Soon after he graduated, Chop moved out west to pursue music full-time, where he toured once again with a hip-hop megastar. Being willing to take in life as it . Black stories are so important to highlight not just this month but all year, as I navigate through mine I hope I can help illuminate and inspire others. I just know that if youre on the right path, and you put everything into it, it will show. Strikingly different. The Swarovski Dream Crew shorts are now available for purchase on" . Gozney's Tom Gozney Signature Edition Roccbox Supports - NewsBreak Sometimes ideas and strokes of inspiration just drop out of the sky from heaven and into our lap. Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said Crespo and his wife,Levette, were involved in an argument that turned physical, at which point his wife, authorities believe, shot him multiple times. By When creating a merch drop or working on an album cover, the creative storyteller always makes sure he is creating for the artist, never him. Wlf met Bell over Myspace as teenagers, and they later formed a music group together and stayed friends for over a decade. Oftentimes, we question our paths, but sometimes if we stay the course and follow our intuition, well end up exactly where were supposed to be. It wasnt until his stint as N.E.R.D.s roadie for their 2008 Glow in the Dark tour which featured Ye, Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, Santigold and Nas did he begin to slowly accept that a career change may be in order, greatly crediting Pharrells ingenuity. Highly deserved for THEE #1 album. 1,351 Likes, 20 Comments - Jas Bell (@leonardo.chop) on Instagram: " *Bone White Release and Limited Black Restock of the Hazelwood "Still Learni." Jas Bell on Instagram: " *Bone White Release and Limited Black Restock of the Hazelwood "Still Learning" tee available now. (1), Dispensary Directory - Presented by Weedmaps. Bell and Pharrell just chatted on that day. The image became the iconic cover art for one of SZAs most popular songs, a track that would eventually garner nearly 16 million views on YouTube. 6 Trendy Short Hairstyles To Try This Summer. And before Bell knew it, he was making merch for the rapper T-shirts, hoodies, all sorts of memorabilia, including Sminos popular satin-lined hoodies. SZA Releases New Bloodstained Merch Paired with "Shirt" Single Drop The Formula Racing Tee, and new airbrush additions are some of my favorite as well. So its always great to start with that, and then I add my vision along with it. Its super organic. It was scary to take a completely different path that I had no formal training in, he admits of joining SZAs creative team. Right now its Snooze, Smoking On My Ex Pack, and Love Language. Dismiss. After his stint with The Boy, Bell moved back to Atlanta and linked up with then-budding rapper Smino to design his merch collection. Honor Roll Clothing's Study Breaks w/ Jas Bell a.k.a. Leonardo Chop His lengthy interest in graphic design and Pharrell's ability to mix fashion and music started to click in his mind. Strikingly different. Being an art director wasnt exactly on Bells mind in the beginning, however. Since his and SZAs creative connection five years ago, he has gone on to create merch for both of her albums,CtrlandSOS, design and create the cover for Good Days, I Hate U andSOS, while simultaneously working on his streetwear brand. 2023 Hypebeast Limited. Also starring Nia Long, Lauren London, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny. After his four years of touring came to a close, Chop used the experience he gained from being around Pharrell and Drake, among others, to take designing more seriously, with music still being at the very center of his world. They were brought together by their St. Louis roots, where SZA was also born. Welcome! - HonorRollBlair Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser. Of course, some of the brands and people I grew up idolizing would be ill. Sustainability should be on everyones mind because its that important. For all questions on releases, restocks, and order updates please contact us at TalkUp@LeonardoChop.com He grew up idolizing Nelly, wearing his jersey backward with a bandaid on his face, and he dreamed of reaching those same heights and representing St. Louis like him. Leonardo Chop, her design lead and art director as well as the founder of streetwear brand Hazelwood the work never stopped. #thankyou Over the next few months, Smino was wearing the tee everywhere, Bell remembers. Which can be hard with so many things going on. All is right with the world in those moments. Crespo was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Super proud of this offering, and the pieces we added. Its why he wanted to do the interview in the first place, despite being busy with the December 9 release of SZAs second studio album, SOS, and the start of her tour. Free Shipping on all orders over $150. Jas Bell on Instagram: "Restocked a few things. Hazelwood Restock Live Click on the large blue power icon at the top. I agree that "Things are shifting to more quality-based and well thought out merch pieces"! Spoilers ahead for those who. 2023 Hypebeast Limited. In a lot of ways, embracing the moment is what has serves Chop well on his process to excellence. "Early reports are that their son, Daniel Jr., 19, tried to intervene in the argument," said Lt. Steve Jauch of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Leonardo Chop, her design lead and art director as well as the founder. A lot of times, I find it to be as rare as the missing railroad piece on a McDonalds Monopoly game board. Im trying to be a vessel, Bell repeats. Jas Bell's Post Jas Bell Art Director 1mo Report this post Report Report. So its always great to start with that, and then I add my vision along with it. Or even a travel bag that you collected over time with memories and stamps. I always build the foundation on who they are or what particular piece of art were working with, Jas Bell said.Working with one of the most culturally exquisite artists in the music industry, the designer and storyteller has learned many things from SZA. Honored to be covered by a cultural staple that helped feed my creativity as a youth. One of Jas Bell's T-shirts for his Hazelwood brand features St. Louis dairy cartons. encourage you all to take some time to just soak up the perspectives of the one who Pharrell dubbed as a cloud hopper who is in every sense currently living out that moniker to a tee. It was awesome. I think its so fire that [SZA's] fans are so intrinsically connected to her that theyre involved in the creative process. Which can be hard with so many things going on. As the album flows I find a new 3 songs I fall in love with all over again. The complex simplicity. If I had to summarize it, I would have to entitle it something like "The Integration of Atlanta's Political Police and the Creative Community". But for Bell, it was just the start. Chop says the idea for the S.O.S. "Early information we have is that a struggled ensued between Daniel Sr. and Daniel Jr. Bell calls it support. For the next few months, they stayed on the tour bus, helping out with minor things like unpacking merch, stage clean-up and even, occasionally, the house engineering. I also think Jas being so comfortable with himself is what allowed him to take uncharted paths the typical teenager and now adult would dream about but wouldnt have the ability to pull off. Refresh page. Im not sure if theres a secret, Im still learning. Leonardo Chop, her design lead and art director as well as the founder of streetwear brand Hazelwood the work never stopped.. There's no denying that the gap between Ctrl, SZA's debut album, and the recently-released SOS is lengthy, but Bell doesn't see it that way. 13 Best Hair Oils for Fine Hair 2022 for Weightless Moisture: Olaplex. Meelah Opens Up About Solo Music, Autism Awareness and Overcoming Insecurities, Cristina Quinones Performs Veneno on Univisions Despierta America. I try to make sure the initial inspiration always stems from the artist or whoever Im working with. I try to make sure the initial inspiration always stems from the artist or whoever Im working with. The 2008 tour contained a line-up of musics greatest, from Pharell Williams to Nas and Rihanna. I think the work ethic is what I picked up from just being able to observe that from afar.. All Rights Reserved. Sometimes ideas and strokes of inspiration just drop out of the sky from heaven and into our lap. Nigerian superstar Fireboy DML topped the charts once again this year. Jas Bell on Instagram: "What resolution is life in, 8K ? 6 more Hazelwood is the work uniform for your journey. Tell me the story behind this brand. In 2013, he was elected mayor. He jokingly called them cloud hoppers. But they didnt need to be cloud hoppers anymore, he said. Theres no better example of the latter than how he created the art for SZAs breakup song, I Hate U. The song blew up quickly and the team had to scramble to develop art. Its rare when Im not working on something, whether it be with SZA or on my brand; the machine is always going. Bernal had known Crespo for 15 years. Supreme x Spyder, Hidden NY, SZA 'SOS' Merch, Mermaidhair x FA, and more great drops are highlighted in this weekly guide to streetwear's hottest drops. I landed in L.A. trying to be a rapper and I ended up being a roadie for Drake for four years. So the visual song came when we did the Good Days video and she put a snippet for it at the end and so while people were listening to Good Days, they're like, What the f**k is the song at the end?, Me and her bro, it's like Jordan and Pippen, Kobe and Shaq. Best of both worlds. Kill Bill Artwork for single and remix. #design #artdirection #sza #sostour #journey #merchdesign, Honored I was able to take a few moments from tour to talk with Fox 2 Now STL a bit about my journey, me and SZAs creative process when making things, how much St.Louis means to us , and how to hopefully keep inspiring creatives in STL. Soon afterward, he started working on projects for her, including Sustainability Gang a line of Ctrl-inspired sweatshirts, t-shirts and tanks featuring sayings like "Puck Flastic" and "Sustainability Gang with the proceeds going toward sustainable efforts geared at protecting the oceans. Its super organic. If you happen to catch a show on our second leg. . PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links. You could start at any of those places, and each would represent its own wild stage on Bells rollercoaster of a life. Theres always inspiration flowing, and were always creating.. Full merch release for SOS. What his clothes represent is what got him working with SZA. The attentional to detail, how concise we were, the nostalgia pinpoints, yet in a way that makes everything feel new. Wife Questioned After Fatal Shooting Of Bell Gardens Mayor New Hazelwood releases and restocks are on the horizon, so Im in the office hyper-focusing on that. No matter if theyre super engaged or hands off and let me do my thing. I think the one thing that really helped me is knowing that the faster you fail, the faster youll have time to pick yourself back up and be even better and figure it out.. Latest Sections Categories. He said one of the greatest things hes seen and worked on in this era is how SZAs fans connect with her. Family Law | The Law Office of Joseph J Bell | Grass Valley Study Breaks w/ Jas Bell a.k.a. Leonardo Chop - Honor Roll Clothing [Getting kicked out of school] was a turning point, he says. Art Director Jas Bell, AKA Leonardo Chop, Talks Working With SZA, Launching Hazelwood and More. But around this time, Jordan, who is now a rapper himself, saw a change in his older brother. TDE should be heralded as one of the greatest labels of all time, he says. Be inspired, give insp." Jas Bell on Instagram: "What resolution is life in, 8K ? Crespo was first elected to the Bell Gardens City Council in 2001. No matter how big you are, what you've done, always be a student.. Incredibly, he ended up getting a job on the rigger crew for Drake's tours, setting up and taking down the stage. Jas Bell wearing his "Still Learning" hoodie from his Hazelwood brand. Honesty and a Career Change Led Jas Bell To Become SZA's Art Director Check out my interview with BET below. All Im going to say is: Album of the Year.. Sometimes its a concise release with only a few core pieces, other times it may be something more expansive. The Geek Squad Producers (CJ Chat & Red Ark) - Facebook This website uses cookies to improve your experience. and Hazelwood that people need to trust the journey they are on and follow their intuition. A lot of times, I find it to be as rare as the missing railroad piece on a McDonalds Monopoly game board. So whenever we create it just meshes, he adds. For it to be received the way that it was, it made all of us super emotional.. I had to immediately stop eating, drive back to the crib, get on a laptop, Bell says. It's very important to be confident in yourself and your own decision making. You may have to select a menu option or click a button. I think if we lean into that and learn to embrace our differences earth could be an even more magical place. Stay tuned for more features with music industry professionals from managers to sound engineers, stagehands and others; the people who make the music world go round without standing behind a microphone. Da Brats Wife Jesseca Dupart Surprises Her with Brand-New Tesla As Pre-Push Gift, The mom-to-be called her new vehicle the mommy and me car., Kim Kardashian Seemingly Admits Regret Over Norths Ice Spice TikTok Post. They're not just specific to this small city, small town in St. Louis. DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only, and there is no gambling offered on this site. Then it hit SZA, who suggested a text message. Levette along with her son were questioned by authorities, officials said. Can you guide us through your regular process and timeline of creating something that is significant and memorable, whether its merch or any other visual aspects? SZAs a gem in a way that these moments shes created carry us through eras. Exclusively for Playstation 4 and the Switch. Bell, who goes by the artist name Leanardo Chop, thinks about his journey a lot where he came from, how he ended up here, all of the couches he slept on and rap songs that never blew up along. Through garments. Jas Bell Music Jobs Interview | Hypebeast You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. Youre the founder of your own streetwear brand called Hazelwood. in the Glow in the Dark Tour. (laughs). 4,638 likes, 107 comments - Jas Bell (@leonardo.chop) on Instagram: "I don't mind competition, it is what it is Detailed look at the official SOS Jersey's th." Jas Bell on Instagram: "I don't mind competition, it is what it is We did it, and it was amazing. He filled a 100-page sketchbook with drawings of sneakers. Im happy to showcase our merch offering for our second leg of tour. Its different every time. in the Glow in the Dark Tour. Crespo was first elected to the Bell Gardens City Council in 2001. If not working in music, what would you be doing? The concept, Leonardo says, was inspired by a member of SZAs family and what was going on in the world at the time. Meet Leonardo Chop: SZA's Art Director Behind Her Most Iconic Single Covers And Coveted Merch The St. Louis native also discusses his own brand Hazelwood, touring with Pharrell and Drake, and. Other times its a more thought-out type of thing. Spanning the last 10 years of work made between France and the U.S. On view in Detroit until February 22, 2023. Fast forward nine years and the creative storyteller now works with one of the most defining artists of a generation: SZA. Right now, were in the final stages of this masterpiece of an album called SOS, so for me that looks like finalizing certain pieces for our merch launch and coming back to touch up on whatever creative assets we may need for the album roll out. Since his and SZAs creative connection five years ago, he has gone on to create merch for both of her albums, , design and create the cover for Good Days, I Hate U and. A timid nature is what you shouldnt expect from this conversation, especially the last 30 mins of it. SZAs S.O.S. Jas Bell, also known as Leonardo Chop, began his story in music and fashion as a roadie for N.E.R.D. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. #graphicdesign #artdirection #sza #travisscott #merchdesign, SZA SOS TOUR - Merch offering II (Euro) I try to make sure the initial inspiration always stems from the artist or whoever Im working with. What are the necessary first steps a young person should take to enter a career in music as an art director? Thanks to TikTok, the single already had incredibly high anticipation for the release garnering billions of views across the platform. When we released the Ctrl five-year anniversary stuff, that was a moment, Bell explains. But there are often times where I have deadlines and sometimes you have to create at the spur of the moment. On Sunday, the officials flagged Broncos tight end Julius Thomas for an illegal chop block on Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell. That teardrop tat, it's reflective of what we were going through as a community and as a nation and as a world at that time. His journey to visionary storyteller in music began on the periphery of hip-hop greats. michael@contrastmag.us, R&B singer Kehlani has started her tour promo, off the heels of her album Blue Water Road, with, Its Friday and with that comes new music, finally. How do you see your job evolving with the music industry in the next five years? 1 It may have taken SZA more than five years to release her second studio album, but for Jas Bell a.k.a. These pieces hopefully speak to your heart and fuel you along your journey. Hazelwood is the work uniform for your journey. He just kind of let us be around.. #artdirection #creativedirection #graphicdesign #merchdesign #sza #tour #journal #creativeprocess, Love everything weve been creating for this SOS album. , while simultaneously working on his streetwear brand. But taken together, they all have contributed to where the 31-year-old finds himself today as the art director for one of the worlds biggest recording artists, SZA. Already whitelisted us? Where do you draw your inspiration from when creating for clients? Dont be afraid to listen to that nudge your intuition is giving you.. Learning from the ones before me helps, and Im an interview and documentary buff as well. RELATED: Soul Train Awards 2022: Take Control Over Your Emotions With These 3 Soothing SZA Songs, This guy would be preparing for shows like an NBA Finals game, he describes. Jas Bell is the artists design lead and artistic director, as well as the founder of the streetwear brand Hazelwood. Thanks team. Maan this is Fire! He designed a highly successful hoodie drop for rapper Smino who opened for one of SZAs shows. Really, Bell says he was learning, watching Pharrell, seeing his ability to weave the music and fashion world together. The work never stopped. Obsessing over streetwear. He designed all of his own outfits printing out pictures and ironing them onto T-shirts that he purchased at Walmart. 13 Best Hair Oils for Fine Hair 2022 for Weightless Moisture: Olaplex. Out of fear, she never spoke about what she witnessed as a 7-year-old child. Follow the instructions for disabling the ad blocker on the site youre viewing. Whatever - JordanxBell X Leonardo Chop - SoundCloud The St. Louis native is in the full swing of this era and is in the final stages of creating the merch line for. He now serves as the superstar singers art director, a role that sees him designing her merch, album and song covers, tour graphics and anything related to visual art. It changes; no two days are alike. Wlf credits Bells tenacity in being able to integrate himself with such successful artists. Integrity and honesty are rare in this business. No posts were found for provided query parameters. Danny Elfmans creative director and Ai Weiweis former student touches on following authenticity, not the blueprint. She's like, What about text message?, RELATED: Soul Train Awards 2022: 3 Things To Know About TDEs R&B Princess SZA. The possibilities are endless. He came from a musical family, where they listened to everything from David Bowie to gospel to Led Zeppelin. We have this thing we do really well that I call complex simplicity. The Academy Award-winning actor hasn't been seen since April when he suffered an undisclosed medical incident. When creating a merch drop or working on an album cover, the creative storyteller always makes sure he is creating for the artist, never him. Youre the founder of your own streetwear brand called Hazelwood. Discussing ideas and artwork concepts with SZA, MeLisa Heath and label president Terrence Punch Henderson until 4 in the morning would make anyone nervous, but Bells confidence moved the conversations along to deliver one of the most memorable rollouts in recent music history.