Episode 11
The Rise of Dapper Clothing: A Journey into Boutique Streetwear with Chris Ryan aka C-Smooth
Welcome to the Thorn City Syndicate Spotlight Show! In this episode, we shine a light on Dapper Clothing Company, a boutique streetwear brand founded by Chris Ryan aka C-Smooth in 2019. Dapper Clothing is dedicated to creating high-end fashion that seamlessly blends classic styles with modern trends, catering to both men and women. Join us as Chris shares the personal journey that led him to create a brand that exudes sophistication and elegance through meticulously curated collections.
Episode Highlights:
- Origins of Dapper Clothing: Chris Ryan discusses the founding of Dapper Clothing Company during a challenging period in his life and how he turned adversity into an opportunity to innovate fashion.
- Brand Philosophy and Craftsmanship: Insights into Dapper Clothing’s commitment to quality, with a focus on using only the finest fabrics and materials to create timeless pieces.
- Challenges and Triumphs: A deep dive into the obstacles Chris faced in the early stages of his business and how he overcame them to establish a reputable boutique streetwear brand.
- Strategic Partnerships: Explore how Chris’s partnership with Rivermark Community Credit Union has supported his brand’s growth and presence in the community.
- Future Vision: Chris shares his goals for expanding Dapper Clothing’s reach and impact, including potential collaborations and new collection launches.
Guest Connection Information:
- Chris Ryan aka C-Smooth, Dapper Clothing Company
- Website: Dapper Clothing Company
- Instagram: @dappercc
Acknowledgments to Sponsors:
Special thanks to Rivermark Community Credit Union for their continued support in making episodes like this possible. We also appreciate the team at the Rivermark Hollywood branch for their collaboration and support of local entrepreneurs like Chris Ryan.
Elevate Your Brand with Thorn City Syndicate Management:
Enhance your brand’s impact with our expert management and promotional services. Schedule your free strategy session at Thorn City Syndicate Management.
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Transcript
Dapper raw
,:SUMMARY KEYWORDS
man, people, dapper, podcast, brand, music, good, clothing, city, syndicate, stay, free strategy sessions, spotlight, started, year, hit, gmp, wanted, thorn, business
SPEAKERS
Naeem Hall
Naeem Hall:2019, that's when you started. Yeah, nice.
00:02
For sure. For sure. Yeah, it's
Naeem Hall:tight. Yes, sir. Welcome to the Thor city syndicate spotlight show, where we network and build connections through interviews and discussions. I'm your host, Thorne city podcast guy. This episode is brought to you by GMP podcast group. Make sure you visit Thorn city syndicate.com click that link at the top visit my fan page that I got now where you can leave text messages, voice messages, tips, and check out some of my perks I'm offering up there. Today, I got a special guest in the spotlight, Chris Ryan here, representing his dapper clothing brand, Chris, I appreciate you joining me today. Brother, how
00:37
you doing? Hey? Good, good. Much love, man. Appreciate you having me up here,
Naeem Hall:yeah, man, so you were born in Chicago, yeah. But you, you've been raised in Portland, yeah. How's that being so,
:
when I was born, my family is all from the south side, the Inglewood neighborhood. My mom and dad were teens, you know? And they had me, oh, okay, Oh, damn. Basically, you know, and then going to Catholic Charities, and then going to a foster home, then coming out here when I was young, you know, like, maybe one, yeah, and my mom was from, you know, out here, my doctor, Mom was from Seattle, central district, yeah, moved out here when she was, what, in like 78 okay, my dad's from Trinidad and born in St Kitts from Trinidad, though, but he came out here, I think, like 75 Yeah, so came out here, and there's been everything's everything you
Naeem Hall:ever get to go back to Chicago, Yeah,
01:40
I was actually there last year, so I reconnected with my fam out there, maybe, like, a year, year and a half.
Naeem Hall:Yeah. Is this crazy out there? As they say, it is, yes. Wow, yes. Well,
01:55
it's probably one of the best cities, though. Like, I love it. I love the food, everything. It's just dangerous, but this is dangerous, yeah? But other than that, yeah, beautiful man,
Naeem Hall:if you can get out, yeah, her downtown's real nice. Man, nice,
02:09
even like the neighborhood, it's cool neighborhoods, yeah? It's gotta kind of stay out the way, you know,
Naeem Hall:yeah, yeah. My mom, she just came back from her 50th high school reunion. She went to South Shore. She rolled through her old neighborhood, and she said, Man, she had, she went, she went, she pulled in. She said, We got to pull out. Definitely,
:
definitely, we try to move around like in the morning, super early. I'm flying, maybe five, 536 Yeah, but yeah, by the time we done moving around, it's the afternoon, you kind of got to sit back and kick back. My grandma's still right on King Drive, so it's cool. But, like I said, it's like anywhere else, yeah? Goodness, like here, yeah,
Naeem Hall:people don't know it's ugly around here too. Yeah, be guilty
03:01
by association.
Naeem Hall:Yes, crazy. I stay out the way, out the way in the mix. That's it. That's it. So what? What
inspired you to start the dapper clothing company?
03:10
Man I was actually was at:Naeem Hall 04:05
everything comes back full circle. Yeah, yep. So you think your upbringing influenced your
vision and goals for the for the brand, definitely,
04:12
definitely, definitely, in what way I think, just the locations and just the places I've been and lived over the years, just seeing different things before I started making clothes, I was, you know, be consumer clothes. So I just feel like, you know, if I could make something that people appreciate and kind of use, as, you know, as words and passion that we all can relate to. We all go out there and spend money on Gucci and Louie and all that,
:
man, I'll be making my own.
04:44
And what I try to do, I try to use, you know, the highest quality, you know, materials and fabrics and the real stuff that's gonna last, you know, and I still charge a good price. So, yeah, if y'all out there listening, hit that dapper clothing co. Hell.
Naeem Hall:So how'd you come up with the name?
05:05
Kind of just sitting back on that same style, dapper, you know, I like to be fly fresh, contribute, you know, just something out down, give the name something that people could be like, okay, because a lot of people be, you know, they think about dapper as, like, you know, suit and tie or whatever, and but the funny thing is, when I first made it, after I trademarked it, and, you know, was doing my thing, then I started hearing, you know, people, oh, dapper did. And I'm like, No, much love to him, but I'm a huge too. I'm a different ear, but he's a clothing designer clothing company. Chris Ryan's a designer, you know, different, but you know, and so yeah, just came up with the name something that I feel like will stand out as a bold and mean, something, you know, something that, yeah, appreciate and enjoy.
Naeem Hall:So were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting the business. How did you
overcome them?
06:04
I'd say, just the outlets and the avenues and trying to figure out how and where, and, you know, placements and the quantity, amounts. And you know, when I'm doing runs, you know you gotta, when I started, you have to do 25 at a time. There's boxes. I didn't threw away whole box, because it's not how I wanted. It not how you wanted. And then I went over to, you know, a lot of my sweaters and hoodies I had, you know, custom sewn. And we use the leather straight from the, you know, Oregon area, Oregon leather. Okay. Shout out to Kayla. She used to do all my sewing. She moved away, though, so she
Naeem Hall:Naeem Hall:
got out on you. She got out
:in the process of new stuff together for the winter time. But
Naeem Hall:yeah, yeah. So what was some of the initial reactions you got from those around you,
07:03
I think at first they liked it because it was something different, you know, shout out to all the, you know, people in the city that's doing clothes and stuff like that. I saw a lot of you know, different people doing their thing, and I kind of was like, Okay, I wanted a more, like boutique style, type of clothing at the same time, you know, something else, designer, something that'd be, you know, fashionable, or whatnot, you can wear in the club. That's why I threw the leather on the hoodies. Yeah, you know, get in the club with a hoodie.
Naeem Hall:You can't get in with a hoodie,
07:39
but people liked it overall,:Naeem Hall 07:56
worked out, yeah, the billboards, it's still big time advertising. So what were some of the pivotal
moments for individuals in your life that significantly affected your career path?
08:10
I'd say, you know, just just close relatives, but notably, I'd say, like my mom's on this last one, when I had to, I put a billboard up in June, and she saw it was over there in northeast, right by the motor center. And when she saw that, she came to me like, Oh, you did that. You know what I mean. And I made it a point. Usually I don't, I try to be behind the scenes. But, you know, on this one, I put myself on the front, you know what I mean, let people know, okay, you know, this is right there, yeah, just putting that up, you know, in the Northeast coming up, you know,
we never, I never seen anyone on there but blazers and, you know what I mean. So that was a good statement for me, like, Okay, let me, let me get in town, you know, yeah. So that was cool. And my and my kids seen that because I know I'd remember it, you know, yeah, me,
Naeem Hall:yeah. So you receive any support, you get support from friends,
09:15
yeah, a lot of friends and family members and people. The one thing I did try to do, I try to build my brand on, on the community and just people around, you know what I mean, and then kind of bring it back to the friends, and bring it back to the people, but kind of, you know, build a base outside of that network, yeah, but they always support me, though, with ideas and, you know, just things to relate to, and things you know, good, good information, yeah, whatever. I need someone,
Naeem Hall:any, any business mentors
09:51
along your journey. It's a couple of them. My cousin. He's a big one. Yeah, he's a big one. I. So and just a close friend. Man, really, yeah,
Naeem Hall:nice, yeah. It's always good to, you know, tap in with somebody who's been through your journey already and can save you some steps for sure, you know. So it's always, always good to have the support and mentors around man, any specific advice, advice or guidance that's been pivotal in your entrepreneurial
10:24
path. I'd say, just keep going. You know, people always tell me, keep going, man. Like you gonna go through all the you know, it's gonna be trials, tribulations, everything and just coming up, you know, in the community we come up in, you know, just the culture. It's not, you know, as much as you know back Midwest or, you know, south or whatever. So it's going to take a little bit longer getting to where you got to get to. But it's definitely, you know, people just stay, you know, say stay down to come up. Basically, yeah, it's going to happen eventually. It good days, bad days. But I feel like as long as I just keep pushing through that, you know,
Naeem Hall:
keep pushing. Always tell people the entrepreneurial business life is not for everybody. It's rough. Definitely, you're gonna be broke, for sure. People don't think you got some money. You're gonna go through. It's gonna be ups and downs. It's gonna be wins and losses. But you gotta keep pushing. Keep pushing, man, and don't give up until, before that, that blessing happened exactly, man, because then you be sick. Have to start all over. Start something new.
11:29
Start something new, and put your money into it. You know, people like to go spend all day money, but that's like, put your bread into invest into yourself. Man, you gotta invest. You gonna take losses. You gonna come up, you know, but it's all learning. Yeah, you make that master plan. It's like, okay, yeah,
Naeem Hall:11:47
get it together.
Naeem Hall:Yeah, we're gonna take our first break. Here. We get a word from our sponsor, GMP podcast group to production team. We come back discuss a little more about the journey of the dapper clothing line. You discover GMP podcast group studios located at 2406 East Burnside Street in Portland, Oregon, offering a range of podcasting packages to suit your needs, starting at just $49 per hour for your basic setup, featuring rodecaster Pro Audio console and SM 7b microphones, as well as options complete with camera operator and audio engineer expertise, elevate your podcasting with multi camera recording, plus we capture behind the scenes shots within The studio. Visit us@www.gmppodcastgroup.com and let GMP podcast studios be where your podcasting journey begins.
12:49
This in the kid lyricist exists. Don't break one eye, baby, you just might miss history getting to make it from the making of this third I guess it's Welcome back to these words so I'ma come well like Welcome back words to share.
Naeem Hall:Yes, sir. Give them a second. Okay, I can always chop it you. Yes, sir. Welcome back to the
spotlight Show. I'm your host, Thorne city podcast. Guy, got my guy, Chris Ryan in the building
spotlight Show. I'm your host, Thorne city podcast. Guy, got my guy, Chris Ryan in the building with dapper clothing. How we doing? Brother?
13:37
Man, some love. It.
Naeem Hall:Can't complain. Yes, sir. Man, yes. So this is where I talk about my spotlight show. It's the spotlight show, thorn city Syndicate, spotlight show. And what it's about is, it's all about the power of networking and former strategic alliances. And that's kind of how we got here, through some some mutual acquaintances that we formed alliances with. You know, I'm saying Yep, so that you know, that's what it's really all about. And how I got started, my best friend to help my best friend out. Man, growing up, he did music. And as he got older, he got caught in the fast life, became hooked on the pills and alcohol, and he was doing bad man, and couldn't let my bro go out like that. And so there's a lot of it was a lot of local music going around at the time and and, you know, I'm biased. I think he better than everybody, but I didn't have none of his music, and so I couldn't jump into no conversations. I couldn't play nothing. So I'm like, Man, how am I get some third twin music names, third twin. He got my third twin. I said, Man, I'm gonna pay for my own album, right? So I bought some studio time and told him, man, let's get we gonna get back in the studio. Man, for sure. And so we start recording some songs. We travel, we did some shows and and I start thinking, after recording like, Man, this, this could really help my bro, you know, get life back on track, right? So I used the music, because I know he loved music. I. I know he's in love with these pills and alcohol right now, but that's because he ain't got nothing else to live for, for sure, for sure. So we got the music going. I needed a music video. Somebody introduced me to my business partner, just stone back there. We did a music video called honesty. We entered the music video into some film festivals. We won a few awards. We got to travel to some some field festivals. Went down to Missouri and New York. And it was, it was good. It was great run. And shortly after that video, my buddy one got clean. Man, he wouldn't got clean, yeah, so now he bowed, for sure, a little over seven years clean. Now he's got a good job. He's a director of a human, Director of Healing Hurt People over at poic. He didn't bought a house. Man, he got us. He got a brand new car. He engaged to be married. So, man, I got my I got my bro back. And that's, that's what I wanted out of it all. Besides my album that I'm holding on to, we did release a we did release the EP. I got the full length album Ready, but we got a documentary in production, and so I released the documentary and the full length album all together. And so, yeah, man. And then covid hit. All the music stopped. No more shows. And my bro hit me as like, man, we should get into this podcasting. He was roommates with a guy named Tim James, the health hero. He sells off supplements. He's a health coach. His business wasn't doing good. Okay, okay, they started the podcast. Man, and his business took off. Man, off. Off of it away. He's been going. Man, so Tim James is killing it. He rebranded recently to Tim James unleashed. Um, shout out to Tim man, so that's how we got into the podcasting. I told him. We gonna get into it. Let's do it right, man, and let's get our own spot. We found this place on Burnside. It's 2406 East Burnside Street. Anybody out there looking to get into podcasting, come down, holler at us. We offer free strategy sessions and try and get you going, man. And then, so after helping everybody else with a podcast, it was only right that I started my own podcast. I've been behind the scenes all the time, not a big talker. So it's been a different, different for me, but it's been good. It's been
working. I formed some strategic alliances, like I set out to do, and it's been good, man, so I can't complain. So yeah, man, that's how we got here. So tell me about some of your core goals and visions for the dapper clothing company.
17:38
Get into more placements, you know, and just more in the community, more out there, more circulation, more to the youth, more to the, you know, older folks too, both more circulation and in the right places,
Naeem Hall:17:54
it's all about placements. I feel like, for your brand, certain things I always turn down, and I always be stubborn with, yeah? I mean, I feel like, if it's not placed in the right place, it's not going to get that type of justice, that's right, it's not going to get the love that it should, or it's going to downplay it. Yeah, you gotta be strategic. There's a lot of, you know. So it's called, kind of like Saturday markets, yeah, I turned a lot of that down, yeah, because I try to, you know, I want to hit that quality over quantity. Yeah, you know, be in that prime time location, yeah,
18:27
yeah. Keep that value up. Keep that value up.
18:32
How many brands have you seen that go to Ross or Macy's? Yeah, and it's done. It's
Naeem Hall:done after they hit there. Yeah, that's the last leg.
18:41
I'll take the long route, like
Naeem Hall:
the long route, yeah, yeah. You know David Jefferson stacking kicks,
:yeah, he's
Naeem Hall:in Loy center now too. I know he has, he has a fashion show coming up, okay, um, so that might be a good, good place to tap in somebody tap what he got at six, I think it's the sixth annual. I think it's his sixth time doing it. I know he's starting prepare and so he's been reaching out to people if they want to get involved. I can see you as contacting him and
19:17
stuff. Yeah, I'm definitely familiar with
Naeem Hall:the Yeah, I grew up with Dave. Man. We grew up in the same neighborhood. He's older than me. He's my older brother's age, but he's definitely good people, and he's hard worker. And for sure, for sure, he's been grinding. He's been on the grind. Man, yeah, I see him. I see him. So can you walk us through some of your creative process when you're creating designs?
19:38
I say it all comes with the colors, the colors, and just the emotional feeling for that season. So, like this season I want with all solid colors, and then I go into this it's a guide that basically tells you, you know, I'm saying, what the colors will be for that season, or for that year. Or, you know what, I mean? Mm, hmm. Um, so I go with those colors, and then I come up with, you know, the style and just the vision for that year. Yeah, I'm trying to do and that feeling I'm trying to bring to people.
Naeem Hall:So, so, yeah, so you said, how do you make sure it resonates with both young and mature
audiences?
20:17
That's the tough part. That's the tough part. You know what I mean? Because it's so different. But there's a mediocre in between somewhere, you know, and a lot of us just looking through different things, you know, looking through magazines or just seeing things online, you can kind
different things, you know, looking through magazines or just seeing things online, you can kind
of see the trend, though, really going on. If you see what the older, you know, kind of middle aged people are wearing, and then the younger and stuff in between that, that's definitely they working. Yeah, that baggy stuff I see, yeah, you know, it's certain things that are in the middle both people could wear.
Naeem Hall:Yeah, man, so like I was talking about earlier, we had a mutual strategic partnership that we both established with the river Mark Community Credit Union, for sure. How'd you link up with them?
21:05
yeah, like, I think that was:Naeem Hall 21:52 It definitely does.
21:53
en there since, I think, like:Naeem Hall 22:23
wiggle and do Yeah, I got to, actually got to play in the golf tournament this year. Was it was fun talking, yeah, car invited me out. Man, okay, put a team together. I have my, my OGS with me, man, and we went out there and we had a blast. Yeah, they really put on a good event. I think they raised like 90, 93,000 or something crazy. It's like, Dang Yeah. Man, so yeah, the spotlight over there. Man, yeah, I was able to pop in and check out yours. So that was just, I know you just got done with one. So that was your second one. Second one. Okay, last month, July, yeah,
:
yeah, you doing this? Yeah, I'm
Naeem Hall:doing this month. So, yeah, this is my second one. I had one back in February.
23:02
Oh yeah, I
Naeem Hall:did the month of February, and I didn't realize it was a short month, right, right, right now
thinking back on it, but
23:10
I'm gonna check you out. So yeah, they doing it
Naeem Hall:this, this month now. So, yeah, that's actually pretty tight, man, for sure, for sure. Yeah. So the latest, like, you're just talking about the latest summer collection drop. Tell me a little more about it. What are some of the highlights? The
23:26
highlights, basically, I use puffer more puffer like ink I wanted like, where you could feel the textures more like it looks, not generic, but it's so much to it that we have to do the cracks wouldn't seal, you know, different things, and it costs way more to do. But like I said, I want that quality over quantity look something that people remember. So, yeah, that was one of the highlights that I had never really, you know, did before try it and want to try it again.
Naeem Hall:You know, yeah, how do you decide on those themes and styles? Um,
24:01
trial in there, people like him. I keep going and keep throwing new stuff out there. Yeah, I thought, I
Naeem Hall:think you touched on a little bit earlier. But how do you stay updated on the fashion trends?
24:14
I try to stay in magazines, the magazines, social media, social media. I try to actually stay off of social media. Like, I'm not a big social media guy. I get on there when it's time to advertise, or, yeah, you know, put something together. But I feel like, you know, nowadays, if you look at that too much, you start emulating and having the same idea, yeah, same style, same speech. I mean, everything's the same on there, yeah, yeah. Like to innovate, you have to do it old school. You gotta do it your own way. So, yeah, because I'm not seeing everyone else's stuff, they create, yeah? So once I get online, I've already put my stuff together, you know, some pictures or whatever, and I'm seeing what everyone else is doing, yeah? But I feel like when you get to look in, even with music and different things, when you see too much or hear too much, starting you. You know, you start replicating and doing what you see.
Naeem Hall:Yeah, yeah, I kind of I gotta love hate relationship with social media. I don't like to be on there
either. You can get caught scrolling for hours.
25:12
Like I tell people, it's a good market into it. It is. You gotta use it the right way to use it, the right way
Naeem Hall:get on it and get off but it's definitely a tool you want to use. You can't you can't pass it up. No,
yeah, definitely not. So any other partnerships, community support you've been
25:30
getting. I really do everything myself, everything itself, yeah, yeah. Shout out to grapevine. That's the people I usually buy my billboards through and stuff like, Okay, make good people.
Naeem Hall:You seen those digital billboards? You ever tried?
You seen those digital billboards? You ever tried?
:They got one of those two? Yeah, they gotta. They got a bunch of because I think it's only them. And out front is the only two billboard companies that I've seen in Portland. So, good people. Good people. Man, yeah.
Naeem Hall:So you, you have any partners in the business, just all you just saw you, any, any team help
you with creating ideas, anything, everything, I feel.
26:15
That's why stuff always takes so long sometimes. Man, once I let people in, you want to do it to where I could duplicate myself and feel like it's gonna be the same level of quality, or the same level of, you know, website stuff. So everything is all me, from photography to everything you see. Yeah. So it takes me a little while, but, yeah, it comes out.
Naeem Hall:I want it. Yeah, nice. Outsource. Different thing. Outsource, yeah, yep, yep. You definitely gotta outsource it for sure, man. So we're gonna take one more break. Here. We get a message from thorn city Syndicate, the management team. We come back. We're gonna discuss more of the the multi, multifaceted role of Chris Ryan introducing Thorne city, syndicate management, your solution for brand management, social media promotions, digital content distribution and podcast production, from shaping engaging content that resonates with your audience to amplifying your brand's reach through podcasting for your partners in driving success, we offer free strategy sessions and leverage our recording studio and personalized strategies. Personalized strategies to establish an online presence your brand's journey to the top starts with Thorn city syndicate management, where innovation meets results. Contact us now at www dot thorncity syndicate.com to embark on the future path of transforming your brand's future, this
27:40
syndicate lyricist exists. Don't break one eye, baby. You just might miss history getting to make it from the making of this third I guess it's Welcome back to these words. So I'ma come well like Welcome back words to share. Yeah,
Naeem Hall:yeah, but hey, man, they say, got to go through it to get to it. Yeah? And I think they're, they're pretty cool people over there. They understand, yeah, the journey of our people, yeah,
:
that's why I like them. It's cool. It's not
Naeem Hall:a straight line, you know? I Yes sir. Welcome back to the spotlight Show. I'm your host, thorn city podcast. Guy, got my guy, Chris Ryan, in here, brother. Man, it's been good times. Man, I appreciate you coming through. Man, this is tight, likewise, always a pleasure. Man, this is, this is why I do it. Man, it's the spotlight to share my platform with other people and appreciate so they can share their story, and I can share a little bit of my story. And we never know who we gonna touch and help out there. You know, I'm saying, they said, if you just help one person, you help somebody so real child. That's always good, yeah. But, man, you you into, I didn't get into everything you do. You got a lot of stuff going. You're pretty multifaceted person. So yeah, tell me, just tell me a little bit more about yourself. Man, what you got
29:29
just coming up, you know, just going through all the trials and tribulations, you know that Northeast Portland, you know, in the 90s, it's much different. When I came out here, I say, like my fourth birthday, I was going to Sabin at the time, you know, about 10 days before that, found my dad dead, you know what I mean, and that kind of, that was my first thing that made me kind of stone cold to, you know, just a lot of stuff. And I was with him for an hour, you know. I'm saying. So once my mom came back, she noticed and realized he had passed or whatnot. Got me up out of there, and then from there, it was kind of just on, you know, life Road in general, you know, I just come from Chicago, coming out of that situation, coming to that to, you know, kind of getting to know him, and then he goes and, you know, after that, my grandpa passed the next year. So I say that to say, you know, when I came out here, my mom had planned on, you know, two person household, and them doing their thing. So we didn't come up poor. We didn't come up, you know what I'm saying was just a regular. Regular wasn't rich. We wasn't, you know, I'm saying, but mom's worked, you know, saying nine to, actually 6am until five. Yeah, she was working. That gave me time to, yeah,
Naeem Hall:see what's going on in the world,
30:58
going on next to, you know, you know, kicked out of school, yeah, went to all the high schools, P, O, I c y, I quest open meadows, counteract grant. So I just say all that to say, you know, my brand is what all that compiles into. You know what I mean. So any young person out there, that's what, you know, you got to flip it, flip the switch. You know, I lost a lot of my partners coming up, you know, probably 40 people, you know, I'm saying just, it's just good to be live,
you know, yeah, it'll be alive and father and try to do something in the community, you know, I mean, and that's what the brand means to me. So I say all this to say, you know, just stay focused. Keep doing what you doing. And we in a different era where, you know, you can make some good moves legitly, you know, I'm saying they got a lot of avenues out there, in W money, whether it be in crypto, whether it be investment stocks, you know, to, you know, just a lot of programs and things that help you out there. So yeah, and a young person listening, man, just keep getting your hustle on. Don't give up. Keep grinding. You know, I'm saying, and it's all gonna work out. Man,
Naeem Hall:they say, if you can make it in the street, you can make it in the
32:21
business world, right there. Just
Naeem Hall:it's all a hustle. It's all a grind. It's just about doing it the right way. You know that'll keep you
on this side of the bars for sure. And and doing your thing, you
32:33
sleep better at night. You don't sleep better at night, that part, man.
Naeem Hall:So you do music in the music too. How do you balance your roles as a clothing designer and a
music artist?
32:44
I say it's two different types of I say they're both like therapy to me, really, you know? I mean, I say the clothing is more visual, the music's more like me, because I'm making it in a quiet place. You know what I mean? I'm making it with silence around me, where I could just get all my ideas and just everything that I went through, I could put on paper. I actually wrote a book, too, and that's coming out with this next album coming out, the
Naeem Hall:booking album. You got title, swarm, yeah, this. The book
:
is called timestamp, okay? And the album is called Timeless, and it's dope. It's a pretty dope project. I got 17 songs on there, and it's under my record company, P nation records. It should be out later on this I'll say by November. I'm a Scorpio, so I got, yeah, but yeah, you could find it if you just stay tuned. Dapper. IG, page, dapper. CC, okay,
Naeem Hall:do the music and the clothing? Do they intertwine at all?
33:56
Definitely, yeah, definitely. So like the videos, and that's what I'm trying to make it like a street boutique brand. So it's like more, you know, when you hear the music, you see the clothing, yeah? And I also want to start throwing other artists the clothing for their videos too. Yeah, yeah. Ones, I'm not, you know, signed or doing nothing with, you know? I mean, just to get it out there, put in the hip hop fashion world in general. You know what I mean? Yeah, represents us and our brand. So
Naeem Hall:that's blacks and it's nice. So when you start doing music,
34:28
I say, like,:34:31
So how old were you?
34:37
I was probably like, 14. Yeah, you know what I mean. But all my, all my, all my people are older. So when I'm driving, it was our group. It was my homeboys, older brothers, they had the commission, and then you got pros and cons, which is pros and cons. That's my people. So Smitty and Lance, that's
Naeem Hall:my guys. Yeah, that was my guys. I. Is my guy, little Roy. Here's in
my guys. Yeah, that was my guys. I. Is my guy, little Roy. Here's in
:pros and cons. Yeah. So that was the two groups, yeah, like, you know, but we're the commission, so okay, that's me. Ace Castro. Oh, okay, yeah, I
Naeem Hall:35:14
I was the youngest
Naeem Hall:one in there, you know, yeah, pros and cons. Man, we have some good times. Man, good
parties.
35:24
I always have the Roseland See, like I had concerts every Friday.
Naeem Hall:Yeah, I still don't even know, to this day how true it is, but I don't know any other local groups
that sold out the Roseline without a headline act. I believe it. And I'm saying everyone
35:41
went there, all the high school. Everyone went there. They
Naeem Hall:had real fans. They didn't just
35:46
have they had all the school. And they all went to different schools. Everyone, the grand people, everyone, Vincent Jesuit, all them people, you know, yeah, I
Naeem Hall:
remember them. Yeah. I ain't gonna lie. Yeah, yeah, no, that's crazy. Man, yeah, those was
good times, man. So tell me about the future goals for dapper clothing.
36:12
Man, just trying to network and brand it. Make it bigger, make it reach further. You know what I mean, make it a bold statement, and potentially, hopefully, get a building. I had a couple offers and situations I could have done, but it just wasn't the
Naeem Hall:right time. Yeah, everything's about time, right? I need to rush nothing and then going
nowhere.
36:36
I had a cool, cool situation, but it was pandemic time, so I didn't know when the building was open. Back, yeah, you know, so I could have sat on the building for a year. Yeah, yeah. They wanted a 10 year lease. So
Naeem Hall:that's rough, man, were they selling it to you?
36:56
Man, crazy. But now I see it doubled what they wanted. Yeah? See it all the time on your word, I'm like, I could have, yeah, yeah, but I didn't know, let up, yeah, let up in like, seven months from that time, I had, actually, yeah,
Naeem Hall:we actually got in here, in the predemic, in the pandemic, good time. So it was good. And it was it was podcasting, so everybody was at home and still talking, you know. So, yeah, it worked out for us.
37:27
You guys got it right at prime time. That was cool. Yeah, cool. So how people,
Naeem Hall:
how can they get a hold of you, and where can the clothes we purchased that
37:35
you can get the clothes at dapper clothing CO, that's dapper clothing co.com you find us on Instagram, dapper. CC,
Naeem Hall:that's your Instagram too. Yeah. Okay, nice, tight man. Well, this has been good stuff, brother, man, I appreciate you coming through. Um, I'll definitely be following you now on social media, and we'll be sharing everything. And as I get into editing this, this episode, I'll hit you up for some some some pictures of clothes, and for sure, any pictures of anything you got going on that we might have talked about that I can drop in and, you know, kind of show what, what we talked about. Definitely, yeah, man, but I like to encourage my listeners to explore their passions, embrace innovation and pursue entrepreneurship in their own unique ways. Thanks for joining us explore the power of networking and find inspiration by following me at Thorn city podcast. Guy hit that LIKE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE button be the first to know about new releases, bonus episodes and exciting updates. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes of the thorn city syndicates by light show as we continue to highlight individuals, businesses, brands and podcasters, and don't forget to subscribe to the thorn city podcast Guy YouTube channel. Follow at Thorn city Syndicate, the management team at GMP podcast group to production team, and make sure you drop by WWW dot Thorne city syndicate.com, it's got your free strategy sessions. Thorn city podcast, guy, how about your boy?
39:09
Yeah.
