This was a first for me – getting serenaded to a freestyle rap about StyleLikeU (though it wasn’t a surprise coming from Jose, whose warmth filled the room as he danced throughout most of our interview). He says that he loves people and feels that there is no such thing as a bad one. I was freaking over his signature layers of bracelets, rings on every finger, and piles of necklaces, all of which have immense significance to him. The abundance of skulls and bullets might not appear to reflect Jose’s belief that one is most powerful when coming from a place of peace, but don’t let his alpha-male side fool you – his right arm is filled with saints. “You are what you wear,” he says, and in his heart he is a superstar and dresses like one.

If you like Jose, you might also enjoy Matt Parrotti, Tay Trong, or Maurice Pierre Saint-Hubert.