John Tierre Miller, otherwise known as “Stax,” founded Block Wear clothing in 1999 and it quickly spread as a regional phenomenon. Just walk into any club in Mississippi, like the random photo above, and chances are at least half the people you’ll bump into are wearing one of Stax’s designs.

How do you feel about clothing lines that charge $200 for a sweatshirt, etc?
If you claim you’re doing it for the streets, for us by us, give us affordable prices so that all of us – not just some of us – can have it. Block Wear is priced so that you don’t have to steal and kill to get it.

How did you get started?
I started out of my trunk. I started with the streets, I put it in the hands of the drug dealers, the actors, the entertainers, anybody who was somebody. I wanted them to wear it, even if I had to give it away. From there, it caught on. It started appealing to a younger market, because the same guys who were known for jumping out of the 600 wearing Gucci and Prada, they were wearing Block Wear. It got so hot on the streets that I wasn’t serving all my potential market, so I was forced into retail, at least here locally. My company really wasn’t ready to start serving out-of-town accounts, but now I’m ready. I have a regional retail store that carries it throughout Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Here in Jackson there’s three retail outlets, and the website – www.blockwear.com - is booming. Now I’ve got billboards, the whole marketing scheme, so it’s growing and I’m ready to attack other markets. I promote it just like a label would promote rap music. The t-shirts are the foundation. It’s really like a lifestyle t-shirt line. We’ve got the John Tierre collection coming out also in the Fall.

There’s so many celebrities that have clothing lines, how do you plan to compete with them?
Oh, I’m ready. Most of them just have licensing deals. I just call it like it is. Most of them aren’t hands-on, they not calling the designs, they not picking and choosing, just using their name and getting a check off it. Me, I’m in. I can appeal.

Where do you get the ideas for your designs?
Most of my ideas come from everyday life, but it’s put in a way where it’s not corny. It’s stylish and the designs are clean-cut. I like to write a lot. I do a lot of short form stories. I thought I could hit the streets with a design that would get their attention by putting a message on it. We’ve also got the $100 bill, we’ve got a pint bottle, we’ve got “Got Work?” we’ve got designs for the smokers, NBA designs, there’s so many. We’ve also got jeans and jerseys. The “Mississippi” t-shirts sold out in six weeks. Texas and Lousiana are next.

What are the keys to a successful business?
You’ve got to know your customers. Get out, be amongst them. I’m young, I’m eager, I’ve got nothing to lose. I ain’t married, no kids. That’s why I wear [my Block Wear chain] around my neck. Every day I get up in the morning with it on my mind. I don’t ever accept “no.” No failure, no nothing. Just get out of my way.

How long do you think it will take before you are i in stores nationwide?
It won’t be long. Actually, at this point, I’m really looking for a major retail outlet – a Foot Locker, a Foot Action – someone who will buy my product in bulk and push it as well. The challenge is that the large companies want to buy a lot of product, but they want to lowball you on the price. They want to set the price and set the amount and set the time in which they pay, so that gets complicated for a young entrepreneur.

Someone in the streets see how popular your clothing is, but how do you translate and explain that to corporate suits?
Technology is so advanced now with audio and video that I can actually take it to them and let them see if for themselves. But my product is so hot, believe it or not, that all generations are wearing it, so they really can’t get away from it. If they’re here in this region, there’s no sales pitch. They already know.

Aside from clothing, what are your goals?
The clothing is a vehicle. Actually, I wanna act. I’m not only selling the company as Block Wear, I’m selling myself as Stax.

Describe your character “Stax.”
Street smart. Very sharp. You’re not gonna beat me. I’ve got the performance to back it up, as far as the corporate world and these streets. I done seen it all. I do my business with a smile. These are all my customers.

Did you go to college?
I have a degree in Business Administration from Jackson State University. Book knowledge gave me the tools. College equipped me to play the game, but the streets taught me how to make it happen, how to mingle, sell my product.

It seems like this region is very supportive.
David Banner really kicked it off, letting people know that we here. As far as reppin’ this area, I was the first to do it in fashion.

What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs?
Do it. But don’t get it twisted, I started with t-shirts. Whatever your niche is, find it, start small, get your money back and just keep it going. Hip-hop is headed with a bullet, you can’t stop it. Whatever you wanna do, you can promote it thorugh hip-hop. Hip-hop is wide open. We’re setting records in spending every day.