Today we’d like to introduce you to Tricky Nik.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tricky. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been black and I’ve always been weird but the clothing line idea started the day after my dad and I saw a George Clinton show and I’ve read all the stories and watched all the documentaries but to really see him in real life changed everything. A black weirdo that just went for it and made it. So my first phase was an afrofuturist one. I had an alien with an African headdress as my logo with childish blocky letters. That didn’t take me as far as I wanted, people seemed to get skater clothing vibes from it, I’ve never learned to skate so that wasn’t something I wanted to be linked with. Then after my reemergence with my interest in Basquiat I saw the documentary about him when he was a teenager and how he had a clothing line called MANMADE and everything clicked from there. I’ve always been disinterested in clothing because everything seemed recycled or just not original but once the idea crossed my mind about clothing being wearable art everything seemed to fall into place. Fashion should be art, it’s how you express yourself. I think a lot of companies have forgotten that or like Gucci, just don’t care. While going through different themes, one thing has remained constant and it’s that I want to represent the black weirdos, we have to face the questioning if we’re a gimmick and if we’re cooning because we like something outside the typical interests of black people. I want to give them the reassurance I didn’t get when I was younger and questioning what’s wrong with me. I also want to introduce other black people to the amazing world of exploring other interests. I feel that there isn’t really a lack of interest but a lack of resource so I’m here to introduce things I feel are prudent to the black community; actual anarchy not the steampunk apocalypse that the government tries to sell you because they need you to feel like you need them, absurdism, and art. Hip hop and fashion have always been this damn near identical system where they feed each other what the other is lacking in order to be a representation of our culture. I’ve always wanted to be apart of it or contribute so here I is.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s still too early to say anything due to the fact I’m still in the beginning stages of everything but no it’s not easy. You can hear the success stories tell you how great everything was but that’s just not true. It’s stressful, very taxing, it takes up a lot of time especially for me since I’m actually trying to be different, and you already have to deal with the big clothing lines but you also need to deal with the smaller ones for competition. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t love myself but I wouldn’t have it any other way, I welcome any challenge that comes my way, I’m a survivor, always have been and now I’m deciding to be successful and that in itself is a whole new venture. I don’t care if I fail at this because I’ll just start another line, but I promise that I’d rather die than to give up my art and that’s what separates me from “companies”. I’m not a follower of the customer is always right philosophy because that makes no sense, either you like my things or you don’t. But to sum everything up when things are good everything is easy, when it’s not IT IS NOT!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Afronot – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I’m proud of the fact that I don’t see anything as product but instead my pieces. Afronot isn’t a company it’s a spark of the revolution. I am pro black but I don’t cater to the facebook black moms that wear their “Flexin’ My Complexion” tees, not that pride is a bad thing, that’s not the issue it just seems so forced and to be honest, a lil head ass. I don’t respect the systems that the white aristocracies have put into place and I make that very clear, I know their B.S. so they can’t really do anything except wrongfully imprison me or assassinate me. I’m an absurdist so I’m free to be free and this allows me to focus on ideas I want to manifest. I want to burn this toxic society down to the ground so that something more beautiful may flourish, much like a forest, the fire is going to hurt a lot of life but the soil will become richer and even more vegetation will prosper. My people have protected me long enough, now it’s time for me to fight for them.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I always have something formulating in my mind but nothing is concrete. Right now I’m working on some super sick shoes called Afronot Freestyles which is just a lil shout out to the hip hop punk rock attitude we’ve had since the early days of hip hop emcees where they’d recite their poetry in a street performance settings. I also have these sweatshirts that come from recycled plastic bottles. I love them because environmentalism has always been somewhat of an interest of mine and now I have these eco friendly canvases that I can marble and heat press a painting I’ve been working on and just have an amazing Afronot piece. Now I’m working on some projects in film and after my confidence is reestablished in music I’ll be getting back into that.
Pricing:
- Shirts are $30
- Hoodies are $96
Contact Info:
- Email: afronotclothing@gmail.com
- Instagram: @afronot
Image Credit:
Gage, Jahlind, Maya
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