Last year, I moved into a new house, off of Cascade Ave, in the West End community of Atlanta. For a few weeks, I stayed there with nothing but a record player and a bottle of Whiskey. I wasn’t in a rush to purchase a bed or couch, the bare space; hard wood floors and white walls inspired me. I sat on the floor with Jack and began listening to Outkast on vinyl.
Spottie (Spo-tee) comes from the Outkast song, SpottieOttieDopaliscious. The song is off of the duos third studio album, Aquemini. Aquemini documented a turning point in Andre and Big Boi’s style. The two Atlanta Artist began experimenting more with production styles and concepts. SpottieOttieDopaliscious is a jazz song in the middle of a Hip Hop album. The song opens with a soft brush drumroll. Soon after, a smooth bassline is repeated while voices repeat; “damn” and a horn section turned my empty living room into a juke joint.
My partner, Eric Cash and I decided to use Ghanaian designer/model Frank Selasie for this shoot. We had featured Frankey on our site, Beau Atlanta last April. We were inspired by Frankey’s fearlessness, sex appeal, liveliness, strength, and freedom. She commanded attention when she spoke and when she moved.
Spottie is a creative project inspired by that sex appeal and freedom that Frankey embodies. Spottie is inspired by vintage look of the jazz era – a speakeasy during the day, still smelling of last night’s good time. Spottie sounds like lukewarm lullabies in your left ear. Spottie taste like bitches brew. Spottie looks like a night in Tunisia.
Photography by Eric Cash for Beau Atlanta
Creative Direction by Spencer Charles