Meet Tafari Walston | Mentor, Fashion Designer & Creative Director

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

Hi Tafari, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Kingdomgate Entertainment was created in 2003. I was a conscience independent rapper and wanted to maintain creative control and maximize my profits so my partner and I incorporated.. My family was always involved in the entertainment and fashion industries. My mother Vera Hope Walston is a fashion designer, creator, and influencer and worked with brands like Cross Colors and Jnco in the late eighties early nineties. At twelve my brother and I were had extras roles in movies and music videos, and I modeled for Cross Colors and got my first print spread with BE (Black Elegance) Magazine. So fashion was always apart of my up bringing. The major cross road came when a few of the big name brands either had racist views against African Americans wearing their brands, or had a racist marketing campaign. At this point NUBEIN (Nubian) Nubeinapparel.com was born. Nubein is an urban street wear line. I also partnered with Alive Shoes and created a shoe line of the same name.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After starting my own entertainment company at twenty one I became Nick Cannon’s executive assistant at Nickelodeon. During that time I connected with Nissan Steward and Doug Rasheed who produced my first project and I received a record deal with grammy nominated artist Skeelo and Sony red. As a actor I started off as background work on televisions shows such as E.R, Moesha, Family law and later received leading role in professional theatrical productions. “Spunk” a Zora Neal Huston play and Black Olive a Cedric the Entertainer, Ralf Farquhar and Mark Swinton production. Later I would go to Film School and graduated with an Associates degree in recording engineering and a Bachelors in Digital Cinematography. After graduating I worked as a production assistant with Tyler Perry studios and now I’m currently designing, consulting and producing podcasts.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Las Vegas itinerary

Monday:

Rent a luxury car

Get a bachelor suite at the Aria.

Gamble a little

Ride around the city

Go eat at Herbs & Rye

Tuesday:

Eat at Grits Cafe

Go to the Shooting Range

Chill by the pool in a Cabana

Eat at Lo Lo’s Chicken and Waffles

Wednesday:

Eat at Vickies Dinner

Go off roading with ATV’s

Go zip linning

Go eat at Yard Bird

Thursday :

Drive to Laughlin

Go jet skiing on Lake Mead

Drive Back

Go downtown and Eat and Drink at Eureka

Friday:

Go to Lake Las Vegas rent a boat chill on the boat

Go to Mariposa to party have drinks, food , and Hookah

Saturday:

Go to Mariposa brunch

Top Golf

Saturday night go club at Drai’s

Sunday:

Go to Church

Then brunch at Mariposa

Then end the day at Blue Martini Eat and enjoy live music with Unc and the Nephews

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents, brothers, friends, ministers and teachers. I would love to give a shout out to my parents who endured through their own struggles to create a family structures for my brothers and I. Showing us the combination of creativity and diligence, strength, and tenacity. My brothers who led and shaped most of my social outlooks and introducing me to culture. My friends for being with me during our adolescence times and playing a major role in maturing and motivating me in their own unique ways. Ministers of the gospel all throughout my life that have prayed and spoken words of life and faith to me that has propelled me to walk at the speed of faith. Lastly Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Kimble the teachers. These two men always maintain a standard of excellence and never allowed me to underperform they were advocated and shields for me and for that I will always respect and remember them.

Website: https://Nubeinapparel.com

Instagram: nubeinapparel

Linkedin: Tafari Walston

Facebook: Arise Tafari

Image Credits
Tafari Walston