“I'm Nigerian... we are more than just cab drivers and email scammers. I work for 10Deep and Clipse most notably, I wash dishes and dig ditches if the job calls for it.”

~ Meka

By Catzie Vilayphonh  |  Send to Friend

Me and Meka go way back. Not that far back but back enough back, that we had forgotten how we had known each other until someone recently asked us and we both had to compare notes. It was probably about 2 years ago. I was dating some guy in NYC and we were all at a party. I didn't meet Meka there, because said guy I was dating in NYC was insecure about introducing me to other males he knew. So it wasn't until it was time to go home, that I noticed this black guy climbing into the backseat making himself comfortable and then smiling at me after buckling his safety belt. That was the beginning, and everywhere I went in New York I saw him. At parties, at gatherings, even walking down a Lower East Side block I was bound to see Meka. By then I had learned his named was pronounced "Mecca" and not "Meeka" and he in turn learned that my real name was not my Myspace name, Catzuella. We ran into each other so much that our presence to each other confirmed that we were indeed out at the right parties.

Eventually all this running around got us both jobs we really liked, him with 10Deep and now the Clipse's new line Play Cloths, and me with 215Mag of course. Here's what Meka's been up to.

Catz: Explain to me your three jobs and what they entail? Are you Jamaican or Haitian? You gotta be one of those island types with that many job titles.

Meka: I have a few jobs but one title: Marketing Guy. I'm Nigerian, so I'm trying to show that we are more than just cab drivers and email scammers. I work for 10Deep and Clipse most notably, I wash dishes and dig ditches if the job calls for it, why? You know someone who's hiring?

Catz: Where do you work, exactly?

Meka: Anywhere accessible by NYC subways.

Catz:  Are you a native New Yorker?

Meka: Brooklyn born and bred.

Catz: How long have you had your dreads? Do you plan on cutting them? Can I be there when you do?

Meka: I think it's been five years and no matter whether I keep 'em or cut 'em, I would ask you to kindly stay away from my head, thank you very much.

Catz: Have you stopped wearing your Cazals? I haven't seen them on you lately...

Meka: I look dumb enough without those things on my head, I don't need to bring any more attention to myself.

Catz: What were you doing before you started your current gigs?

Meka: Teaching corporations the importance of  Ctrl + Alt + Delete.

Catz: How did you find 10Deep, or better yet how did 10Deep find you?

Meka: I was in the street wearing a 10Deep tee and I ran into Josh (10Deep's Creative Director) who introduced himself and let me know that the company he worked for made the shirt I was wearing. We then coincidentally ran into each other multiple times afterwards. Due to all these instances of serendipity, he introduced me to Scott, the bossman, and it was all downhill from there.

Catz: What are some of the things we should look for in new 10Deep?

Meka: I say the same thing every season, that the next season will be bigger, more technical garments, blah blah. Something interesting I can say is that in '09 you're going to be seeing a lot more collaborations, something we hesitated to do. You're also going to see the continuation of our mixtape projects, which have broken now big artists like Wale and Kid Cudi.

Catz: Are you a really big fan of the Clipse? What is your favorite song?

Meka: I've always been a fan of Clipse, asking me my favorite song is pretty unfair as I think I can recite all of I Got it 4 Cheap Vol. 2 from memory.

Catz: Is the idea around Play Cloths similar to BBC clothing?
 
Meka: The idea of having a brand that particular to a certain fan base, inspired by an artist and very select in their retail, is where the similarities would end. Expect the reach to be broader, the line to be more in-depth and more accessible. As inspirational as we want the line to be we also understand that we can't stray too far from our origins and the people who helped us get to where we are.
 
Catz: What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Meka: My job is basically getting people to like the same things that I like, so as long as I love the people and the brands I work with I will get up every morning anticipating getting to work
 
Catzie: You used to say that you knew you weren't missing any of the good parties because anytime you were out you saw me there, but now that I'm full-time with two.one.five you're also not going out? Coincidence or just getting old?

Meka: Now that going out is actually in my job description, I find it harder to do so. I've always been one to buck authority so now I stay home just to spite the powers that be.