User:Kenyon "Rikers" El/sandbox

www.monsterproducts.comwww.koodoobrand.com

Kenyon "Rikers" El (Born January 26, 1971) is an American entrepreneur, Motivational speaker/Marketing Consultant. Current director of Marketing for Koodoobrand clothing and Lifestyle Marketer for Monster Products. Rikers developed his business leadership and development at Stall and Dean and Rucker clothing where he became a successful clothing manufacturer who managed accountability in revenue and productivity of over two billion dollars. Rikers was born in Brooklyn, New York to Matthew Puryear and Dorothy Browdy. He is the only child of Dorothy Browdy and has 6 siblings through his father Matthew Puryear. Although his parents separated which is when he then moved in with his father Matthew and grandmother Elizabeth in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn Ny. He would spend vacations with his mother in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. His mother Dorothy decided then that it would be best to send him to a private school known as Uhuru Sasa Shuler where he learned black history from a Pro Black perspective, this is what gave Rikers knowledge of leadership. After Uhuru Sasa his mother then enrolled him in a Holy Innocent Catholic school where Rikers was mentally abused through humiliation on the daily basis by some of the clergy staff. It was not soon after anger, fighting that gangs became apart of his subculture and way of finding comfort for he fealt it was a family. Entering New Utrecht High school, Rikers was well sought after and joined the street gang The Deceptacons which at the time was one of the most Notorious and violent gangs in the New York Tri-state area. Enjoying the school life, Rikers was then called Onslaught by his leader due to his cunning but violent nature. While on one of his many Ventures he came upon a Crips gang who challenged the way he was getting money and offered him an alliance in return of his membership into the set. He took the invitation that promised him safe passage and upon to returning to New York for his next school semester the Infamous Yusef Hawkins murder took place. This turned New Utrecht into ground zero of fights and rumbles between African Americans, Hispanics and Italians. Other schools and crews converged on New Utrecht beating students on the daily basis, Rikers strengths in making peace took a new turn as many students looked at him for protection. This is where the name Rikers came from when a classmate named Enferweige and Sharieff Clayton joked, you get in more trouble than everyone yet you never do a day in jail. This joke turned to a brand name as everyone in the school to other crews started referring Kenyon to Rikers. Understanding jail or death is usually the exit for street life, he motivated his friends to get their educations and do what you have to do to survive afterwards but judges typically lock up kids who have no future but those with potential are usually giving a "Release" once in front of the judge.

As time went on, Rikers became a household name and brand Understanding branding, Rikers rolled off the tongue faster than Kenny, Rikers was now the trademark name.

Time passed and Rikers turned to his love of writing and joined with his friends to create Four Korners Hip Hop News paper, one of the first hip hop monthly news papers. The niche was shortening the time content reached the streets. As the news editor it was Rikers duty to find the next most requested artist's. He awarded the first magazine cover opportunity to Joe Budden, The Diplomats, Saigon, 50 Cent, Biggs Burke (Co-Founder of Rocafella Records) and early covers to Kanye West and Eminem just to name a few. He then found a mentor in TH Chung, founder of Min and Chung enterprises. The Korean based company opened Rikers to a new world, this world would teach him Manufacturing. TH Chung at the time had the sourcing responsibility of Starter. Which would allow Rikers to service sourcing for brands such as Fubu, Starter, and Reebok. Rikers then went to Post No Bills Nation with friend Dion Turner where he did Product placement for the brand. He worked with many such as Eminem, DJ Evil Dee and others. It was not soon afterwards where Rikers and his friend found themselves at Stall and Dean company. The vintage apparel company had the license to the Rucker park and other vintage teams such as the Mobile Black bears, Indianapolis clowns to name a few. Stall and Dean was where he found his niche and realized his love for music. His mentor TH Chung owned Stall and Dean and as time issued Rikers the challenge, we have the Ivy League license, show me what you can do. Within two years Rikers turned Stall and Dean into a multimillion dollar company and he carried his new found success into motivational speaking engagements, gang intervention and allowed him to expand his Sourcing knowledge.