How A Tribe Called Quest Built a Movement That Still Moves Us A Tribe Called Quest will go down in history as one of history’s most beloved Hip Hop groups. They’re inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a consistent reference for “conscious” Hip Hop artists, Neo Soul artists, as well as other artists across the board, and …
Fresh Since 79′
Fresh ain’t fashion. It’s framework. Before it ever hit a runway, it hit the block.Before it was couture, it was cornerstore.Before it was mainstream, it was us—Black, bold, and born of necessity. “Fresh” didn’t start in a showroom.It started in a living room where Big Mama pressed Sunday outfits,in barbershops where fades were carved with precision and pride,in basements where …
Connecting the Dots : Why Cultural Legacy Begins with Self-Discovery
Before you change the world, you’ve got to know the world that built you. – King Esseen We talk about legacy a lot—but legacy isn’t just what you leave behind. It’s what you build every time you choose to show up in your full, creative truth. It’s the mark you make when you create from a place that’s rooted—not in …
Why We Need Spaces Like The Instinctive Midnight Theory : Culture Beyond the Algorithm
What doesn’t trend can still transform. What’s quiet can still be revolutionary. We live in a time where culture is consumed faster than it’s understood.Where clips go viral, but stories don’t get told.Where genius gets lost in the feed.And where we mistake the algorithm for the archive. That’s why I created The Instinctive Midnight Theory. Because some things… you’ve got …
The Sounds That Shaped Me : Curating the Harmonic Convergence Playlist
Before I had words for who I was—I had sound. I had rhythm. I had feeling. And that was enough to begin. – King Esseen Music didn’t just accompany my story—it scored it. From Saturday mornings filled with Stevie and Sade, to late-night sample flips and freestyle ciphers in basements that smelled like vinyl and vision—sound has always been the …