MAD MONKEY: BRINGING THE OLD TO NEW

 “Enrico Mangadap. They call me Ricom. Not a made up street name. MC, Hiphop purist, street entrepreneur.”


How was life growing up?

 “Fun, sometimes may hardtimes. Minsan may sobrang okay. But it was all fun. Namimiss ko pa rin lahat ng taong humubog sa’kin na ‘di ko na nakkita.” 


When did you first begin to witness you had creative talents?

 “Architect si Papa. And he had lots of things na pang design. Nasanay ako using speedball and inks nagagamit ko mag practice gumawa ng calligraphy. Especially The Old English. But, before that, I used to do letters sa wall ng bahay namin mga 4 years old ako. Sabi ni Papa masasanay ako gawin yun. Until nahuli na ko bumobomba sa City Hall dito sa Isabela. Nung pinanganak nga pala ako, yung inunan ko hiningi ni Papa binaon nya yun na may kasamang technical pen.”

How did you come up with the name Mad Monkey Brand?

 “Mad is a slang term for big or huge. Not literally MAD. The monkey, it came from Korn guitarist Munky Shaffer. Gustong gusto namin s’ya ng tropa ko. So, mala classic Hiphop same first letters like JAZZY JEFF, FAB FIVE FREDDY etc. I made MAD MONKEY.” 

With starting a brand, there’s always adversity you face in the beginning. What difficulties have you faced so far?

 “I have tons of ideas na pwede ko i-release as in madami. I got dough but not enough to make a blow!” 


Your latest or recent collection, what inspired this concept?

 “I was never a member of gang in Manila. I was a founder of gang in Isabela. OG [original] collections from shirt to stickers to jersey.” 

Baron Geisler wearing GHETTO jersey by Mad Monkey Brand 

What could we be expecting from the Mad Monkey as the rest of the year rolls out?

 “Expand distribution, currently maliban sa Metro Manila, I have bit sa Davao, Nueva Ecija, UAE, I’m working for more.“ 


As a company, where do you see Mad Monkey going?

“BE THE BEST HIPHOP/GANG WEAR! Badman’s Closet has the street and Hiphop for youngsters, I’ll go for more older dudes.‘Di napaguusapan yun. Some might think we have same market but it’s not, yet we compliment each other.” 

Ra Balingit owner of BMSC 

 What you’ve learned over the years with Mad Monkey Brand?

“How to handle shittty inquiries, LOL. Learned how to forecast the entire collection, from sales to distribution to inventory and knowing how to sell ice to an Eskimo.” 


When it’s all said and done how would you like to be remembered?

“The owner of the brand who brings back the OG’s. The baggy; the loose.”

@madmonkeybrand

New interview every week so stay tune..