The Project
James “StickNasty” Small needs your help bringing his vision to life! With his first body of work so close to being released, he aims to deliver a creative, powerful, and high-caliber music video in tandem with it. For Small, this album has a particular significance – it artfully captures the ups and downs of the last couple of years of his life, from the universally isolating experience of living through a global pandemic to falling in love and getting engaged, and everything in between. He hopes to share his story with you through this music video, which will incorporate a myriad of artistic mediums, including not only cinematography but also high fashion, dance, and aesthetics. Your generous contribution will go towards creating a truly unique visual and auditory experience – and every cent counts!
The Impact
Small’s debut album shows that music is a universal means of expressing love and gratitude for both oneself and others. It was created with the hope of inspiring listeners to use music as a voice when words simply aren’t enough, and encourage them to open their hearts and minds to all the love, compassion, and opportunity the world has to offer in the face of hardship. Warm, uplifting, and deeply personal, Small’s album is a work of passion and cultivated artistry that can be appreciated and felt by all.
Small drew his inspiration for this album from many different genres, including gospel, hip-hop, and pop. With many of its tracks being elevated by collaborations with Bay Area musicians that Small has known and loved for years, he describes this album as a “family affair” and hopes that it will serve to uplift their work and drive forward the artistic momentum of the Bay Area.
Working on this album through the height of the COVID pandemic is what gave Small hope and inspiration. He viewed it as a form of meditation and an outlet for him to process and release his feelings, which can be heard in the evolving tones and textures of its tracks. This project took him through the blossoming love of the early stages of his relationship with his now fiancee, the rise and momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement and protests, and the fear and isolation of the pandemic. In response, Small endeavored to create an album that would inspire people to love, to move, to connect, to dance, and to be in community.
What We Need
As you know, music videos are not cheap to produce - especially not at the caliber we aim to achieve! In order to make this project a reality, we need an estimated total of $15,000. This budget would go towards essential costs such as crew, location, gear, and talent.
About the Artist
James “StickNasty” Small is a Grammy nominated drummer, producer, and actor with a passion for uplifting his community. He is known for having a deep pocket behind the kit, with a great sense of taste and depth in his playing. Born and raised in Berkeley, CA, he began playing the drums at the age of two. Growing up in the church, Small's love and understanding of music were deeply rooted in gospel. Small was accepted into Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left after one semester to tour with an up and coming hip-hop group called Bedroc. Since then, he has played on some of the biggest stages in the world, including Red Rocks, Radio City Music Hall, The Greek Theaters (Los Angeles and Berkeley, CA), and the Boston Symphony Hall. He has appeared on several Late Night TV shows such as Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert, and has shared the stage with many notable artists, including Train, Montell Jordan, Lyrics Born, Taj Mahal, Rexx Life Raj, and Ari Afsar. His professional acting career bloomed in 2022 when he was cast as the starring role (alongside his fiancé, Sahra Brubeck), in 3x Grammy Winner Fantastic Negrito’s visual album titled “White Jesus Black Problems.”
Small is currently an after-school teacher at Emerson Elementary School, where he teaches drama and dance, as well as writes musicals for the school. He continues to tour with Fantastic Negrito and works with several other artists as a studio musician and performer. His debut album is set to be released on April 28th, 2023.
COLLABORATORS
We’re excited to announce that we are collaborating with Oakland-based stylists Ade Dehye and LaliSimone for a special campaign promo! Perks for $500-tier and above will receive an exclusive gift card code to shop the collection of the stylist of your choice. Gift card amount depends on the amount contributed. Learn more about our collaborators below!
ADE DEHYE
Ade Dehye is an ethical and sustainable fashion brand produced in Ghana that uses hand woven and hand dyed textiles sourced from around the continent of Africa. Their mission is to ethically and sustainably create exquisite fashion inspired and hand-crafted by the African diaspora. Ade Dehye serves to support local West African communities by partnering with expert local craftsmen to produce garments of very fine quality while exuding an unmistakable African identity. Founded by Oakland-based designer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Akintunde Ahmad, Ade Dehye is the realization of his dream of strengthening community while promoting and supporting the African diaspora by showcasing West African textiles and patterns through stylish pieces.
LALISIMONE
At Lalisimone, fashion is not just about clothing - it's a bold declaration of individuality and creativity. You won't find the latest trends in new fashion, but instead, an extraordinary collection of preloved one-of-a-kind pieces curated by the fashion stylist and owner herself, Judith Soto. With items ranging from vintage treasures to globally-sourced designer labels, every piece at LaliSimone is carefully chosen to inspire and elevate your personal style. Not only will you make a statement with your fearless fashion choices, but you'll also be making a positive impact on the planet by supporting sustainable fashion and patronizing a small business owned by a Latina entrepreneur. For Judith, fashion is a means of self-expression, a way to stand out from the crowd and celebrate your authentic self wherever life takes you.
The Creative Team
Nino Fernandez
A photographer and cinematographer with over 18 years of freelance, corporate,
and commercial experience, Nino is one of Oakland’s most versatile
visual creatives. His deep understanding of music and movement, combined with
high level graphic design skills allow him to cover a unique space in visual
expression. His work has been featured in publications such as British Vogue,
GQ, Tatler, L.A. Times, and CBS with clients that range from corporations like
Blue Shield of California to Grammy-winning artists such as The Alphabet Rockers.
Nino is also a professional musician with over 20 years of experience in both live
and studio settings, commanding a variety of musical expressions that has made
him a very busy sideman, and a very sought after collaborator within the music
and arts community.
Hannah Lee is an up and coming Bay Area-based producer, filmmaker, and documentarian who is quickly making a name for herself in the creative community. Together, she and Nino have collaborated to bring a wide variety of different projects to life, from music videos to commercial shoots to community interest pieces. Much of their work is with creators and organizations that aim to educate, empower, and support historically marginalized voices and create far-reaching positive social change.
Other Ways You Can Help
We understand that not everyone has the ability to make a financial contribution to this project. But don’t worry, there is still another highly important way you can help: by spreading the word! Sharing our campaign with as many people as possible is a crucial part of reaching our goal, whether that be via social media, text, email, etc. Simply copy and paste the link below:
https://igg.me/at/sticknastyMV