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Developing a brand people can believe in takes an unconscious effort. Tastemakers aren’t created by networking workshops or lengthy seminars that require a subscription fee. Influencers were lending their ideas to sway their respective culture long before the spotlight was cast upon them. Whether it’s the most vocal person in the room or the silent idealist who leads by example, a pure tastemaker showcases foresight that will ultimately prove to be worthwhile.

Levi Maestro is a prime example of such a prodigy, as he helps build brands simply by being himself. In a former life, he pledged his allegiance to the life of a skater, that is, until he discovered the power of a camera lens. Since that fateful moment, he has been the brainchild behind “Maestro Knows,” his own exclusive blog where he is sole creator, director, producer and editor.

This is why Levi Maestro makes for a perfect candidate for The Gentleman’s Project. He was living out all the qualifications before the idea was even formalized.

Hip-Hop Wired was able to slow down the fast-tracking videographer long enough to find out the roots to which his brand is grown from and why his vision has been successful thus far. The Arizona native turned Californian met up with us in scenic Santa Monica to include us in the scope of his life’s lens.

Hip-Hop Wired: In your eyes, does it take a certain status of celebrity to introduce a trend or can anybody make something hot, so to speak?

Levi Maestro: It really just depends on what that type of crowd the product is geared to. A lot of the times when you have something that’s really popular, it’s somebody else bringing it to the people, saying “this would be a really good fit for you.” So…anybody can make somebody aware of something. It just really depends. In the “cool culture,” there’s only a few people that have like, the real power and that’s why they have so much influence.

Photo: Hip-Hop Wired/Milan Carter

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