1. Let's get started at the top! Who is Rahim Kapadia in a few words?
-A young ambitious 24 year old with dreams of becoming everything I am destined to be.
2. What are some of your goals you would like to accomplish by this years end?
-In reality, I would like to have the website for my clothing line up and running with three t -shirts/tanks available for purchase. I also would like to sign up for some Second City acting classes and book more “open mic gigs”.
3. We understand you are on your way to a promising career as a stand-up comic, how did you get involved w/ comedy?
-Well, I don’t know if its "promising" yet but I do enjoy it. I've always said the best two ways to alter your mood is to laugh or take a shower. I did my first stand up gig at "Pressure Cafe" in Chicago on Clark/Devon. They have open mic opportunities on Tuesdays, I actually went in initially to just play some pool (it’s also a billiards cafe) but it just so happened that they had some comics on stage. I sat down casually just to check out their material, I really wasn’t laughing (neither was the crowd) so the MC had asked if anyone wanted to come try it out, I went up there and gave it a shot! To my luck, I felt it was semi successful.
4. Now to switch gears a little bit, we know it is hard work being a clothing designer. Tell us about your line and when it will be available?
-The name of my line is Dope Ropa, which I started two years ago. Fashion to me has been pretty simple lately; I would shop and find nothing that caught my eye. I took it upon myself to start making clothes that I would enjoy wearing. DOPE in Dope Ropa stands for Donating One Percent Every day, we take all profits daily and take one percent of it and donate it to charities chosen by fans of my line. If I am able to change the life of even one person, I will feel accomplished.
5. Everyone wants to know how you stay so fit? Do you plan on modeling and/or wearing your own clothing designs?
-Ha-Ha, fit? I wish! I live by the motto "get fit or die trying" if it isn’t already trademarked or patented I’d like to reserve all rights for saying that. My eating habits are horrible, but I don’t drink any pop and I stay away from sugar. To stay fit you have to try to run at least two times a week and stay away from cross fit training. I have been reading up on it and it can have some very damaging side effects.
As far as modeling, I have taken a different kind of approach to go about branding/marketing with this company. I do plan on modeling some of my own designs but I want my fans to be involved in my campaign as well. I will be giving away fifty t-shirts for free to women, they pose in the design and I’ll post it up on my website.
For more info on free stuff, check out www.doperopa.com
6. Now here at Teen ink we know how important education is, how important is education to you?
-Education is everything, I cannot stress this enough. I took two years off from school thinking I would be better off, I was wrong. I am currently enrolled at De Paul University, working on my B.S in Public Relations/Advertising. Education expands your horizons and makes you think differently, which is so important to an individual’s success in their lifetime.
7. What is your stand on cyber bulling?
-It is unacceptable; technology has gotten so out of hand. The level of bullying can now be done online, through phones and anywhere else. There needs to be more guidelines made public to make sure there are no more victims of bullying.
8. What are a few words of advice you would offer to other aspiring clothing designers?
-Get to it! No one will want it more than you. People might not want to help, might not be interested, but it’s your idea, DOPE IT!