Roy Christopher Interview (Dead Precedents: How Hip-Hop Defines the Future)
Roy Christopher is a self-described “aging BMX and skateboarding zine kid.” In our interview, he lists no fewer than seven significant projects he’s been working on over the past few years. But perhaps foremost is Dead Precedents: How Hip-Hop Defines the Future, “a counter-cultural history of the twenty-first century, showcasing hip-hop’s role in the creation of the world we now live in.”
How did you get to where you are today, professionally?
My path to this point started with making zines. My friends and I started making photo-copied magazines in high school. We wrote about BMX, skateboarding, and the music we liked. I grew up with an artist mom, so I always thought I’d be an artist. I was an art major for the first three years of undergrad. When we started making zines, the page layouts were the first thing I got really into, but eventually the writing drew me in. If we wanted something covered, we had to write about it.
Other than teaching myself to write, the main thing I picked up there was the fan’s impetus to spread the word. I’m more of a fan than a critic. The reason I do what I do is foremost because I want to tell people about something cool I found.