“Yeah, I’m Styling On You!”:
The Stylz of SOH MANI STYLZ Clothing Company Interview

Written By: Slangston Hughes

 

So, on one very cold afternoon in the midst of the “SNOWTORIOUS B.I.G.” that recently hit the upper east coast and mid-Atlantic region, I had the privilege of interviewing Stylz, founder and owner of “SOH MANI STYLZ” Clothing Company. If Slangston is the enigmatic misfit of ETM, then Stylz is definitely the Stylzmatic misfit of the artistic community. This amazing sista does some of everything. Fashion designer/stylist, actress, photographer, visual artist, model, makes jewelry, designs custom-made art work, custom designed shoes, a poet, musician, and so on… So, in the midst of Stylz operating as her own personal selector in her life’s constant tune to make it to the next level while playing various selections from her personal music collection and sparking the spiritual fire, the fireeeeeeee the fireeeeeeeeeeee, as she was then born into one of the most inspiring and intriguing interviews I’ve ever conducted…

 

Slangston: So, you do so much as an artist and eXpress yourself through “soh mani” different artistic mediums. What inspires you?

Stylz: My inspiration may come from anything from feeling the sunrays in the morning to speaking to strangers on the street. It just depends on what the universe provides for me at that time.  Music, however, plays a major part in my process. I find myself getting lost in the messages at times. So, like I mentioned before, lyrics and rhythms play a huge part in what inspires me. Another part of that equation would definitely be my mother, my ancestors, and the motivation and confidence they send me through different levels of unconditional love. I am also inspired by the fact that there are so many minds I want to reach, especially the young minds. They need to get my thoughts and love them because somewhere down the line we have dropped the ball. So, having said that… I know one day I will reach them through my talents in the most positive ways possible. Sometimes, I want to just run up and hug everyone I see ‘cause a lot of people don’t understand how much that can help a person. So, there’s just so much about life, period, that inspires me.

 

“I would just like to actually meet MYSELF: get a better understanding of me because that’s what it’s all about.
Just like really walk up to myself and meet myself like, “Hey, Self. How you doing?” I believe that if you can’t find yourself, then you won’t get anywhere successfully.”

 

Slangston: So, what is the meaning behind the name Stylz?

Stylz: Honestly, this is deep for me. Folk ask me this all the time, but I never really went into myself to eXplain before now. “Why?” you ask. Because most folk will not understand me. Okay, here goes… I am the 3rd chosen under the universe. A Gemini. I’m everywhere at once and always inspired. I want to see where else I can go because I am made up of a multitude of things. My characteristics make Stylz who she is who and where she is right now. Understand?

 

Slangston: Tell me more about your company SOH MANI STYLZ and its conceptual origins.

Stylz: Well. the name itself originated during a safari while furthering my education in Georgia. I was sitting at the table, gazing at a shirt I’d just designed, and was watching it dry. I thought to myself, “I really like this shirt. I do good work!” Who is this person peeking out?  So, I said, “STYLZ! Hmmmmm, I have soh mani,” I thought to myself. “‘Becuz u kan nevah have too mani’!” That was my slogan and another part of who I am. Now, if you’re wondering, Slangston, what’s the reason behind the schematics of my name? It’s jus another way of eXpressing my individuality. SOH MANI STYLZ… it looks different, sounds different. One day I happened to be surfing YouTube and ran across an interview on one of my favorite artists, Tupac Shakur. His words from one of his many interviews kind of went like this, “…if you have a name that no one else has, you have to repeat it twice. You got to say it with eXtra feeling the second time. It builds character.” It’s crazy how you don’t realize the reasons for some things until you have time to actually apply and understand them. It was then that I knew the name I chose 7 years earlier held a significant purpose. I knew I was on the right path as far as what I chose from the mani names for myself.

 

Slangston: Now, as an artist, as well as just simply as an individual, you seem to be very much outside the box in your approach. And eXcape the matriX is all about daring to live outside the box and be free within one's self… So, how does Stylz manage to remain so outside the box and achieve “mind freedom”?

Stylz: [laughs] The box, huh… Well, the so-called “box”—it was imperative that I devour it, digest it pulled the needed nutrients out of it, and finally passed it on back into the earth as food for my ancestors. So, now there is no box. It does not eXist in my world. I’m free. Everything I do and say remains free.

 

Slangston: WOW! Well, what is your creative process? How do you get to those “other places” artistically?

Stylz: I don’t know how I travel to the places I go; however, I always seem to get there on time. [laughs]

 

Slangston: Who, if anyone at all, dead or alive, would you like to meet the most?

Stylz: Myself and or the very first African stolen from Africa, but, then that’s me, if you know what I’m saying. It comes back full circle because that’s part of my ancestry. But, sometimes I would just like to actually meet MYSELF: get a better understanding of me because that’s what it’s all about. Just like really walk up to myself and meet myself like, “Hey, Self. How you doing?” I believe that if you can’t find yourself, then you won’t get anywhere successfully.

 

“The so-called “box”—it was imperative that I devour it, digest it pulled the needed nutrients out of it, and finally passed it on back into the earth as food for my ancestors. So, now there is no box. It does not eXist in my world. I’m free. Everything I do and say remains free.”

 

Slangston: Okay. Well, this has been a very different and unique interview, I must say, which is indeed a very good thing! So, here is a very different and unique question to close it out. I’m ‘bout to flip the table upside down right now and ask this: What one question, if any, would you, the interviewee, like to ask me, the interviewer?

Stylz: Why are you interviewing me? [laughs]

Slangston: Well, because I see me in you: very similar creative process. We’re both very visual as far as our thought processes. Our minds are almost identical like we eXchanged spirit energy in another life or something… [laughs] Its like the same mental visuals that I try to translate into lyrics, you can actually translate into visuals and I find it very amazing and eXtremely inspiring… Plus, a lot of things that seem crazy to other people for some reason seem to make a lot of sense to us… [laughs]…

 

 

 

 

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