from Manhattan in New Jersey, says he wears four
hats. He's a celebrity Jeweler exclusively for Ice
Kings, a celebrity booking agent with Idol Makers
Entertainment, an artist manager and he's also
president of Ruff Ryders Car Division in New Jersey.
He says he was a sophomore in college when he
brought his first pre-owned Rolex for $2,500 with
some grant money. When he returned home at 19
with a real Rolex, everyone asked him if he could
hook them up with jewelry. This started his freelance
hustle while he was in college.
With the money he saved from working for Verizon's
corporate office, he bought the Ice Kings Jewelry
store with partners Rob K (The Coach) and Albert,
the store's original owner. "We've done some of the
biggest custom pieces known throughout the world
for different rappers but we can't say which pieces
because we actually made them for other high end
jewelers we're ghost jewelers," says Big Rob.
Some of the Ice Kings clients include: Vivica Fox,
Cuban Linx, Raekwon and Tony Sunshine. They have
thrown parties and done vehicles for 50 Cent, Queen
Latifah, Ghost Face, Mobb Deep, Joe Buddens,
Naughty by Nature and Cassidy.
"We're known for doing custom pieces. We've been
retained by other big name jewelers to make pieces
for them because of the way we do it. They pay us
and they give it to their clients as if it came directly
to them," says Big Rob. "The passion is really in
not only doing custom pieces phenomenally, but
bragging about unmatched quality and pricing,"
he said. Rob says his passion for jewelry comes in
staying true to the culture. Every other big name
jeweler who has profited millions of dollars off the
culture doesn't respect the Hip-Hip culture, they're
"fake jacks" and the Ice Kings are not about that.
"I've seen it first hand, where some of these other
so-called jewelers speak another language making it
difficult for customers who come in spending twenty,
thirty, and fifty thousand dollars for their product. Ice
Kings is for the people by the people."
to shed the prejudice stereotypes that follow them.
Not intentionally degradating ourselves but in a
generation where the N word is a part of everyday
dialect, that is the end result. The root of the
word comes from so much negativity it's almost
impossible to convert into something meaningful.
The Negus movement vows to bring a positive twist
founded in January
2007 by two brothers,
Johwell
to do their part in
eliminating ignorance
and
N word. Substituting
"nigger" for negus,
a Ethiopian term for
king or power, which
terminology for a king. He found it ironic that it held
such a close resemblance to the other N word. The
brothers started out as hip-hop activist, performing
Haitian hip-hop with strong and empowering
messages. Bennchoumy a co-founder has performed
with artist like Wyclef Jean at the historic Brooklyn
spot Chocolate Monkey. Branching out to spread the
message they create t-shirts with catchy phrases
like: "are you a negus"? "negus up nigger down".
The movement has become more popular then the
brother even imagine, leading to an invitation to
speak at the United Nation on the subject.
accomplish?
slang. Through my travels I realize nigger is a popular
term only in the United States.
problems?
arguing last night who would die first for the cause.
Johwell: We would give our lives graciously for the
movement.
Negus on your web page, or wearing the shirt. You
can visit the web site get more knowledge about
the movement and spread the word. But most
importantly carry yourself as a Negus, a king and
others will follow!
To get involved or find out more information visit
www.negusworld.com
line, one thing that
should be set in stone
is where and how to
manufacture
of DymeWear, Rodrick
Burke, says getting
"If you don't have the right manufacturer it will kill
your line, it will kill your business and it will be costly
at the same time," he advised. "Pakistan," he says
"has the best quality but they don't have the best
relationship with the U.S." According to Burke, China
is where you want to manufacture your clothing. The
bad thing with China is communication; finding the
right middle person and finding the right prices for
the right quality.
Two years into his stint in the clothing game Burke
has this advice to lend. He says he first got his
feet wet making clothing when he worked with a
clothing company called Reality Check. His love for
the clothing game grew and so he branched off and
started his own line. DymeWear is located out of
Dallas, Texas. Rodrick was doing a model web-site
called Midwest Dimes. His female inquiries grew
which sparked a conversation between he and his
partner. What better name to suit stylish females
other than DymeWear? In May 2005 Rodrick and
his partner went ahead and trademarked the name
immediately.
Upon Rodricks return from serving in the Iraqi war,
DymeWear participated in a fashion show in St. Louis
that his Kappa Alpha Psi frat brothers were doing
with all the major lines. "We had the best show, the
best clothes, the best everything and that's when I
said okay we've got something big," said Rodrick.
The line is starting with denim jeans; very sexy but
very classy at the same time. "You could leave work
on casual Friday and go straight to happy hour and
kick it in the club," said Rodrick. "So it's the type
of clothing that women could kick it in. It's for the
`about- the-town' women, it's for the confident
women," commented Rodrick.
Laptops and digital cameras are the most essential
gadgets that go into making a clothing line, according
to Rocdrick. In order for the manufacturer to get a
detailed image or a detailed impression of what the
designer is doing, it has to be computerized. For
this industry designers use a program called CAD
(Computer Aid Design).
DymeWear launches spring 2008. "Of course it's
street and urban wear, but the people that mostly
wear street and urban wear of course are the cross
over crowd. It's for women who are confident about
themselves, if they want to be dimes," said Rodrick.
DimeWear did very well and was one of the premiere
new clothing brands at Magic International, the
industry's leading clothing trade show.