s how you learn, you know? So, my advice would be just to, don’t give up. Don’t give up, work hard, and know that it’s not going to take the first try. You know? I think — I can’t remember what chocolate company it was, maybe it was Nestle or something like that, but I think it took him like a thousand and one tries until he finally got the formula, right? So, hey, if he can sit there and be like, “Oh, no, it’s going to get right. I’m going to try another time.” After a thousand times, then I think we can all say that we can try a thousand times too. So, that’s the best advice that I can give you.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0RErjqCpWumfQCmgNYcuZw?si=hBpe7kYMRu63tg2aSYUsvA

RESPECT The Hustle: Corey Arvinger & Justin Phillips on co-founding Support Black Colleges and business in quarantine

Alternative Road Podcast: Blakk Soul Talks ‘Take Your Time’ Album, Working with Dr. Dre & more!

The post RESPECT The Hustle: Kristinia DeBarge on new single ‘Bet’, Quarantine Life, & What’s Next for Her Career appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

PUMA has teamed up again with community-powered streetwear brand The Hundreds for a new line of footwear, apparel, and accessories designed with sustainability in mind.

The collegiate-inspired PUMA x The Hundreds collection aims to increase awareness around our environmental impact and make us more conscious about the way we dress. Sustainable materials used throughout the collection include recycled rubbers, organic cotton, chrome-free leathers, and recycled meshes for uppers, lining, and sock liners.

Standout pieces from the collection include the PUMA x The Hundreds Performer Sneaker featuring bold colors and recycled materials, the color-blocked Future Rider made from 80% eco-friendly materials, the Chore Jacket which comes in both black and tan along with the Chino Pants to match, and the Reversible Shorts which offers the chance for customization with a different print on each side. Accessories include the PUMA x The Hundreds Convertible Bag which transforms from a shopper into a cross body and a super lightweight packable PUMA x The Hundreds Cap.

Retailing for $40 – $150, the PUMA x The Hundreds collection will be available on thehundreds.com, PUMA.com, and select retailers starting Saturday, September 26.

Lonzo Ball Signs with Klutch Sports, leaving Jay Z’s Roc Nation

The post PUMA x The Hundreds Team Up For Another Collection appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The PUMA x KidSuper Studios collection mixes love, passion, and team chemistry that create the beautiful sport of football to the uniqueness, innovativeness and energy of the art world. The collection draws inspiration from PUMA’s football heritage and KidSuper founder and designer, Colm Dillane’s past as a player – working to combine the energy and unbridled passion from the pitch, with the creativity and innovation of modern art.

Retailing for $40-$200, the unisex collection consists of apparel, footwear, and accessories that features retro tailoring, bold prints, vivid color combinations, and “KidSuper Studios” signature doodle aesthetics. Key footwear styles include bold iterations of the Style Rider, Nitefox, and Oslo City, among others. Additional items from the collection include, tailored jacket and pants and a football jersey, available in a brightly colored striped version and a black striped version.

As part of this collection, KidSuper Studios in partnership with PUMA created a limited animated series called “SCRAM.” Featuring Usain Bolt, Héctor Bellerín, Jessie Reyez and more. The seven-episode series tells the story of three New York City kids in their adventures through the city. Their lives change when they explore a secret laboratory below their neighborhood bodega, the kids are unknowingly exposed to superpowers, which they will need to figure out how to use.

PUMA x KidSuper Studios collection will be available on PUMA.com, the PUMA NYC Store and select retailers on Thursday, September 17.

Five-Star Hooper Makur Maker Commits to Howard University

The post PUMA and Creative Artist Collective KidSuper Studios Partner on Unisex Collection appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Many future scholars and prominent members of society such as W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, and others, all attended or taught at HBCUs as they were unable to attend PWIs, otherwise known as predominantly white institutions while dealing with the segregation of their time. Yet as society progressed, others like Oprah Winfrey, Thurgood Marshall, Langston Hughes, Alice Walker, Medgar Evers, Katherine Johnson, Kamala Harris, and more, have been able to find themselves, the pathway to their careers, build stable networks, and jumpstart their businesses thanks to the lessons they learned at these institutions.

Over the last 10+ years, HBCUs have produced many more famous alumni and have grown in popularity online, but, they have also faced a cornucopia of challenges. From lower enrollment numbers, deteriorating residence halls, athletics being cut, to inadequate or misplaced funding, and some, unfortunately, have had to close their doors altogether.

Corey Arvinger & Justin Phllips by Tim Carver

However, 2020 has come to be quite the saving grace. We’ve seen numerous campaigns and movements that have been pushing for more support for Black businesses and communities. Additionally, that same support has reverberated into the case for why HBCUs remain so important and has spawned its own, similar, movement. Athletes have taken it upon themselves to insert the conversation into mainstream media by publicly speaking about HBCUs, committing to play there, or customizing and wearing their names and colors both off and on the court. While these conversations are great starting points, more of them, and more financial support, will be needed to push them further.

Enter Corey Arvinger & Justin Phillips, who met on the campus of Howard University in 2012 and not long after formed a bond that resulted in co-founding Support Black Colleges. Their company began as a clothing line with the sole mission of uplifting, inspiring, and encouraging others to support their local black colleges. It since has grown into a national phenomenon being worn by celebrities such as Chris Paul, Teyana Taylor, Da Brat, Missy Elliot, and more. The duo even appeared on NBA on TNT Tuesday, at the request of WNBA superstar Candace Parker, to discuss building more awareness and garnering support for HBCUs. Since SBCs inception, they’ve been able to give thousands in donations to HBCUs as well as employ many college ambassadors.

Recently, I spoke with them in an exclusive interview for “The Alternative Road Podcast”  about how rigorous the year 2020 has been, what sparked the idea of SBC, how they’re supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and what plans they have in the future for their business.

This interview has been condensed and edited. You can listen, in totality, via the podcast link below.

Chris Paul wearing North Carolina A&T Air Jordans. Photo Credit: Support Black Colleges

How has quarantine been for you individually?

Corey Arvinger: For me, it’s been cool, I’ve been chilling. At first, at the beginning of quarantine, I’d do a little painting and stuff, and that kind of went out the door pretty fast. But me and Justin have been growing the business and we’re being super creative. It’s brought us a lot closer to our staff and really understanding what’s going on with our business.

Justin Phillips: Yeah, for me I’ve been on the same. Before quarantine, I really didn’t do too much anyway so it gave me an excuse to be myself even more. I’ve been relaxing in the house and just working. I’m the type of guy who will get on YouTube all day or read all day so quarantine has made it a lot easier to continue to do what I was doing already.

How has quarantine impacted SBC’s business so far?:

CA: For me, I think it’s been one of the best things that can happen, honestly. We’re doing less events which is kind of a bummer but it gives us more time to sit in the warehouse and go through our processes of how things work. On top of the quarantine, with the George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter stuff going on, people are now buying Black and supporting Black so we’re already doing what we were doing beforehand and now it’s helpful to us because people want to support Black businesses. So us, being a small Black business, our business has grown. We’ve been able to bring in more staff and hire more individuals. It’s been great time for us. Unfortunately, this is how it had to happen but we’re grateful that we were able to move forward in this time and not move back or lose out on anything.

Clearly it changed my life because how I make my living is based off my experience at Howard University.

JP: Yeah, at first in the beginning of the quarantine I was kind of worried. I remember the days before everything kind of started off and I remember thinking, are we going to lose sales with people spending their money differently? It was a little tricky but I realize that people…A few days before all of it really hashed out I was worried that we weren’t going to make a lot of money because I thought that a lot of people would be holding onto their money rather than spending it. Turns out that folks got their stimulus [check] and the little money they did have they were being more cognizant of where they were spending it. So they were only spending it with Black businesses. So going from what I thought wasn’t going to happen we ending up making too much and tripling, quadrupling, the business in the first month of quarantine which was very interesting.

What made you decide Howard for college and what in that experience changed your lives for the better?

CA: My mom went to Howard and even though she went, it wasn’t necessarily something I was thinking about all the time. I didn’t know where I was going. My initial schools I wanted to go to were Duke, [North] Carolina, or [North Carolina] A&T. When I was visiting those places I just didn’t feel like it was home. When I got to Howard [University] it felt like home immediately. It was one of things were, I thought, okay I’m out of state so it wouldn’t be cheap but…I had to leave school. I had to leave for a year and was doing this crowdsourcing / GoFundMe thing that I raised $3200 and ended being on BET on TV and it was this really big thing. That experience, the struggle, and success taught me how to be a go-getter and not take no for answer and I think that the HBCU experience, specifically at Howard, really got me to be a dog when it comes to business and getting to the money and the hustle mentality. I think that’s something that you can’t get anywhere else. I definitely think that played a huge role into who I am today, and obviously, starting the business next since it’s an HBCU business. Clearly, it changed my life because how I make my living is based off my experience at Howard University.

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JP: I was the first one to go to college in my family at all and I didn’t know too much in general. Before I got on campus I couldn’t tell you like about a fraternity, or I didn’t know that the bands were like a big deal…I knew nothing at all. I actually chose Howard because I got accepted to Baylor, University of North Texas, and Howard, those are the only 3 schools I applied to and I got into all 3. There was a program at Baylor where you stayed on campus for a week and they had us doing some type of wild rocket science and it was just too hard and I said there is a 0% chance I’ll be going here at all. So, that was ruled out. Then University of North Texas I was still debating and I ended up going to get a haircut and my barber, I was telling him I’m either going to Howard or the University of North Texas. He was like, go out of state. You’ve been in Texas your whole life, choose Howard. I don’t know if he knew anything about if it was an HBCU or anything of the nature at all but I just ended up taking his advice and going and that’s really all it was. But as far as it making me who I am or changing anything for the better, I always say that like it just made me more of who I am because coming into college or school in general I was always mindful of myself. I was always that guy who was going to say what I thought and be who I am, and I don’t really care too much what other people think, I’m just being myself. So when I got to a place where there were a bunch of people who look like me I was surrounded by love, you know just black folks in general, I just became more of who I was already. That’s really all the HBCU experience did for me. But you learn so much stuff like business, how to finesse, you learn how to value yourself and who you are, and your history just different things like that. The biggest thing I probably took from it was to continue to be yourself and that’s really all it was.

Howard has been in the news recently for basketball prospect Makur Makur deciding to attend there this fall. How do you guys feel about him attending Howard?

JP: I think it’s pretty cool. It’s one of those things where it was needed to be brought up in conversation. So essentially, the choice that he made was hey, I’m a leader and I’m willing to become a legend. That’s essentially what his choice was. It opened the flood gates and doors for Black kids all over the world to say oh wow this top prospect went to an HBCU. We don’t know if he’s going to pan out or go to the league or anything like that but it’s definitely a possibility since his brothers, or I think 1 or 2 of his family members are in the league already. It just gives hope in general. So now Black kids all over are saying hey I’m a top prospect I don’t need to go to a Duke or North Carolina or a PWI in general. I can go to a school where the people look like me, they support me, and I can go to the league too…I think all of his choices were solidifying him as that pioneer that’s willing to make a change and open the gates for anyone else behind him who’s brave enough to follow in his footsteps.

CA: I’ll talk more form a Howard perspective and less from an everybody perspective. Howard games already be lit and we don’t even be that good sometimes. So to have a player like that?! It’s gonna be super lit! The games already be crazy so I think it’ll give him that fan fare and that true Howard identity that we’re known for it’s going to bring like a lot of people to the Burr [Gynamisum].

Makur Maker Commits to Howard University

What does global outreach look like for SBC?

CA: To me, it depends on a bunch of different things but it comes down to our focus and what you want to do. I think it would be cool to see an HBCU in a different country, that would be awesome. Based off of the merits of the brand we built, and another country saying I think we need one of these over here. That history and culture in a different country and maybe providing programs so that if someone is studying abroad or overseas in that respective country they can get that same HBCU experience. That’s just a random thing that I just thought of that would be super cool. When you talk about outreach on a global level how much more global can you get than a school that fits your direct business and brand in another country?

JP: For me, I always think about, when you talk about the global expansion that it’s more about building the brand as big as possible. Whenever we talk about where we’re trying to take things or how can we be the Black Nike or how can we make as much money as possible to donate it back to a Howard, or A&T, or any type of school so we can fund the programs. At the end of the day, these kids don’t want to go to these schools if they think they can become a better basketball player or student somewhere else. So how can we make as much money as possible to get our students, that look like us, to come to our schools and feel like they’re not losing anything? So our goal, in my eyes, is to make the brand as big as possible so finding big talent, starting our own AAU team, to make sure that kids are seeing Black owners and Black-owned businesses from 5-6 years old all the way until they need to make their college decision because that’s how these Adidas and Nike guys are doing it.

What were some of the early challenges you had with SBC and putting it together?

CA: Ahh, it’s so many challenges ha! Building a brand and growing it from scratch is a challenge itself. For me, early on it was finding the funds to make the stuff you want to make, even for like, samples. You kind of don’t know how that process works so you’re spending a lot of money kind of early. That was my first thing, have the funds and figuring out the right way to put everything together

JP: I’m trying to think because you know whenever people ask me this I feel really blessed because there’s never been a time where we didn’t have enough money to do something or we were super stressed out. We haven’t taken on any venture capital or raised any money or anything like that. We literally started this from our own pockets and grew it, literally bootstrapped it from nothing to something so, like Corey said, I think the biggest problem is literally learning the business day-by-day because it’s so many things you have to learn every single day when you go from not having any staff to having 20 – 25 staff members. You don’t know what that looks like until you are actually practicing it. Everything that is a part of a business is a struggle but you learn it quickly and you keep going.

Corey, can you tell us about that time that you had to leave Howard and how that contributed to who you are today?

CA: I loved Howard. Justin was the most popular kid on campus, I was probably like top 10 popular kid on campus like I knew everybody, I was president of the school of business freshman class. So, it was one of those things where, you know, I was playing basketball with my friends every day, all of that was taken away from me like randomly. On a random day, I couldn’t swipe my card to get into the cafeteria and I was staying in a bunch of friend’s rooms and sneaking into dorms to have places to stay. I didn’t want to leave the world that we call Howard. So, once I had to, I went back home I was working, and my first job was working at another college, High Point North Carolina, and I didn’t know anything about High Point. It got voted as one of the top 10 nicest campuses in all of the world. It’s like a country club there, a bunch fo rich white kids go there. I was a yard worker and I cut grass and stuff and had to go from there, you know? The most popular kid on campus to making 60,000, to like all the girls like you, and all that random stuff to like cutting someone’s grass and no one notices you is like. It’s a real humbling experience. For me, I knew I never wanted to be in that situation again where my has to define what I can do with my life or in life and so I always told myself after that I’m going to go hard in whatever I got going on and I’m not going to take no for an answer and I’ve been living like that ever since.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEcco7VFR2c/

Corey, overviewing the list of people you’ve worked with before, what’s something you took away from your experience with them? I see you’ve worked with Sean Parker in the past, what’s something you’ve seen from either working with him or someone else that you’ve internalized for yourself and the business?

CA: You know, Sean Parker man I had a really interesting experience with him. One of the craziest things about him is the way he thinks of things. He thinks of things on a much bigger level than the average person. So, we were in LA for a team retreat type of thing and we were at this dinner where he like basically bought out the restaurant, it was no one else there but us, and it was like 30 staff members. We were brainstorming some new concepts for this app and this one guy, who I considered one of the best UX guys he has, super smart guy, they were talking about ideas. So him and Sean are going back and forth about the ideas and Sean kept saying go bigger, go bigger! Like go bigger, and the dude kept going bigger with the ideas and I’m like yo that’s a good idea but Sean was like no go bigger, go bigger! And it was crazy because in my head I’m like, ain’t no way he can go bigger than that and so randomly, out of nowhere, Sean slaps the guy and was like go bigger and slaps him and the guy thought of something bigger. When it came out everybody starting clapping or whatever and it was really weird. I just say that to say like somebody like Sean is a billionaire because he thinks of things on the next level so there’s nothing too big for him in his head so I took some of that, some of that mentality and was like there’s nothing we can’t do. So when things happen to us I’m never surprised I’m always like okay cool what’s next? Nothing surprises me anymore because we are able to do anything that we want to do.

Justin I’d like to ask you the same question seeing as you’ve worked with people like Tyler Perry. What is something you’ve taken from someone an internalized for you and has helped build your skillset and the business?

JP: The biggest thing I think I’ve learned with working for other people is that you kind of have to get what you can out of it while you’re there. And I don’t mean that in a negative way. I mean it more so in a way like, if you’re doing sales at a place you need to educate yourself as best as you can in sales. You need to go to your company and say hey do you guys provide any type of courses or learning or training or anything like that? The biggest, the best way I learned to benefit from other people is like learning as much as possible while I was there. Like taking training or things of that nature, but, on the flip side the other thing that I’ve learned from working for other people because I’ve only ever really worked for two people…One, I worked at shoe carnival while I was 16. Then when I graduated from college I went back to Houston for this Amazon-based business that sold like scales and different homes and stuff like that. I just realized that, and even working with Tyler as well that, they’re great people but it just clicked for me that I’m not meant to be working for others and I’m not built that way. I’m just not happy when I’m doing it so, it kind of always put that bug in my ear that bro, you’re meant for something greater and something that will service a lot of people. Doing it yourself and building something for yourself and building it super big so that you can provide all types of opportunities for others and do it in the way that you want to because any time I’ve ever worked for someone aside from Tyler, it was cool working with them but, I just wasn’t happy so I just wanted to be able to provide a different experience off the merit of building a business myself.

Scholarship, Community Service, Mentorship, and Mental Health. Why did these become establishing bodies/pillars of the business?

CA: I can speak to two of them, I can speak on Scholarship and Mental Health. Scholarship, because that directly affects us. Me, myself, I didn’t have money to go to school. So, building a business I wanted to make sure people were eligible and didn’t have to lose out on that opportunity you know because everybody wouldn’t be able to get back like me. Everybody don’t have the hustle, or the grind, or the know-how, or the resources to do so. That was a pretty easy pillar. You know, mental health, my sister, one of our staff members, even Nasha she has family that like, deal with mental health daily and I think that’s super important. Even Justin said he was dealing with depression. Mental health is so important right now and we live in a society where everybody just like sees everyone else doing things and they think they’re great. You know it’s easy to feel like you’re not where you’re supposed to be at in life or doing what you’re supposed to do. So, I think that’s just so important so that we help those people to know that you are important and you are valuable. What you’re doing is right, and that’s all a part of that unity and that family atmosphere that HBCUs offer to you so we want to do the same as a company.

When I got to a place where there were a bunch of people who look like me, I was surrounded by love, you know just black folks in general, I just became more of who I was already. That’s really all the HBCU experience did for me.

JP: I’ll speak to the mentorship piece because, same thing kind of Corey’s talking about with scholarships, I got 0 scholarship money at all. Luckily, I was raised by the world’s most perfect woman in general. Like, my mom worked day and night to pay for me to go to school. Like she was a real estate broker during the day and she would do bottle service at night and she was just raking in cash for me to go to school. I was blessed there but as far as mentorship, you know it’s always interesting to me because, especially being young, young guys. I just turned 26 yesterday and it was always kind of annoying to me that I couldn’t easily find somebody that looks like me, that was doing something that I wanted to do? And if I did find it, it would be on the internet, and I wasn’t sure that it was real or anything like that. I didn’t have any tangible people that touched base. Like, hey I know this guy is doing something that I want to do, let me follow this guy’s footsteps. That’s really important for us because I felt like I didn’t have that at all. So, for me, I even do that with my friends now from like back home. Like hey, this is what we’re doing we’re doing really good, you can follow the blueprint and do it exactly how I did it and you have me all the way through to ask me about any questions that you need because I didn’t have that…As far as mental health, like Corey said, I struggled a little bit with that after college. I started to learn through reading, and watching videos, and things of that nature, and you know I have a really good perspective with time. There’s a lot of people, they look at what everybody else is doing and they just don’t realize that everybody has their own journey. And time, we have so much time like I’m 26. I can do nothing for the next 24 years and still be 50 and still have 50 years left of life to live and I can start at 50 and still be as fruitful as a businessman as I was at 26. But people don’t have that perspective of time so. Yeah, bro, those are just super important to us.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCSFY7jA4CK/

When you came up with Support Black Lives, when did this begin and where do you want to take it overall? Was this something that began due to the reactions of police brutality?

CA: It started overall when the George Floyd thing happened and you know from us, our company is about Black colleges but Black colleges are about the culture. We’re African Americans, so me and Justin talked about it like how can we give to this cause? How can we help out? So we thought, we’ll do what we do best, and that’s make clothes. So we decided to change our logo and come up with a shirt we can donate all the proceeds to different companies, and organizations, that we know are on the front lines and supporting the people who have been affected, and who maybe got locked up protesting the police and things like that. That was our direct way we felt like we could help and there’s plenty of other ways we can help and continue to help. But, I think that the Support Black Lives shirt is something people can have and they can literally wear those shirts for forever and also have a piece of us and a piece of the cause with them.

JP: Yeah I agree, those ideas for that shirt didn’t come until after all this stuff happened but I think that it just tested our ability to adapt. You know, to being in the culture, especially Black culture, it’s always a lot of moving parts and a lot of different things that are coming up and that are trending this way but this is something that’s obviously way more serious. So we wanted to be able to use our voice and our platform to give back. Once all this stuff started happening we figured that you know, we’ll do something and this is what we came up with. That will raise a lot of money and that we’re going to donate back to all these causes too. I think it’s something we’ll keep around for a long time and we’ll donate a portion of the proceeds to causes that we support, but it’s kind of cool that we can say we’re just a clothing brand but we’re able to match these big celebrities or public figures and things of that nature that give just as much money as they would and we’re just two kids with a clothing brand.

If we look into 2030, what does Support Black Colleges look like then?

JP: I think we’ll both have different answers for this because we think a lot differently but 10 years from now one of my big goals is to make everything Black-owned from start to finish. You know, we hire a bunch of black kids and a bunch of black men and women who went to HBCUs and things of that nature but I want to be creating from start to finish all owned by us all black hands involved all the way until the package is derived to the customer. That comes with owning our own acreage and different machinery where we’re cutting these fabrics our selves and bulldog everything ourselves form the group up and also I think 10 years from now, I want to say a billion-dollar business honestly because I think we have the potential to get a lot of different talent behind us like a LeBron James, an Oprah, and things of that nature and finding different talent of caliber to really get behind the business and is supporting g our community and our causes and our culture. SO that’s what I’m seeing in the future. Black-owned from start to finish and a lot of big talent and being able to donate a lot of many to these different schools and revolutionize the programs that they have especially the sports programs to make it so kids want to, their first bet is to say I want to go to an HBCU and I’m getting the same experience whether I go to Duke or Howard. They got the same facilities, they got the same coaches, and I’m going here because these people look like em and I think we’ll be able to change that narrative. So if I had to say 10 years from now I would say billion-dollar business, everything owned by us from start to finish, and being able to give billions of dollars to different programs to build them up to make these kids want to go to our schools off the rip.

CA: I agree with everything he said. I feel like every day I have a new thought of what 10 years will look like form now because it’s so hard to tell. Me and Justin both said we think we’re operating on less than 10% of our potential. We do no wholesale we do no big accounts, we’re all e-commerce and we really haven’t even scratched the surface. One thing I would say is I would like to either open, re-open, or open our own HBCU I think that would be really cool. A school like Morris Brown or a school that has closed or like Bennett college that is close to closing facilities and things like that I would love to say support black colleges is the reason why it stayed opened or re-opened because we’re literally supporting black colleges. I think that would be dope. I do see us kind of like the black Nike but as far as athletics but as far as brand recognition and I would love to sign some athletes and some actors and actresses and have them represent the brand. We are their sponsors and they’re going to events on behalf of us. I would like to create to see an HBCU summit or like forum or whatever, this really big event. This Coachella like HBCu whatever that would look like, I would love to see and take it way past clothing and make it more everyday household kind of like the big brands. That would be really cool to me.

Who are the top 5 people you want wearing SBC merchandise?

JP: I think off rip, I’m thinking Barack Obama, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Oprah, that’s four, and maybe one more, maybe LeBron…yeah that’s my top five right there.

CA: I know we got the same list essentially, I mean Michelle [Obama], Barack, Jay-Z, Beyonce, LeBron, and I’ll add like a Diddy, I’ll add..yeah that’s basically it, you got the real heavy hitters. I would even say somebody like Kanye West, Kim Kardashian I think they’ll change our business, like a Travis Scott as well.

Five-Star Hooper Makur Maker Commits to Howard University

Alternative Road Podcast: Blakk Soul Talks ‘Take Your Time’ Album, Working with Dr. Dre & more!

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Lonzo Ball wants to “lead his career” with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports

Just a few months ago, the Ball brother trio of Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball, and LaMelo Ball, all signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports for management and representation. While it could be speculated whether the trio would eventually sign with PUMA Hoops due to Jay Z’s title as Creative Director for the sportswear brand, Lonzo, the eldest, has decided to choose a different path with the announcement he will ultimately sign with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports per ESPN’s Malika Andrews.

Lonzo Ball is signing with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, per @malika_andrews

"I wanted to lead my career… It was the right time to make that call." pic.twitter.com/eNdAaAoDgq

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 14, 2020

“I wanted to lead my career,” Ball stated. “Picking my own representation — just solely as my decision — was step one in that process. For me, it was an easy call, and it was the right time to make that call.” Ball has had several different representatives since his professional career began in 2017. He previously was represented by family friend Harrison Gaines, before moving on to CAA, Creative Artists Agency, followed by Roc Nation Sports.

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Expectations for Ball were certainly high being the #2 overall pick for his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. They were prompted even higher thanks to his father, Lavar Ball, stating Lonzo was “better than Steph Curry” and deciding to not take any endorsement or sponsorship meetings and instead wearing his family’s ‘Big Baller Brand’ sneakers.

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Hopefully the 2020 – 2021 NBA season will be Ball’s best as he has recently begun to workout in preparation for it and has his eyes set on not just the playoffs, but, an award his teammate Brandon Ingram collected this year. “Once we get in the playoffs, we take it one game at a time,” Ball said. “For myself, I think Most Improved Player is definitely something I can get next year.”

Five-Star Hooper Makur Maker Commits to Howard University

The post Lonzo Ball Signs with Klutch Sports, leaving Jay Z’s Roc Nation appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

As one of the most successful athletes of his generation, Neymar Jr. will wear PUMA’s legendary King football boot on the pitch. He will also be a brand ambassador off-pitch, wearing PUMA’s most important lifestyle, training, and sport-inspired footwear and apparel products.

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This news comes as a shock considering Neymar has been signed with Nike for the past 15 years and is one of, if not the, most popular sports star in the world. In speaking about the switch, Neymar stated,

“I am about to live a unique experience, a new challenge. I consider myself privileged to have had a life filled with unique experiences and wonderful challenges.

I grew up watching videos of great football legends such as Pelé, Cruyff, Eusebio and Maradona…. These were the kings of the pitch, the kings of my sport. And they had something in common—a love of the game, a drive to be the best version of themselves, and a spirit that unites all”

https://twitter.com/neymarjr/status/1304693731237347329

“New challenges, new responsibilities, I understand that. 

I wish to bring back the legacy that those athletes created on the pitch. I want to help bring back moments from each of their football histories and the magic they gave us in their classic leather boots – and through boots like those, leave behind my own legacy. They each played in PUMA, and each of them created their magic in The KING.”

Having a super star such as Neymar Jr. will certainly bolster PUMA’s roster as they recently added future NBA draft pick LaMelo Ball to their team as well. Ultimately, time will tell, but PUMA is certainly positioning themselves to be leaders in the sportswear world moving forward.

Five-Star Hooper Makur Maker Commits to Howard University

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