Fatsarazzi Highsnobiety interview

Fatsarazzi interview
source:www.highsnobiety.com






Q1: Please introduce yourself and tell the readers what you do for a living?
My name is Fats Shariff aka Fatsarazzi & I am a jack of all master of some…but my passion lies in Photography.

Q2: When and where (and maybe through whom) did you enter the world of hip hop and street culture?
Uhhh I would have to say I got into this culture through my own vocation & interest in what was stylish & fresh at the time. I think the 1st 12” that I bought of the Genre was ‘HipHopBeBopDon’tStop’ Man Parrish, & the 1st pair of sneaks that I cried for wear Nike Wimbledon…followed by Nike Bruins.

Q3: You know everybody in the scene. Could you tell us about your relationship with NYC, Berlin, Paris and London? What is your posse? When and how did you meet?
When you have been in this game/world for as long as I have countries have no borders & the culture is just that…the culture…a question of acting local but being global. I knew a lot of the London faces just from being in the scene & I met James from then UNION NYC 90/91 & a few years later ended up working for Stussy & Gimme 5, from there I met everyone, & have continues to do so.

NYC came from just being there & then working for BAPE, must have been 1994 or 95 I was in Tokyo & these 2 fellas Stash & Futura where there negotiating their deal with BAPE. We spent 2 weeks together & that created a bond that is still hard to break.

Europe is just a natural progression of those relationships, & sheer talent for what it is that I did then.

I do not have a posse as such & it is no entourage, we are a group of like-minded people that know as individuals we have some pull but as a unit, together we are a force to be reckoned with.





Q4: Factor of Three used to be your clothing production company. Why doesn’t it exist anymore and what did you learn about the Streetwear business?
Factor of Three….for 8 years Fof3Ltd was the company that you went to if you wanted the best custom made jersey in Europe & you wanted a style input & understanding…we were the shit. We were so much more than just a manufacturer. The market changed & the game got harder…our biggest & best customer Silas decided they had had enough & were not going not be dictated to by the market, so they quit. This out a dent in us & I did not want to bend to the industry…so we stopped.

Q5: What is important to stay in the business?
Be Flexible & but focus & be the best at your chosen field…do not be swayed by what others perceive to be your strengths.

Q6: If one would want to start a company in the Streetwear business what would you give him as advice?
Don’t do it!

Q7: A lot of people are starting now. Maybe they are tempted by fast money and hanging at cool parties. How is the reality?
I will not expand on that as everyones experience is different...that is my answer DON'T DO IT...I tell this to everyone every day!

If they think like that: DONT DO IT...sorry that is my answer too many out there already...if you have done your reasearch then go for it, but otherwise do something else.

Q8: Do you think like that for the whole fashion market or particularly streetwear as we know it (tees, hoodies, jeans and call it a collection - style)?
For the very same reasons you have said people want to get into it is exactly the same reason why streetwear is in such a fucking mess right now

Pretty much I feel the same for the whole industry...too many people get into it because they are dazzled by the so called fame & fortune, but are not prepared to take the shit that gets you there. just because there are many people that want to do this does not mean they are good.

Quantity, kills Quality!




Q9: I know you don`t like to point out names, especially not in a negative way. So do you see people that are still doing a good job in the (let`s say) streetwear business?
Of course there are a few that do it well, but they are & in some cases are still the instigators of Streetwear, Like RECON, SUPREME, FL & even. There are probably in my opinion no more than 10 really good 'Streetwear' Labels out there, & all are at the pinnacle of their game & all others emulate in some shape or form. Like the line from Nas 'No idea is original, there is nothing new under the sun...it's about the way it's done.'

Q10: What were the most remarkable changes hip hop and street culture went through since you are in the game? What was better in the old days? What is better now?
Let me be honest, there were less of us & there fore the creativity & originality was more apparent. Today there are so many labels it is hard to decipher what is the good & the bad…& so many are similar it is hard to pin point who the players are. As for Hip Hop, wow…it goes back to what KRS 1 said, ‘Rap is an Industry & Hip Hop is a way of life, a culture’ We are in the middle of the growth of the Formulated Rap Industry…there is very little Hip Hop out there. For me what is Hip Hop today is Mos Def, Mad Lib…gentlemen keeping it real. The music has lost its edge & has become the Pop music of today…you can see the formula….

Q11: What, When & Now is a very interesting project you have. Can you explain the readers that don’t know it what that is all about.
WW&N is a Style, Trend forecasting & inspirational company, we provide our clients with current tastes of London’s sub cultures, & direct on where style & trend is going. We do not aim to dictate as other trend companies do, we want to provide a parallel alternative to what is out there…break up the monotony, make it fresh again…& we are having some success. WW&N is a network of Designers & Artists who are at the edge of all that is London.

Q12: Photography - You are known for taking excellent pictures. What does photography mean to you. Is it more an art form or are you doing it for money?
1stly thanks & that is an interesting question…for me it is definitely an art form that I would like to get paid for. I do nothing for nothing…I have done that already, as Cedric the Entertainer says, ‘I’m a grown as man dog, I don’t fuck around’

Photography for me is all about making the viewer feel that they were actually there, they can see, hear, & taste, & even smell the image…I want to capture what makes us feel alive!!!






Q13: Tell us a bit more about your show in Bern. What can we expect?
What can I say…very different from most of my other work, & seeing it was for Mahamaya, we have a lot of Indian influence, but influences that cross over to what inspires me, packaging, books, statues…the everyday things that my Indian brothers & sisters use & perhaps take for granted.

But there are a few reportage shots from the Nights @ Wasserwerks…here it is about the people.

Q14: You seem to have a tight relationship with Switzerland, how come?
This is easy & all I will say is Giorgios Rafailis, that is it…he is Bern for me.

Q15: How did you meet Giorgios Rafailis a.k.a. Babag (Owner of Mahamaya)?
Long story...met in Saigon May 1993 & it involved, Water, Stoly & Orange Juice, & pack of 20 pre rolled Joints !

Q16: Why is your relationship still so tight after all these years and despite the distance?
I really do not know why, & if I could probably describe it, it would fall apart.

Love & Respect mostly.





Q17: Can you tell me more about the traveling you did? Especially India and SE Asia? How is that?
Wow, that was 14 years ago when we went around Asia. Without going into to many details, I feel that travel is the best education, & I learned more about human beings & being alive in that year than all the years since. India & Asia are different for each person. Never 2 journeys are the same, so it is pointless for me to reflect what happened to me etc…but know this, I still hold the memories of then & they still feed me with great inspiration.

Q18: You are married to a beautiful woman and have 3 sons. How did you meet? How can you keep up with all the things you do plus having a family life?
I met my gorgeous wife (and she really is : ) ) in 1989 & she was the love interest of my flat mate. She was a model & very much part of the scene & was involved in the whole evolution of the International Stussy Tribe back in the late 80’s etc…I hated her & thought she was a stuck up model bitch. But one day I had the chance to actually spend a little tie with her & then I thought, ‘Hey she’s ok you know’ It’s a long & funny story, but in the end we ended up with each other after I had tried to sent my boy up with her. Hah…I asked her to marry me after the 2nd day together & we hadn’t even got naked yet !!! Now that was 15 years ago & 3 kids later.

The reason I manage to do all that I do is because of her & her understanding & more than that there is trust. Plus I become a real moody motherfucker if I do not get a road trip or 2 in the year.

With my photography gaining momentum looks like I will be away even more, & she will be cool with it, & them kids do not mind…it is an equation;

Dad goes away + Dad get’s paid = Dad gets us shit…

So I think they are happy for now : )





Q19: How does your wife feel when you take pictures of other womens asses?
She does not mind, it keeps me from hassling her, plus she knows I am such a pussy that if a girl did step to me, I would run a mile ha ha hah !

Q20: Do you have any goals you would like to achieve in the future? Personally and business wise?
I want to take the best pictures that I can & get paid for it…but really get paid !!!

Make WW&N the force to be reckoned with that I know it should be.

Be a good Old man to my boys…oh yeah & be a good husband blah blah blah : )

I am managing these things…but still need to get paid properly !!!

Q21: What do you call “really getting paid”? Like Terry Richardson gets paid maybe? What is your plan to get to this point? Any strategy, any advise?
I am always about getting paid...Indian you see, it is all about the cash. Yes eventually I would like bank like Terry, but I just want people to treat you with respect & not always haggle you down, that is what I mean by getting paid properly...be paid fairly for your worth. But I have now got an agent...& that is the beginning of a whole new world.

Remember this: No one will help you get where you want to go other than yourself.

You have to push and get yourself out in the public eye & then slowly... slowly you can start to climb...that is what I have been doing for 2 years plus...& if this agent does not work out, I will find the next...but you have got to push.

Q22: Does money get more important in life, the older you get? Or is it the other way around?
Who ever thinks money is not important has a healthy bank account. Money is the ultimate Tool, it is the oil that lubricates the foundation of our society...wake up, money is essential.

It is only natural that the older you get the more you have to pay for, your responsibilities increase so does your outlay. That is the only difference that I have found.

Q23: What are your ambitions for the next 2 to 5 years?
To not have any and live in the moment.

Q24: Who do you think is the most influential person/institution in global street wear? Why?
In my opinion there are too many wrong people influencing Streetwear, & they are there just by business chance & luck. There are many more people out there that do so much more that get no recognition…so I will not give anyone credit, because as I have said, there is no one person, but I will say this…My eldest son Che. I love to watch him find his style & adapt what he likes into his groove. That gives me more inspiration & influence than any label out there.




Q25: Do you like big butts or small butts? Do you like small boobs or big boobs? Which combination is best?
Hmm I am a man who likes the middle way...I like a woman who is a real woman...I am no lover of Size 0. But I love beauty & I love those that are not us men !

Q26: Thank you very much for the interview... always a pleasure!
No, thank you Dave....

See you next week!



His upcoming Shows:



At Milieu Gallery in Bern, Switzerland, opening the 15th of June!


Links:

www.fatsarazzi.co.uk
www.whatwhenandnow.com
http://blog.slamxhype.com/fatsarazzi
www.hypebeast.com/fatsarazzi

www.theschemes.com/blog/fatsarazzi

www.mahamaya.ch
www.milieu-digital.com
www.wasserwerkclub.ch

Words by Dave Marshal of Yuhzimi/Milieu/Wasserwerkclub