Kriminaltized Geans Looking to Put Houston on the Map for Urban Fashion

Article written by: Jennifer D. Carroll
Posted on: April 12, 2009

It seems like nowadays everyone and their grandmama wants to have their own clothing line.  It’s almost become as cliche as hearing someone tell you that they are a ‘producer’.  But sometimes you do run into a  true soldier who understands that having your own clothing company is not all about stuntin’ up in the club.  It’s all about the grind.

We got up with Reggie Watson aka Kzar of Kriminaltized Geans to talk to him about G’s, stayin’ on the grind, and his quest to become the Louis Vuitton of the South.

Sojones.com: So how did you get started with your clothing line?

Kzar: Actually I started it with the intent of making T-shirt to promote a record company – it was called Kriminaltized Enterprise.  I started producing shirts to actually just give them away to get people aware of the music, but then as I was doing that I was getting requests for custom shirts – like certain sizes, certain colors.  After awhile I realized that they were paying more attention to the clothes than they were to the music.

Sojones.com: (laughing) Oh really?

Kzar: (laughing) Yah, it kind of killed my music career but birthed me as a fashion designer.

Sojones.com: Ok, so tell me more about your record company.

Kzar: It was back in the Master P days, around 1995 or so. we were trying to get our entrepreneur on as well.

Sojones.com:  Sounds good.  So are you still doing music or are you exclusively focused on your clothing line?

Kzar:  We are putting together a mix tape with some of our new stuff, especially for the fall – in time for the August Magic Show.  We are putting together a mix tape and a documentary to show exactly how the clothing line came about – so we have been shooting  pieces of my life for that reason.

Sojones.com: So it sounds like the clothing line thing almost happened by accident.

Kzar: I have always been into fashion but I was always trying to be into music also.  I noticed that here  in Houston these guys just didn’t have any style.  They pretty much wear a T-shirt, some jean shorts and that’s pretty much it.  I always dressed a little – not eccentric- but people would always take notice of my fashion.  So I just thought that was my calling.  I remember going to a club and I saw a guy wearing a key lime green shirt, and that was just it for me.   I said ‘ I’ve gotta do it.’

Sojones.com: (Laughing)  So how did you come up with the name Kriminaltized?

Kzar: Well it was derived from experiences of me and my friend.  We were kind of some knuckleheads at the time and we were going back and forth to court.  You know when you are going to court you are doing a lot praying.  You get to the court and people will try to tell you what type of criminal you are on paper.  I ‘m listening to the stuff like, yeah some of that stuff is true,  but I am a somewhat spiritual person and I do believe in God and I do have morals.  Actually the name of the line, just came into my head – like “Kriminaltized“.  I remember I was driving when it popped up and I said, that’s it!

Sojones.com:  So was that how you were feeling at the time?  Feeling like you were being treated like a criminal?

Kzar: Yep,  criminal with a C.  We started out that way.  Actually let me tell you – when we first started, the guy that I was rappin’ with actually caught a murder case.  The people who knew him were trying to come hurt whoever was affiliated with him – and in this case whoever was making the shirts.  I just thought switching it up and adding the K and it was a fresh start to the company.

Sojones.com: Wow, yes, I can understand that.  So how long ago did you actually start the clothing line?

Kzar: I believe the first shirts were made in 1998.  Those were the first shirts about 11 years ago. October 31, 1998. I remember because 2 days later my boy caught that case.  So I remember that.  It wasn’t supposed to be just me doing this line, but due to circumstances that’s what happened.  So it started off with T-shirts as Criminaltized Enterprise 2000.  Then I later changed the name and added geans to the line up in 2003.  I switched up the spelling of jeans and added a g – I thought it looked better.

Sojones.com:  Oh yeah, on your website you said that you invented the original G-Shirts, geans, and G-lows. Please explain that…

Kzar: I call them G-Shirts.  People call them T-shirts, we call them G-shirts.  Me and my folks have an affection for the letter G.  So we’ve got G-lows which are Polo’s with a G face on it.  We’ve got our own venacular which was integrated into the line.

Sojones.com: How would you describe your brand?  Who  wears Kriminaltized clothes?

Kzar: The demographics are mostly 12-35.   Its not pre-dominantly people from the south.  My biggest order online actually came from Finland. I want to be more than regional.  My goal is to be the Louis Vuitton of the South.

Sojones.com: Do you make shirts for women?

Kzar: Actually, yes.  This Spring I produced some baby-g’s – shirts made for a woman’s body.  We also have some trucker hats, that the ladies like.  The men like the fitted hats, but the ladies are really taking to the trucker hats, because they can wear it without smashing their hair down – so it doesn’t mess up their hair. Also we’ve got the singer Mya who’s supporting us.  She’s wearing one of our shirts in her new video.

Sojones.com: So how have you been promoting your clothing line?

Kzar: I’ve been doing it mostly viral and online.  MySpace, forums, all onlin.  I haven’t done anything in print.    I’ve been in a bunch of videos – the clothes have been in Paul Wall, Slim Thugs, Young Jeezy and ScarFace videos.  Scarface was the actual first video theat I was in.  I have a lot of rappers who’ve worn my shirts -  Rick Ross, Lil Wayne- you know he don’t wear those type of shirts no more -but we gave him one. Mannie Fresh, Swizz Beats, Chamilionaire, Lil Flip pretty much anyone out of Houston or who is relevant that comes out here.  We get at ‘em and we get ‘em a shirt.  We don’t hawk up down or nothing, but if we see them out and they like  it,  we get them a shirt.  Just try to spread the word like that.  That’s how I’ve pretty much been getting the word out.  I’m still amazed when people find us because we haven’t done any advertising.

Sojones.com: Well it sounds like you are getting your clothes in the right hands.

Kzar:  I have a friend named Boomtown who shoots videos,  and we’ve been talking about doing some product placement in one of his videos in the next couple of weeks. So you will be see the shirts again soon in some videos.  We’ve also been in a T.I. video with Pimp C – we’ve been in quite a few videos with just that one shirt.  Now we have a multitude of shirts but most people just like that one shirt with the guy’s face on it.  But now I’m doing a few other shirts in different colors.

Sojones.com:  That is definitely an attention getting logo.

Kzar: That’s what I wanted.  Believe it or not, a lot of people want attention when they go out.  There is no better way of expressing your  pride then with clothes.  That also makes me feel proud to see them wearing my designs because I know that they are proud to be wearing them too.  I’ve seen a couple of guys wearing my stuff and it’s cools when you don’t even know them and they walk by with the shirts on.

Sojones.com: Where can people find you online?

Kzar: They can find me at www.myspace.com/ktizedgeans. On Twitter at www.twitter.com/uskzar and at my website at  http://ktizedgeans.com/

Sojones.com: Well  we definitely wish you continued success in your endeavors.

Kzar: Thanks.