Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
- 2PAC SHAKUR
As I sit on this ground and stare upon the wall of signatures, I can’t help but feel emotions of both love and despondency. Before my current manifestations, I was stuck in a confounded vortex of temperamental despair and confusion. I was constantly battling with my reflection, feeding off my self-consciousness and my insecurities, trying to figure out why the pieces to my puzzle were deranged and mislaid. My visions were becoming dark, and my perspective on my constancy and my existence were slowly becoming a light that was turning shadowy and vague. I felt alone and unhinged, like a floating balloon in the sky with no destination or hand to hold it by its string. After the passing of my grandfather, and some real close encounters with karma from all the negativity I had discharged into this universe, my destiny was becoming more clear and vivid. Deja-vus were more frequent, and when I would dream and have nightmares at night, they were becoming more intense and sharp, as if I had been “here” before in my past life. I could remember all the small details and fragments, which gave me lucid objectivity on how to creatively view life, and its experiences and its occurrences. This triggered me to pick up the pencil and to start writing and illustrating again. With all that said, I’ve danced with the devil a couple times and I have rolled the dice on numerous occasions only to really understand that we must really go through some shit, to fully understand our purpose and how special we ALL are! I’m just now seeing the bigger picture, and to be honest, for me, I just want to pay it forward to the world, and to those that need help and need incentive. I will be your catalyst, I will be your sacrifice, and I will help guide you and show you that loving yourself and showing love, will in the end, heal all wounds, all scars and all adversity. Remember that you are not alone, that you are extraordinary in your own way, and that you do have a purpose in this universe. THANK YOU ALL. YOU SAVED ME FROM MYSELF! More importantly, YOU ARE THE 1 PERCENT! 🙏🏽✖️🙏🏽 Photography by @goodmoneyflee Final Edits by @opac_1_percent
Memorial Day RECAP 2018: Firstly, I want to give a special THANK YOU to EVERYBODY that came out and supported the first Ò-PAC (The 1% Label) Memorial Day Pop-Up Shop, and to everybody that helped out and was involved in making my visuals come to life. I am humbled and obliged by all the support, love and positive vibes that took place that night. The whole purpose of this pop-up shop was not only to introduce the new brand, but to also provide a creative experience and expression that embodied themes and matters influenced by Childish Gambino’s latest musical visual “This is America.” Thus, I wanted to contrive a interactive Photo Booth that implemented a stupefying atmosphere that would express the current state of this country we call, America. If you look closely, there are props and illustrations that touch base on the matters of gun control, social media clout, street violence in the urban community, mass killings, racially charged stigmatization, and much more. I want to give a special thanks to Childish Gambino for utilizing his artistic abilities and thought provoking visualizations as a tool to maintain awareness and perception, especially at a time where we can become easily distracted by the external dimensions of media, consumerism, technology, politics, and so much more. In a world where social norms are continuously changing and being “dumbed down”, it is essential to be awake and receptive to what is really going on out here, especially in these streets! Once again, THANK YOU ALL, and be on the look out for more creative experiences by Ò-PAC. Blessings, and always remember, YOU ARE THE 1 PERCENT! 🙏🏽✖️🙏🏽 cc: @allblkcity 🚀 @kylhgr 📸 @djkeemy876 🎧 @party.gods 🎉 @ke_kreativehouse 🏯
