Author name: skribbs

Dōki Industries

My name is Jeff and I started Dōki Industries. Creating various things since 2019

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?

I was born and raised in the north end of Scarborough. It was a true suburban upbringing. Grew up riding a bike everywhere. 

2005 – I had just moved back to Scarborough, but I still worked downtown. I had a working bike, and that got me to and from places until the winter months. 

Mid 2010 – Brought more riding, my first fix gear bike, alley cats, and new friends. 

2019 – I started Doki Industries with no real sense of direction but I knew that I didn’t want to limit myself to just one thing. So Doki has evolved over the years.

Who or what got you into the scene?

I worked for a number of years in a shipping department for a media company. Over that time, I became acquaintances with many couriers. Eventually, I found out about alleycat races and it was enough to me to want to test myself. I was living downtown and riding bikes everywhere. From bike races, to wanting to plan cycling charity events, working with other creators to make small batches of merchandise, leading me to start creating some cycling bags.  

What inspires/motivates you?

A lot of it is just wanting to try new things that I think people would like.  When I was hosting alleycat races, sure I wasn’t a courier, but I didn’t let that limit me. I just did my thing and people seem to enjoy it. So I kept doing it.   When it came to Cranksgiving, I had a some experience in the race part but not a lot in canvassing. I felt like an imposter at times.

Going into shops, saying “My name Jeff… you don’t know me and I don’t know you, but here is this charity event I’m putting on, and you should help donate”. It was a weird feeling. But working with Alex on Cranksgiving 1 and with a number of others on Cranksgiving 2, I feel like we did a lot of good, and raised a bit of money.   Once the lockdown hit, I turned my focus to what products could I make. My wife and I made masks for hospitals to start and ended up making my own.  The lockdown provided a lot of youtube watching, and I found myself watching a lot of bike packing videos and being intrigued. What I didn’t like was the cost of these bags. I found some template designs, and started from there.   

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing?

I like seeing people enjoying something I was involved in. The first Cranksgiving* I ran, finished at Fire Station 333 where we dropped all the food for Daily Bread donation. It was cool as they brought out the big truck and everyone was like kids again. Cranksgiving 2 was a bigger event. There were a ton of donations. Great race, tons of prizes, huge raffle, and a decent amount of money raised.  With bike bags, I enjoy talking with people about it and hearing feed back. Or just making what I want and putting it out there.   

*Cranksgiving is an alleycat that runs in multiple cities each year. For Cranksgiving Toronto there’s usually a component of collecting canned goods that end up getting donated to various charities.

What are your goals?

Ultimately, if I have done or put out something that I enjoyed and others enjoyed, then that was the goal. I’m not thinking this will become anything major. At this point, just due to scheduling, I’m only making a handful of bags a year. 

What are you proud of? Whats one of your biggest accomplishments

I would have to say Cranksgiving 2.  We had some major sponsors locally and internationally who donated prizes. We had fantastic participants who spent hard earning money on the race and raffle. And amazing talent who all came together and made a great day for everyone.  Other than that, every bag I’ve made, I’m proud of. 

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by? And maybe if you want, explain what it means to you and how resonates with you.


There is nothing specific. Be a good person. Treat others as you would like to be treated. I have learned a lot about myself in the last few as a new parent.  Although…

“Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing” by Ron Swanson is a good one. 

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

I don’t think I would. The things you do in life, the places you go, people you see, experiences you have; these are the things that make you, you. A person needs to experience the highs and lows, and let it shape them. And hopefully come out the end relatively unscathed. 

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

I would tell them to start doing the “Disney Hug”. Disney has a rule with all of it cast member at theme parks, where when giving/receiving a hug from someone, they are not allowed to let go first.  We all just need more love in our lives. And sometimes, a hug can do that.   

Give yourself a plug (Events, Merch, etc. Promote yourself)

Instagram: @doki_industries
Facebook: Doki Industries
Merch: dokiindustries.bigcartel.com  

Anything else you want to add? Feedback? Shoutout? Recommendations?

I am forever thankful to my wife who has supported me though all ups and downs that Doki has been through.  

358Narada

Narada is a bike courier currently working for send it and visual story teller showcasing the lives of Toronto messengers.

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?

I was born in Toronto and moved to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, at a young age, where I went to school and spent most of my childhood. At 18, I moved back to Canada on my own, living in Edmonton and Vancouver for a few years. After graduating from college, I returned to Toronto and have lived downtown ever since.

Who or what got you into the scene?

I got into stooping and curb finds during the pandemic. By chance, I stumbled upon a box of old Hi8 camcorders left out in the street, exposed to the rain. Despite the water damage, I managed to get one of the camcorders to work. I started recording the various things I saw while working as a bike messenger in the city. Re-watching the footage every night when I got home became a therapeutic ritual. It made me reflect on memory, archiving, and how creating videos lies somewhere between presenting truth and manipulating reality through storytelling.

What inspires/motivates you?

Media that makes me feel something as opposed to works where I just passively consume. I consume a lot of media in various formats, and I’m drawn to artists who elicit feelings, whether good or bad or confusion. I try to emulate this in my own work and I’d be happy knowing that I’m able to elicit something in at least one person out there.

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing?

I have two main goals with the videos I create. First is to capture a unique moment in time of bike mess culture that is somewhere between death as we have understood what it is and stands for, and rebirth under new different parameters. Second, is to create videos that I myself would enjoy watching and nothing more.

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

Absolutely nothing. While I’ve had a wealth of experiences ranging from good to bad. I feel like every single one has played a part in making me the person I am today. And I would not trade any of them, even the ones that at the moment felt heart wrenching and despairing.

Anything else you want to add? Feedback? Shoutout? Recommendations?


Shout out to all people in the messenger community that have been super supportive of my videos and in all I do. Also big thanks to Chrome Sunsets for giving me a platform.

Justcallhimlee

MAKING DREAMS COME TO LIFE, ONE VIDEO AT A TIME

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?


I grew up in Ajax Ontario for the majority of my life. Living in the suburbs, I moved a lot with my mom, but I was primarily an athlete, a gamer, more focused on the social side of things growing up rather than the art. I played a lot of sports, I was always outside, I was always active and I was always in shape. I never really spent much time in Toronto or outside of the suburbs. I started frequenting the city about two years ago and that was through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who or what got you into the scene?

What got me into Camera work in the first place just because I started out primarily as a photographer was when I went on a date with a girl. This girl brought her camera and we vibed out, spent a lot of time together, listened to music, took a lot of photos and it was just such a mesmerizing experience. I always say to this day I fell in love with the camera not her, but I do owe it to her. She’s the reason that I got interested in the craft, bought my own camera and started shooting every day for the next two or three years. It was a visual diary, basically of whatever I saw, and I just shared it to the world.

What inspires/motivates you?

It’s definitely tough to stay motivated when you run your own business creating content because you have to balance making content that is true to you and content that is also successful for clients. What I mean by that is if you only do work for others, you’re basically suppressing that creative vision that you have in your head that you want to let out and then your work starts to feel more like a job than your passion. Keep a balance between doing work that satisfies your mind and pushes you while also doing work that appeals to clients. I say always do one personal project a month and share it to the world if you want to. At least one project that is entirely dedicated to you. It’s your vision, it’s your dream and work on it and work on it and work on it.

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing?

I always tell people that I do what I do because I want to bring people’s visions and dreams to life and if it’s not for others, it’s for myself. I started this because I wanted to capture what I saw and be able to create and tell those stories that I envisioned, and people started asking me to do the same for them. I’m motivated intrinsically by building dreams and creating and making them a reality but at the same time I’m also motivated in helping others bring life to their dreams through the lens of a camera and through I guess my perception of artistic vision and taking their visions and my eye, and making something beautiful.

What are your goals?

With it being a new year, I think this is a perfect time to discuss goal setting. The biggest thing for me this year is going to be consistency in not just shooting, it’s going to be consistency in outreach, in editing, in education, physical and mental health fitness. There needs to be consistency everywhere and I am convinced that if I do everything that I need to do on a daily basis, I’ll be so much more successful than I have been in prior years.

What are you proud of? Whats one of your biggest accomplishments

One of the biggest accomplishments I think I ever achieved was being told about a year after a shoot that I finished. For me, the shoot was just another regular day. It was a music video and we went through the usual process of conception to finishing the project & it came out great. The artist was very happy with it released, and then I went about my day and a year later, probably over a year now actually, I was talking with the same artist and they said in the midst of doing that video they were like “I think I can really do this” and I’m glad that the work that I do and the professionalism that I bring to sets allow people to really believe in themselves. I’m there because I believe in you so I would hope that you believe in yourselves, but just to get that reaffirmation that you know they went all in knowing that they can do this for real. It was probably one of the best feelings that I ever had.

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by? And maybe if you want, explain what it means to you and how resonates with you.

It gets easier every day. It gets a little easier but you gotta do it every day. That’s the hard part but it does get easier.

The quote that I live by is from Bojack Horseman, phenomenal show. I believe if I do that if I live by that mantra every single day Ill get to where I wanna be.

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

Oh, this is a wild question. Overall I guess if I had the option to restart my life and do everything differently, I wouldn’t play it so safe I think I would do a complete reshuffle on life. Growing up, instead of playing a ton of sports and video games, I probably would’ve been a musician and learned the piano in the guitar but at the same time it all depends on how you were raised in your upbringing so that’s something I cannot control. I would say that the second I turned 18, I would get the hell out of here and figure out how to work and be successful overseas and abroad. I would probably just live life traveling and just doing what I can in that aspect. I always felt like I would be a traveling, professional, or an expatriate. That was the original goal before I got into content production and media production or I would do the 9 to 5 lifestyle, get married at 22, have kids early like you know the American dream see what that’s like cause I’m definitely not doing that right now.

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

What I would tell my younger self is just fucking do it. The worst thing that happens is you face rejection or someone says no and you’re back to how you were before you attempted it in the first place so it’s better to live a life full of rejections, and a life full of regret, because not everything will lead to a rejection and you will probably learn more from those rejections then you would being in your own head. So just do it who cares what other people think, don’t be so attracted to the masses and what the world thinks about you, just fucking do it.

Give yourself a plug (Events, Merch, etc. Promote yourself)

I don’t do any events (anymore), I don’t have any merch, I just make content and I make great content. If you want to tap in, just hit me on my Instagram which would be linked below and just feel free to reach out whether you want to shoot, want advice or you wanna learn or something like that. If you’re just curious about my process, feel free to ask anything you want I don’t bite, I’m not mean, and  the big goal is just to unite Toronto. If we can all unite, we would become an absolute global force because we have the most talented to people on the planet. I say it all the time nothing can stop us. www.primarimedia.art for portfolio.

Anything else you want to add? Feedback? Shoutout? Recommendations?

I just wanted to thank y’all for giving me an opportunity to share my story. Share my goals my aspirations I think what you guys are doing for the city is amazing and I hope a lot of people tap in and if you guys want to turn this into a podcast or something like that you already know who to hit up.

Versatile Vigilante

toronto based interviews and content with creators & positive members of the community

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?

Born in the Dufferin & Lawrence area but have spent most of my life in East Mississauga. Come from an Italian background

Who or what got you into the scene?

Have been a fan of the underground for my whole life. I dressed up as Joey Ramone for Halloween in Grade 5. Always enjoyed interviews, rare moments, and being around good people. I have many influences and continue to be inspired by a lot of them.

What inspires/motivates you?

My main motivation comes from my curiosity of how far I can push myself and what I can create. I have learned that in order to achieve anything in life, I have to be my main motivator and put the time and actions in to make things work. At the end of the day, I just want to be true to myself and do things that I can be proud of.

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing?

I feel I only truly represent myself, but I do have a love of Toronto and want to help become a positive part of the city. To be able to provide resources and make cool things happen in the city is a large reason as to why I do the things I do.

What are your goals?

My goals are not based on material things or anything that can be quantified. My goals are to continue to grow Versatile Vigilante, but even more importantly, to grow as a person. I want to stay true to myself and not give in to social traps. I have morals and principles and these will help guide me through my life journey.

What are you proud of? Whats one of your biggest accomplishments

I am proud of where I have gotten at this point. I have met some amazing people and have learned a lot about myself in the process. My biggest accomplishment has been the recent “A Very Versatile Art Gallery.” Throwing an event has been a goal of mine for a long time, and I am super happy and grateful for the how the event turned out. It definitely is something I am proud of and will look back on fondly.

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by? And maybe if you want, explain what it means to you and how resonates with you.

One day at a time.

This quote has really helped me to stay focused on the present and not get overwhelmed by things that have not even happened. Life can be so fast and it is important for me to take this moment by moment, as I can only live one day at a time, no matter what. Staying present and in the moment is something I work on and this quote has always been a nice reminder.   Another quote is “Never Panic.” I have learned that panic NEVER helps and always causes more problems. In any situation that causes stress, I think it is extremely important to take some time to gather composure and reflect on the situation. Making impulse decisions and panicking makes the situation far worse than it really is.

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

Absolutely nothing. So much has yet to be written, I would not change a thing.

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

Never panic and trust yourself. If not everyone understands what you are doing, that is their problem, not yours. Need to be true to yourself and understand what you are capable of.

Give yourself a plug (Events, Merch, etc. Promote yourself)

@VersatileVigilante on all platforms.

Anything else you want to add? Feedback? Shoutout? Recommendations?

Shoutout everyone that has supported Versatile Vigilante. Shoutout “Chrome Sunsets”. Shoutout everyone in Toronto doing their thing. Free Max B 2024

JaEK

JaEk Delarge

Rapper SongwrIter Director

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?

I was born & raised in the west end of Toronto, Jane and Finch to be exact. The housing development I called home no longer exists today due to gentrification. I moved around a few times, though, from J&F to Etobicoke, then from Etobicoke to Weston rd. This gave me a very large network and helped me learn how to manage relationships really well. A skill that would help keep me out of a lot of unnecessary issues coming up. I travelled frequently to NYC, and Jamaica early on and developed a wider understanding of culture and how it moves. How terminology and sounds are spread, how fashion trends are born and take off. Toronto was the lens that made everything make sense. Although the city was very much so on the outside looking in when it came to pop culture, I always saw how connected to everything we were. I never identified with the isolation we were experiencing on the world stage because we had the whole world here already. The city is way different now. There’s more togetherness, more outlets, and thanks to some of our more internationally recognized acts we’re respected on the global stage.

Who or what got you into the scene?

Music was always around but I fell in love with Hip Hop early. Both my older siblings had posters all over their walls, and had their own collection of tapes & cds. My brother was big on Nas, my sister loved DMX, my favourite rapper was Ma$e. The TVs in our house stayed on any channel that played rap. The moment that cemented it for me was the More Money More Problems video. It was a celebratory expression of life at the absolute top. There, you could win a PGA tournament, go flying in a wind tunnel, and walk away from random explosions in a shiny suit – all in the same afternoon. No limitation to what was possible. The total opposite of what an afternoon on my block was like. That’s what I wanted. I didn’t really care all that much about being a rapper per se but I figured if it was the skillset that could get me there then I should develop it – so I did.

What inspires/motivates you?

What inspires me is the fact that everything we see in the world today was at one point just an idea. What motivates me is the reality that I have an opportunity to create whatever I choose while I’m here.

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing?

The definition of Brilliant is “of light or colour, very bright.” That’s what I represent – a light, faith in something greater that we can all strive towards.

What are your goals?

My goal is freedom. The only limit for us is fear. That shows up in a lot of ways: The fear of loss, the fear of love, the fear that we won’t survive. I am after a life totally free of this limitation.

What are you proud of? Whats one of your biggest accomplishments

My collective, Just Over Brilliant, grew into a creative umbrella for other young and developing artists from the West. It facilitated the connecting of talent from places like Rexdale, Weston road, Jane street etc at a time where collaboration between many neighbourhoods wasn’t always possible. It’s been a little over a decade since it was first established but what I’m most proud of is getting to see artists who came up under that get to sign major record deals, win prestigious awards, and end up on covers of different publications.

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by? And maybe if you want, explain what it means to you and how resonates with you.

This is what I would tell myself right before getting on stage or doing anything really important. It draws emphasis to the present moment where there is no turning back and no skipping ahead. There’s no more time to practice, no more time for theory, now it’s real. Regardless of whether you think you’re ready or not – you’re here.

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

I would’ve started investing earlier.

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

Keep going, you’re absolutely right.

Give yourself a plug (Events, Merch, etc. Promote yourself)

My next collection, “Return On Investment “ is done and will be available for purchase in 2024.

She Said Gallery

My name is jyll simmons and I am the creator and owner of she said gallery

Whats your story?

Bracebridge, small-town Ontario in the ’80s – you can imagine the scene. I grew up there, surrounded by lakes, trees, and small-town folk – small-town life felt a bit suffocating. My teenage years were a time of experimenting. I discovered the grunge music right around the time that Kurt Cobain killed himself and was obsessed with the grunge scene and all the darkness that came with it. I started really getting into trouble in school in grade 7 and spent the next 5 years experimenting with boundaries. I dated older men, hitchhiked, experimented with any drug I could get my hands on, went through a goth phase, a raver phase, and eventually realized that high school was coming to an end. I was always a really confident child, and never did it occur to me that I wouldn’t leave this town and go to university. A guidance counselor at my high school told me that I would never get into university and should look at local college options. I don’t think it was that I was opposed to college, but I was not staying local, and I was definitely not going to be told what to do. So I got my act together, brought my marks up, and graduated high school early. I left with my boyfriend and his best friend and moved out west to snowboard. It wasn’t what I had envisioned – we ended up living in a 1-bedroom motel, and I always smelled like French fries as the only job I could get was in a kitchen at a fast-food spot. I didn’t snowboard once. We took turns asking people in front of the liquor store to buy us booze. End of adventure. I really wanted to get into school now. I wrote a crappy little essay and faxed it to my aunt on the motel fax machine. She typed it up for me and submitted it. A few months later, I was off to UofT.

What inspires/motivates you?

The idea to create a space for artists to showcase and sell their work really came from my lifelong obsession with artists and always wanting to be one. While living at Dundas/Bathurst, I noticed all these coffee shops and even my local laundromat starting to hang art, provide spaces to artists, and I wanted to be a part of that. My boyfriend and I have owned and managed a laundromat for a number of years, and I wanted to do more with the space. The real inspiration, if you want to call it that, was this old art mag I was looking at. I saw this series of photos from… and loved them. They were sad, dark, funny, and beautiful. I loved that this artist was telling an actual story with his photos. He was also Ukrainian, and the photos were taken in Ukraine; my boyfriend’s family is Ukrainian, so this felt meant to be. With little to no budget, I found the artist on Instagram and wrote him asking if I could purchase a print. He then sent me the whole series. I printed them all, framed them, and they were the first installation; these photos are still some of my favourites.

What are your goals?

I really want to be an amazing mom and show my kids the world. I want to remain calm and be a woman they are proud to call mom; I want them to be cultured, as that was always a thing I was self-conscious about when I was growing up. I don’t think I went to a museum till my mid-20s. I want to be a good partner to my incredible boyfriend. We have been together for over a decade, and I want to continue to work at it and treat it like a new relationship. Professionally, I also really want to grow She Said. I have some ideas regarding curation, collaborations, and how I can better support artists in making money off their work. I would love to have a job one day that doesn’t have me behind a desk all day.

What are you proud of?

I am super proud of myself. I really had the potential to struggle my whole life. I was definitely not on the right path and have been through some serious tragedies that, if I had just given up on life, people around me would have supported that decision. I didn’t really speak to my family very much in my 20s and managed to get a job in a company that I still work for and progress to a level that I didn’t even think was possible (others definitely didn’t). I never aspired to be much and didn’t think I would ever do anything with my life, so I am proud that I have a career, created this art gallery (actually followed through on it), and did it during my mat leave.  I am most proud of being a really good mom. My daughter was a surprise, and it wasn’t like in the movies when you cry from happiness when you find out you are pregnant. But she is by far my biggest accomplishment as she is only 2, and she is cool, she is confident, and I am just so proud to be her mom. I really can’t believe how quickly I fell into the mom role and how much I love it. Looking forward to having a son and everything that comes with that responsibility in May 2024.  I have an incredible amount of energy, so I think that helps a lot as I am never tired.

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by?

When I am 80, what will I think of this decision”

…has steered most of my big and small decisions throughout my life. Stuff that feels so overwhelming or difficult now, it’s easy to see that in 40 years, it will be nothing, and I won’t even remember it.  

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

Maybe appreciate the time I lived at home more. Maybe because I have a young family and am expecting, but sometimes I feel sad that I will never live with my parents and brothers again. I think I would tell myself to appreciate things and not worry about growing up so fast.  

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

Chill the fuck out. I did everything in excess and often stressed about things that just didn’t matter. I am impressed with how health-conscious younger people are these days, so maybe I would tell myself to introduce at least a few health habits when I was younger instead of actively destroying myself for the sake of fun.  

Any wild stories you want to share?

By no means did it seem wild at the time, but I was a live-in nanny on an island who babysat for two American billionaires and very powerful families in my late teens. I didn’t understand wealth at the time.  In my mind, they were extremely rich and probably made 200k. When I bought a pack of cigarettes on their account once cuz I was dying for a cigarette, I  felt guilty about it for years. Later, I realized they were billionaires, and it probably didn’t cause them to lose as much sleep as it did for me.  I got the job through a newspaper ad in the local paper and the wife picked me up in a golf cart to interview me.  Suddenly, I was super embarrassed about driving my dad’s teal Mercury Topez.  This isn’t a wild story per se, but this is a true story that still gives me goosebumps telling. The family at one point went back to Pittsburg, and I was watching their cottage on an island alone with their two big labradoodle dogs. The dogs drove me a little crazy as they would bark if a boat went by (even in the distance) and run to the shore. One night, it was pouring rain, lightning, thunder, the whole thing, and I was a little scared, to say the least. I fell asleep on my little cot and woke up to my mattress floating in the air. I was so scared that I  just accepted my fate, and a part of me felt a little justified as I had always believed in ghosts and here was my proof. Suddenly, the mattress dropped, and the dogs ran out from under the bed. They had been sleeping under the bed because they were scared, and when they stood up because they were massive dogs, they lifted the mattress and me in the air. The next morning, still a little rattled but kinda laughing to myself, couldn’t wait for the groundskeeper and housekeeping staff to arrive as I was over being alone; I was 17 and super scared. As I left my room, I noticed that the room down the hall which I called the blue room was dark. I had just made the beds in the room the day before and let the curtains open. I went to look in the room, and the mattresses were off the beds along with the wooden board that was underneath them and lying against the windows, blocking out the sun. I don’t think I need to explain how scared I was since I was alone, and I had personally made those beds the night before. As I mentioned, the dogs were unruly and barked at everything, so there was no way someone came into the cottage without waking us all up. I then went downstairs to the kitchen, and the locked photography dark room that always had a massive padlock on it and I had never actually seen inside, was busted off, and photos were all over the kitchen floor. I called my dad, and he came and picked me up 🙂

Give yourself a plug (Events, Merch, etc. Promote yourself)

To find out more about upcoming shows, please follow @shesaidgallery

Anything else you want to add? Feedback? Shoutout? Recommendations?

I would like to share a sincere thanks to Ozokoh (@OᖴᖴIᑕE.ᔕᑌᑭᑭᒪY.ᗩᖇTI$T) who was one of the first artists i worked with and has continued to be my biggest supporter over the year. I feel blessed to have met him, worked with him and call him a friend.  If you haven’t had a chance to meet him yet personally, make the time to do so. He is one special person <3 

Skribbs

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, APPAREL DESIGNER, ALLEYCAT ORGANIZER, TOY MAKER AND PRODUCER OF OTHER dope GOODS.

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?

I was born in India, and move to Canada when I was 2. I grew up in Chinatown (in Ottawa), and back then we were one of the first Sikh families in the area. Most of the neighbourhood was made up of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants so there was a sense of acceptance – we’re all trying to get our bag. Not a lot of people knew about Sikhism and a lot of them were friendly and genuinely curious about it but that being said I also had to deal with ignorance and racism growing up.

When I was a kid we’d go on walks and I loved looking at all the graffiti and art around the city. I knew early on that I wanted to do something creative. My parents never pushed the doctor or lawyer thing – like most immigrant parents – they just wanted us to do things we were passionate about and be happy.

I went to Carleton University in Ottawa and studied Interactive Multimedia Design where I focused on Human Computer Interaction and Graphic Design. I love to dabble in things and did everything from web design, game development, branding, marketing, etc. At the time, all the creative jobs were in Toronto, so any chance I got, I’d come down.

In Toronto, I mainly lived in Chinatown and Parkdale. Back then the city was different, the vibe was different. I met and made friends with a lot of amazing talented (local) artists – Eliscer, Zion, Jimmy Chiale, Yung Yemi. Everyone had their unique styles, and they were all extremely passionate and skilled in their crafts. We didn’t have a lot, but we all made it work – everyone was hustling. During the weekdays I’d work on my freelance jobs and during the evenings I worked on my own projects. I found a course on silkscreening and learned how to do that. I learned 3d and designed my own toys and characters. I got into graffiti and tagging and making stickers and sticker bombing the city. I got into photography and cinematography. I’m always trying to learn new skills and trying to better myself.

Who or what got you into the scene?Who or what got you into the scene?

In around 2016, I was freelancing at an animation studio and I randomly got a call from Adam – @adamthecurator (at the time we didn’t really know each other that well but we shared a lot of the same friends circles) – he saw one of my stickers posted up in Parkdale and gave me a shout. We linked up at Christie Pits and realized we both rode fixed (I didn’t really know any other fixed riders in the city back then). We started hanging out more and more and would bike to different parts of the city. We’d grab drinks and snacks and talk about everything – everything – our goals, our passions, what we were working on, our projects, our struggles, our pains, everything. I got more involved in the cycling community and started volunteering at Bike Pirates and going to cycling events around the city. 

At the time the only fixed gear group ride I heard of was Monday Night Rehab run by Steve Carty but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. I didn’t have a kit or helmet, I didn’t ride fast (still don’t), I didn’t care about riding in a peloton – it just wasn’t quite what I wanted.

Thats where Adam and I decided to create Global Fixed Gear and more specifically TarckTuesday. A fixed gear only mob ride to dope parts/parks in the city where we’d hang out, drink, had board meetings, ate snacks, etc. Every week I’d design a sick poster and we’d share it on our socials. You didn’t need a flashy bike, as long as it was fixed – you could come. If you wanted to try switching to fixed and were a bit hesitant you could join us with a single speed, but the next time you rolled with us it had to be switched to fixed. And you didn’t have to ride brakeless (although it was encouraged). Little by little more and more fixed gear riders started coming out. We’d go to other group rides and connected with other crews – Roadkill, SendIt, Toronto Cruisers. I gotta give a huge shoutout to Jeff (Doki Industries, Roadkill) – he ran a lot of alleycats and (unknowingly) inspired me to run my own. 

What inspires/motivates you?

One of the biggest sources of motivation is my parents. Knowing how much they had to sacrifice and how hard they worked to raise us – it feels like it’d be a waste if I didn’t do more. Growing up I used to feel ways when I’d see other kids with the nice stuff. I remember when I was in grade school there was this girl in art class who’d always have the fanciest pens and art supplies. I’d get so jealous and be resentful towards my parents but as I got older I realized that it wasn’t the fancy pens that made her good, it was her talent. A lot of my skills are self taught. If I don’t know something I’ll do my research. If it doesn’t seem too hard I’ll take a stab at it.

When GFG was created, the cycling industry was dominated by rich white guys and the barrier for entry was so high. So one of the big things that made GFG so special was that it was run by people of color and we really didn’t care about what bike you had – whether it was a track bike, a conversion, or a beater – as long as it was fixed.

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing? What are your goals?

I’ve always tried to represent my communities and connect with like-minded people. I don’t care about how flashy/expensive your bike is, how much money you have, or how many followers you have on social media, none of it. I’m always looking to make genuine connections with people that are passionate, and trying to do something.

I also love the fact that when I’m running my alleycats I get all types of people/crews showing support. Whether they’re gay, straight, trans, black, white, brown, asian, messengers, fixiegoons, hooligans, new riders, old heads – everyone comes out and shows their love and support. It definitely feels like I’m doing things the right way.

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by? And maybe if you want, explain what it means to you and how resonates with you.

One of my favourite quotes is ‘Prove Them Wrong’ and it feels like I’ve been doing that my whole life. I’ve been told I can’t do things because its too ambitious, or too hard, or not possible. I get really irritated when people try to put these limits on me and try telling me what I can or can’t do. And I always feel like telling these haters ‘Its too ambitious -for you, its too hard -for you, its impossible -for you’. You sit back and do nothing, watch me show you how its done.

Another quote I live by is ‘I don’t wag my tail for no body’ – I don’t care who you are at the end of the day everyone is equal, we’re all human. I treat everyone with the same level of respect. It’s only when people do shady/shitty things that I lose my respect for them.

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

Be your true self, keep your head up, be proud of who you are, and don’t get caught in the bullshit. Everything else will fall into place. As a  Sikh and person of color, I’ve dealt with a lot of ignorance and racism in my life. I let a lot of things slide just to fit in, and I realized that by not being my genuine self I was this fake imposter.  Be your genuine self and the real good people who like you for you will come into your life. Don’t change who you are to fit in with other people – Those aren’t the people you wanna be around.

OZOKOH

OZOKOH is a Toronto, Canada based street artist that focuses on mainly: illustrations, street art, multi media collages or whatever inspires him to push the boundaries. 

Where’d you grow up? Whats your story? If you weren’t born in the city – how’d you get here?

I grew up in Toronto, ON all my life. I’ve watched the city develop into what it is today. The skyline looked pretty bare and this city had character… Over the years, I’ve watched Toronto lose its touch with its identity which is pretty sad. 512 and PK is where I lived all my life but still have my love and hate towards both neighbourhoods.

Who or what got you into the scene?

Tod McFarland the creator of Spawn comic books got me into art. The front cover made me fall in love with graffiti. In my early years in elementary school, I was looking over my homies shoulder and saw him drawing graffiti; so my curious self asked “what are you drawing and can you teach me.”? With no hesitation he dropped knowledge on me about the graffiti game of the do’s and don’ts. From grade 7 the love for graffiti art birthed. My early teenage hood I would spend numerous hours at “The Bomb Shelter” (graffiti shop). I was in awe hearing graffiti artists stories and the early origins of how graffiti came about. I truly thank Zion @realtimezion and Jedi @jedskiplease who shaped my perspective on the game. My friends brother who was a graffiti writer introduced me to “Style and progress and 416” festival that focused on the 4 elements of hip hop. I saw first hand how productions (murals) started from scratch and the finish process. I knew from the get go that I was locked in for good. Those were my mentors and what got me into graffiti.

What inspires/motivates you?

New York, LA and Chicano graffiti culture has been my inspiration with style and flavour . Authentic but raw to the bone. What motivates me are amazing artist that are constant but dedicated to their craft. What also motivates me are my parents watching them struggle royally but still managed to pull through rough emotionally/finical times.

What do you represent, why are you doing the things you’re doing?

I stand by treating others how you want to be treated and keeping a small circle. Being mysterious always leaves the mind to wander. I’m a firm believer in manifestation and dreaming with your eyes open. I’m doing what I’m doing for several reasons: It’s my source of therapy I love making people engage in conversations about my artwork

What are your goals?

My goals are to become successful but realistically comfortable for more opportunities to land my way and also not being a sellout.

What are you proud of? Whats one of your biggest accomplishments

I’m proud how far my style has developed and landed me opportunities in art shows/outside sales. Also, how much it shaped my personality as a human at the end of the day.

Do you have a quote or proverb that you live by? And maybe if you want, explain what it means to you and how resonates with you.

Real recognize real.

I am my beloved and my beloved is mine.

Beauty within the madness.

Those 3 sayings resonate with me so much because they’re such powerful sayings that I live by day to day.

If you had the option to restart your life, what would you do different the next time around?

Stop listening to others opinions and trust your own instincts. Also, take the risk even if the fear is there. Don’t allow other people to use you as a doormat. Stand tall in what you believe in.

If you could give any advice to your younger self what you would tell them?

Choose your battles wisely. Keep a small circle. Try to learn acceptance and forgiveness instead of carrying that negative weight in you. Not everyone is going to like you, but that’s okay.

Any wild stories you want to share?

I can’t really share too much details but let’s say I ran a lot lol

Give yourself a plug (Events, Merch, etc. Promote yourself)

Follow my Instagram @office_supply_artist to find my artwork and merch I’ll be selling on that platform. Shout out to: @blacksmithcycle (solo art shows) @shesaidgallery (solo art shows) @skribbs (amazing human) @torontocollective (amazing graffiti store) @space.heaterrr (amazing human) @withgoodreasons (amazing human) @oblsk1 (amazing human) @rowdyradrat (amazing human) @just.jetr.away (amazing human) @takeotenn (amazing human) @versatilevigilante (amazing podcaster) My girlfriend My family I’m sorry if I can’t shout out everyone but if you’re in my life, you know who you are and I love you dearly from the bottom of my heart.

Anything else you want to add? Feedback? Shoutout? Recommendations?

Keep true to yourself and be patient because time is healing and it also answers questions. Thank you to all my supporters. I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for y’all.

Scroll to Top