Amani M. Heywood
Orie of FOURPLAY
"Forward Progression, Four Fun, Forever"
Interview conducted by Amani Heywood
Creating a space for boundless imagination in my design really comes from me referencing my thoughts as a child - Orie
All photos are provided by artist
All photos taken by @Retroisarebel
This interview reveals the creative philosophy and personal journey behind FOUR PLAY, a brand that celebrates playfulness, authenticity, and Black cultural identity through design. The founder shares how childhood experiences with basketball - particularly the transition from competitive pressure to joyful play - became foundational to their creative approach, embodied in the motto "Forward Progression, Four Fun, Forever." What began as athletic aspirations transformed into an artistic path after a basketball injury led to embracing art as their true calling, realizing "all along art was my true plan A."
Growing up between the Bronx, Harlem, and New Rochelle deeply influenced the brand's aesthetic and mission. The cultural richness of these neighborhoods, combined with classroom lessons about local artistic legacies and community basketball tournaments, instilled both pride and purpose. College experiences with organizations like BSU and AAMEN further shaped the brand's emphasis on collective empowerment, teaching that "the goal is bigger than you" when serving one's community.
The creative process behind FOUR PLAY draws heavily from childhood wonder, with the founder returning to youthful activities like drawing, gaming, and basketball to overcome creative blocks. This playful energy manifests in designs that blend bold colors with storytelling, creating what they describe as "unimagined realities." The brand's musical influences reflect this eclectic energy too, drawing from hip-hop icons like Wu-Tang and Outkast to rock bands like Nirvana.
"Forward Progression, Four Fun, Forever" is such a powerful motto. What personal moment or realization made you embrace playfulness as a core part of creativity and growth?
A series of personal moments playing basketball are what allowed me to embrace the playfulness as part of my creativity and growth. It was difficult to overcome my lack of confidence playing in organized games versus playing recreationally or for fun with my friends, where I felt I was the best player at times. The pressure that came with organized games was tough for me as a kid. I had to rethink my approach to just “have fun.” The progress of my hard work will always show as long as I keep “having fun” as the main thing.
You’ve described FOUR PLAY as a way to free "unimagined realities." How do you create space for that kind of boundless imagination in your design process—especially when the world often pressures us to conform?
Creating a space for boundless imagination in my design really comes from me referencing my thoughts as a child. Also, doing things that sustain my youthful energy like dancing, hooping, and drawing always allowed me to explore and manifest new creations I never thought would come to fruition.
Growing up between the Bronx, Harlem, and New Rochelle, how did the energy of those places shape your artistic voice? Are there specific memories—from the basketball court to the classroom—that still influence your work today?
Growing up in those areas helped shape my artistic voice in various ways. Going to school in the Bronx and Harlem really allowed me to feel like I belonged as an artist. From learning in the classroom about the long history of artists and musicians that come from those places, to the basketball programs/tournaments I was fortunate to partake in, it all made me feel like I was doing something productive with my life. Going to school in New Rochelle is where basketball ended for me due to injury and I decided to take art more serious. That memory sticks with me in my work to this day because I am always reminded of how my dream of playing ball was no longer in my heart after injury, when I see the progress in my art today. Feels like all along art was my true plan A.
Your brand was born during college, a time of self-discovery for many. How did your involvement with BSU and AAMEN shape your vision for FOUR PLAY, especially in terms of community and representation?
BSU and AAMEN allowed me to see what team work looked like in a work setting amongst black people. There I also realize how important impacting and embracing your community on campus is because as a unit we set goals to host a series of events for the community, and with that comes sacrifice. Being a leader of a community of minorities was no small task but once you realize the goal is bigger than you, your only job is to put on for everyone. And with the brand that is all I wish to do truthfully, I want to lead by example best way I can.
As someone with degrees in both Graphic Design and PR/Marketing, how do you balance the artist and the strategist in you? Does one side ever challenge or surprise the other?
Early on my graphic design side definitely had the upper hand as I was more focused on the garments and their appearance. But now I focus a bit more on the pr/marketing aspect because you can sell anything with great marketing/storytelling. Also utilizing PR to get more awareness on the brand is always key because understanding how to control your narrative/story as a brand is important so new followers understand you.
The idea of "playing like a youth" suggests returning to a time of curiosity and fearlessness. How do you reconnect with that energy when creative blocks or life’s pressures arise?
Dealing with creative blocks I usually I go back to those activities I did as a kid; play video games, hoop, draw or even looking at old family photo albums. Those are the times when things were simple in life and when you simplify you usually get the greatest results.
If FOUR PLAY were a soundtrack, what songs or sounds would define it? Are there artists or cultural moments that mirror the vibe you’re building with your brand?
There is no one soundtrack or song to define it being that I’m influenced by many music artists.
I’d to name a bunch French Montana, 50 Cent, Wu-tang, A$AP Mob, Travis Scott, Max B, Dipset, Pharrell, Bone Thugs, DMX, Snoop Dogg, Outkast, Bow-Wow, Ye, Three6Mafia, Nirvana, Gorillaz, and Kid Cudi on a huge playlist are all somewhat aligned with my brand vision.
Your new collection, ‘Off the Bone,’ feels raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal—like carving into something essential. What did you have to strip away or rediscover within yourself to create this body of work, and how does it reflect your evolution both as an artist and as someone rooted in the Bronx’s creative pulse?
“Off the Bone” at surface level means, “Get off my d***.” I took the cultural cuisine phrase from the preferred way oxtails are to be cooked, “falling off the bone,” and reinterpreted it to GOMD for NY slang. But personally, “Off the Bone” is a way to describe how much I’ve devoted and earned from the brand. Most describe earning things as “I got it off the muscle.” To me the bone is deeper than muscle, that’s the infrastructure. So I say I have earned all of this “Off the Bone.” This reflects those nights alone searching for answers to anything and everything in life, unable to create, unmotivated to continue entrepreneurship but somehow I find the will to do so because I want to be remembered by my community and beyond when this is all over.
Your designs feel like a celebration of Black creativity and joy. How do you hope your work impacts the next generation of artists and entrepreneurs from neighborhoods like the Bronx?
Thank you, I really appreciate that. I hope my work shows the next generation of creatives and entrepreneurs from the Bronx the importance of color use, history and storytelling. Using colors allow for full artistic expression in my opinion. As for history and storytelling, they go hand in hand. In order for history to remain in our community our stories must to be told.
What’s a piece or collection from FOUR PLAY that feels most personal to you? What story does it tell about where you were in your journey when you created it?
The piece that feels most personal to me may be the mini basketball hoop I created. It was my first tangible/functional art piece for the brand outside of clothing. It is a call back to the importance I see in remaining youthful. We usually are pressured to grow up faster than others living in NY. And basketball for me is one of those that, no matter my age, playing or watching it has always brought out that childhood spirit throughout my journey.
If you could go back to your junior-year self starting FOUR PLAY, what advice would you give about staying true to your vision while navigating the challenges of building a brand?
If I were to go back to my junior-year I’d probably advise myself to write out my ideas way more and create mood boards to organize those ideas. I tend to be forgetful because I juggle a lot of things in life.
Around that time I had adjusted to writing things down pertaining to school work but never really brought those organizational skills to my artistry. If I had done that sooner who knows where I’d be. I’m grateful to be present though.
Find out more and connect with Orie and FOURPLAY here: