From Rapping To Running Business For Strong Island Merch In Wantagh

WANTAGH, NY — David Wayne has been a businessman for years, transitioning his graffiti work into an apparel brand. At his I Am Strong Island Merch stop in Wantagh, Wayne sells the characters he created on clothing and items with the popular Strong Island logo.

Wayne also has many decades in the hip-hop scene, where he was known as DC3.

Becoming an entrepreneur, Wayne looked to mentor Tony Wright, who ran a barbershop in Freeport and owned a clothing store.

"He put me on to the business," Wayne, who was born and raised in Freeport, told Patch. "He taught me everything and put me in position to own my first store."

That first store was in Freeport more than 30 years ago, featuring mostly the 1990s hip-hop brands. Wayne also ran an apparel store, Central Station, for five years in Baldwin.

The Wantagh shop opened in December.

Wayne has also used the I Am Strong Long Island brand as a concert promoter for more than a decade.

The phrase was popularized by local rappers in the 1980s, such as Public Enemy and De La Soul.

"It stuck and it lasted, so I made 'I Am Strong Island' to represent Long Island."

That representation includes t-shirts and sweatshirts.

Wayne recently completed a special order for the Town of Hempstead and "a lot of the rap groups might come [by] and need some merch done," he said. "I'll guide them and help them."

The other portion of his store is focused on Wayne's graffiti artistry.

"Growing up in Freeport, I was drawing from when I was probably in the second grade," Wayne said. "My art teacher pushed me to do a lot of art. As I got older, I discovered graffiti."

His art interest grew from a passion for comic books; eventually, he started to redraw the images.

As a teenager in the 1980s, he headed to the South Bronx, where Wayne would display his characters on subway trains.

"A lot of these characters are from subway days, but I kind of updated them and put them on shirts," Wayne said.

But having the Strong Island designs in the store expands his customer base.

"I can take that anywhere on Long Island," he said. "When I came into [Wantagh], everyone accepted me. All of the businesses came in. They all support."

I Am Strong Island Merch store is located at 2084 Wantagh Ave.