Loyalty Built The Legacy featuring Thirstin Howl the 3rd | Open Palette Podcast | Episode 16

In Episode 16 of The Open Palette Podcast, Brian Camacho sits down with legendary artist, author, hip-hop pioneer, and Lo Life leader Thirstin Howl the 3rd for a powerful conversation titled Loyalty Built the Legacy.

Thirstin reflects on growing up in Brooklyn, the origins of the Lo Lifes, and how a group built from survival, brotherhood, and a shared love for Polo became a worldwide cultural movement.

The conversation explores leadership, independence, Puerto Rican representation, the connection between fashion and hip-hop, and the importance of creating opportunities when the world does not give you a seat at the table.

This episode is about turning struggle into purpose, staying loyal to the people who helped build the foundation, and creating a legacy that continues to influence generations.

Tune in, share the episode, and subscribe to The Open Palette Podcast.

The Open Palette Podcast — Where art, culture, and community come together through real conversations.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Life is the canvas we paint. Yeah. Opening the dialogue, removing the barriers and restraint. Uh-huh. It's the open palette, insight, access, and the human story. Come on. The palette is open. Open now.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Welcome back to the Open Palette Podcast, where art, culture, and community come together through real conversations. I'm your host, Brian Camacho, and this episode is brought to you in partnership with the Museum of Graffiti's Artist Studios. Big shout outs to our sponsors and big shoutouts to each and every one of you tuning in week to week. We do appreciate the love and support. We do ask that you like, comment, share, and subscribe. Now let's get into today's show. As today's guest has spent decades building culture instead of chasing recognition. His work has influenced music, fashion, film, publishing, and one of the most respected grassroots movements in New York City. He helped preserve a history that could have easily been forgotten while continuing to create new opportunities for the generations that follow. This conversation is about loyalty, leadership, ownership, legacy, and what it truly means to build something that outlives you. Please help me in welcoming today the legendary Polo Rican, Big Vic Lowe, Thurston Howard III.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for having me, man.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

It's a pleasure, my brother. Thank you for joining us here today, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:26

I'm here, man. I don't like to hear that something that out outlives you, because I ain't going no motherfucking way, yo.

SPEAKER_01 1:33

That's a fact. That's a fact. I respect that. That's what it's all about. We here to last the time. And uh thank you for your time here today and joining us here on the Open Pala podcast. So let's get right to it, man. You are an artist, a well-rounded artist who's tapped into all different forms of art. How do you, the artist Thurston Howard III, wake up today and continue to have that energy, that drive to keep pushing forward and putting on the way you do?

SPEAKER_02 1:59

I mean, basically, is it's my life. It's always been my life, you know. Like I'm a very, I'm a Capricorn, so I'm a scheduled type of person. My schedule is done the day before. So tomorrow I know what I'm gonna do already. I know what time I'm gonna do this, that. I know what time I eat, what time I train, what time I devote to answering emails. So it's basically coordinating my life daily. And I make time for everything. So I'm not stuck in one dimension, like I'm not stuck in the studio rapping, or I'm not stuck just editing films or something. I space everything out so I could do multiple things. You know, there's even times that I just dedicate to my fashion, organizing my clothes and my wardrobe, what I'm gonna wear when I go here. So it's really organizing and coordinating everything I want to do within my life.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

That's what's up. Keeping balance in place is very important.

SPEAKER_02 3:01

So that's balance is very necessary for me. I believe in the balance more than anything. Just like I believe you can't be a hundred percent good and you can't be a hundred percent evil either. The world will eat you. You have to be well balanced. And you know, because of where we come from, you know that. And you have to adapt to those things. You can't just be the nice guy all the time. And you can't be the fucking villain either.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Yeah, that's a fact. That's a fact. You definitely gotta find that space uh, you know, for the peace of mind and you know, and to be able to thrive in life. So that's very important. So thank you for that insight and breaking that down for us for sure. When people hear of Thurston Howard III, ultimately, you know, the first thing that clicks for them is the low lives and and the culture and the collective that you've been a part of building. But who is Thurston Howell outside of that?

SPEAKER_02 3:50

Thurston Howell is Victor de Jesus. You know, that's I mean, anybody who truly knows me, they know that's who I am first. And I am who I am, meaning I've always been this person. Thurston Howell is who I became within entertainment, you know, where I I I attach myself to that persona and that character for entertainment reasons.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Now that's what's up, and I do appreciate you breaking that down for us to get a better understanding of who you are behind the art, you know, behind the music and all that.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

I'm a man like anybody else, man. I'm a man who comes from struggle. I'm a man who comes from being deprived of things in life. I think that's why my art is so intense and my creativity comes from the lack of all the things I didn't have. The same with the low life stuff, you know, where you know, when when we got clothing or I had fresh clothes and I put them in ziplocks, and I didn't know they was gonna last 30, 40 years and increase in value. I just was preserving what I had because I didn't have much. So, you know, all of this stuff just came into play coincidentally, you know what I mean? But the creativity came from not having. And you know, I've always felt blessed for being less fortunate because it made me that much more within life period, because I could go anywhere and create out of anything, survive offer anything, you know, make shelter out of anything, you know. My survival skills are massive, man.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

And and through throughout the span of your your career, creating culture is what you've been doing, is building these pathways for the culture to be represented. Throughout this time and the work that you've put out there, what do you feel you've built?

SPEAKER_02 5:43

I mean, I I don't feel like I was intentionally trying to build anything. I just was living it. And I was living it and attaching myself to other people who wanted to live it. And it all created itself. So there was no intentions of it. Even like spreading the whole lowlife movement globally, that was never intended. It happened organically. I traveled the world, many people would approach me or adapt and say they wanted to be part of the lowlife or whatever, but it was more they were willing to contribute help, services, things like that to push what we were doing through entertainment. And organically, people just became family. That's what's up. Love and loyalty just continued on. But there was never no intentions of trying to push anything to be what it is today, except for the rap career. You know, I went out there with the hunger to be the best, and basically, and that's everything else just fell in place, you know? That's what's up.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

And that drive has definitely taken you to many different places, uh, put you in many different great spaces, many different rooms. I know at one point you were with MTV. You also did the lyrics as lounge project, and you've also spoken about being in very legendary ciphers and battles with artists like Eminem and Jay-Z. Since those times have moved on, to see that you are still continuing to put out projects, continuing to put your footprint down within this industry, it is greatly appreciated. So I want to be the one here personally to say thank you for that as well. Thank you, thank you. Because consistency is the key to success, and you've shown that.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

Once again, man, I'm just living my life. This is how I would have been living my life even if I wasn't recognized or acknowledged. This was how I was living my life the whole time. I was born before hip-hop. So I lived the hip-hop life the entire time it was in existence.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

This is your lifestyle. For you, it's lifestyle.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

Nah, this is my religion.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

Your religion, interesting. That's even deeper.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

A lot of people follow cults of this or religion. This is the only thing that I've lived by religiously, where I followed the commandments of hip-hop. Like, there are a lot of commandments broken nowadays where thou shalt not bite, things like that. Like, there's a lot, you know, you must be original. If you notice everything about me, my style, my move, I'm an original artist. I don't emulate much. If like if you see me recreating a legendary rapper's video or something, it's more paying homage or taking it to a next level. But I believe in the originality is a major component of being a great artist. And you're not a real artist if you don't got your own lab, man. Sorry. I tell a lot of artists that, like, if you don't have a lab, you're really not gonna find yourself. You could go to the pay for studio time here and there, but every artist, especially painters, they have a lab or studio where they go and they concentrate and they do their art two in the morning, three in the afternoon, five at night, whenever the fuck they feel like it, whether it's butt naked in your drawers, or that's a true artist. And I've always been that type of artist. I need to manifest my art at whatever time I'm feeling it. I don't wait for you to say the studio's available. I have to do it whenever it comes to me, whenever I'm feeling it, or whenever I'm bored, I'll just go in there and create some shit that I wasn't even thinking about.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Where do you draw inspiration from? What what what are the whether it be through music or who are these individuals that you find inspiration from?

SPEAKER_02 9:36

I mean, I draw, I draw my inspiration through life. There's times, you know, I'm I'm I'm going to my house and I'm backing up my truck and in the parking space a certain way, and I'll go in the house and put that shit in the round because this is life. I'm living life and I learn to draw from everything. Like I'm a person who I feed off the energy. Okay. I turn into that shit. I can't be around negativity and because I turn into it. I become whatever the room is.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

You attract, you attract the energy around you.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

And and also I influence the energy around you. So I come with positive energy, and sometimes you have to enforce it for it to remain that way and push that other shit out the way when the gump comes in your space. I'm real big in that understanding, man. And you know, a lot of that comes from the environments we come from, the prisons I walk through and things like that. You adapt to the environments, you become products of it, but from the energy first. You know what I mean? Depending on what type of you individual you are. You know, but I'm heavy on energy, man. Energy for me is like be careful how you manifest it or who you share it with. That's another thing. Don't you can't share your energy with everybody. They'll run with who you are instead of being themselves. They'll attach themselves to you for your likeness, your so many things, man.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

Yep. Yeah, there's a lot of leeches out there. You gotta protect yourself from those leeches, man. Stay far away from those people. Protect your peace, protect your energy, stay positive and keep focused. That's a fact, yeah. Um, and you, the artist that you are, is you're a very well-rounded artist. You're not just going in, right, you know, writing and recording the music. No, you're also sitting back directing the video, shooting the video, editing the video. You wear many different hats.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

I I don't do the shooting. Okay. That's the part. I hate shooting.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

But you do shoot, you do edit though, and you do direct them, right?

SPEAKER_02 11:38

I direct, you know, I write all of my treatments and all my synopsis, all my scripts. I've wrote, written them 100% alone.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

What is it? What is the most fun for you? Is it writing a book? Is it writing music? Is it writing these scripts for the videos? Which one is the one that you embody the most?

SPEAKER_02 11:57

To me, they all the same.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Because when you when you take time for them, you you understand, when you understand writing structure, it's it all applies the same way to each one of those things. So it's just about what's the project at hand. And trust me, it's not something that I just want to do or I enjoy. I've I've had no choice but to fill in and wear all those hats because I had nothing else. And I had no one else to do them for me. Plus, I I mean, I'm a writer. I love to write because, you know, I did prison time and I wrote letters like a motherfucker. I'm that dude where listen, I had so many women writing me, and I write. If I got 10 letters today on the mail call, I answered every letter. You sending poems.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

You sending a poem to each one.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

No, not a poem, a book. I'm writing back books.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

Yo, that's funny, bro.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

I'm dead serious. I believe that's where all my writing skills really developed. That's for sure. Because I took time, but and I'm a fast writer, even rhyme-wise. I'm I'm writing really quick. I got the sloppiest penmanship you can imagine and all that, but I'm a very creative and intense writer. I can really express myself through pen and paper like a motherfucker. I'm not on the phone texting, writing.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

So that's so that'll be your strong suit, you would say, like the writing aspect for you.

SPEAKER_02 13:21

No, no. I believe, I believe when you master one thing as a true master, you learn to master everything in the same in the same way. Okay. No matter what it is. It could be, I always say, fighting, fucking, for whatever it is you're supposed to master, because when you're capable of mastering one thing, you become that intense with everything that you do. I'm a painter, you know, more than anything. And not not so so much graffiti paint, a house painter. Yeah, I love to paint houses. My paint work is immaculate. I paint to a master's degree on how I cut, how I just lay everything out, how I tape everything down. And you know, when I cut trimmings and all that, I don't use tape.

SPEAKER_01 14:10

You're very meticulous.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Very.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Yeah, I see that. I see that, you know, following you for a long time, seeing how you how you put your clothes on, how you, you know, I mean, everything. Your presentation, your whole storyline is definitely tight. And I see that.

SPEAKER_02 14:24

Like I said, it has to be once you become a master of one thing, you master everything you do. You put the same energy, same focus, same determination in whatever it is you're doing.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

That's a fact. And I've I've also heard you once before say that ownership is more important than fame. And a lot of people lack the understanding of that because they get blind by the idea of money, you know, the glitz, the glamour, the cameras flashing uh, but that's not where it ends, you know. So let's talk to that. How have you been able to find that balance as an artist? Because you're in you've been an independent artist for the majority of your career, correct? The entire time. The entire time. So how have you how have you been able to keep up with that where those opportunities are coming? They throw in these opportunities in front of you, big dollar amounts at that present moment, but you know the long game, you understand that process. How have you been able to maneuver through that?

SPEAKER_02 15:18

I mean, I think I'm like every other artist. I I came for the fame first, and or should I say the respect. All I really wanted was respect as an artist, as a rapper. Same thing we you wanted on the streets when you in New York. Respect was everything. You know, whenever, wherever you're going, wherever you're walking through, whatever jail you in, respect was always at the top of the list. I mean, becoming the independent artist and the ownership situation is just what it was organically, where nobody was signing me. And I wasn't waiting for anyone to tell me I was good enough before I could put music out. So I did everything on a Rambo level where I'm just throwing shit out. I'm just doing whatever I felt like, whether I'm getting results or not. You know what I mean? Because I I felt like I know I'm good, I know I'm nice, and I don't gotta wait for a corporation or a label to tell me that that's the case. You know, so that's how everything happened organically. I wanted a deal just like every other artist that was out there. I went to all the labels shopping, I did all of them things. But you know, when the deals weren't fair and things like that, even the offers I was getting, a lot of times I'm getting a certain amount of money off. I had money already.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:45

I knew how to get money. I always knew how to get money in the street and or or or job and things like that. You know what I mean? So I was never a broke bum to where I'm just desperate for your check, you know?

SPEAKER_01 16:59

That's what's up.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

But I really stuck to just having the control of what I do by because I I'm not a control freak either. I just wanted to work with anyone that could be fair with me. Allow me to do what I do instead of as soon as they sign you, they telling you how to do your art. And I used in the beginning, I was having that, it was a problem. For sure. It would be a problem. You come in the studio, you'll check this out. You got to go. Get it back. Don't never fix your mouth, tell me how to do my shit. If anything, but I also learned to understand how to work with collaborative efforts where I could do everything you asked me to do and still do what I want to do at the same time. You know, it took it took me a little while before I matured to understand the work in that manner. It's nothing with uh, you know, obliging to your company who's paying for what they want out of you, and then you still get to do whatever you want at the same time. You know, I'm I'm a I'm a very versatile artist. Massively. I don't I don't think I know anyone with the length of versatility that I've been able to put together. You know what I mean? So I can accommodate everyone and still do some shit you never heard about, never seen before, or style that you might not think ever fucking existed.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Nah, that's what's up. That's what's up. We definitely have stepped into many different lanes, whether it be, you know, spe rapping in Spanish, the Spanglish movement that you built. I I've appreciated that wholeheartedly, you know, as a young kid coming up, Puerto Rican, you know what I mean, from Brooklyn, being able to see that relation and that representation in hip hop, as we've been here since day one. Uh, you know what I mean? It's only right to see that representation continue to thrive.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

I gotta shout out Mr. Chick, man, because he he inspired me way back in '81, '82 with that record, you know, the disco dream, the mean machine. Ever since I heard that record, you know, I've always felt the urge to rap in Spanish. I mean, I wasn't rapping back then, but as soon as I did become a rapper, I made Spanish, Spanglish songs almost immediately. But just because of how much that song inspired me. And then when I started doing it, there was really not too many people who had doing it, you know, besides Mellow Man A, Cypress Hills on the website things like that.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

It's not an easy trait either, though. Let's be honest. It's not easy.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Way easier than English.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

No, well, Spanish, yes, but what I mean is the blend of English and Spanish. Way easier. You think so? For me, because it's you mastered it at this point.

SPEAKER_02 19:44

No, I mean for me, it's never truly been done. So it's like that's why it's easier because in in English, when you're rapping and you're making punchlines, you gotta be critical because so much has been said. True. So in the Spanglish realm of things, not much has been said or done. Like I said, besides the cypress, the mellows, you know, and and and TMP, and it is it's rarely was done. So I felt a lot of stuff that I was doing myself, it wasn't seen. Especially the way I attacked it. Like, you know, a Brownsville dude attacking it in Spanglish. You know, it wasn't your average Puerto Rican dude.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

For those who don't understand, it definitely wasn't easy being a young Puerto Rican kid coming up in Brownsville for you, I'm sure. Um, one thing I want to highlight, and I do appreciate a lot, is that, and I and I believe we one time we was having this conversation, and you brought this up in where you don't have to drop any more music, you have enough music out. And and the beauty of that is that you still continue to do so. But what I what I'm getting to is the appreciation of how you're not just dropping the project, it's here today, gone tomorrow. I see you dropping videos from songs that's 10, 15 years ago, 20, 20 years ago, bringing them back to life.

SPEAKER_02 21:04

I just shot the video for the Polo Recon song. That's what's up. The song is almost 30 years old.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

There you go. Stay tuned for that.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

It just made sense, man. Yeah, so I I do that because I believe that keeps my catalog alive and it'll introduce the song to the newer generations who might not have a clue.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

No, that's a that's a genius idea you have going right there, man. For sure.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

I've been doing it to a lot of videos, man. Yeah, I know. And I don't know how to stop recording either, man. I always try to find a way. Like, you know, I'm a I'm a chill.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

When creating music, are you creating to have it built as a body of work, or are you just making songs and then later on putting them together?

SPEAKER_02 21:45

I just make songs.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

You just making songs.

SPEAKER_02 21:47

Because it what it is, it's like when when a beat catches me, I go with the inspiration of the beat. Whatever the beat tells me to do, the idea is just get the emotions out. And it is. It could sit there two years, it could sit there five years. And when I'm ready to package something, I look at my files and see what I have. But as long as you get the feeling out, you have it. You know what I mean? So I do that a lot.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

When creating music, are you creating music for a body of work or are you just creating music, you know, as you go?

SPEAKER_02 22:20

I just create as I go. I mean, I when I put out albums and stuff, I just look inside folders of what I have, and then I usually come up with a title and I see what songs match that title. And that's how I would pick whenever I feel like putting out an album. But I create almost all the time.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

How many songs do we got in the stash right now?

SPEAKER_02 22:44

I can't even tell you.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

That thing gotta be loaded up for sure.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Yo, all I can tell you is the next album I drop, The Book of Hate Zeus.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

Alright. Monster. This this this the this the world premiere right now of the title? The Book of Hate Zeus. Not Jesus, Hate Zeus. Get that right. And stay tuned for that.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Everybody hates the savior, man.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Now, with regards to the low lives, you've told the story so many different times in so many different ways. What do you feel is missing from the history that has not been told? Wow. That's a good question.

SPEAKER_02 23:27

I mean, the history of the low lives is so extensive, I can never fully explain what's missing. Because there's so many different lanes of it and different people who participated in the beginning and all that. Like, you know, the ignorance of it all was lowlife's money, holes, and clothes, right? You hear everybody talk about the boosting, the polo, and you'll never hear the stories about the women. That was a major part. I think it's almost uncivilized to talk about it in today's climate. You know what I mean? But that's a major component of it because a lot of the getting fly was to get the girls and get the women.

SPEAKER_01 24:17

That was the inspiration.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

I mean, we were their inspiration. Vice versa, for sure. Because as lowlives, we were targeted by the women. At the way we moved around, the way we walked in the door, the women automatically gravitated to us in a massive way. And I'm talking about everywhere you went. So that's something that doesn't get spoke upon much. But and at the same time, there was a lot of lowlifes who was the fliest dudes in the world and couldn't get any women. They just didn't have it. You know, they ain't have the energy to know how to do it and to attract the women in that way. So, you know, there's so many misconceptions about what lowlifes is or was, you know, but there's so many parts that haven't been covered. That, you know, there's so many different versions of the story through other people, other areas. You know, I can only express and explain my part, my aspect, where I came from, and my personal experiences as a low life. But from the gate. I'm from the gate of this.

SPEAKER_01 25:28

You know, that's a fact. And uh when this all started, the collective as a whole, how many actual first members were there?

SPEAKER_02 25:39

Uh it never could fully actually say. Because, you know, there were two sides of it, like there was the St. John side, and then there was the Marcus Garvey side, and you never fully met members from both sides.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

You know what I mean? So it's like there's so many, like when we got together, there were so many that were in prison that you didn't know. But, you know, they were automatically linked or were automatically low lives, whether they were there or not.

SPEAKER_01 26:15

That's what's up.

SPEAKER_02 26:15

You know, so there's a lot of that part of history. But as far as the founding members, you know, the people who, the glue that kept it, that brought it all together, it was a good 20 of us.

SPEAKER_01 26:26

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 26:26

You know, the ones that built the camaraderie, the ones that proved to trust each other, the ones that fought together, slept in the same house, you know, went on the missions together. There was a nice handful of them dudes that built that camaraderie for everybody to accept it, um, you know, in both from both neighborhoods.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

That's great to hear. That's definitely it's good to see how how that has expanded to a collective of probably 20,000 individuals at this point or more.

SPEAKER_02 26:54

Yeah, I love to see that Bushwick got his whole chapter now.

SPEAKER_01 26:58

For sure. Big shout outs to uh Milk 501. Big shout outs to True22, IR, and all the crew over there, my boy Mizzo. They've been doing it. Danny Cortez. Danny Cortez for sure.

SPEAKER_02 27:08

Because uh, there was a point where there was no Puerto Ricans in lowlife. It probably was a hand, one hand to count how many Puerto Ricans was in low life. Now there's massive Puerto Ricans everywhere within lowlifes, you know. I mean all nationalities are within lowlife. Just crossing all the countries and borders that we got to to see chapters in Mexico, Argentina, is wild to me.

SPEAKER_01 27:37

And you and you, you guys, these guys come from all over the world when you guys do these festivals and these barbecues of low life fest and things like that. I want to speak to that as well, man, because that's very important how you keep bringing the people together. It's not just about, oh, let's just rep something that, you know what I mean, is just a name. No, this is a family, this is a collective, it's a culture, it's a culture.

SPEAKER_02 27:56

And I believe culture is supposed to be shared. Nobody's supposed to pigeonhole it like this is ours only. And that that was my whole intention was like, let's share this, man. Let's share it with everybody. And and the one thing I I made sure of, like, you don't have to be a thief and a criminal no more to be a lowlife. Before, you had to be a goon, or you just had to be, or you had to be with the shit. Just because a lot of dudes was doing it and that don't mean they was with the shits either, because we had a lot of soft dudes in lowlifes too. The same way we had a lot of thoroughbreds, there was a lot of victims within lowlifes that were victims of the other lowlifes. You know what I mean? It was a it was it was some of everything. So not everybody was just a street dude, a tough guy. You had variety of people and characters. We all were just from the same neighborhoods and things. But to see the spread around the world, man, and like now, you know, we in Orlando.

SPEAKER_01 28:57

That's a fact.

SPEAKER_02 28:58

And lowlifes consist of paralegals, uh, electricians, uh, you know, MMA fighters, website designers, graphic artists, you know, this authors is a great spectrum of who we are now.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

Yeah, it's not just and even speaking into music, you got artists like Mayhem Loren, you got Smoke Dizza, you've expanded the the brand. You got CeeLo Green. You got CeeLo Green, bro. He be putting it on, dog. He be putting it on for sure.

SPEAKER_02 29:31

Wait till you hear the new Thurston and CeeLo Green on the Hate Seuss album.

SPEAKER_01 29:36

You you got um what's the basketball player? Um Kevin Garnet. Kevin Garnet, it's a low life, man. Y'all gotta tap in. Just understand, man. This is bigger than the photos of what you people are just saying. It's a lifestyle, it's a culture. This is what you want to be a part of if you understand, you know what I mean, and follow the true, true, what, you know, the truth of what's being put down here, man. This is what it's all about, man, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 30:00

Positivity, man, and righteousness. Because, you know, we we weren't that much examples of that in our neighborhoods. We was examples of survival. But, you know, through maturity and all that, we all became to be righteous men and understand, you know, what forced us to be the way we were. It was just, you know, it was oppression more than anything else. We were oppressed people understanding and looking for means to survive, man. And just to be able to transcend things into who we are and where we are right now, it's a blessing, man. It's a big blessing. I'm I don't know how else to explain. I never in a million years thought I would be sitting here talking about something we started 40 years ago, man.

SPEAKER_01 30:47

No, 40 years ago. 40 years ago, for sure. That's four decades, man. My kids are 40. It's wild, right? For sure, for sure. Definitely is. And to see how that has all come together full circle, and where at a time I'm sure Ralph wasn't happy to know who you who you and your crew was, but it has all come together now, and where you guys have been able to connect the dots through your book, uh Bury Me with the Low, as well as being featured in his documentary, Billboards, and etc. How has that process been for you?

SPEAKER_02 31:18

For me? Life-changing. You know, to be acknowledged for one, but for the world to see that everything I've been doing all this time wasn't in vain. And, you know, shout out Tyson Beckford, too. That's my dude. Yeah, bro. You know what I mean? That's you know, he he really laid down a great foundation for everyone else as well, man. You know, for our people, you know, for minorities and things like that. He he became a superhero for people to look up to and know that it's possible. And I think we've all had a chance to accomplish something like that now. To be that for the people, knowing that anything is possible. And don't let your past determine your future and all of them things, you know. So it's just a journey I couldn't explain, man. I could I would have never imagined things would have turned out the way they did.

SPEAKER_01 32:12

And it's dope that you were able to have your son be a part of the project. I know you're very big on family and representation of your family and your community. So to see that connection there was was was really dope.

SPEAKER_02 32:23

My family is involved in everything I do, all my productions, all the acting. You know, you see my kids in everything, you know. We're the production crew, you know.

SPEAKER_01 32:33

So with regards to productions and movies and documentaries like that, is there something that we should be looking forward to in that space as well?

SPEAKER_02 32:41

I mean, you know, I got the Dong Chi Cha Hong film. I never put it out. I've just been doing screenings here and there, you know, directed by myself and my brother Lil Box Low. He shot and edited the Dong Chi Cha Hong as well. Um, you know, rest in peace, Hurricane G. She's one of the stars of the Dong Chi Cha Hong film. I mean, we've been real gradually showing it here and there. I just don't want to release it like that. I'd rather just play around and show it at theaters or, you know, big events. Because it's really a groundbreaking production and style of music and everything. You know, with DJ XS is in there from Miami. Um, there's just so much more coming, man. I mean, there's, you know, some big stories in the works right now, about to go down, but I'd rather just let them manifest before I run my mouth about anything. But all these stories are coming to the big screens, man.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

That's great to hear, man. And as you said, we got that new music dropping soon. We got these documentaries coming to the screen. Keep it coming, man, because we we definitely appreciate it all. What about the fashion? Oh, do are we gonna be able to see you dropping your own line? I know you had the low life brand for a little while. Is that something that we should be looking forward to coming back, or is there something else in the works for you?

SPEAKER_02 34:05

There's always stuff in the works. You know what's crazy with the fashion? A lot of the stuff, I'll create my own stuff. I don't even want to sell it. I just want to wear shit that nobody got. Because right now there's so many polo collectors. Somebody had on something you're wearing at any event. But I try to, you know, mix shit up and create something that no one has. You know, even if I gotta take something apart. You shout out Taz Arnold from the West Coast. Was one of the first people I seen create the Frankenstein style where he'll take four different shirts, take them apart, and put them together like one, which I called the Frankenstein. I think he invented that in my book, and I seen even Polo, you know, latch onto it and do things like that. And also another brother I'm dealing with, Gerald Sankey, I believe he's from Maryland, but he's been customizing all these trapper hats and stuff I've been wearing to where we'll take polo pieces apart and turn them into hats that nobody got.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

That's what's up.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

And that's, you know, I'm into stuff like that. I wanna, I wanna just make my own shit, man. You know?

SPEAKER_01 35:17

That's what's up.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

Tired of everybody dressing like me and everything. So I wanna be have a piece you don't know about.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

Nah, that's a fact. Well, listen, yo, Ralph, my boy's ready to step up in the offices and start making some changes around there.

SPEAKER_02 35:30

They know what time it is already. We gotta get to it. You know, that the number three player on the polo team is considered the best player on the team. So, you know, I fall right into that as well. I'm Thursday Howard III, so I'm the number three. I'm the full package.

SPEAKER_01 35:51

That's right. You know, that's right. Make sure y'all tap in, man. Get right next to this legend right here. It's only right to keep moving the culture forward. Before we get up out of here, man, do you have some parting words or some messages you want to leave the people with?

SPEAKER_02 36:04

Yeah, I want to let the people know that you see all this, oh, he got on the wall and all that. Let them know he's missing those low life portraits up there. Them, you know, the the collector's editions and all that. I think it's incomplete up here without him. You gotta get them, you gotta frame them, and you gotta put them in proper positioning, man, because it completes the wall, man. A lot of legendary stuff up here. Thank you. I mean, shout out Don Remix, Rymix. That's right. Rhymex gets busy. That's my dude. I love his art. I remember driving down Hollywood Boulevard in California. I was passing by Hollywood High School. The entire high school was covered in his art.

SPEAKER_01 36:45

Yeah, man. That's a beautiful project he did.

SPEAKER_02 36:47

I had to pull over and be like, wow. He even got a big mural in Brownsville on the side of a building.

SPEAKER_01 36:53

You know, that's a brand new one they just finished computing recently.

SPEAKER_02 36:56

Yangster, man, but that's that's an artist that I really salute heavy, and he's truly dedicated, and I see, you know, where he's taking his work and his passion for it. Yeah, man. Big shout outs, on signature, and that's what it's all about. You know, I'm on the same team with him as well, man.

SPEAKER_01 37:12

So that's right. Big shout outs to Dawn Rymax. He gets a lot of love here on the show. For sure. And he deserves it. That's right. So thank you for your time here today, man. Where can they tap in with you?

SPEAKER_02 37:23

Your website, your Instagram, ThursdayHowtheIrd.com, T-H-I-R-S-T-I-N-H-O-W-L, T-H-E, the number three, R D. Same for my YouTube, Thurston Howell the Third, my channel. Go see my over 200 music videos, cooking shows, short films, karate movies. Everything is up there. Same for the Instagram, same for the Facebook is Vic the Thurston Howell, the Jesus. And you know, just Google me if anything. And I mean, you'll find everything, man.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

That's right. You're gonna find it all, man. Big Vic Low, Thurston Howard III. Thank you once again, man.

SPEAKER_02 38:06

Go to that website and cop something, man. There's a lot of merch, a lot of t-shirts, key chains, chains.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

Let's get to it.

SPEAKER_02 38:13

You know, portraits, action figures. You gotta get a Thurston Howell action figure.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

That one is fire, yo. For sure, for sure. Definitely check those out. And those are very limited as well, right? You've been switching up the gear too.

SPEAKER_02 38:25

Nah, there's two. There's only secret ones that the gear switched up. Oh lucky if you could get one of the different colors. But there'll be more action figures coming too, different styles, you know, some of the older looks, things like that, you know.

SPEAKER_01 38:40

That's what's up, man. Well, stay tuned for that, man. I appreciate your time once again. This is the Open Palette Podcast. We out, y'all. Peace.