Steven Othello is a seasoned creative director, designer, entrepreneur, and Harlem native.He began his discovery of entrepreneurship at Smooth magazine as an editorial assistant while also securing a marketing internship at Marc Ecko Enterprises. During his internship, he witnessed the growth of the company as it became synonymous with mainstream pop culture and was inspired to venture out and curate a company of his own, intending to be a voice for the culture that raised him.Steven went on to launch his magazine, Laced, as a publication that celebrated the intersection between two thriving, kindred cultures: sneakers and hip-hop. And unlike other publications, it was created from the perspective of the streets. “Laced up from the ground up” was the motto. As creative director and co-founder, Steven aimed to offer a platform to rising artists and designers before mainstream media took notice. Artists such as Swizz Beatz, The Cool Kids, Chris Brown, Lupe Fiasco, The Clipse were just a few featured in Laced.He then co-founded a collective called GFCNEWYORK, a management, public relations, and marketing firm which has become a platform for a new breed of musicians and creatives reshaping society norms. The company’s innovative marketing strategies have allowed Steven and the team to break such acts as Mickey Factz, FKi, Big K.R.I.T., Jesse Boykins III, A.CHAL, Smoke DZA, Deem Spencer, and more.Throughout the years, Steven and his partners have worked with artists including Big K.R.I.T., Smoke DZA, Joey Badass, Raury, 6LACK, Nipsey Hussle, and D.R.A.M. among others, handling a variety of digital marketing, publicity, and creative. Continuing his creative entrepreneurship, Steven also co-founded a creative agency called BOOOTLEG to turn the tables on the term “bootleg” where what seems untouchable is manifested into something phenomenal. At BOOOTLEG, Steven leads the creative direction and designs artwork and merchandise for artists such as D.R.A.M., Deem Spencer, Big K.R.I.T., KAMAU, and more.Steven’s passion for music and art has led him to curate his ongoing playlist series “WE ARE ALIVE!” and his collection of “Objects by SO”, through which he recreates everyday ‘objects’ from his own creative lens. He’s also led music curation direction on projects such as “PASSAGE: Guided Meditations for People of Color by People of Color” for Okayplayer.As an entrepreneur and ultimate creative, Steven dedicates his mind and heart to creating. If you’d ask him what keeps him going, it’s the constant pursuit for inspiration.