Dave Noodlez and Manners and Respect Design the Word Sound Power Shirt

Dave Noodlez of Stereotype Co sat down with I-Am-I and Jahjah Beats of Manners and Respect, a reggae band from Staten Island, for a Tee Party. The goal was to design a shirt for the band's new single, "Word Sound Power," in one sitting. Nobody had planned anything beforehand.

I-Am-I and Jahjah Beats are brothers who have been part of the Staten Island art community for over a decade. Both were born in Brooklyn, and both are first-generation American with Jamaican heritage. They formed the band last year, and their first show was on October 10th, so they're coming up on a full year.

The name Manners and Respect comes from a greeting they grew up with. They want everything they release to be music every generation can receive. Their new single, "Word Sound Power," is about speaking things into existence, and it comes out during what I-Am-I calls harvest season.

The band is celebrating the single with a release party, hosted by Maya the Poet.

The shirt started with the message of the song. From there, Dave and the brothers picked the look, the colors and the icon together, tested a few ideas and trimmed it down until it felt right. Dave then put it on a garment to see how it holds up, because a design can look good on a screen and feel different on a shirt.

Watch the full Tee Party to see how it came together, and come out to the release party. When the single is out, go stream it and support Manners and Respect.