Through our merchandise sales and fundraising efforts, we have raised money to assist various organizations in the following areas: Education, Undocumented Youth & Immigration Reform, Women’s Reproductive Rights, Wildlife Animal Protection, and LGBTQ Advocacy.
For the first time in over a year, we’ll all be able to get together again. To soak in NYC together. To party together. To celebrate, we’re joining forces with The Bronx Brewery to create a new kind of hard seltzer. One bursting with grapefruit, lime and mezcal flavor, and one built around the idea that we’re all better together.
Side Hustle Seltzerita: grapefruit, lime, bravo hops, aged with Ilegal Mezcal oak staves.
Each 4 pack features different labels – one from NYC, one from Mexico City. Graffiti artist Andrea von Bujdoss (AKA “QueenAndrea”) has returned to create one of the Selzerita labels – exploding with eye-catching neon. And from Mexico City, artists Gran OM and Kloer take inspiration from Andrea’s design and weave them into a Tree of Life motif, with Ilegal’s signature raw and unapologetic style.
Mezcal es amig@s is a series that brings together artists, activists, and voices of change.
In this episode, Randy Savvy – leader and founder of the venerable Compton Cowboys, as well as community activist, entrepreneur, and musical artist – joins Ilegal Global Brand Ambassador Gilbert Marquez for a candid conversation about the history of Richland Farms and the Compton Cowboys, the work they are doing for underprivileged youth in their community, changing the face and perception of the American Cowboy, and Randy’s mission and goals for the future.
Part of the Cowboys’ greater mission is combating the stereotypes of what it means to be Black in America – fighting whitewashing and anti-blackness that has been so pervasive in media and culture. The image that most of us have of the American cowboy is part of the narrative created by Hollywood, a story Randy wishes to deconstruct: “I actually grew up seeing Black cowboys first… that’s why I go so hard with our platform and we take it so seriously – we have to show people the other side.” He goes on to share – “…cowboying comes from the ethnic communities of the world because we were the slaves, we were the ranch hands, we were the ‘boys’ – ‘Go get that cow, boy…’ that’s where it really comes from.”
“We feel connected to that lineage and that inspires us even more to go-in and go-hard in what we’re doing because we feel connected to the culture and the traditions. And that’s part of our mission and movement – it’s about not only showing our faces and showing our skin color and showing our culture, but also evoking that spirit of history.” Randy saw an opportunity to initiate meaningful change, and the crew has grown to become a vehicle to not only reclaim history (that of thousands of cowboys of color left out of the American story) but also to influence the next generation, instilling positive messaging and providing tools to build a productive life.
The Compton Cowboys’ youth program, Compton Junior Equestrians, was developed to serve inner city youth in the hub city of Compton, along with local areas. The non-profit was formed in response to the lack of programs available to youth in the community who are at risk for dropping out of school, incarceration, and poverty. CJE envisions a community where students are achieving and thriving in academics, community building, and horseback riding.
HOW TO SUPPORT
Buy Ilegal x Not For Them merch here – all profits benefit the Compton Cowboys / Compton Junior Equestrians
This raw kitchen counter acoustic series digitally brings the artist and their music from their home. Breakfast with Bobby Oroza is something special. A Finnish and Bolivian musician hailing from Helsinki, Bobby’s throwback style pays homage to Motown, Jazz and Funk, classic Americana. Never forgetting his South American roots, Bobby’s music holds a soft spot for South American folk and Nuyorican Salsa.
Bobby’s debut Album “This Love” goes perfectly with a hint of smoke; pour one, sit back and vibe.
– Ilegal Mezcal Joven, 750mL – Ilegal Margarita Kit (Contents: Cold pressed crystallized lime juice, spicy margarita salt blend, agave syrup, measuring cup) – 6-10 basil leaves – Half a cucumber – Half a jalepeño (add more for a kick) – 2 pinches of salt – Club soda
DIRECTIONS
– Muddle all in a small tin and whip shake, top with club soda then pour – Add ice then pour whole bottle of mezcal with lime, agave and top with more sparkling water (if the whole bottle doesn’t fit, save a shot for later) – Rim serving glasses with chili salt
At Ilegal, our aim is to not only to celebrate Black culture; we are making a promise to actively use this platform for anti-racism work, as we have the privilege to help dismantle White supremacy within the hospitality and spirits industry. Anti-racism is not simply a category you can place yourself in – it’s lifelong work that can be difficult, but it’s the greater good. It’s compassion. It’s community safety, saving lives, and reducing suffering as much as it is liberation. It’s self-care. We’ve all been conditioned by White supremacy culture, but it doesn’t have to be our legacy.
Fortunately we like using a little humor to help with the hard work and so does Marcarson. “I’m pointing out things most people overlook, like a white person teaching me about Black culture is insane. If (the work) is too serious I won’t even listen to it.” Marcarson found that his original interest in fashion left little room (literally he mentions being bound to a t-shirt as a canvas) to explore, and say the things he wanted to say. “A little humor to get everyone’s attention,” Marcarson reiterates in response to his collaboration with Ilegal. “You always remember something that makes you laugh, but also something that upsets you, so I try to mix both.” Let us be clear, Marcarson doesn’t view his work as political: “To be honest I don’t follow politics. I’m lost most of the time”. While this may seem antithetical of his art he explains “(my work) is more about what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen, it’s more cultural than anything else”. It would seem who he is, what exists at his core is a satirist. Reminiscing about moments where he “did the work” Marcarson pauses, “The first time I sold one of those ridiculous pieces I made, would be a point of pride. It was an Andy Warhol piece ‘I Sold You Soup Cans’, somebody loved it. I was like ‘ok, I mean I’m making fun of the artworld…’ it was one of those moments that showed me I should be doing this now.”
The marriage of humor and cultural observations come through in his collaboration with Ilegal. “I was looking at museum websites, at pieces no one would have in their home, to recreate them in sort of a funny way.” Within this process he found that the museum staff involved in African American culture were occasionally, not African American, which he found ludicrous, “so I just combined those two things, sometimes it’s just the feeling of it.” Of course the piece wouldn’t be complete without Marcarsons’ striking universal alter ego Freeface, finally finding its second self within the piece. Marcarson has no idea what he’s doing until he’s doing it – a man who seemingly thrives in that space. After all humorists, comedians always need a new target. Marcarson is no different. If you’re realizing you’re still unsure who Marcarson is, you’re not alone. “If your personality matches your artwork you’re on the right track”, he says “if I’m in a group show you should know what artwork is mine just by talking to me”. He’s right, it’s the one that made you laugh, and you’re not sure why.
As a company, Ilegal Mezcal seeks to create spaces for communities to come together to affect change. We dedicate a large portion of our events programming to supporting our partner organizations.
The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) is the first, only, and official nonprofit of the Stonewall Inn, the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ movement.
