We had the good fortune of connecting with Cultural Dept and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cultural Dept, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to create a platform that showed how important culture is because Cultural Dept. is literally all about the culture and it’s not driven by money. It’s literally for the culture and to push soca music to be more than what people think it is. They think it’s just Jamaican or dancehall, or a combination of dancehall and reggae. We gotta fix that!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of? They think that it’s all a party and the legal side of things. It’s hard work.

What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
They think that it’s all a party and there’s a lot of legal stuff behind the scenes. It’s hard work.

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?
With risk there’s a reward. When putting out money for an event, you’re taking a risk. Will the event be successful? Will people have a great time? Will they want to come back? So with risk, it’s a cycle but there’s a bit of a reward.

Other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
I don’t think I’m successful yet. I’m in the baby phase of Cultural Department. The services we will offer are public relations, promotions, dj management, and event planning.

What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
Not telling people who runs Cultural Department.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?
It used to affect my sleep, relationships used to suffer because I wouldn’t have time because I would be at events. But I don’t see a balance for me because I like it so much.

Do you have a favorite quote or affirmation? What does it mean to you/what do you like about it?
Don’t forget God when you get what you prayed for. It’s important to remember where you come from and who paved the road for you because without that foundation you won’t be able to walk; you need the ancestors and God.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?
I come from a family with a musical background. I went to school for music production and music just came natural to me. DJing and event planning fell into my lap. I fell in love with it. If I’m passionate about something I’m going to learn it and put my all into it. Once I realized that was where I wanted to be, I started to do the business side and learn how to draw up my contracts, book my own events, setting up my own system, setting up event halls, stage management. So I learned the art of it all.


Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First, I’d hit up Wynwood Walls in Miami for some photo ops, then to Ms. Icey’s or Slutty Vegan for some eats in Atlanta. Next we’d head to Mount Crawford, VA for some views and flights at CrossKeys Vineyard. Lastly we’d go to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Huge shoutout to the creator of soca himself, Ras Shorty I.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/culturaldept

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.