An Inspired Chat with Flesh Money of Farifax/Melrose Area

Flesh Money shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Flesh , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Who are you learning from right now?
Recently I started a new job in Special Education as a Behavioral Interventionist. I am assigned to assist a first grader, and being in class with him and communicating with the other kids it’s really given me a new perspective. It’s so easy to lose that sense of wonder you have when you’re a kid, they’re helping me learn that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Flesh Money, I am a graphic designer, visual artist, & model. My brand revolves around the viscera of existing in the current digital age. In my work I try to combine gore and violence with glitz and glam. The internet landscape I was raised in has had a tremendous impact on my work and themes. I’ve been lucky enough to build a small niche in the underground rap scene, making album covers and designs for rappers and other musicians. Ultimately my goal is to pursue as many artistic ventures and avenues as possible. I’m extremely thankful for those who choose to follow along with my journey and my work. A friend of the Flesh is a friend of all.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was young, right as I got into this type of creation, I was struggling very deeply with my mental health. From middle school until high school I struggled with feelings of worthlessness. I genuinely believed that there was nothing for me to pursue than a menial job & continued substance abuse. It took the efforts of my friends, family, and mentors to shift that state of thinking. If I never got into the art that I do I think I wouldn’t have lasted very long. When I was younger I believed there was a ceiling to the things one can accomplish, now I know that ceiling is only circumstantial. I’ve been blessed enough to reach a position where my hard work pays off, others with more talent and drive may not be able to due to extenuating circumstances. The ceiling is systemic, not intrinsic.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
As a kid, and into my adult life, the best thing alleviate negative feelings is to connect to nature. It seems simple enough. However I feel that with the different stages of life and their individual stressors it’s often easy to lose touch with the natural beauty around you. Regardless of where you’re living or what space you’re in, you can always take a bit longer gaze at a flower, or a bug, or whatever natural element is in your immediate vicinity. When things got real tough, I would often walk into the night, taking time to appreciate the creatures out and about. They taught me there were things far more complex than any problem I could encounter. If a bug can figure out how to exist in this massive and tumultuous world than we have no excuses.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
Karma. Everyday I witness pieces of evidence to support its existence, but it’s extremely difficult to prove. Nobody has the answer, we live in an unpredictable world. Tragedies befall the kindest of people and the worst of humanity achieve great successes. I believe that these cases are outliers. If you try your best to do good than it’ll come back in one way or another, even if small. Those who do bad always get it back in the same manner, even if only minutely.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What pain do you resist facing directly?
Somewhat recently my dog Rambo passed away. He had been there every time I felt like I hit rock bottom. Hell, at my most suicidal he trotted right on into my room in the middle of the night to hang out, it’s like he knew. His death has been extremely difficult to face head on, and in all honesty it’ll be difficult to do so when the time comes. I don’t want to give myself the time to grieve because that’ll solidify the fact he’s really gone. But I know deep down he’ll never really be gone, he’s touched the hearts of many, his memory will carry on.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: fleshmoneyofficial

Image Credits
Morgan Stotts