STAPLE x NB 575 PIGEON

Are you worried about putting your name on too many things?
Yeah, it is definitely worrisome. It’s double-edged. The fact that so many companies approach us is a blessing, but on the other hand, there is that dilution and you don’t want to be the village whore, just banging everybody. I just look at myself and ask does the collaboration make sense? If there’s one strength that I have, it’s the ability to see if two people in the room make sense together or not. If it doesn’t feel right, if it feels forced, fabricated or really obviously mashed together, I think the public nowadays is savvy enough to see through that right away. So it’s kind of a waste of time for everyone because you’re not making a million bucks off of this stuff anyway, so you might as well do something that is innovative.

Are brands interested in you, or in the outcome? Is the value you add more about the level of hype that you can create?
I don’t think there’s one without the other really. If a company wants to work with quote unquote Jeff Staple, I’d like to think it’s because of our track record and the things that I’ve created. Like old school hip hop, it’s all about your rep, you know. You build your rep and you protect your rep. And that is really all you have. I think companies want to work with us because of what we’ve done and the level at which we do things.