CD: Yeah I multi-task, but at the end of the day it’s all art. I just try to find as many avenues as possible to express myself. It started with illustrations, I've been drawing since

I was a little kid, my Mom noticed and was very supportive. So much that I’d only get art supplies for Christmas! In Middle School, I started rapping because it was cool, all my friends were doing it, and I was intrigued by the whole celebrity lifestyle depicted on television. When it came time to go to college,

I had to figure out what I wanted to study. Id been in art school since the 4th grade, so I was tried of drawing classes. At first I studied animation, but I hated it. It was too much work and I didn't get much satisfaction out of it. Plus all of my classmates were nerds, and I could see myself working in that environment my whole life, so I switched to Advertising Design my junior year. I’m currently a senior at SCAD. I do freelance graphic design to bring in extra money, so figured advertising would help me improve my graphic skills and teach me how to market and promote myself as an artist and entrepreneur.

EBS: Which do you enjoy the most?
CD: I enjoy all of it though, I go through phases. Right now I'm focused on my clothing and music. But I’ve been feeling like painting lately, usually I hate painting too, so I think I’m about to work on some painting. Plus I have a huge art show coming up on the 28th of February called Schizophrenia. I will be working alongside nationally acclaimed artists like, Dubelyoo, Miya Bailey, and WAK. It’s a love/hate thing. I get bored easily so I like to switch it up. I actually haven’t drawn a single thing in my sketch book since the summer, which is a little depressing! I just try to make sure I don't spread myself too thin. I work on a few projects at one time, and then move on once all of them are complete.

EBS: Tell us about your music.
CD: Mach 5 is weird, it’s different. kinda a mix of Hip Hop and Electronica, we just try to make good music people can relate and party to at the same time. Our first Album is called Stepchild EP, it comes out on Jan 25, and it’s very reminiscent of our childhood and how nobody ever given us anything. It’s about being an outcast, that lonely little kid with a big imagination. We talk about our experience as an adolescent, school experiences, getting dissed by girls, dissing girls, chasing after the icecream truck, house parties, the whole nine. We’ve worked hard for everything we got, we both had hard lives, but we wouldn’t change it for the world. I think alot of people can relate to it. A.ware and I have been making music together for a long time, inspired by musicians like Gorillaz, NERD, and Outkast. The name Mach 5 comes from Speed Racer, the cartoon, we both grew up on that shit, it was one of my personal favorites.

EBS: Where can we hear your music?
CD: you can check at www.myspace.com/mach5soundtrack

CD: As an artist I draw inspiration from everything. My day to day experiences. My friends, nature, the streets, my childhood, history, and television. I’m really big on pop cul

ture so I draw a lot of energy from that. As far as artist, I look up to people like Takashi Murakami, Andy Warhol, Kandinsky and Nigo. All of those guys broke a lot of boundaries in art, they didn’t give a fuck about tradition, they did what they wanted. I can really respect that. They also experimented with a variety of mediums and styles.

EBS: Tell us about your PLUSH 357 project?
CD: A friend and I started it 2 years ago, after taking a screen printing class.
At first we just wanted to make dope clothes for our friends and ourselves.

Then we wanted it to be an exclusive, limited edition ‘boutique’ brand that was kinda hard to find. Once we had access to the printing facility we abused it, spending sleepless nights on campus so we could sneak and print our stuff, because our teacher didn’t approve of t shirts. After the first year my friend quit, but I was still having fun, so I kept going! Currently, I do all the designs, but there’s a whole team of us that makes it happen, were bringing new designers in for the spring. I’m looking forward to what my good friends, Brandon Sadler and Mara Klein can come up with! I’m excited to bring in some new art. And before you ask…yes we ship to the UK, so hit up the site and place an order!

EBS: We ran into Skydiving Roaches a while back..tell us about it
CD: Skydiving Roaches is a short cartoon about three kids in high school who get themselves in and out of trouble. There’s Kelly, a depressed, pessimistic nerd who constantly suffers from his lack of social skills and virginity. Brian is the arrogant, fast talking lady’s man striving to find his inner self. And then,Cory the carefree but stern team leader, who also has a portal in his afro. I based the characters on some childhood friends and started it for fun over the summer. It’s a sitcom, think Family Guy meets MadTV, we’re also using it as a commercial for the plush website.

I was bored, and needed to do something with my time, so I figured id take advantage of tho

se animation classes I took. The idea originally came from a comic book I did in High School, I’d draw up a new comic every week then show it off to all my friends in class and at lunch, and by the end of the year all the kids was asking me when was I doing the next one. Were almost done with the next episode so it should be on Youtube by the end of the month!

EBS: Tell us about your connection to city of ink.

CD: I work at City of Ink, I’ve been Miya Bailey’s apprentice for two years now. Check my latest blog for some good info.

EBS: You ever been to Europe? Any plans to?
CD: I never been to Europe, but I can’t wait to go! Hopefully I can make it to the UK this summer. I still gotta get my passport, lol…


EBS: What music are you listening to at the moment?
CD: Music? Right now my favourite album is ‘Make Sure they See my Face’ by Kenna, but on rotation on my IPod is Blonde Redhead, The Cool Kids, Postal Service and my advanced copy of Hollyweerd. Check them out, they are dope!

EBS: What kicks are you wearing today?

CD: Right now I’m wearing my Glow In The Dark Nike Dunks. Style # 312786-311. Lol, I don’t know how exclusive they are, but I don’t think I should be wearing them, it’s a long walk from the train station to school and I’ll be pissed if I scuff them! But hey, I got a good deal on them, so I’m not stressing it, and their shoes so you’re supposed to wear them, right? People go crazy when they see them though…

EBS: What’s the weather like outside?
CD: It’s fucking cold out here in Atlanta, man, the wind chill factor can make the outdoors really suck dude.

EBS: What’s for lunch?
CD: Lol, grilled cheese and fries for lunch.

EBS: What’s REALLY good?
CD: Life!

do it!....

Many thanks to Corey..look out for forthcoming projects..Hit up the big man HERE

image6: Mach5 Stepchild EP advert