Okkkkkkkkk sooooooo when I stepped into the TOP OF THE WORLD STUDIO, I was in total studio shock!!! The studio was immaculate! I mean...the floor was even clean...so clean..that if you happened to drop a fry with sauce from Hot Sauce Williams...you could mos def apply the 5 second rule before picking it up and eating it. Of course when I walked in I noticed some pre-acquainted faces. As I panned around I noticed a guy who almost blended into the walls ,he was sitting so still...*I still have no idea who he was...but he resembled a cool hippie with rockstar hair. I sat down on the worlds most comfy couch. Well actually I sank into the comfy couch...yeah its that damn comfy. Just when I was thinking..."damnnnnn TOP OF THE WORLD is capable of almost everything 1 artist may need"....the door opened slowly and in walked ELVIS FRESHLY!!!!! I remember seeing him at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards...shoutout to his "take me serious" outfit at the awards!!!!! This time ELVIS FRESHLY seemed more ...relaxed. He didn't really say much...I was thinking..."uh ohhhhhhh not another lightskin dude acting all anti-social...".  |
| "It's a difference between knowing something is going to happen...and it really happening."- Elvis Freshly |
I was in the process of interviewing everyone affiliated with TOP OF THE WORLD STUDIO's. When I was ready for ELVIS FRESHLY...he quietly pulled up a chair...sat down...and became alive!. I mean...yes...he's easy on the eyes ladies...but at the same time...just from his posture alone...I could tell he demanded respect. I'm never really star struck...but I must say...I was in awe of ELVIS FRESHLY. I mean right before me...was the dude who had a logo he created...made into a HUGE ICE SCULPTURE!!!! (*How many of you can add that to your list of accomplishments...*crickets) He spoke clearly and from his convo I could tell that he really believed in himself as well as his product that he was offering. ELVIS FRESHLY is 1 of the most sought after graphic designers in the city. If you've seen a party flyer...or any kinda promo....it probably was created by ELVIS FRESHLY...only if it's dope...only....if it's dope!
 |
| *property of Chris Goody |
Q. How did you become affiliated with TOP OF THE WORLD?
A. I was working with a few artists who would come by the studio, Josh and I got cool after the 1st time we met. He kept seeing my work, I kept coming to the studio...experiencing everything, watching him work, hearing his music in different places. I got the call 1 day like "look, I'm tryna expand", and he said that I was the graphic designer he was tryna work with. Eventually we got it all worked out.....now it's 1 big family.
 |
| *property of Chris Goody |
A. Officially a few months now, I've known Josh for about a year or 2+, we just started working together right before the Ohio Hip Hop Awards.
Q. How did you get started with graphic design?
A. I was actually deployed over in Afghanistan, I bought a copy of photoshop for like $1.50 from a lil Afghan kid and I took it over to my computer. It's like if you're over in Afghanistan and you're not working on something....you just straight hot and bored. So I started messing around with the program and a couple of people asked me for stuff...over time I had a business that people were willing to pay me ...so I started to sell my work.
Q. How long were you in Afghanistan?
A. 1 year
Q. What was it like?
A. Hot...really hot...and no fun at all.
Q.Do they listen to alot of hip hop in Afghanistan?
A. No...they don't to any of the kind of music we listen to for real...There may be 1 person around that may have heard hip hop...but other than that...no...they didn't even have a radio anyways to listen even if they had it.
Q. REALLY?A. It's nothing like what you see on t.v or movies.....trust me....it's not where you want to be.
Q. So when you came back to the States, did you decide that Graphic Design is what you wanted to pursue?
A. I didn't really think it was something I was going to do. It was just something that I enjoyed doing, and I knew some friends who knew some friends, and so I started doing some nightclub work. That's how I initially started...after the nightclub work, artists started to hit me up, then I linked with TOP OF THE WORLD and now we are #1 for artists needs in OHIO.
Q. What were some of the first flyers you created and who were they for?
A. The 1st nightclubs I did was for CREAM TEAM PARTIES. S/O to BEE WARD. He was the 1st person who actually gave me $$$ for a design. That was the 1st person to really put me in the game.
Q.What equipment or programs do you use for Graphic Design..that you just have to have?
A. I don't wanna say everything you have to have lol...but I will tell you to invest in Adobe Creative Suite. I'm not gonna tell you which programs I personally use, but the Adobe...wether you steal it or buy it..GET IT! If your not using that then your designs aren't worth selling.
 |
| *property of Chris Goody |
Q. What do you do to make your flyers stand out amongst everyone else's?
A. STUDY!!!!! I study designers from everywhere, Japanese, Australia...if you look at what I "like" or who I'm friends with on Facebook you will see it's people and things from all over the world....I've been doing alot of stuff lately by hand.
Q.Do people try and copy your style?
A. ALL THE TIME!!!! It's plenty of dudes out here that go behind my back , call my customers, try to undercut me...but it's not about the cheapest price, or the friendliest guy...cuz...I'm really not the friendliest dude in the world. It's just about doing better work...do better work...and my customers will come to you.
Q. Which is the most creative project for you to work on..Logos, Website, or Flyers?
Q. Do you think the old CD covers from back in the day with champagne bottles, barking dogs, and cars will come back in style?
A. Hahahaha nawwww, they used to be dope....but you gotta move forward.
Q.Is there a big record label or corporation who you would love to design for?
A. I'd like to make a design for G.O.O.D music, just cuz you've got people looking at it, the way they are looking at it...and the person who would actually be paying for it would be Mr.West.
Q. When you say "look at it"...How do you want people to look at your work?
A. If you say you want your flyer to look old school, people in yellow pajamas, I'm gonna make the people feel like that. I'ma give your audience what they want so you can make $$$, so you can pay me, I want you to make what you paid me plus more!
Q. Do all of your clients come back?
A. A majority of them do. There's always that 1 that doesn't, but I dunno...if you need 1 design or 100..I'll work with you.
Q.Do you find it difficult to be the "nice guy" in the business?
A. There is nothing wrong with being nice, but there is a certain line to it. It took me a long time to understand it. I mean..coming up my designs were stolen from me, people didn't want to pay me for my work...stuff you just go through and learn. That's when I had to start treating my business like a business. So I'm like business now....friendship later.
Q. Which artists from Cleveland have you provided work for..where you said "yeah..this came out dope"?
A. I did a mixtape cover for Dj Xplosive, Rock Boy Radio, it did like 18,000 views jus like that!!! Twitter was goin crazy! Most people had it as their default pic, I had a good time jus watching that happen. The TOP OF THE WORLD logo...is my new favorite! It's everywhere, even in an ice sculpture!
Q. What was it like seeing the logo you created in an ice sculpture?
A. It was AMAZING!!! INCREDIBLE!!! I jus wanted everyone to take pics of it hahaha, my phone was acting up so I was making sure everyone took pics! I mean I knew it was going to happen...but it's a difference between knowing something is going to happen...and it really happening.
Q. How will people get in touch with you?
A. If you need an album cover, promo, or logo for your label 440-855-1519..I do freelance work too.
elfreshly.com
elvisfreshly216@facebook.com
http://TopoftheWorldstudio.com
@elfreshly
@topworldstudios
*all flicks property of SPARKPLUG Ent, and CHRIS GOODY
No comments:
Post a Comment