Eli Escobar for Zeit Magazin

“I got into hip-hop culture very early, in the early 80’s. It was shaped in New York by black people, but also, what many don’t know, by Puerto Ricans. I am Puerto Rican. It was exciting to witness something so cool that comes from your own neighborhood and is influenced by other minorities. At that time, hip-hop was still emerging, and in addition to music, other aspects of identification were also important to me: graffiti, breakdance and fashion. When I was ten, I dragged my mother to the store and asked for clothes that said I listened to hip-hop. Since then, I’ve always worn a cap and loose shirts with motifs from bands or tours.

Today, when I don’t wear a cap, I almost feel uncomfortable in my skin. Like someone took a crutch from me. I change the model of my cap in phases. Currently I like the soft, non-reinforced models from ’47 or Noah NY. And ones from New York places that I have a special relationship with: bars or souvenir shops that put their logo on caps”