"The cover is hot, but the music sucks." Something that happens very often when it comes to the mixtape industry. PDA is one of the dude's responsible for the hot covers, not the wack tapes. Nominated for a Justo Award in 2006, PDA has been making that visual piffery for quite some time. Doing work for the likes of Big Mike, Evil Empire, DJ Chuck T and everyone in between, this guy is a forced to be reckoned with. If you aren't familar with his work you must be living under a rock. I've known him for a while too, doing some mixes on his 'Fall Out Boy vs. Kanye West' tape, and he has done the covers for both of my 'The Graduate' mixtapes.
illRoots: What's good PDA?
PDA: What up, what up. Thats my gangster limit for the day.
illRoots: Bahaha, introduce yourself for those that dont know you.
PDA: What's good, i'm PDA aka no I wont tell you what PDA stands for. Mixtape designer by day.....uh..mixtape designer by night.
illRoots: What does PDA stand for?
PDA: Nice try, Michael.
illRoots: lol, what made you want to get into the graphic design industry?
PDA: I honestly dont even remember to be exact. I used to help run a PSD site back in the day which was HUGE (what up s1xth) which was mostly WRESTLING graphics and I just started out there.
Cover for Big Mike & DJ Thoro's Soundtrack To The Streets 2.illRoots: Did u take any graphic courses in school?
PDA: I signed up in college for graphic design to be my major but you had to take all the pre-reqs for it like 2d 101 and drawing 101 so I was like shit.."should I spend 3 hours in class..or make 100 dollars an hour at home" and ..I think we all know what I chose lol. Dropped out Kanye status and made designing a full time thing.
illRoots: What was the first big project you did that really got you noticed?
PDA: Big Mike and Evil Empire Interstate Trafficking 2.0.
illRoots: You still work heavily with Big Mike to this day right? How'd you hook up with him in the first place?
PDA: Big Mike is a cool ass dude. Always lookin' out for me and shit. His manager hit me up one day wanting to start a graphic company, [and I] told him I was down. The graphic company never happend but it put me in direct contact with Mike and its been poppin ever since. Im on the outs with his manager for personal reasons but I DO appreciate him helping me get started.
illRoots: That's whats up. What's your favorite cover that you've designed?
PDA: lol to this day, my favorite cover is the Superstar Jay and Gillie The Kid cover (sorry weezy lol).
illRoots: How about that you didnt design?
PDA: My favorite cover that I haven't designed..hmmm thats tough cuz everyone steppin their game up..I think it would have to be that Dipset "The Title Stays in Harlem" joint that PBNJ did a long ass time ago..shout out to PBNJ thats my dude for real.
illRoots: Word, word. The cover game is some serious stuff... I've seen mad dudes biting your style too.. How do you feel about that?
PDA: I mean.. it happens to the best of us. I know [no one] ever names other designers in their interviews cuz they are afraid of giving the next man exposure and losing business but I think im in a nice enough position to name drop dudes like Tanster and Deftone getting copied on the CONSTANT. I get 1 or 2 here and there but there are so many people tryin to get shine off THEM and I find it disgusting.
illRoots: How do you feel about the dude Miami Kaos? He's been known to name drop once or twice...
PDA: lol, interesting question. I think my problem is more with the people who ride so hard for him rather than HIM. I mean its always cool to have dudes that you know got your back, but theres a line between "someone's dude" and "someone's groupie"..Some people don't see the line. I personally don't have anything against dude anymore. Whether he has something against me? I couldnt tell you. He is in a position where when he talks, people listen and I hope uses that for positive.
illRoots: I feel you. How long on average does it take you to complete a cover?
PDA: about an hour to an hour and half depending on if I got good pictures and how complex the directions are.
Cover for DJ Chuck T's Sexxplicit R&B 35.
illRoots: Did u ever think that you'd be doing this when you were growing up?
PDA: I honestly thought i'd be on the other side of the spectrum. I always wanted to be in the music business..Being a manager or something. I couldnt be a rapper..i couldnt ride a beat if I had a MPC attached to my car. Right now i'm sorta livin out that dream managing my dude J. Conway.
illRoots: Yeah, that dude has mad talent. He was featured on your Fall Out Boy v. Kanye West mash up tape. Tell me about that project.. what made you want to get into the mash-up feild and work with other dj's?
PDA: Honestly, I was just bumpin fall out boys albums and I was like damn..these joints would be ill with some hip hop verses. I was originally just gonna get J. Conway to rock some joints for me but then that Kanye West Arms Race remix dropped and a light bulb went off. I personally have no djing skills but I have and ear for music so I enlisted "The Army".
illRoots: Do you have any other projects that follow a similar format in the works?
PDA: Gym Class Heroes vs. Lil Wayne is next. I got some other non musical projects in the works before that drops though.
illRoots: Like what?
PDA: My clothing line. That's my number one project right now. Alot of the time and energy is going into it. I can't release the name yet because we are still getting the legal trademarking stuff ironed out..but when I finally do..EVERYONE will know the name.
illRoots: Sounds great. What kind of clothing will it be and when are you looking to release it?
PDA: Streetwear. NO IT IS NOT DEAD. Some dudes I know don't even know it exists which is BEYOND ME. I'm trying to get it out asap. The samples are being printed now, [so] as soon as they are approved we'll be released a new shirt around every 3 weeks.
Cover for DJ Rhude's Hip Hop Soul Vol. 13.
illRoots: That's what's up. So the clothing line, J. Conway, and other mash up tapes. You working on anything else we should no about?
PDA: That's about it. I'm lazy as hell but when I get my head into something..I get it done no matter how long it takes.
illRoots: Ok cool. thanks alot for your time P... got any shoutouts?
PDA: Gotta shout out J. Conway & the 4 Da Green fam. Kingpin aka The Hannibal King, my army of djs that made the FOB/Kanye tape possible. I'd name yall but im afraid id miss someone so ya'll know who u are. Gotta shout out illRoots of course for holdin me down, Big Mike and last but not least (he'd kill me if i didn't) MR. DOWN SOUTH SLANGIN' Chuck T for keepin a dude PAID.
illRoots: Also, I forgot to include this one. What advice do you have for up and coming graphic designers that may want to start up in the cover game?
PDA: Don't. You suck.
illRoots: Hahaha.
PDA: Nah, but keep it original. Stay humble (atleast untill you got a good rep) and GET PAID ATLEAST HALF UPFRONT..dont be a doormat or a fool.
