Today we’d like to introduce you to Osei Key.
Osei, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Boston, MA and lived in East Taunton for 19 years. Then I moved on in pursuit of my dreams. I moved to Asheville NC with my good friend Matt Ruge and his family. I left Asheville to go to Culinary school in Charlotte NC and moved in with my roommate Rob Robinson eventually we moved in with his family in Concord NC. Such a great family!!
One year, I went to visit my childhood friend Kayla Dempsey in Columbus GA on the military base out there to cook her and her husband at the time Thanksgiving dinner.
Driving back from Atlanta my cars transmission breaks and I end up moving in their house for a while. Then I got the call to move to Los Angeles CA so my homie (Insider) Pat Brown came and picked me up in GA I packed my duffle bag, camera, and skateboard and got on the plane and I’ve been loving it here ever since!!
Growing up, I would always watch skate videos and seeing LA and the West Coast I always knew that I needed to be here. I spent a few years just skating, filming and shooting photos and I ended up breaking my leg and had a lot of time to think about my life and what I was going to do. A year or so later, with the help from my friends Jake Dooley, Ben Henry and Lyn Holmes we started Vexed!
An artist collective geared towards helping the artist to make their dreams come true and making this world a better place! So between working at FD photo studio, photo shoots, processing, and scanning film and Vexed I’m none stop working, and I love it! I’ve been able to travel the world, work behind and in front of the camera, its truly been a blessing and I can’t wait to see what the future hold for Vexed.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road to Vexed has been a tricky one! The skate house I lived in after moving to LA was awesome. A bunch of really good dudes skating every day. I loved it; it was like a dream come true!! Of course, there were ups and downs but that just how life goes. So my homie Jake came out to LA to visit, and we packed the Camry up and went to USC medical center to check out a few spots and the cops show up…
Long story short we got into a fight with the cops and Ian Imes and I ended up in jail charged with assault on an officer. Got bailed out, got a free lawyer from the state and beat the charge! One day we went out to Simi Valley to skate this hubba that I’ve always wanted to skate. I landed one trick and went back up for another and ended up bailing out and landed on my leg wrong and broke my leg and dislocated my ankle and was stuck off my board for about a year or so. The time off my board really helped me focus on my future and what I was going to do with my life.
I started walking again, and my good homie/family Jake Dooley came back to LA to visit again, and one night we were just smoking, drinking and brainstorming and came up with the name Vexed and the idea to give back to those who are focused and working hard on their craft! Eventually, my roommate at the time moved back to home to live with family for a while which meant I needed to find m own place and the state house was no more.
Eventually, I found a place in Mac Arthur Park. After Dooley left I let another friend stay with me… but he ended up getting hooked on meth, and that was an experience I hope never to have to go through again.
I could go on for a day about the craziness that happened during that time, but it would take all day! Eventually, I had to kick him and the rest of them out. I had a couple girl roommates which was different, to say the least, but I finally got my place to myself and that when I really started to kick it up with Vexed and making it from something I would just talk about into something that is real!
Vexed – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Vexed is an artist based collective working together for a common goal to make this world a better place for all hard working people. At the moment we are working a clothing line along with our fourth issue of the Vexed Mag. Also getting ready for an East Coast tour to NYC, Philly and Toronto to showcase our music, mag and clothing line. We also host and feature in art shows all over the LA area showing our artist work and musical talents! All in all, its a family of artist making art.
What makes me so proud of Vexed is seeing an artist do what they do and being able to help them along the way and give them an outlet to be creative. I’m so proud of everyone who’s been a part of the Vexed movement. Everyone is so talented in their own special way, like the Power Rangers. Alone they are good, but together they are great and can defeat anything. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Vexed!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is being able to take care of my momma, my pops, my family, my friends and also total strangers. Being able to give back and pay it forward and lend a helping hand.
Working hard, keeping an open mind, following the ten commandments, talk to strangers and actually listen to them, learn as much as I can and use what I learn for the greater good.
Pricing:
- Vexed Mags $25.00
- Vexed Photoshoots ranging from $100/hour and up (depending on the photoshoot direction)
- Vexed 35mm Process and Scanning $10/roll
Contact Info:
- Address: 816 s Park View St #308
- Website: www.stayvexed.com
- Phone: 5088374458
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @vexed___
Image Credit:
Edie Mathieu (@ediemathieu), Armela Jakova (@armelola), D’Angelo Barr (@shhteelo), Rey Arista (@reyarista_), Liana (@liciaaa_)
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
