![]() It was an afternoon of scheduling and planning for me for an upcoming show in October. But one that I had planned for this day was with an old friend that I had known for over a decade Julian Pacheco. He is the twin brother of Anthony Pacheco and together they are known as the Strawhat Dynasty! The two emcees raised in Queens, NY are extremely talented well versed in all the elements of Hip-hop and I believe it is only a matter of time for the opportunity to present itself to them. After a very productive meeting with my close friend Julian, I asked him what inspires him to write. He put on the 'City Lights' sweatshirt and told me this was what he put on when he wanted to write and be creative. So he took his time to write his response and I can tell that he meant every word he wrote on paper. I was moved by the thought that someone saw things in me that I was loosing sight of, doing things on my own. His response made me believe that I was doing the right thing, creating my own path. “Today I met with my good friend Yosuf, to discuss a project that we are about to embark on together. You see my friend isn’t just some dude to me, but an older brother figure that has been looking our for me as far as I can remember dating back to when I was a freshman in high school, and he was a senior. We’re both now proud creatives in our own right with me and my music, and him with his clothing line entitled 'Fearcity Brand', and I gotta say it really is something special. As we discussed the details about our current collaboration, what looked like business on the outside turned into something more meaningful and intimate between two good friends." "We were catching up and discussing our current lives, our future projects, goals, ambitions. However, we also spoke about our current hardships, and obstacles that made the idea of dreams seem as if we were still sleeping, and haven’t woken up. It was then as friends we could feel the hidden emotions behind our words. Giving more depth and realness to out current situations. Which brings me to my point, why do I do what I do? When it seems very shaky, maybe even impossible! This meeting reminded me that deep down in the eyes of my friend, and the pit of my stomach was a burning desire. So hot that it lit a blue flame. Our gifts gave us an escape, a feeling that we belonged somewhere in this world. I truly believe I wasn’t meant to live an “average” life. The idea of taking an ‘idea’ and manifesting it, never in a millennia did I think I had what it takes to pull this off. Yet I’m here staring doubt, pity and most importantly FEAR in its cold eyes. The fear that I have so many people who believe in me, like my friend Yosuf and many others give me strength. That’s enough to fight the Fear, to become the embodiment of courage.. yea.. we got this.” - Julian Pacheco (Strawhat Dynasty)
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Most New Yorkers that I have spoken to don't even know much about it's dark history or may have seen bits and pieces of the state that New York was in during the 70's. It has been such a interesting topic as I continued to dig deeper into what caused NY to go through such a struggle. A great reference to learning more about these events is a book called "Fear City" by Phillips-Fein.
Being raised in New York will always give me a sense of pride and toughness to you that you can't put your hands on. It is a sense of pride that I feel that only other New Yorkers would understand. But this toughness mentality, the reputation that New York's hustle and grit, all started from somewhere. Unfortunately for those that were around these struggling times during the 70's can reflect on New York's reputation. What sparked my interest in this specific time in NY's history was a flyer that was being presented to all visitors to New York. Visually the flyers were striking, with the skull of the Reaper staring right into you. The flyers sub text printed "A Survival Guide for Visitors to the City of New York" this was a warning that came with nine guidelines to all tourists and locals to be cautious in certain neighborhoods. They would hand them out to people as they arrived in airports and different stations around New York. We are witnessing the consequences of saying nothing, of sitting around not taking any action. We talk amongst ourselves and share our thoughts of the world changing, of all the worries and hardships coming our way. Seeing the people we care about not getting the opportunities they hoped for coming to America as immigrants. There are those not taking the opportunities given to make a difference and voting. ‘Resist’ is a battle cry for those that feel unrepresented, for those that already make America great. This word “Resist’ has become a one-word battle cry for the anti-Trump forces.”
Resist can mean something different for any individual. I want to share this New York Times article that better explains what the word ‘Resist’ means. I admire those who hustle and create opportunities for themselves here in America. I was also inspired by people that I personally know, that made me more socially aware of what is happening around us. We at Fearcity Brand stand with everyone and we have joined the movement. It's never too late to make a change. 'Resist' is a Battle Cry, but What Does It Mean? Don't forget to check out some of our latest designs for RESIST We love the city of New York and what it represents. Deathquad is inspired by the grim reaper of the Fearcity flyers from the 70’s. For this design, we loved the bright lights of NY that it had back in the days. The local bars, the tattoo parlors, the XXX shops really gave the city a gritty and dangerous feel.
Rock with us and share your pictures, we want to share all the love we get with the world on our blogs / updates. We are waiting on our samples to be fulfilled by the printing company we are partnered with. We have been testing all our designs and colors to make sure that you get the best quality / design possible. FEARCITY BRAND is focusing on releasing a series of designs 'DEATH SQUAD' here's a sneak peek! Check back with us soon, cause we are hyped for you all to rock our fresh designs.
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September 2019
CategoriesYosuf GurungAs an illustrator and creative designer, to be able to create and share my work is a privilege that I don't take lightly. I put on a lot of hats and it's been a learning experience. |