The definition of The Culture at-large can change slightly with the trends in music, movies, and hoops but at the core, The Culture–capital “C” for a reason–is completely about authenticity. In The Lifestyle surrounding The Culture, e’rybody tryin’ look fresh while supporting the Cause and Culture they hold dear. There’s a new name and brand making big waves in the apparel, footwear, and art scenes. Ahead of the Game, led by Kyle “YoungLoski” McIntyre, has branched out from his New Orleans roots and his AOTG brand has joined up with a new shop, “The Trenches,” in Nashville with the help of Kristian Fulton (Tennessee Titans) and his brother Keith Fulton. More AOTG pieces can be found in “PhatKaps” which is also in Nashville. The venture has already established a connection with the industry leading distributor KarmaLoop.
YoungLoski, or Lo for short, has his hands in everything New Orleans is known for. His gumbo of enterprises still finds time to lead high school kids in the right direction and towards better opportunities. It was about the time he himself could get a driver’s license that he fell in love with fashion, starting his first business in 2014. In 2020, Lo established “Ahead Of The Game” which:
“was inspired by football and basketball players that I have played with and grew up with and also players I have looked up to. As I grew up, I quickly realized sports was a route to make it out of poverty and to be away from violence in my city. I have loss friends and family to violence that also had sports dreams. The brand ultimately is a message to get ahead of the game and to take a better route into bettering yourself. AOTG is a brand that is for my lost loved ones and people around the world with similar stories.”
AOTG. Authentic. Optimistic. Talent. Grateful. Keep those things in mind and you’ll keep The Culture moving forward positively. Sport the AOTG KB jacket and something else with that very relatable bear and you’ll move some heads and get to talk shop about a variety of interests. (Shout out to KB, Kenneth Brother, one of the most underrated and positive musicians working today. Check out the MMH NOLA Top 20 artist of 2020!)
Lo wants “to motivate anyone with a vision and a story…A healthy and persistence way of living while achieving their goals.” The more I check out the bear that adorns some of his AOTG pieces, the more I can seem to relate to the struggles but also the strength being portrayed with the art.
If you want the keys to the game you can listen to some Kenneth Brother and study up on the moves being made by YoungLoski. Grab an AOTG keychain to pair with the level up while you’re at it. They pair well. To engage and learn more about the brand check out aotgclothing.com or stop by one of the stores in New Orleans or Nashville.
