#Compton cowboys hat plus#

As Compton Cowboys, we represent a new guard, a new generation of horse folks, young black folks, of inner-city folks, putting that all into one pot and stirring it up, and going out there and breaking down the barriers and starting a new definition for what it means to be a cowboy, what it means to be black, what it means to be inner city. Another part is to understand the impact and significance of being connected with nature in order to move forward in life and to be the best person you could possibly be. What does it mean to be a Compton Cowboy?įirstly, it means to be a lover of the city of Compton to have pride in the city, to understand the significance of what it means to be from the city and being connected to that lineage and that history.

#Compton cowboys hat plus#

The Compton Cowboys’ de facto leader explains the overarching mission of mentorship, community engagement and cultural change, plus a longer-term ambition to introduce inner-city ranching on a global scale. Posse, furthering the dedicated work of Akbar and the program that continues to change lives today. She adds, “At the heart of my collaboration is the passion to share in the story of the black cowboy, which must be told and historically documented.”įor C, Ellzey (who is the CEO and founder of Ventura-based hat line Vanner Hats), shared her inspiring images and interviewed Randall “Randy” Hooke, one of the founding members of the Compton Cowboys who now serves as executive director of the Compton Jr. Shot at Paramount Ranch - just months before the iconic western set was mostly destroyed by the Woolsey Fire in late 2018 - “Unbridled” is a traveling exhibit that represents “a release from restraint,” Ellzey says. The riders are also the focus of Courtney Ellzey’s “Unbridled,” a collection of photographs documenting the riders’ work and mentorship with at-risk youth. Encouraged by friends and relatives to sign up as children, they spent time on the ranch and riding horses on the streets, affording them a certain amount of protection from the surrounding gangs and violence, a fact explored in the new book The Compton Cowboys, The New Generation of Cowboys in America’s Urban Heartland (William Morrow, $29) by Walter Thompson-Hernández.

Posse, a nonprofit organization founded by Mayisha Akbar in Richland Farms, a semirural area in Compton that has been home to black horse riders since the mid-20th century.

While the Compton Cowboys have only been in existence since 2017, the nine men and one woman who teach riding and ranching and act as community role models have been friends for over 20 years. Interviews by COURTNEY ELLZEY and THE EDITORS We hear from their leader, Randy Hook, and the writer who has recently published a book about them will be that of a group of black ranchers riding through South Central on horseback. With uplifting lyrics laid over earth-rumbling sonics, STREET COUNTRY is a blazing formula for moving the masses - it represents the future of music and global cultural change.One of the enduring images of the protests in L.A. This new sound IS A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT on course to ride its way to the top of the charts and into the hearts of many.

Savvy’s gritty voice stampedes in with reckless abandon, a cowboy indeed, with a finesse and storytelling prowess evocative of golden-era West Coast hip-hop. Acoustic guitars set the melodic pace on his tracks, served up with heavy low-end 808 drums and piercing rhythmic hi-hats that bring the energy.

Dre, Savvy’s musical taste eventually gave birth to STREET COUNTRY - an uncanny yet electrifying blend of his favorite sounds. He launched Compton Cowboys in 2017 to continue his family’s mission of offering horseback riding to at-risk youth, while using the studio on the ranch to develop a musical style all his own - uniting the seemingly distant worlds of modern street rap and traditional country music.Ī lifelong urban cowboy, with Alan Jackson on his playlist right next to Dr. Straight outta Richland Farms in Compton California, Randy Savvy grew up as an Equestrian with a thing for cowboy hats, country and rap music.