Today we’d like to introduce you to Rickey Peete.
Hi Rickey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Memphis, TN to a musically inclined family. I was always encouraged by my grandparents to pursue the arts. From a child to a young adult, I spent my summers in Missouri City, TX. That’s where I fell in love with music, the arts, and creativity. In high school, I tried to paint my first acrylic painting. It landed me in the local paper with a scholarship.
At the time, I wanted to attend business school and be an entrepreneur. That was always my nature. After a short run at college, life was getting the best of me. I decided to drop out. I was uninspired; something was missing. That’s when I really gave making music a shot.
Alongside the music, I wanted my own brand. I looked up to Jay Z with Rocawear and Diddy with Sean Jean. I understood the importance of ownership and wanted that for myself. I wanted to create jobs for people that looked like me. This birthed HYNG.
Around 2008, my music was taking off locally, but the recession was taking its toll on everyone. I was losing friends to the streets, and poverty came in like a plague. I didn’t want to become a statistic. I left Memphis and enrolled in music school three hours away, in Nashville, TN. Three years later, I moved to NYC to complete my internship program, and I ended up at the Schomburg Center for Black Research. They house the largest collection of black history in the world. Here, I developed relationships with leaders in education and fell in love with my community.
Shortly after, I started doing photography and shooting content for HYNG to grow my brand. I utilized my network to build relationships with leaders who cared about the community. My time at The Schomburg Center changed the way I saw my company. It helped me fine-tune my messaging while grooming me as a young businessman.
Six years later, covid hit, and I decide to take my talents to Dallas, TX. Today, I run a lifestyle brand that still holds utilizes the lessons learned from my experiences in Memphis, Houston, and NYC. Everywhere I go, I see people like me. People in pursuit of something more. That is what HYNG became, a blueprint for youth and young adults to follow in pursuit of their passions. An apparel brand that cares about the community and tells our stories. A brand that Honors Thee, Young New & Great. – HYNG
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has most definitely been a challenge. I think that’s what makes it that much more important to me. I’ve had to deal with financial challenges, manufacturing issues, and logistical battles. Not to mention just remaining motivated and inspired through life’s ups and downs outside of business. I’d say one of the largest obstacles as a small business owner has been learning how to leverage. A lot of times, I’d try to do everything myself, and that can lead to burnout quickly. Learning when to let go and ask for help has been super important in running my business and in my personal life as well.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about HYNG?
We sell high-end apparel that highlights young, new, and great talent of our past and present. We provide culture through fashion. We are known for high-quality street-style clothing and caps.
We encourage individuality and creativity by uplifting and spotlighting future and past generations of greatness, from Cardi B to Wendell Scott. We also believe in creating more avenues of access to education. This is what I’m most proud of. This is our core purpose.
We are a brand that aims to inspire, encourage, and uplift. We do this first, through fashion and influence, and later through education.
How do you define success?
To me, success looks like happiness. Setting goals and achieving them. Being not just content but happy with the results. Impacting people around me in a positive way. Leaving a footprint that others aspire to fill.
Pricing:
- T-Shirts – $70
- Caps – $50
- Hoodies – $120
- Socks – $30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hyngofficial.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peeteysplanet
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hyngofficial
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/hyngofficial.com
- Other: www.rickeypeete.com
Image Credits
Rickey Peete
