Solid As a Rock

Jordan Rock is the self-proclaimed Solange of his eccentric family. And just like Beyoncé’s ethereally talented younger sister, he is respectfully pulling up his own seat at the table. 

By simply reading Jordan’s last name one can instantly infer which clan he is from—the Rock La Familia **JAY Z Voice **. The 32-year-old funnyman is the youngest of six siblings with Chris Rock serving as quarterback of the bunch. Despite having an undeniable comic legend of a brother like Chris as well as Tony Rock, a successful entertainer in his own right, Jordan is grinding smarter than ever forging his yellow brick road to stardom.

I recently sat down with Jordan to discuss his upbringing, love for comedy, endeavors in the entertainment industry and pretty much everything else in between. Enjoy our intriguing conversation below: 

FRENDY: Jordan! This conversation is long overdue—two years, to be exact. I’m glad the moment has finally arrived. How are you?

JORDAN: I’m good. I’m happy we could finally make this happen.

FRENDY: For sure, the pleasure is all mine. Your mother moved back to her hometown of South Carolina from NYC when you were just a baby after your father passed away. How was your experience living in SC?

JORDAN: SC was chill. It was a great place to grow up because in the time that we moved my brother [Chris] became famous. In hindsight, I think that made SC better because it was a slow paced place and not has hectic as New York. Since I visited New York a lot it wasn’t foreign to me when I finally decided to move back up there. SC was real though.

FRENDY: I’m happy to hear that. I have family in Raleigh, NC. You have one sister and is the youngest out of six Rock boys (may your half brother Charles rest in peace). I’m the oldest of four.  How does it feel being the baby of the family?  Were you spoiled at all?

JORDAN: I enjoyed being the youngest. I don’t think I was spoiled. I didn’t grow up with less, but I also didn’t grow up with excess. Having six older brothers was great because, even though I didn’t grow up with our father, I had five older men to look up to and I appreciate that. Definitely more as I get older.

FRENDY: What is your fondest memory from childhood?

JORDAN: Getting OG Jordans **Laughs**. I have a lot—but Christmas ‘99 was probably the best! It was the last time we were all in the same room at the same time.

FRENDY: I feel you **Laughs**. I never got Jordans as a kid. I was always envious of my classmates that had them—I’m stacking some now though. Your mom Rose once said she was “perplexed” as to why your older brothers Chris, Tony and yourself chose comedy. “Maybe it’s in the breast milk,” she humorously proclaimed. What are your thoughts on her bold statement **Laughs**?

JORDAN: Ay! That’s the luxury of having older brothers. That’s how I got Jordans. Whatever they didn’t have they made sure I had.

I really don’t know what made them go into comedy, but for me, I always loved the expression. I also remember Tony before and after comedy. I just remember once Tony started doing comedy I never saw him stressed the same way as he was before. That always stuck out. I realized I hated high school, and didn’t want to go to college, so I got a job and had to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Comedy seemed like a real choice so I went for it.

FRENDY: The heart never steers you wrong. Also, when your soul is healed from laughter or anything else that is good, life automatically gets better. The natural highs are very addicting! What actually jumpstarted your career in comedy?

JORDAN: My mom looked at me and said she was tired of seeing me do nothing. I was 16 **Laughs**. I honestly feel like it was just an excuse for my mom to let me stay out late and smoke weed, then it [comedy] snowballed into a career.

FRENDY: That’s so awesome.  Your mom gave you the freedom to explore and be yourself without judgment.  Who was your favorite comedian growing up?

JORDAN: I’m the youngest of seven. My mom was born in 1945. She already had six kids before me. She lived through the civil rights movement & crack epidemic then saw her oldest son get rich. She definitely let me do me.

My favorite comics had to be Dane Cook and Lil’ JJ—he blew my mind. I thought comedy was something I had to grow up and do, but then I saw him [JJ] and realized “oh shit, I can just start writing now.” My comedic taste has definitely changed since then.

FRENDY: What you said about your mom was funny, it’s the truth though **Laughs**.  You moved to the Big Apple from South Carolina at the age of 18. What prompted that decision?

JORDAN: I just remember hating all my friends. Wasting the summer before graduation, hotboxing with them and selling weed. So I told my mom weeks before graduation I don’t want to be here after. I legit walked across the [graduation] stage and then went to the airport.

FRENDY: Sounds like a scene from a movie.  Do you remember your very first comedy gig? Where was it?

JORDAN: My very first time onstage was an open mic at the Comedy Zone in Jacksonville, FL. I went to hang out with Tony during Spring Break. I had to be in seventh grade. He was headlining all week and the club [promoter] said they had an open mic on Saturday. I had been watching him since Wednesday. I kind of caught the bug there and went to the open mic. I didn’t do comedy again for 4 or 5 years though.

FRENDY: Got you. What caused the pause?

JORDAN: I was a child **Laughs**.

FRENDY: Facts **Laughs**. How’d you feel when you got off that stage for the very first time?

JORDAN: HYPE! I actually kept a joke that I told from that open mic. When I started doing comedy full time I’d still close on a joke I wrote in 7th grade.

FRENDY: Simplicity is profound. What are your thoughts on the huge amounts of people blowing up on social media from their funny antics?

JORDAN: Do you—I really don’t care. I like STAND UP comedy and film.

FRENDY: Ever thought about uploading your own skits online?

JORDAN: I’m recording my first comedy EP next month. I’m planning on just clipping it out and flooding the internet in 2024.

FRENDY: Looking forward to those. In an interview, Tony stated: “I’m not afforded the luxury of just taking a set casual, taking the night off.” He further explained, “Because If I bomb, it’s ‘Oh he’s not funny—he’s just doing it because of his brother.’ “ Do you agree with his sentiment?

JORDAN: To an extent. People definitely won’t accept the same jokes from us as they’d accept from comics without the same last name. We definitely have a higher bar to hit just to be here at the level we are. I don’t care about bombing though **Laughs**. When people tell me I’m not funny it annoys me. When has not being funny ever stopped anyone from being a comedian?

FRENDY: You nailed it with that last bar. How much pressure do you feel when it comes to having a successful career in comedy?

JORDAN: I think I’m finally at the point where I feel I can deal with it correctly. Furthermore, I also feel like I’ve finally become ME in the industry to people who are actually in it. 

FRENDY: How often are you writing bits?

JORDAN: I don’t know how frequently I write bits—but I’m writing all day everyday. I had to realize it was a disservice to myself by only writing when I wanted to be funny. I like free writing, and if I write for three pages, a joke is gonna pop up.

FRENDY: Sharpening the skills on a consistent basis, I love it. Real life events are the inspirations for your jokes. What’s your process of figuring out which one of them is funny enough to tell the world?

JORDAN: Time. Sometimes you have a great joke but it doesn’t fit the set you're currently doing. And then you find the right one in a notebook 2 years later. There’s times where you write something that day or just say something on the spot that becomes an instant part of your set. The process is all over the place **Laughs**.

FRENDY: At the end of the day, it’s all about what feels right to you. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from your famous older brothers regarding showbiz?

JORDAN: Tony told me “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” Chrissy told me there are no “Lil Wayne’s in comedy.” This was before the internet, but he meant the young dudes in comedy are never the best because they don’t have life experience. He also encouraged me to WRITE.

FRENDY: Amen! I know you’re accustomed to the bright lights by now, but what are some of the things you do to calm any nerves that may arise?

JORDAN: Man, I finally realized the importance of a morning routine. I wake up, get coffee, write, exercise and meditate like clockwork. Making sure my thoughts exist outside of my head and not on a computer or IPhone that takes my info and gives me targeted ads. I also hide the numbers [likes] on Instagram and refuse to go on TikTok for my sanity.

FRENDY: Yes, a morning workout works wonders for your heart and mind. I loved your cameo in Goldlink’s music video for “Got Friends” feat. Miguel. When did your interest in acting come about?

JORDAN: I honestly always thought acting and stand up were hand in hand until I realized they weren’t. I always said I was a Comedian/Actor, but I was totally lying about the acting part. I never even took a class but then I got real representation and the stuff they’d send me would blow my mind. I’d be like, “oh, y’all think I can act,” so that’s when I got a coach and got serious. I went to LA and booked Love on Netflix and I became an actor.

FRENDY: That’s beautiful, man. You’ve appeared as a guest star in numerous TV series and movies, from Netflix’s Take The 10 all the way to Hulu’s original film Big Time Adolescence starring Pete Davidson. Working on anything special at the moment?

JORDAN: Nothing at the moment. I just finished a fun film named Micro Budget that’s probably going to circulate the festivals next year. I’m in an episode of Bupkis with Pete again that comes out next month. I’m always auditioning, but more focused on my writing and stand up. The things I can actually control.

FRENDY: What’s your dream character to portray?

JORDAN: Yo! My dream role would be to play a character like “Calvin” from Paid In Full or “Wink” from 8 Mile ** Laughs **. Everybody always wants me to play a token [black guy], and I’m not mad. But I want to play a snake so bad.

FRENDY: You’re too like-able to play a snake ** Laughs **. But, I’m sure you have the acting chops to do so if needed. How’d you become such close friends with Pete?

JORDAN: That’s what I’m saying! I want to play the guy that seems to be nice, but he actually lined you up **Laughs**.

Pete is the homie though. I met Pete at a show in the East Village in 2010. He was really my first comedian friend. Somebody I would hang out with daily. But at the time, we couldn’t afford the amount of weed we were smoking so I had to fall back and hang less to save money before he blew **Laughs**. He went to college in Brooklyn and I stayed there so we just hung out a lot.

FRENDY: I’m glad y’all are still tight. I remember the days you used to come though the BAPE store while I was working there. I don’t think we ever spoke **Laughs**. What are some of your favorite clothing brands out right now?

JORDAN: Dude, I’ve been waiting for the BAPE store questions this whole interview **Laughs**. BAPE used to be the shit before Migos started wearing it. Man, streetwear is so sad these days. It’s too safe. Minimal “fuck you” pieces. I don’t even try to keep up these days. Now I stick to Champion, Carhartt and Supreme. I spend a lot of time trying to get all the items I couldn’t cop back in the day: cut & sew BAPE and OG tees.

FRENDY: Nothing beats the classic pieces. Speaking of clothing, I love the fact you created your own line of merch. Are you currently working on new pieces?

JORDAN: Hell yeah! I think I finally understand the importance of merchandise. But my problem used to be that I put too much into my designs, colors and graphics. Most comics just print their jokes on a tee and sell them for $15 after the show. I’m putting so much into the tees  that the cost for me to make them would be insane **Laughs**. Once my [comic] EP comes out I’ll have perfect amount of elaborate and simple designs. As well as proper help to take things to the next level. I want to make clothes people want to wear out not just to sleep in or as a cum rag. 

FRENDY: The level of thought you put into your products are appreciated more than you know. I didn’t want to talk about “the slapping” incident, but this is such a golden opportunity! What went through your mind as you watched Will Smith slap Chris at The Oscars?

JORDAN: Here we go **Laughs**. Honestly, I was having an insane day that day. I was home in SC with one of my childhood friends when he found out his brother got shot. I drove him to the hospital and to his family’s crib to make sure everything was good. I had a fucking day. I came home and was like, “I’m gonna watch The Oscars and relax.” I walked outside to smoke and actually missed the slap, but my phone blew the fuck up. It was crazy. 

Credit: Getty Images

FRENDY: Wow! Yeah, I saw an interview with Tony and he said you called him to know if it was actually real.

JORDAN: Yeah, I was really like “WTF.” I was already having a wild 2022. My best friend [Pete] was beefing with Kanye, my homie’s brother just got popped and now this. I was like add it to the list, honestly.

FRENDY: I truly send positive energy to all parties involved. Moving forward, what else can we expect from you in the future?

JORDAN: Thanks, man. I’m continuing to work. My forthcoming EP is called S/O My Mental Capacity. I’m recording it all next month at New York Comedy Club in New York and that’s the focus at the moment. I’m not focused on building content. I’m focused on building a catalog and changing my relationship with my audience and the public.  

FRENDY: What type of legacy would you like to leave in the industry? 

JORDAN: I’m still figuring that out. But we’ll see…

Bode's Bold Move

Don’t front, the very first time you saw the fashion label Bode (BOH-dee), you mistakenly pronounced it: “Boa-uhd” or even “Ba-deeh” {why did I suddenly think of Amaarae’s viral TikTok song}. No? I guess it’s just me then.  In any case, the booming brand—known for its intricate garments inspired by vintage pieces and antiques—is finally delving into the womenswear matrix.

Founded in 2016 by world-renowned designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla, Bode will showcase its inaugural women’s collection at its Paris menswear show on January 21. The American luxury line’s striking men silhouettes are mostly made from domestic textiles crafted by women already, so the transition will be smoother than Tony Hawk’s first 900 landing on a vert ramp.  

The forthcoming collection, titled “The Crane Estate,” takes cues from Emily’s mother's hometown of Massachusetts (1970s Massachusetts, to be exact). It will feature skirts, dresses, lingerie and silk tops.

A Mess of Gigantic Proportions

On February 11th, 2017 I was fortunate enough to attend the homie Luka Sabbat and Photographer Noah Dillon’s inaugural Hot Mess art installation at Milk Studios.  Premiering in the midst of New York Fashion week, the duo’s exhibit displayed aesthetically pleasing pics capturing their feral adventures.  In less than two years, the creative compadres are back at it again with a larger than life art flex that’ll shut down any hater’s misconceptions.

Ahead of the Hot Mess boys merch release, Sabbat and Dillon have curated bootleg campaigns, titled ‘Free Advertising’, on billboards nationwide—their first stop: New York City. “We shot fake campaigns for select brands and have placed them on billboards in different states throughout America.  Everything shot and creative directed by HotMess corp,” Luka explains on Instagram.  “Will be posting more soon with updates on the rest of the billboards.   Merch will be dropping online for the first time soon.”  The brands on the fictitious Hot Mess campaigns include Snickers chocolate bar, The North face, and even Balenciaga. (Not your average mom and pop labels as you can see.)

The fellas are generating major hype for their first ever merch pieces. Will you cop?

Tim's Epik Style

Buffalo isn’t necessarily known as a breeding ground for fashion icons but Tim Baldon is planning to change that.

Better known as Tim B, the 27-year-old Buffalonian is making waves in the industry as a Stylist.  What sets him apart is his knack for hunting down threads that accentuate the distinctive personalities of his patrons.  In 2011, Tim established a boutique agency, Epik Style, where he landed Lil’ Kim, one of Hip Hop’s most iconic figures, as his very first client just 3 months after its launch.  Since then, Baldon has continued to work with prominent players in the entertainment arena and even expanded his personal brand by making several TV appearances, including LALA’s Full Court Life and BET ’s classic music video countdown show 106 & Park.

Tim’s interest in fashion developed when he began watching rap videos at the age of 13. “At that age I started listening to Hip Hop--I was really into music videos and I would take note of what all the artists wore so I could buy those same items,” Baldon states. “The first thing I made my mother buy me was a shiny jean suit like the one Puff used to wear.”

The modish teenager’s newfound love instantly transformed into a full-blown passion, as he went on to major in Fashion Merchandising at Buffalo State College. During his freshman year, Tim interned for Michelle Ten (former Fashion Editor of The Source Magazine for six years) and fell so in love with the short-lived gig that he quit his college career soon after. Baldon confesses: “I ended up getting an assistant job my junior year so I dropped out, packed my bags and moved to New York City. I felt like hands-on experience was all the education I needed.”  Well, his decision sure proved to be beneficial.

I recently sat down with the thriving entrepreneur to discuss his life in Buffalo, wild college days, humble beginnings in the fashion industry and future goals. Check out our conversation below:

FRENDY:  First of all, what color was the shiny jean suit your mom bought you?

TIM:  It was metallic silver! *Laughs*

FRENDY:  *Laughs* No doubt! Besides Diddy, which other Hip Hop artists served as a fashion inspiration for you growing up?

TIM:  Kanye West was one of my biggest inspirations.  I also admired Pharrell and Andre 3000’s style, but hands down Kanye was one of my biggest inspirations.

FRENDY: Which part of Buffalo are you from? And how was it like growing up there? I honestly thought you were from Brooklyn!

TIM:  Everybody says that!  I don't know why, I guess I give off that Brooklyn vibe.

Growing up in Buffalo was cool.  I grew up in a city on the east side, which was a predominantly African-American community. Buffalo is very segregated; so on the east side you have Blacks, on the west side are Spanish and Puerto Ricans, North & South Buffalo is mostly Caucasian, as well as the suburbs. 

Buffalo definitely had its ups and downs but for the most part it taught me many life lessons and made me who I am today.  When I was younger Buffalo was full of life--it was a great place to live, but as I got older it started to become a ghost town.  But I always made the most of it and I'm glad I grew up there. Best part was College! *Laughs*

FRENDY:  Wow, I didn’t know it was segregated like that.  Did you experience any sort of racism?

TIM:  I've definitely experienced racism! I was always the type to venture off and explore, that's always been my thing.  I would encounter racism when I would go shopping in different areas and sometimes at work because I worked in the suburbs. My sister went to school out in the suburbs and we had a situation where she was called a n*gger but me and my father handled that situation.  So yeah I experienced it, but never in my community.

FRENDY:   Are there a lot of stores in your hometown that provide scorching streetwear and high-end gear?  If so, what are your favorite spots to shop?

TIM:  Yes, we had a few spots in Buffalo.  We had a store called Krudmart, Street Game, and Elmwood Village District.  They were all in an area similar to Soho, New York but not as many stores. We later got Urban Outfitters; I worked there for about 3 years.

FRENDY:  What are some of your favorite brands today?

TIM:  DSQUARED2, Public School, Alexander McQueen, Asos, Maison Margiela, and Hood by Air.

FRENDY:  How were you able to gain an internship as a freshman in college?

TIM:  We weren’t supposed to be interning but I just felt like I needed to get a head start on my career.  I didn't really care what the school said, I was always thinking about my career and where I wanted to go in it.

My first internship was amazing.  I interned with Michelle Ten--that experience gave me so much knowledge of the fashion industry and its inner workings.  It was a lot of work, but after interning with Michelle I knew that styling was exactly what I want to do.

FRENDY:  So she didn’t care about your undergraduate status?

TIM:  She did care, but I convinced her to let me intern with her. After my first summer with Michelle she hired me the following summer to be her summer assistant.

FRENDY:  Damn, your work ethic must of been epic! (no pun intended).

TIM:  *Laughs* I did everything she told me to do with a smile, even when I was tired to the point I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was so hungry to learn and gain knowledge about the industry.

FRENDY:  What was your first job when you moved to New York City?

TIM:  When I first moved to New York I was working with three stylists at one time Michelle Ten, Julie Matos and Crystal Street.  My duties included: emailing and contacting showrooms to pull clothes, picking up and returning clothes, organizing fashion closets, managing budgets, scouting shoot locations, managing interns and sitting in on meetings.

Basically, my job was to make by boss’ job easier so they can focus on the creative side and not worry about all the other details that goes into being a stylist.

FRENDY:  When did you meet Lil’ Kim?

TIM:  I met Kim in 2011 at her rehearsals for a tour she was doing in Africa. We have a mutual friend so she invited me to sit in on the rehearsal.

FRENDY: What set of events occurred that allowed you to work with her?

TIM:  We clicked from jump! I think it was because we had a mutual friend so she already had an idea of my personality.  When we initially met, we joked around about a few things and she invited me to come out to a party with her.  We’ve been friends every since.  A few months later she ended up parting ways with her stylist and my friend suggested that we try working together.

Kim gave me the opportunity to style her and my first gig was to dress her for her mother's wedding--let’s just say it didn't go so well!  But she gave me another opportunity to work with her on her birthday and we have been working together off and on every since.

FRENDY:  How long have you guys worked together?

TIM:  It's been five years now.

FRENDY:  Are you currently working with the Queen Bee?

TIM:  I do still work with Kim on and off.  Right now I’m doing commercial work for Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

FRENDY:  Speaking of grinding, you did a great job on 106 & Park. How did that opportunity come about?

TIM:  Thanks man, I was so nervous!  It was my first time doing live television so my nerves were all over the place. A friend of mine named Sonya actually referred me. she was apart of Kim's PR team at the time and the producers at 106 were looking for a stylist to host a style segment on the show. She sent my portfolio to the producers and fortunately they contacted me to do a segment.   After the first segment they brought me back for two other segments. *brushes shoulder off*

FRENDY:  What does a stylist’s portfolio consist of?

TIM:  A stylist portfolio is like a tear sheet of all of the work you've done. It's like a resume but with pictures.

FRENDY:  How did you prepare for your big 106 debut?

TIM:  I actually had no prep time!  When they scheduled me the first time they canceled a few days later and when they rescheduled it they told me a day before, so I kind of had to wing it, and that made me even more nervous because I was reading off a Teleprompter and cue cards.

The first segment was a prom fashion show. 106 set up the fashion show and I gave style tips and spoke on what each model was wearing. For the other two segments it was more about celebrity fashion, what's hot/what's not and critiquing trends very similar to Fashion Police.

FRENDY:  What does your boutique agency offer?  And where can people reach you?

TIM:  We offer celebrity, editorial and commercial styling, personal shopping, and closet cleaning. I can be reached at: EpikStyle.com all of my contact info is listed on the site.

FRENDY: Who is on your wish list of people you would absolutely love to work with?

TIM:  I would like to work with Bruno Mars, Drake and Odell Beckham Jr.  That's who I'm currently after right now.

FRENDY:  Your parents must be very proud of what you’ve accomplished thus far. Were they supportive even in the midst of your decision to drop out of school?

TIM:  They were very supportive because they knew I had a plan.  They told me that I would have to work harder if I don't have a degree, but I already knew that.

FRENDY:  If fashion wasn’t an option, what would be your career of choice?

TIM: Fashion is the only option! I love making my clients feel good about themselves and being the best person they can possibly be.

Dillon Hughes For FRNDY LMRN

Those who follow me on Instagram will remember my historical Frendy's Bape Couch Countdown  hashtag, where I sat down next to all of the beautiful people that showed me extreme support throughout my years at Nigo’s former brainchild.  One of the stand out individuals featured is my lil’ bro Dillon Hughes whom I refer to as Beizus (an inside joke made from his similar traits to Justin Beiber combined with his immense love for Kanye West).  I have known the budding creative for about 3 years now and his growth is truly commendable.

Born in Long Island, Dillon grew up in a stimulating environment.  He states, “my parents were constantly playing music or movies growing up. Their musical taste ranged from Jimi Hendrix to RUN DMC.  They would have me watch old school movies and documentaries on anyone, from James Dean to Muhammad Ali”.  Furthermore he added, “my parents supported me in all of the outlets I was involved in. All of the hardworking/creative mindset they embodied has had a huge influence on me.”

The strong support system that Dillon was blessed to have led him to become the free-spirited trendsetter he is today. Biezus now runs DillonHughes.com which serves as his very own hub providing tips and inspiration on everything style. He confesses, “my ultimate goal in life is to become successful in all of my endeavors.  I believe that anything is possible as long as you have patience, put in the work and have unrelenting faith.”

Photographed by Corey D'angelo