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Thug Genius t-shirts...... Man I’ve been
seeing ‘em everywhere. I’ve read the positive acronym
on the back of the shirts as well. Tell us something about your
line.
It’s been a dream. It started
when I was cutting hair in a barbershop. I was watching t.v. one
day and saw how urban clothing was getting popular. U know, Karl
Kani, the Cross Colors. And I said I’m gonna make me some
clothing like that one day. I figured I had to do it like those
FUBU boys. U know, make something for us that’ll catch on.
After I finished barber school, I decided to save me a little
up to do my clothing line. I wanted the name of my line to have
a meaning to it. So with hip-hop and the generation today, all
of us gettin’ locked up..... I just sat back and looked
at the big picture and saw what was going on. They were always
downin’ a thug, downin’ a thug. So, honestly, I was
just out riding one day and the name Thug Genius hit me. So after
I came up with the name, I gave it a positive meaning. Even with
me coming from a small town like Columbus, Mississippi, the meaning
is so powerful that that doesn’t matter. Cause the word
“thug” ain’t going nowhere. It’ll be around
forever. But to take it and put a positive twist on it, to me,
makes it even better. U can talk about a thug all day long. A
thug ain’t going nowhere. I look at life like..... when
u talk about racism. U got good white folks and u got bad white
folks. U got good black people and u got bad black people. U know,
u got good thugs and u got bad thugs. So even a thug can have
some good in ‘em. There’s not anybody in this world
who doesn’t wanna accomplish what’s on the back of
our shirts.
Have u felt any backlash from
pushin’ that word, “Thug” ? U know the older
generation ain’t use to seeing the word thug being used
positively.
When I firststarted, I use to
get a lot of funny looks. Especially with the handcuff G in my
logo. I’d show it to the people coming thru my barbershop
and would tell ‘em about my new clothing line. They’d
be like, I don’t know if I want my son wearing that. Then
I’d flip it over and show ‘em the back. After reading
the back, their whole mentality would change. Right now, I can
get out of my car and go into a store, and people willsee the
front of the shirt and immediately start to think something negative.
Then, when they can see the back, that takes it to a whole different
level.The reason I did it like that was because I wanna let my
brothers and sisters know...... I know what time it is. I know
what’s going on. I’ve been caught up in this drug
system. I done sold drugs and got in trouble for it. It’s
a good game they got going here. It’s like they tell u.....
Don’t drink and drive! But u can go in the store and buy
beer. Now u know 9 times outta 10, everyone knows what that person
is gonna do. U can’t smoke weed, but u can go in the store
and buy some Topps. Ain’t nobody puttin’ no Prince
Albert in ‘em. Them days been gone. U know what I’m
sayin’ ? We just tryin’ to get in on this system and
get us some, too. We don’t mean no harm. I think everyone
has dreams of tryin’ to better themselves. When u get down
to it, everybody’s stealing. From the corporate world on
down. It’s just that we’re the ones who get singled
out. See what I’m sayin?
What are u doing besides your
t - shirts ?
I’ve got some hats, skull
caps, leather jackets. Right now, I’m workin’ on some
jerseys and some jeans and jean shorts. Everything takes time.
Nothin’ happens overnight. Know what I’m sayin’?
Where have u been sending your
merchandise ?
Well, u know, we do here - Columbus.
I sent some to Cincinatti;Houston; Flint, Michigan; a few to California
[nothing much]; Atlanta, and New York. When u put God first, anythingis
possible. Just try that and see what happens.
For more info or to purchase,
call :
(662) 329 - 0093
or log on to :
www.thuggenius.com
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