Why Urban Clothing Is A Frustrating Business To Be In!

I have been selling urban clothing for a while now, and love pretty much every bit of it. The connections I've made the new artist I've been able to help promote, all of it has been fantastic. However there is still one aspect of selling hip hop clothing that still frustrates me anytime it crops up, and that is explaining my niche to people when they ask what I do.

You would think this would be an easy question to answer, however, to someone who is not familiar with the subculture, they think they have it figured out when they really have no clue. I'll give an example. I usually tell people, "oh, I'm an urban clothing retailer" the response is almost always the same, "so you sell clothes that are two sizes to big?."  or "so you only sell baggy jeans and hoodies, I don't wear that type of clothing?" ARGHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I realise that over the years hip hop has taken a couple of knocks and some may even say it hasn't always presented itself in the right light. Well okay fine but if that was the past, what about now? Has urban clothing not evolved into something more presentable globally? I believe it has!

So to those who honestly think that urban clothing is nothing more than oversized fashion I always challenge them to look around, not just at my site, but at others in the market. This is the only way to truly see that urban clothing and hip hop music is a culture, and like in true culture is is always evolving and that it is always progressing. I also generally let them know that because it is a progressing culture, that trying to label it as one thing says more about them as an individual than it does about the culture.

What are your thoughts? What frustrates you the most about urban clothing? I look forward to hearing some responses.

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Willow Smith Shows Off Shaved Head

Willow Smith had everyone whipping their hair to her 2010 hit single, but she’s on to the next. The pint-sized trendsetter, known for her wild style, made another bold image change, trading her long locks for a shaved head. Willow, whose Roc Nation debut Knees and Elbows is due this spring, once again proves she is not your average 11-year-old. Will her young fans follow suit?

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T.I. Brings Out Family, Keri Hilson, & Yelawolf at AKOO Fashion Show

It was a family affair as T.I. hosted a fashion show for his AKOO clothing line in Atlanta last night. The King and his queen Tiny held court with Tip’s mother and their children, who sported some of the runway fashions and even performed. The star-studded affair, hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, drew celebs such as Keri Hilson and Yelawolf. The event was taped for the season finale of VH1’s “T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle.”

Rumor has it that Tip and Tiny are expecting another addition to their happy family, but you’ll have to tune into their show to find out.

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Urban Clothing Designers - How Twitter Can Help Spread The Word About Your New Line!

If you are reading this you probably understand that urban clothing is big business, and many new designers are trying to break into the market. However the question is how do you get noticed in such a competitive market place.

Without question Twitter is responsible not only for the rise, but as well for the maintenance of some of the top urban clothing brands today. Twitter is by far the easiest way to get your message out and to gain a faithful following, but the problem is actually getting followers. While some people may disagree, setting up a twitter account and then every single post being a "buy my stuff" style post is the easiest way to get ignored and probably loose business before you ever actually get any. It may seem crazy but if you want people to notice you on Twitter, you have to interact with them first. If you are an urban clothing designer and you really want to get your line to soar, speak to the retailers that you feel your line would most compliment. Use the @ symbol to speak to the major players in the industry without sending them DM's, which actually seems to be the worst way to interact on Twitter. An example message may be something like, "@nustylze,  I love your streetwear selection, I think my designs would be a perfect fit, can I send you my designs to see what you think?" or something along those lines. This opens up a conversation but isn't pushy, most retailer will at least look, because it may save them time from having to go to tradeshows.

The days of just getting big via word of mouth are pretty much over if you really want your urban clothing lines to get picked up at the next level, your gonna have to do some leg work.

If you guys have other ways that you are using Twitter to propel your business, I'd love to hear it.

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Drake Shows Off Canadian Pride at NHL All-Star Game [Video]

Drake wore his Canadian pride on his sleeve while attending the 2012 NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Canada, on Sunday (Jan. 29). Sporting a custom NHL jersey with his name on it, the Toronto native took the ice to perform his hit “Headlines.”

“If you’re proud to be Canadian tonight, I want to hear you make some noise one time. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Drake, I grew up on the sport that we are here celebrating this evening, and this is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever received,” said the hip-hop star, who also visited the players in the locker room.

“I grew up playing hockey. I used to play right wing,” said a gracious Drizzy as he shook hands and took photos with the all-stars, who were equally excited to meet him.

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SBTG x DC Shoes “Enter the Dragon” Video

Following the announcement of a unique plate set and limited-run tees, DC Shoes in conjunction with legendary Singaporean designer SBTG releases a new video highlighting its special joint project, dubbed “Enter the Dragon.” The video features a gang of masked skaters who are in search of a special box that’s filled with the commemorative tees.

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In Soul Swagger News: President Barack Obama Invited to American Idol

This is long overdue but we’ve always thought President Barack Obama has a true soul in him and finally it leaked for the good of the people.  Although he once joined famous singers like Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson et cetera in singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the Civil Rights Concert back in 2010, this one particular time is when he really let his soulful voice shine.

Recently the president spoke in front of his supporters at Harlem’s Apollo Theater and spilled a bit of Al Green’s legendary hit “Let’s Stay Together” and the crowd went wild.  Check the video below:

Apparently this caught the attention of American Idol’s head honcho, Nigel Lythgoe who immediately took on Twitter and invited the president to perform the song in a duet with the original singer on the reality talent search show.

There’s no response from Obama’s Twitter account yet, but it sounds like a good idea both for the president in this election season and also American Idol which has not been great in recent television ratings.

Do you want to see the president singing a duet with Al Green?

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