I Remember being a kid, drawing pictures on paper. Although I wasn’t the best at drawing, it gave me freedom, a peace of mind, escapism, it was my “happy place”. I would write and draw things on my clothing items at a young age. I would usually get in trouble for it but after awhile my parents started to see that I was different than the other kids. I loved going outside, playing Basketball and other sports with friends.. but Music & Art was my favorite thing to do. If I wasn’t listening to music, writing lyrics off of Hip Hop instrumentals, or watching videos, I was drawing.
My Parents finally decided to get me into a Art School. Art schools offer a unique learning experience for students serious about the arts. If you’re an aspiring artist, an art school might be the place for you. The structured environment an art school can provide to art students can be a great way for students to stay motivated.
Northwest School of Arts, changed my life completely. It helped me to express myself creatively. The school is very welcoming to all kinds of people, you never feel like an outsider, and there is always someone who has the same interests as you. I Remember going to my Clothing Design class one day, and I had on a shirt that I created, I wrote all over the shirt, I drew characters on it, and Smiley Faces, I even let my friends write all over the shirt and when my Teacher saw it she stopped me, made me model it in front of the class, and she gave me an amazing compliment for it. She asked me to walk outside the classroom for a brief conversation, and I’ll never forget the words she told me…
“before you go to your next class, I want to share these 3 words with you…”
“Master Your Craft”
“Never Let your Ideas Go Stale, you are Brave, your work will be legendary… but you have to believe that it will… BE YOU”
Those Two Words “BE YOU” stuck with me…
Fast Forward to 2013-2014 at this time I was a full fledged music artist. Music was my first love, I had the opportunity to open up shows and share the same stage with Major Artists such as The Late Great Nipsey Hussle, Big K.R.I.T, and the list goes on, I had the opportunity to perform and travel all over the US with my musical talents.
At times I would find myself shopping in different stores like H&M, Zara, Urban Outfitters and the Shopping Experience started to Bore me… because I’m a Visual Artist, and I would look at the clothing items and say to myself “They should add more colors, they should add more words to that shirt” or I would say… “If had the opportunity to design that shirt.. I would add this or that to it”
I felt the urge to create more, That Thought Process led me to create my own clothing items, it all started with me buying art supplies from different stores, I would go to Micheal’s, purchase some Acrylic paint and Markers, and add more colors and words to the clothing items.
People started noticing my Custom Designs, and it made them want to order Custom Clothing Items from me. At this moment I realized that I needed to take this seriously. I started creating items for co-workers, friends and family members. I created my brand BeYOULifestyle, I used my instagram page to promote myself and show my creative process. I started to gain momentum. In 2015, after losing my grandmother, I was done with Rapping, I started to focus more on mastering my craft with Art. The More Custom items I created.. I got better with time.
October 2020, I Created some Custom Bell Bottom Pants that was featured in a Art Exhibit in Nordstrom in New York City. That moment was a HUGE highlight for me, it made me push myself more, and create more.
People always ask me… what is BeYOULifestyle? It’s a Brand that promotes individuality and self empowerment through art. Bridging the Gap between Art & Fashion.
My Mission is to Make a Strong Cultural Impact with my work.
- Ade’ Adisa