Hidden Gems: Meet Cesar “Tha Crown” Cornier of Keepnitmil (Keeping it a Million)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cesar “Tha Crown” Cornier

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Cesar I am a musician, fashion designer and activist based in LA. I am the founder of the streetwear brand Keepnitmil (Keeping it a Million), which is a lifestyle brand bringing people together through music, fashion, and art. I am very passionate about self-expression and am intentional on empowering others in the community. My journey began as a young child on the southside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I grew up in low-income neighborhoods and learned at an early age the importance of community outreach. I found music, especially Hip-Hop to be my outlet and began rapping at age 12 and by age 13 I was making my own beats to rap on. My brand Keepnitmil was built off that organic love for community and creative arts woven into hip-hop culture. When I first left my hometown of Milwaukee I realized many people were unfamiliar with the city and furthermore did not know there was a hip-hop scene there.
Throughout the years I’ve been able to travel across the country and collaborate with artists, gaining inspiration and new perspectives along the way while also sharing my experiences and background. Los Angeles has always been a special place to me and living here has given me more opportunities to connect with like-minded creatives. My goal is to continue to expand the visibility of my music and my brand as well as build partnerships through collaborations. Hopefully I can inspire others in the process!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This journey did not come without challenges and setbacks along the way. Growing up in Milwaukee I was surrounded by poverty and violence and many of my friends have passed away or are incarcerated. There was not many resources or opportunities in my hometown for musicians when I was growing up. Despite those challenges I kept creating music and would travel to different places to build my visibility. Milwaukee is statistically one of most segregated cities in the U.S and that also brought challenges with my streetwear brand. My brand was the first streetwear brand to vend at the music festival Summerfest as well as the Wisconsin State Fair. I was intentional on letting people know Milwaukee has a thriving community of BIPOC creatives.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Keepnitmil is a streetwear brand bringing people together through music, fashion, and art. We pride ourselves on being authentic in staying to true to the roots of streetwear by staying connected to the streets. We create campaigns around our clothing drops to empower people and have organized events in the past to showcase musicians and other creatives. We stand out from most streetwear brands because we are not scared to voice political and social justice related messages in our products. On the contrary our goal is to bring awareness to injustices. We want people to know Keepnitmil is not just a clothing brand, it’s an organic movement bringing people together though inclusivity and creativity.

If they keep it a hundred, we keep it a million!

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I think networking can be very beneficial for anyone trying to grow professionally and expand their network. I have been impacted positively by surrounding myself with likeminded individuals who have similar goals and values. This helps me stay motivated and inspired by seeing the successes of my peers. I think a good way to find mentors is to go to places and events specifically for peers in your respective field. For example, if a musician wants to network a good place would be music industry events, open mics, and other music related opportunities. I also think we can utilize technology to find mentorship online. There are groups and pages online in various fields aimed to support those wanting to grow in their careers and passions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.keepnitmil.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepnitmil/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keepnitmil
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Dd0c7H16ONBybTvyEokuG

Image Credits
Mahesh Jaspal
Arnoldo Diaz