When he was a student Chase Benjamin He made one of the most key decisions of his life to proceed his profession as a skilled DJ.

Despite the remaining lower than two semesters from classes to graduation, the native Houston decided to present up Howard University to maneuver to New York to get more musical opportunities. Leaving a historically black college in Washington also meant that Benjamin needed to submit a two -week notification of the end of the part -time work as a LIDS trade employee in the nearby Pentagon City Shopping Center.

“My manager in Lids was in fact the first person I said that I had to leave Howard because of the problem with financial help,” Benjamin remembered to AndScape. “She was like:” To be honest, make your dreams come true. Do yours. And mainly I finished running to New York. “

Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves Editions of the Chase B x MLB “Maximal” latest collection Era 59 Fifty.

A detailed have a look at the mismatch of the crown pattern designed by Chase B.

The hats use a combination of fabrics and designs.

The interior of each hat has a satin, interior of the lining on the theme of the galaxy and the name Chase B on the tag.

Almost 15 years later, life got here down a full circle for 34-yr-old Benjamin-currently known as Chase B, live DJ for the rapper Supergivia Travis Scott-which joined forces with Lids to design his first fitting hats in history. Inspired by the iconic Nike “What the” SB DunkChase BX MLB “Maxim” Nowa Era 59 Fifty Fincile can be released today, lower than a week after the debut in the same store DC Area Lids Store, wherein Benjamin once worked in college. Falling to eight different teams, the hat sold out in quarter-hour.

“This moment means a lot because it is really the first product I have put into the world,” said Benjamin. “I remember when I worked in Lids, in a sense I felt the idea to make a hat like” what “. It just took 15 years to implement this idea. “

Initially, the talks began at the end of 2023 surrounding cooperation between Lids and Chase B, which just about all the time seen on the stage and on social media swaying a fitted hat. Before the concert in Philadelphia on the Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus Benjamin route, Lawrence Berger, co -founder and president of Fanzzzzlids Holdings, was presented, who acquired a long -time hat seller in 2019.

“Lawrence said:” I heard that you just are a guy with whom I actually have to discuss hats, “Benjamin reminded. “I assumed,” I don’t know who he said, but I have a good idea. ” I told him that that is the whole thing with a full circumference, because I not only worked in the lids, I worked in a shop in the DC area, where he got here from. “

The history of Benjamin’s origin in DC began along with his decision to depart the hometown of Houston at the Howard-One of the most historically respected black universities/universities in the country-Nad mainly a white institution (PWI).

“Going to HBCu meant everything for me,” said Benjamin. “Cultural differences between HBCU vs. PWI was huge for me. Going to HBCu gave me a level of confidence and communities that I couldn’t get anywhere else, especially since people come to Howard from many other places. It is 90 percent outside of their condition, so I learned a lot from people from Bay Area, to Jamaica, to Atlanta.

“I met so many different black cultures for Howard,” continued Benjamin. “Streetwear culture in DC is the best for me. Seeing how people wear Griffeeys and ACG Boots, gave me a sense of individuality that I have never experienced before. It successfully taught me everything I had to know about streetwearia. “

Chase B also attributes his time in the yard on Hu passion to matching hats, which became a trademark of his style and remained consistent because he gained the importance of music.

“I used to wear hats in Howard – like every day in class,” Benjamin recalled. “I never really took off my hats, to the extent that people said:” You should just work in lids. ” So I went there by train from the Shaw/Howard metro stop. I worked there for a good seven, eight months and it was the best job I have ever had – so far. Then my manager was the first person I said that I was going to leave school and take off a few semesters. “

Although Benjamin has never returned to classes, slowing down the semester or two of the completion of his specialization on the radio/television/film and small in economics, his goal is to achieve the degree of HBCU someday.

“I have 17 hours left and I want to finish so badly,” he said.

After the introduction to the foremost director of LIDS at the end of 2023, Benjamin went to the headquarters of Indianapolis at the starting of 2024 to initiate the creative process for a series of matched hats, which DJ signed for design and release.

In his first hat history, Chase B attracted inspiration from his versatile favorite shoe-cult “What the” Nike SB Dunk Low, released just once in October 2007, a yr before starting studies at the Howard University. After initial sales for 120 USD per pair, “What the” Dunk has since increased rapidly into noise and value, now considered one of the commonest saints from Sneaker’s culture, with original pairs on the resale market as much as USD 40,000.

“I started to cook this concept and thought:” Do you recognize about “what” the bumps? ” – Benjamin remembered. “Just a few people did in the room, so I said:” I think about “what” matched “. Lids were so open to the concept that it was as if it really happened. ”

Just like OG “What the” Dunk, which comprises 31 Nike SB projects, “Maximal” Hat Chase B provides mashup fabrics and designs. It comprises six different head panels, brown and satin, interior interior on the theme of the galaxy.

“” What the “shoes” is nearly so wild that you could wear them with every thing. That’s why I called this “maximum” collection because I used to be all the time a fan of maximalism, “said Benjamin. “People are big fans of minimalism – the art of breaking every thing into an empty canvas for people’s own imagination. But maximalism is opposite. For example: “How to make this total chaos to such an extent that it makes sense?” On the hat there are panels like a tennis. So I assumed it could be nice to find a hat with so many various colours. “

In November last yr, Lids sent Benjamin the final version of his debut “Maximal” X New Era 59 Fiffta, which broke out in Complexcon in Las Vegas and has been swaying since then.

“I was a bit nervous because I knew that the hat looks good. But I didn’t want it to be too niche, for example: “Is it just something I’d wear? Benjamin said. “I wanted to do something that people could put at the exhibition. Something that went deeper than just a fashion song. It is really a collector’s subject, but I am so excited that everyone is wearing it. “

Chase B couldn’t ask for a higher person to spend his “maximum” hat for the first time. Before the debut version of the retail sales of cooperation in DC, Benjamin was notified on Instagram, taking him into a photo of the star of Los Angeles Lakers, Lebron James passing through the tunnel Arena Krypto.com with the release of Dodgers “Maximal” a hat on his head. DJ personally sent a hat to the home address of King Jakub, but he had no concept that he would present him before the original duel from New York Knicks.

“” Brona just got a hat because I checked tracking on daily basis to ensure that he got there, “said Benjamin. “I believe that even when he wears it, I can be like a behind -the -scene photo of him eating lunch or something in it. But he got a hat that morning and wore it that night.

“It was like:” Oh, Brona really wore a hat before the TNT match against Knicks. “

One and a half a long time after part -time work at Lids, to assist pay in studies, finally the project finally appeared, the first matched Chase B project for the first time this yr can also be to release its debut studio album, and his own performance of Jacek Jacek, the characteristic model of Travis Scott with the Jordan brand.

“To be honest, Jack Jack appears, which I designed about the same time as the” maximum “collection – said Benjamin. “I designed a hat matching the shoe. Both can be this yr, and I simply can’t wait. “

However, as he tells you, Chase B isn’t able to cook yet.

“I actually have two more hats with lids,” said Benjamin. “It will be a long -term partnership. Especially after this, all lick their chops to return to Indianapolis and design the next one. But this “maximum” collection, I want to continue it as long as possible. ”