Introduce yourself
My name is Dru I’m 26 years old and I currently reside on the west side of Chicago.
How was life growing up?
Life was decent, my mother raised me. My pops moved around a lot for business purposes but he’s always been there. I grew up in Rockford, IL which is about an hour and a half northwest of Chicago if you take i90. Went to school, got in trouble, a lot of stories to tell and shit like that.
When did you begin to witness you had creative talents?
I got into graffiti at an early age by seeing magazines and seeing it when I would come to Chicago. It was very enticing. So I started drawing and doodling 24/7, especially in classes. I started drawing peoples names at school for a couple dollars or whatever. That led me into doing full custom canvases and paintings for people.
Talk to us about how Fabric Narcotics came about?
Well once I was doing those canvases for people I had the idea like “Damn I really wanna see my art walking around on the street, so why don’t I make a shirt and sell it?” So I drew out a little character and went to a print shop and made 15 shirts and sold them on Facebook and every single shirt sold. The way I wanted to package the shirts was in a dust bag but I wanted to do it a little different so I went out and bought a bunch of big Ziploc bags to put the shirts in. I was delivering these shirts in Ziploc to people around Rockford for $20. That felt a lot like something else and that’s how I got the name Fabric Narcotics. I bounced the name of a couple people and everyone loved it. Being that it’s a controversial name is just a bonus.
What was the inspiration behind your first collection?
Minimalism. I’ve never liked crazy colors and outlandish pieces. Keep it simple with some flair to it. The Trafficking Division tee is my favorite.
How was the launch party at AMFM gallery?
BONKERS! So many people came out. We had to shut the RSVP list down early otherwise it would’ve been a “fire hazard” so that alone was a great feeling. My parents showed up too haha. We had the Monaco Cocktail family out there getting everyone drunk. DJ Chava and Radd Simons spinning and a small set from the bro, Melo Makes Music. Shout out AMFM.
For a new brand, how were you able to get Taylor Bennett and JayIdk in your pieces?
Well, first and foremost they all fuck with the brand and the pieces I make. When I got out to Chicago it was all new to me. I didn’t know anyone except a couple homies I grew up with that moved out here too. So I reached out to Just Chicago and they liked what I had cooking up and I linked with them and they’re like family to me now. Taylor went on tour back in April and they invited me to come along with and I drove the big ass tour bus all over the country. We were gone for like a month and that was a great time. A truly crazy experience. JayIdk and I had talked a few times and he wanted to link up when he was in Chicago opening up for Isaiah Rashad back in January (RIP Double Door). He’s a really good dude and I’m glad to see he’s getting the shine he deserves.
What do you think is going to make your brand last in the long run?
Quality and care. I’m not here to get clout or anything. I truly care about this as a legacy and this is only the birth of it. I want this brand to live on long after I’m gone. Anyone can spend their money on whatever but the fact that they are spending their hard earned money on Fabric Narcotics speaks volumes to me. I care about the people that want to be apart of this.
Can we expect any more pieces before the end of the year?
Yes for sure. I’ll be releasing some hoodies and some more 1 of 1’s also. 2018 has a lot in store and I’m looking forward to it.
When it’s all said and done how do you want Fabric Narcotics to be remembered?
That it was a worldwide entity. Something that impacted the culture for decades to come and was more than a brand but a family. If you walk down the street and you see someone in a Trafficking Division tee every few blocks then I can die happy.
Chicago Creatives 