While writing my book A Lesson Learned I started brainstorming and thinking about different ideas for the promo including my pictures. I wasn't sure what I wanted, but I knew I didn't want them to be your regular studio pictures. I wanted them to represent me and for some reason graffiti came to mind. I'm not a painter or even in to art that much, but I can always appreciate a good graffiti painting. I researched some places in Atlanta and one spot stuck out the most which was the Krog Street Tunnel in Cabbagetown.
Cabbagetown is a very popular spot in Atlanta where the locals come to walk their dogs, go to the nearest cafe, and ride their bikes. But on any nice day you're guaranteed to see a plethora of people taking pictures in front of the numerous graffiti paintings on the wall. I drove there and was looking for something that would pop out and immediately saw the word dope and fell in love with it. Why? Well, because I'm DOPE lol.
I also wanted graffiti because of what it represented. Some people tend to frown upon graffiti because it's not your usual traditional art or doesn't follow the status quo of the art world and that kind of reminds me of myself. I follow the rules, but I tend to bend them as much as I can and go against the flow. I don't go with the flow, I believe I am the flow. That's why I decided to dress up because the graffiti mixed with my attire would represent my righteousness and wildness. I believe you need a healthy balance of both. You don't want to be a total square, but you also don't want to fall off the deep end. If you're able to indulge in the gossip blogs and sing the latest rap songs plus have a intelligent conversation about the current political news and read a few books a month you're pretty cool. So for the Generation X and the Baby Boomers reading this and notice my grills in the last picture - relax, it's just for fun. Millennials will understand. They come right out! lol. Plus I'm from Maryland, lived in North Carolina for 4 years and been in Atlanta for 8. My style is city slick slowed down southern style.
Blazer - ASOS
Pants - Express
Shirt - ASOS
Suspenders - H&M
Fedora Hat - Nordstrom
Tie - ZARA ( I actually turned a regular tie into a bow tie, YouTube is amazing!)