Meet Clayco Ryan of Localsonlyatl

Today we’d like to introduce you to Clayco Ryan.

Clayco, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
So dealing with music, I think back to seeing the franchise boys in middle school. They had these shirts that said Bankhead in the street sign. That was a time I found the music I liked personally you know?. Being from Atlanta we grew up on OutKast, Goodie Mob, Kilo Ali, Pastor Troy, Witch doctor, Back bone, MC Shy D etc.

I didn’t really understand the music my older uncles, cousin, and brothers were into it. But when dope boys in the trap came out, I was on a hunt for that sound. I love OutKast but I like at that different from music it’s kind of like a cultural thing. So when I hear people outside Atlanta talk about them I feel some type of away allllllllabout it.

Dealing with art and clothing? We would go to old national discount mall and metro mart. That’s where I got my 1st bape from. You would see the serial box flip t-shirts, girbauds, type of Jordan’s, race car jackets, and of course dickies. But all those Japanese brands at that time were so expensive. Also I didn’t even know where to find them at, but the discount malls were fake but they had some of the most unique clothes… And I saw films like kids, listened to daft punk, watching toonami, and was like this me.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I 1st started my brothers started or already had they road set. I had went to middle and high school with frndly nbhd, mushu, Zeus Trappin, Emanuel Hudson, Reaiionairoo, etc. Kahn (queen friendly) in frndly nbhd would throw parties so I remembered kap g from back then. I say all that to say I had been to places like Atlantic records and on tour with waka as soon as I knew what it is I wanted to make. The hardest road has been school and keeping a steady stream of income. I probably seen the whole country now and some places I went with just $20. It’s really a juggling trick.

Localsonlyatl – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from others?
LocalsOnlyAtl is really a social experiment. So if you go to the Instagram and Tumblr page Atlanta at this moment is seen on there. The brand had touched these people NOT ME! Before some of those artist became who they are and internationally known we met in studios, schools, project housing, restaurants, parks you name it. I’ve made t-shirts in some of the craziest places just to catch the moment.

Of course, I was inspired by supreme but I was inspired by Chillyo 1st. When I told him “yo I’m putting neighborhoods in the box logo” he said yoooo that’s dope. I thought he was pacifying me. Then out of nowhere he sent me Curtis Snows publicist. Like go to the bluff and link with Snow. This was after snow on the bluff had been out and snow was doing his book and cashew co dropped the Atlanta book. So I pressed a bluff t and went and it kind of set the tone there.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My biggest accomplishment? It’s the same as my proudest moment. I spent a summer at street execs right when Bankrolll was coming out. This was when “walked in” came out. STUPID!!! But I had made shirts for everybody there and they showed so much genuine love. When I gave bank the shirts he wore them, like WORE THEM. Before he died he took a picture that I push religiously. That’s my biggest accomplishment. That picture will be big one day.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://localsonlyatl.tumblr.com/
• Email: atl.localsonly@gmal.com
• Instagram: Localsonlyatl
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/localsonlyatl/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/localsonlya

Image Credit:
@brentsaidthat

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