Cool Married Guys Vol. 10: “Hawaii” Mike Salman

Posted by Whutsiznaim in Art, Cool Married Guys, Fashion, Features, Gadgets, Music, NYC, Tattoos, Travel on 07 1st, 2010 | one response

As my wife will tell you, I’m an incredibly observant person. I don’t meant to brag, but I’m observant to a point where half the time you’ll be looking at one thing, while I’m busy cross-referencing and trying to figure out “Where do I know this guy from?” Such is true of the way I figured out who my 10th Cool Married Guy was. For years there was a guy I kept seeing at music industry parties, on TV, and easily walking into the Inked Magazine release party while I froze my ass off outside, trying to look like I deserved to be in there with the beautiful people. (I never actually got in, and eventually left the line in favor of of a shish kabob on a hot dog bun, and a long subway ride back to Crown Heights, Brooklyn). Every time we’d be in the same place my friend would say “Ha! There’s that dude who kinda looks like you!” Not that we actually look anything alike, but he’s kinda ethnically ambiguous, has a goatee, and has a haircut like mine…well, before I started shaving my head. Eventually I learned his name from an episode of Miami Ink. “Hawaii Mike.” Who was this guy? I mean, within the last year or two I saw him picking out the greatest Nike Air Force 1′s of all time on YouTube, and on many of my favorite websites. Eventually it occurred to me that he was wearing a wedding ring, I had a good idea, and the rest is history. If you’re thinking his face looks familiar, you’re probably right. Especially if you ever spent any time in the various worlds I live/lived in. Confused? Don’t be. I present to you all the 10th installment of the Cool This photo is entitled “why are Asians so bad at naming their businesses?” Cool Married Guys feature: “Hawaii” Mike Salman: Entrepreneur, Sneakerhead, Husband, Father, Man about town, C.M.G.

State your name:

“Hawaii’ Mike Salman

Where are you from and where do you live now:

San Francisco, CA. Brooklyn, NY

What’s your story:

Born in San Francisco and moved to Hawaii when I was 5 to do some island hopping with my hippie mom. Landed back in SF for middle and high school, that’s when I developed most of my bad habits. Moved to NY at 19 to work in the music business, and the first record I worked was Diamond D “Best Kept Secret” while I was a intern at PWL America. Did a bunch, from road managing Mobb Deep, marketing at the Source Magazine, to street promotions for pretty much every record label in hip-hop. My focus changed a lot when I went back to the Source Magazine as the Lifestyle editor, and started to understand me being who I am. My opinions were valuable to corporate America, so I found ways to monetize it, and have been on that road since.

Very interesting. So where did you get the name Hawaii Mike:

I lived in Hawaii during my grade school years. Long story short, one of my boys, who is a VP at Def Jam now, gave me the nickname cause I used to wear Hawaiian shirts once in a while.

Simple enough. Now I consider you part of an elite crew of people who basically get paid to be themselves and share their ideas, which is something a lot of us (me in particular) strive for. I know that doesn’t happen by luck, so how does one get to that level:

I can’t say for everyone, but for me it was a lot of just being, well me. As a kid, I was always into everything from cars to clothes to technology to music and even travel. I always wanted the next thing first, and from that I ended up being in places kids my age usually didn’t have access to. I met people, created some opportunities, and I went after them. A lot was luck, but I will say this: always make people remember you for YOU, NOT for where you work.

Good advice. Now correct me if I’m wrong, you were initially involved in Inked Magazine before it went out of business, was sold, and came back out, correct? What was your role in that, and how did that whole thing go down:

This is like that big fish that got away. I was a partner in a agency me and three others launched in 2004. We were approached by one of the partners’ associates and were tasked with creating a “high-end tattoo” publication. Summer 2005 Inked magazine was born. We ran the whole magazine out of the agency, I was the Editor-In-Chief, and we published the first 4 issues. We did exceptionally well, but the investor pulled out after the 2nd issue and we didn’t have the capital to hire the right sales staff. We ended up working out a deal with the Owner/Publisher of Tokion to take over the debt and we still kept our interest, but then it got shady and we couldn’t afford to deal with court costs. Now you’re stuck with a regular tattoo magazine that could have been so much more.

That sucks, cause I was into that magazine too. There’s still some good stuff in there from time to time, but there’s definitely a fair amount of Ed Hardy ads, and skull rings. Weren’t you also on Miami Ink? How did that happen:

Both Inked (the tv show) and Miami Ink launched about the same time we put the magazine out. We developed a relationship, Ami and I had a lot of mutual friends, and Chris Garver did my first tattoo, so they invited me to be on the show. Ami hooked up my “Hawaii Mike” with the islands on my back.

LTD Magazine seems to be your main focus now. Talk a little bit about that. What’s the mission:

LTD Magazine originally started cause I wanted a publication that I felt was speaking directly to me, but at the same time was appealing to my peers and those in the worlds of fashion, art, music and style. It was about making a product that people would keep, “archival quality,” and providing something special through the covers which have all been done by whomever was the main feature. That list includes Futura, Haze, Jeff Staple, Mark Smith, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Takashi Murakami, and more. Being on newsstand was never a goal, it was always about less is more and if you got it you were and if you didn’t, you wanted in.

Dope! So how long have you been married:

August 12th will be my 10th anniversary.

Good stuff. How would you say marriage has changed you or your overall state of mind:

Besides not being able to go fishing? I wouldn’t say it’s marriage. My wife and I did a lot before we got married, and had a kid so we were friends. Partners in crime. We went everywhere and did everything together. It’s the kid that changes your whole state of mind. The schedule, not having family around to help, everything having to be so planned, all of your free personal freedom taken away cause now you have to pay for a babysitter. That movie or concert you’re going to see better be worth it, and I know a lot of other parents feel like this, cause paying $150 for that night could have been put to something better if it wasn’t.

Great. You actually just managed to scare me out of having children in a completely original way. Thanks, Mike!

So marriage is the easy part, kids are the hard part, got it. But seriously, how many kids do you have:

Two boys ages 17 and 7.

And how are your relationships with your offspring:

I didn’t get to raise my older son, so I try to take in every moment I can with my 7 year old. I think having, taking care of and raising, kids is the best and hardest thing we do in our lives. I try to let him remind me how to learn again and not be so set in my ways.

What do you think is particularly cool about marriage:

The word marriage always seems to have such a heavy, finite tone to it. I guess what’s cool about my marriage is that it doesn’t feel like that. Yeah, we’re normal, we fight, argue and all that but I know at the end of the day my wife always has my back and is here no matter what. And trust, you want her on your team.

Cool, how’s her writing and/or p.r. skills? Ok, I’m kidding. You seem to always have your hands in a few things at once, so other than LTD are there any other projects that you’re working on now that your excited about:

LTD is my main focus, but with that isn’t just the media, but a consulting side as well, LTD+. I’ve been working with Mountain Dew going on 4 years now, and we’re about to launch the next iteration of Green Label Art, and also have another project in the works that should be launching later this Fall. I just helped Capcom, and got Just Blaze to produce the track and do the voice over for the Super Street Fighter IV commercial. I always have some things going on with Etnies like events, product collaborations, and seeding. I’m doing a bust (figure) of a pretty famous rapper that should be coming out in July, but I think it’s promo only. Besides that, pretty excited about hanging out in Soho this summer, and getting in some time on the roof deck at the office.