Today we’d like to introduce you to Najee Strickland.
Hi Najee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Let’s see, where do I begin? I guess I can begin from birth. I was born in Memphis, TN on October 27th, 1989. I was raised in Riverside, South Memphis, Whitehaven, Westwood, and North Memphis. You can say that I had a feel for creativity and community while growing up in Memphis because the city itself has so much history, art, and culture engraved within it.
My parents worked day jobs, but their hearts were in the arts. I started drawing and doodling when I was six years old. Watching cartoons and playing outside was my escape from sunup to sundown. As I got older, my imagination grew, and my hunger to create expanded into painting and using different kinds of media like charcoal and oil paints. My eighth-grade art teacher introduced me to oil paint, the history behind it, and the artist that used it most.
He then introduced me to the Renaissance era and how artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo shaped and molded the art scene during those times. I painted different things for family members and my parents. I drew tattoo and business logo mockups for people, painted on clothes, painted large-scale backdrops for my uncle, and painted large-scale oil paintings of famous individuals. My ninth-grade teacher saw potential in me and suggested that I enroll in advanced placement art, which I did until I graduated from high school. After high school, I found myself cutting hair and sewing.
The barbershop was like therapy to me so I took on the mantle to cut family members’ and close friends’ hair while they would vent and kick their feet up to be groomed by me. At the time, I was in school for Architecture/Engineering Technology and my mom bought me a car to get back and forth to school, but I needed gas money and money for minor repairs. That’s when cutting hair came into the picture. I was working a job, but that money was for survival.
My love for cutting hair began to grow. I gained a large clientele and people were calling me “Chop God” because I was “chopping”. A word that took root with each haircut. Sewing came into the picture because I wanted to expand and grow from only painting on clothes for a brand I started in 2009 called Heartless Clothing & Co. From 2009 to 2014. Heartless Clothing & Co. was on the runways and the backs of supporters. Later, I re-branded and combined the visual art with the clothing design and called it Najee Strickland Designs (NSD).
I teamed up with another local designer by the name of Darnell Allen and produced a fashion presentation for the relaunch of my new brand. My growth led me to collaborate with other creative individuals and non-profit organizations to manage, produce, and curate art installations, exhibitions, and interdisciplinary events such as cinema and fashion presentations in the city of Memphis. Now I reside in Oakland, CA and I love it. I do alterations at a bridal shop and teach digital art and design at a private school.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never a smooth road. I honestly believe and accept that the obstacles you go through build character. I might sound deranged, but I look forward to failing at something because eventually, I know for a fact that I will overcome it. Especially if I continue to want to learn within that practice.
The struggle has always been the same, especially if you are a part of the socio-economic issues and disparities in society, which are funding and resources. Honestly, this is still a struggle to this day. The term “struggling artist” is still a thing because a lot of artists/creatives are having a tough time surviving as only an artist. Art has saved lives because it has so many dynamics from music to digital art & design to architecture & construction.
If architects didn’t design buildings, where would anyone live? If a digital artist didn’t exist, how would the majority of businesses have logos and trademarks that represent their business? If there wasn’t any music we wouldn’t have the songs that we have now as classics. Songs that have saved lives. My parents had a hustle and grind mindset and they were always working. Rest was an unfamiliar concept to them.
Even though rest is an act of resistance it was deemed as lazy, which explains their separation from the concept. Ever since high school, I’ve had to work a job and fund my creative endeavors. I didn’t know about grant opportunities until eight years ago because people didn’t talk about those things. We didn’t talk about how one can create for a living, survive, and support your loved ones. I’ve had to navigate living the life of an artist. It’s not easy but it’s always worth it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a multidisciplinary artist, which means that I practice in multiple disciplines of art and creativity. I specialize in visual art and clothing design. I am known for my skills and my ability to adapt to different genres of art. I am skillfully designed to break out of the box.
I am most proud of my short film, it was straight to the point and nothing was held back. Everyone enjoyed themselves and believed and trusted my vision for it to come to fruition. What sets me apart from others is that there’s only ONE me within this multiverse we live in. I’m not sure if there is another Najee Strickland here, but if there is he is not me.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
My tribe deserves an endless amount of credit. My mother, father, wife, daughter, nephew, friends, personal mentors, investors, non-profit organizations, and other creatives. My family are my supporters, cheerleaders, and clients. Whatever I release or design, members of my family make sure that they support me no matter what. My parents are everything. They’re the creators of me. I am carbon copies of them but in a different form. My wife is my backbone.
She supports me no matter what. She’s my accountability partner, editor, cheerleader, assistant, nurturer, lover, provider, and teammate. My daughter is my supporter, she’s always down to help me with any creative endeavor. She was featured in both of my films and she helps me prepare for shows and events that I produce. My nephew is the same way. Both my daughter and nephew are my heart. I have mentors and influencers in my life who have helped me get to where I am now both mentally and physically. Even the people that would be considered “bad influences”. I take a piece from everyone that I have encountered because it’s all a part of teachable moments.
My mentors and influencers have helped me with accountability, time management, self-awareness, self-love, empathizing with other individuals, confidence, getting rid of my ego, equity, and being more focused on the events that are happening around us. Investors and non-profit organizations have invested in my creative ability and skills to curate art installations and films.
They have also helped with compensating writers, illustrators, and cinematographers that I have teamed up with. Friends and other creatives have helped with this by supporting on various social media platforms. Whether it’s a like or share on social media, purchasing merch from my website, or providing feedback.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beacons.ai/najeestrickland
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najeestrickland/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/najeestrickland
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/najee-strickland-79a8a471?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClakHn2Ky5S5UdsKxjZjruA
- Other: www.theblackfistseries.com
Image Credits
Cardi Walker, Marsena Sellers, and Cliff Habat
