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SoJones Interview: Epic Headwear Company Flat Fitty

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Flat Fitty headwear

More Than Just About Hats but the Bugatti of Hats

When is a hat more than just a hat? When it’s the Bugatti of hats. Founder of Flat Fitty, Tian Waters, started the brand back in the early 2000s with the intention of giving customers the best quality hat that they could muster, and almost ten years later, he’s still on that same mission.

With deliveries to more than 80 countries since the company’s inception, they are definitely well on their way to making a huge dent in the hat world, but the goal is to produce quality not quantity. That single mantra has allowed the brand to thrive and grow in a crowded marketplace and is still at the forefront of marks mind as they usher in a new era of Flat Fitty headwear. 2013 is poised to be a big year for the brand with some huge partnerships and a few lined up, so be prepared.

How did your partnership with the Jabbawockeez come about?

We’ve been working with them for almost five or six years back, and they came to us for private label headwear when they wanted to get some stuff done. Flat Fitty has been in business for ten years doing private label headwear, and we’ve delivered to 800 brands in 80 countries, and they’re one of the brands that we work with.

So, when they were getting their new Luxor deal, which kind of kicked up over the holidays, when I think they signed a six-year deal with Luxor and a four-year extension, they needed some product and they came to us because the stuff they were getting was kind of low-quality, and they wanted some high-quality stuff. So they approached me and asked if we wanted to get them some premium goods, and it was like ‘Hell yeah, let’s do it.’ So, that’s kind of how it came out. It came from product and realizing that we’re kind of on the same path.

They’re all about quality and doing s*** right and we’re all about the same thing, so we kind of put our heads together and asked whether there was more to this relationship than getting you guys headwear. He approached the team over there and the team said yeah, so it was pretty easy. They knew about us, they knew who we were, and we appreciate them and everything they’ve done. They’re global, man. Their following overseas is just epic, so it’s kind of just a natural fit for our brand to associate with them.

sojones flat fitty 3

At the end of this collaboration with them as your brand ambassadors, what do you hope to have fulfilled?

What they’re going to get out of it from us is quality headwear, and that’s what’s lacking in the industry. We kind of look at ourselves as the Bugatti of headwear. Yeah, there are probably a lot of Hondas and a lot of BMWs, but there are very few Bugattis or Ferraris out there, and that’s kind of what we are. So, first and foremost, we hope they’re happy with the headwear that they get. As far as what the relationship brings to them, we do have a pretty good reach.

We’ve delivered to over 80 countries, so we kind of understand the global view because we’re originally a Hong Kong corporation. So we lived overseas for a long time, and we kind of know the international markets rather than just here domestically in the US. So at the end of the day, we hope they’re happy with the headwear, and we hope they’re happy with what we can do for them on the social media platform.

What do we take out of it? The Jabbawockeez have a big reach. They’re big in Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, and those are markets that we have distributors in. So, being able to associate with those guys in those regions really helps the brand show that it’s making the right moves with quality groups and quality people.

How would you describe the quality that Flat Fitty brings to the headwear game?

Well, there’s a good group of people over here, and what they’re all about first and foremost is quality. Quality life, quality people, quality product. It’s kind of disheartening when I walk in the mall and you see product that’s selling for forty bucks and you know d*** well it’s not worth forty bucks, but yet it’s that brand that you want to pay for.

So, hopefully what we’re doing for the industry is that we’re bringing that platform, and you kind of look at us like a canvas. If you look at Flat Fitty and say I want to collaborate with Flat Fitty because it’s the best and I want to put my name on the best, it’s kind of like paints a beautiful picture. And at the end of the day, you don’t mind dropping 30 or 40 dollars on a beautiful picture rather than feeling like you got squeezed on that one, but it was the brand that you wanted to be associated with.

We kind of look at it like there’s a void of headwear. This is Facetime era and people should really be looking at their face and going ‘ People are looking at my eyes and I’m on Skype all the time wearing a hat.’ We put so much emphasis on shoes and how people look at footwear, but it’s like how many times do you look down at people’s feet? You’re always looking at someone’s head, so your head should be perfect and that cap should be perfect.

Flat Fitty headwear

How do you plan to dominate the domestic market in the same way you have with the international market?

We’re so used to doing international business and probably about 80% of our revenue is overseas right now. With the US it becomes more about who’s messing with the product, who’s wearing it, what videos are you in, and while that’s good to a certain extent, you want to be associated with the right hip-hop guys and the right artists.

You also want to protect your brand and make sure that anybody that’s messing with it understands the value of it. I think what’s conscious for us right now is putting on the right people and making sure that we’re just not trying to get the brand out there to everybody, but instead making like if someone wants to mess with us, we want to know if they’re worthy of us and are we worthy of them.

It’s kind of like a two-way street of us getting what we’re all about. We want brand ambassadors that are promoting the brand and they understand the brand and what makes us different. We want people to treat us like a Bugatti.

When you’re sitting in a Bugatti, you know that feels right and it’s luxury. So when you put a hat on, if somebody’s first takeaway is that it’s cool and they’ll mess with it, that’s not what we’re looking for. We want somebody to be like ‘D*** what’s this all about. I’m down with this.’ We want to partner with the right people domestically and bring the right people to the brand to support it.

Images via Tygereye Ent. 

The post SoJones Interview: Epic Headwear Company Flat Fitty appeared first on Hip Hop Clothing & Fashion | Urban Street Wear Clothes.

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Dee-1 Calls Raheem DeVaughn To “Purify My Eyes”

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Fresh off his Breakfast Club appearance after having “Lines Drawn” with help from Billboard and successfully migrating From The Hood To Harvard, NOLA native Dee-1 taps Soul singer/songwriter Raheem DeVaughn for “Purify My Eyes.” Continuing his theme of counter-culture centered messaging the timely track, which was produced by Anonymous, urges listeners to replace images of corruption and cynicism with lifegiving content to reprogram our thinking for the better.

“This is easily one the most important songs I have ever done because it provides Hip-Hop with a solution-based perspective meant to combat some of the problems we face as a culture. It’s honest, raw, and transparent. I’ve been friends with Raheem Devaughn for a long time, so to finally collaborate on a song feels great. When I played the record for him, he fell in love with it and instantly added his parts; which took the song to another level,” say’s the David Found His Slingshot author in a exclusive statement to Medium Creative Agency.

Award-winning rapper. educator, host, activist, business owner, and keynote speaker are synonymous with Louisiana’s Dee-1. The Nasir “Nas” Jones Hip Hop Fellow at Harvard University is a Billboard Top 10 charting, game-changing MC with a persona to match his penmanship. He’s transitioned from being a middle school math teacher in The Boot to a Hip-Hop heavyweight with much more to accomplish. He has released 10 albums and 21 projects thus far in his career.

Dee-1’s music is part of a bigger lifestyle movement called Mission Vision, which centers around three core principles: Be Real. Be Righteous. Be Relevant. In 2020, Dee received the prestigious NAACP “Power of Influence Award,” highlighting his community activism and commitment to inspiring the youth. In 2021, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on “The Manhattan Project,” but he lost to Michelle Obama. Later that year, Dee was appointed to the “Louisiana Council for the Success of Black Men and Boys” by Governor John Bel Edwards, making him the first rapper in Louisiana history to become a governor’s appointee.

After addressing critics and fans alike in the official music video for the Danny Beats-produced single for “Lines Drawn” and following his viral interview on Sway In The Morning centered around industry hypocrisy, Emmy-nominated educator turned entertainer Dee-1 released his latest project to date From The Hood To Harvard. The 8-track body of work includes guest features from Skyy Brooks as well as P3RK and is anchored by supporting records “Impostor Syndrome” & “Dr. Freshh.”

Stream “Purify My Eyes” on your DSP of choice below and watch Dee-1‘s interview with The Breakfast Club | HERE.

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Chelsea Pastel Releases Motivative New Single “Price Going Up”

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To celebrate “Greener” pastures, following the announcement of her joining Kid Cudi’s ‘Insano World Tour,’ Cleveland native Chelsea Pastel releases the Cassius G-produced single “Price Going Up.” Marking CP’s explosive entrance into 2024, the empowering anthem resonates with anybody pushing forward with resilience and determination. With infectious beats and powerful vocals, she asserts her presence as a rising star to watch. Setting the stage for an exciting year ahead, the brand-new track is a bold declaration of Chelsea’s unwavering commitment to excellence.

“I jumped off that porch, I’m not going back to that house and I mean just that. I’m never looking back. I took a leap of faith and where I land is where I’m staying,” says the talented triple threat in a press statement to Medium Creative Agency about her latest release.

Born and bred in Forest City, Chelsea found her passion for music early on, which led her to enroll in the Cleveland School of Arts. After graduating, Chelsea begin to make a name for herself throughout the Midwest and beyond. Her unique sonic style, catchy hooks, and lyrical prowess have earned her the title of Cleveland’s Next Up talent.

Apart from accolades, which include spotlight spots regionally on WKYC and Dirty Glove Bastard as well as national recognition on top-tier entertainment networks like BET, Chelsea is a self-taught instrumentalist who often handles her production, writing, and engineering. Her unique brand of ballads can be best classified as a fusion of Rap and Pop with a touch of Rock accented by old-school flavor.

Press play on “Price Going Up” on your DSP of choice below and watch the visual for “Greener” | HERE via Pastel Productions LLC / Vydia.

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Chill Vibes and Sultry Melodies: Exploring iazY’s Latest Release “Pink Leaf”

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Hailing from the vibrant city of Irvine, the rising artist iazY is making waves with her latest single, “Pink Leaf,” released under her own label, iazY Music Ent. This track, produced by The Real Mapa and engineered by Troy “R8dio” Johnson, introduces listeners to iazY’s signature sound—a fusion of Urban pop rock melodies.

iazY shared her motivation behind crafting “Pink Leaf,” revealing, “I just had this vision of just a chill vibe, something for my ladies.” This intention shines through in the song’s laid-back groove and sultry lyrics, creating an irresistible atmosphere that invites listeners to unwind and groove along.

What sets “Pink Leaf” apart for iazY is not only its sound but also the emotions it evokes. She explains, “I think just how the song sounds and how it makes me feel. It just puts me in that ‘have fun chill’ vibe.” With its catchy hooks and lush production, “Pink Leaf” effortlessly captures iazY’s essence as an artist, marking a milestone in her musical journey.

As iazY continues to captivate audiences with her unique blend of genres and infectious energy, fans eagerly anticipate upcoming shows and releases. To stay updated on iazY’s latest endeavors, follow her on Instagram @iazyofficial and keep an ear out for future announcements from iazY Music Ent.

Visit iazyMusic.com

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