THE ORIGINALS | The Dropoutz

INTERVIEW XPONENTIAL CURVE

Mixing esoteric knowledge with Hip Hops elements, The Dropoutz “more than an apparel” company, brings together the visuals and functionality of a streetwear brand that’s for the people on every level. Assembling an army of Hip Hop Underground Elite, the brand takes their influence from societies such as Ancient Agora and mixes it with the art of Sacred Math within our universe to drive the creative process behind their clothing line forward. The most significant influences reigning above all however, is Hip Hop Culture and The People. The Dropoutz not only promo their own line but are out here using their platform to create merch with some underground up and comers so they have something for the fans. They even “Anted Up” collections for MOP working with Billy Danze on some apparel. Most recently they collabed with the family of the Late Great NY Boom Bap Rapper Sean P with their “Official Sean P x The Dropoutz Collection” now live on their website in order to keep the Legacy of “P!” alive.

Helping to not only birth merchandising opportunities for up and comers to working with some of the greats is how “The Dropoutz” alchemize Self Knowledge, Hermetic wisdom and Collective consciousness with the principles of Street and Inner Knowledge and Perseverance. The presence of the metaphysical is seen through not just the visuals themselves but repped by those ready to adorn this next level arcane approach to style through the tangibility of fashion.

Let’s let them break it down a little further….

Validated: Who are “The Dropoutz” and how is Hip-Hop Culture translated through your brand?

The Dropoutz: We like to think of The Dropoutz as more than just an apparel company, think of us as a platform for the independent, underground, and collective Hip Hop Culture. Yes, we are purveyors of dope threads but we also work with some of the most inspiring, creative and talented artists carrying the culture to show younger generations what passion for The Culture is about.

We do what we do because we love the culture, we love artistry, we love creativity, and most importantly we want to give back to the culture that raised us.

Validated: What brought about the idea for your clothing brand?

The Dropoutz: The Dropoutz started based on our collective passion for music, graffiti, creativity, artistry and Hip Hop culture in general. We believe that expressing oneself through all creative mediums is a key component to one's true personal freedom in all forms; mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

We built the brand not only as an apparel company but also as a platform with the intention to help artists define and create their own brands, clothing lines, merch, websites, and other tools they need to be successful while still focusing on their true purpose, artistry.

Validated: You have 2 collections currently available specific to “The Dropoutz” label - “Classic 33” and “OTA Serpent” Each have their own signature look and style… Can you describe the concept behind both?

The Dropoutz: Yeah so, our 22’ collections both the “Classic 33” and the “OTA Serpent” are based on the blending of the urban fashion and esoteric philosophy.

The Classic 33 has the “tried and true” street theme designed with the infamous bandanna print to give a signature urban vibe- well known in the streets. From an esoteric perspective, the number 33 means anything is possible. 33, also known as a master number, is linked to themes around creative thinking, deep compassion, spiritual connections, discipline, and bravery.

As students of Alchemical philosophy, The Order of Ancient Serpent represents our ability as a culture to transcend stereotypes. Hip Hop culture has transformed music and collectively spread across the globe. Designed with the Ouroboros, bearing the meaning of infinity or wholeness. The Hip Hop culture represents a wholeness, something familial and also evolves and expands Infinitely.

Validated: Do you have a principal artist or designer you collab with on projects?

The Dropoutz: Both, our in-house artist “500K” does most of our band specific collections, as well as creative direction and design for some of the Hip Hop artists using our platform. As for collabs, we are in the process of locking in some pretty dope partnerships for late ‘23-‘24.

From the collective standpoint, we are always looking for skilled graph artists, painters, digital creatives to expand on new collections and drops.

Validated: Your Brand Motto is “The Only Thing Between You And Your Dreams Is Yourself - Grind, Hustle, Repeat.” - How do you feel Hip Hop and your brands motto co-relate?

The Dropoutz: We look at the Hip Hop culture as a modern day Athenian Agora, a place where philosophy, history, story telling, and new ideas are curated by intellectuals, artists, thinkers, and creatives embody the freedom of expression. As a culture, Hip Hop has created a space for all of us to thrive. All the DJ’s, artists, dancers, crews, and supporters that paved the way all had one thing in common, they had a dream.

Grind. Hustle. Repeat is about work ethic, those who paved the way for the culture knew that in order to win you had to play hard. If you want to make things happen for yourself, you gotta stay on the grind, be consistent, hustle, and make daily moves. Often times the only thing between ourselves, our goals, our dreams, and our freedom is the one thing we have domain over, ourselves. Once we step into our true power, let go of the facade that we aren’t deserving or worthy and fully realize our true potential… nothing can stop you.

Validated: Your brand also sells merch reppin quite a few Underground and Boom Bap Hip Hop artists - notably MOP and The Late Great Sean Price. What’s your relationship with these two Legends in particular?

The Dropoutz: Yeah, we are constantly partnering with new artists, producers, and some legendary ones too. The whole idea about working with Hip Hop artists was to help solve what we call “merch madness”. No more running around getting them produced, long waits, boxing and shipping products. No more drop offs at the post office, no need to hold physical inventory. We do everything front to back, including customer support. The artist never has to worry about dealing with merch sales.

First and foremost, let me just say M.O.P is one of the greatest groups to ever do it, they have given so much to the Hip Hop culture. Being a Hip Hop head for as far back as I can remember, every time they dropped something you just knew the energy was gonna be crazy, the bars were gonna tear ya head off, beats booming in the speakers it was everything we needed in Hip Hop.

The M.O.P project came about after speaking with the legendary Billy Danze. Truly one of the nicest and realest people I have ever met, a legend beyond the music. I randomly hit Danze on IG, we had a call and the rest was history.

Sean P! Maaaaaan P! was like a father to us growing up. Sean Price, was more than just an MC, more than just bars that’ll slap ya face, he was a true expression of creative freedom by being absolutely unapologetically himself. A legend that embodied the essence of true Hip Hop, an emissary of the culture that will forever be memorialized.

Validated: How did the Official Sean Price and Dropoutz collab come to be? What does this collaboration mean to you? Where are the proceeds for that going?

The Dropoutz: Sean P!, it’s hard not to hear his voice in my head when I say his name. Originally we started working with the supreme talented Ruste Juxx, the prodigy of Sean Price on a merch release. Now as longtime Sean Price supporters, we really wanted to help the P! legacy and keep his brand moving forward in anyway we could all while giving back to the Price family. P! had been such a huge impact in our lives growing up as Hip Hop heads and representatives of the culture, we felt compelled to reach out and talk with Bernadette Price.

This means everything to us, honored, excited, grateful. To be able to contribute to the legacy of such a legend, it’s just hard to explain. Bernadette is truly one of the most graceful, kind and wonderful people one could ever be so lucky to call a friend. After we talked and just got to know each other, she understood that we truly just wanted to give back. Along with doing the merch we decided to build an entire new website for the Sean Price Brand. We wanted to make sure his brand fully represented, his style, image and legacy. The site is www.realseanprice.com for those that want to support. So, the proceeds go to the Price Family. Buying the Sean price merch is directly benefiting the family.

Validated: With a name like The Dropoutz I gotta ask what your stance is on education? Do you think all people benefit from the current education system? How do you think it can be improved?

The Dropoutz: The Dropoutz as a concept, is a symbolic representation of challenging societal norms. The very fact that some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs either didn’t attend or dropped out of college, challenges those norms. The idea that the traditional path of education is the only way to become successful is outdated. Basically we are saying - “Look, not everyone needs a degree to be successful” now that being said, if one’s dream is to become an astronaut, physicist, doctor, or engineer then by all means study hard, put in the work, and achieve your dream.

Naw, we don’t believe all people benefit from the current educational system. Education is an individual experience and not everyone assimilates or confirms to the rigidity of the current learning modalities available in society.  These younger generations are showing greater and greater ability to navigate success through creativity, intelligence, motivation, and execution, without a traditional path in our education system.

Better is subjective, it’s different to everyone. But for us, we think education would be enhanced by institutions being more adaptive to the times, creating access to programs for young entrepreneurs, creatives, artists, musicians and supporting tradecraft with traditional educational resources.

Validated: Who are some of your Hip Hop Influences?

The Dropoutz: Not in any particular order; Nas, Kool G Rap, M.O.P, Sean Price, Cormega, Big Pun, Rakim, Chino XL, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, KRS One, Big Daddy Kane, Scarface, man the list goes on and on….

Validated: "Ars Longa, Vita Brevis - Art is Long, Life is Short.” Is a slogan your Brand lives by. What do you consider The Hip Hop Art Connection to be? With this being the 50 year anniversary of Hip Hop and all the elements, how true does this statement ring to you? Aside from the implementation of Graff Style, do you see other ways and techniques artists visually stimulate the Hip Hop mind?

The Dropoutz: The connection is that Hip Hop is art and Hip Hop as an art form will remain forever. Life is short but the culture is immortal.

With the 50th year here, we can see the culture has continually shown the world that Hip Hop transcends all race, color, and religion. Hip Hop has fostered multiple generations of talented creatives that have brought the world new ideas, fashion, trends, different ways of thinking, advocating issues to the world, and so much more. These virtues and their art form will continue to influence minds for generations to come.

Hip Hop is so versatile, universal, and inclusive that we are seeing all different kinds of stylistic, conceptual forms of art. Over the years so many variations of art have crossed over into Hip Hop.. to name a few; anime, cyber punk, martial arts, futurism, all different forms of artistic expressions, that’s the beauty of Hip Hop culture.

Validated: You mention "The Dropoutz” being born out of “all those hatin' ass sideways motherfuckers that want to see people fail.” What is it about Hip Hop culture you feel perpetuates the “Hater Mentality?” Do you think we’ll come to a point where this crabs in a barrel mentality we’ve accepted as a part of the culture will be transcended?

The Dropoutz: I wouldn’t say the culture perpetuates wanting to see people fail, it’s more of an issue of personal insecurity that finds its way into the culture. For The Dropoutz specifically, it really boils down to the mentality of transforming peoples hate, into motivation and determination to succeed.

I think we all can recognize those times in life when we felt lack of support, low key or even outright hate on what we try to accomplish. The Dropoutz is born out of the cloth where we feel that collective lack of support empowers us to help everyone try and succeed. The reality is we all can win together.

Validated: How do you see “The Dropoutz” Collective inspiring people to be independent passionate artists for the underground who “won't take no for an answer?”

The Dropoutz: Just think to yourself, what if all of the people who have changed this world for the better simply stopped when they heard “No” we would be living in a very different world wouldn’t we? Being persistent is such an important tool to achieving success and for us at The Dropoutz we are where we are because we didn’t take no for an answer. We kept moving. Period.

We hope that through linking with talented creative artists and creating, we can help push the narrative to everyone coming up in the culture that they can do it. Just Keep Pushing. Grind. Hustle. Repeat.

Validated: What are some future projects you are working on that you can share with us?

The Dropoutz: We have a few new collections dropping this summer and late 23’ But as for who’s up next on the Hip Hop collabs….. Well we sure don’t want to ruin the surprises just yet.

INSTAGRAM: @WEARETheDropoutz WEBSITE: TheDropoutz.com