Hamzat Raheem

Hamzat Raheem on Islam, Going Massachusetts Mode, His Spotify Wrapped 2022, and more.

March 13, 2023

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Hamzat Raheem is a New York City + Massachusetts-based artist who spent his early 20s mastering stone sculpture in Kyoto, but jokes that it made him “unemployable” in his late 20s. He’s working on a colossal scale marble sculpture titled “Stone with 1000 Faces” made from the faces of volunteers such as model Paloma Elsesser, whose face sculpture was on the cover of Paradigm Trilogy. If you’d like to volunteer your face for his project you can DM him or call him at 617-669-3898. Hamzat is also “putting the ‘art’ in ‘startup’” and tells me that if he crushes his seed fundraising goal he’ll change his last name from “Raheem” to “Incorporated.” Lucky for us, Hamzat is here to tell us what he’s been into.

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Massachusetts Mode

Here’s the thing: Massachusetts sucks. But also, The Spirit of Massachusetts is The Spirit of America. Massachusetts is actually pretty sick if you just ignore all the things about it that suck. My family immigrated here from Nigeria in 2004 when I was 8 and we’ve only looked back a few times since. Sculptors should move to a region called “Western Mass” because there’s a lot of space there and it’s not far from New York City. No painters please.

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Androids

Apple plays a fundamental role in my personal mythology. I carry two phones: iPhone 13 mini 256 GB & iPhone 14 Pro Max 1TB; One for doing small stuff the other for doing big stuff. I’m doing hardware research. Apple’s fascism is self-harm under current leadership and product offering. Rest in peace Steve Jobs. Android phones are actually great now, specifically the Google Pixel — im getting one as my third and it will be for doing medium stuff. Apple Silicon computers go crazy though.

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Books

Shogun: Super long epic novel about a captain who shipwrecks on the shores of 17th century Japan. I see it as a guide to becoming a successful foreigner in Japan. There’s this guy Toranaga in the book, he just like me fr. You and Your Profile: this book analyzes 3 modes of identity formation: Sincerity, Authenticity, and Profilicity. Profilicty is a mode that is entangled with being online. Remembrance of Earth’s Past is an epic Chinese sci-fi trilogy. It’s so good. I wanna be a wallfacer so bad. The Diamond Age gotta be the most slept on piece of American science fiction. Snow Crash by the same author bangs too. I’m currently reading Beserk.

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Islam

I get my 5 dailies in everyday. I don’t fast anymore during the month of Ramadan because heart condition and that’s okay. If I’m carrying cash and I encounter someone living on the street, they just hit a lick. I am a monotheist and I believe that the Prophet Mohammad is the final Abrahamic Prophet. I’m def tryna gotta to 🕋Mecca. These are the five pillars of Islam. I remember one Spring in college I tripped so hard I understood atheism and tried it on. That lasted about two seasons but I put my Islam coat back on in the Winter.

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My Spotify Wrapped 2022

It was just Yeat + Nigerian Pop. Nigerian Pop is experiencing a renaissance rn. There’s this guy Ruger who sings lyrics like “I’m a million reasons why we can’t work” in Red Flags, a song about how he’s a walking red flag. He also sings, “Girl, I am wayward” in the song Girlfriend. I can really relate to these lyrics. What can I say about Yeat. In the song Rockstar he says “I just turned down a deal, I make money still”… honestly, same. “I just bought a building cause I want one” lowkey thats the type of shii I be on as of late. “I get numb ‘cause I’m dumb” me too bro 💯

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Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss

My dentist homie Chris Ma recommended this to me. I didn’t really care about flossing until I started putting this stuff in my mouth and now I’ve a fixation.

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Electric Bikes

the white Citi Bike (word to Blaketheman1000) goes so hard. Max speed 20 mph on a bike is the perfect speed and form factor, it’s my favorite way to get around New York.. I also think electric bike delivery workers have the best swag out rn. They’re one with the bike, very Snow Crash. Real post-apocalyptic energy.

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Instagram Accounts

@Sotce basically if Siddharta Girltama had an instagram account @3rd.world.elite network xpirituality pioneer, he’s carrying all of graphic design on his back. There’s a triadic spectrum with the following polarities: mentally ill, bad attitude, my wife… @thegirlydemon falls right in the center. She just did a face reveal and turns out she is a hot demon @444utopia is run by this guy Austin who also runs the account @__extendo__ but he strategically deactivates and reactivates the latter — he’s a great poster. The IRS instagram account @irsnews is out of pocket. @watsthecondition for all those who celebrate WGW in earnest. @citibikeboyz is goated forreal.

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Sign Out

Remember when “keep me logged in” became a thing? That's when all this started. Big way to limit doom scrolling on anything is simply signing out after each session.

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Virtues

Honor and Duty gotta be my two favorite virtues. Its a huge vibe when people treat others honorably. Duty slaps too 🫡 I feel fulfilled when my behavior or decision making is overcome by a sense of duty towards someone or for something.

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Hamzat Raheem

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