Photography by Jeroen Noordzij
From a creative family
"My passion for theater and filming was impossible to miss from an early age. At thirteen, I started creating my first projects. Precisely because I took this passion so seriously, my parents always supported me in my choices. That creativity, by the way, doesn't come from a stranger; one of my grandfathers was a photographer for the Rotterdamse Courant and my other grandfather had a side job as a mime. To make the picture even more complete, my parents met on stage."
To study or not to study?
"I didn't study, and that did raise some questions when I was young. Studying can be great if, for example, you want to become a doctor, but that doesn't apply to every career path. Many people want to get a degree; it offers a certain security, especially when you have a house or children to support. I want to advise young people to do what makes them happy. Investigate what used to make your heart skip a beat. And above all, don't be afraid to make the wrong choice, because you're never too old to switch."
Rap career as The Dean
The highlight of my career is my club tour with The Dean, which sold out within 24 hours. Then suddenly you're standing in a packed Tivoli with people singing your music word for word, giving you the confidence that you really are a rapper. I felt understood. Precisely because I am that 'funny guy from StreetLab', people sometimes get the idea that I want to poke fun at rapping. But The Dean was born out of genuine curiosity and a passion for hip-hop. I've been making music for a very long time, and I just find hip-hop a very cool and inspiring form of self-expression.
With my rap career, I really hope to score another cool hit or collaborate with an American artist. I want to see how far we can push The Dean and go all the way. Starting a rap career initially seemed impossible too. My great examples in this are Ricky Gervais, Donald Glover, and Lil Dicky. They have managed to combine their different passions with making music.
"If I'm not feeling comfortable in my own skin, I compensate for it with clothes and pull a three-piece suit out of the closet."
On a retiree chair on the sidewalk
"In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, I sometimes long to sit in a retiree chair, you know, one of those luxurious garden chairs. I'll put it on the sidewalk, and I'll sit there without a shirt, with a wheat beer and a book. Not that I'll actually read that book, because I only want to read those classics and then after three pages I've already forgotten what I was reading. A few times a year I can find the time to create such a moment of peace. Other than that, I find relaxation with my football team. I try to attend training twice a week and of course our annual team outing. Recently I also started going to the gym, because unfortunately my custom-made clothes were starting to feel a bit tighter."
Guts in what I wear
"I am not afraid to wear outspoken outfits. Gender plays no role in that for me, so I can also put on women's blouses. For me, a well-dressed man is someone who clearly has his own style. You can buy expensive clothes, but still not really have your own style. My style is eclectic; by combining different styles and movements I create a striking whole. I also have a song about this called bohemian eclectic. Just like my work, my wardrobe is eclectic.
For The Dean, for example, I wear a lot of baggy, a bucket hat, Versace glasses and vintage items. But I can greatly appreciate tailored trousers and loafers. You can imagine that I have a fairly large wardrobe. In it, my style also changes with fashion. Where I used to wear more slim fit suits, it is now more oversized, high waisted and jackets with wide lapels. That's why things sometimes have to go, then I sell them or give them to the Salvation Army."
Dopamine Dressing in blue
I decide which outfit to wear based on the meeting I have, but also definitely on my mood. If I'm not feeling great, I compensate with clothing and pull a three-piece suit out of my wardrobe. Then I look in the mirror and at least I still look good. My preference is then to go for the color dark blue, because I know it suits me well and works in any setting. In any case, I would prefer to wear my dark blue high waist every day, but I don't dare do that with my tailored trousers, for example, because they would wear out faster than the jacket.
Tailoring
I came into contact with Michael & Giso in 2019 when I needed a suit for my theater show. I wore a tuxedo during my performance and had it custom-made back then. That was my first experience with tailoring, and I find it one of the most enjoyable things to do in terms of clothing; just from scratch, matching fabrics, incorporating initials, and putting together a unique outfit like that. Especially when you do that with people who really know their stuff.
