We recently connected with Kj Bennett and have shared our conversation below.
Kj, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Overall, building the brand itself IS a very meaningful project for me. It’s because of the ideology that Joee Spacey (said like Joey) is built on, such as the brand motto: “Stayin’ above the negativity!”. I do my best to create iconography, graphics and streetwear that align with such thinking. Encouraging my peers and supporters to be their best, most authentic selves and incorporating fun along the way. With merch that makes people smile and feel good about supporting a positive brand, it just reassures me to continue to push positivity and love into this creative space I’m involved in, for as long as I’m here and when I’m gone, for other’s to find out about and hopefully help them with something they want to create and push toward their audience. Me being a creator/business owners is dope because it enables me to tell MY story and to not get stuck inside my own head with my creativity or weird ideas. It enables me to connect and meet people within this space that maybe think like me, that have similar influences and backgrounds. Building up Joee Spacey was/is ALOT of what I’ve learned from my pops and everything he’s done with clothing and piecing that together with my cultural influences such as Bobby Hundreds, Nigo/Pharrell and Tyler, the creator. I’m a long way from those dudes, but that hunger + drive keeps me hungry. That, AND the fact that people, sometimes strangers and sometimes the homies that know me, whether it’s east coast or west coast, supporting me and willing to work with me on various projects.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
First off, I got into graphic design years ago by way of interning for a sports company in the DMV area (DC, MD, VA) and I’ve stuck with it since then. Basically learning more and more along the way and letting my imagination just go. Which felt very much like a release in a lot of ways and I needed that. Pairing that with what I WAS doing at the time, which was screen-printing and learning about heat transfer vinyl to design clothing was ill. I looked up to a lot of eclectic individuals and brands that encompass a lot of what I’ve grown up around and in some shape, way or form, was influenced by. My business partner and I had ventured into making labels for a local juice company in MD (sunny’s juice lab) and have also done some graphic design for other brands. Whether it was their logo or creating promotional graphics for their branding or their events. I’ve also been a social media/brand manager in past years so those things have all helped me along my journey to become a better leader or business mind. Picking things up and trying them and not being afraid to fail or not being able to always hit a home run with whatever I’m focused on at that moment. Just realizing that experience is extremely valuable, just like exposure.
I’m proud of the support I receive, whether it’s east coast or west coast. I’m proud of being blessed to be able to meet very artistically inclined individuals and getting cool ideas off and talking art and life with them. Being able to navigate within the creative spaces and feel at home and for it to be natural.
I’m proud to be able to do business on the west coast within the retail space (Practical Art in Phoenix, AZ) for the past couple years now, even though I’m not from there. But the west coast/AZ is definitely home for me and I’m there as much as I can be!
Lastly, I’m proud to create something positive and it’s dope. That’s special as a young black man in America. I feel that’s worthy of acknowledgment.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
“This is not a T-shirt” by Bobby Hundreds is SUCH an impactful read for aspiring creators. I was already a huge fan of The Hundreds and Bobby but this book, following my trip to LA and being able to checkout the store for The Hundreds, was motivational for me. Bobby included an incredible amount of insight and provided endless detail about ventures that fell through and things that they specifically did that helped propel his brand/business to different levels. Being all in and deciding to figure it out on their own and trying new things for their creativity to be expressed was amazing to read about. Him detailing how Tommy Hilfiger gave him brand advice and how community is such a big factor in The Hundred’s history and who they’ve become today. Not having any loans and just flipping their own money and investing that into the brand to get out new merch and designs. It was very impactful for me. And it was a gift from my girlfriend after we visited the store because she knew how much I needed the book but I decided to buy a t-shirt instead.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
I think NFT’s are dope! Joee Spacey actually has NFT’s of their own and am looking to become more and more fond of that space as we move forward. A good friend of mine who’s very tech savvy, got me hip to opensea and such and it enabled me to incoporate NFT’s into Joee Spacey. As I’ve told him before and will again here, I’m thankful for that game and appreciate it very much. NFT’s are the future and the future is here. We’re all constantly learning. I’ve seen the NBA promote NFT’s of their own. It’s the new thing and for us graphic designs, artists, nerds, creatives..NFT’s are another way to connect and to win/eat. Embrace them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joeespacey.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeespacey/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoeeSpacey/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeespacey